A Hesitant Housewife

Real Solutions for the Perpetually Busy Home

Menu Plan Sunday and Grandma’s Meatloaf Recipe!

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I shouldn’t have jinxed it by mentioning the great weather we were having last week. The rest of the week has been cold, rainy, and pretty miserable. It doesn’t help matters that my whole family has been down with a pretty nasty cold for the last few days.

We’ve been eating a lot of soup, especially my Mom’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s really easy to throw together and it warms you from the inside out.

This coming week looks like it’s going to warm up and dry out so hopefully we can shake this bug, regain our energy, and get back outside!

 

What Will be on Our Table May 22nd-28th

Monday: Spinach, Tomato, and cheese quesadilla

Tuesday: Chicken Sheet Bake

Wednesday: Honey Garlic Shrimp on a bed of Rice

Thursday: Spinach and Italian Chicken (using my homemade spaghetti sauce from last week)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Grandma’s Meatloaf (Wyatt’s all time favorite – recipe below!!)

Sunday: Sausage and Hashbrown Frittata’s

Grandma’s Meatloaf

Grandma's Meatloaf

* I’d like to give a special thanks to my friend, Michele for sharing her recipe with me.
You helped so many people during your time here. Rest in peace, friend.

Before trying this recipe, I had never had a meatloaf that I liked. There was just something, I don’t know – wrong about it to me. It always tasted like a mushy cheeseburger without the bun.

I was skeptical when Michele recommend it but this recipe has forever changed meatloaf for me. Wyatt adores this one, calls it “Meat-a-loaf”,  and he would eat it 3 times a week if I were willing.

Try it and let me know what you think in  the comment section! You will not be disappointed!

Ingredients

  • 1 Lb. ground beef
  • 1 lb sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
  • 1 slice bread, soaked in water and then squeezed dry
  • 1 egg
  • ½ small onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp. ground sage
  • 1/3 c. milk
  • Salt and pepper, to taste (1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp. is a good place to start with most recipes)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F
  • Mix all ingredients together and place in a sprayed loaf pan
  • Bake on middle rack for 1 hour and 15 minutes

 

 

How to Make Your Own Gorgeous Burlap Banner

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Sprinkle Collage
I recently had the honor of co-hosting a baby “Sprinkle” (think, mini baby shower) for a good friend of mine, Nicole, and her third little bundle of joy, Westley.

Nicole refurbishes antique furniture for a living and thus, loves all things rustic, antique, Victorian etc…so we based all the decorations around her passion. There wasn’t a stork or a typical baby decoration in sight and I must admit, it was refreshing to take part in a shower that was outside of the box.

This banner was such a hit with all the guests! Westley’s mommy even took it home and hung it in his beautiful rustic nursery. It makes my heart full to know that she loves it so much and that her family sees it each day.

I am not going to lie to you – this banner was a long project. I’m sure it has a little to do with my perfectionist ways but mostly with the fact that there were 15 letters to paint and that I was totally winging it! In the end though, it was totally worth every minute!

How to Make Your Own

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission which allows me to continue with this glorious blogging adventure. Read my full disclaimer Policy here.

Supply List

I started by heading over to Michael’s Craft Store for supplies (What a great store but man, can I spend some major bucks in there) but you can get most of the supplies, including the burlap banner kit, at Amazon too.

The original plan was to cut each burlap shape out by hand but then I realized that they came pre-cut! Score!!! I am all for paying a little extra to save time because that is one thing I am extremely short on these days.

Welcome StencilAfter realizing that I couldn’t find reasonably priced stencils that fit our theme, I decided to make my own. Following a long search, I finally found a beautiful rustic font free online.

Using Microsoft Word, I typed out each letter individually, made them bold, and then held up the burlap to my computer screen and adjusted the font size to fit well in the margins of the banner piece (Approximately 275 point for this project).

Homemade StencilNext, I printed each letter (I think it ended up being two letters to a page) and although I started with a regular craft scissors, I found that an X-Acto Knife worked better to carefully cut out each one. I then found the center of the burlap by folding it in half and making a small crease.

 

I held the burlap and the negative space of the stencil up to the light to put the letter in position and Homemade Stencil Placementtaped it down with transparent tape. You can probably just eyeball this but like I mentioned, I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist.

Next, using a hard, dry bristled brush and crème colored craft paint, I stippled a thin layer of paint on and then let it dry completely before adding a second and third layer. Some letters were a bit trickier than others (The e, the o, the y, and the exclamation point) as I had to hot glue bits of the cut outs back on so the negative space would be correct.

