Hersey Homestead

I'm on a mission to value people more and show them I care in better ways. Here are some meaningful birthday ideas... 1. Cake me likey. We had a simple tradition growing up, siblings made each other birthday cakes. Frosting, sprinkles, writing, candles. Then singing would commence and all would be merry (until the inevitable bickering started). Honestly, this saves you money, allows for artistic freedom, and gives your children a practical way to show love to each other. Making your friends a cake will surely delight too. 2. Card me. I was poking through my 'memory piles' and found a crude drawing on a very un-neatly folded sheet of paper. With misspellings, it said something like 'Happy Birthday, love sis.' The drawing is what I assumed to be my sister and I. Needless to say, it brought a smile to my face. How long have I had that? I dunno, maybe 15 years plus. A very sweet, simple, childhood birthday card still made me smile all these years later. I...

Today, the day after Valentine's, I want to share this inspiring letter from the founder of Young Living. We can all make a difference. Here is someone who is bringing love and compassion to the world and we can join him! Please read and be inspired, just as I am. On November 30, 2015, I sat in a meeting with Dr. Michiko Ito from Tokyo and Mr. Binod Tamang from Kathmandu, Nepal, to talk about the needs of his country after the terrible earthquake that caused so much destruction. He showed me photos and newspaper articles of the devastation, which brought a deep pain to my heart. Eight months after the quake, 1.2 million people are still homeless and displaced, living in tents and makeshift lean-tos, tin sheds, or whatever they could put together to protect their families. Hundreds are dying from exposure and even starving to death in different villages. Many villages still have not seen any help because the roads are gone, and the fields where they grew their crops are gone...

Growing up, we ate whatever we liked, which attributed to my digestion issues. Health, although it was poor, was never a driving factor in our food choices. I was particularly fond of plain strawberry pop tarts. Can I get a 'what, what'?! Fast forward a few years when I am married with an infant. This is where my health scare begins... One night, as I lay in bed dozing off, I kept abruptly waking, unable to breathe properly. Now, I had breathing issues in the past and they always told me it was exercise-induced asthma. However, I was not exercising. I was trying to sleep. It continued to get worse. I sat up in bed, gasping for air and could not catch my breath. Frantically, my husband awoke, got our baby girl out of bed and we proceeded to the emergency room.  At this point I was gasping severely and my entire body from head to toe was tingling. You know when you sit in a position too long and the blood flow is not what it should be? Even my head and lips felt that wa...

Yup. It's almost here. With the pink and red balloons, flower bouquets, and chocolate hearts at every turn, there is no doubt that V-day is upon us. Here are some ways to mix it up this Valentines day... 1. Family movie night. If you have kids, maybe rent a new movie and get that air popper out. One of my favorite treats as a child was finding chocolate chips in the popcorn bowl! Enjoy some snuggles while you are at it! 2. Homemade Card Share. I know, I know, there are stores that sell cards. We don't have to be so old fashioned anymore. Hear me out. There is something thoroughly sweet about getting a homemade card. They are personalized, tailored just for the recipients, with favorite colors, pictures, and phrases. As kids, we would make cards for each member of the family and then gather around and card swap. It was an event that took time and effort, which in turn has created a lasting memory. 3. If it's just the two of you or you miraculously found a babysit...