Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Monday, November 24, 2025

5 Tips on Spending the Holidays Stress Free

This week brings Thanksgiving on Thursday and then Black Friday for those that love to shop!  It's a time to be thankful and a time to spend with those we love.  My kids are now in college or graduated and luckily are all coming home for the holiday.  We have their rooms ready for the week and plans to enjoy each day with them.  Here are 5 tips on spending the holidays stress free.

Tip 1
Stock the fridge! Get foods that are filling and healthy with some easy recipes that make everyone have something they can enjoy.  I find stocking up on celery sticks, carrots, apples, and grapes are quick and easy snacks.  Also if you have those that like to fix a meal then they can cook their favorite meal too. Now that we are moving into the holidays be sure to check the Black Friday sales on Amazon for special kitchen tools and gadgets.https://amzn.to/3XgsNDG


Tip 2
Clean the house and wash the laundry.  It might seem like a task but it makes the house feel cozy and nice when it's clean and orderly.  You have room for family and friends to put down their extras and make room for fun and entertainment.  Getting the laundry done is another stress saver, clean clothes are ready for the week and there are no piles of clothing waiting to be washed.  The laundry machine is open and ready for those family that are coming for a visit and need some clean clothes during their stay.  Here is a quick search on Amazon for the best items for cleaning. https://amzn.to/4p80pju 




Tip 3
Bring out the boardgames.  A little competitiveness and fun can be a way to relax during the holidays and what a better way to do that then to bring out some classic games. We like playing Monopoly, Yahtzee, Go Fish, and dominos.  Some games can go on for long periods of time with the winners undetermined until the final end.  Other games are quick and easy to play and make for several rounds with many winners.  Be sure to get some games for your next family holiday. https://amzn.to/44sCnag



Tip 4 
Get good sleep and have plenty of clean sheets and bedding. Sleep is so important to be able to rejuvenate our bodies.  Once we have the right amount of sleep then we can make better decisions and our overall outlook on life can change for the better.  Since we have all our family coming for the holidays I have made sure that everyone has clean sheets and a nice place to sleep. This year I decided to get organized and put all my bedsheets together by size and I got some containers that could hold them in my bathroom closet.  Find some nice bedroom sets on Amazon here https://amzn.to/4rldvLo.


Tip 5
Journal and take photos.  Many studies have shown that when we actively write down our thoughts and feelings we can reduce our stress and make our lives more manageable.  Get a regular notebook or fancy journal that you can keep by your bed or bring with you during the day.  Write down your dreams, a task list, or just random thoughts to fill the pages.  During the journaling process you can also take photos and print them out or save them to an online journal.  The photos could be of family, pets, or places you want to remember. https://amzn.to/3JXoMky




Do you have any favorite tips that help you to unwind during the holidays?

WIth much love,

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Heartbeat Magazine August 2020 Issue 70

Heartbeat Magazine August 2020 Issue 70 is out today!


In this issue: Heartfelt stories about Travel, Featured Foundation, Kitchen Corner, Heart of Home & Family, Fashion, and so much more! 


On page 3, Heart of Fashion, Leggings the Official WFH Uniform www.TrueFashionistas.com


Heart of Home & Family on page 4 is Your 1st College Apartment then Heart of Beauty on page 5 Restore Moisture to Dry Skin with Physioge


Melinda Nagy Photography's story is on page 6. This month our cover girl, Melinda Nagy Otero, has sent in some of her favorite photos for a collage photo cover.  She was our cover girl in October 2013, Issue 33.  





Heart of Health, Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy Levels on page 7. Austin Ervin, What's Austin been doing lately? is on page 8. Kitchen Corner on page 9, Setting up your College Kitchen, Getting Ready to Cook. 


Heart of Travel is on page 11 discussing Staying Close to Home is Safer. Tech Tips & Apps is on page 12 with Back to School by Beth Gatrell, www.IntoTomorrow.com and August Apps by www.Jenstarmedia.com. Featured Foundation on page 13 is ConquerAthletics.com.

