How to Survive the Holidays

7:30 AM

The holidays is different for everyone. Big family, small family, near family, far families. There is no cookie cutter design for everyone and that's what makes the holidays so difficult and wonderful. I wanted to share some tips on how to survive the holiday season.


Away from Home
If you’re in college or are living away from family and friends, there are many ways to cope. We live in the world of FaceTime, so take full advantage of it. It’s so important to stay connected, especially in the times we live in now. There are so many means of communication. Set up time with your family and friends to call them while “cheers”ing over a glass of wine over.

If you want to spend the holidays with people but are new in town, a great way to connect to others is through church (if that’s your thing) or volunteering. Helping others feels good and well, it’s just nice. Great places to start: food kitchens, food banks, shelters, missionaries, etc.


 With Family
Family time can be amazing as it is stressful. The best thing is to find balance. Try to give yourself time to just unwind, relax and breathe. Are you celebrating at 4 different houses, are you making dishes for each or are you hosting at your house this year? Regardless, there are ways to cut down stress. If you’re hosting, suggest a potluck where each person can bring one dish to help lighten the load. If you’re making a dish for each party you’re going to, why not make the same dish for each one? This takes away the stress of having to make 4 different dishes. As far as managing stress relating to family, you’re on your own. Just kidding! Honestly, it can get very hectic with the entire family in one house. Old business gets brought up, new business begins to stir, add alcohol and it’s a recipe for who knows what.

During the holidays, I always try to remind myself of all the things I have to be grateful for, #1 being my family. There are people who don’t have the luxury to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones at all. So, I try to never take those moments for granted. After losing my dad earlier this year, every celebration (big or small) is special to me. I mean, how lucky are we to just be alive? To have food, a home, warm clothes, all of it. We are so so so blessed.


 With Friends
If you’re lucky enough, you have friends that you consider family. If you have friends who love to host and throw parties, you’ve heard of Friendsiving, Galsgiving, Friendsgivingmas and Friendsmas. People love food, people love drinking and people love a good party. Why not take every moment to celebrate what we’re grateful for: the people we care most about?  Yes, this may be another one of those potlucks you have to make something for, but these generally tend to be the party with the lease amount of stress attached to it.


Gift Exchanges and Party Themes
Money can get tight around this time of year with all the parties and gifts. There are a lot of affordable food options and recipes you can pick from. Also, generally the gift exchange is optional and you do not need to participate if you don’t want to. If the party has a theme like ugly sweater, you can make that with anything old clothes you have lying around or ask around to see if you can borrow one from someone. I mean, why spend $30 on a sweater you’ll wear once. Another option is checking your local thrift shop.

I’ve always appreciated sentimental and thoughtful gifts over pricey ones. I value experiences over expensive gifts so much more. Technology changes every year but the memories we make last forever. Try to keep that in mind when gifting this holiday season. The best gift isn’t always the biggest gift.

There is no one size fits all for the holidays (that’s what makes it so fun), but I hope some of these ideas helped. The holidays are not about all the food, gifts or even football (yes, I said it!). The holidays are about spending quality time with the important people in your lives while remembering what you’re grateful for. Happy holidays to you and yours and happy celebrating, however that looks like.

With love,
Linh

guide

Affordable Holiday Gift Guide for Everyone in Your Life

12:52 PM

Gift baskets are a way to give a lot with a little. Since every item was thought out and hand-picked, the receiver will feel the same. I feel like gift baskets are so great! Not only do they get a custom themed gift, they get the container it came in to use afterwards for storage or décor.


Pick a Theme
Food, relaxation, or arts & crafts. The Dollar Tree has so many amazing products all year-round, but they really go hard during the holidays. The trick here is to stick to popular brands and household names.


The Cook
Dollar Tree has great recipe books, so grab one and pick a recipe which you can ingredients for from the Dollar Tree (usually one that involves baking). Bookmark the page in the book collect your items. If you want to skip the ingredients route, you can grab baking supplies and put everything in a mixing bowl.


The Spa Lover
Daiso, Target and most $1 stores have items you can use to build a spa kit. You can add Epsom salt to elevate it a little as well. Include a face mask, eye mask, bath bombs, body lotion and maybe even some essential oils.


The Barista
Have a coffee or tea lover in your life? Build them a coffee/tea kit with mugs, thermos, tea, coffee and cute stirs spoons. Add honey, mint or almond milk to make it special.

