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2022

0 In 2022/ Free stuff/ Saving money

25 of my Favorite Birthday Freebies

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Freebies bring me SO MUCH JOY!

Grocery store and Costco samples … yay!

Complimentary candy with your dinner bill … love it!

Freebie because it’s your birthday … yes please!

Here are 25 birthday freebies for you to enjoy:

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1. Ace Hardware

Subscribe to Ace Rewards to get at least $5 off your purchase on your birthday.

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2. AMC Theatres

Join AMC Stubs and get a possible free popcorn and/or drink offer on your birthday. Plus, get a $5 AMC Stubs reward to spend on concessions for every 5,000 points you spend

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3. Barnes & Noble

Join the Barnes & Noble Kids’ Club, and your child will get a free cupcake (or a treat of their choice) from the café. They will email you a coupon and you have at least a month to use it.

I’ve enjoyed taking my boys on a ‘date’ to Barnes and Nobles for their free treat, then we roam the children’s area.

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4. Caribou Coffee

Free drink during your birthday week for rewards member.

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5. Chick-fil-A

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Free food item and dessert during your birthday month if you have the app.

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6. Chipotle

Free chips and a side on your birthday.

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7. Nautical Bowls

A free, delicious, healthy superfood bowl on your Birthday!

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8. Culver’s

Get a free sundae on your birthday when you enroll in the Culver’s rewards program.

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9. Dairy Queen

BOGO Blizzard coupon for your birthday if you have the app.

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10. Dunkin’ Donuts

Free coffee on your birthday for rewards members.

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11. Ikea

$10 off any $10 purchase and free ice cream for your birthday, if you join their rewards club.

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12. Olive Garden

Free dessert on your birthday.

Does anyone remember when Olive Garden would give you an entire chocolate cake on your birthday!? Unfortunately, they aren’t doing that anymore, but you can still get a slice of cake.

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13. Once Upon a Child

Once upon a child is a kid’s resale shop. I’ve bought and sold lots of great things for my boys here. You get regular discounts when you sign up – plus $5 off a $10 purchase.

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14. Panera 

Free treat on your birthday if you are My Panera rewards member.

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15. Pizza Hut and Papa Johns

Free dessert pizza if you are part of the Rewards program for Pizza Hut and Papa Johns.

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16. Play it Again Sports

Play it again sports is a re-sale sports store. This place is great for a mom of four boys. I used my birthday discount to get new baseball pants for one of my sons.

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17. Portillo’s

Free slice of cake on your birthday if you join the birthday club. They serve the world’s BEST chocolate cake and Chicago Hot Dogs!

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18. Raising Canes Chicken

Sign up for the Craniac Club and receive free food when you sign up, and more free food on your birthday.

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19. Red Savoy

Red Savoy is a Minnesota pizza franchise. Sign up for their rewards program and get a free one-topping pizza during your birthday month!

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20. Redbox

Free movie for your birthday.

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21. Safeway/ Jewel Osco/ Albertsons

Free $10 reward on your birthday if you sign up for JUST FOR U discounts.

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22. Sprinkles Cupcakes

Oh how I wish I lived close to Sprinkles. You get a FREE CUPCAKE on your birthday. They have the world’s best cupcakes.

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23. Starbucks

Free drink on your birthday.

  • This works at MOST locations, you may want to ask first.
  • It can only be redeemed on your actual birthday – not a day before or anytime after.

I spent my birthday in Vail a couple of years ago and was excited to find a Starbucks and my free drink. I walked in and saw a LONG LINE. That’s okay, it’s my birthday, it’s worth the wait for a free drink. Fifteen minutes later, it was my turn and I ordered the fanciest drink possible because it was free. It rang up to almost $10. That’s okay, it’s my birthday! I let the cashier know I’d like to use my free birthday drink and she said, “I’m sorry, we don’t give free drinks at this location.”

I was too embarrassed to cancel my order, so I just paid for my super fancy, super expensive coffee. That’s okay, it’s my birthday.

I shared that story hoping that on YOUR birthday, you will be wiser than me and ASK if the Starbucks you’ve entered gives free drinks before you order.

