The Purposeful Mom

How Many Clothes do Kids Really Need?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:38:00 +0000

I used to think my children didn't have a lot of clothes. Based on the amount of clothing I saw displayed at garage sales, my kids really didn't have much in comparison, I reasoned.

But when we started to be able to go 2 full weeks without washing anything (except socks and underwear), I began to see that perhaps we weren't as minimalist as I thought.

Seriously, where did these clothes come from? I wondered. I became convinced that they reproduced on their own, like mushrooms. Then I started thinking about just how we filled our drawers and closets.

A shirt here, a dress there. I'd buy things on very good clearance and then forget what we had (because it was packed away in a box) and buy more. Next someone would give us hand-me-downs. Then the kids' birthdays or Christmas would come and grandparents would give clothing as gifts.

It was all coming into our house in a inexpensive manner, but as we go along in our frugal living journey, I'm realizing more and more that a deal really isn't a good deal unless you're going to use it. Our closets aren't overflowing but we're definitely not lacking in selection either.

One of our three financial changes for 2013 is to spend less money on clothes, especially our children's clothes. We are 30 miles from the nearest thrift store and with three children and being pregnant, I don't have a lot of time or energy to browse clothes or go in on days where there are rock-bottom deals, stuff-a-bag sales, etc. Garage sales in our small town don't have a lot of selection and so that's hit or miss as well.

The best ways to make this change seem to be to pare down and minimize our children's clothing "collections" and to stay organized about what we already have so we don't buy duplicates or too many extras.

In our family we have two boys and one girl (until our next girl joins us on October!) and we don't go many places throughout the week. This means that I'll have a chance to wash clothes that get dirty fairly often.

Super duper clearance clothes from Old Navy--I'm going to remember & use them!

Based on our needs and our lifestyle, this is what I'm planning on having (per child):

2 pairs of dress pants/shorts/skirts, in different colors
4 nicer dress shirts (polos, button up, etc)
1 fancy dress outfit (1 fancy dress for my daughter)
5 outfits for play that are interchangeable and can get dirty without me minding
2 nicer casual outfits
3-4 pairs of pajamas
1 swimwear item
2 pairs of shoes, one dress, one casual (read why I always buy new shoes for my kids)
1 pair of play sandals for the summer (like crocs or flip flops)
Seasonal jackets & outerwear as needed
Undergarments & socks as needed

I'm also going to be stricter about when clothes go in the wash. At the end of the day, if it's not noticeably dirty or smelly, it can go back in the drawer or closet. This saves on wear and tear from washing as well so the clothes last longer.

Possible barriers to success:

I'm a clean freak, so I expect the whole "waiting to wash" thing to be a slow process
I will forget to wash clothes and my kids will have nothing to wear but undergarments (public nudity is not my thing)
I will wake up one morning and realize I have gone completely insane

Maybe this seems like an extremely minimal amount of clothes and it's going to backfire. Thanks to the rational inspiration of Stephanie from Keeper of the Home, I'm just going to try this as an experiment this summer, so I won't let go of the winter clothes I've already stocked up on for this winter just yet. I want to see if these amounts of clothing are really consistent with our needs.

Already I've had a little success! I was pleased to find after going through my 2 year old son's clothing last week that the only thing I had to buy new for him this summer were one pair each of dress and play sandals. I've saved some of his brother's clothes and bought a few clearance items last year so that was very helpful.

Likely benefits of a minimal children's wardrobe:

Less storage space used to store clothes for the next season or when saving for the next child down.
Less time washing, drying and folding (maybe my kids can manage it ALL now!)
Better record keeping
Saving even more money!

So the question remains: Will this experiment work? I'll keep you updated!

How many clothes do you think a child should have? How much is too much? If your kids have too many clothes, what is your plan to pare down?

Shared at Raising Mighty Arrows, Deep Roots at Home, The Better Mom, Time Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers, Family Fun Friday and My Joy Filled Life.

Four Essential Items for Frugal Kids Summer Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing some posts that I had last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer.

I am so excited to have another great guest post, this one brought to you by my friend Stacie at Motherhood on a Dime!

Summer will be here before you know it...and along with it, kids who need something to do! As the mom of three little girls (ages 4 to 7), I understand the need to keep them occupied and engaged during the long, hot summer days. Here are four inexpensive items I keep in my "summer activity box".

1) Sidewalk Chalk

Here are a few of our favorite ways to use chalk:

Build a chalk city (this keeps them entertained for so long!!)
Practice letters and numbers
Draw and play hopscotch
Review spelling words

2) Bubbles

Bubbles and summer days just seem to go together. Here are a few bubble-blowing variations you might try:

Body Part Bubble Pop
Use pipe cleaners or experiment with other items to make bubble wands
Make a huge bubble wand from a hula hoop
Have a bubble-blowing contest (Who can make the largest? Who can make the smallest?)

3) Foil

You can pick up a roll of foil fairly inexpensively at a dollar-type store or use a coupon to get a good deal. Here are just a few ideas for foil:

4) Water

Well, I can't actually store water in my activity box, but there are so many fun activities to do with water during the summer!

Make your own slipe-and-slide
Water balloon toss (classic!)
Make your own soaker balls
Scooping and pouring water in a kiddie pool
"Paint" outside with a bucket of water and large paintbrush

Do you have any inexpensive summer fun ideas?

Stacie is the mom of three little girls and wife to her college sweetheart. A former teacher, she blogs about kid's activities, bargains, faith, and life over at Motherhood on a Dime. She also loves skimming through Pinterest to find favorite crafts for kids, homeschooling, and organizational ideas.

Shared at Raising Homemakers, Thriving Thursdays, Family Fun Friday and Raising Mighty Arrows

How I'm Using My eBook Bundle Freebies for a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Have you used your Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle freebies yet? They must be redeemed by May 19!

Here's how I'm using mine for a healthy pregnancy and faster recovery after baby comes!

For the Fit2B Studio freebie, I'm redeeming my 2 months of free membership and using the pregnancy workouts! They have a big variety of videos plus they have safe workouts for those with diastasis recti (splitting of the abdominal muscles) that you can do after giving birth. I have this condition so I look forward to seeing how they'll guide me though it!
With my $15 credit to TruKid, I actually ordered just one item to make my order completely free (plus only $2.25 shipping)! I purchased their baby wash, which has non-toxic and all natural ingredients. I feel better already about what I'm going to be using on baby come October.

I picked the Facial Mud Bundle for my Redmond freebie. Pretty excited about this since I've been wanting to try the detoxing and healing effects of clay for a long time! (Please read up on this yourself, but from what I've read, Redmond clay is safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.) I also added Redmond clay stomach ease capsules for my husband and I to the order, so that shipping was free. Shipping would have been $12.99 for the bundle alone and by adding a $13.99 item, at least I'm getting something extra plus free shipping.

I'm going to be trying the sourdough starter from Cultures for Health, mostly because I've been curious about it for a long time and have never made one of my own! This will be a healthier choice of bread for our family. According to an article I read recently, true sourdough bread can be eaten by those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

Woo hoo! So pumped about my free 3 month subscription to Plan to Eat! You can add in your own recipes and they will give you a shopping list and simple drag and drop menu planner. This will help me organize meals during our busy summer and also for after baby arrives (one less thing to think about and I can do it ahead of time!).

I used my Bee All Natural store credit to get baby diaper rash cream. I've just decided this time that a more natural alternative to zinc oxide is the way we're going to go! (Plus, who doesn't want a free lip balm too?) My order total was $7.20 ($1.25 over the credit for the balm, plus $5.95 for shipping).

At first I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to use my credit to Trilight Health. But then I found their Contract Ease liquid herb mixture for after-birth pains and uterine cramps. Yes, please! Praying that it helps, as mine seem to get worse after each child. My total was $6.99 (shipping cost).

These products have really been helpful for me as we pursue more natural living in our home. How are you using your freebies?

Shared at: Time Warp Wife, Tending the Home Tuesdays and Growing Home.

**This post does contain some affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure.

How to Answer the BIG and Little Questions Kids Ask

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Not a day goes by in my house where many, many questions do not get asked. Some of these are questions that are easy to answer, like, "Can we get an elephant and keep him in the backyard?" but others are not so simple.

Some of them are technical questions, like when my 7 year old son asks how many light years apart the planets are in the solar system or when the four year old asks how old she needs to be before she can cut up cheese slices with a real knife.