The Movie Buff
Grab a popcorn tub and build your own movie night kit. Include candy, snacks and of course popcorn! Add a movie from Wal-Mart (they have a $5 under section) and your basket is complete. That or you can pair them with 2 movie tickets (some companies have corporate discounts, Costco also sells them at a discounted rate).


The Organizer
Put together an organization kit for your friend who loves to do lists. Add note pads, a planner, adorable pens, thank you note set and a calendar.

The Sentiment
In a digital world, it’s so rare to come across a hard copy photo of anything anymore. Scan their social media networks and print some special moments in their life and put it in an album for them. Add some quotes, notes and a box of tissues (just in case).


Useful Gifts for Everyone and Where to Find Them
 -  Handless Phone Holders (for your car)
-  Wireless Phone Chargers (for your desk)
-  Phone Cases (because you can never have enough)
-  Phone Charge (because you can never find yours)
-  Cookbooks
-  Planners

You can find most of these items from Amazon, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Ross and Target. Leave a comment with any other ideas or suggestions.


With love,
Linh

faith

We Have Everything We Need

12:00 PM

Are you a giving person? Are you a generous person? You may think that you’re giving but giving once or twice a year does not make you a giving person. Being giving and generous are two completely different things. Giving a lot when you can is wonderful, but do you know what it’s like to give when you feel like you’re struggling yourself?

Do you know how rich you are? Do you know how blessed you are? Half the world lives on $2-3 a day. If you own a car, you are considered in the top 6-9% of the wealthiest people in the entire world. As reported in Inequality.org, Adults with less than 2% in wealth account for 64% of the world’s population but hold less than 2% of the global wealth. Do you ever go to your closet full of clothes thinking “I have nothing to wear”? Do you know a lot of people can’t even afford to buy new clothes? Do you know that your walk-in closet may be bigger than somebody else’s home? Does your car have a heating option? Does your home have running water and a cooling system? Does your kitchen have a fridge that can keep your food cold and a microwave to warm it up when you’re ready to eat it? Do you have clean water readily available? According to the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Databook, Americans range 4th in household wages worldwide and 25th in median wealth.

With the holiday approaching, I challenge you to open your heart and help another person in need. Whether it be monetary or simply your time. There are so many ways you can help. You can volunteer to help pack food at your local food shelter, help your church organize I canned food drive, or you can spend some time at the children’s hospital reading children books.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.

If you’d like to hear where my inspiration behind this post came from, take some time to listen or watch this beautiful message by Elevation Church’s guest Pastor Craig Groeschel’s “Break the Cycle”. Even if you aren’t a believer, the message was strong and was such a great reminder to be thankful for what I have. On top of that, it reminded me of how blessed I am, blessed enough to be able to help others. Giving feels so good. So, if you’re sad, give. If, you’re happy, give some more. It's nice to be nice and we need more of that in the world.

Let me know your ideas on how we can help others down in the comments.

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 NLT

health

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

12:00 PM



November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of my late father, I wanted to take the time to share some stories, statistics and facts hopefully to help someone out there. On November 2, 2018, I was told that my dad’s stage 4 cancer had stopped spreading. Crazy enough, that was the original wedding date Jonathan and I had picked out. We ended up moving it to November 1, 2019 to focus on my dad’s recovery. My dad stopped the last of this chemo treatment in June due to how it was making him feel. Now, I don’t know if the cancer really stopped spreading of that’s what they told me because they knew he didn’t have a lot of time life. On February 27, 2019 he took his last breath.


It was an incredibly tough 5 years dealing with his many illnesses, but the last 3 years of his life were extremely rough. Watching his body deteriorate from heart disease, lung cancer and all the chemo. My father and his best friend both died of stage 4 lung cancer. One smoked for 40+ years and the other didn’t smoke a day in his life. They both had very different stories, one fought for 3+ years, one for 3 months. Doctors haven’t able to always explain how one person can develop lung cancer and the other doesn’t. But research has shown that the following risk factors can increase an individual’s chance of developing lung cancer:

 -  Tobacco smoke: the most common cause of lung cancer. 80-90% of those diagnosed with lung cancer are either current or former smokers with the remainder having never smoked. This includes secondhand smoke! Smokers are hurting more than themselves as their smoking can damage the people they love and care about.
-  Radon: is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. You cannot smell, taste or even see it. Scary right? Radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer. Well, how do you fight it if you can’t see it? The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests getting your homes tested. The process is easy, affordable and only takes a few minutes to set up (results take more time). You can get a test kit from your local hardware store, online or can have a qualified tester perform the test for you.
-  Asbestos & carcinogens: some professions (especially in construction or chemical industries) have a higher exposure to these substances due to the nature of the job. Check with your doctor often to make sure everything is clear.
-  Air pollution: this includes outdoor and indoor air pollution. Indoor pollution includes those who use kerosene fuel, coal and biomass to heat up their home.
-  Family or personal history of lung cancer – this is more related to similar exposure as the one who was diagnosed with lung cancer rather than genetics (like secondhand smoke).
-  Radiation therapy: sadly trying to cure another cancer can create a new cancer. It may take years to develop, so keep checking in with your doctors.