Now, moving on…

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24. Target

Extra 5% discount on one entire order for those who use the circle app.

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25. Swagbucks

Have you joined Swagbucks yet? It’s a website that awards with points for using their search engine, printing coupons, taking surveys, etc. You can use your points for gifts cards to Target, Starbucks, or PayPal. You can earn 300 points just for signing up, and more free points on your birthday!

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For everyone who likes a “freebie” – it’s going to be a HAPPY birthday!!

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Want more birthday freebies? Hip3Save has a much longer list than I’ve put together – click here to read.

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Click here to read how to Embrace another Year Around the Sun

If this post about “getting” makes you wonder about “giving,” click here to read Little Ways to Make a Big Difference

Thanks for reading, please consider subscribing!

1 In 2022/ Peek into our Week

Peek into our Weeks (April/May 2022)

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It’s GREAT to be EIGHT

How is our baby EIGHT years old??

We had a little backyard birthday for him and some of his friends.

He asked for a “Hibachi” birthday dinner. Here’s a peek into our first family hibachi experience:

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Signs of Spring

Minnesota had the LONGEST winter, but warmer days are finally here. Spring is BURSTING all around us. It THRILLS me and smells OH.SO.GOOD!

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Listen to this cardinal sing:

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Field Trips are BACK!

After more than two years, field trips are back!

I was thrilled when Paul asked if I would chaperone his fourth grade trip to the Minnesota State Capital. This place had been on our bucket list for four years.

The capitol was designed by an architect named Cass Gilbert, and built in 1905 for $4.5 million. 

We had a great time exploring this beautiful building and learning about our state’s government. Paul didn’t want the day to end.

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Encountering a new season of parenthood

After all these years, we finally have a child old enough to babysit so we can sneak off and have dinner by ourselves.

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We Escaped to Florida

My amazing in-laws came to town so that I could tag-a-long on Ted’s work trip to Orlando in April. The sunshine, palm trees, and warm weather were good for my soul.

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Easter at our house

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Our Youngest Two Boys were Baptized

About four years ago, George and Clark were baptized. This year, Paul and Luke asked to be baptized! We were thrilled to celebrate this big step in their faith walk with Jesus.

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Wrigley’s World

Wrigley’s been getting lots of exercise running with the neighborhood dogs:

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His two favorite things are cuddling with his family and playing catch with his favorite ball.

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Crawling up to give Ted a hug.

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It was a cold rainy day in Minnesota – this is what everyone wishes they were doing today.

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A Quick and Easy Salsa Recipe

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Taking a Walk Down Memory Lane

6 year old George holding baby Luke (Luke is now TWO YEARS older than George was when we took this picture)!

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Ted and his boys

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Luke attending his first “field trip” to BlackBerry Farm.

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This picture is our first outing with all four boys. We went to Chick-fil-A (shocking, right?). I love how Clark grabbed the centerpiece from the table because he thought the flower would be ‘pretty in the picture.’

Thanks for reading! What have you been up to? Leave me a comment!

0 In 2022/ Book Review

May 2022 Book Reviews and Recommendations

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Hiding in the Light by Rifqa Barry

Rating: 10/10

Review: A beautifully written autobiography from a girl who left Islam to become a Christ-follower. She wrote about the struggle she endured because of that decision. Her family thought it would be better for her to be dead than to become a Christian.

Because I have grown up knowing Jesus, there are certain things I take for granted – this book reminded me HOW MUCH I have to be grateful for. The author points out how in her Islam faith, it was mostly rules and traditions. She said multiple prayers, at specific times each day, in a language she doesn’t speak.

The author was shocked to learn that Christians can pray anytime, in words they understand. She loved praying to a God she knew would listen…to a God who answers prayer. She discovered a freedom in Christ she had never experienced before. A joy she had never felt. The deep, experiential love of God, an indescribable peace, and an enduring strength.

I loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are curious about the differences between Islam and the Christian faith.

