Happy New Year!

Welcome to White Oak Farm!

I’m so happy you’re here! This is where you can find out about all the new things we’re doing around the homestead as well as thought provoking and instructional content too! I’ll be posting new blogs a few times a month and I hope you’ll enjoy them! I’ll be sharing my love of DIY, Decor, and our Farm Animals with you.

I hope your holidays were as wonderful and special as they could possibly be in this strange time. We made sure to quarantine for a couple weeks ahead of time and took a trip to Virginia Beach over the holidays. We spent a little time individually with my parents, brother and each of our kids families. It was wonderful to see everyone and celebrate, even though we weren’t able to bring everyone together as we normally would.

As we leave 2020 and enter into 2021, I want to say this; WHAT A YEAR! Many of us went through much hardship and pain, or at least lots of inconvenience like never before! 2020 was not an easy year for anyone. Even so, I wouldn’t change it if I could because it has taught us more about ourselves and made us all stronger.

Some interior pics of the farmhouse at Christmastime

Most of us have learned how to take better care of ourselves and had to rely on and take care of our families and/or partners more. For many it has strangely brought our families closer together. Even if we had to Skype and FaceTime more and Zoom like never before, many of us found ways to spend a little time together. Despite the lockdowns and fear of getting sick, we made time to celebrate each other’s birthdays and holidays anyway!

It’s brought school-age kids and parents closer together and given us a better appreciation for what essential workers are and what they do for us. For all that, we can be grateful.

I don’t think now that 2021 is here everything’s going to just magically get better, but we can keep getting stronger and moving in the right direction! 

Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones?

The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them. So, from this dark winter, there is hope that the new year will bring us peace and joy. We can be kinder and better than we’ve ever been! We are capable of amazing things and the best is yet to come!

2020 – A Year of Reflection, Resilience & Reawakening!

We all know how bad it has been and you and I have made it through the worst of it! But now let’s move on and embrace the simple pleasures and joys life has to offer. Let’s celebrate and live each day as we would our birthday or a special occasion. We can each find beauty in the everyday. I think this year has helped me to realize I need to do that more. I have a little wooden sign that says “Expect Nothing. Appreciate Everything.” and I think that’s much easier than ever now for me.

A new year brings the chance to learn and try new things, and be even better than before! That feeling of accomplishment, discovering more about yourself, challenging yourself to things you never ever thought you could do, THAT is worth celebrating. I hope this blog and our adventures will help inspire you to bring more challenges and joy into your own life!

I wish you and your loved ones a beautiful and peaceful New Year! Please join Martin and I again soon right here on the Farmhouse Blog, on the Video Gallery page of this website! You can also find us on our YouTube Channel or Facebook Page which are also called Stanfords Modern Homestead!

Cheers to a Healthy, Blessed & Happy New Year!

”Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison