aka Terri

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2019-06-22T14:08:00.001-04:00

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Synopsis & Review of the Ultimate Productivity Bundle 2019

2019-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth bundle I've purchased from Ultimate Bundles. Finally wised up and became an affiliate since I'm such a fan, so this post will contain affiliate links. That means that if you purchase anything using one of my links, I will receive a commission. There is no additional charge to you.

As anyone who knows me can attest, I'm a professional-grade procrastinator!

Because of my putting-things-off habit, I'm always on the lookout for anything that will help me get the most done with the least amount of effort. That's why I was excited to see that Ultimate Bundles finally put together a Productivity Bundle!

This bundle is AMAZING!

What's Included?

5 eBooks
14 eCourses & videos
26 printables & workbooks

Product List:

Time Management
Daily Planners
Goal Setting
Goal Planners
Home Management
Home Management Planners & Printables
Mindset & Self-Care
Productivity at Work

My Favorites:

The Organize Your Life with Trello eCourse by Cara Harvey & Elisa Giorgio made this bundle worthwhile for me! I love Trello but feel like Cara & Elisa have taken my Trello game to the next level! I have several new boards now and feel like I can really keep on top of things. Definitely one of my favorites!

I've been working my way through The 90-Day Personal Productivity Power Plan by Lise Cartwright and am really liking it so far! This course alone would make the bundle worth buying!

Productivity & Organization for Women by Cheri Chin is a four week course that I'm slowly working my way through. I really like Cheri and am enjoying the course! You have the option of completing it at your own pace, but I like getting the daily emails so signed up for that option.

Synopsis & Review

While I did get a head-start on this bundle, there are still several items that I haven't had a chance to go over yet.

I've included a short synopsis for each product and my mini-review is below the synopsis, in red.

I'll be updating this post as I continue to work my way through everything.

The Ultimate Productivity Bundle is only $37, a huge savings over buying everything individually!

Look through the courses and see if anything strikes your fancy. They also offer an awesome 30-day Happiness Guarantee, so what have you got to lose?

Time Management
(5 of products worth $132.98)

How to Finish Your To Do List Every Day!

by Marcia Ramsland ($47.00)

(Video) This video will show you how to turn the chaos of the day into calm control with smart planning and your TO DO List will get done, your home will be cleaner, your work will get done, and you’ll be happier and relaxed.
At approximately 30 minutes long, I'm not sure how they came up with the $47 value of this video. Ramsland shares several tips for creating a successful to-do list and offers a link to some free downloads, but none of this information was new to me.

It's About Time by Aby Garvey ($49.00)

(eBook) Create a customized time management system that is in sync with your values and priorities and helps you feel in control with It's About Time.

Skimmed through this ebook and it looks like something I could use. Will definitely be going back to this one!

Organize Your Life with Trello by Cara Harvey & Elisa Giorgio ($47.00)

(eCourse) A digital course that helps moms who are sick of being overwhelmed and finally want to get control of everything.
I love Trello and have been using it for awhile already, but learned several new tips & tricks with this ecourse! One of my favorites from this bundle!

Personality Based Time Management by Susie Glennan ($4.99)

(eBook) Don't fall for the one size fits all myth! Learn about personality based time management© from someone who was not born organized and has been there and done that for more than 20 years.
An interesting ebook that made a lot of sense! There's a short quiz to help you determine your personality type (Type A & Type B, two each). Susie gives several suggestions on what would work best for your type. It was nice to know that I'm not alone and others share my method-to-my-madness, chaos style! Even picked up a few good tips! There are several attachments at the end with examples. She even offers you a couple of free planner pages, but you need to sign up for her email list to receive them. This would've been one of my favorites but I didn't care for the many mentions of their Busy Woman's Daily Planner

Take Back Your Time: How to Become a Motivated Time Saving Mama by Emily Bendler ($4.99)

(eBook) Emily's book will help you to efficiently manage your time so you can get things done and make time for the people you love and yourself.

Daily Planners
(9 products worth $169.99)

Beyond Blessed Life Planner for Christian Women by Ana Willis ($17.00)

(Planner) The Beyond Blessed Life Planner is the most complete and Christ-centered undated Printable planner to help you take your life from good to beyond blessed now and in the years to come!

I Heart Productivity Pack by Laura Smith ($34.00)

(Planner) This printable productivity pack is designed to walk you through the process of setting goals that really stick and then track your progress.

Planner ePlanner: Calendars, Schedules & To Do Lists by ListPlanIt ($10.00)

(Planner) Planner ePlanner has what you need to record the To Dos that bring clutter to our minds and our lifestyle. Learn how to record and prioritize your schedules and to dos to make the best use of your time.