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I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Narrative about the Life of Dred Scott by Shelia Moses

Rating: 9/10

Review: When I heard that Dred Scot lived at Fort Snelling in Minnesota, I wanted to hear more about his life and what brought him here. I listened to this short, but interesting, historical audiobook on my free Hoopla app. The book is fiction, but based on research the author has done on the life of Dred Scot. It shares the challenges of a man who was born a slave, and how hard he (and others) fought for freedom.

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Wishtree by Kathleen Applegate (with Clark)

Rating: 8/10

Review: “Red” is an oak tree that’s over 200 years old. He narrates the story from his point of view. Once a year, Red becomes the “wishtree” when people write their wishes on scraps of cloth and tie their wishes onto his branches. Red has seen many things in his life, and shares some of those stories with the reader. When he thinks he’s about to be cut down, his final ‘legacy’ is helping two unlikely kids meet and become friends. This story is written for children around the ages of 8-14.

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The Boys Start the War Series by Phylis Naylor Reynolds (with Paul)

Rating: 7/10

Paul’s teacher read the first book in this series aloud to the class, then Paul asked if we could get the other books in the series from the library. We’ve been slowly making our way through each book. They are cute stories, and Paul enjoys them. The books are about a family of four boys and another family of three girls, and the silly pranks they pull on each other.

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The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey (with Luke)

Rating: 10/10

Review: After Luke saw The Bad Guys movie with his Nana, he brought home the first book in this series from his school library and asked if we could read it together. It’s the story of some animals who are usually ‘scary’ or considered “the bad guys” (a shark, wolf, tarantula, snake & piranha), who are working hard to become the “good guys.”

The books are really entertaining. I’m enjoying this series as much as Luke is. The chapters are short and an entire book can be read in 30-45 minutes.

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Click here to read my TOP TEN reads from 2021.

What have you been reading lately? Leave a comment!

0 In 2022/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

Mother’s Day 2022 Recap

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms, Step-moms, Foster-moms, Grand-moms, Dog-moms and Ladies who are Like Moms to us all.

I hope you got to call in some reinforcements and relax on Mother’s Day:

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I’m in a really sweet stage of motherhood. All my babies are potty-trained and sleep through most nights.

Though I know didn’t ‘earn’ my coffee on Mother’s Day, my husband still brought me coffee in bed. (“Earn” is a joke – since I’m no longer up at night with kids, I don’t feel like I ‘earn’ the coffee I drink in the morning – but I LOVE it just the same!)

I’m one of those weird people who gets nauseous if I drink straight black coffee without eating something first, so I asked Paul to bring me up some almonds.

Paul ran downstairs and came back up and handed me TWO almonds and said:

“Sorry mom, I got hungry on the way up.”

I laughed and ate my two almonds. Then he opened his other hand…and gave me a bunch more.

I try to make Mother’s Day a ‘no cooking’ day, so the boys grabbed a banana on their way out the door to church. Our church always has FREE donuts available – which makes Sunday mornings a little easier. Today, they also had cake pops for Mother’s Day. I’m not a cake pop fan, but my boys were thrilled.

At church, they sang “Talking to Jesus.” Clark and I looked at each other and smiled because that song has a special meaning to us. If my boys have a bad dream, that’s a song that I play for them to help them get back to sleep. Clark will sometimes request the “Grandma song.” (lol)

You can listen here:

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After church, Ted took us to a delicious Mother’s Day Brunch. I LOVE brunch. According to my mom, I always have. Brunch means you get to try a little bit (or a lot) of everything, and you don’t have to wait for your food.

My boys are just like me.

  • Luke called it the ‘best day ever.’
  • George asked how many times he could go back for more food. When he found out it was unlimited – he asked why we can’t do this more often.
  • Paul agreed with George and asked if we could do this every week.
  • Clark loved every bite and even, somehow, took food to go.

After lunch, we came home and the boys gave me some handmade cards – my favorite kind.

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Clark and I are wore thrift store shirts on Mother’s Day. Both were brand new, with tags, and we only paid a few dollars for them. Mine was originally $70 from Evereve. His was originally $60.

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I wasn’t planning to cook dinner, but I was craving Broccoli Cheddar soup. So, I broke my “no cooking” on Mother’s Day rule, and I am happy I did. The soup was perfect on our wet, chilly Mother’s Day evening. Bonus: I have lunch ready for the week!

