Kathryn, Author at kathrynegly.com

12 In 2020/ Book Review/ Giveaway

Best Books of 2020

My last post included the 50+ titles I read in 2020, here’s a list of my absolute favorites. These are the top ten (plus some honorable mentions). If you haven’t read these – I recommend you add them to your “to read” list in 2021!

Read this post to the end to see how to win two of my favorite books of the year. Giveaway has ended.

1. Chasing Wisdom by Daniel Grothe

This book is a warm blanket on a cold day. It’s a gentle push in the right direction. The author is someone I worked with at New Life Church. He’s a great leader, pastor, and friend.

This book answers the questions:

How do we become the kind of people who know how to handle whatever life throws at us?
How do we become wise?

I HIGHLY Recommend this book!

2. Help Club for Moms Book by Deb Weakly and others

Being a mom can wear your down, this book will BUILD YOU UP! I know as moms that we don’t have a lot of time to read, but this book is WORTH your TIME!! Each chapter is SHORT and easy to read. This book gives you a ‘boost’ of inspiration for the day. Perfect for any mom with young children.

3. Good Grief by Granger Westburg

A super short, easy-to-read book that I could recommend to every person in this world. Whether you are grieving something simple like canceled plans, or something much larger – like divorce or loss of a loved one – this book is a MUST READ!

4. Indescribable by Louie Giglio

I think every family should own a copy of this book! The short devotionals teach something about science and how it connects us with God. This is one of those books where kids AND parents enjoy reading and learning together. We found each page fascinating.

5. The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel

This book was written by a parent and psychologist. I found it practical, extremely helpful, and even inspiring. It’s a book I’ll go back to again and again.

6. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

They say that truth is better than fiction, and this book is the PERFECT example of that. The author had me hooked from the very first page. She does an excellent job of recreating her childhood so the reader feels like they were there. I could feel her pain, joy, and disappointment. It’s an incredible story of survival, perseverance and resilience by four children being raised in the midst of poverty. Her story surprised me constantly – from how smart her parents were in some aspects, to absolutely dysfunctional in other areas. What an interesting story!

7. The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner

This is such a wonderful, powerful book. I listened to it on my free Hoopla app, but this year I’m going to buy and read my own hard copy. This book is full of good truths about the enormous love God has for each one of us – just as we are. This book would make a great gift. Thanks to my sister, Krista, for the recommendation!

8. Janet Benge biographies

Janet’s biographies are so easy-to-read and incredibly engaging! They are great books to read aloud with your children. If you are a home school parent – her books are a great resource for history. If your children need to read chapter books for school, I recommend these!

I read 6 of her biographies this year, and the ones I enjoyed most were:

Harriet Tubman!!! This book shares hard and fascinating stories about Harriet Tubman. I can’t believe one woman did so much in her life. She was a phenomenal woman! This book is a must read!

George Washington – My son George and I were so in awe of our first president after reading this book together. George said he wished I would have named him George Washington Egly.

Theodore Roosevelt by Janet Benge – An intriguing summary of Theodore Roosevelt’s life.

Abraham Lincoln by Janet Benge – The author summarizes Abraham Lincoln’s life so well!

9. The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton

The book is the true story of a man who spends many years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. After he works through the anger of being wrongfully imprisoned, he realizes they’ve stolen his life but they can‘t steal his joy. He chooses to make a positive difference right there on death row. He brought light and life to a very dark place. He gets to know each prisoner. This story shares an excellent example of CHOOSING JOY in ANY situation, as well as the difference that ONE PERSON can make.

10. Master Your Goals by Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar is so inspiring and easy to listen to. Pick ANY of his books to kick start your year!

5 Honorable Mentions:

God Smuggler by Brother Andrew – I wanted to add this to my top ten of 2020, but it was on the list LAST year (Click here to read that list), so I wanted to make room for other titles. This story is so incredibly inspiring. I could read it over and over. The book shares stories of Andrew bringing Bibles behind the Iron Curtain and the impact that had on people and churches. This book had one miraculous story after another. I read this book in 2019 and loved it so much that I re-read it with Clark in 2020. He enjoyed it too!

Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel by Maria Semple – a story I loved so much that I read it twice. The book and the movie are both excellent.

Catch Me if You Can by Frank Abagnale – Can’t believe these things actually happened! What a life! The book is better than the movie. This book would be a great one to listen to, but not good for young ears to hear.

The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner – a helpful and interesting non-fiction about how to understand and relate to others!

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass – a captivating autobiography of a slave who became a free man!

Here’s a video with my son Luke as I share my favorite books of 2020:

GIVEAWAY:

Congratulations to Melissa for winning a copy of Chasing Wisdom and Amy for winning a copy of Help Club for Moms.

If you’d like to win one of these books:

Subscribe to this blog.
Leave a comment, noting the book you want to win. (You can leave a comment by clicking on the tiny comment box to the right of the TITLE of this post)
Want to win both? Leave separate comments for separate books.
Want extra entries? Leave a comment on my Facebook and/or Instagram posts!
Share and/or tag friends for extra entries!
US ONLY
Winner drawn on Saturday, January 9, 2020.

Thanks for reading!

Click here to read my top ten books of 2019.

Click here to read my favorite books of 2018.

Their are affiliate links in this post. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. I will probably use it to buy books to giveaway here!

January 4, 2021 By Kathryn

3 In 2020/ Book Review

Books I read in 2020

2020 was a GREAT year to get LOST in a book!

Sometimes people ask how I read so much. Here’s what I share about that:

I LOVE reading! You find time for things you love. Some people craft or build in their free time. Some like electronics or movies. I read.
I keep books in several places. One by my bed. An audiobook on my phone. A book by the couch. Another in the kitchen. One in the car. I always have a book nearby to read if I have a few minutes to spare.
On most days: I take 10-30 minutes to read in the morning. I take 10-20 minutes in the afternoon to read. In the evening, I’d usually rather read than watch TV, though occasionally a show wins my time. Currently it’s The Crown!
If I have to wait for my kids at a practice or an appointment, I’ll read.
I read WITH my kids. I pick a book and read one-on-one, or read SHORT segments with all of them.
The free HOOPLA app allows me to download excellent books for no cost, so I will listen to books while doing household chores or exercising.
Also #MinnesotaWinter means I’m indoors more through the winter and have some time to read.

Follow me on GoodReads for all my latest ratings and reviews!

Here are the books I read in 2020:

January

Good Grief by Granger Westburg
Master your Goals by Zig Ziglar
The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
Full Circle by Andrea Barber
Where’d you go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Click here for reviews and links to the books I read in January.

February

6. The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall

7. The Algebra of Happiness by Scott Galloway

8. The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger

9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

10. John Wesley by Janet Benge

11. Indescribable by Louie Giglio

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in February.

March and April

12. Give and Take by Adam Grant

13. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

13. Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

14. The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogall

15. Who was Alexander Hamilton?

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in March and April.

May

16. Chasing Wisdom by Daniel Grothe

17. Harriet Tubman by Janet Benge

18. Just Kids by Patti Smith

19. George Muller by Janet and Geoff Benge

20. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

21. The Wise Woman Loves by Deb Weakly

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in May

June

22. The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner

23. Blackwater Ben by William Durbin

24. Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

25. Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

26. Your Beautiful Purpose by Susie Larson

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in June

July

27. Theodore Roosevelt by Janet Benge

28. Becoming by Michelle Obama

29. Open Book by Jessica Simpson

30. Who is Jackie Chan? by Jody Shaffer

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in July

August

31. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

32. Intelligent Conversationalist By Imogen Lloyd Webber

33. Holy Envy by Barbara Brown Taylor

34. BoyMom by Monica Swanson

Click here for full reviews, ratings and links to the books I read in August.

September

35. The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt

36. Who Was Julia Child? by Jeff Edgers

37. Who Were the Wright Brothers? by James Buckly Jr

38. God Smuggler by Brother Andrew

Click here for full reviews, ratings and links to the books I read in September.

October

39. Rising Strong by Brene Brown

40. The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner

41. Motherhood without all the Rules by Maggie Combs

42. Hudson Taylor by Janet Benge

43. Abraham Lincoln by Janet Benge

Click here for full reviews, ratings, and links to the books I read in October.

