Author Archives: Ann Kirsten

Sorry Not Sorry - Things to Stop Apologizing For
I saw a meme the other day that caught my attention. It said: Things to Stop Apologizing For: Having feelings/caring Saying no Asking for help People hurting you Having differing opinions Not wanting ...
Ann Kirsten Jan 08, 2025

January Brings Mixed Feelings and Emotions
I can always tell how deeply I feel about a subject by how often I've written about it. Apparently, I feel quite strongly about January and the beginning of a new year. Beat the January Blues January ...
Ann Kirsten Jan 02, 2025

The Light is Gone
We've had quite a few windstorms this year, big ones. To make matters worse, I'm pretty sure I live in a wind tunnel. The wind is always stronger right around my house and since we live away from town...
Ann Kirsten Dec 27, 2024 Getty | Thai Noipho

Christmas DIY Craft: Sparkle Ornaments
My funny family likes to celebrate the Holidays in weird ways. One year we had to go thrift shopping and buy an outfit that we wore to our Christmas party. There were some strange clothes, I can tell ...
Ann Kirsten Dec 20, 2024

Festive Chocolate and Orange Cookies for Christmas
I remember the first time my mom brought one of those chocolate oranges home for Christmas. I thought it was the most unique and wonderful thing ever. We banged it on the counter and watched the secti...
Ann Kirsten Dec 12, 2024

Oh, Christmas Tree!
For children, Christmas trees are magical things. And, although each family has their own traditions and styles, kids always think their family's tree is the most beautiful of all. When I was growing ...
Ann Kirsten Dec 10, 2024 GettyImages | Fermate

Moms and Christmas
I think every mother says to herself, "This year I'm going to simplify the Holidays, this year I'm going to make peace a priority." And then, life happens. This has been my story for as long as I've b...
Ann Kirsten Dec 09, 2024 Getty | nicoletaionescu

How Do You Wrap?
When I was a young single woman, my wrapped Christmas presents could have been featured in a magazine spread. I bought designer paper, matching gift tags, and made bows from scratch out of beautiful r...
Ann Kirsten Dec 07, 2024

Misfit Cookies
You probably know by now that I am a completely right-brained person. My life is full of chaos, clutter, and creativity. Anything that has to be done in a linear, clean way is beyond me. So, when I go...
Ann Kirsten Dec 05, 2024

Thank You Father, Even For The No's
Father, I thank you. I thank you for all the times I prayed so hard for something that I just knew I needed, only for you to say no. It was only in hindsight that I saw how wrong I had been, how catas...
Ann Kirsten Nov 26, 2024