Looking for a yummy and easy slow cooker soup recipe? This Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup Recipe is one you should definitely try!
I cooked dinner for the first time in six weeks on Monday! And it felt SO good to be back in the kitchen after weeks of not being able to stand doing any food prep because of morning, noon, and night sickness.
Since the weather has cooled down here, I thought an easy soup recipe would be perfect.
And boy oh boy did this one hit the spot!
You will love this Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
This recipe is so simple to make and it’s a fun twist on traditional chicken noodle soup.
Plus, it can be made ahead in the crock pot!
My only regret is not making a double batch as we ate it all in about 15 minutes!
Chicken Tortellini Soup Crock Pot ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used three frozen breasts)
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 18 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini
Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe substitutions
There are many ways you can make this recipe your own — based on your family’s taste preferences, in-season veggies, or simply what foods you already have in the house.
Here are a few easy substitutions:
- Use turkey in place of chicken
- Add in a diced onion and some garlic for a little extra flavor
- Swap out the seasonings based on your taste preferences (try a few bay leaves!)
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
- Add in peas, corn, diced tomatoes, or any of your other favorite veggies
- Try ground sausage and beef broth instead of chicken and chicken broth
- Use different noodles (egg noodles or mini cheese ravioli work well)
- Stir in a 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to play around with it!
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
1. Place chicken, carrots, and celery in a slow cooker.
2. Pour chicken broth over meat and veggies and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Take chicken out and shred/chop.
5. Add chicken back in to slow cooker along with tortellini.
6. Cook until the tortellini is tender (about 30 minutes longer) adding a bit more water or broth if the soup gets too thick.
How to serve Crock Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
We keep it simple at our house — serving it up in a bowl with some bread or crackers.
You could also pair it with a salad and go a little fancier with these delicious breadsticks.
How to store Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup
If you have any left (and that’s a big “if”) simply store it in an air-tight food storage container in the refrigerator… or freeze it for later.
You could also portion it out into individual servings to take to work later in the week (it reheats really well!)
How long does chicken tortellini soup last in the fridge?
This soup should last for 5-7 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe FAQs
The key is to not overcook the tortellini. We recommend adding the tortellini for just 30 minutes at the end of your cooking time and then serving immediately. However, tortellini actually tastes really great even when it’s a bit over-cooked so you don’t need to stress too much about the exact timing!
We recommend around 30 minutes in a slow cooker or roughly 7 minutes in boiling water. However, the best test is to taste one tortellini noodle to make sure it’s done before serving the soup.
This depends on the type of tortellini you buy. We prefer cheese-filled tortellini, but you can also buy mushroom-filled, or sausage-filled.
Tortellini noodles are smaller than ravioli and easier to eat in one bite. They also fit on a spoon much better than ravioli, which is why they are perfect for soup recipes!
More Yummy Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- Crockpot Taco Soup
- Best Ever Black Bean Soup
- Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup
- Hamburger Vegetable Soup
- Barley Chicken Soup
- 3 Bean Chili Chowder
- Dave Ramsey Soup
- White Bean Chicken Chili
Crockpot Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts I used 3 frozen breasts
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 18 oz. cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Place chicken, carrots, and celery in a slow cooker.
- Pour chicken broth over meat and veggies and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Take chicken out and shred/chop.
- Add chicken back in to slow cooker along with tortellini.
- Cook until the tortellini is tender (about 30 minutes longer) adding a bit more water or broth if the soup gets too thick.
Nutrition
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What is your favorite soup recipe? I’d love to hear!
FREE One Week Menu Plan!
Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!
Why Jesse and Kathrynne Went to South Africa
As a mom, there’s not much that warms your heart more than seeing your child find such fulfillment in loving on others.
We usually go to South Africa every year to spend time with our friends there and to see the progress and work being done by Take Action Ministry — the ministry that is near and dear to our hearts and the one we are very involved with there. (If you’re interested in reading about previous trips, you can read more and see lots of pictures here.)
I couldn’t go this year because of my pregnancy, but I got to send Jesse and Kathrynne instead and they had the absolute BEST time!
I just couldn’t stop smiling as Jesse sent me pictures when they were there. To see my 14-year-old so happy and at home in the country that has stolen my heart made me beyond thrilled and proud as a parent.
There’s a lot of things we’ve gotten wrong and are getting wrong as parents, but we will never regret the priority we’ve placed on travel and experiencing other countries and cultures. It has so profoundly impacted all of us for so much good.
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I sat down with Jesse and Kathrynne and asked them to share about their trip. I loved getting to hear their perspective, what they experienced, and what they have learned from our time spent in South Africa.
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In This Episode:
[01:19] Jesse and Kathrynne share why they went to go to South Africa.
[02:33] We all talk about what the flights to South Africa are like and the anxiety that sometimes has surrounded these long international flights.
[08:03] Jesse chats about some of the highlights of this year’s trip and how the area has changed so much.
[08:51] What does Take Action Ministry do at the centers and what is the purpose of these centers?
[13:06] Kathrynne shares her experience with the food prepared and served at the centers.
[15:09] Hear about Kathrynne’s trip highlights.
[18:14] What was different about this trip from the ones taken in the past?
[20:32] We could just give them money, but going and being there is so much more impactful.
[22:50] How have these trips impacted Kathrynne’s and Jesse’s lives?
[27:45] Kathrynne ends the conversation with how appreciative she is for all of the opportunities she has in her life.
Links and Resources:
- Take Action Ministry
- Take Action Donations
- Joint Aid Management
- Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon
- CrystalPaine.com
- MoneySavingMom.com
- Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
- Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]
How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show
The podcast is available on iTunes, Android, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player we’ll include in the show notes of each episode. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.)
Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission — at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
5 Questions to Ask Before You Tweak Your Budget
I would love to see a post on adjusting your budget. How do you know when you need to increase your budget or when you need to decrease your spending? I LOVE your posts that give us questions to consider when making decisions. I would love to see questions to help me know if I should increase the budget amount for groceries or auto repairs whatever it is, or when we should cut back our spending. Thank you so much. -Melissa
This is such a great question, Melissa! I don’t think there are any 100% cut and dry answers or one-size-fits-all systems when it comes to when to raise or lower your budget. But I do think there are some general questions to ask before you overhaul your budget.
Here are five questions I recommend asking before you tweak your budget:
Questions to Ask Before You Tweak Your Budget
1) Are we struggling to make ends meet every month?
This is one of the most important questions to ask. If you are barely making ends meet every month (or they are not meeting every month) then it’s time to do a serious look at your budget.
Where is every dollar going every month? (If you don’t know the answer to this question, I highly recommend you check out Total Money Makeover from the library and follow the steps outlined to set up a budget. We’ve found that using software to track all of our expenses and income is so helpful to know exactly where we stand at any given moment of the month.)
