Heard it on the Podcast - April 8, 2026 | Asking for Help, Seeking Support & Building Resilience

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

8-APR-2026

S6E14: Asking for Help: Why Is It So Hard and How Do We Get the Help We Need?

In this episode, we explore why asking for help can feel so uncomfortable, from fear of judgment to the pressure of appearing self-sufficient. We unpack why reaching out is actually a sign of strength—and a key to growth, connection, and resilience. We also talk about what to do when you do ask for help and don’t get it, including how to reframe the experience, seek support in new places, and keep advocating for yourself. If you’ve ever struggled to raise your hand, this conversation will help you feel less alone—and more empowered to try again. This episode explores why asking for help can be difficult, how reaching out builds connection and resilience, and strategies to seek support even when initial attempts aren’t successful.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

There is one link from this episode:

• Interfaith Ministries of Denton

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Saying Yes to Big Change

Yesterday on the podcast we celebrated 50 episodes! We talked about our favorite episodes that we have recorded so far. One of my favorite episodes and blogs that I’ve written thus far on my Modern Musings journey has been our episode about Cups. In my blog, I wrote about how I refilled my cup with positive energy after years of tragedy.

One of the things I wrote about in my earlier blog was that I tried new things whether I felt comfortable or not, and I have continued that sentiment. When I was younger, I felt trapped. It wasn’t that I was physically trapped but mentally trapped by the things going on in my life. I felt like I couldn’t get out and do something because I had no money or I had people that I had to take care of, so I couldn’t spend time and effort on myself. I believed that I had to put myself last for many years. One of the scariest things that I’ve done is start over from scratch at the age of 37, and it has been an absolutely crazy but enjoyable ride since. Instead of saying “no,” I said “yes”, and my life needed more YES.

In the past two years, I have said “yes” to many things, and most of them have been positive (but not all of them). In my experience so far, saying “yes” to opportunities often leads to more significant possibilities. In the past year, I have said yes to two major events in my life: starting Modern Musings and marrying Jason.

Christen and I have been best friends for 20 years. In fact, we met 20 years ago in the college dorms and spent most of our college experiences together. In a sense, we “grew up” together. I had the privilege to be Matron of Honor at her wedding, and she will, in turn, be Matron of Honor at my wedding next year. Starting a podcast was just something that Christen and I played around with on our occasional girls’ night, but we weren’t sure how to get started. On a separate occasion, Christen had the very same talk with her mom, Cindy, and Modern Musings was born.

I live a very busy life as a teacher that spans all hours of the day, from getting parent phone calls in the middle of the night to emergency weekend Zoom meetings, so I wasn’t sure how I could fit anything extra into my life. It was rocky at first, especially when it came to writing these blogs. When my mom got sick, I gave up on my writing for many years. Once I developed a routine, writing became easier for me. When it became time for us to record our first episode, I was nervous. I never liked being put on the spot, and while I had natural conversations with people in real life, wearing recording equipment while having a conversation was daunting. I barely talked during our first few podcast episodes. Over time, it has become easier, but I still get nervous. Now, I look forward to recording our weekly podcasts.

Next week, Jason and I will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of his asking me to be his girlfriend officially. Just shy of our 11-month anniversary, he asked me to marry him on a dock looking over the ocean on our summer vacation in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and I said yes. We met each other in the spring of 2021 by chance and became friends. At the time, I was finalizing my divorce and wasn’t even thinking about my next relationship or marriage. Several months later, he asked me out on an official date, and I said, yes. He took me to a gastropub near my house, and we spent hours talking and laughing. The date went so well, he asked me on a second date and then a third date, and the rest is history. One of my students asked me recently why I chose Jason. I told him that I have never laughed as much as I do with Jason, I have never felt more relaxed or myself as I do with Jason, and I’ve never had as much fun as I do with Jason. Saying “yes” to Jason has opened my life up to new and exciting adventures, whether it is spending a great night cooking together, going on a day trip to different museums, or attending a baseball game. When we started dating a year ago, we agreed to have no bad days and we haven’t. Yes, we have our ups and downs, but we always end every day on a good note.

