Life

Currently December 2020

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

December! We made it through the year! What a year this has been. This month was insanely, insanely busy! So busy I wasn’t sure if I was going to get this post up but I didn’t want to break my streak! I’m so thankful I managed to blog throughout the whole year.

Anyway, as previously said, this months was busy! There was picture taking, and baking, and creating, and shopping, and wrapping, and packaging, and mailing. I’m so glad to be done now! All that work paid off and we had a wonderful Christmas :). My husband had to work Christmas night, so Gryffin and I woke up and I watched as he opened his gift from Santa and his stocking (I took a video so Mikey could watch it later). I have to say, age 3, is the absolute best age for Christmas! While I know Gryffin will be excited for Christmas next year, I’m not sure he will ever be as excited as he was this year.

Here’s what else we were up to this month.

Currently Watching

Mikey and I are finally back on watching The Mandalorian! We saw there was only 6 episodes in season 2 so we are starting from the beginning to try and stretch it out.

Family movie nights have consisted of…

  • WonderLand – This was such a cute movie! I highly recommend. It’s on Amazon Prime.
  • Finding Nemo – Finally! I have been trying to get Gryffin to watch this movie for months but he just wasn’t interested. We went through a Disney advent calendar where he got to open a new book every night and one of them was a Finding Nemo Christmas. We were finally able to talk him into watching it. He has asked to watch it just about every weekend ever since.
  • Finding Dory
  • The Grinch
  • The Star – I love this movie! This might even be our annual Christmas Eve movie for the next couple years.

Currently Reading

Nothing aside from my Advent devotional on the YouVersion Bible App. I talked about it a little more in my last post here.

Currently Making/Baking

I went a little crazy and baked 4 different kinds of cookies this year. Why did I think this was a good idea?!?! I baked them all in a matter of 2 days. I’m not sure what I was thinking! I baked Snowball cookies, Chocolate Peppermint cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies, and Sugar cookies (which turned out looking like a train wreck, but Gryffin loved them)

Next year I’m sticking to two different kinds,1 batch each, and that’s it, haha.

Current Favorite

The quiet, peaceful, and still moments in the middle of the crazy and busiest season of all. The silent nights were comforting and also a reminder of how important it is to quiet and calm my heart and mind.

Also, watching Gryffin’s excitement probably makes it a tie. :)

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I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and here is to a much, much better 2021!

Much love to you all,

Cami

5 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit…Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

5 Ways To Get In The Holiday Spirit…Even When You Don’t Feel Like It.

I have been having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. I know I’m not alone here. For some this year has been extremely difficult in every way possible, and for that I am incredibly sorry and want to give you a virtual hug.

Even though things are weird this year I realized that it’s up to me to create my own happiness. All year I have fought through the “blah’s”. I refuse to allow Covid to take away my joy. Instead of focusing on what I can’t do, I’m choosing to focus on what I can do. Just because things are different doesn’t mean that it’s all bad. So, even though I haven’t been in the mood, here are 5 ways I’m getting myself into the holiday spirit.

1. Accept

First of all, it’s ok if we’re not feeling the Holiday spirit this year. Sometimes it makes it worse to ignore our feelings and pretend they aren’t there, when they very clearly are. Maybe you don’t feel like putting up Christmas lights – it’s ok. Maybe your family doesn’t have matching Christmas jammies – it’s ok (we never do!). Maybe you don’t want to bake Christmas cookies this year – it’s ok. Sometimes we just have to let go of the expectations and do what we can. I want to emphasize that last part “do what we can“. It will get better.

2. Turn Up That Music!

Sure, maybe I don’t feel like listening to music at the moment, but simply turning on the music and skipping songs until I find just the right one is exactly what I need. Bonus affect – turn on your Christmas tree lights. It definitely helps.

3. Make a Christmas/Winter Bucket List

I recently created a Fall Bucket List. I am often hesitant to do bucket lists for fear (for lack of a better word) that I will fail and not check anything off. However, the thing I’ve found about creating these lists is that it causes me to do SOMETHING, even if it’s just one or two items, instead of nothing at all. So, I keep making them!

I encourage you to get out a piece of paper and write down a minimum of 3 things you would like to do by the end of this month. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy, just something you think that would be fun. Ideas (which are also going on my list) would be to watch a certain holiday/Christmas movie, bake cookies – it can even be pre-made cookie dough if that seems too much, or drive around looking at Christmas lights. I don’t know about your city/town, but I’ve seen a lot more Christmas light displays this year!

