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Shared Jun 12, 2014 comment

Swagbucks Helped Us Prepare for Baby #2

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 12, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Rachael:

With Baby #2 due in early June, we had to get quite a few items. We not only needed items for the new baby, but we needed to get my son into his big boy room.

We had gotten many of the “big” items through Christmas and baby showers, however there were quite a few decorations and small items that were wanted, but not necessarily needed. We decided the decorations would just have to wait until we could rack up enough rewards through Swagbucks and other rewards programs to afford them.

In 3 months, I have earned roughly $60 in Amazon giftcards through Swagbucks which put a dent in the “extras” for my son and baby girl on the way. I have been so pleased with how quickly and easily I was able to rack up on Swagbucks over the past few months with simple tasks:

1. Daily Poll: Though it only rewards 1 Swagbuck, it certainly helps in getting to my goals.

2. SwagbucksTV App: I try to watch roughly 50 points per day in videos on their mobile app. I sometimes miss this goal, but I try to make it a point to attain my goal as often as possible as this is where I get most of my points.

3. Bonus Points: Many times their mobile app will send notifications when there is bonus points available on Facebook, Twitter, or their blog. I love the notifications as it helps me keep up with new bonus points available. Although not a steady source of Swagbucks, these certainly help in filling in the gaps for days that I don’t hit my goal.

Shared Jun 11, 2014 comment

My Morning Routine: Day 5

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

How’s your new morning routine going? I’m encouraged at the slow and steady progress I’m making each day in following my New Morning Routine.

Here’s how Day 5 went for me:

6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off. I roll over and fall back asleep for 5 minutes.

6:35 a.m. — I crawl out of bed and head downstairs to clean up the living room and kitchen. The dishwasher needs to be unloaded and re-loaded and there are quite a few odds and ends around the living room. I make a pile on the stairs of all the items that need to go upstairs and then make one trip up to put everything away.

7:04 a.m. I light a candle in the now clean kitchen and take a few minutes to answer and send some texts. Texting is one really effective way I’ve found to keep up with most of my close friends. I often text to ask what I can pray for them, to let them know I’m thinking of them and praying for them, or to just pass on a quick word of encouragement or to share a fun story to brighten their day.

7:18 a.m. — I head upstairs to our bathroom to put my contacts in and wash my face.

7:23 a.m. — I gather all the laundry from all the hampers in the bedrooms and start a load of laundry. I take the kitchen trash out of the big dumpster and then wipe the kitchen countertops off.

7:35 a.m. — I make some coffee and sit down at the kitchen table and read my Bible, write in my Blessings journal, and read 3 short chapters from Pursue the Intentional Life.

8:00 a.m. — After my Bible reading is finished, I hop online to take care of a few quick things and then change into my running clothes.

8:14 a.m. — I head out to the garage where the treadmill is and read a chapter of Love Idol while doing my walking warm-up. And then I get in a short but good run.

8:40 a.m. — When I come back in, everyone is up and around. I drink some water and switch the laundry into the dryer.

8:50 a.m. I make myself a bowl of granola, finish loading the dishwasher, and then sit down to read aloud to the kids and enjoy my breakfast. (Today we read two chapters from Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines.)

9:30 a.m. — Time for me to do my Morning Computer work.

I just had to share this photo that Kaitlynn took of the clouds today. It’s so peaceful and beautiful — and makes me smile every time I see it.

How did you do on your morning routine today? Let us know in the comments!

Shared Jun 11, 2014 comment

In case you thought I had my act together…

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Of all the comments left on my What Do You Want Me to Write About post, I read this one and knew I had to respond to it:

I’d love to know about the things that challenge you. I know you say that you don’t have everything together, you have a great team working for you, and that you are definitely not supermom.. but it still seems like you don’t struggle at all. I’m not talking about a fear of public speaking that you were able to overcome (and good for you!) .. I’m talking about real life.. how are you a human being and not a machine? -Jenna

Truly, Jenna, I wish you could have dropped by my house last week.