Simply Scheduled Workbook by Julianna Poplin ($27.00)

(Planner) A minimally and elegantly designed set of checklists, planners, worksheets, and calendars to help you plan your life efficiently and effectively.

The Planner Obsessed™ Planner [The Silver Edition] by Carlie & Hannah Kercheval ($15.00)

(Planner) The Planner Obsessed™ Planner will help you get your life organized, all while creating the habits to make your life the best it can be.

The S.O.S. Planner by Kayse Pratt ($29.00)

(Planner) The S.O.S. Planner gives you back your time, schedule, and sanity, by helping you organize every aspect of your life.

The Wannabe Bullet Journal: A Loosely-Structured Weekly Planner For Those Who Need Both Freedom & Organization by Ronni Peck ($4.99)

(Planner) The half-page Bullet Journal Wannabe for those who wish they could bullet journal but need a little more structure.
I've tried bullet journals before but keep going back to a regular planner. These are preprinted pages for someone who would like to bullet journal, but doesn't want the hassle of making their own pages.

Thrive with Chronic Illness Planner + Journal by Tanya at Mom’s Small Victories ($17.00)

(Planner) Designed to help chronic illness patients manage their time and energy, break down their goals, and work to improve their physical and emotional health.

Time Management Sheets by Jennifer Roskamp ($18.00)

(Planner) Get more done in less time. More than just tracking sheets, Time Management Sheets are a system unlike any other where you will use your time the most efficient way possible.

Goal Setting

(5 products worth $406.98)

Brilliant Baby Steps: Make the Most of Your Messy Middle for a Beautiful, Balanced Life by Beth Anne Schwamberger ($47.00)

(eCourse) Brilliant Baby Steps teaches a simple but effective system for making the most of your day regardless of your stage of life. It will help you get more done with less stress, while still being there for the people you love and activities you enjoy.

Driven Women Grace Based Productivity for Christians by Phylicia Masonheimer ($98.00)

(eCourse) The Driven Women Productivity Course is a grace-based, biblical approach to time management that teaches you how to develop routines and habits that fit YOUR personality and lifestyle.

Goal Setting 101: How to Set Goals as an Absolute Beginner by Nadalie Bardo ($49.99)

(eCourse) Goal Setting 101 is an 8-lesson eCourse that teaches you exactly how to set achievable goals.

Start Finishing Your Projects: Boost Your Productivity, Effectiveness, and Creative Momentum by Learning to Finish the Projects that Matter Most by Charlie Gilkey ($14.99)

(eCourse) This will help you get your unstarted or unfinished project done, as well as teach you how to set yourself up for success with any other project you kick off after taking the course.

The 90-Day Personal Productivity Power Plan by Lise Cartwright ($197.00)

(eCourse) Lise Cartwright created The 90-Day Personal Productivity Power Plan to share the EXACT principles and strategies she used to master her to-do-list in a matter of months so you can do the same.
This ecourse includes a workbook and video instruction. I love that she uses Trello, one of my favorite organizing tools! Slowly working my way through this one and so far, I really like it!

Goal Planners

(8 products worth $144.00)

90-Day Personal Growth Goal and Life Planning System by Cassandra Massey ($37.00)

(eCourse) Cassie's 90 day personal growth goal and life planning system is a 280-page printable planning system + 8 video mini-course to guide you step-by-step in creating your goal-achieving plan of action!
Went through the videos and print-outs for this ecourse. The videos explain how to use the preprinted planner sheets. I like that you get 3 color options for your planner! That's a nice touch (love the color options!). Want to give everyone a heads up about the subtle religious tone. The daily planning pages are labeled "Daily Inspiration Calendar" with spots for prayer, gratitude list, praise, and inspirational quote/verse. And on the budget sheets, there's a spot for tithing. I have a daily gratitude journal and love inspirational quotes, but these items caught me a little off guard as I wasn't expecting them. Everything else was secular.

Goal Setting Life Planner by Sareeta Lopez ($19.00)

(Planner) More than your everyday planner - it teaches you exactly get you closer to your kickass dream life by integrating your goals into your daily life so that you’re always working towards them! It includes a video walk through of exactly how to use the planner and implement my 3 Month Term goal setting system.

Goals and Planning Bundle by Abby Lawson ($12.00)

(Planner) Designed to help you set actionable goals and be more productive!