I want to hear from our readers. What is something in the past year that you’ve said “yes” to that has changed your life? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments or in our Facebook Group: MMC Chat.

Celebrating National Poetry Month

Hey everyone! It’s Amber, and this month is National Poetry Month. Something I like to do every year is celebrate my love of poetry with my students. For those of you that don’t know, National Poetry Month was created in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets and is now one of the largest literary celebrations in the world. On our podcast that is coming out this week, we discuss different types of poetry and some easy ways to make poetry, which will also be coming out as future blogs. I also talked about celebrating National Poetry Month in my classroom.

Student board celebrating National Poetry Month

When it comes to poetry, my students often get discouraged because they feel like they don’t understand what poems are trying to say due to the nuance of poetry devices. The first thing I tell them is that anyone can write a poem. I do this in two different ways: imagery and blackout poetry, and I frame my unit with these two things.

Ways I Celebrate National Poetry Month in my Classroom:

• Imagery Poem: Imagery is “visually descriptive figurative language using the five senses.” Before we even talk about poetry, I have my students write about their favorite food using each of the five senses: see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. This is usually a five-minute beginning of class activity and I remind them not to overthink it, to write the first thing that pops up in their head. You can find my lesson here.
• Lyric Poetry: I once took a class on the best ways to teach poetry from Laura Randazzo and I still use many of her techniques in my classroom to date. She suggested comparing and contrasting modern songs to older-style songs. My favorite comparison is "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes (2011) and "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns (1794) because they are using similes and metaphors to compare love in their lyrics. This leads me to my first project.
• Figurative Language in Song Lyrics: After comparing songs and studying different styles of lyrical poetry such as sonnets, psalms, dramatic, and ballads, students must showcase a type of poetic device using song lyrics. They get to present/or read their findings to the class and explain in a presentation how what they choose is figurative language and what it means. This is a fun project for my students because they get to listen to music and examine their favorite songs more closely.
• Rhyme Games or Poetry Slam: I do this when I teach my 9th Grade “Sonnets”. As we mentioned in the podcast, sonnets are a bit hard to follow if you don’t understand Shakespeare or rhyming. This game can also easily turn into a poetry slam because Shakespeare’s sonnets are a lot like rap music. I use "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare, and I read it really quickly to my students like I am rapping it, and then I show them a parody of the same poem by an unknown writer on my Sonnet Worksheet and challenge my students to write their own parodies. If they have trouble rhyming, I direct them to RhymeZone.

• Alternate Forms of Poetry: I like to teach my students blackout poetry, which I will go into detail about in a future blog. I also like to teach students about found poetry, which is similar to blackout poetry, and book spine poetry (pictured), which is made by stacking books on top of each other in different ways. These are some of the simplest ways to make poetry.

Book Spine Poetry

• Poem in Your Pocket Day: On the upcoming podcast, I also mention “Poem in Your Pocket Day” which will take place this month on April 29th. The idea is to take a small poem that fits in your pocket and make that your poem for the day. The Academy of American Poets has a few suggestions on how everyone can celebrate National Poetry Month such as drawing an image of your chosen poem, recording yourself reading it and uploading it on social media, or making an origami sculpture out of the poem. I uploaded a PDF of their suggestions here.

Poem in Your Pocket

I encourage my readers to not be intimidated by poetry because everyone is a poet, even if they don’t know it. Explore poetry with some of my suggestions above, and when you are ready, give some of my favorite classics a try (listed below). Let’s continue the conversation on our Facebook Page and our Facebook Group MMC Chat.

Some of My Favorite Classic Poems:

• Edgar Allan Poe

• Robert Frost

• Emily Dickinson

• Maya Angelou

• Langston Hughes

• John Donne

• Pablo Neruda

• Lewis Carroll

• T.S. Eliot

• Dylan Thomas

• Walt Whitman

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Behind the Clock

This week on the podcast we are discussing The Luck of the Irish and the origin of the meaning. Years ago, while visiting Salt Lake City, I ended up at the Family History Library. I have always been interested in genealogy and it was something that my dad was interested in as well. He spent years studying family history. The library set me up with an account and got me started on what was soon to become an intensive family history project that I am still working on. One of the things I discovered about my last name over the years is the Gaelic translation meaning “rough fate.”