You see, last week was a B-A-D week. Really bad.

For five weeks, we’d been running, running, and running. Packing up our house in Kansas, driving 15 hours in one trip to TN, unpacking in our new house in TN, multiple speaking engagements in different states, a wild trip back to Kansas as a family, get-togethers with friends old and new, finding our way around in a new town, hosting out-of-town guests, and starting summer activities, all while running a business and adjusting to a completely new schedule and way of life.

And all that running caught up with me. And I was just plain tired. Bone tired.

The adrenaline wore off last week and the tiredness hit me like a mac truck and engulfed every area of my life. I was irritable. I was on edge. I was creatively drained. And I felt like I had nothing to give to anyone.

I stayed home as much as possible, considered not getting out of bed at all one morning, and was generally a really grouchy person to be around. My poor family and close friends had to deal with a yoga-panted mess of a woman with unfixed hair and a sassy, rude attitude for a few days.

Trust me: it wasn’t pretty.

So yes, I’m very, very human. And my family and close friends will be happy to vouch for this if you have any questions as to the validity of that statement. 😉

I share all this in hopes that it encourages you, Jenna. I’m a work in progress just like everyone else.

There are so many issues I struggle with — insecurity, fear of what others will think of me, being a perfectionist, over-analyzing things, feeling like I’m not good enough, comparing myself to others, speaking before I think, lack of patience, among many other things.

Pretty much every day, I feel so very, very inadequate to be writing, speaking, or blogging about anything since clearly I’ve got a boatload of my own issues to work on. And there have many many, many days when I’ve seriously considered deleting this blog and maybe buying a one-way ticket to some foreign country.

However, truly, I look back over the past five years and realize how many healing has gone on in my heart. I still struggle with fear, insecurity, being a people-pleaser — and a host of other things — but not in the acute, debilitating way I used to.

The opportunities that have resulted from blogging: meeting new people, stepping outside my comfort zone, speaking, traveling, consulting — these things that would have been absolutely and downright frightening to me a few years ago — have been a major part in my own personal healing.

The authentic relationships I’ve formed as a result of blogging — with people who won’t let me settle for less than being the best I can be, people who love me enough to wholeheartedly celebrate my gifts and also to speak truth into my life when I need to hear it most — these people have been deeply instrumental in helping me change from the inside out.

And so, I continue to blog, write, and speak. Even when I feel so unqualified and incompetent (which is pretty much every day!). Because I know it’s what I’m supposed to do right now… despite my short-comings, failures, and struggles.

Thank you, each of you, for joining me on this journey. I appreciate you so much!

Shared Jun 11, 2014 comment

How to Make Your Own Natural Deodorant

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

At first thought, making your own deodorant may seem far fetched, but believe me — it’s not. Odds are good that you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients for this simple recipe in your kitchen cupboards!

Guest post from Elise of Frugal Farm Wife

I remember the first time I bought deodorant after I got married. I found myself cringing as I shelled out dollars for a tube of the natural, aluminum-free variety, and then apologizing profusely to my husband for spending so much on a single tube of deodorant.

I need not have worried. We’re both cheapskates, but if anything, my husband is more health conscious than I am, so he had no problem spending a bit extra on the good stuff.

It was the last time I ever bought deodorant, though.

When that bottle ran out, we tried using a deodorant stone for a while (with limited success), and then I stumbled across some homemade deodorant recipes online, and we were hooked!

We have been really impressed by the effectiveness of this deodorant, and not only that, but everybody we’ve talked to loves it as well!

There is one drawback to using homemade deodorants; while they are very effective odor inhibitors, they are not technically anti-perspirants. The cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) does absorb perspiration, significantly reducing, but not eliminating moisture.

While homemade natural deodorant may cost a bit more than the coupon and sale savvy shopper pays for the drugstore variety, making your own deodorant is by far the cheapest and most effective way we’ve found to go natural.

