The Saturday Sit-Down #56: Shallow Roots Living

Hello, hello! Welcome to another week of “The Saturday Sit-Down”!

I hope your weekend is off to a nice start! We went ahead and slightly lowered the price on our house this week to renew some interest in this terrible sellers market right now, and we almost immediately had three requests for showings this weekend. For the first one yesterday we only had about a three hour notice, and our entire sloped driveway and huge back porch were covered in layers of ice (we had multiple rounds of ice come through in the last few days, and it was hard to stay on top of it!) We about killed ourselves doing everything we could to break up the ice and make everything on the exterior look presentable despite the wild weather we had this week, but I guess that’s exactly what we get for listing our house in the dead of winter in the midwest. Fun, fun, fun times. 🙂

This week I’m excited to introduce you to Jenn! She was so easy and pleasant to work with in putting together this feature, and I personally couldn’t wait to hear her responses to my questions. I really enjoyed reading what she had to share, and I hope you do as well!

Q: In three sentences or less, tell us a bit about who you are.

A: Thanks for having me!  I am a stay at home mama to two little ones and a wife to a former service member.  He recently transitioned out of the military and we landed in Texas where we now call home.  I look forward to working on my cooking skills in the kitchen, finding new crafts to have fun with, and seeing what great finds there are at Texas yard sales.

Q: When did you start your blog, and where did your title originate from?

A: I have been blogging in a few different places over the years but in 2012, Shallow Roots Living was created.  At that time I was a newlywed living in a small town in Alabama with my Army Officer husband. I wanted a way to share what we were doing with family and friends that were scattered all over so I turned back to blogging.  When trying to come up with a name I asked my husband for help.  He came up with the name “Shallow Roots Living.” You often hear how the military life leaves you with “loose roots” from moving all the time.  It worked perfectly for that season of life.  However, recently Hubby has gotten out of the military and we have planted roots in San Antonio, Texas for the long haul.  I was very tempted to change the name of my blog until a friend sent me this writing from Julie Andrews called Wildflowers.  It resonated with me so much that it has since changed the meaning behind the name of my little blog.  I think it fits perfectly for this time of my life.

Q: I laughed when I saw you write that you’re a “sorta crunchy mom” because sometimes I’m the same way. Ha! What are the more “crunchier” things that you focus on as a mom?

A: Definitely, more “crunchy” when it comes to things for my kids.  We enjoyed making our own baby food and it really did taste so much better than what comes in those jars.  We cloth diapered when at home.  I was not going to travel around with stinky cloth diapers in wet bags all the time though.  When we remember to put them in the car, we use reusable bags to go shopping.  And something as simple as using hand-me-downs or second-hand toys and clothes can help.  All things that don’t scream eco-friendly, but are simple changes that can make an impact.  I believe that the little things that stick can make a big difference in the long run.  For those changes to stick they need to be easy to do and budget friendly.  We make decisions with those criteria in mind.  So I guess I go with sorta crunchy because we like to do the eco-friendly choices, as long as it isn’t at a detriment to something else.

Q: How many kids do you have, how old are they, and what do you love about this season of motherhood?

A: I have two kids, Andrew (Bear) is 4 1/2yo and Evelyn (Eve) is 18 months old.  I think this is such a fun and surreal season of motherhood for me.  I am trying to soak in those “firsts” and really enjoy the quality time I get to spend with them before the business of the school years hit us.  Bear started half day pre-k which has been a great way to ease into school.  Yet he isn’t busy with sports, boy scouts, or after school activities. It also gives me some one on one time with my little girl who isn’t so little anymore.  She is our last and so watching her grow up is bittersweet. Being a mom of little kids can be tough but oh so rewarding. I love that I get to spend this time with them even if it just playing a game on the floor or reading that worn out book for the umpteenth time. Its something I know won’t last as they get older. I will soak up that time while I can. Says the sentimental mom who just finished going through bags of outgrown kids clothes.

Q: I know you have a background as a teacher. Are you still teaching, or are you staying home with your kids? How did you make the decision to do whichever option you chose?

A: I stay at home with our kids at this point.  We are pretty old fashioned in the respect that we like to have someone home when the kids are.  Also, when crunching the numbers for what it costs to put two kids in daycare and a teachers salary, made more sense to have a little more flexibility with our lives and budget.  I am happy staying home with our kid but once they are both in school full time I will be looking for something else to fill that time even if it isn’t teaching.

Q: What are some of your favorite ways to soak up “me time”?

A: In our house “me time” really means “us time.”  While it is such a cheesy thing to say, hubby and I work as a team to take care of the chores in the house and then enjoy the kid-free time together.  This doesn’t mean we have to do the same thing, lots of times it could just be sitting on the same couch reading different books. But I would say my favorite right now, as we are a couple of old souls, is to sit out on the porch and play cards. Very Ted Mosby of me I know.

Q: Where should new readers start on your blog?

By jumping right in!  I write about so many different things that the labels are a great place to jump around and find something that interests you.  However, there are a few below that will give you a splattering of what you can find over at Shallow Roots Living.

One of our biggest transitions so far was hubby getting out of the military.  We stayed with family in NY for a bit until Hubby found a job in Texas.  We lived in a hotel for 70 days until our house was ready.  I do not recommend it but becoming homeowners was amazing!

We like to stay pretty busy especially on the weekends when hubby is off of work.  We could be simply going to the park or rolling up our sleeves fixing the house up.  A typical weekend is a splattering of things we want and need to do.

One of my favorite things to write about have been those awesome (or not so awesome) yard sale finds I stumble on.  I love the hunt and finding those treasures others may overlook.  I try to weave in the tips and tricks I have learned over the years that help me find these deals!

Q: Where can we connect with you on social media? 

You can find me in all the normal places but I am most active on Pinterest and especially Instagram. Obviously, I can also be found on my blog, Shallow Roots Living.

And just for fun…

1. Pizza or pasta? If I HAVE to choose I would say NY pizza but pasta is a super close second.
2. Netflix or cable? We actually got rid of cable a few years ago and never looked back so Netflix is all we have.
3. Spring or fall? Hands down the Fall.  I love the cooler weather and the ability to wear cute boots. And of course the beautiful colors.
4. Coffee or tea? A cup of black coffee.  The stronger the better!

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Thank you so much, Jenn!

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Is this your first time to Whimsical September? Welcome!

Hello! I’m Erica, the blogger behind Whimsical September. I created the “The Saturday Sit-Down” series in January 2017 as a way to give back to the blogging community and link readers with new bloggers whom they may share similar interests with. Click here to discover more bloggers that have been featured on “The Saturday Sit-Down”. I promise you – there’s some GREAT ones!

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