Quarterly Targets & Goals Tracking by Kimi Kinsey ($7.00)

(Planner) Set, track, and achieve your goals with this strategy guide and quarterly-based printable. Set comes with pages for 2019, and 2020 - to total 8 pages (1 for every quarter).

The 2019 Success Designer Planner by Khaye Mydette Macalinao ($10.00)

(Planner) The 2019 Success Designer Planner is a goals-focused productivity planner designed to help you blissfully manage not just your schedule but your whole life!

The Goal-Getter Workbook: The Plan for Busy Women to Go from Dreams to Plans to DONE by Laura S Shaw ($25.00)

(Workbook) The perfect tool to help you create the goals that get you closer to your dreams.

The Ultimate Goal Setting Planner™ [Couples Edition] by Mike & Carlie Kercheval ($15.00)

(Planner) Mike + Carlie Kercheval have put together The Ultimate Goal Setting Planner™ [Couples Edition] to help married couples prioritize their marriage and things that matter most.

Ultimate Goal Setting Planner 2019 by MaryEllen Bream ($19.00)

(Planner) The Ultimate Goal setting planner contains everything you need to set goals for the year and break them down into small, doable pieces. Over 150 pages of goal setting worksheets and calendar pages will help you manage your time for maximum productivity.

Home Management

(3 products worth $123.00)

Child, It's Time to Get Off Your Butt: A simple system to get your people off the couch, ready for the day, and your home maintained. by Angela Davis ($7.00)

(eBook) A simple system to get your people off the couch, ready for the day, and your home maintained.

Mastering the #MomLife Juggle: A Realistic Action Plan For Getting it All Done as a Busy Mom by Brianna Berner ($67.00)

(eCourse) Learn the incredibly simple secrets to mastering the #momlife juggle so you can get more done in less time, be more present with your family, and start living a life that you're wildly passionate about.

Productivity & Organization for Women by Cheri Chin ($49.00)

(eCourse) This course is designed especially for working, busy, women who want to also have a home that is organized and free of chaos. Learn decluttering tips, ways to efficiently grocery shop, and even how to organize files on your computer in four weeks!
This is a four week course so I haven't finished yet, but I do like the instructor and her teaching style. You can either sign up for daily emails or complete it at your own pace. The daily option includes assignments and videos, and there's a weekly workbook to fill out as well. I opted for the daily emails and so far, so good!

Home Management Planners & Printables

(7 products worth $82.96)

Family Chore System & Planner by Mandi Ehman ($17.00)

(Planner) The Family Chore System & Planner from Life Your Way is a unique system designed to help families work together to stay on top of the daily, weekly and monthly chores as a team.

Get Your House Clean and Organized: A Cleaning Planner by Laura Rizer ($7.99)

(Planner) This planner will help you get organized and streamline your cleaning tasks so that you can create a routine that's right for you.
The cleaning printables are nice but my favorite part of this planner are the checklists at the end for decluttering, Spring Cleaning, laundry deep cleaning, and holiday cleaning!

Home Cleaning Planner by Corinne Schmitt ($4.99)

(Planner) The Home Cleaning Planner comes with checklists and planning sheets to help you get (and keep) your entire home clean both inside and out!
A small ebook with both blank and prefilled checklists to help keep your house clean. A useful guide with several items I had forgotten to include with my cleaning checklists.

Housekeeping Chore Box for Kids and Families by Kemi Quinn ($9.00)

(Printable) Kemi Quinn wants to help you set up an Awesome system of housekeeping that includes your children and can grow with them.

Life Management Binder by Heather Moritz ($24.00)

(Planner) Giving you the ability to track all aspects of your life, the Life Management Binder will not only help you get your home-life in order, but help you feel like an organizational rock-star!

Organized 31 Tickler File System: The Easy Way to Manage Paperwork, Bills, Tasks and Appointments by Susan Santoro ($3.99)

(Printable) Makes it simple to keep track of, anticipate and complete all time-sensitive paperwork, bills and tasks on-time and with less stress.

Year of Intent by Leslie Lambert ($15.99)

(Planner) A huge collection or organizational printables that let you build a custom planner that fits your needs.

Mindset & Self-Care

(5 products worth $94.99)

10 Steps to Feel Motivated & Get Stuff Done by Heather LeGuilloux ($9.00)

(Workbook) Heather LeGuilloux wants to help you to be more intentional with your time by sharing a practical system that will help you to stay on track so you can finally bring your passion to life.
A short ebook to help get you motivated! Breaking everything down into ten steps was stretching it a little, but it's still good advice.

Ignite Your Life by Jess Stuart ($15.00)

(eCourse) An online course to help you create the life you dream of living. Learn to set goals to achieve your dreams. Want to feel more joy in each day and master the art of happiness? This course is for you!

