I have been in Esther a lot over the last year; for some reason I just keep coming back to it, not ready to be done with it. So, when I picked it back up this time, I decided to do a full-on study of the book, going deep into the history of the characters, and even the plot. 

There is so much to learn about the book, for one, Esther while a super important character, is not the main. It is honestly difficult to find the main character, you kind of have to look between the lines, so to speak. I perceive the main character to be God and his sovereignty. He shows his supreme power and love for his people all throughout the book.

Esther teaches us so much herself, but more so does the people of the book of Esther; the book in itself.  

I am a nerd and wanted to put all my notes in a typed-up style. One thing led to another, and it's an entire study, that I am sharing with you! Along with a couple of other Esther inspired things!

Maintaining a clean home every year might not seem that difficult until you look at your home and figure out what you need to do. What are some of the tips that you need to check into? I have a few must-have tips to help you work on your home every year.
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If you have a house full of guests that stay for a few days, many things are happening more often than not. The oven is being used more, the shower and water heater are struggling to keep up and the fireplace and furnace are being used to fight the cold nights. With all of these in overdrive, one thing that is working hard is your carbon monoxide detector. If you don’t have one, put this on your list as soon as possible. Detectors are available at home centers and discount stores around the area. You can find more information about these alarms at your local stores but you’ll want to make sure that they are properly installed to keep your guests, friends, and family safe year-round.
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With sliding windows opening and closing every day to let in the fresh air, it might be essential to look into making sure that there are no holes to let any water in. Some holes are designed to drain rainwater but they can collect in the frame. These weep holes can get clogged with debris and bugs so if that does occur, it can fill in that channel and spill into your home. IF you’re interested in checking it out, pour a glass of water into the track or spray the outside of the window with a garden hose. If you don’t see any water, poke a hanger into the hole and wet it down again. ​

You may not think that your septic tank needs looking at it but it really does. How can you check it and make sure everything is running smoothly? Call in the experts at Scorpion Septic. They offer quality services including exceptional efficiency and the highest level of professionalism. No matter what type of service you are searching for, they guarantee customer satisfaction and help manage the project with skill and experience for their clients. They are insured and licensed as well as certified to resolve not only small septic tanks but large septic pumps near Dallas, Georgia.

While you are looking around your home, take note of what is needing to get done right away, what an ait, and what you can do yourself. If you do need to hire someone to assist you, call in a professional to give you peace of mind. Do your best to not take on too many projects, plan out your needs and wants, and hang tight to get your home looking its best. ​​

... and you should too!!

Was it scary saying no to things like extra money? HECK YES.

Was it scary after I had Mono this fall dropping down to only one day a week for the time being at work? ABSO-DANG-LUTELY! 

Has God met every need, and then some? More than you will ever know. 

The minute I stepped down to one day a week, unless I could swing more, the blessings just poured in. If you are in my life on a personal level, you have seen God move in my house, in my personal life (health and happiness), with my babies, with my business. 

God always shows up and shows out! And I couldn't be more grateful for His blessings!

Yep, you read that right! I only clean for fifteen minutes a day! Let me explain more!

I know that hearing that I only clean fifteen minutes a day may sound crazy. 

It probably sounds crazy for one of two reasons. You might be thinking, "15 minutes? How is she gonna have a clean house in 15 minutes?". Or you are thinking, "Everyday? She cleans everyday?!". 

The answers are: I get a lot done in 15 minutes a day, thanks to the structure behind the science. And the answer to second possible question, is yes, I do clean everyday. And as a mom to a house hold of four, with lots of foot traffic, two busy kids and a husband in construction (not to mention we have lots of leaves, a gravel drive, and live on a dirt road).

It works because there is structure in those 15 minutes. 

Before the structure, I honestly felt like I didn't get anything cleaned all day. 

So, the method I have been using for the past month is the FlyLady method. 