If you do know where every dollar is going and you are struggling to make ends meet, it’s time to look carefully at whether there is anything you can cut, cut back on, or shave off. Don’t see anything you can change? What about looking into ways you can increase your income?
If you do know where every dollar is going and you aren’t struggling to make ends meet, then move on to the following questions.
2) Is it a causing stress and contention to stick to our budget in this category?
If you are finding that you are feeling stressed by a budget category every month, it’s time to take a hard look at that category, what you are spending, and why you’re feeling stressed about it.
For those of you who are married or who have other people who are involved in your budgeting, is this contributing to the stress? If so, why? Can you have an honest conversation about it without being frustrated or accusatory?
3) Why did we choose this budget amount in the first place?
Truth be told, I think this is possibly the most important question to ask.
Did you just pick a number out of the sky? Is this number the number you spent 5 years ago when you only had one child and now you have three but you feel like you shouldn’t change your budget because it’s what you’ve always had it set at? Did you choose this number because a friend (or someone online!) spends this on groceries or eating out and you wanted to prove that you could?
Take a hard look at the why behind your budget categories. Is the why in line with your priorities?
4) What does my spouse think?
If you are married, please do not be making budget changes without having a heart-to-heart conversation with your spouse. Budgeting is a team effort! It requires communication and compromise.
The less you can point fingers and instead lock arms and get on the same page, the stronger your budgeting success will be!
5) Could we find an easy way to spend less?
Do you need to be spending as much as you are spending in this category? Is there something simple you could change or tweak that would allow you to spend less? If you are thinking of raising your budget in one area, is there another area where you could lower it? (Check out this post for 30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money.)
As always, I think it’s important to remember that the goal of a budget is to serve you, not the other way around. A budget is a tool to benefit your life, not a slave master to make you miserable! (Psst! For more encouragement, read my post on We Need to Have an Honest Conversation About Budgeting.)
What questions do you ask before you change your budget? I’d love to hear!
Life Update: Pregnancy update (week 12), my book stack, & football
Life Update: Pregnancy update (week 12), my book stack, & football
Welcome to my weekly life update where I share about my pregnancy & give you a peek into our life this past week. If you want to follow a lot more behind-the-scenes and real-time updates every week, be sure to follow my stories and posts on Instagram.
12 weeks! And our big news is that we found out the gender this week!!!* Knowing has made it so much more real to me, even though this whole pregnancy still feels crazy surreal and like a dream.
HIGHLIGHTS
I think we actually all may have agreed on a name!! It’s very different having older kids who have very strong opinions about these things! Also, the NIPT test came back perfect. And I had a little more energy and a little less nausea this week.
NOTABLE
I’m pretty sure I’m starting to feel those first few flutters. I didn’t for sure feel movement until 15 weeks with Silas, but I’m almost 99% sure that’s what I’m feeling.
Also, my appetite has increased big time — which has been weird and I’m still trying to adjust. I’m usually the type of person who eats when I’m hungry and then eats until I’m satisfied. But right now, I feel hungry almost 90% of the time — even right after eating!!
I’m so grateful to have the desire to eat, though, because it definitely has been super hit or miss for the last 6 weeks and most of the time I was just making myself eat so I wouldn’t feel worse because my stomach was empty. It’s so nice to actually *want* to eat much of the time now!
CRAVINGS
Oh goodness, have the cravings been intense this week. I feel like all I do is talk about and think about food. (This is SO unlike me! My kids keep saying, “Mom, you are so WEIRD when you are pregnant!”)
Speaking of weird, yesterday and today I wanted a taco from Taco Bell. Y’all, I can’t remember the last time I’ve even eaten at Taco Bell!! But, thanks to Jesse, I had a taco for dinner AND breakfast (he was smart and just went and got a whole BAG of six tacos last night!!)
WEGHT GAIN
4.5 pounds (I usually always gain around 30 lbs. and at the rate I’m going, I don’t think I’m going to have any issue doing that again.)
*At this point, we don’t plan to share the gender before the birth. That could always change, but we kept it a family secret last time and it made it so special so we are thinking we’ll likely do that again.
In other news, I bought this sweatshirt this week and can’t wait for it to come in the mail!
And I was thrilled to once again feel well enough to go to the grocery store for a quick shopping trip!
Silas played both baseball and flag football this season. His first playoff game was Friday night and their team won, just barely! So they move on to the next playoff bracket next week.
What I’m…
Reading right now: I Will Always Write Back and Come Matter Here (My book stack in my room is getting way too high — and then I have three shelves in the library full of books waiting to be read ASAP. I guess it’s a good problem!)
Watching right now: Silas, Kaitlynn, and I have been watching The Masked Singer.
Listening to right now: I finally came up first in line for Atomic Habits on the Libby app again, so I’ve been listening to the last hour and half of it (that I didn’t get to finish the last time I had it “checked out” on the Libby app).
Loving right now: The fact that it was cool enough weather this past week to wear my favorite booties (shown above). (These are from Amazon, but they are a Payless brand so they are almost sold out.)
In Case You Missed It:
- 30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money — what would you add to this list??
- 30 Quick & Easy Protein Snacks — some of my favorite go-to’s!
- How to Finally Break Free From Anxiety & Stress — this is one of the most talked about episodes of the podcast I’ve ever shared! It’s SO good! Have you listened to it?
- How to Save Money on Groceries When You Only Eat Whole Foods — check the comments for lots of additional ideas!
$47 Kroger Shopping Trip
I had a little more energy and a little less nausea this week (YAY for almost being in the second trimester!!), so I did a bit more of a “real” shopping trip.
Full disclosure: We’re still a few weeks away from getting back to our $70 grocery budget and the family is still eating a lot of cereal, snack foods, super quick meals (like scrambled eggs and frozen waffles), and take out. I’m okay with that because we always loosen up our grocery bill and eating out budget during the first trimester of pregnancy. It’s a season and one of the reasons we are so careful and intentional with our finances is so that we can change up the budget categories, if need be.
I hope to be back to our $70 grocery budget and menu planning in the next few weeks, just as soon as more energy returns and I feel well enough to be able to do more cooking/planning/grocery shopping.