Ingredients for Homemade Deodorant

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2-4 Tablespoons coconut oil (at room temperature)
10 drops of essential oil such as tea tree, lavender, or rosemary (optional*)

*NOTE: Essential oils are not completely necessary, but antibacterial oils do provide extra protection against odors — to say nothing of how nice they smell!

How to Make Your Own Deodorant

1. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix baking soda, cornstarch, and essential oil.

2. Stir in coconut oil, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

3. Store in airtight containers to prevent drying out.

The type of deodorant container you use will determine the consistency that you need your deodorant to be.

You can make your deodorant super thick and pack it into an empty deodorant tube so that you can apply it just like any other deodorant, or you can make it a bit thinner, and store it in a small container or jar to rub in as a lotion.

Recipe

Homemade Natural Deodorant

Author Crystal Paine

Prep Time 5

Ingredients

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2-4 Tablespoons coconut oil at room temperature
10 drops of essential oil such as tea tree lavender, or rosemary (optional*)

Instructions

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix baking soda, cornstarch, and essential oil.
Stir in coconut oil, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
Store in airtight containers to prevent drying out.

Notes

Essential oils are not completely necessary, but antibacterial oils do provide extra protection against odors — to say nothing of how nice they smell!

Love this recipe?

Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!

Pin Recipe

Elise is a God-follower, wife, mom of two munchkins, and dairy goat enthusiast, who blogs about affordable gluten-free living, making things from scratch, and farm life at FrugalFarmWife.com

Shared Jun 11, 2014 comment

My Morning Routine: Day 4

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 11, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

How’s your new morning routine going? I’m encouraged at the slow and steady progress I’m making each day in following my New Morning Routine. I might not be following my routine perfectly by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m getting a lot more done and staying a lot more focused.

Here’s how Day 4 went for me:

6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off. I’m tired so I make the decision to sleep for another hour.

7:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off a second time. I get up and turn on my laptop as I have a project with an early morning deadline and it needs just a few finishing touches before it is done.

(As much as I’m trying not to turn on the laptop until my morning routine is done, you sometimes just have to do what you have to do — even if it means veering from the ideal. The good news? I was disciplined this morning and only stayed on for 15 minutes — just enough time to finish what had to be done. That’s progress, right??!)

7:45 a.m. — Project done, I shut down the laptop and head downstairs to the kitchen to clean up a small mess leftover from the evening before (we’d gone over to one of our friend’s houses for dinner and had brought some of the food… we’d gotten home late, so I just pretty much dumped the plates, bowls, cooler, and utensils in the kitchen and gone to bed. Yep, that’s how I roll sometimes!).

8:05 a.m. — I gather the dirty laundry from the bedrooms, sort it, and start some laundry.

8:11 a.m. — Silas is up so I help him get some breakfast. Jesse and I decide to let the girls sleep in for a bit since we were out late last night. Jesse and I chat a bit while I make coffee.

8:29 a.m. — I sit down in the living room with my coffee and read my Bible, write in my Blessings journal, and read 3 short chapters from Pursue the Intentional Life — I’m really being inspired and blessed by this book!

9:00 a.m. — I answer a few texts from friends — one asks me for prayer requests, another wonders if we can chat on the phone to catch up this afternoon or evening. I’m so blessed and thankful to have such wonderful friends in my life!

9:05 a.m. — The girls wake up and saunter down to the kitchen to get their breakfasts. I help Silas take a quick bath and get dressed.

9:12 a.m. — I switch the laundry and then sit down at the kitchen table with everyone and read one very long chapter from The Saturdays with the kids while they eat breakfast. Silas and Kaitlynn ask Jesse if he can help them make apple/carrot juice. So while I’m reading, he pulls out the juicer, helps them chop and wash the produce, and makes juice for them.

10:00 a.m. — We’re finally finished with the chapter and breakfast. Jesse sends the girls upstairs to get ready for the day and I delay my run and shower for a bit and instead open up my laptop to get started on my Morning Computer work.

This morning, I pretty didn’t follow the outline of New Morning Routine at all, but that’s life sometimes. You get home late the night before. You give yourself grace when you’re tired. And you just jump in where you are and do the best you can do!

