Crafty people crave the ability to make something useful and then give it away to someone else. It gives us purpose behind our love of creating things. In this machine made, automatic, get it now kind of world we live in, sometimes it’s nice to just make something with your hands or design something you…
Year after year I strive to come up with really thrifty gift ideas. During the Holidays I often find that there are people on my list that I buy nice gifts for and then there are people that I do nice things for. This is simply because I don’t have the cash to give everyone a gift….
Something most people don’t know about me is that I am a caramel addict. I walk by a stand of caramel candy apples and it’s over. But you know what the real problem is? Candy apples are darn HARD to eat. So when Chocoley, a gourmet chocolate and candy supply company, offered to send me…
Welcome to week 8 of the Lose a Turkey Challenge. We are over half way through the journey and although I’m not even close to 15 pounds yet, I’m learning so much about myself. Last week I just didn’t weigh-in. Sometimes you just need a day off. I took it and I’m okay with that….
I came to one, huge epic conclusion when I lost 3 pounds this week during the Lose a Turkey By Thanksgiving Challenge. Meal planning makes all the difference in the world! If you checked into the Lose A Turkey by Thanksgiving Challenge last week, I typed up a day by day meal plan for a…
If you are looking for the easiest white chicken chili recipe on the planet, you’ve come to the right place. Okay, so maybe it’s not as easy as buying chili pre-made in a can, but I think this recipe is pretty darn easy. Do you love white chicken chili like I do? Do you imagine…
Recap As you probably know, I and many other readers started a challenge called Lose A Turkey by Thanksgiving. The goal is to simply lose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving Day. I check in with my results every Friday. The Truth I had one of those weeks this week. One of those weeks were I worked…
As promised today is the day! This is weigh-in week 1 of my Lose a Turkey By Thanksgiving Challenge. In the coming weeks I’ll be writing some posts on recipes, determination, focus and simple ways to cut calories. I’m also in the process of filming some YouTube videos on tips, tricks and encouragement for…
True confessions of Kim Anderson here. It’s not a subject I like to talk about really but, I gained a lot of weight while I was pregnant. I’ve lost 50 pounds since the day my son was born but that was 3 years ago and I still would like to lose more to get down…
Whether you are wanting to sneak veggies into your family favorites or replace carb heavy pasta, zucchini noodles are fantastic. These noodles are really easy to make if you have the right tools for the job. Last summer I lost about 10 pounds by replacing a good bit of carbs and pasta in my diet…
Now that my son is almost 3, my love for those fruit and veggie pouches is being tested. Lately my son has simply been creating his own fruity geysers and finger paints. I end up spending nap time cleaning carpets. Then I heard about a new leakproof refillable pouch that you could fill with drinks,…
Update: 3/24/2017- Ready to conquer your ever growing To-Do list? For a limited time you can get FREE access to the Conquer Your To-Do list Mini-Course! Laundry is #2 on my most hated chores list. #1 is dishes. It takes days to get laundry done and then when you think your done you realize that baskets…
I’ll never forget the feeling of sheer horror that I experienced the day I was sitting at my desk sending a quick email only to look over at my 1.5 year old holding a can of End Dust spray, mouth around the straw trying to suck it like a sippy cup. Thank the Lord he…
You did it! You got into a college whether it was your first or last pick. You probably have started picking out dorm furniture and bedding. You may be shopping around for your new fancy computer. Before things get too crazy, I want to offer you 5 things to consider when picking your college major….
There is just one thing I hate about summer shorts shopping. Finding shorts in the length I like! I don’t know if you struggle with finding shorts that fit just right, but I came up with a way that I can wear shorts that fit perfectly and they are just the length I like. Here’s…
It’s that time of year! The sun is out, it’s warm outside and you need to find something productive for your kid(s) to do while they are out of school. Whether you plan to send your kid away for a week, a few weeks or the whole summer, I composed this post in hopes of…
Have you been considering adopting a child? I followed up with my friend Angie to ask what advice she would give to parents that are in the midst of beginning or thinking about the adoption process. She gave me some great feedback that we hope will help you as you approach adopting a sweet child…
Adoption is such a powerful and fulfilling story. Many families who have found conception difficult take the path to loving a child and taking them in as their own. There are even families out there that have children of their own, but long to give a safe and loving home to a child who might…
I think everyone feels like they could be a little more efficient and little more organized. Even those extreme cleaners or perfectionists. What I didn’t realize when I stopped working a job outside the home over 4 years ago was that cleaning and organization didn’t get any easier. It wasn’t the magic solution that revolutionized my…
I feel like a common underlying part of every mother’s stress is lacking confidence. First and foremost, we wonder if we are even getting the whole “mom” thing right. For some it can seem like some random, new issue pops up with each and every pediatric visit or developmental stage. Things like: “My kid won’t…
Have you ever wondered if staying at home is right for you and your family? The thought of staying at home can be really scary for some people. They worry about whether or not they can survive on one household income. I started staying at home over 4 years ago before I even had children….
It’s Easter time and though I’m ready to put my 2-year-old in a competitive Easter egg hunt this weekend for fun, I also remember what else this holiday means to me. It’s a reminder of God’s unconditional love for me and every other human on this planet. A love that doesn’t have strings attached or…
When I learned how to get what I wanted out of my life, I was young. It’s a life lesson I’m thankful I could learn early on. The first half of this post is my personal story and the second half is tips on how to get what you want out of life. How you…
I love crafting and creating. There is so much joy in using your creativity to make something beautiful and fulfilling. There are many talented people in the world making so many beautiful things, at times it can be overwhelming to think about all the tools it takes to create the projects you dream about. We…
I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a soup eater. It may be the same reason I don’t really like hot coffee. I have however committed to live off my pantry and freezer contents for the month. If you want the whole story, check out my post “Living On a Pantry, a Freezer and Prayer.”…