My Favorite Realistic Christmas Tree (and why it matters)

Last Christmas I talked about simplifying Christmas decor while maximizing its impact (and making your life easier - you can read all about it here). If you remember, I mentioned why it's important to choose quality over quantity (cliche, maybe, but can actually save you money!), and why you need to evaluate what's actually missing before you overcompensate in all the wrong ways.

Really, you should check out that original post because it goes into way more detail than I will here, but today I just wanted to share one Christmas splurge that made all the difference in my own Christmas decor:

A realistic Christmas tree!

Dark Chocolate Syrup (for coffee or chocolate milk!)

If you love a mocha coffee but don't love the price tag at a coffee shop....

If you love the idea of coffee but are more of a chocolate milk girl....

If you are just tired of junk ingredients and want an easy homemade chocolate syrup....

This one is for you!

I've tried quite a few chocolate syrup recipes and came up with this one that is by far my favorite. I think the dark chocolate cocoa powder is what really makes it, so it's worth grabbing a box if you've never tried it (although you can definitely make this syrup with regular cocoa powder). You only need five simple ingredients and a few minutes to make the syrup. You'll never go back to store-bought!

Homeschool Convention Haul 2024

We're about to kick-off another year of homeschool, and I just unpacked my homeschool convention haul that has been sitting by the desk since April. Let's see if we made some good choices way back then. 

You can check out the video here:

All the links after the jump!

DIY Renovation - What To Do Yourself vs. What To Hire Out

I've had a few questions about what we do ourselves vs. what we hire out, so I thought it might be helpful to go into that more in-depth today and talk about not just what we personally hire out, but also how we make those decisions (and I'll walk you through how to make those decisions for yourself as well). It's always a good to have an idea of what you really can (and want to) do yourself before you begin any kind of remodeling project!  I addressed this briefly in my post about installing the recessed lighting in our kitchen if you want to check that out as well.

When it comes to home renovation, you're not only deciding how much you want to pay, but also what you want to pay. Because doing things yourself involves a different kind of cost than paying a contractor. While DIY does save money, it costs time instead. Nathan once spent a whole Saturday installing flooring in our dining room with help from a friend and they only got about 75% done. So while we saved a lot of money over having it professionally installed, it cost him a couple days of time instead. See what I mean? 

So for every part of your renovation, you need to evaluate your unique needs and decide exactly what you're willing to pay. Find the balance that works for you, your home, and your family. Today I have several tips to help you think through these decisions and I put together a free printable workbook to help you as you work through that thought process! You can get it here:

DIY Renovation Planning Workbook