❤️Love, MidoriLei

37 things I’ve adopted that quietly improved my life

Do you like a self help listicle as much as I do? I hope you find some items on this list helpful. I understand many of these list items not everyone can do and although not everyone can be a SAHM or would even want the life of a SAHM, I do feel absolutely blessed (and thank God daily) and privileged to be in a position where I can pursue my creative interests without the pressure to earn and have a working spouse who gives me full control of our finances. If you want more details of our set up, please let me know!

Here’s what’s been working well for me-

1. Sleeping with my hair combed above my head in a loose knot. Prevents tangles when you wake up and you release your hair and have va-va-voom Texas hair every morning.

2. Using this dry shampoo with a fluffy brush on my roots six days a week – I only have to wash my hair once every week now.

3. Weekly foot massages – my biggest splurge for self care.

4. Finding a signature nail polish for toes and fingers that doesn’t need a UV light and that I wear daily- as natural feeling as clear, but you don’t see any dirt under your nails, and when it starts to chip, no one can tell since it’s so light.

5. Seeing friends for about 2 hours every day – I’m an extrovert and they energize me. Also why is does this feel so uncommon? We did this in high school and college and we were happier then.

6. Scheduling another friend meet up the same day I see them- so I don’t ever forget to see someone, and they are always on rotation.

7. Prioritizing daily breaks away from kids so I can come back and be better for them- gym daycare is underrated!

8. Following this fasting protocol from “Fast like a Girl.” There are times in the month you need more food- it’s not lack of willpower and it’s not all in your head.

9. Putting the boys’ homework and chores on a chart for them to mark instead of telling them what they have to do each day- wow has this freed up my to do list!

10. Using this free app for all errands, recurring chores, and to do list items – cannot live without this! (Called “errands”)

11. Putting every bill on autopay but having the recurring bill pop up on my errands app so I know it’s happening – saves time every month!

12. Investing in index funds and automating payments – cut out the middle man. All the do it yourself books and documentaries recommend this including this book , this book, and this documentary.

13. Switching from whole life to term life and investing the difference- because I want to retire Nate, not my insurance agent.

14. Telling play dates we are healthy before we meet them so they can tell us if they are not healthy, and we can avoid getting sick.

15. Eating raw garlic like this anytime I feel like my body is off or about to get sick.

16. Praying for a different friend every single day- it’s a great thing to do just because but why does nobody ever talk about this in terms of Biblical wealth building?!

Job 42:10.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (NIV)

17. Making Nate’s lunch and lemonade and doing the boys’ chore and homework chart the night before in case anyone wakes up before me- which brings me to my next number…

18. Living without an alarm and allowing my body to wake up when it is fully rested every day- absolutely 100% the best perk of being a stay at home mom. I prioritize sleep over many things.

19. Letting go of overly critical and negative friends, competitive friends, and demeaning friends- life is too short to have these people around calling themselves your friends.

20. Exercising 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week- I exercise for sanity not vanity these days. I’m just a happier, more patient, more energetic person when I do this.

21. Starting the day with prayer, gratitude, and reading the Bible. I use these apps for this-

22. Tracking my daily water intake on this app

23. Hiring a property management company to take over our short term rentals so I can focus on creative pursuits

24. Joining the neighborhood weekday walking group at 8am

25. Doing the budget weekly on this app

26. Switching to a perfume roller so fragrance lasts longer (you waste less product when it’s not sprayed into the air and it stays longer when it is mixed with your skin oils instead of on your fabric).

27. Doing my makeup sitting in the car because it has the best light.

28. Reviewing my goals weekly (26 for 2026).

29. Washing my sponges in the dishwasher weekly.

30. Taking a weekly sabbath with as minimal chores as possible, no work, and as little on my to list as possible.

31. Calling my dad weekly.

32. Weighing in only once a month and only on a scale like this that calculates everything- weight, body fat percentage, BMI, muscle mass, heart rate, water weight, bone mass, etc. Weighing in puts me on an emotional rollercoaster. Any more than once a month messes with my head.

