Your Butterfly Box Review

 As a mother, the one thing that I struggle the most to make time for and sometimes fail miserably is making more one on one time with God. I succeed at talking with the kids about God, doing our devotionals, learning about the Bible, and spending time in prayer with the kids. I find myself neglecting my own time. I ask forgiveness and try again. 

One thing I have learned is finding things to put around me that remind me of how wonderful God is one of the best things I can do. Another thing is to have a devotional I love that helps me get closer to God and also helps me learn scripture and dive deeper into my Bible. 

The Butterfly Box (https://www.yourbutterflybox.com) provides me with both of those things. This first box I got gave me a wonderful evening with my Bible. After I got the kids in the bed, I sat down for some quality time with God. I made a nice cup of tea (from the box), got my bible, devotional (from the box), and sat on the couch with a fluffy throw. It was such a relaxing evening and I slept so great that night. 

Life is busy, and it can be hard to find the time each day to connect with Christ. Butterfly Box is here to help! We thoughtfully curate a themed box each month to help reclaim those quiet moments with God, build your intimacy with Christ, and live out your faith in the world around you! 

Each month's box is designed to illustrate a biblical theme and encourage spiritual growth.

5 to 6 items such as jewelry, artwork, books, decor, personal pampering items, faith sharing cards and other specialty items

All items are carefully chosen and undergo a rigorous selection process

Products are faith-based or support small Christian businesses.

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I just love this box! @yourbutterflybox #@yourbutterflybox #butterflybox #faithsubscriptionbox #christiansubscriptionbox

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In my box, I got The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian; Be Still and Know Journal; Butterfly Prayer Bracelet; Vanilla White & Sweet Peppermint Tea Drops; Weekly Prayer Strategy. 

I really love the Weekly Prayer Strategy card. I have it tucked in my planner because I have that open all day. It is a great reminder and I love a reminder to pray about things that I might not pray about. 

I also have to share a couple of other things with you about this box. I gave 2 of the items away. My daughter has a lot of health problems and I gave her the butterfly bracelet to remind her that God is with her always, even when she is in pain. I gave the Be Still and Know Journal to my mother-in-law. When she was diagnosed with Cancer, that scripture has shown up periodically in her life. That scripture means so much to her to be still and know he is always with her. I feel God put that in the box for a reminder to her, as she is having some more health problems now. What a wonderful way to send her comfort, which I have been praying for!

Doesn't the Butterfly Box sound wonderful? I have two more wonderful things to share!

You can get 10% off with WELCOME10

You can also win a 6-month subscription for a Butterfly Box! Just go here and enter: https://www.blessedfreebies.com/butterfly-box-giveaway.html

Good luck!

What do you do to ensure you spend time with God? 

Interested in sharing on social media? @yourbutterflybox #yourbutterflybox #butterflybox #faithsubscriptionbox #christiansubscriptionbox 

How To Get Your Laundry Caught Up & Keep It That Way

 I will admit that I used to be the worst in the world to get behind on laundry. Then, it would take me forever to get caught up. Well, I sort of have it all figured out (except do we ever really have it figured out?).

My number one thing to suggest is to set a day (or 2) aside to work on laundry, along with your daily tasks, but not any other projects. Then, a day for household laundry like towels, tablecloths, bedclothes, etc. Separate into loads. Put them in the order you want to wash. Then, wash, dry, put away each load and keep the cycle going until you are finished. Fold and put away each load as it finishes, or you'll just be behind on folding. 

Make sure everything is washed- double-check bedrooms, bathrooms, and school bags. 

Now, you are ready to get yourself a system going and stay ahead of the game. 

Here are some tips that work for some families. Maybe something here will work for you. 

• Put dirty laundry in a location that you will see it and have everyone put their clothes together. When the bin is full, do laundry
• Do one load a day (whites, darks, colors, lights, towels, etc)
• Each morning was the clothes everyone wore the day before- always a fresh closet.
• Put laundry day on your calendar
• Have a pretty laundry basket!
• Growing up, mom had a laundry basket in the bathroom with a lid. She stayed up on the laundry because she couldn't stand for the lid to not fit!
• Once your kids are old enough, ease them into the laundry. Once they are ready, give them their own hamper and put them in charge of their own clothes, bedding, and towels. I was 13.
• Keep an unopened container of each item you use in laundry- if you never run out, that is one less thing to worry about. 

Good luck! Please share your tips!

5 Free Fall Bucket Lists For Your Enjoyment

 I was going to create a fall bucket list to share, but I've come across so many beautiful ones that I decided to just share some instead. 