When I was younger I used to ask myself why I was so unlucky. It always seemed that when things/tasks seemed easier for one person, they seemed three times as hard for me to accomplish. I felt “behind the clock.” So to speak.

What is “behind the clock?” I always thought that there were three types of people:

1. Before the clock: The lucky ones. The ones that never seemed to have a “bad hair day”. The ones that were always praised for being gorgeous, having money, getting good grades without having to work too hard for them, etc. Life seemed to be easy for those people.
2. On-time: Those that lived a natural flow of life. They were never lucky or unlucky. They lived their life naturally and accepted the natural way of life.
3. Behind the clock: The chronically unlucky ones. The ones that were always late. The ones that things never seemed to go smoothly for. It seemed that they had to work extra hard in all aspects of life. These people were usually born poor or were constant victims of some hardship.

However, those were just surface-level thoughts. Life is never that simple and you have to get to know someone to be able to judge their circumstances. No one is consistently before or behind the clock. Not everyone is “on time” all the time. A lot of the time, people that seem to “have it all” are just projecting an illusion to the public because they don’t want an insight into what’s going on behind the scenes of their life. Nevertheless, I was jealous of what I perceived as “before the clock” people. I was too trapped in my misery to see past the surface.

Aside from all that, I wondered why am I so unlucky? For many years I kept a mental/running list of reasons why I thought I was unlucky:

• I was born a female: I am a child of the ’80s. I grew up with the perception of how females are supposed to be, and I was none of those things. I have always felt very masculine compared to conventional definitions of “female.” At the same time, I feel very “feminine” as well. I very much embrace both my masculine and feminine sides dually. But, when I was a child, men seemed to have it all and I thought it was unfortunate that I didn’t.
• I had some unfortunate genetics: I have always been overweight and from a genetics standpoint, I have always had to work extra hard to lose weight. Being “plus-size” growing up was hard. I had a lot of body issues, and I was bullied for being overweight not only by the kids in school but by my family members as well.
• My family was poor: Looking back, this was ironic to me because  I was bullied for being a “rich girl” because my grandparents had money even though my parents did not. I didn’t live in the best part of town and the house I grew up in wasn’t the biggest. We were poor and we struggled, but my mom always went to great lengths to make sure that no one realized it. I ate a lot of ramen noodles, cheap lunch meat, and spaghetti growing up because we didn’t have a lot of money. The poor nutrition just compounded my weight problem.
• I was socially awkward: This was a struggle I kept hidden struggled with. If you met me in person, you might question how I could struggle socially. My mother was the most social person anyone knew, and I was in every club/sport imaginable growing up how could I possibly be socially awkward? It is one of those things I was taught to overcome or hide. My natural tendency when I walk into a room is to avoid eye contact and hide in the corner so no one will notice or speak to me. My mom refused to let me give in to those tendencies. I was taught to speak first and look people in the eye. The eye contact thing still eludes me – being social and speaking to people is a constant struggle for me. As an adult, I was diagnosed with a mild form of autism which could explain my social struggles.
• Weird stuff always seemed to happen: I used to think the world was punishing me. For example, if I bought a shirt that I felt was expensive, I would accidentally catch it on something and ruin it the very next day, or if I wore white, I always spilled something on my shirt. If I got too attached to some object, I always ended up breaking it or losing it. The list could go on and on.

Rough fate.  Was it my last name? Fate is defined as the development of events beyond a person’s control. Fate and luck aren’t the same things. I could say that my last name is the reason that I’ve had to struggle in certain aspects of my life, but it isn’t. Just because one of my ancestors had a rough fate and the name was passed down for generations, that doesn’t mean that it’s my fate. 

Over the years, I’ve learned not to be so short-sighted. Those that seemed to “have it all” often really don’t. I learned that some of them thought that I “had it all” when I was barely keeping it together myself. As a society, we are too quick to judge and too short-sighted to see past our internal struggles. Why would anyone pick “rough fate” to be their last name? It’s just a reminder to live every day with intention. Once I got past blaming life circumstances on my struggles, I was able to begin living a happier, open-minded life that didn’t dwell on why things are wrong but focused on why things are right.

