All posts by chasingsantee

Everything Else, Recipes, Shopping

SnoSpice Review!

As a blogger, I get a lot of comments and solicitation to my email address, but sometimes I get really cool start-up companies offering to send free stuff. And when those products involve ice cream, you know it’s going to be good. Thank you Brett from SnoSpice for sending us these yummy flavors for free and giving us a chance to review them!

SnoSpice Ice Cream Infusions were created to add fresh flavors to vanilla ice cream. All natural, no sugars, and vegan and lactose free; these are perfect for so many diets and best of all, Made in the USA (yes!!!)!

Directions: Sprinkle on ice cream, Stir and Enjoy! Ya’ll know recently I’ve been working on minimalism and one of the concepts I have really tried to adopt is carefully choosing products that are high quality and also serve multiple purposes. That means limiting spices and condiments as well for the sake of simplicity and space. So at first I thought perhaps these specialty ice cream spices wouldn’t quite fit into my cupboard. However, after testing them out I have found great uses for recipes far beyond ice cream. Yep, these flavor mix-ins are keepers for sure. Here are just a few of my ideas for spicing up your diet with SnoSpice!

*Homemade Banana Cream: This is a recipe my kids adore and it is amazing how deliciously smooth and creamy it is with only two ingredients: frozen bananas and milk! I can’t wait to try SnoSpice as an extra little kick to give us some different flavor options!

*Smoothies: We make smoothies ALL the time in our Vitamix and absolutely love trying different flavors. SnoSpices will be perfect for adding a little extra “something” to these healthy combos, especially since we try to keep added sugar very low.

*Gourmet Oatmeal: I’ve talked before about how much we love our oatmeal (check out one of my favorite recipes of all time here). I buy a HUGE carton at Costco and keep our pantry stocked at all times. The secret is adding a nice scoop of butter and whole milk; I promise you will never feel the same about oatmeal again. At this very moment, my Instant Pot is full of raisin oatmeal that my son flavored using Cinnamon for Optimists. We will definitely be using the other SnoSpice flavors in the future for our breakfasts!

Dairy-free Desserts: When I was breast-feeding my son, I had to cut out dairy, soy, grains and eggs. For awhile it felt like fruit and veggies were all I was eating and boy did I miss ice cream. I did finally find delicious coconut ice cream but the flavors were super limited. SnoSpice would have been perfect to “spice up” the vanilla and add some variety to an already pared down diet!

Fried Apples: I happened to be making this delicious copy cat recipe of Cracker Barrel’s fried apples (totally recommend, by the way). Instead of plain cinnamon, I added Cinnamon for Optimists as well as a few shakes of Lemon+Basil. These apples were a huge hit for the whole family and my husband told me to ditch my apple pie recipe and just use this dessert as filling in my homemade crust!

*Coffee stir-ins: Confession: I am addicted to coffee and am trying to break my equally strong addiction to coffee creamers. In effort to simplify my diet and cut out extra chemicals, I have been sticking with sugar and half & half. It turns out I absolutely love the Pumpkin Carriage SnoSpice for coffee! I am not usually a huge pumpkin fan but this is delicious without having that artificial taste and it helps me cut back on calories by adding less sugar.

*Soups: last week I made Meatball Tortellini Soup from Great Food Fast in our Instant Pot. I used homemade bone broth from a good ole’ Costco rotisserie chicken and seasoned it with Lemon+Basil SnoSpice. Let me just say, this was the best version of this recipe we’ve made and it just might be because of the SnoSpice.

*Ice Cream: My entire family (four year old, ten year olds, hubby and me) really enjoyed stirring these flavors into vanilla ice cream. The children all loved Pumpkin Carriage the best, but surprisingly enough Lemon+Basil was my favorite! It’s the best of citrus plus sweet plus a little something else (obviously, the basil!). It’s nothing I ever would have thought to try but I can’t wait to taste it again. My husband preferred the Cinnamon for Optimists. Honestly, Turmeric’d was the only we tried that wasn’t a big hit for us, however, I am still very interested in using it in different recipes to take advantage of the health value I keep hearing about!

SnoSpice sent me their products to try out for free,  but this review is 100% honest and written by me. Thanks, SnoSpice!

Deal Alert, Everything Else

Deal Alert + Amazing New Amazon Shopping Hint!

1 Comment

I wasn’t planning on blogging this morning; to be honest I was planning on cleaning the bathrooms. But I happened upon a good deal on Columbia Women’s Fleece Jackets that I wanted to share and at the same time I figured out something I have always tried to discover about shopping on Amazon. I’m pretty certain this trick will be a game-changer for me and some of you guys also!

