My family regularly watches NETFLIX, and today I’m sharing 5 reasons why we LOVE it. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX, but all opinions are my own.

Several years ago, my family ditched our cable TV for NETFLIX. Really? We couldn’t afford cable anyway, and Netflix allows us the opportunity to view lots of family-friendly shows without going in the hole financially.

Check out 5 reasons why we love Netflix so much that we will never go back to cable!

1. Netflix is affordable.

OK, this one is a no-brainer. I think even basic cable in our area costs upwards of $35+. Our Netflix membership is $7.99 per month. That’s for unlimited streaming of a wide array of TV shows, documentaries (one of my favorites!), movies, and, especially, quality programming for kids.

2. There are NO commercials on Netflix!

I don’t think it really hit me that my kids had never been exposed to commercials until they were watching TV at their grandparents’ house one day, and they got upset that the show had “gone off”! It was really a commercial!

It was then that I became so thankful that they are not inundated with the latest toy or gadget big businesses are marketing to kids–not to mention all the junk food commercials! (Or commercials for adult TV shows that can be inappropriate for little eyes–to say the least!)

3. We can watch Netflix on-the-go.

I have the Netflix app on both my phone and Kindle (we don’t have an iPad, but you can get it there as well!). I cannot tell you how convenient it has been to let my girls enjoy a family-friendly and educational TV show while waiting in doctor’s offices or on long car rides.

You can watch your favorite TV shows and movies anywhere, any time you want. Netflix is available on hundreds of devices, which you probably already have at home!

4. Netflix provides family-friendly and educational programming for my kids.

Netflix has recently added new content from Hasbro, Disney Jr. and Cartoon Network. The dedicated kids section has family favorites appropriate for children ages 2- 12. All content is selected with help from Common Sense Media to provide ratings, reviews and information so parents can easily make choices for their kids!

Some of my girls’ favorite shows include My Little Pony, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Angelina Ballerina and Curious George.

My Little Pony teaches about friendship and how to resolve conflict in relationships. Some of the values the show teaches include honesty, loyalty, kindness and generosity. It’s my oldest little girl’s absolute favorite show, and in a couple of weeks she will have a My Little Pony 5th birthday party!

Curious George is another favorite for both my 2 1/2 and almost-5 year old. Curious George teaches children about exploring the world, and the show is actually where my husband and I first learned about composting several years ago. (Not that we have ever been caught watching it after the girls have gone to bed or anything. )

We will sometimes watch these shows together as a family, which allows us the opportunity to discuss with the girls what they are learning.

To read more about kids watching TV, check out Emily’s post on Managing Screen Time for Young Kids.

5. Netflix allows you to watch programming on more than one device at a time–for no extra cost.

Now, I’m not saying that we use this very often, but, in theory, my husband and I can be watching a Netflix show on the TV, while someone else can be watching a different show on a phone or on a Kindle Fire.

Streaming is easier than you think. Download the free app on your iPad, click on the Netflix app on any gaming device or visit Netflix.com on your computer – and you’re in business. Check it out here!

Netflix has family favorites from Disney, Disney Jr., Hasbro, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks that are available to stream anytime, anywhere.

What are you watching on TV with your family? Do you have Netflix? Why do you love Netflix–or what has kept you back from getting a Netflix membership?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

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This week we’ve been talking about natural, homemade laundry care. After checking out some homemade laundry detergents and a list of 30+ ways to use white vinegar, today I’m giving you a list of  10+ homemade stain removers.

And I’m also telling you about what I see as the absolute BEST, all-natural stain fighter (and it happens to be FREE!).

I had to make some major switches to my laundry routine when I converted to cloth diapers. When I discovered I couldn’t use conventional stain removers on my diapers, it made me re-think the stain removers I had been using on my clothes. Were they safe?

Not always.

I imagine some of you are in the same boat.

Image by the.barb

The components of a good stain remover

In a nutshell, if you keep the following items on hand, you should be able to easily create your own homemade stain remover:

• white vinegar
• baking soda
• oxygen bleach
• hydrogen peroxide
• lemon juice
• natural soap (like Fels Naptha)
• the sun (it’s FREE!)

