Sunflowers n' Rain

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Sunflowers n' Rain Sunflowers n' Rain is here for everything that life is. What's on your mind? I truly want to know. ❤️

I saw a post yesterday saying something like, "I don't understand how people can read over 10 books a month and do anyth...
01/08/2023

I saw a post yesterday saying something like, "I don't understand how people can read over 10 books a month and do anything else with their lives"... (That's heavily paraphrased). For the longest time I didn't understand either... How could anyone get through SO many books when I struggled to get through a single book?

I've always enjoyed reading. But if I wasn't immediately sucked in that book was throwing in the pile. Or if I had to read a book for school, I struggled HARD. I'd read and re-read the same paragraph or sentence, over and over and over again. Sometimes spending hours trying to get through one chapter.

Fast forward to last year when I was diagnosed with ... It all makes sense! Right!?

So how am I reading so much now? Well... A lot of these books are audiobooks! I've learned that audiobooks do the same things to your brain as reading does! I've also found that reading on my Kindle helps me stay on track. (←That was a hard one for me because I have a huge built-in bookshelf and LOVE physical books with a passion. Some people buy all the shoes ... I buy all the books).

Anyways, these last couple of months I've been doing a lot of projects around the house and in the yard, all while listening to books! I only read 5 books with my eyes in June & July. The rest I listened to.

I also find that having a community of fellow book loving moms has really helped me rediscover my passion for reading! Thank you

*Click to see all the books I've read since March*

...So I'm noticing that I am NOT good at posting regularly... Because   . I'm working on that, and the podcast! (Eeeek s...
31/07/2023

...So I'm noticing that I am NOT good at posting regularly... Because . I'm working on that, and the podcast! (Eeeek so excited to have that going soon 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻) Here's a fun post though about .

Last night we made our first batch of blackberry jam of the season! We got just under 3 jars from about 2 1/2 pounds of blackberries. (The 3rd jar is in our fridge and has already begun being enjoyed by our family). If you're interested in my here it is ↓

• Roughly 2.5 lbs of ripe Blackberries
• The Juice from 1 Squeezed Lemon
• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 2 TBLS Pectin

I started off by washing the blackberries in a weather and vinegar bath. No matter where you get your berries I recommend doing this! We picked ours in our neighborhood... From the side of the road in our neighborhood life ! LOL. Anyways, then I strained them and rinsed them. Next I put them in a large pot, mixed in the lemon juice and sugar and turned the stove onto 4. When I noticed them breaking down I stirred in the pectin and turned the heat down to 2 like the recipe I was following said to do. Well that took a really really long time! We ended up turning up the stove to around 6-8 which helped reduce our jam a lot quicker! We constantly stirred to avoid any burning. Once the jam was at a nice consistency we took it off the heat & filled our jars! To seal our jars we used an old fashioned water bath ❤️.

My family will get through these jars of jam quickly, but if you were wondering how long these would keep for, the answer would be for about 2 years! (This is another reason I love canning)!

*Please note I am not a professional and I honestly just love making my own jam for my family to enjoy throughout the year!*


  with   for an afternoon snack! Living in a house full of   people means lots of   going at once usually lol. Right now...
03/07/2023

with for an afternoon snack! Living in a house full of people means lots of going at once usually lol. Right now my is my . While my husband has been focused on making the most out of every day and helping with my projects, our daughter is enjoying new things, our youngest son is a from a and our oldest son is just relaxing and however he can! I love all the different ways we express ourselves!

What are you doing today? What's your current ?

How's your day going? Today we are doing   . It's finally time to put up a ladder for the   ! We moved into this house 3...
03/06/2023

How's your day going? Today we are doing . It's finally time to put up a ladder for the ! We moved into this house 3-ish years ago and we've been staring at this treehouse the entire time without a good way to get up into it. We tried a rope ladder that was a ... So we've just been waiting to put something up that's easier to until our kids were old enough to safely go into the tree house. that it's happening and I am feeling because I also want to the tree house! 🤣
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This movie was   !!! I loved every second of it! I don't think it could have been any better. ❤️               Art credi...
31/05/2023

This movie was !!! I loved every second of it! I don't think it could have been any better. ❤️



Art credit goes to

Some days I have to remind myself of all the   I'm surrounded by daily. Living in the   sometimes I feel we forget to ju...
31/05/2023

Some days I have to remind myself of all the I'm surrounded by daily. Living in the sometimes I feel we forget to just for a moment and really take in our surroundings. So I that no matter where you you take some today to & find the beauty in your surroundings... Because there is always beauty, even in the . 😌

🌻⛈️ You can't grow without a little rain ⛈️🌻
01/05/2023

🌻⛈️ You can't grow without a little rain ⛈️🌻

Tell me about what you     . Last month I apparently went down a dark   rabbit hole. LOL! Although, dark psychological t...
01/05/2023

Tell me about what you . Last month I apparently went down a dark rabbit hole. LOL! Although, dark psychological thrillers are definitely my favorite genre anyways... So maybe it wasn't really a ...