November

44. Catch me if you Can by Frank Abagnale Jr.

45. Be the Bridge by LaTasha Morrison

46. George Washington by Janet Benge

47. Positivity by Barbara Frederickson

48. Dad’s Eye View: 52 Adventures in the Twin Cities by Michael Hartfort

49. I Never Had It Made by Jackie Robinson

Click here for full reviews and links to the books I read in November.

December

50. Help Club for Moms by Deb Weakly and others

51. Help Club for Moms Study Guide by Deb Weakly and team

52. Who was Dr. Martin Luther King? by Bonnie Bader

53. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Click here to read reviews of each of the books I read in December.

A book I read THROUGHOUT the year:

54. My Bible

What I’m currently reading:

Prevail by Susie Larson

Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead

Click here and follow me on Goodreads!

Don’t miss the GIVEAWAY in my next post. I’ll share my top ten favorite books of 2020, and give two of them away!

January 2, 2021 By Kathryn

3 In 2020/ Book Review

4 Books I finished in December

Help Club for Moms

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book is a must read for every mom with children under 15. It’s full of practical tips and inspiration for raising young children!

Being a mom can wear your down, this book will BUILD YOU UP! I know as moms that we don’t have a lot of time to read, but this book is WORTH your TIME!! Reading just one page a day can give you a little ‘boost’ of inspiration for the day.

Help Club for Moms Companion Guide

Rating: 8/10

Review: This is a simple guide that allows you to think deeper and reflect on each chapter of the Help Club for Moms book.

Who was Martin Luther King, Jr?

Rating: 8/10

Review: A simple, yet good overview of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Rating: 10/10

Review: I listened to this autobiography of Frederick Douglas on my free Hoopla app.

Frederick Douglas shares stories from his early life in this book. He tells how he was separated from his mother before he turned one. Older slave women, who can no longer work in the fields, would take care of the young children until they can work. He said he never had any pants, shoes, or socks for the first 7 years of his life and remembers being SO cold through the Maryland winters.

When Frederick was around 7 (he’s not sure exactly of his age), he was sold to assist a woman and her son. Frederick was her first slave. He said at first, the woman was kind like a mother, but being a slave owner “changed” her. She became hard and mean. He noticed this over and over, how owning slaves changed people.

He shares how when he escaped to freedom, he expected to see poverty in the north, since Northerners did not own slaves. But the OPPOSITE was true! The North had class, wealth, and was full of people who worked hard without oppression.

Though many of the stories he shares about his life as a slave were hard to read, the book is excellent and I highly recommend it.

My next post will include a summary of all the books I read in 2020, followed by my FAVORITE books of the year!

Thanks for reading!

December 31, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Christmas/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Peek into our Christmas week

Christmas Eve:

It was a cold day with LOTS of snow. All four boys shoveled two of our neighbors driveways.

We played with our dog, completed a Christmas puzzle, then watched White Christmas (one of my FAVORITE Christmas movies).

Luke and Paul were excited to go to bed that night because they could hardly wait for it to be Christmas morning!

After the two littles fell asleep, George and Clark helped me put presents under the tree, then George created a scavenger hunt from the “elves.”

Clark set up some games around the house for everyone to play on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day:

Scavenger hunt for the littles:

George created a scavenger hunt from our ‘elves.’ He wrote a clue, that led to another clue, that led to another … all around our house. The final clue led to a gift from “Santa.” The gift was a game called “Ticket to Ride.” I’d read good reviews of this game so I thought my boys would like it.

I made the mistake of trying to play it with them right away, without having ever played before. I didn’t realize how many details were involved. I tried to read the instructions and play at the same time. This was a FAIL! I didn’t understand how to play, let alone how to teach all four boys what to do. We all got frustrated and quit.

Afterwards, I watched a YouTube video on how to play. I finally understood and asked my boys if they wanted to try again. The boys said no, they just wanted to open their other presents.

Opening presents:

Our big Christmas gift to the boys was a dog (Read that story here) …but other family members had gifts for them to open Christmas morning.

I filled their stockings with some fun treats, hid the stockings in my closet, tied a long string around them, and wrapped that string all around the house. I gave the boys the end of the string, and they had to follow it to find their stockings.

