Pulling your hair out because you can't think of gift for that hard-to-buy-for person? Yeah, been there. Done that. Actually, there are a few of those people every year. I love them dearly, and I know they're not trying to be difficult to buy for. In fact, I think a few of these family members are hard to buy for because I so dearly love them and want to give them something meaningful, but every idea falls flat. Some of the most loved gifts I've given in the past, have been those I've made myself. I've given homemade spice mixes, body scrubs, vanilla extract, and more. I'm looking forward to choosing a few of these ...Read More
Favorite Christmas Things Giveaway 2016
What is your favorite thing about Christmas? I have lots of favorites when it comes to Christmas. I love that this time of year helps me (and my family) focus more intentionally on Jesus. I love that as a family we intentionally slow down. We make time to do some special things together like Christmas-themed devotions, fun activities, and service projects. And one more thing I love about the season...giving! Whether it's giving my time in a service project, buying gifts for friends and family, or sending some extra support to missionaries, it just makes me happy to give. It really is true, giving is better than ...Read More
Foods Brown Butter Spice Cake
This Brown Butter Spice Cake is 100% grain-free (and you can easily make it sugar-free and dairy-free too, if you'd like). That means no reaction from grains and sugar! Can I just be honest? Sticking with a strict diet through the holidays used to sound like no fun to me. Sometimes I just want to indulge. But anytime I do, I pay for it—tummy aches, foggy brain, body aches, and a general BLAH feeling. I'm excited to share this recipe with you because you can indulge your taste buds, but you won't have to experience the same consequences. This recipe is both nourishing and delicious. The browned butter adds a ...Read More
Easy DIY Gifts: Peppermint Oatmeal Soap
One of the things I've had a lot of fun with in the past, has been making homemade gifts for some of my family members. In the past, I've made homemade vanilla, spice mixes, and more. This peppermint oatmeal soap makes both a beautiful and useful gift! Rules of DIY Christmas Gifts I have a few rules when it comes to making gifts. They can't be too complicated. They should be either meaningful or useful. They should be lovely. This soap meets all 3 criteria. This peppermint oatmeal soap is super easy to make. I made use of a melt and pour soap base. I suppose if you wanted to buy lye and make the soap ...Read More
Planning for a More Joyful Christmas! {Free Downloadable Planner}
It was not a good day. I'd been juggling kids and scrambling around trying to finish wrapping presents. I had a few last-minute gifts to pick up. When was I going to find time for that? And I still hadn't decided what food I was taking to my mom's for the Christmas Eve gathering that evening. I was stressed out. My lack of planning had robbed me of my joy. How does this happen? Have you ever overspent when buying Christmas presents? Have you ever neglected to plan meals or dishes you were taking to parties until last minute? Have you ever run out of ingredients you need for said dishes? Have you ever completely ...Read More
Imaginative Play at Christmas: Toilet Paper Roll Wise Men Figurines
My twins love to act out scenes. Recently at lunch, they each had a couple strawberries that magically morphed into Superman and Batman in their imaginations. It was a red, bloody battle. Despite the fact that Batman and Superman turned into a mushy juicy mess, I think it was mommy was the big loser who had to clean up the sticky strawberry mess! Teaching our Kids Truth at Christmas There are many modalities we can use to help teach our kids at Christmas (and all times of the year). It's helpful to understand what kind of kids you have, so you can be sure to implement learning activities that help your kids ...Read More
Celebrating Christmas Through Crafts: DIY Noel Plate
I'm not much into doing crafts. But my son loves art, so this Christmas I wanted to make some crafts, including this DIY Noel plate. So I stocked up on craft supplies. My son's eyes lit up as I started to unpack my bag. Plates Paint Glue Sticks Glitter Painting canvas and lots more craft supplies... Sadly, my artsy son didn't get a very crafty mom. He doesn't see products like this emerge from my bags too often. But the look of delight on his little face was worth the extra expense and extra work to plan out some Christmas crafts. Why This Not-So-Craftsy Mom is Making Crafts a Priority If you're like most ...Read More
The Long-Term Risks of Taking Heartburn Medications
"Your wife isn't going to like this, but I'm prescribing you medication for your acid reflux." When my husband relayed this message from our doctor, I affirmed, "He's right, I don't like it!" You see, our doctor knew I was a little on the crunchy side. He knew I didn't like my family members being prescribed medications unless absolutely necessary. The medication was a band-aid solution. I knew there had to be a better way. My husband tried the medication for just a few days. In the end, we threw the medication in the trash opting to fix the problem instead of simply putting a band-aid over it. We spent ...Read More
