Have you ever wondered what gift you can give that will make the biggest impact? I have to say it is the gift of a story that can be handed down for years to come! Memories are irreplaceable and by creating a unique story it truly is the most powerful gift we can give. Getting creative with Kal Barteski: A self-publishing success story Blurb author Kal Barteski is a maker extraordinaire whose creativity knows no bounds. She’s a working designer, painter, storyteller, book creator, TEDx speaker, and calligrapher who can now add “video star” to her resumé with the first…
Author: Laura Cyra
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We are a week into February which means it is time to get serious and kick things up a notch! If you’ve taken my challenge on getting more balanced in life through journaling, setting goals and just being more organized you’re going to love this weekly workout printable! It makes the Monthly Workout Plan Printable I shared recently but this one focuses more on the current week. I like to have a visual of what to expect and I plan out from a year, a month, a week, and even down to the day to help me get more balanced…
You know when you go to the doctor, and they’re asking you about your family history and then the heart disease, high blood pressure, heart attack questions come up, and you realize that you’ve answered “yes” a lot. Well, that was my visit just the other day, and it honestly scared me. I can’t believe how many people in my family are or have experienced cardiovascular issues. Luckily February is Heart Month, and there is a lot to learn about the risks of heart disease and stroke and how to get heart healthy! What is Your Heart Age? For me…
This year for me has been all about no excuses and of course having more fun as a family and that’s why we’re hitting the road! Road trips are usually full of fun, screaming, and a lot of adventure. My favorite thing to do on road trips is try new places and make it into a learning experience for the kids. This weekend we are heading to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington to have a little fun and spend some time together as a family we even have time to take a tour of a local winery, CDA Cellars, which…
Today marks a new day, a new month and for many of us new goals. Its like you hear everyone say today is the first day of the rest of your life, do something with it. At the start of every month I like to set myself up for success and lately that just means finding the balance in my life. Being a stay at home Mom is hard a lot of the time because sometimes I lose my identity and get wrapped up in my family. I’m not saying they aren’t important but being an individual shouldn’t be impossible…
The kids love helping in the kitchen especially when it comes to making some quick and easy snacks they can have right after. I like to promote healthy snacking so whenever I can put something healthy into a recipe they love I don’t mind them eating it. One of their favorite cereals is Chex and I always catch Dustin eating peanut butter out of the jar! Quick and Easy Muddy Buddies Snack Recipe This recipe is so simple and delicious you’ll want to make it for the kids all the time. My favorite part is the fact that it isn’t really…
I never thought I would be writing or doing experiment about toilet paper, and when I say never I mean EVER but once we had a boy all those things started to change in our house. Life was easy with Cheyenne she was really easy and potty training was simple, then Dustin came along and let’s just say I could just a job as a plumber. You wouldn’t think a boy would go through so much toilet paper but trust me after plunging a few times I knew something had to change especially before camping season begins again and we’re…
This year I am focusing on saving more and spending less because I would like to do more traveling with the family so finding a way to cut corners where we can is important. I figure we should be able to afford a trip to Denmark within a year if we get smart about where our funds are going. A simple way to add to our savings fund is the Quick and Easy 52-Week Savings Challenge. Saving money can be quick and easy when you stop to think about it. 5 Tips to Make Saving Money Quick and Easy Turning the…
Starting today I have made a commitment to myself to get back on track with my fitness plan. I have been doing great these past couple of weeks with eating healthy and making healthy lifestyle choices. I know I can always kick it up a little bit and with a little motivation I can accomplish any goal I set out to meet. So I’m sharing my monthly workout plan printable here so all of you can join me in my journey as well! Monthly Workout Plan Printable The workout plan comes in two pages; the first page is focused on…
I remember back to the days of high school and the anticipation of prom and find the perfect escort, dress, make up and having my hair just right. To think about how much planning and excitement went into one small moment and how much money I spent I wonder why. Thinking back it is easy to wonder but in the moment there is nothing else that mattered after all prom was all about me right?! Now that I’m a Mom I am always thinking of ways to make things more affordable and budget friendly! So here are some that your…
