Posts by Rachel Spoelhof
October Challenge
Hey, friends! Happy October.
Can you believe we are at the last 90 days of 2019? I mean, CRAZY right?
We want to finish this year strong and set the stage for the year to come so we were thrilled when we saw that one of our Instagram besties was doing a fun challenge. First off, you need to follow @todaysthebestday seriously great content and such a good reminder to find the BEST in your own life journey while doing life with others!!!
So…the challenge. You can find all the details HERE
This challenge is all about living your days with intention, finding joy in every day, and making memories. What I also love about this challenge is we are being encouraged to do this with OTHERS. I don’t know about you, but I am in such a stage of live where I have to be super intentional about making time for others. It is so easy to just take the kids to school, run errands, workout, pick kids up, do homework, make dinner, repeat. But that’s not living. It’s just doing.
We really want to strengthen our relationships as part of this challenge. Of course, a big part of that will be spending that intentional time with your own family, but I love the idea of inviting others along to do this challenge alongside you or beside you! Us sisters don’t see each other as much as we’d like, so this challenge will be a great way for us to do something together. In fact, this is the very reason we started this blog! To stay connected in each other’s lives, while also connecting with YOU and others around us.
We would love for you to do this challenge with us. We will be sharing daily posts with the …
Read MoreMaking Time for Mama
Hands in the air if making time for YOU, mama, is hard.
We feel you. It is hard to find time to breathe, let alone actual time to do things for yourself.
You might be in one of those sink or swim survival seasons of life. If so, this might not be advice for you. However, I hope that you will find some things you can incorporate into your life to find a little more of yourself in the mama juggle struggle.
Mamas, I know firsthand how hard it can be to think of yourself. You are raising tiny humans or maybe even bigger humans that require your time and attention. But you know what? You CAN be a great mama and wife and still be a great person. But that person, yes YOU, needs time too.
Here are a few tips that are working for me in this season of life.
- Do things you like WITH your kids.
The benefit here is you are doing things you enjoy and sharing that enjoyment with your kids. It is really important to show your kids things that are important to you and even cooler that you can do it together! Also, no need for childcare. YEAH!!
I love working out, so for many years Fit4Mom was an excellent way for me to share fitness with my kids. I taught classes too, which allowed me to teach (one of my passions) with my kids there with me!!
2. Do things YOU like. PERIOD.
For this one, it’s ok if your kids are tagging along or on the sidelines. They can watch! Goodness knows we will spend many many hours of our time watching our kids do things they love, and they can do the same. Again, you are showing them something …
Read MoreSummer Bucket List
As Summer comes to an end and many of us are back or going back to school, I love reflecting on how we spent our Summer Vacation. I like to bring a little bit of the carefree attitude and focused family time of Summer into the school year. It can get SO busy with school and activities starting back up, I think it is important to make sure we are still setting aside time to just BE as a family.
The past few Summers we have made a SUMMER BUCKET LIST at the end of the school year. We make it together. The girls give ideas and I add a few of my own too! It is a great way to balance those days with no plans at all, and days where we are conscious to have an experience and make memories.
Now that the girls are older, they had a blast being involved in the making AND executing of the Bucket List. The days we did one of the activities we not just fun, they felt like we accomplished something we had set out to do. I found it very rewarding to see the days go by and the items get checked off. It really helps with my mindset when we get back into the school routine to know that I made the effort to have those adventures.
I also feel like having a Summer Bucket list reminds me how much fun we can have when we put things we want to do on the calendar and make the time to be together as a family. Even when things start to get busy with school, we make a point to put these types of adventures on our calendar as they year goes on!
Do you have a Summer Bucket …
Read MorePrime Day Deals
What we will be buying this Amazon Prime Day 2019, along with our family favorites that we recommend.
I’m wearing my Blue Light Shield glasses as I write this list. They have made a huge difference in screen related headaches and eye strain. Use code “livewell2019” at checkout for 25% off.
- Home/Kitchen
Insta Pot (over $70 savings!)