The boys also did a “Secret Santa” gift exchange with each other. After Thanksgiving, I put the names of the boys in a bowl and they each drew a name. They have a $15 budget and get to pick out a gift for each other.

Luke drew George’s name and got him a puzzle (see below).
Paul drew Clark’s name and bought him football cards.
Clark drew Luke’s name and got him a remote control car.
George drew Paul and bought him some Pokemon cards.

Christmas Day Scavenger Hunt for the Parents:

As a Christmas gift for me and Ted, Clark created a super fun obstacle course for us to complete. We had targets to hit with a nerf gun, matchbox cars that had to get past a certain line, a box to tear open to find a clue and a quarter, basketballs to get in the net, then a word to complete in a “Wheel of Fortune” type game. When we completed all our ‘challenges,’ we had to race to put our “quarter” on the winning circle to win a prize (see picture above). I won “Wheel of Fortune” and the matchbox car game, but Ted is way better with a nerf gun and basketball. He won and got a big chocolate bar. I was second and Clark gave me chocolate coins.

Christmas Day Walk:

It was COLD outside (7 degrees), but Ted encouraged us to bundle up and get outside with him, and I’m glad we did!

Christmas Dinner:

Steak, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and …. French Fries. (I forgot to take a picture)

We Watched:

A Christmas Story – Ted and George love this movie. Since they watch “White Christmas” with me, I watch this movie with them.

We read:

The Christmas Lizard: this is a cute story of the Lizard climbing up the tree and hearing the different reasons Christmas is celebrated. The Nutcracker says “tradition,” the elves say “parties,” etc. When he gets to the very top of the tree he finds the Angel and the angel points to the manger and tells the lizard that the reason we celebrate Christmas is Jesus.

We played:

What do you Meme? … Uno and…

After Luke and Paul went to bed, I was able to talk George into giving Ticket to Ride another try. We both really enjoyed playing! I would only recommend it for ages 10 and up!

The Day After Christmas:

Luke got George’s name as his “Secret Santa” gift exchange. I helped him create a puzzle as a gift for George.

We put it together and it turned out so cool!

We also went ice skating with friends.

One friend lifted his hockey stick to hit a puck, and accidentally smacked Clark in the eye. It hurt bad at first (and looks really bad), but Clark was playing again in ten minutes.

We took another walk and had a snowball fight:

My boys received this “snowball maker” toy last year – it makes these perfect, round snowballs and saves your hands from freezing or your gloves from getting soaked:

Hope you had a Merry Christmas friends! Sending love from our family to yours!

Here’s a peek into our fall and winter. I love how my iPhone can take pictures and videos and turn them into this:

December 28, 2020 By Kathryn

2 In 2020/ Christmas/ Joy/ Memories/ Raising boys

The Story of Wrigley: Our Goldendoodle!

Hello Friends! Meet Wrigley, our first dog!

It was a long journey to get here … our oldest three boys started asking for a dog since, well, they could say the word “DOG!”

I was NOT excited about having a dog. I had a hard enough time keeping up with our boys, I didn’t want another thing to take care of!

However, this quote resonated with me….

“Every boy should have two things: a dog and a mother who lets him have one.”
― Robert Benchley

In 2013, we told George and Clark that when Paul was potty-trained, we’d get a dog! They were overjoyed. However…

Just as Paul was potty-trained, I found out I was pregnant. So, they boys got a BROTHER instead of a dog. Thankfully, they were okay with that … for a while.

Every subsequent Christmas and birthday – the number one requested item was: A DOG.

In 2020…we finally decided it was time. And you all know why. This year we were all stuck at home with plenty of time on our hands!

We got serious about looking for a Goldendoodle. However, I didn’t realize how expensive they could be. I was NOT going to pay what most people were asking.

I told the boys that if we were going to get a dog, we would have to find the right one, for the right price.

So the boys started praying. They asked God for a golden doodle dog for a ‘good price.’

I also saw Clark googling:

“Goldendoodles for less than one thousand dollars.”

For several months, we couldn’t find one. But then…we went for a visit to Tulsa.