How did you do on your morning routine on Day 4? Let us know in the comments!

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Shared Jun 10, 2014 comment

Q&A: How can a non-morning person have an effective morning routine?

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I am definitely not a natural morning person at all and really struggle with the morning. How do you suggest a non-morning person use the morning versus staying up at night? Right now, I am really not using either effectively. I go to bed early (by 10 p.m. at the latest) and wake up late (between 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.) depending on my work schedule (I currently work a variety of shifts during the week). I find it really hard to get anything done after putting our daughter in bed (I feel so tired after our bedtime routine) or in the a.m. before work (prying myself out of bed is so hard). -Allison

Hi, Allison!

Such a great question! I’d encourage you first of all, to make sure that you’re not telling yourself “I’m not a morning person” and then acting in that belief.

You see, I’ve found that when I tell myself “I’m not _____” it restricts me and confines me. What you believe is how you live. So make sure you’re not allowing yourself to believe something that’s not the truth.

If you’ve read my running story, I share about how for years, I believed “I’m not a runner” and I let that belief rule how I lived. But when I stopped letting that belief dictate my lifestyle and I actually started doing Couch to 5K, I realized that I actually loved running. But first I had to get up, make myself do it over and over again, to discover that my statement of “I’m not a runner” wasn’t true.

Yes, I may not be a fast runner and I may not be a long-distance runner, but I can run. And this has motivated me to stop the belief that “I can’t do _____” or “I’m not _____” hold me back from success in my life.

You mentioned that you are getting a lot of sleep but you are still feeling so tired. You may have a really demanding job that is contributing to this, but I’d also encourage you to consider getting your bloodwork done and thyroid checked to make sure that there’s a not a physical problem that’s contributing to your tiredness.

Also, be sure you’re taking care of yourself — eating a balanced diet, drinking enough water, and getting some exercise — as this will give you more energy and also help you sleep better at night. For some suggestions here, I encourage to read my series on 15 Ways to Have More Energy.

Step back and examine your life and goals. Do you have a few things you’re pursuing/working on that are exciting you? It’s amazing what a difference it can make when you have some things you’re doing that make you feel alive. And when you have these in your life, they’ll probably give you extra motivation to get up in the morning.

Finally, I encourage you to start small. Set your alarm for a little bit earlier than you’d usually get up and commit to getting up then and doing two small things every morning for three weeks. See how you feel and if it makes a difference in your day and energy levels. If it does, try adding a few more small tasks to your morning.

Having said all this, I want to remind you to do what works for you. Don’t feel like you need to get up really early in the morning or have a strict morning routine and get 15 things done every morning before you go to work. What works for me and others, won’t necessarily work for you. Focus on what is best for your family, schedule, energy levels, and situation.

I’m cheering for your success, Allison! I hope you’re able to find a morning routine that starts your day off well!

What advice and suggestions do the rest of you have for Allison? Share them in the comments.

photo credit

Shared Jun 10, 2014 comment

ALDI: Make 25 Meals for a Family of 4 Under $150!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 10, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

So yes, I sorta, kinda, really like Aldi. You may have noticed that. 🙂

At any rate, I was pretty excited to see that I Am That Lady had put together a complete menu with 25 meals for less than $150! This menu plan includes main dishes, side dishes, and vegetables for a family of four.

Get the complete menu and shopping list here. (You can purchase the printable pack for $1.97 if you’d like to have all the details on the menu plan and shopping list. However, all the basics you’ll need to know are in the blog post free of charge.)

Shared Jun 9, 2014 comment

My Morning Routine: Day 3

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

How’s your new morning routine going? I’m encouraged at the slow and steady progress I’m making each day in following my New Morning Routine.

Here’s how this morning went this morning:

5:45 a.m. — My alarm clock goes off. It’s raining outside and I’m still tired, so I lie back down to sleep “for a few more minutes” (ahem).

