Looking for a quick and easy breakfast recipe? This simple Breakfast Casserole one is one we’ve loved for years.
This Easy Breakfast Casserole sparks nostalgia!
My mom used to make a Breakfast Casserole at Christmastime that we always looked forward to. Her breakfast casserole recipe had a few more ingredients in it, but this version still brings back memories of those Christmas brunches.
This pared down version of my mom’s Breakfast Casserole is one we ate often in our lean law school days. Any time I found a really amazing deal on cubed ham, I’d buy it up and package it in little baggies in the freezer to make this recipe. Then, I’d look for a deal on eggs and cheese and I had the makings of this casserole.
We didn’t eat a lot of meat in those days, so this felt like a really extravagant meal, but it was one I could make for $3 or less per pan by shopping sales and it would make enough for us to get three dinners from. We’d serve it with whatever fruit I’d gotten on sale that week and it’d be a special dinner for us!
My target price for dinners in those days was to shoot for $0.50 to $1 per meal per person and this meal fit that bill. We had such fond memories of it — and it’s one we still make today, even though we’ve raised our grocery budget quite a bit!
Ingredients you’ll need for this Quick and Easy Breakfast
- 6-8 eggs
- 1/2 to 1 pound meat (ham, sausage, bacon, etc.), browned and chopped
- 3 slices bread (any kind — and day old bread works great!), cubed or torn
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice), shredded
How to make an Easy Breakfast Egg Casserole
1. Lightly grease an 8×8 pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the bread cubes, meat, and half of the cheese and dump into prepared pan.
3. In the same bowl, beat eggs and pour over meat/cheese mixture.
4. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Bake at 350º for 20 to 30 minutes, until casserole is golden brown.
Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe Variations
I love that this recipe is so versatile! You can add in chopped onions or peppers or spices to jazz it up. If your family likes spicier foods, you can serve it with salsa or hot sauce.
If you’re gluten-free, you can use gluten-free bread. If you’re dairy-free, well, I can’t help you there. I’m just sorry that you have to live in a world without cheese!
Serving this Easy Egg Breakfast Casserole
This recipes serves 4-6 people, depending on how hungry they are and what other foods are being served.
This casserole is very satisfying on its own, but pairs well with any type of fresh fruit and/or muffins.
You could even bake this recipe the night before and reheat in the morning for breakfast.
Easy Breakfast Casserole with Bread storage
Any leftovers can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed food storage container and reheated for a quick breakfast or lunch later in the week.
You can also freeze single-serving-size portions to defrost later (it reheats REALLY well!)
Easy Breakfast Casserole with Bread
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1 pound breakfast meat ham, sausage, bacon, etc., browned and chopped
- 3 slices bread cubed or torn
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8×8 pan.
- In a medium bowl, mix the bread cubes, meat, and half of the cheese and dump into prepared pan.
- In the same bowl, beat eggs and pour over meat/cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350º for 20 to 30 minutes, until casserole is golden brown.
Nutrition
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My Amazing $20 Thrift Store Haul
Guest post from Jennifer
I love thrift stores!
I’m not ashamed of the fact that I love to save money and get incredible deals. Better than Black Friday or any clearance sale there out there, thrift stores are the end-all be-all of bargain shopping.
To me, there is nothing better than a good thrift store haul.
I’ve been “thrifting” for years, and never plan to stop. Where else can you find clothes for the whole family, toys, furniture (our dining room chairs were a thrift store find) electronics, books, bikes, and everything you could need for your home for up to 90% off retail prices?
A good thrift store can be your one stop shop for pretty much anything, and you never know what you’re going to find.
I could go on and on about the thrill of finding a North Face coat for $7.00 or a pair of brand new Keen sandals for $6.00 and Toms for $4.00. I could talk to you for hours about how thrift store shopping helped us during our lean years and continues to help us put more money into our savings.
But right now I will talk about what I got for about $20.00 at my local Salvation Army on a Wednesday in December.
On this particular trip I had my two older boys with me (6 and 8), and we were on a quick trip just to get us out of the house during Christmas break.
We were looking for toys (always), shoes, workout T-shirts me, workout pants for dad and dresses for Maggie (age 3).
Here’s what we got – ALL for only $21.68!!
- 1 Girls coat
- 2 Sets of pajamas (one night gown, one footsie PJ’s)
- 8 T-shirts (2 for me, and 6 for the kiddos)
- 1 Pair of black leggings
- 1 Hoodie
- 1 Dance leotard
- 1 Dress
- 1 Pair men’s workout pants
- 1 Minnie mouse outfit (skirt and top!)