Others are the big things. You've heard them in your house I'm sure.

Why do people die?
Why did that guy rob the Cenex gas station?
How come my friend John doesn't live with both his parents?
What does God look like?

Yikes! So many questions, so little time to answer them. Kids are curious. Sadly, there are times when I find myself a bit, well, lazy about satisfying their curiosity.

Sometimes it's because I don't know the answer off-hand (like the one about the planets), so I say we'll look it up later. Except we don't.

Other times I don't want to answer because I feel like I've answered the same question a dozen times {such as "why does my sister get more time on the iPod?" (she really doesn't) or "when can I change into my Tinkerbell dress?" (when I say you can).}

And maybe those smaller questions can be let go without detriment. But what about those BIG questions? How can I answer them in the right way? Sometimes the right words escape me at the moment.

As I'm going along in my parenting journey, I'm thinking there are maybe some questions that I need to answer with care and others where it maybe doesn't matter if I give them the deepest, most profound answer in the world.

To be honest, I'm going to forget to answer the "distance between planets" questions sometimes (although after blogging about it, I might actually look that one up!). And the repetitive questions might get a sigh before I respond.

But the BIG ones? The meaning of life inquiries? Those we as parents should definitely be ready to talk about.

So, is it okay to say "that's an important question, let's talk about it tonight"? So we don't miss the opportunity to impart an essential life lesson or teach a spiritual truth in its full explanation? Or should we simply take advantage of those character building moments, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). Is it possible that the devil will sneak the time away from me later to keep me from helping my child understand the difference between right and wrong (or other issues) in the throes of bedtime madness?

Many times I really need to force myself to stop and answer questions that may seem simple to me but are complicated to my children. It's hard to wrap their minds around why bad things happen or why some families are different than ours.

And it's true, we might not have the time to talk about it later. As parents, we need to evaluate what's really important, but in the moment that isn't always easy to do, especially when we are busy doing other things that seem to need to take prefernce. Yet it IS important to our children, so shouldn't it be meaningful to us as well? Even if the subject manner is boring, it's the conversation that shows our children that we acknowledge their questions and care enough to answer them (or, if we really can't right that moment, make a point to come back to it later when we have learned more about it).

Because if we don't answer their questions, others will. And it often won't be the truth we want our children to hear!

What do you do when your children ask you those big important questions? Do you find it easy to answer them or do you get stumped sometimes like I do?

photo credit: pat138241/freedigitalphotos.net

Shared at: Walking Redeemed, Heart+Home, Time Warp Wife, Deep Roots at Home, Tending the Home Tuesdays and Growing Home.

Mother's Day Weekend Giveaway! The Good Wife's Guide, How to Grow Your Blog and More!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:14:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day weekend! I hope you can celebrate this weekend with your mom, grandmother, children or someone who has been like a mother to you. Even if you are far away, a simple phone call or Skype conversation can be very meaningful, especially if you include the children (my mother-in-law who is far away loves getting homemade cards from our kiddos!)

Anyway, on to the point of this post! In appreciation of this weekend, I am giving away a few ebooks. Each has a separate Rafflecopter and all that's required is a super-easy click for entry!

These eBooks are part of the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle from a couple of weeks ago. They are eBooks that I already had or are not needed at this point in my life but I know they can be useful to many of you! They are free for me to gift as I choose (or as Rafflecopter chooses in this case!)

Here are the books in the giveaway:

The Good Wife's Guide by Darlene Schacht
How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda Vandenberg
Plan a Fabulous Party without Losing Your Mind by Mary Carver
Flourishing Spring: Nourishing Activities for Rainy Days by Michele Augur

Also check out my Facebook post for other eBooks and freebies from the bundle I am giving away this weekend!

Go ahead and spend a couple of moments entering and then enjoy your weekend! This giveaway is open until Monday, May 13, at 11:59 pm CST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Top 3 Tips for Packing for a Road Trip with Less Stress

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:20:00 +0000

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing some posts that I wrote last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer.

Twice a year, in the summer and the winter, my family takes a trip to visit my in-laws, who live 12 hours away. Since we first starting making this trek five years ago, we've added two more children and countless "stuff" that is needed for our stay.

Over the years we've learned some important things about packing efficiently and successfully for a road trip. Here are some ideas designed to keep you calm and help you make the most of the space in your vehicle!

Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Make a Detailed Packing List - Before you begin randomly stuffing items into suitcases {ahem}, it's important to have a detailed list of what you need. Some things you may want to consider when deciding what to bring along:

The length of the trip
The weather and/or potential weather
What activities will keep kids occupied {lots of ideas in tomorrow's post!}
What type of food you'd like to eat along the way
Activities you plan to do while on your trip {swimming, sledding, going to the beach, etc}

What we've found so helpful is to type up a list of the items we bring every time. {Check out this really cute printable packing list!} Then we put in a page protector to be reused for any trip, simply checking off each item as we go and wiping it clean for next time. We add things to the list of course, depending on the destination.

Decide How to Pack and Store Needed Items - We've always had a van to travel in, but this summer will be the first time we've had stow-and-go (woo hoo!). There have been a variety of ways we've tried to pack but these have been the most successful.

Packing three to four outfits plus swimsuits, limiting ourselves to one soft drawstring bag for each person's clothes. This suggestion was given to me by a friend and it was a life-saver!

Roll and stuff heavy sweatshirts and snowpants in the winter. When you roll clothing items you can fit them much more easily into tight spaces or small suitcases!

Pack using a large tote to store all children's clothing, diapers, shoes, etc. When we do this, we pack non-essentials (things we won't need on the way) near the bottom.

If staying overnight on your way to your destination, have ONE small suitcase that you put a change of clothes and only necessary toiletries in for each person so you don't have to drag out all your totes and suitcases when you stop.

Packing activities {books, coloring pages, worksheets, a Trip Clip and "busy bags"} in a reusable shopping bag for easy storage.

Pack stuffed animals, blankies, and other can't-go-without-them items in another reusable shopping bag so they don't get left behind.

photo credit

Be Prepared so Packing for a Trip as Stress-less as Possible! - I tend to get stressed out easily {blame my Type-A, high-strung personality} and so I'm trying hard to tweak the way we pack so that I don't end up just being a grump before we leave.

Start packing 3 or 4 days in advance so you're not doing everything at the last minute {we're still working through this one at our house!}
Give your kids a small list so they can help pack. Yup, half the time they won't do it right but that's okay! It might at least keep them busy and it's good reading practice :)
Eat an easy meal before you leave so there is little to no clean-up.
Try to relax! Realize that it will all get done and unless you have a minute-by-minute plan for your trip, leaving a half-hour late won't upset the apple cart too much ;)

What tips do you have for packing successfully for a road trip? I'd love to hear them in the comments!

You may also like: Five Healthy Snack Ideas for Traveling with Kids, How to Travel with Kids and Not Go Crazy

Shared at Family Fun Friday, The Better Mom

Growing Into a Purposeful Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:26:00 +0000

About 18 months ago, when I first started "seriously" blogging, I changed the name of my blog to "The Purposeful Mom". At the time, I chose it because I figured I'd always be a mom and so that title would fit no matter what stage of life I was in!

But I don't think I really know what that would mean for the direction of my blog. Sometimes people equate the word "purposeful" with "boring" or "overzealous". This can most definitely happen, but I prefer to see it in a more positive way, and encourage you to do the same, no matter what stage of your mothering life you find yourself in!

So, what does it mean to be a "purposeful mom"? Read my thoughts over at day2day joys!

Four Ways We’re Changing Our Diet to Get Healthy This Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 07 May 2013 02:18:00 +0000

photo credit

This past January, I found out that I was pregnant with our fourth child. My emotions were mixed: I love having babies, but I always suffer from extreme “all-day” sickness, rendering me pretty much unable to eat anything but bland food or drink straight water for several months.

About this same time, everyone in our family fell ill from a virus similar to influenza (except me, thankfully!). Once we finally recovered and as the winter months dragged on, we all felt sluggish and tired, probably due to the fact that we weren’t eating very well. Because I could barely stand to be in the kitchen, most of our meals were packaged food. I tried very hard to include fruits and vegetables, but I couldn’t stomach raw foods myself, so that probably went by the wayside a bit too often.