33. Giving the boys chores like mowing the lawn and picking up dog poop- because wow it has freed up some time, it is making them into happy, empathetic , successful adults!

34. Using these whitestrips every week. My teeth are what most people ask me about! “Your teeth are so white! What do you use?”

35. Learning how to cut my own hair and my boys’ hair- because it’s easy and it will save us money our entire lives.

36. Taking off work 1 day every 7 days, 1 week every 7 weeks, 1 month every 7 months, and 1 year every 7 years (haven’t done the last one yet!)- because I want to work until I am physically and mentally unable to but I want regular breaks. Here’s where I write about why I don’t believe in retirement.

37. Grounding any chance I can touch warm earth- because studies show it really is healthy, and at the very least, it feels amazing!

Kid updates!

It is year 2026, and I can’t believe in four days I will have an ELEVEN year old!

It just feels like not too long ago I was holding him in my baby carrier. How is this life??

Also, Luke is turning eight 🥹 in three days and is turning out to be quite the hilarious entertainer. He has recently mastered a little phrase in a British accent which has Noah and I reeling with laughter and delight-

Noah, my little dare devil is doing wheelies and catching ALOT of air on the pump tracks.

Luke rode his first horse (that he actually remembers). Isn’t this the sweetest pic??

And everyday, literally every day I thank God for another day that they are alive, healthy, and safe because one day I might not be able to say that. That’s the reality of our lives down here, and though it’s a sobering thought, it helps me appreciate my time with them.

They are fighting a lot which is absolutely draining. I was in tears in the parking lot at Winco today after yet another, “Stop Noah, Stop!” and “No but you started it! Mom! He started it!”

I feel like I’m playing referee 24/7, and it’s exhausting! Any tips here I could definitely use. Needless to say, I’ve been taking advantage of YMCA drop offs to get a workout in and actually have some peace and quiet to hear my thoughts.

But they are good kids, smart kids, kind kids, and healthy kids. Can a mom really ask for more? I have never understood when growing up, my parents used to say “How come you’re so nice when other people are around but so mean to each other and to us when nobody is around?” And now I get it 100%. My kids are absolute angels around others, but can be so unforgiving and so ungracious to each other.

Why do we hurt the people we love the most? Why do we treat strangers and friends better than we treat our family and spouses?

Because we feel 100% safe there. So, I guess there is a silver lining to this little rant.

How are you doing? How are your kids doing? What’s new and exciting and hard and good? I’d love to know!

6 traits I find most valuable in friends

I am an extreme extrovert- the quizzes say 100%! This means I derive all my energy from being with others. It’s no wonder I like to see friends almost daily. Since friendships are so important to me, it has gotten me to start thinking of what traits many of my dearest friends have in common. This list is just the top five traits I value in my friendships. It’s a great get to know yourself better question to ask yourself so you can be proactive in looking for these traits when you meet new people. You may value other things, and that’s all good too! I have just noticed that almost all of my closest friends have at least one or two of these traits. A couple have all of them! So, in no particular order…

Authentic

My favorite friends can talk about embarrassing things with ease and share intimate details. If you don’t wince at a conversation about poop or perversion then we will get along. Not that I have a strong desire to engage in these topics, but I love being around people who don’t give a damn how they will be perceived. They don’t bat an eye or feel embarrassed around these topics. It’s a part of life!

Part of being authentic is also sharing candidly and with ease parts of your life that aren’t picture perfect. Vulnerability is key to deep connection. I’m not always good at this, but when someone else is vulnerable, it sure does make it easier for me to be the same.

These two quotes come to mind that remind me why it’s so important for me to have close friends who are authentic-

Johann Hari: “Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people… it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else.”

Carl Jung: “Loneliness does not come from having no people about one, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to oneself.”

Open minded and not judgmental

I love friends who are open to the idea that nobody is infallible, even themselves. They realize that who they are now is a result of all the books, meetings, movies, podcasts, life experiences, and interactions with others that helped shape them to this point, and those beliefs can change given more information or differing information. They don’t stagnate in their beliefs and they know that. Friends who are meek, teachable, and know that we are all on a journey are the friends that are easy to get along with. They know that growth means we are open to the opinions of others that challenge our own. I don’t mind opinionated friends, but I value when they are open to their views being different to others and come with love and kindness in their approach of sharing contrasting views.