For now, I’m just celebrating the fact that I made it to the store with a small plan and was able to get some good deals on groceries and managed to survive without getting sick! Here’s what we bought:
$47 Kroger Shopping Trip
- 5 boxes of Red Baron pizza — $1.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
- 4 bags of Kettle Chips — $0.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
- Simple Truth Greek Yogurt — marked down to $0.49
- Grapes — $0.99/lb. — $1.90
- 30 eggs — marked down to $1.49
- 1 bag of avocados — marked down to $0.99
- 5 boxes of Mott’s Fruit Snacks (40-count) — $1.99 each as part of the 3-day deals
- Yoplait Gogurts — marked down to $0.99
- Tropicana OJ — $3
- Flour — $1.59
- Sugar — $1.59
- Milk — $2.99
- 4 cans of pumpkin — $0.89 each
- Chocolate chips — $1.99 (I was craving Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins… unfortunately, my stomach quickly decided it did not like them at all. But hey, my family was happy to eat the rest!)
- Total with tax: $47.19
Cash Back I Earned: 1,025 points from Fetch Rewards + $0.10 from iBotta.
Did you find any great deals at the grocery store this week?
Brigette’s $88 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $88 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 box Rice Squares – $1.49
2 boxes Crispy Oats – $2.38
1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.05
1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.64
1 gallon Whole Milk – $0.97
1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.79
1 64-oz carton Skim Milk – $0.58
2 bags Riced Cauliflower – $3.78
1 3-lb bag Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts – $5.85
1 3-lb roll Ground Beef – $6.49
1-lb Sausage – $1.89
1 16-oz bag Deli Meat – $2.85
1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89
1 48-oz jar Canola Oil – $1.85
1 can Baking Powder – $0.99
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.59
2-lb bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $4.99
2-lb bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.99
1 pkg Sliced Cheese – $1.79
1 can Whipped Topping – $2.85
1 pkg String Cheese – $1.95
1 bag Pretzels – $1.09
1 bag Plain Rice Cakes – $1.45
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65
1 jar Organic Jam – $1.69
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $1.99
1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.09
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.89
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $2.09
1 3-lb bag Mandarin Oranges – $2.69
1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.09
1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.39
1 huge bag of Turnip Greens – from a friend’s garden
2 bags Broccoli Crowns – $2.30
1 2-lb bag Peaches – $1.99
1 pkg Zucchini – $1.39
1 container Grape Tomatoes – $1.39
1 large bag Red Grapes ($0.79/lb) – $2.12
1 Cabbage – $1.69
1 bunch Bananas ($0.41/lb) – $1.09
5 single-serving Greek Yogurts – $2.95
Grocery Total for the Week: $88.60
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:
Cereal, Toast, Oatmeal, Fruit, Yogurt, Smoothies, Fried/Boiled/Scrambled Eggs, Veggie Omelets
Lunches
Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Oranges, Cucumbers x 2
Pretzels/Peanut Butter, Cheese Sticks, Bananas, Mini Sweet Peppers x 2
Leftovers x 3
Dinners
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Roasted Broccoli, Grapes
Chicken and Rice Casserole, Tossed Salad
Hamburger Vegetable Soup with Shredded Cheese, Homemade Dill Bread
Date Night Out (Macaroni and Cheese for the kids)
Cauliflower Rice and Ground Beef Skillet, Tossed Salad, Failproof French Bread
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Roasted Broccoli, Failproof French Bread
Leftovers
30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money
Want some easy ways to save money? Here are 30 easy ways to save money submitted by my Facebook followers. How many of these do you currently do?
30 Super Easy Ways to Save Money
1. Set up auto deposit to a bank that is hard to access.
Susan suggested: “Auto deposit to a bank you don’t have easy access to. I use our local credit union that is only open 9-3. While I’m working.”
Rachel says: “This is how I saved enough money to buy my first home outright. Lived on one check and sent the next 2 to a bank I didn’t have easy access too. (I had an account at a credit union 3 hours away so it was definitely a job to get the money out.)”
Kim says: “I automatically have money transferred into a savings account before I even see it from my check.”
2. Ask some questions before making a purchase.
Kelley says: “I ask myself more than once before making a purchase, ‘Do I really need this and will this make me happier a year from now?’ Pretty much stops me in my tracks most of the time!”
3. Take advantage of free family fun!
Lacy suggested: “We like to do outdoors activities and nature adventures as a famil
y instead of dining out and shopping as ‘something to do’ as our family time.”
4. Cook and eat at home.
Hope says: “Cooking all our meals at home and making my own coffee drinks is enabling me to stay home.”
Moni also said: “Cooking homemade food and eating at home saves us a lot of money. My hubby also saves a ton of money each week bringing lunches and eating breakfast before he goes to work in the morning. Also coffee! Brewing our own saves as much as not getting food out!”
5. Shop at thrift stores.
Rachel says: “Shop at salvage stores and thrift stores.”
6. Record every purchase.
Shannon says: “Recording every purchase (yes, even things like a vending purchase!) in our budget spreadsheets helps us track categorized expenses and make sure we are staying within budget.”
7. Cancel your catalogs and unsubscribe from emails.
Jennifer says: “Limiting my exposure to beautiful things by canceling all the pretty catalogs and email blasts from the same stores is an easy way to save money.”
8. Cut your cable.
Rachel says: “Cut off your cable! Wish I had done it months ago!”
Laura also said: “We just did this, too! It’s saving us $65/month.”
9. Set a goal.
Tammy says: “When I have a goal set (usually travel), I can save money very easily. I have no problem not spending unnecessarily. No goal = I buy things I DO NOT need.”
10. Do it yourself!
Rachael says: “Easy ways we save money: Making my own DIY face/skin/cleaning products, canning, freezing, gardening, making our own wine, cutting my daughter’s hair, and doing handmade/homemade Christmas/birthday gifts!”
11. Only buy groceries on sale with coupons.
Valeria says: “Only buy groceries when on sale, using coupons and app rebates. Plus, purchase enough to get you to the next sale of that item.”
12. Order groceries online.
Edith says: “I save money by ordering groceries online. It keeps me out of the store and eliminates impulse shopping. I make my list at home, do the order, and pick it up outside the store.”
13. Stock up when an item is on sale.
Keiva says: “I use coupons with sales to buy more than we need at the time so it’s available to us when it’s not on sale. Also, stock up on sale items. This week, our grocery has Mott’s Apple juice 64oz. for $1. I’ll buy 40. With 6 kids, it goes quickly! They also have Peter Pan PB for $1, so I’ll buy about 20. I’ll be set for the next 6 months!”
14. Get rid of expensive habits.
Tiffany says: “Get rid of habits that cost money. I gave up coffee and tea a long time ago. Started saving me $15 to $25 a week. I stopped buying books unless they are $1 or less and just reserve books at a library.”
15. Cut your hair at home.
Barbie says: “Doing my husband’s and sons’ haircuts myself. My husband and older son only take about 10 minutes a piece. My younger son takes twice as long because he fidgets. I still figure I save on time by not going to a barber shop, and I save $60-ish every round of haircuts. My boys think going to a barber shop is quite the treat!”
