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0 In 2021/ Product Recommendations

9 Things I’ve Fallen for this Fall

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1. My Space Heater

Fall feels like winter in Minnesota and this little heater makes my bathroom toasty while I get ready in the morning. This also works well at keeping your feet warm by placing it under the desk in your office.

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2. Unkers

Do you remember Vicks Vaporub? This is the upgraded version. It’s a menthol rub for aches, pains, congestion, and more. We use this for everything – sore throat, sore muscles, and cough/congestion.

Buy this now, then when you get sore muscle, you’ll be so glad you have it in your cabinet.

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3. Kohlrobi Noodles

Allow me to introduce you to the vegetable you never knew you loved. Crisp, fresh, and crunchy kohlrabi is a turnip-like cabbage rich in fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium.

Ted and I call it our favorite “pasta.” It’s a vegetable full of flavor and makes a delicious spaghetti substitute. We sauté it with a little olive oil, add sauce and its oh. so. good.

We get our Kohlrabi (and an amazing Superfood pasta sauce) delivered through Hungry Root, a subscription-based food service.

Why we like Hungry Root:

  • great tasting food
  • organic
  • pre-made or can be cooked in one pan
  • makes eating healthy a little easier.

If you want to try it, you can get $50 off your first order by clicking here: https://www.hungryroot.com/r/F01URFFC

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4. Watching my kids play ball 

George
Paul
Clark
Luke at football practice

I’ve never been very athletic, and didn’t grow up playing or watching sports, but seeing my boys work hard and compete is pure joy.

We just finished the football season for Clark and Luke, the soccer season for George and Paul, and now all four boys are playing basketball. I love basketball because (1) it’s inside and you don’t have to worry about weather and (2) it’s so active and up close!

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5. Brandon Lake and Maverick city music

Those two are my go-tos lately for a morning, afternoon or evening ‘pick-me-up’ music!

Brandon Lake’s Gratitude – Click here to listen

Too Good to Not be True – Click here to listen

Jirah by Maverick City Music – Click here to listen

Maverick City Christmas Music – click here to listen

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6. Teaching

I’ve been subbing in our school district a couple of days each week. I teach grades Kindergarten and all the way up to twelfth grade. Each day is a new adventure – but what a joy to get to love on, invest in, and encourage kids each week.

My current favorite is teaching middle school – specifically if my kids are in one of my classes.

When I was teaching 6th grade this week, a student saw “Mrs. Egly” written on the board and said:

“Are you Clark’s sister?”

That, right there, is why I LOVE teaching 6th graders, and how you earn “teacher’s pet status!”

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7. Target’s Good and Gather brand

There are so many delicious Good and Gather Products, but my two current favorites are:

Jalapeño Avacado hummus and Cranberry Jalapeño dip.

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8. Plugged in online 

This website is a great resource for parents. When my boys ask to watch a movie and I don’t know much about it, I look it up on PluggedIn. They write comprehensive reviews of movies, TV shows, and music.

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9. The Children’s Book: What do you do with a problem?

Rating: 10/10

Review: A simple and entertaining children’s book that helps you look at problems in a new way!

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Always so many books I’m loving. Click here to read about those.

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Click here to read about my favorite winter items.

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Several of these items are affiliate links which means if you purchase one, I may get a small commission. TIA!

November 26, 2021 By
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0 In Christmas/ DIY/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys

5 Cute and Easy Ornaments to Make with your kids!

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Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

We put ours up over the weekend, and as we hung the ornaments, the ones that made us smile and brought back the sweetest memories were the ones we made together.

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Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas

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Here are five fun holiday ornaments my boys enjoyed making, and I think your family will have fun with it too.

You can keep them for your own tree, or gift them to loved ones.

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1. Hydro-Dipped Painted Ornament

  • ornament

Click here for instructions!

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2. Hand-Print Ornament

This is a precious way to capture that sweet tiny handprint. These make me smile every time I hang them on my tree.

  • ornament
  • ornament

Directions:

  1. Paint your child’s fingers.
  2. Help them press their ‘painted’ fingers on the ornament.
  3. Clean your child’s hand.
  4. Let the paint dry.
  5. Use permanent markers to turn the fingerprints into snowmen.
  6. Add the date.