The BEST stain remover EVER (and my personal favorite)

After I began cloth diapering, I discovered that if my diapers came out of the wash with a stain, I could easily get it out…in the sun! The first time I discovered this you would have thought I had discovered magic! I have sunned horribly-stained diapers before that have whitened right up after a few hours in the sun!

The key is to place the diaper–or article of clothing, etc.–in the full sun while it is still very wet.

You can also spray the stain directly with either a little vinegar water, lemon water or a mix of diluted hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach.

This has been the easiest, cheapest and best stain remover for me!

Image by Violentz

Want even more homemade, all-natural stain removers?

Check out these 10 homemade, all-natural stain removers!

1. DIY Laundry Stain Remover by The Prairie Homestead

2. Natural Bleach Alternative by Crafty Little Gnome (just 3 ingredients!)

3. Hydrogen Peroxide Magic by One Good Thing by Jillee (who needs bleach when you have hydrogen peroxide?!)

4. A Surprising Ink Stain Remover by One Good Thing by Jillee (Clearly, this woman is full of way more than just one good thing!)

5. Homemade OxyClean by Grocery Cart Challenge (great for a spot cleaner OR to add to the wash!)

6. Citrus Enzyme Spray by Eco Karen

7. Homemade, All-Natural Laundry Stain Remover by Live Renewed (This blog is chock FULL of green living tips!!)

8. Stacy’s Stain Removal by Stacy Makes Cents

9. Homemade “Shout” Stain Remover by Kitchen Escapades

10. Green Carpet Stain Remover by Chase and More

Bonus: How to Get a Set-In Stain Out of Carpet by… me (because who else would let a popsicle stain sit for days on end because she didn’t know how to clean it?)

Have you ever made your own homemade, all-natural stain remover? What is your preferred stain remover?

Top Image by Rennett Stowe

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White vinegar is an amazing, non-toxic tool that should be in every natural homemaker’s arsenal. It’s natural, frugal and even edible!

Check out these 30+ ways to use white vinegar:

1. as a fabric softener

2. as a stain remover

3. as an odor neutralizer: I will run 1/4-1/2 cup to a rinse cycle if my wet clothes have sat in the washing machine for too long!

4. to make a multi-purpose cleaner

5. to remove wallpaper

Image by Live Renewed

6. as a dishwasher rinse aid

7. to clean burnt pot and pans

8. to make homemade disinfecting wipes

9. as a no-streak glass cleaner

10. as a homemade bug repellent

11. to clean crystal

12. as a hair rinse

Image by Accidentally Green

13. as a facial toner

14. to kill weeds

15. to make homemade produce cleaner

16. to make homemade liquid dish soap

17. to clean the microwave

18. for non-toxic cleaning

19. to make homemade liquid laundry detergent

Image by Whole New Mom

20. to keep your windshield from frosting in the winter

21. to make a homemade, non-toxic oven cleaner

22. to dye eggs

23. to soothe a bee sting

24. as a shower cleaner

25. as a homemade dusting spray

26. to clean your coffee pot

27. to make homemade furniture polish

28. to clean your crock pot

29. as a safe bathroom cleaner

30. to make homemade “Fauxbreeze“(a natural spin on Febreeze) or

Don’t like the smell of white vinegar (my hubby hates it!)? Check out this DIY citrus-infused vinegar and lavender-infused vinegar. (You can even use them as a body splash!)

And check out this post of DIY green cleaning recipes for even more inspiration!

Do you use white vinegar in your home? What are some ways that you use white vinegar?

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I’ve never made homemade laundry detergent. Oh, it’s been on my {too} long to-do list of things I eventually want to try my hand at making. But much like homemade toothpaste, I just haven’t gotten there yet.

(It’s probably because I’m pretty satisfied with the natural and eco-friendly detergent I am already using!)

I have, however, been collecting homemade laundry detergent recipes and pinning them to my “For the Home” board on Pinterest. Maybe one of these day I’ll get around to making these.

In the meantime, you can try one of these homemade laundry detergent recipes and tell me what you think:

1. DIY Powdered Soap Nuts

This recipes from Eco-Friendly Family looks phenomenal. I have tried soap nuts a few times and still have some leftover from my last Jenuinely Pure review. I love that they are 100 percent natural!

