Dinner Made Easy with Green Chef

7
Aug
2017
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Green Chef - dinner made easy

I am over here all excited about making dinner – yes, that is really true!!  

I know as a busy mom you are like I am – getting really burned out on the standard dinner fare and meal planning every single week.  I have used different methods over the years, all great and have their season, but I was ready for a new dinner plan.

I decided to try a meal delivery service since my season of life living in a remote area with grocery stores few and far between is the reality.  I am an Amazon spoiled girl – if it can arrive on my doorstep I am SOLD!!

In steps my new favorite thing – Green Chef!

Green Chef is easy-peasy

I love getting 3 meals for my week already planned, with ingredients pre-portioned, pre-measured and prepped.  I am over the moon excited that the recipes are quick and easy, with step-by-step instructions, all color coded too with ingredients.  These recipes are so easy I can ask a member of the family to make dinner – it’s all right there!

No grocery shopping. No meal planning. No guesswork. No problem!

Here is a video I did after receiving our second Green Chef box this past week – it will rock your world!!  

I have done other meal delivery services, but this one takes the cake for ease, variety of recipes, cost and being organic.

Check out why I love it so much!

If you are wanting to give it a try – click this link here – you’ll get great an awesome deal and I will get $25 too – remember, I will never share something with you unless I would be willing spend the money on it.  This my friends… is amazing!!!

Filed Under: Faith and Family

7 Money Saving Hacks for the Minimalist Want To Be

19
Jul
2017
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Money Saving Hacks for Minimalists

For the past year, our family has been on a journey to “less” – now commonly known as minimalism.  It has been amazing and I would encourage you to look at how you can shift your lifestyle as well.  

One area I get asked about often is how we are living on less and saving more.  Here are just a few quick hacks I have for you in the area of saving money when living with less.

Use Amazon to it’s Fullest

Since moving to a more remote location, it is even more critical that we use services that deliver items we use consistently to our home.  It means less driving, less gas used and less stress.  I use amazon for almost anything I can, because it just makes plain sense.  We have a monthly subscribe and save order with my favorite coffee creamer, organic pumpkin for my favorite no sugar smoothie, cocoa powder, and more.  Items we need every month are in our order, delivered right to our door.

One Product for Multiple Uses

Since simplifying our life and also focusing on a healthier toxic-free lifestyle, we’ve managed to save money and eliminate things that were not only wasting our money but promoting illness.  Since going into remission from Lupus, through helping my body to heal itself (so so grateful!!), I’ve learned the chemicals I were using in my home were poisoning my entire family.  Now I use one cleaner for all our needs – cleaning stove-tops, counter, floors, showers, windows and more.  One bottle taking space under my counter instead of ten to twelve.  Thieves Household Cleaner is the one for me!  It’s concentrated, all plant based and I can make up a bottle with the exact level of cleaning I need for a job.  

Stop Buying Bottled Water

We make this decision several years ago and are so happy.  Instead of wasting the money on bottled water and adding to all the plastic bottle waste, we purchased a BIG BERKEY and have amazing filter and fluoride free water at our finger tips.  Each family member have glass water bottles and we fill those when we are headed out and re-use them.  Yes, the cost of the Berkey is an initial expense, but the savings over time is great.  We even have the Go Berkey to use on the road.

Wash in Cold Water

Most detergents work just as well in cold water as they do in hot. We have been using cold water on all but our sheets and it has worked great.  My favorite detergent in the Thieves Laundry detergent, also a concentrate and amazingly effective.  When you can switch to cold, your clothes and your energy bill will thank you!

Get Rid of Clutter

This is a process – we’ve done the clutter reduction and purging three times in the last year.  It feels amazing to live in a small space and not have every counter or table top covered in stuff!  When you have less around, you reduce the risk of buying soothing you truly don’t need plus you can easily find things, so you are not wasting time.

Be Smart About Organic

As I have grown in my journey to give my family the best of toxic-free living, I’ve learned where it’s important to prioritize.  We can’t buy everything organic, so it is helpful to know what is most prone to be contaminated with chemicals and worth buying organic.  You can check out the list of the “Dirty Dozen,” and determine what is truly most important to buy organic.

