Behind The Scenes Of My Former Life
One day over a cup of coffee my new friend asked, "So do you think this town is a good place to own a business?"
I took a long pause as I thought back over the past few years. I had opened and had been operating a small digital marketing firm in "the biggest small town" in South Central Texas. It was fairly successful, but it had come with costs."
On paper, I think this town has all the resources needed for a new business to be very successful. But in reality, it's not exactly a fair playing field." I replied."
Bible Study Review: Finding God Faithful by Kelly Minter
Every Wednesday for the past 8 weeks or so, a group of ladies from my church has been gathering to go through "Finding God Faithful: A Study On The Life Of Joseph" by Kelly Minter. I have to admit that when this study was first picked, I was not super excited to focus in on Joseph; a patriarch whose story I thought I was already very familiar with. However, I quickly learned there were so many subtle lessons packed away in Joseph's life that I had previously missed. These lessons I've found are not only extremely helpful in my daily life, but more importantly have brought me closer to Jesus. I was absolutely overwhelmed at all the parallels between Joseph's life and Jesus' life. I had simply never noticed it before. My poor women's group is probably so sick of hearing me nerd out about it, so I decided to write an extra blog post this month to share my notes with you!
Our Late Dog Wesley: A Cautionary Tale
Okay friends, between Vegas and wine tastings, my last few posts have been fairly fun. I am afraid I have to bring us down a little this month, but I promise I am only sharing to help spare another family from heartbreak. If you aren't one for sad stories, then I suggest you skip this post altogether or skip down to the pet health and safety tips. Also, please note that I am not a veterinarian or animal medical professional. I am simply sharing what we learned in an effort to spare you some mistakes.
Wichita Adventures: Local Wineries
Last month I finally got to write a love letter to one of my favorite cities (Las Vegas) and this month I get to write about another great love of mine... wine!
Vegas Momcation: New Year's Eve 2020!
I have long wanted to write a love letter to Las Vegas and now I just so happen to have a blog due at the same time that I am fresh off a trip, so here we go! Vegas is easily one of my favorite places on Earth. There is just an exciting, electric energy about this bustling, colorful, historic city in the dessert that I can't help but gravitate towards. It is not uncommon to see visitors from all walks of life and every continent, speaking every language imaginable. Whatever is entertainment to you - shopping, gambling, shows - you can just about find it all in Las Vegas! We lived close by when I was younger so I have some early memories of the Treasure Island pirate show, going to the games at Excalibur, and I even went to the Siegfried & Roy white tiger show one time.
My Thoughts On "A Simple Favor"
I was just chatting with another mom the other night about how there is a point in time where you simply miss out on movies. Your kids are a certain age or your life is in a certain stage where having the time to grab dinner and movie is all of a sudden complicated. You have to arrange child care and practically double your date night budget because of it. On the off chance that you do get to go to a movie, it absolutely sucks when the movie turns out to be bad.
Handmade Holiday Gift Guide - 2019!
Over the years, I have come to really appreciate handmade gifts. Both giving and receiving them. It is such a warm feeling knowing that someone took the time to make something just for you and that there is not another piece out there exactly like it. Also, I know my purchase with a small artisan will go further and mean more than with any store. This season, I invite you to sit back, shop, and share these great #handmadeholiday gift options from some friends of mine!
Inside My Intentional Kitchen Design
If you follow me online at all then you likely saw my kitchen remodel reveal. We took out an entire wall, so of course the before and after pictures are impressive. But there are a lot of other intentional details that went into the design that I want to share with you.
Derby Adventures: Summer Edition
The weather has officially turned cooler, my leggings, boots, and scarves have all come out to play, and the calendar is pending dates at the pumpkin patch and other Fall festivals. With Fall already here, I would be remiss if I did not take some time to share about our fun filled Summer in Derby. Derby is a beautiful exburb of Wichita that is the closest town to our farm. This Summer I got to put my marketing hat back on for a bit and help the Derby Recreation Commission part time. My kids were ecstatic that Mom was going to be working because that meant no Summer homeschool! Since it's only our second Summer here in Derby, we felt like we had the ultimate insider's guide to some really exciting Summer activities.
