Does anyone else find it harder to carve out some game time now that you have a child? It’s ok, I’m right there with you!
It is challenging to balance providing all the love, support and attention our little ones need with mommy time and/or daddy time, but both are important. So here is my hot take: We all need a time to do what makes us happy to ensure our perpetual happiness around our children. If we are happy and treat them as such, then they will grow in the sunshine of our happiness rather than the cloudiness of our grump. Caring for our children is important, self-care is important.
Playing video games brings me joy and eventually I would love to share that joy with my daughter. Currently she shows some interest, but she’s not quite there yet, so I mostly carve out time to play while she’s sleeping. I wake up early, I utilize her nap time and/or I stay up after her bedtime. There are other things I need to get done too, but If I have the time I will play. I finish games at a much slower pace now, but that’s alright! It all sparks joy!
What brings you joy? When do you find the time to do what you love?
I am a positive gamer and this is a safe space for us all to express our love for games without negativity!
I play games to enjoy and relax. I lose myself in whatever a particular game has to offer, whether that be the plot, the characters, the creativity, the graphics; I appreciate all video games and their creators. If a game does not pique my own personal interests, I don’t attack it, I move on to one that does.
If it’s necessary to review a game, I provide constructive feedback and information, supported by specific examples to help improvement. This feedback should always be offered in a friendly manner with good intentions and that’s exactly what I do!
Reviewing games is useful, but one of my favorite things to do is create unconventional guides for the games I enjoy! I’ve created guides for the animal locations in Okami, the stray bead locations in Okami, the alchemy recipes in Ni No Kuni, and more! I love helping people find what they’re looking for and I intend to make more guides this year so stay tuned!
Are you a positive gamer? Please introduce yourself, I would love to hear from you! What’s your favorite game?
Happy New Year Friends! I wish you all the best and sincerely hope all your hopes and dreams for 2022 will come to fruition. These last few years have been rocky, to say the least, but its a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, so let’s make the most of it!
I believe in making resolutions; they give you the focus to complete certain tasks. Resolutions can be made any time of the year, and should be in some cases, but it’s traditional to make them for the fresh start of a new year and it’s all in good fun!
I’ve set 22 resolutions for 2022, check them out!
Buy a sketchbook & fill it.
Celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.
Celebrate Zoey’s 3rd birthday.
Expand our kitchen garden.
Finish my tattoo half-sleeve.
Finish the Spanish lessons in Duolingo.
Meditate 5 times a week (or more).
Paint 3 Bob Ross paintings.
Pay off my Navient loan.
Plant 3 fruit bearing trees.
Play & complete 22 video games.
Practice yoga 5 times a week (or more).
Reach my earnings goal by December.
Reach my goal weight.
Read & complete 22 books.
Refurbish the play car & give it to Zoey.
Refurbish the playhouse & give it to Zoey.
Research & create a haircare regimen for myself.
Research & create a nail care regimen for myself.
Research & create a skin care regimen for myself.
Take Zoey to Disneyland.
Watch & complete 22 movies I’ve never seen.
I’m going to do my best to fulfill each and every one of them so if you’re looking for ideas, inspiration or just to follow along in some good fun follow me here and on my instagram for updates!
Have you tried a classic, fluffy sugar cookie? They are so cozy and delicious, and would pair perfectly with any warm beverage of your choice. Share them with family, friends, even leave them out with some milk for Santa Claus!
CLASSIC FLUFFY SUGAR COOKIES
2 3/4 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
2 cups of granulated sugar, divided
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then set this bowl aside.
In another large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and the vanilla extract to the creamed butter, and thoroughly mix again.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated (you may need to use your hands). The dough will be soft and slightly dewy when ready.
Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or more.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator when ready and pre-heat the oven to 350F.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a small mixing bowl and set it aside.
Line a large baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
Scoop out portions of 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough, rolling them into balls about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. Roll each cookie dough ball in the bowl of sugar to coat, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (this varies per oven so keep an eye on them) or until the top of the cookie begins to crinkle and the bottom sides turn golden brown.
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooking rack to finish cooling completely.
Have you ever intentionally created a family tradition? I haven’t, until now!
My family and I grew up watching the Charlie Brown/Peanuts holiday specials around this time every year with our parents; they all have a special place in my heart, but none more than It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas!
Continuing on with these good feelings and memories, embellishing it to make it our own, here is our new Christmas tradition:
The Friday before Christmas we will make our own marshmallows and hot chocolate, then sip it while we watch A Charlie Brown Christmas!
It’s simple, yet fun and heartfelt like any family tradition should be! Create happy feelings and the happy memories will follow! Feel free to use this idea for your own family tradition, or take it and change it to make it your own!
Christmas is nearly here and we love celebrating every moment!
What better way to celebrate than having a Christmas box! Now when I first heard of these, they were and are referred to as Christmas Eve boxes and presented on Christmas Eve for the family to enjoy, but then some of the items can only be enjoyed for one to two nights before Christmas is technically over, so I’ve decided to just call it a Christmas box and we can present it a week before Christmas to really enjoy its contents!
