Define Your Time: More Than Just A Time Management Course

Last November when I went to Pinners Conference, I attended a class about how to make the most of your time.  The speaker, Nicole Carpenter, founder of MOMentity, gave us 10 tips for getting more done and most of them were easy enough that you could implement them the next day if you wanted to.  If I had to guess one of the top 3 things most people say the don't have enough of, it's time.  It's elusive.  It goes by too quickly.  It's viewed as either your enemy or your friend.  It's something we don't have control over.  Or do we?

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Winter 2017 Walmart Beauty Box Review

*I am reviewing this box by choice and have not received it for free, nor have I received any other compensation from Walmart.  All opinions are my own.*

Before I start today's post, I just have to take a moment and say thank you for the overwhelming response I received to sharing my miscarriage story.  I received so many texts, Facebook messages, post comments and phone calls from people expressing their sadness at what I've been facing and their love for me and my family.  But in addition to this, I also heard from many women who have had miscarriages and said that reading my story gave them feelings of hope and encouragement.  At the risk of sounding cliche, knowing that I was able to help at least one person feel like they aren't alone in their struggles makes it feel worth it.  I am hopeful for the future.

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My Miscarriage Story

I've been trying to think about how to get this all down for a long time.  I actually started a different post in December 2015 that's just been sitting in my drafts for the last year because I just haven't known where to start.  I am generally a pretty private person and I often prefer to bear my trials in silence, not involving other people beyond my husband, close family members or friends.  Maybe this was something I learned growing up in a less than ideal environment.  I didn't want other people to know I was struggling, so I put on a happy face and dealt with trials away from the public eye.

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The ULTIMATE All Things Valentines Round Up

Less than two weeks ago, an idea popped into my head.  It went something along the lines of, "Holy crap!  Valentine's Day is going to be here in a month!  I need some new ideas, yummy recipes, crafts, printables, beauty... I need all things Valentines!"  I hopped on a few Facebook groups and asked my blogging friends to submit their Valentines posts for what I hoped would be an ultimate Valentines round up.  I didn't just want crafts or recipes.  I wanted something where I could find a ton of different ideas centered around Valentines all in one place.  And that, my friends, is how this post came into being.

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4 Ways To Keep Moving Forward

Last week, I posted about the campaign I got involved in called "I Am Amazing Because..."  The purpose and goal of this campaign is to promote confidence and positivity by recognizing the talents and abilities and characteristics of those around us that we find amazing and unique and then telling them.  We, as individuals, should be included in this recognition and often I think we forget or downplay what is amazing about ourselves.  When I shared my post last week, I wrote that one of the qualities in myself that I find amazing is my ability to keep moving forward.

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DIY Hanging Necklace Holder

When my husband and I first moved into our house almost 6 years ago, we had our first shared closet since we'd been married 3 years before.  Up until that point, we'd always lived in apartments and all of them had small closets.  Or maybe they just seemed small to me considering all of my clothes fit into one closet with no room leftover for my husband...  My poor hubby always had to use the closet in the second bedroom for his clothes in each of the places we lived.  So when we moved into our home, we had a bigger closet, which was great.  But there wasn't any room for me to put my jewelry.  I don't like keeping it out on my dresser and prefer to have it out of reach of little hands.  So what to do?

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Mommy Style Monday: Water Beads

There is something about January that I really dislike.  If my daughter's birthday wasn't during this month, I would be totally fine to just get rid of it all together.  I'm not sure where you live, but here in Utah we tend to get a lot of cold, overcast, snowy, rainy, slushy days in the winter.  My kids live for the outdoors, so wintertime is hard on them (and me).  I am a warm weather, sunshine loving person and can get a little bit of seasonal depression during this time of year.  I've found that staying busy is a big help and trying to rotate through a variety of activities helps my kids from going too stir crazy. *wink*

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Book Review: The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel {Plus Book Club Discussion/Questions}

Earlier this week, my book club met together to discuss our most recent book choice: The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel.  Prior to the book being introduced at our last meeting, I hadn't heard of it but a few of the people in our group had and the general feeling was positive.  The title definitely caught my attention because it seems like a contradiction.  I was able to read through it in a few days and it kept my attention throughout.

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I Am Amazing Because...

Wow, can you believe we are already into the second week of the new year?  Christmas seems like a distant memory and school is back in swing for many kids (mine included).  If you're anything like me, you consider the new year a time for new beginnings.  A time to start doing something we want to or stop doing something we don't want or like.  We make goals to change something about ourselves.  To improve.  We make plans to travel, visit family or friends or try something new.  While this is all fine and well, it can get kind of overwhelming if we let ourselves get too caught up in the 'new year, new you' slogan that seems to permeate this time of year.

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Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake

Three years ago, my husband celebrated his 30th birthday.  I wanted to do something special for him but he's not big into parties or being in the spotlight.  However, one thing my husband loves is lemons.  Any dessert with lemons in it and he is in heaven.  So I set out to find a lemon cake that would blow all other lemon cakes out of the water.  And guys...I found it.

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Midway Ice Castles {plus a GIVEAWAY!}

I'll be totally honest: winter is definitely not my favorite time of the year in terms of the weather.  I get super jealous of those of you who live in places where it's warmer in the winter and always wish I could just hop on a plane and visit for a weekend and soak up some vitamin D.  I didn't include 'sunshine' as part of my blog's name for nothing! *wink*  That being said, there are some things about winter that I do enjoy because there isn't any other time of year to experience it (at least not where I live).  One of these things are the Ice Castles in Midway, UT.

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Top 10 Posts of 2016

Happy 2017!  Can I just say that I am so glad 2016 is over?  I know people say that you can always start fresh at the beginning of each day but there is just something that feels so tangible about a new year and what it represents. 

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