Thank You

Sometimes I think about my funeral. 

I wonder who will be there and how my time on earth will have affected those who I knew. I don't get it all right often times...

but I am trying the best way I know how.

When my kids take a test in school and are unsatisfied with their grade I always ask 

"Did you strive to do your VERY best?" 

If the answer is "yes," then I hug them with sincere joy and remind them that so long as they always honestly strive to do their very best in life, 

they can hold their head high and rest with a clean conscience.

Your love, friendship, acceptance, patience and encouragement compel me strive harder, reach higher and do my very best. 

Thank you for the birthday wishes, calls and visits!

HAIR

I did some math today and discovered that I have been doing little heads of hair for 

4,771 days of my life!! 

IF you times that by my FOUR daughters, holy cow, that is a LOT of hair! 

And my curly sue counts for like THREE heads of hair all on her own.

My kiddos sport MUCH less complicated hair styles now that I feel semi-retired from keeping their hair perfect. 

GONE are the days when I get excited to find some fun new crazy cute hair-do...

got that WAY out of my system!

The Family Economy

We live in an age of entitlement. 

Parenting against the "status quo" of societal norms is a 

deliberate daily task that sometimes feels daunting.

In our desire to develop children with hard-working, positive can-do attitudes, we have come across several valuable resources over the years. LET ME JUST INSERT we are FAR from perfect and have a LONG way to go. Consistency is they key.

When the children were little we used the "chore pack" method (as seen below) as detailed in the book "Managers of their Chores." Five years ago we graduated into a new system utilizing the "Family Economy" program as described in the book "The Entitlement Trap." 

The girls have learned many valuable lessons as our Young Family Bank (brown box) has become a constant. When it's time to purchase a friends birthday gift....

 a toy they have been wanting, a yearbook, or donate to a special cause, they are able to pay for these extras with their own money. 

Mama's Business is Taking Off

It is time to have a more professional profile on social media!

I had an amazingly talented make-up/hair artist and photographer 

come to our home for a photo shoot.

This picture was taken in our office!

Kitchen Helper

While big sisters are were the 

The Country Farm School 

camp in Amish country, 

Reese BASKED is taking over kitchen duties

and being an only child. 

She's not the only on enjoying it, that's for sure!

My Pressure Cooker

Can we just have a real moment together about pressure cookers? 

If I know you well your already sick and tired of hearing about how life changing this kitchen cooking system has been for me.

Pressure cookers are the BOMB! Really! 

This one right here is the best one out there, in my humble opinion.

My favorite things to cook in it are:

 rice, steal cut oats, beans of every kind, yogurt, soup and meats. 

Is there a learning curve? Yes! Is it worth it? 

Heck yes! If you are on the fence hop off it and go get one of these babies. 

You will love it!

Shopping Day

My new company set me up with a personal stylist and a $1,000 gift card to 

Nordstrom to shop today! 

We selected new clothes and shoes for my upcoming photo shoot 

and convention this fall!

This has been such an unexpected and amazing journey!!

BEST Grilled Cheese Around

Anatomy of the most delicious grilled cheese out there!

1- Roast a lot of sweet potatoes and then purée them, with a little bit of water, in the blender.

2-Portion out the purée into 1 cup bags and put them all in the freezer so that you have more for other recipes.

3- Combine cheese and sweet potato purée to form a paste.

4- After spreading coconut oil on the outside of the bread slices, spread the paste you have made on one piece of bread.

5- Close the pieces of bread and heat in pan or on griddle for a goodly amount of time to get the insides really melted.

May sound odd to you, trust me...

BEST grilled cheese you will ever eat!! 

Our kids love them!

Love Notes

Reese writes loves notes and leaves them on our bedside tables. 

She so badly wants to surprise us, however shortly after creating these beauties she makes an announcement to the family that she has something to share with everyone. 

We all gather and then she runs into the family room to proudly show off her masterpiece, which often includes her name and a traced image of her hand...colored in blue. 

Then she runs back to the bedside table to replace the surprise. 

Oh how I will miss this!