Behind the Scenes: Road Trip

Come take a step behind the scenes with me while I share an eclectic mix of the more intimate details of what’s happening in our lives. If you enjoy a behind the scenes look, be sure to sign up for my email list below. My email readers are my VIPs and for them I share even more behind the scenes information, coupon codes, and exclusive free gifts.

Road Trip

Last week I took an unexpected road trip. I saw my family in Illinois for a few days then headed down to Tennessee to see my daughter, Kiersten, who is in college there. It involved some short but sweet visits and a lot of time in the car shifting around to keep my butt from going numb.

If anyone has tricks for how to endure long car rides, please share in the comments below.

Some of my favorite go-do car trip healthy snacks are string cheese, turkey pepperoni, apples, bananas, berries, 100 calorie packs of nuts. Check out this list for more ideas: The Ultimate Weight Watchers On the Go Snacks List

Mama Bear

I drove to Tennessee because Kiersten was hospitalized for a few days. Thankfully she is on the road to recovery and is going to be fine, but I had to go and spend a few days with her. This is what our texts looked like the day she was hospitalized:

Me: Do you want me to come? I will.

Kiersten: I’m ok right now.

Me: I know but I want to be there.

Kiersten: You can come if you want. I know I can’t stop mama bear.

 

You got that right, daughter of mine. When my babies need me, I come.

 

Sonic

A road trip south meant I had to get my go-to drink, a Route 44 Diet Dr. Pepper with real cherries. (Not cherry syrup, bleck.) We don’t have a Sonic near where we live now. I would have been brave and tried the pickle slush, but it’s not out yet. If someone tries it when it’s available, you have to tell us what you think.

 

Why all these privacy policy emails?

Have you been getting a slew of emails lately from companies sharing their privacy policy and asking if you want to stay on their email list? This is because of GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation. It’s technically only for readers in the EU, but many companies are updating privacy for all readers which isn’t a bad thing.

This is no big deal for the regular person except for the annoying slew of emails, but for those of us in the blogging/website/business world, it’s been a big deal and somewhat Y2K-ish. I’ll be glad when the hub-bub dies down. You’ll be happy to know The Holy Mess is compliant with these regulations.

 

Walmart Grocery Pick Up

I’m a huge fan of Walmart Grocery Pick up and use it almost weekly. I order my groceries online and pick them up a few hours later. This has really helped me stick to my budget. When I do Once a Month cooking, ordering all the groceries in advance is so fast and easy. Then I’m ready to roll with making a month’s worth of meals in a few hours.

Walmart Grocery Pick up – Click to get a $10 off code for your first order.

E-bates – Add their browser and get cash back for Walmart Grocery and ton of other stores too.

Once a Month Meals – Their freezer meal plans are the best!

 

Quick Tip: Don’t Do This When Speaking

When you are speaking, especially in a meeting or in front of a group – but this applies even in regular conversations – does the tone of your voice go up at the end of the statement, as if it’s a question? This is called “uptalk”. Don’t do this!

Here is a quick video example of uptalk.

You might be seeking agreement from your listeners or it might be simply a bad habit, but either way this speech pattern makes you sound less authoritative and people won’t take you as seriously. Women tend to do this more often than men although I’ve heard men do it too.

Make statements with confidence and see how much more people give you respect in return.

 

Christian Weight Loss

For years now I’ve been running a Christian women’s online weight loss program called Faithful Finish Lines. The support and accountability are amazing! We have a 7-week program we only open a few times per year and the next session is about to start. Is this program what you have been looking for? We would love to have you join us.

Check it out: 7 Weeks to Christian Weight Loss, Healthy Eating, and Fitness

 

Parenting with Love and Logic

If I had to choose one parenting strategy that I would recommend to all parents no matter their child’s age, behaviors or issues, it would be Parenting with Love and Logic. In-person classes are awesome but the books are also excellent.

Parenting With Love And Logic (Updated and Expanded Edition)Parenting Teens With Love And Logic: Preparing Adolescents for Responsible Adulthood, Updated and Expanded EditionLove and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years

Have you taken a road trip recently? Share about it in the comments below.

 

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