Oil and water do not mix, so it’s important to use a carrier oil when making your perfume roller balls.
Make sure to shake lightly before applying.
Store your perfume in a cool dark place if you’re using clear bottles. Amber bottles are a good option if you like to have your bottles where you can see them.
These perfume recipes are completely customizable, feel free to add or remove the amount of each drops you’d like!
🌿 Essential Oil Perfume Recipes 🌿
Rise + shine
3 drops lemon oil (or citrus fresh)
3 drops of peppermint oil
Fill with carrier oil
Zen the day
3 drops Valor
3 drops frankincense
2 drop lavender
Fill with carrier oil
Take the stress away
3 drops Stress Away
2 drops lavender
2 drops Valor
Fill with carrier oil
How to make essential oil perfume:
Simply add the drops of essential oils into the empty roller bottle, fill with carrier oil, shake and done!
Premium oil kit
Why Non-Toxic Perfume?
Our skin is the largest organ in our body, think of it like a giant sponge! It absorbs everything we put on it, so not only is it important to be conscious of what we put in our bodies but also ON it! Not to mention the wellness aspect of essential oils…smell good + feel good while doing it!
Have question or need help getting your oils? Contact me through email GraceeMccoyBlog@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram and I’d be more than happy to walk you through it!
Disclaimer: some links included in this blog may be affiliate links, which mean I may earn a small commission if you chose to purchase through these link…at no extra cost to you!
Parents, Do you know the reasons behind your “No”?
I’m a firm believer in conscience parenting. Does that mean I’m perfect? No. It just means I strive to be aware of my parenting and how it effects both my child and myself, emotionally and mentally.
My main goal is to raise well rounded children who feel heard, seen, valued, and loved. To raise children who don’t feel like an after-thought or like an inconvenience. To be present and engaged in their day to day lives and to foster that love and appreciation of a strong and healthy family dynamic.
However, I’m human. I’m flawed and sometimes I chose convenience over patience. I find myself saying “no” to things that are virtually harmless.
For example: Olivia almost always asks to play in the rain. Usually I say no, we live in Texas and “light rain” isn’t always a thing here. It’s almost always accompanied by tornadoes, lighting, and thunder. But not only that, I hate getting wet. Soggy clothes, wet shoes, and sticky socks. Eek I don’t like it.
Today, we had a nice little rain going on. Once again, that question of “can we please play in the rain” came up.
I was hesitant. We were at family’s house, I brought no extra clothes, no extra socks, no extra shoes (rookie move, mom).I knew we’d more than likely end up going home soaking wet.
And in that moment I realized the reason for my “No” was stupid. Yeah, I’m just going to say it. IT WAS DUMB.
So I said Yes!
After filming her initial reaction we literally ran around the back yard in the pouring rain and I cannot tell you the last time I had that much fun.
So the next time you feel a “no” coming on, reflect and consider a yes. Don’t miss out on the special moments and the memories that you’ll look back and cherish. ❤️
I never imagined I’d be a mom, much less a stay at home mom.
I was one of the youngest in my field who held the position I held.
I worked endlessly, scarified everything to get to where I was.
I had never dreamed I’d make the amount of money I did.
And even now, 3 years later, people ask me with so much pity, “why”?
Why did you ‘throw that all away’?
Why did you “give it up”?
This question kind of rubs me the wrong way. For one, leaving didn’t come easy and there were a lot of factors that went into play.
I didn’t THROW anything away “just” to be a mom.
Being a mom IS NOT a demotion!
The reality is, I got PROMOTED!
I didn’t know I needed this.
I didn’t realize how much of me was missing until I became a mom.
I lost myself and found my self all at the same time.
I’ll take the messes, the early mornings, and the sleepless nights over anything.
Being a mom has been the HARDEST job, but the most REWARDING one.
Being a mom is the biggest blessing, and no amount of money or success can replace that.
And the truth is, not matter what plans we have in life, Gods plans are ALWAYS bigger and better.
So if you feel the urge to judge a mom based on if she works or not, focus that energy instead on giving her support. Because neither choice is an easy choice .❤️
We finished our FIRST week of Homeschool and I am just so excited for this journey!
Disclaimer, this post contains photos with clickable links and links through out the post. The links may be affiliate links, which mean I may earn a small commission when you shop through those links. If you chose to do so, I sincerely thank you for helping support my family.