Cheyenne has always loved school and her experience at preschool was amazing. She was able to develop a love for learning in a nurturing environment. She looked forward to actually going to school and taking on new challenges. Her favorite thing was doing worksheets and coming home to tell us exactly what she learned during the day. She felt so smart. She had a happy heart. She was in love with learning and couldn’t wait to attend class Then elementary school happened. I wrote a post about kids waking up early on school days and how she was so excited to…
I have found the perfect gifts for the wine-o in your life! Trust me if that special someone you are purchasing for loves wine this is the gift guide for you. I gotta have everything on the list! I can’t pick a favorite between the wine of the month club and the wine barrel cork cage. The Wine-O Gift Guide for Valentine’s Day Finally a Gift Guide for the rest of us. You know who you are… you love a glass of red wine after a long day at work, a glass of white on a crisp summer day, and…
Ever since the holidays my daughter, Cheyenne, has been fascinated with board games and tv shows that I used to watch when I was about her age. It brings back a feeling of nostalgia that I would of never dreamed of sharing with her. Back in the old days I used to play The Game of Life, watch Boy Meets World and send letters in the mail to my friends – all things I thought were lost in the fast paced world we live in now. I was pleasantly surprised at how nostalgic I got over her watching Boy Meets…
I’ve been sharing a lot of my personal tips this month in hopes that it will help someone out there who is hoping to be a little more organized! I know I can use the reminder on how to get organized and stay organized. I find it so easy to slip out of routine and just start winging it because I think I know what’s going on and what needs to be done. Having a system to keep me organized is the best way to stay on track. You wouldn’t think that life would get that busy when you’re at…
I don’t know about you but mid-week rolls around and we usually have a bunch of random leftovers in the fridge and a few onions or sweet potatoes kicking around. I decided to think outside the box and make a chili with leftovers and what we had kicking around in the cupboards. You’re going to love this tex mex chili because it is inexpensive to make and only takes about 20 minutes to throw it all together. Easy Meal Idea – Sweet Potato and Quinoa Tex Mex Chili Easy Meal Idea – Sweet Potato and Quinoa Tex Mex Chili Author:…
If you’re like I used to be before my New Year’s Theme I used to find every excuse under the sun to not workout. Now that I have NO EXCUSES I thought I would share a quick fitness tip with you! I have an at-home routine that doesn’t take much time and you can do it with simple things you have around the home! Quick Fitness Tip – At-Home Routine Fitness routines you can do at home make exercise easy and sometimes a lot of fun! I find waking up a little earlier in the morning so I can do this alone…
As you can probably tell this month I am focusing a lot of sticking to a healthier lifestyle and helping you do the same. I am giving myself a new challenge every week to try to eat healthier, drink more water, and exercise. Did you see the taco seasoning recipe that cuts out a ton of sodium? This week I focused on adding more fruits and veggies to my diet. A fun printable the kids and I used to track our progress was this fruit and veggie journal. Grab your copy of the fruit and veggie journal printable and keep it…
I am back on track with my diet and exercise routines after the holidays. I wouldn’t exactly call it a diet though because I am more focused on eating healthy, drinking more water and being conscious about what I put into my body. Basically just making good choices! Part of my good choices are cutting out sodium. I was shocked at how much sodium is in many items I was purchasing at the grocery store from taco seasoning mix to chickpeas. I’m sure a lot of you are just like me and want to find ways to EASILY replace items…
We all know that exercising is very important for our diet and health. Finding time to exercise when you’re a busy mom feels impossible at times. Sometimes making time to go to the gym just doesn’t fit into our schedules. Exercising is extremely important and is something we should all implement into our lives. Here are some quick fitness tips to fit exercise into our lives, even as busy moms. Trust me I know some of these are obvious but we tend to forget them, or at least I do! Quick Fitness Tip – Exercise Tips For Busy Moms Exercise…
A new year means trying new things and even some new recipes! In our house, cinnamon buns are always a favorite but they are time consuming to make and with two kids helping it seems like a never-ending process. That’s why I decided to give this Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread a go! The recipe is quick and easy so if you have unexpected company show up it isn’t a problem to whip up a batch! Quick and Easy Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread Quick and Easy Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread Author: Real Momma Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 60…