There’s something that makes me feel so domestic when the smell of homemade bread wafts through our home. Who knew that a thrifted bread maker could make that feeling super easy?
Add all ingredients to your Breadmaker.
Select the Sweet Bread Setting
Wait patiently.
*Recipe found here years ago. It has never failed me.
As a working mom, daily chores were a task that I found overwhelming! I could not get it ALL done. Yall, the Family Chore Chart saved my sanity! I implemented it about 3 years ago and have not looked back.
It is not completely hands free. You do have to “inspect what you expect.” And… I do. Ask the kids, even if they are in the van ready for school- I will ask them to get out and complete today’s chore. After doing that I few times, I have found they “forget” to do them less.
I’m often heard saying “Many hands makes light work.” It is so true, these are baby chores I am asking them to do. It takes them so little time, and when everyone pitches in, my life is so much better for it. When grumbling ensues, I belt out “ We are Family!” Insert the laughing emoji, wondering why can’t I blog in emojis?
There are a million reasons why children can benefit from pitching in around the house. It fosters self-esteem and makes them feel like an important part of the family. Chores also teach them responsibility and teamwork. Psychology Today believes chores cultivate a sense of gratitude among kids. All good things!
Improving your job (or life) satisfaction may in fact be easier than you think.
Consider the parable of two stonemasons.
You walk up to the first stonemason and ask, “Do you like your job?” He looks up at you and replies, “I’ve been laying bricks for as long as I can remember. The work is monotonous. I work in the scorching hot sun all day. The stones are heavy and lifting them day after day can be backbreaking. I doubt I’ll finish this job in my lifetime. But it’s a job.” You thank him for his time and walk on.
About thirty feet away, you walk up to a second stonemason. Presented with the same question, “Do you like your job?” He looks up and replies, “Yes! I love this job. I’m building a cathedral. Sure, I’ve been doing this work as long as I can remember, and yes, sometimes it gets monotonous. I work in the scorching hot sun all day. The stones are heavy and lifting them day after day can be backbreaking. I’m not even sure if this project will be completed in my lifetime. But there are few jobs more rewarding than building a cathedral!”
What is different about the jobs these two gentlemen have? Only one thing. The power of perspective.
Shift your mindset, change your life! Both stonemason’s are doing the exact same thing. One man sees a job and the other sees his calling.
The key to a life that matters is when we take everyday tasks and infuse them with meaning. We may be laying bricks every day, but if we can envision the cathedral and move through our days with intention and passion, we can find more satisfaction in the mundane.
I think I might love podcasts as much as I love books! Cannot get enough of them. What I love is how I can squeeze one in while driving to work, carpooling kids, doing chores around the house and while putting on makeup in the morning.
Podcasts make the drudgery of housework, really any mundane task, more bearable. I’m not much domestically inclined and a good podcast gives me just the motivation I need.
I pop in my air pod dupes ( or occasionally steal my husbands noise cancelling Bose headphones), turn on a great podcast and get to it! I can have clothes folded or dishes washed in a flash!
Below, I’ll highlight my Business Fav’s. However, I listen to a variety. I just select the next one based on my mood.
I’ve been listening to Tim’s long form podcast the longest and most faithfully. Safe to say, he’s how I got hooked on podcasts. His interview style is amazing! I’m always blown away by how effortlessly his interviews flow and his guest feel comfortable with sharing it all. He interviews world-class top performers then digs deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that his listeners can use.
My recent favorite: Seth Godin
Surprisingly, my 14 year old daughter introduced me to this one. Super interesting how Guy Raz interviews leaders from the world’s best known companies. They describe “how” the business came to be.
Recent favorite: SoulCycle
3. The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast
Wow! What a long name, ha!
4. The Productive Dentist Podcast
Hosted by Bruce Baird, I love listening to tips/tricks/mindset from “America’s Most Productive Dentist.
5. Work and Play with Nancy Ray
Nancy is just a breath of fresh air! I love her calming voice and I always conclude her podcasts feeling like “work” is put back into its rightful place/perspective.
I can’t wait to hear from you! Which podcasts are you loving these days?
One of the MOST important things I’ve learned traveling by plane with kids is to- Never check luggage!
We all pack super light and carry one single rolling carry-on bag and one backpack.
More tips for traveling with Kids here.
1.) Tumi Carry-On This is the carry-on I use and LOVE. Unfortunately, it is super pricey! I got lucky and had mine gifted to me. This looks pretty similar and way more budget friendly.
2.) Packing Cubes In addition to the carry-on, I use these packing bags. I organize like clothing in separate bag, less rummaging through my bag at destination. Think pjs in one bag, leggings grouped together, etc.