SUPPLIES
Wood crate
White acrylic paint
Red acrylic paint
Foam paint brushes
Painter’s tape
Matte varnish
Embellishments (optional)
Hot glue (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Paint every other beam of the crate (outside and inside) with white paint and then allow it to dry.
Repeat step 1 until the desired brightness of the paint is reached.
Once the paint is dry, use painters tape to tape up and protect the edges of the white beams or anywhere else where the red paint may drip or bleed.
Paint the remaining beams and the sides of the crate (outside and inside) with red paint and then allow it to dry.
Repeat step 4 until the desired brightness of the paint is reached.
Carefully peel off the painter’s tape and coat the whole crate with varnish, this may take two coats to reach the desired coverage.
If you have any embellishments like an ornament or two, carefully glue them on with a hot glue gun and allow it to dry.
Fill it up and enjoy!
If you’re looking for ideas to fill your new Christmas box with here are a few to spark your imagination!
Welcome to the cozy and magical month of December my friends!
To inspire you and your little ones into the Holiday mood, I’ve curated a list of Christmas-themed books for ages five and under! These selections are simple and festive, while remaining short and sweet for the younger audience.
There are a handful of books on this list with a reading age that start under the age of five and peak at the age of 7 or 8.
If you have a favorite Children’s book for children ages 5 and under that you do not see here, please let me know! I would love to add it to this list!
Welcome to the cozy and magical month of December my friends!
My family and I have created a playlist of family friendly Christmas music for you and yours! Christmas may be celebrated a little differently this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t kindle a little Christmas spirit!
This year we’ve decided to focus more on music from all our favorite Christmas children’s movies and specials, with a few other songs sprinkled in that fit the mood.
Please let us know if we missed or left out any of your family friendly Christmas favorites you feel should be included! We’d love to hear from you!
THE POLAR EXPRESS
Spirit of the Season
When Christmas Comes to Town
The Polar Express
Hot Chocolate
Suite from the Polar Express
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
A Holly Jolly Christmas
Jingle Jingle Jingle
We are Santa’s Elves
Silver and Gold
The Most Wonderful Day of the Year
Christmas Medley: The Night Before Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
There’s Always Tomorrow
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN | Frosty the Snowman
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY |The Little Drummer Boy
OLAF’S FROZEN ADVENTURE
Ring in the Season
That Time of Year
When We’re Together
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS
Belle’s Magical Gift
As Long As There’s Christmas
A Cut Above The Rest
Deck the Halls
Do You Hear What I Hear?
O Christmas Tree
O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Joy To The World
Silent Night
The First Noel
The Twelve Days of Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
What Child Is This?
A MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
Overture
Good King Wenceslas
It Feels Like Christmas
Thankful Heart
Bless Us All
Christmas Scat
Christmas Morning
THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
Overture
March
Waltz of the Snowflakes
Sugarplum Fairy
Hot Chocolate
Coffee
Tea
Candy Cane
Marzipan
Mother Ginger and Her Polichinelles
Waltz of the Flowers
Sugarplum Fairy and Cavalier Coda
Finale
BABES IN TOYLAND
Babes in Toyland Overture
Toy Land
March of the Toys
EMMET OTTER’S JUGBAND CHRISTMAS | Our World / Brothers
KERMIT THE FROG |Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Have you ever intentionally created a family tradition? I haven’t, until now!
My family and I grew up watching the Charlie Brown/Peanuts holiday specials around this time every year with our parents; they all have a special place in my heart, but none more than It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas!
Continuing on with these good feelings and memories, embellishing it to make it our own, here is our new Thanksgiving tradition:
The Friday before Thanksgiving we will gather and/or create buttered toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans, all the food the kid’s feast on in Thanksgiving Charlie Brown. We will snack on these treats while we watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!
It’s simple, yet fun and heartfelt like any family tradition should be! Create happy feelings and the happy memories will follow! Feel free to use this idea for your own family tradition, or take it and change it to make it your own!
I love snacking on roasted pumpkin seeds! So delicious, easy to prepare and eat, and with numerous health benefits, who could say no? Traditionally I make large batches every year after we carve our Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns and we snack on them for weeks!
I do not use oil in this recipe.
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds
Salt
Seasoned salt (optional)
Water
INSTRUCTIONS
As you carve your pumpkins, keep all the seeds in a bowl. I find it easier to separate the seeds and pulp into two separate bowls as I go, rather than sort that mess out later.
Place the seeds into a colander and rinse them under cold water, stirring with your hands to make sure they are all rinsed thoroughly.
Place the seeds in a medium saucepan, then add 4 to 6 cups of water and about 1 tablespoon of salt for each half cup of seeds.
Bring the saltwater and seeds to a boil for 10 minutes, then remove them from the heat and strain.
Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet or two and allow them to completely dry (this may take up to a week).
Once the seeds are completely dry, prepare a small bowl with salt water. This is to crystalize on the outer shell, so dissolve as much salt as you want for a saltier outer shell, or less if you feel the brine was enough.
Place the seeds into a skillet and roast on medium to low heat, stirring continuously for an even cook.
When they nearly roasted to your liking, dip your fingers into the salt water and splash it as evenly as possible over the roasted seeds, then continue to stir until the water has evaporated.
Remove the seeds from the heat and allow them to cool.
Whole Heartily 