Now that spring has finally appeared (it was snowing up until two weeks ago where I live) and I am finally starting to feel less nauseous, I’m bound and determined to get back to healthy eating habits and make even healthier choices than we were before I was feeling sick. Here are four ways we’re changing our diet and habits to get healthy this summer.

Read about our four life changes over at Untrained Housewife, where I'm a contributing author!

Less Than 24 Hours to Get 95% off a Library of Homemaking eBooks!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Sat, 04 May 2013 04:01:00 +0000

When I got my bundle and started digging into it, I was really overwhelmed. I mean, 97 eBooks is a LOT of books!

But then a lot of wonderful things began to emerge from the pages of these thoughtfully penned {or typed!} works and I realized that what is contained in this bundle has the potential to change lives.

To heal marriages.

To restore your trust in God.

To teach you to embrace your calling as a mother, wife, friend, and daughter of the King.

To give you the tools you need to teach your children about the precious Word of God.

To help you organize your home, one manageable step at a time.

95% off each of these 97 books means they are only 31 cents each! $29.97 gets you a beautiful library of books that will teach you, inspire you and quite honestly, make you cry as you grow in your faith through some of the most beautiful stories of redemption and renewal.

Can I share with you some of the books that have impacted me the most? {You can click on the pictures.}

The bottom line is, I'd love for you to have this bundle. Yes, it does benefit me as a blogger, but the benefits for you are immeasurable.

You can split the cost with a friend.
You can download them to your Kindle device or other electronic device.
You can read them a couple at a time or gift the books you don't need to a deserving friend. {That's what I'm doing!}

Click here to buy the bundle. Or check out the list of all the books one more time! Once it's gone, it's gone and there will never be anything like it!

Some of the links in this post are my affiliate links. I do make a portion of each sale through my links. Thank you SO much for your support of The Purposeful Mom!

Ultimate Homemaking Bundle GIVEAWAY! Tonight only!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:58:00 +0000

The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle sale & giveaway is now over!

Would you like to know the next time a sale like this becomes available? I'd love to have you as an email subscriber here at The Purposeful Mom! You'll receive updates whenever I post (usually 3 times a week) and you'll also know right away when another awesome, money-saving ebook bundle is waiting for you!

The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle has been talked about for a long time and yet tomorrow, this awesome sale will end! This is a one-time deal and this combination of books at this price will never be offered again. {As if you haven't heard that enough already! :) }.

This is really an excellent offer, 95% off of all of these useful resources, and even if you don't want them all, you can gift some to a friend/family member or split the price with a friend at this price!

Yet for some of you, $29.97 is still $29.97 and not an option right now. And I totally get that, because I've been at that point too. Or you might not quite be sure whether you want to buy it or not. And it's good to make a wise choice.

I really believe in this bundle. That it is a small investment in your life as a woman who wants to grow in the Lord and manage her home that will pay big dividends!

So tonight, ONLY through midnight PST, you have a chance to win a copy of the whole bundle--bonuses included! All 97 ebooks & ecourses and $140 in extras--woo hoo! Just enter in the Rafflecopter below.

Psst...Can't wait? You can buy a bundle now {only a little over 24 hours left to do so}! If you win, I'll refund your purchase! How cool is that?! Click HERE to see all the books in the bundle or click the pink button to buy now.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PLEASE NOTE: I have to approve all comments before they are posted. So if you leave a comment, yours will definitely be posted and be a valid entry, I just need to wait until it comes through my email :) Thanks!

This giveaway is sponsored by yours truly. I do receive a portion of the sales purchased through my links, some of which will go to some friends who are in the process of adopting. Read my full disclosure policy for more information. Thank you SO much for supporting The Purposeful Mom!

Need a Squeeze of Freshness in Your Spiritual Life? {Encouragement for the Weary Momma}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:01:00 +0000

Some days are simple, others are complicated. A few days are easy, the rest can be hard. All bring joy, but not all bring happiness {they're different, I think}.

I was supposed to start this post yesterday, but something held me back. Now I think I know why. Because it wasn't ready yet. This morning, we got some disappointing news. It's nothing that's the end of the world, but it was enough to make this pregnant momma cry.

Immediately, I could feel dissatisfaction rising up within me, and my first thoughts weren't those of peace and thankfulness but of frustration and anger. Something tells me I'm missing....something.

Can I be honest with you? This week, I've been promoting this ebook bundle like crazy. And I really do believe in its value. But the first thing I've found myself doing these past few mornings is not praying or spending time with the Lord, but looking at Facebook. Checking my email. Trying to think how I can best communicate my excitement about this great deal without seeming overbearing. I'm sort-of Type A like that.

This morning things just came crashing down. And the Holy Spirit really forced me to take a good look at my priorities and where I am putting my trust. Is it in ebook sales? Popularity in the blogosphere? The assumed results of a family situation that just isn't turning out? I'm thinking we both might know the answer ;) No.

Let's face it, I'm weary.

Into the spiritual growth section in the bundle I went, finding the 1 Peter Bible study, Kept: Secure in His Hands Whatever I Face. God knew what I needed! It's written by the ladies who lead the Hello Mornings study groups, which I was first a part of this past winter. In it I found this beautiful quote:

"This God of ours speaks to us through His alive Word. He bends down from heaven and meets us in the middle of our messy today through His Word. And His Word has depth that cannot be discovered with a quick read. It has layers of beautiful truths and unwavering promises that await unfolding...over time."

1 Peter 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..."

The hope I need today, the hope you need today, is living, through the sacrifice of Christ. Our heavenly inheritance is kept for us, which can bring us joy and promise even when some days on earth seem nothing of the sort.

You know, it's good to invest in great resources. Books from this bundle even, that show me how to organize my home, teach my children about how God desires us to live, manage my finances, rekindle the romance in my marriage and cook and clean like nobody's business. And that is SO beneficial!

But I can't allow the Lord get lost in that process. I want to first nurture my spiritual health, by the grace of God. There are books in this bundle that are helping me along as I spend time in God's Word. That smaller section of this big ebook bundle is the most important part!

Why? Because I will become easily overwhelmed by the endless to-do list that is motherhood and life. I will fail, time and time again, in being the godly example to my children that I want to be. My meals won't always be planned or prepared as healthy as they should be.

So first, I go to the well, and drink from the living water. To seek my Living Hope and bless the name of the Lord. To open the Bible and study 1 Peter or another book, or read favorite verses that give me strength. To trust that "He who began a good work will carry it on to completion". {Phil 1:6}

There's no prescribed time of the day that I must do this {although mornings are good, but don't always happen!}. I don't even have to do devotions alone. Lots of time spent in God's Word is preferable but isn't always possible. And yet, when we...

open our day in prayer {even a short one}
set our alarm for five minutes earlier {just five!} than we normally do & read the Word
post a Bible verse above the kitchen sink {where we spend lots of time anyway}
listen to Scripture-based and Christian music throughout the day
pray with our spouse, just once a day
sit down for a few minutes and learn a Scripture verse {with our children}

....it is time well spent. That is a promise that we can stand on!

How about you? Do you find yourself weary and worn down? How can I pray for you today?

Books that can give spiritual encouragement to the weary mom:

When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly from Generation Cedar
Hula Hoop Girl, by September McCarthy
Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Daniele from Domestic Serenity
God's Word in My Heart, my first ebook, released in February
Love Like Him & Kept, by Lara & Katie at Hello Mornings

Some links in this post are affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for more information. Thank you for your support of The Purposeful Mom!

How to Wear Your Non-Maternity Clothes During Pregnancy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 01 May 2013 03:12:00 +0000

Have you seen the price of maternity clothes these days? It's highway robbery! {At least for someone like me, who loves a good deal and can't afford to spend $200 on a pair of maternity jeans at A Pea in the Pod.}

I don't want to spend a ton of money on something that I will only wear for a few months and even if I have more pregnancies in the future, those clothes may not be seasonally appropriate.

The good news is that a lot of today's current non-maternity styles can be used during pregnancy, at least for the first four or five months, and even longer for many ladies! Some of these comfy clothes can be stretched into post-pregnancy wear as well.

Seven years ago when I was first pregnant, the styles weren't this way but now that they are I'm looking forward to wearing some non-maternity clothes during pregnancy! Plus, it's a good way to maximize my small clothing budget while still feeling comfortable and looking fashionable. Whether it's your first or fourth or sixth pregnancy, you can do this too!

