twochicksandamom.blogspot.com: 2026

Thursday, May 21, 2026

FUNTASTIC FRIDAY AND PATRIOTIC WEEKEND

Summer Fairy Garden Fun for Kids

It's Summertime and the livin' is easy--till the kids get bored. I kept mine busy with morning chores, reading time, swim lessons, summer library programs, and then playtime. With the grandkids, I leave most of that to their moms. I do like to have fun with them when they visit! One thing that we started last summer was making "fairy gardens". Not all fairy gardens are the same, though. Let those kids use their imaginations!

Last summer Kate, age 7, wanted to make a "dinosaur garden".

We purchased a bag of dinosaurs and solar light from Dollar Tree, a succulent from Walmart and used a planter that I already had. Oh, potting soil. Potting soil is usually a must for fairy gardens lol.

Kate also used some "fencing" and a few items (a tree, mushroom) that she found in an old fairy garden that Ali Rose had made!

Ali Rose made a fairy garden using a kit from Walmart a couple of years ago.

It came with items such as a fairy, tree, signage, and a bird bath. Ebay also has some cute fairy garden items to purchase (the little dragon in the photo above) and if you are lucky, you can find pretty cute items at dollar stores.

This week, 2 year-old Parker has been staying here, along with his mom Staci and little sister Oakli, who as far a I can tell, doesn't care what we put into a fairy garden. Anyway, Parker likes cars, work trucks, heavy equipment, trains, and planes; in other words, he is a little boy. We made a heavy equipment garden.

I bought a bright green plastic tub at Dollar Tree, added dirt and potting soil, and also some small rocks that I had bought at Dollar Tree previously. I added some faux greenery to the garden as well. It is a construction site but they haven't gotten to the plant removal yet. We were also fortunate enough to find 2 vehicles--a dump truck and a bulldozer at the local dollar store.

That dump truck needs to dump those rocks!

The bulldozer moves boulders out of the way!

Parker was already to play but alas, it was bedtime! Tomorrow is another day.

So let your kids choose some fun items to make their own fairy/dinosaur/construction site gardens. Use real plants to teach them to care for the nature. Use faux plants so they can play in their garden without fear of killing a plant. Let them have Summer Fun!

Thursday, May 14, 2026

FUNTASTIC FRIDAY LINK PARTY 592 AND PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Howdy! Welcome to another Funtastic Friday! This week I have been decluttering and organizing. I cleaned out the junk drawer in the laundry room AND the note pad/pens and scented wax containers in the kitchen drawer. Maybe not much of a life but I feel so accomplished. When I was going thru chemo a few years ago, I cleaned out the junk drawer, and you would have thought I reorganized the entire house lol. Well, at the time I didn't feel like doing much. Do you get a sense of accomplishment when you tackle and complete a small project, or is it just me?

An oldie but goodie:

KATE'S DINOSAUR GARDEN

Granddaughter Kate was only 7 when we made this--now she is 16! We had a good time putting this garden together.

MOTHER'S DAY 2026

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...TO ALL KINDS OF MOMS!

HAPPY HEAVENLY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MAMA

Thursday, May 7, 2026

FUNTASTIC FRIDAY LINK PARTY 591 AND IDEAS GALORE

Hello and welcome! The weather here in Northern Nevada has been beautiful this week--temps in the 70s and sunshine. Just perfect for a lovely weekend!

WISHING ALL MOMS A HAPPY.....

MEET YOUR HOSTS

PLEASE FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Donna & Staci @ Two Chicks and A Mom

Heidi @ Building Our Hive

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Michele @ CoastalBohemian

Features from last week

MOST VIEWED

Salsa Roja by Yummi Haus

Lucky Draw

Easy Gluten Free Air Fryer Tortillas by Air fryer Fanatics

Michele Pick

DIY Specimen Art on Maps by Pillarbox Blue

Heidi's Pick

Mother's Day Mason Jar Cookie Mix Gift by Walking on Sunshine

Donna's Pick

Crockpot Lime Garlic Chicken by Crystal and Comp.

If you were featured, please grab a button to share on your blog!

ON TO THIS WEEK'S PARTY!

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3. Old posts are welcome.

4. Comment on at least one post at the party.

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Let’s interact, comment, and enjoy one another while supporting each other.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, April 30, 2026

FUNSTASTIC FRIDAY LINK PARTY AND PIZZA DELIGHTS

A few years ago, I purchased these cute mini pinatas at Walmart and stuffed them with candy and cash! My grandsons, who were graduating high school that year, loved the gift. You can see the details HERE.

HAPPY MAY DAY tomorrow! Who remembers making May Baskets in school? I do!

MEET YOUR HOSTS

PLEASE FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Donna & Staci @ Two Chicks and A Mom

Heidi @ Building Our Hive

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Michele @ CoastalBohemian

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Features from Last Week:

Thursday, April 23, 2026

FUNTASTIC FRIDAY LINK PARTY 589 AND STRAWBERRY GOODIES

Hello and welcome to another Funtastic Friday Link Party!

It's been cooler here in Northern Nevada the past two weeks. It was a shocker coming back from our Caribbean cruise lol. We have gotten some rain and there has been snow in one of the mountain ranges near our town. The Rye Patch Reservoir about 60 miles away could be fuller but I read that the agency will open the dam to release water for irrigation for farmers in Lovelock, NV sooner than usual. So still praying for a few good rainstorms (it is Nevada, though) or even a storm that dumps snow in the mountains. How is the weather/water level in your area?