After letting everything dry for a few hours, I flipped them over and with a warm iron, I ironed out the creases. An added bonus was the heat let me simply pluck off the bits of hot glue that I had to use.

For that finishing touch, I hot glued little fake flowers here and there. So adorable!!

Burlap Rustic Welcome Banner

 

Menu Planning Sunday and Super Easy Pineapple Chicken

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Menu Planning Sunday

I am just loving this gorgeous spring weather we’re having here in Minnesota. Beautiful days bring mid-sixties to low seventies and cool breezy fifties at night – perfection!

During the week, Wyatt and I practically live outdoors, usually at one of the many parks our city offers. Although this red-haired, practically transparent-skinned mama has a love/hate relationship with the sun, we spend as much time as we can outside before the Arctic winter descends upon us once again.

Usually this time of year I am totally into grilling recipes. Unfortunately a storm recently obliterated our grill and we’ve been too busy to research another. So for now, I’ll have to stick to planning our menu with quick recipes that get me in and out of the kitchen A.S.A.P. so we can get back outside!

*Don’t forget to scroll down for the recipe for Super Easy Pineapple Chicken!

Our Menu for May 15th – 21st

Monday – Summer Veggie Tian

Tuesday – Spaghetti (with roasted spaghetti squash for the noodles)

Wednesday – Healthier White Chicken Chili

Thursday (Cheat day) – Grandma’s Meatloaf (I’ll be posting this delicious recipe very soon)

Friday – Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

Saturday – Low Fat Pineapple Chicken (Super easy recipe below)

Sunday – Easy Shepard’s Pie

Super Easy Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts (5-6 oz. each), trimmed of fat
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1 (8 0z.) can crushed pineapple with juices

Directions Misto Olive Oil Sprayer

  • Preheat oven to 400° F
  • Spray an 8 x 8 in. baking dish with cooking spray of your choice ( I adore my Misto Olive Oil Sprayer – much healthier than cooking sprays full of ingredients that I can’t pronounce)
  • Place trimmed chicken in dish
  • Mix all remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken
  • Bake uncovered, for 25 minutes, using a spoon to cover chicken in juices 3 times during cooking.
  • Serve over a bed of rice with your favorite veggies on the side

Menu Planning Sunday

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Menu Planning Sunday

Wow, another week has flown by! Life just seems to get busier and busier every day so, for the sake of my sanity, I have been into really into simple recipes.

Here’s what will be on our table this week. What will be on yours?

Monday: Summer Vegetable Tian

Tuesday: Shrimp and Asparagus Sheet Bake

Wednesday: Ground Turkey Sloppy Joe’s

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chicken Veggie Sheet Bake

Saturday: Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

Sunday: Turkey Chili

Make sure to follow me on Pinterest to see all of the recipes featured here!

Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

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Chicken Soup Bowl
Chicken Noodle Soup IngredientsMom’s Chicken Noodle Soup was a comforting staple all throughout my childhood. There was nothing like it to warm us up during our crisp Minnesota autumns and frigid winters.

My mom, who passed away suddenly when I was just 20 years old, made this wonderfully hearty chicken noodle soup just about every week during the cold season and I swear, it could kick an illnesses ass in a day.

Although I never got the chance to learn my mom’s official recipe, after a couple of years of experimenting I think I’ve gotten really close. I now make it often for my family – Wyatt seriously jumps up and down and yells, “Yay!” when I serve it. It’s pretty adorable. The best part though is that each and every time we eat it, I feel like my mom is with us.

Chopped carrots, onions, celery, stewed tomatoes, and minced garlicMom’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is a little different from the norm but once you try it, you’ll never go back. It does make a lot so I usually freeze half of it (before adding the noodles). It’s fabulous to have in the freezer ready to go when someone gets sick or when you just don’t feel like cooking.

 

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission which allows me to continue with this glorious blogging adventure. Read my full disclaimer Policy here.

 Ingredients

Directions

Add all ingredients except the chicken to a large pot and bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to low

Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours or until the veggies are tender and the broth is rich and hearty.  The longer you cook, the better it tastes!

Next, add the cooked chicken and let this beautiful soup simmer for another 15 -20 minutes

Boil the egg noodles until al dente and then add desired amount to the soup. Let simmer during last 5-10 minutes of cooking

Serve with a crusty bread with butter or just some good ol’ saltine crackers!

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The 30 Days to a Clutter Free Home Challenge Begins Today!

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Today we begin the 30 Days to a Clutter Free Home Challenge!

“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.
Tip toe if you must, but take the step.”   -Naeem Callaway

Are you as excited as I am? I hope so!

