Organize Your Life, Not Your Stuff

Showing category "Tip of the Week" (Show all posts)

Making your House a Home

Posted by Holly Nelson on Thursday, October 20, 2016, In : Tip of the Week 

 Making your house a home:                             

"She senses that her gain is good;her lamp does not go out at night." Proverbs 31:18

1. "Mess causes stress". De-clutter your house 15 minutes a day. If it really needs it; work 45 minutes, then take a 15 minute break to drink water.

2. Dark rooms are depressing. "Open the House", by opening windows every morning. Allow natural light to come in the house.

3. Keep your daily cleaning routines, but be flexible. If you didn't get it done, don't...


Continue reading ...
 

Daily Chores/Routines

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added my routine of Daily Chores. I hope this helps you understand how I can get it all done. I have changed it up a bit since I started this website. Hopefully this example will help you make your own Routine of Daily Chores.

Daily Chores

Monday~ Cleaning Laundry Day
Tuesday~ Kitchen/Baking Day
Wednesday~ Office Day
Thursday~ Town Day
Friday~ Gardening Day
Saturday~ Family Fun Day
Sunday~ The Lord's Day  

  ~ Blessings~ 

Continue reading ...
 

Making your House a Home

Posted by Holly Nelson on Monday, July 11, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 

 Making your house a home:                             

"She senses that her gain is good;her lamp does not go out at night." Proverbs 31:18

1.  "Mess causes stress". Declutter your house 15 minutes a day. If it really needs it; work 45 minutes, then take a 15 minute break to drink water.

2. Dark rooms are depressing. "Open the House", by opening windows every morning. Allow natural light to come in the house.

3. Keep your daily cleaning routines, but be flexible. If you didn't get it done, don't...
Continue reading ...
 

Wacky Holidays for July

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 

June~ 4th Saturday~ Great American Camppout!


 July:

1-Canada Day                                                            

4-Independence Day                                                  

7-Chocolate Day                                                        

9-Hot Dog Day                                                            

15-Gummi Worm Day                                                    

19-Nat'l Ice Cream Day                                                              

20-Hug you...
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School Paper Organization

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Well, we have been "Back to School" for almost a month now.
 
  I don't like school! (SHHH! Don't tell the kids!) 

I don't like school because it takes my kids away! I miss them when they are gone. Okay, I know they have to go to learn. And that's what makes me feel better. This year all my kids have the best teachers and it has brought me comfort knowing they are well loved and taken care of.

For the past few years I have put all the important school papers in my "School Binder". Each year I tak...
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Parenting~ FAITH!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added:

   FAITH 

 to the Parenting Page. Please read it and tell me what you think!
Blessings~
Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Responsibility

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting Section:

Responsibility 

Please let me know what you think!
Blessings~

 

Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Understanding Your Child's Temperament

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting page. If you have not read any of the pages, please take the time to read them. 

As I've said In an earlier blog post~ I will be adding a new page every Wednesday, and post the announcement Wednesday mornings under the TIP OF THE WEEK section.

This week:

Understanding Your Child's Temperament

Continue reading ...
 

Love of Learning

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 16, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting page this week. 
It's: 
Love of Learning

Tell me what you think!
Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Sibling Love

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I noticed that the last parenting page was not edited. I'm sorry about that! I have now edited that one and should make better sense! 

Here are quick click links to the parenting pages so far.
 

 
The next page I have added is:

Sibling Love

I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think.
 

Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Positive Family Relationships

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new section to the Parenting Page!
 
I love this section~ Positive Family Relationships. 

 A child learns what he is taught. If it is positive, then there will be a positive outcome!

Read this section and tell me what you think so far.
Blessings~

   
Continue reading ...
 

A New Page for the Website~ Parenting

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have been working hard on writing "parenting" pages for the website. I will be transparent and tell you - I am not a perfect parent with perfect kids!

Parenting is my passion. It is where my heart lies. I love to help new young moms. I was very young when I had my first , and I had no idea what I was doing. I wish I had someone to tell me the best way to do it all.
 
I made many huge mistakes. So many are very regretful.  I also know that God allows us to be in situations to help us grow and l...
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Preparing for Adolesence

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I never think it's too early to begin thinking about how you can prepare children for adolescence. My hubby is actually taking one of our sons on their first "Father-Son" trips this weekend. Jeff loves to kayak, so they are going white water rafting at the Ocoee River in East Tn, and riding a duckie together down the Nantahala River across the state line in North Carolina. But the subject matter of their conversation will be serious. 

