Practice writing with this Easter Scripture Copywork.
Download this free printable Easter Scripture Copywork to practice writing while focusing on the week up to Jesus’s death and resurrection.
Free Printable Easter Scripture Copywork
Summer Bucket List
Classic View
Grid View
Free Printable Easter Egg Bingo
This Easter Egg Bingo looks like fun!
Download this free printable Easter Egg Bingo for some fun quality time!
How I Do “It All” (The Answer Might Surprise You!)
Wondering how I do “it all”??? Keep reading, because you might be surprised by the answer!
People ask me often how I juggle all the things I do and really my secret to getting all the things done is three-fold: 1) I don’t do it all myself. 2) I keep things super simple. 3) I have really good systems in place for many areas of our home.
Let’s talk more about how this actually looks in our home…
Secret #1: I don’t do it all myself.
I am a big believer in teaching your kids to be responsible for helping and contributing from an early age. In fact, I believe it is a gift we can give our kids to help them learn the value of hard work and how to pick up after themselves/take ownership of certain tasks and chores and areas of the home.
So our teens are responsible for their rooms, their bathrooms, much of their laundry, some of the dishes and general house maintenance, their cars, and more. (As an aside, they are also 100% responsible for everything related to school and jobs. If they need help with something, they are welcome to ask for help, but I don’t oversee or manage any of this part of their life as it’s considered their responsibility in our home.)
Secret #2: I keep things super simple.
This is a big one for me! I currently am super careful what I say yes to since I have three teens, two preschoolers, and a toddler…
- I reserve Wednesdays for any business meetings or interviews and say no to almost anything business-related that is a meeting or interview and can’t happen on a Wednesday.
- I rarely say yes to any ongoing commitments because I just never know what a week is going to look like.
- We eat super simple meals most of the time and we get takeout once a week for dinner.
- I wear my hair the same way every single day.
- I always wear the same makeup.
- I eat a lot of the same things for breakfast, lunch, and snack.
- I wear the same 5-8 outfits on repeat.
- I don’t have a vegetable garden.
- I don’t attend any Bible studies right now.
- I usually sign up for super easy things like bringing water bottles or plastic plates, etc. when there are school sign-up opportunities.
And on and on it goes.
Secret #3: I have really good systems in place for many areas of our home.
I’ve alluded to some of these above, but these systems save my sanity. For instance:
- I order groceries on Thursdays and have them delivered on Fridays.
- I only wash my hair once a week (and I wash the three younger kids’ hair once a week, too.)
- When the mail gets brought in, I go through it immediately and take care of it.
- Jesse and I work together every night before bed to get everything picked up and set out for the morning so that we wake up and don’t need to do much at all to get out the door.
- We try to do a quick house clean up twice a day so that things never get out of hand.
- I bring in anything that doesn’t belong in the car when I come in.
- I clean out my purse and the fridge once a week.
- I put laundry away every night.
- We run one load of dishes every day.
- I get up and walk first thing every morning and pray over my day. I then read my Bible and a devotional and a few pages from an encouraging book.
- I write a time-blocked to do list every night before bed.
- I try to always know what’s for dinner by 8 a.m. that morning and then pull out anything from the freezer we need.
These are just a few examples. So many of these things we’ve been doing for so long that they just happen without me even really thinking about it. They are on autopilot.
And these simple systems keep our home and lives running smoothly and allow me to have breathing room to spend time with my kids, make space for fun, invest in relationships, take care of my health, and try to get enough sleep (most nights!).
A Special FREEBIE for You!
If you would love to create better systems for your home and life, I put together a FREEBIE that gives an overview of many of the systems I have in place for each day, week, month, and year.
The Simplified Home Checklists were designed to give you a doable and realistic list that you can put on your fridge or somewhere that you’ll see often throughout the day to help you stay on track with the basics of what will set you up for success throughout your days, weeks, and months.
If you want to set up systems but don’t know where to start, I made these to serve as a guide for you. They have all the most basic, regular household tasks listed, with a couple lines to personalize them for yourself.