Positivity Planner by Chris Mooney ($14.00)

(Planner) Chris has developed a colorful, accessible "positivity planner," which can help you get organized as well as inspire and encourage you with space for you to jot what you're grateful for as well as what’s challenging you today/this week!

Replenish: Experience Radiant Calm and True Vitality in Your Everyday Life by Lisa Grace Byrne (9.99)

(eBook) Replenish uncovers the 7 core essentials of well-being that need to be nurtured in order to live and mother with greater calm, clarity and vitality in the world.

The Breaking Barriers Challenge by Lindsay Preston ($47.00)

(eCourse) The 5-day program that will teach you how to break through the barriers that are stopping you from confidently stepping into your BEST LIFE!
Geared to women in their 20s and 30s, this five day challenge can be done at your own pace as all the videos are available on the home page. There's also a companion workbook to download and a private Facebook group you can join. The videos can't be sped up, which is a small pet peeve of mine.

Productivity at Work

(5 products worth $369.00)

Balanced Life Guide by Lauren Cecora ($47.00)

(eCourse) A six week video and worksheet breakdown of how to organize your life so you can focus on the things that truly matter.

Motivation Kit by Julia Bickerstaff ($18.00)

(Workbook) This gorgeous printable Motivation Kit contains science-backed but easy-to-do step by step 'recipes' and tools to help you keep motivated every day.

Perfect Project Planner: For Bloggers, Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs by Eve Tokens ($40.00)

(Planner) The Perfect Project Planner is an essential tool for any blogger or small business owner wanting to manage their business projects and personal time more effectively.
Geared towards bloggers or small business owners, this has some decent pages they could find useful. Has all the usual planner pages plus pages to track Google Analytics, monthly stats, monthly expenses, and quarterly goals.

The Personal Productivity Toolkit by Paul Minors ($197.00)

(eCourse) Beat overwhelm and learn how to get more done, in less time. Fast! Learn how to master your email, manage your time and create a simple system for increasing your efficiency and staying organized.
This eCourse gives you the option of viewing each section as a video, MP3, or PDF, which is a nice option. I prefer PDF as I like to read things instead of watching a video. There are six sections in this course (including the introduction) and they all build upon one another, so you do need to finish them in order. I skimmed the course and will definitely be going back once I have time!

Work by Design Summit by Claire Diaz Ortiz ($67.00)

(Summit) The Work by Design Summit All Access Pass gives you lifetime access to interviews with 50+ productivity experts who finally help you make REAL productivity work in your REAL life.

Make More Margin: FREE Productivity eBook from Ultimate Bundles!

2019-02-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

As a professional-grade procrastinator, I'm always on the lookout for anything that will help me get the most done with the least amount of effort!

Ultimate Bundles has a productivity bundle coming out towards the end of the month and are offering a free eBook over the next few days as a prelaunch special!

Make More Margin offers 75 productivity tips that should help you free up an hour or two every week! Who couldn't use an extra hour or two?

You'll learn what time-saving tips successful bloggers use to free up time (I like the Pomodoro Method), and their favorite productivity tools or services (I'm a big fan of Trello).

You'll also hear about hobbies or self-care habits that can be incorporated into your busy schedule (happy to see so many people include reading on their list!), and how they use those small pockets of free time that pop up throughout the day (more reading!).

Found the question of "what would you say to someone who feels guilty taking time for themselves, especially when there's so much to do" interesting. I think that this is one where it's easier to give advice than to actually take it.

Was interesting seeing what everyone had to share, and I even picked up a couple of new tips to try!

The free ebook is only available until February 11th, so be sure to download your copy today!

The 100 Day Project 2019

2019-01-19T16:01:00.001-05:00

Decided that I'm going to try the 100 Day Project again, only this time with art instead of letter writing. I'm not an artist in any way, shape, or form but I do love to try.

What is it?

The 100 Day Project is a creativity excavation. It’s about unearthing dormant or unrealized creativity by committing to a daily practice everyday for 100 days.

Creativity is a skill. The more we practice, the more skilled we become. Practice takes time. Practice takes commitment. Practice is a radical act in this speeded up world. Through practice, we develop a creative habit. Through habit, we reconnect with and know ourselves again as a creative being. (source)

The Details:

When does the 2019 100DayProject start and end?

Day one starts on Sunday, January 20th, 2019 and ends 100 days later on April 30th, 2019.

I’m not an artist, can I still participate?