Click here to buy white acrylic paint and colorful markers.

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3. Perler Bead Ornaments

This takes time and patience, but it can be calming and relaxing.

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Click here to purchase Perler Beads.

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Perler Beads make a great Christmas gift for children ages 6-9.

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4. Popsicle Stick snowman

ornament

Set out paint, buttons, stickers, string, and construction paper and see what your kids create! The possibilities are endless.

Add your child’s name and the date to the back of the stick.

Click here for popsicle sticks.

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5. Salt Dough Ornaments

These are a classic. We enjoyed making these so much last year, my boys are already asking if we can do it again this year.

ornament
Salt Dough Snowman

Click here for instructions.

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Which one of those I listed is your favorite? Leave me a comment.

Send me a picture of your family’s favorite homemade ornament.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Love,

Kathryn

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Disclaimer: The items I recommended from Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase an item I recommend, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!

November 16, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Product Recommendations

Ten Summertime Favorites from Amazon

Here are a few of my favorite things for summer:

1. Quick Dry Beach Towel

This is one of my favorite products of the summer. It’s thin and dries fast. My son used it at the pool the other day, and let his friend use it afterwards because he forgot his – he said it didn’t even feel wet!

Look how small it folds up compared to the standard beach towel:

  • Standard beach towel on the left, Quick Dry towel on the right

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2. Italian Ice

These are our favorite summertime treat. These popsicles stay soft and slushy and are so delicious!

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3. Alba Face Wash

This is my favorite face wash of all time. I love the pump on top – it’s easy to use and not messy! It makes my face smell so good, and feel soft and moisturized.

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4. Crystal Light Packets

I pour a packet into water bottles and my kids love it. It’s a great alternative to soda, and keeps your kids getting all the liquids they need during summer. There are yummy flavors like Raspberry Lemonade, Cherry Pomegranate – and more!

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5. Doggy Waste Bags

I’d never thought I’d have an opinion on ‘poop bags,’ but now that I’m a dog owner, I suddenly care about these things. There’s only one kind of waste bags I like to buy – and it’s this one from Amazon! Not too thin, not too small, and easy to tie up!

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6. Blank Books for Journaling

The teacher in me wants to keep my kids writing over the summer. I ask my boys to write or draw their favorite thing from the day, the trip, etc. These are fun to look back on from year to year, summer to summer!

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7. Zees Zees Lemon Blueberry Bars

I have these on my “subscribe and save” list because I can only find them on Amazon and also because they are:

  • yummy!
  • Quick and easy!
  • Loved by my boys and me!

If you have to leave early and don’t have time for breakfast, or if you are going to be gone for several hours and need an easy snack – these are great!

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8. Bluetooth Speaker

I bought this one for my husband for Father’s Day and it’s been great! It’s a much better price than some of the other wireless speakers, and works just as well. These come in handy if you are going to the pool, playing in the backyard, or sitting on the patio and want to listen to music or a podcast.

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9. Under eye gel pads

My mom and I love these collagen eye patches. They are so easy to use – just open the package and stick them under your eyes. The moisture from the patches and the flexibility helps them form and stick. There is an instant cooling effect that I feel which probably helps with any eye puffiness. (Putting them in the fridge before hand makes them even better)! They have a moisturizing effect that really plumps up my fine lines in only 15 minutes of wearing them. I like that they are indivdually packaged to maximize the moisture in each patch and reduce any contamination. The patches are large enough to cover my under eye are well. I think it provides better and longer-lasting results than eye cream.

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10. Plants

I would have never considered getting a plant on Amazon until I asked my neighbor where they found this fabulous plant: “Amazon” they told me!

So those are my current ‘top ten’ favorites. Do you have any favorites? Leave me a comment!

Need a summertime book recommendation? Here are 5 suggestions for you:

Do you have a great summer read recommendation? Let me know!

Thanks for reading, enjoy the rest of your summer.
Each of these items are affiliate links which means if you purchase on, I may get a small commission. TIA!
August 7, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Food/ Product Recommendations

Costco Favorites – A few things you’ve got to try!