Lung Cancer Statistics
-  Two-thirds of those diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 and older.
-  Lung and bronchus cancer are the leading cause of death by cancer in the US.
-  The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer patients is 18.6% (colorectal 64.5%, breast 89.6%, prostate 98.2%).
-  The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is 56% for cases diagnosed while the disease is still localized (in the lungs).
-  16% of lung cancer cases is detected and diagnosed at an early stage.
-  More than half of those with lung cancer die within a year of being diagnosed.


Symptoms to Look Out For
-  A cough that gets worse or does not go away
-  Coughing up blood
-  Chest symptoms
-  Trouble breathing, such as shortness of breath
-  New wheezing when you breathe
-  Ache or pain in your chest, upper back, or shoulder that doesn’t go away and may get worse with deep breathing
-  A hoarse voice
-  Frequent respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis
-  General physical symptoms
-  Feeling unusually tired all the time
-  Weight loss with no known cause and loss of appetite
-  Trouble swallowing
-  Swelling in the face and/or veins in the neck


Lung cancer can also spread and cause pain in the back or other bones or weakness in the arms or legs. Which is what happened to my dad. The cancer had spread and wrapped around my dad’s spine causing temporary paralysis and lots of discomfort and back pain to the point where he could no longer walk. I’m not sharing my story to make you feel bad for me. I’m telling it because I want people to be aware of the dangers of smoking. With all the studies out there, smoking has gone down but vaping has been introduced within the last few years and new users are rising every single day.

I don’t know enough about vaping to say much about it, but I know it can’t be good. It took us a very long time to learn about the dangers of smoking and for some it’s too late. Please share this information to anyone you think may need it. If you need someone to talk to, you can email me at labouroflovecrafts@outlook.com. You’re not alone.

Resources:
-  https://lungevity.org/for-patients-caregivers/lung-cancer-101/reducing-your-risk
-  https://gis.cdc.gov/Cancer/USCS/DataViz.html
-  https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/resource-library/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html

A Citizens Guide to Radon: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/2016_a_citizens_guide_to_radon.pdf

decor

Our Very Non-Traditional Tea Ceremony

12:00 PM


My sister planned and executed the most amazing tea ceremony ever. My husband is Filipino and his family is not familiar with tea ceremonies so we decided to do a hybrid version. We incorporated all the important aspects of the traditional Vietnamese/Chinese tea ceremony but made it easy to understand for his family as well (since most of my family doesn’t speak English very well).

The wedding itself was very non-traditional (not in a church, no priest, etc.). I still wanted to honor my heritage and family with the tea ceremony. Traditionally, the tea ceremony lasts hours and begins at the groom’s house and ends at the bride’s house. It includes loads of foods and gifts being carried from one home to the next.

We had a lot of family flying or driving in from out of town, so we wanted it to be as stress free as possible and didn’t want it to last all day long. The tea ceremony can be the day before the wedding but usually takes place the morning of the wedding. We decided to split the wedding events and did the tea ceremony the night before the wedding. I knew the day of the wedding would already be hectic as it is so that option made more sense to me.

My wonderful sister and mother planned the whole thing as a gift to Jonathan and me. All I had to do was dress up and show up. It was so special for us to have his grandmother and parents there to experience it with us. We also invited the bridal party to join in on the festivities.

The basis of the tea ceremony is to offer tea to the important people in our lives and in return they would present us with a gift (money or jewelry). Traditionally, the bride and groom’s parents both gift the bride with jewelry and money while the remainder of the family provides monetary gifts. They also include blessings and sweet words.

My favorite thing about the night was being able to have that moment with all of the special people in our lives. Two of my dad’s sisters flew in from Vietnam just to attend the wedding and that meant so much to me. We had 4 out of 8 of my dad’s siblings in one room and that was just a great moment.

