Blog Posts
How To Be A Good Volunteer
When I first started my marketing firm, I was advised about the importance of not only networking, but of giving back to the community by volunteering. With my specific skillset, volunteering for me normally looked like giving my time or expertise; as opposed to giving supplies or financially. I learned quickly that almost every non-profit needs help with marketing, as they typically do not have big marketing budgets. I had so many requests for non-profits needing in-kind marketing help, that I eventually had to give myself a rule. My rule was I had to pick only one non-profit at a time to work with, otherwise I was liable to have more in-kind work than paid work. Between the non-profits who actually hired me and the non-profits I voluntarily gave my time to, I feel like I’ve seen it all. I am going to share some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about volunteering, in hopes that it helps you be a better volunteer in your community!
Getting Started With Chicks!
The leaves are falling and the air is getting crispier. We’ve already processed our final batch of chickens for the year and gotten our pigs back from the butcher. Life on the farm is transitioning into winter mode, where the outdoor responsibilities are slightly less. Truthfully, this is exactly the spot you want to be in come Fall as a farmer. Even though winter is knocking, just beyond that will be Spring. Every Spring at least a couple friends reach out to me wanting to know my tips and tricks for getting started with chickens. So, with the help of some You Tube videos from my husband Dean, here you go!
Yearly Homeschool Update: 2021
In order to tell you about our 2021 homeschool year so far, I unfortunately have to tell you about our 2020 homeschool year first. While this will be a walk down memory lane I truly don't want to take, I am willing to do it in order to share with you.
Parenting in the Technology Age: What Worked For Us & What Didn't
I'll never forget this one time when we were cleaning out a closet and we stumbled across an old VHS tape rewinder. My oldest asked what it was and of course I explained. He simply could not grasp the concept that you had to have a totally separate device to rewind a movie and could not just go to a menu screen. Another time I was trying to explain dial-up internet. Again, the concept that the internet wasn't just immediately available in the palm of his hand seemed completely foreign. I don't share those examples to make us feel old, I share those examples to illustrate that whether we like it or not, technology is so engrained in our children's lives these days.
Book Reviews: Summer '21 Edition
As some of you may know, I am in the process of trying to get a book published. Obviously a big part of that process was actually sitting down to write my book. I worked with a writing coach and was told early on that I needed to be reading as much as I am writing. This was an adjustment as I normally only averaged 1-2 books per year. I'm proud to say I've gotten much better and am able to read a book every couple months or so. Even with that progress, I have to admit I was a little nervous when I found myself signed up for not one, not two, but three book clubs over the Summer!
Splitting A Bee Hive & Bringing Home Bees!
I am not exactly sure when I decided I wanted to keep bees someday. I do remember when I first learned about how important bees are to our food system. Without bees, we would likely lose entire links to the food chain. Our precious earth would struggle even more to feed all of its inhabitants. As scary as that is, and even with as long as we've known it, we are still managing to kill off the bee population in droves. Between pesticides, pollution, and even construction - these busy beauties are having a hard time. If keeping a hive on my land could help keep up their population numbers and help pollinate my crops, then why not?
Butler County Farm to Fork Tour + Dinner
If you follow me on social media at all then you probably saw a series of posts from the Butler County Farm to Fork Tour and dinner that Dean and I recently went on. It was such a jam packed day that I have even more content I'd like to share with you! First, this was the 6th Annual Farm to Fork event. The event is a fundraiser for "Ag in the Classroom" in Butler County and hosted by the Butler County Farm Bureau Association. We were also joined by Kansas Farm Bureau board members and administrators. I learned on the tour that the KFB is a group that helps Kansas farm families through advocacy, education, and service.
Our Home & Farm Pallet Wood Designs!
If you're on Pinterest or follow home design trends at all, then you know that pallet wood projects are hugely popular. Pallets are just so versatile! You can simply leave them in their pallet form and paint them as a decor piece. Or you can disassemble them and use the wood for countless projects. This is typically what we do. My family and I happen to have a really good hook up with consistent, large pallets. If you're looking for the hook up, I suggest searching online on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You can also simply drive around your town looking for places that have pallets out by their dumpster. Many times you can approach that business about taking their pallets off their hands! If you're feeling really brave, you can ask that they call you going forward anytime they have pallets. Hook up secured!
All My Best Gardening Tips From A Non-Expert Gardener!
