My brother and I have been working so hard on moving this blog over to a new platform.  He is the best because I will tell you, all this switching-over business is not for the weak of heart!  But I’m really excited because I think the formatting will be easier and it will be way more user-friendly.  What’s that you say?  I mentioned I was doing this weeks ago?  Or maybe it was even months??  I don’t know, all I know is that I underestimated how long it would take.  I keep thinking we are almost done and then realize how much more we have to do.

But now we are so close I can almost taste it!  I’m getting my menu all situated, filled with my favorite mothering tips as well as my tried-and-true recipes that will be way easier to look up.  And I know so many people have requested (over and over) that I update the 71toesHOME blog, and I am actually working on that.  (Check out the “Sundance” post I just finished over HERE…woohoo!)

In my dreams I will get that all situated, if I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew🙈.

I’d love to know if there is anything particular on this blog (71toes) that you guys would like to see, what navigation to which topics would be helpful, etc.  Yes, the main goal of this blog is to record of our family life, but over the years it has become so much more!  It’s been a journal, an emotional outlet, a platform to share ideas, an avenue to connect and feel understood as well as a spot to feel vulnerable and even misunderstood which has taught me so much as well.  In it I have written so many things I want to be able to find again quickly and easily, not only for me and my family, and my grandkids and great grandkids, but also for you as “fellow strugglers” in this journey of motherhood and “friends” I have “met” here and grown to love over the years.

Let me know if you have any advice or requests as we finish this up, if you’re still around on a Friday afternoon!

22 Comments

  1. I would love to read what you would change about your house now you have lived in it a while. like would you of added more bathrooms or extra bedrooms and taken some bathrooms away. What lighting worked and what didnt. How are you kitchen appliances holding up? that type of thing. on the other side of it, over the years of reading Mormon bloggers and the rise of social media (I think I have been reading since 2006 0r 2007….) what are your thoughts on fashion, clothes wise. Looking on instagram there seems to be less of the modesty that I used to love, the clothes have changed and people arent sticking to what I thought were Mormon 'rules' (sorry I cant think of a better word). And how this is impacting your family…Gosh reading that back it seems quite a lot… ha ha enquiring minds in Scotland want to know!

    1. Whoops, I should have clarified that I'm talking mostly about this main blog being updated and what would make it more user-friendly. But yes, I'm trying to at least show the finished products of all that work on 71toesHOME, and I'll try to include what you talked about because those are questions everyone building wants to know (I know I did in the building process!) Good questions there and on the fashion/clothes changes. I haven't really thought about that, but I'll give it some thought and try to get to it soon 😉

  2. Your blog is wonderful. Aside from the house stuff as stated above (always love house stuff)..but organization in a big family, closets, clothes buying budgeting, decluttering and living simply. I love how you all travel and appreciate friendships over material shopping. A big thing for me is…your reflection on your raising 3 teens, who are now in college and 1 teen in High School. What do you know now, that you wish you knew then? Thank you and looking forward to many more years of your blog.

  3. Your new blog sounds great.

    If possible, please do it so that we can still subscribe to comments even tho we haven't left a comment ourselves.

    1. Yes this is the type of thing I'm trying to make sure we update and make better. There are lots of people who seem to not be able to leave a comment, and I think it's been tricky to search for topics, etc. I think this will help!

  4. Topics that I search your blog for every six months-ish are mostly chores, inspiration, books, and photography. I also love speeches/talks that you have given or have inspired you.

    Also, I know that I and several others would love to know where you got your super cute and fun dining table. 😀 I can't wait to see everything! Will we still be able to search this blog when you move over to your new one? Is that an option?

    Thanks for all you do!

    –M

    1. Ha! That dining table would be good to add to the menu since it feels like people have asked about it 1,839 times:) We had it made and it is in dire need to be refinished but we sure love it. The search option will be lots easier on the new one and hopefully everything will transfer over there. I'm hoping I can keep this one but it will probably be private so it doesn't get mixed up when people search for 71toes things. Working to have all those things you mentioned as part of the menu so thumbs up on that! Thank you so much for the input!
      xoxo

  5. I've been reading your blog for years now and as a new mom to a 4 month old baby boy, I would love for you to somehow compile all of your parenting tips and tricks that you have mentioned on here before. I know you've mentioned a million!

    1. I'm adding as many as I can, but it will most likely be an ongoing process to find them all. Wish I had kept track of them better over the years!

  6. I often search your blog for recipes (warm chocolate cake), book reads and photography how to's, camera equipment and Lightroom. I have learned so about documenting life from your blog. I'm also looking forward to the house update. Thank you for all that you share!!

    1. Recipes will definitely be easier to find, and I hadn't thought of photography. I want to do a refresher on photography at some point, but I'll find a way to link to those old photography how-tos in there somewhere! Thanks for the input!
      xoxo

  7. An easy way to look up recipes! You have some yummy ones on here and it would be nice to just pull up a list of your recipes. Thanks and good luck!

  8. First I love your blog and what a labor of love to reformat it. Thank you for sharing as much as you do and even asking for our opinion!

    Second – navigation topics I would love to see:
    *Family travels and then a drop down by country
    *Intentional parenting challenges? philosophies? not sure the right word but topics like wanting to live in China as a bonding experience, starting a memorization project, lunch dates during school with kids, etc.
    *Parenting tips but then a drop down by age groups: babies, toddlers, elementary, middle school, teenagers, college students, adult children
    *Finances: I realize you don't write a lot about this topic but the 70-20-10 approach, family bank, paying for college, kids paying for clothes at age 12, etc.
    *Recipes
    *BBS – make it easier for other families with either BBS or similar special needs.

    Love you Shawni and thank you again!

    1. Libby!! This list is fantastic! I agree wholeheartedly. I have so enjoyed reading 71toes for years and years. It would be amazing to have an “at a glance” list of parenting hacks, etc. I’m frequently trying to explain something I’ve learned here. Being able to search her topics and lists/ideas with the hubs, friends, or family quickly would be amazing!!

      I’d add in grandparenting ideas under the intentional parenting. Including reunions, trips with extended family, kids, goals, etc.

      Shawni – I know we don’t know each other, but you have been such a light and an incredible resource for positive and intentional parenting for me. Thank you!!!

  9. THis may have already been mentioned, but I would love easier access to all of your book recommendations. I've been pinning them from here to Pinterest for the most part, but I love reading about what books you recommend. You always have such great insight.

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