When you download the FREE Simplified Home Checklists, you’ll get a printable pack that includes checklists for regular daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual checklists.
Best of all, you’ll get TWO versions to choose from — one if you’re home most of the day and one if you’re away from home most of the day. (You get both versions, so decide which is best for you!)
I’ve been loving hearing from those of you who are already using them and finding them so helpful! YAY!
What are you waiting for?! Just click below to download your FREE Simplified Home Checklists!
I hope that these lists are a game changer for your sanity and help you streamline some of your family’s systems this year! Here’s to less stress and more joy and organization in our lives!
Psst! One more thing! When you download the Free Simplified Home Checklists today, you’ll be the first to know about a HUGE surprise I have in store for you next week! I’m SO excited!!
Walmart Shark Vacuum Week: Huge Savings + Free Shipping!
Walmart is having a huge Shark Vacuum Sale this week! These prices are AMAZING! Here are a few of the best deals…
Get this Shark Navigator Lift-Away XL Upright Vacuum for just $99 shipped right now (regularly $199)!
Get this Shark StainStriker Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner for only $99 shipped (regularly $139.99)!
Get this Shark Pet Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with Powerfins Brushroll to only $119 shipped right now! This is regularly price $249.99 and has GREAT ratings!
Get this Shark Navigator Lift-Away ADV Upright Vacuum for only $119 shipped right now! This highly rated vacuum is regularly $189.99.
Get this Shark MessMaster Portable Wet Dry Vacuum for only $79 shipped (regularly $129.99)!
Get this Shark Cordless Pro Stick Vacuum with Clean Sense IQ Technology for only $169 shipped (regularly $399)!
Get this Shark Vertex DuoClean PowerFins Powered Lift-Away Upright Multi Surface Vacuum Cleaner for only $149 shipped (regularly $349.99)!
Get this Shark IQ 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop for only $188 shipped (regularly $449.99)!
Get this Shark Matrix Self-Empty Robot Vacuum & Mop for only $399 shipped (regularly $699.99)!
Valid for a limited time only.
Shop all the Walmart Shark Vacuum Deals here.
Silas and Jesse Share About Their Trip to DC
Silas makes his formal debut on the podcast this week by joining Jesse and me to share about their trip to DC. He’s joined in on a few podcasts in the past when he was much younger and didn’t say much, so I’m excited for you to get to hear more from him now that he’s older and less scared of the microphone. 🙂
Jesse and Silas recount the adventures they had on their trip, including flying Southwest (and winning some vouchers!), Arlington, the Holocaust Museum, the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon, Museum of the Bible, the Capitol, Mount Vernon, Gettysburg, the White House Visitor’s Center, and more!
You’ll enjoy hearing both of their perspectives on it, what they learned, what was disappointing and surprising, and places they want to return to. They shared some stories and insights I hadn’t yet heard from their trip, so it was really fun for me to sit back and listen — I hope you enjoy it as much we did recording it!
Powered by RedCircle
In This Episode
[0:35] – Silas and Jesse are here to recount their recent trip to Washington D.C.!
[2:19] – Jesse admits that this trip was better than Kathrynne’s eighth-grade trip because they flew this time.
[3:18] – Silas won two $50 Southwest vouchers on the trip!
[4:49] – Jesse highlights getting to know the teens in Silas’s class better and visiting Arlington.
[5:59] – Silas reflects on gaining insights from classmates and highlighted visiting the Museum of the Bible and the Holocaust Museum.
[6:58] – Jesse found it unexpected and intriguing to meet someone who was in the Pentagon during the attack.
[7:43] – Hear Silas go into more detail about the visit to the Holocaust museum and Museum of the Bible, finding the transition from heavy to light.
[11:35] – I mention the personalized experience at the Holocaust Museum and compare it to a memorial in Israel.
[13:20] – Visiting the Capitol and the White House Visitor’s Center.
[16:42] – Was there anything that was disappointing or surprising about the trip?
