Despite the fact that it’s one of the most fundamental parts of life, there’s no doubt that trying to get your entire family fed every day can be something of an uphill struggle for many people. After all, between trying to find the time after work, dealing with fussy eaters, and all of the other duties you have to deal with at home, being able to cook a delicious, healthy meal is often relatively low on a lot of people’s list of priorities. However, the truth is that it is possible to make it easier. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do to take the stress out of feeding your family.
Photo by August de Richelieu from Pexels
Plan your meals The most important thing that you can do to make cooking meals for your family a whole lot easier is to plan them out. There are few things more stressful than desperately trying to figure out how to make the perfect meal out of the available ingredients you have on the night with everything else going on around you. Instead, sit down at the start of the week and figure out what you’re going to make. You can even get everyone’s input on what they want to eat. That way, not only do you always know what you’re going to be cooking but you can be sure everyone is going to be happy.
Keep things simple One of the most common mistakes that a lot of people make when it comes to cooking for their family is that they let things get overly complicated. This leads to them getting stressed out, spending hours in the kitchen, and producing a mountain of dishes that need washing. Instead, why not try to keep things simple? Dishes like these greek style black-eyed peas can be cooked in a single pot and will easily feed the whole family without costing you all that much money. Learning to simplify your cooking can take a whole lot of stress out of it.
Get everyone involved If you’re really feeling the stress and pressure of feeding your family, don’t do it all by yourself. Get your partner involved so that you can share the load a little. Not only that but getting the kids involved not only gives you the chance to spend some quality time together instead of you being hidden away in the kitchen, but it also means that your kids will gain an important life skill and a far greater appreciation of the food that they’re eating.
One thing that’s it’s important to remember is that it’s okay to give yourself a break every now and then. Sure, the chances of being able to head out to a restaurant at the moment are pretty slim but there’s no reason why you can’t give yourself the night off from cooking every once in a while. As long as you don’t make too much of a habit of it, it’s fine to enjoy take-out from time to time.
I pray that you had a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving holiday. Whether you were having dinner with your friends and family in person or talking with them on a Zoom call; or even a quiet day at home by yourself, we have so much to be thankful for. Even in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic, I know if you take a moment to meditate, you will find several things. For me, I am thankful for a new puppy that came into our family over the weekend. We will share more about Lucca a little bit later on the blog. So stay tuned.
As our focus shifts now to the Christmas season, are you planning a big gift list or will you be scaling it back? With so many other things taking precedent in our minds today, buying Christmas gifts may be the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, my gift list is short and I don’t buy elaborate gifts but focus on practical gifts that I know that they will cherish.
If you are struggling with finding that right gift for someone on your list, there is nothing better than the Word of God. Studying the Bible will encourage the reader to grow deeper in their faith, or for someone who is struggling with their faith and is needing some encouragement. There are so many Bible on the market, it may be hard to find the right one. If you have someone who is very visual and enjoying seeing the details, I would recommend the CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible.
CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible
The CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible featuring over 1,200 images, maps, and illustrations will provide the reader with greater insight and understanding of the people, places, and events of scripture. Each book has a specific introduction to provide the setting and circumstances of writing for each book, and every image includes a descriptive caption to help better understand what is pictured. You can download a sample of the Bible by clicking HERE! You can purchase the Bible HERE!
In collaboration with LEV3L Digital, we recently hosted a giveaway where one of our readers would win their own copy of the Bible. And the winner is
MYA
Congratulations, Mya! You will be receiving your own copy of the CSB Holy Land Illustrated Bible. We will be in contact with you about getting the Bible to you.
Stay tuned for more giveaways to come.
My hubby and I are getting our Christmas decorations out of storage and preparing our house for the holidays. Christmas is my time of the year, but our house is small so sometimes I feel a little claustrophobic with all the boxes out and about as we are decorating. However, we make it work and the house feels so warm with Christmas cheer. While decorating I enjoy listening to my favorite holiday tunes playing in the background.
In collaboration with LEV3L Digital, my hubby and I had the opportunity to preview an upcoming BYUtv Christmas specials. Christmas Under The Stars with Lauren Daigle airs Sunday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. PT on BYUtv website, or on the BYUtv app anytime after the premiere.
If you are looking for a New Orleans jazz-style Christmas concert, you will definitely enjoy this concert. You will feel like getting up and dancing, while at the same time, it will make you celebrate the real reason for the Christmas season. Here’s a preview of the special below:
Lauren will get you in that Christmas spirit with many traditional hymns and classic songs. One of my favorites has always been Jingle Bells. Lauren sings it with an upbeat jazzy sound and it is swinging with my soul. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas brings back fond memories of my childhood family and friends. Lauren included a couple of songs from the album Look Up Child. One of those songs is Rescue. Watch the video here. The song’s message really gets deep.
I included the video for you to get that cozy feeling. In between sets, Lauren shares Christmas memories and you will hear influences of New Orleans Jazz renditions of Christmas classics and well-known originals from her Christmas album Beholdin this intimate concert experience.
Lauren grew up in Louisiana where it is rare for any snow to fall, so it was cool that she sings White Christmas. The background singers and the band adds a richness that makes you encircled in the music as if you are one. The whole ensemble brings out the soul with Lauren’s voice for an enjoyable evening. Some people say that Lauren sounds like Adele, but I think she has her own unique original sound that’s all her own.
