Week 8: Looking Back on This Past Week + What I’m Reading, Listening to, and Watching!
The past week has been full of challenges and many unexpected opportunities for me to trust God as I have been raising myself mostly alone while Jesse and Silas are on a father-son skiing trip in Utah.
The grief of our girls who lost a dear friend and gave up everything to take them through their grief. My heart is broken as I see them in so much pain.
A scary episode in the middle of the night when Kierstyn couldn’t breathe and her oxygen levels were low (thankfully I was able to get them back up before we needed to go to the ER!)
Kathrynne’s urgent care visit when she was really sick.
Doctor’s visit to Kierstin. (He was diagnosed with pneumonia and an ear infection – which didn’t surprise me at all with what his lungs sounded like and how his breathing was.)
David squirms in the tub twice and pulls all of his gauze around his feeding tube and bleeds into his clothes. His feeding tube comes out between feeds and makes a big mess of formula everywhere.
One kid does the worst thing he’s ever done in his life (he ends up yelling, “You’re the worst mom ever!!” He later came back and apologized.)
I almost had an accident on the highway when the car in front of me hit the brakes because there was a car parked in the middle of the road. (It really felt like there were guardian angels around us – the car behind us had to pull over to the shoulder to avoid hitting me!)
Having proper bookkeeping at the center of all this. It’s been a lot.
However, in the midst of challenges, I have heard God’s goodness and supernatural power and peace.
I am very thankful that there is no need to walk this life on my own or to take care of myself in life in my own strength. He is faithful and we can depend on him.
Questions and Answers This Week
I posted a question box on Instagram stories a few days ago and I got a lot of questions. I wanted to share a few of my responses here…
Q: Advice on how to handle a pre-pubescent boy? We have an 11 year old and the attitude is getting worse.
Answer: My best advice is to pray for your son every day and pray that God will give you the wisdom to love him well. And then go and get involved in his world.
Figure out what interests you – be interested in sports or video games or whatever your son is interested in. Take it out for lunch or get your favorite treat.
Praise every little thing he puts effort into. Save your edits for those times when it really matters. Be his biggest cheerleader instead of his biggest critic. Speak well of him and others. And clearly communicate expectations that are built on a strong foundation of relationships. And keep him busy – bored boys tend to get frustrated and have a lot of energy without venting.
Question: Bedtime for young children? She has been a nurse for 7 months, we are struggling to find a routine
Answer: Keep it super, super simple. Dinner, Pi’s, teeth brushed, read a book, pray and sleep. Or something similar. I try to have a bedtime routine that can be done in 5-15 minutes if needed.
And of course, some nights my kids don’t even change into PJs – they sleep in their clothes. Some nights we don’t read the book because they are too tired. And some nights we end up reading 10 picture books.
My biggest advice is to make sure you don’t put your kids to bed until they are tired and usually bedtime goes by very quickly. Also, we often let our kids listen to audio stories to sleep and it’s something they look forward to and helps them calm down, and fall asleep much faster!
Question: If you needed to lose 30 pounds, what would your diet look like? (Asking me.)
Answer: I would start by tracking what you eat to get an idea of how many calories you are eating and what your carbs/fats/protein/fiber ratio is. Ideally you want to eat at least 90 grams of protein per day and 25 grams of fiber. I will also follow your work.
Can you add more protein and fiber + walking for 5-10 minutes after each meal? Keep it simple and doable and don’t try to fix your life overnight. Pick 1-3 small habits to implement and stick with them until they become so familiar that you can do them without thinking. Then add another simple habit.
Q: Are you still using nutrition? I finally signed up and have an appointment next week.
Answer: Yes! And to answer the last question, if you’re struggling to lose weight, need to gain weight, want nutrition, need some accountability to prioritize your health, or want to know if you’re eating right to support your lifestyle, I highly recommend hiring a nutritionist with Nourish! It changed my life!!
And it’s fully covered by 94% of people’s insurance!!! See if your insurance covers you here.