This recipe is unique from other homemade detergent recipes in that it appears to be cloth-diaper safe! (In my eBook, I recommend staying away from many homemade detergents because those that use soaps like Fels Naptha or Ivory can leave residue on your cloth diapers.)

Image by Stacy Makes Cents

2. No-Grate Homemade Laundry Detergent

This detergent sounds like a detergent after my own heart! One reason I’ve never delved into making my own homemade laundry detergent was the grating. I don’t even like grating cheese; why would I want to take all that time to grate soap?

(Ok–I know I must sound really lazy here! But I am a mom of three little ones!)

Now, I haven’t tried this yet, but this is another homemade laundry detergent recipe that at least appears to me may be cloth-diaper safe! Since I use Dawn dish soap to strip my cloth diapers, I would not hesitate at least using this homemade laundry detergent on them occasionally.

3. Easy Homemade Laundry Detergent

This one had me at “easy.”But, it does require some soap grating. However, the blogger does make it look not very hard at all–with the use of a food processor.

Image by moonlightbulb

4. Homemade Liquid Soap Nuts

As it suggests, this homemade detergent also uses the perfectly natural soap nuts as its base! Although I believe powdered detergent dissolves better when washing cloth diapers, I actually prefer using a liquid detergent to wash clothes.

5. Homemade Castile Laundry Detergent

Here’s another liquid laundry detergent. This one doesn’t require any grating and uses one of my favorite green cleaners–Castile soap!

Have you ever made homemade laundry detergent? How did it turn out? What’s your preferred laundry detergent?

Image by brittreints

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I was pretty excited when I got the opportunity to write a sponsored post on the White Cloud Sleep Pants. Why? Because my almost-5 year old, who still wets the bed, wears them at night.

But then I thought: Man, will I appear hypocritical to review and write this post since I wrote an entire eBook on cloth diapering? It was then that I realized that writing this post would allow me the opportunity to be transparent with you. From the book and my posts, you should know that I’m not all or nothing when it comes to cloth diapering.

Even though this is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

My almost 5 year old still wets the bed. But you know what? It doesn’t bother me.

I believe bedwetting is a normal part of childhood, and, considering that it took two years to potty train her, I am just thrilled that she only wets the bed at night!

For a while, we used cloth pull-ups at night. But at some point she grew out of those, and even though I could have gotten some cloth pull-ups custom made, with two other children exclusively in diapers, I need to give myself a break.

This is where White Cloud Sleep Pants came in!

As most people know, disposable, pull-on training pants can get VERY pricey. I felt like we were in a quandary. Our daughter needed some type of absorbent sleep pants, yet we couldn’t keep shelling out the money for the pricier versions. And most pull-on trainers only fit up to a certain size.

But I didn’t want to rush her into sleep training. She is a deep sleeper, and I know she doesn’t intentionally wet the bed. Plus, my pediatrician has told me that there is no need to worry about night training until at age 7. Did you know that over 5 million kids a year experience bedwetting and it is one of the most common experiences during childhood development?

I was thrilled to discover White Cloud Sleep Pants! These sleep pants are like over-sized pull-on training pants and are perfect for children that are older than potty training age but still wet the bed at night.

White Cloud Sleep Pants have been developed to provide exceptional comfort and leakage protection while looking like underwear. White Cloud Sleep Pants offer thin, discrete absorbent protection for your child.

They have soft, stretchy sides that fit like real underwear, plus leak guards to help protect against leaks. The soft inner liner is hypoallergenic and treated with vitamin E and aloe for skin protection.

And they are cute! In fact, the other night we wanted our little girl to wear another brand that we happened to have, and she begged to wear the White Cloud Sleep Pants–because she said they were cuter!

The best part is that the White Cloud Sleep Pants are affordable. Each bag contains two unisex graphic designs and at $7.75, White Cloud offers exceptional value.

White Cloud Sleep Pants come in two sizes: S/M for 45-65 lbs. (15 in each package) and L/XL for 60-125 lbs. (12 per package). Considering that they can fit up to 125 lbs., I would think they would work well for a special needs child.

