Author Archives: Ann Kirsten
Gratitude Day 13: Thanks For Nothing 2020 - Finding Your Way Back to Gratitude
There are plenty of Bible verses that talk about thanksgiving (there's 71 verses in the New Testament alone), so apparently being thankful is pretty important. And, sometimes ... well, I don't want to...
Ann Kirsten Nov 26, 2020
Banana Bars
Some of my favorite recipes have been discovered/created while I was trying to get rid of excess ingredients in my kitchen. This is one of those recipes. I had an unopened carton of sour cream and two...
Ann Kirsten Nov 21, 2020
Lockdown Fun
To cap off our strange year, our holidays will be different too. We're in lockdown again (or, as I like to call it: "Time-out"). And, like any angry child, I'm a bit cranky. I don't care if the big pe...
Ann Kirsten Nov 20, 2020 photo credit: iStock/Fokusiert
Hygge 101
Have you heard of "Hygge" (pronounced "Hoo-gah")? Hygge is a Norwegian word (meaning well-being or hug). But, the Danish people have adopted it and made it into a beautiful way of life. And, even thou...
Ann Kirsten Nov 13, 2020
Christmas in November
As we approach the holiday season, this year seems extra stressful. With quarantining, masking and all the political drama we've faced, getting ready to celebrate our savior's birth can seem like a ch...
Ann Kirsten Nov 05, 2020 photo credit: iStock/Prostock-Studio
Lessons from a Friend Facing her Final Days
Sometimes, we are blessed enough to have someone in our life who teaches us about living. However, it is rare to have a friend who teaches us about dying. "How are you doing?" That's a perfectly norma...
Ann Kirsten Oct 26, 2020
Produce Guilt
Moms can be experts at giving guilt, but we also take on more guilt than we could ever hope to pass on to others. That's the thing with motherhood. No matter how much we get done in a day, it's never ...
Ann Kirsten Oct 18, 2020 photo credit: iStock/Filkina Natalia
Low Sugar Apple Crisp
Fall means apples. And, to me, that means apple crisp! Apple crisp was one of my mom's favorite desserts and she and I got to the point where we could make it without a recipe. We never made it the sa...
Ann Kirsten Oct 12, 2020
A Reminder of the Simple Wonders We Ignore from a REALLY Unlikely Source
As I watched my grandson stare in awe at the yellow water coming out of his body (he's potty-training) I wanted to laugh. But, as I thought more about it I realized that eliminating yellow water out o...
Ann Kirsten Oct 07, 2020 photo credit: iStock/ArtMarie
Easy Felt Teddy Bear Sewing Craft (with Pattern!)
There are so many fancy, new-fangled things that make motherhood easier now. I really wish some of them had been around when I was raising kids. But, sometimes simple is good too. In the old days, wom...
Ann Kirsten Sep 30, 2020