Reduce Your Wardrobes

Just how many pairs of jeans does a person need?  I am in the process of reducing my wardrobe and really want to dive into the Project 333 — still thinking, but in the meantime I have cleared my closet considerably and it is so freeing!  By investing only in clothes you actually love and enjoy wearing it is easy to keep things organized and you actually look forward to getting dressed each morning!  I am in the process to do this with my  seven year old – to reduce his clothing as well.  

 

Filed Under: Family Manager, Household Management

7 Things Confident Moms Do Everyday

29
Jun
2017
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First things first, just because this blog is called, “The Confident Mom,” does not mean I am a Confident Mom or the expert.   However, over my 24 years of mothering I do feel I have learned some great lessons that will help me succeed in being the best version of myself each and every day.

Does it mean I am perfect – NO!

Does it mean I have it all together – NO!

But it does mean that I have some ideas and beliefs about myself which can help me overcome challenges, especially when our world wants to bring us down in so many ways.

Motherhood is important and is valued in my eyes.  It is valued in God’s eyes and we need to appreciate the importance of our job in that role.

So how can you make a shift to help you on your journey to becoming a Confident Mom?  Let’s chat….

Seek His Word

Nearly every morning I take time to pray, read a devotional and allow God to speak to me. This is critical for  bringing real truth into my mind.  If I don’t fill my mind with His word and truth, the world will fill it with garbage.

Self Care

You have to put yourself in your day for care somewhere!!  I am in a season where I am forgetting this gem – and I have to fit it in my day.  Knowing how my soul is refreshed so I can give back to my family is important.  But I also have to make the time to have that happen.

Check Expectations

Thinking you can clean your whole house, cook a five course dinner, run car pool, bake cookies for the school open house and do three crafts with your kids in a day is not reality.  Understanding that you can prioritize what needs to be done and not be Supermom is reality.  Take a look at your expectations for the day – are they realistic?

Find Support

Do you have a support system of friends and family that you can draw from?  We all need to have someone to talk to and reach out to.  If you do not have this…. pray on how you can create one of your own.  I am in a season of this and it helps a lot, having someone to reach out to.

Give Grace

Not only do you give grace to your kids and family – but most importantly to you!  Realizing you are not perfect and will have days where things just do not go as planned are okay and expected!

Believe in YOU

You must know that the decisions you make for you and your family are the right ones for you.  Period.  You will constantly receive judgement from others, but when you know you are doing the best for you and your family, you can find relief in that judgement and let it roll off your back.

Smile & Laugh

Yes, even when the chips are not in your court, you take time to smile and pull up your boot straps!  There is nothing better than having a big belly laugh instead of bawling (but yes, bawling at times is unavoidable, and that is okay!) but when you can shift your energy and those around you by laughing at an unforeseen issue, it definitely changes the atmosphere!

What can you incorporate in your day?

Filed Under: Optimum Mom

5 Lessons from Small Space Living

8
Jun
2017
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5 lessons from small space living

In September of last year we moved from a 3400 square foot home to a 500 square foot carriage house, thrusting us into small space living. This was an “eventual” plan of ours, to move to our vacation property full-time, but we put things into fast forward last summer and ditched city living for a slower pace.

It has been a huge season of change, building new relationships, finding a new church, learning to truly enjoy a slow pace, but most importantly learning to let go of stuff and live small.

We are preparing to build our dream home here at the beach, but for now, we are living in a small space, the three of us and our two doodle dogs.  You can view our home, which was highlighted on one of my favorite blogs House of Turquoise almost three years ago.   It is a small space and I will tell you – it looks pretty much like that even today -with us living in it!

What I have most enjoyed about this season, is realizing that living small is an amazing freedom and I’ve learned a few lessons that are pretty powerful.

Less Indoor Space Means More Time Outdoors

We moved to the beach to slow down and enjoy the little things more.  The frantic pace of suburbia and all the traffic was exhausting us.  Here at the beach, we spend way more time outside and this includes my seven year old.  He’s outside constantly – and he doesn’t mind the wind, rain or clouds at all.  We walk the dogs more, we find a reason to go for a bike ride – and really – do you need a reason?

