Finding Happiness After Infertility

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Evan Glenn

Finding Happiness After Infertility: Our Story of Hope

Finding happiness after infertility has been a journey for me and my husband, Evan. For years, we struggled with the heartache of not being able to conceive, and it took a toll on both of us. But through it all, we’ve discovered unexpected joys and a deeper appreciation for our relationship. I’m excited to share our story with you today, in hopes that it may offer comfort and inspiration to others facing similar challenges.

Want to hear our story in our own words? Check out our video here, or keep scrolling for more insights and reflections.

Our Infertility Journey: Years of Trying and Heartache

Finding Happiness in Our Infertility Journey

We tried for a while and did lots of research. That’s what we do; we’re planners. We saw doctors, underwent tests, and I even had exploratory surgery.

I was prescribed a medication to help me get pregnant, but it didn’t work for me. Instead, it made me very emotional and caused a lot of ups and downs. I realized it wasn’t healthy for me, so I stopped taking it.

We consulted a fertility specialist, but she wouldn’t perform the procedure because I was on anxiety medication. I understood her reasoning, but coming off the medication nearly caused a nervous breakdown. It was an incredibly difficult time.

We considered further fertility treatments, but there were obstacles. We were older, the cost was a concern, and there was no guarantee it would work. Plus, I struggled with how I would handle the physical and emotional demands of pregnancy. Ultimately, we came to the conclusion that having children naturally wasn’t in the cards for us.

Embracing Life After Infertility: Finding Joy as Aunt and Uncle

Reaching that acceptance was a long and painful process. But now, we find joy in other ways. We cherish our time with our nieces and nephews, who call us “Uncle Evan” and “Aunt Lala.” We love being their fun aunt and uncle, and we’re also proud dog parents. Our furry friends bring so much joy into our lives.

Exploring Alternative Paths to Parenthood: Adoption & Fostering

Adoption was another path we considered, and we were even approached by people who thought we’d be great parents. But those situations didn’t work out. Evan grew up with foster siblings, and the experience of kids coming and going was difficult for him. I also knew the heartache of goodbyes would be too much for me to handle.

Healing from Infertility: Discovering Happiness in Unexpected Places

Our journey with infertility has taught us that happiness can be found in unexpected ways. I’ve learned the importance of having a partner who is not just a potential parent, but also a best friend. Evan is my best friend, and that’s what has gotten us through the tough times.

Overcoming Infertility Challenges: Hope for the Future

While we’ve made peace with not having biological children, we’re open to exploring other options for the future. I’m seeing a new doctor who is helping me manage my health issues, and we’ve discussed revisiting fertility treatments. It’s a decision we’ll make together, weighing the potential benefits and risks.

Sharing Our Infertility Story: Building a Community of Support

I’m sharing our story because I know there are others out there struggling with infertility. It’s a lonely road, but it doesn’t have to be. By sharing our experiences, we can build a community of support and understanding.

Thank you for listening to our story.

With love,

The Glenn Home

If you have any questions or want to share your own experiences, please leave a comment below. We’re in this together!

Want to stay connected and learn more about our journey? To learn more about my health and wellness journey, including my experience with the TIF procedure, click here.

Want to stay connected and learn more about our journey?

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Simplify Meal Planning Using These 5 Tips

Posted on March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Evan Glenn

Introduction:

Welcome to our next post in the series on meal planning! Continuing from our previous posts “Meal Planning Magic: Your Key to Stress-Free Meals!” and “Healthy Meal Planning: Finding the Right Recipes”, we’ll share five practical strategies to simplify your meal planning routine and make it a breeze.

In this post, we’ll explore how the Meal Planning and Preparation Guide can assist with techniques like batch cooking, family involvement, dedicated planning sessions, utilizing technology, and preparing the kitchen for seamless meal prep. These tips are designed to help you streamline your meal planning process and reduce stress in the kitchen.