I want to hear from my readers. Have you ever felt “behind the clock?” Do you have any funny “behind the clock” stories? Let’s continue the conversation in our Facebook group: MMC Chat.

My favorite links for researching Genealogy:

Surname Database

Ancestry

Forebears

Meeting Mr. Right and Little Miss

During the podcast this week we discussed modern dating - and more specifically online dating. I think we touched base on just about everything there is about online dating, I even disclosed that I met my husband through an online dating service. I thought I might share a little bit more about how we met and came to be.

I honestly felt like there was no other way I was going to meet a decent man, I was creeping up on the last half of my thirties and I was still single. I had to use online dating. I was not going to meet a guy solely by conducting day to day affairs or within my hobbies. I think many people can relate to that, though. There are various ways for people to get out and meet friendly singles doing the things that they love, you just gotta get out there. But statistics were not in my favor, probably 75% or more scrapbookers are women - maybe even more than that. There are just not a lot of guys into that sort of thing. I didn’t want to meet someone at a bar, because that’s not the scene I am into. And I didn’t want to join yet another club just to meet a single guy. I am thankful for the online dating community, without it – I would probably still be single. I am also thankful that the stigma of meeting someone online is starting to fall by the wayside.

I had decided that investing the money into a paid membership would yield good results. I wanted to meet someone who was willing to make that same investment, I figured that would limit my chances of being catfished. I have to admit, I had been catfished in the past, thankfully I knew better and recognized the signs early enough that my heart and wallet were not a victim of this crime, which has grown at an alarming rate in the past decade. Dating scams in general happen all over the internet, on paid dating sites as well as free ones, so keep your guard up and stay alert for anything out of the ordinary.

Travis, my husband, and I spoke back and forth on the dating website until I was comfortable sharing my contact information with him. He was never pushy to meet in person, or to get my phone number right away. That is one way that he helped create a comfortable setting to nourish our growing connection into a relationship. If you encounter someone being pushy about meeting you right away or taking the conversation offline (to your personal phone), it is a good idea to back away, pushiness is always a quick sign that the other person has ulterior motives. Most social media platforms and dating websites have an embedded communication platform that is safe to use directly on their site. You don’t have to give out your personal contact information until you are 100% comfortable with sharing it. Additionally, anyone sending illicit images or texts should also be disregarded immediately. I am a firm believer that you only get one chance to impress me (or unimpress me) in the online dating community. I don’t waste time with those who intend to harass me. I wouldn't tolerate it in real life, so why would I tolerate it virtually?

In the past I would not have dated a man with children - I had steered clear as much as possible. I was always afraid to get into a relationship that had children involved. I often saw men’s profiles mention being a parent, but not have much else to say about being a father. That was a red flag for me. I had dated a man in the past that had kept his child a secret. He had stated that it was because he did not know how I would react. Well, he got a reaction out of me that was not in his favor. I just couldn’t understand someone being a parent and not even having one thing to say about their child - all I do is talk about mine!  Travis had mentioned on his profile how he enjoyed playing video games with his daughter and he was more than willing to share details about her personality and their relationship dynamic. He was also willing to provide details about his previous marriage. It meant a great deal to me that he was willing to share so that I could understand their situation. I can understand why some people would like to keep their children private for safety reasons, but we can be quick to judge negatively when someone does not disclose that they are a parent.

After talking to Travis on the phone daily for about 2 months, we had already planned out future dates for some fun activities together. I recommend spending lots of time getting to know each other before rushing out to go on a date. Really get to know each other and then plan something fun that you will both enjoy and look forward to. It's ok to go grab dinner, but If you can think of another activity to go with it, take your time and plan it out. I knew that Travis, like myself, was into Harry Potter, so when I saw that the Fort Worth Symphony was performing Harry Potter music by my favorite modern day composer, John Williams, I knew we had to go to that together. We also planned a quick safe-space meeting prior to the “first date”. This was not an actual date, but a chance for us to meet face to face in a safe open environment for just a brief moment. Looking back, I think this was a great way to meet and have the opportunity to bail out if we decided that we did not like each other. So we met at McDonald's for a quick coffee - yes, so very romantic, I know, but let me explain. 

