Lately, life has been busy – but the good kind of busy. The kind that feels full, steady, and real. The kind that leaves you tired at the end of the day, but in a way that feel satisfying.

Most mornings start with that familiar rush – kids who don’t want to wake up, picking out outfits, packing backpacks, and me trying to carry about a million things to the car. Peyton heads off to school, Nova to daycare, and Cole and I go our separate ways for work – me to childcare, him to the shop. Two very different worlds but equally exhausting and rewarding in their own ways.

By the time evening rolls around, we come home ready for a different kind of busy – the kind that happens only at home. Some nights, we’re outside. Winter prep is in full swing right now. Cole and Peyton often wander over to the farm, helping with chores and finishing combining the last of the crops. The farm belongs to Cole’s uncle, who’s a big part of our lives, so helping out always feels more like family time than work. And I love the lessons and discipline Peyton gains from spending time there. It’s a lifestyle I wish I’d grown up with myself, so I’m grateful we get to give that experience to her.

Nova and I usually find our own little rhythm at home in the evenings. Her current obsession is painting – and honestly, she’s a natural artist if I do say so myself. Most nights, she’s set up at the table with her brushes and colors while I tidy up and start dinner. We almost always have music playing – sometimes softly in the background, sometimes blasting through the whole house. It fills the space with warmth. There’s something so comforting about the mix of music, a candle flickering on the counter, dinner simmering on the stove, and the kids’ laughter echoing through the house (on the nights they’re not arguing, of course). It’s the kind of peace that feels like home.

Of course, not every night looks like that. I’ll be the first to admit it. As much as I wish life always looked like a magazine spread, some nights it’s cereal for dinner (Nova’s favorite), grilled cheese, or mac and cheese – another favorite around here. But then there are nights, like last night, where inspiration hits and we end up with lasagna soup, simmering on the stove, music playing, and the whole family dancing around the kitchen together. Those are the moments that make my heart feel full – the kind of moments you wish you could bottle up and replay forever.

We try to set the right mood in the evenings and use that time to slow down, but during the week, life still stays pretty full. We are getting back into ECFE classes with Nova at school . Peyton has Piano lessons after school once a week – trying to get her involved in everything she loves and shows interest in. Both girls participate in gymnastics. Peyton loves it, and Nova is still getting used to it – her first class and she’s still a little glued to my hip. We usually take the advantage of being in town afterward and treat ourselves to something easy for dinner – fast food or a take-home pizza.

Weekends are always a surprise. We never quite know what they’ll bring because something unplanned always finds its way in.
It can be a lot sometimes, but it’s also everything I ever wanted.

No matter what the days holds, the evenings usually end the same way – a house that smells like dinner, music fading in the background, Cole settles at his computer, with Peyton right beside him (she’s definitely a daddy’s girl). Nova is usually playing with toys and I’m curled up with a book. All of us together in the loft, each doing our own thing but still sharing the same space.

Cozy isn’t always candles and calm – sometimes it’s the chaos of family life, the noise, the comfort of routine, and the warmth that lingers after the day ends. Here’s to full days, messy nights and the quiet joy of home.