Have you ever been in a home that just felt good? Sometimes you can’t even pinpoint what makes it different. Maybe you hear laughter and having fun in a safe, happy environment. It is possible for you to have that same love, peace and calm in your home as well. I have found that it…
Author: cethomsen
Making Improvements and Setting Attainable Goals
Along with the new year comes the desire to do better and be better! The excitement of it has me making lists of all the things I want to do better in the new year. Sadly, so many of my goals get forgotten until the next new year only to try again each January. This…
A Perfect Christmas
What makes the “Perfect Christmas”? What would you say is your perfect Christmas? Is it the peace and joy you feel, fun times shared together with your family, the hope for a better future, gratitude for our loved ones and all of “stuff” we get, sleeping in and not having to go to work, relaxing…
What Santa Means to Us
I remember a letter my dad sent me back when I was single. Enclosed was the reason he didn’t ever tell us about “Santa”. He believed that if we ever found out that Santa wasn’t real that we wouldn’t believe other things he told us like his testimony of our Savior. He never wanted to…
Simplifying Christmas
Help! I’m feeling overloaded and overwhelmed! Ever feel that way? Like you just can’t keep up with all the activities, school concerts, neighbor gifts, parties, shopping, and craziness that comes with this time of year! I am really feeling it this year and have made an extra effort to simplify things! It has really made…
Gift Ideas for Your Family
I love this time of year! So many fun things to do and yummy treats! We have kept our gift giving simple over the years. Each kid gets a “pile” of presents and a Christmas Stocking full of fun things. I remember when my kids were little and we would get the “Big Toy Book”…
Thanksgiving Family Traditions
What a fun time of year! Thanksgiving week is a great time to spend with your family and loved ones. My kids actually spent part of today cleaning and organizing their rooms! They are usually so busy with homework and such. We have a lot of fun traditions in our family. One of our favorites…
Thrift Store Tips
Let’s face it. Parenting can be expensive and kids outgrow things so darn fast! I like to shop clearance and sales racks. But it seems like shopping at thrift stores helps me save more money and stretch my money further. Plus, I can find almost everything we need there. There are so many benefits to…
“Clean” Dating for Teens
I’ve been trying to eat “cleaner” foods and find foods that are “good for me”. “Clean” dating is a similar idea…finding good guys to date and having good, clean, fun, healthy experiences together (as well as awkward ones). These experiences will help your teens learn and develop. My daughter just turned 16 and in our…
How to Help Your Children Deal with Disappointment
How do you teach your children to get up after they fall, to be resilient when hard times come? What if they get a bad grade on a test, don’t make the sports team, don’t get the lead part in the musical, don’t win the game, Will they be scarred for life? How will these…