Guess what this past week was??? Our kids’ last week of school!!! I’m so excited! I’ve worked hard the past month to set things up for success so we can have a calm, fun, and memorable summer!

I got to help with Field Day at Kierstyn & Micah’s school on Tuesday! There were so many fun water games + a water balloon/water gun fight!

Kierstyn had come home from Field Day last year saying, “Mom, all the moms came to help and you didn’t! Can you please come next year?”

And so I made sure to sign up this year and I really had such a great time! I love how our kids help encourage us outside our comfort zones!

If you couldn’t tell, Kierstyn had a great time at Field Day!

Kindergarten graduation day!! Micah (3) came with Jesse and me and when they called Kierstyn’s name and she walked across the stage he proudly proclaimed, “There goes our daughter!” 🤣🤣

This girl has grown by leaps and bounds this year — learning to read chapter books, learning basic multiplication and division, learning to become such a big helper (she’s now helping with laundry and dishes and can do a lot of basic cooking), being such a huge advocate for David, and learning how to make phone calls, learning so many verses, poems, and songs… she has a voracious appetite for understanding the world and is always asking questions about science, theology, geography, current events, and more. She has big dreams and hopes for the future and I can’t wait to see where this next year takes her!

I’m also excited to get lots of extra time with her over the summer – she wants to learn cursive and Spanish and read as many chapter books as she can.

Someone asked me this past week how we build strong relationships with our older kids even though we don’t homeschool. Here are some ways we do this:

-Looking for opportunities to have deep conversations with our kids. We are often debating current events and talking about things from a Biblical lens. We encourage our kids to really think about what they believe and why they believe it. We don’t want them to just believe whatever we believe.

-We talk about how God is working in our lives and invite them in to seeing the goodness and faithfulness of God.

-We read good books to them (when they are younger) and pay attention to the influences in their lives through media/friends. We have a lot of conversations around what constitutes good influences, standing alone, making wise decisions.

-We build relationships of trust so we can have the hard conversations when necessary. We invest a lot of time just being with our kids so that when there’s a need to address something, we can do it based upon a foundation of love and trust.

-We talk on the phone with our older kids often when they are driving and then try to always be available for conversations when they are home. We also try to plan a few fun outings/activities as a family every month.

My biggest advice to develop strong family bonds is to have fun with your kids. Care deeply about their world and interest. Make it clear by your actions and attitude that you love hanging out with them. People tend to love to hang out with those who love to hang out with them! If you are always talking about how difficult your kids are, how challenging parenting is, and how tired you are… well, there’s a good chance your kids are going to pick up on that attitude.

Speaking of homeschooling, while our kids go to traditional schools, we always do some homeschooling over the summer. We’re doing a mashup of Kindergarten and Pre-K and Micah and Kierstyn are loving it!

We me up with Kate and her kids last week and I had to laugh as I tried to push the stroller and had six kids all around me (Kierstyn is sitting behind the stroller!)

Micah has been struggling recently with being afraid. He doesn’t want to go into a room by himself and is often saying, “I’m scared.”

He had been so confident and self-sufficient so this came out of the blue, however…

I know that kids often go through seasons where they feel like this (hey, adults do, too!) and the best thing I can do is not panic and just keep gently encouraging him to step outside his comfort zone.

Since he’s three, we are doing this in very simple ways…

So I’ve been reminding him often of what’s true (“You are a big boy! You are brave!”) and then giving him little opportunities to practice being brave. (“You can go into the closet to get your toy and I will be right out here the whole time.”)

I believe the best way to become more courageous, is to do the thing that scares you. The more you face your fear head on and walk through it, the more you build your brave muscles and the more you rewire the pathways of your brain that have made you believe you can’t do something or it’s really scary.

If we can start helping our kids practice this when they are little, it will be easier for them as they grow up!

So we practice bravery at our house. We talk about it. And we try to model for our kids doing things that scare us regularly so they can see us exercising our courage muscles, too.

I wasn’t sure if any of this practicing and talking about things was making a difference for Micah until Saturday night.

He was getting ready to go to bed and he wanted a drink before bed. I told him he could go get one and I’d be right here close by waiting for him. Well, guess what he did??

He walked into the kitchen by himself and got himself a drink – while no one was out there.

And then he came back in and excitedly proclaimed — without me saying anything — “I was so brave, Mama!”

I proceeded to tell him that he absolutely was and that I was so proud of him. Then, I told him that he had so much more brave inside of him that was just waiting to come out.

When I said this, it was like a lightbulb went off for him and then he kept repeating and and tapping his chest, “I have so much brave inside of me that is waiting to come out.”

Silas and Kaitlynn got home a little while later and came to tell him goodnight (our older kids always come tell the younger ones goodnight — it’s the sweetest!), Micah proudly told them, “I have so much brave inside of me!” And I could tell he actually believed it.

I share this story because I think someone reading this right now needs to be reminded of this, too.

I don’t know what you are scared of right now (we all have things that cause us to feel fear!), but I want to remind you that you, too, have so much brave inside of you just waiting to come out.

And the more your face your fears and exercise your courage muscles the stronger they will get!

Speaking of brave: running is one way I’m challenging myself outside my comfort zone! I had believed the lie for years that I’m not athletic and I let it keep me from even trying. Y’all – I ran 7.5 miles yesterday!!! And I’m just getting started.

When I’m running, it literally feels like I’m facing those lies head on and punching them in the face and being like, “Take that, long-held lie, will ya? You don’t get to be the boss of me anymore!”

We are helping with childcare for our single friend who is fostering and we are just LOVING having a baby here some of the time. Watching all of our kids love on her is just the sweetest!

I was holding baby girl in the ERGO and David saw and then I put him in the ERGO and he absolutely loved it. He used to spend hours in it — and it felt like he missed it. He just kept snuggling and holding my hand and it was the cutest.

I wore this dress the other day and SO many people commented on it and asked me where I got it from. Stitch Fix recently sent me a box of clothes and this was in it and I absolutely love it! It’s Market & Spruce Katie Smocked Waist Gingham Dress from Stitch Fix.

If you haven’t gotten a fix from Stitch Fix before, you can get $30 off your first box + no styling fee! You could request this dress in your box, only keep it, and get a GREAT deal on it!!

Books I Finished This Past Week

Even After This – I fell in love with the quirky characters in this book and their deep loss and pain. There were a few parts that felt a tiny far-fetched, but multiple parts that made me laugh out loud and other parts that tugged on my heart. I immediately wanted to read the next book in the series after finishing this – but it doesn’t come out until October!

The Correspondent – this starts out slowly (it’s an epistolary novel) but ends up being deeply moving. I really found it meaningful and would definitely recommend it. I’ve heard that the audiobook is very well-narrated.

The Bright Years – This one is slow moving and explores the underbelly and fall-out of addiction in a really raw and real way. It’s also not from a Christian perspective and is gritty, but I thought there were a lot of really redeeming perspectives and insight in it to help us better understand the weight of woundedness that so many carry and how it can impact their everyday lives in ways we can’t imagine.

What I Watched This Past Week

We watched the first season of Hope Valley 1874 this past week – and by “we”, I mean Micah, Kierstyn, and me. They fell in love with When Calls the Heart with me so they were excited to watch this. If you love When Calls the Heart, you will likely enjoy the show. I think the characters need to develop some more, but am hoping that happens in the next season!

(Our younger kids don’t really watch any kids’ shows right now – except Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood – so they enjoy shows like this with me. We’ve found that by limiting their shows to things that aren’t all bright and animated and flashy, it’s made a huge difference in their overall behavior, attitudes, and creativity. I can’t explain the science; just telling you that’s what we’ve found!)

What I Listened To This Past Week

Project Hail Mary — I have such mixed feelings on this one. There were some really beautiful parts relating to friendship and sacrifice, some genuinely funny parts, and the audiobook narration was really well done, but I just couldn’t get past the glaring theological issues I had with the entire premise, even though I know it’s sci-fi and not from a Christian perspective. And I know I’m very much in the minority here, but just being honest. However, I learned a lot of science-related things, the book really made me think, and I feel like it would be fascinating to read with teens and discuss from a theological and Biblical worldview and how a premise devoid of the Gospel leaves such a gaping hole.

This Week on the Podcast: Our Glamping Adventure

Jesse and I reflect on our recent glamping trip on this week’s podcast. It was an anniversary trip that Jesse had secretly planned and that nearly didn’t happen! Hear all about how, after finally figuring out childcare for the kids, we were ready to leave when everything unraveled all at once: sore throats, emergency doctor appointments, positive strep tests, and even an unexpected COVID diagnosis.

We suddenly found ourselves trying to decide whether to cancel a trip we had been looking forward to for months while also making sure everyone at home would be okay. Thankfully, the Airbnb hosts were unbelievably kind and let us reschedule which turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened!

What waited for us a few months later was truly one of the most unique places I have ever stayed. Jesse booked this incredible glamping dome tucked into the Tennessee hills overlooking Center Hill Lake, and the entire place felt almost unreal, with clear curved walls open to the sky, decks hanging over the hillside, a hot tub in the middle of nature, and a shower that somehow made me feel like I was outside while still enjoying modern comforts.

Listen in as we talk about the hilariously overheated first hour after arriving, the clever sprinkler system that cooled the dome down, and why we immediately understood why people become obsessed with glamping. We also share the quieter parts of the trip that ended up meaning the most: playing Scrabble, watching the sunrise over the water, hiking down to the lake, sitting around the fire with nowhere else to be, and realizing how rare it is to experience true quiet. There was no packed itinerary, no distractions – just space to talk, laugh, process life, and reconnect after years of constant responsibilities.

Also, because apparently every memorable trip needs at least one disaster, we also tell the story of how Jesse managed to put a massive scrape down the side of my car while leaving the property, something that I will probably reference forever considering my long history of being the one who usually hits things.

Click here to listen to this episode.

In Case You Missed It – Links From This Week

• How We Went to Magic Kingdom on a Budget — So many people asked me for more details on how we managed to go to Disney without spending thousands of dollars and what suggestions I have for how to make the most of a Disney trip. This post is a compilation of details on our one-day adventure to Magic Kingdom. Plus, I share some tips I’ve learned for ways to save money and to make the most of your time at Disney.
  
• Report Card Freebies and Deals for Students in 2026 — The school year is wrapping up which means final grades are on the way! A bunch of restaurants, including Krispy Kreme, Chick-fil-A, Sonic, Culver’s, and more are rewarding students for achieving good grades. Check out this post for all the details.
  
• The Sweetest Video of David — 5 years ago when we said yes to fostering David, little did we know that he’d become our forever son… or that this week we’d see him loving on another foster baby in the sweetest way. Watching David care so much about our friend’s foster baby is the most beautifully heartwarming thing. Check out the video here!

Aldi

1 large box Applesauce Pouches – $6.49

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.95

2 bags Frozen Broccoli Florets – $2.18

1 Cauliflower – $3.65

2 bags Green Beans – $4.78

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.79

1 gallon Orange Juice – $7.49

1 gallon Whole Milk – $3.33

1 bag Brown Sugar – $1.85

1 large pkg Boneless Chicken Breasts – $12.57

2 large cartons Egg Whites – $9.58

1lb box Butter – $2.89

1 pkg Bacon – $3.99

1 jar Garlic Powder – $0.97

1 large jar Garlic Salt – $3.79

1 jar Onion Powder – $0.97

Total: $67.27

Publix

2 boxes General Mills Cereal – $6.49, used $1/2 General Mills Publix Digital Coupon plus received $1/2 General Mills Ibotta Rebate and 1,500 points from Fetch ($1.50) – $2.99 for 2 after Coupon and Rebates

2 Ocean Spray Juices – $3.79, received $1.75/2 Ocean Spray Ibotta Rebate – $2.04 for 2 after Rebate

1 pkg Nature’s Own Brioche Buns – $2.09

4 boxes Pepsi Prebiotic Soda – $23.18, used $3/4 Pepsi Publix Digital Coupon plus received 9,000 points from Fetch ($9) and submitted to Stocking Spree – $11.18 for 4 boxes after Coupon and Rebates (these will be close to free once I receive my $10 Stocking Spree gift card)

5 Talenti Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch – $15.30, received 13,000 points from Fetch ($13) – $2.30 for 5 after Rebate 

1 block Cabot Cheese – $2.35, received $0.50/1 Cabot Ibotta Rebate – $1.85 after Rebate

1 bag Cabot Shredded Cheese – $2.50, received $1/1 Cabot Ibotta Rebate – $1.50 after Rebate

1 box Kraft Mac and Cheese Restaurant Edition – $3.99, received 4,000 points from Fetch ($4) – FREE after Rebate

2 bags Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears – $5.99, received (2) $1.75/1 Black Forest Ibotta Rebates – $2.49 for 2 after Rebates

1 bottle Shout – $1.10, received $1.10/1 Shout Ibotta Rebate – $1.10 after Rebate (I’m not including this in my grocery total as laundry products come from a different category in our budget, but I’m including this as I think it’s a good deal!)

2 pkgs Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Burgers – $7.98, used (2) $1.50/1 Printables – $4.98 for 2 after Coupons

~ Used $10 Stocking Spree Coupon

Total after Coupons and Rebates – $21.42

Harris Teeter

6 ears Corn on the Cob – $2

5 bags Harvest Snaps – $7.45, received (5) $1/1 Harvest Snaps Ibotta Rebates – $2.45 for 5 after Rebates

1 bag Peaches ($0.99/lb) – $2.87

5 Poppi – $6.73, received $2.35 Poppi Ibotta Rebates – $4.38 for 5 cans

3 Chobani Protein Yogurt – $2.91, received  $1.25/3 Chobani Protein Ibotta Rebates – $1.66 for 3 after Rebate

Total after Rebates: $13.36

Grocery Total for the Week: $102.05

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Grits, Granola, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies, Omelets

Lunches

Mac and Cheese, Peaches, Applesauce Pouches, Cucumbers

Leftovers x 6

Dinners

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans, Corn on the cob

Chicken Burgers, Roasted Air Fryer Potatoes, Green Beans

Biscuits and Venison Sausage Gravy, Broccoli

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Creamy Milk Rice, Cauliflower, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cheese Pizza, Watermelon

Leftovers

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

Send me my FREE Menu Plan!

Stitch Fix sponsored this post and they recently sent a box to both me and Gretchen on our team. But as always, these are my completely honest thoughts after using the service for nearly a decade! (And right now, they’re offering $30 of your first Fix!)

For those of you who have been following me for a really long time, you’ll probably remember parts of my Stitch Fix journey throughout the years and how I slowly went from not being impressed with the service to loving it. I figured an updated Stitch Fix review post was long overdue since I’ve been using it on and off for over 11 years! And I’ve learned a lot in that timeframe as to what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to this service.

For those of you who haven’t been following me for very long or are reading about my Stitch Fix experience for the very first time, you should know that I am always brutally honest with my product reviews. I will never endorse a product that I don’t truly love. I will also never lie about loving a product that I don’t. So if you’re looking for really honest Stitch Fix reviews, this is the one to read!

In this post I’ll cover how Stitch Fix works, how much it costs, the pros & cons of the service, my honest Stitch Fix review, whether it’s worth it, and how to best make Stitch Fix work for you.

What is Stitch Fix?

Stitch Fix has been around long enough now that you’ve most likely at least heard about it in passing. But just in case you’re not familiar with it, I want to first briefly cover what Stitch Fix is and how it works.

Stitch Fix is an online clothing shop designed to provide personal styling services for women at an affordable cost. It was specifically created for women who need to wear nicer clothes for events/work but who don’t want to spend hours and hours combing through clothing stores to put together outfits.

Originally, it was only for women, but they recently opened up a line for men and a line for kids. They carry women’s sizes 0-24W and XS-3X, maternity and petite options, men’s sizes XS-XXL, and kids’ sizes 2T-14.

When you sign up, you’ll receive a box of clothing (called a “Fix”) on your doorstep at the frequency you choose (no subscription required). Each box is custom picked just for you by a Stitch Fix stylist based on your size and style preferences!

Reviews of Stitch Fix: How Does it Work?

If you’re interested in getting started with Stitch Fix, here’s how it works…

1. Sign up for a Stitch Fix account. (Psst! Right now they are offering $30 of your first Fix!)

2. Fill out your style profile. You’ll give very specific details on sizes you wear, styles you like, colors you like, types of clothes you like, and what types of clothing you are specifically looking for (more casual, all business, a mix of both, etc.) You can be very detailed in your descriptions and even share a Pinterest board with them to give Stitch Fix some ideas of your tastes in clothing.

3. Go to checkout and pay a $20 styling fee (this fee is currently being waived on your first fix). This is reimbursed if you choose to keep any of the clothes.

4. A Stitch Fix stylist will look at your style profile and put together a box of clothing just for you. It will be based upon what they think you’ll like, according to all your size, color, and style preferences.

5. They’ll send you this box in the mail. You’ll have a few days to go through the box, try on the clothes, and then choose to keep any that you liked and ship back any that didn’t work (they provide a postage-paid envelope for you to use).

That’s it — that’s how Stitch Fix works and it’s super simple, actually!

They also now have a feature where you can shop for one-off items based on your past kept items from boxes! It’s really convenient!

Is Stitch Fix Worth It? How Much Is it?

You only pay a $20 styling fee out of pocket to have the box shipped to you.

If you choose to keep any of the clothing in your box, that $20 will be put towards your order as a discount. If you choose not to keep any clothing at all, you’ll lose the $20 you paid for the styling.

When you sign up, you get the opportunity to specify your budget range. There is a really nice variety of different brands at different costs for all budgets.

If you decide to keep all the items in your box, you’ll receive an additional 25% off your entire order!

(And don’t forget — you can currently get $30 off your first Fix + your style fee waived!)

Stitch Fix Reviews from My First Fix Experience

Back when Stitch Fix first launched, a few of my friends signed up for it and loved it. Based upon their rave reviews and my husband’s encouragement, I decided it was finally worth it to try Stitch Fix.

I wasn’t thrilled with what I got in my first box. 

In fact, I sent half of it back, and I wish I wouldn’t have kept two of the items I did. As much as I thought I could convince myself to love them, I just couldn’t.

I did get a pair of earrings in the box that I love and have worn countless times since then. So that was the one redeeming part of my very first Stitch Fix experience.

But I kind of just decided that Stitch Fix probably wasn’t for me and was happy to leave it at that.

Stitch Fix Review: My (Second) Disappointing Stitch Fix Box

However, a year later, a friend here invited me to go with her to a Stitch Fix Influencer’s Dinner here in Nashville. I decided to go — mostly because I was honored to be asked and I was hopeful that I’d meet some other local bloggers at the event.

While at the Stitch Fix event, I had a long talk with the Stitch Fix folks. I was quite cynical about things, and they patiently answered all my questions and encouraged me to give Stitch Fix another try. They gave me some pointers on how to get a box that better matches your style. They told me to be really, really specific in what I asked for and also encouraged me to set up a Pinterest board with wardrobe ideas.

And then, they gave me a $20 Stitch Fix credit coupon so I could try the service without having to pay the $20 stylist fee. I debated whether or not I was brave enough to try again. I finally decided that it was worth it to give Stitch Fix another shot since it was so risk-free. Even if I sent everything back, I wouldn’t be out any money out of pocket.

So I really put some time and effort into making sure my profile had very specific directives on it and I set up a Pinterest board with some outfit ideas. I was SO excited to get my box in the mail.

…But I sent every single item back due to the pieces either being not my style or not the right fit. I really wanted to love Stitch Fix (maybe because I really dislike actual in-person shopping and this seemed like such an amazing option to just have clothing arrive at my doorstep that was picked out for me?!).

I had heard that it takes a few times of really honest feedback before your stylist really learns your style well and starting sending the right kind of clothing for you, but I was starting to feel frustrated…

The Box That Completely Changed My Mind

Truthfully, if I hadn’t had a little bit of referral credit built up in my account, I probably would have walked away at this point. But I decided to give it one more try, since I basically had free money in my account and I hated for it to go to waste!

So I tried another box. This time, when I sent the previous box back, I was super forthright in my feedback of the items they sent to me in hopes that my critique would help them do a better job of nailing my style in this third box.

All of the items were much more my style than the first two boxes. Yay! In fact, I really liked every piece. I did send 4 out of the 5 pieces back simply because of fit and price.

But when I pulled out these Jimmy Ankle Length Skinny Jeans, everything changed for me.

I LOVED these jeans!!! It’s so hard to find jeans that fit my short frame well. These were PERFECT and I was SO excited that they fit me so well! Honestly, I wanted to buy multiple pairs of these exact same jeans because they were exactly everything I’d ever wanted in a pair of jeans.

The jeans were $88, and I know that’s A LOT to pay for a pair of jeans. In fact, it’s quite a bit more than I’d ever paid for jeans prior to this. However, I realized that I would probably wear these jeans hundreds of times over the next few years (and I definitely did!). In that case, I decided it was worth it for me — especially to get a style and fit I love.

And over the years, Stitch Fix jeans have continued to be my absolute favorite jeans. They always fit me perfectly and are such high quality. (Gretchen here! I’m jumping in here to say that I agree with Crystal! I love my Stitch Fix jeans and always get compliments on them.)

{Another favorite pair of jeans from Stitch Fix!}

{Sweater and Jeans from Stitch Fix!}

The Secret to Making Stitch Fix Work for You

After lots of trial and error with receiving many boxes and being patient, I’ve learned that it’s all about getting a stylist that learns your tastes and preferences well. It might take a few boxes for this to happen, but for me it has been well worth it to be patience and give Stitch Fix a chance!

Here are my best tips to make Stitch Fix work for you…

Make Sure You Fill Out Your Style Profile Carefully — Be really, really honest in your style profile. Make sure all your sizing and preferences are absolutely accurate and that you are very specific about colors, patterns, and styles you don’t want.

Request a Stylist — If you know someone who has gotten fixes that you especially love, you can ask them who their stylist is and you can request that they assign the same stylist to you. No guarantees, but I’ve heard of this working for people. You can also request to have the same stylist you had last time (if you liked them) or a different stylist (if you didn’t like what they chose).

Leave a Note For Your Stylist — Please do this. Tell your stylist exactly what you are looking for and what you aren’t looking for. They do read these notes and try to honor them. You can even ask for very specific items for an upcoming special event — like a dress to wear to a wedding or special event!