Every Spring I get at least a couple messages from friends or online acquaintances asking me their gardening or chickening questions. I love getting these messages, so keep them coming! I figured that more people probably have those same questions, so I thought I'd compile all my best gardening tips into one nice post. Maybe you're just curious, maybe you haven't gotten up the courage to message me your burning gardening question, or maybe you've always wanted a garden but have no idea where to start. Either way, I hope reading about what I am doing helps you in some way.
Book Teaser: Announcing "Crooked Paths Straight"
If you've been following me on social media then you may have caught that I am in the middle of trying to get a book published! I am holding out for a traditional publishing deal, but I am also considering other publishing options. For now, I wanted to share a little about my overall vision for "Crooked Paths Straight." The title is based on Isaiah 45:2 where God says, "I will go before you and make the crooked paths straight."
1 Year Later: What Quarantine Taught Me
Listen to podcast episode here!
For most people here in Kansas, sometime in March 2020 marked the beginning of all the lockdowns and restrictions. When I first started taking notes for this post, we were only about a month or so into quarantine. My notes kept growing as I kept thinking, "I don't want to post this while I'm still in quarantine, I want this piece to be a look back on my complete quarantine experience." Well, here we are one year later!
Bulletproof Diet: A Day In The Life
First, I want to preface this post by saying I am not a doctor or nutritional/fitness professional. I am merely sharing my results with the Bulletproof method and what that journey looked like for me.
Sponsored Post: Why I Love Fabletics ;-)
Note: This is a sponsored post meaning Fabletics will most likely compensate me for this review. Also, if you click through the links and make a purchase or sign up to be a VIP, I will get a small kickback. Thank you for your support!
The Filter Of No - What It Is & How I Use It
Listen to podcast episode here!
If you know me in real life then you know that I love all things "Real Housewives." One of the reality television franchise's biggest stars is Bethenny Frankel. The "Skinnygirl" brand CEO has a popular book called, "A Place of Yes." Considering my fandom of Housewives and Frankel, I know it must seem really weird that one of my biggest tools in helping me maintain balance in my life is something I call "the filter of no."
Life Lessons From My Favorite Christmas Movies!
Have you seen that post that says something along the lines of, "before you get married find out if your husband's family is the type to have movie marathons during the holidays or the type to run actual marathons"? It's a fair warning. I can totally see how the two categories of families might not be compatible. Funny enough, my husband's family plays a football game every Thanksgiving and my family has a few movies we just HAVE to watch every Christmas. It seems to work for us!
My Favorite Resale Shops!
My family and I have worked hard this year to produce less day-to-day waste. We have eliminated all paper products from our kitchen and use significantly less plastic whenever we can. With sustainability a goal in mind, I was appalled to find out that Americans throw out something like 15 million tons of textiles a year, with most of that being clothing. While 100% of clothing is recyclable, only 15% of clothing is actually recycled. At the same time, Americans are buying an average of 60% new clothing every year. Simply put, we're buying more but recycling less clothing than ever.
Family Vacation: Little Jerusalem State Park
Several months ago I saw a news story about a brand new state park opening in Kansas. It had these amazing chalk formations and great walking trails. I sent that article to my husband Dean and asked if we could go sometime. He replied yes and then we went about our regular business as usual.
Why I'm Still Obsessed With The 90s-00s!
Listen to podcast episode here!
Whenever someone asks, "what kind of music do you like?" I used to give the old line, "oh you know, all kinds!"
Well that's a total lie and I am here to admit the truth.
I pretty much exclusively listen to exactly two genres: 90s Boy Bands and Worship music.
10 Life Lessons I Learned From "The Hills"
Listen to podcast episode here!
If you are a girl in your early 30s like me, then you likely were at just the right age to watch "Laguna Beach" on MTV, which morphed into following Lauren Conrad on her coming of age journey to Los Angeles on "The Hills." I used to watch the show on cable religiously. One time my sister heard me yelling at one of the main characters Heidi on screen and later asked me who this Heidi person was I hated so much. It was that real to me! Also, it's no secret that Lauren Conrad is still a major inspiration to me. I recently re-watched "The Hills" on Hulu and wrote down all the life lessons that stuck with me and even some I didn't pick up on when I was younger. I hope you enjoy reminiscing on this sweet time in T.V. history with me or that you pick up a few helpful tips to be successful in life!
How To: Build Your Best Social Media Team Ever
Listen to podcast episode here!
It has been a while since I have shared any marketing or entrepreneur advice, so this month I am sharing with you how to build your best social media team EVER! I have combined professional advice that I have given to three different organizations into one master plan for you. We will go over content planning as well as the main roles that I believe are important to a well run social media team.