Aaron’s favorite Insulated Water Bottle
Power strip surge protector with USB ports
If you like to read in bed like we do, this is a great reading light.
Weighted blanked for better sleep
Extra long lightning cable
Amazon Fire Stick
- Beauty/Body
Rachel’s favorite aluminum-free deodorant is an extra 15% off with coupon
Rachel’s favorite sun hat
Silk pillowcase is a must for healthy hair and skin
Clarisonic Mia cleansing brush
- For baby/kids
We love wooden toys, and these wooden building blocks look amazing!
Lots of Graco products on sale! This is our favorite carseat for forward facing kids.
Have an event planned where you want to bring baby? Grab these ear protection headphones.
Favorite glass food storage containers.
- Health
I’ve been seeing these new Kind Protein bars at the stores and really wanting to try!
We are all about adaptogens from our favorite wellness store, but these Four Sigmatic Mushroom drinks have been getting a lot of hype from healthy people I like to follow.
Cloth resistance bands plus an extra $2 off with coupon.
Hope you enjoy this list of some of our favorite things on sale during this deal.
Did you shop? Let us know what you grabbed for a great deal!…
Read MoreMother’s Day Encouragement and Gift Guide
Motherhood is messy, imperfect, and also beautiful.
It is the hardest, yet most rewarding work.
Today, we honor all the moms – whether you have children, have lost children, want children, or love a child in your life like your own. There a lots of ways to be a mom, and today we think of you all.
Whatever stage of motherhood you find yourself in, remember that you are not alone. Hold tight to the truths in God’s word, and lean on the support of other moms when you can.
I have made you. I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you ~ Isaiah 46:4
If tomorrow, when the specialness of this day has gone and you find yourself back in mom life where maybe you are feeling a lack of appreciation or weariness, remind yourself of truth that YOU CAN DO TODAY. I love these words of encouragement from Finding Joy.
Mother’s Day might be here, but it’s never too late to give yourself or a special mom in your life something special. Here are a few of our favorite things for YOU mom.
Books:
For the new mom – 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know
The fiction book loving mom – The Kiss of Deception
For moms that love personal growth – Present over Perfect and 100 Days to Brave
Beauty:
For the New Mom:
For the active mom:
For the Natural Mom:
DIY best facial recipe with bentonite clay, activated charcoal, and apple cider vinegar (1/2-1 TBS of each. Mix. Apply to face. Let sit …
Read MoreNew Perspectives
Sometimes we hold ourselves to ridiculous standards. Lets be honest.
Some seasons we can’t do it all.
In some seasons, we need to say NO and let go. We can find freedom in doing less, but doing it really well.
Recently, I realized that my standards for my morning routine were way to high. So rather than do a few things on my long list, I would end up doing nothing because I knew no matter what I couldn’t do it all.
So I made a shift.
I started with a list of 2 things. And guess what? I did those 2 things. Then I did those 2 things again. And again. Suddenly, I was killing it at my morning routine. I realized how much happier I was focusing on the things I could do really well consistently.
I needed a new perspective. I needed expectations for myself that matched the season I am in. That doesn’t mean we let ourselves be ruled by excuses. You can still grow no matter what season you are in. I mean that we can find better ways to push ourselves to grow while also finding joy in what we are doing (not how many things we are doing).
Let’s take my morning routine for example, those 2 things I picked are still REALLY important. And the confidence I gain every day by accomplishing those 2 things I bring into my whole morning. Now that I know I can do those 2 things I can maybe add more, but I also know that I am doing enough, and I can be proud of that!!!
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Seasons of Growth
Do you find yourself in a season of growth? Or a season that is requiring you to grow?
I am learning that what we need most during a season of growth is PATIENCE. Patience to take the time to learn. Patience to teach. Patience to wait on seeing the fruits of our growth efforts.
As parents, we are learning to take the time to slow down for teachable moments. As hard as it can be to set aside the time to teach something new and it is so worth it. I find I have to almost sit on my hands and keep my mouth shut to let them learn and make mistakes, but that is where the magic happens with growth!!