You can purchase White Cloud Sleep Pants exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Have you children ever struggled with bedwetting? Did it concern you or did you view it as a regular passage of childhood? At what point did your child nighttime potty train?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of White Cloud Sleep Pants. All opinions are mine.

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I totally get why Angela Jolie removed her breasts. Totally.

The woman’s mother died from ovarian cancer (which is related to breast cancer). She DIED from it.

Over the past day I’ve seen some very critical comments about Angelina’s choice to alter her body in such a drastic way.

These critics come mostly from natural living circles, who feel they can shake their heads and point their fingers and become impassioned about Jolie’s “rash” decision to jump to surgery when so many less invasive cancer preventive measures are available to her.

• She could have switched to a whole foods diet.
• She could have cut out all meat and become a vegan, raw foodie.
• She could have taken this or that “magic,” all-natural herb or oil or supplement.
• She could have just waited to see if she would even develop cancer, for goodness sake. 
• She could have just trusted God with her health.

These same critics throw around the fact that Angelina’s personal choice has implications for the rest of us. How many of the young women who look up to her will rush off to their OBGYNs and request similar testing and the same procedure now?

But it is those people who put her on a pedestal. I cannot imagine this choice was a publicity stunt. Surely she put a lot of thought into it.

Like so many of us, Angelina has been made an example. But can’t she just be real for once?

I don’t claim to be an Angelina Jolie fan. I don’t watch her movies, and, undoubtedly, I disagree with much, if not most, of her beliefs.

But she’s a mother to six precious children. She’s a person.

Image by jennifrog

 Can we give her a little grace?

The woman’s mom died of ovarian cancer. How many of us can claim to know what that feels like?

She got tested for the BRCA gene, and she has it. In fact, according to reports, she had an 87 percent chance of developing breast cancer. 87! That’s a huge risk!!

If a doctor told you you had that big of a risk of developing cancer, what would you do?

Was it drastic? Perhaps. Was it unreasonable? Considering her risk factors, I don’t think it was.

My mom holding her 7th grandchild–15 years post-cancer diagnosis

My Story

When I was 17, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

It was a shock to my family. It was a grueling, emotional season in our lives.

We found out a week before I left on a 6-week overseas mission trip. I didn’t know much about cancer back then. When I boarded the plane, I really thought I may be saying goodbye to my mother for forever.

My parents dropped me off at the airport and drove right to the hospital for her to get a full hysterectomy. She was 46.

Six months of chemo later and she went into remission.

Four years later, the cancer came back. Same song, second verse.

This time I was a 21-year-old college student. I braced myself for the worst and hoped for the best and resolved to be strong for my family.

I drove home from college to be there for my mother’s surgery to remove the tumor beside her bladder. I’ll never forget following behind my parents’ car on the 45-minute drive to the hospital.

Avalon’s “Testify to Love” came on the radio. My parents were listening to it as well:

For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love
I’ll be a witness in the silences
When words are not enough
With every breath I take
I will give thanks to God above
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love

Since my dad works for the hospital, he and I were able to sit in the head surgeon’s office and watch them wheel my mom away to surgery from the glass window.

He paced and wrung his hands and sat on pins and needles.

I prayed and read aloud from Psalms.

A few hours later, the surgeon himself gave us the news: They got it.

He took me and my dad to the lab to see the tumor ourselves. (Yes, I’ve seen cancer. It’s not pretty.)

One year of chemo later, she was declared in remission.

That was 11 years ago.

Praise God, she’s now considered cured.

But because of my experience, I’ve had a small glimpse (emphasis on small) into what Angelina Jolie must have been thinking. Her mom died of cancer at age 56–leaving Angelina motherless. If there is anything remotely possible for her to prevent her children from suffering the same, she was willing to do it.

Let’s give her some grace, ladies. Let’s give her some grace.

Loaded question: What do you think of Angelina Jolie’s decision to remove her breasts?

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For over 5 1/2 years now, I’ve been either pregnant or breastfeeding babies back-to-back.

Sometimes I wake up and think: “Wow! How did I go from a working wife to a stay-at-home mom of three–three!–children under five years old?”

It’s been a whirlwind–to say the least.

I started this site two years ago with intentions of chronicling my journey to becoming a better mom.