Curious of others

I can’t tell you how common it is in friendships where I’m the only one asking questions and questions (mine or theirs) are not reciprocated. I love friends who are just as curious about my life and the inner workings of my complicated mind as I am in theirs. These friendships go beyond the surface and beyond small talk and are much more soul filling.

Even though I honestly love getting to know all kinds of people whether they are asking me questions or not, my favorite friends are those who are truly curious about me as well. This doesn’t come natural to some and that’s ok!

If you want to get better at this trait, I think the biggest barrier is that many people are too focused on being liked or wondering if the other person is judging them. I make it a point to never think of what someone else thinks of me. I find it’s hard to love someone else well when if I am trying to gain their approval or trying to make them like me. Train your mind to replace those thoughts with curiosity about the other person. Accept that you are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s ok! All you can do is love people the best you can, and if your best isn’t enough for them then you really can’t do more than your best, so move on. What you have to offer isn’t valuable to them, and that’s ok. Birds of a feather, flock together. They just weren’t in your flock. That doesn’t mean you won’t find others who will gladly join you!

Positive

I love friends who see the cup half full. Not all my friends are like this and that’s ok, but the ones who see life as half full also tend to have an abundance mindset instead of a scarcity mindset, have big dreams, and the big thing is that positive people inspire me! They give me more good ideas, they are a good example for me in many areas of my life that I want to improve, they are usually well read and constantly on a journey of growth which leads me to…

On a spiritual journey or care about sharing the inner world

I love and am inspired by friends who are lifelong learners, want to talk about ideas, new things they are trying, learning, doing. We get past the “What are you up to this weekend?” superficialities and get into the grit of life. They share their growth and struggles and ideas. They never gatekeep the thing that is currently changing their lives. These people have so much to offer friendships, and I find myself evaluating my life and life choices when I am with them! I love people who help me grow.

Want the best for others- the helpers

And lastly, I love my selfless, giving, helpful friends. These friends are not to be mistaken with the transactional people- pleasing friends. You can tell the difference because the people- pleasing friends do it because they actually demand something in return. The transaction goes like this- I am doing X,Y,Z so you will like me. A true helpful friend and selfless friend cares for others because they truly care about the well being of others. They do it because the love of God compels them to. They don’t demand to be liked in return. They are giving without expecting anything in return. Isn’t that love? To give without expecting anything in return? To give because you care about a person? To give because you want to see another person thriving and living their best life? That is the best a friend can offer- to love without condition.

Those are my top 6! I would love to know what’s on your list!

50 things I want to do this summer! – A Kitsap and foodie focused summer bucket list

I love a bucket list! How about you? I honestly wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the United States besides Washington or Maine. Our summers are heaven. We have frequent 70 degree dry days and temps don’t get too high too often. Our summers are breezy and warm, and since we suffer 9 months of rain, our summers are green and beautiful! Currently we are in Kitsap, so my list is specific to this area. Also, I’m a major foodie so you can see that is reflected on my list-

Summer Bucket List

Eat blackberry cobbler with sweet biscuit topping and local blackberries

Go strawberry picking

Go blueberry picking

Go raspberry picking

Eat melona honeydew and ube popsicles and honeydew drinks

Eat johnnys sour popsicles

Make rhubarb cake and share with neighbors

Host a neighborhood bbq

Do earthing and grounding every day that’s not raining

Kites at saltair beach in Kingston

Jetty island day trip with friends (not Kitsap but best beach in Washington!)