Let’s go into this knowing that at times it’s going to be difficult. At times we will want to quit, to give up like we have in the past. But we cannot let that happen – not this time!

Everyday remember that it’s just 30 days and at the end, there will be a great impact on the state of our homes as well as our mindsets. We will keep our eyes on the prize!!

If you get disheartened, repeat to yourself, as many times as necessary: “Old ways won’t open new doors” – Author Unknown

Tips and Tricks

Below are some tips and tricks that I have gathered from Ye Old Google to help us on this Clutter Free Home Challenge:

  • You must listen to some fun, upbeat music, your favorite Podcast, or an Audiobook. Nothing makes a difficult task even harder than watching the clock.
  • Start out by tidying the house if possible. Move things into their proper homes.
  • Stay focused on the daily task. Shut off your phone. Turn off the TV. Try to do the task when you know the kids will be napping / in quiet time / at school etc…. It is so easy to become overwhelmed and distracted.
  • If you can’t decide on an item, set it aside and come back to it when you are done with the day’s task. If you still can’t decide (which is a good indicator that you don’t need the item), see #5 below.
  • Put anything you are having a hard time getting rid of into a box. Seal it up, put the date on it, and put it in a place where you won’t see it every day.
    If you use something out of the box, you must immediately make a home for the item.
    Whatever is not used within one year goes to donation!
  • Make a pile of To-do’s. For example, receipts that need to go in the tax files, forms or mail that needs to go into your file cabinet etc… and set a date for when you will tackle the task. Stick to your date.

Remember that getting organized is a process, especially if you’ve been putting it off for some time. Staying organized means changing your habits (which we will discuss at length at the end of our challenge), otherwise you will end up right back in the same spot you are in now – Cluttered homes and minds, overwhelmed, and stressed out.

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.  The secret of getting started is breaking your
complex tasks into manageable tasks, and then starting the first one.” – Mark Twain

Good luck on the challenge ahead and please, don’t hesitate to contact me through email, Facebook, or the blog!

Sloane

P.S.: It’s not too late to join the challenge! You know you want to!

Click here to join the Clutter Free Challenge!

Sunday Menu Planning

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3 spices

Menu for May 1st – 7th

This week is a busy one so I’ve got lots of quick recipes on the menu:

Monday: Crispy Black Bean and Quinoa Burritos 

Tuesday: Honey Garlic Salmon (recipe to come)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Chicken and Veggie Sheet Bake (recipe to come)

Friday: Roasted Garlic and Butter Shrimp with Asparagus

Saturday: Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash (Using sauce I made ahead of time and threw in the freezer)

Sunday: Leftovers

Have you tried menu planning yet? How did it go? What are some of your go-to recipes for your family? I love, love, love trying new recipes!

4 Reasons Why You Should Be Menu Planning

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4 Reasons Why You Should Be Menu Planning

Sunday is generally a restful, relaxing, do-nothing kind of day around our house. We lounge on the couch, watch a little TV in the morning, maybe play some video games (Little Big Planet and Lego Super Hero Marvel – Thrilling 😉 ), and just hang together as a family.

Unfortunately, Sunday also reminds us of the inevitable – Monday is coming. Once the week starts it seems to fly by at break neck speed. There’s preschool and homework (Homework in preschool? Seriously?), laundry and dishes, baths and of course, the never-ending demand for food.

What’s for dinner? It’s the question that can haunt any parent (seriously, I’ve had nightmares about it).

Many people make the frantic run to the grocery store at the last-minute, wandering the aisles for an answer to the “What’s for dinner, mom” dilemma. Not this mama – not anymore.  I am done with those stressful days.

Instead, I take about a half an hour out of each Sunday, peruse my personal recipes, Pinterest (my fav!), and of course, other bloggers sites.  I come up with a list of meals for each evenings dinner (some people plan all 3 meals each day but I do not), write them all down on a Post-it in my Bullet journal (much more on that topic to come), and as I go, I also make a list of ingredients for each meal.

What’s In It for You

  • Menu planning saves you money. You’ll use less gas traipsing back and forth to the grocery store, planning your meals around what is on sale at your store for the week is an easy way to stretch your budget, and there will be much less impulse buying. Stick to the list, people! Stick to the list!
  • A menu plan helps you feed your family healthier foods. Gone are the days of hitting up the drive thru because you can’t think of anything to cook. Gone are the days of grabbing a frozen pizza, made of god-knows-what.
  • Menu planning allows you to double or even triple your recipes and fill up your freezer for those nights when life gets in the way or you are just too dang tired to cook!
  • Planning ahead saves you time in the long run. There will be no more aimlessly wandering the aisles, no more staring into the abyss of the fridge/pantry/freezer, trying desperately to concoct some sort of edible something. No more begging your family to help you decide what to make.