But I failed–miserably.

Oh, I’ve accomplished a lot of what I set out to do, but the biggest take-away I’ve had in this two-year venture is that there is no set formula to “perfect” motherhood. And propositioning yourself to attain such lofty goals just sets you up for disappointment.

Really? I’m just a humbled homemaker. Plain and simple.

So my new motto has become to take things one day at a time–and to give myself grace.

Grace when I lock my keys in the car.

Grace when I succumb to electronic Christmas cards instead of taking hours to address and stamp and mail the real things.

Grace when I forget my little girl’s preschool parent-teacher conference because I’d been up most of the night before.

Grace when I swing through the Chick-fil-A drive-through for lunch and order a pizza for dinner instead of cooking from scratch 100 percent of the time.

Grace when I diaper my babies in disposables instead of cloth because the laundry pile is already a mile high with clothes and linens, and I just don’t need more laundry this week.

Grace when the dirty dishes in the sink have been sitting there for two days.

Grace when I have to call off a playdate or a meeting because my home and family need me more.

Grace given to my kids when they whine and cry and “wake up on the wrong side of the bed”….because they’ve probably seen those same behaviors in their mommy.

I’m ditching the mommy guilt and embracing the mommy grace.

And maybe, just maybe, by focusing on grace, I’ll learn to be a better mother after all.

What are some ways you ditch mommy guilt and embrace mommy grace?

I originally wrote this for a January 2013 edition of the Mooresville Weekly newspaper.

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Last week on Facebook I told you about a Natural Fertility Bundle that I was interested in but not sure if I was going to buy myself.

I wanted to tell you about it because I know SO many of you are in the childbearing years and interested in all things natural fertility/pregnancy/childbirthing/baby-related since that is one of the major themes of my site.

But seeing that my husband and I don’t have plans (but who knows God’s plans–we don’t use birth control) to conceive anytime soon, and because, only by God’s grace, I have not struggled with infertility in the past, I just wasn’t sure if this bundle would be a wise purchase for me.

I got the dates mixed up on the sale (it really ends TONIGHT at 11:59 p.m. EST!), and thought I was getting in at the last minute by purchasing it yesterday afternoon.

I had thought about it all week long. It was one of those I-may-not-need-this-now-but-will-I-regret-not-getting-it-later kind of purchases.

I do need to disclose that I get a deep discount on bundles like these for being an affiliate (it’s one of the perks of being a blogger!), so I didn’t have to fork out the $35, which, although is a 92% discount of these resources, is not cheap in and of itself. It’s an investment, and I strive–and encourage you–to invest wisely.

So why did I get it?

• I’m interested in learning more about my fertility. I have never been good about tracking my cycle in the past. It’s one reason why we were unsure of Baby Girl’s due date. When I was expecting her, I checked out Fertility Flower and decided I would start using their free version after she was born. I never did. She’s now 8 months old, and it’s well past time to make that a priority. I believe this will help us in conceiving in the future.
• I want to take a more intentional and active role in my overall health. I admit that, although my family strives to eat well and use alternative/natural means to healing before conventional medicine, there are several MAJOR areas of my health I have struggled with since becoming a mom–stress management, sleep, exercise… The eBook that intrigued me the most out of the entire bundle is Fertilse Yourself–because it said that it addresses overall health. I was recently diagnosed with adrenal fatigue (I’ll eventually write about it here…just not yet). It is vital that I gain control over these areas.
• I want to be more in tune with my reproductive health specifically. My mother has had ovarian cancer–twice. I actually have a midwife appointment today because of some cramping issues I’ve had over the past two weeks. Although my mother was in her late 40s when she had her initial diagnosis and I am only 32, the fact that there is a strong family history of reproductive cancers makes it a must for me to be more aware of my body’s function in this area.
• The bundle came with several meal plans–including one for thyroid health (which I’ve had a few issues with in the past) and gluten-free cooking (my entire family–minus hubby–is now gluten-free, so that is super applicable).