Our first week of Homeschool didn’t exactly go as planned. We experienced so many technical difficulties trying to prepare our curriculum and set everything up. TWO of our printers died, and with the majority of the world now homeschooling and working from home, finding printers to purchase was almost impossible. Eventually we found one, its on back order and is due to arrive weeks after we had originally planned to start.
Initially I thought to myself, “i’ll just wait until it gets here”. But truthfully, we got so relaxed with our schedule during quarantine my toddler and I BOTH needed some sort of rhythm. So I came up with fun ideas to start us off, using things we already own.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a cute first day picture with the “my first day” sign, but the important thing is that we HAD FUN! The first few days have been going really well, and i’m so excited to share with you what we have been doing. My daughter is doing a combo of preschool/pre-k , and in reality at 3 or even 4 years old you don’t NEED to have a structured curriculum ; and at this age, you don’t need to spend hours and hours doing school or tons of worksheet. With that being said, we did put together a curriculum mostly consisting of free or very inexpensive resources from teachers pay teachers, which we will incorporate as soon as our printer gets here, but like I said, its totally not a necessity. You can absolutely start with things you may already have at home.
If you haven’t already watched my video on how to Homeschool your preschooler you can watch HERE.
Here’s what we’ve been doing this week:
1) DEVOTIONS: After breakfast, we get ready for our day and head to the playroom. We set up a little corner of ‘school’ that houses our books and supplies. We start off with our Morning Devotions and Prayer. You can skip this part if you are secular, or opt for doing morning words of affirmations or going over a positive quote for the day.
2) FLASH CARDS: We purchased flashcards when we noticed our toddler had not started talking, like many small children her age. She was late to talk and we read that flashcards would be super helpful in encouraging her, even if it was just making the animal sounds. Funny enough she recognized every flash card by the time she was almost two, but didn’t actually start talking until passed two years old. Which leads me to say, you can totally use these at truly ANY age. We are currently working through these in Spanish. On the back of the flash cards you’ll find a guide with pronunciation in several languages. We just do one box a day, and they’re pretty quick to go through.
3) Wipe-Clean Workbook : There are a TON of wipe-clean workbooks on amazon, some of our favorite items in our homeschool come from the Priddy Brand. We love this workbook because the pages are sturdy and of course the re-usable aspect. We absolutely do not work through the entire workbook in one day. Truly, I let my child pick whatever pages she likes to do, and we spend as much time or as little time a she wants working through it. I will say, the reviews about the marker are hit or miss. In our experience it wasn’t actually dry-erase, more so wet-erase, but that honestly didn’t bother us. Because it came with only one marker, and we’re notorious for losing writing utensils, we purchased this pack of expo markers and they literally wipe off SO easily with minimal effort.
4) GUIDED READERS: We actually aren’t using these as curriculum to learn to read just yet. We’re more so using these tiny books to help build reading confidence and a love for reading, which I can 100% say is working. These books are perfect for small hands, aren’t over crowded with a lot of words, the font is large, and they have very nice large pictures. We love looking at the pictures and talking about everything we can find. With these we’ll read as many or as little as she wants as well.
5) CHARACTER BUILDING BOOKS: Character building, life skills, good citizenship, and learning about emotions and diversity are something we try to incorporate daily. Whether be it leading by example, educational shows, or books! Here are some of our favorite books that we are currently using.
6) Crafts and Activities: Homeschool is more than books, workbooks, and lesson plans. Its also great to incorporate some fun activities that involve the whole family. Going on nature walks, enjoying some fun in the sun, crafts on rainy days, board games, etc. Homeschooling can be a wonderful opportunity for everyone in the family to grow closer together. And while teaching core subjects is obviously essential, that doesn’t mean learning stops there.
And there you have it, our first week of homeschool, and how we’ve been doing it WITHOUT a curriculum. Have you all started your first day of school? If not, when do you start and what are you most excited for? Share down below!
In honor of National Breastfeeding week I wanted to share with you some of my favorite essentials that I feel will be helpful for your breastfeeding journey.
Disclaimer: I am not a lactation consultant, doctor, or specialist. Please consult with your doctor before trying any of the recommended items to see if they’re right for you. Links provided in this post may be affiliate links, which mean I may earn a small commission when you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you! Thank you.
Breastfeeding is a FULL TIME JOB, scratch that, its TWO full time jobs. Our journey was not easy in the slightest ; with a lot of hard work, support, and encouragement from some amazing breastfeeding mama’s we made it to 2 years of breastfeeding. Crazy right? I never thought I’d make it to 6 months.