{Read more: My Top 5 Maternity Clothing Must-Haves}

Skirts/Dresses - Try a maxi skirt or maxi dress, found in any basic retail store and probably thrift stores, paired with a cardigan over top or shirt underneath if not to your modesty standards. Most maxi skirts are stretchy at the waistband and easy to fold over or scrunch to your liking. Here's a cute example!

photo credit

The major plus to maxi skirts and dresses is that they can be worn after baby comes as well, concealing the squishy post-pregnancy stomach that we are so blessed with ;) Even if your post-pregnancy time is during a change in season, these wardrobe items can easily be adjusted to fit the weather with jackets over top, boots underneath, etc.

Pants - To lengthen the use of your regular pants or jeans, use a Bella Band (or the Target alternative, a Be Band), which covers you when you need to unbutton. I LOVE my Bella Band and it has lasted me through 3 pregnancies. I use it in the first few months and after delivery. Some women can use it throughout their entire pregnancy.

Purchase some lounge or casual yoga pants/skirt. Look for those that can be folded over in lightweight, loose material that isn't see-through. You can find a super easy DIY tutorial for making a yoga skirt at Make It and Love It.

Source: makeit-loveit.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Cheaper, DIY tips for pants: Use loop a rubber band through the button/buttonhole {I can't do this for long} or make your own maternity bands with another uber-cute tutorial from Make It and Love It for just a couple of dollars each!

Source: makeit-loveit.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Cardigans/sweaters - Non-maternity cardigans or even a cute denim jacket can easily be worn over dresses and shirts. This is where belts and scarves come in as a perfect accessory! Wear your cardi with a maternity shirt underneath and pair it with pants or a comfy skirt, as seen below.

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Jenn on Pinterest

Empire Waist or Tunic Shirts- Tops that are made with an empire waist {a raised waistline} or long, flowing tunics can be great for pregnancy, even through the third trimester for some women. These are also very useful for after pregnancy, as long as you look for those that are not too fitted on the top if you're going to be a nursing momma.

Some people feel like these types of shirts make them feel blousy and look like a tent and I can totally sympathize with that! I'm short and my babies seem to take up my whole stomach and my hips since they have nowhere else to go! To fix that, I'm going to use a tip I found in a new eBook I discovered, Embracing Beauty {see end of post}, by cinching my tunics with a belt at my current natural waist, which is still there, just moved a bit higher ;)

photo credit

Source: abeautifulmess.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Coats - A maternity coat is something I've never bothered with, and I live in one of the coldest states in the US, where the temp can drop to -30F in the bleak midwinter. I just simply put a heavy long-length scarf with it to cover my bump when I can't button it down anymore as well as wear a heavy sweater layered underneath if needed.

Underwear - Buy some low cut bikini style undies in a bigger size and wear while pregnant if you'd rather not pay for maternity undergarments. This is definitely a cheaper alternative. However, I would encourage you to buy extra bras if you increase in cup size. You can use your current bra with "bra extenders" if the only growth you experience is around the middle. If you're going to nurse, you can even purchase nursing bras and wear them during pregnancy to save some money.

Want more simple, encouraging tips for dressing your best and changing your mindset about clothes and finding your style, in any season of life?

The ebooks Embracing Beauty and The No Brainer Wardrobe combine practical simplicity with encouraging advice on how to change your thinking when it comes to the way you dress {which includes many helpful suggestions for maternity and post-pregnancy fashion!}. After reading these books, I felt renewed and refreshed, armed with the understanding of what my motivations really should be for the way I dress and how much effort I put into the way I look.

You can buy each of these books for $9 and $7.99 respectively, or you can purchase them alongside a whole library of homemaking eBooks for $29.97 PLUS get over $140 in bonuses!

On Monday, we announced our Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle!

This sale is now over but here are some of the books from the bundle you might enjoy if you're an expectant momma or mom to a new baby {click on the pictures for more info}:

{Redeeming Childbirth, $3.99} A growth and study guide that has been so encouraging to me so far, teaching me how to truly experience God's presence in pregnancy, labor and birth.

{My Pregnancy Journey, $9.99} A planner and keepsake journal for a special time of life!

{Unbound Birth, $4.99} How to have a natural birth in the hospital {so loving this one!}.

{Stress Free Baby Shower, $4} How to create a simple yet elegant baby shower. I'm doing a baby shower this weekend using tips from Sara's eBook!

{Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert, $9.95} A simple, comprehensive guide to using cloth diapers. I was already cloth diapering before I read this eBook, but there were still helpful tips I hadn't yet thought about!

{42 Days to Fit, $4.99} Oh, yes, please! I'm going to be jumping into this ebook after baby comes in October! If a momma to 8 boys can be in great shape, I can too ;)

Plus....

All these books bought separately would be $74.89! Beyond this, there are books on spiritual life, mothering, cookbooks, cleaning and organizing, homeschooling, budgeting and more! 97 ebooks for $29.97! That's 31 cents a book, by the way. {Psst, you can share the price with a friend or gift the books you don't need!}

What's your best tip for wearing your non-maternity clothes during pregnancy?

Shared at Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots at Home, Semi-Homemade Mom and Raising Mighty Arrows.

Is Homemade Pizza Really Cheaper Than Store-Bought or Takeout Pizza?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:01:00 +0000

Is homemade pizza really cheaper than store-bought? Does take much more effort to make?

Yes. And No.

When I was really sick with this pregnancy, we bought all our pizza. On average, a decent pizza cost $6.50 because I didn't have enough energy to look around for good deals. Even with a good deal, the cheapest I've paid for a pizza that thoroughly feeds my family is $4.50. We have three children and need two pizzas, using some for leftovers the next day, so double the price to $9 at the least for two pies.

And takeout? Unless you get a really good deal, it's probably going to cost around $8-$10 for each one-topping pizza.

I'm super excited to get back to making our pizza from scratch. This is a weird thrill for me. I was telling a friend of my plans and she just shook her head and told me I was crazy. "That takes too much time!" she said. And she doubted that it was less expensive than store-bought.

Because I want to thoroughly do my research, I grabbed a new pizza crust recipe I'd been wanting to try and set out last Friday to find out what a homemade pizza really costs and how much effort it really takes!

My recipe came from fellow blogger Kristy's recent eBook Wholesome Mixes, which is part of this week's awesome homemaking ebook bundle {see more info about that below}. She already figured out the cost analysis for the dough, which is made from her dry mix pizza crust recipe, so I stuck with that price, 55 cents for two pizza crusts.

Here's the breakdown for the cost of one pizza:

27.5 cents for the crust
25 cents for the sauce {a simple sauce made with a can of tomato paste and italian seasoning, you can get pizza sauce on sale often for 50 cents as well or just use tomato sauce}
99 cents for cheese {a bag of cheese purchased for $1.98 on sale}
75 cents for pepperoni {we don't load it on, a bag of pepperoni slices costs about $3 off sale, $2.50 on sale}

The grand total= $2.27

I realize that's a bit of a conservative estimate with the best prices. But even if you add multiple toppings and more expensive cheese, you'd have to pile on another $2.23 of toppings, cheese and sauce to equal the price of the "best deal" store-bought pizza.

Think if you made two homemade pizzas every week, the only effort being to throw the ingredients into the bread machine, roll out the dough and slap on the toppings, which probably takes an extra 5-10 minutes of your time.

You'd save at the very least, almost $4.50 a week and up to $15.46 per week if you usually order take out! What would you do with that extra $803.92 per year? {I'd buy myself a new laptop, that's what!}

Plus, this pizza crust is made with simple, real ingredients, so you know what you're eating!

So! Would you like the recipe? Here it is!

Homemade Pizza Dough
from Wholesome Mixes

Mix: yields enough for 4 pizzas
Cost of mix per batch (2 pizzas): $0.55

6 C whole wheat hard white flour
1 tsp sea salt

Thoroughly mix ingredients and store in an air tight container. Remaining
ingredients and recipe, per batch, are as follows:

¼ C olive oil
1/3 C honey
1 C water
1 TBSP sugar cane crystals
1 package active dry yeast

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (110 degrees); let sit until bubbly, about
5 minutes. Place 3 cups Pizza Dough mix in a large mixing bowl; add oil, honey
and yeast mixture. Work ingredients with a wooden spoon until mixed well. Shape
dough into a ball and place in bowl.

