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You Aren’t Pronouncing Hygge Correctly
My therapist suggested that I embrace winter this year for the first time in many, many years. Of course, she suggested this in October when there was green grass, above 50-degree temperatures, and air that didn’t give me a lung infection when I inhaled. BUT OKAY!! I WILL EMBRACE WINTER! via GIPHY This was also before winter became one big shit basket full of things like snow every day for a solid two weeks, ice storms that knock the power out intermittently, temperatures that give you frostbite within three minutes of exposure to outside air, and static. LOTS AND LOTS OF STATIC. via GIPHY But embracing winter was my assignment…
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Searching for the Good
The inspiration for this post started with this video: Hey, guess what? There were some really good things that happened last year, believe it or not. But I bet you didn’t see a lot these stories because bad outweighs good. I’m really tired of people sharing bad shit. I mean, I get it that we can’t live in a bubble but to those of you who are consistently sharing bad news on your Facebook, Twitter, and beyond feeds, who hurt you? For real. Because you are bringing everyone down. I’m always drawn to the saying be the good because I don’t think you need to be rich, famous, or…
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Screw It, I’m Eating Tater Tots
A few years ago, I wrote a post about how titling blog posts is not an easy task and in the post mentioned how I almost titled that post, Screw It! I’m Eating Tater Tots. I then said it might be the title of my someday autobiography. Going forward, I might use this title for every post that doesn’t have a true meaning. Random thoughts, nonsensical musings, and crap that doesn’t deserve its own blog post. “Screw it, I’m eating tater tots!“, she was heard yelling from her kitchen when she couldn’t think of anything else to write. via GIPHY It’s a gray January Monday. We took Anna to college yesterday. I have yet…
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Stress Balls That Kids Can Make
I know this is going to come as a massive shock to most of you but since September, I have been educating our congregation’s youth (or yutes) as a Sunday School teacher. via GIPHY I know, it’s almost shocking to myself as well. To make you feel better, it’s an every other week gig and the other teacher is probably WAY more qualified and dignified than me. But I do love spending that time with the kids, talking about their week, lifting them up, making a craft. Oh, and talking about the bible. Ish. via GIPHY So because I love God and Jesus but the Bible can get kind of boring…
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So I Guess I’m a “Homeschool Mom” Now
I have a secret and I have no idea why it’s a secret. I am homeschooling Ella. I started over a week ago, and I haven’t really told anyone outside of my circle (other than homeschool groups on Facebook, then breaking the news to my Instagram followers). No real reason other than I don’t think I felt ready to be judged (I guess it’s a thing), not ready for all of the advice from homeschoolers I know of (I want that advice, but not in the first week because OVERWHELMED), and honestly, just not ready in general. Let’s just say that homeschooling has been on the back burner since Ella…
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Repeat After Me: Self-Care Isn’t Selfish
When I was a first-time new mommy, I thought I had to breastfeed in order to be a good mom. I read all the books, took all the vitamins, did everything I was supposed to in pregnancy to help create this new little life that I could not wait to meet. So after she was born, I decided that I was going to breastfeed her no matter how hard because I felt like it was the only way to feed her and that if I didn’t do it, I would be failing her as a parent. No one said new moms are perfect. Or old moms for that matter. It was…
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Mental Health Crafting-Mod Podge Flower Pumpkins
I swear to GOD this is the last post about pumpkins this fall. Promise. Pinky swear. Honestly, I wasn’t even going to write about it but Rebecca sent me this idea a few weeks ago and we decided to do some “mental health crafting” one glorious fall day when the stars lined up and we both happened to be free. When you get days like that, you need to do a craft with your friend, go to lunch with your mom, sit and have a deep talk with your child, go to breakfast with your husband alone. Those days are gold. And I am lucky enough to have a blog to share some…
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Quirks? I Got ‘Em By The Boatload
My friend Jeanette, the mastermind behind the vision board, has gotten me to thinkin’ again which is never ever good. She wrote a post about 30 Refreshingly Unique Blog Writing Prompts and let me tell you, they are indeed refreshing. Every once in a while, bloggers/writers/journalists/”influencers” (hate that word) run into a dirty little thing called writer’s block. Back in ye olde days, columnists usually only had to provide content for ye olde magazines and or ye olde newspapers, once a month. Oh, in this scenario I am a columnist. Run with it. So there wasn’t as much pressure to talk about stupidity because they had an entire month to figure…
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My Blood Sucks
Recently, I decided that in addition to making me better on the inside via therapy, I also wanted to find a new doctor. I liked my old doctor but it was near impossible to get in for an appointment, their email system was awful, and honestly, she was a pill pusher. Every time I went in for something, it was ten minutes of talk, five minutes of examination, and two to three medication scripts, I felt empty every time I would walk out of her office complex. I needed a change. I should clarify that I wasn’t looking for a holistic doctor, not that there isn’t anything wrong with that. I wanted a doctor…
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California….On a Kari and Anna Budget
A few years ago, Anna and I talked about going on a girls trip after she graduated high school. Kind of a Gilmore Girls-ish style getaway before Anna went away to college. I don’t remember exactly when we started talking about it but over the past two years, it became less talk and more action. Because when your teenager ASKS to vacation ALONE with you, you take it seriously. We also had free airfare thanks to my husband’s airline miles through work travel, which made the decision even easier. We settled on California for a couple of reasons: the weather is amazing, there are lots of fun things to do, and…
