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Helpful Thanksgiving Goodies: Reducing Family Stress & Increasing Peace with New Games, Decor & Gifts
Happy Turkey Month! I love Thanksgiving. Also, I know it can feel a tad stressful when you’re in charge of too many spinning plates. For some people, spending a little more money on premade items reduces the stress of having to make everything. If that’s you, go for it. For others, being on a tight budget might mean that making things from scratch is the least stressful way to approach Thanksgiving. Whichever camp you fall into, I think we can all agree on one thing: soggy overcooked green beans are gross. Here’s my curated list of Amazon goodies to make your Thanksgiving more fun and less stressful. Hostess Gifts If…
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Fantastic Fall Fling: How to Get Rid of Excess Items Before the Holidays!
If you’re anything like our family, Thanksgiving and Christmas mean lots of food and people. Before that happens this year, wouldn’t a little more space be nice? It’s okay if you have a compact home—the key is getting rid of items you don’t need or like in order to make space for the things you love! For example… Last year I opened my fall decor bin and found a couple things I didn’t like. The mistake I made? Putting them back in the bin. If I didn’t love them last year enough to bring them out, what makes me think I’m going to love them this year? Now I’m doing…
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Father’s Day Gift Guide for the Young & Old: Cool, Trendy, & Fun Ideas Your Dads & Grandpas Will Love
June 18 is right around the corner, so it’s time to think about what the dad, uncle, or grandpa in your life would like. And don’t forget about the new dads too! I scoured Amazon for you, and all of these recommendations have excellent ratings. Duh—you know I wouldn’t steer you wrong. So put down the tie, step away from the mug, and believe me when I say no man wants a “World’s Best Dad” shirt. Those might (or might not) be cute, but these are rad… Young Dads They’re tired, rookies, and need a break. Take their minds off diapers for a minute with these fun gifts: Your Baby’s…
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7 of My Favorite Amazon Products to Organize Your Home, Car, and Backyard
Ready to get organized before summer? As a slightly Type-A woman with an organizing business, I can tell you firsthand… the products you use to get yourself organized matter. From your kitchen, closet, and car, to your bathroom and backyard… I gotcha covered with some of my favorite products. The reviews are in, and these organizers take the cake! Kitchen LOPASA Ziplock Bag Organizer for Drawers or Wall Oh my gosh… where has this been all my life? In your drawer or attached to your pantry wall, this bamboo beauty keeps all your plastic bags organized in one spot. Need something larger to hold your plastic wrap and tinfoil, too? Take…
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New Media to Buy for Yourself and Give Away: 4 Books and 2 Songs by My Talented Author Friends
The following is a short list of friends who put in the hard work and did what it took to launch their words into the world. Besides ordering these treats for yourself, they make great gifts for Mother’s Day, graduation, Father’s Day, birthdays, etc. Each image below is a link. In alphabetical order, so no one gets their feelers hurt…. Nicole O’Meara When Morning Dawns: The Hope of God’s Presence in Your Storm Nicole’s life changed the day her lungs started bleeding and she could barely breathe. If you or anyone you know battles chronic illness, this is a fantastic resource poised to encourage young and old alike. Nicole and…
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5 Ways to Untangle Your Tinsel: Tackling Christmas Without Tackling Your Family
Ever found yourself stressed and annoyed at just the thought of getting ready for Christmas? I know—it can happen to anyone. Our culture tells us we can do it all but fails to equip us with the tools to get there. So when I catch myself thinking, “This year is going to be so much better than last!” I know high expectations are looming. Here are a few things I’ve started doing that help make this season a tad less hectic. Disclaimer: The way I created this list was by struggling with all five of these things. So don’t you dare think I have these mastered or even managed. I…
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Baby Steps, Bob: How to Replace the Overwhelming Thing with the Next Thing
If you’ve seen one of my favorite movies, What About Bob, you know taking baby steps (literally) is what got Bob Wiley out of his own head. Repeating the words “baby steps” also got him on a bus, through a sliding door, and on a boat… all things that previously terrified him. Similarly, if you’ve read Bob Goff’s books or listened to his podcast, you know he loves the word ambition. Always challenging people, he does a great job of encouraging his audience to figure out what they want and go for it. Sounds effortless coming from a man who already possesses ambition… and a bank account to back up…
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A Unique Mother’s Day Gift Guide for all the Young Moms, Busy Ladies, and Older Women
Let’s be clear from the beginning—not many women want cooking or cleaning gifts for Mother’s Day. Nothing says, “Now you have a better tool to clean up after us!” like an upright dirt sucker. Bleh. Unless of course she’s been drooling over the latest Dyson…. Between wanting to be sensitive and thoughtful, gifts can get tricky. Not too old-fashioned, not too freaky modern, not too impersonal. So what in the world do you get moms these days, especially the ones who already seem to have it all? Here’s a list to help, divided into three categories: They’re all from Amazon, have free shipping with Prime, and have fantabulous ratings. Because…
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Christmas Eve Chaos: The One Where We Went to Church Dirty and Avoided Our Friends
The morning of Christmas Eve 2019 in NorCal started like any other: frosty, sparkly, and bulging with practical anticipation. But the way it ended messed with my mind pride in ways I didn’t think possible. Without fail, every Christmas Eve of my whole life consisted of the same things: nice clothes, hair-sprayed hair, and a calmness about the impending church service. Cramming into as few cars as possible with aunts, uncles and grandparents, we drove the rainy or snowy roads to a large church and settled in. I was always happy to see people we knew, especially since we smelled great and looked put together. We chose seats toward the…
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Hosting or Being Hosted: Helpful Ideas to Get Your Heart & Home Thanksgiving Ready
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…