Participation is open to anyone! Children, elders, parents, lawyers, artists, teachers, managers, engineers, business people - anyone!

Do I need to make a piece every day?

You don’t have to complete a piece everyday. You need only to do hands-on work on your project everyday if you’re doing the Community 100DayProject.

Why do this?

To grow a creative habit.
To exercise the right side of the brain - to expand your capacity for innovation, imagination, and problem solving.
To grow discipline and resilience by engaging in a regular practice of creativity for a period of 100 days.
To reinvigorate your creative life through exploration and permission to play for 100 days.
To discover the value of practice and how breakthroughs often happen by making a commitment and sticking to it.
To challenge a limiting belief about your creative nature.
To challenge a limiting belief about commitment.

I'm excited to begin! My plan is to post my progress on Instagram every day and do weekly updates on this blog. Hoping that announcing my intentions will help keep me on track. Anyone else plan on doing the 100 Day Project?

Taking the plunge: Joining Dare To Conquer

2019-01-16T23:02:00.004-05:00

I had a plan.

I had it all figured out.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men....

I've been blogging off and on for over nine years, but I was ready to kick things up a notch. I wanted to move from hobby blogger to the pros.

So I started signing up for free email courses. Joined mailing lists and Facebook groups. I even bought a couple of blogging bundles (the Genius Bloggers Toolkit).

My original plan was to finish working through the Genius Bloggers Toolkit before buying any other courses. I have both the 2017 and the 2018 kits, so there's plenty of material to work through.

As an easily distracted, professional-level procrastinator, I'd say I wasn't even halfway done with the 2017 kit, much less the 2018 one.

Don't judge me.

My plan was to finish working my way through the toolkits and if I didn't get the desired results, I'd invest in another blogging course.

My choice was Dare To Conquer, which seemed to be the Gold Standard for blogging courses.

I'd already gone through some of the free bootcamps and liked his style, but I wasn't ready to invest $500 in a blogging course.

Then he sent an email that he was raising the price.

From $500 to $1000.

At the end of the week.

Yikes!

It was time to put up or shut up.

But first, I dug.

I searched high and low for reviews for Dare To Conquer to make sure it really was worth the money. I ever searched under Billionaire Blog Club, the original name of DTC.

The Facebook groups I belong to all rave about the course, but I needed to make sure.

The result?

I couldn't find a single, solitary bad review.

In fact, the only complaints I could find were that there was too much information and it was easy to get overwhelmed!

But still....$5oo.

Friday was fast approaching but I couldn't make up my mind. I wanted to take my blog to the next level, but I'm frugal to the core.

So I dug some more. Read review after glowing review. Watched his YouTube videos.

Then I took the plunge.

I signed up.

As much as it pained me to spend that kind of money before I was ready, I definitely didn't want to spend twice that amount down the road!

What really helped was the awesome welcome message waiting for me after I clicked the join button. A greeting from Scrivs acknowledging my trepidation and the courage it took for me to join.

I immediately felt like I had found a kindred spirit.

Like he gets me.

Now lets hope he can teach me.

Sips by Tea Subscription Box - December 2018

2018-12-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

One of my Facebook friends mentioned that she has a subscription box for teas. I love tea! I love subscription boxes! I wanted to learn more.

Turns out there's a subscription box called Sips by that will send you new teas to sample every month.

Color me intrigued!

Who are they?

Sips by™ is an Austin-based startup founded by a small group of tea lovers who want discovering tea to be fun, personalized, and affordable. Through our monthly tea subscription box, we'll inspire you to explore the big wide world of tea. From loose leaf tea to teabags, herbal tea to caffeinated tea, we're your one-stop online tea shop. (source)

What do you get?

Sips by Boxes typically contain 4 tea placements. The contents of each Sips by Box will vary from month to month showcasing different tea types, brands, and flavors according to your profile, your product reviews, and other feedback you choose to provide to us. (source)

How do they know what I'll like?

You take a quiz when you first join so they can get an idea on what kinds of tea you prefer. Then, with every box, you rate the teas so they can further personalize your selections each month.

My December box:

Was pleasantly surprised by my first box!

Thrive by Organic India

Green Tea, Ashwagandha, Krishna Tulsi, Rama Tulsi, Vana Tulsi, Lemongrass, Organic Lemon Flavor (all organic)

Tulsi, or Holy Basil, is a sacred plant in India and is known as "The Queen of the Herbs" for its restorative and spiritual properties. This blend helps with energy levels, mood and stress.

Caffeine level - low

I'm not a big fan of green tea in general, but the low caffeine level does mean I can drink it at night without worrying about it keeping me up. A mild, inoffensive, slightly fruity flavor.

