"Spooky scary skeletons send shivers down your spine," *dun dun dun* (tell me you're singing it in your head, now - or aloud - even better!). It's no secret I love spooky season. As a lover of all things spook and as a fun mom (well, I try), I'm always looking for simple ways to sprinkle spook around the house. I'll be sharing a series of ideas for anyone with littles (or you know, for yourself) that will bring ghoulish giggles to everyone involved! Jump right on in to simple ways to sprinkle ... VIEW POST

Simple ways to sprinkle spook part 1

Get them reading with the Tower of Books Challenge
Parents and kids everywhere are feeling the 'end of the year slump' as summer approaches and dreams of closing up the books mix with summer plans that often don't involve a lot of reading. We began feeling that familiar slump after taking a mid-year break of our own (beauty of homeschooling year-round) that left me looking for new ideas to inspire more independent reading in our house. Thanks to Teachers Pay Teachers, I found a great way to get them reading with the tower of books ... VIEW POST

Raise them to love the unloved things
...raise children who love the unloved things... I've always had a knack for seeing the beauty in things that might otherwise seem repulsive -- cupping roving spiderlings in my hands to escape quick-footed spider-squashers is what I do (everyone keeps a tarantula under their bed in college, right?). I don't think I've ever intentionally trampled a spider, come to think of it. Seems ridiculous, I suppose, but I feel for the unloved things. Creepy crawlies and critters that slither might ... VIEW POST

Simple Activity Station Ideas for Kids
I'm often asked, "Jess, how do you function with five kids and a circus of animals?" The answer? Girl Scout cookies and wine (I kid, I kid...mostly...more milk than wine). Cookies aside, since beginning a life of schooling/working at home, I've found that we are all happier when we have options - lots of options. So, I'm going to share a few of my simple activity station ideas for kids that will keep them (and you) happy! Simple Activities - Stay Organized! Before jumping into ALL OF THE ... VIEW POST

Glittery Glowing Monster Jars
Glitter. You either love it or hate it. I'm in the "love it as long as I don't have to clean it up" category. Let's be honest, if you decide to bust open the glitter, you're committing to one to two weeks of picking it out of everything. Like, every nook and cranny. You'll probably even find it in your underwear. It doesn't matter how hard you try to contain it. Once you release the sparkle, it's "game over." Whether you love or hate glitter, you're almost certain to appreciate this colorful, ... VIEW POST
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✨️🌙 What is your body telling you?? Will you listen?? 🫠🌙✨️
#inspiredlife #listentoyourbody #funny #moodygrams #schittscreek
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🌙✨️ Luna...present wrapper/inspector extraordinaire ✨️🌙
🫠🐈⬛️ Do you have a helpful paw or two at home?? She is very pleased with herself... 🐈⬛️✨️
#catsdoingthings #cat #catsagram #catsoninstagram #petsagram
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🌙✨️ Moments that have inspired me this week 👇
✨️ the way the light moves and shifts in the evening
✨️ the sound of hummingbirds
✨️ creative moments
✨️ meditative time in the greenhouse
✨️ impactful & emotional performance by @3rdlawdancetheater @gabby_giles
✨️ mama bear and cub rambling through the neighborhood
✨️ cheese.
🌙 what has sparked a flame for you, this week? 🌙
#theater #artistsoninstagram #createcommune #homeinspiration #summervibes
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✨️🌙 Would you join us for a magical movie night at the Moody Manor? 🌙✨️
✨️ @hopperspixar was great, by the way. All five kiddos ranging from 5 to 14 laughed throughout. Luna enjoyed hummingbird watching and the moonrise was spectacular. ✨️
🌙 We created this setup with a simple pull down projector screen and portable projector (along with plentiful snackage, obviously). 🌙
✨️ What would add to movie night, mortals? ✨️
#movienight #pixar #outdoorliving #familyfun #homeinspiration
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✨️ Life as art ✨️
🌙 I`ve been embracing these small moments, living, noticing...and have found so much beauty in it all. Holding on to these slices in time that are there and then gone. 🌙
✨️ What small moments have you noticed this week? ✨️
#family #home #momentslikethese #artofliving #dailyinspiration
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✨️🌙 Lose yourself for a moment, won`t you? 🌙✨️
✨️ So I`ve been having the AI blues, lately. I go from feeling motivated by it to keep creating out of spite (like, nothing can take the place of our human madness to imagine, you know?) to feeling so bogged down and discouraged by the damn thing. How about you? ✨️
#mellow #inspiredbynature #moodygrams #realart #artistsofinstagram
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✨️🐈⬛️ Can you relate with any of these, mortals? 🐈⬛️✨️
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Lately, I’ve been trying to catch my breath…willing myself to breathe after a whirlwind of activity. But, I’m often left feeling as though I can’t breathe deeply enough. It’s almost as if the air is void of oxygen and I’m left gasping. Do you ever feel that way? As if the best and worst parts of life are hopelessly intertwined — laced together — it’s almost impossible to diverge yourself from it all? So, you just kind of flop into a heap, desperate to land in a place that will hold, even cradle you….to simply rest? …to quiet the world?
That’s energy for you, I suppose. As a empath and creative with a brain that moves faster than my body…I often find myself in this space. A space living with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and EDS that requires me to care for myself…and lands me in a bad place when I don’t.
And I am desperate. Desperate to give all of myself to my family, my friends, strangers, to spiders drowning in a pool of water, to every project, every idea, every cause…desperate to do more, always.
Maybe you`re a casual visitor of that place of desperation or perhaps you live there, tucked beneath the mountain of expectations you’ve placed on yourself. While I can’t pull you out of that space, I will sit with you…hold your hand, and invite you to breathe with me. Have a seat on my couch — with a cat on your lap and a mug in your hand? Share some queso with me? ....no jerks allowed... ✨️
#lifelessons #livinglife #chronicpain #goodlife #homeinspiration
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✨️ Camping...but make it whimsical, anyone? ✨️
🌙 We kicked off camping season with friends & have high hopes for many adventures this year. This will be our third season in our camper (North Trail by @heartland_rv ) that I`ve been customizing with all of the magical touches (yes, you can wallpaper a camper 🤣) ✨️
✨️ Luna enjoyed her first camping trip - hiking in her @yourcatbackpack - catching her first fish - chasing butterflies in the grass ✨️🖤
🌙5 kids...3 dogs....& 1 camping kitty later, we are exhausted but there is nothing quite like a rocky mountain high, is there? 🌙
#campinglife #campingtrip #summervibes #coloradolife #getoutside
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