Simplify Meal Planning Using These 5 Tips

After learning these tips, you’ll be ready to jump right into simplifying your meal planning routine and enjoying stress-free meals.

1. Long-Term Planning for Sustainable Meal Prep:

Meal Planning: Full Grocery Carts — Full grocery carts after hours in the store.

Meal planning isn’t just about deciding what to eat for the week; it’s about creating a long-term plan that spans several weeks. We recommend scheduling a trip to the grocery store once every three weeks to ensure you stay organized. During this planning phase, check your pantry for items running low and add them to your grocery list. Select recipes that you can use for multiple meals and compare ingredients to ensure you have enough to last at least three weeks.

Long-term planning ensures you have ingredients on hand for several weeks, reducing the need for frequent trips to the store.

2. Involving the Whole Family in Meal Planning:

Get everyone in your household involved in the meal planning process to simplify meal planning and foster teamwork. From choosing recipes to helping with meal prep, involving your family fosters teamwork and ensures that meals cater to everyone’s preferences and dietary needs. Make it a fun activity by allowing each family member to pick a favorite recipe for the week.

Family involvement not only simplifies meal planning but also ensures meals are enjoyed by all.

3. Dedicated Planning Sessions for Optimal Organization:

Meal Planning: Calendar — Setting Aside Time On The Calendar for Meal Planning.

Set aside dedicated time for meal planning sessions. During these sessions, review recipes, create grocery lists, and plan your weekly meals. By dedicating time to meal planning, you can avoid last-minute decisions and ensure that your meals are nutritious and well-balanced. Use a meal planning template to stay organized and on track.

Planning sessions help you stay organized and ensure meals are nutritious and balanced.

4. Utilizing Technology for Efficiency:

Take advantage of technology to simplify your meal planning process. Use grocery store apps to find discounts and deals on the items you need. Apps like Ibotta offer rewards on grocery purchases, providing further incentives to stick to your meal planning goals. Use these apps to save time and money while grocery shopping.

Here is a video where we explore the question of whether to use online grocery ordering and pick up versus going into the store to get our groceries ourselves, to determine if it adds a layer of convenience or frustration to our meal planning routine.

Watch this video on YouTube

Technology streamlines meal planning by offering discounts, deals, and rewards on grocery purchases.

5. Preparing the Kitchen for Seamless Meal Prep:

Meal Planning: Prep the Kitchen — Prepared Kitchen.

Prepare your kitchen in advance for seamless meal prep. After a long shopping trip, put away groceries in an organized manner. The next day, clean countertops, pots, pans, and utensils to create an efficient workspace. Set aside time for kitchen prep before your designated meal preparation day to ensure everything is ready to go.

Meal Planning: Break Bowls In A Line — Meal Planning: Breakfast Bowls In A Line

A well-prepared kitchen sets the stage for efficient and stress-free meal preparation.

Conclusion:

With these five tips, you can simplify your meal planning routine and make it a stress-free experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced meal planner, these strategies will help you save time, reduce stress, and enjoy delicious and nutritious meals every day. Start implementing these tips today and transform your mealtime routine for the better!

Are you ready to take the stress out of meal planning? We’re thrilled to announce that we’re giving away our comprehensive Meal Planning and Preparation Guide for FREE to all our newsletter subscribers!

✅ Helpful tips and instructions to streamline your meal planning process

✅ Weekly grocery lists to make shopping a breeze

✅ Meal planning templates for every day of the week

✅ Space to jot down your favorite recipes and meal prep rotation

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to revolutionize your meal planning routine! Simply subscribe to our newsletter and get your hands on this invaluable guide today!

In conclusion, meal planning is not just about deciding what to eat; it’s about creating a well-thought-out strategy that simplifies your cooking routine, saves you time, and ensures you enjoy delicious and nutritious meals every day. By implementing the tips and techniques shared in this series, you can transform your meal planning experience and make it a stress-free part of your life.