TOP 15 BREASTFEEDING MUST-HAVES :
1) Nipple Cream! Those poor nipples will be dry, chapped, sore, and maybe even bleeding. BUT DO NOT FRET, it all calms down after you and baby get the hang of things. I went through so many tubes of nipple cream during our breastfeeding journey, I narrowed it down to my TOP 2. In no particular order, Lansinoh and Earth Mama.
2) Breast therapy packs! These wonderful therapy packs also help care for your nips. Let me tell you, the first few weeks you want to make sure your nips and breasts are being well taken care of. You can use these packs cold or warm. They help reduce soreness, engorgement, clogged ducts, mastitis, and help promote let down.
3) Nipple Shields! I lost our shields before I could use them, but SO many mamas recommended these when I first started breastfeeding. They come in different sizes so make sure you measure for the right fit for you. Or, you can just get a few and try them out. It’s not uncommon for your breast and nips to fluctuate in size during your breastfeeding journey.
4)Haakaa! What the heck is a Haakaa? This little bad boy is made directly from the hands of the breastfeeding angels. Simply attach it to your breast while the baby is nursing from the other, and this little contraption will catch your let down(leaks)! I seriously wish I had this sooner when I discovered it. So much liquid gold wasted at the beginning, but when our haakaa came in it was a GAME CHANGER. Plus, I didn’t have to take the pump out during every breastfeeding session.
5) Re-Usable Nursing Pads! Now, you can always get disposable ones but I like saving money. So, I bought a huge pack of re-usable nursing pads. They’re super soft and comfortable, they don’t stick to your nips like most disposable ones, and you can throw them right in to your baby’s laundry on wash day.
6) LACTATION COOKIES! Ok, so many people think lactation cookies are a sham…I’ll admit I even did too, at first. Until I found these. They’re SO good, I honestly don’t even like oatmeal cookies but I ate like 5 in one sitting and let me warn you. DO NOT DO THAT. I could have fed an army of babies. I pumped so much milk that day.
7) BREASTFEEDING BRAS! Initially I wasn’t going to invest in nursing bras. Why are undergarments so expensive? (or maybe I’m just cheap!) After a day or two into our breastfeeding journey I QUICKLY took to amazon and purchased some super comfy nursing bras. I thought I could get away with using sports bras but they were simply too tight, I really underestimated how much breasts grow when breastfeeding. Nursing bras are typically made of super soft stretchy material with clasps to help with easy access.
8) A PUMP! At first I really didn’t think I would even use a pump. I was SO determined to exclusively breastfeed. However, like everything in life, that really didn’t go as planned. Days after my baby was born I developed sepsis and was re-hospitalized ; and unfortunately I was not able to nurse my baby for the first few weeks while in recovery. Having a pump is great for those days where you maybe want to give your girls a break, want to build your milk supply, or if you’re returning back to work. This was the pump I absolutely LOVED! Check with your insurance to see if they cover the cost of a breast pump. Don’t forget Breast milk Bags to go with your pump, and make sure you are replacing and cleaning the parts as directed by your pump manual.
9) BOTTLES! If you read number 8, you’ll know why you need bottles! Bottles are great to have, even if its just a small pack. Our Lactation Consultant recommended using preemie nipples for breastfed babies, yes even if they’re not preemies. Preemie nipples closely mimic what it’s like for a typical breatsfeeding let down, ensuring that you don’t over feed your breastfed baby. These were the bottles our picky baby liked.
10)NURSING COVER! I’m all for openly breastfeeding, if that is what YOU are comfortable with. Absolutely do not feel embarrassed or let anyone shame you for how you nurse your hungry baby. And truthfully after a few months your baby will start fighting even going under a nursing cover, or at least mine did. I opted for using a Muslin Blanket when she reached that age, they’re super light weight, breathable, and you can use them in multiple ways.
11) BREASTFEEDING PILLOW! I suffered with HORRIBLE back and body pains after having Olivia. It made it so hard for me to hold her up when she was breastfeeding. I’ve also heard breastfeeding pillows are super helpful for mamas who are recovering from having a c-section. There are several nursing pillows on the market, but we loved the Boppy Pillow.
12) WATER BOTTLE! Hello extreme thirst…I got extremely thirsty during the first few months of breastfeeding. Keeping a HUGE water bottle by the bed, nightstand, and coffee table was a MUST HAVE. I don’t know about you but i’m more prone to drinking water if its in a cute cup. Plus staying hydrated is essential for a successful breastfeeding journey! I loved this one, but really you can use anything!