6:13 a.m. — I roll over and look at the time and realize that “a few more minutes” was actually almost 30 minutes… oops! I get up and go downstairs to the kitchen to make some coffee. While the coffee is brewing, I unload the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and re-load a few dirty dishes that were left in the sink last night.

6:30 a.m. — While I’m thinking of it, I gather the dirty laundry from the various hampers (everyone has a hamper in their room) and start a load of laundry.

6:43 a.m. — How did 30 minutes already go by?? I read my Bible, write in my Blessings journal, and read 4 chapters from Pursue the Intentional Life (the chapters are short, so that’s not as ambitious as it sounds!)

7:21 a.m. — Jesse arrives home from the gym. I head upstairs and wake the kids up. While they get up and around, I make our bed, clean up our room, and do a quick clean of our bathroom.

7:35 a.m. — The kids and I sit down at the kitchen table and I read a few pages from Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing to them, as well as a chapter from Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines. Jesse makes bacon and eggs while we’re reading.

8:00 a.m. — I head out to the garage to run on the treadmill. I read a chapter from Love Idol while doing my walking warm-up and then listen to Romans 1 on the YouVersion Bible app while running.

8:23 a.m. — I come back in and get some water to drink and notice Jesse has a plate of bacon and eggs set out for me (yes, he’s such a great guy!). He’s already sent the kids upstairs to take baths, get dressed, and do their morning chores. We chat about the day while I eat breakfast and then I head upstairs to take my shower and start my morning computer work.

It feels good to get so much done by 8:30 a.m. and I’m excited because I manage to keep the laptop off until after 8:30 a.m. today. Yay!

How did you do on your morning routine today? Let us know in the comments!

Shared Jun 9, 2014 comment

This Week’s Menu + One-Hour Freezer Cooking Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Granola, Cereal, Flaky Biscuits, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Pizza Pockets
Brown Sugar Meatloaf, blueberries, cucumbers
Snack-y lunch {veggies, cheese, fruit, crackers, etc.}
Sack Lunch at the Park with Friends: PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Homemade Energy Bites

One-Hour Freezer Cooking

Million Dollar Spaghetti
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
Homemade Energy Bites

Dinners

Meaty Monday (A local family coordinates this every week & they were so gracious to invite us to be apart — it’s a weekly informal gathering of friends — each family brings some kind of meat for the grill and some kind of side.)
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans, brown rice, steamed veggies
Pasta Salad Bar, fruit
Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
Steamed Cabbage With Beef
Million Dollar Spaghetti
Dinner Out

What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.

Shared Jun 9, 2014 comment

12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge: Week 23 Check-in

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Are you joining us for the 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge? If so, it’s time for our weekly check-in to post our progress.

June’s Challenge:

We’re focusing on developing the habit of a better morning routine. I encourage you to create a simple and doable morning routine and to stick with it.

New to this challenge? Read more details on the plan for this year here.

My Morning Routine Challenge for June

I created a new morning routine (see it here) and am blogging daily about how it’s going for me. See Friday’s update on my morning routine here.

I’m also hoping to keep up with January’s habit of exercising at least 4-5 times every week, February’s goal of eating a big salad at least six times a week, March’s goal of drinking 8 glasses of water a day, April’s goal of cutting back on sugar, and May’s goal of getting at least 7.5 hours of sleep every night.

This Week’s Progress:

I’m making some good headway on my morning routine. And it’s making SUCH a difference!

Also: I slept at least 7.5 hours five nights. I hit my water goals five days, exercised four days, ate a salad five of the days, and had dessert just once. Progress!

How Are YOU Doing?

Leave a comment telling us how you did on your exercise goals this past week. If you’re blogging about this challenge, leave the direct link to your blog post about the challenge below. Are you on social media? You can also share your progress on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter by using hashtag #12MonthstoaHealthierYou.

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Shared Jun 9, 2014 comment

Our First Trip to a TN Library = Success!!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Yesterday, we took our first trip to the Williamson County library and it was a HUGE success! We’d heard great things about the library here and we were so happy that the library lived up to everything we’d been told and more!