16. Don’t buy it if you don’t need it!
Tosha says: “Remembering that just because it’s posted on MSM or another blog doesn’t mean I need to buy it! If I don’t need it and I buy it because it’s on sale, I’ve spent money I didn’t need to spend.”
17. Stay out of Target.
Sandra says: “Staying out of Target and buying necessities on Amazon is an easy way to save money.”
18. Don’t shop without a list.
Oghma: “I don’t go inside a store until I have a list. Also, don’t shop just one item and then feel like you need to buy other things so the trip is ‘worth it’.”
19. Use a wood burning fireplace.
Holly says: “We bought a wood burning fireplace insert to save money. We’ve gotten firewood free but when we’ve bought it, the wood was still 1/3 the price of natural gas. Also, when we had a natural gas outage, we had no power but we still had heat.”
20. Use Rakuten to earn cash back.
Michele says: “We save money by using eBates when online shopping (now known as Rakuten). In the years I’ve been using it, I’ve gotten almost $1,000 back. They send you a check every three months. I never order anything without checking to see if the website is on eBates first.”
21. Get a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year.
Melisa says: “We have a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage. Yes, monthly payment is higher, but not double. Plus, it’s going to save us $112,000 in interest on a $290,000 home.”
22. Use your local library.
Patricia says: “We utilize every aspect of our local library. DVDs, audiobooks, reading programs with prizes, free events for kids, game night, kid computer games, online library for ebooks, etc.”
23. Pack food before you leave.
Bethany says: “We save money by packing lunch/dinner if we go out, bringing coffee along for the ride, and eating before we leave!”
24. Don’t buy beverages!
Robin says: “We don’t drink pop and we don’t buy beverages when we are out and about. Bottled water is also a no-no. I can fill a bottle at home real cheap.”
25. Watch the prices as they are scanned.
Beverly says: “I watch the prices as items are scanned in at the register. I save often by catching an accidental higher price being scanned in. Also, 2 main stores I shop at offer a price scan policy. If it scans in wrong, you get one free if it’s under $10. Or, you get $10 off if it’s over $10.”
26. Don’t buy things the same day.
Betsy says: “I take pictures of things I like at stores like Target and don’t buy them the same day. Sometimes I do this and then find something similar at the thrift stores.”
27. Plan your menu based upon what you already have.
Elizabeth says: “When I’m meal planning, I shop my pantry and freezer first and try to utilize what I have and not let things go to waste.”
28. Don’t shop just to kill time.
Andrea says: “Don’t go shopping just to fill time. If I go wandering because I’m bored, I will find things to buy. I’m trying to simplify and save money for adventures instead of ‘stuff’ for my little one and me.”
29. Ditch your clothes dryer.
Tricia says: “I save money by hanging all my clothes to dry instead of using a dryer.”
30. Don’t buy it just because you want it.
Jennifer says: “I’m learning to be an adult and understand that I don’t HAVE TO buy everything I want.”
What are some of your favorite super easy ways to save money?
The 20 Best Products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle
Want to know the best products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle? In this post, I share my top 20 resources from the bundle to help you determine whether you should invest in this special bundle.
If you missed yesterday’s Completely Honest Review post read it here.
In case you missed it yesterday, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is available for the second time this year as a special two-day flash sale! And today is the last chance to get it for $29.97. It ends tonight, October 27, 2019.
The Best Products in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle
This year’s Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is jam-packed with a huge variety of resources on everything from homeschooling to cleaning to decluttering to marriage to self care to working from home… and so much more!
As I talked about in my honest review yesterday, there are 104 resources in this bundle and you get them all for just $29.97 through tonight only! However, even at that low price, it can feel like a LOT to wade through.
In fact, I know some of you are wondering whether you should purchase at all because there are so many products!
I Went Through Every One of the 104 Resources for You!
To help you decide whether purchasing is right for you and/or to help you know where to start after you purchase, I bought the bundle and then downloaded and went through every single resource in it.
I shared some of my overall thoughts from the bundle in this honest review post (if you missed it, read it here). Today, I wanted to share with you my favorite products from the bundle.
Remember, I Am Biased.
While I tried to pick resources that I liked best and felt brought the most value, please keep in mind that I am biased and have personal preferences. 🙂 So I can’t guarantee that you’ll agree with my list nor can I promise that you’ll agree with me on my picks.
However, I hope this helps you decide whether purchasing the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle would be a good investment for you. And I also hope it provides a great starting point for those of you who purchase the bundle.
Okay, Ready for My Top 20 List?
I have listed the products in alphabetical order below, just as they are listed in the portal to download after you purchase.
#1. 101 Screen Free Ideas
This is a simple ebook but it had a lot of great ideas and would be perfect for inspiration as we head into summer. It’s set up so you could print the ideas cards and put them on your fridge or on a little ring any time you need screen-free ideas.
Yes, you could probably search online and scrounge up your own list of ideas from different posts and articles. However, it’s nice to have the work all done for you in this ebook. Note: I thought the design quality could have been improved.
#2. A Heart for Hospitality eCourse
This course is very much from a Christian perspective and the first few sessions won’t apply to you if you’re not Christian. But I thought it was packed with so many practical ideas for how to open up your home and life and show hospitality!
Many of you have asked for more practical hospitality ideas after my post on Just Open the Door. If that’s you, you’ll definitely want to check out this course!
It covers hospitality on a budget, how to be hospitable when you have a tiny house or apartment, simple meal plans for when you invite people over, creative hospitality ideas, recipes, cleaning checklists to keep your home company ready, and more.
#3. Begin Your Biz in 15 Minutes a Day
Y’all. This ebook is a gem!
If you are thinking of starting a business or if you already have a business, you need to check it out. It gives you 15 minute daily projects to tackle to successfully set up your business.
I found that it was so thorough and doable. In fact, I wanted to go through it for my businesses because I feel like I have some holes in my systems and processes and this would be a great refresher!
#4. Brush Lettering 101 Course
I loved this course and want to go through it in-depth and practice the strokes and letters. The course creator does such a great job of breaking down the steps to successful brush lettering.
She gives fantastic examples of how to hold your pen and your arm, what kind of pressure to use, and what drills you should do to really improve your skills. She makes you feel like you can actually do this and she provides great Drill worksheets to really practice and become proficient.
(There’s also a Hand Lettering ebook in the bundle that teaches you how to write different greetings for cards, etc. which would go hand-in-hand with this course!)
#5. Bust Out of the Makeup Rut
This helpful course is put together Alison from Get Your Pretty On. I loved how hands on and personable she was in it.
It didn’t feel like one of the fancy videos put together by gorgeous models. Instead, it was a real mom giving real makeup tips for the everyday woman.