Some people may be against the “coffee date” because they want to be wined-and-dined. I say, get over this foolishness, once you meet the right person, then you can spend all your hard earned money on each other. People can be flakey and not very serious about dating, and their main concern is being taken out on a date, just for the free meal. That's the old way of dating, and no one should have to put up with that. People can now go on a coffee date so that they can get to know one another without all the hoopla. If you suggest a “coffee date” and they turn you down, and say that you are a cheapskate, then you might have dodged a bullet on that one. 

And on the contrary, insist on going on a date, and insist that you meet in public. Insist that you are given the effort and fine details of an actual date. Don’t settle for “Netflix and Chill” if you are looking for more than just a fling. Don’t be afraid to set your boundaries up front - anyone with decency that is willing to honor your boundaries will give you that respect. You can change the boundaries at any time – as long as you communicate those boundaries clearly. Anyone worth their word will be willing to accept your boundaries and respect you. Don’t make excuses for people who ignore or abuse your boundaries.

After meeting a few times, it was plain to see that Travis and I wanted to take things more seriously. Travis invited me to a family gathering, so that I could easily meet his daughter, without making Reyna feel uncomfortable. I was able to meet my step-daughter as well as friends and family in a large group setting which made it less awkward for me as I’m not as comfortable with one-on-one meetings. It made it more relaxing, and I could come and go as I saw fit. Then it was not long before Travis and Reyna came over to meet my family and he and Reyna fit right in. 

There are always going to be ups and downs in any relationship, but it shouldn't be complicated. If you ever find yourself making excuses for the following behaviors and there is not a reasonable explanation, then it's probably safe to say that the other person is not emotionally available for a serious relationship or it is not worth the heartache to get overly involved.

• They do not respect the boundaries you set forth.
• They failed to mention they are a parent.
• They are in between jobs.
• They have a spouse they are still living with.
• They cannot provide their own transportation.
• They insist on meeting you in person shortly after getting online.
• Their online profile is vague and generic.
• They are “out of the country on work”.
• Their lifestyle seems larger than life or too good to be true.
• They ask you to send them money - for any reason.
• They don’t want to meet in public, or insist on “Netflix and chill”.
• They still have not introduced you to their friends or family - you determine the time frame.

My story may not sound like the most epic, but in reality it was pretty epic. I would have never crossed paths with my husband, had we not met online. Through the technology of today, I met a wonderful man, who takes such good care of me and the young lady I now consider to be “our” daughter. Yes, I became a mom too - and I was not even trying! I knew what I wanted, what I didn’t want, and I set my boundaries, and didn’t accept poor behavior from those who disregarded them. I had to put my heart out there - but you have to do that regardless of whether it’s online, or, for lack of better words, traditional dating.

I’d love to know what you think about online dating and your experiences. Have you been catfished or tricked by someone online from a dating website? Did you meet the one? Be sure to leave a comment or stop by our Facebook page here to continue the conversation.

Finding Love After Quarantine

Online dating is the act of searching for a romantic partner on the internet through either an app or a website. In 2022, according to Pew Research, one in three adults in America have used online dating at least once in their lifetime to find a partner. Online dating has become the second most popular way to find a significant other, largely in part, to the rise in dating apps and the ability to simply swipe left or right.

Matchmaking using technology is not as new as it seems. According to the article “Love at First Swipe: The Evolution of Online Dating,” the first computer-based matching service was invented in 1965 by two Harvard students looking for love. It started with a 75-question survey and a $3 fee for applicants. Over 90,000 people signed up for the service and the concept of computer-based matchmaking was born. Since then, using technology to meet people has only become more common. According to the article, 70 percent of Americans use some form of social media, and one-quarter of the country is online most of the day.

