Give Thoughtful Care Packages
Do you have a “go to” list for care package items when a friend is in need? Bookmark this page for your “go to” list for thoughtful care packages. Be the friend who gives generously and thoughtfully when a friend is in need, without asking “what do you need.” Whether it’s the stress of caring for a sick family member, sitting bedside with the dying, or trying to hold the family together after a traumatic incident, the same basic needs exist…food and rest. Putting together a small package of helpful items and dropping it off on a friend’s porch says so much. It’s a hug, a prayer, and a meal all wrapped up in one. Before you stop reading because your friends live too far away, most of this could be done by restaurant or grocery delivery services, too. Don’t let distance keep you from helping out. Over the years, friends have generously and thoughtfully taken care of my family during hard times. I remember a meal taken to MY house for my kids because I was away at my parents house caring for them. I remember a bag full of homemade cookies that got us through 4 am bedside…
Framily
What is framily? While framily may not even be a real word in the dictionary yet, most people will be able to define it. Framily is a portmanteau, or a blending, of the two words friends and family. Framily are friends who become our chosen family. This word has been around since the early 2000’s but the concept is not new. When people are apart from family, they often find themselves building a network of support among their friends at work, school, or in the community. In the past few years, people have created covid bubbles for much the same reasons. Whether you are under the same roof, in the same town, or gathering on Thursdays nights for dinner, framily time is good for your heart and soul. It is joyous to have people in your life to support you through the seasons of celebrations and struggles. Sometimes that support comes from both family and framily. Our lives become richer when we share it with others. Our burdens are halved and our joys are doubled. I have been blessed over the years to have various groups of framily to share seasons of life with. So many memories flood my thoughts…
Product Review: Pinch of Yum
What’s your go-to website for recipes? Finding healthy, exciting, and approachable recipes, such as those on Pinch of Yum, can be a challenge in the giant universe of cyberspace. It’s not that they don’t exist, but that there are so many websites to choose from. Let me introduce you to one of my favorites. Pinch of Yum is one I discovered in the last few years when a friend shared a yummy recipe I had tasted at her house. Now I regularly find myself clicking on the links in their newsletter or searching the blog for a recipe featuring whatever food items I have on hand that night so I don’t have to go to the store just to make dinner. The ability to sort recipes on Pinch of Yum by categories like quick and easy, dinner, Instant Pot, vegan, tacos, freezer meals, etc. makes it easy to find particular things. Another thing I love is the beauty of the website! Not only are the recipes a delight to taste, the website is a feast for your eyes from the fonts to the colors to the photos. Whether you want printed recipes, videos to follow, or explanations, you can get…
How to Answer the Questions Kids Ask About Life and God
How do I explain the basics of the Christian faith to my kids if I didn’t grow up in church? What do you do when your kids ask you big questions about life and God, but you struggle to even answer those questions yourself? A friend recently asked me this question. She wanted to know how to answer the questions kids ask about life and God. She knew what she believed but was hesitant to try to explain it to her kids for fear of messing up the answers because she didn’t grow up in the church and missed out on hearing all the familiar stories taught in Sunday School. Essentially, my friend and her kids needed to learn some basic theology (the study of God) and basic Bible doctrines (Bible beliefs) together. What you believe affects how you live so understanding and talking about theology with your kids is important to Christian parents. It doesn’t have to be as hard or complicated as it sounds. It can be reading and talking together at the dinner table or storytime. I actually get excited about the questions kids ask about life and God. It means they are thinking. It means they…
Season’s Greetings
Remember that amazing hostess gift you got last Christmas that you thought you could make for others this year? Remember that amazing hostess gift you got last Christmas that you thought you could make for others this year? Nope. You forgot. Me, too. I hate it when that happens! You have a great idea, and you forget to use it. I have a tip that has helped me out many times when I want to remember Christmas gift ideas. Open your calendar app or paper calendar and choose a date early in next November. I create an event called “note to self” where I type things in the event notes such as “remember you have plenty of tree ornament hooks” or “make spice mix jars for teacher gifts this Christmas” adding links or pictures when appropriate. This little tip replaces sticky notes that get lost on the counter. You can use it to remind yourself to purchase and mail a birthday gift ahead of time or to schedule an appointment for the car inspection next year. This tip will only work if you actually use a calendar, but that’s a whole other topic! Speaking of those amazing little Christmas gift…
Give Thanks
