Winter Break Family Activities I hope your Christmas Day was lovely! We had a wonderful day filled with happy children playing with new toys, good food, relaxation and learning. I have the pleasure of having my whole family together for the week between Christmas and New Years. This has had me thinking about activities that our family could do together to make happy memories. I am always … [Read more...] about Winter Break Family Activities
How to Get Ready for Guests
How to Get Ready for Guests I love having guests come to my home. One of my dreams is to have guests come to our working ranch and give them a luxurious and authentic experience. To me, it is a mix of Cody (rough and tumble cattle man) and me (city girl who appreciates the finer details in life). Until then, I do my very best to be a good hostess in my current home. I have listed 10 ways to … [Read more...] about How to Get Ready for Guests
Gifts for DIY Enthusiasts
This Gifts for DIY Enthusiasts post is inspired by the ever-growing list that Cody has for tools. Since we have been doing DIY projects around the house, I have been surprised at how many tools we need to do one job, and then the second surprise comes when I find out how much a tool costs! I remember asking Cody about making some custom shelves in the basement. He explained that he would need more … [Read more...] about Gifts for DIY Enthusiasts
Grit, Writing and Students
I just finished teaching another semester of writing courses. Every time I teach I am in awe at two things--how much I love my students and the powerful impact of grit and practice for writing and life. Students There are probably plenty of teachers out there who teach simply to get a paycheck, but I am motivated by the people I meet when I teach. Truly, my students are lovely people that I … [Read more...] about Grit, Writing and Students
Abstract Wall Art
I love abstract art. There is so much to look at and if you think you can create beautiful abstract art without some prior knowledge or guidance, go ahead and try. I sat down one evening at a friends art night with an idea of an abstract art piece I wanted to paint. I had picked out the colors and knew how I wanted to layer them. The only problem was that I don't know how to paint, and I certainly … [Read more...] about Abstract Wall Art
Ideas for Giving Experiences for Gifts
In my effort to live more minimally, I have been interested in ways to give my family experiences instead of gifts. In my search, I found some really great websites that feature a lot of fun and accessible ideas for creating and giving your loved ones experiences instead of things this year. I was pleasantly surprised that there was also an argument against doing this: I have added the link at the … [Read more...] about Ideas for Giving Experiences for Gifts