Introducing John, our new robot vacuum, which has become one of the family’s hardest working and most loved members. She cleans and mops the floor while keeping three young children fully entertained as they feed her the dirt from the floor. 🤣🤣 Amazing! 🙌🏻
Needles to say, we are very impressed with our Yeedi robot vacuum!! They have four different models on sale right now and one of them is as low as $179 shipped!!
Do you have a robot vacuum? If so what is his name??
You can find these Dream Pairs Toddler Girl’s Mary Jane Ballerina Flats are just $12.99 shipped if you use a promo code ER178 on the way out!
This is normally $33.99 and this is a hot deal. Choose from several colors.
Kierstyn has worn these many times — including when she was a flower girl at her uncle and aunt’s wedding! – and you love them!
Books I Finished This Past Week
Human Skills – I loved this book and feel it is a very helpful resource for anyone looking to deepen relationships, build a strong community, and communicate with kindness and integrity. The chapters are short and action-packed with follow-up questions and practical steps. If you want to check out what the book is all about, be sure to watch this Instagram Live I did with the author here. It was good and guilty.
The life-changing art of brain surgery — I found this book really helpful and insightful. If you feel like you’re stuck or that life is overwhelming and difficult and filled with depression, this would be a great book to read. Combining science and Scripture, the author provides practical encouragement on how to change your life by changing your thoughts!
What I’m watching
The Olympics, of course, like last week. 🙂 I also watched a few episodes of When Calls the Heart. (Now I’m on season 9!)
What I’m listening to
I started listening to Holy Disrupter this past week at my sister’s urging. So far, it’s been a lot different than I expected. Have you read or listened to it?
In Case You Missed It – This Week’s Post
How to Use Swagbucks App to Earn Money – Looking for an honest Swagbucks review? Want to know how to make money from Swagbucks? I’ve put together a complete guide on how Swagbucks works, how to earn free gift cards, and my top tips for earning more with Swagbucks.
Baked Potato Bar ($10 Family Meal Idea) – A baked potato bar is a delicious, tasty and easy snack! Get all the details here.
Brigette’s $55 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 4! — See what Brigette has to say and support her family this week on a budget.
I am training to be on the Olympic Luge Team — I hope this video makes you laugh! And if you need a smile, watch this short video of David.
How to Get the Cheapest Car Insurance + Smart Ways to Save Every Dollar – Auto insurance is actually one of the easiest debts to lower with a little deliberate effort. Unlike utilities or a rental property, you actually have little control over what you pay, and many families are leaving hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on the table simply because they haven’t updated their policy in a while.
This week’s Podcast episode
I have been eagerly I’ve been looking forward to doing this episode since I got my hands on the new book by Dr. Lee Warren, The life-changing art of brain surgery. The title alone made Jesse ask, “Wait… to operate on your own brain?” Honestly, I had the same idea, but what Lee shared in this interview completely blew me away. He’s a brain surgeon, and he’s discovered that the same principles he uses in the operating room can be used by each of us to literally change our brains – with our thoughts!
Much of what comes to our minds every day is false, negative, or repetitive, which keeps us stuck, but when we deliberately create new ways of thinking, we can rewire our brains in real time and shape the next life, and, in this episode of The Crystal Paine ShowLee and I talk about why our culture often convinces us that we are powerless to change, why 80% of our thoughts are false, and how the simple act of noticing and choosing our thoughts can literally change our neurochemistry, our bodies, and our perspective!
Lee and I dive into practical tools – from prayer and meditation to quiet meditation – that help filter the noise and create mental habits that help us become calm, resilient, and purposeful. We also explore the deeply human side of change – grief, loss, and the impossible days that can feel like they can crush us. Listen as Lee shares her story of losing her son and welcoming a grandchild on the same day and how realizing that two realities can coexist (joy and sadness) was life-changing and life-changing.
Listen to this week and see how science and literature complement each other and how small, consistent actions can rebuild your mind, your habits, and your hope. If you have ever felt stuck, frustrated, or powerless to change your thoughts and life, then this episode will challenge you, inspire you, and give you hope that real change is not just possible; It’s built into the way you’re connected!
Listen to this week’s episode here.
Tell me about your week! Something interesting happening? Did you read any good books, watch any good shows, or do any projects?