Click the link under the photo to go to their website for the download.

Chelsea's Messy Apron

Love Bakes Good Cakes

Simply Notable

It's Gravy, Baby

Domestic Superhero

Navigating Nutrition: 5 Ideas for Healthy, Easy School Lunches and Snacks at Home

 Don’t Let ‘School’ Lunch Stress You Out: Tips and Ideas from Brainly's Parenting Expert 

By now, many parents and kids have accepted they will be taking part in distance or hybrid learning at least for the short-term. Having nutritious ready-made foods in the fridge will increase the amount of time (and focus/energy) students have to learn from home– not to mention, alleviate some of the stress parents have to deal with by planning ahead.

Patrick Quinn, parenting expert at Brainly– the world’s largest online learning and homework help community– has some recommendations and tips for healthy/quick school lunches and snacks parents can make for their kids to enhance their cognitive abilities and keep them focused. "This is a time of uncertainty and planning out lunches and sticking to a consistent lunchtime every day can help establish a sense of normalcy for kids," he says.

Most schools want parents to keep kids on schedule, breaking for lunchtime at the same time each day in between online classes and schoolwork. If you haven’t prepared the lunches ahead, your child may not have enough time to eat before their next virtual class. It's also important to remember: when your child is learning from home, lunch is not the end of their homeschool day. Lunch is the midpoint. "If I fill them up with empty carbs and sugar they aren’t able to learn from 1-3 p.m. It also makes things like 'quiet reading time' a bit of a struggle," explains Brainly's parenting expert, Patrick Quinn, who is the father of three school-age children of his own.

So what are some go-to staples and creative ideas for healthy, ready-made 'school lunches' this unprecedented school year? Here are just a few... 

1. Sandwich Kabobs
This fun lunch idea is easy to prep and has almost endless variations so something is sure to appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. Try making a ‘pepperoni pizza’ with mozzarella, pepperoni, tomatoes, and bread, or a ‘turkey club’ with turkey, bacon, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, and your choice of toasted bread slices.

Brainly parenting expert pro tip? "For kids who eat lunch while chatting with friends on Zoom or while they're on their computer, sandwich kabobs are an excellent go-to for keeping fingers (and keyboards) clean and non-sticky. They're also great for eating on the go if your kid wants to take a stroll outdoors and enjoy some nature while having lunch."

2. Trail Mix
This snack idea is great because it can easily be prepared days in advance, which gives kids the opportunity to get in on the action. This is a great opportunity to give kids the freedom to choose their own snack while also teaching them how to balance sweet ingredients with healthy options. Parents can check out this great list of 21 healthy trail mix recipes for inspiration.  

3. Homemade Chips
For a healthy spin on everyone’s favorite snack, try baking apples or zucchini in the oven. You can add your own spices/flavoring to make it the perfect snack for your kids that they don’t even realize is actually good for them. You can also find tons of creative recipes online like these decadent Cool Ranch Zucchini Chips or savory Parmesan Squash Chips.

"During the pandemic, what goes into our kids’ bodies is even more important. Whether at home or face to face, you still want to promote that philosophy of healthy eating because it's not only important for maintaining our kids' immune systems and physical health but also for maintaining their moods, energy levels, and mental health," says Brainly's parenting expert, Patrick.

4. Bite-Sized Cucumber Sandwiches
This fun snack replaces bread with cucumbers to create healthy mini sandwiches. You can fill them with pretty much anything, including cheese, deli meat, tomatoes, and even spreads such as chicken salad or guacamole. You can also use cucumbers as one of the fixings inside or atop bread (instead of as a substitution for it) then slice them up into mini bite-sized sandwiches. For more ideas on how to spruce up these bite-sized sandwiches, check out this recipe round-up blog post.

5. Energy Bites
Energy bites are a great way to keep kids full between meals due to their combo of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and healthy fats. You can think of them as bite-sized, less messy versions of a granola bar that don’t require any baking and can be easily customized. Check out this simple yet delicious recipe to learn the basic gist of how to make energy bites before concocting your own special recipes.

"These have almost everything your kids need from a nutritional standpoint, all rolled into one tasty and fun snack. Energy bites pack in loads of healthy carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein for growth and focus during the day, and healthy fats for brain development," adds Patrick. 

There are countless other easy, healthy lunch and snack ideas online for parents with kids who are starting out this unprecedented school with distance or hybrid learning. The most important thing for parents to remember is to plan ahead, keep it simple and fun, and stick to a routine that works for your family.

For more information, visit www.brainly.com.