Poulsbo pump track

McCormick village park splash pad

Make these fish tacos

Make watermelon feta salad

Make crispy beef tacos

Go horseback riding

Dirt biking camp trips

Rock climbing camp trips

Kayak and paddleboard from Poulsbo to keyport

Kayak and paddleboard the Keyport inlet

Eat exorbitant amounts of fruit- peaches, nectarines, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, watermelon, cherries, mango, raspberries

Hike with friends

Vbs for kids and e-bike play dates with moms to a brunch spot in port gamble forest heritage park

Farmers markets

Ice cream place in downtown Poulsbo for the best caramel ice cream

Eat exorbitant amounts of my favorite garbanzo, red onion, tomato, cucumber, apple cider vinegar salad with fried fish

Make this fruit salad

Make this corn in a cup

Eat tons of corn on the cob boiled in salted water for four minutes and topped with butter and slap yo mamma seasoning

Eat orzo salad from Town and Country – it’s the best I’ve ever had!

Make these competition ribs and this amazing potato salad

Go out with Allan for kabobs and Greek salad and tabouli

Get frozen yogurt- original tart with berries and chocolate chips

Make cucumber tea sandwiches

Eat and drink al Fresca as often as possible

Make celery sticks with cucumber and black olives

Drink lots of lemonade, coconut water, and iced Tazo passion tea

Visit Keyport Saltwater Park and watch the sunset over Liberty Bay.

Visit scenic beach state park and have a picnic

Walk the shoreline at Point No Point Lighthouse in Hansville

Go to whaling days

Do Viking fest for the kids carnival

Make a beach bonfire and make driftwood forts

Tidepooling and looking for anemones and starfish

Swim in a lake

Fish and chips eaten overlooking the waterfront

Eat at the loft for waterfront views and amazing dinners

Poulsbo bakery stop and coffee and sitting at the waterfront

Take plenty of guilt- free midday naps!

That’s my extensive list! Do you have a summer bucket list? I’d love to know!

The secret to amazing store bought pizza crust

I have finally perfected my at home pizza using store bought pizza dough! The secret is two- fold- using a pizza stone and putting your oven to the highest temperature it can go to!

Place the stone in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to temp- mine goes to 550! Open doors of your home and turn on the vent to the highest because it will get smoky. Make your pizza- I always add olive oil to the top of my entire crust, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. I use Rao’s marinara (my absolute favorite pizza and spaghetti sauce) as the tomato base, add mozzarella, and pepperoni. I cook for about 10 minutes. The 550 temps mimic the high heat of a wood burning pizza oven!

These tips will give you a nice crunchy bottom, big boils, and a savory, delicious crust you won’t want to toss or leave on your plate.

The high temp trick came from this book!

2 tips to help you get rid of clothes + 1 bonus shopping tip

A favorite outfit currently! Pinafore (similar here) and striped top (similar here)

Do you have a hard time getting rid of stuff? I know I do! Here are some tips that have helped me. First one is one of my most popular Tik Tok videos on the question to ask yourself as you go through your clothes-

Also, what has helped me is separating stuff that I’m not sure about. I am not enthralled at the piece of clothing, so I put it in a bag and label it “Trial Separation.” Six months later, I’ll rifle through the bag and see if there’s anything I’ve missed wearing the last six months. If the answer is no, then I get rid of the item.

These are two things that help me get rid of stuff!

Also, this summer I’m only allowing myself to wear a dress (sleeveless or short sleeve) once until I go through my entire collection. If I get towards the end of my collection and I’m not excited to wear what’s left, that’s when I’ll deliberate if these items need to be given away or put in another trial separation bag.

Lastly, when you’re shopping for more clothes, I find this tip to be super helpful to help avoid more stuff you’ll have to get rid of later-

Do you have any tips for getting rid of clothes? These are mine! Hope that helps!

3 Things I’ve been doing lately when I’ve felt overstimulated

Hi friends! I don’t know if your life is anything like mine, but I homeschool two young boys and often feel overstimulated. Maybe your overstimulation comes from a 9-5 job where the demands and the emails are endless or you live in a city that is complete with never ending traffic sounds and noise. Whatever your reason for feeling overstimulated, this is what I’ve currently been doing when I need to reset. Hope it helps!

1. Take a meal outdoors, sit down somewhere where your feet can touch the warm earth, feel the sun on your bare skin, and wear a hat.

A hat is a must to enjoy this activity at its peak. I like to protect my face from the sun but enjoy the sun on my body. Having to squint your eyes or feel sweat running down your face will turn this peaceful activity into something different altogether. This hat is all I wear all summer!

