Simple Purposeful Living

Intentional Living Made Easy

  • Advent Calendar Gift Guide + More

    Tis’ the season to start thinking about Christmas!  Today, I wanted to share a fun tradition we love, advent calendars.  Every year my mom gets each of my kids an advent calendar based on their interests.  Luckily, retailers have caught on to advent calendars and there are more options than ever.  Now’s the time to pick some up and they have

    Advent Calendar Gift Guide + More

  • 10 Simple Ways to Prepare for Christmas in November

    It seems there are camps this time of year. You are either Camp Thanksgiving or Camp Christmas is coming. While I love everything about Thanksgiving, I also do most of the heavy lifting for Christmas in November so I can enjoy the season even more. So, what do I do now? There are 10 simple ways to prepare for Christmas now

    10 Simple Ways to Prepare for Christmas in November

  • Super Simple Classic Chili

    It’s that time of year – it’s soup time.  It snowed the other night so the kids are basically ready to put up the Christmas tree.  I am just ready to indulge in some warm and cozy food.  The only problem is our schedule doesn’t slow down this time of year, it only speeds up!  Anyone else?  Enter this delicious

    Super Simple Classic Chili

  • Our Fall-Tastic Visit to The Pumpkin Ranch

    This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Pumpkin Ranch. The opinions and text are my own.   We had the best fall-tastic day at The Pumpkin Ranch in Winterset, Iowa last weekend.  It was one of those days I didn’t want to end.  There’s nothing better than spending time as a family adventuring and having

    Our Fall-Tastic Visit to The Pumpkin Ranch

  • Life Lately Volume 16 October 12

    The other day on Instagram, I asked what you all wanted to see on the blog and several of you pointed out I haven’t done a life lately post in forever.  So, I looked and the last one I did was BEFORE we left for China.  I can’t believe it’s been so long but I knew we need to rectify

    Life Lately Volume 16 October 12

The Surprising Visit That Changed Everything

We pulled up to the compound gate.  Large imposing concrete walls on all sides and a guard waved us through.  We drove through the streets of building after building.  We had just entered the social welfare institute of Hefei city where they kept the orphans, the disabled, the mentally ill and the forgotten of society.  Just two days prior, we…

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Simple Laundry Routine

LAUNDRY.  That word alone can make you cringe.  I am no stranger to laundry.  There are 6 people in our home and I swear sometimes a few more live here because of the sheer volume of clothes and towels that need to be laundered. Laundry is a fact of life so I decided to tame the laundry beast once and…

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Simple Walking Tacos Recipe

Walking tacos are one of my kids favorite foods on the planet.  When I ask them what they want for dinner, they always say “walking tacos.”  The good news is they are so easy to make, perfect for a crowd and simple enough to whip up on a busy week night. If you are looking for a new spin on…

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STOP Saying We Only Have 18 Summers

Today was the end of our summer.  Half my heart dashed out the door to 2ndand 4thgrade.  My first thoughts were, “did we do enough or spend enough time together.”  After all, I only have 18 summers with them.  Then, I was like N-O.  Special moments with my children don’t just end because summer is over. Can we just stop…

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UPPAbaby VISTA Grows With Your Family

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of UPPAbaby. The opinions and text are all mine. Friends, I feel like I have been driving a stroller for over a decade (oh wait I have). I actually love having a stroller and cry thinking about the day I will have to hold my own water bottle and purse…

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gotcha day

China Adoption Trip | Gotcha Day

Our train pulled into Hefei and we were struck with miles after miles of apartment buildings.  Not just 5 story buildings, skyscrapers.  Miles of them.  Quincy’s town was larger than we could have imagined and the smog haze prevented us from seeing the sun.  It’s known as the “smog city” and located in the Anhui Province of the People’s Republic…

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Best Prime Day Deals

Hey, Y’all!  I am sure by now you know it’s prime day and I am hot on the chase for the best deals because I just can’t help myself.  I love a good deal!  When Prime Day started I thought it was all hype but last year I got a great deal on a 5 piece luggage set we took…

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China Adoption Trip | Beijing

Many of you followed our adoption trip on Instagram (follow Simple Purposeful Living here) but I thought I would share more of the details of our trip here!  So let me begin with our 3-week adoption trip with the first week spent in Beijing, China! If you are just getting caught up on our adoption story, you can catch up…

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10 Tips for A Successful Sleepover at Grandma’s

Sleepovers at grandma’s house can be the best times of your kid’s lives but they can also cause anxiety for all if you’re not prepared. So how do you have successful sleepovers at Grandma’s? In this post, I’ll give you 10 simple tips to help make sure the time spent will be wonderful for both you and your grandkids. As…

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Simple & Healthy Lavender Lemonade

**Thank you to Tshanina Peterson for guest posting today & sharing this delicious recipe** Summer is the perfect time for a glass of homemade lemonade. Whether you’re hosting a party and need the best recipe for a crowd or need a new twist for your family get-together, this easy and healthy lavender lemonade is perfect. Instead of squeezing a ton of…

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