- 1 Batman helicopter
- 1 Iron man figure
The Highlights
The black leggings :: I thought I was getting a pair of workout pants for myself (they were in the sweat pant section) but upon further investigation I found out that the pants were actually thick leggings. I found the exact item on the Dillard’s website selling for $37.00!
The Missouri Home Shirt :: I have been wanting one of these shirts for a while so I was so excited to find this gem. This shirt retails for about $16.00!
The boys Nike performance shirt :: My older boys love “slicky” shirts and I love the quality of name brands so when we found this one for only $1.00 we couldn’t pass it up!
The grey hoodie :: This is the most comfortable sweatshirt I have ever owned. Its a bit frumpy but it’s perfect for lazy winter days.
The girls coat :: We needed a casual coat for Maggie and this one was her size and still had the zippered hood attached (that’s a bonus for thrift store coats).
The Minnie Mouse outfit :: It’s just the cutest!! Maggie is a skirt wearing girl and who doesn’t love Minnie? This outfit was $1.00!
The toys :: The Batman helicopter alone is selling on Amazon for $29.00 and the Iron Man figure retails for $10.00. We paid $4.00 for both!
This was just a normal day at my local thrift store! I wasn’t planning on writing about this shopping trip, but once I realized how many great items we found, I couldn’t resist.
Go check out your local thrift stores, there are bargains to be had and deals just waiting to be found.
Seriously, go!
No one will judge you — the only people that will even see you there are fellow thrift store shoppers. Just remember, not every trip is a success, but you never know what you can find.
I love thrift stores!
I’m Jennifer and I live in Blue Springs Missouri. I’ve been married for 11 years to an amazing man. I’m blessed to be a stay at home mom of 4 kids (Henry-8 Charlie-6 Maggie-3 James-3). I love to watch TV, craft, bake/cook, thrift shop (obviously) and hang out with my family.
Did you sign up for the free Photography Class?
Just a reminder! This class is tomorrow! Have you signed up yet?
Have you always wished you could learn how to take better photos? Do you wish you could figure out how to get your camera out of auto mode?
If so, I want to invite you to join me for a free LIVE Photography Class I’ll be hosting with Courtney of Click It Up a Notch. Courtney is the force behind Click it Up a Notch which was named by the Huffington Post as one of the Top 5 Blogs for Momtographers. She helps over 50,000 photographers each week learn how to capture their life, beautifully.
In this class, she’ll teach you:
- What you should be asking yourself each time you pick up your camera
- The one piece of equipment she wishes she hadn’t wasted her money on (and what you should buy instead)
- The #1 composition mistake that will kill your photo & what to do instead
- One simple tip that can take your photo from flat to fabulous
- 3 simple things you need to do EACH time you pick up your camera
- How forgetting to take this one shot can impact the story you are telling
This online class will be at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 18th. Go here to read more and sign up.
Y’all. I cannot wait for this class because I have so much to learn when it comes to photography. And whether you want to take better photos for your blog or social media, or whether you are considering photography as a side business down the road, or whether you just want to learn to capture the every day moments with your kids, I think you’ll love this free class.
Click here to sign up for this free class on 5 ACTIONABLE tips to better blog photos.
P.S. Because we know the importance of investing in yourself, we want to encourage you to show up live. We will be doing a fun giveaway for live attendees only as an extra incentive to make it a priority to show up live! Sign up here.
Gretchen’s $57 Grocery Shopping Trip & Menu Plan
Aldi
1 gallon Milk – $2.08
1 dozen Eggs – $1.59
2 pkg Blackberries – $0.89 each
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup – $0.49 each
1 pkg Yeast – $0.89
1 bag (3 lbs) Grapefruit – $1.99
1 pkg Green Peppers – $0.99
1 bag Spinach – $1.29
1 bag (3 lbs) Apples – $3.19
2.09 lbs Bananas – $0.92
1 loaf Bread – $0.89
1 pkg Crackers – $1.49
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 can Tuna – $0.70
1 jar Spaghetti Sauce – $0.99
3 Cucumbers – $0.49 each
1 bag Frozen Broccoli – $1.19
1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99
1 lb Butter – $2.55
1 Sour Cream – $1.19
Total: $33.15
Dillons
I did a Clicklist order this week so I could use my free coupons before they expired. 🙂
2 pkg Blueberries – $2 each
1 Larabar Bites – $2.99, used $1/1 e-coupon AND $1/1 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.99 after coupon and rebate
1 Arla Cream Cheese – $2.99 (I had a free e-coupon for this but it didn’t come off. I didn’t realize it until I was already home.) 🙁
1 Chobani Yogurt – $3.99, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 gallon Milk – $1.89 (This was cheaper than Aldi, so I went ahead and bought another gallon.)
