Motherhood + Homemaking

Time-Saving Homeschool Planner | Skylight Calendar Review W/ Discount Code

May 27, 2024 by Quin Leave a Comment

I published a video on YouTube where I shared our family’s approach to organization and homeschool planning using the Skylight Frame Calendar.

I wanted to be sure to put a link to that video here too, because you guys, it has just been THAT good for our family. I had always been a good homemaker and felt pretty on top of housework…until we had baby #5 in 2023. That sweet boy has blessed our socks off, and I have spent the last year just enjoying having him in my arms. As a result, the house, and homeschool planning, had kind of gone by the wayside.

That’s okay, friends, these seasons of life come and go. I do not at all regret that time, but I do wish I had put a better system in place earlier so we could’ve at least kept the house a little more company-ready.

If you watch the video you will discover how this sleek modern device has become an integral part of our daily routine, enhancing communication, coordinating scheduling between family members, and bringing a touch of user-friendly technology to our home.

From coordinating lessons to creating a shared family calendar, I want you to find out how the Skylight Frame has transformed our homeschool scheduling experience, fostering a more connected and efficient household.

If you too think that a Skylight Calendar Frame may benefit your home, I would love to pass along my referral code to you, where you save $20 on your order, and I get $20 as well. You can find those links below.

With Love, Quincey

Skylight Referral Link: https://skylight.refr.cc/quinceyb Discount Code: FRIEND-8CQSGN7 Their shipping is pretty quick!

Or, you can purchase through Amazon if you would rather. There is no discount code there and the price does fluctuate some there, but the shipping is extra quick. This is my affiliate link, which does not cost you any extra to use, and clicking this will take you directly to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TmctA3

April 14th, 2024

April 14, 2024 by Quin Leave a Comment

Our youngest turned one last weekend.

Here I am, just reflecting on how the amount of energy poured into the first year of nurturing a sweet little babe can feel so isolating. Even the 5th time around!

Friendships have been hard for me the past year and a half-ish, and especially more so the last 4 months after someone pointed out many things they didn’t like about me, and I decided to work on it. Growth can be good, but also hard!

Feelings of being pitied, used, unloved, and disconnected can creep in easily if I’m not careful to keep them in check.

I’m holding onto the love for my husband and kids like a lifeline. These are the relationships that matter above all else.

I know that my heart is at home, where it belongs. These days of cooking, baking, cleaning, and teaching a big family are the good days that I prayed for.

I hadn’t thought to pray that I could maintain friendships at the same time! Oh, how I miss the days before social media when friends and I gathered often and talked about things that mattered deeply in our hearts, and things that didn’t, like home decor and celebrity news.

Friends, it’s okay to admit when relationships feel strained or distant.
It’s a journey, not a destination, right? Ongoing improvement and some deep self-reflection are valuable and necessary.

I have learned that I cannot be everything to everyone, and that’s okay. I don’t thing we were made to be, despite what social media can make us feel. I have intentionally curated a more simple lifestyle that doesn’t involve calendar clutter and faux relationships.

I encourage you to cut the crap, zero in on your dreams, and start living the life you long for, the life God planned for you.

Pray for clarity in where you belong.

There is a tribe for you.

Meanwhile, let’s embrace the bumps and work towards deeper connections. ❤️

#NavigatingLove #FamilyFirst #EmbraceTheJourney

I’m sending *virtual hugs* to all the mommas out there pouring their hearts out to care for their families and homes. We’re not alone! #solidarity

Quick Life Update: November 2022

November 17, 2022 by Quin Leave a Comment

Surprise!

This summer I have been quieter here on the blog, yet making plenty of noise over on social media. Take a peek at our announcement on Facebook and a slightly different one over on Instagram.

The Lord has given my body the opportunity to carry another little one! After 2 years of intentionally and carefully healing my body from toxic burden/mold illness, and the grief we have been walking through with the loss of my nephew, this hardly seems real. There were days I felt like the “sun” may never shine upon our family again. Yet, the Son of God does. This doesn’t erase the hurt, but it does remind me that there are brighter days ahead and joy is still possible on this Earth.

While I am always able to see that God is still Good, maybe almost in an annoying way to some, there were days that I asked God, “what are we even doing here now?”

How do we move forward in a way that honors the Lord, and the life of my nephew? I’m not sure I have the answer to that, other than to take nothing for granted, love deeply, and keep pursuing Him.

I am so grateful for this gift of life growing within my womb.

Lord-willing we will be meeting this little one sometime in April of 2023.