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I usually pray over the kids at bedtime, but tonight Paul asked to pray. He prayed that dad would have a good week as he taught the Target leaders, and that the members of the Supreme Court would have courage to make the right decisions. (my heart melted)

I am so grateful for this stage of motherhood. I wish I could freeze my kids at these ages. They are are fun and funny. They are helpful, kind, and creative. I’m truly grateful to be their mom!

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If you are in that “tough” stage of motherhood where all you want is a good night’s sleep or a ‘break’ from the demands of motherhood – I’ve been there! Just do the next right thing. It WILL get easier.

Happy Mother’s Day to every mom reading this.

Click here to read about my Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Mother’s Day.

0 In 2022/ Book Review

5 Amazing Books I Read in April 2022

I don’t always finish five books in one month, but did this month because:

1. The weather’s been cold and wet. Bad for exploring, great for reading.

2. I got to tag-a-long with Ted on a work trip and did a lot of reading by the pool (it was amazing).

3. The first book listed was a short one.

4. I’ve been reading Think Again, and the Ivan book, slowly over the several months, and finally finished them both this month.

5. Two books were so good I couldn’t put them down, and stayed up way too late to finish them.

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Here are my reviews of the five books I finished in April:

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Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets by Andy Stanley

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: SO MUCH wisdom packed into this short book. It’s wonderful, and HARD to read/listen to as Andy asks some really tough questions. I recommend this one to anyone who wants to grow in their character and decision making ability!

Here are 8 points that really impacted me:

1. Private decisions almost always have public outcomes. If you have children, the outcomes of your decisions are outcomes somebody you love will be forced to live with.

2. Your legacy, your mark on the future, are determined by the decisions you make. 

3. What story do you want told about you? The good news is, YOU get to decide – one decision at a time. 

4. The decisions you make in the VALLEYS are the stories you tell on the mountain. 

5. When confronted with anything or anybody that has a strong emotional appeal, press pause, not play.  

6. Paying attention to that unexplainable, seemingly irrational tension, is important for all of us. I will pause even when I can’t pinpoint the cause of my hesitation. I will explore, rather than ignore my conscience.  

7. Ask: what is the wise thing to do. Regret is always preceded by unwise decisions.

In light of my past experience, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do? 

Andy Stanley

8. Jesus did not leverage His God-card. He leveraged His example – how He loved. What does love require of me? 

Write a story you are proud to tell.

Andy Stanley

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Think Again by Adam Grant

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Rating 9/10

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Review: This book is filled with interesting stories and humor. Adam presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner and open to change vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’

Here are 9 points from the book that stood out to me:

1. Cognitive laziness – hanging onto old views over the difficulty of grappling with the new ones.

2. We listen to views that make us feel good instead of ideas that make us think hard.

3. We often favor feeling right over being right.

4. Scientific thinking favors humility over pride and curiosity over closure.

5. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think.

6. A successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late. Or, being open to moving and planting roots in a new community. 

7. People find happiness when they prioritize social engagement over independent activities.

8. It’s our actions – not our surroundings – that bring us meaning and belonging.

9. Be a lifelong learner. Learn something new from each person you meet.

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Click here and leave a comment if you’d like to win a copy of Think Again!

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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

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Rating 8/10

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Review: After finishing Home of the Brave with Clark, I decided to check out this book by the same author. I read it with my younger two boys who are animal lovers. It’s a sweet story of friendship between an ape and an elephant.

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The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: An outstanding book written by a survivor of Auschwitz. She writes about her escape “physically” from prison, and how she later learned to escape the prison of the mind. She is the female version of Victor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning). There are parts of this book that are really hard to read, but it’s also a book filled with hope and redemption.

The sign above the entrance to the author’s prison camp in Aushwitz says: Arbeit Macht Frei, meaning: Work Will Set You Free.

Dr. Eger writes:

Work has set me free. Not the work the Nazis meant, but the inner work. Of learning to survive and thrive, of learning to forgive myself, of helping others do the same. When I do this work, I am no longer a prisoner. I am free.