 

Read on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3478556942154650&type=3

Or on www.heartbeatmagazine.com.


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Catch up with last months issuu, you can take some time today to enjoy:



On page 3, Heart of Fashion, From the Waist Up – Zoom Meeting from www.TrueFashionistas.com. Heart of Home & Family on page 4 is 2020 – Not Your Usual School Year Endings and Graduations then Heart of Beauty on page 5 Replacing your in-store shopping with online shopping at www.youravon.com/nflothe

Graduation 2020 – Alyssa Teeters Graduation story is on page 6. Heart of Health, Benefits of Art Therapy on page 7. Austin Ervin, What's Austin been doing lately? is on page 8. 

Kitchen Corner on page 9 has the delicious Summer Fruit Pie recipe. Heart of Travel is on page 10 discussing SpaceX Launches Crew Dragon Demo 1. 

Tech Tips & Apps is on page 12 Vacation Smart with Your Tech by Beth Gatrell with www.IntoTomorrow.com and July Apps by www.Jenstarmedia.com. The Featured Foundation on page 13 is www.ProjectOutreachNaples.org. And learn more about Clay More Ceramics & Empty Bowls Project on page 14. www.claymoreceramics.com The Giveaway for this month is from Heart of Avon.

View Facebook online: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3349854148358264&type=3 or at www.HeartbeatMagazine.com.


Be a contributor or advertise with us---visit our website or send us an email at info@heartbeatmag.com!



xoxo,


Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Get Creative At Home To Get Something Beneficial From Your Time Together!

How often do your kids come home after school and you want to do something fun with them but they are not interested?  Have you ever thought of any creative ideas to suggest or ask your kids what they might like to do with you?

I found this great ebook called After School Activities That Actually Engage Kids. You can click on the image below to grab your free copy.



Ebook Excerpt: It has often been said that if children came with their own set of instructions, parenting would be a whole lot easier. While this might be true, it wouldn’t be as challenging, and it sure wouldn’t be nearly as much fun! Since there aren’t definitive instruction booklets for parenting and no two children are alike, parents have to wing it as they go along. This can create some incredible memories and make the job the toughest one a person will ever love. Engaging children in activities they love can be one of the most frustrating challenges facing parents today. Ask many parents and they will readily admit they have no idea what to do with their children once school is out, the homework is done and the chores have all been completed. The problem becomes even more troublesome during vacations and especially during that long stretch of summer. Of course, there are alternatives the kids love, but parents aren’t so fond of. The truth is educational, recreational and low-tech activities do experience constant competition from electronics like video games and television sets. While the “electronic babysitters” can work as a reward or an occasional activity, most parents just don’t want their kids sitting in front of a screen all the time. These activities are just not healthy for children on a constant basis. They do need to get up, stretch their legs and expand their mind. For some parents, the problem after school doesn’t involve computers or television programs. Their kids would rather “hang out” with their friends and remain unsupervised for hours on end. This is an issue that can also cause parents a great deal of angst. Just like television and video games, hanging out (with supervision) can be great once in a while. It is important for building socialization skills and helping kids unwind after busy days at school. Still, when this is the only after-school activity offered, it can be a big problem. There has to be better options for parents to try that kids will like, right? Well, there is. In fact, you’ll find with a little bit of exploration and some nudging, you can locate the perfect after-school activities to keep your kids engaged, enjoying themselves and staying out of trouble at the same time.

If you’re ready to take the after-school activity bull by the horns and find things for your kids to do that will actually engage them, read on. In this book, we’ll discuss the importance of having activities lined up, how to explore choices for younger children and even teens and even offer some ideas for the entire family. It is important to remember that after-school activities don’t have to be all solo ventures. If parents and other children can get involved, too, the time spent can become doubly valuable. Not only will youngsters be engaged in a healthy activity, they’ll also benefit from family time and bonding. There’s more to life once the bell rings than sitting on a couch or watching a computer screen. Help your kids find activities that suit them and you will be doing your children and yourself a huge favor.