I can listen to Christmas songs any time of the year so this music is awesome for decorating the tree, baking cookies, or preparing your Christmas dinner. The music is soothing and makes me want to get a cup of cocoa and sit by the fire. Behold is big-band jazz and makes you feel like your walking with the snowflakes falling gently on your face. This wonderful time of the year.
In collaboration with LEV3L Digital we celebrating the holiday season with a giveaway of Lauren Daigle’s BEHOLD, A Christmas Collection CD!
Giveaway Details
In the comments section below, please let us know what is your favorite Lauren Daigle song and why.
One commenter will be selected at random to win a copy of Lauren’s Christmas album.
The giveaway runs now until Tuesday, December 8th, at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 9th.
Merry Christmas!
FTC Disclaimer:
This giveaway is in collaboration with LEV3L Digital. In exchange for providing the concert preview and hosting the giveaway, Bubbling With Elegance and Grace will receive their own copy of the Lauren Daigle Christmas album.
Dogs are great; they are cute, they are fun, they love you no matter what, they always make you feel wanted, and they provide you with endless entertainment. There will likely be more people than ever before planning to get a dog this Christmas as so many people have spent more time at home this year and will still have some element of this next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so they feel they have the time to dedicate to training a puppy or getting a rescue dog settled. However, you do need to remember that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, so here are a few tips and considerations if this is what you’re thinking for this year’s family present.
When is the best time to introduce your new addition? It might seem like the ideal Christmas morning to have a puppy waiting under the tree with a ribbon around it, but in reality, you should introduce a dog to its new family in a quieter period as the visitors, the excitement, the decorations, and lights can hurt your new dog. You must have the time to spend with them one-on-one to get them settled. If you are set on getting a pup over the Christmas period, then try to keep it as calm as possible for them, and there are plenty of great products from Pet-Ness which will help you to keep them calm and relaxed.
Remember, it’s a big responsibility. Not every dog fits with every family, so it’s important to choose the right one for your lifestyle. And remember that if your lifestyle has been different because of lockdown, this won’t last forever. While this may be the perfect time to get a dog settled with the kids off school and you at home all the time, you need to think about what happens when things go back to normal. Will, the dog be left at home all day alone? Will you have time for a dog then? They will still need walks and attention, and you’ll have to help them adjust to things changing as they won’t understand what’s going on. Do some research to see which breed and temperament will best fit with your family and make sure you have considered all the pros and cons.
A dog will change your life, and so if you want to get one, then it doesn’t matter when you get it because it’s not just for Christmas. So, think about it carefully and do it right, take your time, do your research, and you could always consider adopting a rescue pup who is in dire need of a home. This might mean you get an older dog who doesn’t need training or one who has had a bad experience and will take a while to trust you but a good rescue center will help you find one that is the perfect family pet. Just make sure that your Christmas present doesn’t end up being one of these.
When looking at any diamonds with a view to purchasing, there are many aspects to consider and you do want to be sure that the diamonds are real and worth the asking price. It is never a good idea to buy things of value with little or no knowledge and in order to get acquainted with diamond grading, you should understand the 4C diamond grading system.
The 4 Cs Namely, colour, clarity, cut and carat, the 4 Cs are globally used when appraising precious stones. Indeed, a genuine diamond would be accompanied with a grading certificate from the Gem Institute of America (GIA) or another well-respected diamond evaluator. This applies to diamonds of all kinds, even the blue variety and a little online research is advised to acquaint yourself with grading certificates and protocols when acquiring diamonds. Spend a couple of hours researching diamond grading and you will be glad that you did.
Buy From An Established Jeweller This is the best way to ensure that the blue diamonds are, in fact, genuine and fairly priced and there are online jewellers with blue diamond engagement rings for sale that come complete with GIA certification. It is possible to approach a custom jeweller who has access to loose stones and the expert can hand-craft the ring in line with your concept, whatever that might be.
Blue Diamonds The blue tint comes from a portion of the carbon transfused with nitrogen and this is a very rare occurrence, hence blue diamonds are rare and therefore, expensive. There are two types of blue diamond:
– Natural: Carbon and nitrogen transfusing to give a blue tint. – Artificial: A chemical process can be used on genuine, clear diamonds to produce an artificial blue colour.
If you take a look at a blue diamond’s certificate, under the tile ‘origin’, it should read as ‘natural’, which means the diamond is a naturally occurring blue colour. Of course, a natural blue diamond is worth far more than an artificial blue diamond and when you buy from a respected jeweller, you can be sure the stones are real and have corresponding certification from a recognised body. The blue diamond that has been artificially coloured will not state ‘natural’ as colour origin on the certificate, so bear this in mind when looking at diamond certification.
If you are planning to include blue diamonds in an engagement ring, why not approach a custom jeweller? The jeweller has access to loose stones and can create a perfect design for a special ring and with diamond certification, you can be sure the diamonds are real. If you are worried about cost, having a ring made is no more expensive than purchasing an existing ring, plus you get to create something unique.
The custom jeweller can buy loose and uncut blue diamonds at trade prices and that will result in a big saving and with your input, the perfect clue diamond ring design awaits. First Image Source: Unsplash
Learn More About JT Bubbling with Elegance and Grace is a place for life long learners. The Bubbling With Elegance And Grace team was created 14 years ago. A passion for fashion sparked a lifestyle blog for our Elegant Community to enjoy. We are thankful and in gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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