I posted some of my favorite things in my instagram and Facebook stories recently, and had lots of feedback and questions – so I thought I’d share a post about some of things we love to buy at Costco:

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Our favorite hamburgers:

You can cook these in the oven, on the stove, or on the grill. They are best served with a toasted and buttered bun.

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Our favorite dip:

This dip is great with chips, crackers or celery.

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Other great dips:

I like the TASTE of this dip, more than the NAME of the dip. It’s made from ALMONDS and is a delicious dip for crackers or vegetables.


This dip is amazing! It’s good with tortilla chips, corn chips, on a salad, or with celery. It’s good warm or cold.

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Celery sticks

How do you eat more veggies? Make them easily accessible. These are washed and ready to eat right out of the bag. Great for the dips listed above.

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My favorite crackers

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Best Chips

For a not-as-healthy options for those dips, these chips are SOO good! Also great with salsa, queso, guacamole and the corn dip (pictured above). They are also good straight out of the bag.

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Pre-cooked bacon

Buy the pre-cooked bacon to warm and eat or use in recipes.

I like to wrap one piece of bacon around 3 pieces of asparagus and bake.

You could also wrap it around cheese stuffed dates and bake!

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Great salad topping

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Popcorn heaven

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Organic eggs and milk

Good price on these if you use a lot of milk or eggs in your home.

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Rotisserie chicken

We like to get Costco’s rotisserie chicken. Easy dinner! Boil the bones for great chicken broth.


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Great steak!!

Eat it in sandwiches for lunch, chopped up on salads, or AS IS for dinner. It’s so good and so easy.


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De-lish FISH!

This is a great dish to bake for company. It looks and tastes so fancy, but requires no work!

Tip: Put a little of the pickle ranch dip (pictured above) on the side! YUM!

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The world’s best frozen chicken nuggets. They taste like Chick-Fil-A!

I like to cook them in the air fryer.

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Best Salad:

I can’t leave Costco without purchasing the large 1-pound containers of Organic Spring Mix. This salad mix is not soft like spinach, it has a nice crunch like romaine. It’s easier to eat healthy when this is in your fridge.

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Meat Sticks – my boys LOVE these!

They were on sale recently, so I brought a bag home. Ted, our boys, and their friends, finished the bag in a few days. I went back and stocked up before the sale ended. They are high in protein and low in sugar.

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Crystal Light Drink Mixes

The drink mix (pictured below) was purchased on amazon (click here to see), but then I spotted it at Costco this week. These little Crystal Light packets are a great way to keep your kids getting fluids all summer! They come in a variety pack of flavors, and my kids like them all. You can pour a packet into a water bottle, and it turns the water into lemonade or fruit punch. It’s a GREAT alternative to Soda!

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Easy and Delicious Dinner – Street Tacos

This kit comes with seasoned chicken, cheese, tortillas, shredded lettuce/cabbage, and two sauces. It can feed up to 6 people. It’s a yummy and cost-effective dinner to keep on hand and prevent you from going through the drive-thru when you don’t feel like cooking.

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Marvelous Macarons

I believe these are seasonal, but they were amazing!

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What do you love from Costco? Leave me a comment!

CLICK HERE for the top 10 best things to buy from The Dollar Store.

Click here to read the best things to buy from ALDI.

Thanks for reading and please consider subscribing.

July 10, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Product Recommendations/ Review

3 Great Books I read in June: Reviews and Recommendations

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Here are 3 great books I read in June:

Get Your Life Back by John Eldridge

Rating: 10/10

Review: Listening to this wonderful book was like going to therapy. The author’s voice and his encouragement were calming and helpful. He shared useful tips for healing from hurts, remembering the good, and enjoying life. The author shares how to re-orient yourself away from the noise, and toward a place of peace, calm and joy.

One thing he recommends is the one minute PAUSE. Here’s a summary:

  • Close your eyes,
  • Breathe deeply in and out,
  • As you exhale – release the stress,
  • As you inhale – receive God’s love and peace.

Click here to check out the FREE One Minute pause app!

This is a must read for anyone feeling burned out and needing some space for your soul.