We were incredibly impressed with all the great books they have. My kids were especially stoked to find so many Adventures in Odyssey books/DVDs!

I’ve been so happy to see my kids in various parts of the house with their noses stuck in books today. As a lifetime lover of books myself, it just makes me so happy to see my kids becoming such bookworms. 🙂

Shared Jun 9, 2014 comment

My 10 Goals For This Week

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 9, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It was so good to be home all last week! I even ended up having a few days where I stayed home all day long — which was a nice change of pace after almost two months of lots of activities and travel.

We’re excited to have another week at home this week! I think we’re starting to really feel settled in here in TN and we’re starting to get on a good schedule, too. That’s helped me not only feel a little more organized but also helped me be able to get back to accomplishing more of my goals!

This Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

~~1. Read 4 chapters of Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines aloud to the kids.~~

~~2. Take the kids to the library.~~

~~3. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

4. Finish embroidering quilt square for my sister’s baby quilt. {I made some progress on this, but didn’t get it all done — hopefully this week!}

Personal Goals

~~5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-29.~~

~~6. Make a hair appointment~~ (I’ve been putting this off ever since we moved — finally got one scheduled for this Tuesday!)

7. Finish reading The Traitor’s Wife, Breathe, I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t), and The Measure of Success. {I did a lot of reading this past week, but didn’t even up finishing any books — hopefully this coming week I’ll have more progress to report here!}

Business Goals

8. Work on writing a new ebook. {I decided to shelve this for a week since I wasn’t feeling inspired for it!}

~~9. Write one guest post for another blog.~~

10. Shoot one video for my YouTube channel.

This Week’s Goals:

Marriage/Mothering/Homemaking Goals

1. Finish reading Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines aloud to the kids. Read 4 chapters of The Saturdays to the kids.

2. Go to the Farmer’s Market.

3. Write a love note to Jesse.

4. Finish embroidering quilt square for my sister’s baby quilt.

Personal Goals

5. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-30.

6. Exercise 5 times.

7. Finish reading Breathe, Mom’s Night Out, Love Idol, Pursue the Intentional Life, and The Measure of Success.

Business Goals

8. Work on writing a new ebook.

9. Work on launch plan for a new product we’re releasing in a few weeks.

10. Shoot one video for my YouTube channel. {I’m determined that this goal is actually going to happen this week — since I’ve put it off for the past few weeks!}

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives! You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Jun 7, 2014 comment

A Peek Into Our Week: Cousins, Krispy Kreme, Home Depot Kid’s Workshop, and a new morning routine!

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

We had a much more laid back week this week — which was so nice! We started the week off by having my brother, sister-in-law, and their two girls here. Our kids were so excited to get to see their cousins!

We visited some historic sites in Franklin, including the site of the Civil War Battle of Franklin.

We also visited the McGavock Confederate Cemetery.

Learning more of the history surrounding the Battle of Franklin was fascinating — and made us want to read and learn all we can about it and other historical events in this area now that we live here in TN.

Later that evening, we went to Sweet CeCe’s for an ice cream treat!

The summer activities began this week for our kids! To keep it simple, each child got to choose one sport/lessons to participate in.

Silas chose soccer, Kaitlynn chose ice skating, and Kathrynne chose swimming. It’s so fun to watch them throwing themselves wholeheartedly into something they love and to see their determination, endurance, and perseverance being built in the process.

{By the way, for those of you who asked to see a picture of my new bag from Charming Charlie, you can see it in the picture above.}

This week, I worked on making a new morning routine a habit (see the new routine here, if you missed my post on it). I’m going to keep blogging about my morning routine every day this coming week to help me (hopefully!) make it more of a habit… because I need all the accountability I can get!

Wednesday, I practically floated home after my grocery shopping trip… because I stayed under budget and found some pretty good deals (see everything I bought and the prices I paid in this post here)! Not anything downright and utterly amazing, but SOOO much better than my first TN shopping trip.

