Are you familiar with the expression, "many hands make light work?" This is so true! The more help you receive to complete a particular task, the easier and quicker the task is to complete. You don't have to deep clean your house on your own. Why not use this year's spring cleaning as an opportunity to get the entire family involved including your stepchildren? In this post, I'll share some easy and budget-friendly spring cleaning tips in 6 common household areas that can help you and your ... Read More about 6 Spring Cleaning Tips for Stepfamilies on a Budget
Saving Money
Fun Activities for Stepfamilies During the Easter School Holiday
Stepfamilies can take advantage of the many family-friendly activities they can participate in together during the Easter break. The kids will be out of school and the parents may have a few days off. This makes the Easter holiday the perfect opportunity to enjoy time off with friends and family. Activities During Easter Break (Ecclesiastes 3:1) When I was in school, the Easter holiday signaled that summer break was right around the corner. It provided me the best circumstances to plan how I ... Read More about Fun Activities for Stepfamilies During the Easter School Holiday
Fun Activities Stepparents Can Plan with their Stepchildren During Spring Break
Is it me or does it seem as if kids today spend more time at home on school breaks than actually being in school? Honestly, it feels as if my family and I were just spending the Christmas and New Years holiday together and my stepdaughter has had not one, but two breaks since then. Here are a few fun ideas that you can use to plan spring break and mid-term activities for your stepchild. Activities During Spring Break/Mid-Term Holiday (Galatians 5:22-25) Spring break can mean different ... Read More about Fun Activities Stepparents Can Plan with their Stepchildren During Spring Break
7 Ways to Use Your Instant Pot
I have found so many useful ways to take advantage of my slow cooker. It is a huge time saver that allows me to do so much more during the evenings. In a previous post, I discussed 3 Simple Ways to Benefit from Your Slow Cooker. Besides saving time, you also save money and it motivates you to plan your meal ahead of time and be more organized when planning your meals. 7-in-1 Instant Pot The most popular slow cooker I've heard about is the Instant Pot. I am seriously considering exchanging my ... Read More about 7 Ways to Use Your Instant Pot
Wholesome Fall Activities for Families on a Budget
It’s the fall season! A time of colorful leaves, cooler weather and plenty of pumpkins! This creates new opportunities for families to get together and plan activities during this fall season. As I mentioned during a previous post, Wholesome Summer Activities For Families, finding Godly activities to do as a family that are fun and budget-friendly, may be difficult. However, I promise you that the effort is worth it! Not only will you gain the reward of drawing closer together as a family but ... Read More about Wholesome Fall Activities for Families on a Budget
4 Easy Homemade Broths Using A Slow Cooker
Time management is very important to me. I’m a new wife and stepmom and finding balance is crucial. I’m no longer able to read the bible on the schedule I kept when I was single. My day can and does change instantly, with ZERO warning. I may leave home in the morning for work with intentions to make a gourmet meal when I arrive at home. After unplanned and last minute meetings, activities and bumper to bumper traffic, I'm rushing through the door with take-out some nights. 😬 Life happens but we ... Read More about 4 Easy Homemade Broths Using A Slow Cooker
Stepmom
How to Plan for Summer Break as a Stepmom
Summer is quickly approaching and there's still so much to plan. My stepdaughter will be out of school soon and preparing to go off to college. I still can't believe it and neither can her dad! I know exactly what my summer will include. Helping my stepdaughter pack the essentials; only those items that can fit in a tiny dorm room. Challenge accepted! If you have school-age stepchildren, you will have other considerations: What will they do for fun? Will there be any family summer trips? Do ... Read More about How to Plan for Summer Break as a Stepmom
Why Stepmoms Need A Prayer Journal and How to Start One
As a stepmom, I sometimes feel that no one can possibly understand the challenges that I face. Not my husband, stepchildren, parents, best friend or couples who only share biological children. These feelings make me feel isolated and at a loss as to how to ask for help, even when I'm turning to God for strength through prayer. If you're a stepmom who feels similarly, I want to encourage you to try using a prayer journal. If you aren't sure what a prayer journal is, how to start and use one or ... Read More about Why Stepmoms Need A Prayer Journal and How to Start One
Tips to Avoid Feeling Rejected as a Stepparent
I've only been a stepmother for a little over a year so I'm clearly no expert on how to completely get over feeling rejected at times in my new family. However, there are a few tips I've learned over the course of dating someone with two children and becoming a stepparent that I want to share with you. Don't Take Everything Personally (Ecclesiastes 7:9) Every stepfamily situation is different. In my case, my stepson was in college when I married his dad but my stepdaughter was 15 years old and ... Read More about Tips to Avoid Feeling Rejected as a Stepparent
Attending School Events as a Stepparent
I recently attended my stepdaughter's school play, Annie, and learned a lot as a stepmother and wife. This was the first play production that my stepdaughter's high school has put on. As with any new experience in my recent stepparenting world, I had no clue what to expect. Would it go smoothly? Would my stepdaughter want me there around her schoolmates and their parents? How would the other parents react to me? Here's what I went through, learned and want to share with other stepparents to ... Read More about Attending School Events as a Stepparent
Should Step-parents Attend Parent-Teacher Events?