Also, I picked up some new tips I’d never heard of before. (Concealer after foundation?? Say what?? Brilliant!)
#6. and #7. Command Center for Kids and Chore Board Printable Pack
If you are wanting to have a better chore system for the summer (or to start right now!), these two are fantastic options.
The Command Center for Kids would be great for younger kids (say maybe 4-8 years old) and the Chore Board Printable Pack would be great for ages 8+.
#8. Giant Date Night Bucket Lists: Printable Posters for Couples
Want to add some sparks back into your relationship or just need some inspiration to make intentional date nights a priority?
These Date Night Checkists are so fun — and so well done!
#9. Declutter Your House in a Weekend
I loved how beautifully done this ebook was and how doable and step-by-step it felt. Plus, there are printables to go with each step.
If you need a plan and a kick in the pants to get your house decluttered, check out this short but incredibly well done ebook.
#10. Encourage My Child’s Tween Heart
As someone who is very much in this season, I loved the very practical ideas in here of how to connect with your kids, ask better questions, affirm your kids, offer them opportunities to build character, and encourage them to serve others.
#11. Etsy Quickstart Guide
If you are thinking of starting an Etsy shop anytime soon or are just curious what all is involved in the process, you’ll want to read this ebook. I felt like it was a very valuable resource to get a basic overview of how to set up a successful Etsy shop.
There were a lot of screenshots and step-by-step instructions that would be perfect for anyone who feels intimidated by what it takes to get started on Etsy!
#12. Guilt Free Guide to Summer
The creator of these videos has so much energy and enthusiasm and is really relatable. Plus, the videos are high-quality.
That said, the creator’s energy might feel a little over the top, but she has some very practical ideas for a way to set up your summer for success in this course. She covers routines, chores, intentional time as a family, goals for summer, meal times, having fun, and more.
#13. How to Choose Paint Colors
Since we’re getting ready to start in on our bathroom remodel and also plan to paint the walls on our main floor this year, I was excited about this ebook!
The ebook was short but also very in-depth and I found some really helpful tips for how to decide which paint color is best.
#14. How to Host a Crazy Profitable Garage Sale
As someone who has held many garage sales and made thousands of dollars from them, I was interested to see what the advice in this ebook would be.
I was pleasantly surprised that almost all of the suggestions and tips were spot-on and I can vouch for the fact that they work! In fact, I bet that following just a few of the suggestions in this ebook would pay for the price of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle and then quite a bit more!
I did disagree with the pricing that the author suggested in the ebook (I thought it was too high, but maybe it would work for certain parts of the country?), but otherwise, I thought it was a very valuable read!
#15. Lean Fit 1.0 Home Workout Guide
Looking for a workout program you can do at home? In this ebook, you’ll get a workout program complete with printable checklists and daily workouts. It’s a well-designed ebook and has great photos in it, too.
#16. Mom to Mompreneur
Want to start a blog? This well-done ebook walks you through the steps to take to get your blog successfully running in 30 days.
I especially loved the strong emphasis on branding and colors and graphics. They are such an important part of successfully building a blog in this visually driven online world.
#17. Online Safety Handbook
The design of this ebook isn’t great and some of the content is outdated, the information is really important. Since I spend a lot of time online, I’m a huge advocate of understanding the dangers that are there.
This book does a great job of making parents and caregivers aware of ways that kids are preyed on. It also exposes ways that the internet and social media can have a very detrimental impact on kids. Plus, there are lots of tips and suggestions for ways to set up safeguards for our families and kids.
#18. The Stay At Home Moms’ Year-Round Outfit Guide
I loved this ebook! If you need some outfit inspiration, don’t miss it.
This ebook helps you put together capsule wardrobes. Then, it gives you outfit formulas for creating adorable outfits from these — for every season! And the outfits were almost all really cute and totally my style!
#19. The Swap: The Lazy Genius Guide to Decluttering for Life
This well-designed ebook helps you think through areas where you tend to struggle with clutter. come up with creative solutions. I love Kendra’s no-nonsense approach to life and it really shines through in her wisdom and suggestions in this ebook.
#20. Time Blocking 101
This fantastic workbook helps you to account of how you’re spending your time. Then, it helps you find ways to be much more effective and intentional.
I loved the beautiful design of the ebook. It just made me want to jump in and follow through with the outlined plan in the book. Plus, the printables were super helpful!
Ready to order the Bundle?
You can get all 20 of these products + 84 more for just $29.97 through midnight tonight! Plus, there are some AMAZING bonuses that you’ll get! (You can see all the bonuses towards the bottom of the sales page HERE.)
Click below to purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle for just $29.97!
P.S. This bundle is backed by a 30-day happiness guarantee. Not sure whether this is a good fit for you? You can go ahead and purchase. If for any reason, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can request a full refund — no questions asked.
30 Quick & Easy Protein Snack Ideas
Need some quick and easy protein snack ideas? Here are 30 tried and true ideas that require very little time and effort!
One of the things that has helped me be more functional this pregnancy is making myself eat some type of quick protein snack every few hours — even when I was very nauseous and it was the last thing I felt like doing! I’ve found that protein snacks give me more energy and actually (usually!) makes me feel less nauseous to make sure that I don’t have an empty stomach.
I mentioned this idea of eating quick protein snacks on my Instagram account, and someone said they struggled to come up with quick protein ideas. So yesterday, I asked my followers to share their favorite quick and easy protein snack ideas. I compiled the following list based upon their suggestions and some of my favorite ideas.
30 Quick and Easy Protein Snack Ideas
- Hard Boiled Eggs — Make a bunch of hard boiled eggs in the Instant Pot and keep them in the fridge. You can also mashed them with some mayo, mustard, and salt/pepper and spread on toast.
- Scrambled Eggs — I like to put a little cottage cheese in them while they are cooking + top them with a little cheese.
- Edamame
- Cheese Cubes and Almonds
- Beef Jerky
- Rotisserie Chicken — Buy it and keep it in the fridge. You can eat it cold or warm it up!
- Epic Bars
- Tuna — The grab and go packets are especially easy!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Wasa Crackers or Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter
- Lara Protein Bars
- Lunch Meat with a Dill Pickle
- Hummus and Veggies
- Mixed Nuts
- Trail Mix
- Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Nuggets
- Cheese Sticks
- Energy Bites
- Cashew Butter with Apples or Bananas
- Greek Yogurt
- Cottage Cheese
- Nut Thin Crackers with Cheese or Peanut Butter
- Bean and Cheese Burritos
- Beef or Turkey Sticks
- Turkey Pepperoni
- Collagen — You can mix it into your coffee or tea and it’s tasteless
- Kodiak Cakes Frozen Waffles with Peanut Butter
- Chocolate Milk
- Greek Yogurt Parfait
- Justin’s Nut Butter Packets
- Applegate Chicken & Maple Sausages
What other quick and easy protein ideas would you add to this list?
