

A Lifetime Worth Of Changes
**I wrote this article a long time ago, to try and catch up. I never published, but I think this is definitely publish worthy. These are just a few things that I have been up to during my hiatus from … Continue reading A Lifetime Worth Of Changes

May Day
As if everything we went through during the month of April wasn’t enough, the May flowers were in full bloom around our house – and my brother’s house. This post is part of a two part series, so in case … Continue reading May Day

April Showers Bring May Flowers
Before I jump into this post, I want to let everyone know that you have all been on my mind. This post was actually written quite a while ago, but I just haven’t had the time to publish anything. So … Continue reading April Showers Bring May Flowers

Big Changes For 2021
Hi everyone!! Oh my goodness. I haven’t written since last year – literally! I had this whole big post planned for the beginning of 2021, and then decided I didn’t want to. Mainly because I didn’t quite want to jinx … Continue reading Big Changes For 2021

Quarantine Chronicles: COVID-19 Update
Hi everyone! I wanted to get on and write an update with our overall experience with COVID. It has been tough. If you follow my blog, you’ll know that someone in our household tested positive for Covid the first time … Continue reading Quarantine Chronicles: COVID-19 Update

Raising Kids With An Absent Parent: The Peek-A-Boo Parent
At the beginning of the month I started a two part series about absent parents. For some reason, even in the year 2020 talking about absent parents is pretty much taboo. We talk about single parenting, but nobody ever talks … Continue reading Raising Kids With An Absent Parent: The Peek-A-Boo Parent

On A Day For Thanks – I Am Eternally Thankful & Grateful
Every year for Thanksgiving, my family and I go around the table and say what we are thankful for. It started as something I did with my son, Khalub, when it was just the two of us. Somehow, the tradition … Continue reading On A Day For Thanks – I Am Eternally Thankful & Grateful

Raising Kids With An Absent Parent: The Completely Absent Parent
Today I am writing about a somewhat tough and sensitive topic. This will be the first post of a two part series talking about Absent Parents. Originally this was supposed to be one post, but there is too much to … Continue reading Raising Kids With An Absent Parent: The Completely Absent Parent

When Anxiety Rears Its Ugly Head – How To Guide Yourself Through Anxiety
Hi everyone! If you have been following my blog for a while now, you’ll know that I sometimes struggle with anxiety. Last week my anxiety was oooofffff…off the charts. Physically it wasn’t hard, but mentally my anxiety was so darn … Continue reading When Anxiety Rears Its Ugly Head – How To Guide Yourself Through Anxiety

An Intro to Helina’s Healing All Natural Skin Care
Hi everyone!! I hope you are all doing well today. In a lot of my posts, I talk about my skincare products that I make myself. It is something that I am really passionate about, because once I started making … Continue reading An Intro to Helina’s Healing All Natural Skin Care

Quarantine Chronicles: Encouraging & Discouraging Moments
Good morning everyone! Yesterday was the 5th full day of quarantine, and the 3rd full day of me missing work. Boy, let me tell you it was an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure. Lots and lots of things going … Continue reading Quarantine Chronicles: Encouraging & Discouraging Moments

Quarantine Chronicles: Wrapping Up The First Week & Still Figuring Out A Plan
Hi everyone!! At the beginning of quarantine – and it’s still early on for me – my intention was to write every day. I have been writing every day, but not publishing. It turns out that I am not one … Continue reading Quarantine Chronicles: Wrapping Up The First Week & Still Figuring Out A Plan

Quarantine Chronicles Day Two: Research
Good morning everyone! I meant to post yesterday, but didn’t quite have the chance. Yesterday I woke up late – around 10:30! WHAT!? Even on the weekends I don’t normally sleep in that late. On the (normal) weekends we either … Continue reading Quarantine Chronicles Day Two: Research

Quarantine Chronicles: Day 1 The Plan
Hi everyone! Normally my posts are all pretty much planned out. Not this one. I’m going to start out by letting everyone know that my daughter has been quarantined for almost two weeks now. She was notified as a close … Continue reading Quarantine Chronicles: Day 1 The Plan

Self Care September Challenge
I have been feeling a bit down lately. It’s not constant, it comes and goes as it pleases. Just like anyone else, I have good days and bad days. I have been doing all I can to keep myself busy … Continue reading Self Care September Challenge

Co-Parenting During the Pandemic
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well, and enjoying (or enjoyed) your summer! This year has been EXTREMELY challenging, from the very beginning. I think I can pretty much say that we are ALL treading in uncharted waters. … Continue reading Co-Parenting During the Pandemic

My Daily Essentials
Hello my lovely readers! I wanted to write a post that was a bit more upbeat, and I have been thinking a lot about my daily essentials lately. Probably because we’re pretty much on lockdown and are only supposed to … Continue reading My Daily Essentials

Working From Home Full Time: One Step Closer To My Dream
Hi everyone! Whew… I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m getting whiplash. I have been talking a lot about change lately, and I think we can all pretty much relate. Between the kids being home from school, … Continue reading Working From Home Full Time: One Step Closer To My Dream

How We Are Handling The Worldwide Pandemic
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well, or as well as can be expected with everything that is going on in this crazy world right now. This week has been tough emotionally. I have tried so many times … Continue reading How We Are Handling The Worldwide Pandemic

To The Man Who Stole My Heart & Not My Dreams
In one of my more recent posts Focusing on Health After Abuse, I let everyone know that my two year anniversary of moving to North Dakota was right around the corner. Well as of today, my son and I have … Continue reading To The Man Who Stole My Heart & Not My Dreams

