-
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…
-
3 Trips, 2 Countries & a Ring: The Benefits of Travel & How it Can Energize Your Family
Did you get away this summer? Doesn’t matter if it wasn’t a gigantic vacation; even a day trip can get you out of your normal routine mentally and emotionally. With the help of two ministries, some friends, and a knack for creative adventures, I visited three places, all of which either energized my heart, mind, or body. Some did all three and left me beyond grateful for the break. Stop #1: Ensenada YWAM My niece is on staff at Youth With A Mission, so a few of us went down to visit her. I hadn’t crossed the Mexican border in about three years; felt strange to visit the city near…
-
Three Summer Vacation Hacks to be More Organized: How to Pack Smart, Move In, & Return Happy
Happy Summer, Friend! I hope you get to go somewhere fun in the next couple months. Even if it’s not tropical or bougie, just getting out of your normal routine is great for your sanity. Throw in some yummy restaurants and forced family bonding, and you’ll definitely be coming back as a happier version of yourself. I mean, as long as your airline doesn’t lose your luggage, you don’t win a lifetime supply of mosquito bites, and nobody barfs on day two. That would obviously put a damper on the whole point of dropping hard-earned pesos on a getaway. Moving along…. Here are three hacks for preparing, living, and returning…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Navigating Conflicting Advice When Experts Disagree: Sifting Through Multiple Options to Find What God Wants
If you’re one of the 19 new friends from last weekend at Mount Hermon to join this blog party, welcome! If you’re a regular reader, let’s give a golf clap to the new people! (tap, tap, tap) This week I returned from the Vision Christian Writers Conference in the Redwoods where I taught two seminars, hosted a lunch table twice, took classes, and stayed mentally engaged for five days. I connected with young people, old people, beginning writers, professionals, semi-famous authors, and everyone in between. And I only put my foot in my mouth once! Progress, friend. Tiiiiiny bits of progress. Of course, my faux pas made me want to…
-
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…
-
8 Simple Things We Can All Declutter and Donate Before Spring Cleaning Our Homes This Year
Lest you think I’ve mastered decluttering in my own home, let me assure you… it’s an ongoing battle. I mostly write these things to hold myself accountable, but I’m stoked you’re coming along with me today. This of course is not a complete list of what could be decluttered before spring cleaning. It’s just a nudge to help you start. And clearly, to help me start again too since I found more things I could easily part with! So here are my eight things to declutter instead of cleaning around them. Spring cleaning can happen next month. First, let’s work on getting rid of these…. 1. Outdated Electronics From VHS…
-
Chronic Disappointment: 5 Ways Our Family Has Dealt with a Year of Long Covid Pain
This week marked one year. Also known as Long Haulers, this title is for people who still experience symptoms more than 4-12 weeks after being diagnosed with Covid-19. If we’d known our teenage son would go this far past three months of being sick, I’m pretty sure we would’ve bought stock in heat packs, ice packs, melatonin, back scratchers, electrolytes, muscle rub, and baby aspirin. Here are the five things we’ve done in order to deal with the never-ending pain and frustration. 1. Tests, Drugs, Pain Killers I gave western medicine a chance at the beginning for two reasons. One, to make sure our son Brock didn’t have anything life-threatening…
-
Heart Attack vs. Acid Reflux: How Our Trip to the ER Taught Us the Difference and How To Be Prepared
After an hour and a half of sleep last Tuesday, I awoke to a gnarly feeling across my whole chest that grabbed both shoulders, clenched my ticker and wouldn’t let go. If that’s too manly of a description for ya, here’s a more feminine version: I felt a smidge of pressure around my décolleté with a petit side of warm fuzzies gently pushing on my heart. Any-way… the point is I couldn’t sleep. Back, side, front, other side—didn’t matter. I couldn’t get comfortable and the pain intensified so I finally got up. Within minutes I stood in our family room staring at my phone arguing with myself about whether or…