I heard about this first on TikTok, but soon did my research and found websites, books and so much more! Check out some of her books here:
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That sweet and ingenious Flylady has divided the house up into five zones. 

A zone per week, and you spend fifteen minutes a day working in the zone designated for that week. The Flylady has a check list for each week, and you simply just cross them off your list, and if you know me, you know how satisfying that is to me! 

Now, the zones hit on the five major areas of your house:

1. entrance, front porch, dining room
2. kitchen & pantry
3. main bathroom & an extra room
4. master bedroom, bath & closet
5. living room, family room, & den

Sounds simple, right? I really want to give this method a go this year, I may have to consolidate a day or two each week, but the important thing is that I am hoping for a more consistent cleaning method, thus a more clean and organized home!

I encourage you to give this a try with me, we can be cleaning support buddies!

But, before we get started, there's a few more things to know!
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If you are starting this process new, Flylady wants you to spend the first round of the zones decluttering. Same method, you spend fifteen minutes a day in the designated zone. 

You can't complete the zones successfully, until the clutter is cleared by either throwing it away, or finding a better "home" for it, or donating it. 

This has been especially satisfying for me. In the past two months I have taken so many bags to a charity store in town, and I honestly have so much more to go. I don't know where this stuff all comes from, but it seems I can always find something to go through!

After we get the clutter under control, we can begin learning our morning and bedtime routine, and some suggestions she gives to make sure our mornings run smoothly, and lead to productive days!
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When you are a mom, a working mom (work from home, stay at home mom, or even a mom who works outside of the home), a working woman, routine can be difficult to find and maintain. 

I have been married for almost ten years, and I am just now striving for a better, more efficient routine. I never strived to have a solid routine, I just kind of went by the seat of my pants. Which explains so much in my life! 

I am much, much more busier than I have ever been, and that has me striving and trying to find better routines to provide my family and house with better structure. When I do get "down" time, I want to cuddle on the sofa with the babies and watch Barbie until our hearts content, not be thinking about what I should be doing, instead! 

Flylady's morning and bedtime routines are HUGELY helpful! Instead of posting them verbatim, I am going to link them here. 

Her morning routine differs a bit for me each morning, but the structure is pretty much the same. Get up, get yourself ready for the day, straighten up your bathroom while you are getting ready and start the day with laundry going. 

The beditme routine is something that is really changing our house for the better. I take about twenty minutes at night, and tidy up things. I use this time to set us up for success for the next day. Put away any toys or crafts the kids may have missed, make sure any lunches needed for the next day are ready, kid's backpacks are ready to go, etc. 

It feels so good to come downstairs in the morning and see that your kitchen is clean, and the house is ready for you to start the day strong! 
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Growing in our faith and personally includes learning to be better in prayer, learning how to be a powerful prayer warrior. I feel like this subject never ends, and there is always room to grow!

I can't have a post on prayer without explaining first off how important prayer is in my life, and why I write my prayers out. 

Prayer is my time to talk with God about... well, everything. And I do. I try to give him every detail of my heart, from what I am loving and longing for to what I am hurting over. No, my prayers are not answered immediately, sometimes they may not be answered for a while. But, what matters is that God sees my heart, He knows where I am hurting and where I am grateful; and prayer gives me a chance to take some weight off of my shoulders.

That is in fact what God can do, and I like to think that He wants you to give your burdens to Him, so He can be the one that helps you through them. He wants to take your burdens and renew you in His love, make you feel whole again. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God among you is powerful— he will save and he will take joyful delight in you. In his love he will renew you with his love; he will celebrate with singing because of you."

Almost three years ago, I began writing out my prayers. 

I started this process for a couple of reasons. One would be that I was physically and emotionally hurting. I had endured a difficult year with our NICU baby, and to top it off a typical oral surgery procedure went wrong and I was honestly, depressed. With all of that combined, I couldn't stay focused for anything. I couldn't make it through five seconds of prayer without being distracted and completely loosing where I was at. 

