Keeping the Peace at Christmas!
Dysfunctional: a : not functioning properly : marked by impaired or abnormal functioning b : characterized by abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction Since the 1980’s the word dysfunctional has been used to describe family dynamics. Talk show hosts paraded family members on screen for entertainment and the more obnoxious the better. With the Christmas holiday fast approaching I see many people talking about their family and using the word dysfunctional. I used to look at people and think wow they really have it together and their home must be amazing! Then they start telling me stories and I sit back and think holy smokes my family almost seems…
Pura Vida The Way of Life in Costa Rica
Costa Rica, lush rain forests and amazing beaches are just two of the countries amazing qualities. If you add the people and the way of life you have perfection! Costa Rica has more American retires than anywhere else in the world and rightfully so. The unofficial motto is “Pura Vida” translated as the “Simple Life” and is used as a greeting or goodbye. It encapsulates Costa Rica perfectly as life really seems simple. I had the pleasure of visiting Heredia and fell in love! From the old churches to the hospitality shown at the open market, my heart was at peace and I knew one day I would be back.…
Easy & Delicious Gingerbread Cookies!
I love gingerbread cookies! The spices and warmth of this gingerbread cookie is soothing and add hot tea or a glass of milk and it is heavenly! They are fun that you can cut any shape and frost or dust with powdered sugar. I hear Santa really loves gingerbread cookies too! Super easy and yummy gingerbread cookies! You can decorate them with icing or simple powdered sugar. Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels Need cookie sheets? Follow link here! Baking Equipment Want to make sure you never miss a post from us? Join the list and be the first to know! Subscribe Here!
7 Brilliant Banana Bread Variations To Try This Festive Season
The festive season is well and truly upon us, so it’s time to get your apron on and bake up some delicious treats for your loved ones. Banana bread might have been the lock-down favorite across the globe, but you can add your very own festive twist to this sumptuously decadent bake. Whether you’re trying to get into the Christmas spirit or you’re hosting a party and keen to show off your skills, these seven brilliant banana bread variations are sure to impress! “Note this is a collaborative post and I am receiving compensation. Some links added are not my own and if you follow they are to ad’s &…
Beaches Close To Atlanta
My family is definitely more beach life than snow and ski now and we are always looking at beaches under a six hour drive from the Atlanta area. Hilton Head is our go to as the convenience is tough to beat. We visited over Memorial Day and have more details and updates from my last post. I am also including surrounding beaches that are within a six hour drive. This visit we stayed north at the Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Club. To date this has been the best VRBO and location! In Folly Field our adorable one bedroom with bunk beds in the hallway was perfect for the three…
Your Perfect Date Night – At Home!
In all the crazy that’s been hitting the world, so many of us have been focusing on family (yep, as we should have been), friends – in many ways just as important, and on finding ways to generate income, keep everyone (especially the tiny humans and our parents) healthy, figuring out how to exercise at home, eat better…the list has been endless and at times, relentless. But for many of us, there is one sector we’ve been neglecting – ‘US’. We mean the royal us as in, the ‘me + 1’, us. So we’re going to help you get your and yours, back on track by inspiring the most…
Not Broken Lyric Video!
I promise I have not fallen off the face of the earth! I have been insanely busy with my song release Not Broken! I am riding the wave and the journey has been amazing! Have a look at the new Lyric Video that posted today! This is my first video for YouTube music and I am thrilled with the performance. Read here for more and my story that was behind the making of the song! Not Broken, Life After Abuse #music #musicindustry #spotify
Not Broken by Tanya Michelle
I finally had the opportunity to sing Not Broken and record it! It is very very emotional and I did my absolute best to sing through tears. Thank you all!