Currently I'm reading by & for my daughter's book club I'm reading by because I like to what she's reading.

Then the I'm in, voted to read by , so I'll be starting that one soon too.

Take note, when I say "read" that could mean actually using my eyes and reading or listening to an ... My brain is always looking to keep busy and lately that means listening to a lot of books and podcasts! 😅.

Audiobook paused while I'm not driving. ✔️Book I'm reading on my Kindle, open and being absolutely devoured while I'm pa...
18/04/2023

Audiobook paused while I'm not driving. ✔️

Book I'm reading on my Kindle, open and being absolutely devoured while I'm parked. ✔️

Planner on my lap that I should be working on... ✔️

Papers inside my planner that I need to turn in... But aren't yet complete ... ✔️

Car that could desperately use a wash inside and out... ✔️

Living my daily struggle 🤣 ✔️


I always have the best intentions when I bring my planner with me. In my head the plan is that I'll work on that first then I'll read... But this book is tugging at my soul and I really want to finish it! I want to see the main character get better and get out of the horrible situation she's always known... I'll get to my planner and paperwork once I'm home. For now, in the school pick-up line, I'll enjoy the sound of the rain on my vehicle's roof and allow myself to indulge in my current novel.

Side note: Do you read more than one book at once?

As an introverted-extrovert I can totally relate! I'd absolutely LOVE this sort of home! Although... I'm not big on the ...
17/04/2023

As an introverted-extrovert I can totally relate! I'd absolutely LOVE this sort of home! Although... I'm not big on the tunnels. I don't feel the need to avoid the people in my home or that I invite into my home. Or maybe it's just all the books that I read. 🤷‍♀️

Where we live there is only 2ish more months of the school year. Which means our youngest will be off to Kinder in the f...
17/04/2023

Where we live there is only 2ish more months of the school year. Which means our youngest will be off to Kinder in the fall.

I think this time around it's hitting me differently because he's our last. Since he's been born it's been possible for me to be a . That means besides a few hours here and there he's just been at home with me for his whole life...

Heavy on my mind is how little time I have left of him being little... This time is dear to me and while I'm not ready to give it up, I know we all have to eventually go through this as parents. Although that knowledge doesn't make this feeling any easier to bear.

Is anyone else feeling the pains of their kids getting older?

I also think another part of me is scared. I've been able to throw myself into for the last 5 years and before that my sole focus was providing for my kids. Which for me meant working long hours, nights & weekends as a & ... Trying to work "big girl" jobs only to find they didn't pay nearly as much as serving. Trading a normal schedule to make enough money to provide for my children without much state assistance. I've always put them first. That's looked differently over the years, from a single mom working her butt off to stay at home mom who volunteers every chance she gets. Now all of my kids will be in school ... My days will be whatever I make them. I'll have time to focus on myself and my growth. And that is terrifying.

Living with doesn't make this any easier either! Which is why my page is about life in general. If I narrowed my posts down to one topic I'd get bored and never come back to posting. LOL

This is powerful. I am so glad to have always had a mom who taught me if I didn't want to receive or give affection that...
11/04/2023

This is powerful.

I am so glad to have always had a mom who taught me if I didn't want to receive or give affection that I didn't have to, and to have had adult male family members who gave me the respect to speak up if I was uncomfortable and honor my wishes.

Not every little girl or boy gets that support or respect.

We need to be the change our children need in the world.

This simple lesson at a young age will help them to be comfortable enough to speak up as they get older, when they inevitably encounter unwanted attention.

1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted within their lifetime. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 33 men will experience an attempted/completed r**e in their lifetime.

Help our kids be strong in saying "no" and to be comfortable & confident to speak up if something is making them uncomfortable. 🌻⛈️

“A grown man looms behind my three-year-old daughter. Occasionally he will poke or tickle her and she responds by shrinking. Smaller and smaller with each unwanted advance. I imagine her trying to become slight enough to slip out of her booster seat and slide under the table.

When my mother views this scene, she sees playful taunting. A grandfather engaging with his granddaughter.

“Mae.” My tone cuts through the din of a familiar family gathering together. She does not look at me.

“Mae.” I start again. “You can tell him no Mae. If this isn’t okay you could say something like, Papa, please back up—I would like some space for my body.”

As I say the words, my step-father, the bulldog, leans in a little closer, hovering just above her head. His tenebrous grin taunts me as my daughter accordions her 30-pound frame hoping to escape his tickles and hot breath.

I repeat myself with a little more force. She finally peeks up at me.

“Mama . . . can you say it?”

