This week we had a shift on the homestead by moving into the colder months with heartier meals, earlier bed times & fun fall things!
I am a firm believer that instead of fighting the impending dread of those incoming cold season blues I set my family up to embrace hibernation and use the time to fuel our bodies, rest, recharge and feel a bit of quiet togetherness.
It really is a great time to slow down and I focus a lot on finding my center again.
After the busy spring and summer months that are jam packed with activities, gardening, harvesting, home projects and travel the time spent inside sipping warm tea and smelling stews and roasts cooking away is really refreshing.
It gives my family time to be together without all of the extra hustle and bustle of life. We get a chance catch up if you will. Like chatting with an old friend.
Heartier Meals, Earlier Bed Times & Fun Fall Things!
Heartier Meals
A big shift happens in my kitchen during the cold months.
I leave behind the freshly whipped together pasta salads and warm summer grilled recipes and I fully embrace the deeper and heartier dishes. The ones that fill you right up and leave you needing a nap after.
Things like stews, roasts, chili and soups are in constant rotation. My slow cooker gets washed just to be filled up again.
My main focus is to fill us all up with big nutritious and soul fulfilling meals and allow our bodies to absorb everything it might have been lacking while we were super active all of the warm months.
This week I made cornbread, goulash, beef stew and a pot roast. Next week I plan to whip up my husbands favorite…zuppa toscana and most likely another batch of my Slow Cooker Stout Chili.
Here is a couple recipes that you might want to add to your cold weather menu planning…
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup in Homemade Bread Bowls
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes with Maple Bacon Balsamic Glaze
- Irish Meatball Stew Recipe
- Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes
- Crockpot Southern Green Beans and Stewed Tomatoes
“cooked soup – Credit to https://myfriendscoffee.com/” by John Beans is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Earlier Bed Times
What better way to get the most out of a winter hibernation then to literally sleep like a bear? These months there is a massive emphasis on extra rest.
We tend to move our girls bedtimes about a half hour earlier each night, our weekend evenings are spent winding down much sooner and we bring some great soothing self care regimens into our nightly routines.
It helps our minds and bodies relax and makes the recharge and refuel focus so much easier.
This might mean a relaxing tea before bedtime, a soothing bath wash, essential oils or homemade facial masks.
I’m going to get our shelves stocked up with some homemade goodies this week so we have options for self soothing to aide in the sweet zzzz’s.
So a trip to pick up some supplies for my homemade beauty care products will get me to a point that I can bring the magic together and have us all ready to cuddle up in bed.
“Relax 51/52 2011” by JanetR3 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Fun Fall Things!
We did some really simple yet fun fall things this week with the littles. We put together a scarecrow with my husbands flannel and pants, drew a face and hung the DIY Floating Tree Ghosts we recently made.
Also, we painted wooden haunted houses and got pumpkins to carve for this upcoming weekend.
The plan is to make a night out of it by carving pumpkins watching a spooky movie and decorating gravestone cookies!!!
36 FREE Pumpkin Carving Stencils for Spooky Halloween Jack O’ Lanterns has some amazing options for pumpkin carving stencils and we will be picking from this list for our own.
It is almost like our home does a complete 180 from busy and loud play outside, later nights chasing fireflies or roasting s’mores or long hot days in the garden to more books being read, our table constantly filled with crafts and rest encouragement all around.
We are huge advocates of being outside. Whether that means just to get the kids exploring or for the benefits of fresh air.
In all seasons you can catch us soaking up any outdoor time to the best of our ability.
The crisp Autumn air is my favorite.
However, getting inside and coming together over a bowl of warm soup and a storybook fills my soul with happiness, too!
So this week on the homestead it has been looking mighty cozy.
It’s almost wool sock season. For that, I am thankful.
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Love, light and a little grace…
-Olivia
Olivia Whalen is mama to three young girls who is devoted to creative learning, exploration and free range imagination. Olivia enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to preparing homemade baby food or meals for her family. She most enjoys allowing the little minds in her life to flourish and with that you will see her write about creative kid crafts, recipes that fit a family budget and keep everyone asking for more, tips and tricks for a tiny babe, and beginner homesteader fun! Some of her hobbies include gardening, hiking, reading, cooking or just basking in motherhood.