Have Baby, Will Travel
Little man’s first trip was to North Carolina when he was eleven weeks old. Since he was not vaccinated I cleared with my pediatrician prior to traveling. He stated as long as you are not passing him around the plane and no one back home was sick he would be fine. (Note he is a breastfed baby therefore receives passive immunity) To say I was nervous is an understatement! I had never flown with a lil one and I was getting ready to take a crash course. His second flight to California will be this week at now six months old! After researching several airlines, I learned that a seat…
Best Time To Travel To Peru
Peru is on our list of where we want to visit in the next 5 years! Jade Poleon (Original Post) has given amazing tips and with Baboo Travel you won’t find an easier planning site! They do it all, all you have to do is tell them where you want to go! Peru is a huge country so the time to travel varies from region to region, but it is important to know the main seasons to go and also the main times of the year that you really shouldn’t go. Here are is a lowdown of the best seasons to travel to Peru. This fantastic South American…
Survive Your First Family Vacation
Are you getting ready to plan your first family vacation? We just went to Disney for ours and wow! There is a ton of planning of course and you have different personalities to work with, but it can be done and enjoyable! So where do you start? Destination first! Like I said we went to Disney and by going through Undercover Tourist I was able to save money! I have have never used an offsite company to purchase tickets but so happy I researched and went with UCT. I saved around $130 and the purchase process was super easy! That is for another post though as this one is to…
God Created Them For This Moment!
“Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be. God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident. Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God. Train them up in the authority of His Word. Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control. Empower them to know they can change the world. Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that…
Fun Ways To Help Your Kids Learn And Develop
Parents play an integral role in the growth and development of their children. Education and learning at home have never been more important, with many parents taking a more active role during the pandemic. If you have kids, and you want to help them to enjoy learning and encourage healthy growth and development, here are some tips to make learning fun. Image Credit Pexels Get creative Creative hobbies and pursuits offer a wealth of benefits for kids of all ages, as well as adults. Creative activities are proven to boost mental health and reduce stress and they can also be a really powerful and effective learning technique. Many…
4 Ways Adding A Fur Kid (Pet) Can Improve Your Family’s Health
The benefits of having an animal in the home are numerous, and those that do, know that just being around their furry family member can improve their mood and make them glad to be home after a long day. Why is this though? What is it about those sometimes crazy furry bundles of chaos that can make you feel so much better? It’s an interesting phenomenon, but it’s not the only wonderful thing about having a fur kid– pets can improve your health in a variety of ways. Photo by Christian Domingues “Note this is a collaborative post and I may be receiving compensation. Some links added are not…
How to Raise A Stable Child In An Unstable World
In an era before technology we were forced to be creative, inventive, and close to one another. We had a village to raise a child mentality. There were independent/critical thinkers. These are the people who have given us the world we have today. Who will be those inventors and creative people tomorrow when we have dumbed down and eliminated the human connection? Social media has taken over face to face relationships. Texting has replaced real conversation. We have TV’s as babysitters and iPad’s have replaced hands on teaching. We need to recognize how artificial our world has become and move forward to repairing it. Being a parent in this era…
Get Yourself Truly Into The Christmas Spirit
It’s that time of the year where we’ve all got to come together and enjoy the company of our family and friends, and that should be something that’s easy to do! Christmas isn’t the same for everyone anymore, and it can be hard to get yourself into the Christmas spirit, which is why you’ve got to put the extra effort in! There’s no jollier time of year, and you’ve got to embrace it for what it is, which is Christmas! Of course, not everyone celebrates it, but that’s no reason to not be jolly! Everyone can partake in festive activities, as they’re great fun for all. “Note this is a…
The Best Cranberry Pie!
Need a unique dessert? Well this one is it! It is perfect and so easy! I am asked if you can substitute cranberries but I promise even a non-cranberry lover, will love this pie!!! Super simple and so yummy! Hands down the best cranberry pie recipe you will ever make! Even those that do not like cranberries, will love this! Want to make sure you never miss a post from us? Join the list and be the first to know! Subscribe Here!