As a reminder, these are Amazon Affiliate Links, so if you make a purchase, you will help support my blog (at no additional cost to you). 

First, check out this great deal on Columbia Women’s Benton Springs Full-zip Fleece Jacket! This morning they were running as low as $13 for certain size/color combos but I think now the lowest you will be able to find is closer to $16. Still an awesome deal, so click here.

Now check out this tip!

For years, I have been trying to figure out how to see the REAL deals on Amazon. I have even chatted with amazon reps a couple times trying to understand how the pricing works, but they have not been able to help me. For example, say you are searching for a particular brand but you aren’t picky about color. A product link may say, $9.80-$47.32 and you think, “wow, I would love to find the $9.80 size and color combo!” but when you click on the options there are 79 different possible selections and clicking through is super annoying and time consuming. At this point, I thought (and was told by Amazon) that there wasn’t a way to find that lowest price point other than random guessing. Especially with clothing or shoes that have different size/color combos this is really frustrating! But I found a way, and here it is, with screen shots. 

Step 1: Enter your search term in Amazon.com. In this case I entered “Columbia Jacket”, and these were the results. Then notice that the third result starts at $16.27 so let’s click on that!

Step 2: Once you clicked on the product, select a size and color combo and look to the bottom beneath the “add to cart” button. See, where it says “New (12) from $27.99….” ? Click that link. (Hint: a size and color from “other seller” won’t give you this option, so make sure you have selected one that is available via Prime)

Step 3: Now you will see the option to select size. You could click your desired size at this point, but I chose to click the “Lowest Offer for Each” button. Next select the color drop-down menu, and at the very top you will see “Lowest Offer for Each”.

 

Step 4: You will get to this page, which will show you the very cheapest size/color combos, starting at $16.27 for the size Large, purple dahlia/rosewater combo. Awesome, right?

 

I hope this helps you! Especially when you are shopping for multiple folks, several kids or are willing to buy shoes ahead at the right price point, this could really save time! Thanks for reading, and happy shopping.

This posts contains affiliate links.

Deal Alert, Everything Else, Friday Favorites

Quick Reviews of Favorite Gifts

This was a modest Christmas for us gift-wise, but it was thoroughly enjoyed. Besides taking two out of three children to Urgent Care on Christmas Eve, and less than stellar health we had a fun holiday with lots of family time. Gifts were not the focus of our celebration by any means but I do want to share a couple that were hits, along with their affiliate links for your convenience.

Razor Sole: For our ten year old twin girls, we were looking for an active toy and considered scooter upgrades, skates, and long boards. We wound up tossing the dice a bit and going with the Razor Sole, which I had never heard of but has good reviews. It’s kind of like a hybrid between a skateboard, scooter and skates.

This is a little intimidating for cautious kids and the first couple tries they were very timid. But after a couple hours at the park, they were thoroughly enjoying the fun of balancing and leaning to steer. The great thing about this toy is that it’s very low to the ground, so easy to jump off. It’s also very small and easy to carry/store (this is super important since we have no garage!). These are rated for adults and can be used for lots of stunts and tricks although I am not encouraging the girls to try anything like that yet! At about $30, I think this will get a ton of use and enjoyment over the next few years. Click here to check it out on Amazon. 

Brain Flakes by Viahart: This 500 piece building set has gone up to $19.99 but when we ordered it was only $12.99! The canister is small but there are plenty of colorful pieces for several children to build with. These were a surprise hit over the holidays with EVERYONE from adults to kids. I would like to caution that they are quite small and I would categorize them as a choking hazard, despite the fact that similar toys are advertised for toddlers. I will have to take some pics of some of the huge creations that the kids came up with. For $19.99, I think they are a great toy. For $12.99, this was a crazy deal and I love that they were fun for all three kids plus any adults within reach. Click here for similar toys at different price points!

I will share some more later! What were the big hits in your home this Christmas?

Minimalism, Reflections

Happy New Year

I am feeling very optimistic about 2017 for our family. I feel so grateful for the blessings of 2016 and I can truly say that I feel more at peace than I have in a long time about attacking this coming year.

If I had really been on the ball with blogging, I would have a series of posts lined up to greet the new year. A minimalist challenge, a meal planning calendar, a homeschooler’s guide to getting through winter.

If I were on the ball, I would be hosting a giveaway, sharing DIY essential oil projects, and working on my Instant Pot Recipe ebook (this book does not exist, except in my imagination).