Give Incredibly Honest Feedback — Seriously, don’t shy away here. I’m brutally honest and I’ve seen that it makes a huge difference when I leave 100% honest feedback. Don’t hold back! It might seem mean-spirited, but it’s not. They really want you to be honest so that they can get it right for you next time. (By the way, a number of times, if I left feedback about how I really didn’t like what they sent, they either refunded me the stylist fee or gave me a free $20 stylist credit to use the next time.)

Stick With it For a Few Fixes — It took several fixes for my stylist to really learn what I liked. I’m very picky on the clothes I keep. Since I have more of a simple wardrobe, I have to really love a piece of clothing to keep it. As the stylists learn your fashion tastes and what you don’t like, they will do a better job choosing for you. After I had done several fixes with them, they started sending me fixes much more in line with my style.

Request Multiples of An Item You Liked — If you liked a specific dress, shirt, or pair of shorts, you can ask if they have it in any other colors. I’m the kind of person who loves to get multiples of the same style (it simplifies things!), so this has worked well for me! (For instance, I got multiples of this dress and these pair of shorts — just in different colors.) And now you can even buy one-off items based on your past kept items. Just log in and look under the “buy it again” tab under “shop.”

Check out this review from reader Julie who used these tips and had great success:

“Wow, your Stitch Fix suggestions for getting a Fix that you like are spot on! I have been considering trying it and finally got around to it. I tried to be very specific as far as what I like and don’t like and how things fit, just like you recommend. I received my Fix today and was excited to open it but tried not to let my expectations get too high. Well, my stylist nailed 4 of the 5 items! I am keeping jeans, a jacket, and boots. I loved the clutch but realized I should have mentioned that I need a larger purse to hold my stuff. I loved having someone else pick clothing for me and I love surprises, so this was a super fun experience. The prices are higher than I would typically spend, but clearly I decided they’re worth it! for these items that I cannot wait to wear I will definitely be doing it again! And my 20-year-old daughter is sitting across from me working on filling out for her first Fix!” — Julie

{I love these Utility Pants that came in my latest box!! I can’t recall having pants in this color and I love how they fit! They could easily be dressed up with nicer shoes and a nicer shirt or dressed down with Birks or sneakers and a tee and jean jacket.}

Let’s Talk Stitch Fix Prices (The Elephant in the Room)

The biggest drawback to Stitch Fix is obviously the pricing, and trust me — I totally get it!

Here’s the thing — Stitch Fix won’t be the right choice for everyone. But if it’s within your budget to try it out even just once and see how you like it, it might be worth it to experiment with Stitch Fix. (And right now, you can get $30 off your first fix + the styling fee waived!)

Yes, Stitch Fix can be more expensive, especially if you’re used to thrifting for most of your clothing. BUT the clothing is really high quality and can last a lot longer — making your spent money stretch a lot further.

Also, you can specify your budget when you sign up! You get to choose your budget range for all the different clothing pieces, which is really nice! For example, I’m willing to spend more on a quality pair of jeans than I am a top, so I set my jeans budget a bit higher.

{This blazer came in one box and is very different than anything I have and I don’t think it works with the shirt I am wearing it with here, but I think I like it and I am thinking there’s a good chance it might become a staple business piece in my wardrobe. Years ago, I got a blazer from Stitch Fix and I’ve worn it countless times to so many conferences, business meetings, and speaking events!}

Is Stitch Fix Worth It? Pros & Cons

Are you the kind of person who needs a simple pros & cons list?

These are my overall positive and negative reviews of Stitch Fix, after having used it for over a decade now. I’ve found Stitch Fix to totally be worth it for me, but you have to decide for yourself!

Pros

• Filling out your style profile is fun! It kind of helps you figure out your true style and discover what you actually love and don’t love when it comes to fashion. Since I’m not a fashionista, this isn’t something I’ve spent much time considering. So I thought that was a very valuable exercise.
• I love the anticipation of getting a box in the mail. It adds to the excitement that you don’t know what will be in it. It’s fairly rare that I get to open and go through a mystery box. Looking forward to the box makes the experience more fun!
• It’s SO much easier than shopping! Since I don’t enjoy shopping in-store, I find it so much easier and more fun to receive a Stitch Fix box on my doorstep! Plus, it’s nice to be able to try clothing on in the privacy of your own home and compare/match them to items already in your closet. It makes it really easy to decide whether or not to keep an item.
• It challenges you to try new things. It’s fun to try new and different styles that you normally wouldn’t pick off the rack in a store. It helps you further define your style and experiment some!
• You get to set your budget for what they send. Although the prices at Stitch Fix are going to be much more than what you’d find at thrift stores or on the clearance rack at Target, I love that they give you the option to set your price preferences for certain clothing items and they also offer you the option to set a budget for the entire cost of your box.

• I love the styling cards that come with each box. It gives you great ideas on how to style and accessorize an item of. clothing. These are great especially for someone like me who had no idea how to put outfits together when I first started with Stitch Fix.
• The stylists are very helpful and try really hard to listen to your honest feedback and notes
• You don’t end up buying things you don’t love. I find that I am more apt to only buy what I really love when I get to try things on at home and have a few days to decide versus having to decide when I’m in the dressing room at a store. Plus, it’s easier to tell if a clothing item fits into your wardrobe well and matches other pieces.
• You can change your profile at any time. Update your profile if your spending preferences, sizing, or likes change. You can do this whenever and however many times you want.
• Returns are incredibly easy and free. You just send whatever you don’t want to keep back in a pre-paid envelope. So simple!
• No subscription is required. You can get a box any time you want. Either on-demand or regularly — every few weeks, once a month, or every season.
• There are discounts! If you keep your whole box, you get 25% off your entire order. Plus, your $20 styling fee always goes back towards your order if you decide to keep even one item.

Note: They also now have an entirely new way to shop called “Stitch Fix Freestyle” where you can shop their store without getting a scheduled Fix. You can browse and buy specific items based on personalized recommendations from your style profile. You can shop “trending for you” items, “complete looks” to find pieces that go with items you already have, or “buy it again” to find an item you love in a different pattern/color/size! As always, shipping and returns are free — just like with a regular Fix!

{Summer Black Tee from Stitch Fix!}

Cons

• You might need to be patient. Like I mentioned previously, it will probably take a few times for your stylist to get it right.
• Prices are higher. If you’re used to shopping at thrift stores or from sales racks, the prices you’ll find at Stitch Fix are definitely higher. Stitch Fix curates their collection from high quality name brands, and that comes with a bit of a price hike compared to what you might be used to normally.
• You never know what you’re going to get. While it’s fun to not know what you’ll get, it can sometimes be a bit disappointing. A few times, I’ve loved almost every piece in my fix. Other times, I’ve loathed most of what I received. It’s a risk you’re taking — and you’re out $20 if none of the items work for you.
• Sometimes, it seems like they don’t look at your style profile carefully. This usually doesn’t happen, but I have had a few times where I wondered if the stylist even so much as glanced at my profile because what she sent was so far off from my style profile and preferences. Like I said, this isn’t super common, but I did think it was worth mentioning. If you’re on a tight budget, it might not be worth the risk of the $20 styling fee.

{Shirt and Blazer from Stitch Fix. I love some of their dressier shirts!}

Honestly, Stitch Fix has been a real gift to someone like me who dislikes shopping and finds it exhausting and time-consuming to go to a store, search endlessly through racks and racks of clothing, and then try things on, only to discover that most of the items don’t fix or won’t work!

Overall, I think I’ve come to realize that I really do love Stitch Fix after all these years!! In fact, some of my very favorite items in my closet are from Stitch Fix!

Though it can be a bit pricey, I’ve personally found that the things I’ve kept from my boxes have held up well and I’ve worn many items over and over and over again for years. This is especially true of their jeans and shorts. And it’s really nice that you can set your budget when you sign up.

If you like wearing quality pieces, you don’t enjoy shopping, and you’re not on an extremely tight budget, this styling service can be a lifesaver for busy women — and it can be a fun way to branch out and try new styles!

So there you have it after my over-11-year journey — my very long and extremely in-depth (and brutally honest) Stitch Fix review!

A Second Opinion: Gretchen’s Reviews of Stitch Fix

Since Stitch Fix so graciously sent a second box to Gretchen on our team for this review, you get to hear another team member’s experience with Stitch Fix!

Gretchen here! I tried Stitch Fix years ago and wasn’t super impressed. The past year though, I’ve used it multiple times and I have had the most amazing experiences! Stitch Fix made it super easy and fun to fill out my profile and pick styles that I most preferred.

I get so excited to get my boxes every few months! I am always pleasantly surprised at the items they send. I especially have loved the jeans. It is super difficult for me to find jeans that fit in all the right places and aren’t too short.

This last month, they sent me some super cute summer items, including this shorts that fit me so well. I love these pink striped shorts and have gotten so many compliments on them.

This bright green tank is really comfortable and will on repeat this summer. I love the color! It’s not a color I would normally pick to wear but I actually think it’s perfect.

I also through this pink blouse paired great with these comfy black shorts. It’s a fun summer looking outfit.

Overall, I had the best experience with Stitch Fix! I ended up keeping several items and am very excited about them. 

Get $30 Off Your First Stitch Fix Order + Styling Fee Waived!

Right now, Stitch Fix is offering first timers $30 off your first Stitch Fix order + get your styling fee waived! This is a really rare discount (it’s been a long time since we’ve seen this big of a discount!), so it’s a great time to try Stitch Fix.

Just go here, take your style quiz, and schedule your fix to get this discount. Hurry – this likely won’t last long.

Teachers: Get 20% Off Your First Stitch Fix Order!

As a special back to school discount, Stitch Fix is offering teachers 20% off their first order! This is a pretty rare Stitch Fix discount, so you don’t want to miss out!

It’s a great chance to grab some clothing for the new school year!

Just go HERE and click on sign up to get started. You’ll verify your teacher status with ID.me to get your 20% discount after signing up. It’s super simple! This teacher discount is only available for a limited time, so hurry and take advantage of it while you still can!

You Might Also Like:

• My Completely Honest thredUP Review
• The Outfit Formulas That Changed My Life
• How I’ve Simplified My Wardrobe
• Why I Stopped Saying I Wasn’t a Fashionista
• More Honest Product Reviews from Crystal

I’d love to hear all of your Stitch Fix reviews and whether you’ve found it to be worth it! Let me know about your experience in the comments!

More Favorites From Money Saving Mom

So many people asked me for more details on how we managed to go to Disney without spending thousands of dollars and what suggestions I have for how to make the most of a Disney trip. This post is a compilation of details on our one-day adventure to Magic Kingdom. Plus, I share some tips I’ve learned for ways to save money and make the most of your time at Disney (I’ve gone three times in the last two years — once with Kierstyn and then twice for a client getaway with my business coach, Alli Worthington.)

What Tickets We Bought

We bought one-day tickets to Magic Kingdom and didn’t buy anything extra (no upsells, food plans, experiences – nothing). I know that a lot of people will say you should go more than one day, but for Kierstyn’s first experience at six years old, it was perfect.

We were able to really make the most of that one day but one day was plenty for a 6-year-old. In fact, I think trying to go more than one day would have been too exhausting.

It is less expensive per day to buy tickets for more than one day, so I would recommend that if you are going as an adult or with older children and want to go for more than one day. You can buy tickets through a Disney travel agent or you can also check sites like Undercover Tourist or Get Away Today.

Why We Didn’t Buy Any Upsells

Disney tickets often cost $129 or so for a single park ticket (they can cost more during peak season), where you will usually pay the most is if you buy the upsells. Things like Character Meet & Greets, Food Plans, VIP experiences, or Lightning Lanes.) It can added up to hundreds of extra dollars per person really quickly.

Instead of paying for any upsells, we just bought a single park ticket for each of us and chose a time of year and a day of the week when the park would be a lot quieter. We went on a Tuesday (one of the best days to go, I’ve been told) and chose a week where school was in session for pretty much everyone around the country.

Compared to when I had gone before, the lines were SO much shorter and there were a lot fewer people. I watched the app for wait times so that we went to where the shortest wait times were. I think the longest we waited for anything was 25 mins but we mostly only waited 10-20 mins for everything we wanted to do!! Being strategic about going where the shortest lines were and keeping a close eye on the app instead of just going to whatever was closest really paid off. We did more walking, of course, but we likely saved hours of wait time!

I found that first thing in the morning as well as near the end of the day tend to be the best times to go to the more popular attractions. If you are okay with missing the fireworks in the evening, you will likely find much shorter lines at most attractions during that time. (Note: I think the fireworks are VERY worth seeing, but if you are going for two or more days, you could skip them one of the nights in favor of riding rides during that time.)

We got to meet 5 princesses which was the highlight for Kierstyn. (I highly recommend the Princess Fairytale Hall experience — I couldn’t believe it was free! You got to spend a few minutes one-on-one with each Princess and they were so kind and made Kierstyn feel so special!)

We also went to Enchanted Tales with Belle and Kierstyn got to be part of the play and acting out the story with Belle, which she just thought was amazing! There was almost no line for this at all in the late afternoon.

We also rode on a lot of different rides, went to two shows, saw both parades, and stayed for the fireworks. It was a very full day, but we paced ourselves and we stopped for a few breaks and found a quiet, cool place to park for a bit and just hang out and eat a snack and “recharge our internal batteries” before we jumped back into riding rides and going to attractions!

How to Save on Food & Drink

You can bring your own food and drink in to the park! I brought a backpack with lots of snacks plus a water bottle and electrolyte packets. There are water bottle refill stations at a few places in the park, but the water at Magic Kingdom tastes pretty funky, so I highly recommend bringing electrolyte packets or something else to mix into it to make it a little bit more drinkable.

I also was told you could ask for cups of ice water for free at any food service place. I only found this out after we had already gone, so I haven’t tried it myself.

If you are going to buy meals, the best value I found was to buy the kids’ meals. All of them are under $10, they have some healthy options, and they usually come with a main dish, two sides, and a drink (you can get a water bottle as a drink). You can also split adult meals, as another option.

Pick Your Priorities

I highly recommend deciding ahead of time what your priorities are for your time at Disney. For Kierstyn, I knew she wanted to meet princesses, watch the parade, and get her face painted. So we planned our day around making sure those things happened and then whatever else we could fit in that had a short line, we did!

The face painting was expense — $28! — but they offer free touch-ups all day long. So I recommend getting it done early in the morning and then you can go back and get it redone halfway through the day if need be!

Kierstyn was exhausted by the end of the day and fell asleep while we were waiting for the bus so I carried her for the last 30 minutes (was kind of wishing we had a stroller at that point!) but it was the BEST day!!

A huge thank you to @adventureadvising for helping to plan the trip and to @alliworthington for inspiring this trip all the tips and help for ways to do it on a budget! I always thought Disney had to cost thousands and dollars and was so, so thrilled to learn otherwise!

Quick & Easy Ways to Save Money at Disney

• Bring a water bottle or ask for cups of water instead of buying drinks.
• Bring your own snacks.
• Buy kid’s meals instead of adult meals if you are dining there.
• Go off season so that the lines are much shorter and you don’t need to pay for lightning lanes.
• Pay attention to the app for wait times. It can vary pretty wildly throughout the day!
• Buy Disney ears online ahead of time — Amazon sells them for about a 1/4th of what you’ll pay in the park! Same for Disney-related merch.

Kierstyn fell asleep in the line as we waited for the bus back to our hotel. This was the one time I really wished we had brought a stroller! But otherwise, it worked great for us to not have one!

My Disney Packing List

Here’s what I’ve brought to Disney the past three trips — and have felt it fully covered all the bases.
• Charging cable/power bank
• Reusable water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Poncho or compact rain jacket (in case it rains and also to wear on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure so you don’t get wet!)
• Hand sanitizer
• Lip balm with SPF
• Tissues or small pack of wipes
• Snacks/food (granola bars, protein bars, PB&J, oranges, trail mix, etc.)
• Mini first aid kit (band-aids, blister patches)
• Comfortable walking shoes (broken in beforehand)
• Extra socks (great for rain or sweat)
• Light sweater or hoodie for evenings
• Portable handheld fan or neck fan
• Electrolyte packets
• Small umbrella – hold this out when you go through security or your bag will get pulled for extra screening. (Use this for sun protection and/or rain.)
• Disney ears
• Extra shoes + extra change of clothes (especially good if you are bringing young kids – you just never know what might happen!)

What tips and suggestions would you add for making the most of a trip to Magic Kingdom/saving money at Disney? I’d love to hear!

Looking for ways to earn extra income?

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This One Small Step Has Been Transforming My Health (and It’s Covered by Insurance!)

Are you wanting to make healthy changes in your diet but don’t know where to start? Struggling to hit your health goals or feeling overwhelmed by trying to stay on track?

In the summer of 2025, I made a decision that I honestly didn’t expect to have such a big impact. I signed up to meet with a Nourish dietitian.

Not because I had a big health goal or some drastic change in mind, but because I was feeling a little stuck. I had been working out more, trying to be mindful of what I was eating, and wanting to better support my body through this full season of life.

I figured it couldn’t hurt to get a little expert insight, especially since Nourish is fully covered by insurance under our plan.

Honestly, I expected to get a few helpful tips on calories and macros. I didn’t expect it to shift so much of how I view my body, my energy, my relationship with food, and even how I approach rest and recovery.

But it has. And I’m so grateful. Let me tell you more about my honest experience with Nourish…

What Is Nourish?

Nourish is a virtual platform that connects you with an online registered dietitian — someone trained to help you with everything from emotional eating and hormone health to energy levels and gut issues — all from the comfort of your own home.

Instead of handing you a one-size-fits-all meal plan or a strict list of foods to avoid, your Nourish online dietitian walks with you step-by-step. They listen to your goals. They help you build habits. They offer insight on how nutrition, sleep, stress, and movement work together. And they empower you to nourish your body well — without shame, restriction, or overwhelm.

My Completely Honest (+ Very Vulnerable) Nourish Dietitian Review

To be honest, I was hesitant at first. I wasn’t sure I needed an online nutritionist consultation. I wondered if my health goals were “big enough” or if it would be worth the time.

But I also knew I wanted to take better care of myself. I felt a little foggy some days. I wanted accountability and clarity, and deep down, I wondered if I was giving my body what it needed to thrive.

That first call with my Nourish dietitian? It blew me away.

She helped me understand how the stress and depletion of the last few years — pregnancies, nursing, fostering, adopting a child with disabilities, caregiving, running a business, and raising six kids — had left me running on fumes. She walked me through how under-eating and under-sleeping were actually slowing down my metabolism and affecting my mood and hormones.

She didn’t guilt me. She didn’t overwhelm me. She encouraged me and gave me clear, simple steps I could take that very week.

What I’m Learning from My Nourish Dietician

Every session has been eye-opening. Not because of some radical overhaul… but because of how freeing and healing it’s been to undo old beliefs.

My dietitian has helped me:

• Identify and challenge long-held beliefs about food and weight.
• Realize how often I’ve equated worth with a number on the scale.
• Shift from restriction to nourishment.
• Take baby steps toward what she calls “food freedom” — where food supports your life, not controls it.

It’s emotional work, too. But so, so worth it.

Finding Food Freedom

After I started eating more (at the encouragement of my dietitian), I discovered that it was a big struggle for me. I realized I had a lot of fear around food and had put a lot of stock into what the scale said. My joy or frustration for the day and how I felt about myself was often very tied to whatever number the scale showed that day.

One of the big things my virtual dietitian encouraged me to do was to stop weighing myself. This was scary — but it ended up being SO freeing!! It took awhile to get used to, but once I did, I began to feel a whole new world open up for me!

I discovered that I had spent years trapped in a cycle of so much food noise in my head — constantly analyzing calories, pushing myself to exercise more, thinking I needed to lose weight, chasing skinny, mentally beating myself up if I didn’t follow the diet plan I had come up with for myself. I did all of this under the guise of self-discipline when it actually was dysfunctional!

I am slowly finding such freedom when it comes to food. My brain feels much quieter around food and it feels weird but also so amazing!! I love that I can find joy in food and eating without needing to constantly analyze, stress, or feel like I’m not where I need to be.

I’m chasing strong not skinny, nourishing myself not a number on the scale — and it’s been incredible!

Taking My Wellness Even Further

Recently, my dietician has been challenging me with practical ways to prioritize more sleep and to prioritize play. She’s having me try out better bedtime routines and try out different hobbies. It has been so good for my soul… and I feel like meeting with her is therapy for my whole self!

I’m also SO excited because Nourish is now offering lab work as part of their program and it’s covered by insurance for most people, as well! So just like you can hire a dietitian through Nourish and most insurance companies will pay for it, you can also now have lab work done as part of the program and it’s $0 cost to you if your insurance covers it!

The Nourish Lab panel checks the most important data for your metabolic and heart health — cholesterol, blood sugar (A1C), kidney function, electrolytes, and thyroid hormones. This is all so helpful because this data enables you and your dietician to make more informed decisions as you collaborate to improve your diet and health, and it provides another way to measure your progress. These labs are done at a Quest Diagnostics location near you and are fully covered every 3 months at no cost to you, providing up to $200 per year in value. 

I had a metabolic panel done and it was so easy to do, the results came quickly, and my dietitian went over it with me. Best of all, it was entirely covered by insurance!

Making the Most of Your Free Dietitian Online

If you decide to sign up (which I highly recommend if you’re curious!), here are a few tips to make the most of your online nutritionist consultation:

• Track your eating, movement, and sleep for a few days ahead of your first call (I used MyFitnessPal and my Oura ring).
• Bring questions or struggles you want help with — even small things like “I snack all day and feel tired after lunch.”
• Share your health history (I even brought my bloodwork to our second session!).
• Be honest and open — this isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress.

How Much Does a Session Cost with a Nourish Dietitian?

If you’re wondering what a Nourish session might cost, here’s the exciting news: 94% of users pay $0 out of pocket when they use insurance!

That’s right! You have a very good chance of being able to meet with a free dietitian online — right from the comfort of your own home. How cool is that?!

I have been sharing about Nourish for the past few months or so as I have been using it and benefiting from it. Here’s what one my my readers had to say about their experience after giving it a try:

“I tried Nourish because of you and it has helped me SO MUCH!! I’m overweight and I’ve never had anyone teach me how I’m supposed to eat to be healthy and fuel my body, until now…and I’m 45 years old. Any my insurance has been paying 100%!!! Thank you for sharing. It’s been life changing for me too. I’m so thankful.”