This week, I shared an article I wrote for a local agency, Humboldt AVA (Advocates of Victims of Abuse) a few years back. Emotional wellness is one of the Dimensions of Wellness and I was asked to write an article regarding that particular wellness. Take a look if you like and let me know if you have any questions!

DAILY PRACTICES FOR EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Onto the party and last week's features!

DAILY PRACTICES FOR EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Daily Practices for Emotional Wellness

This is an article I wrote several years ago for publication on a local agency's website. Hope you find something of interest or importance to you! Donna

By Donna Wirthlin, M.Ed, BSN, RN

Life can be hectic on a good day (or in a good year). Along comes 2020 and even more chaos and distress present itself in the forms of: depression, anxiety and worry, uncertainty, fear, loneliness and more. While we cannot control certain aspects of life and what may or may not happen, we can strive to maintain or improve our own Emotional Wellness. By doing so, we can strengthen our ability to face challenges and keep a positive outlook. Included below are techniques that may be of assistance to you in having robust Emotional Wellness.

⦁ Reduce stress. Stress can be good (as in the “Fight or Flight” effect) or bad (as in worrying at 3 a.m. about a situation that has little likelihood of happening). Stress is a physiological response and if ongoing, chronic stress can lead to health issues (heart disease, poor sleep, weight gain, memory problems, etc.). Try these practices to lessen stress levels:

⦁ Rethink negative relationships. Do you have a friend or even a distant relative who is often quick to criticize, “one up” you, or compete with you? If that causes you stress, anxiety, or self-doubt, then distancing from that person may be the best thing to do. Could it be a co-worker? Interact only as you need to. Reflect on how some relationships cause you to feel about yourself and decide which ones are worth saving and which ones aren’t positive or beneficial in your life. Be kind if possible but no one ever said we have to be friends with everyone!

⦁ Learn to say “no”. We have all been told this before but how many of us really practice it? Sure, it’s nice to be asked and considered to be an asset or helpful to a person or cause but if taking on another task, time-commitment, or responsibility that will cause you stress (there’s that word again), it won’t do you any good. Do what you can or do what you are passionate about for others but make sure you consider the request before you say “yes”. Of course, we all have responsibilities such as work and family so “no” does not always apply.

⦁ Get adequate, quality sleep. Sleep, or the lack of, can affect our emotional wellness, or physical wellness, and even our relationships. According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), sleep “is vital to your well-being” (“Emotional wellness checklist,” pg. 1) and adequate sleep can improve our performance throughout the day and maintain or improve our health. A big part of our day concerns sleep hygiene (good sleep practices). NIH suggests individuals:

⦁ Go to bed and get up at about the same time each day

⦁ Sleep in a dark, quiet, cool area

⦁ Exercise daily

⦁ Limit use of electronics, especially in the last hour or two before going to bed

⦁ Take time to relax (meditate, read a book, sit quietly)

⦁ Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, or other stimulants late in the day

⦁ Consult your healthcare provider if you continue to have issues with sleep

⦁ Be more positive. Being positive isn’t easy for everyone-it seems some people are just born with a negative mindset. There is hope, though. You can change your outlook to be more positive but it will take some doing. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of “talk therapy” in which you have a limited or pre-determined number of sessions with a therapist or psychologist. According to the Mayo Clinic, “CBT helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way,” (n.d.). If you aren’t ready for therapy just yet, some other practices to consider include:

⦁ Forgive yourself—no one is perfect!

⦁ Reflect on the good that you have done

⦁ Spend time with people you care about

⦁ Develop healthy habits

⦁ Spend time doing hobbies you enjoy or learning new things

⦁ Volunteer (animal shelter, soup kitchen, helping a neighbor)

⦁ Minimize/Live within your means. I placed these two practices together as there is a correlation between the two. Did you know that when you have too much clutter in your home or office, it can add stress? According to Whitbourne (2017), “clutter, physical and mental, can interrupt your flow—both your ability to move and your ability to think. It turns out that your well-being could also become victim to what we might call the “clutter effect.” By setting aside time to delete emails, sort through mail and papers, clean out a closet or room, you can lessen the stress that you feel from being overwhelmed by stuff. You don’t have to spend a great deal of time at once decluttering or minimizing—spend 15 minutes each evening till your closet is less crowded. Spend a weekend cleaning out the garage. Small steps can add up to more emotional peace. Before you buy something new, ask yourself if you really need that? Will you wear it enough to justify the cost? Do you need another figurine to sit on a shelf? Or, if you must, buy a new item but give away or sell one you already have to make room.

How does minimizing your belongings fit with “live within your means”? By staying within our monthly income, we can reduce the stress that being in debt can bring. Reducing stress leads to a higher level of Emotional Wellness. Some costs can’t be helped such as rent or mortgage payment, car payment, or insurance but by staying within a budget and setting aside savings each month or payday, one can reduce the amount of stress and financial burden in life. Now the fun part: as you declutter and minimize your physical belongings, you can sell some of those items and add to your own financial wellness. Look around your home and decide what you can part with and then find a platform to sell on (yard sale, local classifieds, eBay, Poshmark, etc.). Use the money that you earn to pay down a bill or save for something special. You might be surprised how decreasing the amount of items you own can decrease your stress level.

In closing, Emotional Wellness is as important to our wellbeing as our physical health. By caring for our emotional self, we can facilitate having a higher quality of life and have less negative stress in affecting us.

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