Now, I am three years and many journals/notebooks in, and I am still going strong. I love being able to look back at old prayers, seeing my growth, seeing prayers answered, seeing how irrelevant some prayers are now, because God knew what I needed more than I did. 
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First step: I start with my prayer journal. I choose one that brings me joy. Honestly. I choose a journal or notebook that makes my heart happy. The size doesn't really matter too much, although I will say I prefer medium sized journals, because journals are kind of like purses to me, I want to change it up, and swap to another that brings me joy, sooner than later, but not before the current journal is filled up. I really like these below, you can shop similar journals and even get custom journals, HERE!

Secondly, I pick out my favorite pen, and my favorite highlighters or colored pens. I usually do a set family for at least a week, that way the colors kind of all flow together. I know, I am slightly OCD about this. But, you know, when you find something that works for you, you run with it. I love these items below for prayer journaling and writing in my Bible, too: 

Thirdly, I section out on my paper by name or subject of my prayers. So, for example, each member of my family has a section, and I list out needs or prayers for each subject under them. I even have a section for my blog, business and marriage.
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As I begin to see prayers answered I will go back and highlight the prayer and date when I notice it come true. 

​Fall is here and before we know it, the holidays will be upon us! While this is so exciting, it also means that a year is closing out. Don’t wait until the last seconds of the year to make sure that everything is done for the new year. Instead, start now! Here are 4 things to do before the end of the year:

​Have you taken the time to figure out where you are with your goals yet, this year? If not, go ahead and do it now - do not wait until 2022 gets here. You still have time to rock them! Wanted to lose weight? Start now! You might not lose as much as you initially wanted to, but you can do it - I promise you that. Sit down, take a minute to check-in on those goals that you set earlier this year, and then figure out a way to tackle them before the year is up.
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​No matter if you only have your personal taxes, or if you have a business that you also need to do taxes for, you need to figure out your tax season well before April rolls around...and that means starting now. If you do have a business, or if you have complex taxes for your family, then I highly recommend finding a tax CPA that knows his/her stuff. Right Choice Accounting Solutions can be that guy for you! Not only can you find help with tax solutions, but you can also find virtual CFO services, too. It can be a game changer for you! They say, “We help service-based business owners save time and money with strategic accounting and tax solutions.” They can help with bookkeeping, payroll, tax planning, virtual CFO services, financial coaching, and so much more. Whatever you need, Right Choice Accounting Solutions will be there to help you walk your way to the best financial decision. They have been featured in plenty of places (look at the picture below!) and they also have amazing reviews (again - picture below). Before the year is up, definitely figure out your tax situation and if you need help, call up Albert with Right Choice Accounting Solutions!

​Many have said that the events of this year have helped clarify what matters most to them, so how can you emphasize that in 2021? What has become more clear to you about what really matters? What things have dropped off of your schedule this year? A lot of activities or events we would typically participate in have been postponed or completely canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thinking back over these events and activities, which ones are worthy of adding back into your schedule next year? Be intentional about which activities you add back in and make sure they bring value to your life.

Limit your social media intake. This has been an incredibly stressful year. We’re worried about our health, finances, the world around us, etc, and all that stress and worry makes it hard to live in a meaningful and productive way. I encourage you to guard your heart, which perhaps means limiting your social media. Be thoughtful about when and how much you take in through social media, as it can contribute to your stress levels.

Focus on gratitude. Studies have shown that people who have a regular gratitude practice are happier and more productive. If you find your mind sinking into a negative space, deliberately look for things to be grateful for and write those down and repeat them to yourself.

Choose forgiveness. There is so much anger out there right now, and lots of hurtful things being said, not only among strangers but among people who care about each other. However, we can choose to forgive people who do and say hurtful things to us. We can choose to let things go and not dwell, which is part of guarding your heart. Developing this discipline can help you end the year on a productive note.