I would say that number they give is quite accurate as the majority of my audience is also finding that Nourish is covered by their insurance, too.

That said, every insurance plan is a little different — some may have a small copay or coinsurance — but Nourish does everything they can to keep your costs low and offers a simple insurance coverage calculator to help you know what to expect ahead of time.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Most people pay nothing. Yes, really! The majority of users don’t pay anything out of pocket because Nourish is in-network with hundreds of insurance plans across all 50 states.
• You can check your coverage easily. Nourish makes it super simple to verify your insurance and see if there may be any copays or fees.
• No surprise bills. What your insurance says is what you’ll pay — no hidden costs or unexpected fees. All appointments are backed by the Nourish Guarantee to provide a no-surprise billing experience! Note: One of my followers was told that her insurance would cover Nourish and then that ended up not being the case. Nourish zeroed out her balance and didn’t charge her anything for the two sessions she had because of their Nourish Guarantee.
• Paying out of pocket? If your insurance doesn’t cover sessions, the self-pay rate is $145 per session — and you’ll know that up front.

Why I Recommend It

If you’re:

• Feeling stuck with your health goals
• Battling low energy or brain fog
• Walking through a tough postpartum season
• Wanting to build a better relationship with food
• Or simply needing some gentle accountability…

I highly recommend checking out Nourish. This is one of the most grace-filled, personalized things I’ve done for myself in a long time.

What Others Are Saying

As you can see, I’ve really enjoyed Nourish but you don’t have to just take my word for it! Here are some messages and feedback I’ve received on social media and email from those who tried Nourish for themselves and shared the experience:

Ready to try Nourish?

Head here to check if your insurance covers it: Nourish Dietitian Program

If it does, you’ll get access to a caring, credentialed online dietitian covered by insurance who will walk with you, encourage you, and help you create a life that feels vibrant, nourished, and whole.

Nourish FAQ

Saying yes to that first call with the Nourish dietitian is changing my life in the best of ways and I am so thrilled and grateful!

Go here to sign up and see if Nourish is covered by your insurance.

More Links You’ll Love:

• 5 Steps to Start and Stick With Better Habits
• Greek Yogurt Bowl with Protein Powder (Easiest High-Protein Snack That is Delish!)
• 6 Tips to Find Motivation to Work Out Every Morning
• How to Find Time to Work Out Multiple Times Each Week
• 6 Strategies to Kickstart Your Morning Success (and get my habit tracker FREE!)

If you’ve ever tried an online nutritionist consultation or free dietitian online, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!

FREE Goal Setting Worksheets!

 Let me help you set, track, and actually accomplish your goals this year!

Send Me My FREE Worksheets!

Simply present the paper or digital report card to redeem these awesome report card freebies and deals! This includes homeschool students as well.

Report Card Freebies & Deals

Please note that we always recommend calling your location beforehand as some of these deals may vary based on location.

Baskin-Robbins – Grab a free scoop of ice cream for an outstanding report card.

Bob Evans –  Show off all your A’s in order to score a free goodie!

Burger King – Receive a FREE hamburger or ice cream cone for good grades.

Cold Stone Creamery – Some individually owned stores are offering freebies and coupons, but be sure to check with your shop first!

Chick-fil-A – A’s and B’s can get your student a FREE 8-count nugget!

Chuck E. Cheese – Chuck E. Cheese is featuring Super Student Awards or Graduation Certificates where students can get FREE tokens.

Culver’s – Some locations might reward report cards with a B-average or better a FREE kid’s meal. 

IHOP – Bring in your report card and enjoy a free kids’ meal for all your hard work.

Jason’s Deli – Students 12 and under can get rewarded with Kid Cash for good grades. Must fill out this form ahead of time.

Krispy Kreme – WOW! Get a FREE Original Glazed Doughnut for every A earned—up to 6 in total!

Melting Pot (Straight A Club) – FREE meal for A’s.
K-8th grade: 3-course meal.
9th-12th: 4-course meal.
*Must be accompanied by an adult who buys a four-course dinner
*Limit 1 report card per reservation
*Excluding Friday and Saturday 

McDonald’s – Straight “A” report cards can receive a FREE Happy Meal.

Peter Piper Pizza – Their Student Incentive Program offers a variety of reward certificates. Students can redeem these certificates for: a free personal pizza, soft serve cone, or a root beer float.

Sonic Drive-In – Did your student make straight A’s? They can receive a FREE slush or meal as a reward for their success!

Wendy’s – A’s and B’s at Wendy’s, can get you a treat as a reward. Bring the report card to the cashier before placing your order to claim the prize.

Know of any other report card freebies? Let us know in the comments below.

Want your kids to read more this summer?

Download our FREE Summer Reading Printable Pack!

Send Me My Free Reading Pack!

I got to go to Lebanon on Tuesday to hang out with my girl since I’m officially on my summer schedule and not doing meetings on Tuesdays. (Mondays and Tuesdays are my meeting days but I gave my whole team the summer off from meetings so we could all be more present with our families – we usually have a slower, more relaxed work pace in summer with more flexibility since we all have kids!)

We joked that it was Take Your Mom to Work Day! Kathrynne was so kind to let me bring my laptop and just hang out and work and also get to watch her in her world.

It was so impressive to see her handling all the various things that came up throughout the day. She’s learning some new positions this summer and this week she’s filling in as Office Manager – which means she’s doing all kinds of different things to keep the office running and oversee different projects.

We took the kids to a parade and they had the best time! David didn’t want to get out of his stroller but he loved watching the bands and horses. Kierstyn and Micah brought a bag and tub to collect candy and they sure got a LOT! They came home and shared some with the older kids, which was so sweet!

Turns out what I thought was just my personality was actually my nervous system stuck in fight mode.

I’d been living on adrenaline for so long it had just become my normal… I thought the constant pushing and producing and filling every open space was just who I was.

My functional medicine doctor helped me see what I couldn’t and it has been a process to figure out how to stop. But I’m slowly untethering myself from the habits and patterns that got me here.

Here’s what’s been helping…

Sleep
Challenging myself to be in bed for at least 7 hours every night, if not longer.

Breathing
Actually learning how to breathe correctly. Sounds simple. It is not. But it’s been so good.

Reading Fiction
This has been so calming for me and really helps me slow my brain down in a way nothing else does.

Embroidery + Crochet
Something creative that challenges my brain to focus on one thing. No productivity. Just making something with my hands.

Running
This has been incredible for my nervous system!! I genuinely look forward to it now in a way I did not expect!

Shutting Down Early
I’m rarely working past 8 or 8:30pm now… and often earlier than that. It has changed so much!

Time With Friends
Face-to-face when I can. Lots of voice texting when I can’t. Both matter much more than I realized!!

One Down Day a Week
At least one day where I don’t work much or at all and do intentional, fun things. Non-negotiable now.

Watching Shows like When Calls the Heart
Calming, joyful, wholesome. Sometimes your nervous system just needs something that feels good.

Laughter and Play
Making space for this on purpose. It sounds so simple and yet it’s been one of the most healing things of all.

It’s been so nice to discover who I truly am when I actually give myself grace. If you feel like you’re running on empty… maybe that’s your sign to pull back, too.

A single friend of ours recently started fostering and just said yes to a newborn baby girl. She goes back to work soon, so we are going to be helping her with childcare three days a week. Our kids are SOO excited and Jesse and I are thrilled to get to help care for a little baby again. We have started taking care of her one day a week and David has really taken such an interest in her and has such a gentle spirit towards her.

Fridays are our “Sabbath mornings” (we try to have Sunday be a Sabbath, too, but with six kids, it’s not usually super restful or quiet!). We have a babysitter come watch David and Jesse and I got do something fun together. We are usually offline and it’s time to just connect, hang out, and be together.

We do different things every week, and this past Friday, Jesse had the idea for him to do my run for the day with me. So we ran 3.5 miles to a coffee shop and then got drinks and walked home. It was perfect!

Silas wanted to have a family party at TopGolf for his birthday and he wanted his sisters and their boyfriends to get to come, so we had to wait until last night to make it happen. We left the little boys at drop-in daycare, but Kierstyn got to come with the older three and she felt like such a big kid!!

Silas has gotten really into golf this past year. It’s a brand-new sport for him and it’s been fun for him to have a sport that is totally a hobby, not something that he’s competing in. Plus, he has some good buddies who are all into it, too. He started working at a golf course so he has unlimited range time and earns free tee time every week!

Kathrynne, Kaitlynn, and Will (Kathrynne’s boyfriend) aking advantage of that perfect lighting!

You’ve been lied to. You’ve been told that God will never give you more than you can handle.

But the truth? He absolutely will.

Because if you could handle it all on your own, you wouldn’t need Him.
And He wants you to need Him – to lean fully on His strength, not yours.

When we are weak, we get to see Him be strong.
When we feel inadequate, we get to see Him be more than adequate.
When we don’t have what it takes, He is Enough.
When we feel overwhelmed, it’s an opportunity to see His faithfulness.

You don’t have to keep holding it all together on your own. Let Him meet you in your lack. Let Him carry what you can’t.

Watching these boys play together just makes my heart so happy. I could have never envisioned this a few years ago. But God knew! I share more about this here.

After raising 6 kids, here’s the one thing I’d tell every mom of a 4-year-old.

Let them help. Even when it’s slow. Even when it makes more mess than it fixes.

Six kids have taught me that the 4-year-olds I let try – even when every instinct told me to just do it myself – became the teenagers who can actually run a household.

It didn’t happen by accident. I put together a list of 15 things a 4-year-old can actually do around the house. Comment CHORES and I’ll send it to you!

Here are a few to get you started:

1. Vacuum – a lightweight vacuum or attachment works perfectly for little hands
2. Mop – child-sized mops exist and they will absolutely want to use one!!
3. Simple meal prep – cereal, toast, PB&J. My kids learned these at 4 and it was a game changer
4. Rinse dishes and load the dishwasher – stand them on a chair, remove anything sharp, and just let them try
5. Fold laundry – sort out a small pile of washcloths and hand towels just for them. They will feel SO proud!!

My first ever 7-mile run is in the books, guys! If you had told me three months ago I would be running 7 miles for fun and would be thinking about signing up for a half marathon, I would have told you you were nuts. But here we are!!

Things I’m learning:

1. Bring water!! I use LMNT and just got a Nathan water bottle to bring with me on long runs. (Also, make sure to hydrate well the day before a long run and drink 20 oz. or so of electrolyte water after the run for every pound you lost while running. For instance, I lost almost three pounds – from sweating – on my 7 mile run!)
2. Carb up the day before! I’m adding an additional 100 grams of carbs to my nutrition plan the day before my long runs. Once I get to even longer distances, I’ll need to increase that even more.
3. Eat before you run. I’ve found 45 mins before is ideal for me. I usually have a piece of peanut butter toast or a Honey Stinger waffle.
4. Eat something right after you run. After my 7-mile run, I had a glass of chocolate milk. And then had a full breakfast a little later.
5. Eat while you run. If you notice, there’s a lot of fueling involved with running. 🤣🤣 But it is hugely important! I started bringing Honey Stinger Energy Gummies and I’ll eat one every mile after mile 4. Just a little something to give an energy boost.
6. Eat more food in general. I slacked on my nutrition for a few weeks and it really showed in how I felt – I had a lot more water retention and tiredness after my runs, I had more tiredness in general, and I had different aches and pains. This past week, I upped my calories to 2000 to 2100 a day on normal days and 2300+ on the day before and of my long run and noticed a marked difference!! Fuel your body, people!!
7. Take a rest day! Not only am I prioritizing sleep, but I also am making sure to have one full rest day per week. I’ve been scheduling it before my long run day so I’m well-rested for that.

Runners, what else would you add?? I’m learning so much and appreciate all of your input!

P.S. I’m using the Runna app for my training program and it’s been super helpful in teaching me how to pace and prep and the different types of runs to do every week! Use code CRYSTAL2 to get 2 weeks free!

Books I’m Reading

Right now, I’m reading:

Rooted in Wonder

The Compassionate Christ

Capable

The Correspondent

What I’m Watching

I finished When Calls the Heart this week — I started it in January and to make it through all 13 seasons was pretty exciting! It’s a quiet and slow show, but it’s been so fun to watch while I’m working on different work projects that don’t require much thought or brain power but need to be done every day. It makes tedious tasks a lot more enjoyable. Kierstyn and Micah have really gotten into the show and love watching it with me.

I’m planning to start Hope Valley 1874 next. Have you watched it?

What I’m Listening To

I’m almost halfway through this audiobook and I still have no idea where it’s headed or what I’ve gotten myself into (Jesse keeps hearing me listening to it with all the math and science lingo and is like, “What are you listening to?? Are you okay??”), but I’m so intrigued and have to keep listening. Please do not tell me any spoilers!!! (I’m listening to it with the free 30-day Audible trial.)

This Week on the Podcast: Raising Capable & Confident Kids with David Thomas and Sissy Goff

This episode’s guests might take the cake for most frequent appearances on my podcast — Sissy Goff and David Thomas are back! Throughout this insightful conversation with them, a question kept pulling me back: are we protecting our kids or are we accidentally preventing them from becoming capable? That is the heart of both this episode and their new book, Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience!

Listen in as we unpack why so many loving, thoughtful parents are exhausted from carrying responsibilities their children are actually ready to begin taking on themselves. From chores and homework to conflict resolution, independence, and even sleeping in their own beds, we talk honestly about how resilience is built… and it is not through perfection or pressure but instead through practice, discomfort, and trust.

One of the most eye-opening parts of this conversation is our discussion around “coddling.” We don’t talk about it in a judgmental way but in the very real sense that fear can quietly shape our parenting more than we realize. We discuss why boundaries don’t damage attachment, why kids need opportunities to safely take on challenges, and how confidence grows when children are allowed to solve problems instead of being rescued from every single difficult moment.

Sissy and David get practical too, sharing some simple, age-appropriate ways that parents can begin shifting responsibility to their children, whether they’re toddlers, elementary-aged kids, teenagers, or even young adults. We cover natural consequences, teaching children to ask for help, encouraging self-advocacy, and how over-monitoring can unintentionally communicate, “I don’t think you can handle this.”

This episode is all about becoming a steadier parent, and we discuss the importance of modeling courage ourselves, letting our kids see us try new things, fail, recover, and grow. If you’re reading this and thinking, “I didn’t do this soon enough,” I think you’ll find a lot of hope in this conversation too. 

I hope that you enjoy this conversation with Sissy and David, and, as always, please feel free to reach out to me with your own thoughts!

Click here to listen to this episode.

In Case You Missed It – Links From This Week

Summer Movie Coupons and Cheap Movies — Looking for frugal fun this summer? Be sure to check out this round-up of all the best discounts on summer movies for kids!

My Favorite Audiobooks — With a good audiobook, I can clean a bathroom, wait in the carpool line, or fold a load of laundry — and suddenly it actually feels like me-time. If you’re ready to hit play on your next favorite audiobook, here are my top 7 audiobooks I can’t stop recommending! (And, don’t miss the Audible deal above!)

Quick & Easy Mini Calzones Recipe ($10 Family Dinner Idea) — This is such a simple, pickiest-eater-approved dinner idea! Whether you’re rushing out the door to practice or just want a quick budget-friendly meal, you’ll love adding these easy Mini Calzones to your meal rotation!

Here is our comprehensive list of all the completely FREE programs for 2026!

{Looking for other fun summer deals? Kids can get report card freebies for good grades, plus they can also bowl for free and skate for free at many participating locations this summer!

The Best Summer Reading Programs 2026

Believe it or not, it’s almost that time of year again — when school is out and summer reading programs abound. Yay!

Note: We recommend calling your local stores to verify that they’re participating in these programs this year.

Do your kids love to read, too? If so, this is our big list of all the FREE summer reading programs that are available nationally!

Summer Reading Programs for Older Kids

Half Price Books — Half Price Books is hosting Summer Reading Camp for kids 14 or younger. Kids are encouraged to read 15 minutes per day to reach a total of at least 300 minutes. After that, they can turn in their completed reading log to their local store to earn Bookworm Bucks to spend. Each week they will also offer fun new printable activity sheets of all kinds!

Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading Program — Kids ages 18 and under can select a list from the grade level bands listed. Print the list and track each book you read by checking it off and recording the date it was read, along with a rating. Submit your list to receive a recognition certificate and T-shirt!

Pizza Hut Camp Book It — In addition to their annual school year program, Pizza Hut also has their summer reading program called Summer of Stories! Simply track your child’s reading during June, July, and August. Once they reach their monthly reading goal, they can redeem for a free one-topping personal pizza at Pizza Hut!

Sweet Sora Reads — Geared toward K-12, this program will run from May 12th through August 25th and offer a collection of free, simultaneous-use ebooks and select audiobooks.

Local Libraries — Above all, don’t forget about your local library! Most of them offer fun summer reading programs with prizes and more.Bonus: Don’t forget about the Pizza Hut Book-It Program that runs each school year!

Why Do a Summer Reading Program?

Summer reading programs are a great opportunity for kids to keep reading (and learning) even when they’re not in school.

Plus, they’re free and something your children can do anywhere and at any time!

With the added incentives and prizes offered, it’s a win-win for kids and their families!

Why are Summer Reading Programs Important?

It’s good for their brain development and can help them to retain more of what they learned during the school year.

Reading is also a great way to pass the time — time they might otherwise spend zoning out to screens!

How to Encourage Kids with a Summer Reading Program

The best way to encourage your children to do anything is by modeling the behavior you want for them — so start reading!

Ask them what types of books interest them and then ask your librarian to suggest similar books at the child’s reading level. Or, select books you can read aloud to them.

Make reading time fun with special snacks, by reading outside, or by letting them “stay up late” to read one more chapter.

FAQs for Kid Summer Reading Programs

Download our FREE Kid’s Summer Reading Printable Pack!

Looking for a fun way to encourage and motivate your kids to read more? Or need a creative way for your kids to keep track of all the books they read through summer reading programs this year?

Be sure to download our FREE Kid’s Summer Reading Printable Pack! It comes with a reading challenge, reading time tracker, and fill-in-the-blank summer reading list.

Do you know of any other Summer Reading Programs we should add to this list for 2026? Let us know in the comments!

With a good audiobook, I can clean a bathroom, wait in the carpool line, or fold a load of laundry — and it makes a sometimes monotonous task really enjoyable. Getting something done while getting lost in a story? That’s a major win!

There’s also something really special about hearing the author or narrator bring the story to life in their own voice. It adds a whole new layer to the reading experience of the best audiobooks.

Psst! Be sure to check out how I listen to audiobooks for free. And don’t forget to sign up to get 3 FREE audiobooks from Audiobooks.com right now!

How to Get Free Audiobooks

Before we get into the list, I want to share how I get free audiobooks because, without that, audiobook listening can quickly become expensive.

I discovered the Libby app a number of years ago, and I love that I can listen to just about any audiobook I want completely for FREE! I highly, highly recommend it!

That being said, Libby’s audiobooks can sometimes have long holds or short lending periods that require you to return the book before you’ve finished it.

If you’re looking for another way to grab a few FREE audiobooks, you can currently sign up for an Audiobooks.com trial and get 3 FREE audiobooks during your first month! You’ll get access to over 150,000 audiobooks! (Just remember to cancel your subscription before your free trial is up so that you don’t get charged!)

Another option is Audible, which gives you access to a streaming library of books and lets you keep one book per month of membership, even after you’ve canceled your subscription. Check out the current Audible discounts and deals here.

Psst! If you like eBooks, you might want to take advantage of this FREE one-month Kindle Unlimited Trial that’s available, too! It includes not just eBooks but thousands of audiobooks, as well!

7 Best Audiobooks I Highly Recommend

If you’re ready to hit play on your next favorite audiobook, here are my top 7 audiobooks I can’t stop recommending:

1. Before We Were Yours

At the advice of my readers, I started reading this one and immediately couldn’t stop talking about it.

It’s the tragic and true story of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society Orphanage scandals and how they played out in the lives of the children who actually went through this horrific experience.

Truth be told, I had never heard of these scandals before listening to this book — and I live in Tennessee! I have asked multiple people who live here and they haven’t heard of it either.

It’s heart-wrenching and horrible and I think a powerful reminder of how money can cause people to make terrible decisions that can hurt people in devastating ways.

The book is well-written and engaging and appears to be very well-researched historical fiction. It is also the beautiful story of sibling love and how trauma and devastation doesn’t have to define your future.

Note: There are a lot of situations in the book when it comes to abuse that could be very triggering to people, depending upon your life experience and trauma. The book doesn’t give nitty-gritty details, but it’s enough that it could be very triggering.

2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

I read this book a number of years ago and loved it. Then, I watched the Netflix movie they did based upon the book.

Well, after watching the movie and enjoying it, I realized I couldn’t remember enough about the book to compare the movie and the book. So, in an uncharacteristic move, I decided to read the book again.

Only this time, I listened to it (thanks to getting the audiobook for free from the Libby app). This is one of the best audiobooks, because it’s SO well done and I loved that the audiobook is narrated by multiple voices!

3. We Were the Lucky Ones

This was my very favorite audiobook of 2021! This is based on the true story of a Jewish family during World War II who were separated all over the world and how they ended up surviving and eventually being reunited. It is deeply moving, gripping, and heartbreaking. But at the same time, it is the story of love, family, and perseverance against all odds.

One thing I noticed was how creative and determined to beat the odds each of the family members was, coming up with outside-the-box ideas, and not giving up. When all around it felt like everything was crumbling and hopeless, they chose to keep pressing on and keep holding on to the will to live.

Of all the parts of the book, I think the sections that most impacted me were thinking of what it would be like to have young children during the Holocaust and how deeply difficult it would be to try to care for and protect a baby or child in the midst of so much fear, uncertainty, and straight up disregard for human life. I can’t even begin to imagine and this book helped me to have a glimpse into just how horrific that would have been.

Note: There is a little bit of language and, as you can imagine, some intense and graphic topics are touched on. However, I felt like the book did a good job of not going into unnecessarily graphic details and stayed true to the story and experiences.

4. Remarkably Bright Creatures

So, this is a book I never expected would make my favorites list. But, it completely surprised me how much I loved it and grew attached to the quirky characters in it — including an octopus! 

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I actually bought a copy so I could finish reading it instead of listening to it! I rarely do that, so you know I loved the book.

It’s a book with multiple unique characters telling their story from their point of view and how they all weave together in the end is beautiful and endearing. If you enjoy a good fiction story told from different vantage points that spans a wide variety of ages and interests, definitely check this book out!