Here are two beautiful reminders from the book:

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Love Centered Parenting by Crystal Paine

Rating: 9/10

Review: I follow this author on MoneySavingMom.com, and when I saw her book was available for free on my Hoopla app, I decided to download it. It’s easy to listen to, and gives tons of practical advice and encouragement to parents. She shares the story of one of her teens becoming suicidal, and how they got there, and what she’s learned from this experience. I think this book is a great one for any parent with kids ages 5-15.

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Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Rating: 9/10

Review: Ted encouraged me to read this book and I really enjoyed it! If you find yourself stretched too thin (MOTHERHOOD!), overworked or busy but not productive, this would be a great book for you!

This quote sums up the book fairly well:

“When we don’t purposefully and deliberately choose where to focus our energies and time, other people—our bosses, our colleagues, our clients, and even our families—will choose for us, and before long we’ll have lost sight of everything that is meaningful and important.”

Greg McKeown
This quote made me smile and is one of the reasons I value having FUN with my kids:

“It’s hard to be successful at anything without having some fun while doing it.

Greg McKeown
I love this about the importance of playing:

“As we get older, PLAY seems like a waste of time. It seems unnecessary and childish. However, play has the power to significantly improve everything from personal health to relationships to eduction to organization to ability. Play leads to brain plasticity, adaptability, and creativity. Nothing fires up the brain like play. The value of play can’t be overstated.”

Want some PLAY ideas? Click here!

Thanks for reading this post and for subscribing! Hope you get lost in a good book soon…

July 5, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Product Recommendations

Four books I finished in April: Book Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few great books I finished this month.

The Last Arrow by Erwin McManus

Rating: 10/10

Review: This book was so good that once I started, I could barely put it down. Erwin shares one phenomenal story after another, connecting what God teaches in the Bible to real people putting that into action, and the POWER that action has had in their lives. Here are a few of my favorite points from the book:

  1. You need to act like your life depends on it because it’s never just your life involved. The world desperately needs everything you can bring to the table.
  2. Don’t allow your weakness to define who you are.    
  3. You will never sustain greatness or fulfill your God-given calling if you see people as an obstacle to your destiny rather than as essential to fulfilling God’s purpose in your life. An old African saying: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We are more powerful when we walk together, and we are more vulnerable when we walk alone.    
  4. Fear is like a leprosy that eats away at us. Fear will lead us to build fortresses that look like security and safety. Fear convinces us that we have locked out the dangers, but it hasn’t locked the world out at all. Instead, fear has trapped us inside. It was never a fortress, it was a prison.
  5. I do not believe anyone is born average but I do believe that many of us choose to live a life of mediocrity. To be above average demands a choice. Average is a safe choice and it’s the most dangerous choice we can make.
  6.  Do not lose sight of the fact that just because it’s time to move forward, the things in the past did not have great value for the time in your life. Appreciate the past, but live IN the present and FOR the future. 

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5/10

Review: This is the story of a military family, the wife goes off to war and comes back with a missing leg and PSTD. I didn’t connect with the characters or find the story believable. I would recommend The Nightingale over this book! A much better story and excellent character development.

Help Club for Moms: The Wise Woman Believes

Rating: 10/10

Review:  The Help Club for Mom’s Bible studies include mom tips, recipes, activities to do with your children, journaling pages, and practical devotions for mom. The book takes into consideration your home, children, faith, and marriage. The studies are uplifting and perfect for any mom.

Remarkable by Brady Boyd

Rating: 10/10

Review: Brady Boyd has done it again with his masterful, engaging and meaningful writing. This is all about how Christ-followers can live ‘remarkable’ lives that make a positive difference in the world. Here are 5 things that stood out to me:

  1. Every person is created in the image of God – regardless of color, creed, gender, socioeconomic status or citizenship. When you disagree with someone, ask: “Help me understand your perspective. What am I missing?” or “Tell me your story.”
  2. Acceptance, kindness and forgiveness are the trifecta of a gracious life. “May we exude graciousness at every turn, remembering that we too, were lavished with grace. May we radiate the warmth and compassion of Jesus, who once took in our messiest messiness and said, ‘You are welcome here.'”
  3. Inviting God into our painful places is when healing begins to seep in.
  4. The first step in obtaining wisdom is admitting that I am not the source of wisdom. (Do I stop and seek God for wisdom before I make decisions or answer questions?)
  5. Stay plugged in to the unparalleled power Source.