4. Make a Thankful List

It’s easy to get caught up in things that are going on around you. When my feelings run away with me and I start feeling down, I like to make a list of things I’m thankful for and I start counting my blessings. I also do this when I’m feeling anxious. It really helps you see and appreciate what’s right in front of you and blessings you might not have really noticed before.

5. Read an Advent Devotional

I really enjoy Advent devotionals. It helps get my heart in the right place and helps me keep Jesus as the focus of the Christmas season. I’m reminded to calm my heart and mind and remember the reason why we celebrate.

If you download the YouVersion Bible app you can pick from a variety of plans. This is the one I am going through this season and I have really enjoyed it. There is an audio portion that gives it a special touch and I feel is really affective in calming and focusing my mind even more.

My favorite way to read my devotional is at night right before I go to bed with just the Christmas tree lights on.

I hope you know you’re not alone in this weird season of life and that maybe this list will help give you some ideas to still make it a special Christmas season.

Much Love,

Cami

P.S. I would love to know – what 3 things would you list on your holiday bucket list?

Currently November 2020

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

Here we are on the last day of November. Between this month and last we have checked quite a few things off our Fall Bucket List. Last week we celebrated a very COVID style Thanksgiving. I was sick with a cold so it was just me, my husband Mikey, and our Gryffin. It wasn’t the first time it was just the 3 of us for Thanksgiving so it wasn’t that bad (aside from being sicky). Actually it was really nice because Mikey didn’t have to work for the first time in years!

We usually wait to put our tree up until the Saturday after Thanksgiving but we decided put our tree up Thanksgiving night. Gryffin was pretty excited about it! I’ve had a hard time getting into the holiday spirit, but since we’re the keeper of our own happiness I refuse to let my dismal feelings take control.

Anyway…here’s what else we’ve been up to.

Currently Watching

Mikey and I haven’t really watched anything this past month aside from the family movie night movies so I’m just going to jump in here.

Friday family night movies have included:

  • Big Hero 6 (I really like this one – it’s sad but good!)
  • Scoob (This is a repeat. Gryffin really likes this movie. I honestly thought for sure it would be too scary for him and was ready to stop it at any moment, but he loves it!)
  • Frozen II
  • Robin Hood (we went old school)
  • Planes

Currently Reading

Farmer Boy (Little House Series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This has been taking me a long time to get through since it’s not holding my interest quite as much as the first book. I still plan to read the next one but I’m hoping there’s a little more story line to keep things going a littler faster.

The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker

To go with the Little House books, I discovered there was a Little House cookbook! I was thinking of buying this but discovered the library had a copy so I checked it out! I’m glad it’s not something I bought because most of the recipes I don’t think I would actually make, but it’s been fun to flip through.

Martha Stewart’s Organizing by Martha Stewart (of course!)

I’m not quite sure what brought me to this book, but I’m all about making my house a home and this book had a lot of good information in it. I really enjoyed her monthly calendars and gleaned some good ideas and inspiration. Definitely contemplating buying this book.

Currently Making/Baking

Pasta E Fagioli soup by Kristen with MakeTheBestofEverything.com.

I found this copy cat recipe on Pinterest and loved it! It was a big hit with Mikey and Gryffin too. I always order soup, salad, and breadsticks from Olive Garden and this is one of my favorites. Bonus, this recipe makes a lot so it’s great for a crowd!

Current Favorite

Color Street Nails!

I have tried a few different types of nails (salon, Jamberry, glue on, press on), but these are my new favorite! I love that you don’t need heat to apply and you can easily take them off with nail polish without completely ruining your nails. I’m a fan! I just ordered a couple more sets for my stocking for Christmas this year (from Mikey of course ;). These nails are sold by consultants, but I hear Dashing Diva‘s nails are similar if you don’t want to go through a consultant.

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Anyway, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful holiday season!

Much love to you all,

Cami

P.S. I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving! Leave a comment below!

Currently September/October 2020

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

Playing catch up!! Our September was packed! First, our family went on a vacation. If you missed the recap, you can read all about it by clicking here. Then, my parents came to visit for 2 weeks the following weekend after we got back. It’s been a whirlwind!

This month I’ve been resting and trying to get caught up on house work, (along with catching up on work, work). Now that it’s fall, I’m really wanting to do a deep clean of the house. I’m thinking of dedicating a month to deep cleaning and trying to get it done little bits at a time. I’ll keep you posted if that happens!.

Anyway, here’s what else we’ve been up to…

Currently Watching

Jurrasic World: Fallen Kingdom

I’m not typically a huge fan of Sci-Fi movies, but I’ve always been able to make an exception for the Jurassic Park movies. I enjoyed this one. It was your typical Jurassic movie, but the story line was a little different than I was expecting. I have a feeling it’s going to lead up to more of what I had in mind in the next movie (assuming there will be a next movie). I missed some parts of the movie here and there since Gryffin was having a hard time with going to bed, but my husband bought it so I’ll be able to re-watch it soon!