Instead, I am catching up on sleep. I am cuddling my kiddos. I am putting away holiday decor with more excitement and glee than I have ever had in opening a gift. I am staring at my new planner with stars in my eyes, imagining what the next year could be. I’m making lists and I’m taking my time. I’m thinking about a theme word to guide my year. (I’m considering the word savor. Kind of weird but it jumped out at me. Any thoughts?).

A dear friend asked me what happened to push me towards minimalism. I can’t exactly put my finger on when the change happened. As I rebranded my blog in the spring, I renewed my passion for writing, shifted my efforts away from looking for deals and began searching for my niche as a writer. But the significant change happened somewhere in between my Target boycott and when I started researching ethical shopping practices. In the midst of the busy everyday of parenting and life, I was crying out to God, asking Him for direction. I was so tired of being so overwhelmed and feeling like such a failure as a wife and mother. I begged God to show me another way.

God answered me very clearly by saying, “Stop valuing stuff”.

Soon after that moment, I read the article “How Getting Rid of Stuff Saved My Motherhood” by Allie Casazza and I knew that this was my answer. My answer was minimalism, and next I had to find out how to become it myself. I then began reading furiously everything I could find on the topic and spending every spare moment emptying our home and studying minimalism as if my sanity and survival depended on it.

In this process, we have filled and emptied both cars many many times. Boxes of donations, from furniture, clothing, gadgets. Tons of papers have been recycled or shredded. We’ve pared down, and pared again, and realized we still aren’t done. We’ve parted ways with items both sentimental and senseless. We’ve worked hard, we’ve had a few moments of panic and we’ve seen the holidays come and go with less chaos than usual.

So that brings me to today, January 4th 2017. I’m still tired and overwhelmed. We haven’t finished the process, there is so much more to do. But I am so hopeful and can’t wait to see what this year brings. Here’s to 2017!

Deal Alert, Shopping

Stuff we love: Get it in time for Christmas!

Today is the last day to order Prime items for Christmas delivery! I wanted to share some of our very favorite items in a quick list (in no particular order). Many of these I have mentioned before, so I won’t elaborate on WHY I love them in this post. Remember, I am an Amazon affiliate so if you choose to purchase I receive a very small commission.

Please, be sure to check each item in your cart to ensure it is still available in time for Christmas. As we all know, Amazon changes by the hour!

Thanks for reading & Merry Christmas!

 

  1. Essential Oil Diffuser
  2. Favorite EO blends: Germ Fighter, Relax Synergy Roll on (not Prime), Let it Go Synergy. I am a big fan of Plant Therapy! I especially love that they have a Kid-Safe line of oils.
  3. Instant Pot
  4. Vitamix Blender
  5. Boogie Board
  6. Marpac Sound Machine
  7. Himalayan Sea Salt Lamp (I love my lamp but I do not know the brand, so I am linking to one that has high reviews)
  8. Blokus Family Game (won’t arrive before Christmas)
  9. Kids’ Sonicare Toothbrush (great price at $29.99 after clipping coupon)
  10. Adult Sonicare Toothbrush (great price at $29.99 after clipping coupon)
  11. Monopoly Deal
  12. Chi Hair Straightener
  13. Chi Hair Dryer (can’t seem to find my particular dryer, so linking to the options)
  14. PlayMags Magnetic Blocks
  15. Crocs Olivia Leopard Print Flats
  16. Ugg Classic Boots
  17. Sneaky Snacky Squirrel (great price but won’t arrive before Christmas)
  18. Boon Grass
  19. Contigo Mugs
  20. Yeti Mug
  21. Klean Kanteens
  22. 5 Minute Marvel Stories
  23. Trixie Belden Mystery Series (Twin Tween Seal of Approval)
  24. Fridge Menu Board
  25. Le Creuset Dutch Oven
  26. Mini Kick Scooter
  27. Ipod Shuffle (Twin Tween Seal of Approval)
  28. The More of Less (I know, ironic in my long list of “stuff”)
  29. Imaginext Super Heroes (picky preschooler seal of approval)
  30. Kindle and Kindle Fire

Deal Alert

MORE Last minute deals!

I wanted to share a few things I will be giving as Christmas gifts as well as some great ideas I am still considering (two more days of prime shipping for Christmas delivery!). As always, I’ll be linking with my affiliate links, which gives me a very small percentage if you choose to purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Chasing Santee!

