Joy in the Mundane.
Happy New Year. Better late than never, I suppose.
The Christmas décor is cleaned, organized and tubbed away for next year. And I’m thrilled to say there is no company on the horizon for at least two weeks. I do love to entertain but by the fifth time in twenty days, even I was losing steam.
We start school on Monday and so the Whole Heart School room got a clean sweep and much-needed purging. As did the closets. I’m such a cliché type A. I love the freshness of a New Year. I tend to attack December 26th with a vengeance.
I’m stunned that we are beginning our second year here in Door County. Did you hear the news? We officially named the house:
Sur le Rocher County House and Gardens
On Christ the solid rock I stand. You can watch more here…
Looking back we accomplished SO much in one year.
- Removed carpeting on the front porch, back porch, both bedrooms and both bathrooms (yuck) and third story attic
- Cut down more trees than I can count
- Removed kitchen cabinets
- Knocked out a giant pantry
- Removed ugly chair railings and wallpaper
- Removed bathroom and kitchen wallpaper
- Hung multiple light fixtures
- Removed two stories of “velcro wall”, rough-hewn cedar siding in the middle room
- Replaced the fireplace mantel
- Dug a huge gardens
- Replaced a bathroom vanity with a cool brass bucket sink
- Made a faux fireplace for the range to reside in the kitchen
- Put in a pot filler and new outlet at the stove
- Painted the kitchen and wooden kitchen ceiling
- Installed shiplap in the middle room, cutting each piece ourselves
- Installed more cattle panels than I can count, birthed two new goats, raised an entire new flock of ducks, geese, chickens…
- Made a giant chicken coop out of an old storage shed
- Built three significant stone walls and stairways and pathways
- Removed a hideous deck
- Covered the cottage garden grass in pea gravel… wheelbarrow full but a wheelbarrow full
- Took out THREE MUCK and ROCK FILLED ponds, only to find them lined with old carpeting
Dang… I know there’s more but I have PTSD just remembering all that work! And we are geared up for ANOTHER year of it! I’m giddy with creativity over all the projects we have in store. And I think one might include me sleeping on a mattress that ISN’T laying on the floor soon! Just sayin’.
Those beautiful children are growing like weeds and I’m pretty geeked to start school on Monday. Each child is just GROWING into who they are and I have to tell you, it’s a gorgeous thing to watch. The every day is HARD but at the end of the week when I look back, I stand and marvel at how incredible they are. Their conversations, drawings, hobbies… I am constantly humbled that I GET to be with them every day. All day. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This post is starting to read more like a Christmas Letter than a blog post, but I suppose I needed to get it out of my system. I didn’t do an end of the year post or a Christmas card. To all of you who can manage to send a Christmas card, you have my PROFOUND respect. I used to sketch one every year. I hope I can get back to that someday. Once I can remember to thaw meat out the night before. I should probably master that skill first.
I’m sure you’re like me. I’m sure your life has hardships that you don’t broadcast, there are a million reasons to be overwhelmed, depressed, you name it. But I refuse to do it. I will have #joiedevivre. I will continue to celebrate God’s mercy and the inescapable mundane, the bread baking, the new shade of lipstick, the silly mutterings of a child… the “Everyday Château”.
It’s a new year. I’m going to give it everything I have.
You forgot to mention your awesome copper kitchen sink!!! Love living vicariously through you! Can’t wait to see what you do in 2019!
Girl, you are amazing. You did more than all of the above too! I do recall installing an amazing copper sink in the kitchen and building a rock wal?!! Come on. And wrote a book plus dōTERRA!! Love to you all and miss you too! xoxo
HAHAH Oops.
You have so many hats who could keep up with them all…and still be so beautiful inside and out…I absolutely love your blog and youtube…your family is so lovely and giving….can’t wait to see what you have in store in this new year…God bless you and your family…
Hugs from Tennessee….
Thank you so much!
One of the most important roles a blogger/Entrepreneur is to inform and inspire. You do that well. Happy New Year!
Oh thank you!
Oh, I’m so excited to watch the new videos. In my oh but 52 years, I’ve sure experienced Christ as my rock! That is a great name! As long as you focus on that, the rest will follow.