Organic Assam Black Tea Bag by Mana Organics

Organic Assam Black Tea from Chota Tingrai, a family-run tea estate in India

Brisk, bold, and pure, this single-estate black tea is excellent for waking you up in the morning or replacing your afternoon cup of coffee.

Caffeine level - high

Since I'm not a morning person, I need all the caffeine I can get to get me up and running in the morning! This tasted like regular black tea to me, nothing unique or special.

Tea Ifri by Sayra

Green Tea, Rose Hip, Goji Berries, Cranberry, Red Currant, Natural Flavor

This delicate blend of red berries and green tea is inspired by the warrior goddess Ifri - in North Africa, she was long deemed to be the defender of merchants.

Caffeine level - low

I usually don't care for green tea but this one was different. Since it was low caffeine, I was able to drink it at night before bed. A nice, mild flavor.

Apple Cinnamon by Zest Tea

South Indian Black Tea, Cinnamon Chips, Apple Pieces, Cinnamon & Apple Flavors, Natural Caffeine

Zest is the tea industry's answer to a coffee-level cuppa. This one tastes like delicious apple pie in a cup!

Caffeine level - coffee-level

This one was my favorite! There were actual bits of apple in the mesh tea bag! Gave me that much needed jolt of caffeine in the morning, with an awesome hint of apple.

Are you a tea lover? Ever try Sips by? Have any favorite teas you can recommend? I love discovering new teas so very happy to have found the Sips by subscription box!

Shy Shiloh: The Yearly Vet Visit

2018-11-16T22:00:00.000-05:00

Took Shiloh to the vet for her yearly check-up today.

She trotted out of the house just fine, but came to a screeching halt when she saw the car. Tried to coax her into the car, but no dice.

Here we go....

Lifted her into the car.

Drove to the vet.

Lifted her out of the car.

Tried to coax her into the building.

Carried her into the building.

She trembled like a leaf as we waited. Thankfully there was no one else waiting as Shiloh is extra skittish around strangers.

Slid her from the waiting room into the exam room (she plops down and refuses to move so thank goodness for tile floors).

Slid her from the exam room to the scale. She now weighs 61 lbs. She was a scrawny 43 lbs when we adopted her 2 years ago, so yay!

She walked back into the exam room on her own. Straight to the door, ready to leave. Sorry girl, not yet.

Waited in the office for the vet, then tried to coax her out from under the table (Shiloh, not the vet).

Slid her out from under the table for her exam.

Shout out to our awesome vet for understanding and getting down on the floor with Shiloh for the exam!

Shiloh was really good while they took blood, examined her, and gave her her booster shots.

Once done, she trotted out of the exam room, said hello to a kitten in the waiting room, then pulled my husband out to the car and jumped into it like a champ.

Curled up on her pillow for the drive home and once home, only hid in the closet to decompress for a few minutes.

Believe it or not, this was a big improvement over last year's visit! I'm so proud of my fearful little girl! Exhausted and sore, but proud.

Previous Tales:

Review: Stone & Beam 3 Piece Striped Cotton Towel Set

2018-10-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. There is no extra cost to you.

There was no product description available when I requested these from Amazon Vine for review, but I'm always on the look-out for nice towels so decided to take a chance.

These are listed as striped cotton towels in charcoal, but they're actually white towels with charcoal stripe accents along the bottom. There are three towels in the set: a bath towel, a hand towel, and a wash cloth. They came nicely packaged, ready for gift giving.

gift ready!

These are not as plush as I'd hoped, but they weren't too thin either. I guess you'd consider them medium thick? The bath towel is a good size and has a sewn-in hook for hanging, which is a nice touch.

The towels came through the first two washes fine but be aware that you're supposed to wash them on cold with no chlorine bleach, fabric softener, or dryer sheets. They also recommend you wash them separately from dark colors. These towels are a bit of a diva!

Sadly, my fears about white towels came true and the wash cloth and hand towel were soon stained. The hand towel looks okay, but is a little dingy. The wash cloth is stained and without using bleach, I doubt I'll be able to get it back to its original whiteness.

Aside from the stains, there were no other issues. Not as plush or thick as I'd hoped, but they're a good, everyday towel.

Postcards 3-23-18

2018-03-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

A colorful postcard from my penpal Kelly

A lovely card from my pal Sienna, all the way from the Philippines!

A postcard of Idaho Springs from my new pal Corynn from Idaho!

Postcards 2-28-2018

2018-02-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Received this colorful postcard from one of my Facebook friends!