Surprise. A three-year-old-girl doesn’t feel comfortable defending herself against a grown man. A man that has stated he loves and cares for her over and over again, and yet, stands here showing zero concern for her wishes about her own body. I ready myself for battle.

“Papa! Please back up! Mae would like some space for her body.”

My voice is firm but cheerful. He does not move.

“Papa. I should not have to ask you twice. Please back up. Mae is uncomfortable.”

“Oh, relax,” he says, ruffling her wispy blonde hair.
The patriarchy stands, patronizing me in my own damn kitchen. “We’re just playin’.” His southern drawl does not charm me.

“No. You were playing. She was not. She’s made it clear that she would like some space, now please back up.”

“I can play how I want with her.” He says, straightening his posture.

My chest tightens. The sun-bleached hairs on my arms stand at attention as this man, who has been my father figure for more than three decades, enters the battle ring.

“No. No, you cannot play however you want with her. It’s not okay to ‘have fun’ with someone who does not want to play.”

He opens his mouth to respond but my rage is palpable through my measured response. I wonder if my daughter can feel it. I hope she can.

He retreats to the living room and my daughter stares up at me. Her eyes, a starburst of blue and hazel, shine with admiration for her mama. The dragon has been slayed (for now). My own mother is silent. She refuses to make eye contact with me.

This is the same woman who shut me down when I told her about a sexual assault I had recently come to acknowledge.

This is the same woman who was abducted by a carful of strangers as she walked home one night. She fought and screamed until they kicked her out. Speeding away, they ran over her ankle and left her with a lifetime of physical and emotional pain.

This is the same woman who said nothing, who could say nothing as her boss and his friends sexually harassed her for years.

This is the same woman who married one of those friends.

When my mother views this scene, she sees her daughter overreacting. She sees me ‘making a big deal out of nothing.’ Her concerns lie more in maintaining the status quo and cradling my step-dad’s toxic ego than in protecting the shrinking three-year-old in front of her.

When I view this scene, I am both bolstered and dismayed. My own strength and refusal to keep quiet is the result of hundreds, probably thousands of years of women being mistreated, and their protests ignored. It is the result of watching my own mother suffer quietly at the hands of too many men. It is the result of my own mistreatment and my solemn vow to be part of ending this cycle.

It would be so easy to see a little girl being taught that her wishes don’t matter. That her body is not her own. That even people she loves will mistreat and ignore her. And that all of this is “okay” in the name of other people, men, having fun.

But. What I see instead is a little girl watching her mama. I see a little girl learning that her voice matters. That her wishes matter. I see a little girl learning that she is allowed and expected to say no. I see her learning that this is not okay.

I hope my mom is learning something, too.

Fighting the patriarchy one grandpa at a time.”

~ By Lisa Norgren

Mmmmm here they are!I took some liberties with these babies and boy oh boy does this dry rub smell SO good! I went to He...
08/04/2023

Mmmmm here they are!

I took some liberties with these babies and boy oh boy does this dry rub smell SO good!

I went to Hey Grill, Hey by Susie Bulloch to figure out how to trim the pork spare ribs. I chose to leave some of the tips on though since the set I got were pretty small. Hopefully they'll turn out okay with the extra meat left on a few racks.

First I rubbed them down with a flavorful homemade dry rub. Then I poured a little apple cider over them, flipping them a few times to coat both sides. In the morning before I put them on the grill I'll soak them in a bit if apple cider vinegar for about 15 minutes. Then on the grill they'll go to smoke 🤤

Dry Rub:
Coarse Sea Salt
Coarse Black Pepper
Paprika
Creole
Chili Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Granulated Garlic

What will you be having for Easter dinner? My family will be having smoked brisket, smoked pork spare ribs, rolls, & sal...
08/04/2023

What will you be having for Easter dinner?

My family will be having smoked brisket, smoked pork spare ribs, rolls, & salad 🤤... I cannot wait for tomorrow!

As you can tell by my hack job, I do not have the proper knife to take the skin off of my brisket 🫣. But hey, for the first time I think I did a pretty good job!

I found everything I needed at Hey Grill, Hey by Susie Bulloch !

Specifically: https://heygrillhey.com/texas-style-smoked-beef-brisket/

Stay tuned for the spare ribs prep!

Ingredients:
12lb pound (untrimmed) Beef Brisket
Coarse Seat Salt
Coarse Black Pepper
Granulated Garlic

Today's friendly reminder! Although, if you ask me real love encompasses all of these attributes... ❤️🌻⛈️
29/03/2023

Today's friendly reminder!

Although, if you ask me real love encompasses all of these attributes... ❤️🌻⛈️

28/03/2023
Let's be the difference and teach our youth how to handle their emotions in a healthy way instead of teaching them to pu...
27/03/2023

Let's be the difference and teach our youth how to handle their emotions in a healthy way instead of teaching them to push their emotions down and hide them.

