restful productivity to live deliberately & avoid overwhelm

When Spring Feels Exhausting

Most of what I see on Instagram or Pinterest is about how Spring is a beautiful time of year. I do not agree. Spring is hard for me. If I am being completely honest, spring is a lot of work. It is finishing the school year well, deep cleaning the house, organizing my home (and…

Maintaining Healthy Habits on Trips

 A problem that we can run into is making good habits stick when we are on vacation. How do I keep moving forward in my health goals when I am in a different environment? What is the best way to plan for relaxation but not slide into old patterns? Decide the healthy choices that you…

Life-Giving Routines – Printable Guide

We all have areas in our lives where we want to get things done quickly or “get in the zone” faster. Routines are the effortless solution. When we automate pieces of our lives with routines we: remove decision fatigue, we become more efficient, and we can relax into the rhythm of the tasks ahead of…

My Weekly Review & Bullet Journal Lists

This process keeps me focused on what needs to get done. My weekly review helps me see the white space areas of my week. (Or of lack space.) I am able to make margin or say no to things that are crowding me in.   Q: How do I organize my week so that it…

4 Practical Meal Ideas For Your Day of Rest

All the household things do not come to a halt just because I have decided to rest. I still have to feed my family (or someone does anyway). And unfortunately, the house does not get magically cleaned by forest creatures. It seems counterintuitive to have to prepare for rest. But, Sabbath prep is NOT about…

3 Lists Saving My Sanity Right Now

Life in the past few months has been exceptionally hard. This season that I am in right now is full of days where I wake up and just focus on the next few hours. In my house there are interrupted schedules, strong emotions, and lots of family. I am not ready to write about my…

The Secret to Planning Long RV Trips

We went on a 3-week trip from Arizona to Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado in the summer of 2021. The goal was to plan a trip without reservations made in advance. We wanted to make plans as the trip progressed so we could relax and have more time for spontaneous activities. It worked! We loved it!…

My Phone Has A Bedtime

I’ve been nudged by my inner voice to have time away from my phone for years. But I’ve always brushed it off as being too extreme or too legalistic. Then I made the decision in the summer of 2020 to put my phone away each night. So, I took the leap and tried it.  It’s unbelievable…

Day in the Life – Homeschooling 4 Kids

Here is a glimpse into what my day looks like.  I sit at the schoolroom table with 4 kids (with 4 different grade levels), 2 dogs, 3 cats, and my cup of coffee.  It is a Wednesday and we are working on our schoolwork. Two kids are reading on the couch, a dog is playing with…

Homeschool Encouragement – 12 Helpful Tips

 Let’s pretend that you and I could sit down for a cup of coffee and chat. We all need some encouragement in the job of homeschooling. If we were in person I would listen to what is hard. You could share your struggles and mishaps. And if you asked me for advice I would say…