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When I Became a Mom

In a recent blog post, I wrote, “If you see a steady flow of current updates alongside old photos and flashbacks from the kids’ childhood, you’ll know that I am processing.”

So it begins.

This summer, I’ve decided to finally tackle the digital mountain of old family photos in my archives. I have TENS OF THOUSANDS of pictures and they are not well organized. Since I have some time over summer break, I figured I’d start sifting through them. My goal is to delete a lot of junk and while I’m at it, pull out some favorite photos of Z to share throughout his senior year.

And the very first one I came across was this gem.

I don’t know if the actual piece of paper still exists, but I’m so grateful to have a photo of it. Here is the story of this little scrap of paper.

There used to be a restaurant called The Macaroni Grill, where the tables were covered in white butcher paper. Crayons were provided so you could doodle while you waited for your food. They had a quirky little tradition there where the server would come over and write their name upside down on the table (so it would read right-side up to you).

Fun fact, I worked at The Macaroni Grill for four years and was professionally trained in the art of upside-down name writing.

J and I would eat there at times and used to play hangman at the table while we waited for our meals, so I came up with a plan. When I got pregnant someday, I would tell him through a game of hangman at Macaroni Grill.

We had been trying to conceive for about a year. J remembers it as much longer—he describes it like we were basically infertile and had fully given up on the idea of having kids. I don’t remember it that way. I do remember mentioning it to my doctor, who offered to put me on Clomid, but I declined.

Meanwhile, I took so many pregnancy tests, I probably should’ve bought stock in the company. One friend even gave me the extra test from her two-pack after she confirmed her own pregnancy—it was the “Clear Blue” brand.

One month, I felt like something was different. I wasn’t expecting anything, but I took the Clear Blue test anyway. I set the timer for three minutes, but before it even had a chance to beep, the word “pregnant” appeared.

I stared at it. Shook it. Checked the box. Turned it around to see if maybe the other side said “not.” Denial hit first, but then my heart started pounding. Could it really be true?

My eyes were wide. My pulse was racing. And in the middle of that moment, our Labrador, Crew, came into the bathroom staring at me with his tail banging against the bathroom wall. I knelt down and whispered to him, “I’m pregnant.”

Crew was the first to know and I made him swear to secrecy.

I honestly can’t remember what excuse I gave J for why we needed to eat out at Macaroni Grill that night. Back then, we went out to eat a lot more, so it probably didn’t raise any suspicions. I stuck to the plan and we started a round of hangman on the paper tablecloth.

As you can see in the photo, it didn’t take long before he solved the puzzle. “You’re Gonna Be A Dad” His reaction mirrored mine—stunned at first, like he wasn’t sure he read it right. Then, joy.

He had been ready to be a dad long before I felt ready to be a mom. Of course, we were both a little scared—who isn’t?

From that point on, I thanked God for this life and began praying for him. I’ve always believed big things for this baby.

Mothers are biased, of course. We think our kids are the best, the brightest, destined to change the world. And maybe that sounds naïve—but to us, it’s simply the truth.

That’s our job, to believe big and dream big for our children. 18 years later and that still hasn’t changed.

By |2025-07-08T22:32:31+00:00July 7, 2025|Babies, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Cheap Easy Meals for a Family of Six

 

I’ve shared our grocery budget before, complete with receipts (literally), to show how much prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

People sometimes ask me, “Natalie, how do you do it?”

Well, we don’t eat organic and our grocery bill really isn’t that low. According to my google search the average grocery bill for a family of six can range from $1,136-$1604 depending on the age of the children and the chosen food plan. We spend $1,300 a month, but in all fairness there are two adults, two growing teenage boys, an athletic girl, and one kid that has a wild card appetite. I feel like I’m up against that creepy “Little Shop of Horrors” plant that growls- “FEED ME”. 

So no, we’re not surviving on rice and beans alone. But we have found a few go-to meals that are cheap, easy, and don’t require a culinary degree. Here are some of our favorites!

Ramen Noodles

It doesn’t get any cheaper than Ramen noodles. It was invented to be affordable and convenient during a food shortage in post world war 2 Japan. At 30 cents a bag even after inflation it’s stayed true to its origins. We like protein though, so I fry up some precooked chicken (here’s where Costco $5 chickens come in handy) and some chopped veggies like carrots, bell pepper, and green onion.

Then I add a fried (or hard boiled) egg on top. I know it may not be popular in all homes, but my kids love having an egg on their Ramen!

 

 

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables

I used to buy only one of these tenderloin to feed the whole family for under $10. Now we need to cook two at a time, but it’s really easy and still one of the cheaper meat options. Follow the directions on the packaging (I usually buy mine from Aldi) and add colorful chopped veggies to the pan to bake all at once.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Um, duh. One of the easiest most classic meals of all time and it’s cheap. I get my spaghetti and sauce from Aldi and the cheapest meatballs I have found are at Costco. No recipe here, just follow the package instructions.

Frito Pie

Don’t judge me but on a busy night my family will scarf down some Frito pie before running off to sports or youth group. All it takes is simply heating up a can of chili. I buy it with meat and beans from Aldi. Then add it on top of Fritos. I buy the generic at Aldi. Then top with shredded cheddar. I’ve found the cheapest price on shredded cheese at Costco.

Burgers

Another classic. I just buy the cheapest patties I can find. Sometimes I upgrade to grass fed organic ground beef from Aldi if there’s room in the budget that month, but sometimes that’s not doable and that’s okay! My method when J doesn’t have the grill going is I line my baking sheet with foil and broil the burgers.

 

Sausage Skillet

I get these sausages at Aldi and just add chopped onions and peppers to a bed of rice. I know processed meat is not that healthy. It is cheap though and we don’t eat it all the time.

 

Chicken pot pie

I have raved about this double recipe of chicken pot pie before. Even my kids have made my Messy Mom recipe so you know it’s EASY.

Sheet pan chicken and veggies 

I almost didn’t add this to the list because you have to marinate it, so that’s a little bit of an extra step that can sometimes be a deal breaker for moms. It’s still a simple recipe though I promise. And dark meat is cheaper than white so it’s pretty cost effective. Sesame oil is delicious, but pricey. You can easily substitute for another oil though.

Quesadillas

You guys, this is my speciality. We eat it several times a month. I hope to have a tutorial video soon. Until then, here are some directions. Sauté 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped bell peppers with a table spoon of garlic and a half cup of your favorite salsa. Once soften add 4 cups of chopped cooked chicken. Then use a stick of butter to cover a separate hot pan. Add a tortilla to the pan and dump a bunch of shredded cheese over the whole thing. Once the cheese starts melting add scatter your sautéed ingredients to one side of the tortilla. Once the cheese has melted fold the tortilla in half. After about 30 seconds flip it and cut into triangles. The key to this being super tasty is to be GENEROUS with your butter.

Ham or turkey melts

It’s just sandwiches, but similar to the tortillas you want to slather that stick of butter melting it all over the pan and then add your bread. Now add deli meat and a slice of cheese. Next top with the other buttered bread. Once the cheese has melted flip it. Serve your melts with a side of chips and veggies. Teach your kids to make it with supervision and this suddenly becomes a really conevient meal when you didn’t really plan anything.

Green bean casserole 

I have made this a million times and it’s a family fave. Here is a link to the recipe- lowcarbyum.com/low-carb-chicken-green-bean-casserole-recipe  The only modification is I use one package of cream cheese instead of two and I sprinkle bacon on top if I have some precooked. *I almost always have a bunch of bacon that I cook all at once in the oven for easy breakfasts throughout the week.

 

In Kindergarten the students made “guess who” papers for the parents who came to parent teacher conference. It was fun to see if you could spot your child. Favorite food “Green ben cassrl” was kind of a dead giveaway.

Chicken strips on a salad

Chicken strips are cheap and easy, thrown on a salad they are like a fancy restaurant meal.

 

Honestly what our go-to meals are have evolved over the years and will continue to. Sometimes we are on a healthy streak with home grown vegetables and zucchini noodles. Sometimes we try elaborate recipes. Other times it’s corn dogs or frozen pizza. Last night we had straight up beans and weenies.

I do hope these simple “recipes” help or inspire. I’m always looking for more if anyone wants to share their own!

 

 

 

 

By |2025-07-01T00:02:57+00:00July 1, 2025|Frugal Living|0 Comments
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Top FREE College Planning Resources

I’ve been very vocal about my college search obsession for Z.

Some people hire a professional university admissions consultant to guide them through the ins and outs of the process. Me? I’ve unofficially made it my part-time job to learn everything I can.

It all started last year when I met up with a mom I barely knew. We had some mutual friends, and I asked her to meet for coffee so I could pick her brain about college stuff—her kids are a little older than mine, and she had more experience.

Then last October Z and I went to a college fair… and down the rabbit hole we went.

Eventually, I found myself knee-deep in books, websites, and flyers galore. It was daunting. But I’ve sifted through it all and figured out what’s actually been useful. Now, I’ll admit: I’m probably not the best person to give college advice (yet!)—after all, I haven’t successfully launched a kid to college. But I do get a lot of questions from other parents when I mention some of my go-to resources, so I figured I’d share.

Here are my top FREE resources for navigating the college process:

  1. Spreadsheet 

As we started hearing from colleges and trying to compare details, I knew I needed a spreadsheet. Except, I don’t really know how to make one! Thankfully, College Essay Guy offers a great college comparison spreadsheet template that has worked really well for us.

I tweaked ours to include categories that matter most to our family—like “Faith Connections,” where I track active Christian ministries on campus (like Chi Alpha or Cru), “Proximity to Home,” and “Scholarship Opportunities.”

This spreadsheet has truly become the motherboard of my research.

2. Podcasts

I follow three regularly:

Each one brings a different perspective. I have favorite episodes that were game-changers, and other parts I skip. There are way too many to listen to all of them—but here’s the trick: use the search bar in your podcast app. Type in any topic—FAFSA, studying abroad, SAT tips—and it will list all the episodes out for you so that you can get right to what you want to know and it’s all FREE!

 

3. Reddit

I know it’s not always reliable but I have learned so much from reading Reddit forums and Z has too, especially concerning SAT and ACT.I’m not a big Reddit user, so I won’t dive too deep, but know that you can find forums for almost any school or topic.

4. Free Webinars

I have a love-hate relationship with webinars. Some are just long sales pitches—but many offer really solid, free information upfront.

A few I’ve found helpful include College Ninja and College Essay Guy (again). The downside is that they require time—and usually your email address. If that’s not your thing, no worries. Much of the same info can be found on YouTube, but I wanted to include webinars because they’ve been a legit source for me.

5. College Visits

We’ve only done two college visits so far. Z visited one school twice—once for a general tour and once for a more specific “Close-Up” engineering program.

Most people recommend visiting at least three schools. I’d love to fit in one more, preferably something very different from the others. But they’re tough to schedule around school, work, and life—even if they’re technically free, they still cost time and travel.

6. Facebook Groups

I recently joined two Facebook groups:

  • Parents of the Class of 2026 (Z’s year)

  • Parents of the Class of 2025 (so I can stay ahead of the game!)

Just like podcasts and Reddit: THE SEARCH BAR IS YOUR FRIEND. Want to see what people are saying about Ohio State? Search it. Looking for scholarships for nursing? Type it in. Grad party ideas? You’ll find tons of them!

I am a fan of learning from real-life people sharing their real-life experiences.

7. People

This is still my favorite resource. I already mentioned the mom that met with me last year. We also met up with a leader of Chi Alpha student ministry. More recently I asked our youth pastors if they would mind coming over and sharing all of their college information and experience with us. Not only have they been in student ministry, and were in college fairly recently (unlike friends who are my age) but they really know my son and his heart. Their insight and advice is invaluable to me.

Honestly, I ask just about everyone I bump into what college they went to and how they felt about it. I literally asked my dental hygienist at my appointment today. I did! And I got a lot of great info from her.

8. School

Our high school offers so many opportunities—college fairs, counselor meetings, info nights. I’m sure that’s true for most schools, so take advantage of everything your school offers.

Even if you homeschool, there are often college events hosted by local libraries, colleges, or community centers. We’ve made great connections through these.

 

Final Thoughts

I don’t know how all of this is going to shake out.

It may surprise you, but I’m not one of those people who believes college is the end-all, be-all for everyone. I just know that whether it’s Z or one of our other kids, I won’t regret gathering as much information as possible.

After all—knowledge is power.

By |2025-06-24T19:05:03+00:00June 24, 2025|Parenting Tips, Schooling|3 Comments
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Farewell Van

We got a new (used) vehicle. Yay-ish. Yay because it’s so nice, and ish because it’s bad timing. Getting a new car because you want to is WAY funner than getting a new car because you have to. Cars are a big part of life for most of us. I wrote about my last two vehicles in my book. One chapter was called Odyssey, named after my first beloved Honda Odyssey.

The last time J bought a car for himself was in 2007! It was seven years old when we bought it.

The car has been with us longer than our kids and Z is almost an adult. It is a 2000 Toyota 4 Runner and it now has over 367,000 miles. That’s not a typo. That’s six digits with a  three at the front. Shout out to the 4runner. To know one is to love one.

I had a Toyota Highlander that I bought in 2009.

It was great, but when we were pregnant with our fourth we knew there was no way to fit the whole family so I was forced to upgrade. We bought a Honda Odyssey in 2015. I wrote a blog post about it titled “Super Amazing Wonderful Praise Report”. I couldn’t have had more love and appreciation for that van. Unfortunately it was totaled in 2019 in an accident on the highway with a semi. That experience left me with PTSD (officially diagnosed) which I’m recovering from and believing for complete and total healing.

Anyway we replaced the Odyssey with an Odyssey.

I loved the second Odyssey just as much as the first. Unfortunately a few weeks ago, just 4 months shy of paying it off , the check engine light came on and the Honda mechanic said it needs a new engine. This was DEVESTATING to me. It kind of triggered feelings of the wreck and loosing that van. J’s Toyota is running and I know I bragged about it, but as you can imagine it is limping along. It has a hard time with hills and highways. It could never haul anything and it is so loud it can be heard from the next town over, but it does manage to get him to places around town so we are thankful. Still, THAT would be the car I wanted to replace not my van. We were planning on cramming a bunch of final road trips in that  van before Z graduates next year. INSERT CRYING EMOJI!

Speaking of road trips, when we got the diagnoses for my van we were days away from a trip to the gulf! We had to rent a vehicle. This was an expense we weren’t planning for but I tried to put it out of my mind and we genuinely enjoyed that trip away. We got to spend some much needed time with Texas family and the beach was wonderful.

When we returned we got my old van out of the shop and hit the ground running looking for a replacement. It wouldn’t be that urgent but we have a trip to Detroit and another to Texas just a week away! After much deliberation we landed on a 2021 Honda Pilot.

We bought the car the first day it was listed, actually make that the second day because the day we test drove it I started sobbing in the lobby and walked away from the deal saying I needed to sleep on it. In my defense, if you feel pressured into making a decision it’s okay to walk away. The day we did purchase the car it wasn’t quite ready because they were detailing it, changing the oil and filters, etc. However one cool thing is I ran into an old friend I’ve known since SJ started at her deaf school in 2013!

This friend worked at the dealership and it was such a nice surprise to give her a big hug, see her sweet face and catch up. It was good for my soul with the pressure of the whole situation. To make it even better she was the one to drive the car to our house later that day after all the cleaning and such was finished. She popped a giant red bow on the Pilot and took our picture to commemorate the moment.

For the record I loved my mini van. I don’t care if it’s trendy or stylish and I still don’t know if we made the right choice going to an SUV. I was the one that was really firm on getting out of a mini van though and it was for the reason that we need to be able to haul things. An all wheel drive Pilot equipped with a hitch, wiring harness, and transmission cooler can haul up to 5,000 pounds. The one we bought has all of that and we have already used it to get a literal ton of sand for our chicken coop.  For the record a Honda Odyssey can haul 3,500 and we put a hitch on that thing and loaded it up quite frequently.

I have to mention in case anyone is wondering- we know what happened to the engine. I don’t speak car so I can’t explain details but it was probably due to a mechanic’s error years ago and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that now. If you are also wondering why we wouldn’t get another Toyota since we loved that so much it’s the simple fact that the used ones are hard to come by and they are more expensive. We found an old 4 Runner in our price range but the cargo space was tiny. I know third row mid size SUVs can’t compare to a mini van in terms of cargo, but this particular car could probably only hold a laptop and a bag of chips. That doesn’t work for us.

So that’s the whole story. My dad laid hands on the hood of the car and prayed over it the day we got it. That meant so much to me. It’s going to be good.

By |2025-06-09T17:45:36+00:00June 9, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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The New Schedules!

This year some significant milestones are happening in our family and I am going to warn you right now- I WILL BE OVERSHARING! In Hope at the Threshold I wrote “Even as a little girl, I knew that no matter how difficult things got, I could write to feel better. It was a mystery how all my thoughts could feel so tangled up and ricochet around in my head all day, but when I could let them out on a page, they mysteriously made more sense. Now I was a grown woman with a laptop in place of paper and pencil, but I was still looking to writing for a reprieve…”

So here I am again, typing away to not only untangle my thoughts, but preserve the moments. I realize now more than ever how quickly these moments will become distant memories.

This fall Elle will go from 3rd to 4th grade. I know that doesn’t sound like a huge jump, but this whole time she has been in primary elementary and now she is transitioning to intermediate. She will also turn 10 years old. Double digits! A full blown tween!

Ezie will start junior high in the fall and turn 13!

SJ who will be 15 in a few days is going to HIGH SCHOOL!

Last but not least Z will be a senior and turn 18.

2025 is holding all of these changes. It’s a lot. The truth is though, I am really excited about them growing up. I couldn’t be more proud of my kids, even though all six of us are flawed humans thankful for God’s mercy each and everyday. If you ever think the Busches have it all together come hang out with us. It’s not just the messy mom over here. We all a big ol’ mess. I just want to be clear about that.

J and I recently took Z and SJ to the high school for some meetings and a scheduling fair.

*Side note* This photo is not from the scheduling fair. It’s before they got on an intense rollercoaster. I thought it was funny that they were standing in front of a sign that talks about removing your hearing aids and glasses while wearing hearing devices and glasses.

Anyway, last year SJ announced she wanted to become a nurse. I know she is only 14 and it could very well change, but I think she would make a great nurse. There are a lot of nurses in the family and she has been around nurses because of her medical needs so I am sure all of this has been influential. The cool thing is her school has a program for any student interested in going into the medical field. She acted very much like an angsty teen when the teacher and students were giving their spiel about the program so I thought it wasn’t going to be good fit. It turns out she loved the whole idea and is enthusiastically taking biomed her freshman year! She is also taking Spanish as a foreign language for the second year in a row. The high school offers ASL and I always assumed that she would want to dive deeper into that. She had to work so hard just to be able to learn her first oral language (English) and it doesn’t come easily to her because her brain is wired differently than a hearing person. I never imagined she would want to challenge herself with Spanish. She is though. I have completely underestimated her. Sorry about that SJ. I should know better!

