Very little actually changes between December 31st and January 1st, yet many of us feel a sense of hope on January 1st that we didn’t feel on the previous night. We have a brand new year in front of us. This is a blank slate of sorts. We can change. Our situations can change. This sense of hope is particularly apropos because we celebrate … [Read more...] about New Year, New Hope
January 2020 Dinner Menu
Ready or not, it’s January of 2020. I hope you and your family had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas and the New Year. We did. Now we’re returning to our normal routine, which includes having a dinner menu planned out for the month. At the start of each month I plan out our dinners for the coming weeks (you can see past menus … [Read more...] about January 2020 Dinner Menu
2019 Year in Review
I often hear folks say that time passes more quickly as they get older. I’m convinced this is true! It feels to me that every year flies by more quickly than the last. Somehow we’re at the end of 2019! I’m taking a few minutes to reflect on this past year. Winter As happens pretty much every year, I started the New Year with many … [Read more...] about 2019 Year in Review
The Most Wonderful Things About Winter
As always seems to be the case, fall sped by so quickly that it is hard to believe we accomplished as much as we did during the last few months. Now we’re about to welcome winter. My 5-year-old keeps asking each family member to identify his or her favorite season. Though I have told her that fall is my favorite, I’ve also reminded her … [Read more...] about The Most Wonderful Things About Winter
How to Keep Unbelieving Kids from Ruining Santa for Kids Who Believe
My kids know who Santa is, but they don’t believe he is a real person. They enjoy him as a fictional character, just as they do fairy tale princesses and superheroes. This isn’t the case for most of our friends and family members. The children in these families believe that Santa is real, and this is an important part of their Christmas … [Read more...] about How to Keep Unbelieving Kids from Ruining Santa for Kids Who Believe
8 Alternatives to New Year’s Resolutions
Since the very first year we were married, my husband and I have set aside time to set goals before the start of each New Year. This has worked well for us in general, but it has become difficult to find time for this—and we’ve had a more difficult time achieving our goals—as our family has grown. In an attempt to make sure we … [Read more...] about 8 Alternatives to New Year’s Resolutions
Caramel Apple Nachos
My Bible study group had dinner together the week before Thanksgiving. We decided to make breakfast burritos, so everyone was bringing ingredients to make these. I wanted to bring some fruit as a side dish/dessert, so I decided to make some apple “nachos” to go with our breakfast burritos. I’ve seen dozens of pictures of apple nachos on … [Read more...] about Caramel Apple Nachos
30 Questions to Ask Around the Christmas Dinner Table
Our everyday lives are so busy that I find it increasingly important that we use the time we have with our families strategically. Holidays are times that we can really slow down and enjoy being with each other. However, on Christmas, it’s not unusual for things like presents and baking to commandeer our focus away from family and … [Read more...] about 30 Questions to Ask Around the Christmas Dinner Table