Cover with a damp towel and let rise one hour. Punch dough down and shape into
2 balls. Roll dough into a circle and place on pizza pan; repeat with other half of
dough. Sprinkle dough with corn meal and bake approx. 6 minutes at 350-
degrees. Add desired toppings and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until
crust is golden brown.

We did a few things differently with this recipe:

I didn't use sugar cane crystals, I used turbinado (raw sugar).
I used my bread machine because I'm lazy ;)
We DID use the whole wheat hard white flour. We love it because it's a finer texture than regular whole wheat but still full of nutrients and it rises really well in this crust! It can be purchased in bulk from Azure Standard or you can always just use all-purpose bread flour.
The pizza was baked at 450 for about 12 minutes total, no pre-baking. I always feel like that makes my sauce slide off the crust. If your pizza is at a higher temp, make sure to watch it or you'll end up with some nasty tasting cornmeal on the bottom crust. {Don't ask me how I know that...}

If, you work outside the home and don’t have long to prepare dinner, at the very least frozen pizza would be better on the budget. That would still save you a lot of money over eating out or even takeout. I'd encourage you to give homemade pizza a try or rope your children into doing it--they might even enjoy it!Kristy's book, Wholesome Mixes, which has 24 awesome homemade dry mix recipes that save you time and money, is available for $4.00.

Another crust recipe you might enjoy - Whole Wheat Bread Machine Pizza Dough {with a Little Cheese in the Dough!}

Shared at Time Warp Wife, Beauty and Bedlam, Road to 31, Fabulously Frugal Thursday and Growing Home.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of The Purposeful Mom!

My Honest Thoughts on the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle {You Might be Surprised!}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:58:00 +0000

The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle sale is now over! Below I talk about some of the individual books in the bundle that have had a powerful impact on me, so they may be of interest to you as well!

Would you like to know about the next time a sale like this becomes available? I'd love to have you as an email subscriber here at The Purposeful Mom! You'll receive updates whenever I post (usually 3 times a week) and you'll also know right away when another awesome, money-saving ebook bundle is waiting for you!

Bloggers all over the web have been chattering about The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle for the past week! It's now live and available for purchase, giving you the chance to fill your eBook library with tons of helpful resources all areas of homemaking.

But maybe you took one look at the details of this bundle and ran for the hills. Can I be honest with you? I kind-of wanted to do that two weeks ago when I first saw all the eBooks.

As an author whose book {God's Word in My Heart} is included in this bundle, I received a copy of all 97 eBooks and ecourses for free. "Awesome!" I thought, plowing through all the files.

And then I began to get overwhelmed, my eyes playing ping pong across the screen as I glanced at the beautiful, perfect covers and ginormous amount of homemaking information that was right in front of me.

How in the world am I supposed to read all of these? Can I really get through them in enough time to actually give an honest recommendation to my readers? Will they be convinced that they should add almost 100 files to their computers? I was seriously beginning to doubt myself.

But you know what? As I took a deep breath and began to organize my thoughts and just read, a clear vision came to me about what, exactly, the purpose of this bundle is meant to be. This is what developed as I made use of this bundle:

My 4 year old daughter was thrilled to try all the activities in Erica's K4 Letter of the Week curriculum.

My mouth watered {honestly, it did, because I'm finally feeling good enough to be hungry} as I looked at the photos of the 20-minute recipes {and they really do take only that long!} in Leigh Ann's book, 20 Minute Meals.

I was motivated and inspired to view my body in a different way after reading through Jessica's book, 100-Pound Loser.

Tears came to my eyes while I read Amy's story about her emotional affair in her book, Entangled, and how God redeemed and restored her marriage.

I noticed that people would pay less than $30 for almost $100 worth of Biblical, educational resources for their children, plus get four exceptional Bible studies for their own spiritual growth!

Have I read all the books? I'll be honest with you and tell you that I haven't. And really, that's okay! I don't have a need to read them all right now. Maybe you don't either.

But what's really fantastic about buying such a large bundle of books for such a great price is that when I am looking for a new Bible study, Scripture verses to teach my children, a new chore system that will motivate my family, motivation and ideas for meal planning or a book that takes me through the steps of (finally) organizing my home, one bite at a time, that information will already be there, right at my fingertips, so I won't waste time scouring the Internet but instead be able to use my time for the good of my family and the glory of God.

I am making a worthwhile investment in my life as a overwhelmed and many times unmotivated homemaker, drawing on the expertise of women who have prayed, written and encouraged us with what they are learning. And my prayer if you choose to purchase the eBook bundle is that it will be the same type of investment for you!

Four Simple Ideas for Making this Purchase Work for You

So yes, the ebook bundle is only $29.97 but that's still a significant purchase for many of you! Here are four ideas for using the bundle.

Drop a hint to your husband if you think this would make a great Mother's Day gift! ;)
Split the cost of the bundle with a friend or two. As long as you each only keep the copies of the ebooks you want, it's a perfect way to choose just the things that would be relevant to you.
Gift some of the ebooks to a mom who needs encouragement in a particular area of life. Again, as long as you delete your copies after you gift them, this is a thoughtful way to bless someone else!
If you don't like to read books on your computer, you can easily print out any of these eBooks to make a "hard copy"! You can also upload them to your Kindle, iPad or other eReader. {Here's how.}

What will you do with the ebook bundle?

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of The Purposeful Mom!

The Ultimate Homemaking ebook Bundle is Live! {Plus, a Chance to Win a Kindle Fire!}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:58:00 +0000

The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle sale is now over! Below I share a list of all the books that were in the bundle. Just click on any of the links if you are interested in learning more about them!

Would you like to know about the next time a sale like this becomes available? I'd love to have you as an email subscriber here at The Purposeful Mom! You'll receive updates whenever I post (usually 3 times a week) and you'll also know right away when another awesome, money-saving ebook bundle is waiting for you!

You may or may not have heard all the buzz this past week about the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle, a collaboration of 75 widely-known and respected bloggers and authors that offers a helpful and encouraging library of 97 (!) popular eBooks and eCourses, {worth $640} for $29.97!

I honestly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and definitely not in this price range. {You can read my honest opinion about this ebook bundle at this post.}

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools.

As an added perk, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers!

What's Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies you'll love! More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies...

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)

Get $10 off Union28's original "my husband rocks" tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 25th, 2013 (3 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Super important!: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device. It can be done, I just want to make sure you have all the details first :)

~~AND NOW....the Kindle Fire giveaway!~~

Those of us who are authors in this ebook bundle are really excited for you to own this great collection of books for yourself. We think that your friends and family members {and readers, if you're a blogger!} will love it too!

We are so convinced that several of us teamed up to offer a Kindle Fire plus a copy of The Christian Homemaker's Handbook for one blessed reader!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Rules: An email address is required to enter so we can contact the winner. The winner will be chosen randomly through Rafflecopter (via random.org) and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. One person entering per household please. US ONLY please. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on May 4, 2013.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of The Purposeful Mom!

10 Fun Things to Do with Your Kids, Right Now {Contributor Post by Ashley}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Spring is here, and I know that when it does, I need ideas for my baby girls to get out and do that is fun and affordable. Here is a simple little list I came up with, that has sparked AMAZING memories!

photo credit

· Go in the kitchen, and cook with them. I throw my kids up on the counter, and this is our favorite place to be. They help me make lunch, they love making desserts (try making this easy rhubarb crumble pie), and it’s a great way to teach them about kitchen safety (Don’t touch the stove, sharp knives, etc) Some of the best recipes for my kids, I find here.

· Go outside, and let them play. The weather here in Tennessee is warming up, so I am letting my girls run themselves tired before bed, a great way to get out and get some fresh air, and hear lots of laughter. (Find some frugal spring and summer outdoor activity ideas here and here!)

· Enjoy a book, and turn the TV off. I turn the tv off, especially on weekends. That is our time to dig into their little minds through books, scripture, and cuddle time where they can use their imagination.

· Make fun, simple crafts. Macaroni necklaces, paint handprints, let them get messy at the kitchen table. What is so fun to do is make your own play dough or magic milk paint and let them just dive right in. I’ve learned a messy kitchen means my babies are making memories, and I can clean it up later.

· Go on a walk. Get them moving, and you too. It’s a great way to let off stress and frustration, and a gateway to teach them about nature.