I don’t need 28 sweaters

Moving into a small space meant I needed to clean out my closet – BIG TIME!! I realized I had clothes that I didn’t really love – and too many of them.  Truly – how many sweaters do you really need?  I have been de-cluttering my closet now for over six months.  It is freeing and so empowering.  It means less choices in the morning and actually looking forward to getting dressed because the clothes I have I really like wearing!  

Clutter Suffocates

This is not a new discovery – but I can tell you, having less in my home means I can breathe.  Its okay that not every counter or shelf has decor or something placed there.  It provides a sense of relief honestly.  In a small space you enjoy having less – it provides room to just BE.  We must make a decision about whether we are keeping something NOW, not put it aside and wait until another time and then decide after it’s been stuffed in a drawer for five years to purge it.

Less Stuff = Less Stress

Being purposeful about what we have in our home and what we treasure has provided a huge stress relief.  The guilt about getting rid of things that I felt I needed to keep has been conquered.  This can take a bit of time, believe me – I was having a hard time with old photos and such, but then we decided to scan photos and take pictures of memorabilia instead of keeping the item.    We you begin to experience the freedom in parting with things that are in boxes and not enjoyed daily, it begins to be much easier to make decisions for the future.

The Best Things in Life Aren’t Things

I am sure you’ve heard this before, but it is true.  I have more time to spend doing activities rather than cleaning, picking up, organizing, storing, purging or doing upkeep.  We can visit friends, invite someone over, do an impromptu get together or get out of town at the last minute.  When you have a small space with less things, it provides time freedom as well as emotional freedom.

This is a season for us, we will be building a larger home and moving into a bigger space within the next year and a half, but this has been one of the best life lessons I have had – living small and learning how to determine what it really important.

Does living small appeal to you?

Filed Under: Faith and Family, Family Manager

DIY Hydrating Lotion Bars – Travel Friendly

15
May
2017
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Young Living Lotion Bars

These homemade hydrating essential oil lotion bars will make  your summer so easy – especially if you are traveling.

I just returned from a 13 day trip to Australia – it was A-MA-ZING!!  Saw many wonderful places and met some beautiful people too.

But, do you know what happened to me?  My lotion bottle blew up in my checked bag – thank goodness I pack in plastic bags!!  So as soon as I got home I made these homemade lotion bars for my next travel adventure so I can be sure to not have that mis-hap again.

These are easy to make.

Simple to pack and not worry they will explode when under pressure.

Super moisturizing for your body – the warmth of your body helps to melt the natural emollients and the added essential oils smells wonderful and help sooth, smooth, moisturize and hydrate hands, feet, elbows and more!

This homemade lotion bar recipe with essential oils is the bomb – be sure to get some made before your next trip or excursion to the beach or desert area.  You will thank me!

I went through my oily stash and decided to use Stress Away, Joy and Cedarwood (known for it’s calming effects) and I wasn’t disappointed.

Recipe:

 Directions
  1. Combine coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, and cocoa butter in a 16-ounce glass measuring cup.
  2. Place in a pot with water that rises to halfway up the measuring cup
  3. Bring water to a boil, stirring frequently until ingredients are completely melted.
  4. Remove measuring cup from the pot.
  5. Add essential oils and vitamin E oil and stir until completely combined.
  6. Immediately pour into molds.
  7. Let sit for several hours until they are firm
  8. Once cooled, carefully remove the lotion bars from the molds.
  9. Store in a cool, dry place.  I place in small plastic bags for easy on the go use (I use these)

Great to have on hand in your purse or overnight bag.   These are so portable and convenient – helping to keep skin smooth and soft – even while out and about this summer.

Essential Oil Sign Up

How to use these lotion bars::

Simply rub them along your skin to apply the lotion easily.  You can rub on feet, heels, elbows, hands, arms and legs.  No more dripping lotion or pouring too much in your hands.  These are great for kids too!

Bonus, if you get started in May with a Premium Starter Kit, you will also grab a FREE 15 ML bottle of Tangerine – love me some FREEBIES!!

New Enrollment Bonus

Grab yourself some oils and the goodies you need to make these and spend an afternoon doing just that – I did with my daughter and it was an enjoyable time together!

Filed Under: Essential Oils
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