Another fun way my family has enjoyed an afternoon is by doing a Scavenger Hunt.  We create a list of places to find and then at the end of the hunt there is a prize.  The kids run around the house or place that we are having the hunt and excited to find the next clue.  

If you are interested in joining an Online Selfie Scavenger Hunt then be sure to check it out here:


I hope that you have fun with your family and enjoy your family time.  Leave a comment with the kind of Scavenger Hunts that you've done before.

xoxo,


Thursday, January 25, 2018

Winter 2018 Heartbeat Magazine Issue

The Winter 2018 Heartbeat Magazine issue is online now...


In this issue: Heartfelt stories about Travel, Featured Foundation, Kitchen Corner, Heart of Home & Family, Fashion, and so much more!





View magazine below...


xoxo,

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Book Review, To Know You by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel, WW

I finished my book from Booksneeze this week titled, To Know You by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel.  It was a whirlwind of a story and I felt like I was going full speed to try and figure out who would be able to help the main character Julia's son. I really enjoyed learning about Julia and her families life and I felt her pain as a parent of young kids.  The cover of the book caught my eye, a perfect fit for The Heartbeat Magazine Blog!


In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel explore how the past creates the present . . . and how even the most shattered lives can be redeemed.
Julia Whittaker’s rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as infants. Now she must find them to try to save her son.
Julia and Matt Whittaker’s son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds—and his liver—crash precipitously. The only hope for his survival is a “living liver” transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon’s time is short. His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.
But can Julia ask a young woman—someone she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with—to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she’s never known? Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?
And what if she discovers in her own daughters’ lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself? Julia knows she’s probably embarking on a fool’s errand—searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them. But love compels Julia to take this journey. Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?


My mother was adopted and this book is a great support for those that may have been adopted to understand why their mothers made the decisions they made. It also gives hope to people that one day may meet their parents and other siblings and connect with them.   Lastly, for those of you that have ever had relationship problems this book shares how each person deals with their troubles and resolves their situations.  

What book did you just finish or are reading now? 

If you participate in Wordless Wednesday, leave your blog link.  This is not so wordless but sometimes that's the way it works.  I'll be sure to visit your blog and leave a comment too!  

xoxo,
Nicole Flothe
Get more Tips, Savings, & Heartfelt News : Subscribe to Heartbeat Magazine News
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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Father's Day is Almost here, what are you planning? 5 ideas for our Father's Day!

Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June, but it is also celebrated widely on other days. Father's Day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. 

My husband's birthday is 4 days before Father's day so he gets two celebrations within the week.  How do you plan on celebrating?  

Here are 5 ideas:

1. Search Pinterest for Father's Day.   Here are a few suggestions I found via Pinterest...  http://pinterest.com/nicoleflothe/fathers-day/


  
2.  Make a special meal for your loved one!  My family loves Shepard's Pie, I think that would make a great dinner.  So simple, ground hamburger meat, place on bottom layer of square 9x9, add a layer of canned corn, then add mashed potatoes to the top.  The kids add ketchup on top.  Mmm!  

3.  Rent a movie that has a great Father type story.  We have Netflix, so I found a few good oldies, Father of the Bride, Field of Dreams, and Mrs. Doubtfire.

4.  Hold hands, give extra hugs, and a few extra kisses!  

5.  Ask your Father or Husband what he would like to do on his special day!  Sometimes just by asking you can sit back and enjoy the day spent the way they wanted and not stress over if they like what you did for them.  

I hope you enjoyed my ideas and if you have some please share with me by leaving me a comment!

This post is part of the Sharing is Caring Father's Day Blog Hop hosted by Life With Lovebugs and Powerful Mothering!

  Sharing
is Caring Blog Hop

All of the blogs listed below are sharing Father's Day themed posts as part of this event, so click on one or all of the links below to find some great recipes, tutorials, crafts and more!