· Grill out, and enjoy eating outside. Throw your favorite on the fire and enjoy a night out on the porch, and while you’re at it, invite family over.

· Rent a family movie, and enjoy a good laugh. My oldest daughter loves this one.

· Plant something. This one is my favorite so far. My girls loved getting potting soil and seeds, and just 4 weeks later, their little flowers are starting to grow!

· Learn a new skill with your kids. Make bracelets, sew, create something new.

· Make a time capsule. Put in some little memories in a box, and let your kids pick them. Seal it up, and put it away for 10 years. This could be fun!

Ashley is just a simple country girl, living in the heart of the South with her little family. She writes to help other women, and for Jesus. You can find her at her blog or on Facebook.

My Top 5 Maternity Must-Have Clothing Items

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I'm edging in on week 17 of my fourth pregnancy and along with it has come the realization that I can no longer fit into my regular clothes! This will be my first full summer pregnancy, so I'm on the hunt for maternity clothes that are stylish and also a good bargain.

You can definitely stretch your wardrobe in many ways, but for me there are a few things I must buy maternity, both for comfort and for coverage. This is what I'll be buying this time around! {If you're on a tight budget or just like to make use of what you already have, be sure to read to the end of the post!}

A Nice Skirt- Deborah & Co. makes beautiful maternity skirts in a variety of lengths and styles. They're a bit on the spendy side {$40-$65} but if you wear the same one with many different shirts and need one for multiple pregnancies, I hear hers last and are of great quality. I just need to get my hands on one myself! An easy alternative is to make your own if you have sewing talent {or have a mother who does, like me!}.

Source: craftinessisnotoptional.com via Jenn on Pinterest

Long, Modest Camisoles {or Tanks} - Now here's the thing. I know I need a few of these but I have such trouble finding maternity camis and tanks that I don't have to pin up as certain areas of my figure increase in size {ahem}. It's good to have long ones to completely cover your stomach throughout your pregnancy, and long shirts are in style now so the length is pretty easy to find. If anyone has a suggestion about where to find a modest camisole that is also long, please leave your tips in the comments! :)

Maternity Leggings - regular ones just won't cut it, unless they are super loose or you barely show until your 7th month (which is true for some women, just not me!). They are great for laying under one of your non-maternity empire waist dresses! I have a pair of full-panel leggings from Old Navy and I love them. I bought them over 2 years ago for my last pregnancy so I can't attest to whether the current style is thick enough or not, but mine provided plenty of coverage.

Source: thestir.cafemom.com via Jenn on Pinterest

A Comfortable, Everyday Dress - The non-maternity empire waist dresses work really well until you get into your third trimester and then they sometimes start looking a little short in the front and long in the back because of your growing belly. For trimesters two and three, I am looking forward to finding a comfortable cotton dress I can wear and pair with lots of things: a cardigan if it's cool, a cute, loose belt {above the tummy} or leggings.

I adore Reese Witherspoon's sense of maternity fashion, stylish yet comfy, and we apparently have the same body type, so I'm looking for something like this the picture below, and I've found cute and more affordable options at Motherhood Maternity and Old Navy, some that look surprisingly modest.

A Pretty Necklace {or a lightweight scarf}- If you're feeling a little frumpy when you're pregnant, especially in the last months, pairing a pretty necklace with a simple shirt and pair of capris or a skirt {don't forget some cute flats!} can help you feel that glow! I love the pretty spring colors in this outfit, especially the bold yellow neckwear, although I probably wouldn't dare wear those pants!

Source: laviepetite.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

Are there any maternity items that are on your must have list?

And if you're on a super-tight budget, don't worry! Check out my tips and advice for how you can wear your non-maternity clothes during pregnancy!

If you're visiting from Facebook or a link-up, I'd love to have you join the conversation at The Purposeful Mom by subscribing via RSS or email!

Shared at Walking Redeemed, Time Warp Wife, and Raising Mighty Arrows

Parenting Our Children by Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:21:00 +0000

When it comes to parenting and child-training, it's easy to quantify how we're doing by the results we're getting:

First time obedience? Check.
Says please and thank you without a reminder? Check.
Eats all his vegetables with great joy? Bonus!

There are a lot of parenting methods and books out there, many with value and wisdom. But I'm afraid that sometimes the way we use this advice is by attempting to "master" a certain course or "perfect" a certain system in the hopes that we'll have some measurable results and purely obedient children who respond delightfully to our every request {because, after all, we've worked hard at this!}.

This has been my response more often than I care to admit. I've become a top scholar at the "school of sin management". And when my children don't behave the way I want them to, my frustration and anger tend to get the best of me. It becomes a cycle that repeats itself over and over again, much to my disappointment. Honestly, it must make my children disappointed as well! When our parenting delves again into nothing but a pattern of law-focused effort and a battle of the wills, we should come to realize that something is missing.

Find out what's missing and what to do about it in my post at Walking Redeemed!

$100 Blessings Unlimited Giveaway! {Easy Entry}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

My sweet friend Heather, from Raising Mighty Arrows, is also a consultant for Blessings Unlimited! I absolutely love all that this company has to offer! Everything is so beautiful and there is a lot of variety in products that suit many styles of decor.

Blessings Unlimited is 'a DaySpring Company' and offers a full line of meaningful products in the areas of Home Decor, Jewelry, Kitchen & Tableware, Stationary, "Be Compassionate", For Kids, and Gifts for Her.

Blessings Unlimited's products are made of high quality material and inscribed with the precious Word of God.

Heather is giving away a $100 gift certificate to shop at her Blessings Unlimited online store! I am super excited for this giveaway and I hope you are as well :) Continue scrolling to enter!

Here's a look at a few of the products Blessings Unlimited has to offer...

"Blessed by the Grace of God" Wall Decor

Blessings Carafe

Psalm 90:17 Square Tray

Tea Cup & Saucer

Using the Raffelcopter form below, enter for your chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Blessings Unlimited. If you can't see the form, please click the link that says "a Rafflecopter giveaway". (Giveaway open to residents of the U.S. only.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Benefits of Eating Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Before you pick up the limp head of lettuce in the produce aisle, consider this: “fresh” fruits and vegetables aren’t always fresh. Depending on the time of year, the head of lettuce you are consuming may have been grown south of the border, traveling hundreds or thousands of miles before making it to your grocer’s shelves. By this time, the nutritional value of this lettuce has greatly diminished or disappeared.

Instead of eating tasteless long-traveled lettuce, you can provide your family with tasty produce by shopping for foods by the season. Here are some tips on finding, using and maximizing the benefits of seasonal produce.

Read the rest of my contributor post over at day2dayjoys!

4 Simple Tips for Getting Your Child Involved in Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:54:00 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing a few posts that I published last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer.

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids," asks Robert Brault, "when you can just have them plant a garden?"

Planting tiny seeds, then waiting and watching as they sprout into fruitful plants, really is like watching many mini-miracles blossom. This is the main reason I love to garden with my children. Gardening makes us stand in awe again and again of God's amazing creation.

photo credit

There are many other reasons to garden together. Among them,

Gardening is an amazing teaching tool. Gardening opens up the door to discussions of plant cycles, good bugs vs. bad bugs, weather, soil, and life. It also helps children visualize where some of their food really comes from (i.e. it doesn't originate on a shelf in Wal-mart!)
Gardening forces you outside. The average modern child spends way too much time camped in front of a computer or tv screen and way too little time outside. (The average adult does too!) Gardening is a great way to enjoy fresh air and sunshine together.
Gardening contributes to the family economy (hopefully!) Growing some of your own vegetables together helps save money on the grocery bill. Even small children enjoy knowing that they are "helping the family."
Gardening helps children learn to love vegetables. If you've carefully tended a bean plant together, chances are your child will willingly eat the beans.

Gardening with your child is fun. Gardening with your child is worthwhile. Gardening is a wonderful way to spend time together.

photo credit

However, if you're new to gardening, the last thing you want to do is jump in, plant a huge garden, and get overwhelmed. Here are a few simple tips for planting a garden with children.

