https://somethingbettermydarling.com/

Something Better, My Darling, Parkersburg, IA (2025)

09/26/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. Monday night our washing machine decided to stop working. After a busy weekend I had piles of laundry. Luckily Parkersburg has a laundromat. Tuesday morning I found all of the quarters in the house, loaded up my laundry like I was back in college and worked while I did 6 loads of laundry. Three at a time though!!

2. We are trying out meal kits. Green Chef was one of the options recommended to me, and it has been delicious!! We will likely not do every week, but it is a great option to have!

3. Emergen-c crystals. These are amazing! They seriously taste like pop rocks. And so much easier to have the kids take. No water! Just take them like a pixie stick. The only problem, my son eats them like pixie sticks so we are going through them quickly! By them here- https://amzn.to/46Djodz

4. Last week Ar and I went to thr Jason Aldean concert. Just the two of us. We got a small Airbnb, ate BW’s after midnight, had an Uber driver named Dady, and had so many laughs. I am clinging to these moment with my kids. Having two girls out of the house makes me realize just how fast they grow up and move away.

5. This was on my Facebook feed the other day. And now I am trying to make this my instant morning thought. I might have to change my alarm name…but how true is this? We get in our own heads. We get in our own way. If we’d just let Jesus lead the way in our minds and hearts, the day would look a little different.

-c

09/19/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. Have you tried these?! I am not a pumpkin spice girl, but I am and apple cider and caramel apple girl!! I should not buy another bag. lol!

2. Free Coffee! It is always my favorite when I have enough Kwik Star points for feee coffee.

3. I have been making cinnamon rolls in a round pan for as long as I can remember. Well, our pan was starting to flake off metal so I dumped that and now use this ceramic one. First it cooks so much more evenly, and it is not toxic!

4. Pepper is sooooo happy to have his fire place back. I took this last week when it was cold! So this week he is a little sad, but soon it will be on full time.

5. I have debated about saying anything about Charlie Kirk. But then I realized that if this is how I can help spread his mission and share my faith, then I couldn’t be silent. You may not have agreed with everything he said, but that didn’t mean he needed to lose his life. I do know that Jesus uses everything for good. Even if bad has happened. Good will come of this, and I believe we’re already seeing a movement, it feels different. I believe in the Bible, that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and that there is eternal life when we leave our earthly home. I pray for everyone who does not know Jesus to find the joy, peace, and love that only He can provide.

09/05/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. Whoop (my fitness tracker) has rolled out a new pace of aging. I am not loving my Whoop age, which has me 2.4 years older!!! The main culprit to me aging too fast, not enough sleep! Oye, I am not good at that.

2. I decided to trend back to my natural darker hair. It has been years since my hair has been dark. I am a fan!

3. My husband turned me onto this song. It is so good! But yet it punches me in all the places of insecurity that I feel. As the kids would say, “it hits different.”

4. Another funny gift from my friend! It is double funny because I rarely drink and if I do it’s one.

5. Stop what you are doing right now, because you need to know about this!! While I am not done with the book yet, I have had two sessions of Emotion Code with Dr. Keller at - and it is amazing! You release emotions that your body has been storing. Or rather your subconscious is storing. I released an emotion today I had been storing from when I was 8 years old! I am a huge fan!!

08/29/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. Toilet paper fairy. It’s a joke around our house, but I truly believe the kids think there is a toilet paper fairy that keeps the house stocked with their favorite TP. One day they’ll do this themselves!

2. I love this travel steamer!! I don’t think I’ll use an iron ever again. So fast and easy!

3. Somebody Prayed. In the series at Hope City Church Pastor Q has been talking about generational prayers. This song hits different. Your blessings could be because somebody prayed for you. Your grandma, mom, aunt, but somebody prayed. I have now started praying for all of the future (and current of course) generations of our family.

4. I only have ONE real tattoo. It is the small cross on my ring finger. I have had TWO temporary tattoos on for fun. My husband has not noticed either. LOL! I do like the placement of the one on my foot, and I don’t think I like the tattoos with color on me. Not that I have any plans to get any more tattoos, but now I know.

5. Back to school! This is the first year I have not driven the kids to school. It’s so odd and lovely at the same time. But also a real fast reminder of the short amount of time I have left with them in school and at home to teach them all the things. Like how to replace toilet paper! See #1.

6. Pepper. His name should be Velcro. Everything sticks to him so after our walks in the morning he is a hot mess. So…he gets sink baths. Our big dog just looks at me like, “when do I get a turn?”

