18 Indoor Family Activities for Winter

A Better Life Lived Posted on February 4 by

Winter in the Midwest isn’t fun. Having grown up and lived in Wisconsin my entire life, I get that winter really, really suck. Sure, some days it’s actually nice to play outside in the brisk air and snow. I can admit that. And there is something to be said for making snowmen or sledding. But then there are those other days where it’s just TOO cold, TOO snowy….or you just don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of bundling everyone up in preparation to go outside. Aside from all of the cold and snow it comes with all sorts of other lovely things that can make it a terrible, anxiety producing season that makes you want to hole up at … More…

An easy, healthy sweet treat kids will absolutely love!

A Better Life Lived Posted on August 20 by

Summertime treats are a big hit in our house. To be honest, it doesn’t even have to be summer. Ice cream, popsicles, lemonade. You name it, we love it. What I don’t love is how sugary and unhealthy all of those treats are. Even the “healthy” versions are loaded with junk, and I don’t feel good giving them to my son on a regular basis. When my son recently discovered popsicles and began to constantly ask for them, I knew I had to find a simple, healthy alternative to the ones we bought at the store. So I decided to start making smoothie popsicles. They are the healthy sweet treat I had been looking for. He loves them and I … More…

How to make time with family a top priority

A Better Life Lived Posted on August 14 by

Family is important. It’s one of the most important things in life. Yet we constantly find ourselves wishing we had more time because we don’t spend enough time with our families. Why is that? It sometimes seems like everything urgent in life rushes in and crowds out the important stuff. We struggle to make time with family a top priority. That’s why we have to schedule family time in order to protect it as one of our core priorities.   I’ve always been very family focused. Even as a little girl, I could never imagine moving too far away from my close-knit community of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Anything less than twice weekly visits just seemed wrong. But as … More…

How to Save Money: Home, Special Event, and Seasonal items

A Better Life Lived Posted on August 6 by

There are two things I know for sure. Life is busy and life is expensive. So much so that sometimes, even fun things like decorating our home and birthday celebrations lose some of the joy. We’re too worried about spending too much or making enough time to get everything done. Sometimes, don’t you wish you just had a magic wand to make some of the stress of it go away? I know I do. And that’s exactly why I’ve compiled this list on how to save money on a few of those very things!   How to save money on birthdays, holidays and special events When it comes to buying special items for parties, birthdays, holidays and special events and … More…

How to eat healthier with one easy change

A Better Life Lived Posted on July 24 by

If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for a simple idea for how to eat healthier. I seriously struggle so much with this. My diet kind of sucks, to be honest. I have a killer sweet tooth and chips call to me like a siren to a ship at sea. So I’m constantly trying new foods or trying to incorporate healthier foods into my diet more. And it is really hard sometimes.   Trying new things is hard…and sometimes gross. Have you ever heard of Mermaid Lemonade? There are a few versions of this. There is the fun, alcohol-infused cocktail version, and then there’s this version. And it looks super amazing. This is the healthy one that I discovered one … More…

I am Tired – A letter to my spirited child

A Better Life Lived Posted on May 25 by

You, my dear boy, who are turning three today, are a force to be reckoned with. I just wish it wasn’t me that had to be the one doing the reckoning. You are a spirited child combined with a wicked array of genetic “gifts” that never seem to stop giving. You wear me and your daddy out. To be completely honest, there are some days that our first stress-free, relaxed breath of the day is when we confirm you have fallen asleep for the night. The only energy we have left is enough to maybe watch an old episode of The Office before taking a bedtime almost as early as you. You have big emotions in that little body; your … More…

What I’m Grateful for – November 2017

A Better Life Lived Posted on December 4 by

November was an awesome month. The weather has been so fantastic! It was a little cold a few days, but it actually felt like Autumn instead of just nose-diving straight into Winter at the end of October. Aside from some pretty great weather, I already have most of my Christmas shopping done. No mad rushing for me this December! I did my annual Black Friday shopping with my mom and sister. While I didn’t have much to buy initially, I did get some ideas and accomplished some things so yay! Another successful Black Friday (including a whole new set of dog toys so we can throw out all of their old ratty ones.) Zachary’s been sick a lot this month … More…