photography by: Angie Garcia
Happy Monday! Yesterday we got back to Texas and it felt so good to just shower and do absolutely nothing. My suitcase is still in our mudroom, but I’ll get to it later this week. ha. Paul cooked dinner and Maxi and I went to sleep so early. Traveling is fun, but coming home is even better. Today, my mom is having a really big hand surgery for her RA. This is the one that all her prior hand surgeries were prep for and we’ve known about it for almost a year. It’s the hand surgery that was a huge factor in us wanting to move closer to my parents. The healing process is about a year and she’ll be in a cast for a few months with most of what she loves in life restricted. I know she is so torn up about not being able to hold Maxi. We would love some prayers today that the surgery goes well and that she handles the pain well and heals beautifully. My mom has had something like 18 surgeries {5 for her hand with RA} and her surgeon keeps reiterating to her and to us as her family, this is the most painful surgery he performs and in his words, “your mom will hate me and hate that she had this surgery for a year.” He always acted like every other surgery was a breeze to heal from, so we are definitely nervous and not sure what to expect healing wise. We are just praying for her comfort and healing all morning! If I’m late to respond to messages this month, please know my heart isn’t to ignore anyone, I’ll just be caring for my mom full-time this month. As always, thank you for your kind messages, prayers, and sweet words when my mom has surgeries. I always read her each message and she is filled with such comfort.
That’s a big curveball for a Monday, huh?! But to lighten up the mood {and my nerves!} let’s talk about a few organizational things I have been loving around the home. When organizing, it can defeat the purpose if you end up buying containers that make it even more difficult to find what you need. Below are four products that I can’t believe I ever went without and I think you, my friend, will love.
Shoe Risers {I have the 10″} | Peach Bins
If you have a little one, you will love these acrylic risers. I have the 10″ and use them to display Maxi’s shoes. With Maxi constantly growing and her shoe size changing, I always try to buy the next size on sale. She has two shelves in her closet that I use to sort her shoes. The top shelf has shoes for fall {in the next size} and shoes for play. The bottom shelf has dressier shoes and sandals. By using the risers, I’m able to neatly display everything and always have a good idea of what she has in her closet vs. what I need to budget to buy for the upcoming season. On her shelf, we have 3 of the risers going across. Below, we have these peach bins from Target. They come in sets of 2 and I bought them right when we moved. I still want to use my label maker to label them, but for the past 3/4 months, it has made cleaning a breeze. She knows how to help me sort and pick up with them, and if we take certain toys in the living room, we just bring the bins.
Essential Oil Organizer | Pantry Post
You might have seen this 2-tier lazy susan in our pantry post, but it is my favorite thing I have ever used to store essential oils! There is no mess in a bin, no leaks, no wondering where my lavender is. I simply spin and find what I need. I keep them in our pantry since I mostly use oils for cleaning and medicine and that is also where all our medicine ins. I just face the label outward and then it truly takes 2 seconds to find the oil I need. I had used a nail polish shelf and other items, but this takes up the LEAST amount of space while keeping them the most organized and showing them all.
Did you catch my collaboration with Hallmark on Instagram?! It was all about how studies are proving that sending cards and snail mail actually reduces the amount of stress you feel when overwhelmed with social media and e-mail. Isn’t that amazing?! Try sending one card a week to see how you feel. I’ve been doing it lately and I came home yesterday to the sweetest card from a friend, and it truly is the best feeling. My floral card box is on Amazon and you can shop it here. It already comes with 24 Hallmark cards, but my favorite part is that it is pre-labeled. YES, my Type A friends, pre-labeled. I’ve tried many times to make card boxes, but then they aren’t tall enough for certain decorative cards and I have to make my own labels, and it ends up not looking the way I would prefer it look. This accounts for more decorative cards that might be larger. Plus, for $24, you’re already getting 24 cards in it. Not only is it a deal greeting card wise, but it is perfect to place in your gift closet or in a cabinet where you store gifts.
Recipe Binder {code KATEY20 gets you 20% off!}
Welcome to my recipe nook in my kitchen. I keep this little basket from Target a few years ago along with other cookbooks and this binder. The basket from Target is the brand Threshold, but I want to let y’all know a few of y’all have gone to Target to find it and can’t find it there! 🙁 I keep stalking their site daily to see if it has come back, but I would check your local Homegoods. I always feel like they have something similar!
I’ve shared many, many times before my Nana typed up all of our family recipes for my wedding gift. The best gift I have ever received! I also love to take recipes out of magazines and jot them down from my mom on napkins. I had them all stuffed in a drawer in the kitchen, but this precious recipe binder sorts them all. This is also pre-labeled like the Hallmark box above. I just use clear paper sleeves to insert my magazine recipe finds, and sort them all. There is so much room in here, as well. This would be such a sweet gift for a bride to be.