What are you reading?

Here are my favorite books for 2020

And my top ten from 2019

May 1, 2021 By
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1 In 2021/ Book Review/ Faith/ Product Recommendations

The Best Bible and Devotionals for Kids ages 2-12 – Plus a Giveaway!

Easter is the best time to get your kids a new devotional or Bible. If you have a hard time getting your kids to read their Bible or a devotional, do it with them. I like to read with my kids when they first wake up or right before they go to bed. Also, my kids are always required to read something before they get on electronics.

Here are some of my favorites!

Bibles

Devotionals:

I Can Learn the Bible

For ages 2-10

We just discovered this one at our local library and love it. It has a devotion for each week of the year, a memory verse and an excellent lesson.

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How Great is our God

For ages 5-15

I’ve shared before how MUCH I love Louie Giglio’s first devotional for kids called: Indescribable. This is Book 2 and I love this one too.

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The Purpose Driven Life for Kids

The Purpose Driven Life (for Grownups) is one of the best selling books of all time. The ones for children are really good too!

I’d recommend this book for ages 8-14:

This illustrated one is great for children 2-8:

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Bibles:

Jesus Storybook Bible

For ages 1-10

This is the Bible in “storybook” form. It’s BEAUTIFULLY written and all my kids have enjoyed listening to it. It’s received about 8,000 five star reviews on Amazon. This is the perfect “FIRST” Bible for kids! However, my 11 year old still asks me to read it to him!

The Action Bible

For ages 6-12

This is a great Bible for kids who love Graphic Novels.

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Bible Storybook

For ages 2 and up

This Bible is easy-to-read and has an accompanying app that little ones enjoy playing.

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A Children’s Holy Bible

For ages 5 and up

A real chapter and verse Bible for your child, if they don’t have on yet, is a great gift to give them for Easter. My favorite bible for kids is the New International Reader’s Version. This version makes the Bible easier to read and understand.

Need more Easter Basket ideas? Read this post!

Five fun Easter crafts and actives for kids! Click here!

For unique Easter egg hunt idea that will delight your kids and neighbors, click here!

Why do we celebrate Easter? Is there TRUTH and FACTS behind the Christian faith?

Thanks for reading! Please share this post!

March 19, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Book Review/ Product Recommendations

5 Books I Finished in February

Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis

Rating: 7/10

Review: This is the story of an orphan girl who is a chess genius, but also struggles with addiction. The book takes you on a journey through her life. Highs and lows. Wins and losses. Sobriety and addiction. Friendship and loneliness.

This is one of those RARE occasions that the SHOW was better than the book. Because I do not play chess, it was hard for me to imagine the games as they were described in the book. It was much more enjoyable to watch the games and observe the people and their surroundings. The show was excellent, and if you have Netflix, I recommend that you skip the book and watch the show!

The Boy on the Wooden Box

Rating: 10/10

Review: I couldn’t put this book down. It was SO good! It’s the phenomenal story of a boy who survived the Holocaust because he was on ‘Schinder’s list!’ Many holocaust stories are incredibly hard to read, but this one had a string of redemption and hope running through it. I loved this book and think you will too! Easy to read and an excellent book for kids ages 12 and up!

Creativity by Ed Catmull

Rating: 8/10

Review: This was written by the co-founder of Pixar. (The company that created so many of those movies we LOVE!) The early parts of the book are a little slow as he introduces himself and the formative parts of his life. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that gave ‘behind the scenes’ stories into several Pixar movies. I also loved his stories about Steve Jobs – the author describes him in a positive light. The book gave insight into how and why Pixar is such a successful organization.

She Persisted: Harriet Tubman by Andrea Pinkney

Rating: 9/10

Review: Great book to read with kids! A simple chapter book that gives a brief overview of Harriet Tubman’s life. My kids and I enjoyed it.

