Praises of a Wife and Mommy

It has been a while since we have reviewed a Chewy.com product!   This month we are trying Halo- Salmon and venison recipe!  Kiah is still having her camera-shy attitude.  She continues to avoid me when I call her name when I have my phone out.   She almost thinks she is in trouble.  She actually was very excited when we were opening the box!  

Description of Halo:

Give your petite pooch what he naturally craves with Halo Wild Salmon & Venison Recipe Healthy Weight Small Breed Canned Dog Food. Feeding your furry friend a holistic diet makes a whole lot of difference thanks to this delicious food made with real, whole-meat protein and never any meat-meals or by-products. Sustainably-caught, wild salmon is the very first ingredient, along with a variety of wholesome non-GMO garden fruits and vegetables. This special recipe is formulated with lower protein and the correct caloric content to help your little pup maintain his ideal weight, and he’ll love the highly-digestible, meaty flav…

Being a working parent is a tough job and will likely make you feel stressed out every now and again. Instead of ignoring your feelings and emotions, it’s better to address them and find healthy ways to cope with your moods.

Below are a few tips for managing your stress that is worth taking the time to review. Choose a few that you find most desirable and keep them handy the next time you need to calm yourself down. You’re going to have more energy and not be so quick to snap when you can keep your stress under control and aren’t always taking on life in full panic mode. 

Go for A Walk

The next time you’re feeling wound up try going out for a walk and getting some fresh air. Being in nature and elevating your heart rate will instantly make you feel better. Use this time to think through what’s on your mind and come up with a plan of action for how to address what’s concerning you.

Avoid Drugs & Alcohol

Another tip for managing your stress is to avoid drugs and alcohol when you’re expe…

My husband has officiated several weddings this year but this wedding on New Year’s Eve was one of my favorites!  I’m not sure if it’s because it was his cousin getting married or because the simplicity and the beauty of the wedding.  
We had fun sparklers as the bride and groom left the ceremony and walked to the reception just a block down the road! It was so beautiful as everyone held out the sparkler and the walked by. 



Hope you all had fun bringing in the new year.  Happy 2019

This was a great mommy daughter date to start our winter break!  We got to eat a nice meal and enjoy a play! Selah loves the movie Annie so seeing it live on stage was very special for her.   I enjoyed every second of it with her.   Everyone in the show did a phenomal job.  The singing was wonderful and the acting great.  I have to admit I miss theater, in high school I did drama class and the all school play. It was hard work but I loved it.  I think my daughter may have an interest in doing a show.  

Happy Birthday Jesus 2018!  


I apologize for my long silence on my blog!   Christmas time gets busy and you know the drill!  So here I am to catch ya up!  

We had our usual Happy Birthday Cake at church the Sunday before Christmas!   As well as watching the kids perform a couple songs and a short skit.  They did great!   

One of our family traditions is pancakes so this year I made a butter pecan pancake.  Not my kids favorites but it was still very tasty!  





Christmas Eve service was fun as I always enjoy singing songs in the candlelight.  I was in the sound booth but still enjoyed my candle!   



I love how our church looks at Christmas time and every year we take a picture by the trees!   I could just sit and relax in there with the glow of the lights.   After we did our family Christmas here in Iowa we headed to Minnesota and Wisconsin to see family.   One tip... driving on Christmas is hard as nothing is open so eating gas station food is not the best idea!   Should have packed sandwiche…

There’s no doubt about it, smartphones and tablets sure make life easier. Whether we’re plugging in GPS to take a road trip or asking Google for a recipe, they certainly come in handy.


However, when we reach for our devices, what example are we showing our kids? Studies suggest that too much interactive screen time can have a raft of negative effects on our children, causing disturbances in mood, memory, focus and social skills, among other ill effects.


It’s down to us as parents to lead by example and show our kids an alternative. So, here’s the challenge: how do you fill a whole vacation day with no screen time at all?


Take a walk outside


Kids can become lethargic if they spend too much time on the couch. It’s essential that we start the day right and encourage them outside. Need groceries? Leave the car in the garage and walk to the store!


What is the weather doing? Do we need to wear our rain boots? It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or in the countryside, a walk outside is an o…