I don't want to go into too much detail, but I do want you ...
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Freezing Meals for Lunches

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
A "Victoriously Organized Woman", Sally Tomlinson, asked about freezer cooking for lunches. She doesn't like the school lunches; and neither do I, to be honest. I know there are only a few weeks of school left, but maybe you can use these ideas for the summer, also. Hopefully you will remember to come back to this during "Back to School" time. Maybe I'll just have to remember to do a "repost".

I have never frozen meals for the boys lunches. When Sally asked about it, I thought it was a great i...
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Sports Nights Meals!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Lately it seems all I think about is food, food, food! Well, when you live in a house full of hungry, growing boys like I do, it will become your obsession, too!  Actually, I think all of my boys are about to go through a growth spurt. They have to eat ALL the time. Even my tiny little 5 year old, Noah, is eating more and longer than everyone!
A few readers were talking about sports nights. Right now, we have no one playing sports, which is a first. But, I remember the days that the kids would...
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Outside Fun with Kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Now that the weather is warmer here, the boys have been spending much more time outside. We even turned on the sprinkler on Easter! So, I started thinking about ways to keep the fun outside.

1. Sprinkler Fun~ Set up a sprinkler. Give the bowls bowls, empty plastic flower pots, buckets, etc... Let them race to see whose bowl fill up faster. 

2. Water Guns~ Keep a large bucket or bowl filled with water. Let them refill their water guns in that. 

3. Sandy Feet?~ Fill a tub(large enough for little f...
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Easter Games and Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Yesterday I told you I was going Easter Basket shopping. I wanted to share with you what I found. I went to the Dollar Tree to kill time before the Christian bookstore opened. And much to my surprise, they had some great Christian baskets stuffers!

Easter Basket Goodies:


Bible stories on DVD~ $1.00




Thick coloring books ~ $1.00




Activity pads, from Lifeway Christian Store ~ under  $.99

I use these to put in their church bags, when they sit in service with us during the summer.

Not pictured: Christian...
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Easter Basket Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
  I don't have a recipe to share today. I have been very sick and not really "with it". And I should be writing the Easter page, but I just haven't felt well. 
  But today I have to go shopping for a few more Easter basket items. When I had my first baby and started thinking about filling a basket, I didn't want to put the "junk" in there that I've seen other baskets filled with. There are so many holidays and so many ways we can just spoil our kids with "things". I wanted the basket to be abo...
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St. Patrick's Day

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 

 St. Patrick's Day is next Wednesday. It another fun holiday to celebrate with wearing green and decorating with shamrocks, etc... But do you know the whole story about St. Patrick? Go to the link below to read about him. Talk about him to your children all week until next Wednesday. There is so much more to him than just what the world has commercialized.  For example, he used shamrocks to describe the Trinity~Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Story of St Patrick 



Kids love to have fun.( and s...

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Stain Cleaning Caddy

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
15 Minutes is all it takes to bless your Family!

You could spend a lot of money on stain fighters. But did you know you already have them in your home? No need to spend extra money of fancy name brands. Just make a cleaning caddy. Most of this stuff can be found at the dollar store.

  Caddy materials:
1. One basket with handles or cleaning caddy
2. a few spray bottles
3. Large address labels
4. hydrogen peroxide
5. shaving cream
6. alcohol
7. vinegar
8. baking soda
9. Alka- Seltzer tablets
10. cotton bal...
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Pray for Others

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
"When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes."
 Job 42:10

 Have you ever really thought about that verse? I have prayed as I have read through Job many times. I've read it many times because of many illnesses and struggles. But, have you really thought about that verse? It says he prayed for his friends. It doesn't say the Lord healed him because of his great faith, which he displayed very well. He wasn't healed because he prayed for himself. He was healed after an unselfish...
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2010 Olympics

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Last week's tip was about the Olympics. Since they are still going on, I decided to dedicate another week to them. I love the olympics! 
What is your favorite part? I love the ice skating, Jeff hates it. But we all love the snowboarding. My family is into the extreme sports. Make sure you watch the snowboarding competition today!  Shaun White may try his "Double McTwist 1260". Let's see if he can do it!
 But, we do not watch a lot of TV. And to figure out the times the sports are showing we go ...

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2010 Vancouver Olympics

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I love traditions! And one of our traditions is to have a party for the opening ceremonies for the Olympics. The day of the ceremony, we do crafts, decorate, and play games related to the Olympics. Then that night we eat pizza or something party-like. Then, we watch the ceremony. For the rest of the olympics we have fun watching the sports, keeping track of the medals, and researching about our favorite olympians!