1 dozen Eggs – $1.69
1 Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bites – $3.29, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Hormel Bacon – $5.49, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kool Aid Jammers – $1.79, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Mayonnaise – $1.69, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.44 after rebate
1 Kroger Spaghetti Sauce – $0.99
1 Kroger Instant Oatmeal – $1.49
1 Mott Fruit Snacks – $2.19, used Free e-coupon AND $0.50/1 SavingStar.com rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate
1 Philly Bagel Chips & Cream Cheese Dip – $1.67 each, used Buy One Get One Free e-coupon – $0.83 each after coupon
1 loaf Sara Lee Bread – $3.29, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Simple Truth Turkey Breast – $3.49, used $1/1 e-coupon – $2.49 after coupon
1 Simple Truth Kettle Corn – $2, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Simple Truth Ketchup – $1.69, used $0.30/1 e-coupon – $1.39 after coupon
1 Tropicana Orange Juice – $2.99, used $2/1 e-coupon – $0.99 after coupon
1 Zone Kids Bars – $4.29, used Free e-coupon AND $1.50/1 Checkout 51 rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate
Used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt
Clicklist Fee: $4.95
Total after coupons and rebates: $24.72
Total for both stores: $57.87
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Eggs, Toast, Grapefruit x 5
Cereal
French Toast, Bacon, Orange Juice
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Apples x 2
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Cucumbers, Blackberries
Cheese Quesadillas, Apples, Blackberries
Turkey Sandwiches, Sliced Veggies
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Spinach Salad
Venison Stew, Blueberry Muffins
Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken, Steamed Peas, Blueberry Muffins
Venison Burgers (using buns from the freezer), Chips, Spinach Salad
Spaghetti, Homemade Bread, Steamed Broccoli
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Penne, Fruit Salad
Out to eat
What I Read & Watched This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year.
What I Read Last Week
Last week, I read And It Was Beautiful. This book is written by the late Kara Tippetts — a blogger who passed away from cancer a few years ago. It’s beautifully written, moving, and inspiring.
It really challenged me in how I mother. Am I embracing the everyday, ordinary moments? So much of the time, I think that I miss a lot of moments because I’m not not slowing down enough to see them.
I’m also slowly reading — and absolutely loving — Mom Set Free. I love it so much that I asked a new friend if she’d be interested in doing a book study on it together. We start that on Saturday and I’m really excited about it!
What I Watched Last Week
Paddington 2 — Silas and I went to see Paddington 2 together and he really loved it. He said it was interesting and sad. I thought there were some really beautiful parts of it… especially the encouragement to be kind and nice to everyone. We definitely need all the reminders of that that we can!
The Darkest Hour — Jesse and I went to this on our anniversary and Jesse loved it. I thought it was interesting, but definitely not my favorite movie. In fact, I may have fallen asleep for a few minutes during parts of it (we were in the theater with recliner seats!)
By the way, we got MoviePasses for Christmas and we have fallen in love with them. You just can’t beat $10 per month to be able to see one movie of your choice every single day. I’ll be doing a really in-depth review of it on Friday.
We also loved watching the next episode of This is Us and Designated Survivor — two of our favorite shows.
How I Find Time to Read
People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.
I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.
What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies you really think I need to read or watch?
I’m co-hosting a free Photography Class on Thursday!
Have you always wished you could learn how to take better photos? Do you wish you could figure out how to get your camera out of auto mode?
If so, I want to invite you to join me for a free LIVE Photography Class I’ll be hosting with Courtney of Click It Up a Notch. Courtney is the force behind Click it Up a Notch which was named by the Huffington Post as one of the Top 5 Blogs for Momtographers. She helps over 50,000 photographers each week learn how to capture their life, beautifully.
In this class, she’ll teach you:
- What you should be asking yourself each time you pick up your camera
- The one piece of equipment she wishes she hadn’t wasted her money on (and what you should buy instead)
- The #1 composition mistake that will kill your photo & what to do instead
- One simple tip that can take your photo from flat to fabulous
- 3 simple things you need to do EACH time you pick up your camera
- How forgetting to take this one shot can impact the story you are telling
This online class will be at 12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 18th. Go here to read more and sign up.
Y’all. I cannot wait for this class because I have so much to learn when it comes to photography. And whether you want to take better photos for your blog or social media, or whether you are considering photography as a side business down the road, or whether you just want to learn to capture the every day moments with your kids, I think you’ll love this free class.
Click here to sign up for this free class on 5 ACTIONABLE tips to better blog photos.