Sometimes (ok, most of the time) growth is messy and uncomfortable. But growing requires courage to wake up and do something EVERY DAY that moves you forward!! You can start small with one thing a day. Once that one thing becomes a regular habit, add something new and keep going!!
Are you in a season of growth?
What is something that is important for you to do regularly to keep moving forward?
…
Read MoreThe Stories of Us
Since February is the month of LOVE, we thought it would be fun to share the stories of the Growing Weisser spouses. It is our hope that you will learn something you didn’t know about our great love stories!!
Our Love Story (Kerry and Rick) and how the Weisser legacy began…
Kerry says:
“It all started with our first date with a group of 25 Jr High kids that we mentored from the church youth group where we worked. With the kids in tow we went to San Francisco to see Star Wars and eat lunch at a deli!
Proposal was epic-for the 1970’s. One day after Rick arrived home from his first year of medical school he invited me on a date. A surprise evening began with red roses then off to San Francisco to our favorite restaurant Lehr’s Greenhouse, tickets to the Nutcracker, and finally ice cream at the original Bud’s ice cream parlor!
When we arrived back at my house he had one more surprise-he played his guitar and sang me the song “Beautiful” and proposed with a cigar band!! After I said YES, he went home that night and we went ring shopping the next day!!”
The story of us (Rachel and Aaron)…
These two have been perfecting selfies and power poses since before it was a thing…even before Rachel knew Aaron was “Aaron.” That’s right! Aaron’s friends enjoyed giving him all sorts of nicknames, the longest standing being his high school nickname “Ernie,” and Rachel didn’t find out til almost a year after being friends that his real name was Aaron!!
Luckily, the truth was told, and soon after these two friends fell in love. Aaron (Ernie) proposed at Rachel’s favorite place…you guessed it – DISNEYLAND – she said YES, and the rest is …
Read MoreTaking it Slow at Christmas
SLOW. Not usually a word we think of during the Christmas season. Everything is “fast.” Everything is “do it all.”
But what if this season we focus slow and small? What if we “make a list and check it twice” of what really matters at Christmas. Maybe that is going to every party you are invited to and showing up with handmade gifts wrapped to a “T.” Or, maybe that means focusing on Christ and family. Whatever you value at Christmas, that should come first, and maybe come ONLY.
If you are feeling stressed this holiday season, take a step back and look at your calendar. Look at your days. How many of these things that are stressing you out are really important? Can you cut back anywhere?
Sometimes, sitting with your kids and watching Christmas movies or baking cookies can be just as important as going to all the events in town with all your different friends and family.
This season, let’s keep CHRIST THE LORD first, family second, and gratitude and giving third.
Everything else can fit in as needed.
What do you think about taking it slow at Christmas?
What could you give up that is causing you stress?
…
The Halloween Switch Witch
This was our family’s first time doing the switch witch so I wanted to share our experience with you. While trick or treating friends told us the story of the Switch Witch. That she needs candy to build her house so she will come to your home (if you invite her) to take your candy and leave a toy in its place.
If you like to get really into the magic of storytelling there is a cute book and gift set I found on Amazon here.
We like to do things a little more low key, and we also decided to do this pretty last minute so we did not read the book. We stayed out trick-or-treating late and did not do the switch on Halloween night. As my wonderful, smart friend told her kids, “The Switch Witch can’t come on Halloween night because then the late trick-or-treaters would see her!!” LOVE!! So in our house we are going to stick with the tradition that the Switch Witch visits on November 1st. (Mom win!)
So the day after Halloween we decided that each of us would keep 10 pieces of candy. (Oh yes, Mom and Dad get to keep some too!!). The idea is the more candy you give the better toy you get. If you want or need to do that. My girls didn’t need to be persuaded. They were excited!
I would like to say that through this whole process the kids were completely on board with this idea. This is a voluntary thing. I didn’t make the kids give up their candy or put any limit on how much trick-or-treating they could do. I completely understand this won’t work for every kid or every family. This is our experience.
Next you have to leave the Switch …
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