Do you have anything in your home that has made organizing a breeze as of late?! As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a stress-free start to your week!
Wonderful post! Praying for your mom today! I hope the surgery goes perfectly and that she heals easily and quickly! ?❤️
Thank you SO, so much for your sweet prayers! We feel them for sure! xo, Katey
Thank you so much for sharing the details about your mother’s surgery. I am so sorry for her pain and all of her surgery; I can relate just a little bit because I had 7 dental implant and gum/bone grafting surgeries all within 18 months-And I have 17 auto immune diseases! God was so good during that time; I can’t even tell you how good He was! He answered so many prayers that I didn’t even know I should be praying!
I am praying here for your mother and for you, your sister, your dad and everyone. I also know from caring for both of my parents (my mom is moving in with us this month!) how stressful it can be, especially to be sandwiched between a little one and an older loved one. Just remember that God knows everything and he totally has your back 😉 When Jesus left us with his peace (shalom), it was a type of peace that is only really evident in times of struggle and stress- His peace works when it shouldn’t! This is when you really see it!
Hugs from NC???Sharon Henry
Hi Sharon, I just wanted to send you a HUGE thank you for all your sweet words and prayers!! My mom got her cast off on Tuesday and is in a brace and I’m so blown away by her healing. I know this is all from prayers and God. Thank you again!! xx, Katey
Katey,
I hope your mom’s surgery is successful and worth all of the time and recovery you are all helping her with, I know how stressful they can be! I hope that her pain is well managed and she is a lucky one to experience a faster than normal recovery. I adore reading about your life and appreciate how close you are with your mom (I’m the same!) so I know that having you close by and helping will make her feel even better, even if it’s not easy. Wishing you all the best!
-Heather
Really loved your collab with Hallmark! I also collect and keep cards to send – so nice to send/receive a card over a text.
Prayers to your mom & your family!
Katey,
Sending love and prayers to your sweet mom! She is so optimistic and beautiful inside and out. It is never fun to walk through these medical challenges, but so beautiful to think about all of the extra family time you all will share. Lifting you all in my prayers.
Hugs,
tamra
Praying for your mom and your family! I pray that her surgery goes well, and for her healing to be much better than normal over the next year.
Sending up prayers for your mom and her surgical and care team this morning. I pray that God will work in and through her surgeon and guide his movements so the outcome is exactly as desired. I pray that He will give comfort and quick healing to your mom and that she is considered a miracle with how well she does on her road to recovery. I pray for her heart to be calm and patient as she heals and is kept from the things she so desperately wants to do but can’t. I pray for you all as a family. For you to be given peace this morning and strength during her recovery. Our God is the Great Healer and He is a miracle worker! He is guiding all of this and using it for His good. I hope you all feel bathed in love and prayer through this whole process!
OMG! That card box is absolutely perfect for my Type A personality! I am due with my 2nd in a couple weeks and this will be so nice to have. I currently just have all my cards thrown in a basket but this was perfect and you can’t beat the price. Thank you!!!
Hi Katey
Sending love and prayers to you and your mom and wishing her a speedy recovery. She is so lucky to have you and we appreciate all your efforts as well.
Best,
Amy Foosaner
Prayed for your mom and family yesterday! I also do a recipe binder for ones I find from Pinterest and magazines! Love that card organizer- I might have to purchase that!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Prayers for your mom. I would love for you to do a post on essential oils and how you use them.
Katey,
Sending love & prayers for your mom, as well as the rest of the family! I know she will have the best people caring for her during recovery. Also sending a Happy Birthday! I love the card box and am ordering one today. I always buy cards I like when I see them, but sometimes don’t have the one I need at the time. Isaish 58:8
?Holly
Dear Katey,
Sending prayers for you and your family. When I was pregnant with my last baby I had to go on best rest for a while and it was really hard for my toddler to understand why mommy could not hold him. I will be praying for Maxi as I know she will be also trying to understand all that is happening to her Gigi.
Xo,
Ana
Hi Katey,
I was just reading your blog regarding your mother’s issue with RA and the several surgeries that she has had. Long story short, my father has Stage 4 Lung Cancer and nerve pain from the shingles. He is on all types of medication which is not even helping with his nerve pain. My father was unable to hold his grandson due to this constant pain that he encounters. So I decided to do some research and came across this cream. It actually alleviated his pain to where he was able to sleep and play with his grandson from time to time. Anyhow, I am now a believer. I want people to understand that there are natural alternatives that may help with pain other than taking high doses of pain meds on the regular. I actually want to give your mother this cream just in case if the pain flares up again. This is extremely awkward for me to even ask, if there’s an address that I can send this to you for her? If not, no worries, I completely understand, haha. Or, you or maybe a friend of yours, are more than welcome to swing by CBDistrict Health & Wellness on Bryant Irvin to pick up the cream. I pray that all went well for your mother and fast recovery!