What I Wore

Good Wednesday to you! Here are the fabulous fashion finds I have to share with you today from groopdealz.com . . . 

Are you still in the midst of a cold winter? Don't miss these Fleece Lined Leggings! They're 75% off, and there are many colour choices.

I'm all cozied up on the couch with a mug of steaming hot coffee, looking at these adorable CC Beanies (12 colours). I think one of these would come in handy for our current 20 degree F. temperatures!

And just in case you're already looking ahead to spring or maybe you're in Texas, where I've heard some of my friends and family were enjoying 77 degree F. temps yesterday, check out this adorable Lisa Dress! 

Here are a few other cute options that are available right now. These deals are only for a limited time!

Piper Necklace - wear it long or short

Cozy Hoodie Tunic - 6 colours

The Perfect Dolman - 7 colours

Have an amazing day!

I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Sweet Haute. Hop on over to check out more fashion ideas.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase via my links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Weekly Menu Plan {26 January}

Hello, friends! Happy snow day to my East Coast buddies. We are actually hoping and praying for more snow, but I know NYC and Boston are bracing for a blizzard, so my prayers are with you guys. Stay safe and warm! And make lots of snow forts and have a snow ball fight or seven!!! Can you tell we're a little jealous? Apparently living in Canada conditioned us to actually wish for blizzards!

Here is our plan for meals for this week:

Monday - Taco Salad

Tuesday - Shrimp Tostadas, guacamole

Wednesday - Chicken Curry, basmati rice (Ben's night to cook)

Thursday - French Onion Soup (Emma's night to cook)

Friday - Mac and Cheese (Maya's night to cook)

Saturday - Pumpkin Soup (Austin's night to cook)

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a great week, friends! Pardon me while I get back to looking at the weather radar app on my phone. #comeonsnow

I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday and Inspire Me Mondays. 

Blessings and love. xo

P. S. The Ultimate DIY Bundle sale ends tonight. If you've been thinking of buying it, don't miss out! Click the banner:

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Saving Money Series - Decorating Our Homes

Good morning to you! I am continuing with my Saving Money Series today. In case you missed the first installment, find it here. 

Today I want to talk about decorating, the inexpensive way. We are so bombarded with Pinterest perfection and incredible, professional magazine layouts that we may think we may never be able to attain that kind of beauty or decorating prowess in our own homes. I want to show you how I decorate, on a very small budget (which, at times, has even been non-existent). With a little creativity, there are ways I can make my home a lovely, welcoming haven, without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars. I realize that it can take a few years to collect some decorative items, but most of us can probably shop our cupboards or pantries or yards and come up with some neat displays or arrangements to make our homes more beautiful, inviting and peaceful. 

And just a quick side note, I discovered the world of freecycle.org a couple of years ago, which can be a great resource for adding things to your home or decorating collection. People often give away perfectly wonderful possessions that they are tired of, don't have room for, or have simply replaced with something bigger and better. I am often amazed at the offerings in my local freecycle groups. Another great resource, is of course, the yard sale - both the old school kind in your own neighbourhood, as well as the new Facebook yard sale options for your town or city (check out the coffee table I once got free of charge!). (Use both of these online resources at your own discretion and with care and caution. Follow all rules of safety as specified in each group.)

As a homeschool mom, one of the things I've had to come to terms with is that since we are mostly at home, my house is not going to look like a two-page spread out of Better Homes and Gardens or Kinfolk. I have, though, been able to carve out a few spaces that can be the exceptions to the rule and lovely displays of beauty amidst the messes.

We use our dining room not only for family meals, but also for school, of course. Puzzles are also worked there, painting is done there, and much more, so it is a heavy traffic area. I try to have the kids put away their school books after use and keep it picked up as much as possible. The sideboard functions as a cupboard for much of our school paraphernalia, which is such a lifesaver. I like the top of the sideboard to be an appealing focal point in the room and not covered in clutter. 

During Christmas it looked like this, simple yet festive:

The poinsettias were very inexpensive (from Aldi). I pulled the candy jar out of the pantry and filled it with Brach's Christmas Nougats, Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses and candy canes. The little red and white dish came from Target, on sale. The wooden sleigh was a gift, as were the Santa and the cloth manger set. So the main expense on this display was the candy.

