Carrie Talbott Carrie Talbott

Jesus Follower | Word Stringer | Avocado Eater

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  • Cooking,  Gratitude,  Thanksgiving

    Hosting or Being Hosted: Helpful Ideas to Get Your Heart & Home Thanksgiving Ready

    November 19, 2021 / 19 Comments

    We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you… your relatives.  Raise your hand if you’re prepped and organized for Thanksgiving. It’s okay… most people aren’t. You’ve got this though. You’re stronger than you think, you can juggle more than you realize, and I have some tips. Depending on your hosting situation, I’ve crafted three possible scenarios. And within each of those, I’m giving you different levels of being ready. Pick and choose according to your home, drunk uncles, and level of crazy that’s on its way. 1. They’re Only Coming for Dinner If you were raised in a casa where your parents regularly hosted Thanksgiving, good news! Having people…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Thanksgiving Hacks to Keep You Grateful. And Sane.

    November 16, 2019

    It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Chaos: 4 Ways I Fight the Christmas Crazy

    December 14, 2019

    Cooking Tips & Tricks from My Classically-Trained Le Cordon Bleu Neighbor Chef

    September 15, 2018
  • Entertainment,  Gifts,  Gratitude,  Thanksgiving

    Simple Family Thanksgiving Ideas: Goodies & Gifts to Keep it Basic This Year

    November 14, 2020 / 2 Comments

    Raise your hand if you’re tired. Same here. And yet, most of us want a cozy space and a fun Turkey Day, so we press on. Here are a few items to bring the Thanksgiving spirit, help you keep the kids out of the kitchen while the goodness cooks, and usher in rad memories.  Click the pics for Amazon ease and order today for quick delivery! First up, it’s time to decorate the wee ones. No need for a busy outfit though—just plop this knit beanie on any baby and snap those pics. I love this pumpkin, but the yellow shirt is my fave! Grab one for yourself and one…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    All I Want for Christmas This Year is a Book. And Star Wars Baby Yoda.

    December 12, 2020
    Family-friendly Movies flicks films

    15 Favorite Family-Friendly Flicks to Watch at Home With the Kids This Weekend

    May 28, 2021

    Yellow Lights, Red Flags: Warning Signs That Help Keep Our Noisy Lives in Check

    August 20, 2021
  • Courage,  Faith,  Gratitude,  Stress

    Mexican Manna: Do You Know What You Need?

    April 11, 2020 / 6 Comments

    In case you’re considering launching a cross-cultural ministry, organic enterprise or local venture, here are two things I wish someone would have told me before our family took off for the great unknown.  Buckle up—they’re both extremely complex and ridiculously basic: On some level, I already knew about these two things because, well… life. But wow. I had no idea how scary true they would prove to be.  From the beginning, through the middle, and after the end, my husband and I felt the effects of every emotion that came from human disappointment. Friend/family, old/young, poor/rich… didn’t matter.  But right on the heels of every one of our bugged eyes…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Corner Office Syndrome as a Boss: When it’s Always Lonely at the Top of the Business or Ministry

    January 10, 2021

    Carols In The Closet

    February 20, 2016
    Perfect Piano Practice Perfection

    When Daily Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect

    March 19, 2021
  • Cooking,  Entertainment,  Gifts,  Gratitude,  Stress,  Thanksgiving

    Thanksgiving Hacks to Keep You Grateful. And Sane.

    November 16, 2019 / 2 Comments

    Just like these funky pumpkins I found in Santa Cruz, I’ve got some funky goodies for ya. No boring twine and brine ideas here. I dug deeper, scoured the sites and compiled a list to make your turkey day a tad easier. Some of these items I own, some I’m buying, and some I’m loving from a distance, but they are definitely mother-in-law approved. Most of us are about to host or join a gathering that begs for planning, cooking and manners, but fear not. You still have time to order these helpful goodies from Amazon and get them way before Aunt Norma pushes your buttons doorbell. * For the Kitchen &…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Chaos: 4 Ways I Fight the Christmas Crazy

    December 14, 2019

    Cooking Tips & Tricks from My Classically-Trained Le Cordon Bleu Neighbor Chef

    September 15, 2018

    Starting the Fall Season with Non-Annoying Orange Autumn Items for All You Undercover Pumpkin Spice Fans

    October 22, 2021
  • Attitude,  Gratitude,  Pride

    Trading Sorry for Thank You

    March 9, 2019 / 14 Comments

    “Sorry I’m late.” “Sorry I didn’t call.” “Sorry about the mess.” “Oh, sorry!” “Oops–sorry.” Enough already. Of course, sometimes a genuine sorry is exactly what’s needed. But I’m referring to all the times when sorry becomes excessive… unwarranted… over the top.  What in the world would a public bus be sorry for? That it’s winter? That’s you have to step out onto slush? Have you ever wished someone would stop saying sorry so much? Maybe (like I did) you realize you’re the one constantly saying it. Whether it’s intentional or not, if we’re consistently spewing the word, it tends to lose its effectiveness. It can also make us look guilty,…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Working Moms: Killin’ It or Barely Makin’ It?