Z is still going to have a full load even though it is his senior year. He is taking several AP classes while also working part time doing video editing. Along with that he is on the worship team as a musician and a team leader for youth group.

That’s why if you see a steady of flow of current updates alongside old photos and flash backs from the kids childhood you will know that I am processing. It’s all good stuff, but I am adjusting. I will say feel extremely blessed to be in this season. I get to be their mom and watch them grow up. It doesn’t get any better than that.

By |2025-03-03T21:36:43+00:00February 27, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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A Squishmallow Birthday Party!

For Elle’s 9th birthday I knew she wanted a squishmallow birthday. My kids are obsessed with those soft fluffy pillow friends. At first I had lots of ideas, then I had very little time, then I almost gave up, but then… the magic happened.

Here are all the details

I bought a cheap disposable table setting to help decorate.

If you you are wanting to do a Squishmallow birthday be forewarned, as of November 2024 they are not licensed in any major retailers that I found. So if you want a Squishmallow cake, plates, or decorations you can forget it. However this knock off “Kawaii cartoon” party supply kit did the trick just fine.

Next up my kids decorated our chalk board to make a welcome sign to display outside the front door. I love getting the family involved in the behind the scenes stuff. This was a great project for the girls.

The photo backdrop was 114 balloon set that was actually donut theme, but I didn’t include the donut parts. I just like the colors. For $8.99 it was a fantastic party addition and was part of the party favor thank you cards which I will get to at the end.

We had a ton of Squishmallows on hand anyway so those were scattered about- at the entrance, in the photo booth, on the couch. We also have some mini Squishmallows with which we played the game Hidden in Plain Sight. The way it works is you have an object, in this case the mini Squishmallow, that you have one person hide somewhere. The catch is you can’t put it under or behind something where it’s completely covered. You have to be sneaky and put it strategically somewhere that someone could see it without touching anything. It’s a fun game and I love it because I don’t have kids going through my cabinets or personal stuff looking for the thing!

For food we had pizza and some sides along with my fruit pizza specialty.

It’s an axolotl, in case you can’t tell. I know it’s not perfect, but I love this tradition and regardless of how it looks it quickly gets devoured EVERY TIME I make it.

The cake is from Walmart. It was pretty but not Squismallow. We did set a couple on top to tie it into the theme.

I would have loved to have a full blown Squishmallow cake if time or budget had allowed. This cake was perfectly fine though. Everyone loved it.

The craft was fun because I found these inexpensive squishmallow stickers on Amazon and they used them to decorate some bags I found at Hobby Lobby.

The bags came in handy for the main attraction which was THE PINATA! This is another tradition of mine. I love making pinatas!

This time there are some lumps and cracks that really had me worried.

However, that’s another thing where I have to remind myself that it’s okay. It’s your daughter’s ninth birthday. It does not have to be Pinterest perfect. The very simplified tutorial is get a balloon,

cover it with paper machete,

then tape card board ears

and paint it.

She’s the artist of my four children. I as so pleased with the end results. It’s Cam in case you weren’t familiar.

I put candy and more stickers in the piñata and the girls had a blast whacking it with a  light saber (it’s what I had on hand for a stick).

 

 

Then I added an additional party favor which were these cute little winter squishmallow ornaments that I got as sets on sale from Costco.

Last but not least we did photos. Then later I made customized thank you cards. I had them printed as 4×6 photos so it was less than a quarter per thank you. You can’t beat that! Each one had the party guests name on it a cute font but I took that part out for the blog.

My daughter Elle absolutely loved this party. She said her favorite part was the piñata and she loved that we got to work on it together. I’m glad it turned out so great. It is the last little kid party I will ever do. Insert crying emoji. She is the baby of the family and next year she’ll be double digits. Not saying there won’t be opportunities for theme parties. You can’t harness this party animal! Times and tastes are changing though and I get that. I’m glad to have this one last hurrah for her and for me.

By |2025-06-24T03:45:16+00:00February 20, 2025|Creativity, Parties|0 Comments
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Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation

 

The conversation came up about generations at the dinner table the other day. The kids were informing me that the baby generation is officially here! Turns out I misheard them. The BETA Generation is official here, but for now they are all babies so I wasn’t totally off.

First of all when did “generations” become such a big deal? I know it’s always been around. Even this blog title is referencing the song “My Generation” by The Who from the 1960s. So I know it’s not anything new, but to the degree that we compartmentalize everything and everyone according to their “generation”? Is it just me? That seems like something that I started hearing about way more once the Millennials were reaching adulthood. Which brings up another point,  some people born at the very end or very beginning of a generation may relate more to a different generation than the one they belong to. I understand you have to draw lines somewhere. No matter when we let kindergarteners start school there will always be some kid who is the youngest. No matter where you draw state lines you have some border towns. Side story, one time I had a friend tell me the town she was from was so small that you could literally have one foot in one town and the other foot in another town. That’s when her sister chimed in “Yeah, you can do that anywhere”. We all laughed but we knew what she meant though. It was a small town. Anyway, I am on the border of Gen X and Millenials. I have heard our generation called the elder millennial or xennials. I like how USA Today describes it- Those of us born in the fuzzy borderland between Gen X. We grew up in a childhood complete free of the internet so that sets us apart from the rest of the millennials. I think it’s significant.

