Uncategorized Archives – Thirty Minus One

By Alek Sabin

Parenting has got to be one of the most stressful jobs on the face of the Earth, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Raising children and passing on all of the knowledge you’ve accrued in your own life is one of the most fulfilling goals that you can live up to, and gives many people a stronger sense of purpose, once they’ve had kids.

However, there’s a lot that can go wrong, when it comes to raising children, and you can’t possibly be there for them for every part of growing up. For this reason, it’s important to raise children who are confident and learn to take care of themselves in new and frightening situations. Here are some tips on how you can raise more confident children…

Encourage active habits

Nowadays, it’s all too common that children stay indoors all day. This isn’t to knock kids today, as it is more a sign of the times than anything, but there are real benefits to spending your childhood getting outside and physically doing things! Children who play outside are healthier and have an easier time doing physical activities, such as sports and dance. Playing outside also offers children the chance to socialize with other children, and learn how to get along with new people that they haven’t met before. This is an important skill that leads to more confidence, in the future.

In Beauty + Style, Style, Uncategorized

Summer to Fall Style: One Kimono, two looks

thirtyminusoneAugust 24, 2017September 21, 201714 Comments

If you haven’t already, you please check out The Asterisk Boutique – a contemporary women’s clothing boutique in Dixon, Illinois, that is ran by a small team and the sweetest owner. The styles available are perfect for bodies of all sizes.

If you follow the boutique on Instagram, you can get some serious inspiration on how to wear what is available on site. And you don’t have to be in Illinois to shop. 😉 You can shop right from here.

The kimono below is from the boutique’s fall collection. Can you tell by the beautiful burnt orange color? The great thing, is that it is super light, which makes it easy to wear it as we transition from summer to fall.

Summer Look

On the first look, I wore the kimono with a plain white tank, distressed shorts and my favorite wedges. Then accessorized with three tiered earrings, animal print bangle and my wooden watch.

The Asterisk Boutique Kimono

In Uncategorized

Beef Taco Bowls

thirtyminusoneJune 6, 2017June 10, 20171 Comment

I think we’re back to our normal schedule… So here’s another easy recipe! Taco Bowls with Old El Paso’s Taco Boats Flour Tortillas. I’ll be honest the first time I saw these, I thought’ “why not just use regular tortillas.” I bought them anyway because I had a crowd at home, and it seemed like the perfect quick meal to feed everyone. We liked them so much, that I have made a few variations since.

The one that I am sharing today is with ground beef. If you have visited my blog before, you know that I am all about delicious but quick meals. If this is your first time visiting, make sure to check out previous recipes. 😉 Now, on to the instructions…

Ground Beef Taco Bowls with Old El Paso Taco Boats Flour Tortillas, 8 Ct

Making the Taco Bowls

First, I set the rice to make. Then sautéed onions and jalapeños, mixed in beef and taco seasoning; cooking until browned. I lowered the heat and added the salsa, making sure to mix it well. Then, heated the taco boats according to the package instructions.

In Uncategorized

The Sunshine Blogger Award

thirtyminusoneMay 31, 2017June 16, 20172 Comments

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given by bloggers to bloggers who are inspiring, creative, and who bring sunshine into the lives of their readers and fellow bloggers.

Sunshine Blogger Award

When I found out that Sophie at So Finely Lived nominated me, I was beyond excited.

The Rules

Once nominated, the blogger is required to write a post in which they:

Thank the blogger who nominated them and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated them.
Nominate 11 other blogs (notify them) and give them 11 new questions to answer.
List the rules and display your own version of the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post.

In Uncategorized

Five Tricks to Grow Your Instagram

thirtyminusoneMay 2, 2017March 14, 201830 Comments

Today, I wanted to do something a little different. Since it is #TipTuesday, I’ll be sharing some tricks that have helped me manage and grow my Instagram. As a newbie blogger, I’ve learned quite a few tricks that I thought I’d share with fellow newbie bloggers.

Find Your Tribe

Having a group of bloggers with similar goals has made all the difference for me. While, the Instagram community can be intimidating, having a support system makes it a lot easier.

How do you find your tribe? Decide what type of support you need for your account. If you want comments, find a comments and engagement pod. If you only want likes, then find a likes only pod.

How do you find a pod to join? There are several Facebook groups for Bloggers where openings on pods are announced. But you could also start one yourself, by inviting other blogger friends you may already follow on Instagram.

Learn to Love Hashtags

Hashtags are your best bet for being discovered on social media, particularly on Instagram. Did you know that you can use up to 30 hashtags? Yes, 30! While you don’t want to look spammy, you should totally use every single one. Why? Because it’s an opportunity for other users to find you.

How do you avoid looking spammy? Simply add your hashtags to the comments field instead of the caption field.

Give love, Get love

A trick to growing your account is to engage. While pods will help with this, you also need to engage with people who comment on your posts. But don’t stop there, go out and search for accounts that align with yours and comment on and like their posts as well.

Keep it real

While it can be tempting to do everything every other blogger is doing. Don’t! It’s ok to be inspired by the accounts of top bloggers but try to remain original. Your audience and followers have decided to follow YOU for a reason. 😉

Schedule to Stay Sane

In order to remain sane, I highly suggest that you have some sort of schedule for Instagram. You can even use a tool to help you manage your posts and preview what your feed will look like. I use the free version of Later and it has helped me a lot.*

I hope you have found this post helpful. If you did, make sure to share and pin it so that others can find it too.

If you have questions, leave me a comment below. 😉

Saludos,

Let’s Connect
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*This is a referral link that will give me additional monthly posts if you sign up for Later

In Uncategorized

Spring Safety Tips for Parents

thirtyminusoneApril 24, 2017May 13, 2017Leave a comment

By Aurora M.

Now that the weather is warming up, it’s a great idea to send your kids outside to play for a little while every day. The fresh air will be good for them, and it will give them a chance to get some of their abounding energy out. It’s also a great opportunity for you to set up a chair in the shade and read that book you’ve been meaning to get to for the past 6 months, or maybe just open up the kitchen door and keep an eye on them as you catch up on work or the dishes. Every season brings its own set of things to be cautious of, so make sure that you’re mindful and watchful of your kids as they transition into spending more time outside in the warm weather!

Protect their skin

Because it’s warm, but not hot yet, a lot of people forget that you still need sunblock. However, it can be especially important now, when your children’s skin is still pale and tender from a winter spent indoors. Make sure that if your kids are going to be spending more than half an hour outside, you apply a quick coat of sunblock to protect them from harmful UV rays. Read More

Showing all posts in Uncategorized

Building Confident Children

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Summer to Fall Style: One Kimono, two looks

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