Faith, Family, and Forging a Difference
When I look at everything going on in my community and in the world, I tend to feel discouraged. I want to believe that we care about each other and are willing to sacrifice to take care of the needs of those around us. However, this isn’t how things truly are. In reality, it is human nature to look out for ourselves first (Psalm 51:5, … [Read more...] about Be Kind
We’ve begun a new year, but one thing that won’t be changing for us is how I plan our menus. I do hope to make some changes to what our menus contain (I’d like to include a wider variety of vegetables, for example), so we’ll see how that goes. At the start of each month I plan out our dinners for the coming weeks (you can see past menus … [Read more...] about January 2021 Dinner Menu
For all of my adult life I’ve used printed planners to keep track of appointments and schedule important tasks. I’ve kept daily to-do lists in these planners, and this has been essential to my productivity. Last year I realized that this approach was no longer working for me. I’m almost always accompanied by my three young kids, so carrying my … [Read more...] about Printable Weekly To-Do List
In some respects, this post should be easy to write. This is because it feels like, due to COVID-19, we didn’t do a whole lot this year. At the same time, we did do a whole lot this year. Even though we’ve spent a lot of time at home and have faithfully adhered to physical distancing guidelines, it has still been an eventful year. Here … [Read more...] about 2020 Year in Review
Seven years ago I published a Month-by-Month Buying Guide that detailed when stores typically have particular items available on sale or at their lowest prices of the year. Sometimes items are at low prices because of tradition (for example, January “white sales”) and other times they are at low prices for practical reasons (for example, … [Read more...] about When to Find the Best Prices on a Variety of Items
It may be chilly outside, but we’re not going to stop trying new flavors of homemade ice cream. This variety seems particularly appropriate given it takes the classic flavor of hot cocoa—a treat that is perfect for cold days—and turns it into a frozen treat. Ingredients (Adapted from this recipe.) 2 ½ cups heavy cream 1 can (14 oz.) … [Read more...] about Hot Cocoa Ice Cream
There are so many individuals to whom I owe a debt of gratitude because of their sacrifice and hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic. I could go on and on thanking essential workers including healthcare workers, truck drivers, first responders, farmers, sanitation workers, and public health professionals, but today I am going to focus on … [Read more...] about An Open Thank-You Letter to Grocery Store Employees
The COVID-19 pandemic is casting a somber shadow over Christmas celebrations this year. Our excitement and enthusiasm during “the most wonderful time of the year” are tempered by unease. Though we are experiencing so-called pandemic fatigue (we’re tired of wearing masks, social distancing, cleaning high-touch surfaces, being unable to travel, … [Read more...] about 9 Safe Ways to Celebrate Christmas During the COVID-19 Pandemic
