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Showing posts from October, 2015

Weekend Wind-Down #93

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Woo Hoo! Its time for another linky party! Let's wind-down, enjoy the start of our weekend, and make some new friends! In case you aren't familiar with our party, here is the scoop : we like to learn new things, visit new blogs, and see what you all have been up to recently! We just ask that you link back to us somewhere on your site! From the sites that do link back, we will pick a handful of posts to feature. I also would love for you to drop a line in the comments section...let us know how you found our party, and what elements you enjoy. Thanks! I love to hear from my readers! Want to add a new dimension to the party? Share it on social media and tag a fellow blogger that you think would be interested in joining the party! The more the merrier! Let's get on with the party! Our favorite links from last week: Oval Pumpkin via Paper Seedlings 6 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes via Dreaming of Leaving How to Make a Mom Feel Like Crap via Booth

Life These Days and Goals for the Week of October 26, 2015

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It has been a long, long time since I posted my goals for the week. Because you know what? It has been a long, long time since I set any weekly goals! Let me explain. I used to set goals each week on my old blog and really loved how those goals gave me a sense of direction and motivated me to get things done. Then, all my goals and plans went out the window when I got kicked out of Canada . Suddenly, setting goals seemed like a silly thing to do. How could I set goals when I didn't even know what country I would be living in? What is the point of setting goals just to throw them all out the window? Another example of my plans not going that well: Sunday we had no water pressure. That makes the 'ol morning routine look a bit different. :) Thankful for my cousin who got it fixed in no time!  So for that first year of living in the states, I didn't set regular goals. I did get a few things accomplished during that time, including growing my business and creating bra

Weekend Wind-Down #92

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Ready for another link party? I know I sure am! We haven't been around for a couple weeks, but I'm excited to be back on track for WWDP # 92!! In case you aren't familiar with our party, here is the scoop : we like to learn new things, visit new blogs, and see what you all have been up to recently! We just ask that you link back to us somewhere on your site! I also would love for you to drop a line in the comments section...let us know how you found our party, and what elements you enjoy. Thanks! I love to hear from my readers! Want to add a new dimension to the party? Share it on social media and tag a fellow blogger that you think would be interested in joining the party! The more the merrier! Let's get on with the party! Here are the super simple rules to make this a fun party zone: Here are the hosts...follow each one on the social media platform of your choice!                                                                        

My Favorite Apple Crisp and Mix-ins

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Apple crisp has easily become one of my favorite treats to make. It is easy, requires few ingredients, and can be very inexpensive! I have been experimenting with a few different recipes and have settled on this one as the fave. I also have tried to create a healthier version using some alternate ingredients, and I am very happy how this turned out! No-Fail Apple Crisp Topping: 3/4 cup whole wheat flour* 1/2 cup coconut sugar* 1/3 cup oats 6 Tablespoons cold butter cut into small cubes 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Combine these topping ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles small crumbs. Set back in fridge to keep the butter cold until the filling is ready. Filling: 6-ish large apples - enough to fill a 9x9" pan 1/3 cup coconut sugar * 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour* 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt Peel and core apples, then dice or slice directly into a greased 9x9" baking dish. Use enough apples

My Summer 2015 Budget

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Early this summer, I sat down with my planner and set a weekly and monthly budget based on my expenses and income. I had never done this before, and really didn't know if I needed to. I was not in debt and didn't have issues with spending or saving. But having an actual plan and goal is important in every area of life, so I decided to see if my spending habits could benefit from a planned budget! I knew I wanted to be more intentional about my money and where it was going, but I wrote down some other reasons for this budget as well... ...Be able to give to special missions projects ...Save for a newer vehicle ...Start an emergency fund ...Plan for upcoming trips and vacations With these goals in mind, I wrote down my income and expenses and decided on the different categories I needed to budget for. Food, gas, miscellaneous expenses, even coffee got its own category. :) Yup, that is a necessity! After I had a plan for budgeting down on paper, I decided to make

Life These Days - September Recap

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Here is a random glimpse into my life the past few weeks! I'll warn you, this post has no rhyme or reason, so just flow with it, ok? :) September brought a lot of positive steps in my personal life. I entered September feeling a little overwhelmed from a crazy busy summer, but this month gave me a little time to slow down and focus on some priorities in my own life. Sometimes the best thing you can do to encourage yourself to move forward is to recognize even the smallest of achievements in an area you are working on. There are times I have felt overwhelmed with all I wanted to do and all I wasn't doing. Instead, I chose to focus on little, teeny ways I was making progress, and I have been so much more encouraged and motivated! Funny tidbit about this vest...I've worn it twice, thinking I was going to be all cutsie and "Fall-ish". The first day I wore it to work and had to wear an apron over it - I ended up just feeling puffy and fat, not cutsie at a

Weekend Wind-Down #91

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It is time for another Weekend Wind-down party! I'm so excited to see so many of you linking up each week...what fab things do you have to share at this party? In case you aren't familiar with our party, here is the scoop : we like to learn new things, visit new blogs, and see what you all have been up to recently! We just ask that you link back to us somewhere on your site, and we choose 4 posts that have done so to feature each week. If you follow that one simple request of ours, you have a very good chance of getting featured in the near future! Speaking of features...here are the delightful bloggers we chose to highlight this week. Is one of these links yours? Establishing a Habit of Balance via Sarah Koontz Pumpkin Spice Latte at Home via Love Create Celebrate Are You Planning to Gain Weight this Winter? via Mirror Watching 7 Ways to Keep Blogging when Life Gets Overwhelming via A Dish of Daily Life If you've been featured, congratulati