I enjoyed moving the pieces around, and eventually, the rest of the surface was covered with the Christmas cards we received in the mail. 

For January and the rest of winter, I wanted to do something fresh and simple, but I didn't want to spend any money on it at all. I shopped around the house to see what I could come up with, and this was the result . . .

Lately, every time I have walked out my back door, I have thought how pretty the dead hydrangea blooms looked, so I cut some and put them in a vase I already had on my shelf. The old globe belongs to Ava and was free from a homeschool mom who was having to quickly sell her house and move. The small blue vases came from a lady who made colloidal silver, and I've had them for ages. The photo was a gift from my very talented photographer uncle. The vase with the greenery in it was a wedding gift. The greenery itself is from my back yard.

I've rearranged everything a couple of times and like this arrangement the best so far . . . 

Another tip for creating a beautiful space in our homes is to purchase a simple  and inexpensive bouquet of flowers (or pick them from your garden, if you have them). I adore flowers and believe they can brighten up any area, no matter what the season. I bought this bunch of Alstroemeria (also known as Peruvian lily) for $5. I love this variety of flower because it lasts and lasts, so my $5 goes a long way. They are still sitting on the coffee table in my living room, almost three weeks later!

How do you like to decorate your home inexpensively? I'd love to hear your ideas and experiences, especially the money-saving ones!

Don't forget, the Ultimate DIY Bundle is on sale now for a limited time. Click the banner for details.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

The Ultimate DIY Bundle is on sale NOW!

Good morning!

I want to tell you about an AMAZING offer from the wonderful team over at Ultimate Bundles. Every quarter they put together a collection of eBooks and eCourses on a particular theme, and this time they’ve focused on DIY and crafting!

The Ultimate DIY Bundle is your instant go-to library for a whole range of carefully curated eBooks and eCourses from the web’s foremost DIY and crafting experts. Topics include: 

Home decor
Furniture painting
Photography
Chalk pastels
Handmade gifts
Homemade skincare products
Cake decorating
Photography and photo-editing
Paint colors and interior design
… and a whole lot more (76 eBooks and eCourses in total) – to help you be inspired or get started with your next DIY or crafting project!

Everything is yours to keep forever, and you can read it all on any device of your choice.

There’s no need to worry about information overload: The Ultimate DIY Bundle comes with a complete guide to getting started, so that you can know exactly which resource to use for your specific crafting or DIY project. 

The contents of the Ultimate DIY Bundle are worth over $1,200 in total. But all you need to pay is just $34.95! That’s a HUGE discount of 97%!

And that’s not all! A selection of superb crafting companies have agreed to provide a special bonus to everyone who buys – and the bonuses are worth more than the entire cost of The Ultimate DIY Bundle!

Bonuses include a FREE Craftsy Class from Craftsy.com, a couple of $15 gift certificates to HopeInkShop.com and Fawnsberg.com and more.

Click here to see EVERYTHING that’s included in The Ultimate DIY Bundle (there’s a lot!):

Hurry though! The Ultimate DIY Bundle will only be on sale for the next 6 days – until 11:59pm EST on Monday, January 26. 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle. 

What I Wore

Hello, darlings! Welcome to another week of What I Wore with fabulous finds from groopdealz.com, as well as two of my own photos, one of a sweater I received for Christmas that is my favourite, and the other of my wonderful, cozy blanket scarf! I may have to pull it out today for this snow storm we're expecting!

Floral Trim Dress - 5 Colours

Cheetah Long Sleeve Top - 3 Colours

Rhinestone Hair Ties - Set of 3 

Lace Sleeve Sweater - 4 Colours

Pencil Skirt - 13 Options

Lightweight Dolman Cardigan - 4 Colours

Check out the giveaway going on now!

Here are my photos . . .

Sweater - Old Navy

Necklace - Christmas gift (thanks, Mom!)

Blanket scarf - Brina Box (via groopdealz.com)

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and Sweet Haute! 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through my links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Weekly Menu Plan {19 January}

Good morning to you! How was your weekend? We had a nice one. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but I did get a chance to get a little more extra cleaning and organizing accomplished. Yay! I am really trying to get things in order. I have been hearing this from the Father for, well, awhile now. I'm slow, but I'm determined to be obedient.