I like to sit in our backyard on a wooden chair close to the ground and bring all my food and drinks with me.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m an earth sign (Capricorn), but I just feel the most wonderful touching the warm earth. Warm grass on a full sun kind of day is my fav. Grounding/earthing has shown to have health benefits!

Many people say earthing helps them:

Feel calmer or less stressed
Sleep better
Feel more connected to nature
Reduce muscle soreness after activity
Some small studies have reported improvements in sleep, perceived stress, pain, or recovery.

Sunshine also has so many benefits! It has way more research to back it up, and yet we take it for granted!

Vitamin D Production

Sunlight, specifically UVB radiation, helps your skin produce vitamin D, which is important for:

Bone health
Muscle function
Immune system function
Calcium absorption

Circadian Rhythm Regulation

Morning sunlight is one of the strongest signals that sets your internal clock.
Benefits include:

Better sleep quality
Easier time falling asleep at night
Improved daytime alertness
More stable energy levels

Mood and Mental Health

Sunlight exposure is associated with:

Increased serotonin activity, which can support mood
Reduced risk of seasonal mood changes in some people
Improved feelings of well-being and alertness

Eye Health and Development

For children especially, time spent outdoors in natural light is associated with a lower risk of developing nearsightedness (myopia).

Physical Activity and Overall Health

People who spend time outdoors often:

Move more
Exercise more consistently
Experience lower stress levels
Report greater life satisfaction

2. Go to the library and physically flip through beautiful magazines

Since I am addicted to my phone, it feels really good to put down a hard screen and physically rifle through the pages on magazines. Have you done this lately? It feels so luxurious to have such a big piece of colorful paper replace a tiny screen. It felt good to turn physical pages instead of scroll a hard screen. It felt good to have a visually stimulating activity that was not also audibly stimulating.

3. Shut the door in a quiet room in our home, turn off the overhead lights and opt for dim lights, sit on a bed full of fluffy pillows, wear my noise cancelling headphones, and spend time praying, counting my blessings, and reading the Bible

Fluffy pillows stacked so I can sit leaning

This is the most restorative of all my suggestions. I swear by these noise cancelling headphones. They were the top inexpensive choice in the Consumer Reports Magazine.

The best inexpensive noise cancelling headphones according to Consumer Reports

Have you ever tried to pray in a noisy room? It is nearly impossible. My favorite way to pray is to get away from everyone, shut the door, make it as quiet as possible (hence the noise cancelling headphones), as cozy as possible (hence no overhead lights and just dim lamps), and write my prayers out. What can I say? I’m a writer through and through. I’ve tried speaking my prayers out loud. It felt very unnatural. I’ve tried praying in my thoughts, but I often got distracted. Learning that writing my prayers is my most natural way to commune with God has been game changing in my spiritual walk and has allowed me to prayer consistently every day for decades, as long as I can remember! I have thousands of prayers saved, and I’ve used more than one app for this. The previous app was discontinued. I now use this app and love it-

I start each of my prayers with thanksgiving and gratitude, and sometimes I use the prompt they offer. What I love about this app is that you can search all your previous entries!

Also, I love to read a Bible plan on this app-

If I’m on a sabbath, I’ll read a plan about rest. If I’m working, I’ll read a plan about hard work or entrepreneurship etc. I find plans based on what I’m currently going through. Currently I am on this plan, and I’m enjoying it-

Well that’s it! Those are the three things that currently help me reset when I’m feeling overstimulated. How about you? What do you do? I’d love to know!

Conversations with a 10 and 7 year old

I’m back from my 7 day sabbath and thinking about all these silly little conversations I have with my sons that I never want to forget! So, I write them on here so you can have a little giggle too. 😛

Noah during bedtime cuddles

Me– I love you Noah. Thank you for being so wonderful… but also I would love you even if you were bad.

Noah – I love you too mom, and I would love you even if you were ugly, which you’re not.

Thanks son, thanks a lot. 😅

Luke’s observations

Luke- Mom you know what? A fart is just a butthole burping.