Where to Start

1) First, take a quick inventory of your fridge, pantry, and freezer. Are there ingredients that need to get used before they go bad? Do you have a roast in the freezer that would make a great easy crock pot dinner? Jot down what you have on hand and move to step two.

2) Look for specials and sales at your grocery store. Your main resources will be the circulars from your local newspaper and / or your store website.

I also love couponing blogs that list out sales items along with available coupons for each item. Seriously, the blog, Pocket Your Dollars, changed my life as a mom and wife. Go check out her site and then try to find a similar one for your area using keywords such as Couponing + blog + your city/town etc…

3) Using your inventory list, your circulars and favorite resource for recipes – pick seven dinners. As you decide on each dinner, immediately put the ingredients you need on your grocery list.

Menu Planning and Shopping List

4) Post your menu plan somewhere for your family to see– no more “What’s for dinner?” questions!

5) Go shopping and embrace the feeling of saving money, time, and your sanity!

My Menu Plan for the Week

* I always shoot for the following routine: Meatless Monday’s, 1-2 nights with fish as the main ingredient, 1-2 nights of leftovers, and 1 “cheat meal” (less healthy than other nights).

Monday: Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet

Tuesday: Chicken and Veggie Sheet Bake

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Parmesan Broiled Tilapia

Friday: Meatloaf

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Grown Up Tuna Noodle Casserole (Cheat meal)

That’s it! It may seem a little time-consuming but trust me – once you get used to doing it every week, it goes so fast!

Try it out for a few weeks and let me know what you think!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE menu planning printable(s)!

Weeekly Menu Plan

Plain weekly menu planner – 1 meal only

Weekly Menu Plan with Shopping List 3 meals

Weekly menu plan with shopping list and space for 3 meals

Weekly Menu Plan with 3 Meals

Weekly Menu Plan with 3 Meals

May: Onward and Upward

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Moving Onward and Upward with The Happiness Project

 

The past year and a half has been incredibly stressful for me and my family.

After a tough negotiation, we bought and moved into our dream home. While moving, we also updated and rented out our old house. Wyatt is going through an argumentative and let’s-see-how-far-I-can-push-mom-before-she-blows-her-top phase. My father had a major stroke and moved in with us for a few months. We were in a major car accident, and most recently, my father has decided to sell my childhood home.

While knee-deep in all of this stress, I still realize how lucky I am. I have an amazing husband, a loving son who means the world to me, an absolutely beautiful home that I never fathomed we would ever own, fantastic friends and family who really supported me through all of it, and a dad that narrowly escaped death and came out of it relatively unscathed.

My Happiness Project this year is going to focus on lessening my stress, finally getting my house in order, learning to really take care of myself emotionally, physically, and spiritually (all of you parents out there know how hard this is), spending more time fostering my awesome friendships, and focusing on my marriage, my son, and just having fun and enjoying life again.

My Game Plan for May

May – Lessen My Stress

  • Complete the 30 Day Clutter Free Challenge on my blog (I’m so excited for this)!
  • Revamp my cleaning schedule – Make it more realistic
  • Complete a large freezer cooking weekend (in preparation for having to help my dad move and more than likely being really short on time because of it)
  • Continue therapy
  • Learn to say no to people – and stop feeling guilty for it. Remind myself about what is really important for me and my family
  • Learn and practice true self-care techniques (bubble baths and a glass of wine are nice but they do not qualify as the true definition of self-care)

I am so excited to really work on getting back to my normal.

What about you?

Have you read The Happiness Project yet? Have you started your own project? If not, please think about it! It is so rewarding!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of these links, I will make a small commission which allows me to continue with this glorious blogging adventure. Read my full disclaimer Policy here.

 

Easy Oven Hard “Boiled” Eggs

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The Big Fluffy Dude with the Cute Tail is on His Way

For all of you perpetually busy (or perpetually procrastinating, whatev’s, no judgment here) parents like me – today is the day to color Easter eggs before the big bunny makes his visit.

Did you know that you can make hard-boiled eggs in the oven?! You can and they are so super easy!

I like to take the eggs out of the fridge and let them come close to room temp before baking. This helps lessen the chances of the eggs cracking.

Preheat your oven to 325°F and place your eggs in a medium to large muffin tin to keep them from rolling around.

Bake them for 28-31 minutes. I have found we like them best when cooked for 28. This makes the yolk the pretty bright yellow without the gray ring around the outside.

