Our New Rhythm

We don’t typically make resolutions but this year I’m taking on a couple, one month at a time. This month the goal has been to drink significantly less. As those holidays build toward the end of the year those drinking occasions pick up a pretty steady cadence. I’m glad we had fun young adulthoods but I’m just getting too old for that many bad decisions! By the time we hit the new year I was just done and passed on the bubbles. To my surprise, James was looking for a break, too. So we’re in the midst of a great reset.

Not just with alcohol, we’re trying to eat a whole bunch of preventative medicine frogs now that were clicked over that big 4-0. We have a life we love living and would hate for it to be cut short by something that has simple preventative measures. This is my reminder to you to also make those uncomfortable doctor appointments (mammograms, colonoscopy, etc). If you’re like me, you wouldn’t hesitate to put your life on the line for your family. More often than not, that just means living responsibly, which can take a lot more effort than just dying sometimes. Go do the hard thing!

Coming Resolves

My last post indicated what February’s task is likely going to be: culling social media. I’ve got more coming on why that’s happening and you might appreciate that it has nothing to do with the Tik Tok ban (though I fully support that, too!). I’ve been taking it slow and trying to rewrite my brain, which is very used to doom-scrolling. At this point I’ve pretty much weaned myself off of my own toxic habits and I believe I have found the balance between using social media and social media using me. Again, more on that shortly BUT all this free time has granted me so much already!

For instance, I’ve read five books since January 1st and am well into my sixth! It’s not nearly as instant and the dopamine takes actual effort to earn, but it’s been so much better for me and I can feel it! I’m also signed up for a writing workshop this week to maybe get me a little closer to writing that book that hovers in the back of my brain sometimes. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss keeping in touch with all my cheerleaders who I have met on Facebook but hopefully I have a plan to help stay in touch, too

My Favorite New Habit

Every Sunday we used to set aside time for the kids’ scout troop. They feel like they outgrew that so we haven’t been going. Instead we’ve taken the opportunity to rebrand that time! Now, we pick a local establishment, order some food/drink and design our house together, as a family!

I have waited so long for this. When people ask me when we’re moving out of the tiny house over the years my response is one of two things; (1) probably a couple years or so or (2) when the kids are old enough to help us design and build our next house. Guys, they are SO into it and I absolutely love this! We’re only a couple weeks into this new pattern but we’ve all contributed so much.

We’ve come up with a program together; things our house MUST provide.

• There will be three bedrooms.
• Three bathrooms (don’t judge that, there are reasons, I’m sure I’ll explain later)
• The living, dining and kitchen areas.
• I want a desk area with organization in the main space so we don’t have to isolate to be crafty.
• The main wall that runs the length of the house will be a built in bookcase.
• The kids have secret areas that connect to each other.
• There will be an unfinished basement area (because we live on a hill) which will be for our water cisterns and solar equipment (we’ll still be fully off-grid).
• I’m hoping we can also fit a bit of utility space in there so that when we have livestock we have a space to bring them if they need nursing (something that has been preventing me from taking those next steps there).
• There will be a large greenhouse off the kitchen (it may be built at a later date but needs designed as a whole with the rest of the house).
• A porch!

Aside from the actual spaces we are working to design in other important variables:

• It will have to capitalize on those pretty views that make us feel so lucky every day!
• Solar design and thermal mass are being considered to help us passively condition the space.
• Wind and airflow are being responded to for the same reason.
• We’re researching fire places and I’d like a heat stack.
• Passive cooling systems are going to be important.
• We’re looking at some specialized wall systems that will help with organizing and streamline plumbing and electrical and limit thermal bridging.
• We have an entire site plan, including placing 32 large solar panels.

The plan is still to built this thing ourselves. Right now our plans seem to be fitting between 800-1,200 s.f. And I expect we’ll definitely stay in that range but a lot of pushing and pulling will no doubt happen in the coming weeks! There will be no financing because I’m still very much opposed to that. We’ve been saving so hopefully it can find a way to work out beautifully! At least there will be the four of us this time to build, even just two of us can accomplish a lot!

It should be fun couple years ahead!