Dr. Eger

Here are a 10 gold nuggets I pulled from the book:

  1. You can live in the prison of the past, or you can let the past be a springboard that helps you reach the life you want now.
  2. Get the feelings out. Expression is the opposite of depression. You can’t heal what you don’t feel.
  3. You can’t feel love and fear at the same time.
  4. It’s easier to hold someone or something else responsible for your pain than to take responsibility for ending your own victimhood.
  5. How easily we can cling to – worship- the choice we think we could or should have made.
  6. Our painful experiences aren’t a liability, they are a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and strength.
  7. Doing what is right is rarely the same as doing what is safe.
  8. The biggest prison is your own mind. In your pocket is the key: the willingness to take absolute responsibility for your life, the willingness to risk, the willingness to release yourself from judgment and reclaim your innocence, excepting and loving yourself for who you really are – human, imperfect, and whole.
  9. No one can take away from you what you put in your mind.
  10. Freedom is accepting what is, forgiving ourselves, and opening our hearts to discover the miracles that exist right now.

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You can’t change what happened, you can’t change what you did or what was done to you. You can choose how you live right now. You can choose to be free.

Dr. Edith Eger

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I guess I Haven’t Learned that Yet by Shauna Niequist

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Rating: 10/10

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Review: I already know this will be in my TOP TEN list for the books I read in 2022. I loved every.single.page. Shauna is such a phenomenal story teller. Each chapter is a story from her life, and what she’s learning in that story. I cried, I laughed, I stopped to think, pray, and express gratitude. Read this book.

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Thanks for reading these reviews. Which of the books listed above do you want to read? Leave me a comment!

2 In 2022/ Book Review/ Giveaway

How “Thinking Again” changed the course of my life

I just finished “Think Again” by Adam Grant. This book presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’

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You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think.

Adam Grant

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In this book, Adam Grant says that people can fall into in four different camps:

  1. Preacher: I often act on faith alone in my quest for the truth.
  2. Prosecutor: I seek to win using evidence, often by attacking the other side and dismissing their evidence.
  3. Politician: I seek to win using my belief system, often by attacking the other side.

However, the best way to approach life would be the:

4. Scientist: I rely on evidence with the goal of finding the truth. I am happy to change my belief (hypothesis) when confronted with evidence.

The Scientist mindset can be summed up with one simple phrase: “I might be wrong.”

I thought the illustration he used in the book was funny:

After finishing the book, I paused to consider times in my life where I’ve had to “Think Again.” There are many – marriage and parenting give me plenty of times to ‘re-think’ what I’m doing. In fact, a successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late or being open to moving and planting roots in a new community. 

However…

The first and biggest time I had to “THINK AGAIN” was after meeting this handsome guy named Ted Egly.

I liked Ted immediately … but he was not for me. I thought Ted was amazing. I thought he would make a perfect boyfriend/husband … for someone else.

Why? Because I had a “list.”

In college I made a list of what was required of the person I date and marry. Did you have a list like that?

On that list were two things that disqualified Ted. My list said that a person I was going to date/marry MUST:

  • Be OLDER than me

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  • have more education than me.

Ted is two years younger and hadn’t finished college yet, so I could not date him. Instead, I tried to fix him up with my younger sister.

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“He’s like a brother to me. I can’t date him,” she said.

“You are CRAZY!” I responded, “He’s PERFECT!”

“Then you date him.” She answered flatly, turned around, and walked away.

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This was it. This was the time I had to re-think that ‘must have’ list.

I had other things on my ‘must’ list. Ted passed every one.

  • Was he a man of faith? Yes.
  • Was he a man of integrity? Yes.
  • Was he kind? Yes.
  • Was he a leader among his peers? Yes.
  • Did he have good relationships with his family members? Yes.
  • Was he hard-working? Yes.
  • Was he smart? Yes.
  • Was he funny? Yes!

However:

  • Was he older than me? No.
  • Was he more educated than me? (No, not yet)

Were those last two things deal-breakers, or could I re-think my list?

Thankfully, I decided to THINK AGAIN…and the rest is history!