That is such a great name for your house! And that list of things accomplished is so impressive, especially when considering how many more things you did in a normal day such as preparing three meals a day for those beautiful children. I know you’ll have a great rest of the school year and your curriculum sounds challenging. Now I’m off to watch the video again. How many times did I watch the Christmas video? I’m embarrassed to say!
Oh awesome! SO Glad you love it, if you watch one more time than maybe YOU can respond to the latest comment about my fashion choices, lest I spout off and make a fool of myself:)
Fabulous, love the blog and YouTube.
Thank you so much!
I decided this year to make JOY my daily goal. I also decided if you can turn a 1980’s house into a 1700’s French Farmhouse, I might just manage to decorate my late 1990’s double wide living/dining room in an English Country Cottage sort of way. So excited at just the initial results, pulling together things I already had on hand. Right there with you on wanting to jump in feet first December 26.
Oh you can TOTALLY do it! I wish I could HELP!
Your messages are so warm and inspirational…most of my grandchildren are older than your children, but your blog makes me feel young again….thank you so much for sharing your life
Thank you!
Love your blog. Love your YouTube channel. I’m copying your faux fireplace for my stove in our barndominium we are in the process of building. Of course Hurricane Harvey and the 100″ of rain since hasn’t helped with the process, but thank God we didn’t flood on our property during it all. We are very blessed.
Oh have fun and tag me on Instagram when you’re done with a photo!
Thank you for sharing your every day “chateau” and family, Angela. I have enjoyed every UTube video trying to
catch up to present day…(just found you in early December)! I am the oldest of 7 children but alas! Now a grandmother to 10! I’ve travelled a lot and have been to Paris. Always wondering how you developed your interests in all things “France”??? How old are you to be able to accomplish so much with such a large family? (My Mom was always doing laundry)! Where did you grow up? Siblings? How did you and hubby meet & how long married? What did he do for a living before DoTerra? You are amazing, Angela. And so pretty! Love your children’s French names too
Debbie! That’s a lot of questions girl! LOL. I love French culture. Always have. They fascinate me and I have a great respect for their appreciation of beauty. Joel was in the trades before doTERRA. I’m 43. And pretty soon we’re going to share the story of how we met so I’ll keep that under wraps for now:) Thanks SO MUCH for your kind words.
Wow, so inspiring, thank you. That is it, you got the idea across perfectly. That last paragraph should be bottled and worn as perfume to be worn daily. Yes, there is much to be depressed and overwhelmed by, but to refuse to be, determined to enjoy all the good that is there and appreciate the God who works it all out for us, that attitude with God’s help will not only get us through but in a fabulous way. With a cup filled and overflowing, thank you once again for lifting up.
Thanks so much Shirlene, always so kind and encouraging.
Love love your blog and you tube!!! I’m exhausted reading your list of accomplishments and I’m one who always have to be doing a project … but when the creative ideas erupt ya gotta keep going and going and then sit back and feel good!! I have been admiring your red drapes! Where did you find them? Thanks for all your inspiration, Donna
Ok I just went back and saw on instgram you made your curtains/drapes
Don’t know if you’ve heard the saying “Rolled up laughing” well that’s what I’ve been doing all day watching your vlog, mainly at Joel’s sense of humour & your patience I found you whilst looking for inspiration to get off my (chronicley fatigued) butt! & get my recently empty nest clean & tidy. (Saturday my 24 yr old baby left home ) I come from a huge family, I’m one of eight children, Dad was a painter decorator & Master of all trades & Mum was the most hard working beauty & Lady put on this earth, both of them a huge inspiration! Your wonderful cheeky happy children are going to say the same about you two & will always cherish their upbringing. Bought back some great memories for me even though we lived in a big council house in Notting Hill, London many yrs ago when times were very hard we did & still do adore each other, appreciate and make the best of what we have! . I have 4 grown up children, 6 Grandchildren, a boxer & love to decorate especially French style & Seasonal (maybe I should film myself, it’d make me tidy up if nothing else You definitely put Spring in my step today, Thank you all
OH my goodness! I just found this comment. THANK you so very much for your kind words!