I’m making headway — huzzah!!! Next week, I might just be brave enough to try using coupons at Publix!

On Thursday, Jesse and I did a little cooking in the kitchen together. You can find the recipe links for what we made and lots more pictures here.

It was National Doughnut Day on Friday and we celebrated by getting FREE Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Because who can resist free Krispy Kreme??!

Today, our kids enjoyed another Free Kid’s Workshop at The Home Depot! These Kid’s Workshops are the first Saturday of every month and my kids LOVE them. They get to create some sort of fun project, all the supplies and tools are provided, and it’s completely free!

So that was our week in a nutshell. How was YOUR week? Anything interesting or exciting happen at your house? Tell us about it in the comments!

Shared Jun 7, 2014 comment

12 Books I Plan to Read in June

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 7, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

As I shared in January, I’m changing the way I’m approaching my reading goals in 2014. Instead of picking books for the whole year, I’m just choosing books a month at a time.

I’m probably being overly ambitious with my book list for June, but since we’re heading into summer and life has settled down for us a lot more now that the move and my busy travel season are behind us, I’m really hopeful I’ll have time to get back to more reading. We’ll see!

At any rate, I’m going to attempt to read 12 books in June (some of these are carried over from my April and May lists since I didn’t get much reading done those months). Here’s my list of what I’m hoping to read:

12 Books I Plan to Read in June

I also am reading through the Bible using the plan in my Blessing Journal and reading one devotional from Jesus Today every day.

3 Books I Plan to Read Aloud to My Kids

Devotional: Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines
The Saturdays

What books are you planning to read in June? Leave a comment and let us know — and then you can come back at the beginning of July to tell us what you ended up reading and what you thought of the books you read!

Shared Jun 6, 2014 comment

My Morning Routine: Day 2 Update

Published: by Crystal Paine on June 6, 2014 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

How did your morning routine go this morning? I had a much better morning this morning than yesterday.

It’s still not right in line with my Planned Morning Routine, but little bit by little bit I’m making headway. And I’m hoping to continue slowly moving in the right direction.

Here’s how my morning went:

6:15 a.m. — Wake up, read Bible, read Pursue the Intentional Life, write in my Blessings journal.

6:35 a.m. — Silas wakes up. I snuggle with him and invite him to be apart of my morning prayer time (I’ve really been working on not viewing my children as “interruptions” to my quiet time, but instead, encouraging them to participate in it with me if they get up early!)

6:42 a.m. — I bring Silas out to the garage with me and have him play with the basketball while I run on the treadmill. I listened to my Scripture memory work on my Bible app on my phone while running.

7:00 a.m. — Start a load of laundry. Open the box of toilet paper from Amazon and organize it in the hall closet.

7:10 a.m. — Hop on and check something online really quickly (I know, I know… I’m still working on not doing this until after 8:30 a.m.!)

7:25 a.m. — Jesse gets home from the gym and helps Silas get his breakfast while I hop in the shower.

7:45 a.m. — I get Silas ready for soccer camp and pack a snack for him.

7:52 a.m. — Jesse takes Silas to soccer camp, the girls get up and around, while I finish getting my hair fixed and makeup on.

8:00 a.m. — I make our bed, clean up our room, and do a quick clean of our bathroom.

8:15 a.m. — Then, I head downstairs and make some breakfast (fried eggs — leftover from yesterday’s breakfast, blueberries, and Flaky Biscuits — made last night — with Apple Butter that my sister-in-law made and canned for us).

8:30 a.m. — While the girls are finishing getting their morning chores done, I clean up the kitchen, load the dishwasher, do a few dishes that don’t fit into the dishwasher, and switch the load of laundry to the dryer.

And then it’s time to start my Morning Computer Time. It feels so good to have gotten so much done before I turned on the computer!

How did you do on your morning routine today? Let us know in the comments!

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June’s Challenge:

My Morning Routine Challenge for June

This Week’s Progress:

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12 Books I Plan to Read in June

3 Books I Plan to Read Aloud to My Kids

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