08/18/2025

You may not think these pictures have anything to do with each other. And I would tend to agree. One is scripture from the Bible and the other is highly rated book containing the F word. Stay with me. I started listening to this book this week, which is hard for me because I don’t love the F word. However, the concept behind living your life unapologetic I do love. The book talks about what you are willing to struggle through to get what you actually want. Not giving up. The scripture…the same, but recognizes you can’t, and were never designed to do this alone! God has you. He has the strength you don’t for the tasks He’s laid out for you. So yes, let’s live an unapologetic life, but make sure it’s the life God designed for you!

08/14/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. I love hotel gyms! Especially when they are empty! Started my walk inside because it was dark outside, finished by the river! See later pic.

2. This is my new favorite lotion /spray. It smells good, scores well on Yuka, and the oils doesn’t leave oil marks! You can get it here -> https://amzn.to/3Jarcvr

3. Verse of the day. I feel like sometimes we use this as a crutch verse for physical gift giving. But when you look closer at this verse it is about our God given gifts and using those to bless people. So I have been thinking all day, how can I help? What gifts do I have that can help someone else?

4. Old school scale. This reminds me of doctor appts. I am not sure why it is fun to do, but it was a nice change of pass to use today.

5. I took this picture when I was walking outside this morning. I was listening to my fav Brandon Lake and just praising Jesus while walking by the Mississippi River. His greatness and hand are so evident. What an amazing start to my day!

🙏

07/18/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. My current walking audio book. I have not raised a healthy gamer and I need to address it. This book is written by a Dr. who flunked out of college because of gaming. Very enlightening! And we have some work to do.

2. I fell for all the ads and bought and I’m obsessed. So easy! So fast, and is a great look! After blended of course. I am slowly adding to my collection.

3. Every time I go to Sam’s Club I get a rotisserie chicken. There have been times when they were out and my husband said I was crazy. But this week when I went, they were out!!!!! Ha!! Picture proof.

4. One of my many prime purchases. The Echo Pop! I have it in my office and I love having the background music playing. So good!!

5. This is one of my favorite verses. It makes me thing of the picture of a little kid holding a bear and Jesus asking for it. The child doesn’t want to give up@his bear, because he doesn’t know that Jesus has a MUCH larger bear for the child. We are scared to put down our lives at times because we don’t know what is behind God’s back. But trust me, it is always better than what we are holding on to.

07/11/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. Hydrogen water bottle in the house!! It is this month’s health purchase. Hydrogen water is suppose to help with pretty much everything. I mean that.

2. I love sparklers. And my son and husband love setting off fireworks making me nervous. The family was lined up to watch this year! It was fun to watch and everyone was safe!

3. This scripture reminds me of a flight I took in college. I was sitting to a boy about my age. We started talking and he said he didn’t believe in Jesus. Nothing I said seemed to help. I wish I would have thought to talk about air, electricity, radio waves, anything else you can’t see yet believe in. This verse remind me of that. You don’t need to see to believe. It’s called faith.

4. Old pictures are the best!!!! This is one of all of my cousins and my kiddos at the time. I say at the time because there are soooo many more now! Makes my heart happy seeing these little faces.

5. My kids are at the age where I can sit in the sun chair all day at Lost Island waterpark and let them@run around with friends and have fun! I’ve dreamed of this day. lol!! Don’t get me wrong, I love slides and rides too, but there is something to be said for a relaxing day in the sun!

❤️

06/27/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. My daughter wanted to go for a drive tonight so she drove us to my parent’s farm. While we were there we noticed that there were so many lightening bugs!! It was like watching a show! Then I was reminded of catching them growing up, putting them in glass jars with holes poked in the lids in an attempt to capture their light. But light isn’t meant to be captured. They wouldn’t survive for long, just like hiding our light hurts us. And then as we were leaving we saw the sun set. A beautiful display of God’s work. Oh how I love being at the farm.

2. This week I had the opportunity to be in Canada for work. We mixed in some fun and went to Niagara Falls. What an amazing sight!! 34 billion gallons rush over the falls each minute. And it never runs dry. Another breathtaking display of God’s handiwork.

3. Pepper is working on getting in shape, so on long walks, we bring the wagon. His little legs just. Ant keep up with the big dog! lol

4. This quote isn’t helping with the mom guilt, but it does remind me to make each moment count and to be very intentional with my time with my children. I have an amazing mother, and only hope my kids feel, or will feel the same one day. After I am done ruing their lives of course. Ha!

