Episode 20

Episode 20 is full of ranting, complaining and loving your support loves!

Script

This week on Simply Living Podcast…What it’s like to be a dreamer and planner in a world you have to depend on other people. To start off with, ouch! I am so tight right now. I hold all of my stress in my shoulder and neck, they are so tight right now. I have been stretching and trying to relax but it is not working. It will calm down eventually I just have to be patient and learn to relax maybe work on posture too? Ouch.

Here we go…

Why are you so stressed, Kris? Well loves, let me explain my situation. A month after the storm and the effects are still here. I know this is normal but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I have gained a lot more respect for those who have storm damage and keep their cool. Between insurance companies, cleanup crews and contractors phones ring a lot and much talking does not get done. Ok, enough beating around the bush I am going to let it all out in a scream. The trees that landed on the house are off the house but they are not completely gone. My neighbors still have a shed full of stuff and the tree trunks are sticking out in the yard. I have hornets finding their way into the house, my laundry room is a disaster because I don’t want to keep doing laundry afraid it might shake more areas the hornets can get in open. I have bodies of hornets laying around and I am planning on cleaning them up today but I have been watching them the past two days to make sure they have not moved and they really are dead.

The tree on my garage will be there for at least another week if not more because of the ground being very wet and soggy and the icky weather predicted for this weekend. To remove that tree it will be at least a week of work if not more. The rooms are not ready for this weekend because of the laundry situation and I have a full house. The contractor did not show up when I thought he was going to and yesterday while I was in the kitchen the roof fell apart more now that it was not being held up by the tree. Weird comment to make I know but That is what happened.

I guess not

I wanted to add a shower to the downstairs room this fall/winter but now with all the other damage and happenings I don’t think that will happen. I don’t think the bank account would be thrilled with the idea of going through with it. Although that company isn’t getting back to me with the quote and plan either so maybe that is good.

 The front yard looks better now because my amazing mama came yesterday and helped me clean up the gardens a bit. Oh, the rose bush is gone! Yes, I dug up a rose bush and threw it away. The flowers were ok but the thorns and long branches were not. The garden looks great!

It’s been a long month.

Tip for you

When you are filling out tax forms and information here is my request and wise words, if you have never seen the form before ask someone who knows what the form is asking in the language that you understand. I found out earlier this week that I had been filling out the form wrong all year. I have learned that I don’t speak legal terms. I have also learned that I get very high strung and confused when it comes to anything tax or legal related. Things don’t work well. The good thing is I do not owe the government, the bad thing I think they owe me…Yes, I overpaid but how do they know? They only know what I tell them and if I fill out the form one way how are they going to know I didn’t know what I was doing? It is all my fault but I am very frustrated with myself. I thought I could do it myself. I didn’t want to bother anyone with a little question like how to fill out yet another form. I thought I had it. I did not. I was very wrong.  That is another thing I am learning, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are not inconveniencing anyone. If they can’t help you or don’t want to they will tell you. People aren’t all bad, many of them really do want to help you and be there for you. Just ask you silly ragdoll! I am a business owner. I am 21. I own a business which owns a house by my loan. Yes technically I own a house. Was that financially a good idea? I have no idea. Did I think so at the time? Yes. Am I in a good financial situation right now? It’s not bad. It is not where I would like it to be but is anyone ever in a financial position that they would like to be?

Poor bank account

I have dreams and ideas and plans. How many do you think require finance stability? All of them. Some of them I would like help from other people. Are they willing, some of them. Do they know when they will want to do this or how long it will take? Not even one. Does this frustrate me? Yes. I am one of those people (as you probably already know) who likes to start and finish a project in a reasonable time. Every chance I get to work on said project I would work on it and see it through to the end. Is it ever frustrating when you have to depend on other people to get your stuff done. I thought I was patient, I thought I had worked through that (as best as anybody can) yea, no. My patience is hanging on by a stinking thread. I have taken a lot of deep breaths this past month and are these projects anywhere near done? No, some are at dead holt others haven’t even been started. Whoopee (disappointed, sarcastic face).

The great thing that has happened this week is my book keeping has been staying up to date! If you remember from a few months ago I mentioned how I was struggling motivating myself to stay up to date with that. For some reason, it is getting done this month! Maybe because it is a project that I can control and finish on my own…to a point. Some bills just don’t want to come when I would like them to show up. Did I really say that? Oh goodness.