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PS – If you talk to Ted, ask him how he also had to THINK AGAIN about dating me.

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Can you think of a situation in your life that you’ve had to ‘THINK AGAIN?’ Has there been a time you were sure about something, and then as you grew, asked questions, did your own research, changed your mind?

Think Again is full of stories of people who chose to “Think Again” and others who do not, and how it affected who and where they are today.

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Related posts:

Is there evidence to support the Christian faith? Click here to find out.

The Story of Us – Wedding Day

0 In 2022/ Motherhood

4 Tips for Remote Workers With Young Kids

Guest post by Janice Janice Russell of parentingdisasters.com.

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According to a study by Owl Labs, 62 percent of American workers between the ages of 22 and 65 say they work remotely at least some of the time, and that number is only expected to rise as more companies innovate and technology advances. Many work-from-home employees have young children who spend at least part of their day at home during their parent’s work hours. Because parenting and job duties can sometimes cause conflict in your life, it’s important to seek resources that help you establish a productive work-life balance.

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1. Stick to a Schedule

If you’re scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as a condition of your employment, it’s essential that you keep those hours. If your children are old enough to care for themselves in a separate part of your home, then you can provide them with age-appropriate activities, and stress that they should only interrupt you if there’s an emergency. For babies and toddlers, you should arrange reliable child care that can support your family during work hours.

When you work from home, it can be easy to feel like you’re always at work. If you spend every extra minute checking emails or trying to get ahead, you’ll miss out on precious moments with your little ones, and they’ll notice. Therefore, it is imperative to establish and commit to family time every day. Playing outside, eating meals as a family, or reading together before bedtime, are wonderful ways to cultivate meaningful relationships with your young children.

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2. Create a Distraction-Free Workspace

To ensure your kids understand your boundaries during the workday, you should have a designated workspace in your home. It may be a spare bedroom that you convert into an office or a corner of your dining room set up with your laptop and headset. Either way, make sure your children understand that when you’re in this space, you are working and not to be bothered. If you have an in-home helper for child care, you can ask him or her to pretend as though you are not home during your work hours.

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3. Get Comfortable

Parenting is full-time work, and so is your actual job. Therefore, though many remote employees are still expected to dress in business casual attire, you should prioritize your comfort. A soft knit blazer, flats with microfiber insoles and a quality pair of leggings that look like work pants, keep you looking professional but allow you the comfort and flexibility you need to chase your little ones around.

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4. Leave Your House

When you went to an office every day, chances are you took breaks, left for lunch, or took short walks to stretch your legs. Now that you work from home, it’s important to retain that personal time and space so you can remain focused and avoid burnout. If you are the sole child care provider during your work hours, you can use this time to let your toddler expend some energy at the neighborhood playground.

Many work-from-home parents struggle with self-care. If you have a family member, friend, or hired help who can take over for a while, you should use that bit of time for rejuvenating your mind, body, and spirit.

Working remotely with young children can be challenging, but if you incorporate these tips with a bit of planning and consistency, you can thrive in your career and family life.

– Janice Russell

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I hope you found this guest article helpful! Find more from Janice at parentingdisasters.com.

0 In 2022/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

A Fun and Yummy Easter Activity: Resurrection Rolls

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One of our family’s favorite Easter traditions are making Resurrection Rolls together. Not only is it a fantastic object lesson, it’s DELICIOUS!

Making the rolls together is a fun and tangible way to teach your children about the Resurrection. They make a wonderful treat for Easter weekend.

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George, Paul, and two friends.

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This year, I was making rolls early to take pictures for this post, and only two of my sons were available. When the other two heard we did this without them, they were disappointed. I gladly promised we’d make another batch before Easter.