4 Ways To Start Eating Healthier
Pexels Dieting usually doesn’t work and you might find you try it and are soon off course. Instead, you can take the approach of living a healthier lifestyle and eating healthier overall. The reason you may be struggling with this is that you aren’t sure where to begin or what to do differently. Below are four ways to start eating healthier today so you can improve your mood and physique and begin to love the way you look and feel. “Note this is a collaborative post and I am receiving compensation. Some links added are not my own and if you follow they are to ad’s & or Websites that are…
Different Ways To Explore The Outdoors
As most of you know we are a huge outdoors family! I can’t stand to be cooped up inside and love nature! We do everything from hiking, biking, camping and climbing and here are a few ideas for you to get outside! “Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” The outdoors are a great place to explore, and there are many different ways that one can do so. This blog post will take a look at the different types of outdoor exploration that people can partake in. It will also…
Viva Las Vegas! Once A Gambling Mecca Now A Food & Show Scene
Las Vegas, sin city where what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Well unless you are a travel writer and then it is a tell all! My husband recently had a work trip and I tagged along for a few days. I have been to Vegas on numerous occasions and have watched it transition into a food lovers paradise and some of the best shows you will ever see! This trip did not disappoint one bit! This post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Lets start with the good stuff! FOOD! I had the pleasure of dining at SUSHISAMBA and…
Naples Florida, The Perfect Couples Getaway
We recently visited Naples for a very short weekend for my birthday. While it was not what I was expecting, I did enjoy the area and the food!After a super short flight from ATL we reached our destination RSW airport. As far as airports go this is one of my favorites! It is easy to get in and out of and the car rentals are on site. It took us about 35 minutes to get to our resort and from there the relaxation was on! We stayed at the Bellasera Resort. The lobby is beautiful and the pools are nice, but I am not sure I would consider this a…
Vacation Planning North Carolina!
I wanted to post this last week as a closer of our Summer Series, but life happens right? I have thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone so much over the summer and learning about different States and the Must Do’s! Thank you to everyone that contributed and I hope y’all have found inspiration for your next adventure! So as an end to the series I am doing North Carolina! A little more about me: I was born in Texas and lived in Florida for a short time then moved to North Carolina when I was 9 or so. While I am not a Born I am a Raised Carolina Girl…
Apple Zucchini Muffins! The Best Muffin You Will Ever Make!
I have made a ton of zucchini bread and muffins with different variations and have finally found THE BEST EVER! I have made this twice this week already and have requests for more. This recipe is perfect consistency, flavor and balance of spice with sweet. Of course you can always substitute things such as sugar, oil and spices but as this one is it really is perfect! This year I was blessed to use zucchini from my garden and it was amazing! I added an apple to the mix and I can’t begin to tell you how good these are! I made some with walnuts and some with chocolate chips…
Hilton Head Island! Our Go To Beach!
Hilton Head Island is quickly becoming our go to beach. The drive is under five hours from the Atlanta area and our four year old does well. Of course we still get “Are we there yet?” but that is any trip over thirty minutes. The beaches are amazing, the food spectacular and the island offers several shopping and other activities to keep you busy. This is our second time going to HHI and we stayed in the Coligny Area. “The Mama Life is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.” We rented a one bedroom condo through VRBO this trip…
How We Went To Disney World & Other Activities In Orlando For Under $1,000!
Okay I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal but if you have ever gone on a magical Disney vacation you know that it adds up quickly! The tickets alone for a family of 3 one day with no hopper will cost you around $400! So how did we do 4 days of travel, 1 day at Disney, 1 day at Sea World and Breakfast with Goofy and Friends for under $1,000? Points! I knew we were planning ahead of time and started saving every point possible. I have Expedia and am a Gold Member so I was diligent in booking all my travel (corporate) through them to rack…
Not My Childhood, How My Parents Have Made Me A Better Parent.
Charles Dickens said, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Parenting is the easiest and the toughest job. Easy because it works on mutual love and instinctual care but tough because a single mistake can cause lifelong scars. With that said, these are things that my child will never understand: Sexual abuse: I am a product of sexual abuse that started at a very young age until I was 13 years old. I fortunately have a powerful God that kept me from becoming a statistic. I used it to make me an independent and strong person and not a victim. It also taught me a…
To the mom/woman that ______, I don’t See you.