Another thing I don’t fully understand is who is the authority on generations? Who decided what they are called or when they start? I guarantee you if you search when each one begins you will get conflicting answers. I know I have! That’s why I am not entirely sure who is in what generation category. I do know that our household covers all of them from Gen X to Alpha. That’s actually new info I discovered from our dinner table conversation.

We know that J is for sure a Gen X (born in 76). Sorry, I had to with the photo.

I am a barely a Millenial but arrived mid 1982 so I can’t deny it. Google Photos made this GIF for me and I’m using it because does it get any more Millennial than a GIF?

Z is is a 2007 Gen Z. Of course I didn’t know that was his generation when we nicknamed him Z. We all get a kick out of it when someone talks about Gen Z. He is not a bathroom selfie guy by the way, but J and I left our phones in the bathroom at the hotel and so he gifted us with some photos.

SJ might be Gen Z or she might be Alpha. She’s early 2010 so she’s on the bubble for sure. She’ll probably be a lot like me as a Xennial. To be perfectly honest this girl is the type that can’t be boxed in anyway.

Ezie is Gen Alpha but I’ve seen 2012 listed as Gen Z before!

I think he fits Alpha though. That seems to make sense.

Elle is born in 2015 so she is a solid Alpha. And I am not going to say anything negative about her generation or any of them.

I know that society is changing. I know that we have stereotypes for a reasons, but I also know that we have power in our words. I am not going to write off an entire group of people because they were born at a certain time. I see it online with the older generations smearing the younger ones and vice versa.

And that’s all folks because I am for sure not planning on having any beta babies!

By |2025-01-10T23:28:54+00:00January 10, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Dreams, Goals, and Habits

It’s here! It’s here! A shiny new year full of possibilities. Call me an optimist but I love New Year’s Day. I know some people hate new year’s resolutions and such but I am a list person and I can’t help myself. I thrive off of writing things down. There is a ton of evidence that supports how writing things down increases the chances of remembering something or accomplishing it. I have a lot of dreams and ambitions for 2025 so I am going to narrow it down to 10 things.

  1. New sand in the chicken run (the pic is of Pip because she’s just so pretty)

I was going over the summer goals J and I had set and the only two things we did not accomplish was repainting the chicken coop and replacing the sand. The paint is important but it doesn’t affect the wellbeing of the chickens. The sand HAS to be done. We’ve been saying it the past two years and now their entire run is just mud! This is a major priority. We can’t do it in the winter, but hopefully it will be done in April.

2. College Visits

I like to joke that I am the one going to college because really it’s Z but I am plunging in with both feet when it comes to researching everything. This is a really scary thing, but it’s also something that I am elated to see what God does with our oldest son. So far we have one college visit scheduled for late March but I would love to fit something in before then. If you have a college you love that has a good computer science program let me know. I- I mean WE are trying to look at a variety of options and please join me in praying for scholarships. I know God has a plan!

3. Walk 8,000 steps a day 

This is doable, but with my lifestyle it has to be intentional. I am saying that because in the past I walked around a lot for my job and there were days I reached 8,000 steps without taking a walk. According to my watch I averaged 6,210 steps a day. Granted it’s probably a smidge higher for times I didn’t wear a watch or the battery died. The days I reached my goal was 262. So 71% of the time I reached my goal. I don’t expect that to go up to 100% this year, but 80% sounds nice.

4. Sugar Fast 

Last year I started the year with a 40 day sugar fast. I actually led a group who joined me and this year I am doing the same thing! I am excited to get going with that tomorrow. If you want to join in you are welcome to. All the info is on this page. To take it a step further I would like to eat less sugar year round. I tried last year and failed. Maybe this year I can try to keep it around 80% like the walking goal. That means 292 days of no sugar. Today I ate lots of sugar so we’ll have to see. It’s a long shot, but you’ve got to aim big sometimes.

5. More Blogging 

Last year I started a working full time for the first time in my life, kinda. I never really had a day job and when I worked more than just side hustles I had no kids so it was different. All that to say the blogging has kind of fallen to the wayside. I do have specific measurable goals for this but I won’t bore you with details.

6. Book Promos 

Hope at the Threshold was released a year and a half ago. I am proud of what I’ve accomplished but I feel like there is so much more to do.  I have a lot of exciting things on the horizon and I look forward to sharing them all with you.

7. Get caught up on photo albums 

I feel so behind on this, but it’s not the first time so I know I can recover. The last photos/book I printed was in 2021! Gasp!