Randomly at dinner, I told a friend that we were searching for a golden doodle, but could not find one for a decent price. This friend gave me the number of a local breeder who sells them for a very reasonable price.

There was MORE great news:

I knew the breeder’s family! I had worked with her brother-in-law in Colorado Springs!
I had friends with her dogs.
She had a litter recently born and they’d be available the same week that my in-laws would be visiting us in Minnesota!

Where did we find her?

RJB Doodles in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Ted and I SECRETLY went to meet the puppies and of course, we fell in love. It’s hard to meet a puppy and not BUY a puppy!

This was finally the right breeder, the right dog, at the right time and the right price!!!

We bought one.

However…it was a secret. We would surprise the boys the week before Christmas!

When the puppy was ready, Papa and Nana picked him up and and drove him from Tulsa all the way to our home in Minnesota.

The Big Puppy Surprise:

When they were just a few minutes away, I took the boys upstairs. I told them we had to hang out in my room for a little while because dad had to work on something for Christmas.

While we were upstairs, Ted greeted Nana and Papa at the door and let them in. They put the crate in front of the Christmas tree, they put the puppy in the crate, and a blanket over the crate. Nana and Papa stood in front of the crate, blocking it from view.

Then…Ted came upstairs, knocked on my door, told the boys he was ready…and they came downstairs.

The boys were SOO excited to see their Nana and Papa.

Then, Nana and Papa moved to show the crate. They removed the blanket and showed them the REAL surprise – their PUPPY!

They exclaimed this as the BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!

The Best Christmas ever!

The best dog ever!

The best parents ever!

The best nana and papa ever!

They were thrilled and oh, what a memory!

Why the name?

All the men in our family have a “W” in their middle names…so we wanted our dog’s name to start with a W.

We chose “Wrigley” because the boys were born in the Chicago area and we are Cubs fans. The Cubs play in ‘Wrigley’ field.

Welcome to our family Wrigley!

Here’s the video of the boys surprised with a new dog:

Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas everyone!

December 21, 2020 By Kathryn

4 In 2020/ Christmas/ DIY/ Making money/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Recipe

Simple Salt Dough Snowman Ornaments: DIY Christmas Gifts

Here’s a fun and simple activity to do with your kids: Salt dough ornaments.

My boys aren’t always into crafty things – but when they heard their cousins made and SOLD some of their ornaments, my boys were all in! They always love a way to earn money – right now they are saving up to buy a DOG! (This was their idea, not mine)

The salt dough recipe is simple:

2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water

Mix with a wisk, and then your hands.
Flour a surface, then roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter inch thick

Cut into shapes

Use a drinking straw to poke a hole at the top of the ornament for the string to go through

To make the Snowman Ornament:

Use a cup to make circles
Take a little piece of the dough and form it into the shape of a carrot
Press the nose on top of the circle
Press divots in the dough for the eyes and mouth. I used the bottom of a paint brush.

Bake at 175 degrees for 3 hours.
Let them sit for 1 hour.
Paint with acrylic paint or water colors.

Seal with Modge Podge.
Tie a string through the hole.

Hang on your tree, gift wrap, or sell.

The boys put their earnings in this jar and tied one of their dog bone salt dough ornaments around it!

Click here for another DIY one-of-kind Christmas ornament

Click here to read all about the dog they got for Christmas – and they used their earnings to buy him toys!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy your holiday!

December 10, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Family/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Peek into our Thanksgiving week in Oklahoma

Because of this unique year, we feel incredibly blessed to have spent a week with our Oklahoma family.

Here are some highlights:

One of the blessings of this season is that we are exploring more outdoor spaces. Of all the years I’ve lived in and visited Oklahoma, I’d never been to the Redbud Nature Preserve. My sister and her family invited us to join them here for a hike and we absolutely loved it!

The Gathering Place

This is a phenomenal outdoor park in Tulsa. (Click on this link to look at this place!) The big boys played football with Ted, while I explored the play structures with Luke.

Thanksgiving Day

What’s your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving? My favorite dish on Thanksgiving is the mashed potatoes and gravy – I’ve loved that dish my whole life. It might be my favorite because I only eat it once a year – on Thanksgiving!