Back to the yard

Another positivity is my front yard looks amazing, I know I mentioned this a little while ago but hey! I love the look of it! The lawn was cut and trimmed on Monday by Chris, thank you!!!!! Wednesday my mama and I cleaned up some of the gardens. It all looks so much better J Most of the overwhelmed look is gone and it is ready for winter…I don’t know if I am though.

There is a chance of snow on Sunday and rain today through Sunday. It is going to be a cold wet weekend. I have heat though! Last week my furnace went out. It was one of the fans but it is fixed and working beautifully now! I also have a wonderful fireplace to cozy up in front of πŸ™‚

As always, keep the blessings in every day!

Episode 19

It has been a year! Actually, at this point, it has been 1 year and 5 days. πŸ™‚

If this is your first time at Simple Blessings blog welcome!!! We also have a podcast which is where I am leading you next πŸ™‚

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

There is no script for this episode because I am just chatting away and talking recap and update πŸ™‚

Thank you for all of your support and love over this last year! I can not wait to see what happens over the next years to come!

Episode 18

Hello everyone! This episode was me just talking away so there is no script but to give you a sneak peek and a visual of what we are talking about I hope you enjoy the photos below. Perhaps a video or two as well πŸ™‚

To head over to our podcast site check out the address below!

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Visual Representation

Simple Blessings Storm damage Video

I hoped you enjoyed the visuals of the damage here on Simple Blessings property. We have a long road ahead of us for cleanup and damage repair but all will be ok thanks to the grace of God and his wonderful hand guiding the trees to minimum damage! The photos were taken by me (Krissa) the morning after the storm. The video is provided by Chris my tech and marketing man. Thank you Chris!

See the Blessings in every day!

Episode 17

creating and designing

It’s Thursday! There is no podcast episode up. We are having technical problems on this end but I am hoping that by Friday evening everything will be good to go again and I will be able to upload the episode πŸ™‚

Until then, here is the script for Episode 17: What is Your Perfect Workspace?

Script

We all have to work. Whether it is in a cubicle, in a field, in a classroom, in a giant office, on your couch, in your car, on a plane, we all work. When we have to work we want to get stuff done. Not just sit and stare at the wall or out the window. 

I was surfing on YouTube the other day and I saw a video about redoing their office so they wanted to work on it. 

I have what I call my β€œback room.” This backroom is my office, storage, laundry, and closet. I never wanted to work in that room. My desk is always a mess and used as a mid spot before things are put away. When I want to work on anything I carry my stack of paperwork and books downstairs and set up a folding table in the Library or I spread out on the dining room table. I never wanted to work in the backroom. I would try but I never felt like I was getting anything done. After watching the YouTube video I finally realized why I never wanted to work in that room. There was too much going on. Space was not just the place to get anything done it was my everything room. If you wish, my junk drawer room. A little bit of everything is happening in that room. It is definitely not ideal. 

Once I move my office to its own area working with be much better πŸ™‚

What else makes a work environment? Noise. For me I need music going. And not just on, I can work if it is on but I prefer it loud. As in, you can hear it from a distance away. When I work downstairs I do always have something on. It does get loud. My house has fantastic acoustics! I can put my speaker on the stairway half wall and I can hear all around downstairs and a little bit upstairs too. It is perfect! I can blast my music and get stuff done. If you ever need my attention and you are not getting my attention but you here music so you know I am there. Call me. The music is probably playing from my phone so if you call me the music will stop and so will I πŸ™‚ I don’t have those days very often but maybe once a month. 

Another environment point is your utensils. Do you like black and only black, maybe a highlight. Are you a pencil person? Are you a multi-colored person? That’s me. I use multiple colors of pens, markers, and highlighters. I have different colored sticky notes I use. I have folders, tabs, binders all different colors. If I have something the same color the label on the front is in multiple colors. This is how I stay organized and wanting to work. I can use gel pens or different color markers to have my brain on paper. I give myself a table to follow so for instance, red would be total and blue is the adding number. Green would be the signs (plus, minus) and purple would be double-checked. 

When I am using sticky notes maybe I have two colors, so yellow would go back to for the project and pink would be for future reference. I would have paper, scrap or otherwise, making notes for myself on anything or everything of course not always the same color πŸ™‚ 

Now, what about space? How much space do you need to work efficiently? I take over tables. If I have a lot to do and I am cranking out all sorts of work, I am spreading out wide and high. I use the whole table, sometimes the floor or chairs. I have a list somewhere telling me everything I need to get done and as I check stuff off the piles shrink, the room grows and my cozy crowded workspace becomes bigger and more open. I am slowly able to breathe again and not just because the room is growing but because I am coming to the end of the pile. I take over the space that I am working in much of the time. 