13) SNACKS! Along with the thirst, being ravenous seemed to hit when ever I was breastfeeding my baby. I bought some of my favorite snacks in bulk and portioned them out into little baggies or containers to have on hand for whenever hunger striked!
14) A BREASTFEEDING STATION! What is a breastfeeding station? Basically I got a small basket that fit on the coffee table and beside table filled with water, snacks, some headphones, the current book I was reading, and my phone charger! Having a breastfeeding station was super helpful in those moments where my baby was cluster-feeding and I’d be glued to the bed or couch. My common nursing spots were on the couch and on my bed, which is why I chose those two locations. Feel free to use anywhere in your home to set up your nursing station.
15) SUPPORT! I know moms, we feel like we can or have to do it all. But let me tell you, breastfeeding is no walk in the park. I made so many awesome friends in breastfeeding groups. Whether in person or online, I can guarantee there is a breastfeeding support group near you. Attending a physical group is super helpful, in my opinion. I was able to meet and connect with other moms. However, with the whole Covid situation going on, Online support may be a better fit for you. I found the online groups that leaned more towards “gentle” parenting were most helpful and way less judgemental than your average online “mommy group”, in my experience.
BONUS: If your hospital, midwife, or birthing center offers a breastfeeding class, TAKE IT! I promise you it is worth every penny!
And there you have it, My Top breastfeeding essentials for nursing moms! Have any recommendations? Share them down below!
If you’ve seen my most recent YouTube Video : Linked Here
I shared a MASSIVE Home School Supplies Haul. Today I’m going to be talking about some of those items, and sharing some of my TOP essentials to have in every HomeSchool Classroom!
Disclaimer – Some of the links provided may be affiliate links. Which means I may earn a small commission when you shop through the affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Now, you absolutely do not HAVE to have these items in your homeschool , and some of you actually may already own them.
These suggestions, I feel, make the homeschooling journey more fun ; and while they may be an investment upfront, they sure do end up paying for themselves.
For our first year of Homeschool we decided to try our best to put together a free or ,very inexpensive curriculum, which consists of mostly DIY’s and Printables we got from Teachers Pay Teachers. Because of that we felt comfortable making some of these bigger purchases. Its also good to note that we follow a pretty strict budget system, we put together a Sinking Fund for our Homeschooling Purchases.
Ok , now that we got that out of the way, lets move on to the fun stuff!
TOP BASIC ESSENTIALS FOR EVERY HOMESCHOOL CLASSROOM:
1) A PRINTER. Whether you’re using a boxed curriculum for Homeschool, or a print-it-yourself diy type of curriculum, a Printer will definitely come in handy. You can create or purchase supplemental resources to add to your Homeschool curriculum. A benefit of having a printer is that many come with copiers and scanners. Which can allow you to save money by making extra copies of work for your entire class. OR even copying some resources to save for the younger kiddos as they grow older. We got this printer, the initial price is jaw dropping, But you save HUNDREDS on the ink alone. I’ve heard many testimonies from veteran Homeschooling parents who say they’ve printed 3,000 pages and have barely made a dent in the ink. OR you can purchase this one, and sign up for HP insta-ink, which I’ve also heard is super affordable.
2) PAPER. You may find yourself printing more than you originally thought. And if you’re a stationary nerd like myself, you may know that there is a significant difference in the types of paper on the market. My favorite paper for our Homeschool is 92 or 98 brightness, I find anything less than 92 makes the paper almost see through. Hereis the paper we usually purchase.
3) A LAMINATOR. Que the Angel chorus! Ya’ll. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE my laminator. Its fairly inexpensive, and with the Homeschooling route we’re taking it will definitely pay itself off. We’ve opted for an Interactive Learning Folder for the Core of our Homeschool Curriculum. Which entails many Wipe-clean sheets, Puzzles, Matching, Sorting, and more. Laminating helps you keep your pages lasting longer, and allows you to re-use them many times. This is the laminator we got for our Homeschool Classroom. You’ll also need these pouches for your laminator.
3) Pens & Pencils. I dont know about you,but I’m ALWAYS losing pencils and pens. And no homeschool classroom is complete without writing utensils! These items are fairly inexpensive and they’re often used daily. Depending on the age of your Homeschool kiddos you may enjoy different types of pencils. We purchased these chubby pencils for our pre-schooler, but I’ve always loved these original Ticonderoga pencils. If you have older homeshchoolers, they may enjoy mechanical pencils better. Just make sure you have plenty of lead refill on hand. For our current homeschool we will not be using pens quite yet, but some of my favorite pens are the RSVP, INKJOY, and Frixon pens.
