I would very much appreciate prayers from you as I am due tomorrow (Nov 17th) with our first child! So prayers for a safe labour and delivery of baby and mama would be very much appreciated! (I would ask for prayers for a speedy labour too but I don’t want to be greedy 😂) I love how warm and cozy your house is and your family that makes it feel like that! I am striving for a more minimal lifestyle since we have a small home (900 sqft) to make it more cozy and less cluttered! You are truly an inspiration as a mama, minimalist and fellow sister of Christ!
Hey Natalie, I'm from Pakistan, my name is Samanthaand have been following you since your second pregnancy. I am so in love with your work, love for bubs, homemaking and love for God. Thank you for being such a believing mum. You inspire me to be a better person. Please pray for me and my family. Currently we are living with our in laws but are looking for our own accomodation. We haven't been able to find our cozy nook so far. Please pray that we would be able to find a house that God has chosen for us. Lots of 💕
It's incredible how EVERY SINGLE ONE of your video brings me hapinness. I don't know how to explain it but I love it. Thank you so much for sharing with us! Love from France ❤
I am having a baby this week! My twin boys are five and I am feeling all the vast emotions of excitement for adding our new little one but also the anxiety of sharing my attention and patience with a new baby. I would appreciate all the prayers during this exciting transition to a family of five. Thank you for always being such an encouragement in the RU-vid world.
My mom used to have one of those Christmas countdown things with the pockets and she would put a piece of candy in each pocket for us and we would get one small candy everyday counting down to Christmas!
You are so lovely and possitive. I love how you speak about meaning of the Christmas and about Jesus. If you'll be so kind and pray with us for sibling to our son. He was miracle after 11 years of marriage (now he is 2) and I really feel he needs sibling. I know it's asking too much....but we hope and pray 🙇♂️😇❤
Please pray for me and all other college students right now doing online school just to stay motivated and diligent as we study. Your videos definitely give me motivation to get stuff done, I love your “get it all done with me” series!
Aw, thank you! I just resigned from a job where I was being mistreated. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I am struggling to trust God as I wait to hear on other applications. Work has been so hard since graduating and I am still trying to find my place, but I know God is with us as we walk with Him. Your heart is precious to me, and I hope and pray to be a momma like you one day 💙
This video was exactly the mood I needed this morning! As for a prayer request, I’m starting a new job tomorrow after taking a year off when I had my son. Definitely nervous but also excited!!
Finally sewing the numbers on our fabric advent calendar that I made a couple of years ago whilst watching this 🎄 We correspond the numbers with the days of December so on the 1st we open the pocket with 1 and work our way up. It's probably easier to remember that way!
Your videos truly are the best way to start my week. My family isn't near me so watching you and your beautiful family helps me not to feel so alone. Sorry for getting deep so early.. lol. Just, thank you ♡
I love your videos, I am always waiting for the next one to come onto my RU-vid feed. My sister and I had those reusable advantages calendars and my mom would put a little toy or piece of candy in each pocket so when you got to the day (counting up to the 25th of December) you had a little something to keep you until Christmas. Also, please keep in your prayers my father who has had multiple heart procedures and surgeries since April, especially now here in Washington with the influx of cases and the shut down that if anything happens he can get to a hospital safely.
OMG I am the same way with Avocado! I was never crazy about it but everyone kept saying how good it was for you but I tried it when I did a FODMAP diet to see what my stomach problems were and as soon as I had a quarter cup of it I was on the floor crying in pain!! I can have a little bit of it in sushi but no more then that. I also discovered that my stomach can’t handle amounts of onion, garlic, gluten, milk, beans, lentils and a few other random things. It’s incredible what you can learn about your body. For me I had a stomach bacterial virus a few years ago and it basically killed the lining of my stomach so its been the last few years of me learning how to rebuild it and what it can handle to help my now diagnosed IBS and GERD improve. Love how you are so relatable in so many ways! Love ya! :)
Thank you for another lovely vlog. For the advent calendar we count up from 1 to 25, then it's the same as the date and I don't loose track 😆 For the dirty chai I make my own syrup, it's really easy and then there's no chemicals in it which affect my gut. 2 tbsp cinnamon; 1 tbsp cardamon; 1 tbsp ginger; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; 1/2tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 cup water. Combine and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce it. Add in 1/2 pot (1 mug) of brewed tea. Strain and bottle. I find it keeps well in the fridge for about a month, maybe longer but I've used it up by then!