P.S. Because we know the importance of investing in yourself, we want to encourage you to show up live. We will be doing a fun giveaway for live attendees only as an extra incentive to make it a priority to show up live! Sign up here.
A Peek Into Our Lives This Past Week
We celebrated 15 years of marriage this past week. 15 YEARS, people!
There were many times (especially around year 5-6) when I never thought we’d make it. It was just too hard — and I threatened to leave many times.
There are still days when it isn’t easy. In fact, on one of those days recently, I told a good friend, “I love my husband so much, I just don’t like him very much right now.”
Love isn’t about how you feel or how he makes you feel. Love is a choice. It’s getting up every day — on the good days and on the rough days — and saying, “I choose you.”
Jesse, I didn’t know the wild ride I was in for when I married you at 21. I couldn’t have dreamed of some of the high highs and low lows we’d experience. I couldn’t have imagined how challenging and yet how amazing marriage would be. Thank you for sticking with me, believing in me, never giving up on me, and always choosing me. Thank you for being my very best friend and loving me on my best days and my worst days. I chose you on our wedding day and I still choose you today. I love you! ❤️
Jesse and I were privileged to get to go to this Meeting of the Masters evening event and morning mastermind put on by the folks from the Ziglar team. We got to hear from Zig Ziglar’s son, from Kevin Harrington (one of the original sharks on Shark Tank), and Michael Jr. (he’s a comedian who packs a punch — we laughed until we cried and also felt invigorated to use our lives well).
At the Mastermind, we all went around and shared the one thing we want to accomplish in 2018. (Mine? To invest in the lives of women in my local community in 2018 and build more intentional face-to-face relationships.)
It was moving, stirring, and very inspiring and we were honored to get to be there. One of the beautiful souls I loved meeting there was Lady J.
The first two days of this past week, I was kind of a hot mess. I felt high strung, frazzled, overwhelmed, and irritated.
And my attitude seeped out to pretty much everyone close to me. I snipped at my kids. I yelled at Jesse. I got frustrated at one of my employees.
I realized that I didn’t have grace to extend to others because I wasn’t accepting the grace God was extending to me.
I was feeling like I needed to control every little thing in my life — and it wasn’t working. And I was beating myself up for it and feeling guilt and shame about it. This translated into all the stress I was feeling.
So I gave up — on trying to micromanage and instead let myself rest in the grace my Heavenly Father was extending to me.
Let me tell you, fully resting there made me breathe a big sigh of relief and I’ve been a whole lot happier as a wife and mom and employer since then.
“Lord, let me rest in your abundant grace today — in the middle of the real and raw and messy and interruptions of everyday life. Let me relinquish my need to control all the details to You, the Ultimate Controller of all things. Let me accept Your invitation to rest in Your abundant love for me. Let me soak in your grace and let it seep out to everyone I come in contact with today.”
2018 Goals Update
Personal Goals
1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.
**Progress: 3 books read so far (look for a book update coming tomorrow)
2. Read through the entire Bible.
**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am on Day 14 — yay!
3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.
**Progress: 3 notes written this past week
4. Run 500 miles.
**Progress: 20.5 miles run so far
Marriage Goal
5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.
Family Goals
6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.
7. Take the kids to South Africa.
8. Go on a family road trip.
Financial Goals
9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.
10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)
Business Goals
11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.
12. Launch 5 new courses.
**Progress: 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched this in January and we’re currently working on finishing Content Creation 101 — a new YourBloggingUniversity course!
Slow Day: Week 2
Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.
Each Saturday, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day — and I’ll let the pictures almost 100% speak for themselves, instead of giving many explanations. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!
(It looks like I really need to clean the cover of my Discipleship Group curriculum — yikes!!)