Last night I read these tweets from Dr. Tayo:

Disorder is costly - put your house in order. 

Jesus was a man of order; 

everything that He did was deliberate, intentional and in order.

Jesus was so organised that when He rose from the dead, 

he took time to fold the grave clothes before leaving the tomb.

That last one made me laugh! But it's true, isn't it?! I love these quotes and they really spoke to me. Isn't it great when what you've already been hearing from the Father is confirmed from an unexpected source? It's like an extra push to keep going.

Here's our menu plan for this week:

Monday - Crockpot BBQ Brisket on buns, potato salad

Tuesday - Our Favourite Grilled Chicken, sautéed spinach, buttered pasta

Wednesday - Beef Tips, mashed potatoes, salad (Ben's night to cook)

Thursday - Soup night (TBD by Emma)

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - TBD by Austin (Austin decided to join the menu rotation last week, so we added him to Saturdays. He made an amazing Seafood Gumbo last Saturday. Quite impressive for his first-ever meal!)

Sunday - Snack-y Supper

I wanted to share one of my favourite quotes from Dr. King in honour of his birthday and this day set aside to celebrate his life and legacy.

Have a wonderful week! 

Linking up with Menu Plan Monday.

Blessings and love. xo

4 Steps to Rediscover Your Inner Creative Genius

Hi again! 

Yesterday I told you about a brand new mini-course that you can take FOR FREE, today! The course is called 4 Steps to Rediscover Your Inner Creative Genius, and it will help you overcome your inner obstacles to getting more involved in crafting and DIY. 

Worried you don’t have the time for furniture painting? Can’t believe you’ve got the right skills for photography? Petrified of embarrassing your friends with amateurish attempts at handmade gifts? Check out this course!

4 Steps to Rediscover Your Inner Creative Genius is very short and easy to complete – it takes just a week, and is delivered entirely over email with accompanying worksheets. 

If you haven’t already signed up, click here and get started on part 1! If you’ve already started, let me know how it’s going! 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Many thanks for your support!

Rediscover Your Creative Side in 4 Simple Steps

Hello, friends! I wanted to alert you to something I think it pretty exciting. Not only is The Ultimate DIY Bundle going to be on sale very soon, but right now, I have a special offer for you, and the best part - it's FREE!!!  It's called Four Steps to Recover Your Inner Creative Genius and it was written by MyQuillyn from TheNester.com!

Do you consider yourself a creative person? Many years ago, I used to say that I wasn't a creative person. Thankfully, the Father gently showed me that because He created me, because He is the ultimate Creator, because I am created in His Image, that lo and behold, it was actually sinful for me to be saying that I wasn't creative. Yikes. He showed me that I didn't have to paint like Van Gogh or sing like Celine Dion or take photographs like Ansel Adams or, or, or . . . But because I am His creation and created in His image, I can lay claim to my unique abilities to be creative. I read a couple of encouraging authors who shared this same message, and although I don't always take the time to nurture my creative side, it is something so meaningful and important to me now, twenty years later. It is something that is valued in my home and in teaching my children in our homeschool. 

If you do not see yourself as very creative or maybe you do but you've pushed aside your creative outlets for one reason or another, this mini-course may be just the encouragement you need to get out those paints or that yarn or that camera or those piano pieces or that pottery wheel or that journal and start dreaming again.  

Not only do you get the FREE mini-course, you can also get (via referral) . . .

- $5 off the Ultimate DIY Bundle (only 1 Referral)
- A FREE 1-year Subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (Only 5 Referrals)
- A FREE Ultimate DIY Bundle (only 10 referrals) 

Click HERE to sign up for this fantastic offer! I hope you'll join me in renewing our sense of creativity and adding creative sessions into our days, for our own pleasure, for our own expression, for our own delight, and ultimately to glorify our Creator! 

This offer is only available through January 20.



Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. Many thanks for your support!

What I Wore

Hello, Lovelies! How are you? I hope your week is going well. I have some fun things to share from groopdealz.com, as well as two of my own outfits from the last week. 