That all said, I do know that this news may bring mixed emotions, maybe even sadness to some of you readers, due to your own losses or maybe because you are desperately longing to grow your family and God has you in a season of waiting. Please know I am not oblivious to your hurt.

Obviously, I understand tough seasons. I have so much compassion for where you are.

I remember walking the path of infertility while watching other families grow, some even dispising the position they were in, complaining that they were pregnant again, like it was something that just happened so easily and it was more of a burden than a blessing.

I had a Nurse Practitioner once tell me “Maybe this is just Mother Nature’s way of saying you shouldn’t have more children” as she looked at my children in the room with her nose turned up. Whether she meant that with ill intention or not, THAT comment stung for a lot of years.

For the past several months I’ve been meditating on Acts 1:7, which says:
Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times. They are not for you to know.

May these words remind you, as much as they remind me, that the God we serve has a plan, and He is the authority when it comes to timing. He sees the things that we cannot. He knows what the years ahead will hold. He sees you and me both in the waiting, in the hurting, and in the healing.

Yes, for if we stay the course, there WILL be healing.

While my heart is filled with gratitude for this precious little babe, it is still grieving so dang hard for the way I feel about my incredible nephew not being here with us. I know he is in Heaven, I have zero doubts about that. When I think of him, I smile, because I LOVE that he is with Jesus. That’s my end game too; being with our Savior.

When I think of the rest of us here and what we feel in his absence, my heart hurts, and my eyes fill with tears. Please, take no pity on me over this, I just want you to know in your moments of gratefulness that may sometimes be intertwined with grief, you.are.not.alone.

I never understood the highs and lows of life at the depth that I do now. I am choosing to say: Thank you, God, for your comfort in trials, and for your refining process as I continue to learn and grow in your grace.

Wife + Momma

May 2, 2022 by Quin Leave a Comment

There isn’t an easy way for me to adequately describe the depth of the joy and honor that I feel to be the wife and mother of this family. The love I have for this tribe is overwhelmingly beautiful, intense, and never-ending.

Gathering around the table for homemade apple pie (my grandma’s recipe) will always hold a special place in my heart.

I imagine the days ahead when my children might make this same treat for their families, and the heart behind the tradition continues to deepen with each generation.

I wonder how they will tell the stories of their childhood. Will they remember the love and dedication we all had for each other? Will they forget the little spats and disappointments?

Will they connect with their families over food, recreation, or something else? Will meals around the table be a priority for them, as we’ve made it here?

Will they willingly work with their hands to provide nourishment for themselves and the tribe around them?

When they fall in love, will it be forever?

I’m excited for the future, while still fully embracing the present moments that are here and now.

No matter how life goes on this side of heaven, I know this to be true, God is always good. 💕

DIY Painted Rock Dolls

April 24, 2020 by Quin Leave a Comment

My youngest daughter celebrated her half-birthday while we’re safe at home during this coronavirus pandemic. Half birthdays are a big deal when you #CelebrateAbsolutelyEverything like we do.

In an effort to save money where we can, not overwhelm the shipping warehouses and delivery drivers, and create a unique gift that wasn’t just another toy, we used what we had on hand to surprise her with a little something special that is just her style. My craft-lovin’ girl really appreciated this!

This idea was inspired by a rock painting set that she was given by her church grandma, Kathy. Thanks, Kathy!

My girl has the biggest heart and will not keep anything for herself, so when she opened the rock painting kit right away she started making plans for all of us to use the set with her in a “BEST EVER ROCK PAINTING SESSION!”

It really was the best!

We gathered additional rocks from around our home’s landscaping, some big, some small, and all got to work on our own painting projects.

I used Folk-Art acrylic paint (I most of picked ours up from Wal-Mart back at Christmas, some bottles we’ve had on hand for 8 years or more, some was given to me by my mom) and what we had on hand for paintbrushes (we have a lot as our two older kids get new brushes their used ones are handed down to the two younger ones to use for painting on the sliding door with water or for small crafts). You really only need a couple of brushes for this project, and you can use the back of the brush as a dotting tool if needed for adding details.

HOW TO:

Wash and dry your rocks to get any dirt off that may interfere with the paint sticking. I didn’t actually do this, but I’m sure it’s a good idea.
Paint a flesh tone oval or circle on your rock as the face, and let it dry.
Add the eyes, using two horizontal white ovals as a base, then putting adding circles for color, and a dot of black for pupils.
Add a smile using red, pink, or a combination of the two.
Add hair. The trick here is using small brush strokes, and slightly lighter or darker shades of your original color to give dimension.
If you’d like to you can add a sweatshirt, clothing, or headdress.