In 2020, my ex-husband and I separated after a seven-year relationship; we eventually divorced almost a year after we first separated. I hadn’t entered the dating scene in almost a decade, and I was absolutely terrified. Dating post-quarantine was hard. It wasn’t safe to go to social functions to meet someone, so many naturally turned to online dating, even if they had never experienced it before. Fortunately, I had, and I freely admit it. I met my ex-husband, randomly, on a website called Plenty of Fish. I had recently moved back to my hometown of Vernon, Texas, in early 2014 after twelve years away, and didn’t know anyone in the area anymore other than family.

After divorce, I was a little wary of dating again because I had only had bad experiences, but I was willing to put myself out there. I went through all the stages of an anxiety attack. Was I too old to date? Am I too set in my ways to start over? Do I even have time to date?

I joined Facebook Date (which launched in 2019 but didn’t become popular until 2020). After only meeting scammers, I put the app aside and decided to take a break from dating. During that time, I randomly matched with Jason, my current boyfriend. However, I told him that I wasn’t interested in dating, but we could be friends and we added each other on Snapchat. After that, we talked a few times a week and developed a friendship. Several months later, he asked me out on a date, but I was still wary of online dating. I eventually said yes to a date and I’m glad I did. Next week we are going to celebrate our six-month anniversary. 

My takeaway:

• In 2022 we should all be cautious over meeting someone online. 

• Always talk and get to know someone first and then agree to meet in person. 

• You are never too old to start over. I started my life over at 36 from scratch and I feel like I’m a better person for it. 

• Don’t let anxiety get to you. 

• You are enough, and if you are still looking, don’t force it because it will naturally happen.

A note of caution: Since the pandemic, online dating scams have been on the rise. If you are online dating, be wary of scammers. The scammers that I have met during my time online dating usually pretend to be in the military looking for a connection overseas or a businessperson that travels a lot. These people are charming and full of compliments. They are also usually way younger or way older. If you pay attention to the way they write, you can usually tell a scammer by their grammar. Their grammar is near perfect but there are often unusual changes in tenses. According to the article “Heartbreakers, dream fakers, money takers: Romance scams are rising,” romance scams have increased 197% in 2020 compared to 2019 which has resulted in millions of dollars lost. 

I want to hear from our readers: What are your experiences dating online? Has anyone had to recently start over in the dating game? What is your advice? Let’s continue the conversation on our Facebook Group!

Are You Ready for Galentine's Day?

 Hi Friends!

This week on the Podcast and Blog we will be discussing Galentine’s Day. I had heard of Galentine’s day in the past, but I had never known exactly where Galentine’s Day came from. I have always enjoyed celebrating Valentine's Day with whomever – friends, family, or co-workers. I was always single, so I liked to give out valentines; it kept my mind from wandering and worrying if I was going to get any or not that year. My mom and a close friend always send me a Valentine every year, but you know, sometimes Valentine’s day can be lonely for some. 

That's exactly why I love the idea of Galentine’s Day! What better way than to lift your female companions’ spirits up, let them know you appreciate them, and send love out into the universe. I think we often get wrapped up in the expectation that Valentine’s Day is only for romantic love. It can be so much more – love for your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and even yourself.

My mom and I were talking the other day and we were speculating on when Galentine’s Day started. She had mentioned that there was an online article in Good Housekeeping insert link here) about it. According to the magazine, the first known mention of Galentine's day was in the TV sitcom Parks and Rec. I have not seen that show, but it is on my to-do list. The article mentioned that the character took all her girlfriends out to brunch and showered them with gifts and lengthy love letters. Doesn’t that sound fun?

Prior to COVID and the lockdown, I was an Employee Engagement committee member for the company that I work for. One of my main responsibilities was to come up with fun, engaging activities for the employees that promoted team building and gratitude for each other. We especially loved Valentine’s day as we would decorate the break room with gigantic hearts, flowers and balloons, and people would wear pink and red. We would also have a competition, where each employee got a white or brown paper lunch sack. They had several days prior to decorate their sack. The committee would then go around and vote on the most creative for a prize. Employees also got the chance to go around to everyone’s desk and give out candies, Valentines cards, and little goodies. It was like being in school again. And seeing all the personalized notes from coworkers, professing their platonic love for you, just really sends you home for the day with a huge smile on your face. It also gave employees the chance to express gratitude for one another without feeling awkward or singling people out; it could be done with a cute note taped to a pencil or lollypop. 