My mother-in-law made turkey, ham, and the most delicious mashed potatoes and gravy. I made green beans, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin and pecan pie.

I forgot to add the sugar to the pumpkin pie recipe so I just sprinkled some on top before I baked it. It was a ‘healthier’ version and not super sweet, but still tasted good. This might be the way I make it from now on?

Fishing adventures

Papa and Ted took the boys fishing and they each caught a big one!

We celebrated Paul’s 9th birthday with cousins and cupcakes!

Paul wanted a real animal – but he had to settle for a stuffed one. We had cupcakes with cousins, then went on a hike and found an abandoned hive.

Thanks for reading! Whether you stayed home or celebrated with family, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too. In spite of this challenging year, we all have so much to be thankful for!

December 7, 2020 By Kathryn

1 In 2020/ Book Review

Books I read in November: Reviews and Recommendations

Amazon is having a special with $5 off $20 on books. Not all books are included but you can search which books are included using this link.

Here are books I recently read:

Catch me if you Can by Frank Abagnale Jr.

Rating: 9/10

Review:

Frank Abagnale’s autobiography is engaging and honestly, hard to believe! Before he turned 21 – Frank posed as a Pan Am pilot and traveled the world, he then passed the bar and became a lawyer, he forged transcripts and was a doctor for an entire year in Atlanta, then taught summer classes at Brigham Young! He lived large on stolen money. He now works to keep others from doing the same.

I would have loved for him to share more about the change that happened on the inside that caused him to change on the outside. I know he became a man of faith, is married and has 3 sons. He doesn’t share much about life out of prison and I’d be curious to hear about it. Maybe it’s in another book? Overall, it was a fun book to read.

Be the Bridge by LaTasha Morrison

Rating: 9/10

Review: The author weaves together the past and the present to lead the reader on a path to reconciliation. Unlike many books, this one will leave you empowered to make forward progress toward justice in a healthy and Biblical way.

George Washington by Janet Benge

Rating: 10/10

Review:

My 13 year old son (George) and I read this ‘George Washington’ biography together and now George wishes his middle name was Washington. We have so much admiration and respect for our first president. He was a true patriot who worked tirelessly to create, protect, and lead the United States of America.

Did you know George Washington decided the leader of our country should be called “The President of the United States” and “Mr. President” for short?

Positivity by Barbara Frederickson

Rating: 9/10

Review: Couldn’t we all use a little more positivity in 2020? This book teaches you how to reduce negativity and increase positivity in your life!

Here are some gold nuggets from the book:

Things that cultivate positivity include love, inspiration, amusement, pride, hope, interest, serenity, gratitude and joy.
Positivity strengthens your connections with others, seeing ‘we’ instead of me. It inspires you to do what’s right for others which inspires others to do the same.
Positivity is your birthright. Just like ice can change to water by warming up the environment. You can increase your positivity by warming up your emotional climate.
When you change the course of your thinking, you change the course of your emotions. (I wrote a blog post similar to this here)
If you feel good, you do good. When we increase positivity, we are not only happier, but we are more resilient, productive, creative and becoming a better an all around person.
One scientifically proven way to stop negativity is to dispute negative thinking. Replace negative thoughts with truth/facts. When you take in the facts – really take them in – you breath easier. (Click here for a blog post I wrote on believing truth vs. lies)
We change our eating habits to help us feel better. Why don’t we change what we are reading, watching and listening to for the same reason!
You can’t FORCE yourself into positivity just by saying “Be positive,” but there are actions you can take to increase your positivity by: Doing more of what you love; Practicing mindfulness: being completely present in the moment. Getting outside. Even a 20 minute walk can boost your positivity. Connecting with another human. The tie between flourishing and enjoying good social relations is so strong and reliable that scientist called it a necessary condition for flourishing.

Just like you count your calories to lose weight, or watch your money, you can track your positive to negative thoughts and feelings so that you can start tipping the scale in the positive direction.

For more info, visit PositivityRatio.com.

Dad’s Eye View: 52 Adventures in the Twin Cities

Rating: 10/10

Review: Because this book was written for “Dads,” I wouldn’t have picked it up in the store. However, someone gave it to me and the subtitle was intriguing. For a Minnesota Newbie who LOVES adventures – this book was amazing. It had so many fun ideas of places to explore with your kids. If you live in the Twin Cities and want to take your kids on some unique adventures around town, this book is for you.