Shown in the Pictures:
Brigette’s $68 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $68 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 box Honey Nut Oats – $1.15
1 box Frosty Flakes – $1.49
1 pkg Gluten-Free Spaghetti Noodles – $1.19
2 boxes Organic Bean Pasts – $6.98
1 pkg Premium Bacon – $2.89
2 pkgs Taco Seasoning Mix – $0.70
1 2-lb bag Black Beans – $2.49
1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.56
1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
1 pkg String Cheese – $1.99
1 jar Cashews – $2.89
2 pkgs Rice Cakes – $2.38
1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.59
1 large Eggs – $0.99
1 6-ct box Pure and Simple Bars – $3.99
1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.49
1 pkg Baby Carrots – $0.79
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.29
1 head Cauliflower – $1.79
1 pkg Strawberries – $1.49
2 3-lb bags Honey Crisp Apples – $6.98
1 3-ct pkg Green Peppers – $0.89
1 bag Zucchini – $0.99
1 5-lb bag Grapefruit – $2.49
1 head Cabbage – $1.19
Total: $54.22
Harris Teeter
3 boxes Corn Pops – $5.00, used $1.00/3 Kellogg’s Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Krave, Frosted Mini Wheats Little Bites or Frosted Flakes Cereals – 1-7-18 RP; Includes 8.7 oz or Larger Only (exp. 02/18/18) (doubled) – $3.00/3 after coupon
1 bottle Garnier Whole Blends Conditioner – $3.50, used $2.00/1 Garnier Whole Blends Shampoo, Conditioner, Or Treatment – 1-7-18 RP; Excludes 3 oz and Care Creams (exp. 02/03/18) (doubled) – FREE after coupon
2 bottles Suave for Men Shampoo – $3.00, used $1.00/1 Suave Men Hair Care Product – 1-7-18 RP; Excludes Trial and Travel Size; Maximum of 2 Identical Coupons Per Household Per Day (exp. 01/21/18) (doubled) – FREE after coupons
2 bottles Suave Professionals Shampoo – $3.00, used 2 $1.00/1 Suave Professionals Gold Or Silver Hair Care Product – 1-7-18 RP; Excludes 2 oz and Twin Packs; Excludes Trial and Travel Size; Maximum of 2 Identical Coupons Per Household Per Day (exp. 01/21/18) (doubled) – FREE after coupons
3 pkgs Blackberries – $2.64
1 pkg Mushrooms, reduced – $1.00
1 pkg Corn Tortillas – $2.49
1 pkg Whole Earth Natural Sweetener – $3.49, used $1.50/1 insert coupon (I’m not sure which insert/date this one was from) (doubled) – $0.49 after coupon
2 jars Polaner All-Fruit Jam – $4.00
Total after Coupons and Tax – $14.20
Grocery Total for the Week: $68.42
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfast. Choices include:
Cereal, Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, Toast, Fruit, Fried/Boiled/Scrambled Eggs or Veggie Omelets
Lunches
Peanut Butter and Jelly on Rice Cakes, Peppers, Fruit x 2
Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Roasted Cauliflower, Apples
Leftovers x 4
Dinners
Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Easy Whole Wheat Bread
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Vegetables, Easy Whole Wheat Bread
Pasta with Sauce (I’m going to make a red sauce with meat, and try a Vegan Alfredo Sauce as well), Tossed Salad, Homemade French Bread
Tostadas, Spanish Rice, Fruit
Dinner Out With Friends
Breakfast for Dinner: Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon
Hamburgers on the Grill, Seasoned Potato Wedges, Tossed Salad
15 Books I Want to Read to My Kids in 2018
Last week, I posted about 44 Books I Plan to Read in 2018 and talked about my own personal reading plans for 2018. This week, for our weekly book post, I wanted to share about my plans for reading aloud to my kids.
You all know I’m a big fan of reading aloud to my kids! It’s something I’ve done since the time they were newborn and I am so grateful that I have. In fact, just the other day, Kathrynne (almost 13), was talking about how so much of what she knows she’s learned through books I’ve read to her, books she’s read, and audiobooks and audio drama she’s listened to. That made me so happy!
As the kids are older and in school, we have to be more intentional about making reading time happen. Recently, we’ve found that reading at dinner time works well. We usually just read for 10-15 minutes right now. We don’t fly through books at that rate, but my goal is to at least get through 10 books this year as a family. I chose 15 to give us options and also to encourage us to see if we can actually read all 15! 🙂
15 Books I Want to Read Aloud to My Kids This Year
- Carry a Big Stick (This was one of my favorite books as a teen!)
- Paperboy
- The Boy on the Wooden Box
- Created for Work (I’ve read this and it was really good!)
- Evidence Not Seen (I read this as a teen multiple times — so good!)
- Boyhood and Beyond (I’ve read this and it was so good!)
- The Journey Back (We’re in the middle of finishing this right now!)
- Adam of the Road
- Catherine, Called Birdy
- I, Juan de Pareja
- Shadow of the Bull
- A Single Shard
- Endurance (My mom read this aloud to us growing up and I have such fond memories of it!)
- The Hidden Treasure of Glaston
- The Bronze Bow
What are some of your family’s favorite read alouds? I’d love to hear!
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A Peek Into Our Life This Past Week (+ 2018 goal update #1)
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
My friend, Bekah, made this for me as a reminder of my word of the year. Oh and I just have to say, that I am loving this word choice. It is already impacting me in big ways!
We rang in the new year with a bang… or more like, we stayed home and watched the ball drop on TV and made S’mores. Yes, we really know how to party! 😉
Quill has been becoming more and more accustomed to us and seems to enjoy interacting with us more and more. It’s been fun for him to start acting like he enjoys being held! (Hedgehogs typically take a long time to warm up to people.)