Games we've played: 
Summer~
1. Obstacle course- let kids help set up a course wit...
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♥Valentine's♥ Day with your Spouse

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Valentine's Day to some people may be so commercialized that they really don't want to celebrate it anymore. Don't be discouraged! I love Valentine's day. I think it is a great way to break the mundane, day-to-day monotony of life. We can become very complacent with life. We can also take our spouse for granted. Have I really shown Jeff how much I love him lately? I mean, the way he feels loved, not how I show love. Everyone Has their own "Love Language". I am writing "Parenting " pages on th...
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♥ Valentine's Day♥ with Kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
♥Next week I will post and add to the Valentine page ~ ♥Valentine's Day♥ for Couples

For some Valentines' Days is just another day. To me, it's an extra special day to show those I love how much they mean to me. We shower the kids with love everyday, but make it extra special on this day. I teach the kids how they can show their love to others, also. I don't get into the commercialism of the holiday, the dozen roses, box of chocolates, and cards galore. I teach the boys creative ways to ...
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Do you Know what "Time" it is?

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Do you know what "time" it is? It's just "Ordinary Time". If you have a Christian calendar, you will see it lays out what Christian events are going on throughout the year. The time between special holidays is called "Ordinary Time". We just finished celebrating Thanksgiving and then our Lord and Savior's birth at Christmas, but what now? You'll want to say, "Nothing, today is just an ordinary day." But really it isn't. Right now is to focus on our growth in Christ. We have special colors tha...
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New Year, New You!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 

 Have you checked out my organizers, yet? I think everyone should have one! This completely helped me keep up with everything, in one place. There are special sections for each area of my life. I will be adding my new ideas everyday.
 
  I have been thinking a little about this year. What I want to change, do different, not do at all. And , of course, I've been thinking about a new little guy coming in April! I have a lot to prepare. I need to get my meals frozen, birthdays planned ahead, garde...

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New Years Eve Party! with kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, December 29, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

New Years Eve Party:

When the kids were young we still wanted to stay home and have a news years party with them. Being young and they couldn't stay up til midnight, so this party started at 6:00. As they have gotten older I have waited til later to start.
After we eat pizza and hot wings here is what I do:
New Years Party: Each hour open a bag and do the activity inside, then it's outside for fireworks. We have 4 bags to open.

 ~1st hour/1st bag: Watch and glowsticks(lots). Put on our watches fo...
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Christmas Clean Up Tip

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Here are a few tips I have used over the years to keep my Christmas morning sanity. Before, I have lost parts to toys and batteries. Not so much fun for the little one wanting to play with his gift! I've also thrown in time saving tips for you, too.

 Clean Up Tips
1. As you and your family unwrap presents, put all the wrapping paper in a trash bag.
2. If you save ribbon , bows, boxes, or bags: Keep a large Christmas bag and put them in it as you unwrap.
3. As your kids unwrap, have them keep all ...
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Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Thursday, December 17, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Here are a few ideas that I have for stocking stuffers. Some are frugal, some are not. And they are in no particular order. Some can be for kids as well as teens or adults. So, I just mixed them all together. I also like to wrap most of the things I put in their stockings. It gives us more time in the morning!

If you know someone that will not be getting a stocking to open on Christmas morning, this is also a good idea for a present. Buy any kind of  stocking and fill it with a few of the pers...
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26 Days of Christmas Activities

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
I started this tradition about 10 years ago. With all the busyness Christmas can bring I wanted my kids to appreciate the REAL reason we celebrate Christmas. It is easy to get caught up in the decorating and shopping, but that's not what it is about. So, every day in the month of December until the 26th we do a little activity to keep the Christmas spirit up.
I will post everyday a more detailed example of what we are doing.

December
1- Make salt dough ornaments
2- Start Christmas puzzle
3- Start ...
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His mercy endures forewver.
Psalm 136:1

  I have a letter from the Bellevue Baptist Church preschool ministry that I keep in my prayer binder/organizer. I want to share this with you because it has so many great things to say about being thankful and nurturing thankfulness.

Nurturing a Thankful Heart
A person with a contented , grateful heart is pleasing to the Lord and enjoyable to be around. Listed below are ways to nurture a grateful spirit in your ch...
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Saving Money on Groceries

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
If you have a large family like me, you could easily spend hundreds of dollars on car insurance. But we aren't talking about that today. Today I'm talking about the hundreds of dollars you could spend on groceries a week! I have all boys and that means HUGE appetites. I could go on and on about ways to save. I will try to break it down and not ramble on. 