I Never Had It Made by Jackie Robinson

Rating: 9/10

Review: Our family watched the movie 42 recently and thought it was excellent. It made me curious about Jackie Robinson, so I checked out his autobiography from the library. I really admire how this man gave his all to fight for what he believed it. Sometimes that fight was by staying silent and playing great baseball, and sometimes it meant speaking out for equal rights. Great book!

What have you been reading? Leave me a comment!

Click here for 7 tips for more joy!

These are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

December 3, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In 2020/ Christmas/ Free stuff/ Inspiration/ Joy

Elf on the Shelf: Kindness Edition

This year, I’m having our Elf encourage my kids to show KINDNESS. Couldn’t we all benefit from a little more Kindness?

Here are TWO WEEKS worth of ideas to use in your home.

Each of these can be written on a card beside your elf, or use a dry erase marker and leave their daily ‘kindness’ task on the mirror in the bathroom or on a window.

Day 1: Smiling’s my Favorite. Your mission: Smile at every person you see today!

Day 2: Make a card for your school bus driver, garbage man, or someone who serves you.

Day 3: Hold the door for people behind you today.

Day 4: Help your sibling do their chores today.

Day 5: Write a note or draw a picture for your grandparents and/or for someone in a nursing home.

Day 6: Leave a treat in the mailbox for your mail carrier.

Day 7: Put one of your coins in the Salvation Army bucket.

Day 8: Leave a treat or gift at your neighbors door.

Day 9: Go through your toys and donate one to charity.

Day 10: Write a note of thanks to your parents or teacher.

Day 11: Make someone laugh today.

Day 12: Do something helpful WITHOUT being asked.

Day 13: Clean up a mess you DIDN’T make.

Day 14: Say something kind to each of your siblings today.

Happy Holidays! May these will bring a little more joy to your Christmas season.

Click here to read other simple Elf on the Shelf Ideas.

Do you have a kindness idea? Leave a comment!

December 1, 2020 By Kathryn

4 In 2020/ Christmas/ Family/ Free stuff/ Games/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado/ Things to do in Minnesota

41 Final Wintertime Activities for Quarantined Kids (Part 3)

I’ve created 101 things to do in quarantine.

Click here for the first 30 (Part 1)

Click here for the second set of 30 – all FREE! (Part 2)

Today I bring you the final 41, for a total of 101 ideas for wintertime and quarantine fun!

1. Build a Marble Maze / Labrynth

George creating his game called “The Ultimate Maze”

Your kids can use an empty box.
Glue straws to the bottom to create a maze.

2. Card Games

Play a card game with your family after dinner.

A lady I enjoy listening to, raised four amazing sons and swears by the power of spending time with your kids around the table – not just eating, but staying to play games. She said the boys didn’t always want to play, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Playing together opens up conversations you may not normally have. Games make you laugh and connect in a new way.

Some good options: Go Fish, Memory, Uno
My kids and I love Skipbo and Rat-a-tat-Cat (Best for ages 7 and up)
You can learn a NEW card game. My boys and I just started playing “Garbage” – it’s an easy game we learned on Youtube.
When I was a child, I entertained myself by playing Solitaire. Perhaps your kids can learn this one too!?
My kids don’t always want to play a card game, but I often ask them to play just ONE game. They forget how fun it is until they start playing.

3. Try winter gardening

Click here for ideas

4. Make snow slushees

If you have milk and sugar, your kids can make their own ice cream!
Click here for recipe!
Scoop fresh snow, pour any drink on top to turn it into a SLUSHEE!

5. Minute to Win it Games

Click here to read the ten fun games to play with your kids!

6. Create “Ramp Races”

A really fun and simple activity that can act as a physics lesson and opportunity for an experiment. Make a simple ramp using cardboard or a piece of wood, and roll different objects down: measure how far they go, how fast they roll, or hold races between different kinds of balls to see which wins!