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Hosted by The Kent Krew and Kent & Co, were putting together a chance to shop and support small businesses from the comfort of your cozy couch! We're looking for small businesses of all types to participate and to support! 

I have always dreamt of being a small business owner, an entrepreneur, even as a young child. I vividly remember playing with my child hood bestfriend and we were always business owners. 

But, it wasn't until I became a business owner, and had the chance to be an entrepreneur that it dawned on me how much of a passion I have for supporting small businesses. Especially, small female owned businesses. 

Even if their products are similar to mine, or we have the same niche, it doesn't matter. There is room at the table, and Bad A$S Women Support Bad A$S Women. 

You feel me? 

That's where this idea of an online market came from. I wanted a way to pull together women who I have become friends with and support them, while also allowing them to support each other, and build their businesses. 

How is this online market going to work, you ask?
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Our application is open from August 17th-August 27th, 2021, to all businesses interested in being a vendor. If that is you, CLICK HERE to apply!

Once vendors have been accepted, we will begin promoting them on our social media and HERE! You'll hopefully be learning more about these business owners, and getting sneaks at their inventory, prior to the event dates, which are October 14th-17th, 2021!

We plan to overshare these amazing businesses! 

When the market goes live, all of the shops will be linked on a page on this website, and all you have to do is come in ready to support and shop. There is no fee required to shop under the market!
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We are actively searching for vendors of all types. From artists to small online boutiques, you name it! 
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I recently became very intrigued by the enneagram, and figuring out more about it, my type, etc. At first I was put off, thinking that maybe this was not an "okay" interest, but the more research I did, the more I like it, and find all the information, graphics and IG accounts dedicated to the enneagram, soooo much fun!

A couple of years ago, I got super interested into podcasts, and on one of the podcasts I had subscribed to, The Upside with Callie and Jeff, they had an episode discussing the enneagram, and they had what I guess you would call, an enneagram expert on the show to discuss all the ins and outs. While I don't remember a tonnn from that episode, I remember being three things. Interested to learn more, interested to learn what type I was (I am a 3 and a 6, don't ask me my wing, because I literally, have NO clue!), and a feeling of overwhelm.

See, I was overwhelmed because the episode was great and very informational, but, it was too much for me. And also, I once read a blog that talked about how the enneagram was not God-like, that it was against Christianity, and while I am by no means perfect, nor do I judge things that do not a line with my beliefs, I felt really confused by it all. 

I put it to the side, feeling unsure if it was something I wanted to dive further into. Then, one of my favorite creative accounts started sharing how she obviously treats the enneagram as something fun, she doesn't allow her life or her religion to cater around it, or to rule said life and religion. She actually was the first person I saw take the enneagram numbers and put religious spins on them.

And that got me thinking, if each enneagram had "life verses" what might they be? What could my life verse be according to my type(s). I need to say, these are always just suggestions, but it's really fun to see if these verses, or other fun graphics, resonate with the types in any way. So, it is very safe to say that this is all in just good clean fun!

Some resources I have used to learn more about the enneagram: The Road Back to You 
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Journaling SAVED my life!!! Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but, journaling played a HUGE role in getting over post partum depression, learning to move past traumatic events, and more. READ MORE!

While my intro may have been a bit dramatic, it is totally true. 

Journaling has played a major part in my life; it has helped me through some of the darkest times of my adult life, and I honestly couldn't be more grateful.

I will warn you, the passion I have developed for journaling has turned into a huge problem. I am highly addicted to journals, notebooks and pens. I guess that is why I started making my own! (Check them out here!)
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To understand my why, you need to know a little bit more of my backstory. 

I got married at twenty-two years old. Do I feel like that is too young? No. Do I feel like I was ready? Yes/No. Not because I married the wrong person, because that is hardly the case, but because I had no clue what it was like to be a wife, to be married to a traveling man. When J and I got married, he traveled twenty-eight-ish days out of the month! THE MONTH! And I worked night shift, so there were months where we didn't see each other. I had no clue how to be a wife to him, be away from my parents so much, or to manage a house hold basically on my own. Also, since I worked all the time, I had very few friends. This is kind of where I allowed myself to slip into some depression. I mean how could I not? Talk about lonely!