One of my big hopes for 2018 was that I would get brave enough to stop waiting for the invitations, and start being the initiator.
Initiation is way out of my comfort zone and there are a lot of fears involved for me. But I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines of community and missing out on beautiful relationships. I’m ready to start reaching out, initiating, and opening the door of my heart and home more — despite the awkwardness and fear that is there for me.
With this in mind, I set the goal of exercising hospitality at least once per week. This might mean inviting a friend out for coffee, offering to host someone, offering to babysit a friends’ kids, having a family over for dinner, opening our home to host an event. Just setting this goal has made me intentionally look for opportunities to practice hospitality… and I’ve discovered they are ALL around me!
(Note: I didn’t put this on my goal list, because I don’t want anyone to feel like they are a to do that I am checking off my list — it’s more that I want to have a hospitality mindset and I want to SLOW down more to make more time to savor relationships. So making it a once-a-week goal makes me more focused on making it happen and following through with it.)
Psst! If you live in the Nashville area and are craving intentional relationships with other women, be sure to read this post.
Kathrynne started at her new school on Wednesday. She was really nervous about starting over again, not really knowing anyone, and not knowing what it was going to be like. But she faced her fears and it’s turned out to already seem like it’s going to be a great change for her. We’re so grateful!
What I Read This Past Week
Since I’ll be sharing 15 Books I Want to Read Aloud to my kids as my book post tomorrow, I wanted to share what books I’ve been reading recently in today’s post (I’ll usually share what I’ve been reading in Monday’s posts in 2018).
I’m finishing up reading The Story of the World and we’re also reading The Journey Back (note: this one has some language that I’m editing out as I read it aloud). We’ve been reading for just 10 minutes or so at dinner and that’s been a fun touchpoint in our day together.
I read Destination Simple and The Lucky Few this week. Destination Simple was a very quick read and a good reminder of ways to slow down and simplify. It was perfect for my Year of Slow.
The Lucky Few was a book that the publisher sent to me back in March when it was released. It sat on my shelf untouched since then and I almost got rid of it since I didn’t know anything about the authors.
I’m SO glad that I decided to add it to my list of 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year because it was such a heart-warming read. If you’ve ever considered adoption, if you’ve struggled with infertility, or if you’ve been called to a road that you would have never planned or really thought you wanted, I think this book’s story will encourage you.
What I Watched This Past Week
We didn’t watch any movies or TV shows this past week, but we did watch the Facebook live of the live implosion of the Lifeway building in downtown Nashville. It was kind of crazy to see — especially since I’ve been in that building multiple times!
We also watched a LOT of ice skating because the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were being held and they were choosing the 2018 Olympic figure skaters to represent the U.S. after the championships. We got to go to the Figure Skating Championships last year, so that made it even more fun to watch this year. I cannot WAIT for the Olympics!!!
2018 Goals Update
Personal Goals
1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.
**Progress: 2 books read so far
2. Read through the entire Bible.
**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am on Day 7 — yay!
3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.
**Progress: 2 notes written this past week
4. Run 500 miles.
**Progress: 10.5 miles run so far
Marriage Goal
5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.
Family Goals
6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.
7. Take the kids to South Africa.
8. Go on a family road trip.
Financial Goals
9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.
10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)
Business Goals
11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.
12. Launch 5 new courses.
**Progress: 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched this past week!
Links You Should Check Out
- My interview on the The Simply Joyful Podcast aired this week. I talked about why you shouldn’t make New Year’s resolutions, intentional living, the easiest ways to save on your grocery bill, my Year of Rest, and more. Listen in here.
- Want to find out my tips and tricks for earning free gifts cards and Christmas gifts? I share 10 easy ways to earn free Christmas gifts in this post.
- I posted 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year, in case you are interested. I so much fun putting together this list!
- Struggling with goal-setting? Here’s my 5-Step Plan for Setting Great Goals as a Blogger.
Slow Day: Week 1
Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.
Each Saturday, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day — and I’ll let the pictures almost 100% speak for themselves, instead of giving many explanations. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!
Shown in the pictures:
- She Reads Truth Bible (download the free Bible in a Year program that I’m doing here or sign up to get it via email)
- Mom Set Free (this book is SO good!)
- The Valley of Vision
- My Favorite Things to Buy at Dollar Tree
- Tiesta Tea: Cocoa Mint Chill (one of my faves!)
- Springs in the Valley
- The Lucky Few
- My Favorite Bread Machine
- The Instant Pot I Have
- Honey Buttermilk Bread Recipe
Christmas on a Budget: How to Earn FREE Christmas Gifts!