FREE DOWNLOAD: 60 Meals To Help You Avoid Takeout!
Meal time just got so much easier!
My Completely Honest Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Review
Thinking of purchasing the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle? Be sure to read this honest review first to help you decide whether it is worth paying for or not.
Due to its popularity back in May, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is on flash sale again for two days only!! If you missed it back in May and wished you’d bought it, here’s your second chance!
My Honest Review of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle
I know many of you look forward to purchasing this every year. It’s such a HUGE bundle of resources on all things homemaking.
I mean, hello, for just $29.97 you get access to:
- 27 eBooks
- 30 eCourses & videos
- 25 printables
- 16 workbooks
- 3 summits
- 2 membership sites
For real! And that’s why so many of you buy the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle year after year… because you get access to so many new resources (many that you might never discover on your own!) for just one flat rate price of $29.97.
Is It Really Worth $29.97?
Many of you might be on the fence about whether you should purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle or not.
You’ve seen multiple emails about it from various email lists you are on. You’re wondering whether it’s really as amazing as it looks. You might have even been thinking that it sounds too good to be true.
Yes, you get a LOT of resources for just $29.97! Considering that the supposed retail value of all of the items bundled together would be almost $2300, that can seem like a c-r-a-z-y deal!
However, I want you to be really wise and intentional in how you spend your money. Which is why I’m writing this really honest review. I’ll share my thoughts on what I liked and what I didn’t like.
And then in tomorrow’s post, I’ll share what my favorite resources were from the bundle.
Yes, I Went Through Every Single Resource in the Bundle!
I got so much positive response from doing honest reviews of The Ultimate Productivity Bundle and the Master Your Money Bundle that I knew I needed to also do the same for the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.
But let’s just say, this was a MUCH bigger undertaking to go through every single ebook, online course, and product in the bundle.
In fact, after going through about 30 of them, I started to wonder if I had up and lost my mind in making this commitment. But I’m here to tell you that I did it — and if this post helps you make an informed decision about whether or not to buy, then it will have been worth the hours and hours I invested! 🙂
My Honest Thoughts
Here are my honest thoughts on the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle:
The Negatives:
- Some of the products had an inflated price tag. The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is supposedly valued at $2300. I’m going to be honest and say that I felt at least 25% of the products had an inflated price tag. And, truth be told, I likely wouldn’t use at least 60% of them. So for me, the value would be really and truly more like a $300 to $400. Maybe, possibly, more like $500. But definitely not $2300.
- A few of the products were hard to access. Due to the nature of how the bundle is set up, you have to individually download/sign up for each product. This can be frustrating because it means you have to set up account after account for each product you want.
- Many of the courses required my email address to access. Guess what that means? My inbox is now getting a lot more emails because in order to download or sign up for a product, I had to give out my email address and now the author put me on their email list.
- A number of the products will not be your cup of tea. The products in this bundle are from a wide variety of sources and I cannot see how every single one would ever appeal to every single person. There are a number of homeschooling products that would only appeal to homeschoolers. Some of the products are from a very Christian perspective and these would only appeal to Christians. The resources for moms that would only be helpful if you have kids or care for children on a regular basis. And so on and so forth.
- There were SO many resources. This can be a positive or a negative. I personally loved it (see below), but I can see where some people could feel overwhelmed by it. It could make you feel like you need to do more and be more… like you should homeschool and set up a cleaning system and learn how to hand letter and take up sewing and practice hospitality and redecorate your house right away and all at once after buying this bundle.
*I completely understand that this is one of the reasons authors are willing to heavily discount their products in the bundle, but the irony is that I’m now getting quite a few extra emails that are promoting the bundle to me from these very authors! I really would love it if those who have products in the bundle make sure to tag people who come into their system so that we aren’t getting their bundle promotion emails because we downloaded a product from them that was in the bundle we already bought!
The Positives:
- There were SO many resources. As I said above, this could be a positive or a negative. For me, I loved that there was so much variety. I loved that I could buy one bundle and get access to a plethora of different courses and resources on all sorts of topics.
- There were some really high-quality products. I was thoroughly impressed with how many of the courses and ebooks were well-done, well-designed, and truly quality. It felt like the folks at Ultimate Bundles were very careful with what they accepted this time around and it showed in the caliber of the products.
- I was personally very inspired by a number of the resources. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of resources, I felt so inspired by the amazing women who put all of these together and who are out there doing such great work through their online businesses.
- I learned a lot from the resources. In going through the resources individually, I learned a number of new things when it came to makeup application, home decorating, and time management.
- There were so many different perspectives — truly something for everyone! While I said above that not all of the resources are going to be your “cup of tea”, because there is such a wide variety of resources from so many different people with difference perspectives, you are definitely going to find at least 5 or 20 different courses and ebooks that will likely be very helpful and beneficial for you personally.
Want to Know My Favorite Resources From the Bundle?
Like I said, I went through each product in the bundle myself and tomorrow, I’ll be sharing my top picks from it.
I had initially planned to share my list today as part of this post, but it ended up being so long that I felt like I should turn it into two posts. Stay tuned for that post tomorrow!
Ready to order the Bundle?
For two days only, you can get all of the resources in this Homemaking Bundle for just $29.97! Plus, there are some AMAZING bonuses that you’ll get! (You can see all the bonuses towards the bottom of the sales page HERE.)
Click below to purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle for just $29.97!
P.S. This bundle is backed by a 30-day happiness guarantee. Not sure whether this is a good fit for you? You can go ahead and purchase. If for any reason, the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can request a full refund — no questions asked.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
How to Finally Break Free from Anxiety & Stress
Need some practical encouragement to move past anxiety, stress, and survival mode? Longing for life of more wholeness? Don’t miss this episode with Aundi Kolber!
Missed previous episodes of The Crystal Paine show? You can listen to them here.
Okay, I know I’ve said this before about other episodes, but I truly think today’s episode was one of my very favorite podcast recordings to date!
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Aundi Kolber is a therapist and I felt like I got a therapy session just by spending an hour with her?! 🙂 Listen in to the episode and you’ll see what I mean.
Aundi has a gift of sharing so eloquently and yet also in such a heartfelt manner. She just exudes such peace and calmness, but also such profound wisdom and understanding of how we are wired.