Your house 🏡 always look so good! It’s the everyday thing with young children for things to get dropped on the floors, spilled, etc... How I would love to have my children young again! I remember one day I made pudding, turned my back and next thing I know they had had a pudding fight and it was everywhere lol 😂 l cleaned it up and a few days later I was still finding pudding in places I had missed (my lampshades) Your videos are an inspiration and I love watching them! Love your Christmas tree ♥️🎄 platters you bought! They’re perfect for serving cookies 🍪 etc... As for the advent calendar I think you would start on day 25 and work your way up to day 1 Thank you for sharing your routines and beautiful children with us! ♥️🎄🎁
Would you do a video walking us through your daily devotions? If not, I get it - they can be pretty personal! Just thought I'd ask because I'm looking to change my routine up a bit! haha
We have a wooden advent calendar with little drawers. I put a Lindt truffle in each drawer and we take turns getting to open the drawer each day! We open the “1” drawer on 12/1 and “2” on 12/2 etc 🙂🎄 I love the opal house one you found! So cute!
Just love you videos! Your voice is very calming. I love how intentional you are with things. What a good Mom and wife you are! Praying God’s blessings over you and yours!!
We grew up with an advent calendar; it was a quilted Christmas tree hanging and my mom would tie sixlets for us to have as a snack everyday leading up to Christmas. Great memories! ❤️🎄
Here in Germany the Advent calender is a tradition. But we only go to 24 because here Santa is coming on Christmas Eve already. The calender basically starts on the 1st of December. So you start at 1 and go till 25. Which also means you can always have the kids check a regular calender what date it is and then empty the according pocket. I love your videos but this is the first time I actually comment. 😇 So thanks for always taking us along.
I had an advent calendar like that growing up and my mom would put a Hershey kiss in each pocket and we could start at one for December 1st and move it each day. My brother and I would take turns moving it because whoever moved it got the Hershey Kiss and we could get excited knowing each day we were getting closer to Christmas.
I'm kinda new to your channel but I love you and your family, and your videos always leave me feeling happy and motivated. 😊 Thanks for putting out positive and raw content for your viewers. I also appreciate that you're openly Christian...it is very refreshing.
I love your little herb garden, what a great idea. I just love your channel Natalie! I live in Western Australia and I love watching your life all the way over in Seattle. By living your beautiful simple life you bring the world so much joy and inspiration. Thank you for all the effort and love you put into creating your videos. God bless you and your beautiful family❤️
the mini herb garden is so cute and space saving and so handy in the kitchen.you are such a lovely person with a very big heart to pray for every one.love you for that.have a great and wonderful day.
I am in the UK and I have to say my favorite Christmas dessert is the very British Mince Pie! it's mainly a mixture of dried fruit, spices, and brandy! I prefer them to have less brandy in them! Yum! I know Toad in the Hole as Yorkshire Pudding with Sausages baked in them, it's an evening meal thing!!
We always took an item from the pocket for the specific day for our advent calendars. Like, on Dec 1, take the item from 1, Dec 2 = day 2. Makes it easier to remember. Also, with your dryer, we had the same issue and we had a company come vacuum out our dryer vent and it significantly improved everything. Usually that's the issue unless your dryer is super old...
Thank you for letting your light shine! For being a beautiful positive, and encouraging woman of God! Can’t wait to watch you and #minimalmom soon on FB!!! Two of my favorite people! 🥰
Moving to a foreign country this week and excited to take you with me 😊 loads of prayers for a smooth and safe travel. Also- thank you for keeping it real. As I’ve been prepping for this move the last few weeks I have been going back to watch all your videos and they are so calming and encouraging. Thank you for sharing your beautiful self and beautiful family with your RU-vid family 💙
It’s so interesting to hear that those advent calendars are not very common there. Growing up here in Finland, we always had one and I now have one for my kid. He’s not even 3 yet sand not into sweets or anything, so this year I’ll have a short portion of a Christmassy story in each pocket so we can continue the story each morning. I’ll also “draw” the story into his back with my finger since he loves that right now.
In Germany it’s very Common too! Everyone knows about advent calendar and most of the people have one. Also I was pretty shocked about some people in the comments calling them countdown to Christmas because for me the right word is “advent calendar”
I was having such a hard day and I saw your video maxspect and I watched the whole thing you are such a calming person the coffee it look delicious have a good one
I love love love watching your videos, it helps give me the motivation to get my house in order and not make me feel like I’m the only who is cleaning, and makes me strive to be a great wife and mom and learn to take me time because I deserve it just as much as anyone else❤️ so thank you for that!!!😘❤️
Hi,I’ve just found you.What a beautiful family you are.I love than you have your time with Jesus under your tree& how kind of you to pray for people i can’t get over that.I am going to subscribe now as I’m sure I’m going to love your channel.Much love from my family here in the uk to your 🤗🙏🏻
Hi Natalie! Didn’t make it for the premiere this week but getting it all done today instead. Always nice to ”hang out” with you and your Family for a while 🧡
Your get it all done vedios are very inspiring... Thank you so much Your goal to make us feel cozy and to encourage us to get up and finish our staff 👍❤️
Great way to start my week. Big cup a coffee, and holiday decorating with Natalie. I'll be working on my diy ornaments I make each year for the grands while I watch.
