| The Grit and Grace Project

9 Ways to Give the Gift of Experiences to Your Kids

On Christmas morning, everyone has their own traditions. It’s funny because when my husband and I talk about our Christmases as kids, it’s not the gifts we remember. We remember the traditions. We remember having Christmas morning breakfast with the people we love. We remember Christmas dinners with family. We remember being all together. So this year our family has talked about giving experiences rather than toys. I know it’s fun for young kids to see the bottom of the tree overflowing with presents, but there really is so much more to Christmas. If you still buy and wrap gifts to give, I’m not disagreeing with you at all! I love to buy, I love to wrap, and I love to see their faces while they […]

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Surviving the Holidays with Grit and Grace – 015

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More The holidays are here and often with them comes stress, drama and financial strain. It’s our goal to apply both grit and grace to “the most wonderful time of the year” choosing to slow down, connect with loved ones and enjoy every part. Darlene and Julie admit where they struggle, then share practical ways to put the holly and jolly back into this important season. Taking a just a few minutes to be thankful for our blessings, the biggest one being the birth of our Savior. Grab a peppermint mocha, take a seat to savor the lights of your tree, and enjoy! Challenge of the episode: We

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Talking About the Funny Things We are Thankful For – 013

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More Do you find yourself joining the social media trend of creating your own “thankful list” this time of year? It is a wonderful reminder that we should be grateful for the good things in life. Several weeks ago, before Julie had to step out for a bit, Julie and Darlene came up with their own list which turned out to be just plain funny. After their laughter died down they turned the mics on to share the fun with you. So take a listen, and after you do, share your own funny things to be thankful for on social media. Tag it with #gritandgracelife

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When It’s Gray and Cold: Embrace the Light

By Sharita Hanley / Faith

Oily raindrops collided with my windshield as I sat in traffic under a dark sky. It made no sense to me at all. 5:30pm and pitch black. I had never admitted it, but I hated this time of year. Cold. Dark. And rainy. All I wanted to do was sit in the house and dream of better days. Summer days. But the endless amount of brake light brought me back to reality. Irritated, I cursed the season. What kind of wonderful season was this? It was everything I despised. Drowning in tradition. Full of far-fetched expectations. Gray. I wanted one thing and one thing only. Sunlight. “Maybe you should get one of those light therapy lamps,” my boss suggested as I confessed

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What Growing Up in a Blended Family Taught Me at Christmas

By Teresa Christian / Relationships

My family is not unlike many families in America. When my dad married my mom in 1976, my two brothers and I gained two younger sisters and one younger brother. It was in December, very close to Christmas when they married. I don’t remember much about that first Christmas as a blended family, but over the years I noticed a pattern. My mother was deceased, so there was no other parent for my brothers and me to visit over the holidays. By contrast, my stepmother was divorced, so my new siblings spent time with their dad and other family. They also got more presents, more candy, and more attention. I was presented with an interesting dilemma … one that I wish I

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