Jenny Minard

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Hello 2017!

I'm so excited for the new year, and because I'm just SO sure that 2017 is going to be the best. year. ever, I'm sharing my list of resolutions with you!  I'm sure if you take one quick look at the list, it will appear very same ole, same ole, but this list is so personal to me - I feel like I'm showing you my heart, so please be considerate and understanding!  It's not long, but these goals are super important to me. Ok, deep breathe.... Here we go! Resolution #1 - Get rid of this stupid weight.  In June of 2016, after the heart-wrenching loss of my sweet baby boy Gabriel, I hit my all-time high.  I havne't been ready to share that painful experience, but I will when I feel like the time is right.  Between August and December, I took off about 25 pounds - woohoo!  Such a ... read more

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Christmas Gift Guide: LEGOS

A few years ago, I read this great book called The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Last by Gary Chapman (Hey! It's currently on sale! WOOT!) and it explains that there are five basic love languages.  They include acts of service, words of affirmation, giving and receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.  We all want and need all five, but one is our primary love language.  Mine is giving and receiving gifts! I shop for Christmas throughout the year, mostly to save money, but also because I LOVE LOVE LOVE to buy gifts - all day, every day.  Not really, but I wish!  My husband would not be happy with me, but I do research, at least to see where prices are - especially on my sons' favorite building toy... LEGOs! Last July, Wal-Marts across the midwest had AMAZING ... read more

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

How My Son Learned to Read Early

We always hear how important repetition is in education, or how "practice makes perfect," and I was excited to discover this was all so true.  At our family Christmas in 2010, the year my oldest son was born, my mother and father-in-law gifted him with an awesome toy - the V-tech Sit-to-Stand Alphabet Train.  Oh boy, my son loved that thing from the moment he laid eyes on it.  Just look at that face below!  :::swoon:::  From that day forward, he wanted to play with that train pretty much any chance he got.  And we let him! From the time he was about six months old, we had daily scheduled play time where we'd put him in a play pen for a set amount of time - anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.  It was good for him because it gave him clear boundaries and allowed Momma to get her list ... read more

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Eight Awesome Family Games

I have three kids - ages six, four, and one.  You'll see them from time to time, popping into a photo for a post.  We are a gaming family, but with some of my all-time fave games like Monopoly, Catch Phrase, or Scattegories, it can be hard to find games that include the littles while also being enjoyable for the adults. Throughout the past few years, I've been on the hunt for family games that fall under this criteria: (1) it must be fun for EVERYONE and (2) it must be easy enough for the kids to play.  That's it!  So, here's my list of awesome games for kids (and their parents) that are sure to make game night, a great night! (1) Straight Shooter.  Originally, I bought this at Marbles: The Brain Store, at the Mall of America, but now, it seems to be available only from Amazon.  ... read more

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Pinterest Round-up: Photo Wall Arrangements

One of the many ways of being a good wife is taking care of your home.  I really came to understand this while reading the book Created to be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl - a fanTASTic read!  Even more importantly, we can know this because in the Bible, Paul wrote a letter to Titus, encouraging him with a game plan.  The letter was written to help strengthen and bring order to the churches in which Titus was temporarily put in charge.  He would eventually be replaced, but Titus was a young pastor, and he needed help with this daunting task. So, in the book of Titus, Paul is outlining Titus' mission - "to set an example for the [people of Crete] to follow; to model what the Cretans should become." (The Jeremiah Study Bible, Dr. David Jeremiah; p. 1728) Paul explains what the men and women ... read more

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Tea Party Birthday Ideas

My grandma was born on Monday, September 2, 1929.  She is literally my favorite person on this earth, and I have so many fond memories shared with her.  I remember spending the night at her old farmhouse alone but waking up with my cousins, who had arrived in the night, her and my grandpa traveling two hours to celebrate my 10th birthday with me, her coming to my senior vocal recital when I was in college and giving me a sweet Willowtree figurine called "Happiness." It was the perfect gift! I remember being so excited for our annual family reunion where we rented out an entire church camp just for us. We wore our t-shirts that we had made each year for the event, did awesome crafts, played hilarious games, and had a family chapel service.  All that began because she and my grandpa ... read more

By Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

How to Have the BEST Family Fun Night

My family looks forward to family fun night every month - especially my kiddos. My seven-year-old has even now decided that he would like to help plan them. After all the years of doing these fun family events, I have noticed what the kids look forward to the most, and if I do those things, it turns out to be a really great night. The following is a list of my absolute must-haves for a night of fun and frivolity with your favorite peeps.  (1) The food. When I sit down to plan our FFN, I always begin by thinking about what we are going to have for dinner. Occasionally we will take the easy route and get takeout or order something to be delivered, but I like to get the kids involved by fixing something they can help make - like homemade pizzas!  In the past, we tried different ... read more