To the mom/woman that ______, I don’t See you So many titles these days that have “I See You” and this may make me a bit unpopular but, I don’t See you. I don’t See the struggles you face with depression or anxiety every day because of your situation. I don’t See the difficulties of having a child with special needs. I don’t See the woman that has spent countless hours injecting herself with a cocktail of meds and praying this time will be her miracle and conceive. I don’t See the mama that is with the love of her life in the NICU, praying that she will get to…
A Weekend In Hendersonville NC
In December we decided to do a weekend trip sans toddler to Hendersonville, NC. Hendersonville is a city just outside of Asheville. Hendersonville is a quaint little town (okay second largest in Western Carolina) and has officially made it to the list of my Top 10 towns I love! We stayed at The Charleston Inn, an adorable B&B, within walking distance of town. We were visiting The Biltmore for the candlelight Christmas tour, but wanted to be further away from Asheville. Don’t get me wrong I love Asheville with all my soul, but the change of scenery was needed. After our 3 hour drive to get to Hendersonville we stopped…
Summer Series: Must Do In My State, Colorado!
Colorado, one of the greatest vacation destinations in the world! We had the pleasure of living there for four years and we loved every minute of it! We moved back to the East Coast last year so our little one could grow up with family but will definitely take him back to his birthplace and let him enjoy some of the great things we did while there. So there are the typical things that are a must do, but there is so much that is overlooked if you aren’t a local. This list combines the local spots as well as the touristy but in my mind are amazing and totally…
Improve Nap Time With These Easy Tips!
There are many lessons that parents have to learn as they go through parenthood, and one of them is that children do not like to sleep. You will spend your pregnancies and you’re preparing for parenting, learning all about safe sleep solutions and safe bed sharing and why your cot needs to have no loose covers. But one thing that none of the books can teach you is whether or not your child is going to be one who likes to sleep or not. There are some miraculous children who, even though they wake up frequently in the night as a newborn, which, let’s be honest, is expected. Their children…
5 of the Best Approaches to Switch Careers
When you want to switch careers, it can be hard. Maybe you have gotten bored of your old job, or perhaps you want to see the world. Whichever it is, you can spend a long time between jobs if you aren’t proactive. From job boards to getting the CV right, here are some of the best ways. CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels Register with Reputable Recruiters The first thing you need to do is register with reputable recruiters who know what they are doing. If you specialize in something, it also helps to find specialized recruiters. For example, you need a recruiter like Advantis Medical for travel nursing…
Rekindle your Passion for Cooking
Do you want to be more passionate about food? Maybe you feel as though eating is a chore, and want to take the time to enjoy it more. Either way, it doesn’t matter what your reason is, because there has never been a better time for you to start your journey towards loving food once more. Get a Cooking Subscription If you want to get back into cooking then one thing you can do is invest in a cooking subscription. The great thing about getting something like this is that it allows you to rediscover new recipes, and as a result, you can find new flavors that you…
3 Popular International Travel Destinations For 2023-2024
Every year, we see new travel destinations become more popular than others. We live on a massive planet with so many amazing countries and cultures, so it’s only natural that new areas of the world start “trending”. Some of the trending vacation destinations may surprise you while others are easier to understand. Below, we’ve listed the top three most popular places to travel to in 2023 and 2024: Source – CC0 License The Middle East This isn’t a country but rather a group of countries that are rapidly becoming hot tourist spots. Places like Dubai in the UAE have long been popular because they offer luxury holiday getaways. Ironically, we…
What You Can Do as a Parent to Help Your Child Embrace the Change of Moving
Moving can be a challenging experience for anyone, but it can be especially tough on children. Children thrive on stability and routine, and the prospect of leaving behind friends, schools, and familiar surroundings can be daunting. As sad as it is to say, some children even eventually become depressed because of this major life change that they never wanted. But in the end, moving is natural; children do it, adults do it, and everyone does it at least once in their life. As an adult, you know the massive wave of opportunities that are out there. You know about the possibilities that moving brings, and you know what’s going to…
New Pet? Now What? Here Is 7 Tips To Help!
Having a pet in your life can be great for quite a few reasons, and it’s easy to see why so many people go for it. You’ll have a furry friend that loves you and wants to take care of you just as much as you want to take care of them. You’ll actually need to look after your new pet so everything goes well, however. While that’s obvious, what you mightn’t have realized is how much work this could involve. You’ll be responsible for them for the rest of their lives, and that means actually being responsible for them. Thankfully, you shouldn’t have to get overwhelmed by this. It…