I love these ages sooooo much!!!!!

What funny things do your kids say??? I’d love to know!

#1 life advice tip to increase your happiness

My “advice” being the happiest person I know?

Is it weird or foolish to think you’re the happiest person you know?! Possibly!? But if you’re as obsessed with happiness as I am, maybe you’re here to see what else you can implement in your life to boost your overall happiness. So here’s my number one tip that I feel like helps me tremendously.

Naval gazing

My brother hates that I do this and hates that I am constantly trying to do this to him too, but I really, truly believe that the more you know yourself, the better equipped you are to create the life best suited for you. How can you make yourself happier if you don’t even know yourself? And believe me, we don’t come fully knowing ourselves. I’ve taken all the quizzes, and I even keep a running note called “Be Midori” and add to it anytime I learn something new about myself.

Spending your whole life getting to know yourself is one of life’s biggest joys.

Here are some of my favorite get to know yourself better quizzes-

What are your values?

What are your core motivations, fears, and emotional patterns?

how do you prefer to perceive information and make decisions?

What are your love languages?

How do you meet inner and outer expectations?

What’s your body type?

I have other quizzes I love but these are my favorites! Do you have any you love? I’d love to know!

7 Interior Design Tips if Your Aim is Cozy

I designed both of our short term rentals with these principles in mind. This home was recognized by Airbnb and placed in the prestigious design category. I like a space to feel like a deep exhale when you walk in. That’s why I design with a neutral palette. During the day, I love it light and bright. During the evening hours, I love it cozy and comfortable. Here are my top 4 tips to bring in the cozy.

All light bulbs need to be 2700k and frosted

I learned this from the Hygge book! With many dark days, the Scandinavians are masters of cozy. The warm light emitted by 2700k bulbs makes a space feel more like a cozy home and less like a museum or science lab. It’s like the warmth of a fireplace. Any time I buy light bulbs, I make sure it is 2700k like these. I make sure all my bulbs are frosted so again the glow continues to be emitted above, on the ceiling and on the walls, not looking streaky. Here’s what a non frosted light bulb does- instead of a diffused glow, you get streaks on your ceiling.

Compare that to a chandelier with frosted bulbs. The ceiling has no streaks, just a diffused glow-

As much as possible, put lighting at a wall so you get the warm glow on the wall.

When a lamp is in the center of a room or not against a wall like the picture above, you lose all that lovely dispersed glow on the wall!

Avoid stark white lampshades. Opt for all burlap, off-white, or linen lampshades

This increases the warmth factor! I never, ever buy stark white lamp shades. Here is a good option. Make sure you get the right size for your lamp.

Use more warm tones and less cool tones (like gray) in your palette

Have you noticed that ChatGPT makes every design change warmer in tone? It just looks better! When I do virtual design makeovers, I always go warmer for my clients unless they say otherwise. See below example-

Have at least 3 sources of ambient light in every room that isn’t the foyer, kitchen, or dining room

We need light in at least three corners of the room, if not more because we want to…

Turn off all the overhead lights unless you are in the kitchen, foyer, or dining room

It makes sense that there’s overhead lighting in these work horse rooms. You’re cooking and prepping in the kitchen, your light is needed to shine on your food in the dining room, and you’re greeting guests in the foyer or rushing out the door making sure you have your keys. But living rooms and bedrooms? Those are spaces for reading and relaxing, so cozy vibes are a must, and ambient lighting is all about creating a space for relaxing.

For overhead lighting, opt for downturned lights instead of upturned lights and lampshades or frosted glass versus exposed bulbs

Downturned lights on a dining table like the pic above or on a kitchen island are much preferred to upturned lights because it allows the glow to come to the food you’re eating or preparing and not dispersing upward to the ceiling! It really lends a nice glow while you’re gathered around entertaining friends and family. And don’t even get me started on lamps that show a naked bulb in all its glory. Nobody’s eyes should have to strain and look at a naked bulb. Ever.

Don’t do this-

Instead do this–

Don’t do this-

Instead, do this-

Don’t do this-

Instead do this-

Anyways, hope these help! I live by these cozy tips!