Pretty and tasty too!

Happy 2018!

2018-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

2017 was rough...

Here's to a better 2018!

Happy Christmas!

2017-12-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite videos!
Enjoy!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Cards 12-14-17

2017-12-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Cute snowman card from Kim

A lovely handmade card from my crafty friend Brandy

12 Days of Christmas 2017

2017-12-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Took part in a 12 Days of Christmas Swap in one of my Facebook groups.

Here are my goodies:

Love the paper she used! The anticipation is killing me!

Day 1: this lemon oil smells so good!

Day 2: who knew that duck washi was a thing? I didn't! Love it!

Day 3: an Ed Hardy ornament

Day 4: more duck washi!

Day 5: a necklace

Day 6: more washi

Day 7: goodies to craft with! Lace, fabric flowers, and ladybugs!

Day 8: a roll of purple ribbon

Day 9: awesome postcards and a Tim Holtz word sticker pad from my wishlist!

Day 10: breast cancer awareness socks

Day 11: sleep mask & facial mask

Day 12: handmade bag in my favorite color!

Loved the fun of opening gifts for 12 days in a row! And it was even more fun seeing what everyone else received each day! Really hope we do this again next year!

Christmas Cards 12-9-17

2017-12-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

A festive card from Deann

Adorable doggy card from Daneen

Handmade snowflake card from Jennifer

A lovely handmade card from Cindy

I love penguins! Kelsey picked the perfect card for me!

Another lovely handmade card, this one from Christina

Eulonda sent one with cookies!

Pretty handmade card from Judith

This gorgeous handmade card is from Nicole

The handmade card with the too-cute reindeer is from Natalie

Holiday Cards 12-7-2017

2017-12-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

From my new friend Shally!

A lovely card from Barbara

A gorgeous card from Lisa...

...love how it opens up to this beautiful artwork inside!

A lovely handmade card from Jennifer

I knew that Vonda would find me a card with dogs!

Holiday Cards 12-2-2017

2017-12-02T16:23:00.006-05:00

A cute snowman card from Linda!

A pretty tree card and some goodies from my friend Sky!

This adorable crackle snowman card is from Tracy!

Received this cute snowman card from my friend Amy!

And now there is glitter all over my pants. Glitter is the devil. Thanks, Amy!

Ruth made this beautiful snowflake card! Isn't it gorgeous?

Love this card and adorable gingerbread house ATC from my friend Shirley!

My buddy Barbara shares my weird sense of humor! That's why we're friends! lol

Love the background on this card from Stephanie!

Michael's Haul - November Road Trip Edition

2017-11-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Hit up a Michael's while visiting Ohio last week and got lucky in the clearance section! Halloween items were 80% off, used a 50% off coupon on the word stickers, and a 25% off coupon on the remaining sale items. I love a good bargain!

Mail Call 11-14-2017

2017-11-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Was out of town for a week visiting family and came home to an awesome mail haul!

Received this thin ribbon from Amanda.

Perfect for bookmarks or tags!

Amanda also sent me these very cool steampunk items!

How cool is that watch? And those gears!

Love them!

My pen pal Evelyn sent me a bag full of awesome goodies!

A great selection of postcards, some craft items from her destash, recipe cards, and the Tim Holtz paper dolls that I had wished for! Love my pen pals!

Evelyn also sent me this awesome collection of tea for a swap we did in a Facebook group! Love trying new teas!

I had asked if anyone had any used stamps and Mary Jo came through for me! Have an idea for an art project with used stamps and am excited to get started!

Did a swap and Sarah sent me some great journal cards!

She also threw in some cool postcards as a bonus.

Love my Facebook buddies!

Received some happy mail from Shirley!

Stickers, washi samples, notes, and a cool postcard!

Received some blank labels from Evelyn H so I can finally try to make my own return address labels!

A very awesome mail call!!!

Postcards 10-31-17

2017-10-31T21:26:00.003-04:00

Look at this cute postcard from my friend Kelly!

Love the vintage look of it. SO cute!

Love this oversize postcard from my pen pal Barbara!

A Rene Gruau drawing from the NGV museum in Melbourne, Australia.

Going to frame this one!

Postcard 10-30-17

2017-10-30T16:04:00.002-04:00

Awesome postcard from my pen pal Micha!

Postcard 10-26-17

2017-10-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

Beautiful postcard of the Prerup Temple in Cambodia

from my pen pal Theth. Gorgeous!

Mail Call 10-25-17

2017-10-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

Having signed up for so many swaps and entered so many contests, decided that I needed a place to share the goodies that have started coming in the mail!