5. This is in a new book I am reading about leadership. I heard this part on the podcast which promoted me to buy the book. I’ve mentioned it before, but wanted to put it in here again because it is just so impactful. Your commitments. They are what matter! If you can’t keep them, you might as well throw your goals away.

06/20/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. This is not new information, but for some reason it can be hard. New habits. Consistent habits. They make a difference. They make change. In January I started being very intentional about walking every morning and fasting based on my fav book “Fast Like a Girl.” I have lost 22 pounds and several inches. It has taken 6 months on consistent effort. Small habits each day with big results.

2-5. Yep, only two pics this week. But rolling a lot into this one. Summertime. I love it and I dread it. The weather is so good! Kids out of school and mom guilt eating me alive…not good. I feel the time with them slipping away. Each summer that passes. Each “mom, can you come?” I know working moms have faced this for generations, but it does not get easier. And summertime seems to highlight the time speeding by. I do not have answers for this. I only know that I’m providing for my family, being a role model of a professional working mom, and praying it makes a good impact on my children.

This picture is a good one though! My kiddos are on vacay with their grandparents on their dad’s side and their cousins. I’m so thankful they have experiences like this! Time with family, it so great for them. And apparently I am a little meh today. Because this is hard too. My daughter has wanted to go to Hawaii since she could say the word. I have wanted to take her, but this week, she went with her grandparents. I am so, so happy she got to go. I’m being selfish and sad for me that I didn’t get to see her face when she got there, when set foot on the beach. It feels like a moment missed. But for me.

I debated about sharing this, but it’s me. It’s real. And you know what, it’s okay. It is hard to miss time with your kids, or loved ones. It is hard when you miss the firsts with your kids. I just know I have to make my time with them count! Enjoy the moments I do have with them!

06/12/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. I have missed a few Thursdays. It has been a busy few weeks. Our company had their annual conference and I am on the planning committee. It is an amazing team. Luau theme this year to end our event and a drone show. I am exhausted. Week of staying up late to get everything done followed by the actual event. I’m hoping to sleep most of the weekend.

2. And the week before was college girls’ weekend take two. Our first weekend we were together for the grand opening of Teri’s apothecary. So this time we did all of the relaxing things and just spent time shopping and having fun.

3. Cold plunge and sauna. It was such a great experience. I know the cold plunge is very good for you, but it is hard! The hot sauna to jump into helped! This girls’ trip was definitely our healthiest trip. Walks, hikes, water walking, and cold plunging! Our age must be helping us!

4. We’ve been friends since 1999. Eight marriages. Four divorces. Ten kids. Four heavenly babies. We have been through a lot. I so not know where I’d be without these women. And I always have laugh when I see our pictures in Teri’s bathroom.

5. Nice gas stations are my favorite! Bucky’s in Lawler is one of the best, but The Market on hwy 20 just east of Fort Dodge is amazing. Two levels. Clothes. Coffee shop. And such good healthy snacks. Pickles wrapped in ham, hard boiled eggs with bacon. New favorite!

05/23/2025

Thinking Thursday Thoughts

1. I have an issue with puzzles. It is really hard for me to walk away from them, but this is a hard one! 1,000 pieces. Another way we are spending time during no electronic time.

2. Pepper loves the fireplace in the living room. We had the pilot light off for a while because it was warm, but we turned it back on with the chilly weather. He was one happy dog! Just lying on his back enjoying the heat. It’s sort of amazing he doesn’t catch on fire.

3. I wear a Whoop which is a fitness and health tracker. I do really love it! Except for the fact that it tells me what time I should go to bed to get the right amount of sleep. It’s been a long week, so tonight I was suppose to go to bed at 5:53 to decrease my sleep deficit. It is currently 7:10 and I’m at soccer.

4. This was a sponsored post in my feed. I cannot tell you all of the emotions it makes me feel, but the strongest is sad. I’m sad for her. I’m sad for all of the young girls who may see this and think it’s okay. I’m sad that this makes it to the masses and is even considered a headline. I’m sad that people think it is funny. Im@sad that her fiancé was proud. I pray she finds Jesus and realizes that her worth and value come from Him alone and nothing and no one else.

5. On a much, much, MUCH better note, this podcast was so good! I listened to it twice!!! Both of these men are motivating, faithful, driven men. Some of my favorite nuggets. 1) you have to have commitments to reach your goals. Goals alone do nothing. Your daily commitments help you reach your goals. 2) Higher levels, bigger devils. 3) Pray. And then listen.
🔑

Something Better, My Darling

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