Quote of the Day

Friendly Reminder 😉❤️
27/03/2023

Friendly Reminder 😉❤️

25/03/2023

Well, we are off to a slow start... but stay tuned for content! I have a list that I'm working on and I'm really excited to share everything when it's ready! Until then, keep enjoying some funny memes and don't be shy to tell me what's on your mind! ❤️🌻⛈️
-Linette

25/03/2023

Me either!

Some days it's me buying a million books... Last night was my daughter's turn. ❤️What are some of your favorite childhoo...
20/03/2023

Some days it's me buying a million books... Last night was my daughter's turn. ❤️

What are some of your favorite childhood novels?

your tbr stacks inspired us!

"Pinterest Perfect" is not real life. At least it's not mine. My life is messy and chaotic. That's where the fun is thou...
14/03/2023

"Pinterest Perfect" is not real life. At least it's not mine. My life is messy and chaotic. That's where the fun is though. Right? The mess, the chaos, that's where we learn and grow. If everything was always "perfect" then life would be incredibly dull. Don't you think?

So tonight on this Monday that is very much a Monday, I'm embracing the imperfect. My outgrown toenail polish that I may finally remove. The purple ring around my tub from a kids bath bomb that no matter how hard a scrub just won't come off. The dead plant that I brought up here months ago because of the light it would receive through the two large windows above my tub, just for me to forget to water it...

I embrace these things because while they are not "perfect" they are real. The other reality within the imperfect setting that I'm soaking in a tub with clean water and a luxury rose scented bathbomb. It's that I'm fortunate enough to live comfortably and to have these ridiculous imperfections that most people to hide or edit out of their pictures. (←Past me included) In the true messy reality, while the weekend was rough and today not much better... I'd take the problems and issues I'm dealing with now over the life I was living and trying to hide from the outside world 9 years ago... My imperfect now, is probably someone else's idea of perfection. I know it would have been for past me...

I am thankful and grateful for the life my husband and I have made. For the safety we have ensured for our kids. For clean water. For terrific friends and family! For the moment my eyes opened and I saw the need to leave the abuse. For my husband who loves my children the same as he loves ours. For being able to volunteer for my children's school and activities. My list is incredibly long... I could go on for a while...

My point is, you never know what someone else is going through or has gone through. You never know how sharing your true, raw, unfiltered, will help someone or open their eyes to a life changing moment of their own.

Let's embrace real life!

What's your messy reality right now? Show me, tell me, message me. I'm here for it! I'm here for you ❤️🌻⛈️

This is how I've been feeling all week! 🤣
14/03/2023

This is how I've been feeling all week! 🤣

Sunflowers n' Rain is here for everything life has to offer. Tell me what's on your mind. I want to hear  about it all! ...
13/03/2023

Sunflowers n' Rain is here for everything life has to offer. Tell me what's on your mind. I want to hear about it all! The podcast is not up and running yet, but when it is we will cover real life topics that real people want to hear about. Before we post the podcast, we need to hear from you. What do you need help with? What's weighing heavy on your soul? What questions about life do you have that you've never had a safe space to ask? What makes your whole being joyous and why? I'm serious, I want to discuss all that life is. That means highs and lows. We are a supportive, safe space but life is not always easy... I will give real answers. This is not a bakery and sugarcoating will not be common practice here. I do expect everyone to be polite and respectful of others though! Remember, we never know what anyone is dealing with silently.❤️🌻⛈️

12/03/2023

What's heavy on your mind? What's weighing you down? What are you proud of? What sparks your curiosity that you'd like more information about?

Tell me... I'm here for it all!

-Linette

11/03/2023

It's another night of tossing and turning. Sleep refuses to overcome my restless mind. What do you do on the nights you just can't sleep?

I usually read. Tonight I finished the book I have been enthralled in. The Stillwater Girls by, Minka Kent. It was everything I hoped it would be and more! If you're a reader, you should add this novel to your must read list! This book did not disappoint in the least (and the narration was fantastic too).

Now that I'm done reading my eyelids are heavy... but my brain is still in motion. I guess, I'll just snuggle under the covers and listen to the sound of the ceiling fan and of my husband snoring next to me.

If something's keeping you awake, I'd love for you to tell me about it.

After all that's what I started this page for. A place to discuss the joys of life, along with the hard moments. To ask the questions you've never had a safe place to ask. Above all else I created Sunflowers n' Rain to give people a community of comfort.

I fully believe that everything we go through in life is for a reason. You have to choose what lesson you take away from your experiences though. This is a safe space, but this is not a space coated in sugar. We will get gritty and raw. We will address real issues. I will answer real questions from my followers/listeners. If you're ready to explore the beauty of the rain showers that help your internal sunflower grow and thrive this is the place for you!

🌙 - Linette

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