Only plant vegetables you really like and regularly eat. In over six years of grocery shopping, I have bought eggplant once. No matter how fun it sounds, planting eggplant would probably not be a wise idea for our family. Instead, let your children pick one or two of their favorite vegetables to grow!
Start with easy to grow vegetables. Cucumber, bean, sunflowers, and squash are easy-to-grow summer vegetables/flowers you can plant from seed. Tomatos and peppers are also easy, but you'd want to purchase a plant. (Check out Jill's Home Remedies for great deals on non-GMO heirloom seeds.)
Start small. It's so tempting when you're planning a garden to want to put in three rows of cucumbers. However, unless you're planning on starting a farmer's market (or keeping the whole neighborhood stocked) a few plants would be more manageable. It would be much better to plant one tomato plant in a pot and actually enjoy the process, than let a whole garden full of vegetables become a burden.
Realize that even a "failed garden" is worth it. Sure, we'd all love to plant beautiful gardens that keep are families fed for weeks. However, even if your garden fails, the time spent with your children was not wasted!

And now for the fun part: what can a child help with in the garden? Practically everything.

Give your children a small spade and they will be more than happy to dig up the soil (and get covered in it!) Hand them seeds and they'll willingly poke them in the holes you make. Entrust them with a cup and they will gladly help keep the plants watered.

Teach them to distinguish weeds from plants and they'll help keep the weeds at bay. Watch your plants grow together and chances are your children will spot the first ripe vegetables... and gladly help pick them!

What about you? Do you have a garden? Do your children like to help you with it?

Shared at Thriving Thursdays

Anna believes building a home for God's glory is a high and noble calling. She seeks to capture the daily adventure of this calling on her blog, Feminine Adventures. There she writes about her passions: Christian womanhood, mothering little ones and homemaking. Visit her blog or join her on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Tips for Doing Devotions with Your Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 03:50:00 +0000

Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing a few posts that I wrote last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer.

Because even though we got 6 inches of snow yesterday, I know it's spring somewhere!

Today we'll start with something that's close to my heart: doing devotions with your kids!

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says,

"These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

You may be wondering why this is "spring into summer" related, but it's because I think that this season is a great time to begin devotions with your kids or to restart them if you've gotten away from a regular devotional/prayer time.

Family devotions for us are a time to dig into God's Word with our kids from the oldest to the youngest and also to teach them that they can pray to God anytime about anything!

Some basic steps to starting a devotional time with your children:

1. Choose a time of day. Morning, evening or at the dinner table, whatever works best for you. Try to find a time that can stay consistent. If you know that you have evening activities several times a week, night time probably isn't the best option.

2. Make it a relaxing atmosphere. Some families like to light candles before they pray or include music and family singing time. You don' t need to know how to play the guitar or piano to make a joyful noise to the Lord!

3. Pick a devotional book that is age-appropriate for your children. This can be easy or challenging, depending on the age-range of your kids. Of course your Bible is the most important book for devotions but there are many biblical devotionals that can serve as go-alongs. {I talk about one of the books we use in the video below.}

4. Encourage prayer. Praying with your children strengthens their faith and encourages them, especially when you pray over them. If your child struggles with praying out loud, I share in my video a tool that has worked for us to jump-start our children's prayer time. Make it grace-filled and don't force it. You can also read about 8 simple tips for helping a child who is hesitant to pray.

To explain a couple of the tools we use to make devotions enjoyable and teachable at the same time, I've made my first-ever vlog! {It has different info than the post.}
If you can't see this video, click here. {And can someone tell me how I can be sure I'm looking directly into the camera? I thought I was, but now as I watch it, I don't know...}

Somebody, anybody, please watch this and tell me I don't look completely ridiculous. It was completely spur-of-the-moment. :)

And speaking of reading books, here are some tips to keep your kids reading this summer along with some free "reading map" printables!
_________________________________________
*The Story Bible from Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Missouri.

Shared at The Better Mom, Growing Home, Women Living Well, Raising Mighty Arrows, Wise Woman Linkup and Time-Warp Wife.

The ABC's for Godly Children Curriculum Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:35:00 +0000

All last week at The Purposeful Mom, we talked about teaching character to our kids even when we're busy, with advice on laying the groundwork for effective character training, practical tips for character building moments, ideas for making the most of your time and 25+ great Biblical resources that help make our jobs easier!

One of the resources I've discovered recently is from my friend Lindsey at Road to 31. She's written The ABC's for Godly Children Curriculum, with a version for both boys and girls!

What Is The ABC’s For Godly Children?

The ABC's For Godly Children is a comprehensive, Bible eCurriculum centered around teaching children ages 4-10 about the God they serve and how to have a heart like His.

By using each letter of the alphabet a Bible lesson is presented in an understandable and interactive format to teach core truths concerning the Gospel, Godly Character, and Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Your children will learn their ABC's and a necessary Biblical foundation as they connect them through Scripture memorization, detailed lessons, simple crafts, and interactive song.

My Thoughts on the Curriculum

One of the main things that drew me to this curriculum is that it is not just "fluff" but explains some of the foundational doctrines and truths found in Scripture. There are plenty of Scripture passages to read and colorful ABC flashcards that give a verse for each lesson. It is well-designed with a beautiful design!

Some of the topics covered include Christian character and virtues, Biblical manhood and womanhood according to each version, and basic doctrine and theology. There are lots of ideas for crafts and activities for each lesson, as well as a fun Bingo game and Bible verse worksheets for copywork.

I enjoyed reading through the curriculum and am looking forward to using it with my kiddos over the summer!

One thing to be aware of is that some of the lessons may need to be adjusted depending on the age of your children. The recommended ages are 4-10, so there is much opportunity to start more simply for the younger ones and build to using more of the details in the lesson plans with older children!

As the curriculum contains doctrine and theology, it is presented from a perspective that I recognize as reflective of many Baptist churches. This perspective is only apparent in a few of the lessons. It can most certainly be used by any Christian denomination because the curriculum isn't identified as "only for certain churches" by any means! Lindsey's curriculum is solidly based on salvation through Christ alone. I would simply encourage you to read through the lessons before using them with your children in case there are certain points you want to emphasize or tweak to your denominational distinctive.

As with all character training, let's do this with a spirit of grace! Our children cannot produce godliness through their own efforts but with the abundance grace and working of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, they are continually drawn to Christ. Let's encourage them as they learn to respond in thankfulness and live boldly for the Lord! The ABC's for Godly Children curriculum is a tool that will help you with this important task.

Lindsey is giving away a copy of her eBook bundle to one of my readers! Just enter the simple giveaway in the Rafflecopter form below! You will win both the girls' and boys' curriculum and you can always share one with a friend if you only have boys or girls :)

Can't wait? Purchase your copy at Road to 31. Individual eBooks are $8 each or you can purchase the bundle with both girls and boys eBooks for $14.

This giveaway is open through midnight on April 19, 2013.

I was provided with a copy of the eBook bundle for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

25+ Awesome Biblical Resources for Teaching Character {The Busy Mom's Guide to Teaching Character Day 5}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:28:00 +0000

Thanks for joining me for The Busy Mom's Guide to Teaching Character series! If you haven't yet had a chance to read all the posts, here are the topics we've covered so far:

I hope you've been encouraged and challenged as we've talked about teaching character. The take-away I want you to have is that you can do this, with the help of God! Don't rely on your own strength and abilities, instead rely on Him to equip you with the wisdom you need to address your children's individual needs.

There are some great tools I've found over the past few years that have helped us as parents instill values and character in our children. Below are 25+ Biblical and fun resources for teaching character! Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments!

My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
²Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
³For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
⁴If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
⁵Then you will discern the fear of the Lord
And discover the knowledge of God.
⁶For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
⁸Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
⁹Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
¹⁰For wisdom will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Proverbs 2:1-10, NASB

Some of these are free, some you pay a reasonable amount of money for--all are worth it, in my opinion! Feel free to pin this post if it's helpful!

Bibles and Devotionals For Kids:

The Holy Bible - Any version!
Egermeier's Bible Story Book - Especially great for kids age 5 and up.
The Story Bible - We love, love, love this Bible. Worded very closely to the ESV with wonderful questions, activity ideas, prayer prompts and illustrations.
Little Visits with God Devotional - I actually like the older version even better, if you can find it!
The Bible in Pictures for Toddlers - A favorite of all my children so far.
Devotions on the Go - Scroll down the page a bit. These are great for times in the car!