Friday family night movies have included:

  • The Incredibles
  • The Incredibles 2
  • Wreck-it Ralph

Currently Reading

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

While the last month and a half has been fun, it’s also felt a bit chaotic, so I decided to go with something light hearted and comforting, which ended up being a children’s book. I finished this book, so I’m on to the next one in the series!

Farmer Boy (Little House Series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My goodness, these books talk about all sorts of yummy food. It’s hard reading before bed because it makes me so hungry lol.

Currently Making/Baking

White Chicken Chili from the Salty Side Dish

I can’t remember if this recipe has made it on the blog before or not, but either way, this has become my most favorite fall recipe so far. The only thing I do different on this recipe is leave out the heavy cream and I add a can of mild green chilies. It’s the best!

Current Favorite

Calmed by Nature YouTube Channel

While I like to listen to music with lyrics, I often find it to be distracting when I’m trying to focus, so I was happy to discover this Youtube channel. There are so many different scenes and sounds to choose from! Just staring at the pictures is calming, then you add the sounds and I can feel my stress levels evening out.

My current favorite scene is this cozy ship cabin. The dim lights, tea, and book is extremely inviting. This is the epitome of relaxation to me.

My second favorite has been the Cozy Fall Coffee Shop.

You’ll have to let me know if you have any favorite channels or apps like this!

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I hope you all are having a wonderful fall so far!

Much love to you all,

Cami

Currently August 2020

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of summer! It’s been a really, really strange summer, but it’s nice to look back over the last couple months and remember the fun we were still able to have. I don’t think we managed to even get half of our Summer Bucket List completed, but we still managed to have fun regardless. I will share our Summer Bucket List recap next month.

As for this month, it has been a constant cycle of work, play, repeat all month long! Our weekends have been full of friends and food (don’t worry, they’ve been very small gatherings), and then we hit the ground running during the week balancing work and home life.

Aside from that nothing too exciting has gone on. Here’s what else we’ve been up to this month…

Currently Watching

This month’s Friday family night movies have included:

  • Lilo and Stitch (I don’t recommend if your kid picks up on bad behavior)
  • Dora the Explorer (I didn’t think Gryffin would like this since it wasn’t a cartoon and out of his age range, but he actually watched quite a bit of it)
  • Angry Birds 2
  • A Bug’s Life

Currently Reading

Haha, apparently I’ve been on a “self-help” kick lately. I started the first 2 books a while ago and just wanted to finish them up, however the last one is new.

Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Finished! This book gives you a nice kick to get you motivated and moving toward your goals. Some chapters were more relatable to me than others. While I didn’t necessarily love this book, I still thought it was good and worth a read.

Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

Boundaries, Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

I made it through 85% of this book before it expired on the library app. It’s on hold so I will have to wait for it to come around again. I also want to check out his book “Boundaries with Kids”.

Nice Girl’s Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel

I’ve read some controversial reviews on this book, but I decided to check it out anyway. There have been some things in my professional life I would like to work on and this book addresses these issues and topics. I’m not very far into it, but flipping through there is a lot of helpful advice.

Currently Making/Baking

Homemade salsa and Pork Carnitas!!

Yeah…I’m not the best at food photography

Making homemade salsa was on my Summer Bucket List. It turned out good, but not the best salsa I’ve ever had. I’m now determined to find the perfect recipe. The pork carnitas on the other hand were amazing!! We have a Ninja Foodie and used the recipe that came in the cookbook. We will absolutely be making them again!

Current Favorite

The Abide App!

This is not sponsored

I’ve been feeling extremely overwhelmed and dealing with some major stress. My sister suggested that I try listening to some Christian meditations before bed to try and help me sleep. I hesitated at the thought of it at first, but then I remembered Psalm 1:2 “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night”. The Bible also references meditating on scripture more than once, so I decided to follow her advice.

That’s when I discovered the Abide app. The free version comes with 2 sleep meditations and then a daily meditation. I find it extremely soothing and also really helps me focus on God and reminds me that He IS GOOD and to put my faith and hope in Him. If stress and anxiety are keeping me up at night I put on one of the sleep meditations and most of the time I’m asleep within 15-30 minutes. The daily meditations are great for the morning and it tends to give me food for thought throughout the day. I highly recommend.

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Anyway, I hope you all were able to have a good summer this year and that you continue to stay healthy and safe!

Much love to you all,

Cami