They do seem to allow me to cram more into my luggage- which is super important since I’m not checking luggage.
3.) Contigo Coffee Traveler I forgot this when we traveled to Montana. Huge Bummer! I love my coffee and this traveler keeps it hot on the go for hours. Life is too short for cold coffee.
4.) North Face backpack I always carry a backpack as my one personal item in addition to my small cross-body purse that I can place inside the backpack if any of the airport personnel require it (although thankfully they never have :).
5.) LectroFan Micro Wireless Sleep Sound Machine Do Not underestimate this little gem! It’s a winner. I use it as my sound machine when traveling and that I don’t have to sacrifice luggage space to carry it. Apparently, you can use it as a blue tooth speaker also but I never have. It’s earned a spot on this list just for the nighttime noise cancelling it does.
6.) Bose QuietComfort Headphones I don’t have my own pair, but my mom kindly lets me borrow hers when I’m traveling 🙂 These are such a luxury while on the airplane. Without fail, I end up in the very back of the plane where the motor is super noisy- these headphones cancel all of that. I turn on my favorite podcast (be sure to download before boarding plane when you have wifi) and I’m a happy camper.
Packing for Yellowstone can be tricky since the weather fluctuates drastically throughout the day.
We vacationed in the first week of July when mornings are in the low 40s and the daily high is around 70-75.
My shorts didn’t actually get worn. Mostly windy, I wore my jeans or leggings with a tank and then I could layer with my pullover and rain jacket as needed.
One of the nice things about the culture in the West is no fancy attire required -with outdoor wear you fit right in. Remember, from this post HERE, I only travel with my rolling carry-on so I got strategic with the items I packed to maximize space 🙂
More of my travel essentials here.
And, if you are curious How I get all the kids packed, all the deets here.
Random thoughts and tips from our 4 night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral:
As soon as possible, get your Disney Cruise account set up and your reservations linked. Go into your planning dashboard and complete all of the information. Specifically select the earliest boarding time possible
Plan to arrive at the port around 10:30 so you can hopefully board after 11:00 am. Wear swim gear, cover-ups, etc and go straight to the pool. Don’t go to your room. Go get chairs, lunch, etc.
You will drop luggage off at the port when you arrive. They take luggage to your room.
We got off the boat at both Nassau and Castaway Cay. However, the only excursion we pre-booked was the day at Blue Lagoon. It was beautiful. The local food was -meh.
We didn’t do Atlantis, I just felt the cost was super steep and you don’t have that long off the boat, by the time we traveled to Atlantis, we would have only had a few hours.
I didn’t plan anything for Castaway Cay. This is the best day. Plenty of seating, food on the island, etc. However, it is crowded. We did break down and rent the kids inter tubes here.
Kids clubs are all free. You don’t need a reservation for any of that. Gaines (age 5) LOVED kids club, Campbell too (age 9). They couldn’t get enough “club.” I had to encourage them to leave and hang with us. However, my older girls were way less interested. There just weren’t that many kids in the clubs for their age ranges (12-14). That was the biggest disappointment to all.
Character experiences do not require a reservation, except for the princesses. We didn’t meet any characters. My kids were too old, disinterested- sad!
It was hard to make myself do it, but one night Keith and I dined at Palo. I put the littles in club and the older two just wandered the boat. Our meal at Palo was ah-mazing!! Seriously a dinner to remember. If you can possibly make it happen, do it.
Be prepared for Pirate Night. This is normally Nassau day, but your planning dashboard in the account will tell you. You will want to eat w the kids this night and not at adult dinner. Everyone does dress up and it is super fun. We just ordered cute pirate t-shirts off Etsy and wore the pirate bandanas left in our cabin.
I didn’t pre-purchase the photo package. If you have any photos you just love, you can buy them at Shutters on the ship (we did not).
There will be a ton of rooms with door decorations. These need to be magnetic and can be found on Etsy. You will see tons and they are helpful for the kids to find their door down the long hallways when all look similar.
There is a popular fishhook activity on the ship. You trade treats and trinkets with other families on the ship. We did not participate and my kids never seemed to notice.
Definitely get the Disney Cruise Navigator app on your phone. This will be great while ON the ship. This works in airplane mode and you and your family can use it to message with each other while on the boat. This will also have the daily schedule of shows, character meet and greets, movies, etc.
I loved the second dinner seating. It is pretty late, but the main time is SO early. You have to get everyone ready for dinner so early. The one major plus to the second seating is that the kids club will come and get the kids from dinner when they are done eating and take them to the kids club. They do not do this at the early dining time. We typically ordered room service nightly to snack on (the cheese/grapes tray specifically) while showering and getting ready for the later dinner.
Have Fun!