Note: This is not a Christian book and has some crass language in it, but it is well-written and engaging story… and it made me want to learn a lot more about the octopus from it as it was fascinating and I learned so much just from the parts of the book included about it!

5. The Things We Cannot Say

This book wasn’t at all what I expected and I almost didn’t keep listening after the first few chapters because it threw me off… but I’m so glad that I did because it ended up being such a beautiful story.

I loved getting to walk in the shoes of a mom who has a child on the autism spectrum and to feel more empathy for what she is experiencing and walking through. The book also made me think of how everyone is carrying heavy burdens and how many people are probably walking around with secrets and burdens and struggles that we don’t know anything about.

Note: This book contains a little crass language.

6. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

This is a book I never would have picked up on my own, but it came so highly recommended by multiple people that I decided to try it because it was free to listen to on Libby. I’m so glad I did because it is one of those books that has stuck with me for a long time.

This book explores not only the Pack Horse Librarian Project that was started by Roosevelt’s New Deal — a project dedicated to bringing literature to people who lived far away from access to libraries — but it also dives deep into the Blue People. 

I had never heard of either the Pack Horse Librarian Project or the Blue People and the book inspired me to dig deeper into both of them. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to learn about.

If you enjoy well-researched historical fiction about important pieces of history that aren’t widely known/talked about (at least I’d never heard of either!), this would be a good read. It does have some language and a few more adult-themed sections, but overall was well worth the time I invested listening to it.

I felt like the story was slow in parts and skipped around a little, but it was still moving and drew you in. I learned so much from it and have talked about it multiple times with multiple people since listening to it — which always signifies to me that a book resonated with me.

7. The Great Alone

This was a fascinating peek into the world of what it’s like to live in Alaska. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law and nephew live in Alaska, so it gave me a whole new appreciation for their life. 

The audiobook felt so sad and dark in parts… and it opened my eyes to how hard it would be to live where it is so dark and cold so much of the year. I had never really thought how much sunshine and warmth can impact our overall mood and could steal one’s joy and motivation. 

The Great Alone did a fantastic job of helping me to have a deeper understanding of the challenges people in Alaska have faced and how harsh and brutal the winters are and how isolating that could be. If you have ever wondered what life in Alaska is like for some or you are just looking for a unique novel that is well-written and engaging, I would highly recommend The Great Alone.

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

• Get 3 FREE Audiobooks from Audiobooks.com
• *HOT* Audible Discount: Free 30-Day Trial!
• Free Two-Month Kindle Unlimited Trial
• How I Listen to Audiobooks for Free
• Where to Get Books for Free (Yes, Really!)
• Where to Buy Cheap Books (So You Can Read More Without Spending a Fortune)
• How I Read 15 Books in One Month
• 10 Tips to Read Aloud with Kids
• How to Find More Time to Read — Even When Life is Busy
• 7 Ways to Find More Time to Read
• Best Devotionals & Christian Books for Women
• The 6 Best Books I Read in 2021
• My Top 5 Favorite Reads in 2022
• My Top 4 Favorite Reads From 2024
• My Top 4 Favorite Reads From 2025

What do you recommend as some of the best audiobooks to listen to? I’d love to hear!

FREE Summer Reading Challenge Printable Pack!

 Sign up below to get your free summer reading pack that includes 25 books to read this summer, tips for how to read more, reading trackers/checklists, and more!

Yay! Send me my summer reading printables!

Aldi

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $3.39

1 gallon Whole Milk – $3.18

1/2 gallon Unsweetened Almond Milk – $2.19

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $2.49

2 32-oz cartons Egg Whites – $9.68

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $3.25

2 32-oz tubs Plain Greek Yogurt – $5.68

2 boxes Butter – $5.78

1 pkg Boneless Chicken Breasts – $13.69

1 canister Quick Oats – $3.29

1 canister Grits – $2.15

1 jar BBQ Sauce – $2.24

1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.49

1 Cauliflower – $3.65

1 pkg Broccoli Florets – $2.70

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $3.49

2 bags Greens Beans – $4.78

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.29

1 bag Honey Crisp Apples – $3.15

1 3-ct bag Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.55

1 bag Red Grapes -$2.74

1 jar Raisins – $2.99

1 bunch Organic Bananas – $1.36

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $3.65

1 bag Veggie Straws – $2.49

1 bag Organic Corn Chips – $2.69

1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $4.15

2 bags String Cheese – $4.98

1 12-ct box Applesauce Pouches – $6.49

1 pkg Brats – $4.99

Total: $119.64

Publix

2 bags Lay’s Chips – $4.29, used $2/2 Lay’s Publix Digital Coupon –$2.29 for 2 after Coupon

2 bags Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Strips – $11.99, used (2) $1.50/1 Printables – $8.99 for 2 after Coupons

2 Newman’s Own Pizza – $8.79

1 tub Delizza Eclairs – $3.74, used $1.50/1 Delizza Publix Digital Coupon –$2.24 after Coupon

3 boxes Yasso Bars – $9.80, received (3) $2.50/1 Yasso Bars Ibotta Rebates plus 1500 points from Fetch ($1.50)  – $0.80 for 3 boxes after Rebates

2 cartons Nellie’s Eggs – $5.99, used $2/1 Printable, plus received $1/2 Nellie’s Ibotta Rebate – $2.99 for 2 after Coupon and Rebate

1 Colgate Toothpaste – $4.99, used $5/1 Colgate Publix Digital Coupon – FREE after Coupon

1 Oxiclean – $2.09, used $2/1 Oxiclean Publix Digital Coupon – $0.09 after Coupon

1 box No Yolks Protein Pasta – $1.64, used $1/1 No Yolks Publix Digital Coupon – $0.64 after Coupon

2 boxes Kraft Macaroni and Cheese – $1.59

5 boxes Dave’s Killer Bars Breakfast Bars – $14.47, received (5) $1.50/1 Dave’s Ibotta Rebates plus 1500 points from Fetch ($1.50)  – $5.47 for 5 boxes 

1 bag Wonder Bagels – $2.42, used $1.50/1 Wonder Publix Digital Coupon, plus received $0.50/1 Wonder Ibotta Rebate – $0.42 after Coupon

1 bag Wonder Hamburger Buns – $2, received $1/1 Wonder Ibotta Rebate – $1 after Rebate

1 tub Publix Ice Cream – $5, used FREE tub of Ice Cream Publix Digital Coupon – FREE after Coupon

~ Used $4/$60 Publix Perk Digital Coupon

~ Received $5 Midweek Money Drop Bonus Ibotta Rebate 

~ This trip finished another $10 Stocking Spree Rebate

Total after Coupons, Taxes and Rebates: $16.81

Publix

5 bags Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears – $8.75, received (5) $1.75/1 Black Forest Ibotta Rebates – FREE after Rebates

3 Yasso Spoonable Frozen Yogurts – $9.74, received (3) $2/1 Yasso Spoonables Ibotta Rebates plus $0.50 Yasso Bonus Ibotta Rebate – $3.24 for 3 after Rebates

5 bags Harvest Snaps Crunchy Loops – $7.48, received (5) $1/1 Harvest Snaps Crunchy Loops Ibotta Rebates -$2.48 for 5 after Rebates 

~ Received $5 Weekend Cash Dash Bonus Ibotta Rebate 

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $0.72

Grocery Total for the Week: $137.17

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Grits, Granola, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies, Bagels

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples/Applesauce Pouches, Mini Peppers, Chips/Veggie Straws/Harvest Snaps, Dave’s Bars, Cheese Sticks (Options for sack lunches for school) x 4

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

BBQ Meatballs, Tossed Salad, Creamy Milk Rice, Apple Crisp and Ice Cream

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Broccoli

Biscuits and Venison Sausage Gravy

Brats, Potato Wedges, Cauliflower, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pizza

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

Send me my FREE Menu Plan!

I can often get Pillsbury canned biscuits for less than a dollar at Publix (by combining sales, coupons and rebate apps), and I love using them in this dinner idea. You can also make your own biscuit dough, of course, if you prefer that.

As far as the filling goes, your imagination is the limit! that’s one of the best things about this Mini Calzone recipe — it’s endlessly customizable. Tonight I used ground venison sausage  (my husband is a hunter so we always have venison!) and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Mini pepperoni (instead of venison sausage) is another favorite of ours in this recipe. Other great filling ideas include cooked Italian sausage, spinach and Ricotta, or even just classic cheese. You really can’t go wrong!

I served the Mini Calzones with Roasted Parmesan Broccoli and of course pizza sauce on the side for dipping!

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Mini Calzones Menu:

• Mini Calzones
• Roasted Parmesan Broccoli
• Pizza Sauce for dipping

Ingredients for Mini Calzones:

• 2 cans biscuits (Publix – sales, coupons and rebates) — $2
• 3/4 lb ground sausage, cooked (I used ground venison sausage but this price is based on Aldi prices) — $3
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Aldi) — $1.23
• 1-2 cups pizza sauce for dipping (Aldi) — $0.69
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter (Aldi – $2.99 for 1lb) — $0.19
• Parmesan cheese

Total for Calzones: $7.11 (makes 16 calzones)

Ingredients for Roasted Parmesan Broccoli:

• 1 pound broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size pieces (Aldi) — $2.39
• Drizzle of olive oil, garlic powder, salt, Parmesan cheese

Total for Dinner: $2.39 + seasonings (serves 6)

Total for Dinner: $9.50 (plus cost of seasonings) (makes 6 servings)

How to Make Mini Calzones with Roasted Parmesan Broccoli:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 3 baking pans with parchment paper. In one of the pans, spread the broccoli pieces in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned.

2. Roll out each biscuit until 1/4 inch thick. Top each biscuit with a small amount of cooked sausage and shredded cheese.

3. Fold biscuits in half to create a half moon shape. Use a fork to seal the edges of each calzone. Cut two slits in each calzone.

4. Bake 12-15 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Print

Mini Calzones and Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

Mini Calzones made with Pillsbury biscuits are an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner — perfect for busy weeknights! They're customizable, budget-friendly, and totally grab-and-go ready. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping and watch them disappear!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword easy dinner, easy side dish, family favorite, homemade, quick snack, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 887kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $9.50

Ingredients

Ingredients for Mini Calzones:

• 2 cans biscuits Publix – sales, coupons and rebates — $2
• 3/4 lb ground sausage cooked (I used ground venison sausage but this price is based on Aldi prices) — $3
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese Aldi — $1.23
• 1-2 cups pizza sauce for dipping Aldi — $0.69
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter Aldi – $2.99 for 1lb — $0.19
• Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

• 1 pound broccoli crowns cut into bite-size pieces (Aldi) — $2.39
• Drizzle olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 3 baking pans with parchment paper. In one of the pans, spread the broccoli pieces in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned.
• While the broccoli bakes, roll out each biscuit until 1/4 inch thick. Top each biscuit with a small amount of cooked sausage and shredded cheese.
• Fold biscuits in half to create a half moon shape. Use a fork to seal the edges of each calzone. Cut two slits in each calzone.
• Bake 12-15 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Notes

As far as the filling goes, your imagination is the limit! That’s one of the best things about this Mini Calzone recipe — it’s endlessly customizable. Tonight I used ground venison sausage  (my husband is a hunter so we always have venison!) and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Mini pepperoni (instead of venison sausage) is another favorite of ours in this recipe. Other great filling ideas include Italian sausage, spinach and Ricotta cheese, or even just classic cheese. You really can’t go wrong! 

Nutrition

Calories: 887kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 2235mg | Potassium: 868mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 999IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 7mg

FAQs about Mini Calzones and Roasted Parmesan Broccoli:

More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:

• Mexican Lasagna
• Easy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet
• Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Chicken Burgers and Baked Fries
• Spaghetti Pizza
• Cheesy Potato Soup and Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowls
• Crustless Spinach Quiche and Whole Wheat Bread
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Baked Chicken Chimichangas and Cilantro Rice
• Baked Potato Bar

And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!

If you make this easy Mini Calzones recipe, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!

FREE DOWNLOAD: 60 Meals To Help You Avoid Takeout!

Meal time just got so much easier!

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{Looking for other fun summer deals? Don’t miss our round-up of the best Summer Reading Programs! Plus, kids can bowl for free and skate for free at many participating locations this summer!}

Where to see Free Kids Movies (Premiere Cinemas, Phoenix Theatres)

If you’re looking for a great way to have some frugal fun with your kids this summer, then be sure to check out this list of discounts on kids’ movies! And don’t forget to check your local theater offerings, too!

Premiere Cinemas— Watch kid’s films for FREE at 10 a.m or 11 a.m. every Wednesday and Thursday morning! Valid June 10 – August 6, 2026.

Phoenix Theatres — See a free movie each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10 a.m.. Doors open at 9 a.m. and all age groups are welcome.

 Where to Find Discount Movie Tickets

Regal Cinemas — Each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m., participating Regal Cinemas are offering moviegoers of all ages a selection of G or PG-rated films for just $1! Valid from June 1 to August 13, 2026.

AMC Theaters – Enjoy family favorite movies back with our Summer Movie Camp. Starting June 22nd, get tickets for as low as $3 plus tax throughout the summer.

Cinemark Theaters — Participating Cinemark theaters are offering an 10-Week Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse promotion. Tickets are just $1.75 per movie! Valid from June 1 – August 6, 2026.

Classic Cinemas – Score $2 movies on Wednesday mornings 10am! Doors open at 9 AM for entertainment and games. Valid June 3rd – August 6th.

Studio Movie Grille — Escape the summer heat and watch screenings of recent, popular, children films from May 26th through August 13th. Tickets are $6 and include a small popcorn and small drink.

Harkins Theaters — Kids can enjoy a movie each week for 8 weeks, for just $1 per film for members. Valid through June 1 – July 24, 2026.

Landmark Theaters — Cool down this summer with $2 movies every Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday at 11am! Valid June 20th through August 12th.

Do you know of any other discounts on summer movies for kids? Let us know if we missed any!

FREE Summer Bucket List!!

100 Creative Ideas for Frugal Fun with Kids!

Send me my FREE list of 100 FUN ideas

Shaving Club Reviews That Made Me Try It

Years ago, I wrote a funny post about how I had been using a disposable razor head without a handle to shave that week because I had left my razor in Dallas on a speaking trip and was too cheap to go buy a new razor when I could make do with just using a razor head until a new razor could come in from Amazon (purchased with a free gift card from Swagbucks).

So many of you commented on that post and gave hilarious suggestions and funny money-saving confessions. (You can read some of those funny comments here.) Plus, some of you left some great tips and tricks for saving on razors!

One of the suggestions that people gave over and over again was for me to sign up for Dollar Shave Club. I think almost every one of us has heard of this program. It’s a monthly subscription box service that sends you razor blades every month so you never run out of razors.

Why I Was Skeptical of Dollar Shave Club Razors

I was skeptical of the whole idea. I’m not really sure why? Maybe it’s because their ads are a bit quirky? Or maybe it’s because I was spoiled from being able to get razors for FREE for so many years — either with coupons and rebates (especially when shopping amazing CVS deals and Walgreens deals) or through Amazon with gift cards I earned from Swagbucks. I didn’t see the point in paying for a program like this!

You see, for the first few years of our marriage, I always had a surplus of razors I had gotten free by pairing coupons with the drugstore rebate programs. And when the drugstore deals became a lot less abundant, I realized we were spoiled from using great disposable razors! The thought of going back to cheap ones wasn’t really appealing.

The razor deals at drugstores aren’t as prevalent now, but you can still occasionally find a good deal on razors by pairing a coupon with a sale and/or drugstore rebate. However, just as the deals on razors started waning, I discovered Swagbucks and then used the free gift cards I earned there to cover the costs of razors. I usually just bought high-quality razors that were still priced well. (If I got lucky, I’d find an e-coupon I can clip to save more!)

So I never looked into Dollar Shave Club other than to think, “Wow! I guess people will pay for anything as a subscription box service! But really… who would PAY for a monthly subscription to get razors in the mail??!”

Dollar Shave Club Reviews from Readers

As you can probably imagine by my cynical attitude, I was super surprised that reader after reader after reader left comments with amazing Dollar Shave Club reviews! Here are just a few of those comments:

Summer said: “Have you considered Dollar Shave Club? I was so skeptical at first, but my husband and I both LOVE it. (We get the middle of the road razors and the cartridges each month.) They will auto mail them out, but you can change it either from monthly to bi-monthly at any time! AND they e-mail you a few days before your shipment to remind you to make changes. (Speaking from experience!) My mom even got hooked on the program, too.”

Another reader commented and said, “I don’t know how you haven’t discovered the wonder and joy of Dollar Shave Club. I am an every day shaver. I can’t even handle it. These razors are fantastic (even the dollar blades) and you literally can’t beat the price.”

And Lindsay agreed: “We love Dollar Shave Club!! My husband and I use the same razor blades and each have our own handle and pack of blades. We share the refills and only order once every other month. It’s frugal and I love how I never ‘run out’ of refills.”

Really?!?! Apparently I was one of the few people who thought getting razors in the mail was just a weird idea.

Why I Decided to Try Dollar Shave Club Products

In the name of wanting to investigate this to see if it was really a good deal and also wanting to follow my own mantra of “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” I signed up for Dollar Shave Club. Since it was only $8 per month (you can also get a trial set for $26.95 which includes 4 razor blades, a diamond grip handle, shave butter, and a razor cover), I figured that if I didn’t like it, I could cancel after a month or two and not really be out much out of pocket for my experiment!

Plus, since so many of you were looking for Dollar Shave Club reviews, I had promised you all an honest review — and I figured that it was worth spending a little money out of pocket to try this for 3 months and report back to you all with my honest thoughts.

How Does Dollar Shave Club Work?

To get started with Dollar Shave Club, you can sign up for their $26.95 Starter Set that includes the Club Series 6-Blade razor (2), Classic 4-Blade razor (2), diamond grip handle, shave butter (3 oz), and a razor cover.

When you take advantage of this deal, it signs you up for the Dollar Shave Club membership that will renew after the first month at the full Club Series razor price of $8/month with free shipping.

After the first month, be sure to go into your membership settings and choose the razor blades you’d like to receive each month. You can opt to switch to a cheaper razor if you want to pay less per month.

There are no hidden fees. You can cancel your subscription at any time. Or you can change plans at any time. When you change plans, you’ll receive a new razor handle for free.

Pause your subscription or change your shipment frequency at any time. You can even get blades every other month if you want!

When I first signed up, this $26.95 Starter Set offer wasn’t available, so I chose the $8 box.

What Comes in a Regular Monthly Box

My initial box included a razor handle, 4 razor blade cartridges, and some extra samples/goodies. The following months, you just get a package with 4 razor blade cartridges every month + the bathroom notes (which are sometimes a little crass). They sometimes have included a little sample, too.

Is Dollar Shave Club Worth It?

I have definitely surprised myself with liking Dollar Shave Club — and I’ve found myself agreeing with all the positive Dollar Shave Club reviews! The razors have held up well for me and they give a clean shave.

One thing I’ve found is that the blades don’t hold up as long as name-brand blades do. As you know, I shave every single day. Because I’m weird like that! And I typically would only need to replace a cartridge every 3 1/2 weeks or so.

I find myself wanting to replace my cartridge at the 2 1/2 week mark with the Dollar Shave Club razors. But here’s the thing! Since I’m the only one using Dollar Shave Club in my family, I never go through all four cartridges each month! I switched to every other month shipments and it makes it half the price I was paying!

I will say, though, that I switched to the more expensive 6-blade cartridges and found they lasted much longer than the 4-blade cartridges. So if you shave a lot like I do and want your cartridges to last longer, you might opt for continuing with the more expensive blades!

I’ve now been using Dollar Shave Club for a number of years and still love it!

Some Final Thoughts

One of the major selling points of Dollar Shave Club is that you never have to remember to order razors. They just show up at your door at a lower price than you’d usually pay at the store.

Be sure to check out my post on 7 Secrets to Save Up to $100 Per Year on Razors! (And if you’re interested in other subscription services, you can also get a free Harry’s Shaving Bundle right now!)

Dollar Shave Club Razors Reviews FAQ

More Ways to Save on Essentials:

• Harry’s Razors Shaving Bundle for $3 shipped!
• Walgreens 101: How to Save BIG at Walgreens Every Time You Shop
• CVS 101: Deals and Rewards Program Guide
• 25 Ways to Save Money on Groceries
• My 25 Favorite Things to Buy at ALDI
• The Top 30+ Items to Buy at Sam’s Club
• 25 Ways to Save On Pet Costs
• 30 Creative Ways to Save On Gas With Rising Fuel Prices
• 15 “Weird” Ways to Save Money
• 14 Smart (and Slightly Unusual) Ways Our Readers Save Money on Food

Have you tried Dollar Shave Club before? If so, we’d love to hear your honest Dollar Shave Club reviews and if you think it’s worth it!

Want to make progress on your financial goals, but have no idea where to start?

 With these FREE Budget Goal Planning Worksheets, you’ll begin with the MOST IMPORTANT piece of goal-setting & then have space to track your steps!

Yes, I want to set financial goals with these FREE sheets!

15+ Gifts for Teen Girls

Yesterday, I shared Silas’s gift guide for teen boys and you all loved it! For those who asked if Kaitlynn could put one together for teen girls, I’ve gotchu (as my teens would say!). Here are 16 gift ideas for teen girls, compiled by Kaitlynn!

1. Summer Fridays Lip Balm

I have so many of these. They last a long time and make a perfect stocking stuffer!

2. Touchland Hand Sanitizer

These fit perfectly in a purse or small bag and are so cute. Another great stocking stuffer idea for teen girls!

3. Sol de janiero Body Mist

You can’t go wrong with any Sol de Janeiro scent. They all smell wonderful and are one of the best gift ideas for teen girls! 

4. Benefit Benetint

Looking for just a pop of color without a full face of makeup? Try this! It’s also very gentle on your skin.

5. Tree Hut Body Scrub

Tree Hut has the best body scrubs! They are so popular and make adorable inexpensive gifts or stocking stuffers. Best of all, they come in so many different scents!

6. Hollister Hoodie

These are my favorite hoodies. They have a lot of different colors and I think the fit is perfect. They are not too heavy and super comfy. These are a practical and cozy teen girl gift.