 Coupons:
I know most people hate to take the time to clip coupons. I was once that way,too! Until I didn't have food in the house and the bo...
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Baking Day Planning

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
A few posts ago I talked about having a baking/cooking day. I have been planning breakfasts, dinners, and desserts to prepare and freeze. The wintertime is getting near. Holidays, cold weathers, and for me- a new baby after February. I actually have never done a BIG baking day in one day, so you can come right along side me. I have so many that I want to do, so I am breaking them up in two days. Because I have a large family with all boys that eat A LOT, one batch of cookies is not going to b...
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A few tips you might like

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Hey, I know my tips are usually very long but this one will be short an sweet. I only have one short tip. But sharing just one seems like a rip off so before I give the real one here's a few other short and sweet ones:
1. Never leave sharpies within childrens reach.
2. Always look decent when going out or you will inevitably see someone you know, like an ex-boyfriend.
3. Always kiss your kids goodnight...oh yeah, and your hubby.
4. Never run out of toilet paper. Buy in bulk!!!
5. Never run out of ...
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Christmas Planner

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
  I am so excited! Christmas is my favorite time of year! I am already getting the Christmas movies out for the kids to watch. I know! I told you I love Christmas! I don't think you can have too much Christmas. Especially if you keep the meaning on the real reason for the Christmas season. In a later post in November I will be talking about the Jesus Tree. I will have links for you to print out the Jesus Tree List and Ideas.
I finished the pages for the Christmas Planner. I usually print these...
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Preparing for Winter and Christmas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
The chill is in the air. I love this time of year. Time for sweaters and fires in fireplaces. So, it got me to thinking...and preparing. There are less than 12 weeks until Christmas! Yes, that's right! Have you prepared? I cannot afford to be the "fly by the seat of your pants gal". If anyone wants a decent Christmas or Christmas at all I have to plan. I will soon post on my website pages you can print out to put in your holiday organizers. They will include: name/gift idea checklist, baking ...
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Autumn Decorating

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

 It is Autumn! I love this time of year. Beautiful trees, crisp air, pumpkin picking, sweater wearing, bonfires, crackling fires in fireplaces, and decorating! I am not an expert decorator, but I do like to decorate for every season and holiday. I can't wait for the first day of every season so I can start decorating. I'm glad I live here because we get to experience all of the seasons. I don't think I have a favorite season. I love all of them. And we get to enjoy just the right amount of ti...
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How to Keep your Bathroom Clean without Cleaning!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
I do not like to spend a lot of time cleaning the bathroom, or cleaning anything really. I figured out a way to keep it clean without spending hours scrubbing. Start using some of my tips in your morning bathroom routine, or whenever you choose. Here are a few of my tips:
 
With your morning routine:
 
 1. Keep shower cleaner and a scrub brush in the shower. When you shower, rinse and clean spot you see that are dirty.      This does not mean the whole shower at one time. If you get behind, there...
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Healthy Lunches

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, August 26, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
It's back to school time. I have been constantly thinking about healthy lunch ideas for the boys. Nutrition is very important to me. They are only young once and good eating habits form when they are young. I do not keep "junk" in the house. This is for many reasons. One, because it is gone in a matter of seconds, they are on to eat something else, and that was a waste of money. And two, because it's just not good for their bodies to eat everyday. I do buy "junk" every once in a while. And wh...
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Tip of the Week Aug 19

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

* You can also Tips of the Week every Wednesday on the homepage 
                                                   Tip of the Week

                    Back to School Organization
Your kids have or will be going back to school soon. Here are a few tips to organized their time, papers, and more.
1. Scheduling:
Sit down with your child and go over their activites. Type out a schedule  and routine of their daily events.
Here is an example of my elementary kids routine: 
6:45~ Wake- make bed - morning c...
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Tip By Shape Up Mom at shapeupmom.com

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

 I love this lady and she is an inspiration to stay fit, no matter how many children you have. Check out her website.



Ten kids, Ten Back-to-School Supplies, Lists, Sports and Paperwork 
Tips for college, high school, grade and pre-school prep for mom and kids

College
Three off to college this year!
  • Find out the dimensions of the room so you can sketch out and plan what they can actually take with them.
  • Have your child communicate with their roommate to find out what they are bringing to help share ...
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June 19-25

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
                                                                     Tip of the Week

I have a confession. I never have a problem with piles of laundry. I never have laundry backed up. People don't believe it and ask how in the world is that possible. I'll share my secret. When we lived in a small house, we didn't have a laundry room. Just a small linen closet. It would only hold 2 tall laundry hampers(purchased at dollar general) at the bottom. I used one for towels and one for clothes. The ha...
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Showing category "Tip of the Week" (Show all posts)

Making your House a Home

Posted by Holly Nelson on Thursday, October 20, 2016, In : Tip of the Week 

 Making your house a home:                             

"She senses that her gain is good;her lamp does not go out at night." Proverbs 31:18

1. "Mess causes stress". De-clutter your house 15 minutes a day. If it really needs it; work 45 minutes, then take a 15 minute break to drink water.