4) Crayons, Markers, and Colored Pencils. Your homeschoolers will never out-grow these. I remember using items like these even in college. Whether it be coloring a map, studying Color Theory, taking an Art Class, or simply using them to organize their notes. Crayons, Markers, And Colored pencils are a must have for every homeschool classroom.
5) Binders, Dividors, And Sheet Protectors. Whether it be for organization, setting up your lessons for the week, or for your homeschool kiddo’s work. Binders, Dividers, and sheet protectors are great items to have in every homeschool. They’re easy to set up and take with you on any days where you’ll be doing homeschool on the go!
These are just a few of our favorite Homeschool Classroom Essentials! Curious about some of our other top homeschool classroom supplies? Check out this video!
Do you have any other homeshool supplies that are a must have for your homeschool classroom? Share them down below!
Today I am going to be sharing with you the Bible study method that changed my life! Okay, I may be a tad dramatic when I say that. But seriously, it was a game changer for me.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know that last year I re-gave my life to Christ. I was baptised as a baby, born into a catholic family, and attended catholic church growing up. I completed my Communion but got halfway through my conformation and never fully completed it. During that time I really never felt connected to God, Jesus, or ever really got into the Word.
One of the things that felt heavy on my heart when I first accepted Jesus into my life again, was the fact that I had no idea how to read the Bible. I was so nervous, and anxious at the thought of even opening it. For some reason it was this daunting task and I felt like a disappointment almost for feeling so lost. But I had to take a step back and realize that God would walk along with me in this journey. And one thing I learned throughout out this year is that it is indeed a process.
So,I decided to just go-for-it and started reading The Bible from front to back. A little ambitious I might say, and somewhere in between Leviticus and Numbers I got a bit discouraged. I started to feel like I was barely grasping anything, just reading to read. And let me tell you, its NOT a good feeling. So, I took to research. YouTube, Pinterest, Google, even Instagram. Looking for information, resources, and inspiration.
Now, if you’re an “older” Christian (I’m what I like to call a “baby” Christian) then you may already know about this method. And I am in no way an expert, i’m definitely still learning, but I felt like i just had to share ; even if this only helps one person strengthen their relationship with Christ.
There are SO many methods out there, and it got a little overwhelming at first. After some time comparing I decided with the SOAP method. It fit my learning style and it made the most sense to me.
What is the SOAP method?
Scripture : Write out the scripture you are reading, or whatever parts that speaks to you.
Observation : Who is the Author? What is the author saying and/or to Who? Write down what stood out to you about this verse. Were there any instructions or commands?
Application: How can you apply this verse to your life today?
Prayer :Ask God to help you understand and apply this scripture to your life. Spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
I like writing all of this down as I’m studying, I feel like I learn better when I write things down ; even if its repetitive.
Another thing to consider is that you do not have to start at the beginning! Although I will say I think it’s great for everyone to read it from front to back at one point in their life.
Using this method I searched for a bible reading plan, which is usually 30 days of scripture reading , and I applied this method as I was reading.
*Full disclaimer, I have no idea who came up with this, but if you do please let me know so I can give credit where it is due. *
Originally I purchased a Journaling Bible, which is BEAUTIFUL, however I mess up often and I write pretty big. So while I still take notes in my Bible, I later chose to get a notebook with full pages so that I can draw, color, decorate, and write on the entire page for my studying sessions.
I am a major stationary nerd, so of course I had to get some things to go along with my bible studying. I will link some of my FAVORITE Bible studying supplies down below. While they aren’t necessary, they sure make it more fun. These are affiliate links, which mean I may get a commission when you shop with those links, at no extra cost to you! If you do decide to purchase through them, I want to graciously thank you for helping support me and my family.
You’ve probably seen this topic talked about countless of times throughout the last few days, myself included. I’m sure many of you are sick of it, and many of you are still gathering your thoughts, resources, and information so that you can make the best informed decision for your family.
Now, to be clear, this is something we had our hearts set on since I was pregnant, the plan was for me to continue working until Olivia hit Kindergarten age and then I would resign and pursue Homeschooling for our family. Of course if our daughter ever expressed to us that she would like to try school outside of home it is definitely a decision we would respect.
With the whole Covid thing going on, more and more parents are weighing the options of homeshchooling vs public school. And I just want to say, neither decision is a bad one. Some children absolutely THRIVE in public schools, while others unfortunately do not.
