What I’m Grateful for- July 2017

Posted on by August 6, 2017
Take a moment to be grateful and appreciate the little things in life. Realize that those little things are the big things.

Ah, the start of August. The beginning of the end of the Summer. It’s such a sad month for those of us in the colder climates. We only get a few months of lovely weather before the cold and snow returns. But, it’s not here yet, so I’m going to soak up the rest of it as much as I can! There is a ton to look forward to before Fall arrives, but first a recap of last month and all I’m grateful for. July was filled with fun. We spent lots of time enjoying family and the Summer. Zach experienced the fireworks for the first time and seemed to enjoy them (though not as much as I expected). It was a warm month, but it wasn’t too terribly humid and hot. July can be brutal sometimes. We had a lot of rain and subsequent flooding in local communities, but … More…

How to Fight Fear for Women’s Safety

Posted on by August 1, 2017
Women's safety is an increasingly important issue. Overcome the fear and tackle the issue head on.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that I try to maintain a positive and uplifting vibe in all of my posts. Negativity isn’t something any of us need more of. I want this to be a safe place where you can come for advice and positive ideas to live better and refocus on the important things in life. This is not a place for conflict, complaints, or despair. Life, however, is not always sunshine and roses, and to live better, we must deal with unpleasant situations, like the reality of women’s safety in our society.   A family’s worst nightmare Last week, a family friend tragically lost their teenage daughter. Olivia was a 17-year-old girl about to embark on her senior year of high school in Kenosha (my hometown). On Sunday evening, she was out alone. She stopped for gas at a well-known gas station … More…

Why balance is the key to creating the life you want

Posted on by July 21, 2017
If you spend all of your time worrying you're not living "in the present" enough, read to find out why you should be focusing on balance instead.

Living in the present is all the rage these days. Everywhere I look are quotes reminding me to “live in the present” and not “worry about the future.” They’re displayed on everything from coffee mugs and notebooks to t-shirts and pillows. And while I understand the need to be reminded to live in the moment and be present, we may be overusing the message and misconstruing its meaning. This is especially true for moms. We constantly feel like we’re missing out on precious moments with our little ones when we’re distracted with other tasks or worrying about things like work, bills, and plans. I know all too well the guilt of missing a moment that may never happen again. And the pressure from all around us to put down our phones and stop recording our kid’s lives and instead live in it with them, well, it just induces more guilt. While … More…

10 Important life lessons my son needs to know

Posted on by July 8, 2017
What can we teach our children to ensure they live happy, fulfilling lives and are good people? Here are 10 important life lessons children must learn!

As a parent, I often find myself wondering who my son will be when he grows up. What will he enjoy? What career will he choose? Will he find love and have a family of his own? What I worry wonder about most, however, is if I’m preparing him for a life where the answers to those questions are not only positive but fulfilling. Am I adequately preparing him to be a good person, make healthy choices, and be happy? To make sure I’m properly guiding him toward adulthood, I’ve been reflecting on what life lessons are important for him to know. Sure, there are millions of life lessons yet to be taught. After all, he is only two. He still needs to learn everything from the concept of religion to why we don’t stick things in our noses. That’s a pretty huge range of things I need to work … More…

What I’m Grateful for- June 2017

Posted on by June 26, 2017
Take a moment to be grateful and appreciate the little things in life. Realize that those little things are the big things.

June is over and Summer is officially here. So grateful for the nice weather, the direction the blog is going, and the progress on several goals in my life. If you didn’t get a chance to check out my mid-year, quarter 2 update on my yearly goals, check it out! We’re halfway through the year and I’m optimistic that the year will end on a better note than it started. June was a great month. We’re still struggling a little to make our financial plans work while we transition into a change in our incomes with my new job. But overall, everything is working out a-okay! Speaking of my new job; I’m loving it! It is so much less stressful and I couldn’t be happier. For the first time in a long time, I actually like going to work. I no longer wake up dreading the day ahead of me. … More…

The Importance of Letting Go of the Little Things

Posted on by July 1, 2017
Such an amazingly simple solution to finding more time for my priorities, like family. Who knew letting go could let me be happier and have more time to enjoy life?!