7. E newton bracelet

These bracelets are well worth the price. I never take mine off and they still look brand new! (Crystal here: Kaitlynn bought me one of these for my birthday and I absolutely love it! I wear mine 24/7 and I agree with her that it still looks brand-new!)

8. Natural Life Boho Bandeau

These come in so many different beautiful patterns and there are a number of fun ways you can wear them!

9. Ouai Hair Oil

This hair oil is so hydrating on the hair. It is perfect for any hair type.

10. Kendra Scott Mini Elisa Necklace

Kendra Scott necklaces are a great gift for any teen girl in 2026. These are so beautiful, they hold up so well, and the color options are gorgeous!

11. Target Jewelry Organizer

My sister and I both have one similar to this and it’s a really practical gift that looks adorable on your dresser or vanity!

12. Eos Lotion

This is the best lotion I’ve used! It’s so hydrating and smells amazing. All of the EOS scents are great gifts.

13. Amika Hair Mask  

Amika has the best hair care! I highly recommend this if you want to invest in a good mask that will make your hair super soft.

14. Redken All Soft Kit

This is a good deal on a quality hair care set that will make your hair so smooth and shiny!

15. Tarte Mascara

This is my favorite mascara (and I’ve tried so many different ones!). It stays on well all day and is so easy to remove at night!

16. Barefoot Dreams Blanket

Barefoot Dreams makes the comfiest blankets. This is a great gift for the teen girl who is a homebody or who loves to curl up with a good book!

A Couple of Bonus Ideas from the team

17. Kate Spade Outlet Wristlet or Card Holder

Pair a Kate Spade Outlet wristlet or card holder with a gift card to a favorite store or coffee shop for a fun gift.

18. Keychain Portable Charger

This Keychain Portable Charger makes such a practical gift, and the built-in cables mean there’s nothing extra to carry around or lose.

More Gift Guides

Looking for other budget-friendly gift guides? Don’t miss these:

• 10 Gifts for Teen Boys (put together by Silas)
• Ultimate List of $10 Stocking Stuffers For The Family
• 25+ Easy Last Minute Christmas Gifts
• 50+ Budget-Friendly and Easy DIY Christmas Gifts
• 20 Quick & Easy Neighbor Gifts For Christmas
• 20+ Gifts for Board Game Lovers Under $30
• My 10 Favorite Unique Baby Gifts
• 50+ Ideas for Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Men
• 10+ Eco-Friendly Gifts Under $30
• Christmas Gifts for Expecting Moms Under $30
• The Best Outdoor Gift Guide for the Adventurer
• Gifts for Lego Lovers: Perfect For Kids and Adults
• 20 Best Christmas Gifts for Boys (Under $30!)
• 15+ of the Best Gluten Free Gifts
• 15+ Beauty Product Gifts (Under $30!)
• Top 10 Subscription Boxes for Kids

Psst! Be sure to sign up for our hot deals newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any of the hottest deals each day this holiday season!

Do you have any other great gift ideas for teen girls? Let us know!

FREE DOWNLOAD:

Christmas Budget Boost Cheatsheet!

20 Simple Ways to Easily Add $100+ To Your Gift Budget Before Christmas!

Send me my FREE cheatsheet!

For many years, I longed to be invited to tables and to have deep community. But so often I felt I didn’t fit. I was too much or not enough…

Anytime I was invited, I came to the table feeling like I was already not worthy. That maybe it was an accident I got invited. Or that if the people really got to know me, they wouldn’t like me.

So I held back. I censored myself. I tried to be who I thought people wanted me to be. And I never felt good enough.

I second-guessed and psycho-analyzed my actions and words and reactions. And beat myself up when I felt like I probably wasn’t who someone wanted or hoped I would be.

Here’s the thing I’ve learned: when we pretend to be someone we’re not in order to win love or approval, we miss the opportunity for people actually get to know and truly love the person that we are.

Another hard-won truth: when we come into a room or sit at a table focusing on “do they like me?” or “do I belong here?”, we will be so in our own head that we probably will miss out on many opportunities to bless and encourage others.

God has taken me on a journey this past decade of slowly letting go of my tightly-held need to chase after applause, approval, and accolades. It has been hard. Really hard.

It’s meant letting go of trying to control my reputation and being okay with people not liking me. But you know what else??

It’s allowed me to start showing up in rooms and at tables and in relationships in a whole new way. I already know I’m approved by God so I can rest in that and not need to try to chase after it from others.

This frees me up to just love others well and focus on how I can pour into them instead of constantly stressing about how I am perceived or whether I’m who they thought I would be.

I’m letting more walls down. Trusting people more. Showing up more fully and having deeper community and relationship than I’ve ever experienced before.

And I feel like each year I get a little braver, a little less guarded, and am able to love people even more freely.

I can’t wait to see what this next decade holds!

One of the unexpected gifts of the retreat last week was meeting Hannah Capps Photography — she and I discovered we have SO many unique similarities in our backgrounds and multiple mutual friends… it was like meeting your long lost bestie that you never knew.

That person who cuts you off in traffic. That cashier who seemed grumpy. That co-worker who was extra irritable. The neighbor who reported your lawn to the HOA. You never know what they are going through or carrying. And how much they might desperately need extra kindness.

Before you clap back or get frustrated, stop to remind yourself, “I don’t know what they are going through, but I’m going to choose kindness today.” There’s something really liberating in realizing we don’t have to respond in the same way we are treated. We can choose to diffuse anger with compassion and calmness.

You never know what someone is walking through so let’s just choose kindness. ❤️

I took this boy to school last week for the first time all year since his car is in the shop… told him we were going to get a picture together. And he was like, “nope.” His smirk in this photo made me laugh.

I can still see his smirk in this pic. 🙃

He turned 17 this past week and that just feels so old. I’m not sure why but it just has hit me that my boy is a man now. I think maybe because he was the baby of the family for so long that it feels really weird for him to be almost an adult!!

As I looked through pictures from this past year, I noticed two themes: 1) Silas has grown so much this year! (See first and last pics for comparison – red uniform was early in the summer last year and the first pic is from recently). 2) Silas is always hanging out with his younger siblings and caring for them. 😍

This was a year of so much physical and spiritual growth. I’ve watched Silas weather some big challenges, really seek the Lord, and choose to respond to hard situations with such strong character.

This was also the year Silas discovered his love for golf and it’s been fun to see him learn a new sport and become so passionate about it (so much so that he got a job at a golf course partly so he could earn free tee time every week!)

Silas came to us in December saying he felt like God was nudging him to switch schools for a long list of reasons. That was a big surprise to us, but after much prayer and many discussions and so many confirmations from God, we agreed and have been actively praying and pursuing what God has for him next year. I’m so eager to see what God has in store as he steps into something new for his Junior year.

Having a teen son has been so different than teen daughters, but I absolutely love it and am so ridiculously proud of the man Silas is becoming. His character, his work ethic, his cooking, watching him give his all on the court and the field, and seeing his genuine and deep love and care for his siblings. I am truly humbled and blessed to be his mom!

I love you, Silas! Happy 17th birthday! ❤️

Throwback pic — do you remember when our older three were this little??

We revised and updated my very popular 15 Chores for 4-Year-Olds post because our Micah is almost 4. And it has some fun pics on it like this one!

I got to go to David’s class Thursday afternoon and oh man how it warmed my mama heart. He’s years behind everyone else in the class, and requires constant supervision and help. And yet, he is so loved there!

During puzzle time, he decided he wanted to play with his emotional support toy that he brings to school pretty much every day because he’s so attached to it (it was a Christmas gift from Grandma & Grandpa)

But during craft time, he actually held the crayon and glue stick some and helped me color and put some glue on!! It actually was the longest I’ve actually ever seen him hold an object like a glue stick without throwing it!

So many might see David as a challenging or difficult child since he’s constantly on the move, he can get frustrated easily, he often has his own plan of what he wants to do and is pretty adamant about it, and he likes to throw things and rip things and knock things over. But his teachers and all the therapists and aids at his school only talk so highly of him and how much they love him.

They are constantly telling me about funny things he’s doing and the progress he’s making. His teacher told me today that all the kindergarten teachers are asking to have him in their class next year. To have others truly see your child for the gift you know he is is one of the most heartwarming things as a mom.

Read more about my experience and thoughts on visiting David’s class here.

This week, we had a door slammed in our face – not literally but figuratively. And I immediately felt panic…

This was something we’d been praying about and hoping for for one of our kids for the last few months. And in an instant, the thing we’d expected and prayed would be a yes was a clear, final no.

I wish I could tell you I felt complete peace and just knew that I could trust God despite the unexpected no.

But nope, I felt my heart start racing and my chest tighten and the panic rising…

“What are we going to do??” I gasped inwardly. And then I thought, “I gotta figure something out.”

So I went into mama bear fix it mode and started researching and trying to come up with Plan B, C, and D.

But nothing was really materializing in my searching grasping for ideas – which made me feel more panicky.

I went to Jesse in my anxious state and was like, “We have to figure something out. What are we going to do?”

He calmly replies: “I think we’re just supposed to wait.”

What?? Wait?? I don’t want to wait. I’m not patient like that!

Jesse proceeded to say, “I think God is up to something that we just can’t see right now and we need to trust Him.”

I’m so grateful to have a husband who helps to talk me off the ledge when I’m spinning out. And who reminds me of the truth when I need to hear – which I desperately did that day.

After he said that, it hit me…

I had prayed repeatedly for red lights and a closed door if this wasn’t God’s will for our child. And yet, when I got the answer to the very prayer I had prayed, I didn’t even recognize it and had let myself spiral into anxiety!

“Okay, God” I said, “I’m going to trust that You are in this no. I’m going to choose to see it as your protection or re-direction for my child. Help me to rest in You in this.”

I called our child to break the news… I thought they would be discouraged or stressed or upset by it (and that’s a big reason why I was initially feeling so much anxiety!)

Instead, they completely surprised me by their response! They were super chill and felt very confident that if the door closed they could trust God in it!

Talk about our kids teaching us what it looks like to trust God when we are struggling with doing it ourselves!

There’s still not clear direction. Another door hasn’t opened. We don’t have a clear plan.

But, I truly do feel more and more deeply confident that the God Who loves my child even more than I do is working behind the scenes. He has a plan. And He will reveal it to us when we need to know.

As I shared last week, “He is always on time but rarely early.”

So I trust Him – even when I can’t see what the future holds.

As I texted some friends two days ago: “I’m actually kind of excited because I just get to wait and see what God has planned. And trust that His plans are so good and every day I can continue to preach that truth to myself and entrust my child and their future to a good, good God.”

Books I Finished This Past Week

Mists Over the Channel Islands — This was my first Sarah Sundin book to read, can you believe it? I really enjoy World War II historical fiction so I’m so excited to explore her other books as she has written a lot of WWII historical fiction, I’ve heard (any suggestions on the best ones to read?) Stay tuned because I’m interviewing her on Wednesday on Instagram!

What I’m Watching

I asked for one thing for Mother’s Day and that was to get to watch Remarkably Bright Creatures that is based upon one of my favorite novels. Jesse and the older kids ended up watching it with me (and Jesse got me my favorite California Club from Jason’s Deli) and it was such a perfect Mother’s Day.

Note: the movie was good. The book is better (listen to it on audio if you can!), but I definitely recommend the movie, too!

What I’m Listening To

Project Hail Mary — This book came highly, highly recommended to me by two people who have great taste in books so I am listening to it… and I’m so intrigued by it. I’m a few hours in and I have absolutely no idea where it’s going or how it’s going to end up (no spoilers, please!). I’ve heard it’s best to listen to it not read it. The narration is very well done.

Podcast Episode This Week: The Surprising Lessons I’m Learning from Training for a 10k

Funnily enough, this episode of The Crystal Paine Show was originally supposed to be about my 22-hour getaway with Jesse and then naturally became much more an episode about running and how I have been training for a 10k!

Listen in as Jesse and I share how a two-week break from the podcast turned into a reflection on just how full life has been lately!  Between juggling travel ball schedules and long practices with Jesse and Silas, I have also been dealing with a completely new challenge for myself: running longer distances than I ever thought I could!

What began as a simple goal has turned into a deep learning experience around pacing, breathing, fueling, and even rethinking how I understand my own body, and I talk openly in this episode about how I’ve had to slow down, correct my breathing habits, and even explore things such as mouth taping after dealing with laryngitis and realizing how much my old habits were holding me back from my full potential.

I share how, as I have trained, I have been so surprised by how much running has changed not just my fitness but also my mindset. I am really learning that endurance is just as mental as it is physical and that sometimes finishing a run is less about speed and more about choosing to keep going one small step at a time.

I also share how tools such as the Runna app and Strava have helped me structure my training and actually understand what it means to train smart instead of just hard. It has been such a fascinating journey discovering firsthand how much strategy goes into something as simple as going for a run! (Use code CRYSTAL2 to try out the Runna app free for two weeks!)

Beyond the physical side, I also reflect on what it means to take on something new in my forties and how running has unexpectedly opened up new ways of seeing my neighborhood, my routines, and even my own limits.

From exploring unfamiliar streets to learning how to manage discomfort, this journey has become about more than just race day. It’s about growth, curiosity, and learning to trust myself in the process.

Jesse and I also discuss how this experience connects to bigger life themes such as stepping into new and even initially-uncomfortable challenges, embracing uncertainty, and letting our kids see us do hard things. I hope that you enjoy this episode!

Click here to listen to this episode.

In Case You Missed It – Links From This Week

15 Chore Ideas for 4-Year-Olds — I get it… sometimes letting preschoolers help takes more time and makes more mess. But I can promise you that it’s totally worth the extra patience because you’ll reap the rewards later. Read more about how to involve young kids in chores plus 15 chore ideas that are perfect for this age!

Mexican Lasagna ($10 Family Dinner Idea) — If your family loves tacos, cheesy casseroles, and eating on a budget, this Mexican Lasagna recipe is one you’ll want to save!

My Completely Honest Thoughts on Dollar Shave Club — I’ve been using Dollar Shave Club for years and think it’s a really great way to save on razors, especially if you don’t want to mess with in-store couponing. Check out my honest review and all the details in this post.

Aldi

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $3.39

2 pkgs Turkey Bacon – $6.50

1 large box Applesauce Pouches – $6.49

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.99

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.99

1 bag Green Onions – $0.89

1 carton Raspberries – $1.99

1 pkg Broccoli Crowns – $2.19

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $2.99

1 large canister Quick Oats – $3.49

1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $4.79

2 jars Pasta Sauce – $3.98

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $3.65

1 carton Cottage Cheese – $2.85

1-lb pkg Deli Meat – $4.15

1 8-oz pkg Dlei Sliced Cheese – $1.39

1 pkg Boneless Chicken Breasts – $13.29

1 bag Plain Bagels – $1.95

1 jar Organic Creamy Peanut Butter – $3.69

2 16-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $6.58

1 tub Cantina Salsa – $2.39

1 can Garbanzo Beans – $0.85

Total: $84.47

Publix

1 Arm and Hammer Odor Blaster – $3.25, used $2/1 Arm and Hammer Scented Beads Publix Digital Coupon –
$1.25 after Coupon (I’m including this as it’s a good deal – but not including this in my weekly total as it comes from a different budget category than food)

1 Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent – $3.45, used $2/1 Arm and Hammer Detergent Publix Digital Coupon – $1.45 after Coupon (I’m including this as it’s a good deal – but not including this in my weekly total as it comes from a different budget category than food)

2 pkgs Galbani Cheese Sticks – $5.79, used (2) $1/1 Printables – $3.79 for 2 after Coupons

2 cans Pringles – $3.29, used $0.75/2 Printable – $2.54 for 2 after Coupon

1/2 gallon Organic Valley Milk – $2.80, used $1.50/1 Printable – $1.30 after Coupon

1 carton Blueberries – $2.99

1 carton Tomatoes – $2.49

1 loaf Sara Lee Butter Bread – $2.19

1 box Farm Rich Cheese Sticks – $2.49, used $1/1 Printable – $1.49 after Coupon

Total after Coupons: $16.79

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $101.26

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Granola, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies, Bagels

Lunches

Deli Meat/Cheese Sandwiches, Blueberries/Applesauce Pouches, Cherry Tomatoes, Chips, Fruit Snacks, Cheese Sticks (Options for sack lunches for school) x 4

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Spaghetti, Tossed Salad, Homemade French Bread

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans

Chicken Gravy over Rice, Broccoli

Mini Calzones (made with ground venison sausage), Tossed Salad

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower

Baked Potato Bar (Butter, Sour Cream, Broccoli, Bacon, Shredded Cheese), Peas

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

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We sometimes call this recipe “Mexican Lasagna,” “Taco Bake,” or “Taco Pie,” depending on the mood we’re in that particular night! It’s a super simple recipe that I like to throw together whenever I get cheap deals on tortillas or salsa.

I used ground turkey, because that’s what I’ve been able to get most inexpensively recently. But feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken instead! I also added about a cup of leftover cooked rice to add some bulk, but you can leave out the rice, or add a can of corn instead (or an extra can of beans).

If you like sour cream or black olives, they are an amazing garnish to add on top after baking! My family, sadly, won’t touch either one of those lovely additions. I served sautéed green beans on the side to keep this meal frugal, but there are so many side possibilities that work well with this main dish!

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Mexican Lasagna Dinner Menu:

• Mexican Lasagna
• Green Beans

Mexican Lasagna Dinner Ingredients:

Ingredients for Mexican Lasagna:

1 8-count bag of 8-inch tortillas (Publix) — $0.86

1 Tablespoon olive oil (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.22

1 small onion, finely chopped (Aldi) — $0.20

1-lb ground turkey, cooked (Aldi) — $2.45

2 Tablespoons chili powder plus 2 teaspoons cumin (Aldi) — $0.25

Salt to taste

1 cup salsa (Aldi – $1.99 for 2 1/2 cups) — $0.80

1 can chili beans (or black beans) (Aldi) — $0.85

1-2 cups leftover cooked rice (or a can of corn or additional can of beans) (Aldi – 7 1/2 cups dry for $1.99) — $0.13

1 8-oz package cheddar cheese, shredded (Aldi) — $1.65

Chopped cilantro for garnish (Aldi) — $0.25

Total for Mexican Lasagna: $7.66 (serves 6-8)

Ingredients for Sautéed Green Beans:

2 cans green beans, drained (Aldi) — $1.18

3 Tablespoons butter (Aldi – $2.89 per pound) — $0.27

Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Total for Sautéed Green Beans: $1.45 (serves 6)

Grand Total for Dinner: $9.11 (serves 6)

How to Make Mexican Lasagna and Sautéed Green Beans:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown. Stir in the cooked ground turkey, 2 Tablespoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, salsa, beans and cooked rice. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or two, until heated through.

3. Cut the tortillas into halves and layer half of them in the 9×13 pan.

4. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat each layer.

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes (let sit for 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven before cutting). Garnish with cilantro (and sour cream and black olives, if desired).

5. While the Taco Pie is in the oven, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the two cans of green beans. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue frying until the green beans start to brown.

6. Serve the green beans alongside the Mexican Lasagna.

Print

Mexican Lasagna and Sautéed Green Beans ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

We sometimes call this recipe “Mexican Lasagna” or “Taco Pie,” depending on the mood we’re in that particular night! It’s a super simple recipe that I like to throw together whenever I get cheap deals on tortillas or salsa, and my whole family loves it! Add whichever toppings and sides you prefer but I made sautéed green beans to keep this meal frugal.

Course dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword easy dinner, easy side dish, family favorite, lasagna, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 458kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $9.11

Ingredients

Ingredients for Mexican Lasagna:

• 1 bag 8-inch tortillas (8-count) Publix — $0.86
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons — $0.22
• 1 small onion finely chopped (Aldi) — $0.20
• 1- lb ground turkey cooked (Aldi) — $2.45
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder Aldi — $0.25
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup salsa Aldi – $1.99 for 2 1/2 cups — $0.80
• 1 can chili beans or black beans (Aldi) — $0.85
• 1-2 cups leftover cooked rice or a can of corn or additional can of beans (Aldi – 7 1/2 cups dry for $1.99) — $0.13
• 1 package cheddar cheese (8-oz) shredded (Aldi) — $1.65
• Chopped cilantro for garnish Aldi — $0.25

Ingredients for Sautéed Green Beans:

• 2 cans green beans drained (Aldi) — $1.18
• 3 Tablespoons butter Aldi – $2.89 per pound — $0.27
• Garlic powder salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown. Stir in the cooked ground turkey, 2 Tablespoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, salsa, beans and cooked rice. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or two, until heated through.
• Cut the tortillas into halves and layer half of them in the 9×13 pan.
• Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat each layer.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes (let sit for 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven before cutting). Garnish with cilantro (and sour cream and black olives, if desired).
• While the Mexican lasagna is in the oven, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the two cans of green beans. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue frying until the green beans start to brown.
• Serve the green beans alongside the Mexican Lasagna.

Notes

I used ground turkey, because that’s what I’ve been able to get most inexpensively recently. But feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken instead! I also added about a cup of leftover cooked rice to add some bulk, but you can leave out the rice, or add a can of corn instead (or an extra can of beans).

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1129mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1679IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 4mg

More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:

• Easy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet
• Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Chicken Burgers and Baked Fries
• Spaghetti Pizza
• Cheesy Potato Soup and Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowls
• Crustless Spinach Quiche and Whole Wheat Bread
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Baked Chicken Chimichangas and Cilantro Rice
• Baked Potato Bar
• Whole Wheat Pancakes

And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!

If you make this easy Mexican Lasagna dinner, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

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I know. It’s so much easier to just do it yourself.

But here’s what six kids have taught me: it’s totally worth the mess, the time, and the patience. The 4-year-olds who I struggled through chores with became teens who know how to run a household. My older three can cook real meals, do their own laundry, and clean a bathroom. That didn’t happen by accident — it happened because we started young, even when it was slow and imperfect and occasionally resulted in a bigger mess than we started with.

So yes, teaching a 4-year-old to do chores is harder in the beginning. Worth it? Completely.

One more thing before we get to the list — if your child has special needs, this will look different but don’t count them out. My son David has a disability that doctors thought would keep him from even sitting up on his own. He now stands on a chair every morning to help my husband Jesse make coffee. He knows every single step — grinding the beans, tamping them down, brewing, frothing the milk — and if you skip a step or do it out of order, he will absolutely let you know. (See this video for more.)

Kids can contribute in their own ways, and they just might surprise you.