Here are a few short reasons why we chose Homeschooling for our family:
1) FREEDOM: “What do you mean, freedom?” When you homeschool you are literally your very own school. You can adapt your schedule to fit you and your children’s needs. You can focus on topics as much or as little as you see fit, you can teach in styles that work best for your own students. You can chose different curriculum for each child depending on their learning style, interest, and passions. You can even make your very own curriculum. Nature Studies, Unit Studies, Etc, Let life be your classroom. The beauty of homeschool is that everything is individualised to everyone’s specific needs. Lets be honest, Public Schools inevitably fail some of us. It is impossible to ensure every single child’s needs are met with large class sizes. And with the one-on-one focus Homeschooling gives you, you’re never rushed to “meet deadlines” or “be at a this level” by a certain age or grade. And for many states that also means NO standardized tests!
2) SOCIALIZATION: I know, I know. I thought the same thing many of you are thinking right now. “What about socialization” I don’t recall being taught how to be social in school. In fact, it was quite the opposite. “Stay in your desks, Single File Lines, Keep your eyes to your self, NO talking!” I went to one of THE top schools in Texas, and I am one very socially awkward, and socially anxious person. I’m quiet, reserved, and often don’t engage in conversation unless someone approaches me first. Its something I’ve been working on diligently for years. With homeschooling your child has ENDLESS opportunities to socialize, and with people of all ages. Many families are heavily involved in their community, from serving their churches, to frequenting Nursing homes, Community Service, Co-Ops, etc. The homeschooling community truly offers an enriching experience with socialization. And unfortunately due to many restrictions with COVID, many families will not be able to experience that their first year.
3) Our Faith and Values: Many of my school memories were of us studying and taking benchmarks, and learning how to pass standarized tests as early as 2nd grade. One of the main reasons we are choosing homeschooling is to incorporate our Faith and to establish good character building. It is something we are very passionate about and feel like it is very important for our family to have a good understanding of our relationship with Christ. With that being said, not every homeschooling family is religious-based. Many are secular, but I think we can all agree with the character building and morals aspect of choosing to homeschool our kids.
4) INDEPENDENT THINKERS: Often times in traditional school we learn what we learn and don’t question it. Everything is set out in front of us and we don’t always have the opportunity to explore many aspects of certain topics. Homeschooling allows you to raise children who can form their own opinions and become independent thinkers. It allows them to fuel their curiosities and interest without feeling pressure to conform to the latest trends or “norms”
These are just a few of the many reasons we are choosing homeschooling for our family. Keep in mind the point of this post is not to bash traditional schools or teachers. At the end of the day parents, know that you have rights and you can choose. We teach our children how to eat, walk, talk, ride a bike, homeschooling is no different. You are more than capable, after all, parents know their children best.
For more information on homeschooling visit HSLDA.ORG
I know I’m not the only Mom/Person who deals with Depression and/or Anxiety.
The way my mental illness presents itself is in lack of motivation and extreme fatigue. As a parent you can’t really submit to those feelings, you have someone who depends on you. And sometimes it can motivate you to get yourself in gear, and other times it can make you feel worse and get into what i call: Survival Mode.
Last night was rough. First I had extreme insomnia.
Then right as I was falling asleep I rolled over to a giant wet spot on my bed. (Co-sleep they said, it will be fun they said 🙃)
So there I was at 3 am cleaning up my sweet sleeping toddler all while frantically looking for towels in the dark.
I ended up on the couch, which is to small for even my short 5’2 self to stretch out on until 5 am when my spouse woke up. 😬
I went and laid in bed in his spot and managed to get 2 whole hours of sleep. Unfortunately I’m not like Buddy the Elf and need a whole night sleep to function.
Here’s the thing…I HATE having bad days. So I adapt and make it work, because my toddler needs a happy mom. And because mental illness is unpredictable I’ve implemented a system that works for us.
Here are some things that help turn our day around:
Tip 1.
Set your coffee pot/ Tea area the night before. I’m definitely a “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” type of person so having this programed to be on when I wake up is ESSENTIAL.
TIP 2.
Get out of your PJs!!!! I set out clothes the night before for the both of us, even if we’re not going anywhere! Yep, you read that right. When we look good, we feel good.
TIP 3
If you’re still not feeling it set your toddler up with an activity and maybe even their device. We use an old iPhone for days like this. Turn on some relaxing essential oils and have a “mommy time out”. Focus on relaxing breathing, stretching, or simply sit in peace to clear your mind.