I have three years to catch up on. It’s a tall order and one that will realistically have to wait until summer break.

8. Vermont Trip

A BIG dream that I have had for a very long time is to get my kids up to Vermont. Some of them have gone with me or my parents when they were younger. Z has never been though and this will be his senior year. Vermont is special to me for a lot of reason but mostly because I have extended family there. Also, it’s just flat out gorgeous in the fall! I told J how important it was for me that we do this before Z graduates and he was surprised because he figured Z would still take trips with us after he graduates. This is true, but the chances of everything coming together will be slim with the kids and I having a fall break that is fixed and Z have a very different schedule when he’s in college.

9. Ezie’s 13th trip

This another trip that  is a dream of mine but I’m not the one going. J and I decided a while ago that we would have a right of passage tradition where we do a mother/daughter or father/son trip when each kid turns 13. Z went to Chicago with J and SJ went to Sedona with me.

Both trips were priceless. They were truly meaningful beyond just the excursion so I am really pumped about this adventure for my little boy (I am still going to call him that for now, okay?).

10. 12 “Friend Dates”

I am not going to say monthly hang out with friends because there will inevitably be months that are too busy, but I’d like to shoot for AT LEAST 12 friend dates. This is a continuation of good thing that am already doing. I really try to prioritize my friendships as much as possible. When I was a young mom friend outings were more of a pipe dream other than chaotic playdates. That was fine for that season. There is a place for that, but that season lasted a decade and I’m making up for lost time with double dates, coffee dates, walking dates, and dinner dates. That should be an easy and fun one to check off my list.

Those are the dreams, goals, and good habits I am hoping for in 2025. Now I just need a catch phrase like Feeling Alive in 2025! Hmmm, how about… Ready to Thrive in 2025! Too cliche? Maybe, Ride or Die… No. I’ll stop there. Happy New Year everybody.

By |2025-01-03T04:17:02+00:00January 2, 2025|My Life, Uncategorized|0 Comments
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40 Day Sugar Fast 2025

I am so excited to jump into another sugar fast. I originally did this alone on and off for a few years. Then last year I decided to see if anyone wanted to join me and so I started a group. It was so encouraging to not only have the prayers and accountability but to hear what God was doing in others lives throughout the 40 days. It’s also nice to know you aren’t alone when the horrible temptations/cravings kick in because they will! For all those that are new first let me say I am so glad you decided to do this. I know it will be difficult at times but I believe it will be transformative. I’ve already received a lot of questions so let me start with a little Q&A.

Can I join the group and fast without the book? 

Yes, you can but I highly recommend the book. It’s a Bible study that will help keep you on track and has some really wonderful insight! The book that we will be basing this off of is by Wendy Speake and you can get at Hobby Lobby, Amazon, or many other book stores. The important thing to remember whether you have the book or not is that this is not a diet. Our focus is on prayer and the Bible and not just wanting to be healthy (although it’s a nice byproduct).

Another question I received was about getting the book late and that is fine too. You can just begin fasting on January 2nd based off the information I will give in this blog post or on the Facebook group page. Then when the book arrives you can catch up, or just skip whatever days you missed and jump right in where you are at.

When does the fast begin? 

We officially begin Thursday January 2nd! Some people like to kick off at the first of the year and that is perfectly fine but since a holiday we don’t want to set ourselves up for failure. You can use your discretion. I will be starting on the 2nd.

Who can join? 

My only two criteria to join the Messy Mom fasting group is to be on Facebook (if you want to see updates and join discussions) and you have to be a female because I want us to be comfortable to share anything.

If you haven’t already you can submit a request to join this private group and commit to eating no sugar and diving deeper in prayer and God’s word from January 2nd- February 10th.

How does the Messy Mom online group work? 

I will try to post daily scriptures and encouragement on the group page and I would love for any participants to do the same. Whether it’s prayer requests, breakthroughs, or even just looking for accountability that is what the group page is for.

What is biblical fasting? 

Fasting is intentionally reducing or eliminating something for a certain timeframe for the purpose of obeying God and focusing on Him. The Bible instructs us to fast. Jesus did it and also told us to.

What kind of sugar should we avoid? 

In the book “The 40 Day Sugar Fast” the guidelines are to say no to all sugary sweet treats for forty days “Nothing made with sugar. No soda. No ice cream, donuts, pancakes, or peanut M&Ms. Nothing containing sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.” Most importantly it’s your own personal commitment. Some people will cut out all forms of sugar including honey or fruit, some allow artificial sweeteners others don’t. I personally allow myself some carbs or sweet sauce as long as long as it’s not actually sweet. For example a salad dressing or dipping sauce that has some hidden sugar is okay for ME but pastries, sweetened coffee, or desserts and sweets snacks are off limits. Whatever the Lord is guiding you to do you should do, but then write it down, share with the group, and draw a firm line. My husband even told me today if he catches me cheating he will post it online! He knows how strong my sweet tooth is. If you don’t have specific boundaries and accountability it can be all too easy to slide off of the wagon and quit altogether.