Be sure to stay tuned for more meal planning posts in the future, where we’ll continue to share valuable insights and tips to help you on your journey to healthier eating habits. We’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment below and share what you’ve taken away from this series. Your feedback and insights are invaluable to us. And if you haven’t already subscribed to our YouTube Channel, THE GLENN HOME, we would love for you to do that to stay updated on all our latest content and meal planning adventures!

Healthy Meal Planning: Finding the Right Recipes

Posted on March 23, 2024March 24, 2024 by Evan Glenn

Introduction:

Welcome back to our series on Meal Planning. In our previous post, Meal Planning Magic: Your Key To Stress Free Meals , we discussed how our journey began. In this post, we’ll share how we discovered recipes for 3 meals per day suitable for healthy meal planning.

Overcoming Healthy Meal Planning Misconceptions:

Meal Planning: Frozen Meal — Frozen dinner in a plastic tray with a cover

Meal planning often conjures up images of uninspired leftovers tossed together in a big container, waiting to be reheated as a lackluster meal option. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The truth is, many of us struggle to find the balance between convenience and nutrition. We want to eat healthier, but the idea of salads and grilled chicken every day just doesn’t excite us. And let’s face it, those frozen meals marketed as “healthy choices” often leave much to be desired in terms of taste and appeal.

Embracing Healthy Recipes:

Meal Planning: Large Pot of Spaghetti — Large pot of spaghetti noodles with meatballs spilled out.

While we cherished comforting meals from our past, they weren’t always nutritious. It’s easy to cling to traditional recipes, but understanding nutritious foods opened our eyes to new possibilities. Clinging to the sentiment of “there’s nothing better than mom’s [insert favorite dish here].”

However, once we became more aware of what constitutes nutritious food—choosing the right meats, vegetables, and fruits—we realized there’s a whole world of healthy recipes out there waiting to be discovered.

Meal Planning Beyond Lunches:

It’s not just about work lunches; it’s about transforming all meals. Realizing this was transformative. We shifted from seeing meal planning as a chore to embracing it for health and culinary exploration.

We made a video recently about How Meal Prep Enhances Our Life on our YouTube channel. We would love it if you would subscribe to our channel.

Watch this video on YouTube

Discovering Delicious Recipes:

Enter dishes like our Savory Sunrise Breakfast Bowls, Sizzling Chicken Fajitas, and Sweet Potato Chicken Fajitas—perfect examples of Healthy Meal Planning Recipes that are both tasty and wholesome. These recipes not only taste delicious but also pack a punch in terms of nutrition.

Meal Planning: Some of our favorite recipes. — Some of our Favorite Recipes on our Free Meal Planning Guide Recipe Card Page

Streamlining Meal Planning:

Faced with the challenge of deciding what to prepare each day or night, we realized the importance of having a well-organized meal planning process. Simply deciding to meal prep for the week isn’t enough; preparation is key. To succeed, ensure you have all the necessary ingredients, cooking utensils, pots and pans, and containers for storing your meals. Set up your kitchen space to accommodate all your meal prep needs efficiently. Being in the right mindset and having ample time are crucial for successful meal planning. Meal planning requires more than just a decision; it’s about creating the right environment and mindset for success.

In our upcoming post, we’ll discuss how to create a stress-free meal planning routine. Stay tuned as we share practical tips to simplify your meal planning process and transform your time in the kitchen!

Conclusion: Embrace Healthy Meal Planning Today!

Healthy meal planning isn’t just about selecting recipes; it’s a lifestyle change. Overcome misconceptions and embrace nutritious recipes to transform your mealtime routine and prioritize your health.

With dishes like our Savory Sunrise Breakfast Bowls, Sizzling Chicken Fajitas, and Sweet Potato Chicken Fajitas, you can enjoy flavorful, diverse, and enjoyable meals.