It is normal for the eggs to come out of the oven with little brown spots. They usually come off in the ice bath. If they don’t and it really matters to you, you can rub them off with a cloth.

Eggs in a muffin tin

Immediately after removing from the oven, place them in a large bowl filled with ice water for about 10 minutes to stop the cooking process. If all the ice melts before the 10 minutes is up, add more ice.

Eggs Taking an Ice Bath

 

Eggs on a Wire RackRemove the eggs and dry with a dish towel or place on a wire rack to dry.

An added bonus to this super easy method is that the shells peel off really, really easily.

Now, bust out the Easter egg coloring kits and make some memories with your little’s!

What about you?

What were your Easter traditions when you were a kid? What are your traditions now?

 

Ingredients / Equipment

  • As many eggs as your family wants
  • Medium or large muffin tin
  • Large bowl filled with ice water

Directions

  • Take eggs out of the fridge and allow to come to room temp
  • Preheat oven to 325°F
  • Place eggs in a medium t large muffin tin
  • Cook for 28-31 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks
  • Immediately after removing eggs from the oven, place in a large bowl filled with ice water for about 10 minutes. If all of the ice melts before the 10 minutes is up, add more
  • Remove eggs from the water and dry with a towel or place on a wire rack until dry

 

Healthier Baked Chimichangas

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Healthier Baked Chimichangas

Original recipe and picture courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything blog

These Healthier Baked Chimichangas are one of my family’s all time favorites and are perfect for a busy weeknight.

Originally from The Girl Who Ate Everything blog and tweaked a little for my family’s personal tastes and dietary needs. These Baked Chimichangas are a simple, quick, and much healthier version of the traditional deep fried Chimichangas.

Please don’t let the word healthy make you doubt the flavors of this one – I’m serious, they taste just as good (if not better than) their fatty, artery clogging cousins.

Simple, healthy, hearty deliciousness – on your family’s table in just 35 minutes from start to finish!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I love using a rotisserie chicken – quick, so easy, and already deliciously seasoned)
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 – 2 green onions, chopped (I have also used yellow in a pinch)
  • 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
  • 6 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
  • 2 tbsn. unsalted butter, melted
  • Toppings of your choice such as diced jalapenos, diced tomatoes, guacamole, additional salsa, and sour cream

Directions

– Preheat oven to 400 degrees
– Mix everything (except butter) together in a bowl
– Place about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture on tortilla, leaving about an inch or two on the sides, fold ends in and roll up like a burrito
– Place Chimichangas seam side down on a greased rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish and brush tops with melted butter
– Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and a little bit crispy. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving
– Garnish with your family’s favorite toppings, serve on a bed of shredded lettuce (I prefer Romaine as it has a mild taste and awesome amounts of great vitamins and minerals), with Spanish rice and / or re-fried beans on the side

 

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Welcome to A Hesitant Housewife

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Welcome to A Hesitant HousewifeThe Adventure Begins

Thank you so much for stopping by!

In this blog you will find parenting and homemaking tips and tricks, cooking and meal planning, product reviews, DIY projects and crafts, 30 day challenges designed to better ourselves in various ways, organizing, how-to series, and bits of my life here in beautiful Minnesota.

My mission for my little corner of the web is to create a strong community of people who want to exchange ideas and encourage each other to lead our best lives.

Who I am

My name is Sloane and I am a feisty, opinionated, intelligent, and loving 38-year-old wife and mother of 2 (1 bio, 1 step).

I was in the nursing field for 8 years. After being jerked around by my employer for a while, my husband suggested that it would be better for all of us if I stayed at home with our son, Wyatt. I never anticipated nor had any desire to be a stay at home mom. However, after taking a long look at the big picture, I hesitantly agreed when my son was 6 months old.

I quit my full-time job (so incredibly satisfying) and I stayed on call / casual with my second job at a major hospital, until 10 months ago when they closed my unit. I am now officially an unemployed full-time SAHM.

If someone had told me 15 years ago about this totally unexpected direction my life would take, I would’ve laughed all the way to the bar. But alas, here I am and I love (almost) every minute of it!

I love my family, friends crafts, cooking, reading, writing, learning, and exploring new ideas.

My thirst for knowledge is a big part of why I started this blog. I am always researching things anyway so I figured I may as well share and connect with other people while doing it!

Let’s Connect

I would love to hear from you!

The best way to reach me is through email but I am also very active on Facebook
and Pinterest.

Are you a company that would like to collaborate with me? Please email me and let’s see how we can work together to reach our goals!

Thanks again for coming on this journey with me!

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