Sustainable & Creative Living
When my kids are in the mood for a special breakfast treat, there’s usually pancakes involved. Although these ones are made from scratch, they’re pretty simple to whip up in a hurry. When I first came up with this recipe, I only added chocolate chips, but I’ve since incorporated [Read more…]
My breastfeeding journey (like many first-time moms) began long before my little J was born.
It began with a question we all ask ourselves (and get asked by many). Breastfeed or bottle-feed? For me, I always knew I wanted to breastfeed. While I know that there are plenty of mothers who want nothing to do with it, I think breastfeeding is a challenge most moms are up for. Either way, it is a choice we are blessed to have.
What I didn’t know was what an emotional roller coaster I was in for. [Read more…]
Strawberries are my favorite fruit. In fact, they’re one of my favorite foods. I love them! Who wouldn’t—they’re beautiful, practical, and versatile.
Strawberries make the perfect snack: you wash their red sweetness, put them in a container, and they’re ready to go anywhere. You can also dip them in just about anything for extra flavor. This little fruit can be made into smoothies, candies, cakes, pies, and salsas. One of my favorite treats to make from this fruit is my delicious Strawberry Muffins with Strawberry-Lemon Glaze.
This Creamy Artichoke Dip is a big fan favorite in my house whether it’s Superbowl Sunday or any other game day, a holiday, or any day I make it! It’s warm, tasty, and so simple to make. This batch size serves 5 – 7 people– depending on how hungry everyone is! You may want to double it for a larger gathering.
My little J loves his WubbaNub friends! I bought the brown dog (named Henry by my husband) when he was just 2 months old, and I’ve been hooked ever since! The problem is when you’re 6 WubbaNubs deep and your teething toddler starts chewing through all of the nipples, it can be costly to replace them.
Instead, I decided to cut the ripped nipple off and sew on a new Soothie nipple. It only took about 15 minutes (to repair each WubbaNub) and [Read more…]
One of my fondest memories growing up involved reading books with my mom. From the time I was a little girl, not even old enough to read myself, she would spend hours reading to my sister and I. From short stories to chapter books, my mother often read anything and everything to us kids.
As an adult, and a new mother, reading books to my young son has become a year ‘round staple in my house. While this is also common for most, it isn’t for all families. Some just pull books out around the holidays, for others, it’s [Read more…]
The holidays are a time when many of us honor our most heartfelt traditions. Those traditions usually revolve around our families, our spirituality, and our religion. Sometimes our traditions are deeply intimate. Sometimes they are light and fun. Whatever they are, our traditions are meant to bring us joy and satisfaction.
We make so many decisions every day that it makes sense to have a set of guidelines to help us make them timely, confidently, and wisely.
Our decisions range from the small, seemingly inconsequential (what we’re going to wear, what we’re going to eat, where we’re going to stop for gas); to the ones that have lifelong implications (our choice of spouse or career); and those that fall in between. These days, decisions can be complicated even more because everywhere we turn there’s so much to choose from. It’s not just information or product overload…it’s everything overload! As a mom of three – (and grandmother) – and service business owner/operator for 25 years, life has been a continuum of decisions. These are some of the decision-making guidelines that help me keep my sanity:
There are three key practices that will significantly affect your family’s long-term financial health and wealth. Although these practices may require some planning and self-discipline, they will powerfully impact your family’s net worth. The big payoff will definitely be worth your effort!
Going to my first wedding expo was like diving into a swarming beehive. Except everyone is really excited to be there. Some brides are determined to find the best deals; some brides are just trying to see what the vendors have to offer. Vendors are trying to get everyone to sign up for something. And the few grooms that tagged along are hanging out at the bar or looking for free food.
So it’s an exciting time for everyone – congratulating each other and exchanging wedding details all while trying to move through the masses.
Related: Unique & Affordable Engagement Rings
I attended the expo last weekend having no idea what to expect and trying not to take it too seriously. My wedding is over a year away so I was just interested to see what it was all about and maybe win some free stuff.
Simple sparkling juice drinks are a year-round staple at our house. My kids and I enjoy creating our own blends of refreshing and delicious juices and smoothies. Creating something new, whether it’s a drink or another recipe or a craft is a great way to spend time with any child but especially a teen.
Finding fun things to do or ways to bond with a teen can be challenging. None of the three teens I’ve raised wanted to spend much bonding time with me unless, of course, it included me driving them somewhere-preferably to the mall ready to wear down the strip on the back of my debit card. There’s a special feel about creating something from nothing that seems to break down barriers with my teens. We’re both starting a project on level playing field ready to do something, participate, and have fun. I won’t deny a little arguing goes on sometimes, but working together on a common goal creates a connection. By the time we’re done we’re always in a better mood!
Let me just start by saying that J’s nursery dresser is currently the most organized dresser in the house. My dressers are pretty neat but not nearly as tidy as I’d like them to be.
The most useful nursery tip that I’ve come across and implemented: use a dresser [Read more…]
