Leah’s Solutions

12/01/2024

HE is here! On January 11, we welcomed Timothy James Roldan to the world at 12:41 p.m., weighing in at 8 lbs, 2 oz, with a length of 20.5 inches and a head circumference of 13.75 inches. Of my 3 deliveries so far, this one was in the middle for difficulty, with Daniel being the hardest and Lydia being the easiest.

The name: For a long time for this pregnancy, we were undecided on a boy name. Even when we did finally decide on a boy name, we changed it on our way up to the hospital, upon learning that the baby would be birthday buddies with my uncle James “Jim” Milanowski. We also later learned that James is also a middle name on my dad’s side of the family. James is also a good Bible name, with a book of the Bible being named James, as well as James being one of the disciples of Jesus.

So to go along with the middle name of James, we needed to change the first name. Timothy was the boy name that we had picked out of our last baby was going to be a boy. (Instead, God blessed us with Lydia.) I had sort of thrown it out as an option for this pregnancy, because up until yesterday, all of our children have had the letter L in their first names, as well as myself, and then there’s Angel (technically his middle name, but that’s what I still call him). So back in came Timothy and out went the L in the first name. We love the name Timothy because it is a strong Bible name. As with James, there are two books of the Bible with Timothy in the name. And Timothy was a preacher/pastor mentee of Paul.

We are so thankful for a healthy pregnancy and delivery! God has been so good to our family. Grandma Beth and Grandpa Brian were able to make it soon after the delivery. We can’t wait for our older kids, extended family, and friends to meet Timothy.

29/11/2023

I have been a part of this ministry for 8.5 years now. If you have money left over after all of your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, I would encourage you to check out giving to Oakridge on this Giving Tuesday. They have several projects going on right now, so you could go through the page and designate a gift to a specific project, or you can give to the general fund. If you’re broke after all of your shopping 😂, then please give the Oakridge page some social media love, follow the page, and share a post from them. Thanks so much in advance.

Check out our last few posts for a glimpse into some of the exciting developments at Oakridge Camp in 2023 and looking ahead into 2024! None of these projects and initiatives could have been possible without God's leading, our incredible hardworking staff, and support from those around us who believe in the ministry we're humbled to serve in. Please partner with us in prayer as we end this year and move into a new season - and if God lays it on your heart to partner with us financially as well, know that we are so grateful! Happy Giving Tuesday!

28/11/2023

Hey everyone! I hope that everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving, if you celebrate. Our family had been battling colds for about 2 weeks, so we knew that it was just going to be our family for Thanksgiving. Instead of making one big meal on one day, we did two meals spread over two days, and that worked wonderfully. I got to make green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole, which I had been wanting to make, and doing it over two days made it feel more like a regular dinner instead of being stressed about the timing of the food in the oven, etc. Just some food for thought for those who celebrate Christmas coming up, if you already know it’s just going to be your family. 🥰

14/11/2023

Menu plan for the week! Comment below what’s on your menu plan this week!

09/11/2023

Follow along on my stories today for a peak into a day in my life.

08/11/2023

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently finished reading Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich. (By the way, there is still time to receive preorder bonuses.) Here is my “official” review of the book:

I’ve been somewhat familiar with the 1000 Hours Outside movement for a few years now and have listened to some of the podcasts, so I was excited when I saw that there was an opportunity to be on the launch team for Until the Streetlights Come On. Of course, I expected the book to provide several reasons for getting our kids outside. This book totally exceeded my expectations! Ginny touches on so many different areas in the book, including how toys have evolved over the years, how sunlight affects our bodies, why it seems that colleges are more selective these days, how to prepare our kids well for an uncertain future, the social benefits of playing outside, how letting our children play outside can help us in the overall process of eventually letting go of our children, and more! One of the quotes in the book that stood out to me the most was the following: “We’re limited. We’re lacking. We’re busy. We’re overwhelmed. And yet we have these beautiful children, each unique in a way that will never again be replicated. Nature increases our resources to parent them in a worthy way, all the while enhancing our own life’s journey.” After reading this book, I am even more encouraged to take my kids outside as often as I can. This book is geared to parents, maybe moms more specifically, but anyone who spends time with children and has some role in a child’s life could benefit from reading this book.

07/11/2023

Are you the type of person who has so many to-do’s each day that you end up feeling guilty when you don’t get everything done? Creating a “done” list of what you actually got done in a day can put things into perspective instead of just constantly looking at all of the things that you didn’t get to. Here is my “done” list for today. I challenge you to post yours in the comments.