Chore Ideas for 4-Year-Olds: 3 Important Things to Remember

1. Children Need to Know What You Expect of Them

If you don’t show your children how to do a job well, you can’t expect them to know how to do it right. Before asking them to do a chore on their own, work alongside them a few times showing them specifically how to do it.

2. Don’t Expect Them To Do It Well — Especially At First

It often takes a lot of repetitive teaching, gentle correcting, and practice before a child can do a job well. Don’t expect perfection — especially when they are young. What matters is that they are putting forth effort and trying their best.

3. Praise 10 Times As Much As You Correct

It’s easy to want to focus on pointing out all the things a child does wrong and where they need to improve. Instead of dwelling on what they didn’t do right, focus most of your energies on praising those things they did well. Encouragement and affirmation go a very long way!

15 Chores for 4 Year Olds

Children at this age are probably able to dress themselves, brush their teeth, and comb their hair. If they aren’t doing these things on their own, I’d encourage you to start by teaching them those chores.

Here are 15 chores that work well for 4-year-olds (and honestly, a lot of other ages too):

1. Pick Up Their Room — Make sure you show your child exactly what a clean room looks like. And if their room is really messy, I’d suggest working with them to clean it and giving them one specific project to work on at a time. Young children are often still learning the concept of staying on task, so you want to make sure you don’t overwhelm them by giving them too large of a task to accomplish than they are ready to tackle.

2. Vacuum — If you have a vacuum with an attachment or a lightweight vacuum like this one, they can use the attachments on furniture or small areas in your home. My 4-year-olds have been able to vacuum one room, with a little help from me.

3. Fold Washcloths, Hand Towels, Underwear, & Other Small Items — I often will sort these out from the big laundry pile and make a small pile for each child to fold, based upon their folding abilities.

4. Sort & Fold Socks — Sorting and folding socks can be a fun job for little people. And you can teach matching, colors, and counting with it, too.

5. Put Away Laundry — When my kids help with laundry, I have each of them put away their own laundry plus sometimes some towels. It’s amazing how much more quickly things get put away when multiple people are working together!

6. Water Plants — Use a plastic watering can (we found ours at the dollar store or you can make one from a milk jug) to make it fun and easy for small hands.

7. Dust/Wipe Down Surfaces — 4-year-olds are great at cleaning baseboards, small floor areas, wiping down cupboards, or dusting surfaces. If you have a feather duster, they might have fun trying that out, too!

8. Wipe Down Sink/Toilet — Cleaning wipes work especially well for young children to use. Or, you can spray some nontoxic cleaner onto a rag and let them wipe down the sink, toilet, or floor in the bathroom. As they get used to that skill, they can also learn how to clean the toilet with the toilet brush, with my supervision.

9. Empty Trashes — 4-year-olds are usually big enough and strong enough to tie up the trash bag and haul it out to the garage or back door.

10. Wipe Down Door Handles — Give your child a cleaning wipe or a damp rag and have them wipe down all the door handles. This is a favorite chore at our house!

11. Clear the Table — Teach your children to clear their plates after each meal (our younger children are still working on doing this without needing to be reminded!)

12. Rinse Dishes/Load Dishwasher –A 4-year-old is usually old enough to stand on a chair at the kitchen sink and rinse nonbreakable dishes (be sure to remove the knives and other sharp or dangerous objects before letting them do this). They can also help to load silverware and other nonbreakable dishes into the dishwasher.

13. Simple Meal Prep — Kierstyn has learned how to pour cereal/milk, make toast and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and pop popcorn on her own. She also often helps me when I’m cooking.

14. Set the Table — Teach your children how to set the table correctly from the time they are young — it’s a skill many adults still don’t know!

15. Mop — My dad got my older girls child-sized mops for Christmas one year and they loved them. And while it took them a bit to perfect their mopping skills, they did a pretty good job at mopping a small area right away.

Printable Chore Chart for 4 Year Olds

If you’re a visual person, you may download my FREE printable chore chart to start using in your home today!

Looking for other age-appropriate chore ideas or help teaching kids about money? You’ll love these other posts:

• 20 Chore Ideas for 7-Year-Olds
• 10 Chore Ideas for Toddlers
• Moms, You Should Stop Doing This!
• Our Dollar Tree Shopping Trip (and Lesson in Finance)
• Stop Waiting Until Your Kids Are Teens to Talk About Money
• 15 Financial Skills Every Teen Should Know! (Free Printable Guide)
• The $90 Mistake That Was Totally Worth It
• Why We Don’t Pay For Everything For Our Kids
• 25 Summer Jobs for Teens (and younger!)
• Ask Crystal: Do you give your kids an allowance?

What chores do your 4-year-olds do? I’d love to hear other ideas!

Want your kids to read more this summer?

Download our FREE Summer Reading Printable Pack!

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I’m so ridiculously proud of our oldest daughter, Kathrynne. She’s one of the most resilient people I’ve ever met. And that resilience has been hard won!

I mentioned her shyness and social anxiety on Instagram stories last week and I got so many requests to share more of how she overcame it. I wrote a full chapter on this story in my book, Love-Centered Parenting, if you’d like even more details and encouragement.

But here’s a shorter version that I shared on Instagram this past week…

I never could have dreamed that my shy, awkward, scared of talking to peers daughter would grow up to be the most outgoing, confident adult.

In 5th grade, she had so much social anxiety that we couldn’t really even get her to talk with kids her age…

We were homeschooling at the time, but we saw how much her anxiety around kids her age was stifling her, so we started putting her in different situations to try to help her work through her fears.

We tried small get togethers, swim team, various opportunities at church.. None of it was really making difference. She was still so scared to interact with those her age.

After a lot of prayer and discussion, we felt really strongly we needed to do something drastic or this was going to hold her back for years to come.

So we felt God leading us to quit homeschooling and put her in a small private Christian school.

She was so upset with us about this and really, really terrified.

We were pretty scared, too. What if we were making a terrible mistake? Would this forever hurt her? Would it ruin our relationship?

Parenting is often having to make really hard decisions having no idea what end result will be.

I remember dropping her off that first day in 6th grade. She was an emotional wreck inwardly and so upset with us. But we felt so strongly that we had to do this – even though she was positive we were making the worst mistake.

I prayed and cried and prayed some more.

The first few weeks were hard. She was so scared and upset with us and I had to inwardly battle all sorts of fears and misgivings.

But we kept taking her to school every day and, little bit by little bit, we starting to see positive things happening.

The girls at the new school were so welcoming and she started to come out of her shell bit by bit.

By the end of the school year, she was truly a different person. Instead of the awkward, shy child we’d always known her to be, she was a funny, outgoing, confident person. It was astounding to watch her blossom and her true personality start to come out!

Today, she is in multiple leadership positions, has a large friend group, is often hosting parties and get-togethers at her house, is regularly in positions where she’s 10-30 years younger than everyone in the room and holds her own with confidence, and she loves meeting and getting to know people.

It is truly incredible to witness!

I got to go to an awards ceremony two weeks ago where she not only was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, but also received a significant accounting scholarship (she’s an accounting major) – both things she’d put in quite a bit of effort to make happen – and I was just so proud of her.

To see the poise and confidence she has. To watch her going around and interacting with so many different people in the room. And to see her living life to the fullest.

Often, the hardest things in life end up shaping and growing us in the best of ways.

She had to push through her social anxiety and keep showing up back in 6th grade when it terrified her. But without punching fear in the face like she did, she never would be where she is today!

Kaitlynn texted this picture to our family group chat last week. It was from October.

And I look at it and my heart just melts. I think of how scared I was to say yes to fostering him and all the times I felt completely in over my head.

And yet, I didn’t know that that scary yes would end up changing my life and our family’s lives, would mean I get to be mama to the sweetest most precious boy, and would strengthen and build my faith like nothing I’ve ever experienced!!

God is so good!

I know that a lot of you reading this right now have something in your life that God is calling you to do that might feel overwhelming or too big or maybe even that terrifies you.

Look at this picture of David and may it inspire you with the courage to say yes and jump out in faith. You never know what God might have in store for you that will be so much better and more beautiful than you can imagine!

We’ve been waiting for direction on something for one of our kids and their future for weeks now. We’ve prayed a lot. We’ve sought a lot of counsel. And we’ve prayed some more. 

We still don’t have clear direction. And so we wait.

Last night, at a church gathering with other women, one of the ladies said, “God is never late but He’s rarely early.”

I think back to when I took Kierstyn to Disney last week and I told her she was going to need to wear her metaphorical Patience Pants because we would be doing lots of waiting. I’m not good at being patient. I want the answers now. I want to know what the plan is.

But there is value in waiting. It gives anticipation. It causes you to appreciate the end result more. And it allows you to learn to fully rely upon God and not run ahead in your own strength to try to micromanage and manipulate the results you want.

He is working in the waiting. Let’s trust our good, good Heavenly Father’s timing. He is never late. ❤️

Your true beliefs are most evident when you are walking through the darkest valley.

It’s easy to say, “I trust in God” or to sing about His great faithfulness when life is going well… but are those sentiments still true for you when you are in a deep pit of struggle?

When it feels like the rug has been pulled out from underneath you.

When the thing you had hoped and prayed for doesn’t happen.

When the friend deeply betrays you.

When your bank account is nearly empty and you don’t know how you are going to pay your bills.

When you don’t get the job you so desperately hoped for.

When your child gets devastating news.

When you experience years of secondary infertility.

When someone you love walks out of your life and you haven’t heard from them in months.

When the door you were so excited to walk through is slammed in your face.

I’m here to say that we’ve walked through every single one of those things (some of them multiple times or for many months) and I can declare that God was faithful.

He has been, He is, and He will be faithful.

This was exactly one year ago last week – the day I went to my very first class at the gym. I snapped this photo right before we went into the class to post online so I wouldn’t chicken out. (I knew if I told the internet I was going to do it, I would actually follow through — even though it was so far outside my comfort zone! )

I look back on this last year and can’t even believe how that one step of signing up and walking into that class catapulted me on a health journey I never envisioned.

It started with getting over my fear of going to group workout classes.

Then, I hired a dietitian through Nourish and she helped me confront my years-long battle with undereating and chasing my worth from a number on the scale.

This led me to then start working with a functional medicine doctor who connected a whole bunch of dots for me about how I was overtaxing my adrenals, not paying attention to my body’s cues for sleep and rest and restorative time, and how I was living in almost constant fight mode and using work and busyness as a “drug” to numb and cope.

That led me to make the radical decision to cut way back on my work load and not set one single goal for 2026.

And then, in a really surprising and unexpected turn of events, I signed up for a 10k and have fallen in love with running.

I look at the woman I see staring back at me in the mirror a year later and barely recognize her.

She is so much stronger and fitter and capable than I ever believed she could be.

She is learning to breathe (literally — I had no idea I’ve been breathing incorrectly for years!).

She’s excited about having a stronger body that is allowing her to have more energy to show up for life.

She is dreaming big dreams that aren’t business related and geeking out about fitness and macros and running science.

She is sleeping more than she’s ever slept since she was a child.

She plays so much more and has hobbies.

She eats a healthy big breakfast daily instead of going as long as possible before eating.

She is just getting started… and cannot wait to see what this next year holds!!

(For more information and details on my health journey, read this long post here.)

Kierstyn turned 6 this past week and I spent some time reflecting on what a gift she is to our lives! The beauty, joy, laughter, the unexpected questions, and her love for learning… it’s amazing!!

(Just a few days ago she asked me if she could research Spanish programs online because she wants to learn Spanish over the summer. As one does. I watched over her shoulder as she looked up “Spanish phonics programs” online and then read up on the different options that each program offered. So apparently we are learning Spanish. 🤣 If you have any great program recommendations, let me know!)

This past week I went on a retreat with my business coach, Alli Worthington, to 30A (beaches in FL) – can you believe I’ve never been to 30A before??

We spent time learning, processing, working on ourselves and our businesses, and having lots of laughter and fun, too!

We stayed at Seacrest, but explored the area and beaches around there, too! It was beautiful weather – and now I’m determined to figure out how to go here on a budget (is that possible? Send me your tips because I’d love to bring my family!)

One of the best parts is that I got to hang out with my bestie, Ashley – she is Alli’s Chief of Staff (and just an all-round incredible person!) and has become such a dear friend to me.

Want to see what we did on Thursday??

We went to The Shard Shop and made wall-hangings from broken glass. It was such a beautiful picture of how beauty can come from brokenness. It was also such a great opportunity to exercise creative muscles that I don’t use often and get outside my comfort zone.

Here’s what I created (I used a wall-hanging there as inspiration!) They put resin over it and then we get to pick it up on Saturday!

“Mightier than the waves of the sea,
is His love for you.”
based loosely on Psalm 93:4

Two Books I Finished This Past Week

The Body Teaches the Soul – I slowly worked my way through this because it was SO good! It challenged me in so many ways — from how I view sleep, to how I view exercise, to how I view suffering, to how I view worship. Highly, highly recommended.

Depth – This book was so helpful for me as I’ve been walking with others through some deep grief. Look for a podcast episode with me and the author dropping in just a few weeks!

In Case You Missed It

Top 30+ Items to Buy at Sam’s Club — I recently asked over on Instagram: What are the can’t-miss, must-buy deals at Sam’s Club? The kind that actually beat regular grocery store prices and make the membership feel like a no-brainer. And oh my goodness… you all delivered. Check out this post for all the suggestions. 

Easy Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet — This easy family dinner is a major win if your family loves macaroni and cheese. Made in one pan with simple ingredients, it’s creamy, filling, and super budget-friendly (under $10!). Plus, you can easily customize it with different meats, pasta, or veggies — perfect for picky eaters and real life.

An Easy Homemade Gift Idea: Vanilla Extract! — I made homemade vanilla for the first time last year and it was seriously SO easy! And, packaged into jars I found on Amazon it was a cute, useful, and frugal but valuable gift. Since it needs to sit for at least 6 months, now is the perfect time to make it in time for Christmas gifts. Check out the reel I shared on Instagram here and the easy recipe here.

15 “Weird” Ways to Save Money — These slightly quirky, sometimes overlooked, but very effective strategies can help families stretch their budgets further.

“What’s something you do to save money that others might find unusual?”

And wow, you all delivered. If you missed it, you can read through the full thread here (it’s gold!).

This post is a compilation of some of the BEST ideas shared. These slightly quirky, sometimes overlooked, but very effective strategies can help families stretch their budgets further.

Some of these might make your friends raise an eyebrow. But your bank account? It’ll thank you.

Let’s dive in.

Clever Ways to Save Money:

1. Cut Open Bottles to Get Every Last Drop

Is the toothpaste tube or lotion tube almost gone? Cut the end off with scissors and you can get quite a bit more out!

I do this for my face moisturizer and face wash and I can usually get a full extra week’s worth of uses just by this simple hack.

In addition to toothpaste and lotion, this works for sunscreen, foundation, and even ketchup or other sauces!

How to make it work:

• Use sharp scissors and store the cut portion in a small container.
• For toothpaste or creams, use a binder clip to seal it or simply store it in a ziptop baggie so it won’t dry out.
• Make it a habit before throwing anything away.

It feels small, but doing this consistently across products can easily save $100+ per year.

2. Make Your Own Foaming Hand Soap

Foaming hand soap is fun and convenient, but refills can get pricey… and, did you know it’s mostly water?

Instead of buying special refills, reuse the foaming pump:

1. Fill the bottle mostly with water.
2. Add a small squirt (about 1–2 teaspoons) of regular liquid soap.
3. Gently shake to combine.

That’s it. It takes literally less than 60 seconds to make and is so much less expensive than buying foaming hand soap or hand soap! One standard bottle of liquid soap can refill a foaming dispenser multiple times, cutting your cost per use significantly. Here are the super simple details on how to make foaming hand soap.

3. Add Water to Nearly-Empty Bottles

When a bottle of shampoo or body wash starts sputtering, add a little water, shake it up, and keep using it. There’s often quite a bit clinging to the sides that you can stretch out for several more washes.

This works well for:

• Liquid hand soap
• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• Body wash

Just don’t over-dilute. You still want it to work effectively.

It’s a small habit, but when you consistently use products fully instead of replacing them early, you reduce how often you need to buy replacements and accumulate savings.

4. Ask for a Discount (Yes, Really)

This might feel uncomfortable, but simply asking can save a surprising amount.

Vanessa commented: “I ask service providers (mechanics, plumber, air conditioner repair, etc.), ‘Is that the best you can do?’ Almost always, they knock some money off the bill.”

Before paying a bill or signing up for a service, try asking:

• “Are there any promotions available?”
• “Is there a loyalty discount?”
• “Can you match this competitor’s price?”
• “Is there a discount if I pay in full?”

This works particularly well for:

• Internet and cable
• Insurance policies
• Medical bills
• Subscription services

You’re not being difficult with this approach; you’re being proactive. And companies often have flexibility that isn’t advertised upfront.

5. Think in Terms of Hourly Wage

To determine what money-saving strategies are worth your time, it’s helpful to analyze how much money it will save per hour.

For instance, let’s say that by making my own foaming soap it takes one minute to make and it saves me $1 from buying a container of foaming soap. That’s like saving $1 per minute or $60 per hour — which is a really good hourly wage. Plus, it’s tax-free money! So, it’s totally worth my time.

But, on the other hand, let’s say there’s another money-saving tactic that would only save me $1.50 for 15 minutes of work. That’s like saving only $6 per hour — which, depending upon your season of life and bank account — may or may not be worth your time.

6. Make Your Own Cleaners

Most of us have a different cleaner for every surface — all doing the same thing, all adding up at the checkout. The good news is you can replace all of them for just a few dollars. A spray bottle filled with diluted white vinegar, some baking soda, and a bit of Castile soap can handle the vast majority of your household cleaning. Beyond that, there are homemade cleaners that are just as effective as the expensive branded ones but that only cost a couple minutes and a few pennies to make.

Jerica says: “Soap, vinegar, bar keepers friend, and bleach pretty much cover everything I need, and are all extremely cheap.” (Check out this post for some homemade cleaner recipes.)

7. Skip Paper Towels (Almost Entirely)

Several readers shared that they switched to reusable clothes, cut-up old t-shirts, or inexpensive washcloths instead.

We stopped buying paper towels many years ago. It’s such a simple thing, but it does add up to a lot of savings — and we don’t really even notice that we don’t buy or use them! (Except when we have guests over and they ask for a paper towel!!)

I share more details here on what we use instead of paper towels.

How to transition without overwhelm:

• Keep a small basket of clean cloths on the counter.
• Use them for spills, wiping counters, and cleaning.
• Toss used cloths into a small laundry bin.
• Wash with regular towels.

You can still keep paper towels for truly messy jobs, but reducing everyday use alone can save $15–$25 per month. Over a year, that adds up to significant savings.

8. Don’t Use Dryer Sheets

Just like we don’t use paper towels, we also don’t use dryer sheets. If the thought of not buying dryer sheets just isn’t your thing, a simple way to save is by cutting them in half instead of using a full sheet per load. I’ve heard that it works just as well.

9. Stay Home More Often

One reader said her most unusual way to save money is simple: She stays home.

It sounds almost too basic, but it works. Not only does staying home save you time and decrease wear and tear on your car, but every outing has potential spending attached:

• Gas
• Coffee stops
• “Since we’re here…” purchases
• Impulse buys
• Add-ons

Try designating intentional “home days” where:

• You cook from scratch.
• Tackle a home project.
• Have a movie night.
• Read or play board games.

Fewer unplanned trips usually equals fewer unplanned expenses.

(If online shopping is a temptation to you, set some good boundaries — like unsubscribing from emails or avoiding sites that tempt you to spend money you don’t have or haven’t budgeted for that purpose!)

10. Scan Your Receipts for Cash Back

If you’re already buying groceries and gas, you might as well get a little something back. Receipt- and grocery-scanning apps allow you to scan items in store or upload grocery receipts in order to earn points that convert into gift cards or cash back.

To learn more about these cash back sites check out my full review of each at these links:

• Upside
• Fetch
• Ibotta
• Swagbucks
• CoinOut

With each of these apps, you’ll earn points when you scan a receipt and you can then cash in those points for gift cards!

To maximize this:

• Scan receipts right away so you don’t forget.
• Stack rewards with sales and coupons.
• Redeem for stores you already shop at.

It won’t replace your income, but it can cover a few groceries, household items, or even a holiday gift over time.

Psst… if you want to learn even more about how to earn extra money with easy apps, check out this free printable!

11. Learn Basic Fixes on YouTube

Christy says: “YouTube is the real MVP though. I’ve saved thousands over the years by simply looking up the issue and learning if it’s within our skill set, rather than hiring a professional.”

Before calling for repairs, search first. YouTube is full of step-by-step tutorials for common household fixes like:

• Replacing a toilet flapper.
• Fixing a dripping faucet.
• Installing a ceiling fan.
• Cleaning appliance filters.

Not every repair is DIY-friendly, but even handling one or two simple fixes per year could save hundreds. Start small and build confidence.

12. Repurpose Old Clothes

Before throwing away worn-out clothing, ask: can this serve another purpose?

Ideas include:

• Cleaning rags
• Dust cloths
• Garage towels
• Craft materials
• Reusable napkins

It’s not glamorous, but it extends the life of items you’ve already paid for and reduces the need to buy disposable alternatives.

13. Use Gift Card Promotions to Earn Extra Fuel Points

This one is strategic, and it can really pay off if you’re disciplined.

One reader shared that she buys gift cards (especially when Kroger runs 4x fuel point promotions), then uses those gift cards like cash for regular spending.

Here’s how it works:

Kroger fairly often offers 4x fuel points when you purchase gift cards including Visa gift cards. Since Visa gift cards can be used almost anywhere, you’re essentially pre-paying for expenses you were already going to have.

For example:

• Buy a $100 Visa gift card during a 4x fuel promotion.
• Earn 400 fuel points.
• Use those points to get discounted gas.
• Use the gift card to pay for groceries, bills, or everyday expenses.

On top of that, she uses a cash-back credit card to purchase the gift cards, then pays the full balance immediately.

That means no interest, cash back rewards, and fuel point savings. It’s stacking rewards on rewards.

14. Double-Check Medical Bills

Medical billing errors happen more often than many people realize.

Always request an itemized statement, and compare it to your Explanation of Benefits from your insurance company. You can also ask about prompt-pay discounts and inquire about financial assistance programs.

It may take a few phone calls, but correcting even one mistake can save significant money.