The Book of Waking Up by Seth Haines

By Seth Haines

Rating: 9/10

Review: I really enjoyed Seth Haines first book, Coming Clean and was excited to read his second one. This book started so slow that I almost stopped reading, but I’m SOOO glad I didn’t give up on the book. The last few chapters were amazing! The author is a lawyer and I realized he was using the first section of the book to develop his ‘case’ on how to “wake up” to true life. He shares how he began to drink heavily to cover deep pain that he was going through. He shares how many of us use food, social media, alcohol, drugs or shopping to distract us from the pain, keep us from dealing with it and allowing God to heal it.

Seth gives incredibly practical and beautiful steps to truly healing from the pain and living life WIDE AWAKE!

Here are my favorite books of 2020!

What are you reading?

March 1, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations

One simple way to keep our children healthy

Today’s guest post was written by my friend Mary Nolan. Mary is a West Point Graduate. After college, she defended our country in the Army and even earned a Bronze Star Medal for her heroism while serving oversees. She is now a mom to three and also earning her doctorate in Chinese Medicine.

Mary, take it away…

It was well after dark one night recently as I stood washing the last of the dinner dishes in our finally peaceful home, staring out the window, thinking “Children’s health … yeah, that shouldn’t be too tough!” Ohhh, the logic of a hopefully optimistic, definitely sleep-deprived parent.

I’d say it’s a broad topic, one wrought with a myriad of medical literature, clinical data, cultural influence, and a few emotion-based opinions. 

  • The vaccination debate? Yep – that’s part of it.
  • Increasing rates of type II diabetes in children? That’s one for Ted Talks. 
  • The merits of good, old-fashioned exercise on the playground? Ok, a bit more palatable for the casual reader. 

So, true to the tactics of a mother desperately trying to channel three young children out of the house, I silenced my swarming inner dialogue with a much simpler choice – tea or wine?

Wine won. I sat down with that glass of wine and asked – what is one of the most ardent actions I incorporate daily towards my children’s own health?

Hand washing

I came up with hand washing

Wait – don’t stop reading yet.

Call it the prior U.S. Army Preventive Medicine Officer in me, or just the wisdom (i.e. mental scarring) of parenthood post-family-sick-day, but there is a tendency to overlook simple solutions to many seemingly complex problems. 

Hand washing is perhaps the most basic, repeatable public health measure with the greatest impact on community (let alone children’s) health. 

Aside from the obvious benefits of reducing exposure to harmful bacteria, hand washing is a perfect example of positive deviance – the idea of building up capabilities people already have rather than introducing something new that requires additional resources. In the case of hand washing, it’s something we can do, often and well, to systematically knock down the plethora of microorganisms that our little ones tend to encounter and then propagate through the family.

Why is hand washing so important? If you’re anything like me, you can almost see (…even feel) little microorganisms colonizing public railings, commercial floors (heck, our own floors!), door handles, restaurant high chairs, toilets (and anything within 3 meters of them …), and nearly anything your child reaches down to grab and says “Look!!” Well many of those microorganisms find their way not only onto your children’s ever-curious, sensory driven hands, but then into their eyes, nose, and most cringe-worthy, their mouths. Hand washing with soap and water can cut that cycle of germ-spreading not just from the source to your child, but from them to their dear siblings, friends, classmates, and YOU. Sure anti-microbial soaps have us all concerned about TOO much protection from bacteria and not enough exercise for our immune systems, but that’s where I say send the kids outside and let them bask in the glory of natural flora. The suns UV rays denature most of what will harm them out there anyway. It’s what tends to lurk indoors and on people and surfaces that leads to those loathsome family sick days.

So what would you say is the best way to implement hand washing into the daily routine? Well, back to those years when I was a Preventive Medicine Officer in the Army, getting thousands of gritty, mission-focused Soldiers to adopt something so mundane meant making it their ticket to the good stuff: 

  • Want to get into the mess hall for chow? Wash your hands. 
  • Want to go back to your unit and hit the rack? Wash your hands. 
  • Want your mail and packages? Wash your hands.

Basically, hand washing stations became checkpoints for all major actions throughout the day, and were especially inevitable around food. 