Well, he came off the road, and within six to nine months, we were expecting our first baby! I was so excited. Excited to have a baby with my husband, excited to start a God given family. I felt like life was moving as it should. 

With that first baby came the baby-blues and some post partum anxiety. I constantly beat myself up over the fact that we had to have emergency C-section, that nursing didn't go as planned. I let anxiety rule my life.

Then, SURPRISE. Our second baby was on the way! That pregnancy went by so fast, and ended with a scary experience with an almost three week NICU stay. A rollercoaster ride I wouldn't wish on anyone! I had never cried, leaned on my husband or God, ever before. The girls are eighteen months apart, to the day. From the NICU stay and various of scary incidents that my baby fought through and overcame, came tons more of anxiety and tons of post partum depression. 

THEN, eleven months later, I went in for a routine wisdom tooth removal, and the oral surgeon broke my jaw. BROKE MY JAW. I said, what I said! That was truly a traumatizing event. I was literally wired shut on the spot, and was forced to eat, I mean DRINK a liquid diet. While that looks and sounds like a horrible experience, and it WAS. Good still came out of it. 

Out of all of these life changing and scary events, good came out of each and every one. 

And that in itself is a great lesson learned, and a humbling reminder. 1 Peter 4:12-19, the author, Peter instructs us to rejoice in suffering, so "that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed". I am also a firm believer, that if we can't find joy where were at, we won't be happy in our next venture. 

When my jaw was broke, I literally had to write everything. Have you ever heard the old saying "alone in your thoughts, too much". That was me. So. Me. That's when I began journaling. 

It started out with a pretty walmart journal, and a journaling prompt graphic I found on Pinterest. I did that for a bout a week or two, and then it turned into an everything journal. I used it for the prompts, and to talk to God. I filled this journal up, and then I began to dig back into His word, and reading more and more. I even began reading as a form of self care, not just religious books but personal development and even raunchy romance. Yes, I am that girl! :)

When I began journaling, I had such a peace in my spirit. Even if I was just journaling about my kids, I was getting stuff off my chest, off my heart and mind. 
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With all that being said, it's easy to see that it was not just the journaling that pulled me out of the funk. It was all God. But, God gave me a way, the tools and the willingness to pull out of the bad place I was in. 

Journaling gave me a place to kind of "protect my peace", so to speak. When I had a really bad day at my hospital job, I went to my journal. When I needed to get things off my mind, I went to my journal, even when I didn't know what it was I needed to say, the words have always found me; and if they didn't I used a journaling prompt, and they found me. 

Journaling also gave me a place to leave lessons and wisdom for my babies. When my grandmother (dad's mom) was still living, my mom gifted her a journal. She asked Jane to write down whatever her heart lead her to write, and that she wanted it to be for me. I remember that journal like it was yesterday, while it has been over fifteen years since we gifted her that journal and almost six since she passed away, I have never gotten that journal. Am I a little bitter about it. Yes, a little. Only because I don't have much of her left. Some notes she wrote me, a necklace I gifted her right before she passed, and some books she gifted me is all I have. I would love to have that journal, and see what she wrote, and keep it safe. I hope my girls will cherish my journals and Bibles like I would Jane's journal, and I hope these journals and Bibles will give them some wisdom one day. 
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Are you ready to begin journaling? YES! I am so excited for you! 

If you are feeling at a lost on how to start, I created a FREE journaling prompt PDF just for you. Even if you already journal, this would be a great tool to use on days when you need a little help on finding the words you need. 

These prompts are prompts I use very often, and they help me get the journaling process going, and I love to look back at these entries and see our growth as a family, personally and see how are lives have changed and progressed!