15. Eat from the Pantry

Challenge yourself once a month, or once every few months, to skip going to the grocery store for a few days longer than normal and eat up what you already have on hand instead. You might be surprised at how creative you can get with what you already have… and maybe you can make it longer than you think without going to the store!

Small Habits Can Lead to More Financial Breathing Room

Some of these ideas may feel “extra.”

But here’s the thing: building margin isn’t usually about one dramatic change. It’s about small, consistent habits that compound over time.

Unusual doesn’t mean extreme. It often just means intentional.

More Money-Saving Inspiration:

• 14 Smart (and Slightly Unusual) Ways Our Readers Save Money on Food
• 25 Ways to Save On Pet Costs
• 30 Creative Ways to Save On Gas With Rising Fuel Prices
• Where to Buy Cheap Books (So You Can Read More Without Spending a Fortune)
• Where to Get Books for Free (Yes, Really!)
• Walgreens 101: How to Save on Everyday Essentials
• My 25 Favorite Things to Buy at ALDI

What’s something “weird” you do to save money? I’d love for you to add your ideas to my list in the comments!

Ready to finally stick to your budget once and for all?!

 Tracking your budget doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated! Use these FREE Budget Spreadsheets to easily plan and track your spending each month!

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Aldi

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $3.39

1/2 gallon Oat Milk – $3.99

1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $3.25

1 3-ct pkg Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.25

2 bags Fresh French Green Beans – $5.98

1 3-ct bag Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.25

1 bag Cilantro – $0.75

1 bunch Organic Bananas – $1.27

1 bag Red Grapes – $3.58

1 large box Applesauce Pouches – $6.49

1 bag Romaine Hearts – $2.99

2 bags Riced Cauliflower – $2.78

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.69

2 jars Pasta Sauce – $2.98

1 4-ct box Greek Yogurts – $2.65

1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $2.85

1 5-lb bag Jasmine Rice – $6.39

1 large pkg Boneless Chicken Breasts – $12.80

1 5-lb bag Flour – $1.95

1-lb bag Brown Sugar – $1.85

1 4-lb bag Sugar – $2.79

1-lb bag Powdered Sugar – $1.85

2 boxes Butter – $5.78

1 pkg Chocolate Chips – $3.45

1 large box Turtle Crackers – $3.65

1 huge box Fruit Snacks – $7.19

2 boxes Organic Whole Wheat Pasta – $3.58

1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.79

1 box Granola Bars – $1.75

2 8-oz blocks Cheddar Cheese – $3.30

1 jar Honey – $4.49

1 can Chili Beans – $0.85

Total: $113.60

Publix

2 Old El Paso Tortillas – $2.99, received $1/2 Old El Paso Ibotta Rebate plus 280 points from Fetch ($0.28) – $2.59 for 2 after Rebate – $1.71 for 2 after Rebates

2 Freschetta Pizzas – $7.28

1 box Egglife Pasta – $3.99, received  $2/1 Egglife Pasta Ibotta Rebate plus received $2 Aisle Rebate – FREE after rebates

2 boxes Kellogg’s Cereal – $5.89, used $2/2 Kellogg’s Publix Digital Coupon – $3.89 for 2 after Coupon

2 bags Siete Potato Chips – $4.09, received $1.50/2 Siete Chips Ibotta Rebate – $2.59 for 2 after Rebate

1 Purple Carrot Frozen Bowl – $2.39, used $1.50/1 Purple Carrot Publix Digital Coupon – $0.89 after Coupon

2 boxes Good Humor – $6.49, received $1.50/2 Good Humor Ibotta Rebate plus 2400 points from Fetch ($2.40) – $2.59 for 2 after Rebate

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $18.95

Grocery Total for the Week: $132.55

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Granola, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies

Lunches

Granola Bars/Breakfast Bars, Grapes/Applesauce Pouches, Cucumbers/Peppers, Chips, Fruit Snacks, Cheese, Crackers (Options for sack lunches for school) x 5

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Spaghetti, Tossed Salad, Homemade French Bread

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans

Taco Bake, Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Breakfast Burritos with Turkey Bacon, Green Beans

Chicken Gravy over Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Pizza

Church Dinner – I’m bringing Chocolate Chip Cookies and Venison Roast

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

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(Looking for budget-friendly homemade gift ideas? Sign up for our FREE Homemade Gifts Guide!)

This Beauty Gift Guide was thoughtfully put together by Gretchen on the MoneySavingMom team — a lover of all things makeup, beauty, and fashion! Gretchen is married to her high school sweetheart and has three boys and one girl. She enjoys finding good deals (especially on beauty stuff!), decorating, coffee, and good books.

Our Top Picks for Beauty Gifts!

Have someone on your list who loves all things beauty? Or maybe you have a mom on your list who could use a little pampering? Check out this list of great ideas for beauty gifts — including gifts for mom and gifts for pre-teen girls!

Best Beauty Gifts for Pre-Teen & Teen Girls

1. Beauty Gift Sets

Have a daughter who’s just getting into skincare or makeup? These beauty gift sets are perfect for letting her have fun while trying out new products. There are tons of cute options to choose from, all under $30!

2. Boho Style Criss Cross Headbands, 4-Pack

These headbands make a messy bun look cute and stylish. Made from super soft cotton and breathable, they’re perfect for everyday use.

3. Love to Mask Kit

One of my favorite things to do with my pre-teen and teen nieces is face masks! This masking kit includes 12 masks, a buffer, and a headband.

4. Velvet Hair Scrunchies

Scrunchies are all the rage right now and this set includes 45 different colored scrunchies!

Beauty Gifts for Women

5. Conair Foot Spa with Soothing Vibration Massage

I was gifted one of these a few years ago and it has become one of my favorite gifts. I’ve even used it when having friends over for a spa night to do pedicures and relax! (This one goes up and down in price a bit, but it’s typically under $30.)

6. Makeup Brush 14-Piece Set

Every woman can use a new set of makeup brushes! This one includes 14 different sizes and has thousands of amazing reviews.

7. Women’s Fuzzy Memory Foam Slippers

These slippers look warm and cozy and have great reviews. Plus, there are several colors to choose from.

8. Bath & Body Works Body Wash and Shower Gel

You won’t go wrong gifting the women in your life body wash and/or shower gel from Bath & Body Works. They have SO many lovely scents to pick from and I love receiving these as gifts.

9. Gold Eye Treatment Masks

I asked for these on my last birthday and LOVE them! They are so rejuvenating and help with my puffy eyes after not getting much sleep.

Beauty Gifts for Mom

10. Glam Up Facial Sheet Mask Set

Moms need all the skin care they can get! This set is perfect to gift a mom and includes 12 masks – one for each month of the year.

11. Bath Bombs Gift Set

Bath Bombs make great gifts for mom. There’s nothing better as a mom than getting to soak in a relaxing, scented bath!

12. Mama and Baby Bear Necklace

I LOVE my mama bear jewelry! These necklaces are so pretty and there are many different types to choose from.

13. Cluci Crossbody Handbag Purse

A few years ago I switched to a crossbody purse and haven’t looked back. When I’m juggling three kids at the grocery store, it’s so nice to not have to worry about finding room in the cart for my purse or struggling to carry it on my shoulder with a toddler on my hip. I love the highly-rated Cluci bags and they often run deals, so you can get a really nice one for under $30 easily.

14. Bluetooth Sleeping Eye Mask

I’m not going to lie…this is going on my Christmas list. As a mom of littles, good sleep is a rare thing. But good sleep AND good music? I’m sold!

Small Gifts for Beauty Lovers

15. Nail Clippers and Beauty Tool Portable Set

Every girl needs a pocket-sized manicure set to fit in her purse. This one includes 5 tools and has great reviews. (You can also add these to a Homemade Pedicures in a Jar gift!)

16. Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitizers

These hand sanitizers are perfect to fit in your purse or backpack and come in handy so often. I make sure to always have one on me and love the scents that Bath & Body Works offers.

17. Natural Luxury Scented Soy Wax Candles

I love candles! And these soy candles are the best kind – perfect for a quiet, relaxing evening at home. Choose from many different scents and styles.

18. All-Natural Lip Balm Gift Set

It’s always nice to have lip balm. This set includes five Beeswax Chapsticks that are gluten free, free of parabens, and non-GMO.

Bonus: Beauty Product Gifts (Over $30)

Have a little extra wiggle room in your gift budget and willing to spend a bit more? Try these bonus recommendations:

19. Dip Powder Nail Kit

Dip powder is all the rage right now at the nail salons! If you know someone who loves doing their nails, consider getting her a dip powder starter kit like this one! Dip powder is much better for the nails and it lasts so long! Plus, it’s actually pretty easy to learn how to do on your own.

20. Kate Spade Outlet Handbags or Wristlet

Get a timeless look that never goes out of style with these Kate Spade Outlet handbags and wallets. Keep an eye out for extra savings stacked on top of sale prices! The wristlets also make a fun way to gift a gift card to her favorite store or coffee shop.

Looking for more gift ideas?

Looking for other budget-friendly gift guides? Don’t miss these:

• Best Stocking Stuffers for Women: Small, Thoughtful, and Affordable Gift Ideas
• Ultimate List of $10 Stocking Stuffers For The Family
• 25+ Easy Last Minute Christmas Gifts
• 50+ Budget-Friendly and Easy DIY Christmas Gifts
• 20 Quick & Easy Neighbor Gifts For Christmas
• Best Gifts for Tweens Under $30
• 20+ Gifts for Board Game Lovers Under $30
• My 10 Favorite Unique Baby Gifts
• 50+ Ideas for Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Men
• 10+ Eco-Friendly Gifts Under $30
• Christmas Gifts for Expecting Moms Under $30
• The Best Outdoor Gift Guide for the Adventurer
• Gifts for Lego Lovers: Perfect For Kids and Adults
• 20 Best Christmas Gifts for Boys (Under $30!)
• 15+ of the Best Gluten Free Gifts
• Top 10 Subscription Boxes for Kids

Psst! Be sure to sign up for our hot deals newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any of the hottest deals each day this holiday season!

What other beauty gift ideas would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!!

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Have I mentioned how versatile this skillet meal is? You can change up the meat, the type of pasta, the seasonings and the cheese! You can mix your favorite cooked veggies straight into the pasta, or you can serve them on the side like I did (because I have a picky family!).

I served steamed peas and buttered toasted garlic buns (using buns I got off of the discount cart at the back of Walmart!) alongside this Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet, but there are so many sides that would pair well with this main dish!

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet Menu:

• Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet
• Steamed Peas
• Buttered Toasted Garlic Buns

Ingredients for Cheesy Kielbasa Skillet and Sides:

• 1 14-oz package kielbasa (Publix – sales + coupons) — $1.30
• 1 16-oz box pasta (Aldi) — $1.89
• 4 cups chicken broth (I used 4 chicken bouillon cubes and 4 cups water) (Aldi – $1.79 for 25 cubes) — $0.29
• 1 cup milk (Aldi – $3.08 per gallon) — $0.19
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Aldi) — $2.47
• 4-6 day-old buns, split in half (Walmart – $0.99 for a big bag) — $0.30
• 1 stick butter, softened (Aldi – $2.99 for 1lb) — $0.75
• Garlic powder, salt, and parsley or Italian seasoning
• 2 bags peas (Aldi) — $1.94

Total for Dinner: $9.13 (makes 6 servings)

How to Make Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the kielbasa into bite-size pieces. Saute in a pan lightly sprayed with cooking oil until starting to brown.

2. Add 4 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 16oz of uncooked pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pasta is done (I partially cover the skillet with a vented lid while it’s cooking).

3. While the pasta is cooking, split the buns in half and put on a cookie sheet. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned.

4. Cook the peas using your favorite method (I used the microwave, haha!).

5. When the pasta is done, stir in the 3 cups of shredded cheese.

6. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted.

7. Serve the Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet with the toasted buns and the steamed peas!

Print

Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet

This is one of my easiest, go-to family dinners! It is seriously so easy. And it’s a winner if your family loves macaroni and cheese! If you shop sales or use coupons, you can get both pasta and kielbasa for very cheap — which means this cheesy kielbasa skillet meal is just about as frugal as it gets!

Course Bread, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, easy dinner, family favorite, pasta, weeknight dinner

Servings 6

Calories 759kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $9.13

Ingredients

• 1 package kielbasa (14-oz) Publix – sales + coupons — $1.30
• 1 box pasta (16-ounce) Aldi — $1.89
• 4 cups chicken broth I used 4 chicken bouillon cubes and 4 cups water (Aldi – $1.79 for 25 cubes) — $0.29
• 1 cup milk Aldi – $3.08 per gallon — $0.19
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese Aldi — $2.47
• 4-6 day-old buns split in half (Walmart – $0.99 for a big bag) — $0.30
• 1 stick butter softened (Aldi – $2.99 for 1lb) — $0.75
• Garlic powder, salt, and parsley or Italian seasoning
• 2 bags peas Aldi — $1.94

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the kielbasa into bite-size pieces. Saute in a pan lightly sprayed with cooking oil until starting to brown.
• Add 4 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 16oz of uncooked pasta to the skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pasta is done (I partially cover the skillet with a vented lid while it’s cooking).
• While the pasta is cooking, split the buns in half and put on a cookie sheet. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned.
• Cook the peas using your favorite method (I used the microwave, haha!).
• When the pasta is done, stir in the 3 cups of shredded cheese.
• Continue to stir until the cheese is melted.
• Serve the Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet with the toasted buns and the steamed peas!

Notes

Have I mentioned how versatile this skillet meal is? You can change up the meat, the type of pasta, the seasonings and the cheese! You can mix your favorite cooked veggies straight into the pasta, or you can serve them on the side like I did (because I have a picky family!).

Nutrition

Calories: 759kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1816mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 519mg | Iron: 2mg

More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:

• Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Chicken Burgers and Baked Fries
• Spaghetti Pizza
• Cheesy Potato Soup and Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowls
• Crustless Spinach Quiche and Whole Wheat Bread
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Baked Chicken Chimichangas and Cilantro Rice
• Baked Potato Bar
• Whole Wheat Pancakes
• Chicken Alfredo and Roasted Carrots

And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!

If you make this Cheesy Pasta and Kielbasa Skillet, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!

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Meal time just got so much easier!

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That’s why I asked over on Instagram: What are the can’t-miss, must-buy deals at Sam’s Club? The kind that actually beat regular grocery store prices and make the membership feel like a no-brainer?

And oh my goodness… you all delivered.

From everyday staples like eggs and toilet paper to hidden gems like aloe juice and bakery bread, here’s a crowd-sourced, smart-shopper-approved list of the top items people say you have to buy at Sam’s Club. Plus, I included a few tips to help you shop smarter and stretch your dollars even further!

The Top Items to Buy at Sam’s Club to Save Money

1. Rotisserie Chicken

This one came up again and again, and for good reason. A fully cooked, juicy rotisserie chicken for just a few bucks is basically a meal plan in disguise. There are so many options for using it, too: dinner tonight, chicken salad tomorrow, soup later in the week… If you’re trying to save time and money, this is a win.

Kristen shared: “We buy their pickles, decaf coffee pods, peanut butter, jelly, rotisserie, eggs, milk, Litehouse ranch (tastes like the restaurant), nuts, SO MUCH!”

2. Member’s Mark Toilet Paper

Let’s talk about the thing every family goes through faster than they expect. More than one mom admitted they were loyal to name brands… until they tried this.

Meggan said: “I swore to my husband that I would never buy generic toilet paper, but I must say the Members Mark toilet paper is the best.”

When you can buy in bulk and not sacrifice quality, that’s a household victory.

3. Paper Towels & Paper Goods

Paper towels, tissues, and paper plates All this boring-but-necessary stuff eats away at your budget. Buying these in bulk at Sam’s can mean fewer trips and a lower cost per item over time.

4. Eggs (Especially Pasture-Raised)

If your family goes through eggs like mine does, this one’s huge.

Aimee chimed in with: “Eggs! Pasture-raised eggs are such a good deal!”

High-quality eggs for less than grocery store prices? Yes, please.

5. Ground Beef (Including Grass-Fed)

Whether it’s for taco night, spaghetti, or freezer meal prep, ground beef is a staple in so many homes. Sam’s is a great place to stock up, portion it out, and freeze it for future meals.

6. Butter (Kerrygold & Member’s Mark)

Butter lovers, rejoice. Between baking, cooking, and spreading on toast, this is one of those items that adds up fast at regular grocery stores. Buying in bulk can save you a surprising amount over the year.

7. Gas

It’s easy to forget this one, but if you live near a Sam’s Club gas station, this perk alone can help offset the cost of membership. A few cents saved per gallon adds up quickly if you’re filling up regularly.

8. Trash Bags

Not glamorous, but absolutely necessary. Bulk trash bags often are a much lower price per bag than grocery store packs.

9. Coffee & Coffee Pods

Whether you’re a ground-coffee family or all about the pods, Sam’s Club is a favorite spot to stock up. Kristen mentioned Sam’s decaf pods are her go-to.

10. Produce (Berries, Lettuce, Spinach, Peppers, and More!)

If your family eats their fruits and veggies, buying produce in larger quantities can bring big savings. This is especially true for berries, which can be pricey at regular stores.

“They have organic carrots, 5lb bags for $3.99 at my store. It’s such a gift to load up on snacks in bulk and nowhere else comes close to this pricing.” – Kate

11. Meat Staples (Chicken Breasts, Turkey, Deli Meat)

Perfect for freezer stocking and easy lunches, buying deli meat in bulk is especially helpful if you’re packing school lunches every day. Sam’s Club also has great prices on chicken breasts and turkey!

12. Heavy Cream & Half-and-Half

For the coffee lovers and home cooks, this one came up a lot in the comments as a solid deal.

13. Cheese (Block, Shredded, String, Wedge)

A few readers gave Sam’s Club cheese a big thumbs up — for their prices and quality.

“We buy mozzarella cheese sticks there for a better price than at Kroger.” – Janelle

If your family likes to keep the cheese drawer stocked, this is one to check out.

14. Chicken Nuggets & Strips

For easy dinners, quick lunches, and after-school snacks, bulk bags of nuggets and strips are a favorite for busy families.

15. Snacks (Cookies, Chips, Protein Bars, Crackers)

Whether for school lunches, road trips, or soccer practice, snacks are basically their own budget category. Buying in bulk can really help here.

When available, instant savings on snacks give you even more bang for your buck as they make already-good deals even better.

16. Dishwasher Pods & Dish Soap

These are another of those boring-but-necessary purchases that feel extra good to save on.

Meggan shared a great tip: “I like to get the large jug of Dawn liquid dish soap, especially when they do instant savings. It’s a great deal.”

17. Peanut Butter & Jelly

Readers suggested this so many times! You can’t beat this great price on a classic pantry staple for families.

18. Maple Syrup & Honey

These are items that can be surprisingly expensive at regular stores, so buying in bulk can really pay off.

Daryl said it best: “Organic pure maple syrup! Cheapest price ANYWHERE!!!”

19. Salmon & Frozen Shrimp

If you’re trying to add more seafood to your meals without blowing the budget, Sam’s Club is a popular spot for both fresh and frozen options.

20. Milk & Dairy Staples

Milk, sour cream, and yogurt are all basics that disappear faster than you expect in a busy household. These items are also a great option to buy at Sam’s Club, especially if you need larger portions for a good price.

21. Bakery Items (Croissants, Bread)

These are often a great value for the quantity you get. The large quantities are perfect for bringing to a potluck brunch or teacher appreciation lunch, or you can easily freeze them for your family.

22. Yeast & Baking Staples

When it comes to flour, chocolate chips, yeast, and vanilla, if you bake at home, this section can be a goldmine.

23. Olive Oil & Coconut Oil

These were mentioned multiple times as great bulk buys for anyone who cooks regularly.

“Shredded cheese, butter, sour cream, olive oil, coconut oil, toilet paper, honey, maple syrup, all nuts.” – Shanna

24. Vitamins & Supplements

Vitamins and supplements are another category where Sam’s Club can save your family money over time, especially if you’re buying the same items month after month.

25. Frozen Fruit

Frozen fruit is one of those everyday wins at Sam’s Club that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but it absolutely deserves it. Whether you’re tossing berries into morning smoothies, stirring them into oatmeal, or keeping a bag on hand for quick desserts, buying frozen fruit in bulk can save you money and reduce food waste at the same time.

26. Flowers

If you like having fresh flowers around the house (or need a last-minute gift), Sam’s Club is a surprisingly good spot to check.

27. Clothing & Pajamas

Seasonal clothes, cozy pajamas, and basics for the family often pop up at great prices.

28. Aloe Juice (Hidden Gem!)

Christine shared a fun one: “The Aloe juice. It has aloe pieces in the juice. It’s delicious.”

Aloe juice is probably one of those things you might not expect to find, but now you’ll be looking for it.

29. Nuts (All Kinds)

Trail mix, baking nuts, and snack-size packages of nuts came up multiple times as a bulk buy people love.

30. Protein Drinks

If mornings are rushed or you’re trying to add a little extra protein to your day, Sam’s Club protein drinks can be a budget-friendly grab. Buying them in multi-packs usually brings the cost per bottle way down compared to grocery or convenience stores, making them an easy, affordable option for breakfasts on the go or post-workout refuels.

31. Diapers and Wipes

For families with little ones, this is one of those categories that can make the membership pay for itself. Bulk boxes of diapers and wipes often come in at a lower price per unit, and you won’t find yourself making last-minute store runs nearly as often.

32. Prescriptions

Sam’s Club’s pharmacy is another area where some members see meaningful savings. From prescription medications to over-the-counter staples, getting your medicines here can sometimes cost less than traditional pharmacies, especially if you’re managing multiple medications in your household. Plus, you can save time by getting your groceries and prescriptions in one stop!

33. Fleece Blankets

Amanda shared these cozy, seasonal gems: “Their big fleece blankets that are $10.88 and come in sooo many cute patterns that change seasonally.”

These make perfect throw blankets for the couch, extra layers for kids’ beds, or even easy, affordable gifts when the weather is cold.

34. Gift Cards

Glenda and Jodi both pointed out that the gift card section can feel like finding free money:

“We can get a $50 gift card for $35. Other great deals in gift cards too!” – Glenda
“Dominos gift cards!! $70 for $100. 30% off every pizza you order!!” – Jodi

From local restaurants to big-name chains, discounted gift cards are a smart way to save on things you already plan to buy, and they also make great last-minute gifts that don’t feel last-minute at all.