[20:11] – Silas wants to go back to D.C. but with the whole family.
[21:26] – Jesse found their visit to Mount Vernon intriguing, describing it as a living history experience.
[25:13] – I share some exciting news: I am launching the Simplified Home Checklist, offering daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks for organizing!
Links & Resources
Social Media
Shared Mar 21, 2024
comment
Gretchen’s $122 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6!
Gretchen’s $122 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6!
Aldi
1 box MooTubes – $1.75
1 carton Organic Yogurt – $3.79
2 dozen Eggs – $2.64 each
2 lbs Butter – $2.69 each
2 bags Frozen Corn/Peas – $0.95 each
1 Spreadable Butter – $3.59
1 box Penne – $0.98
1 box Protein Bars – $4.79
2 cans Cream of Mushroom/Chicken Soup – $0.67 each
1 box Apple Squeezies – $5.89
1 Marinara Sauce – $1.59
1 can Black Beans – $0.79
2 bags Dark Chocolate Chips – $1.59 each
1 bag Mandarins – $3.59
2 bags White Cheddar Puffs – $1.59 each
1 box Fruit Strips – $3.79
1 bag Wavy Potato Chips – $2.19
1 bag Organic String Cheese – $3.69
1 bag Hot Dog Buns – $1.29
1 loaf Bread – $1.35
1 loaf Sprouted Grain Bread – $3.89
2.77 lbs Red Grapes – $5.96
1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.89
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.89
1.22 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $1.09
1 pkg Jumbo Franks – $1.29
1 pkg Honey Ham $3.49
Total: $82.02
Grocery Outlet
3 pkg Strawberries – $1.25 each
2 pkg Tortillas – $0.50 each
2 bags Frozen Chicken Nuggets – $1.99 each
1 bag Frozen French Fries – $1.79
2 boxes Cascadian Farms Granola Bars – $1.99 each
2 boxes Cascadian Farms Cereal – $1.49 each
1 box Cinnamon Toast Crunch Minis – $2
3 bags Goldfish – $1.49 each
3 jars Peanut Butter – $1.99 each
2 boxes Popcorn – $1.49 each
1 Honey Bear – $1.79
1 box Spaghetti Noodles – $1
Total: $35.69
Big Lots
2 boxes Special K Pastry Crisps – $0.74 each
3 boxes Annie’s Peel-A-Parts – $0.62 each
2 bags On the Border Tortilla Chips – $0.75 each
Total: $4.84
Total for all groceries: $122.55
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal, Eggs, Bagels, Toast, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Yogurt
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches/Carrot Sticks/Cucumbers/Fruit Snacks x 3, Ham Sandwiches/Fruit/Yogurt x 2, Chicken Nuggets/Cheddar Puffs/Veggies, Leftovers
Dinners
Grilled Chicken, Bread, Green Beans
French Toast, Eggs
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Steamed Peas, Breadsticks
Grilled Hot Dogs, Chips, Sliced Apples & Oranges
Tossed Salad Bar, Biscuits
Sour Cream Enchiladas, Chips & Salsa, Steamed Corn
Pizza & Breadsticks
Easy Baked Chicken Breast
Looking for an easy, frugal weeknight meal that everyone will love? Try this baked chicken — so tender and juicy, and perfect for any time of the year!
Recipe by Olivia on our team.
You’ll Love This Baked Boneless Chicken Breast!
This is one of my go-to chicken recipes for busy weeknights, potlucks, parties, church banquets, and more. EVERYONE loves this chicken!
It’s so tender and moist that you can cut into it with a fork — perfect for little ones who can’t manage a knife yet.
And it’s naturally gluten, dairy, egg, and soy-free — making it a great meal for someone with allergies!
Ingredients for Juicy Baked Chicken Breast
- 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts
- 2-3 Tbsps. Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
How to Make Baked Chicken Breast in Oven
1. Cut chicken breasts into uniform pieces (I usually cut some of my pieces in half lengthwise) and pound with a meat tenderizer until similar thickness.
2. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
3. Drizzle the chicken with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with half of the seasonings.
4. Flip the chicken over and repeat with remaining oil and seasonings.
5. Rub seasonings in with your fingers, making sure the seasonings and olive oil are evenly distributed.
5. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
7. For optimal tenderness, cover chicken with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Note: If you’re making this ahead of time, you can put it in a covered oven-safe dish, pour juices over, and keep in the oven on warm until you’re ready to eat.
Tips for Making Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
You want to make sure your pieces of chicken are fairly uniform in thickness, otherwise they will cook at different rates — some will dry out and others will be raw inside.
Also, make sure you allow time for the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes after you remove it from the oven — this will allow the juices to redistribute and make the chicken extra flavorful!
If you have problems with this chicken cooking properly, you may want to verify your oven temperature using an in-oven thermometer to ensure that the temperature is accurate.
Variations and Substitutions
Feel free to mix up the spices and seasonings on this chicken for a new flavor combination.
If you have time, let the chicken marinate in the seasonings for a few hours before baking.
You could also add some bread crumbs for a crunchy outer coating.
How to Serve Easy Baked Chicken Breast
We love baked chicken with rice or mashed potatoes and a vegetable, but it would also be great with a salad and fruit for a lighter meal. I also think it’s super yummy in a quinoa bowl!
For a beautiful presentation, try putting rice in a pretty casserole dish, top it with chicken, and sprinkle with green onions (it looks especially fancy if you slice the green onions diagonally, or on the bias).
You can also use this for chicken salad, casseroles, or any recipes needing chopped, cooked chicken breast.
How to Store Baked Boneless Chicken Breast
Place any leftovers in a sealed food storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze leftovers in portion-size containers for another meal.
How to Use Juicy Baked Chicken Breast Leftovers
The leftovers are fantastic warmed up for lunches throughout the week!
If you’re not a reheated leftover type of person, then try chopping up the chicken and reworking it as chicken salad, chicken soup, a yummy chicken casserole, or chicken tacos!
FAQs for Cooking Chicken in Oven
Can you make this chicken ahead of time?
Yes! If you make it ahead of time, simply put it in a covered oven-safe dish, pour juices over it, and keep in the oven on warm until you’re ready to eat.
Why is my chicken dry?
One reason for dry chicken is over-cooking. Make sure your oven is hot enough and that you keep the cooking time as low as possible (until the chicken reaches 165ºF). Also, make sure to let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes after it comes out of the oven so all the juices can redistribute.
Can you freeze this?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken, so feel free to make a double or triple batch and portion some out for easy meals in the future.
Recipe
Juicy Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts
- 3 Tbsps. Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into uniform pieces (I usually cut some of my pieces in half lengthwise) and pound with a meat tenderizer until similar thickness.
- Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
- Drizzle the chicken with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with half of the seasonings.
- Flip the chicken over and repeat with remaining oil and seasonings.
- Rub seasonings in with your fingers, making sure the seasonings and olive oil are evenly distributed.
- Let chicken rest around 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.
- Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- For optimal tenderness, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 297IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
Love this recipe?
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
- Pesto Chicken (in the slow cooker)
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Mexican Shredded Chicken (in the slow cooker)
- Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Classic Grilled Chicken
- White Chicken Chili
Do you have a favorite chicken recipe? Share it with us in the comments below!
FREE One Week Menu Plan!
Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!
Shared Mar 20, 2024
comment
What I Got Wednesday: Rebecca’s $9.25 Grocery Haul ($48.78 Worth!), plus more!
What I Got Wednesday: Rebecca’s $9.25 Grocery Haul ($48.78 Worth!), plus more!
We’re excited to roll out a brand new feature called What I Got Wednesday — where we share some of the best savings submitted to us by readers!
This Week’s Savings Spotlight: Rebecca’s Grocery Trip!
Check out what Rebecca scored on groceries! Wow!