What about the time? Do you know how long it will take you to finish what you need to finish? Estimate, now say it will take a little bit longer. Now if you finish at your estimate you will feel amazing (great guess by the way!) If you finish at the lengthen time you picked, that is fine, you had the time blocked off to get it done all is well. Now if you finish before either of those times, man don’t you feel amazing! Maybe a little like you missed something, but you didn’t, and you feel amazing! Always block off more time than you know you will need to complete your work. This way you are never rushed to finish or have to leave and you can’t finish. If you finish with time you can get to your next appointment early, hand in your assignment early or just get to the weekend early πŸ™‚ 

Planners. Who else needs to have planners? I have a friend who if she lost her planner she would just sit on a chair in her super soft PJ pants curled up in a ball under a blanket looking out the window with no emotion on her face. Would anyone else be that way? Would anyone else be completely lost without their planner? For me, it isn’t so much my planner as it is my calendar and notes. I make notes. Today at work (church) I sat down and used a scrap paper and I wrote down everything I needed to do today and the rest of the week. I knew I wouldn’t be able to remember everything off the top of my head so I wrote it down before I did anything else. I was thinking of what I needed to do on my walk to work and once I got there I wrote them all down, adding to the list as the day went on.Β 

My perfect Workspace has a big table with stools or chairs scattered around it, with a jar or bucket of colored sharpies, colored pens, and pencils in the middle of it. There would be a comfy chair or couch off to the side with a fun yet settle soft rug underneath. There would be baskets trays and shelves for neat storage along with drawers and cabinets. There would be a giant magnetic whiteboard and a corkboard for random thoughts and important notes posted.Β 

I’m curious, what is your perfect workspace? Is it small and confined or is it large and spacious? Is it bright and colorful or is it dark and focusing? Do you prefer to have your notes on your phone or written on a piece of paper or do you prefer them on your computer or on a board written out? Comment on our Instagram or our blog. What is your β€œ#perfectworkspace?

Episode 16

Life Can Kick And Bless All At Once

Click the link below to listen to any previous episodes!

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

I am so sorry I missed last week guys! This week is not much better. I am hard to understand and a bit on the tired side of life πŸ™‚

I plum forgot to record an episode the week before and earlier this week I had my wisdom teeth removed. Did I record an episode ahead of time? No, no I did not. Did I think about doing it? Yes! I know it doesn’t count if I just think about it but I am proud of myself for that πŸ™‚

Next week should be much more interesting and easier to listen to. See you there!

Episode 15

Truly Living in the moment. That is what we are talking about today.

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

There is no script along with this episode because it was a last-minute change of plans topic. I think you will really enjoy it. There is also some hope that you will take it to heart.

Simply Living isn’t just the name of the podcast, it is also a statement. Simply Live in the moments God gives you.

Until next time, see the blessings in every day.

Episode 14: Back to School

New Ulm, Minnesota

Episode 14 is here and as always, click the link below to take a listen!

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Rest your ears and warm up your mind by reading the episode below! The “script” is the bear. Sometimes it lines up pretty close with what is on audio and sometimes we go a bit off-script πŸ™‚ You do miss out on some special things if you don’t listen and read πŸ™‚

Enjoy!

Script

Back to school. We all know this time of year too well. Some of you are going into this season with new pens and pencils, fresh note pads and heavy books. Others are going into this season knowing you won’t be seeing your grandkids as much. Some of you are going in knowing there is a routine around your corner with quiet no kid moments in the middle of the day. And then there are you who are sending your babies off to college. 

Back to school for me now is more some friends are closer and some friends are farther away. More people are calling the school at work and the teachers are around more. Quiet mornings aren’t a thing now. 

Back to school shopping was always my favorite. My mom and I would go to Kohls and JCPenny and find deals and cute clothes. We would go to Shopko (who have let me down) and get the school supplies. The excitement to go back to school so you can see your friends every day is the best feeling! Going back to school and going home with a bag full of homework is a very sad feeling.Β 

What are some of your back to school traditions? Leave a comment on our Instagram or Facebook!Β 

If you have kiddos who are going into Preschool or Kindergarten you are excited that they are excited but sad that you won’t be seeing your baby all day. But to see them in that β€œfirst day of school” photo and outfit makes it a hint better πŸ™‚

If you have kiddos or are a kiddo going into Middle school you are probably gearing up for some serious awesome friend time. Maybe a hint of sports and activities in there too πŸ™‚Β 

If you have kiddos or are a kiddo going into high school you are probably not looking forward to the harder classes but you are looking forward to seeing your favorite teacher πŸ™‚ There are also some awesome clubs in high school that always make going to school a little easier πŸ™‚ 

Then we get to college. Poor parents, sending their babies off to be independent and sometimes idiotic. poor kids, losing having their parents there all the time to give them the look. You guys know what I am talking about and trust me, you will miss it. 

