Author: Julie Meyers Pron

With the start of the Back to School season, there’s an ideal opportunity to start personal parenting routines. Everything from getting the kids off to school to grocery shopping becomes simpler when you have it down to a system. The problem is finding and sticking to a system so that it becomes a habit. Here’s how I organize my week. Keep a calendar. In the past, I used an Agenda Desktop Planner, and it was fantastic. Each child had a section for his or her events and appointments. And I loved how the week was spread out in front of you. Last…

The weekly meal plan is back! I heard you all, and I know that a lot of my readers do enjoy the meal plan calendar, so I’ll keep it as posted. But more people seem to rely on the weekly menu that they can find by searching, and, to be honest, I missed having it, too. I still plan to post recipes, cooking tips, and meal planning thoughts each week, but part of the value of a weekly meal plan is timely planning which takes into consideration the weather, time of year, and your weekly activities. Planning a month in…

November is like the old October, isn’t it? Saturday, we were outside at a soccer game in t-shirts and shorts. Sunday, we bundled up for the same field in jeans and sweaters. Brrrr! We got in one last night on the grill this weekend… thinking that will be it for a while. This month, I’ll start off each meal plan post with a nod to my favorite kitchen product (or two), offering gift ideas for those who love to cook. I can’t imagine not starting this Kitchen Gift Guide without the two listed below. Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart…

While exploring the scenery, the excitement, and learning a tiny bit about betting on horses was all in the fun of my first day at Churchill Downs (Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks) in May, a memorable experience of the day came when we entered Millionaires Row — where we were wined   Lilied and dined with buffet, drinks, and gambling, not to mention an amazing view from way up high and good times with new friends. Lilied? One taste of the Grey Goose Lily and the Huz, and I knew that this would be our drink of the summer. We came home,…

To purchase any of these must-read books that I loved so much, I had to share them with you or add a book to your Amazon Wishlist; please click on either the image or the blue, underlined affiliate link. Thank you for supporting Julieverse. You, like a zillion of my friends, are looking for a great next book, yes? You want a can’t-put-it-down masterpiece that gets your mind moving, inspires you and loses you. You want a book that makes you feel feelings. Perhaps you’ll have hours at the pool, in the sand, or by the lake. Maybe, you just…

It’s the most anticipated question of the night. The one everyone preps for and crosses her fingers that the next book chosen will be one she’s dying to read or one that she’s never heard of but can’t put down. For a little over a year, I’ve been featuring books that I’m hearing book clubs love or books that I’m inspired to read and trying to keep up with reading them. (Links to my book lists are at the end of this post.) Here are the ones that I think your book club should read next! Recently, a few friends…

Hey super readers! Thanks for stopping by Julieverse, where I share lifestyle tips for enjoying life with a heavy focus on ways to make life more simple as a mom. Be sure to subscribe to Julieverse by email, follow my blog with Bloglovin, or like the Facebook Page so you don’t miss any updates, including my upcoming book reviews of books I’ve read this summer. While you’re here, check out Jamie’s book club list (82 books!). It started with a list, a huge list, of 82 books my friend’s book club had read. That post, published in March, quickly became my most popular post of all…

Hey super readers! Thanks for stopping by Julieverse, where I share lifestyle tips for enjoying life with a heavy focus on ways to make life more simple as a mom. Be sure to subscribe to Julieverse by email, follow me on Pinterest, and like the Facebook Page, so you don’t miss any updates, including my upcoming book lists. While you’re here, check out Jamie’s book club list (82 books!). A few years ago, my online book club folded, but I still think back to the spring and summer I read some of my all-time favorite books to recommend for book clubs. If you’re a mom,…

No matter that it takes forever for me to finish a book lately, I’m always adding to my list of books to read. Recently, a friend (thanks, Jamie! Shout out!) shared that she carries her notated book club list with her at all times in her bag so that any chance she has to visit a book store, she has her go-to list with her. Since sharing her list with me last month, I’ve pulled it out at least a half dozen times to share with others. Jamie’s book club list focuses mostly on modern literature but delves a bit into historical…

Update: Thank you to everyone who participated in Thank a Teacher Day. I’m keeping a date open. Will we need to do it again? Let’s hope not. If we continue to say thank you more often, to show appreciation more easily, we won’t need to. We’ll revisit next December, with a tentative date of December 16. In our rushed world, we rarely have an opportunity to show our appreciation for those who spend 6 hours a day with our children. Those who give of their time and brilliant minds to help our own children to stay safe, comfortable, loved, and…