I actually made a Christmas countdown for my son over the weekend. I made origami paper bags and together we stuffed them with candy and he wrote the numbers on each bag. It kept him entertained and he was able to practice writing his numbers. Not as sustainable as yours, but it was a super fun project!
I love your positive attitude, it is always uplifting to listen to you and watch your videos. My favorite christmas baking is "vanille-Kipferl". Thanks a lot for all your effort and positivness. Have a great day and week.
We have a reusable countdown calendar like that and at the beginning of the month I write down 24 seasonal activities on small pieces of paper that we discover each morning like "build a snowman", "make a Christmas craft", "go caroling", "attend our local live nativity", "bake Christmas cookies", "wrap presents", etc.
This is what I do too! Over the years I learned to up my game. I keep a master list tucked somewhere near the calendar or in my phone so I can check ahead and not be caught off guard to make cookies or go somewhere. I have “extras” or easy ideas to sub if need be. I have to do that with the “build a snowman” activity because we don’t always get snow, but when we do... 😁I’ve got it ready to swap into the calendar!
I do chicken in the crockpot like that too, we love it for tacos. The trick is that you have to shred the chicken while it is still in that liquid. Just shred it with 2 forks in the crockpot when it is done cooking. The meat soaks it all right up and turns into that perfect consistency you were wanting!!
I am a first year teacher so I get Thanksgiving week off and I definitely needed this video! I have a long to do list before Thursday Abe your videos are motivating yet calming.
Give me all the Christmas and motivational videos! This video made me pull the crock pot out! I love how you say the home is your job as well, made me motivated to try harder at home ❤️🎄
I have just seen an advent calendar set up to allow the family to put a note on every day of something for which they are grateful. By the time Christmas day arrives, everyone is feeling truly blessed. You might also put a little task of generosity in each pocket; such as make a card for an elderly neighbor, draw a picture of Grandma, bake some cookies, warm up leftover vegetables and put them outside on a cookie sheet for the birds in cold weather and so on. I love the intentional focus on the entire season and not just one day.
Natalie, your videos are sunshine in my days and I look forward to watching them on days my body doesn't want to cooperate! I know you understand what those days are like. I have a very rare vascular condition that causes random arterial dissections and ruptures. I have had several in the last month and though it makes life hard, I am focusing on my one year old daughter whose adoption is finally being finalized in the coming month after being placed with us and waiting for finalization due to COVID. It's crazy how life can go from one extreme to the next. My heart goes out to all who suffer with ANY debilitating illness. Prayers and love for all of you.
Thank you for offering to pray for us! I constantly need parenting prayers. We are potty training, starting solid food, and dealing with aggression in our 3 different kids... It takes a lot of patience, wisdom, and self control!
Try shredding the chicken in the crock pot using an electric hand mixer-then simmer in the crock pot a little longer to get it really soft and shredded! Works every time!
Thank you for sharing a day in the life of your beautiful family, it's so heartwarming! I'm absolutely going to try that dirty chai, but I'll have to make my own chai tea , I don't think we have this type of premade chai tea here in Switzerland... we do the same thing with rice after dinner! ;) It's so good to see other people on the other side of the world deal with the same everyday issues. ;) It makes this channel so relatable, and I really appreciate that. Also, love the music that you choose for your videos!
Love seeing you incorperate your faith into more videos! Super inspriring :) also the Trader Joe's schoolhouse cookies are my childhood FAVORITE I love them so much!
I also get stomach pain after eating avocados. Never met someone with the same issue. Glad I’m not alone anymore! :D Love your content a lot Natalie - keep up the good work! All the best and sunny greetings from Germany.
So, how can you tell when you are keeping your house clean? When you are going through the sets of holiday scents from Mrs Meyers too fast! However, I just found the Peppermint scent on Amazon! Who Hoo! Loved your video!
For the dryer having issues drying clothes see if you can do a deep clean, there might be an abundance of dryer fluff(what i call it) in there that you cant reach normally or in the pipe behind it, it is also a fire hazard if that is happening. you will notice a weird smell when you open the dryer or it seems moist in there when the dryer goes off which is a good signal its time to clean it 🙃
Oh my goodness! Natalie, did you get that vintage nativity ornament at a local thrift store? My grandmother recently passed away and wanted to bless others with her ornaments and we donated some of them, and that was one of them! It was so special to her and us ♥️ I’m glad it has a new family’s tree to bless. Merry Christmas from my family to yours.