I like to say: “If you think about washing your hands, it’s time to do it.” 

“If you think about washing your hands, it’s time to do it.” 

That little mantra alone, coupled with the prevalent visual reminders, worked wonders to turn awareness into action.

Now apply all that to the typical child – it may take strapping a mobile sink to them as a front pack to achieve that level of consistency. But luckily, you can employ measures like washing hands every time you come home, or better, every time you leave a public place.

If your children are anything like mine, their hands and mouths make contact no less than 180 times per minute, and we want to minimize how much is transferred between the two in a BIG way – especially in the COVID season! 

Make hand washing the first step of setting the table or a prerequisite to opening the fridge for a snack. Spice up the soaps you keep at each sink in your home – my son has been asking to wash his hands since I put an exfoliating soap in the guest bathroom (4 year old boys love some sand)!

So hand washing – a simple tool in your tool box for bolstering children’s health. But you don’t have to take it from me. The Centers for Disease Control sums it with facts like these:

Handwashing:

  • Reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 31% 
  • Reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21% 
  • Handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia
  • Handwashing education and access to soap in schools can help improve attendance
  • Good handwashing early in life may help improve child development in some settings

Handwashing may help improve child development?? Well, sign me up!! I’ll bring the soap! 

Hand washing

I loved this article written by my friend Mary and hope you did too. It’s a simple and practical way to stay healthy during this crazy season of our lives.

If you are running low on hand soap, may I suggest you add some to your Amazon cart:

Excuse me while I go wash my hands…

February 16, 2021 By
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0 In 2021/ Product Recommendations

These are a few of my favorite things: 15 Amazon products I love!

Top 7 favorites for families and kids:

Conversation Cards

These cards have opened up so many wonderful conversations with my boys!! I’ve loved having these on my dinner table. You never know what kids are going to say!

Bike Rack

We ordered this bike rack on amazon and it’s been super helpful at keeping our garage a little more organized.

Space Heater

For staying warm in your office or bathroom, I love having a space heater! When I worked, I kept a space heater under my desk. Now, I keep one in my bathroom.


Sticker Art

This is the coolest little craft for kids. They match up the stickers with numbers and make the prettiest pictures. Their art work turns out so cool you could frame it!

paint by sticker

Pencil Sharpener

If you are homeschooling right now, you know how many pencils your kids are using right now.

This pencil sharpener has been priceless!

What do you Meme?

My son George received this as a Christmas gift and it has been so fun for our family! We have all laughed really hard!

This game is like ‘Apples to Apples,’ but you have to pick the best MEME to go with the picture. Best meme wins the round. Great for ages 8 and up.

Book – How Great is our God? by Louie Giglio

I’ve been reading a page out of this book most mornings to my kids. It connects nature and Creation to who we are in Christ.

Top 8 For Grown Ups:

Unkers

Unkers is soothing cream to rub into any ache or pain. This 7 oz. container has lasted us over 3 years. We all love it!

Govino Wine Glass

The Govino wine glass has been my favorite since my friend Nadia introduced them to me over 2 years ago. They are light weight, dishwasher safe and DON’T BREAK!

Dual Tip Caligraphy pen

Whether you are writing a thank you card or making a grocery list – This is just a FUN pen to write with!

Garage Door Accents

Update your garage for less than $12!!!!

Picture hangers

My sister is an Interior Designer and recommended these. WHERE have they been all my life? They make hanging pictures so easy! No hammers needed. No big holes!

Air Fryer

I used my friend Stacey’s air fryer when I was at her house, then immediately bought one when I got home. They cook with “air” but it makes things taste fried! We love ours and use it all the time!

Phone case

My husband and I both have these phone cases – he has this solid black one, I ordered the pretty floral one. I love that I rarely have to bring anything with me except my phone.

Prevail: 365 Day of Strength from God’s Word

My mom purchased this book for me and my sister and we are loving it. Susie Larson’s authenticity, wisdom, and ability to weave truths into actionable faith steps is such a gift. 

Thanks for reading?

Is there something YOU love from Amazon? Leave a comment!

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January 18, 2021 By
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