The Bright Eyed Brunette

  I used to think that menopause would arrive politely. You know maybe a quiet heads-up like, " Hey girl, we're wrapping things up." Instead, menopause kicked down the door, flipped the thermostat to surface of the sun , and whispered, "Good luck figuring out what's normal now." Hot flashes are not just "feeling warm." They are internal combustion events. HELLO HOT FLASH OLYMPICS!!  I could be sitting perfectly still, minding my business, when BAM! my body decides I'm being chased by a lion. Meanwhile everyone else is fine. "Are you hot?" someone asks. No. I am melting. And sleep; Never heard of her! Menopause sleep is a special kind of betrayal. I would fall asleep just fine- confident, hopeful, smug even. Then 3:07 a.m. hits. My eyes snap open like I've been summoned. My brain immediately began reviewing   every awkward thing I've ever said since 1996. I wasn't tired. I wasn't sleepy. I was just awake. For no reason....

 Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had the best weekend. We were busy getting the house back in order and preparing for "normal" (as if that is a real thing, ha!).  Makena and Carl decided to do a little target shooting. I know that some won't agree, but we have always taught our kids to be comfortable and responsible around firearms. Knowledge is power. We are a hunting family, and we definitely believe in our 2nd Amendment rights.  Carl did a little grilling. I'm not sure if he has spent too much time on TikTok or what, but he has been influenced to get the perfect rub for chicken wings. He has big plans for Super Bowl Sunday (hope everyone likes wings!). All joking aside, they were very flavorful and cooked to perfection. He also threw some cheddar jalapeno brats on.  I spent Saturday morning cleaning out my office. During Christmas break, everything was just crammed in there and we closed the door. It had gotten so bad, that I could barely walk in there and I...

 Hey there! If you're new around here, welcome-- and if you've been here before, thanks for sticking with me. Either way, I'm so glad you found your way to this little corner of the internet. I'm Beth, a stay at home wife to Carl, mother of 3 grown kids, mother-in-law to 1, BeBe to Wrenley (3) and Wesley (due in June). I am a Child of God, a Sunday School teacher, and a Gospel Project teacher. I like to say that I'm walking by faith but constantly tripping. My hobbies include planning (planner planning), photography, reading, fishing, and boat riding on the river. This blog has been on my heart for a while. I have gone from parenting little kids, big kids, homeschooling kids, kids graduating high school, college, to getting married and having grandbabies! We've seen lots of changes around here over the years.  I wanted a space that feels a bit like sitting down with a cup of coffee and catching up--no pressure, no perfection. You'll find bits of everyday mom...

 Happy New Year, friends! Hope you all had a great New Year's Eve. We had a very low-key one here. We went to church, then over to my parents for snack food and games, then we ended the night with a little relaxation in the hot tub. Just what the doctor ordered! At the start of every year, I try to choose a word-not as a trend or slogan, but as an anchor. Something to return to when motivation fades, plans change, or life feels louder than expected. This year, the word that kept rising to the surface was Steady Not flashy. Not ambitious. Not dramatic. Just steady.  I'm learning that I don't need constant momentum or huge breakthroughs to be growing. Sometimes the most meaningful progress comes from simply showing up--again and again--at a pace that's sustainable. Steady looks like staying grounded when life feels noisy. It's choosing consistency over perfection and faithfulness over burnout. It's trusting that small, daily choices matter, even when they don'...

If there is one thing that I've learned over the years, it's that one planner rarely does it all. Life is layered--family, faith, home, goals, work, creativity--and trying to force everything into a single book usually leads to burnout or abandoned pages by March. Enter: The Planner Stack. My 2026 Planner Stack First up, is the main planner, or as I like to refer to it: My Life Planner. This is the backbone of my system. I fell in love with this one the minute that I laid eyes on it. It is a LiveWell weekly/monthly planner by Bluesky. It is in a vertical layout and runs October 2025- December 2026. It is made like and Erin Condran and I purchased it at Wal-Mart.  I am using it to keep up with appointments and commitments, our family schedule, weekly meal planning, and important dates. This planner will go with me wherever I go. It's the one I check daily. My next planner is my Goal/Growth Planner. I have been using this one since April of last year. It runs through June of ...

 This year did not unfold the way I imagined it would. There were prayers I prayed with confidence that didn't receive the answers I expected. There were moments of deep gratitude mixed with seasons of stretching, waiting, and surrender. And somewhere along the way, God taught me that growth rarely comes wrapped in comfort.  I wanted clarity, I wanted timeliness. I wanted explanations that made sense to my human heart. Instead, God often gave me peace without answers--and I'm learning that peace is sometimes the greater gift. This year also taught me that gratitude changes everything. Even in hard seasons, there were blessings tucked into the ordinary quiet mornings, answered prayers I almost overlooked, lessons learned through love and loss. God was faithful in ways I didn't recognize until I looked back. Most of all, this year taught me that God is patient. Patient with my questions. Patient with my growth. Patient with my shortcomings. He wasn't rushing me--and He is...