In this episode, we not only talk about what’s saving our lives (I had to laugh that she talked about something related to brain science and I talk about leggings!) and the books we’re reading, but then we dive into some deep heart topics. She shares what it means to Try Softer (the title of her new book), the difference between Big T trauma and little t trauma and how we might be experiencing the aftershocks of little t trauma without even realizing it and this might be at the root of our stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
Aundi explains thoroughly how the body processes pain — whether physical or emotional. And she provides very concrete suggestions and ideas for how we can start to take steps toward more healing and wholeness.
Whether you feel stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed or whether you know someone who does, this conversation is highly important and one that you do not want to miss. I have thought of it over and over again since we recorded last week and will be taking so many nuggets of truth from it to apply to my everyday life.
Powered by RedCircle
In This Episode: [00:25] Welcome back! I am so excited to have Aundi Kolber on the show!
[01:06] Aundi shares about a little about her background and family
[03:43] Meaningful walks are saving Aundi’s life — and the brain science she shares here is fascinating! And then, to keep things a little more down to earth (!), I talk about my new favorite leggings.
[09:25] We discuss our current reads, including one written by a therapist and a novel I finished last week.
[13:08] Why did Aundi write Try Softer? (I loved that she wrote it as a love letter to her younger self!)
[17:20] We talk about the stigma surrounding the word “trauma” and why it’s important to understand if you’ve experienced little t trauma.
[19:27] How can you tell if you’re holding onto the pain of the past and how does it show up in your life?
[23:50] What does it mean to “try softer” and how can we apply this in our every day lives?
[27:37] Aundi shares practical first steps for beginning to break free from stress, anxiety, and survival mode — even if you feel so stuck and overwhelmed that you don’t know how to take the first step!
Links and Resources:
- Try Softer by Aundi Kolber
- Aundi’s Website
- My New Favorite Leggings
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (Note: Aundi wrote me a few days after the interview to say that she would give a language warning with this book. She said it didn’t show up until the later parts of the book which she hadn’t read yet when we did this interview.)
- Boundaries for Your Soul by Allison Cook and Kimberly Miller
- The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay
- Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
- Aundi on Facebook
- Aundi on Twitter
- Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon
- CrystalPaine.com
- MoneySavingMom.com
- Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
- Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]
How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show
The podcast is available on iTunes, Android, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player we’ll include in the show notes of each episode. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.)
Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission — at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
My favorite sweatshirt is as low as $16.99 shipped today!
One of my favorite Amazon sweatshirts is featured on the Amazon deal of the day today! It’s $16.99 to $19.99 with free shipping and comes in a lot of different colors.
By the way, the photo on Amazon of the sweatshirt makes it look more distressed, but mine came and it’s brighter and more shiny as shown by these photos.
I pulled the drawstring out of the hoodie part since they were really long and you either need to cut them or just pull them out. Also, the pocket stitching is a little loose and it’s come undone a little bit with a lot of washes, but otherwise, it’s held up really well and I’ve worn it over and over again and washed it many times!
They have so many cute styles and many of them are just $16.99 shipped today! I just ordered this one shown above, too! I’ve been wanting to get a camo patterned top for the fall and am so excited to have found this deal!
By the way, I’m wearing a size small in these pictures. They were taken months ago, but even at almost 12 weeks pregnant, I’m so happy that I can still wear this and, based upon how it fits, I think I should be able to wear it for quite a bit longer!
Psst! Speaking of tops I love, did you see that Cents of Style has their wildly popular Jagger Boyfriend V-Neck Tee for 12.47 shipped when you use coupon code RADJAG at checkout?!
I love these shirts!! I have two of them and have worn both of them over and over again! I especially love that they are long and roomy and so cute with leggings. In fact, I’ve pretty much been living in the above outfit for the past few weeks!
Gretchen’s $63 Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan for 5
Gretchen’s $63 Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan for 5
Dillons
2 Kroger Ice Cream – $1.49 each
1 Oven Roasted Turkey Breast – $1.99
1 gallon Milk – $1.59
3 bags Simple Truth Chips (6 count) – Marked down to $0.99 each
3 boxes Kind Bars – $1.99 each, used 3 $1 Ibotta rebate and 3 $1 Kroger Cashback rebates – Free after rebates
2 boxes General Mills Cereal – $1.79 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.29 each after coupon
1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.89
1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.89
1 Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs – $2.50
5 pkg Jello Pudding – $0.99 each
5 pkg Danimal Smoothies – $0.99 each
3 bags Apples – Marked down to $0.99 each
1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.29
1 pkg Red Grapes – $2.30
Total after coupons and rebates: $32.85
Aldi
1 Old Fashioned Oats – $2.45
1 lb Ground Beef – $3.39
2 Half & Half – $1.55 each
1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85
1 bag Snack Crackers – $1.35
1 pkg Oyster Crackers – $0.89
1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.95
1 Mild Cheddar Cheese – $1.69
1 gallon Milk – $1.49
2 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 Pineapple – $1.29
1 loaf Bread – $0.95
1 Honey Bear – $2.89
1 bag Baking Potatoes – $2.39
Total: $30.56
Total for both stores: $63.41
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast, Eggs, Donuts (after church treat)
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey Sandwiches, Fruit/Veggies/Cheese/Crackers, Lunch at my moms (We are bringing apples and energy balls.), Cheese Quesadillas, Salad Bar, Leftovers
Dinners
Hot Dogs over the fire, Chips
Homemade Pizza, Breadsticks
Grilled Hamburgers, Steamed Broccoli
Spaghetti, Pumpkin Muffins (from freezer), Steamed Green Beans
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Tossed Salad, Fruit Salad
Baked Potato Bar
Out to eat
Life Update: Pregnancy (week 11) & a trip to South Africa & Herndon, VA
Life Update: Pregnancy (week 11) & a trip to South Africa & Herndon, VA
Welcome to my weekly life update where I share about my pregnancy & give you a peek into our life this past week. If you want to follow a lot more behind-the-scenes and real-time updates every week, be sure to follow my stories and posts on Instagram.
In case you missed last week’s update, check it out here.
11 weeks! I’m so excited to be getting close to the 2nd trimester!
This week was a week full of ups and downs. I had some really bad days and two surprisingly decent days where I actually had a few short windows where I didn’t feel nauseous. It was the most incredible feeling and, even though it was short-lived, it was just the encouragement I needed after having a really rough and discouraging week last week nausea-wise.
(By the way, it seems that most people have told me that their nausea is always worst in the mornings. For some reason, mine gets progressively worse as the day goes on. By bedtime, it’s at the severe level and often keeps me up for a few hours. I don’t have any explanation for this but it’s how it’s been in all my pregnancies so I guess it just is what it is!)
HIGHLIGHTS:
I had another doctor’s appointment this week and another ultrasound. Since Jesse and Kathrynne are in South Africa, I took Silas and Kaitlynn with me to the appointment. It was exciting for them to get to see our baby on the screen! Also, my doctor says the baby has grown quite a bit & everything is looking so healthy.