You can get as detailed as you’d like. I am so not an artist, so I just painted until I felt like I had enough and stopped. Us non-crafty people are just that way.

When your rock looks how you’d like it to wait a while, or a few days, and hot glue some pieces of scrap material to the back to protect the playing surface. We used felt, and when I say “we” I mean I asked my oldest daughter to do it. She IS creative and loves using a glue gun, so it was a win-win.

I think it’d be fun to design rocks to look like cars or animals as well. Hey mom, will you do this for your favorite grandkids?

If you give this a try I’d love to see! You can e-mail me pictures (aslightlybetterwife@gmail.com) or tag me on Facebook or Instagram I’d love to see your work and share it too!

We’re making the best of this #SafeatHome movement, and pray you’re doing the same

Some fun rocks painted by our kids. Eventually, the paint will wear off of the rocks if they aren’t sealed. We weren’t painting with the long term in mind, so we didn’t seal them with anything.

Random rocks painted by ages, 2-39! and stored in my late Mother-In-Law’s Tupperware. ♥

Easy 3 Ingredient Cheese Dip- With REAL Cheese

February 2, 2019 by Quin Leave a Comment

This recipe was born out of a desire to eat my weight in cheese dip during a past Super Bowl, without sacrificing the quality of the food I was putting in my body. I think it’s only fitting to share it now, as we embark on another Super Bowl! Go, Patriots!

The fake cheese in the box has its place, and that’s left on the grocery store shelf.

I started playing around with different cheeses and add-ins to get this “just right”.

Throughout my experimentation, Mr. Awesome and our kids have eaten a lot of cheese dip and given me a lot of great feedback. I’m so appreciative of their willingness to QC my recipes, and I bet after you try this recipe for yourself you will be too!

The way I’m showing you how to do this today is in it’s simplest form. You seriously just toss all the ingredients you see in the picture into a slow cooker, or heat it up in a pan on the stove.

I often double the recipe or just add another brick of cream cheese to stretch it a little, depending on how many people we’re hosting.

This has been my go-to potluck appetizer for the past year, so I’m super excited to share this with you finally!

I’ve found the difference between making this with the store brand or name brand ingredients to be so minimal that I don’t bother spending the extra change on the “good stuff”. Whatever is cheaper at the time works just fine. Stock up a little on these ingredients when they are on sale and you’ll be even better off!

This recipe is easy to tweak to use whatever you have on hand. Sometimes I like to dice real tomatoes and onions, other times I only use canned tomatoes with onions. You can’t mess this one up, I’m sure of it!

The most hearty way we like to make this dip is with a few big scoops of ground hamburger from the meat locker, and some diced tomatoes and onions from the garden. It’s a summertime favorite that is so filling we sometimes just all it supper! Let’s be honest, the delicious really starts with a warm pot of cheese. mmm-mm-mmm!

Cost Break Down (for my fellow math geeks):

$1/box of Cream Cheese (recipe calls for 2)

$2/brick of Cheese

$1/can of tomatoes

$2/bag of Chips

You can serve a crock pot of warm gooey cheese dip + chips to a crowd for about $6! Cost effective, simple, and yummy! That’s a win in my book!

The Most Greatest.Gift.Ever

December 14, 2017 by Quin Leave a Comment

As I held the phone in my hand talking to the receptionist and looking at my calendar I held my breath and tried not to let my worry show through the phone lines when she gave me the next available appointment date.

My words said “Great, I’ll take it, thank you”, but my heart said, “Oh no! Why so long!”

We’ve shared with our family and many of our friends, now we want to share with all of you too. About 3 months ago I scheduled my youngest daughter’s routine appointment with her cardiologist. We can typically get in to see him within 2 weeks, but because of some unforeseen circumstances, their calendar was booked out quite a ways.

I hung up the phone and sat down and prayed. The baby was crying, the big kids wanted me, but I needed Jesus so badly in that moment that I just paused and prayed, or I would’ve been bawling too.

I cried out to God and told Him I was SO.WORRIED. I couldn’t imagine waiting 3 months to get in. Even though it was a routine appointment, I like to have the most up-to-date facts, and I wanted them right then. It’s so hard for me to give up control. I begged God to take away the worry since there wasn’t a thing I could do about the wait.

