-
It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Chaos: 4 Ways I Fight the Christmas Crazy
If you’re anything like me, you would rather not be found sitting in a corner on Christmas morning, sucking on candy cane plastic and rocking to the beat of Santa Baby. I know if I run at the normal American pace though, I’ll be up wrapping gifts till three in the morning and sliding into Christmas slightly bitter and more coo-coo than ever. So I made some new choices this year. Not everyone will like all of them, but when I went back to work I think I added a bit of “I care less about what people think” to my résumé. I often describe this season as organized chaos.…
-
Thanksgiving Hacks to Keep You Grateful. And Sane.
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 &…
-
3 Books, 2 Shows & a Podcast
I’ve always believed items and experiences of significance should be shared, not hoarded. So here ya go… six things I’m currently loving and think you will too. * 3 Books 1. Braving the Wilderness – Brené Brown Her subtitle explains it well: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone. Umm, yes please. Whether we realize it or are willing to admit it, most of us yearn for true belonging. Cultivating it in our communities, organizations and culture sounds taxing to me… and fantastic. The courage to stand alone isn’t simple, but this book is on its way to my hammock chair and I’m ready to dive…
-
Dads & Dudes: Father’s Day Gifts That Aren’t Lame
It’s not a secret–most dads don’t want a tie. Or a jar of spicy salsa. Or a hammer. If the man in your life is getting harder to shop for, you are in good company. Some of my friends are shopping for way more than one dad. Even if you have four dads, three sons, two uncles, and a grandpa, I gotcha covered. I scoured the sites, in search of anything but mundane, and came up with this list of funness. * New Dads Starting with the guys who are new to the game… With five other books in the series, the sleep-deprived dad is bound to stay awake reading…
-
My 2018 Favorite Christmas Gift Ideas
I couldn’t find a “Favorite Things” list for normal people with normal money, so I made my own. Unlike Oprah, my favorite gifts for Christmas don’t cost the same as a car payment or mortgage. Grouped from the five-dollar range to a fifty-dollar max, I did all the scouring so all you have to do is the clicking! To ring in the season, here are my faves…. Gimme $5! 1. Ginsco 7-pc Succulent Transplanting Minature Fairy Garde Planting Gardening Hand Tools Set The tiny tools with the giant name, perfect for the succulent addict. I gave these to my sister last year and they’re so stinkin’ cute. Don’t…
-
Cooking Tips & Tricks from My Classically-Trained Le Cordon Bleu Neighbor Chef
In 2002 I spent my days chasing a toddler while my friend Jen chased a dream to culinary school. Fresh out of high school, she donned a white coat, white skull cap, and jumped into chef training at none other than Le Cordon Bleu. Eighteen months later, after cuts, burns and hundreds of food victories, she received an Associate of Occupational Studies degree in culinary arts. I didn’t know her back then, but since we currently live eleven feet apart (yes, I measured… at night… like a creeper), I stuffed my intimidation and decided to find out more. She invited me over on birthday cupcake day and we had a…
-
8 Sweet Easter Ideas: Fun Gifts for Kids, Teens & Adults
Tired of the same old eggs and chocolate bunnies? Welcome to Easter Twenty-18. It’s time to shake things up a little, amigos. Photo by Kelly Neil on Unsplash From basket stuffers and silly fun, to t-shirts and Christian eggs, I’ve scoured Amazon so you don’t have to drive from store to store looking for this goodness. Click your favorite pics for easy Easter bliss delivered straight to your doormat! Mixed Emotions Jelly Beans Your Personal Flavor Decoder: Happy tastes like refreshing lemon Playful teases the taste buds with sour apple Grumpy sears like sizzling cinnamon Sad envelopes you in berry blue Love warms the soul with orange crush Perfect for…
-
7 Clean Cleaning Songs + 7 Cool Cleaning Solutions
Hosting 23 people for Thanksgiving became a distant memory. Having the parentals in the guest room for Christmas is over and done. Sucking 2018 glitter out of the carpet ended almost a month ago. It’s not spring yet. So why are we talking about clean cleaning songs and cool cleaning solutions? Because maybe you have pets. Or kids. Or both. Or maybe you just want to take care of what God’s given you. Or… perhaps we’re all afraid of each other’s air this month and want to disinfect the heck out of every handle, candle and sandal. Ladies and lads… in order to get your clean on without utter boredom,…
-
If You Give a Woman a Kiss: Chocolate and Laura Numeroff to the Rescue
Inspired by Laura Numeroff, @lauranumeroff and If You Give a Dog a Donut If you give a woman a kiss, She’ll ask for some milk to go with it. (But not just any kiss. A dark chocolate version.) (And not just any milk. A creamy coconut version.) When you give her the milk, she’ll drink it all up. Then she’ll ask for more. There won’t be any left, so she’ll want to make her own. She’ll go outside, shimmy a palm and pick coconuts. When she’s up in the tree, she’ll toss you one. Throwing the coconut will make her think of dryer balls. You’ll have to get a basket. And some clothes.…