2. Dark rooms are depressing. "Open the House", by opening windows every morning. Allow natural light to come in the house.

3. Keep your daily cleaning routines, but be flexible. If you didn't get it done, don't...


Continue reading ...
 

Daily Chores/Routines

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added my routine of Daily Chores. I hope this helps you understand how I can get it all done. I have changed it up a bit since I started this website. Hopefully this example will help you make your own Routine of Daily Chores.

Daily Chores

Monday~ Cleaning Laundry Day
Tuesday~ Kitchen/Baking Day
Wednesday~ Office Day
Thursday~ Town Day
Friday~ Gardening Day
Saturday~ Family Fun Day
Sunday~ The Lord's Day  

  ~ Blessings~ 

Continue reading ...
 

Making your House a Home

Posted by Holly Nelson on Monday, July 11, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 

 Making your house a home:                             

"She senses that her gain is good;her lamp does not go out at night." Proverbs 31:18

1.  "Mess causes stress". Declutter your house 15 minutes a day. If it really needs it; work 45 minutes, then take a 15 minute break to drink water.

2. Dark rooms are depressing. "Open the House", by opening windows every morning. Allow natural light to come in the house.

3. Keep your daily cleaning routines, but be flexible. If you didn't get it done, don't...
Continue reading ...
 

Wacky Holidays for July

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, In : Tip of the Week 

June~ 4th Saturday~ Great American Camppout!


 July:

1-Canada Day                                                            

4-Independence Day                                                  

7-Chocolate Day                                                        

9-Hot Dog Day                                                            

15-Gummi Worm Day                                                    

19-Nat'l Ice Cream Day                                                              

20-Hug you...
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School Paper Organization

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Well, we have been "Back to School" for almost a month now.
 
  I don't like school! (SHHH! Don't tell the kids!) 

I don't like school because it takes my kids away! I miss them when they are gone. Okay, I know they have to go to learn. And that's what makes me feel better. This year all my kids have the best teachers and it has brought me comfort knowing they are well loved and taken care of.

For the past few years I have put all the important school papers in my "School Binder". Each year I tak...
Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ FAITH!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added:

   FAITH 

 to the Parenting Page. Please read it and tell me what you think!
Blessings~
Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Responsibility

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting Section:

Responsibility 

Please let me know what you think!
Blessings~

 

Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Understanding Your Child's Temperament

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting page. If you have not read any of the pages, please take the time to read them. 

As I've said In an earlier blog post~ I will be adding a new page every Wednesday, and post the announcement Wednesday mornings under the TIP OF THE WEEK section.

This week:

Understanding Your Child's Temperament

Continue reading ...
 

Love of Learning

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 16, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new page to the Parenting page this week. 
It's: 
Love of Learning

Tell me what you think!
Continue reading ...
 

Parenting~ Sibling Love

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I noticed that the last parenting page was not edited. I'm sorry about that! I have now edited that one and should make better sense! 

Here are quick click links to the parenting pages so far.
 

 
The next page I have added is:

Sibling Love

I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think.
 

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Parenting~ Positive Family Relationships

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have added a new section to the Parenting Page!
 
I love this section~ Positive Family Relationships. 

 A child learns what he is taught. If it is positive, then there will be a positive outcome!

Read this section and tell me what you think so far.
Blessings~

   
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A New Page for the Website~ Parenting

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I have been working hard on writing "parenting" pages for the website. I will be transparent and tell you - I am not a perfect parent with perfect kids!

Parenting is my passion. It is where my heart lies. I love to help new young moms. I was very young when I had my first , and I had no idea what I was doing. I wish I had someone to tell me the best way to do it all.
 
I made many huge mistakes. So many are very regretful.  I also know that God allows us to be in situations to help us grow and l...
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Preparing for Adolesence

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I never think it's too early to begin thinking about how you can prepare children for adolescence. My hubby is actually taking one of our sons on their first "Father-Son" trips this weekend. Jeff loves to kayak, so they are going white water rafting at the Ocoee River in East Tn, and riding a duckie together down the Nantahala River across the state line in North Carolina. But the subject matter of their conversation will be serious. 

I don't want to go into too much detail, but I do want you ...
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Freezing Meals for Lunches

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
A "Victoriously Organized Woman", Sally Tomlinson, asked about freezer cooking for lunches. She doesn't like the school lunches; and neither do I, to be honest. I know there are only a few weeks of school left, but maybe you can use these ideas for the summer, also. Hopefully you will remember to come back to this during "Back to School" time. Maybe I'll just have to remember to do a "repost".