Psst! Download our Christmas Budget Boost Cheatsheet for 20 super easy ways to add $100-$300 to your gift budget by Christmas!
Buying Christmas Gifts on a Budget
“How do you budget for Christmas gifts?” A lot of people asked me this in messages and in comments and in person recently.
Well, the honest answer is that I get creative throughout the year and look for ways to earn free gift cards and free credit to sites that then we can “buy” Christmas gifts from come Christmas time.
Sure, I have a blog and a lot of followers on social media, so it’s a little easier for me to accrue credit through some of these sites then if you don’t have a blog or don’t have many people who follow you on social media.
BUT, even if you only have 50 friends on Facebook or Instagram, I bet that some of them would be interested in having you share deals or freebies or money-saving tips with them that you’ve discovered from these sites — and then you’ll earn a little referral credit if they click through your link and sign up or make a purchase.
Tips on How to do Christmas on a Budget
Here’s a big tip to make this work well — especially on your personal social media: Tell people details on how it worked for you. Don’t just say, “Hey, sign up through my link!” You might get a few people interested if you do that, but you’re probably not going to earn much credit.
Instead, share your own personal experience and people will pay attention. For instance, share your own pictures and say, “I can’t believe we only paid $22 for all 5 of us to go to an Escape Room thanks to Groupon! If you haven’t signed up for Groupon yet, be sure to sign up and see what deals they offer for your local area…”
The more personal and real-life and hands-on you can make it, the more people will be intrigued and want to actually check it out!
10 Easy Ways to Earn FREE Christmas Gifts
So, here are 10 sites that will pay you (in cash or referral credit) when you refer others or that you can earn Christmas cash from:
- Groupon — Earn $10 in Groupon Bucks per person you refer who signs up through your link and makes a purchase. Groupon Bucks can be used toward any purchase on Groupon. (We bought multiple Christmas gifts from them this year — they have lots of fun gifts in their Groupon Goods section!)
- TopCashBack — Earn a $10 bonus (and sometimes more during promotions) for every person who signs up through your link and makes a minimum purchase that qualifies for cashback. You can cash out once the transactions become payable.
- Swagbucks — Earn $3 in Swagbucks credit for every person who signs up. Plus, you’ll earn 10% of their earnings for LIFE! This is a fantastic referral program because not only is there ongoing credit potential from it, but it also doesn’t require people to spend any money out of pocket for you to earn credit. And the more you can encourage your friends to earn Swagbucks, the more you earn, too! It’s a win-win! You can cash in your SBs for gift cards to Amazon, Starbucks, and more. I can’t even begin to tell you how many gifts we have given over the years as a result of gift cards we’ve earned from Swagbucks! Read more about how to earn more Swagbucks here.
- Ibotta — Earn $5 cash for every person who signs up through your link and then earns their $10 Welcome Bonus (which is really easy to do!) They also offer special incentives throughout the year. This is another great program to promote because you are helping your friends save money and you are earning money by doing so! Read more about how ibotta works here.
- Rakuten (formerly Ebates) — Earn a $15 bonus for every person who signs up through your link and makes a minimum purchase that qualifies for a cashback. They send you a check for your earnings every quarter — if you meet their payout minimum. Read more about how Rakuten works here.
- My Reader Rewards — Earn 10 points for every person who signs up through your link. You can also earn points for taking surveys and taking a few other actions. You can then cash in these points for free books. The books they offer are always changing and there are many different titles that might work for gift ideas!
- Amazon Trade In — Earn Amazon credit for trading in your used books, CDs, DVDs, and electronics. You can then use the Amazon credit to buy Christmas gifts. (Note: There is no referral program for Amazon Trade-In that I know of.)
- InstaGC — Earn 10 points for every person who signs up through your link. In addition, you’ll earn 10% of all their earnings, except for bonuses. InstaGC is similar to Swagbucks in that you earn points for watching videos, filling out surveys, and taking other actions. You can cash in your points for gift cards.
- Surveys — You can earn gift cards and cash by filling out surveys and referring friends! See my list of 6 legitimate survey companies to sign up with here.
Bonus Tip: One Other Way to Get Free Gifts for Christmas
Another fun way to get free Christmas gifts is to sign up for freebies throughout the year. Many of these are ones that could be used in fun gift baskets!
Looking For More?
Check out this post on How to Fund Your Christmas Budget in Just 15 Minutes Per Day!
Have you used any of these referral programs before? Are there any referral programs that I didn’t mention that you think I should add to my list?
FREE DOWNLOAD:
Christmas Budget Boost Cheatsheet!