I spent $9.25 and saved $48.78 on groceries with the Flashfood app. I got four chicken enchilada meals, four lemon cranberry muffins, four cinnamon muffins, a box of mini croissants, and six lime Chobani yogurts. And it was perfect timing because I didn’t have time to make dinner that night.
More Reader Savings From This Week!
We had several other great submissions from readers who scored great deals on Under Armour backpacks, flooring, ground beef, and a FREE photo print. Check them out below!
Kristi took advantage of the HOT Under Armour Backpack deal:
I scored the Under Armor backpack for $19!!! I work at Big 5 sports store and know those brand of backpacks are pretty expensive!! My discount could not have saved me as much as I got from your information about the product!! Thank you!
Kimberly got an amazing deal on flooring:
My husband and I are remodeling our laundry room. We decided to go to our local Habitat for Humanity Restore to check out what they might have for our project. Upon arriving, we saw a sign on the door that I dicated flooring was an additional 50% off. We found three boxes of brand new Mowhawk RevWood flooring – enough to cover over 78 square feet – for $45 each (before the 50% off), which was a great deal based upon flooring prices I had already looked at. We ended up paying $67.50. Later, I decided to see how much the flooring would be elsewhere – approximately $267 for a savings of 75%!
Anna scored a great deal on ground beef:
Through the Flashfoods app at a Meijer store I scored five pounds of 80/20 ground beef for $12!! Super excited!
Debra grabbed a FREE 8×10 Walgreens photo this week:
I love Money Saving Mom and have been a follower for years. I especially love the free 8×10 photo prints from Walgreens! I have gotten so many that I have been able to share with some of my family. I am including a photo that I had made of my sweet mom and I at Christmas. Thanks again for sharing these deals!
Thank you so much to these readers for sharing your savings with our community! How inspiring!!
Want To Be Featured?
Want to submit your savings for a chance to be featured? Simply go HERE and fill out the form! Each week, we’ll pick a few of the best submissions to be featured.
(And we might even throw in a fun little surprise for you if you’re picked! Free coffee, anyone?!)
Overwhelmed With Household Tasks? Don’t Miss This FREEBIE!
If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the household tasks to keep up with, download my brand new FREE Simplified Home Checklists to help get organized!
In case you missed it, I released a brand new FREEBIE last week — the FREE Simplified Home Checklists!
After hearing from SO many of you over the years about how much you struggle with keeping up with regular household tasks, I created this freebie just for you!
These free checklists are designed to help save your sanity and streamline some of your regular, everyday household tasks. My hope is that this will free up time and space in your life to focus on more of what matters most to you!
I’ve found that having a simple regular checklist for these types of tasks can help you:
- Give your brain a break by getting everything out of your head and onto paper.
- Have a sense of satisfaction from checking things off as you go.
- Save time by not having to make and re-make the same lists over and over again.
I introduced the Free Simplified Home Checklists a little over a week ago, and over 10,000 of you have already started using them! I’m SO excited for you to have less stress and more joy in your daily lives by using these checklists.
When you download the FREE Simplified Home Checklists, you’ll get a printable pack that includes checklists for regular daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual checklists.
Also, as a reminder, you’ll get TWO versions to choose from — one if you’re home most of the day and one if you’re away from home most of the day. (You get both versions, so decide which is best for you!)
So many people are loving the option to choose between two versions of the checklists (which makes me so happy, since my goal was to make sure I could serve women of ALL walks of life with these lists!):
Oh my gosh! Thank you Thank you Thank you for acknowledging that not all moms are at home during the day! —Kim
I just want you to know how much I appreciate that you took the time to make 2 versions of this. This makes moms who work outside of the home (who often feel forgotten in these kinds of checklists, etc.) feel seen. Thank you for seeing all women. —Jessica
Thank you for recognizing time constraints of working women!! —Kathy
What are you waiting for?! Just click the button below to download your FREE Simplified Home Checklists!
Crystal’s $148 Kroger Delivery Order
I’m just loving using the Kroger Boost program (it was $39 for the entire year with the deal they ran in January + I’ll get double fuel points all year — which has already almost paid for itself!)
