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Chapter 4 - The week we made Sabbath a priority

Strangely, I am not feeling particularly wordy today. Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning, but I am just kinda enjoying the quite and trying to figure out what this day is going to look like. Sometimes that makes it hard to focus on the past week. However, if I don't write this now I might very well not have time to later. 

2017 - Chapter 4/52

Monday, January 30




Last week's menu plan was an overall success. The spicy tuna wraps were super yummy, and the jambalaya I could eat every night. It definitely got us eating better food, and saved money! It wasn't perfect... we still haven't tried the salmon salad pita pockets, and there was one night when I just left everyone to find their own food, ha!... but it helped for sure.

Menu Plan Monday - January 30, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LatteMadeEasy #CollectiveBias




Toward the end of 2016, I shared on Instagram (#mandbmornings) that I had decided to make it a priority to get up early enough to have coffee with my husband before he would leave for work. This was not easy for me, since he leaves for work a little after 5:30 AM. However, I knew that it was going to be our best chance for a little alone time each day (our only child is a crazy night owl!) to talk, pray and just be together. We started calling it our "coffee date" and it really helped us to focus in more on our marriage.

How to Make a Latte at Home for a Morning Coffee Date

Wednesday, January 25



Chapter 3 - A Week to Regroup


After week 2's false start, I was ready for a more "normal" week. Instead, I got an ice storm. It wasn't anything compared to the ice storm we weathered in Missouri the year we moved into our house there, but it was enough to make going anywhere out of the question. Matt didn't even go to work on Monday. Our daycare baby didn't come until Wednesday. Things were far from "normal" but I think that was for the best in many ways. 

2017 - Chapter 3/52

Tuesday, January 24


I recently shared some of our nutrition goals for the start of this year (along with my handy-dandy, 4-step acronym) in the post  FOCUS ON NUTRITION: ONE B.I.T.E. AT A TIME. I decided that I would get back to sharing my menu plan on Mondays as well! I used to do this way back in the day, ha! It definitely helps keep me on track, and I can look back on them later when I need ideas!

Menu Plan Monday - January 23, 2017

Monday, January 23



Like many other people, the beginning of the new year marks a time when I want to refocus on making better choices in my family's diet. During the holidays it is so easy to overdo it on all of the treats of the season, and there is nothing like overindulging for a month or so to make everyone start to feel a little gross. I know the real answer is to just not overdo it during the holidays, but at this point I am focusing on what comes next instead of what I should have done in the past.

Focus on Nutrition: One B.I.T.E. at a Time

Saturday, January 21




Week 2 - False Start

This was the week when everything was supposed to get back to "normal" finally. We were ready to resume homeschool and day care and everything that goes along with that. While there were some definite successes this week, there was also an overwhelming sense that something was out of sync.

We had a great first day of school. We loved having our day care honey back. We made healthy choices by getting back on track with our green smoothie mornings. Aiden even finally made it back to taekwondo on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday night, though, things were starting to fall apart a bit. 

2017 - Chapter 2/52

Sunday, January 15

This post is sponsored by Hiland Dairy, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

As we prepare for the impending ice storm that is all anyone can talk about right now, it is pretty much the perfect time to bake up some tasty muffins to have on hand just in case we really do lose power! It is no secret that I love baking muffins, and working with Hiland dairy as a sponsor this month gives me the perfect opportunity to share a new recipe! There are a number of reasons why I like muffins, starting with the fact that my husband is not a breakfast eater. We hear all the time that it is super important to start the day with a healthy breakfast, but he has a hard time making that happen. I have found that if I keep muffins on hand it is much more likely to put something in his stomach before he begins his physically-demanding workday.


Whole Grain Blueberry Cream Muffins

Saturday, January 14


I have been familiar with the idea of podcasts for a long time, but I honestly never listened to one until last year. I am someone who has always loved to read... whether it is books, magazines or blogs, the printed word has always been my preference. That all changed when I found it next to impossible to ever get any real reading done. And I know some people can read while they walk on a treadmill, but I am NOT one of them... so if I was going to keep up with life and also focus on being more active I definitely needed a new option.

Podcasts with a Purpose - Favorites for January 2017

Wednesday, January 11


My friend Beth is doing a series on her blog called "Chapter 2017" that really speaks to what I said in my last post about wanting to get back to the basics here. While I won't be able to keep up with daily posts, like she does, I can certainly commit to doing something weekly to just kind of sit down and record the little things that I would otherwise forget. Her 2017 series is written as a chapter in her life, where she is writing a page a day. I love that! For mine, since I can't keep up with daily, I will just write weekly chapters in the story of this particular year. (Actually I will likely write random thoughts and bullet lists... nothing resembling a chapter, but you get the point.) I DO, however, hope to have daily photos! So far so good as of the end of this week. We will see how far I make it!



2017 - Chapter 1/52

Sunday, January 8



I have been thinking a lot about the future of my blog as this new year begins. There are days when I wonder if I will ever love it like I used to. That question is usually followed by a mental list of other things to which I could devote the time and energy I spend blogging. However, the pull is still strong for me to return here. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 6 years now. 6 years! As much as I have learned to appreciate this season of life, there is still a part of me that longs for something of my own.

Reclaiming My Space & Redefining My Focus

Tuesday, January 3

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