bring joy

Do you have to count calories to lose weight? + thai quinoa coleslaw

I have compiled all of my recipes in one, easy to navigate recipe index–check it out here

A big question people often have is: do you have to count calories to lose weight?

The answer is–no.

But it does help (a lot).

Like a budget, it gives you direction & helps you stay within the parameters you need to make sure you’re burning more calories than you’re take in (which will result in weight loss). I know there are a lot of diets that say: just eat these foods & you’ll never have to count calories again. Lowfat, no-oil vegan diets advertise this benefit, but I don’t take this approach (see Is Dr. McDougall right? for more of my thoughts on lowfat diets). I think there is value in counting calories (at least for a time, or for periods of time, when needed), even if you’re eating a...

how to raise an independent child

motherhood, parenting

I’m learning how to raise independent children. It takes practice.

You see, last week one morning, I desperately wanted to sleep in.

I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. Joseph was sick with the stomach flu. Typically Joseph or myself runs the morning routine before school–supervising getting the kids dressed, lunches made, breakfast, hair, getting homework & bags together.

I woke up my oldest two (7 & 8) & told them they needed to help the younger ones (5 & 3 year old) with breakfast & getting ready for the day because Joseph & I both needed to sleep.

Asher, my 7 year old’s response was: “Okay Mom.”

I feel asleep, but it was the kind of sleep where I was actually afraid of falling asleep. What if my 3 year old got into the cereal herself? Would they really be able to make &...

Frugal Tuesdays: 35 ways to save thousands of dollars each year

debt-free, frugal life

In my “how to live on one income & love it” post, I talked about how I considered myself the financial defense of the family, Joseph the offense.

He’s bringing in most the cash, I’m making sure we keep as much of it as possible. Or rather, I’m watching over our funds like a hawk–making sure no money is going to waste (especially since we’re intensely working at becoming debt-free).

There are a lot of ways over the years that I’ve discovered to save money & I thought I’d round up some of the main ways I save money.

Of course, this list is not comprehensive, but it does cover a lot of the big & small ways we save. Some of these ideas may not apply or appeal to you, but for someone like me, who is in charge of a large household, has several young children & is interested in eco-friendly,...