2 Bonus Reasons to Love Sam’s Club

The 30+ items above are reason enough to love Sam’s Club but the experience gets even better with two features your membership includes. (And, if you’re comparing Costco and Sam’s Club, only Sam’s Club offers these two bonus features.)

Bonus #1: Sam’s Club Scan & Go Feature

Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go lets you scan items as you shop, letting you skip the checkout line.

Kristen said: “The Scan & Go is my favorite feature of Sam’s!”

Being able to scan items as you shop and skip the checkout line? That’s a time-saver and a sanity-saver. Plus, it’s much easier to stick to your budget when you can easily calculate the total as you go.

Using the Scan & Go feature is as easy as 1-2-3:

• In the Sam’s Club app, tap Scan & Go.
• As you add each item to your cart, scan each item’s barcode.
• When you’re done shopping, check out in the app and show your exit code as you leave the store.

You can also use the app to place an order at the cafe (I love their $1 pretzels!), to accelerate getting gas, and to place curbside pickup orders.

Bonus #2: Sam’s Club Curbside Pickup

When comparing Sam’s Club and Costco, one of Sam’s Club’s big advantages is their curbside pickup. Browse and order from the Sam’s Club app, choose your pickup time, and pull up to the store — your groceries come to you!

No wandering warehouse aisles, no navigating crowds, and no throwing an oversized tub of trail mix into your cart just because it was there.

For busy families and budget-conscious shoppers, curbside pickup is a feature worth the membership alone — and it doesn’t cost extra. You’ll stick to your list, skip the impulse buys that warehouse stores are designed to encourage, and get back to your day faster.

Tips for Your First Visit to Sam’s Club

If you’re new to warehouse shopping, my biggest advice is this: start with what your family already uses every week. Don’t get pulled into buying things just because they’re big and look like a deal. The real savings come from replacing your regular grocery store purchases with better-priced bulk options.

Want to Try Sam’s Club for $25?

Right now, you can get a Sam’s Club membership for only $25, which makes it way more affordable to try Sam’s Club! If you’ve been on the fence about trying Sam’s Club, this is a great way to see if it actually fits your family and your budget.

More Links You’ll Love:

• Current Sam’s Club Deals
• My first Sam’s Club shopping trip in *years*!
• Sam’s Club Membership Deal — Just $25 {Membership Cost Increases on May 1st!}
• My First Time Shopping at Costco and What I Bought for $67
• Is Amazon Prime Worth It?
• Walmart Plus Membership | Free 30 Day Trial!
• How to Use Target Circle (and Get the Most Value From It)

Ready to finally stick to your budget once and for all?!

 Tracking your budget doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated! Use these FREE Budget Spreadsheets to easily plan and track your spending each month!

Send me my FREE budgeting spreadsheets!

This is the face of a 44-year-old woman who ran her first 10k last Sunday – without stopping!!!!

I seriously and truthfully cannot believe this!

And I’m sharing my running journey with you all because I hope it inspires you to go try that thing you’ve always told yourself you can’t do.

Some things I did to prep: I ate 100 extra grams of carbs on Saturday. (I usually aim for 240 grams/day – I ate close to 340 grams on Saturday.)

I drank extra water/electrolytes on Saturday and took a complete rest day with no exercise and lots of down time.

I got a good night’s sleep on Saturday night. I ate half an English muffin with peanut butter 45 mins before my run. And then paved myself and ran 12-min miles for the first 4 miles. I gradually increased my speed with the last two miles. I felt great the whole run and afterwards, too!

Kierstyn and I went to Disney this week – something that has been a dream of hers for three years!!! It was absolutely everything she had hoped and dreamed and so much more – and we did it on a budget!

We didn’t watch TV or movies growing up, so I didn’t really get or understand the Disney enthusiasm. But going with @alliworthington as an adult changed that for me. There’s something that this place does for my soul and body – I feel like it helps you rediscover childlike wonder. And getting to experience it through the eyes of my child was really incredible!

Seeing her squeal with absolute and incredible delight at seeing the characters actually made me super emotional. She could not contain her excitement and joy and it was deeply moving to experience. I can’t help but think this is how my Heavenly Father feels towards me when He sees me delighting in something.

We didn’t spend any money on experiences or upsells outside of our ticket, but ended up getting to meet 5 princesses – which was a huge highlight! I think because we went on a Tuesday in April, it just wasn’t as crowded.

Highly, highly recommend the princess-meeting experience at Fairytale Hall. We waited for about 20 minutes two different times to meet two different processes at a time. They’d spend a few minutes with each person and it was very personalized feeling. The princesses were fantastic and so kind. And it was completely free!

You can bring your own food and drinks into the park. I always bring a backpack with snacks and a water bottle to refill. (Note: the water at the refill stations doesn’t taste great so I recommend bringing electrolytes or something to mix with it or asking for free cups of ice water at the food service stations.)

If you want to buy food, the best deal (I think) are to get the kid’s meals. Adults can get them and they have some healthy and yummy options – all under $10. Most come with a drink and two sides.

You can easily spend thousands on a Disney trip if you get a lot of upgrades, etc. But you can also easily do it for just a few hundred per person (or even less!) if you only buy the tickets, bring your own food/drink, don’t buy things at the parks, and stay in a budget hotel with a free shuttle to the parks.

The one thing Kierstyn had requested to do was to get her face painted, so I had told her we’d do that as a really special treat. It’s $28 (which is pricey) but they do offer free touch-ups all day long if your face paint gets messed up. There was a girl who came back because her face paint was almost completely gone and they redid the whole thing for free.

Thank you to my friend @adventureadvising for all the Disney tips and for helping to plan the trip and saving us $$ on our hotel! It was truly such a special experience that Kierstyn and I are going to treasure for years to come!

(Note: So many of you have asked on Instagram for me to share more about going to Disney on a budget, so I’m planning a full post with a lot more details this coming week!)

Thursday night, Kathrynne got inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma and got awarded a significant accounting scholarship (she’s an accounting major).

I watched her going around talking to so many, many different people last night and had to stand in awe of who she has become. To think that in 5th grade, she was too shy to even talk to anyone her age and struggled with extreme social anxiety. And here she is today leading so many things, juggling so many different responsibilities, chasing her dreams with gusto, so confident, and incredibly outgoing.

I’m so, so proud of her!

I also adore her friends – I got to hang out with her roommate and bestie, Emma, all night and we had the best time and may have whispered and giggled a little too much during the ceremony. 🫣

Beauty Brands is running their super popular Annual Spray Sale right now! Score Salon Hair Sprays, Texture Sprays, Leave-Ins, and Dry Shampoos for up to 62% off, making them as low as $12.48!

Plus, score extra savings on select sprays when you use code 22256 at checkout — making them as low as $11.61! Click through to see the eligible sprays on the website. These are AMAZING prices on professional hair care brands like these, so be sure to snag some before they’re all gone!

This CHI hairspray is one of my very favorite hairsprays and I highly recommend it!

Walmart is currently offering their Spring Beauty Favorite Box for just $8.98 shipped!

This box includes six to seven new beauty items just for you. It makes a great gift idea, too.

I just got my box and was so excited to see all the goodies it included!

Speaking of travel, one of my very favorite travel items is my foldable backpack! I got it last year in February and it has been on so many trips with me since and held up so well. It is perfect for sticking in your suitcase to use when you need a bag for a long day of walking around but don’t want to lug a heavier backpack.

This girl turned 6 this week! And she ran to the mirror the morning of her birthday and was so disappointed, “Mom! I don’t look any different! I was sure I would look different when I turned 6!”

Meanwhile, Kaitlynn did this amazing highlight this week. She is so talented with hair and I am SO proud of her going after her longtime dream of cosmetology school and how she’s just knocking it out of the park. She’s already building up a client base and I’m not surprised because she does such stunning work! (If you are looking for a new stylist and live in the Nashville, TN, area I’m kinda biased, but I think you should check her out. Details on how to book with her are at @curledbykait!)

David has been making SO much progress with interacting and communicating. He gives fist bumps now and gets so excited about it!

My secret to fitting a TON in a carry-on – these vacuum-sealed travel bags from Ekster!!

Highly, highly recommend these bags if you travel regularly! These would make such a great gift idea for anyone in your life who flies often!

They are up to 50% off right now + I got the company to give you all an additional 20% off any order with code CRYSTAL20

Micah is three and we’ve been working him on teaching him how to cook, how to clean up after himself, and how to let ladies go first and to open up doors for his sisters, other women, and me. He loves to do it and will often run ahead to open up the door.

He’s watched his daddy model this from day one and he’s excited to follow in his steps! Watch this cute video here. Let’s normalize boys being gentlemen! And let’s start teaching our sons from an early age!

Yesterday was a bittersweet day. After five years of playing baseball with this school team, Silas played his last game with them.

As many of you know, Silas came to us in December asking to switch schools this coming year (he’ll be a Junior). He’s been at this school since 5th grade and we assumed he’d graduate high school there. But he had a long list list of very valid reasons and we prayed and agreed that we felt like it was a good move. So we’ve been in the process of praying and looking and applying the past four months and trusting God to give clear direction.

He has some very good friends and deep relationships with coaches and teachers that will be hard to leave behind. His baseball coach has poured so much into him and we are so grateful for the impact he has made on him.

Jesse has gotten to be an assistant coach for his school baseball team the past three years, so that makes it especially bittersweet to be ending this era. We are so grateful for the many memories they’ve made together the last few years – and it makes my heart so happy that Silas has wanted Jesse to be part of the coaching staff. What a gift to have teens who *want* you to be involved in their lives and the lives of their friends.

What I’m Reading

Mists Over the Channel Islands – My first Sarah Sundin novel and I’m really enjoying it.

The Body Teaches the Soul – Slowly working my way through this because it’s SO good!

Capable – I already know I am going to say every single parent and every one who works with kids needs to read this book! FANTASTIC!

Depth – This book has been so helpful for me as I’ve been walking with others through some deep grief.

What I’m Watching

I’m continuing to watch When Calls the Heart. I’m almost finished with Season 12 – can you believe it? I am hoping to finish the entire series in the next few weeks and then I’ll need a new series to start. Any recommendations?

What I’m Listening To

Lots of worship music on my runs! I love going out in nature and watching the sun rise and listening to music that points me to Jesus. It’s so soul-filling! One of my favorites right now is Though You Were Rich.

In Case You Missed It

My 25 Favorite Things to Buy at Aldi — If you want to stretch your grocery budget, knowing the best things to buy at ALDI is key. This is my personal comprehensive list of the best things to buy at ALDI — meaning these are all items that I can almost always find for the lowest price at ALDI compared to other grocery stores.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza Recipe ($10 Dinner Idea) — This $10 family dinner was inspired by leftovers but quickly became a family favorite! You’ll love how easy, quick, and frugal it is!

Brigette’s $114 Grocery Trip — Check out what Brigette bought this week and her upcoming meals for some meal-planning inspiration!

Misfits Market Discount Code — Do you struggle to afford fresh produce for your family? Check out this honest review of Misfits Market for a solution that might save you money on groceries! (And be sure to scroll to the bottom for a discount code that’ll get you 30% off your first four boxes!)

Easy Lazy Monkey Bread Recipe — This easy, pull-apart breakfast with canned biscuits, cinnamon, and sugar is perfect for holidays and family gatherings. 

But it’s so yummy and it’s easier than traditional monkey bread or from-scratch cinnamon rolls (and, considering I always make this recipe on already-busy days, that’s a huge plus!).

You could absolutely make your own biscuit dough if you have extra time, but the canned biscuits make it so quick to throw together.

This recipe comes from my husband’s side of the family, and I think he’s been eating these pull-apart rolls his entire life. I already know for certain that it will be a recipe that my children make for their own children someday, which makes this a pretty special recipe to me.

I hope you enjoy easy Monkey Bread as much as our family does!

Lazy Monkey Bread Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 large cans biscuits
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

How to Make Easy Monkey Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauce pan, heat and stir the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup until the mixture comes to a boil.

2. Pour into a 9×13 pan and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

3. In a bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

4. Cut each biscuit in half. Dip each half into the cinnamon-sugar mixture (making sure that each side is coated) and place each biscuit cut-side down into the pan.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Invert onto a cookie sheet or rectangular serving platter as soon as you take it out of the oven.

Makes a 9 x 13 pan.

Print

Lazy Monkey Bread

This is by far the most requested breakfast recipe from my children! They LOVE it. We save it for special occasions — birthdays, Christmas, and other holidays — since it isn’t the most healthy recipe that ever existed, haha. But it’s so yummy and it’s easier than traditional monkey bread or from-scratch cinnamon rolls (and, considering I always make this recipe on already-busy days, that’s a huge plus!).

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, breakfast, brunch, dessert, easy breakfast, easy side dish, family favorite, homemade

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 386kcal

Author Brigette

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 large cans biscuits
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauce pan, heat and stir the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Pour into a 9×13 pan and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
• In a bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
• Cut each biscuit in half. Dip each half into the cinnamon-sugar mixture (making sure that each side is coated) and place each biscuit cut-side down into the pan.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Invert onto a cookie sheet or rectangular serving platter as soon as you take it out of the oven.

Notes

You could absolutely make your own biscuit dough if you have extra time, but the canned biscuits make it so quick to throw together.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

More Recipes You’ll Love:

• Cinnamon Roll Recipe in the Bread Machine
• Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe (High in Protein!)
• 30 Minute Rolls (Quick Yeast Rolls)
• Whole-Wheat Chocolate Pancakes Recipe
• Our Favorite Zucchini Bread Recipe
• Crustless Spinach Quiche and Whole Wheat Bread
• Homemade Copycat Little Bites Mini Muffins Recipe
• Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Soda
• Homemade Granola Bars
• Easy Sourdough Waffles

If you make this easy monkey bread recipe, please leave a review or comment below! We’d love to hear how it turns out!

FREE 50+ Easy and Cheap Breakfast Ideas!!

Mornings just got so much easier with this FREE list of 50+ Easy & Cheap Breakfast Ideas for Busy Weekday Mornings!

Yes, I Want Breakfast Ideas!

Aldi

1 gallon Milk – $2.98

1/2 gallon Orange Juice – $3.39

1/2 gallon Almond Milk – $2.19

1 32-oz carton Egg Whites – $4.79

2 pkgs Turkey Bacon – $6.50

1 3-ct pkg Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.25

2 bags Fresh French Green Beans – $5.98

1 Cauliflower – $2.65

1 bag Organic Apples, reduced – $1.49

1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.99

1 large box Applesauce Pouches – $6.49

1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $2.89

1 large tub Organic Spinach, reduced – $1.99

1 bag Riced Cauliflower – $1.39

2 bags Frozen Peas – $1.94

1 pkg Boneless Chicken Breasts – $13.69

1 bag Veggie Straws – $2.49

1 jar Bread and Butter Pickles – $2.29

2 jars Pasta Sauce – $2.98

1 box Honey Wheat Puffs – $2.29

1 box Crunchy Granola Raisin Bran – $2.75

1 box Rice Squares – $2.75

1 4-ct pkg Green Yogurts – $2.65

1 16-oz bag Spiral Pasta – $1.89

1 box Granola Bars – $2.19

1 bag Organic Corn Tortilla Chips – $2.69

Total: $87.57

Publix

2 tubs Cabot Greek Yogurt – $5.79, used $1/2 Cabot Publix Digital Coupon – $4.79 for 2 after Coupon

2 DiGiorno Pizzas – $6.53

2 boxes Fudgesicles – $6.06 received $2/2 Fudgesicles Ibotta Rebate plus 1600 points from Fetch ($1.60) – $2.46 for 2 after Rebate

2 pkgs Werther’s – $5.59, received 400 points from Swagbucks ($4) plus $0.80 from Checkout51 – $0.79 for 2 after Rebates

1 bag Finish Dishtabs – $5.49, used $3/1 Finish Publix Digital Coupon – $2.49 after Coupon (I’m not including this in my weekly total as it comes out of a different budget category – but I’m including this as it’s a good deal in my opinion and others may want to do the same thing!)

1 bag Milton Gluten-Free Crackers – $4.19, used $4.19/1 Miltons Publix Digital Coupon – FREE after Coupon

2 bags Truvia – $7.99, used $2/1 Truvia Publix Digital Coupon – and $1.75/1 Truvia Publix Digital Coupon – $4.24 for 2 after Coupons

2 bags Jade Leaf Matcha – $8.49, received (2) $1.50/1 Jade Leaf Ibotta Rebates – $5.49 for 2 after Rebates

2 OxiClean Odor Blasters – $8.99, received (2) $3/1 OxiClean Ibotta Rebates – $2.99 for 2 after Rebates (I’m not including this in my weekly total as it comes out of a different budget category – but I’m including this as it’s a good deal in my opinion and others may want to do the same thing!)

1 Arm and Hammer Dish Soap – $1.49 (I’m not including this in my weekly total as it comes out of a different budget category – but I’m including this as it’s a good deal in my opinion and others may want to do the same thing!)

5 boxes Dave’s Killer Bread Breakfast Bars – $14.48, received (5) $1.50/1 Dave’s Killer Bread Bars Ibotta Rebates – $6.98 for 5 boxes

1 Lactaid Creamer – $5, received $3/1 Lactaid Ibotta Rebate plus $1/1 from Checkout51 – $1 after Rebates

~ Received $5 Weekend Cash Dash Bonus from Ibotta

Total after Coupons and Rebates: $27.28

Grocery Total for the Week: $114.85

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Granola, Yogurt Bowls, Smoothies, Eggs (a friend gave us 2 dozen eggs from their chickens!)

Lunches

Granola Bars/Breakfast Bars, Oranges/Applesauce Pouches, Veggie Straws, Sliced Veggies with Dip x 3

Leftovers x 5

Dinners

Shredded Crockpot Venison on Buns, Tossed Spinach Salad, Baked Fries

Cheesy Kielbasa Pasta Skillet, Peas

Spaghetti, Peas, Homemade French Bread

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Green Beans

Pizza

Chicken Gravy over Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Sliced Apples

FREE One Week Menu Plan!

Done-For-You Dinner Recipes With Simple Ingredients and a Grocery Shopping List!

Send me my FREE Menu Plan!

And guess what? My family suddenly gobbled it down, because it was no longer leftovers!

You could definitely use bacon instead of the ham (I used ham because mine needed to be used up), and add whatever additional toppings you love.

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

If you are super short on time, you can always use store-bought pizza dough or a premade crust. But if you have 10 extra minutes, you have time to make Crystal’s super easy pizza dough from scratch (I highly recommend making a couple of batches of it to have on hand in your freezer!).

Homemade pizza can be such a filling, frugal, family-approved meal. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’ll be seeing more pizza recipes featured in these $10 Dinner Posts in the future!

Ingredients for Chicken Alfredo Pizza:

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast (Sams – $6.88 for 2 lbs) — $0.16
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.88
• 5 cups flour (Harris Teeter — $1.99 for 5lbs) — $0.50
• 1 – 1½ cups Alfredo sauce (Aldi – $1.69 for 1 jar) — $0.85
• 1 16-ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese (4 cups) (Aldi) — $3.29
• 1/2 red onion, sliced (Aldi) — $0.15
• 2-3 cups diced cooked chicken (Aldi – $2.49/lb) — $2.49
• ½ – 1 cup diced ham (I used deli meat – a few slices of crumbled cooked bacon would also be amazing!) (Aldi – $4.29 for 16oz) — $1
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (Aldi — $2.99 for 16-oz) — $0.37

Total for Dinner: $9.69 (Makes 2 large pizzas)

How to Make Chicken Alfredo Pizza:

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Follow the directions here (or below) for making Crystal’s Homemade Pizza Dough recipe.

2. Divide dough in half and roll to fit two greased pizza pans.

3. Spread preferred amount of alfredo sauce over crust (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce per crust) and top with toppings (shredded cheese, diced cooked chicken and ham, sliced onion, and parmesan cheese).

4. Bake at 500 degrees for around 10 minutes.

Print

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

This $10 family dinner was inspired by leftovers but quickly became a family favorite! You'll love how easy, quick, and frugal it is! (By the way, if you have a few minutes to spare, I highly recommend you make easy pizza dough with this recipe, but if not, you can always buy the dough or crust.)

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword chicken, easy dinner, homemade, pizza, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 742kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $9.69

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast Sams – $6.88 for 2 lbs — $0.16
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons — $0.88
• 5 cups flour Harris Teeter — $1.99 for 5lbs — $0.50
• 1– 1½ cups Alfredo sauce Aldi – $1.69 for 1 jar — $0.85
• 16-ounce bag shredded mozzarella cheese 4 cups (Aldi) — $3.29
• 1/2 red onion sliced (Aldi) — $0.15
• 2-3 cups diced cooked chicken Aldi – $2.49/lb — $2.49
• ½ – 1 cup diced ham I used deli meat – a few slices of crumbled cooked bacon would also be amazing! (Aldi – $4.29 for 16oz) — $1
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Aldi — $2.99 for 16-oz — $0.37

Instructions

How to Make Pizza Dough:

• Pour warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir to dissolve.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix.
• Dump onto a floured surface and knead dough for 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and no longer sticky.
• Cut the lump of dough in half and roll out onto 2 greased pizza pans OR, put each half of dough into an airtight freezer bag and freeze for 4-6 weeks.
• To Bake from Fresh: Add pizza toppings of your choice. Bake at 500ºF for around 10 minutes (until the crust looks crispy and lightly browned).

How to Make Chicken Alfredo Pizzas:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Follow the directions here (or below) for making Crystal’s Homemade Pizza Dough recipe.
• Divide dough in half and roll to fit two greased pizza pans.
• Spread preferred amount of alfredo sauce over crust (approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce per crust) and top with toppings (shredded cheese, diced cooked chicken and ham, sliced onion, and parmesan cheese).
• Bake at 500 degrees for around 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 742kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1709mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 359mg | Iron: 4mg

More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:

• Chicken Burgers and Baked Fries
• Spaghetti Pizza
• Cheesy Potato Soup and Bread Machine Dinner Rolls
• Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowls
• Crustless Spinach Quiche and Whole Wheat Bread
• Easy Chicken Pot Pie
• Baked Chicken Chimichangas and Cilantro Rice
• Baked Potato Bar
• Whole Wheat Pancakes
• Chicken Alfredo and Roasted Carrots
• Breakfast Sandwiches

And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!

If you make this Chicken Alfredo Pizza, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!

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