What are you giving thanks for this year? Giving thanks should be a daily habit, not just a once a year table talk. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving, give thanks, well before we sit down at the tables or prepare to serve up a meal to those less fortunate or don our scrubs for a day at work. The pandemic gave ample opportunity to renew our list of things to be thankful for. For many of us, people and relationships got elevated to the top of the list. The definition of “framily” grew out of our Covid bubbles. In a houseful of “things” we most missed our friends and family. We became especially thankful for opportunities to travel and see loved ones. This year, let’s not only make a list of things to be thankful for, but let’s give thanks with grateful hearts. Let’s spread joy and cheer to all we meet. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving and motivate others to do the same! Here’s a free Thanksgiving printable to help you remember to give thanks with a grateful heart. The pdf download is an 8×10 so you can print it on your home printers. I am so thankful for how my business and…
Product Review: Esteamed Coffee
How do you choose your coffee shops? The title wasn’t a typo. It wasn’t a mistake. The mission of Esteamed Coffee is to “build esteem and employment for adults with differing abilities.” This delightful coffee shop is in the heart of downtown Cary, NC, and employs several friends of mine. The concept of the shop came together after the stroke and long recovery of an 18 year old friend of ours. Did you know that there’s an over 70% unemployment rate for adults with disabilities? Esteamed Coffee hopes to lower that rate and show other businesses that it’s possible and meaningful to employ people with differing abilities. They want businesses to steal their employees! Along with their coffee for a cause, they showcase local artwork and have space for small meetings and events. If you have not visited this coffee shop, grab a friend and go see why Esteamed Coffee was nominated as one of the top 5 finalists for “Most Innovative Local Startups in 2021.” Or pack up your laptop and work for a few hours inside or outside the shop while sipping on one of the specialty lattes. The staff is happy to make drink recommendations! The hardest…
Pie and Praise
When was the last time you asked guests to bring pies, with a slice missing? When you ask the hostess what to bring, rarely do you get told to bring a pie with a slice missing. (And rarely do ALL the guests comply.) “Pie and Praise” night is an opportunity to gather with friends before the start of the busy holiday season and to reflect on all you have to be thankful for in the past year. It is so easy to complain about how much work you have to do to get ready for the holidays, and in doing so, miss out on the joy of the season. That’s why I created “Pie and Praise” nights. I wanted to gather with my friends and family BEFORE Thanksgiving and Christmas and to count our blessings together. I also wanted to try out some new pie recipes! This was the winning combination! A night with friends spent catching up, eating pie, and reflecting on all you have to be thankful for. Cultivating gratitude is a great way to begin the busy holiday season. Why do you leave a piece of pie at home? To show some love and appreciation for your…
Happy 50th Birthday
Is it nifty to be fifty? 1971 was a good year! Happy 50th birthday to my handsome husband and quite a few other amazing icons that have helped shape the American culture of the last half century! Starbucks Email Amtrak FedEx Nike Swoosh Soft Contact Lenses Disney World Fruity Pebbles Floppy Discs Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (movie) NASDAQ Laffy Taffy The Oregon Trail Game Liberty University Southwest Airlines (and $20 flights!) Uno Apollo 14 Mission (golf on the moon!) Arcade Games Turning 50 is a milestone and an opportunity to celebrate! Both my husband and I chose spending time with family and friends as our 50th birthday celebrations this year. No need for anything fancy, just time together. With the uncertainty in the pandemic the past 2 years, time together seems like an amazing gift. Happy 50th birthday! Travel+Leisure magazine also turns 50 and shares 50 best places in the US to travel this year. Guess what? The Triangle made it on the list! Come visit us! We can grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks and catch up or play a game of Uno! Table Talk: What’s a creative way to celebrate a milestone birthday? Who else…
Christmas Shopping and Saturdays
How many shopping Saturdays are there until Christmas? Christmas seems to arrive in the stores just after the July 4th holiday so it’s easy to think you have plenty of time left to Christmas shop. At the original posting of this blog, there are only 8 Saturdays left to shop! If you are like me, your Saturdays are already filling up with other fun fall activities (like my husband’s 50th birthday!). Next weekend I’ll be selling my art at the 7 Billion Reasons fundraiser tea and vendor fair in Cary, NC. It’s a great time to Christmas shop for frameable art, card sets, and conversation starters, plus support a great cause! I rarely sell my art and cards preprinted so get them while they last. Free water bottle sticker (pictured below) with a $20 purchase, too! If you are unable to attend, you can shop at my Etsy shop for digital downloads that you can print at home and frame. The “Family Rules” or “Classroom Rules” art are great for parents and teachers. “Adjective Art” is perfect for friends, family, coworkers, and kids rooms. You don’t even have to wait until a free Saturday. Get your shopping done now! 50%…