A couple weeks later we visited our favorite pumpkin patch and our kiddos got a bounce house all to themselves while there was a lull in visitors. Best day ever for any kid, right?! Well, you see, our sweet girl NEVER gets to go in bounce houses, because it’s hard for her to keep up with the other kids, and you know, all those stinkin’ germs. So it really was a dream come true for her to bounce alongside of her big brother and sister. She STILL talks about it, months later!

The bad part:

Later that evening and for the next several days she just sat, completely exhausted. She had bounced and bounced until she couldn’t bounce anymore, and now she was paying for it. She didn’t run and play, she didn’t get excited over anything, she was just so calm, but almost seemed limp and pale. She asked to be held and kept her hand near her chest feeling her heartbeat and asking me to feel it often too. It broke my heart.

As much as I want my kids to stand out for their greatnesses, I don’t want them to stand out for their weaknesses. I don’t want anything to slow them down or hinder them from reaching the desires of their hearts.

I knew we couldn’t get into her heart doctor, and even so, what would they be able to do? We prayed.

Fast forward to just last week… It’s late, I’m in bed nearly asleep and Mr. Awesome comes in and asks what time we need to leave for the cardiologist appointment the next day. “What? THAT’S TOMORROW?”

If you know me at all you know I am a planner. I should’ve had outfits laid out, snacks packed, and water bottles filled and activities to keep us busy while we waited. I have calendars and reminders everywhere, and I had somehow (through the grace of God) forgot all about this!

I am so grateful that the weight of the worry was removed so I could just enjoy the days and months leading up to the appointment, rather than looking for all the signs that something was wrong like I had done in the past.

At the doctor’s office what I expected to hear were the words we often hear and are grateful for: “No change, but we will see you in a year”. That’s been fairly typical since we graduated off of every 3-6 month appointments. It sure beats hearing that things are worse.

What we actually heard was something like this: “I am going to dismiss you as a patient, as far as I’m concerned, you are healed”.

What?! Seriously God? You did that? For our sweet girl? For us?

THAT was the new best.day.ever. And I think it may take quite a while for anything to top that.

What the doctor explained typically could heal itself around the age of 15, had healed at age 5! FIVE! I feel like 10 years of waiting and worrying were wiped clean!

Now it doesn’t mean her condition has totally disappeared, but it as not anywhere near a place that surgery would be considered a necessity, which we had thought at one point as we held her in his office when she was an infant.

She’s to go on and enjoy life. No problem, enjoying life is what this girl does!

Friends, I have said I’m giving things to God before, but I can be a bit of a control-freak and take it right back. This time, I gave it, I trusted Him, and I didn’t turn back.

What a gift it was to follow through, and to feel His blessings poured out on us.

We explained what all the doctor talk meant, and asked our girl how she wanted to celebrate, letting her know that ANYTHING was game. Her choice, MCDONALDS for the “expensive ice cream”. Oh, my heart! I love her to pieces!

By the way, McDonald’s online ordering through their mobile app is amazing. Even though we ate inside this time, picking out everyone’s choices from the privacy of our van using the app, is simple, and simply amazing! No more wishy-washy time spent at the drive-thru window or in front of the counter while others wait for our kids (or us) to make a perfect choice of a meal. Bonus: I’ve discovered menu items on the app that I hadn’t ever seen on the physical menu before.

You know we love to Celebrate Absolutely Everything, but this thing, this sweet and glorious thing, really deserved celebrating.

Please, celebrate with us and head out for ice cream soon. You can tag us on Facebook or Instagram, and use our hashtag #CelebrateAbsolutelyEverything.

Easy Super Bowl Snack Mix: Cute Last Minute Party Idea

February 3, 2017 by Quin Leave a Comment

Need a last minute snack idea for the super bowl, but short on time, or maybe ambition? I’m guilty of both this year! Well then give this little shortcut a try!

It’s still creative and cute, and will impress your guests, but you won’t have to go to much fuss at all. Yeah! That’s just my style!

What you need:

Zip-Top Style Snack or Sandwich Baggies
Party Snack Mix (I picked up a couple of bags at ALDI for $1.99 each, they were delicious and just like the name brand)
Ribbon, String, Yarn, or Twine. Just something to tie the tags on.
Card Stock & a Printer.
Hole Punch & a Scissors.

Not that you even need directions for this, but let me provide them real quick anyway.

First I dumped two bags of the party mix into a big bowl.

Then I measured 1 cup of mix into each baggie. I should’ve used snack sized bags, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used sandwich bags, zipped them, folded them in half, and put a small piece of tape on the back side to make it appear like it was totally intentional.