Some of the cute bags that my co-workers made!

Unfortunately those days have passed. Now that the opportunities for me to bond with my co-workers have become more virtual, I have clung tighter to my inner circle of friends more than ever. That inner circle, my girl tribe, my besties, are the women who lift me up when I am down, and I would not be able to survive without them. So, this year we are going all out for my girlfriends this year. I have some handmade Galentine’s Day cards that I have made. I also have a little gift baggie to present to each of them. I enjoy putting together little party favor bags. I guess that’s something I missed from working in the office, too. Since we will be celebrating Galentine’s Day with our girlfriends by having brunch on the 13th, we won’t have the opportunity to decorate goodie bags. I am going to present a hand made bag for each of my gals. Each bag will be all cutsied up with hearts, paper doilies and glitter! I have not finished purchasing my contents for my bags, but I am thinking some fuzzy socks, a few pieces of candy, maybe a cute pencil and some girl power products will be great. I have about 10 bags that I want to make, so I have to keep my budget in mind. I also have  to prepare for Reyna’s school Valentines party. 

Regardless of the gift or the budget that you have, anyone can celebrate their gal pals. Sometimes a heartfelt note, a hug or your devoted time is what lets people know you care. Have you ever celebrated Galentine’s Day or something similar? Are you planning anything for the 13th? Has COVID changed the way you celebrate? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. And even if you are not planning on celebrating with friends this year, don’t forget to love the person who needs it the most, yourself. 

Sugar-Free Recipes Revisited

Last month, I wrote about my holiday cookie tradition, and in our podcast, I mentioned that I would try to find a way to make my cake-mix cookies in a sugar-free way. I wanted to take my recipe (linked below) a step further and make them keto. As we have discussed before, sugar-free doesn’t necessarily mean keto.

There are plenty of sugar-free cake mixes out there. What immediately comes to mind is the popular sugar-free line of cake mixes by Pillsbury® that could be easily substituted in my earlier recipe for cake mix cookies to lower the sugar content in the cookies. To make it keto, I needed to take it a step further and lower the carbohydrate content as well.

In the past, I have been on different forms of a low carbohydrate diet. These types of diets are difficult for me because I have a sweet tooth. As I mentioned in my sugar-free baking blog, I have been on the hunt for a substitute to trick my brain into thinking I am being bad while I am still being somewhat good. I call it “healthy junk,” and I have been on a mission to satisfy those cravings since I started my weight loss journey in the spring of 2019.

I typically go to Sprouts Farmer’s Market or Market Street to get my “healthy junk”, and I will further explain my grocery shopping science in an upcoming budget shopping blog. However, I want to explain why I like these grocery stores so much. Sprouts caters to individuals with special diets such as myself (I am low-carb, gluten-free, and mostly dairy-free) by labeling their pre-packaged foods with diet-friendly labels to make the process of grocery shopping quicker and easier. The labeling process is also very helpful for those just starting out on a special diet.

At the store, I discovered that Swerve® also makes a sugar-free and keto-friendly cake mix. I also picked up some Lily’s® no sugar added Pumpkin Spice chips (on clearance) for a low-sugar add-in. From there, I kept the recipe the same and just substituted the Swerve® cake mix and the pumpkin spice chips. I did not change the oil and egg ratio or the baking time. I wanted to see how they turned out.

I could not be happier with the result! The box yielded 18 cookies with less than 1 gram of sugar and 4 grams of carbohydrates per cookie. As with Swerve®, if you are familiar, this consistency is a bit grainier than a normal cake mix cookie, but the taste is very similar.

For keto dieters that are not a fan of Swerve® or would like a cheaper option that you can find in any grocery store, Duncan Hines® also has a keto cake mix on the shelves as well as Birch Benders®

As always, let me know what you think in the comments below. If you try this keto recipe, what would you do differently?

Check out our downloads page for my cake-mix cookie recipe:

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