I was looking for another building toy that would be fun for all three kids and I was hoping for something a little more versatile than legos. I actually think I found a winner! These snowflake builders are only $12.99 for a pack of 500 and have great reviews.

Next up, I was looking for an organic tinted lip balm for myself and possibly the girls and I found this four pack from Sky Organics. Good reviews, the colors are nice and they are on sale for $10.95!

Now here is something cool/weird/interesting that I stumbled across when browsing Amazon. Stainless steel soap. That’s right, a “bar” made of stainless steel that removes odors. Reviewers claim to use it for everything from kitchen smells like garlic, onions, and fish to body odor in the shower! I browsed reviews on multiple listings and apparently it works because of negative ions…..or something like that. I’m definitely going to order this sooner or later, it’s an add-on item for only $4.24. If anyone has experience with stainless steel odor removers, please let me know!

I have been wanting one of these ever since I first saw them and I think it’s such a useful smart idea. It’s a simple cuff bracelet in silver, rose or gold and it’s a cute way to carry a hair tie along with you without it cutting off your circulation! Cute, right? Only $10 each. 

I’ve mentioned this game before, but it’s such a fun, simple, portable game that I have to share it again! Monopoly Deal is only $4.70 as an add-on item. 

If your kids’ dearest wish for Christmas is to have a snowball fight (they’ve got a snowball’s chance in hell for a white Christmas here in SC), they will LOVE these soft but squishy snowballs that are great for chunking at each other. These are way more fun than I ever would have expected! The price is a little steep, but just remember how much money we save by living in the warm south.

One of our dear friends gifted this cute infinity scarf kit to my girls and they love them! They both learned the technique really quickly and they liked that it came with a drawstring bag for carrying the project around.

That’s all for now, please share any gift ideas, especially for the guys as that’s

Deal Alert, Kids

Last Minute gifts for Everyone on your list

It’s officially December 14th and I don’t think I have ever come down to the wire like this in regard to gifts. I have almost no gifts so far and I think what that means is that for extended family gifts may just be consumable. By that I mean I may bring extra cookies to our family gathering and hope everyone enjoys them. But I do have some gift ideas to share today from Amazon, so let’s get right down to it.

last-minute-gifts

The good thing is, there is still time guys! All is not lost! In fact, some of the best deals of the year will still be popping up every day of December. Here are some of them, with my affiliate links for convenience!

For the Lego Lovers, I discovered these really fun circle baseplates that are compatible with name-brand bricks. Here’s a cool set that includes tons of pieces and colors for only $29.99. I think all three of my kids would really enjoy these for creating treehouses, buildings, forts and “worlds” with their minifigures. There are tons of different sets available. I always love to give something that will refresh a toy we already have!

DC Superhero Girls. It’s about time they came out with cool girl super hero figures and right now these are way cheaper than Walmart, Target or TRU is selling them.  Particularly, the 12″ Wonderwoman for only $4.24 (add-on price)! (I want to point out that this MAY be a price mistake since the MSRP is listed as the same as the 6″ figures. Good deal either way, but if you wind up with the 12″ doll that’s a steal!) These are approved by all three of my children. You can also pick up Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, or Super Girl.
See the whole line here!

dclineup
Check out the whole DC Super Hero Girl Lineup here!

 

My kids get a big kick out of Little Live Pets and at these prices they are cheap enough for stocking stuffers. My kids have specifically asked for the turtles and a couple are less than $6.

I will be continuing to pop onto Facebook with more deals from Amazon, so follow me there!

 

 

 

 

Everything Else

The Nightmare before Christmas

I have a “nightmare” that repeats around Christmas every year. Usually in early December I have a dream that it is somehow January and I have missed Christmas altogether. This is something I have legitimately dreamed multiple times during the holidays. I wake up feeling so sad, and then relieved, kind of like Scrooge in a Christmas Carol, realizing that I still have time to make the holidays count. This year I haven’t dreamed the dream. Maybe because I am working towards a more meaningful holiday? I am pretty sure it’s totally random but it is kind of funny to me that my first “minimalist Christmas” I have yet to have this “bad dream”. I want to be able to enjoy and participate in Christmas without my to-do and to-buy lists sucking up all my time. So far, so good. But on the other hand, I have yet to purchase a single Christmas present this year, which means there is definitely panic in my future.

 

 

Deal Alert

Cyber Monday: My favorite deals roundup

Not surprising, my top deal is the Instant Pot for anyone who hasn’t bought one already. In fact, some of us could probably use a second one, but are trying to hold back.

It’s only $68.95 and you will LOVE it. I use mine practically every day.