I made up these little tags (that you can download below), & cut them down to size with my favorite paper cutter (a scissors would absolutely work too).

Then I hole-punched them, and used the ribbon I had on hand to tie them onto the bags. To be sure they didn’t slip off I added another small piece of tape to hold the ribbon onto the bag. If you’re keeping them at your house on a platter or in a bowl, you could totally omit that last step. We were taking some of ours to a bake sale, so I wanted to be sure the tags stayed on during transporting.

There are two sets of tags, one with allergy information, and one without. Free for you to use for personal use only. If you’d like to share this idea, please link back to my post here. ENJOY!

Super Bowl Snack Mix ASBW

Super Bowl Snack Mix With Allergy Alert ASBW

Go For Broke Day, I’m All In

April 6, 2016 by Quin Leave a Comment

I’m a huge fan of bizarre holidays. I look for a way to celebrate or put a theme to whatever I can. I have so many dates to celebrate marked on my calendar it’s ridiculous… and awesome.

Did you know that today is “Go For Broke Day”? It’s a day where you put it all out there, and take a risk. I’m sure this occasion is a fun one to celebrate amongst the gambling crowd, “ALL IN!”, but why not relate it to other areas too?

What might that look like?

So if I’m going to “Go For Broke” with my children, it might mean:

I listen to every second of every far-fetched story that my son tells me.
I might give in to the request of reading the Elmo book for the 5^th time today.
I may declare it a dessert night and whip up some banana splits after supper.
Singing an extra verse or two of Amazing Grace at bedtime.
Being extra patient.
Playing on the floor and giggling along with the kiddos as we make silly animal sounds and crawl around like chickens.
Writing each child a note or coloring a picture, then tucking it next to their bed for them to find in the morning.

What if I “Go For Broke” in my marriage?

Listen closely. Not just listen and respond, but really try to HEAR what my husband is saying, and what he isn’t saying. Taking extra time to understanding his side of things and appreciate his perspective.

Fix a nice dinner that I know my husband will love, rather than frantically just landing something that was once frozen onto the center of the table at 6pm and calling it good- all while I yell at the top of my lungs to get everyone in the room and sitting down at the same time to quietly say grace together. Don’t judge, these homeschooling days are long. Even though I’m home all day, I am often more exhausted by 5 pm than when I worked outside the home (It’s not even the kids necessarily, I’m just more charged up by big crowds).

Tidy up all the miscellaneous things that have been put into our bedroom but don’t belong there (I’m notorious for this scenario, and maybe you are too? Company is coming so I fill a laundry basket with random stuff from around the house. Shove it in the bedroom and shut the door. Company leaves, I do nothing about the basket. Oops, laundry is done and I need a basket, dump that basket of stuff on the dresser and never put it away). So this day I think I’ll create a romantic oasis- or I mean at least a clutter free bedroom zone. Who am I kidding? I’m probably just going to throw half that stuff away because it’s easier and probably mostly outdated at this point, but hey it will actually look a little better.
Be excited about what he’s excited about. I really have no idea what that is right now, maybe something to do with a basketball game, and a property project at church? I’ll ask him.
Pray fervently about my husband’s health and what concerns him.
Love fiercely.

Going “All In” as a friend:

Taking a little time to text friends and check in with them, maybe set up coffee dates for next week.
Offering to bring a meal to a friend, or babysit for a couple hours.

I know these all sound like baby steps, but you all know it’s been a demanding season here lately and this is just where I am and what I can do today to be “all in”. I’m totally okay with this, and I hope that wherever you are right now, that you’re okay in that season too.

Quick Tip Tuesday: Prioritizing The Day {On The Cheap}

February 2, 2016 by Quin Leave a Comment

Each Tuesday in February I will be sharing a quick tip here on my blog. Sometimes these will also shared on my Periscope (@abetterwife), Facebook, Instagram or YouTube channels as well, but no matter what they’ll always be linked up right back here.

Here’s a quick little video to showcase one way that I prioritize my day. All it takes is a glass surface -think window or mirror- and a dry erase marker.

I’ve tried other little picture frames, white boards, etc. When it comes down to it though, I’m a simple gal, and this is exactly what I need to keep myself focused and pressing forward towards my short term goals.

Will you join me in setting daily goals this month?

If you give this a try I’d love to see! You can e-mail me pictures (aslightlybetterwife@gmail.com) or tag me on Facebook or Instagram I’d love to see your work and share it too!

Disclosure