What I’m liking so far:

Like I said, I just bought the bundle yesterday afternoon, but I downloaded the entire thing and skimmed through as many resources as possible last night. So far, I am enjoying:

• Fertilise Yourself: It’s written by an acunpuncturist and addresses overall health.
• Zero in on Ovulation: Although the main intent of the book is to educate those wanting to conceive, I’m finding it very helpful to educate me on my cycle in general.
• Grain-Free/Gluten-Free Baking
• Breast to Bib
• Forty Weeks of Pregnancy Development: It’s very informative…much better than What to Expect When You’re Expecting!

I’m also really interested in:

• Cleansing for Conception: Conceiving or not, I am interested in learning about cleansing in general!
• The Food Healing Recipe Book for Endometriosis: I do not think I currently have endometriosis, but I had the symptoms of it when I was newly married (and went on hormonal birth control because of those symptoms…although my husband and I no longer use it and I have many reservations about it…that’s for a later post. ).
• Meal Planning Guide for Healthy Thyroid: This is one of the reasons I kept hemming and hawing about this bundle!
• Thrifty Food Plan Experience: I’m always looking for ways to save $ on real food!
• Divine Dinners: Gluten-Free, Nourishing, Family-Friendly Meals

I also already owned and can recommend The Everything Beans Book, Just Making Ice Cream, Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods, UnBound Birth, My Buttered Life: Baby Edition and Embracing Beauty.

Who should get this–and who shouldn’t?

Unlike the homemaking bundle a few weeks ago (which I helped organized and hand picked the titles!), this bundle is NOT for everyone. If you are interested, take some time today to really weigh the pros and cons and if it’s for you (just be sure to get it before 11:59 p.m.!).

This bundle is great for:

• women of childbearing age who want to keep better tabs on their reproductive health
• women struggling with infertility
• women healing from miscarriage and wanting to try again
• women wanting to conceive
• families who are gluten free who want more meal options

This bundle is not for:

• women who have already gone through menopause
• single women
• women who have no interest in learning more about their fertility/reproductive health

Reservations

I still need to give the disclaimer that I JUST bought this yesterday afternoon; thus, I have not had time to preview every single resource.

A couple red flags:

A few of the books/resources mention the mind/body connection. That just sounds a little “New Agey” to me. I’m a Christian, and my only mind-body connection comes through meditating on Scripture (not feel-good-fertility-sayings).

I’m going to delete any resources like this. When I downloaded the Free Fertility Relaxation Program, it immediately began playing in iTunes. It was much too New Agey for my liking. A few other titles mention this mind-body connection, so I will not be reading or listening to those.

Read more about the Natural Fertility Bundle here, or if you think this is something for you, you can purchase it here. Remember–it ends at 11:59 p.m. TONIGHT.

Are you interested in learning more about your fertility? Is your fertility something you regularly track? Why or why not?

*Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post, which means I will get a percentage of each purchase through the links in this post. Thank you for supporting this site!

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It’s humbling to say, but as a child, I never thought much about Mother’s Day.

I remember my mom pinning a corsage on her dress, and my dad would usually take us kids to pick out a hanging plant or something simple like that to gift her.

And during our church service, our pastor always, always had all the mothers stand. (And rewarded the one with the most children, the one with the youngest baby and perhaps the one who had been a mother the longest.)

Now I regret not making such a big deal out of Mother’s Day–because during the past five years I’ve come to realize that motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It’s time in the trenches. And sometimes it feels too hard.

My mom? She stayed at home to raise three children and served us sacrificially.

She stayed up late to help her procrastinator daughter (ahem–me) finish up school projects. She accompanied her diabetic daughter to children’s camp–because otherwise my sister would have had to stay at home. And she carted my brother back and forth to endless ball practices and games.

She gave so much of herself–even through two bouts with cancer and a diagnosis of MS when I was a kid. She always, always put others first.

Does my mother deserve a round of applause?

Well, yes, I think she does.

Do I?

No, to be honest, I don’t think I do.

Perhaps it’s because I’m still in the trenches of toddlerhood, but every.single.day I think to myself–I’m not sure I’m cut out for motherhood. The fact that I get impatient with my preschooler and toddler and wish they’d stay in bed a bit longer and cringe when it’s time to wipe poop one.more.time shows that I am not yet anywhere near the mother I want to be.

Image by FamilyTravelCK

Should we withhold praise from mothers to protect those who aren’t?