Whether for yourself, family, or friends, meal planning is an opportunity to explore new flavors and nourish your body with wholesome foods.

Ready to embark on your own healthy meal planning journey? Start by incorporating nutritious recipes into your weekly menu and discover the joy of preparing delicious meals that support your health and well-being. Happy cooking!

Our Free Meal Planning Guide:

✅ Helpful tips and instructions to streamline your meal planning process

✅ Weekly grocery lists to make shopping a breeze

✅ Meal planning templates for every day of the week

✅ Space to jot down your favorite recipes and meal prep rotation

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to revolutionize your meal planning routine! Simply subscribe to our newsletter and get your hands on this invaluable guide today!

Curious to learn more about our meal planning journey and the reasons behind our transformation? Check out our previous post for insights into how we’ve reshaped our mealtime routine. and be on the lookout for our next post, Simplify Meal Planning Using These 5 Tips, where we’ll share practical tips for simplifying the meal planning process.

Meal Planning Magic: Your Key to Stress-Free Meals!

Posted on March 22, 2024March 23, 2024 by Evan Glenn

Introduction:

Welcome to The Glenn Home, where meal planning isn’t just a task—it’s a fun adventure that brings us closer together. Follow along as we share our journey from mealtime chaos to organized bliss, and discover how it transformed not only our eating habits but also our lives.

Understanding Meal Planning:

At The Glenn Home, we discovered the joy of menu planning as a family activity. From creating grocery lists together to exploring the aisles hand in hand, and spending quality time in the kitchen on Sundays after church, menu planning became more than just a chore—it became a shared experience that strengthened our bond.

We’ve even turned our grocery shopping day into a fun date! First, we enjoy a delicious lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, then we head to the grocery store together. It’s a blast, and you can see just how much fun we have in one of our YouTube videos below. Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for more fun and inspiration! The Glenn Home on YouTube.

Watch this video on YouTube

Why We Started Our Meal Planning:

For years, we relied on the “what do you want for supper?” routine, spending too much money on fast food and too much time deciding what to eat. But everything changed when health challenges arose. Lisa discovered food allergies and triggers for her chronic migraines, as well as managing GERD through the T.I.F. procedure, while Evan realized he needed to make healthier choices for his high blood pressure. These health concerns emphasized the importance of prioritizing nutritious meal planning for our family’s well-being. To learn more about Lisa’s journey with GERD and the T.I.F. procedure, check out our post here. TIF Procedure and GERD Journey: My Reflections

Despite our busy schedules—Lisa as an elementary school teacher and Evan as an IT professional—we were determined to make a change. With exhaustion looming at the end of each day, we knew we needed a solution. And so, we turned to menu planning.

Flexible Menu Planning:

Over time, we built a collection of recipes tailored to our health concerns and dietary goals. These recipes not only supported our journey to better health but also simplified our meal prep process. With containers filled with prepped meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we were ready for the week ahead.

Oven Baked Salmon & Asparagus

Sweet Potato Chicken Fajitas

Sizzling Chicken Fajita Salad

We set aside time every three weeks to create a grocery list and embarked on a joint shopping expedition. Sundays became our sanctuary—a day dedicated to preparing nourishing meals that would sustain us through the week.

Conclusion:

Our menu planning journey has been super cool, helping us take charge of our health and time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by what’s for dinner, come join us on this awesome adventure! Let’s learn together how menu planning can make life easier and more delicious.

✅ Helpful tips and instructions to streamline your meal planning process

✅ Weekly grocery lists to make shopping a breeze

✅ Meal planning templates for every day of the week

✅ Space to jot down your favorite recipes and meal prep rotation

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to revolutionize your meal planning routine! Simply subscribe to our newsletter and get your hands on this invaluable guide today!