05/11/2023

I cannot recommend Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich enough. I am on the launch team and just finished reading it tonight. So good! There is still time to preorder the book and receive some preorder bonuses. 🙌🏻

02/11/2023

It just amazes me how many companies have affiliate or influencer programs/opportunities these days. I got this bag of candy today from Walmart, and I decided to Google if it has an affiliate program, and it does! If you’re going to recommend products that you love to your friends, you might as well get paid for it, right? That’s basically what affiliate marketing is. The link to check out my free ebook on affiliate marketing and also to see the 15-day course that I took to get started with affiliate marketing will be in the comments.

01/11/2023

Somehow someone bought this notebook/journal that I published with Amazon KDP, and I made a little money off of it. Not sure if it was one of my friends trying to be supportive or a complete stranger. Thank you, whoever you are!

31/10/2023

I took a bit of a long break there, but hopefully I’m back. Here’s our menu plan for the week! Hopefully it gives you some good ideas for your own family.

19/10/2023

I have really been enjoying this tea the last few weeks. It is making a big difference in the amount of sleep I am getting at night. Before I started drinking it regularly, I was struggling with acid reflux at night. (Thank you, pregnancy.) Now, I don’t wake up from acid reflux. Maybe it could help someone else. Although it is currently out of stock on Amazon, I’ll still put the affiliate link in the comments, in case anyone wants to stock up before pregnancy, although I think it can also be used by non-pregnant people as well.

17/10/2023

Menu plan for the week! Share any of your meal ideas in the comments.

14/10/2023

I loved this food chopper before today, but I love it even more after today. My 3-year-old was able to use it to chop up potatoes and actually be a legit dinner helper today. 🙌🏻 He is at the age where he loves to help, especially in the kitchen. Instead of doing all of the chopping, let this gadget do it for you! More importantly, if you value kids helping you in the kitchen, this is a tool that helps even those who are little to be able to help out. Get this for a mom or another woman in your life. Affiliate link is in the comments.

12/10/2023

Well, I had a lot more deals that I wanted to post individually, but this will have to do. I really love our iRobot roomba vacuum. It is nice to be able to have the robot take 1 more chore away from me. 🙌🏻 Definitely get this as a Christmas gift for any moms in your life. Affiliate link will be in the comments.

If you want to see what other prime deals I wanted to post about, but just didn’t get the chance to, then please be sure to also check for my linktree link in the comments.

11/10/2023

Another round of prime deals! Perfect for stocking up on Christmas or birthday presents, or “just because” items. My husband and older kids have AirPods, and they love them! So far, they have managed not to lose them; I think having the tracker on them helps! If you have a pre-teen or teenager, these make good “big” gifts. Affiliate link for the AirPods Pro (2nd gen) will be in the comments.

10/10/2023

I started this book on Thursday, and I finished it on Sunday, which, for me, is a rather short time to read a book in. I couldn’t put it down. Here is my review of the book:

is the most encouraging book I’ve ever read! I picked it up after hearing Jeremy and Caleb Freeman speak at my church’s revival, and I finished it in just a few days, since I couldn’t put it down! The book gives a lot more background of the Freeman family and their overall story. If you are drowning in loss and tragedy, read this book, and it will definitely encourage you. Even if you aren’t in a time of trial, still read it as it will well prepare you for your own trials in life.

Right now, the paperback version of the book is 45% off on Amazon. The affiliate link is in the comments.

08/10/2023

Menu plan for the week! What’s for dinner at your house this week? Comment below!

03/10/2023

We went to Jahn’s Pumpkin Hill in Cyril, OK, on Sunday, and it was a blast. The 12 and 13 year olds have been before, but they thought they were too old for it this year. 🤦‍♀️ They would have had fun if they had gone. There is a hay bale maze, as well as a maze that at first glance looks like corn, but it is made of other plants. There are goats, sheep, and horses that the kids can pet. There are also slides, a jumping pillow, a zipline, and some sandboxes. They have a concession stand as well, with drinks and baked goodies. Overall, it’s a good place for some family fun! Be sure to check it out if you are local or if you ever visit the area!

01/10/2023

We have had family in town the past few days, and I’ve just been soaking it all in. 🥰 It’s a great reminder of my why for having an online business: to be able to spend time with the ones I love the most: my kids, my husband, extended family, etc.

25/09/2023

Menu plan for the week! So glad for somewhat cooler temperatures this week, so that I can make things in the oven. 🙌🏻 What’s on your menu plan this week? Share in the comments.