I have never frozen meals for the boys lunches. When Sally asked about it, I thought it was a great i...
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Sports Nights Meals!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Lately it seems all I think about is food, food, food! Well, when you live in a house full of hungry, growing boys like I do, it will become your obsession, too!  Actually, I think all of my boys are about to go through a growth spurt. They have to eat ALL the time. Even my tiny little 5 year old, Noah, is eating more and longer than everyone!
A few readers were talking about sports nights. Right now, we have no one playing sports, which is a first. But, I remember the days that the kids would...
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Outside Fun with Kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Now that the weather is warmer here, the boys have been spending much more time outside. We even turned on the sprinkler on Easter! So, I started thinking about ways to keep the fun outside.

1. Sprinkler Fun~ Set up a sprinkler. Give the bowls bowls, empty plastic flower pots, buckets, etc... Let them race to see whose bowl fill up faster. 

2. Water Guns~ Keep a large bucket or bowl filled with water. Let them refill their water guns in that. 

3. Sandy Feet?~ Fill a tub(large enough for little f...
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Easter Games and Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 31, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Yesterday I told you I was going Easter Basket shopping. I wanted to share with you what I found. I went to the Dollar Tree to kill time before the Christian bookstore opened. And much to my surprise, they had some great Christian baskets stuffers!

Easter Basket Goodies:


Bible stories on DVD~ $1.00




Thick coloring books ~ $1.00




Activity pads, from Lifeway Christian Store ~ under  $.99

I use these to put in their church bags, when they sit in service with us during the summer.

Not pictured: Christian...
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Easter Basket Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
  I don't have a recipe to share today. I have been very sick and not really "with it". And I should be writing the Easter page, but I just haven't felt well. 
  But today I have to go shopping for a few more Easter basket items. When I had my first baby and started thinking about filling a basket, I didn't want to put the "junk" in there that I've seen other baskets filled with. There are so many holidays and so many ways we can just spoil our kids with "things". I wanted the basket to be abo...
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St. Patrick's Day

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 

 St. Patrick's Day is next Wednesday. It another fun holiday to celebrate with wearing green and decorating with shamrocks, etc... But do you know the whole story about St. Patrick? Go to the link below to read about him. Talk about him to your children all week until next Wednesday. There is so much more to him than just what the world has commercialized.  For example, he used shamrocks to describe the Trinity~Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Story of St Patrick 



Kids love to have fun.( and s...

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Stain Cleaning Caddy

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
15 Minutes is all it takes to bless your Family!

You could spend a lot of money on stain fighters. But did you know you already have them in your home? No need to spend extra money of fancy name brands. Just make a cleaning caddy. Most of this stuff can be found at the dollar store.

  Caddy materials:
1. One basket with handles or cleaning caddy
2. a few spray bottles
3. Large address labels
4. hydrogen peroxide
5. shaving cream
6. alcohol
7. vinegar
8. baking soda
9. Alka- Seltzer tablets
10. cotton bal...
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Pray for Others

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
"When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes."
 Job 42:10

 Have you ever really thought about that verse? I have prayed as I have read through Job many times. I've read it many times because of many illnesses and struggles. But, have you really thought about that verse? It says he prayed for his friends. It doesn't say the Lord healed him because of his great faith, which he displayed very well. He wasn't healed because he prayed for himself. He was healed after an unselfish...
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2010 Olympics

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Last week's tip was about the Olympics. Since they are still going on, I decided to dedicate another week to them. I love the olympics! 
What is your favorite part? I love the ice skating, Jeff hates it. But we all love the snowboarding. My family is into the extreme sports. Make sure you watch the snowboarding competition today!  Shaun White may try his "Double McTwist 1260". Let's see if he can do it!
 But, we do not watch a lot of TV. And to figure out the times the sports are showing we go ...

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2010 Vancouver Olympics

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
I love traditions! And one of our traditions is to have a party for the opening ceremonies for the Olympics. The day of the ceremony, we do crafts, decorate, and play games related to the Olympics. Then that night we eat pizza or something party-like. Then, we watch the ceremony. For the rest of the olympics we have fun watching the sports, keeping track of the medals, and researching about our favorite olympians!