Soft Buffalo Plaid Blanket Scarves - 6 colour options

Pearl Cluster Statement Necklace

Button Down Boot Cuffs - 10 Styles

Draped Utility Jacket - great transition-to-spring piece, if you're thinking ahead!

Do you still need a planner for the new year? Here are some cute options:

Pick Your Pattern - 2015 Planners

And here is another super cute Valentine's Day banner - 5 different styles

Here are a couple of my own photos . . .

Aren't these earrings so much fun!?!

Earrings - lilyasher.com

Necklace - Target

Sweater - Belk

Blouse - Gap

I enjoy shopping my closet and mixing colours, like this dark plum sweater and coral accessories!

Sweater - old

Jeans - Belk

T-shirt - Kohl's

Earrings - TJ Maxx

Bracelet - Stella and Dot (thanks to Bob's parents for this great Christmas gift!)

Scarf - boutique in Quebec

I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Style Elixir and Sweet Haute! 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This simply means that if you choose to purchase through my links, there is no additional charge to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Weekly Menu Plan {12 January}

Hello, dear ones! How are you today? It's rainy and cold here, and we are getting ready to watch the college championship game. Are you watching? Who are you cheering for? I wish I had thought to make some Buckeyes, because they are sounding so good right now. I think I'll go scrounge up some chocolate and peanut butter. 

Here is our plan for this week:

Monday - Pizza

Tuesday - Tacos with Ben

Wednesday - Mexican Chicken Soup

Thursday - TBD by Emma

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Erin's Chorizo Rice Skillet Dinner (made with turkey sausage)

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Don't forget about the great offer below:


Linking up with Menu Plan Monday and Good Tips Tuesday.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase through my links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

CTC Math {Review}

Hello fellow homeschool mama (or dad)!

Is math the most stressful part of your homeschool day? It's a new year, and maybe you are taking a little time to evaluate your math curriculum and whether or not it is a healthy fit for your family. Is it working like you had hoped? Does math cause more tears and yelling than successful moments and smiles? 

I want to share something with you today that could potentially make your life a little easier. Yes, it's true! I have had the opportunity to review the CTC Math online program with four of my children, and I can honestly say that it has made my life easier and math a much more pleasant subject at our house! That could almost be in the "shout it from the rooftops" category. 

I think I've shared before that I am not a "math person", unfortunately. I don't hate math, but I just don't think I was taught math very well, and therefore didn't get a solid foundation of the concepts. I can certainly manage to help my children with elementary mathematics, but once they hit grade 7 or 8, I need some assistance. We have tried other programs in the past, but none of them has had the completely positive reaction that CTC Math has received from my children. Can we all just shout "Hallelujah!"?!

The CTC Math program is completely online, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's like having your own personal math tutor! There is an instructional video, taught by Pat Murray (father of TEN!), who is delightful to listen to and easy to understand. I wish I had been taught by Pat when I was in school. His explanations and style make so much more sense to me. The presentation is simple and thorough. Each lesson is less than 10 minutes long. And you can watch it once or twice or as many times as it takes to understand the concept. We normally only have to watch the videos once, but sometimes one of the children watches the video and starts their lesson but gets stuck, so I will go back and watch with them a second time to make sure I understand what the lesson is asking before helping them get "unstuck".  

There are over 1,300 animated and narrated math lessons, plus a bank of over 57,000 interactive questions. There are diagnostic tests to place your student at the proper level. And the levels range from Kindergarten all the way to Trigonometry. There are all kinds of tools for you as a parent, including weekly reports sent to your email, and summary reports, as well as awards to print for each child. You can also log in to the parents' area anytime to check the progress of your students.

I am thrilled with this math program and cannot believe that my children are so happy to get on the computer and work on their lessons now. It's incredible! My 14 year old said "CTC is great. I'm still not a huge fan of math, but I really like CTC." 

Start your FREE trial now.

And for my readers right now, CTC math has a special offer! 

Homeschoolers get 60% off

Let me know if you give it a try! I pray it helps your household as much as it has helped ours. If you're reading this and not a homeschool parent, I would also recommend this program if you have a student in regular school who just needs some extra help in mathematics. 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: I was given a free product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.