This seems like an obvious question doesn’t it? Of course step-parents should attend their stepchildren’s parent-teacher events, you may be thinking to yourself. As a new stepmom to a 17-year-old stepdaughter, I can tell you that this decision is much easier said than done. There are a few factors to consider that step-parents should take when deciding which parent-teacher events they should attend. Step-parents, Use Your Resources: Your Spouse (Proverbs 18:21) Navigating my new life as ... Read More about Should Step-parents Attend Parent-Teacher Events?
Family/Stepparenting
What if Your Stepchild No Longer Wants to Be a Christian? | Part One
That's a heavy question isn't it? What would you do if your stepchild came to you or your spouse and told you that they no longer wanted to be a Christian? This exact question was brought to me by one of my community members. At first, I was really nervous about responding to this question as the result would have a major impact on their lives. With a lot of prayer and research however, I was able to assist her. I want to share with you the same tips and advice I gave to her. It is my hope ... Read More about What if Your Stepchild No Longer Wants to Be a Christian? | Part One
How to Plan for Summer Break as a Stepmom
Summer is quickly approaching and there's still so much to plan. My stepdaughter will be out of school soon and preparing to go off to college. I still can't believe it and neither can her dad! I know exactly what my summer will include. Helping my stepdaughter pack the essentials; only those items that can fit in a tiny dorm room. Challenge accepted! If you have school-age stepchildren, you will have other considerations: What will they do for fun? Will there be any family summer trips? Do ... Read More about How to Plan for Summer Break as a Stepmom
4 Important Questions to Ask Your Teenage Stepchild About Social Media
The topic of social media can be argumentative for families. Each family has their own "house rules" when it comes to the age their child can join social networks, which networks they can join, the parameters they should set with social media such as parents having access to login and password details as well as the length of time their children are allowed to engage in social media each day. Social media bargaining between parents and children, especially between parents and teenagers can ... Read More about 4 Important Questions to Ask Your Teenage Stepchild About Social Media
6 Spring Cleaning Tips for Stepfamilies on a Budget
Are you familiar with the expression, "many hands make light work?" This is so true! The more help you receive to complete a particular task, the easier and quicker the task is to complete. You don't have to deep clean your house on your own. Why not use this year's spring cleaning as an opportunity to get the entire family involved including your stepchildren? In this post, I'll share some easy and budget-friendly spring cleaning tips in 6 common household areas that can help you and your ... Read More about 6 Spring Cleaning Tips for Stepfamilies on a Budget
How and Why Your Family Should Celebrate The Lord’s Supper
Most people are familiar with The Lord's Supper. Though you may know it by other names: The Last Supper, The Lord's Evening Meal, The Memorial of Jesus Death, Holy Communion, The Passover or others. However, they all represent the same important celebration; that of Jesus spending his last meal with his faithful apostles before his death. The same way this event has various names, there are many ways that Christians celebrate it during the Easter holiday. In this post, I'll discuss how The ... Read More about How and Why Your Family Should Celebrate The Lord’s Supper
Simple Tips for Explaining the Importance of Jesus Christ Death as a Stepfamily
The Easter holiday involves more than teaching your stepchildren about the Easter bunny and Easter eggs. During this time of year, our responsibility as parents should be to focus on the death of Jesus Christ and what it means for us today. In this post, I'll show you ways you can discuss the death of Jesus Christ with your stepchildren, the benefits of Jesus sacrifice for you and your family and what you can do to prepare for Easter. How to Prepare for Easter as a Stepfamily (Romans ... Read More about Simple Tips for Explaining the Importance of Jesus Christ Death as a Stepfamily
Marriage
4 Simple Ways Husbands Can Imitate Jesus Qualities for a Happy Marriage
Are you familiar with the expression, “Happy wife, happy life?” During my wedding ceremony, our minister adjusted this phrase to, “Happy wife, happy husband, happy life.” I absolutely agreed with his statement! How could I be happy if my husband wasn’t? Unfortunately, the truth is that many marriages do not work out. I won’t depress you with statistics but let’s just say that marriages are no longer “till death do us part.” Why is that? One reason is that many couples allow their love for one ... Read More about 4 Simple Ways Husbands Can Imitate Jesus Qualities for a Happy Marriage