Now that we are ready to begin remember to turn to God anytime you feel that old habit of turning to sugar. Let’s allow God to transform us as we take these intentional steps to draw closer to him. I can’t wait to see all the fruit that comes from this!

By |2025-01-05T04:46:25+00:00January 1, 2025|Uncategorized|4 Comments
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2024 Recap

Time for my annual review of the past year. Sadly, I didn’t do a lot of blogging in 2024 so hopefully this is a chance for me to document the last 12 months.

January- I continued subbing. I was blessed to be each of my kids teacher at least once. I also taught art, music, pottery, english for all grades, library, ASL… Every day was an adventure. I also picked up a subbing position for adults with special needs. I had no idea at the time that this would be significant because the job became available later in the year and I jumped at the chance to do it full time! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though because this is January we are talking about and I had no idea this would turn into a life altering opportunity.

In February our chicks that we got back in late August of 2023 were all laying eggs and we were seeing what colors they were.

I am obsessed with eggs and egg color so this was a really cool thing for me. It was our first time having green, blue, and dark brown. This was a dream come true for me!

Does it change the taste? No. All “farm” fresh eggs are delish and the color doesn’t matter. They are pretty to look at though.

We also started a bathroom makeover almost a year later the final details still aren’t finished, but it’s functioning and it’s waaaay better than what it was. Here is the before photo. Yes it was that bad.

J put in a new door, new floors, toilet, sink– the whole shebang.

March came and SJ turned 14.

She had her first sleepover birthday party with her friends and it was truly awesome. SJ’s birthday is Z’s half birthday which meant his driver’s permit was expiring. So we have another driver in the family now and it’s pretty awesome.

April was super exciting because I became a full-time employee at my children’s school where I had been subbing the past two years. Because I can’t show any of the TONS of photos I have of these students that I got so attached to I will bless you with some glimpses of the facility dogs who I was also very attached to.

Because I was full-time I missed out on seeing a total eclipse but the rest of my family traveled a short distance to be in the path of totality and I was able to see some of it from where I was. It was a very cool experience for all of us! That is one of the highlights of 2024 for sure.

Then just one month later another spectacular sky sight was the aurora borealis! I was not expecting to see such an amazing display of color in my own backyard but it was amazing.

Also, SJ was doing soccer, Ezie was in soccer, Z was leading worship for youth group and Elle was officially signed up and suited up for cheer (which would start in the summer).

In June our garden was taking off, and was very successful this year if I do say so myself.

I also celebrated my birthday with the grand opening of Aldi so that was awesome.

July was the most wild, fun, adventurous month of the whole year and there is no way I can cram it all in to a few sentences (it deserves its own post). But if I have to sum it up- we went to Detroit with friends and a week later we went to Florida.

Florida was our biggest family road trip ever. It was unforgettable.

August means it’s time for back to school.

I was moved from that job I loved to a new job that I was unsure of. This was definitely a tough transition for me, but God is good. He knew exactly where I needed to be. I am working in a junior high program focused on behavioral and mental health. I had to have specific trainings and certifications to even work this job so it’s I am not in a typical paraprofessional position. I love my team and my students though. For as much as I pitched a fit over it I am very thankful to be where I am.

September was a ton more cheer, soccer, and Z had homecoming and his first college fair.

I also did a book table at a women’s conference. This was an extremely busy season for our family and I to be honest I am still recovering!

October we surprised Ezie with tickets to see 21 Pilots. I was terrified of how high and steep the seats seemed at first but in the end I LOVED it. I still go back to those moments at the concert when I hear the music. Another top moment of 2024 for me for sure.

We also did another fall camping trip to Hocking Hills with our friends. It did not disappoint. I am so thankful for these camping memories.

November I had a big Squishmallow party for Elle. It was so tough to pull off because I was working full time and wasn’t sure I had the capacity for it . I pushed through though and it was one of the best of the theme parties I’ve thrown.

Also J’s “brothers” surprised him with the life long dream of seeing his team, Michigan, face off against Ohio State. To say Michigan was the underdog of the game would be an understatement, but they won! I was so happy J got to have that experience!

Last but not least December. Christmas time. It was a really busy holiday season and I’m not going to lie, I want to make a list of things to do differently next year so that it’s not as stressful. In the end though it was really wonderful.

I am so thankful for all of my friends and family. More than anything I am thankful for the gift of Jesus of course and what a blessing it was to get to share this at the Newspring church women’s group just a couple of weeks ago.

That is the year in a nutshell. I am glad I took this time to reflect because it really does make my heart overwhelmed with gratitude! I’m ready for 2025 but 2024 is one of those years I will always look back on fondly.

By |2024-12-31T16:59:21+00:00December 31, 2024|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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