You can read more about the savings we’ve already seen on our gas from having the Double Fuel Points! Plus, if you missed it, I shared more about the Kroger Boost program right here.
By the way, one of the best parts of the Kroger Boost Program (in addition to someone shopping for you and getting groceries delivered straight to your door!), is that when you go to checkout, a little box pops up offering you limited time deals. You never know what these will be and sometimes they aren’t that great, but sometimes there are some real steals here. And you can get up to 10 of each of the deals! It’s almost like shopping markdowns or clearance!
This week, they offered me Dave’s Killer Bread for $3 a loaf!! What?!? So naturally, I bought 4 to stock the freezer as the best deal I ever find on this is $4.99 a loaf and I eat at least 1-2 pieces every day!
General Mills cereal is on sale Buy 2, Get 3 Free, which made it a pretty good deal. The Bear Naked granola is $2.49/bag with the digital coupon. And the Keebler cookies are on sale Buy One, Get One Free — which made some of the packages $1.84!
We needed to get more dish tabs, and they had a deal where if you spent $20 in Kroger items, you would get $5 off, so between Kroger items I was already planning to buy + the dish tabs ended up being a great deal with the $5 off!
Cabbage was on sale for $0.49/lb with the digital coupon.
I also stocked up on some foods for David, including pudding, gogo squeeze, yogurt, and applesauce. While he is still very limited in what he eats, we are SO grateful that he is eating more of a variety of food than he used to and is eating so much more orally rather than having everything via G-tube.
Oh and one more deal: The Kraft salad dressings were $1.49/bottle with the digital coupon. I bought Italian dressing to use as a marinade for chicken!
Want to see everything I bought and what I paid for each item? Watch my FB live haul video here.
My total with tax for all these groceries at Kroger was: $148.65
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
Weekly Recap: Fun Trips, Spring Break, and ABC Dates!
Welcome to my weekly recap post where I share a little peek into our week, share some links to things I don’t want you to miss, and highlight some things you may not have seen on the blog this week.
It was Spring Break this week for four of the kids and Kierstyn and I spent last weekend through Monday in Kansas with my parents. We got home late Monday afternoon and then picked up Kaitlynn from her Singapore/Indonesia trip a few hours later. We stayed up processing her trip, she went to bed, slept really well, and woke up to have 30 minutes to pack and then leave with friends for a week at the beach. (I told her if she got really good sleep, she could go on the the beach trip so she was determined to make it happen!)
(The below pictures was taken when we picked up Kaitlynn at the airport after she had been traveling for 24+ hours home from Southeast Asia! I thought she would be exhausted and barely functioning, but she was so energetic and excited!)
Since it was Spring Break week and we didn’t need to get up and out the door early in the mornings for school, Jesse and I took advantage of that to catch up on our ABC date nights! We ended up doing three date nights this week (!!!) and did C, D, and E! I’ll be sharing more on Instagram soon if you’re curious where we went/what we did!
Speaking of Instagram, I started a brand-new account there this week that I’ve been thinking of doing for a little while now. So many of you have loved when I’ve done my cleaning challenges and have asked if I could share them in a way that you could refer back to them. This account will be just that! Every week day, I’ll be sharing a reel with a very simple cleaning challenge (usually that you can complete in 5-15 minutes!) If you need some motivation to keep your home more clean, organized, and decluttered, be sure to follow along. And in my typical style, it will not be perfect or magazine-worthy, but I hope that it encourages you to just do something because something is always better than nothing! Go follow my new cleaning Instagram account.
After multiple trips for multiple people (Silas and Jesse were in DC last week on a school trip!), I’m ready for everyone to be home under the same roof again! We’re starting to gear up/prep for Kaitlynn’s graduation (she just got her senior pictures back and they are stunning! See them here.) and summer plans.