In the past, we often found ourselves scrambling around making time to do things that seemed meaningless to us. We did them simply because they pleased someone else. They were things we cared little about and ranked low on things we enjoyed doing. Unfortunately, what we valued, like quality time and family activities, took a back seat. We were always trying to find time for them and squeeze them in when we could. If this sounds like you, let me alleviate your stress and help you save your time for things you value. Letting go of the little things will enable you to spend more time on your priorities. Our priorities should be the core of our lives, not what we fit in when we have the time.   Exceptional lawn care isn’t at the top of my priorities list. Every summer, we receive a letter from the city telling … More…

Quarter 2 Update: Progress on My New Year Goals

Posted on by June 24, 2017
My quarter 2 progress update on my New Year goals! See where I've nailed it, and where I failed it! The struggle is real!

I can’t believe it’s already time for the second update on my goals for the new year. I posted our goals for 2017 in the beginning of January. As promised, I will be posting quarterly progress updates to hold myself accountable. Overall, quarter one went pretty well. I think quarter two went even better. Progress is being made in all areas, even though there is less progress in some areas than I’d like! I ironed out a few of the issues I had with my health and blogging goals, but it was far from perfect. Weight loss is still something I’m really struggling with and have made virtually no progress on at all! There is still a long way to go for sure and I’m hoping to make up some of it in the second half of the year. So let’s get into it. We’ll take a look at where I’ve nailed … More…

How to throw a simple Snoopy birthday party that will amaze!

Posted on by June 11, 2017
Awesome, realistic tips and advise on throwing a Snoopy birthday party without spending tons of money. Party throwing without the overwhelm!

  One of my favorite parts of celebrating Zachary’s birthday is the party. This year, we went all out with a Snoopy birthday party. That boy loves his Snoopy! While our guests were amazed by all of the detail around the theme, the truth is, it was so simple! This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from your purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you! We always like to keep things simple. I thoroughly believe kids parties have gotten to be too much these days. Celebrating your little one should definitely be a big deal, but you can throw an amazing, themed party without all of the cost, extravagances, and overwhelm! A birthday celebration should be about the child and quality time with them. Not about party favors, elaborate cakes, and entertainment. The key is to stop trying to live up to the unrealistic expectations … More…

What I’m Grateful for- May 2017

Posted on by June 4, 2017
Take a moment to be grateful and appreciate the little things in life. Realize that those little things are the big things.

I can’t believe it’s June!! Where did May go?? 2017 is flying by. Before you know it, it’ll be time to do my second quarterly update on my goals for the year. May was an amazing month with lots to be grateful for. I figured out some things with the blog that are helping me to move forward. I was stuck for a little while down a wrong path for a little while. May 31st was also my last day at a job I wasn’t happy at. And to top it all off, my beautiful boy turned 2! I can’t believe it’s been two years since he was born. The time goes by so fast. May also brought with it the beginning of rummage sale season, beautiful weather and the ability to spend more time outdoors. Add to that the wonderful celebration of Mother’s day and May is becoming my favorite … More…

5 Simple, Fun and Inexpensive ways to Celebrate Father’s Day

Posted on by June 4, 2017
5 wonderful ideas to celebrate Father's Day! Love these!

Father’s Day is a special day. It’s one day we’re provided an opportunity to drop everything and focus on our husbands. To let them know how much we appreciate them, how much the children appreciate them, and how much they are loved. How you celebrate Father’s Day is super important. As mom’s we’re often given a lot of the credit. Everyone always talks about how hard a mom’s job is. How we “do it all.” But what about a dad’s job? In our home, there is no division between mom’s or dad’s job. Our home is about family and that’s how we function. As a unit. As a team. So it’s equally important to me to celebrate Father’s Day with as much enthusiasm as we celebrate Mother’s Day.   Detached fathers aren’t a thing of the past, but it’s no longer the norm When our parents were young, Mom did all … More…