24/09/2023

Is it a struggle to sometimes get dinner on the table? One of the modern conveniences that has tremendously helped me to get dinner on the table is my rice cooker. It’s nice to be able to have at least one part of the meal automated. And I love making bigger batches of rice to have on hand for future meals! I’m pretty sure we got our rice cooker as a wedding gift, and it is probably our second most-used smaller appliance (with our griddle coming in first). Amazon was being weird in that it had our rice cooker on it, but there wasn’t a button to buy it, so I will link a similar one in the comments.

07/09/2023

This one is aimed more at the women. 😅Let me encourage you that if something is no longer working for you, then feel free to make changes. In my past two pregnancies, I have been able to wear a bralette and a separate nursing cami together. This pregnancy, those have just been too tight for me. So I purchased the nursing camis below with a built-in bra, and they have been so much more loose and breathable 😂. I love them. And right now, the medium, large, and x-large are marked down at least $10. Affiliate link is in the comments. Maybe the change you need to make isn’t clothing, but something else. Don’t be afraid to make changes if something is not working for you or your life.

06/09/2023

Many people started this Bible reading plan on Monday. It is reading through the Bible in the school year, or about 9 months. There is a reason that they call it a “challenge”; it is about 6-7 chapters a day. But they emphasize and encourage that it doesn’t have to be all “quiet”; it can be while driving in the car or while making dinner. You can also jump into the plan anywhere; it doesn’t have to be right at the beginning, if you’re starting it later. If you get behind, there are built-in catch-up days, or you can again just jump in on the current day. The point is, you are getting into the Word. This will be my 3rd year doing it, if I remember correctly. 😂 I’d like to invite you to join me. Time spent in the Word of God is NEVER wasted and is worth the investment. I keep track of the plan on the Youversion app, but there are also other apps that have the plan as well. You can Google “To the Word Bible reading challenge” or find it on social media.

05/09/2023

Attention, homeschool moms and those who just print a lot. I wanted to share with you the printer that I use and love. It is the Epson Ecotank ET-3760. I said goodbye to the hard days of needing to constantly refill expensive ink when my husband surprised me with this for my birthday a few years ago. I‘ve only needed to refill it once so far in those 2 years, and I’ve printed TONS. I am able to print either from my phone or from my laptop. My husband also has been able to print from his tablet. I’ve also made use of the scanner feature a handful of times. If you’re in the market for a new printer, I recommend checking out this one. It is a bit of an investment up front, but the money that you’re able to save on ink over the long run truly makes up for it. I wish that I would have had this sooner in my homeschooling journey. Affiliate link is in the comments.

04/09/2023

20 weeks! Halfway there! 🙌🏻 To be honest, I have been trying to “rush” this pregnancy along (as if I could really do that 😂) instead of savoring and enjoying this season. But on Saturday, we had an outing with the littles. We took them to the movies and then to dinner. If I had a newborn (or really even an infant), then I wouldn’t have been able to go to the movies. I would have missed seeing the joy and excitement on their faces of getting candy and popcorn. I would have missed seeing little Lydia in a huge movie theater seat looking so big and grown-up. And then at dinner, I might have been stressed about nursing a baby, but I wasn’t because I’m not in that season yet. It was an eye-opening day to really savor and enjoy this second half of pregnancy and enjoy NOT being in the newborn stage yet. That will come with time, and I will enjoy it when it comes.

31/08/2023

I am on the launch team for All it Takes is a Goal by Jon Acuff. The following is my review of the book:

All it Takes is a Goal presents a different, but much-needed take on goals, categorizing goals into “easy” goals, “middle” goals, and “guaranteed” goals. Jon writes about what drives us in our goals and gives several ideas for “scorecards” we can use to keep track of our goals. I am excited to try Jon’s breakdown of goals in my own life. If the “traditional” paradigm of goal-setting has not worked for you, then read Jon’s book and give his paradigm a try!

29/08/2023

We have been loving our Regalo toddler cots. It started with us getting a blue one for Daniel, and then we loved it so much that we asked for a pink one for Lydia’s birthday. I especially love that it comes with a fitted sheet that can be washed when needed, because, let’s just face it, toddlers are messy. 😉 My kids love their cots so much that they pull them out even when we aren’t on trips. Daniel regularly asks to sleep on his cot instead of in his toddler bed. If you’re taking a trip soon with a toddler, I definitely recommend getting one of these cots. They don’t take up much space, and sleep for the parent is so much better when the toddler has their own spot to sleep in. 😉 Affiliate link is in the comments.

27/08/2023

Dinner plan for the week! I hope this is helpful to you in planning your meals for the week.