Click here for some of my favorite recipes!

Blendtec Blender also at a great price today! 

We love this diffuser and it’s a steal for $11.99 


The next deal I have is NOT an affiliate deal but I do want to mention Old Navy has everything 50% off today for Cyber Monday.

Also, my favorite essential oil brand Plant Therapy is having awesome deals every day for the 25 days of Christmas and they always ship free to the US with no minimum! So this is a great time to try some of their awesome oils. Again, not an affiliate although I should probably become one! Just a brand I really enjoy!

That’s all I have for now at 7AM! Have a fabulous day!

Minimalism

What’s in my Amazon Cart and mini-victories

I just churned out three posts for BargainBabe but I still can’t neglect my sweet spot here. I just have a few things to share but let me first say that a couple weeks ago I read The More of Less by Joshua Becker and it is incredibly positive and inspiring. (If you read Marie Kondo and thought that woman was spookily animistic, depressing and kind of in need of psychiatric help, you need to read this.) I just can’t say enough good things. I connected so much to this version of minimalism, with a greater purpose in mind.

moreofless

It’s only $1.99 on Kindle (back to $11.99, so sorry but still totally recommendable) so now is the moment! What’s more minimal than a digital copy, anyway? I still think the book is worth reading at $11.99 but I would probably suggest the library instead unless you are dying to spend the money. I will be watching for more deals on this!

Have we talked about capsule wardrobes? Sometimes I get confused about which blog I posted what in, but in case we haven’t touched on this, Courtney Carver does a fantastic job of explaining this with Project 333. I was fascinated to learn that Courtney delved into her first wardrobe challenge as she was re-vamping her entire lifestyle. Her ultimate goal was to cut the stress out of her life in order to help treat a chronic illness. I thought this was so interesting, as many of the articles you read on capsule wardrobes seem to be fixated on hunting down the perfect items to satisfy an arbitrary scavenger hunt of “necessary” pieces. I love that her perspective was so different and practical. Finding the perfect wool pencil skirt is not part of this equation. Making your closet a functional, simple and stress-free part of your life is.

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I’m not ready to go to a true capsule wardrobe, because I really don’t want to perform a complete purge and also frankly right now I am not at my ideal weight or shape. But I am looking at making purchases with much more precision and thought. Towards that end, I’m very interested in a brand I recently noticed on Amazon because the pieces are exactly in line with my style, very inexpensive, and also made in America! I feel like it is probably too good to be true, so if anyone has any feedback on this please fill me in. The brand is FRUMOS; please let me know what you think!

I do have a few minimalist victories to share for this week. Because our progress hasn’t been incredibly speedy, I sometimes forget that things are becoming steadily better. Packing for an out of town trip, reminds me that YES we are getting there. This was our easiest car trip, even down to leaving the house completely picked up and ready to return to. Small victory, yes, but I am grateful. Thanksgiving was delightful.

I used to go shopping all the time. Multiple times a week. Sometimes every day. Things are different now and last weekend I had a list of returns and ISO items that needed to be fulfilled (actually needed, like allergy covers for the girls’ beds after a recent diagnostic test and shoes for my rapidly growing 10 year olds.) We went shopping as a family and I was able to find the needed items and purchase them with store credit. It was so nice to be able to focus and not be distracted by a gnawing urge to consume aimlessly. We found all the needed items and didn’t bring home a single thing that wasn’t on our list. A different sense of satisfaction than the brief thrill of bargain hunting, but it felt good.

I used to have a big, stocked gift closet with items for almost any occasion, but I have been minimizing it as steadily as possible. This week I was able to use several of the items as gifts and I think they are really going to be used and enjoyed by the recipients. As more items are disappearing from my once plentiful stock, I feel lighter and gain a closet back!

Also, a brief mention of Black Friday: we went out for the morning because my hubby and I had the opportunity to spend a little time together sans kids. (Rare, oh so rare). We had a nice romantic breakfast at Waffle House (because coffee and waffles without kids is poetry to my heart) and shopped a few stores. We found nothing of particular interest and I felt a strangely pleasant casual detachment from the entire process. Although we enjoyed talking and planning a bit for the holidays as we walked around and having fun with each other without having to answer 21 questions from the four year old, there was no NEED to spend.

spire

One last thing in my Amazon cart: I am super intrigued by the Spire, a new-ish fitness monitor that claims to improve your breathing and anxiety. Anyone have experience with this? I’m pretty tempted to try it. If it was wrist worn, I wouldn’t hesitate, but I’m concerned it might be problematic for me to wear. Any feedback?