NOTABLE:
We had the NIPT test done this week. We opted to do it for a variety of reasons, even though it’s not 100% accurate. One exciting side benefit: we should be finding out what we’re having in the next two weeks!
We haven’t decided whether we’ll be telling people or not. We didn’t find out with either of the girls but chose to find out with Silas and decided that we preferred finding out to being surprised. However, with Silas, we decided to keep it a secret from everyone, including our extended family. We may or may not do that again.
WEIGHT GAIN:
A total of 4 pounds so far… which means that I have officially outgrown a lot of my clothes. I ordered a few new tunic tops from Amazon and a few new pairs of leggings. I also went through my closet and pared it down to the looser-fitting tops/bottoms I already own that I can still into comfortably.
I’m guessing I’ll be transitioning to maternity clothes sometime in the next 4-6 weeks. (If I remember right, I usually start wearing them around 17-20 week but I feel like my belly has popped faster this pregnancy!)
A Peek Into Our Week
A number of you have asked for me to post a picture of Quill (our pet hedgehog). He’s doing so well and has grown so big.
A Trip to South Africa
Jesse and Kathrynne flew to South Africa on Wednesday to visit our friends there and see how things were going with the ministry we support there.
(We usually go every year and it’s one of my favorite places ever, but for some reason, I didn’t feel a peace about going this year. It didn’t make any sense at all, but I just felt strongly that I wasn’t supposed to go… little did I know that it was going to be because I was pregnant!)
They’ve been sending me pictures of their time there and I am just so happy for them.
Jesse said that Kathrynne is having the best time and it warms my mama heart so much to see my girl halfway around the world loving on these kids and teens.
While they’ve been gone, we stayed busy back here. I got to interview Aundi Kolber for next week’s podcast episode. I can’t wait for you to listen to this episode; it is fantastic!
(Also, we looked like we were dressed for a gender reveal party or something! I didn’t even realize it until I looked at the picture we took together after she left!)
I also was so excited one morning to feel well enough to go to Kroger quickly and pick up their Friday-Saturday deals!
A Trip to Herdon, VA
And then Kaitlynn and Silas flew with me to Herdon, VA for me to speak at the 2:1 conference. (I usually only bring one child with me on speaking engagements, but since they were both on fall break and Jesse and Kathrynne were gone, they both got to come with me!)
One of the highlights of the conference was getting to meet Janet Benge, who has co-authored so many of the Christian Heroes Then and Now books. I had to get a picture for my mom.
I loved getting to do a breakout workshop about exploding your engagement on Instagram! The attendees were the best and I could have stayed for another hour or two and answered all the questions I didn’t get to answer during the session and at the end!
One of my favorite things is getting to help others also fall in love with the power of Instagram. Speaking of which, are you following me on Instagram? If not, you’re missing out as I share lots of behind-the-scenes, money-saving deals, and real-time updates there… many that I never get space to share here on the blog!
I also gave the morning keynote sharing how my parents impacted my life and the power of legacy.
What I’m…
Reading right now: The Only Plane in the Sky (Note: This has a little bit of language in it, but it is a very worthwhile read and I would highly recommend it.)
Watching right now: Have you seen the Enneagram Rhapsody? Multiple sent it to me this week and I had to laugh because there was so much truth in it. If you are an Enneagram fan, you’ll probably love it, if you haven’t seen it yet. 🙂
Listening to right now: This week, I’ve been listening to the Serene and Pearl UnShow at night when I have trouble sleeping because of nausea. I love the Trim Healthy Mama podcast and their quirky sense of humor and the way they disagree with one another and tease one another. (A lot of people are annoyed with how they talk over each other on their podcast. I happen to love it — probably because I grew up in a large family and we are always talking over each other and teasing one another mercilessly!)
Loving right now: This kimono (I have it on in the photo at the top of this post. It’s perfect to dress up an outfit, so comfortable, and is something I’ve worn multiple times in the last month!)
What are YOU reading, watching, listening to, and loving right now? I’d love to hear!
In Case You Missed It:
Brigette’s $84 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $84 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
4-lb pkg 80/20 Fresh Ground Beef, reduced – $7.72
1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $2.85
1 bag Pepperoni – $2.19
1 Cauliflower – $1.99
1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99
1 pkg Grape Tomatoes – $1.19
1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $3.69
2 bags Fresh Broccoli Crowns – $2.30
1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $1.99
1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.69
2 3-lb bag Gala Apples – $3.58
2 large bags Red Grapes ($0.89/lb) – $5.12
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $2.09
1 large jar Applesauce – $1.95
1 pkg Zucchini – $1.19
1 pkg Oyster Crackers – $0.87
1 pkg String Cheese – $1.95
1 pkg Deli Sliced Cheese – $1.19
1 2-lb bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $4.49
1 2-lb bag Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – $4.49
1 large canister Quick Oats – $2.39
1 64-oz carton Unsweetened Almond Milk – $1.69
1/2 gallon Whole Milk – $0.58
4 half-gallons 1% Milk – $1.00
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.55
1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.55
1-lb box Butter Quarters – $2.45
4 dozen Eggs – $3.12
1 pkg Taco Seasoning Mix – $0.29
1 pkg Flour Tortillas – $0.65
1 pkg Plain Rice Cakes – $1.45
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65
1 loaf Split Top Wheat Bread, reduced – $0.49
1 bag Mulitgrain Blue Corn Chips – $1.17
1 box Honey Nuts Oats – $1.19
1 box Honey Crunch Oats – $1.29
1 jar Almond Butter – $3.49
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce – $0.85
1 bag Marshmallows – $0.89
Grocery Total for the Week: $84.81
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:
Toast, Cereal, Oatmeal, Veggie Omelets, Boiled/Fried/Scrambled Eggs, Fruit, Cottage Cheese, Smoothies
Lunches
Cheese Quesadillas, Apples, Mini Cucumbers
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches/Rice Cakes, Grapes, Mini Sweet Peppers x 2
Sliced Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Oranges, Carrots x 2
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Taco Salad (Blue Corn Chips, Seasoned Ground Venison, Shredded Romaine, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Salsa, Plain Greek Yogurt), Grapes
Chicken Noodle Soup with Oyster Crackers, Grapes, Roasted Broccoli
Church Picnic (main dish is provided; I’m bringing Rice Krispy Treats and a big pan of Macaroni and Cheese)
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Tossed Salad, Roasted Cauflower, Pull Apart Oat Rolls
Homemade Pepperoni Pizza, Tossed Salad
Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup over Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli
Leftovers, Tossed Salad