And middle school baseball starts in full force this week! Jesse is the assistant coach, so he’s at all the practices with Silas! Which means a lot of life will revolve around baseball the next few months — and we absolutely love it! I love all the fresh air and sunshine we get sitting on the sidelines… though since Jesse will be coaching, it will be interesting to figure out how to keep the three younger children occupied by myself. But I’m working on a game plan and grateful that they are all older and Kierstyn is almost 4, so she’s much more capable and responsible than last year when we had three under three!
I’m guessing many of you have seen the funny crunchy video comedy clips from Really Very Crunchy on Instagram or TikTok or YouTube. Emily and Jason Morrow are the talented writers, producers, and actors for these and I got the privilege of interviewing Emily in-studio recently about her brand-new book, Really Very Crunchy: A Beginner’s Guide to Removing Toxins from Your Life Without Adding Them to Your Personality.
As my word for the year is health, I’ve especially loved Emily’s videos and her book. She makes me laugh, she makes me think, she teaches me a lot of things I never knew about (and then need to go Google for more information!), and she does it all in a very gracious and kind way.
In this episode of the podcast, Emily shares some really humorous stories (including why she got a pedicure and then took off the polish before coming to my house for the interview!) as well as very practical advice on how to live a more health-conscious lifestyle without breaking the bank. We talk about a lot of practices you can implement that are free and easy + she shares her best tips for eating healthy on a budget (they were so good and inspiring!).
Emily’s refreshing approach to the crunchy lifestyle, filled with self-deprecating humor, makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of their current choices. (She reminds us often that “crunchy is a spectrum” and it’s not worth losing relationships over crazy crunchy rules you’ve concocted.
We also touch on the challenges of balancing a crunchy lifestyle with real-world situations and she shared a recent situation she navigated at a family dinner. Emily encourages a mindful and compassionate approach, reminding us that we can have strong convictions without belittling, condemning, or ostracizing others.
The conversation also extends beyond dietary choices, as we also talk about the interconnectedness of mental and physical health. Emily’s perspective on stress and the importance of a balanced approach to health is so important for all of us to hear and remember.
Listen to the podcast episode here or click on the player button below to listen.
Powered by RedCircle
Something Special For You — and It’s FREE!!
Have you ever felt like staying on top of allllllllll the regular household tasks can feel like a never-ending job!?
- Maybe it’s the season you are in that has been filled to the brim with hard, stretching, or unexpected things.
- Or maybe it’s that you don’t love cleaning and organizing and find yourself easily productively procrastinating on other things (can anyone relate to that??).
- Or perhaps it’s that you feel like you just don’t have a good system in place and you don’t have time to create one.
If you’ve read any of my books or have followed along online for any length of time, you know that I’m all about streamlining and eliminating decision fatigue.
And I want to do exactly that for myself — and for you! — when it comes to helping both of us keep our homes and lives in order.
Introducing the FREE Simplified Home Checklists!
I decided to make a set of lists for all my regular home tasks that I can reuse every day. Then that info can be out of my head and down on paper — forever! And I can just check things off as I go each day, with a lot less effort!
And guess what?! I’m giving away these checklists to you for FREE! Because there is just something about a doable list to help make the whole day feel more productive, right?!
When you download the FREE Simplified Home Checklists, you’ll get:
- An easy set of regular household tasks for you to quickly go through and check off each morning, afternoon, and evening so you can feel more on top of things all day long.
- Extra space and some ideas for you to personalize your lists with tasks that are unique to you.
- Two versions to choose from for those who are home most of the day and those who are away from home most of the day. (You get both versions, so that you can decide which is best for you!)
- Weekly, monthly, quarterly, and even annual checklists for your tasks that need to be done regularly, but not daily.
These simple lists will not only help you simplify your life and save you time, but they will help you start your day with a few quick and easy wins! And here’s the thing I’ve learned: when you start your day with a few quick wins, you’ll usually be inspired to follow those with even more wins and productivity!
Sign up for your FREE Simplified Home Checklists to help save your sanity and streamline your day — starting today!
Here’s to less stress and more joy and organization in our lives!