Games we've played: 
Summer~
1. Obstacle course- let kids help set up a course wit...
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♥Valentine's♥ Day with your Spouse

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Valentine's Day to some people may be so commercialized that they really don't want to celebrate it anymore. Don't be discouraged! I love Valentine's day. I think it is a great way to break the mundane, day-to-day monotony of life. We can become very complacent with life. We can also take our spouse for granted. Have I really shown Jeff how much I love him lately? I mean, the way he feels loved, not how I show love. Everyone Has their own "Love Language". I am writing "Parenting " pages on th...
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♥ Valentine's Day♥ with Kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
♥Next week I will post and add to the Valentine page ~ ♥Valentine's Day♥ for Couples

For some Valentines' Days is just another day. To me, it's an extra special day to show those I love how much they mean to me. We shower the kids with love everyday, but make it extra special on this day. I teach the kids how they can show their love to others, also. I don't get into the commercialism of the holiday, the dozen roses, box of chocolates, and cards galore. I teach the boys creative ways to ...
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Do you Know what "Time" it is?

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 
Do you know what "time" it is? It's just "Ordinary Time". If you have a Christian calendar, you will see it lays out what Christian events are going on throughout the year. The time between special holidays is called "Ordinary Time". We just finished celebrating Thanksgiving and then our Lord and Savior's birth at Christmas, but what now? You'll want to say, "Nothing, today is just an ordinary day." But really it isn't. Right now is to focus on our growth in Christ. We have special colors tha...
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New Year, New You!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, In : Tip of the Week 

 Have you checked out my organizers, yet? I think everyone should have one! This completely helped me keep up with everything, in one place. There are special sections for each area of my life. I will be adding my new ideas everyday.
 
  I have been thinking a little about this year. What I want to change, do different, not do at all. And , of course, I've been thinking about a new little guy coming in April! I have a lot to prepare. I need to get my meals frozen, birthdays planned ahead, garde...

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New Years Eve Party! with kids

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, December 29, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

New Years Eve Party:

When the kids were young we still wanted to stay home and have a news years party with them. Being young and they couldn't stay up til midnight, so this party started at 6:00. As they have gotten older I have waited til later to start.
After we eat pizza and hot wings here is what I do:
New Years Party: Each hour open a bag and do the activity inside, then it's outside for fireworks. We have 4 bags to open.

 ~1st hour/1st bag: Watch and glowsticks(lots). Put on our watches fo...
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Christmas Clean Up Tip

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Here are a few tips I have used over the years to keep my Christmas morning sanity. Before, I have lost parts to toys and batteries. Not so much fun for the little one wanting to play with his gift! I've also thrown in time saving tips for you, too.

 Clean Up Tips
1. As you and your family unwrap presents, put all the wrapping paper in a trash bag.
2. If you save ribbon , bows, boxes, or bags: Keep a large Christmas bag and put them in it as you unwrap.
3. As your kids unwrap, have them keep all ...
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Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Thursday, December 17, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Here are a few ideas that I have for stocking stuffers. Some are frugal, some are not. And they are in no particular order. Some can be for kids as well as teens or adults. So, I just mixed them all together. I also like to wrap most of the things I put in their stockings. It gives us more time in the morning!

If you know someone that will not be getting a stocking to open on Christmas morning, this is also a good idea for a present. Buy any kind of  stocking and fill it with a few of the pers...
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26 Days of Christmas Activities

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
I started this tradition about 10 years ago. With all the busyness Christmas can bring I wanted my kids to appreciate the REAL reason we celebrate Christmas. It is easy to get caught up in the decorating and shopping, but that's not what it is about. So, every day in the month of December until the 26th we do a little activity to keep the Christmas spirit up.
I will post everyday a more detailed example of what we are doing.

December
1- Make salt dough ornaments
2- Start Christmas puzzle
3- Start ...
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Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His mercy endures forewver.
Psalm 136:1

  I have a letter from the Bellevue Baptist Church preschool ministry that I keep in my prayer binder/organizer. I want to share this with you because it has so many great things to say about being thankful and nurturing thankfulness.

Nurturing a Thankful Heart
A person with a contented , grateful heart is pleasing to the Lord and enjoyable to be around. Listed below are ways to nurture a grateful spirit in your ch...
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Saving Money on Groceries

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
If you have a large family like me, you could easily spend hundreds of dollars on car insurance. But we aren't talking about that today. Today I'm talking about the hundreds of dollars you could spend on groceries a week! I have all boys and that means HUGE appetites. I could go on and on about ways to save. I will try to break it down and not ramble on. 