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Have you ever spent time in Seattle? WW entry

I am spending the week in Seattle, Washington to be a support for my nephew Austin that has surgery scheduled at Seattle Children's Hospital.  We can see the Space Needle from his window. He has lots of family praying and believing for him!  One of the things I love about Seattle is there are so many beautiful flowers in bloom this Spring.  Have you ever been to Seattle?

Dandelion's are so pretty in the sunlight!
Lovely Architecture at the Seattle Children's Hospital
Beautiful Seattle Sunset out Austin's Window
Out for a walk around the hospital and I found this heart on the window!
Love the Purple flowers on this tree!
Looks like snow on this tree!

Please leave me a comment.  If you participate in Wordless Wednesday than linkup.  Also, check out this months giveaway, the Help by Kathyrn Stockett!


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Heartbeat Connection Magazine April 2013 Cover


April 2013 Cover 
Forever Cherished Moments 
Photos provided by Melinda Nagy Photography

This month the Heartbeat Connection Magazine is dedicated to my youngest nephew Austin.  He was involved in a car accident in Alaska.  Currently he's in Providence Hospital ICU and will be transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital in a week.  Every day we hear news on his progress and the healing that is occurring.  If you'd like to follow his progress you can visit his Facebook page www.facebook.com/AustinErvinHealing.



Do you have a favorite quote?  Please leave me a comment.  If you participate in Wordless Wednesday than linkup.  Also, check out this months giveaway, the Help by Kathyrn Stockett!

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Tuesday, March 12, 2013

25 issues of The Heartbeat Magazine, WW Blog Hop

So many beautiful faces, places, and heartfelt stories.  Thanks to all the kids, moms, families, and friends that have been involved so far with The Heartbeat Magazine!

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Sharing is Caring Blog Hop

Please leave me a comment, if you participate in Wordless Wednesday than linkup.  Also, check out this months giveaway, a beautiful designer Heart necklace from Sassy Lemonade.  

Tomorrow I will be participating in my first Sharing is Caring Blog Hop from Life with Lovebugs, an Easter Edition.  Can't wait to read all the Easter ideas and blog posts.  Come back tomorrow to join us in the fun.  

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Moon Over Edisto Book Review


I love reading and when I read the storyline of this book, I knew I would want to review it.  I used to live in North Carolina so when I get a chance to read a story about southern living I always look forward to the adventure.  What also caught my eye was the authors name, Beth Webb Hart.  My connection was made and I was intrigued to see what kind of story she had to offer.
“Moon Over Edisto is a rich, endearing, can’t-stop-reading book about what matters most, the power of love to transform the human heart.”
Dorothea Benton Frank, bestselling author of Sullivan’s Island


The past has come knocking on Julia’s door. Can she summon the courage to answer betrayal with love?
Julia’s best friend, Marney, broke up her parents’ marriage years ago. Now Marney shows up at her Manhattan apartment, asking the impossible—come home to Edisto Island to care for the half-sisters and half-brother she has never known. Marney, recently widowed, has lung cancer. There’s no other family to care for the children while she’s in the hospital following surgery.
Julia loathes Marney. But if she doesn’t step in, her own mother—who has never gotten over the divorce—will be called upon to take care of the children. So she heads to South Carolina to keep the peace.
On Edisto, she begins to reconnect with the place and the people and she’s been running from her whole adult life. There’s the local doctor who once stole a kiss from her on that very beach, and the siblings she’s never known—especially the sister with selected mutism named Etta who’s the keeper of nearly every family secret . . . including the very one that just might bind-up Julia’s long-since shattered heart.
I hope you take time to read Moon Over Edisto, I really was captivated by the story and it touched my heart. 
Please leave me a comment and if you have a favorite book you like to share! Be sure to also check out this months giveaway, a beautiful designer Heart necklace from Sassy Lemonade.  




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