Click here to get your FREE Simplified Home Checklists.
Links You Should Check Out
- If you love deals, don’t miss the Top 10 Deals From This Past Week post! There’s a hot deal on my favorite magnesium lotion (it ends Sunday night!), an Under Armour sale that has been very popular, Lululemon and Squishmallow deals, plus more!
- Did you see I posted the recipe for Easy Overnight Artisan Bread last week? This is SUCH a winner recipe and I’m loving hearing from so many of you who are trying it out and loving it, too!
- Speaking of recipes, we also re-did and re-posted the very popular recipe from the archives: Portion-Sized Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal. This is a yummy and nutrition-packed breakfast or snack idea — or really, something you could eat any time of the day!
Are You Signed Up for My Personal Email Newsletter?
Every Saturday, I send out a newsy personal letter from me sharing what books I’m reading (and very honest reviews of them!) products and resources I’m loving, what movies/shows we’re watching, plus insider news, thoughts, and recommendations I only share with my email subscribers. If you’re not subscribed, you are missing out!
Amazon Crayola Deal of the Day: Hot Deals for Easter Baskets!
Don’t miss this Amazon Crayola Deal of the Day!
Amazon is having a Big Crayola Sale today! Score some great deals on Easter Basket fillers or for spring break fun!
Hurry — these are selling out quickly!
Here are a few of the deals we spotted….
Get this Crayola Premium Colored Pencils 50-Count for only $7.49 (regularly $13.89)!
Get this Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Carnival Playset for only $14.99 (regularly $36.99)!
Get the Crayola Premium Coloring Pencils 100-Count for only $13.99 (regularly $24.99)!
Sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime to get free two-day shipping (and possibly one-day or same-day shipping!) with no minimum. If you’re not sure Prime is worth it, read this post for some helpful info to help you decide! And don’t forget you can sign up for Swagbucks to earn free gift cards to use on Amazon deals!
Mucinex Coupon: Save $5 On Your Next Purchase!
Print this Mucinex coupon to save BIG on your next Mucinex product purchase!
Mucinex Coupon
If you think you might need to buy Mucinex as we enter cold/flu season, be sure to grab a Mucinex coupon to save $5 off the purchase of one product priced at $14.99 or higher!
Just fill out this form and the coupon will be emailed to you. This is a nice, high-value coupon! Grab it before it’s gone.
Stock up Deal on Nabisco Original Ritz Crackers! (18-Stacks )
Stock up on Ritz Crackers with this great deal!
Amazon has these Nabisco Original Ritz Crackers 18-Stacks for only $7.98 right now! This is a great stock-up price!
Sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime to get free two-day shipping (and possibly one-day or same-day shipping!) with no minimum. If you’re not sure Prime is worth it, read this post for some helpful info to help you decide! And don’t forget you can sign up for Swagbucks to earn free gift cards to use on Amazon deals!
Shared Mar 14, 2024
comment
Gretchen’s $16.98 Walgreens Online Pickup Order {Received $4.33 in Walgreens Cash!}
Gretchen’s $16.98 Walgreens Online Pickup Order {Received $4.33 in Walgreens Cash!}
Looking to save money without actually shopping in-store? With several littles in tow, I can’t usually shop the drugstore deals in-store, but have come to love doing pickup orders. I always place my order online using my Walgreens app and within 10 minutes it is ready for pickup at my closest store. The best part? I don’t even have to get out of my car as they bring it out to me!
Here’s what I bought:
Bought 4 Tide Detergents – 4/$10
Bought 2 Axe Bodywash – $5.99 each
On Sale Buy One, Get One 50% off
Used $6/2 e-coupon
Bought 2 Garnier Fructis 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner – 2/$8
Used $3/2 e-coupon
Bought 2 L’Oreal Shampoo/Conditioner – $4.50 each
Used $3/2 e-coupon
And used promo code LP3 ($3 off)
Used $4 in Walgreens cash
Total after coupons and cash: $16.98 out of pocket + Received $4.33 in Walgreens Cash