TIP 4.
Work on some bible journaling and listen to your favorite worship music. I don’t know about you but this is my favorite one. Spending some quality time with Jesus definitely help brighten my spirits.
I hope you’ve found some encouragement with this post today! Do you have any tips that you feel might be helpful, too? Share them in the comments!
Let’s talk about Body and Mental-health struggles after pregnancy real quick.
I’m going to be raw here, I HATED taking pictures for a very long time.
That pregnancy glow was gone.
The beautiful thick pregnancy hair turned into postpartum hair loss.( I’m talking clumps of hair just falling out!)
My body was healing from trauma that I experienced during labor and delivery, and it took longer than I imagined.
I overall felt like I looked like a completely different person. I felt like I looked like I had put on 500+lbs. I remember looking at photos like this one and CRYING because I felt so UGLY.
As I scrolled through my camera roll deleting memes that were taking up space, I stumbled across pictures that I remember in the moment feeling like I hated myself and how I looked. No matter how much my partner told me I looked good, my mind wouldn’t allow myself to believe it.
Looking at them now I absolutely love them, and I regret not taking more. And I honestly can’t believe how badly I thought about myself. It really makes me sad that I felt that way. Proof that those hormones really mess with you.
The journey of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood takes quite the toll on your mental and physical health. Something that not a lot of people talk about and truly, I feel like it’s because there aren’t enough right words to describe it.
But if I could tell any new moms some key pieces of advice it would be:
1. Take the pictures, all of them. Even when you don’t feel like you look glamours. (And to the partners, take pictures of her! This is so crucial!)
2. Be gentle with yourself, communicate and coordinate with your partner designated self care days so that you allow yourself to reset. Trust me, you need it. And don’t feel guilty about it either! (You can’t pour from an empty cup)
3. LOVE yourself, let go of social expectations that put so much pressure on women to “bounce back” after pregnancy. Remember to eat good foods, drink lots of water, and do things each day that make you feel GOOD!
4. And lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not superwomen (ok maybe your are, you gave birth for crying out loud lol ) but asking for help does not make you a bad mom!
Today on the blog I’m sharing a few things that helped me while potty training my “stubborn” toddler.
I put stubborn in quotations because I realized during this process that my toddler in fact was not stubborn, she was hesitant and scared, which was a result of a HUGE lack of communication on my part. Her feelings were completely valid and justified.(Keep reading, ill explain. it’ll all make sense.) Heck, I was scared!!! This was definitely new territory for me and a HUGE learning process for the both of us.
We tried several different methods at several different ages, failing each time. I couldn’t understand WHY she was just not going to the potty! It was frustrating and I was losing motivation. I was starting to believe my toddler was going to be in diapers forever.
I read countless blogs, watched endless videos. All sharing similar stories of how they successfully helped their kids learn. 1. just take them to the bathroom 2. Have them sit down on the potty and 3. eventually they’ll get it. Easy, right?
Now, I’m no expert or specialist. I’m simply a parent trying to help other flustered parents get to the realization and revelation that potty training doesn’t have to be scary or daunting.
STEP 1. COMMUNICATE!
Each of our attempts to potty train resulted in a terrified toddler. I realized one day it was because she had NO IDEA what the heck was going on. I did, but she did not.
The entire time I was the one setting the tone, I was the one keeping mental notes of when it was time to go sit down again. I was the one in control.
Did I mention to her we were potty training? YES. Did I realize that my toddler had NO IDEA what a potty was, or what it even meant to use the potty. No.
Once I realized my huge mistake, I felt so bad. This entire time i thought she just wasn’t comprehending. I really didn’t stop to think about the small details.
Heres the thing, Kids comprehend and are smarter than what we give them credit for. You just have to communicate in ways that they understand.
Olivia very much loves to be independent, she likes to know whats going on. What is happening and why its happening.
I had to take a step back and kindly explain and repeat detail by detail, step by step the process of what the potty was, what happens when you use the potty, and how to use it. We talked about it casually for a couple of weeks, just to get the idea comfortable with her.
During this time she was still in pull-ups and she’d soil in them. I took advantage of this time to show her what it meant when she went pee and when she went poo each time I would change her into a new pull up.
STEP 2. Lower your expectations!
Do some toddlers potty train in a day? Yes! is there a possibility that yours won’t? Yes. And guess what, They’re BOTH ok!
