So, call it what you want – “soft girl summer”, intentional summer, a summer slowdown… in this post I want to share 25 simple activities that you can do to slow down this summer, be present with your kids, and squeeze as much joy out of this season as you do those lemons in your fresh lemonade.

However, now that I’m a mother, the mere idea of orchestrating a Christmas Eve dinner for 30 people, refereeing board games between siblings, and trying to put cranky but excited children to bed at midnight only to be woken up at 5:00am to open gifts that “Santa” had left leaves me stressed out and exhausted.

Autumn can be a busy season. If we’re not careful, we can completely skip over fall in all our busyness. However, autumn is such a beautiful season in and of itself; worthy of slowing down and savoring the experiences that it has to offer.

I’ve been intentionally pursuing a better work-life balance for over 7 years. Throughout that time, my husband and I have found a few somewhat unusual (or at least unpopular) ways to make things easier on ourselves. I hope it sparks some new, creative ways that you can create a better work-life balance for yourself.

Now, some of you probably enjoy packing and maybe even have your own strategy down to a science. Others of you might be a bit more, how should I say it…, spontaneous with your packing. Either way, you’ve probably found yourself taking a trip with a suitcase that barely closes.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, only to find ourselves overwhelmed and exhausted by Christmas day. So, today I wanted to share a few secrets to enjoying a simpler holiday this year.

Simplified beauty and style avoid this unnecessary frustration and wasted time. Instead, the idea is that you streamline your closet, hair, skincare, and makeup routines so that you can confidently get ready each morning in a way that sets you up for success the rest of the day.

I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again and again, work-life balance doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentional action on our part. Often the clutter of our schedules is what causes us to feel overwhelmed by the pressure to do it all.