    February 16, 2019

    The Circus Next Door

    March 5, 2016

    8 Things I’m Teaching My American Pre-Adults in Mexico

    November 12, 2016
  • Faith,  Gratitude,  Parenting,  Patience

    A Loss, a Baby & Secondary Infertility: What I Learned While Waiting to Get Pregnant

    September 1, 2018 / 15 Comments

      After five years of marriage, my husband and I decided we wanted a baby.  Sad to say, I don’t recall checking with God much about this, but He didn’t send a concerned email so I laid my clothes on the bed next to Doug’s and bam—prego. Phone calls, nursery plans and a roomy pair of overalls became the norm. Until I went in for my first ultrasound at twelve weeks and the technician looked strange.  Nice lady, but I could tell she couldn’t tell, so I studied her face.  “Everything okay?” “The doctor will go over everything with you.” “I thought there would be a heartbeat by now.” “He’ll…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Easter Fail

    March 26, 2016

    Mexican Manna: Do You Know What You Need?

    April 11, 2020

    Do It Afraid: Public Speaking Through Anxiety, Fear and Nerves

    April 12, 2018
  • Attitude,  Gratitude,  Parenting,  Rest

    Family Dinner Questions w/a Side of Candlelight: Getting Your Kids and Teens to Talk

    August 18, 2018 / 12 Comments

      “So…? How was your day?” “Good.” “Anything fun or different?” “Nope.” If this riveting dialogue plagues your family too, take heart and read on.  Spreading a sheet or blanket in the family room and turning dinner into a picnic sounds so quaint, doesn’t it?  Photo by not brittany shh pls on Unsplash   Mostly, yes. But if your brain skips over the cute family bonding part and goes straight to what could happen to your carpet, clothes, knees and back, it’s okay to stay at the table.  Better yet, take your meal outside and enjoy the weather while you can. Even though the floor or patio can help breed…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Dealing with Disappointment: 5 Things I Learned from a Rough Family Vacation Last Week

    August 5, 2022

    The Circus Next Door

    March 5, 2016

    Lord of the Flaws

    October 6, 2018
  • Attitude,  Faith,  Gratitude,  Humility,  Missionary Shenanigans,  Neighbors

    When You Don’t Wanna Bloom Where You’re Planted

    July 21, 2018 / 18 Comments

      When the Mary Englebreit craze invaded 1996, I joined millions of other fans and hung her calendar on my wall. I liked her one-two faith punch: “Everything is a risk. What if it doesn’t work out?”  “Oh—but what if it does?” Over the years my floral style changed, but I now see that she produces black and white art, and her sayings/phrases are clever with a side of sass. For example, you’ll find these on some of her recent cards: “When you thought everything would be easy peasy lemon squeezy, but it’s actually difficult, difficult, lemon difficult.” “When life shuts a door, open it again. It’s a door. That’s how…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    Dumbing Down Our Kids: 11 Rules of Life to Challenge the Teens in Your Life

    September 21, 2019

    Lord of the Flaws

    October 6, 2018

    Working Moms: Killin’ It or Barely Makin’ It?

    February 16, 2019
  • Faith,  Friends,  Gratitude,  Honesty

    The Day I Deleted Her Info: Saying Goodbye to a Lifelong Friend

    June 18, 2018 / 12 Comments

    Just because two sets of parents are good friends doesn’t mean their offspring will follow suit. So was the case with Chelsea and me. We saw each other every summer at Mount Hermon and ran through camp together while our parents hung out and caught up. It took 358 days to bring us together again, and we continued that pattern through childhood and adolescence. I’m writing a book for a woman about grit and resilience. Besides living in another country for 12 years, I haven’t had many events or occasions that forced me to dig in and claw my way out. And in a weird way, I feel bad about…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    In the Eye of the Swarm: Learning Patience While Waiting for Everything to Change

    October 15, 2016
    Trailer Life Baja Mexico Missionary

    Home Sweet Trailer in Baja: Abraham’s Forever Faith in My Face

    February 6, 2021

    Do It Afraid: Public Speaking Through Anxiety, Fear and Nerves

    April 12, 2018
  • Christmas,  Gratitude

    The Secret Society of Christmas Anxiety: How to Calm the Expectations

    December 4, 2017 / 24 Comments

      No pressure, but have you poured your own candles with beeswax from your backyard colony yet? …gotten your hollyhock dipped and your mattress flipped? …added plumbing to your gingerbread house? …drained your hot tub and refilled it with mulled cider, orange slices and cinnamon sticks? Is there a wreath on your grill and a candle on your sill? …gold glitter on your babysitter? …a candy cane on your windowpane? …jingle bells on your dusted shelves? Good tidings, no. Martha Stewart’s still alive and well, but let’s all give an eight-clap to the fact we don’t live in the ‘90s anymore. If she wants to stencil her driveway, God bless…

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    Carrie Talbott

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    It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Chaos: 4 Ways I Fight the Christmas Crazy

    December 14, 2019

    5 Ways to Untangle Your Tinsel: Tackling Christmas Without Tackling Your Family

    December 3, 2022

    Christmas Card Burnout: Why I Chose to Stop Sending the Iconic Greeting

    November 27, 2016
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Welcome!

You’re here! And I’m Carrie. From full-time camp kid to unconventional missionary for 12 años in a 3rd-world country, I’m now a profesh organizer and writer who loves plants and guac. Life is short, so I’m smiling while I have all my teeth, but I still have issues. Always remember… when life hands you lemons, give them back. You deserve avocados.

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