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Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 8 large marshmallows
  • 1/2 stick of butter, melted
  • Crescent Roll Dough
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • Cooking spray
  • Tin pan

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What You’ll Do

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Read John 19:38-42 to your children. Explain to them what each ingredient represents.
3. The butter represents the embalming oils. Put butter in a shallow dish in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to melt.
4. The marshmallow represents Jesus, white and pure because He was without sin. Dip the marshmallow in butter.
5. Pour some cinnamon sugar in another shallow dish. The cinnamon sugar is like the spices they used to prepare His body for burial. Roll the marshmallow in the spices.
6. Spread out one section of the crescent dough on a plate. The crescent dough represents the linen cloth they wrapped Jesus in. Place the marshmallow in the triangle of dough and wrap the marshmallow completely. 
Option – Dip it in the butter again to keep it from sticking to the pan. Or place directly in a muffin tin covered in cooking spray.
7. Place the rolls in the ‘tomb’ – (the oven). Bake for 12-15 minutes.
8. When the muffins are barely brown on top, take them out of the ‘tomb’ and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
9. Let your kids open up their roll and discover what happened. (Spoiler alert) The roll is empty!

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Here’s a short video showing you what to do:

https://youtube.com/shorts/mPsqMgdShFA?feature=share

Thank you for reading and Happy Easter!


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0 In 2022/ Book Review

3 Unique Books I Read this month: March 2022 Reviews and Recommendations

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10 Rules for Resilience by Joe De Sena

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Rating: 9/10

Review: A book packed with practical ideas for your family. Here are 13 of my favorite parts:

  1. Exercise is hard. Honesty is hard. Eating healthy is hard. Integrity is hard. But also – Obesity is hard. Anxiety is hard. Choose your hard.
  2. Our utter devotion to what is safe and comfortable is a crack in our foundation. It keeps us from growing. What is the GIFT on the other side of discomfort? A difficult situation is a growth opportunity. Your brain might tell you ‘it’s impossible,’ but that’s wrong. It’s only difficult. You can’t …until you can. Say: I can’t …YET! When you go through something difficult, imagine your brain actually growing.
  3. Hate is a boomerang. If you spew it toward others, it comes back and creates self-loathing. When in doubt, close your mouth.
  4. Have your kids name 3 things they are grateful for while you are eating – one person, one place, one thing.
  5. You can’t control your kid’s athletic ability or how smart they are, but you can control how hard they work. Hard work forges character.
  6. Give kids responsibilities as soon as they can walk. Increasing the amount of responsibility as they age. You’ll be training them to be capable independent adults.
  7. Self-agency: The ability to understand that you can make your own choices and that you have some sense of control over what comes next. When kids understand that their choices will create consequences for them, it helps them be more thoughtful and intentional.  
  8. Nature has healing powers. Being in the forest has shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increase cardiovascular health. The best gym is the natural world. The sound of running water steadies us. The air refreshes us. The sunshine cheers us. The raw elements challenge us. We need to get outside and experience this glorious planet with all of our senses.
  9. Power of Play:  You don’t have to do anything fancy to have an outdoor adventure. Go on a hike, play tag in your backyard, climb trees, wrestle on the grass- these all develop their skills. Free play provides tactile feedback that children need to excel in sports later on. Kids need exercise for proper physical development and behavior. Prioritize movement over screen time. Physical activity is essential for healthy brain development. Throw a football, grab a jump rope, or go for a walk in the woods. You’ll see a difference in the behavior and attitude of your children. Especially teenagers! There are amazing benefits to Free Play. Free play not only helps to develop creative resources and enhance imagination, but also aids in the fine-tuning decision-making and problem-solving skills.
  10. Outdoors is a canvas for the imagination. Outdoor play will help children invent the future. A recent study showed that children ages 5-12 spend less than 30 min outside each day. Prisoners are guaranteed 2 hours a day outdoors. Criminals are getting more outdoor time than our kids.  Many studies show that getting exercise outside improves kids brain function.
  11. On Fear. What’s on the other side of fear is fantastic. Elizabeth Gilbert welcomes fear in the car, but doesn’t let it drive the car. Fear is present, but not in control. Movement cures fear. Fear is just a feeling. Fear and excitement are similar, practically exact feelings. Your feelings are not an accurate measure of what you can handle. Fear is a feeling and does not have control over you. Courage can be learned, bravery can be developed. ‘It’s only my body getting scared. My smart mind knows it will be okay.’ Practice doing something your kids are afraid of. ‘Systematic desensitization’ means repeated exposure conquers fear. Fear will be an ever-present part of life, but it’s not bad. It’s just a signal that we may need to use certain skills to move forward. 
  12. There will always be people who support you and people who criticize. Decide now who you will listen to.
  13. Growth mindset: praise your kids for EFFORT over intelligence. Say: ‘Wow, you worked hard on that!’ Celebrate the process, not just the product. Highlight how hard they worked and what they learned.