I ran across this post the other day, and it gave me some great food for thought. Having grown up in a church culture that does so readily outwardly honor moms, the blogger’s perspective of Mother’s Day as a woman without children intrigued me.

In short, she admonishes pastors not to have mothers stand up to a congregation’s applause on Mother’s Day, as it can be very hurtful to those who cannot have children for whatever reason.

And, at first glance, I agree with her.

When I think of my {many} friends who have had miscarriages, friends suffering with infertility–and the mom of my friend who went to be with Jesus at age 17 13 1/2 years ago, I realize this: No doubt, Mother’s Day isn’t very easy for them.

At best, it is probably bittersweet, as some have other children along with those they have lost. But with those around them receiving cards and gifts and corsages and hand claps, it’s likely not a day they can ignore.

And as a Christian, I am called to compassion. Even when I can’t understand their pain, I am called to mourn with those who mourn–even on Mother’s Day.

But should our compassion for those hurting supersede our rejoicing with those who rejoice? For those who can revel in the fact–one day per year–that they have birthed babies and help shape souls daily within the four walls of their homes?

Honestly? Why do we have to pick and choose? Why can’t we do both?

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Image by Greg Hayter

Mourn with those who mourn…rejoice with those who rejoice

 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” ~Romans 12:15

What if we treated people this way on Mother’s Day:

1. For your single friend…

…who desperately wants to be a wife and mother one day…the one who volunteers to babysit your kids, so you can enjoy time with your hubby? Have your kids make her cards of encouragement and let her know she is like another “mama” to them.

2. For your friend struggling with infertility….

…acknowledge her pain–but don’t pretend you can understand (unless you’ve suffered the same).

3. For your friend who’s suffered a miscarriage…

…acknowledge that she is, indeed, a mother. If she has both live and miscarried children, don’t pretend the baby she carried never existed or that her grief isn’t founded. It is.

4. For the single mom…

Take her a meal. Invite her to dinner with your family. Volunteer to watch her kids. Acknowledge that she has an amazingly difficult job and that you are so proud of her.

Is she is a young, never-married mama? Thank her for making the life-altering decision to choose life.

5. For the new mama…

Encourage her that these late nights and early mornings won’t last forever and that being a mama can be the best job in the world.

6. For the mama with itty bitty ones (like 2-3 kids in diapers at the same time?)…

Acknowledge that her job is hard but meaningful. Let her know it’s totally worth it.

7. For the mama who has lost a child…

Give her a hug or send her a card or simply a Facebook message. Acknowledge that this day must truly be bittersweet.

8. For your mama…

Thank her. And, yes, give her a big round of applause. She totally, totally deserves it.

Two eBooks on motherhood I highly recommend:

Hula Hoop Girl, by September McCarthy, is one of my all-time favorite books on motherhood. September is the mother of 10  (yes, 10!), and she writes with candor on how she once thought she could “do-it-all” and got overwhelmed.

I often take on too much and am easily prone to burnout. I felt like this book was written for me!

September also addresses how your children, husband and home are your ministry during a season.

Read more about it here. (Pssst: If you got The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle last week, then you already have it!)

When Motherhood Feels Too Hard is by Kelly Crawford of Generation Cedar. She is another mom of soon-to-be 10 kids! This book gives short, inspirational, biblically-based readings for weary moms. I am reading it now. The name of the book alone drew me in!

Read more about it here. (Pssst: If you got The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle last week, then you already have it!)

How do you both rejoice and mourn with mothers on Mother’s Day?

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The Humbled Homemaker has gifts for you! Click on the links to download your FREE eBook! Spring Into Smoothies...All Summer Long!

Well, TODAY IS IT! I am sure at this point you are probably as tired of hearing about The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle as I am tired of writing about it. But today is the last day to get it, and I don’t want you to miss out on this amazing deal!

Can I be transparent here? I hate selling things. I really do. When I was a newlywed, I sold tried to sell Avon. But I failed at it. I ended up buying more of it myself than selling it to others. And I was a horrible company representative. Why? Because I didn’t like to ask people to buy it. So I would tell people: “Just wait a few weeks until this item goes on clearance!”