How To: Family Budgeting Tips
If you are connected with me on social media (or read last month's post) then you know that I had a hard time choosing a topic. I took a poll and a handful of people asked to hear my tips on family budgeting. In all honesty, this was the last thing I wanted to write about. It was on the list because my husband and I had just revamped how we do our monthly finances. At that same time, a close friend of mine also reached out needing a tool to help her and her husband plan each month. Once I knew that so many of you wanted advice in this area, I started asking my close friends and family how they run the finances in their households. I've compiled the best advice and have linked to our favorite tools below!
The Enneagram 6ness Of Me!
I keep a running list of possible blog topics on my phone. When it’s time to pick there is typically one shouting out at me. This month however I could not decide between a handful of topics. I decided to ask my social media followers to vote on a topic. It came down to a close race between family budgeting tips and the enneagram. I am not quite ready to give budgeting advice so I am going to share with you my enneagram journey so far.
How To: Get 4 Meals From 1 Chicken!
As some of you know, a big passion for my family and I is food freedom. What I mean by that is connecting what you eat with what you believe. We believe in God's perfect design for our world. We believe in the right to grow and consume your own food, free of man's interference. About a year and half ago we moved onto 20 acres. So far we have raised our own veggies, fruits, chickens, and even a pig. One of my greatest joys is creating a meal with items from our farm.
Navigating Adult Friendships
Guys, making new friends as an adult is hard. Making new friends as a wife and mother is even harder. I have stayed in toxic friendships for years because it honestly felt easier than cultivating new friendships. In the past, my husband and I struggled to find even just one couple we could both connect with and that was in the same life stage as us. And what about once you’ve made a new friend? Once the “honeymoon stage” has worn off and you’re dealing with real life issues, how do you navigate the complexities of keeping a friendship?
Why (Still) Homeschool?
A couple days ago Instagram reminded me about a blog post I wrote exactly one year ago called, "Why Homeschool?" In that blog post I wrote about why we decided to homeschool our oldest, our first homeschool convention experience, and explained how we use Monarch online curriculum. Since then, we've decided to homeschool our youngest and I have attended another Teaching Parents Association (TPA) Convention.
Best & Worst: My Former Clients & Employees
Have you ever done the "rose and thorn" activity? It is sometimes called "peak and pit" or "high and low." It's one of my favorites to do around the dining room table. The activity goes like this: each person gets a turn sharing the best part of their day and the worst part of their day. My favorite thing to happen during this activity is the realization that you didn't have a "worst part" of your day. This is also a good activity to do after milestone events like at New Year's, the end of the school year, or the end of a vacation. Today, I am going to share the best and worst moments with my former clients and employees.
How To: Use Canva & LinkedIn
Recently I have started volunteering with a new non-profit in Wichita called Work 4 A Living. They are currently located inside City Life Church downtown and they work to "empower people with the job skills and entrepreneurial skills to support themselves and their families." I came in a couple times to take headshots for the class and I thought it was really awesome that the program thought to offer that. I have written before about the importance of social media and your personal brand - and my #1 tip is to have a good photo of yourself in place!
Dear Entrepreneur, Protect Your Heart
My first stage of entrepreneurship can only be described as an intensely focused drive. It was a balancing act that ultimately resulted in growth for our business. I was able to enlist support both in work and at home. In the moment, all I could see was the business success and I saw the fact that our family was holding it all together as a success as well. Looking back now, I can’t help but wonder what I missed out on during the time I was burning the candle at both ends…
Small Town Spotlight: Mulvane, Kansas
We live in a crossroads section south of Wichita where we are conveniently located near a few different small towns including Derby, Rose Hill, Douglass and Mulvane. Recently, we have discovered Mulvane to be a closer outlet for quick outings. Read on to hear about our favorite places!
Wichita Adventures: Holiday Edition
It's hard to believe it's been almost a year since we've lived in Kansas. Before this year, every Thanksgiving we would make the ten hour drive up Interstate 35 from Texas. It was such a treat this year to celebrate Thanksgiving with family without being totally exhausted from that drive!
How To: Get Married On A Budget & Why You Should
A couple weeks ago I got to see one of my oldest friends in the whole world marry the man of her dreams in a beautiful backyard farm wedding. I couldn't help but be reminiscent of my own wedding and wanted to share our story. More importantly, I want to share how we got married for just over $3,000 and why that's a big deal.