When I went away to college I felt homesick most of the time. My family is super sarcastic and it was a bit of a shock when I didn’t have all that sarcasm in my life every day. Then there was the lack of being picked on. It is annoying when your parents pick on you all the time but when you don’t have your parents to pick on you, man, life just isn’t the same. trust me on that. It is weird. 

I have a friend right now who stayed in the city she is going to college, over summer, to work. She starts school next week and our conversation tonight was talking about her finding time to come home. Going back to school for her is missing home because she hasn’t seen it is over 3 months. 

I have a friend…actually, I have a few friends who are gearing to start their new school year as student teachers. All of them are super psyched and excited about this journey but they are nervous. They are still trying to figure everything out. Mostly because I want to spend time with them this semester…friend withdrawal is serious business πŸ™‚Β 

I have a brother going into his Junior year of high school. I was with my family and they were talking about the courses he was going to take this year. He has some hard classes but I know he can rock every single one.Β 

My other brother is a Sophomore in College this coming year. I still think he is going to change what direction he wants to take engineering by the end of the year…again. BUT he is going to have a great year full of friends, tears, laughs and very late nights πŸ™‚ 

To all of you going starting your school year with new school supplies, old school supplies, and hammy downs, YOU GOT THIS! Mama and Papa bears, YOU GOT THIS! You raised your kids to be amazing young adults. They may go through a rough patch, but they will grow up the way you guided them πŸ™‚Β 

Teachers, YOU GOT THIS!!! We love you, we believe in you and we support you! 

For you all going back to school, may God bless your school year and may you all thrive with the knowledge you accumulate. Have fun this year!

Us β€œdone with school for a while-ers” will be cheering you on and thanking the Lord we are done πŸ™‚Β 

Until next time, see the blessings in every day. 

Episode 13

Journal

Click the link below to take a listen to Episode 13!

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Books and books Episode 13 is all about books!

Panda joins this week for an episode talking all about books. This is one of her most passionate topics and it becomes quite obvious as you listen along.

Again there is no script for this episode.

I will give you all a hint though, we talk about books and quote one of our favorite movies. πŸ™‚

Until next time, see the blessings in everyday. 

Episode 12

Sky before the Storm

Episode 12 is filled with laughter, reminiscing, adventures and silly things three friends did growing up together. Click the link below to listen to Episode 12 of Simply Living Podcast

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Script

There is no script for Episode 12 because it was three friends catching up and talking.

The whole idea of episode 12 was talking about the importance of old friends…however, when you get three old friends together we can easily get off task and rabbit trail our way around the farm. We did go back to talking old friends off and on (maybe twice out of the whole 37+ min) but not a lot. We didn’t have a lot of time to be together so we ended up just talking and catching up. There are a few topics that were cut short on the episode because they weren’t relevant, important or too many names were said.

Thank you for listening to Episode 12! We will see you next week for Episode 13 when Panda comes BACK and we talk all things books. I think Episode 13 might be a part 1. There are too many thoughts about books to have just one Episode on!

Until next time, see the blessings in every day.

Episodes 10 and 11

Oops! Thank you, grandma, for letting me know. Apparently last week I completely forgot to post a blog about Episode 10! Completely my bad!

As always, click the link below to listen to all the episodes!

http://simpleblessingspodcast.buzzsprout.com/

You can also listen to the podcast on iTunes, google music and more!

Episode 10

On episode 10 Katelyn Raddatz joins us and talks all about the importance of friendship.

There is no script being that the episode is a recording of two friends chatting away about the importance of friendship and how they both became the friends they are now.

Katelyn and I share the story of how we became friends, how we became better friends to others and how we know who are our true friends in life.

Episode 11

On episode 11 it is just me, Krissa. I talk about making new friends in each place I go to. I also do a little preaching to myself but I truly think it is a message we all need to hear sometimes. A good reminder and a nice kick in the rear πŸ™‚

There is also no script for episode 11 because I was just talking from the heart. That is also why the episode sounds like a long rant πŸ™‚ No punctuation edits, no reading of any sort, just a ramble of this and a ramble of that πŸ™‚

Until next time; see the blessings in every day.