I am somewhat of a Type A person. I like routines, schedules, and everything planned. At the same time I also hate being so rigid about things because I just want to live my life! But I've realized as being a wife, a mom, working, and trying to keep up with the house and meals that there is a need for schedules and such.  I believe in flexibility and room to breathe. Trust me. There are days when I do not follow my carefully planned out schedule. Those days are needed, as chaotic as they are.  Well, I am going to share with you how I am able to keep myself sane throughout all the craziness that goes on in life, as I'm sure you are all aware of. These things help me feel better about my family, myself, my mental health, and just actually makes me all around happier. Schedules This is my command center! My calendar, and my to-do lists-- daily and monthly. I have schedules for the kids, meal plan, and shopping list.  I edit this daily, change out the...

I woke up to my 10-month-old, Kiara, crying to nurse. I sleepily whip my boob out and I feel that the bed shifts. It's my 2-and-a-half-year-old, Rafael moving. We all co-sleep in a Queen-size bed, which, needless to say, is not so comfortable. After I finish feeding Kiara, Rafael gets out of bed and stands by my side of the bed. All the sudden, I hear water pouring. At first I thought it was his water cup, which he tends to like to pour out on the floor. But no, oh Lord, no. It was pee. He had somehow, after waking up, pulled his penis out of his diaper, and decided to just let loose. I start screaming and go to get a towel. He had peed all over the floor, his diaper, and his pajamas. So, naturally, I start to take everything off of him. I dry up the floor pee and go run into the kids' room to get a new diaper. "Audri, he's peeing again!" my husband, Josh, calls from our room. I race over and see that he did indeed pee on our carpet, but just a little b...

Dairy-free cooking may seem hard. And maybe you've tried certain substitutes that just are not up to par. Well, to be honest, they aren't dairy. And they will never taste exactly like dairy, but--they are pretty darn close!     Here's my list of the best tasting dairy free substitutes: 1. Instead of milk....          Silk is the best brand ever! I prefer almond milk over cashew milk when eating cereal, dipping cookies, or just drinking it straight (specifically the one with vanilla--yum!). My hubby prefers cashew milk for all that. However, when cooking, cashew milk is the better bet. It has more fat, which makes it thicker and it holds better.     Pacific Hazelnut Milk is my absolute favorite to drink straight up. It's sweet and smooth.... just perfect! I don't advise it for cooking. But you can use it in the same way I use almond milk.     I don't advise soy milk, because it makes a lot of people ...

    I tried this recipe for the first time a few days ago, and it was super delicious! Like seriously, better than getting it at a restaurant. It's fresh, yummy, and perfect for a rainy day. I recommend toasting some potato bread and dipping it in your soup! Prep time: 10-15 minutes      Cook time:20-25 minutes      Cooking level: Easy Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter or margarine  1/4 cup bacon bits 1 cup diced white or yellow onion 1/4 cup all purpose flour 2 cups chicken stock/broth 2 cups milk 1.5 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced (If big potatoes use 3, if smaller use 4) 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper optional toppings (recommended!): bacon bits, green onions or chives, sour cream, and cheddar cheese shreds Directions: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add butter or margarine. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Ad...

I got married in April, 2015 to my amazing husband Josh. We are so very happy, but that happiness has come with a lot of work on both our parts. Here are six tips for engaged and newly wed couples. 1) Go to pre-marital counseling. But don't just go-- you need to tell the counselor, pastor, therapist what ALL of your problems are. Whether it's family problems, he's verbally abusive, she's controlling, those things need to be brought up so you both have the tools you need to fix them, or at least deal with them. And he or she will let you know if those problem are fixable at all. Because you don't want to be in a marriage that is going to fail. 2) Forgive and Forget This one is very hard, especially for me. When Josh does something mean, or gets mad at me for what I think is no reason, I tend to hold a grudge. That leads to a huge fight where we're yelling at each other and nobody sleeps. When he or she says "I'm sorry" (unless there are ex...

All my life I have struggled with weight. I wanted to fit in and be like those girls on TV. Heck, not just those girls on TV, but also all the thin, curvy girls in my life. My whole life I've been trying to wear clothes that not only flattered my figure, but also trying to wear clothes that were in style. Especially lately. I've "needed" a new shirt that goes with the brown leggings I bought, and new boots because the other two pairs aren't the right color to go with the other outfit I have. It isn't just me. This is an ongoing thing for many girls and women across the US and across the world. Why is it that we want to look beautiful? Beauty, by definition, according to dictionary.com, is: "the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which h...

I've only been married for nine months, and never realized how hard it is to manage my crazy life-- okay, it's really not that crazy. But just trying to manage cleaning my apartment, cooking, working, and trying to find time for both my and my husband's families, it's exhausting. Here's what I've found helpful. Start off the day with praying   Praying and Reading the Bible are crucial to life in general, so it definitely helps to try and get things in order. If you don't have time in the morning, or like to sleep in like me, you can have your devotions at night before you go to bed. Either way, talking to God helps lift your spirits and helps you keep strong throughout the day. Make a weekly meal plan On a Saturday or Sunday night, sit down with your spouse and/or kids and think of what you want to make for dinner for the week. You can even go grocery shopping after you've made it. Or you can go before you've made it and just use t...