7. Go Fishing With Magnets

Create “fishing poles” using pencils, string, and magnets.
Place a variety of items in a bin–some magnetic, some otherwise–and let them go to town exploring the concept of magnetism!

8. Draw self portraits

Have your kids look in the mirror and do a self portrait!
Be sure to have them write their name and age. It will be fun to look back on this when they are older.
You could have them repeat this every year around their birthday to see how their drawings improve!

9. Make a Flip Book Animation

Kids can learn how to make a flipbook animation in less than 5 minutes. All you need is a pen and a stack of paper, or even better, a sticky note pad. This video is a great and very quick tutorial

Here is one of my son’s first flip book, using index cards:

10. Create paper airplanes

Click here for ideas

11. Sledding

If you have snow like we do, this is fun for all ages!

12. Skiing

Skiing requires gloves, you can wear a mask, it’s outdoors and fairly easy to stay ‘socially distant.’ Many ski resorts have special rates and lessons for beginners.

13. Play with shaving cream

14. Have a make your own pizza and family movie night

Click here for some of our family favorites

Click here for a simple 3 ingredient pizza recipe!

15. Take a winter walk

16. Play Bingo! or Zingo!

17. Make one of a kind ornaments

Click here to read how!

18. Make a comic strip

Read the Sunday comics to your kids, then make your own!

Click here for this printable comic strip outline.

19. Stop Motion

Download a stop-motion app for your kids and let them make stop motion videos

Here’s a video my 10 year old made:

https://youtu.be/PwXNusWmltk

20. Learn and/or Practice an instrument

Piano, keyboard, xylophone, harmonica, recorder or drums…make it a family band.
Look on Youtube for free lessons.

21. Pour Paint

22. Rock Art

23. Play with marshmallows and toothpicks

24. Make Special Snacks

Take a cupcake holder and put a different snack in each section
Make Circus Sundaes – Ice Cream, Animal Crackers, Syrup, Whip Cream and a Cherry On Top!

25. Blow Art

Pour droplets of paint on paper
Allow kids to “blow” air through the straw to make a cool pattern

26. Play Follow The Leader

Have each child take a turn being the leader
Walk all around your house
Do jumps, turns, stop to hug dad, etc.

27. Mess Free Coloring

28. Playfoam Game

29. Go Retro with Lite-Brite

30. Become an author

My fourth grade teacher once gave us the title “The Entire City Lends a Hand” and had the class each write their own story. Read a rendition of that here.
Give your kids a title/prompt and let them write!
Title ideas:
- If I were President…
- Undersea Adventure…
- You Won’t Believe what Happened!

31. Got Toilet Paper?

Tape them up to create a “marble maze”
Click here for more ideas

32. Have your children create a scavenger hunt for each other!

Give them a treat to hide for their sibling
Have them create clues to search the house and find it!

33. Memorize a verse together

I find SO much comfort in knowing Scripture by heart and being able to quote it when I’m feeling fear.
Learn a verse together with your kids.
Click here for 12 great verses.

34. Draw it

35. Butcher Paper Family Table

Roll a large sheet of paper across the dining room table or counter top or coffee table.
Set markers in a jar on top of the table.
Draw Christmas scenes, hand prints, rainbows, etc.

37. Fashion Plates or Action Plates

38. Make salt dough ornaments

My sister made these with her girls (ages 5 and 8). They turned out so cute. I am going to make some with my boys.

Click here for step-by-step instructions.

39. Get a job or Help a Neighbor

Both working and serving can boost your mood!

If you have kids who are 8 and older, they can earn money or serve their neighbors by shoveling, cleaning up leaves, or helping any other outdoor task.

40. Find a place to explore!

Though there are some places that are closed for Covid, you can still find a new place to explore with your kids!

You can look at the website “Only in your State.”

If you are in Tulsa, Oklahoma, check out The Gathering Place or RedBud Nature Preserve.

If you live in Colorado Springs, CO – click here for ten great places to hike with kids.

If you are in Minnesota, click here to discover the Arboretum, the Eloise Bird Sanctuary, and more!

41. If all else fails…let them be bored!

Being bored is a natural part of life as a kid. Try not to offer an immediate solution to their boredom and see what they come up with! It’s often in times of boredom that children show their greatest creativity!