20 Simple Ways to Easily Add $100+ To Your Gift Budget Before Christmas! 🥳
Register for my new coaching program for just $17!
Do you feel overwhelmed by everything you want to do, have to do, and need to do?
Do you wish you could find a way to stop spinning your wheels and start investing your life in meaningful work?
Do you want to find a way to have a more productive life without setting more goals, getting up earlier, or adding more to your already-fully plate?
I’ve Got Great News For You!
You don’t need to read yet another time management book or go through another productivity course. What you need is someone who will challenge you to get up and take action! You need that kick in the pants to stop collecting great ideas and go out and actually start changing your life!
Why I Created 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life
I created 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life with you in mind. It’s not a productivity course; it’s an accountability and coaching group.
It’s designed for you if you wish you could change your life, but don’t where to start. Or, if you hope to find a way to become more productive and get more done, but feel overwhelmed by the thought of taking yet another productivity course or reading yet another book on time management. And/or if want to make 2018 the year that you actually stop wishing and hoping and planning and start DOING.
I Want to Be Your Coach & Cheerleader!
4 Weeks to a More Productive Life will give you the tools and cheerleading you need to:
- Stop the excuses and get up and change your life — one baby step at a time.
- Get hands-on help to know what you need to do over a 4-week period to start doing less and getting more done.
- AND have time, energy, and breathing room to invest your time and life into the people you love and the things you are passionate about.
- 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life isn’t about great ideas; it’s about taking action!
What You Get When You Sign Up
When you sign up, you’ll get:
- Access to an Accountability/Mastermind Facebook Group with Crystal during the month of January
- 4 one-hour LIVE coaching sessions with Crystal on Monday evenings at 8 p.m. CT (January 8, 15, 22, 29, 2018)
- A weekly followup email from Crystal with additional resources and encouragement to go along with that week’s coaching lesson
- Lifetime access to the recordings of the videos of the coaching sessions to re-watch or review
- Hands-on projects to complete each week to practically apply what you are learning
What Are You Waiting For? Sign Up Now for Just $17!
Want to actually change your life in 2018? Here’s your opportunity! 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life will give you proven strategies to actually do less, but actually get more done!
And because I wanted to make this opportunity as affordable and as accessible as possible, I’m offering this entire coaching program for just $17! That’s a one-time charge!
But hurry! Registration is only open until January 6, 2018.
Click here to sign up for 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life!
How to Actually Start Your New Year Well
Want to start your new year off well? Here are six practical ways to set yourself up for success in the year ahead:
1. Clean out your inbox
It’s amazing how much more productive and organized you can be when your inbox isn’t bulging with way. too. many emails! Take some time to clean out your inbox and set up a great plan for incoming messages.
Need some help? Here’s my 4-step plan to achieve zero inbox every day.
2. Get caught up on laundry
There are few things as frustrating as piles of dirty laundry or trying to get ready to go somewhere and discovering you have nothing clean to wear! Start your year well by getting all caught up on the laundry. Maybe consider hosting a Laundry Party with your family to get it under control.
3. Create a morning routine
A successful morning sets you up for a great day. And a series of successful mornings equals a successful year!
Sit down and come up with a simple morning routine for the upcoming year and see if it makes a big difference for you.
If you’d like some step-by-step encouragement, I’ll walk you step-by-step through everything you need to set up a great morning routine in my 14-day course, Make Over Your Mornings.
4. Set one goal for January
I know it’s so easy to want to come up with these grandiose plans and resolutions for the entire year. But what if you were to dial back those big dreams and just set one small goal for January? Something that you can actually do and realistically accomplish in 31 days?
Need some more encouragement and inspiration to actually set and finish goals? Read Jon Acuff’s great book, Finish. I promise there’s a good chance his ideas and advice will fly in the face of most advice you’ve heard over the years. But I’m here to tell you that it’s solid and that it works. 🙂
5. Choose a habit to develop.
We all want to overhaul our life overnight, but true, lasting change begins with small habits that we develop and stick with consistently.
Come up with a simple habit that you want to make a priority in January. Write this habit down, decide when you are going to incorporate it into your life, tell someone that you’re doing it, and then download a daily habit tracker to help you stay accountable.
6. Count your blessings from last year.
Gratitude can completely transform our perspective! If you had a rough year, you might be feeling stressed or discouraged going into a new year. And you might feel like it just seems like nothing is going right in your life.
If that’s the case, I challenge you to take some time today to come up with a list of at least 10 blessings from last year.
If you need help getting started, what about having a roof over your head, food to eat, the ability to walk and talk, the people in your life who love you… The more you start paying attention to the blessings in your life, the more you’ll begin to notice them.