I’m a clearance sale shopper. As a kid, my parents taught me: When you enter a clothing store, bypass the front and make a beeline for the back clearance rack. There usually wasn’t anything wrong with the clothing. Either the store had overbought or it was the wrong season. And, there, I’d find quality clothes at a price I was both willing and able to pay.

Why I believe in the value of this bundle

In a sense, The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle is like heading to the back of the store to find treasures among the clearance rack–except that there is nothing wrong with these books. The authors sell them at regular price on a normal basis–with no problems.

But we know our readers can’t always afford to buy things at full price, and so we’ve banded together to offer our work at this unbelievable discount–but only for one week.

Did you know that each title in this bundle averages out to just $.31 a piece?!

I truly believe you will not find the quality of resources at this low of a price anywhere. I love eBooks because they are more affordable than traditional print books and are clutter-free!

And whereas not every single title may appeal to you, I can put my personal stamp of approval on these books–because I hand picked them. Stephanie at Keeper of the Home and I worked behind the scenes for months discussing which book authors to invite as we put together this library.

Our heart is for you to see a positive change in your life and in the life of your family through these resources. I’m praying God will use these resources to help strengthen me as well!

I’ve talked a lot this week about the resources in this bundle–from the nearly $100 worth of educational resources for your kids to the ways you can use this bundle to come up with lots of great gifts to the books on my must-read list.

Now let’s look at the {$140 worth of} freebies–because we picked those out with you in mind as well!

A 2-month membership to Fit2B: an online family-friendly fitness studio ($19.95 value)

I have talked about Fit2B in several posts here, especially during our Fitting into Fitness Challenge. Whether you are suffering from the “mummy tummy” or just need a good workout from home, I highly recommend this site. Get 2 months free (if you’re a new member) or $20 off a year-long membership if you are already a member of Fit2B!

A $15 credit to TruKid: All-Natural Body Care for Kids

I reviewed the TruKid sunscreen and body wash last summer. I really liked it. It smells delicious! But I did think it was pricey. This is a great way to get a free trial to see if you like it–without having to dish out the cash.

Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value)

I wrote about Earthpaste earlier this week. I love, love, LOVE this toothpaste! My family discovered it when we got a freebie in a similar bundle sale last fall. Now, we get it at Vitacost. This is a great way to try before you buy.

I have also used the Redmond Facial Mud. Both of them are great products! I haven’t redeemed my freebies yet, but I know last time I ended up adding an extra $15 to my cart to make it free shipping. Otherwise, shipping was going to cost me around $10, and I felt like I would rather spend an extra $5 to get the free shipping than spend $10 on shipping alone.

Just play with your cart a little before redeeming the coupon code to make sure it’s worth your while.

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health ($12.95 value)

Cultures for Health is known as being a leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods. I’m personally going to check out the yogurt starter! (Note: Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a one year subscription of Plan to Eat  ($15 value)

Plan to Eat is a long-time sponsor here. I love how, with this service, YOU get to choose the meals YOU want to eat. It’s hard to determine whether you will really enjoy a membership during a one-month trial–because that’s hardly enough time to import your recipes. I’m pumped that this 3-month trial will help you really determine if you want to stick around!

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com ($11.95 value)

I’ve never been able to grow herbs…so I am really, really hoping this will work for me!

Get $10 off Union28′s original “my husband rocks” tee

I’ve seen these T-shirts around but have never tried them. I can’t wait to get mine!!

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural.

I love all natural skin care, but it can be pricey. Amen?! Here’s a way to get it for free.

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health ($12.95 value–or more!)

I haven’t decided what I’m getting yet. After this sale, I probably need some more NRG.

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt ($15 value!)

I use and LOVE List PlanIt! For someone as naturally unorganized as me, this site is really, really helpful! They include just about every list imaginable to help you get organized!!

Want your hubby to gift this to you for Mother’s Day?!

My husband made the video below about how this would make an amazing Mother’s Day gift! The video alone was a great gift from him to me. (He worked really hard on it!!)

What are you waiting for? Get The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle TODAY–before it’s gone (for forever)!

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

The Humbled Homemaker has gifts for you! Click on the links to download your FREE eBook! Spring Into Smoothies...All Summer Long!