Keep an eye out for our next post, where we’ll share some yummy and healthy recipes we’ve discovered, plus more about our meal prep routine. Get ready to spice up your meals and make cooking fun! Healthy Meal Planning: Finding the Right Recipes

Digital Balance for Families: TECHSAFE Toolkit Solution

Posted on March 5, 2024March 12, 2024 by Evan Glenn

Introducing the TECHSAFE Family Toolkit

The Ultimate Guide for Your Family to Unlock Digital Balance

Hey there, tech-savvy families! Are you tired of feeling like your digital devices are taking over your family time? Do you worry about staying safe online while still having fun? Well, fear not! We, Evan, an IT Pro, and Lisa, an elementary school teacher, created the TECHSAFE FAMILY Toolkit out of a mission to promote digital balance for families, a mission shared by us here at The Glenn Home. Additionally, it’s a mission to promote digital balance for families. Here at The Glenn Home, we hope to inspire foundational family values through our lives as we share them here.

Get a free peek inside to begin your journey to digital balance.

Meet The TECHSAFE Family Toolkit: Your Guide to Digital Balance

The TECHSAFE Family Toolkit is your ultimate guide to navigating the digital world safely and responsibly, promoting digital balance for families like yours. Packed with practical tips and expert advice, this toolkit empowers families like yours to enjoy all the benefits of technology while minimizing the risks. If you want to learn more about the TECHSAFE Family Toolkit and how it can benefit your family, click here to read more.

Here are some tips that you will find inside of the toolkit.

Set Screen Time Limits: Encourage healthy digital habits by setting specific limits on screen time for each family member. Use tools like parental controls or screen time management apps to enforce these limits and promote a healthy balance between online and offline activities.
Practice Safe Social Media Habits: Teach your children about the importance of privacy settings, safe sharing practices, and how to recognize and report cyberbullying. By instilling these habits early on, you can help protect them from online threats and foster a positive and respectful online environment for the whole family.

These tips are just a glimpse of the valuable guidance offered in the TECHSAFE Toolkit, consequently helping families navigate the digital world with confidence and security.

Stay Smart, Stay Safe With Digital Balance

Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from online threats with the TECHSAFE Toolkit. From creating strong passwords to recognizing phishing scams, you’ll discover essential strategies for staying safe in the digital age.

Create Strong Passwords: “Using weak passwords is like leaving the front door of your house unlocked. With the TECHSAFE Toolkit, you’ll learn how to create strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts, keeping hackers at bay and your personal information secure.”
Recognize Phishing Scams: “Phishing scams are like digital traps waiting to catch unsuspecting victims. In the toolkit, you’ll learn how to spot the red flags of phishing emails and websites, empowering you to protect yourself and your loved ones from falling prey to online scams.”

By implementing these strategies from the TECHSAFE Toolkit, as a result you can strengthen your defenses against online threats and enjoy a safer digital experience.

Secure Your Gadgets, Protect Your Family

Additionally, keep your devices and your family safe from cyber threats with the TECHSAFE Toolkit. Discover how to secure your smartphones, tablets, and computers with easy-to-follow tips and best practices.

Parental Control: With the TECHSAFE Toolkit, you can set up parental controls on your devices to limit your child’s access to inappropriate content and monitor their online activities. From filtering websites to setting time limits, you can customize the level of restriction based on your child’s age and maturity level.
Home Network: Learn how to secure your home network against unauthorized access and cyber attacks. With the TECHSAFE Toolkit, you’ll discover how to set up a strong Wi-Fi password, enable firewall protection, and update your router’s firmware regularly to ensure maximum security for your family’s online activities.

Are You Ready to Find a Digital Balance for Your Family?

In conclusion, are you ready to take control of your family’s digital well-being? Don’t wait any longer – empower your family with the TECHSAFE Family Toolkit today and achieve the perfect digital balance for your family! With practical tips and expert advice, you’ll gain the tools you need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly. Say goodbye to digital overwhelm and hello to a happier, more secure online experience for your whole family. Click the link below to get started now!

Protect Your Family Now!