This was a surprise from one of my Facebook friends.

Love the purple, as it reminds me of dragon scales!

Facebook buddies always come through!

I asked if anyone had any ribbon or lace scraps I could use for ATCs and tags.

Mel sent me this awesome selection! It's perfect for crafting!

Did a sticker swap with my Facebook friend Susan.

The feet stickers made me laugh!

Another Facebook swap, this time with my friend Lisa.

More stickers, this time from Heather!

Happy Mail from my friend Evelyn

2017-10-19T17:07:00.000-04:00

I took part in a swap in one of my Facebook groups and my pen pal Evelyn drew my name. She knows me well!

Received this awesome bag of pink flamingo confetti and little baggies to send it.

I adore pink flamingos and was thrilled to receive this but wait, Evelyn wasn't done....

I received these precious goodies in a second package. They're so awesome that the post office wanted to keep them! Just kidding, but weird that they weren't in my PO box and I didn't get a notice that they had arrived. Thank goodness I had signed up for notifications so I knew something had arrived! Asked at the counter and she was mystified why someone had set the box aside, but didn't put a notice in my box that I had a package too large to fit.

But alls well that ends well!

The winter stickers are totally adorable! And the pens! Can I rave about these two awesome pens?The fountain pen writes like a dream! So smooth! No blots or bleeding. I think I'm in love! And the Pentel Fude pen is amazing! Purple is my favorite color, plus I can finally learn brush lettering. So amazing!

Best. Gift. Ever.

Mail Call 10-17-2017

2017-10-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Having signed up for so many swaps and entered so many contests, decided that I needed a place to share the goodies that have started coming in the mail!

A lady from one of my Facebook groups was nice enough to share some of her "inappropriate" stickers with me. Love them! Especially the funky hand. Love anything weird, fun, quirky, and unique!

In one of our group swaps, I asked for something crafty.

This is what I received.

Can't wait to get my craft on with these babies!

Received this small charm and baggie of confetti from one of my swap groups.

Made a tag with the confetti and charm, but it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Oh well, I'm still learning.

This is from a sticker swap and stress relief swap.

Maybe I should update my interests to say I'm a shower girl?

The coloring pages are from a Surprise Me swap and the baggie holes the remains of a handmade bracelet that broke when I tried to put it on.

Washi tape samples from a washi swap and confetti for my Joy Jar!

aka Terri

We've Moved!

Synopsis & Review of the Ultimate Productivity Bundle 2019

What's Included?

Product List:

My Favorites:

Synopsis & Review

Time Management (5 of products worth $132.98)

Daily Planners (9 products worth $169.99)

Goal Setting (5 products worth $406.98)

Goal Planners (8 products worth $144.00)

Home Management (3 products worth $123.00)

Home Management Planners & Printables (7 products worth $82.96)

Mindset & Self-Care (5 products worth $94.99)

Productivity at Work (5 products worth $369.00)

Make More Margin: FREE Productivity eBook from Ultimate Bundles!

The 100 Day Project 2019

What is it?

The Details:

When does the 2019 100DayProject start and end?

I’m not an artist, can I still participate?

Do I need to make a piece every day?

Why do this?

Taking the plunge: Joining Dare To Conquer

Sips by Tea Subscription Box - December 2018

Who are they?

What do you get?

How do they know what I'll like?

My December box:

Thrive by Organic India

Organic Assam Black Tea Bag by Mana Organics

Tea Ifri by Sayra

Apple Cinnamon by Zest Tea

Shy Shiloh: The Yearly Vet Visit

Previous Tales:

Review: Stone & Beam 3 Piece Striped Cotton Towel Set

Postcards 3-23-18

Postcards 2-28-2018

Happy 2018!

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Cards 12-14-17

12 Days of Christmas 2017

Christmas Cards 12-9-17

Holiday Cards 12-7-2017

Holiday Cards 12-2-2017

Michael's Haul - November Road Trip Edition

Mail Call 11-14-2017

Postcards 10-31-17

Postcard 10-30-17

Postcard 10-26-17

Mail Call 10-25-17

Happy Mail from my friend Evelyn

Mail Call 10-17-2017

Time Management
(5 of products worth $132.98)

Daily Planners
(9 products worth $169.99)

Goal Setting

(5 products worth $406.98)

Goal Planners

(8 products worth $144.00)

Home Management

(3 products worth $123.00)

Home Management Planners & Printables

(7 products worth $82.96)

Mindset & Self-Care

(5 products worth $94.99)

Productivity at Work

(5 products worth $369.00)