Simple Living
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The Simple Holiday Shopping Hack That Saves My Sanity
One list. One budget. Less December chaos. I love Christmas. I love the lights, the decorations, the traditions, watching my kids get excited, finding a gift that I know someone is going to loveāall of it. What I do not love is December financial panic. Or realizing two weeks before Christmas that I still need six gifts. Or ordering something simply because it’s on sale and then wondering why I bought it. Which is exactly why, sometime around October, or even the middle of September, I become that person in the family group chat. āSooooā¦ when are we having Christmas?ā āAre we drawing names?ā āWhat are we doing this year?ā…
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Sunsets, Leftovers & An Unfinished To-Do List
Today was one of those days where I worked all day long and somehow ended it feeling like I didnāt get a single thing done. You know those days? The ones where youāre constantly doing something, but nothing ever seems to actually get crossed off the list. That was today. Work was chaotic. We are currently without a secretary in our office, our phones arenāt functioning the way they need to, we donāt have working voicemail or direct lines, and I felt like I spent most of my day scrambling from one thing to another. By the end of the workday, I was frustrated. Not necessarily because it had been…
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Why Rest Is Productive (Even When It Doesnāt Look Like It)
By mid-January, the excitement of a new year has worn off. The routines are back. The calendars are filling. The expectations ā both spoken and unspoken ā start creeping in. And many of us feel tired before the year has even fully begun. In a world that constantly equates productivity with worth, rest can feel uncomfortable. Lazy, even. Something we have to justify, earn, or squeeze in only after everything else is done. But hereās the truth that simple living keeps teaching me: Rest is productive ā even when it doesnāt look like it. Rest Isnāt the Opposite of Productivity We often treat rest as the reward for doing enough.Finish…
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2026 Intentions, Goals, & Reflection
In my last post, I shared why Iām choosing to step away from traditional New Yearās resolutions and instead focus on small, intentional goals and progress I can actually sustain. Today, I want to take that idea one step further and share what that looks like for our family as we head into 2026āthe goals weāre setting, the rhythms weāre protecting, and the why behind each one. Not as a checklist to conquer, but as a gentle vision for a life that feels aligned, meaningful, and lived on purpose. āØ Intentions & Goals šæ Simple Living š Reading š Marriage šļø Family š° Finances āļø Creativity & Purpose š½ļø Home…
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Instead of a New Yearās Resolution, Try This
December 30th sits in a quiet space between reflection and anticipation. The holidays are winding down, the calendar is about to turn, and everywhere you look thereās talk of New Yearās resolutions ā big promises, big goals, big pressure. #newyearnewme Before you step into that noise, hereās a gentle alternative. You donāt need a New Yearās resolution to have a meaningful year.Simple living invites us to choose intention over intensity, and progress over perfection. Instead of one overwhelming resolution meant to last 365 days, here are a few simple, feel-good ways to step into the new year with clarity and grace. 1. Create a List of Things Youāre Looking Forward…
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Santa, Sugar Cookies & Sanity
Itās been a while since Iāve written ā and if youāre a parent, you already know why. Itās that season. The one where kids are passing around every germ known to mankind.Where youāre on day 657 of the year trying to come up with supper.Where youāre checking and rechecking your gift list to make sure you didnāt forget someone (and definitely didnāt buy two gifts for the same personā¦ again). Even though we definitely have a plan in place for that, go back and read that post if you haven’t!And where every single school day seems to require something extra ā a theme, a treat, a costume ā on top…
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š Simply Planning: How I Simplify Holiday Shopping & Save My Sanity
I get paid once a month ā on the very last day of the month. So when Christmas rolls around, there is no scrambling the week before, no āhope my card goes through,ā no panic-buying. Because if I waited until December, we’d be in trouble. That means our holiday budgeting and shopping begins in September, so by Thanksgiving, Iām sipping cocoa feeling grateful and prepared. š āØ Step 1: Decide Your Gift System ā Early The easiest way to simplify gifts for kids? Have a plan. Stick to the plan. Hereās ours: š Christmas Eve Tradition Each year the kids get to open one cozy gift on Christmas Eve: Simple,…
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My 5 Simple Steps Toward Feeling My Best
Simply Samantha here š» Iāve been hesitant to post anything āhealthā related becauseāletās be honestāthere are as many ārightā diets, exercise programs, and health suggestions as there are people in the world. Iām certainly not claiming to be the healthiest person, but I do try, and Iāve found a few simple daily steps that help me feel good and keep life just a little simpler. For me, I really donāt like to focus on a ādiet,ā and I certainly donāt like elimination. Instead, I focus on portions, substitutions, balance, and moderation. If I tell myself āno sugar for a month,ā then on day 32 Iāll probably eat my body weight…
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Simplifying the Weekly Meal Plan š»
Itās that time of the week againāmeal planning after a busy military weekend for both mom and dad. š«¶ Reduce the stress by planning out your evening meals for the weekāor at least a few! Start small if youāre new to meal planning: aim for 3 solid meals, 1 leftover night, and 1 quick-fix option. Remember, weāre simplifying life here, not perfecting it. If you thrive on having all seven days mapped out, go for it! But if youāre just trying to breathe a little easier this week, start with 3ā4 days and call it a win. A Few Simple Steps to Save Time, Money & Stress Our Week at…
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When Simple Living Isnāt So Simple š»
Weāve all been thereāthe days when the kids donāt listen, like they may have lost their hearing overnight. Not a word we say seems to stop in the brain before slipping out the other ear. The days when nothing we cook is good enough (or even edible š). Every task is met with whining, pouting, or backtalk. But what about when those days turn into weeks? Thatās where I am right now. Something changed when our oldest started first grade. New behaviors surfacedāones I had never even seen glimpses of before. Itās been tough. Tough on him, tough on me, tough on the whole family. As a mom, you try…