 Making the final touches to the decor before we start

 All designed and made by @soviloveshop

 The stunning snack table

 Giving Jonathan a pep talk and run down of the night's festivities

 Channeling my inner Hua Mulan

Jonathan’s Lola (grandma)



 Jonathan’s Parents


My mother and Uncle (mother’s younger brother)

 My family from all over the world

My brother and sister-in-law (sponsors)

 Mother, sister, brother-in-law & uncle

My sister and brother-in-law

Jonathan's Best Man

Jonathan's Groomsman

Jonathan’s Best Man and Groomsman


 My Maid of Honor and Matron of Honor


Kevin (our amazing photographer) and Keshia (Matron of Honor)

The delicious traditional Vietnamese food 

Shop List:
- Flowers: Trader Joe’s
- Backdrop: Amazon
- Serving Trays: 99 Cent Store
- Balloons: Amazon and 99 Cent Store
- Twinkle Lights: Amazon
- Vases: local flea market

Décor and design: @soviloveshop
- Design/set up
- Floral arrangements
- Balloon arch
- Floral hoop
- Pom poms
- Paper cranes
- Paper fans

Traditional Vietnamese food was made by my mom and family:
- Banh Hoi
- Chay Gio (egg rolls)
- Banh Thay
- Com Chien (fried rice)
- Soy (sweet sticky rice)
- Nem Nuong (spring rolls)
- Buon Tom Cay (spicy garlic shrimp noodle)
- Goi Ca (fish salad)

Snacks: Trader Joe’s
- Assorted nuts
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Dries peaches
- Lindt’s chocolate
- Hummus
- Artichoke dip
- Pita chips
- Crackers

Photos: @kevintsengphotography

Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this night so special!

"The Bachelorette" Themed Bridal Shower of My Dreams

12:00 PM






The bride tribe and my sister (@soviloveshop) threw "The Bachelorette" themed bridal shower of my dreams! Yes, we even had a rose ceremony. It was important to me to have my fiancé there and we decided to make it a co-ed couples shower.





Decor was planned by my sister @soviloveshop and executed by the bride tribe. The delicious food was catered from Stonefire Grill (one of my favorites)! Two salads, two pastas, a tray of breadsticks, 4 pies, a large jar of raspberry gummies and a huge variety of sodas. 

Started taking my walk with God a lot more seriously this year and my mom/sister bought us this book called Beholding and Becoming which helps with daily worship. I've so excited to dig into this.

 The most beautiful lazy Susan to ever exist, created my by sister @soviloveshop.

 Such a super thoughtful gift from my sister (it's our engagement photo).
The issue with having co-ed bridal/couple showers. LOL! What you don't see is my poor mother's face.
 Bow bouquet - Keshia told me I was supposed to bring this to the wedding rehearsal for good luck. Definitely doing that!

This amazing "will you accept this rose" sign my sister made.

 My mom made me read her card aloud in Vietnamese, that's why you see the crazy focus in my face. LOL!


  
We played a trivia game and musical “chairs” with one of the décor pieces. Took some photos, opened some gifts and ended it with a rose ceremony for all the winners.


 This little cutie stole the show. She is also one of our flower girls!




Jonathan and I have always been so proud of being able to accomplish a lot of the things we’ve been able to accomplish on our own. But when I think back, we’ve never really been alone. We are so fortunate to have the continuous support from our loved ones. They have always been in our corner, cheering us on. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that we have a whole village standing behind us because they believe in us and the love that we share. So, it was only right that we invited them all to the couple’s shower.




A big giant, thank you to the bridal party and my sister for such a gorgeous shower. All décor was purchased or created by my sister @soviloveshop and styled by the bridesmaids. Thank you to our family and friends that were able to join us. We are so blessed to be surrounded by so much love.

 If there wasn't a balloon garland, was there even a party?

Thank you to my crafty sister @soviloveshop for helping out with all the decor ideas! I love how everything turned out!

Keshia, my Matron of Honor and her husband Kevin. @kevintsengphotography, thank you so so much for capturing all of these moments. We'll be able to cherish them forever. You are both the best.

Solie - my Maid of Honor

Lastly, a big thank you to my dear friends Jackie and Victor for inviting us into their home to have this bridal shower. I am so appreciate.
With love,
Linh


Décor
     - Happily Ever de Leos sign: @soviloveshop
     - “Will you accept this rose?” sign: @soviloveshop
     - Striped circle fan: Amazon
     - Red round puffs: Amazon
     - Rose backdrop: Amazon
     - Balloon arch: Amazon

Stonefire Grill (http://stonefiregrill.com)
     - Cesar Salad
     - Southwest Salad
     - Pesto Pasta
     - Garlic Bread sticks

Pies
     - Pumpkin (2)
     - Cherry
     - Apple

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