Hi! I’m Jody and this is a look into my life.
Why am I sharing with you? Well, it’s not because I want attention, my privacy invaded, or another thing added to my to-do list. Those are all the reasons I have been putting this off. Still, there has been something nagging at me to share. Maybe it is because I enjoy knowing that there are other people out there like me. I like to read their stories, watch their videos, and hear their voices. It motivates and inspires me. And maybe it’s because everyone is so lonely in this busy, crowded, overwhelming life, that if I resonate with you and make you feel like you are not alone, then my…
The Good and The Beautiful Curriculum
Choosing a curriculum for your homeschool can be overwhelming. Are your kids going to enjoy it and learn from it? Is it going to require a lot from you or will your child be able to work independently? I was always nervous about spending a lot of money to find out it wasn’t the curriculum for my family. Up until this year I had pieced together my curriculum from different resources. It was a lot of work on my part and this year I was not happy with a lot of the content. Happily, I found out that The Good and the Beautiful curriculum for English and Math are now…
January 2023: Life – Lessons and Loves
Life Lesson My son hurt his shoulder wrestling. Instead of nights at practice, we will spend afternoons at physical therapy and he will not wrestle this year. Since he found out he will not be returning to the sport he enjoys he laments, “it isn’t fair” several times a day. It started about wrestling but has branched out to anything. His brother gets to continue wrestling practice. His sister gets invited to a sleepover. The fact that he has to clean his room! And yes, this is often a normal response to a lot of things in life, not just for children. How many times do you catch yourself thinking,…
How To Become Financially Healthy in 2022
Getting healthy in the new year comes in different forms. There’s physical health, mental health, and spiritual health that are the focus of many New Year’s resolutions. One form of health that should be assessed every year is your financial health. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to create a budget and make a few changes that will improve your financial situation throughout the year. Creating a Budget If you have never reviewed your financial situation, it may feel overwhelming. The first step is to gather some information. You need to know how much money you bring home each month. You also need to know how much…
Workout Daily Planner – Printable
The new year is here and that means many of us are thinking about how we could do this year better than the last. It is easy during the holidays to get off track with our schedules and our health. I created this daily planner printable that includes space to track your workout, food intake, weight, and goals, along with the daily schedule/to-do list. My hope is that this planning sheet will help me get back on track. If you would like to use this planner, click on the photo or link and you will be able to download and print this sheet so you can start using it today!…
Great Gift Ideas For Kids
I am always looking for good ideas for gifts. Here are some ideas that have been a hit over the years and some new ideas that I think people are going to love. Some of the links are affiliate links. That means that if you choose to purchase one of those items Amazon gives me a few cents for sending you their way. This does not in any way influence what I’ve chosen. I only recommend what I truly like and all my thoughts on the items are my own. I hope that this post helps you find the perfect gift for whoever you are buying for. Happy Holidays! I…
I Tried Hello Fresh. Here’s What I Thought.
If there is one thing that I waste too much time on, it’s figuring out what to have for dinner. Some weeks our schedules are hectic and we run low on groceries, Hello Fresh is a lifesaver. Here’s how it works… 1. Choose a plan. You can pick how many meals you’d like to receive a week (between 2-6) 2. Customize your meals. I love that I can see what meals are planned and choose different meals that better suit my family. 3. Recieve your box of fresh ingredients with recipe cards for my meals. 4. Pick a meal, follow the instructions. 5. Enjoy new family favorite meals! My kids have loved every…
Ways This Stay-At-Home Mom Makes & Saves Money
As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, I have to be very careful to budget our money. It drives me crazy if I am not earning money for my family. I think if my kids went to school I would have gotten a part-time job. Since I am their teacher, I have very little spare time to make money. Here are a few ways that I save money or make money with very little extra time or the ability to commit to a regular, schedule job. Save Money SwagbucksSwagbucks is a site that you can use while you are shopping. Every dollar you spend, earns you “Swagbucks”. Swagbucks can then be redeemed…
New Blog – Saving Grace Financial
I am working on a new blog! One aspect of creating a beautiful life is financial wellness. I have learned so much over the years through making mistakes, being in business, and budgeting for a family of 5 on one income. Saving Grace Financial is where I will be sharing what I’ve learned. I hope this blog helps you find financial health, security, and peace of mind. While it is in the beginning stages, I just wrote a blog post on what I wish I had known in my younger years about money. You can read the post here: Saving Grace Financial If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or…
The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done
They say that the right thing and the hard thing are often the same thing. I actually use this saying to help me determine the motivation behind my decisions. Recently I made a really difficult decision. A decision that took me out of my comfort zone and will change my life forever. It wasn’t an exciting decision like a job change or new house but a scary, heartbreaking decision of letting go. And it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Awhile back our shower started to leak. It was small and hardly noticeable. Only when all 5 of us showered in one day could you see water dripping from…