Building Character Resources for Kids

Thanksgiving Heart - eBook that teaches your children thankfulness all year long!
Character Cards for Praying with Your Kids - Free printable
Raising Rock Stars - Weekly Bible Story Posts from 1+1+1=1
50 Things to Teach Your Kids from the Book of Proverbs - Free for a limited time!
Joyful Heart Character Curriculum - For 4 to 5 year olds from Hubbards Cupboards.
Adventures in Odyssey CDs and Podcast - Christian radio programming for kids ages 8 to 12. My son is allowed to listen to some of these although he's only 7 but some topics are geared toward older kids.
Paws and Tales - Good radio programming by Chuck Swindoll, especially for older children
Club Jelly Telly - Requires a subscription for most features, but it's less per month than the price of a fancy latte and so worth it!
Godly Character Traits Free Printable
My Job Chart - Free online chore chart

Scripture Memory Resources

God's Word in My Heart - This is an eBook I released in February. It's a Scripture learning guide with lots of memory verses and suggestions for activities and go-along songs! It's on sale for $.99 through April 16, 2013! Just click this link and use code SPRING13.
Seeds Worship Music - Scripture set to music that we love! Each order comes with two CDs, one for you and one to share.
Scripture Typer - I have not used this program but it has been recommended. Can anyone vouch for it?

For Parents/Families:

Thriving Family magazine from Focus on the Family {free subscription!} - They also have a digital version available as an app!
Doorposts Blog
Wise Words for Moms - My favorite resource!! This has been the most effective tool for us so far. You can learn more about it in this post.
Doorposts Store {I have not tried any of these materials but hear great things about them!}
We Choose Virtues
The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
Get Wisdom! by Ruth Younts
What's in the Bible DVDs - An excellent DVD series from Veggie Tales creator Phil Vischer and very Biblically solid as well as entertaining for the whole family. They have the entire Old Testament out and now have two videos from the New Testament released, the most recent being Spreading the Good News! {Psst. If you click on the link, it will give you 20% off at their online store!}
Praying for Our Children Prayer Calendar - Free!

Apps for Families:

The ABCs of God
Adventure Bible {Lite and Full}
The Beginners Bible
Bible Gateway App {My kids love that it reads out loud!}
YouVersion Bible {You can set up simple daily Bible reading plans}
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast
Adventures in Odyssey Audio App {for Android users, the one for iPad/iPod users is part of the Focus on the Family app}

Do you have suggestions for Biblical resources that you use for your family? I'd love to hear them in the comments. We're always looking for something new!

Be sure to check out the other ladies taking part in the intentional living series {which this series is a part of!}. There are some wonderful topics being shared! Find the list of blogs and post topics here: 5 Days of Living Intentionally.

Practical Advice for Character Building Moments {The Busy Mom's Guide to Teaching Character Day 4}

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:54:00 +0000

When the kids are whiny and ungrateful.

When the kids are fighting and unforgiving.

When we want to teach good habits like diligence, obedience, good attitudes but don't know where to start.

photo credit

I've been there. Maybe you have too. And when I was reflecting on my post topic, "practical advice for character building moments", I just couldn't write last night. And then, as I prayed about and pondered the topic again this morning, I realized my focus had changed.

I'm not an expert on child-rearing. And I don't want to come across as though I have all the answers. Originally I was going to share specific examples and while I will give two examples, I want to just encourage you with some practical things that we can be looking for as we rely on God's grace for those character-building moments.

Biblical Characteristics Formed in Our Children Through the Spirit

The Fruits of the Spirit, as found in Galatians 5:22-23 {But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. NASB}
Wisdom, as found in James 1:5 {If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. NASB}
Obedience, as in the example of Psalm 128:1 {Blessed are all who fear (revere) the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him.}
Repentance and contrition, as referenced in Psalm 51. The whole psalm is wonderful but I will share verse 17 here: {The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.}

Can I refresh you with the truth that these Godly characteristics are imparted by the Holy Spirit? While our efforts certain help teach and guide our children in the "wisdom and knowledge of God", the fact that the Lord works these fruits in them is a great encouragement to us! We don't have to rely on ourselves, we can rely on God! This gives me much relief as a mother :) Pray over your children using these or other verses on the same topics. God loves to communicate with us!

Some Tips for Character Training

When correcting your kids, exhort them not only to "put off" the bad behavior, but also to "put on" good character qualities {see Colossians 3:12-17 for some great examples!}
Encourage your children to love one another, forgive one another and to regard others as better than themselves. These are all great Biblical qualities that God desires to see in us as His people.
Don't be too legalistic, keeping in mind that teaching character is about more than just good moral behavior. There are right and wrong motives for what we do as parents!
Direct your children in the act of forgiveness. Sometimes when they are young, it is a patterned behavior that we have them repeat, all the while praying that they would be transformed to love one another from a pure heart! {1 Peter 1:22}
Allow the emphasis to be on the work of the Spirit, making sure we share with our children that God loves them because of the work of Christ on the cross, not because they are "good people" or because they "try really hard". We want our children to be motivated by thankfulness and love for God and others instead of feeling compelled to make sure they please us and God. The combination of both the law {what we must do in which we realize we always fall short} and the gospel {the mercy and forgiveness of God--the good news!} is what brings repentance and a desire to live with character!
Praise them when they do right! This is something I forget to do often, but it is healthy to recognize our children when they show kindness, obedience, wisdom or any other growth in character!

Two Specific, Practical Examples of Teaching Character

Before I give these illustrations, let me say that I don't do things right all the time. No one does. So if you had any delusions of grandeur about my house always being in order, please put them to rest :)

Let's take our opening lines and use them as examples! For instance, if the 4 and 7 year old are being whiny, we address it every time, asking them to speak to us in a pleasant tone. We remind them that "pleasant words are like honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24 Then we have them ask or say the same thing again in a better tone until we get to the point where it is satisfactory.

Like I mentioned yesterday, if we catch it each time, it begins to get easier, rather than ignoring their whining for a few days and then trying in vain to get them to respond nicely for a day or two and then giving up. Yes, there will be times in life when we lose our focus, but what's great is that God is so forgiving and loving and will give us the grace to start again and our kids the resiliency to bounce back!

If the children are fighting, we address the fighting by calling them over to us and looking them in the eye. We talk about it and often read the Wise Words for Moms chart {I'll share more about that tomorrow} to talk about some Bible verses that relate to the situation. When we ask them to forgive each other, we have them do three things:

Look each other in the eye and say "I apologize for...." clearly and in a nice voice.
Ask for forgiveness.
Hug and receive or give the forgiveness.

This really helps and even though they do it grudgingly many times, it puts in their minds the idea of what forgiveness really is and that we forgive even when the other person doesn't deserve it.

Your turn! Share your advice for those character building moments. How do you address fighting, whining and anger? I'd love to hear your advice. Your questions are welcome too if you have something specific you're dealing with.

Join me tomorrow where I'll be sharing 25+ awesome, Biblical resources for teaching character {the list keeps growing!}.

Be sure to check out the other ladies taking part in the intentional living series {which this series is a part of!}. There are some wonderful topics being shared! Find the list of blogs and post topics here: 5 Days of Living Intentionally.

The Purposeful Mom

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This sale is now over but here are some of the books from the bundle you might enjoy if you're an expectant momma or mom to a new baby {click on the pictures for more info}:

What's your best tip for wearing your non-maternity clothes during pregnancy?

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Is homemade pizza really cheaper than store-bought? Does take much more effort to make? Yes. And No.

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The Ultimate Homemaking ebook Bundle is Live! {Plus, a Chance to Win a Kindle Fire!}

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Parenting Our Children by Grace

$100 Blessings Unlimited Giveaway! {Easy Entry}

The Benefits of Eating Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

4 Simple Tips for Getting Your Child Involved in Gardening

Tips for Doing Devotions with Your Kids

The ABC's for Godly Children Curriculum Giveaway!

What Is The ABC’s For Godly Children?

25+ Awesome Biblical Resources for Teaching Character {The Busy Mom's Guide to Teaching Character Day 5}

Building Character Resources for Kids

Scripture Memory Resources

Practical Advice for Character Building Moments {The Busy Mom's Guide to Teaching Character Day 4}

Biblical Characteristics Formed in Our Children Through the Spirit

Some Tips for Character Training

Two Specific, Practical Examples of Teaching Character

Is homemade pizza really cheaper than store-bought? Does take much more effort to make?

Yes. And No.