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Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

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Rating: 9/10

Review: I absolutely love this author and this book was brilliantly written. It gives insight into how the devil might be at work behind the scenes and in our thought lives. He is very subtle and sneaky in his attempt to turn us away from God. This book is absolutely worth reading, and it’s a book you’ll probably want to come back to again and again. The ideas shared in this book will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.

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Will by Will Smith

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Rating: 6/10

After reading this book, I wasn’t shocked by what happened at the Oscars for two reasons.

1. After finishing the book, I knew that Will is not in a good place.

2. He’s always struggled with how to defend the women in his life – from his mom, to his daughter, and now his wife. A theme throughout the book was his feeling of shame for not being courageous enough to protect them. He’s obviously still figuring that out.

My Review of the Book:

The beginning of Will’s autobiography was fantastic! Will used his superb storytelling ability to share the challenges of his childhood, how he got into hip-hop, and the crazy story of how he became the Fresh Prince of Bel Air

However, once he became ‘the biggest movie star of all time” (he reinforced this point many times), the story fell flat.

In spite of success at every level, he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for. He’s searching for peace in all the wrong places (psychedelic drugs, busyness, success, money, women, etc.).

I don’t necessarily recommend the book, however, if you’re a huge Will Smith fan and want to check it out, I recommend the audiobook. Will Smith reads the book and includes sound bites and songs that add an extra dimension. I think you’ll agree that the beginning is interesting, and the end is disappointing. I wish he would have waited to write this book.

Side note: Will’s oldest son, Trey, has found peace in a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus brings the unconditional love, peace, and fulfillment. For those searching for peace, ask God if He is real and you may find everything that you’ve ever been looking for is right there in Him.

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What have you been reading? Leave a comment!

Books are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase one, I may earn a small commission.

0 In 2022/ Product Recommendations

5 Fun Easter Basket Fillers (2022 Edition)

Easter is coming up on April 17, 2022. Are you ready?

What brings a smile to my face on Easter morning is knowing that I follow a Savior that has RISEN from the dead (read more about that here).

What my young children look forward to are Easter baskets. Here are five ideas that will bring smiles to your children’s faces on Easter morning.

The only thing I could recommend more than an Easter Basket is SPEND TIME TOGETHER. Playing tag or hide-and-seek with your kids will bring more joy than any toy.

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1. Spot it

All four of my boys play and enjoy this game. Their cousins and friends love it too. Have you played? It’s a fun and simple game for kids ages 4 and up!

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2. Brain Games Sticker-by-number books

I can’t tell you how much I love these sticker-by-number books. They are fun and make ‘frame-worthy’ art.

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3. Kanoodle, Jr. Puzzle Game

My 7-year old got this puzzle game for a Christmas gift and our entire family has played it. It’s a great ‘on-the-go’ game for kids. There are 60 different challenges to complete in this game. We highly recommend it!

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4. A Devotional and/or Bible

Our very favorite devotionals for kids are by Louie Giglio. We are currently reading, The Wonder of Creation, but loved Indescribable too!

I have a list of my favorite Bibles here, but one of them is the Bible Storybook. It’s easy-to-read with colorful pictures.

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5. Sidewalk Chalk

Put a bunch of chalk in their basket, then go outside and create art and inspiration for your neighborhood or local park.

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If you are looking for a church to visit on Easter, you can come with my family, or I can recommend a church for you to visit if you leave me a comment.

Happy Easter everyone!

Click here to read last year’s top five Easter Basket fillers.

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And Egg-celent Easter egg hunt for neighbors and friends.

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Click here for fun Easter craft ideas.

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Is there any proof to the Christian faith? Read more here.

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Several links are Affiliate links – that means if you choose to purchase any of the items I recommend, I may earn a small commission.