 Coupons:
I know most people hate to take the time to clip coupons. I was once that way,too! Until I didn't have food in the house and the bo...
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Baking Day Planning

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
A few posts ago I talked about having a baking/cooking day. I have been planning breakfasts, dinners, and desserts to prepare and freeze. The wintertime is getting near. Holidays, cold weathers, and for me- a new baby after February. I actually have never done a BIG baking day in one day, so you can come right along side me. I have so many that I want to do, so I am breaking them up in two days. Because I have a large family with all boys that eat A LOT, one batch of cookies is not going to b...
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A few tips you might like

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
Hey, I know my tips are usually very long but this one will be short an sweet. I only have one short tip. But sharing just one seems like a rip off so before I give the real one here's a few other short and sweet ones:
1. Never leave sharpies within childrens reach.
2. Always look decent when going out or you will inevitably see someone you know, like an ex-boyfriend.
3. Always kiss your kids goodnight...oh yeah, and your hubby.
4. Never run out of toilet paper. Buy in bulk!!!
5. Never run out of ...
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Christmas Planner

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
  I am so excited! Christmas is my favorite time of year! I am already getting the Christmas movies out for the kids to watch. I know! I told you I love Christmas! I don't think you can have too much Christmas. Especially if you keep the meaning on the real reason for the Christmas season. In a later post in November I will be talking about the Jesus Tree. I will have links for you to print out the Jesus Tree List and Ideas.
I finished the pages for the Christmas Planner. I usually print these...
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Preparing for Winter and Christmas

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
The chill is in the air. I love this time of year. Time for sweaters and fires in fireplaces. So, it got me to thinking...and preparing. There are less than 12 weeks until Christmas! Yes, that's right! Have you prepared? I cannot afford to be the "fly by the seat of your pants gal". If anyone wants a decent Christmas or Christmas at all I have to plan. I will soon post on my website pages you can print out to put in your holiday organizers. They will include: name/gift idea checklist, baking ...
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Autumn Decorating

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

 It is Autumn! I love this time of year. Beautiful trees, crisp air, pumpkin picking, sweater wearing, bonfires, crackling fires in fireplaces, and decorating! I am not an expert decorator, but I do like to decorate for every season and holiday. I can't wait for the first day of every season so I can start decorating. I'm glad I live here because we get to experience all of the seasons. I don't think I have a favorite season. I love all of them. And we get to enjoy just the right amount of ti...
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How to Keep your Bathroom Clean without Cleaning!

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
I do not like to spend a lot of time cleaning the bathroom, or cleaning anything really. I figured out a way to keep it clean without spending hours scrubbing. Start using some of my tips in your morning bathroom routine, or whenever you choose. Here are a few of my tips:
 
With your morning routine:
 
 1. Keep shower cleaner and a scrub brush in the shower. When you shower, rinse and clean spot you see that are dirty.      This does not mean the whole shower at one time. If you get behind, there...
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Healthy Lunches

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, August 26, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
It's back to school time. I have been constantly thinking about healthy lunch ideas for the boys. Nutrition is very important to me. They are only young once and good eating habits form when they are young. I do not keep "junk" in the house. This is for many reasons. One, because it is gone in a matter of seconds, they are on to eat something else, and that was a waste of money. And two, because it's just not good for their bodies to eat everyday. I do buy "junk" every once in a while. And wh...
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Tip of the Week Aug 19

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

* You can also Tips of the Week every Wednesday on the homepage 
                                                   Tip of the Week

                    Back to School Organization
Your kids have or will be going back to school soon. Here are a few tips to organized their time, papers, and more.
1. Scheduling:
Sit down with your child and go over their activites. Type out a schedule  and routine of their daily events.
Here is an example of my elementary kids routine: 
6:45~ Wake- make bed - morning c...
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Tip By Shape Up Mom at shapeupmom.com

Posted by Holly Nelson on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 

 I love this lady and she is an inspiration to stay fit, no matter how many children you have. Check out her website.



Ten kids, Ten Back-to-School Supplies, Lists, Sports and Paperwork 
Tips for college, high school, grade and pre-school prep for mom and kids

College
Three off to college this year!
  • Find out the dimensions of the room so you can sketch out and plan what they can actually take with them.
  • Have your child communicate with their roommate to find out what they are bringing to help share ...
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June 19-25

Posted by Holly Nelson on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, In : Tip of the Week 
                                                                     Tip of the Week

I have a confession. I never have a problem with piles of laundry. I never have laundry backed up. People don't believe it and ask how in the world is that possible. I'll share my secret. When we lived in a small house, we didn't have a laundry room. Just a small linen closet. It would only hold 2 tall laundry hampers(purchased at dollar general) at the bottom. I used one for towels and one for clothes. The ha...
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About Me


Holly Nelson Mom to 6 Sons // Saved by Grace // Lover of Chocolate, Laughter, Love, Nature, Camping, Simplicity,and Family
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