Well, that’s all for now. This is the kind of post that I throw together after being away from the blog for too long, so I apologize for the random collection of thoughts. I hope your Thanksgiving Weekend is peaceful and sweet!

Minimalism

Attacking the attic, sentimental items, and Joshua Becker

I’ve really missed posting but I do have other blog commitments, a part time job, a full-time four year old, the daily challenge of homeschooling twin tweens, and am pretty deeply committed to 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Please don’t mistake my slow posting to a lack of commitment, that is far from true.

Here at the Prescott house, we are still deep in the minimalism journey and working on a daily/weekly basis toward our goals, which are slowly coming into better focus. I say “we” because my family has definitely gotten completely on board. They were never resistant but I do think a few months of hard-core dedication on my part has proven this is not a passing phase for me, and becoming more of a habit for all of us. gratitude-as-an-attitude-quote

As a quick aside, if you want to read some of my other blog posts around the web, here are my most recent:

Minimalism: Discovering My Maternal Optimism

9 Easy Ways to Jump-Start Your Minimalism Journey

12 Kid Gifts that Won’t Clutter Your Home

9 Unique and Meaningful Holiday Gifts for Adults

Notice a trend? Yep, I am still pretty obsessed with Minimalism. If you are interested in reading up on the topic, please start with the More of Less by Joshua Becker! I have enjoyed this book so much and wish I could share it with every one of my friends and family. If I owned it, I would lend it but I recommend the good ‘ole library for this. I had to wait awhile but it was worth it!

Yesterday we tackled the bulk of our attic and it was quite a job. My neck and back are consequently killing me from lugging boxes up and down those rickety steps. We delivered a car-full of donations and filled our trash can to the brim as well. We aren’t done.

We opened boxes that hadn’t seen the light of day in years. The contents of some were total mysteries despite hastily scrawled words sharpied across the tops. What I discovered was that 99% of the items that once seemed attic-worthy only served to add to my work-load yesterday. Some of the items I had chosen to save were comical, some were pathetic and a few were very poignant. But almost none were saved. I took a couple photos, read a few old cards and showed my kids a news article or two. I threw away trophies, a walmart vest, heaps of letters and notes and every school paper I saved from college. I kept my high-school diploma even though it seems pointless and I kept some old antique books (which may also get culled eventually). I dumped a truly creepy box of old dolls which I once treasured, I snapped a photo of my old karate gi because most folks I know now can’t believe I was a green belt once upon a time. I discarded suitcases which had disintegrated from poor storage and chairs which had somehow become broken over time. An old lamp which I never liked even in it’s prime and a huge collection of books which I once enjoyed. I uncovered items given to us for our wedding shower, baby showers, Christmas, and a truly startling amount of vintage tea sets that I at some point packed away.

Now that I have delved into every category of our home and opened almost every old box, I want to share what I thought and felt dealing with nearly every single box, bag and knick-knack that I had previously packed away. It can be summed up in one word.

“why?”

Why did I save this and what was I hoping it’s value would be to me or anyone else?

Anything that served a useful purpose at one point has become useless or obsolete from being stored over time (and without climate-control). Instead of being donated to someone who would actually use it in it’s prime, it has lost value over time.

Anything of sentimental importance when packed away in such bulk loses it’s value and impact and just serves as emotional filler.

My sister and I exchanged dozens of sweet notes when I was in college. Yet when I found them yesterday, I really didn’t want to pour over each one. I just wanted to jump in my car and visit her and spend time with her NOW. I wanted to clear up my home and schedule so that I could have more freedom to spend time with my family today. Memories are special, but now is NOW. We aren’t promised tomorrow, and I don’t want yesterday’s burdens to cloud today’s focus.

So how will this new mindset affect my perspective going forward? I will post more about this in the future. Until then, embrace gratitude.

Everything Else

November days

Hello, Daylight Savings Sunday and Writer’s Block.

There is plenty to say, but I’m kind of tired of trying to say it. I’m numbed with anxiety over the election. Praying for health for my family. Feeling like the “stuff” is a mountain I can’t conquer. Realizing I’m behind on things I’ve barely even acknowledged are on my to-do list. Feeling disconnected from my friends. Missing my brother who is getting married this week far away from me.

Isaiah 54:10
“‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, still my love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed’, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

God is in control. He always will be. He holds our country in His hand. He knows the outcome, He knows the needs, He knows the questions and the answers.  He is good all the time.