I’m often asked if there are certain things I do on a regular basis that are little “treats” for myself — something to pamper myself or something to look forward to after the kids are in bed.
I suspect my answers are not what you’d expect, but… there are definitely 3 really simple (frugal) self-care rituals I do every single day that make a world of difference for me!
Pizza and pasta are 2 of our kids’ most favorite foods — so any time I can combine the ingredients from pizza and pasta, I know it will be a huge hit!
Today’s recipe for pizza stuffed shells is very basic, very tasty, and super easy to make ahead or freeze. It’s such a great weeknight meal when you just want to shove something in the oven and eat 20-30 minutes later!
I am SO hoping this will be the last Week In Review post I write for a while as I said I would write them until the baby arrives… I figure she HAS to arrive before the end of NEXT week!
Honestly, though, I feel like I’m living in “the calm before the storm”… and I’m doing my best to just enjoy it instead of feeling anxious for the baby to arrive!
I get so many requests for parenting advice… but I often shy away from giving “advice” versus just sharing what works for me and my children.
So today, in hopes of offering encouragement to those of you who feel like you’re failing, I’m sharing many of the things I apparently did “wrong” (according to the experts and books) and how little those things actually mattered in the bigger scheme of my children’s lives!
I’m still here… the baby is still NOT here 🙂 All is well though, and I’m really not anxious for her to arrive sooner than she’s ready. I know labor and delivery will be so much easier when everyone is truly ready!
I hope to have some exciting baby news to share with you all soon… but in the meantime, here’s what I blogged about this week in previous years.
One of the mini projects we worked into our summer schedule was to transform the closet under our stairs into a much-needed storage space for our rapidly-growing collection of games, puzzles, DVD’s, CD’s, photo albums, and other things the kids want access to on a regular basis.
The space turned out so well, it provides so much useful storage, and it was essentially a freebie makeover since we used leftover materials we already had on hand!
I know the summer is quickly winding down, but with fresh produce still readily available… there’s still time to enjoy those delicious farm-fresh veggies (and yummy grilled chicken) in this fantastic Fiesta Chicken Salad!
It’s one of those salads that has more “stuff” than lettuce — so it’s a real crowd-pleaser with TONS of color, flavor, and texture!
I often get questions about how we do so many house projects, how we meet our deadlines, and how we do it all without going crazy or filing for divorce!
We might be crazy (in a good way) to do everything we do, but we really do enjoy the whole process! Today, I’m sharing the steps we take when thinking through and executing our many home projects.
We’re 2 weeks into the school year and 10 days from my due date — which means lots of changes for the Dekker family this month! Thankfully, they all seem to be good, fun, and exciting changes — but sometimes even good, fun, and exciting changes are challenging for me!
Here’s what I blogged about this week in previous years.
I’m a huge advocate for volunteering for organizations I feel passionate about — and obviously, volunteer work is crucial to many schools, churches, and other community organizations. However, there are definitely seasons of life when volunteering is much less “doable”.
For those of you who feel really overwhelmed with the amount of volunteer work you might be asked to do this coming year, I hope this post lets you breathe a sigh of relief and realize you do NOT have to do it all!
Today I’m sharing one SUPER SIMPLE change I made to my daily life that has made a big difference and simplified one of my most hated household chores.
You might have a different “hated chore” or something else that triggers your procrastination reflexes… but I think the concept of today’s post could help you make big positive changes in your daily life too!
I haven’t decided what I plan to do with these Week In Review posts now that summer is basically over — I REALLY enjoy writing them, and many of you have said how much you enjoy reading them.
I’m considering publishing them until I have the baby — but we’ll see what I decide as the next couple of weeks pass. (Let me know if you have an opinion!) In the meantime, here’s a look at what I blogged about this week in previous years.
If you are in the thick of LOOOOONG days without enough parenting perspective to look back and see how far you’ve come, just know you aren’t alone. I think I can speak for all parents in saying, “We’ve all been there!”
I hope today’s post offers so much encouragement for parents with tiny children… and a few smiles for those of you with a bit more parenting experience!
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