Weekend Adventures & Thoughts on Blogging
Hi everyone! I hope you all had as great of a weekend as I did. Saturday Bubs and Cassidy had a funeral to go to. While they were there, I took the opportunity to take Joselyn and Khalub out to … Continue reading Weekend Adventures & Thoughts on Blogging

Brighten Your Mood With Days of Gratitude
Hi everyone! Welcome to February, already! Goodness. January was… whew. In my opinion January is weird, seriously. After all of the excitement of the holidays are over, and the hype of the New Year has come and gone I feel … Continue reading Brighten Your Mood With Days of Gratitude

Life’s Lessons: Missed Opportunities, New Opportunities & Navigating Negativity
Hello everyone!! I hope everyone is having a great week so far. My week has been full of mixed emotions, and trying to see the best in everything. One of my Goals for the new year and decade is to … Continue reading Life’s Lessons: Missed Opportunities, New Opportunities & Navigating Negativity

To Be Sober, Or Not So Sober
Hello my lovely readers!! Although I have plenty that I want to write about, those other topics will have to wait. Last month I did a “Don’t Drink in December Challenge”. I wanted to let everyone know that I was … Continue reading To Be Sober, Or Not So Sober

Goals:The Beginning of a New Decade
Good morning everyone!! Every year we see endless posts for “New Years Resolutions” or “New Year, New Me”. We all know that half of what we see, won’t actually happen. It seems to be an ongoing joke, and everyone has … Continue reading Goals:The Beginning of a New Decade

Thoughts on Gratitude and the Approaching New Decade
Hi everyone!! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Here, we got slammed with a snowstorm or blizzard. Whatever you would like to call it. I indulged in myself by painting my nails, and lounging in a pair of … Continue reading Thoughts on Gratitude and the Approaching New Decade

A Christmas Of Joy, Happiness & Grief
This year the holidays were successful, yet different. Very very different. Navigating the holiday season while missing a loved one is tricky and unpredictable. Will it ever be the same? I don’t think so. Will it ever get easier? I’m … Continue reading A Christmas Of Joy, Happiness & Grief

The Last Weekend Before Christmas – Oh The Madness
Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend and at least got to relax a bit more than I did. Wait… What, what does that word mean? (In case you couldn’t tell, I meant to post this earlier, and … Continue reading The Last Weekend Before Christmas – Oh The Madness

Don’t Drink In December Challenge: Sober Update
Hello everyone! Okay, first of all, I need to write more. I always intend on writing and have SO MUCH TO SHARE, but it seems sometimes there is just not enough time in the day. In the beginning of December … Continue reading Don’t Drink In December Challenge: Sober Update

New Holiday Traditions as a Blended Family
With the holidays right around the corner, what better time than to take a look at our new traditions as a blended family!? Maybe even explore ideas for possible new traditions? This is only our second year together as a … Continue reading New Holiday Traditions as a Blended Family

Don’t Drink in December Challenge
Happy December everyone!! So, as we all know, the holidays are a time where people usually wine it up, or break out the annual eggnog. I’ve also heard some people refer to this time of year as Tipsy Time. Thanksgiving … Continue reading Don’t Drink in December Challenge

Our Thanksgiving as a Blended Family
This year for Thanksgiving, it was really special. It has been a hard year, but I truly have so much to be thankful for. I have my family, my well being and my job to name a short few. My … Continue reading Our Thanksgiving as a Blended Family

The Balancing Act
Hi everyone!! How is everyone doing this lovely day? I hope well! I have a ton of things I want to share with you all, but can’t seem to find the time lately. You see, when I started this blog, … Continue reading The Balancing Act

A Mother’s Love Is Immortal, Even Though She Isn’t
Earlier this year my mom passed away. It was sudden, it was unexpected, and it was arguably one of the most painful things I have been through. I learned something very important though. One morning I woke up to a … Continue reading A Mother’s Love Is Immortal, Even Though She Isn’t

How We Keep Up With Chores In Our Blended & Busy Home
Hi everyone! If you have been following my posts, you know that I have a beautiful blended family. You can get the whole introduction to our family at Blended & Splendid: The Introduction. In that post I give a brief … Continue reading How We Keep Up With Chores In Our Blended & Busy Home

Victim Shaming & How I Move Past It
In some recent posts (Parental Support During My Time of Crisis & Why A Strong Support Group is Important) I have talked a lot about finding your support groups. I really can’t stress this enough, and how important it is. … Continue reading Victim Shaming & How I Move Past It

Blended & Splendid: The Introduction
Hi everyone!! If you have been following along with my posts then you know that my son and I moved to North Dakota almost 2 years ago now. If not, you can read all about The Big Move here. Since … Continue reading Blended & Splendid: The Introduction

Learning To Love After Abuse: It’s A Process
In this new journey of mine, my metanoia, I was so incredibly determined that I wasn’t going to get into another relationship for a very long time. I needed time to evaluate myself, my life, and FIND MYSELF again. I … Continue reading Learning To Love After Abuse: It’s A Process

Ten Things I Learned in the First Whole Year After Leaving Our Abuser
After getting out of an abusive relationship. I decided to make a huge move to a different state and start a whole new life. Just because I moved, and started a whole new life, I still had many memories of … Continue reading Ten Things I Learned in the First Whole Year After Leaving Our Abuser

Adjusting to The Big Move
So now we’re ALL THE WAY in North Dakota! As I mentioned in my last post, it is a HUGE adjustment. This place is TINY, with a population slightly over 6,000, compared to the Chicago Metro area’s 2.7 million person … Continue reading Adjusting to The Big Move