Learning how to use the potty is A LOT of pressure on a small child. For the first years of their lives they’ve developed a comfortable routine of soiling and voiding in a diaper. They had no idea that one day it would come to an end. Which circles me back to step one, Communicate! Now remember, this doesn’t mean underestimate, it means reassurance,safety, guidance and talking through the process.
STEP 3. Utilize your child’s interests.
Olivia LOVES music, all aspects of music. She love to sing, dance, listening to music. This girl will stop dead in her tracks to bust a move. I had the idea to have us listen to all of the song options for the alarm on my phone and had her pick her favorite one. I communicated with her that every time this song came on it meant we had to go sit on the potty. No pressure to use it, just go and say hi and have a seat. ( Her potty seat had Bubble Guppies characters and she loves saying hi to each one of them) This now gave the alarm control and she was less hesitant to go than when I was directing her. Every time that song came one I’d act so surprised and we’d excitedly race to sit on the potty.
STEP 4. The timer.
At first, before we picked the song and I realized my mistake, We were going and sitting on the potty every 10-15 minutes. Almost every thing I read about potty training stated to take them very often in the beginning and then slowly space it out. That did not work for us, AT ALL. It was way too overwhelming and I could see it was really stressing the both of us out. So instead we did it backwards, we went every 2-2.5 hours. Just to sit, no pressure to go. During this time would also be a good opportunity to utilize your child’s interest. The more relaxed they are, the more likely they’ll use the potty. We took a few minutes sitting on the seat to read books, blow bubbles, and sing songs.
STEP 5. Undies.
Once we were both comfortable and she felt ready, we tried going to the pottyfor about the first week while still in pull ups. Once she had her first success we CELEBRATED, Till this day i still cheer her on when she goes. She really had to SEE the process in action to realize what it is that she had to do, Which is why i really do suggest going all out with your celebration. Clap, Dance, Jump up and Down. Don’t be afraid to make this fun and exciting, you might feel silly but I promise your kiddo will appreciate it.
Then, after a few days of her catching on, actually using the potty, and no longer feeling scared, we decided to use panties. I explained to her what we would be doing. Saying things like, “OK we have to say bye bye to diapers, we get to use panties now! HOW AWESOME!” I got her super excited about wearing panties, I surprised her with a pack of undies with her favorite characters on them. I also kindly let her know that she should not go pee or poo in them. Of course I knew accidents would happen and I had absolutely no intentions of punishing her or making her feel bad. I just wanted her to understand that it was not another form of a diaper that she could freely soil without making an attempt to at least use the potty first.
STEP 6. Putting all of the steps together!
Its important to take as much time as you need during each step, and really customize things to your lifestyle and child. Every one is different. I’m not going to lie, It was HARD. By day 2 of her wearing undies I was in full blown tears, you just really have to be consistent and be your kiddos biggest support. Remember that this is as scary for them as it can be stressful to you. This is a RELATIONSHIP, it requires effort and communication from the both of you. And give yourself grace, be kind and gentle with not only your child but also yourself. Don’t give up, The reward is so so sweet! There’s nothing like seeing your child light up with the realization that they’ve overcome a fear and accomplished something huge. YOU’VE GOT THIS!
Bonus: books!
This book was AMAZING! It was really easyfor her to follow andunderstand. If you have little girls, Idefinitelysuggestgetting this book!
Disclaimer: blog contains affiliate links. When you purchase anything from these links, I have the opportunity to earn a very small commission, at no extra cost to you! Thank you!
Homeschool season is upon us again! It’s that time when we start to purge + organize our homeschool spaces, stock back up on school supplies, and gather our curriculum. Luckily, it’s also around the time Prime day deals happen! I’ve gathered a list of prime day deals for items you may need and will LOVE for your homeschool/teaching needs.
First, if you don’t have an amazon prime account, you can usethis link to get a FREE 30 day trial that you can cancel anytime.
To shop: click on the photos or links to take you directly to your Amazon app! Let’s get on into the good stuff!!
If you don’t already have a school cart then what are ya waiting for? Save 35% on this 3 tier rolling cart! Plan your day with this homeschool planner! It’s one of my favorite’s because it’s straight to the point. No extra fluff. Save 12% this Prime dayConstruction Paper/ paper organizer! Save 15% on Prime dayMesh storage bags! Perfect for storing and organizing your homeschool manipulatives, supplies, and board game pieces!
That’s it, you’ve made it to the end of my list! Make sure to share this with a friend who might like it,too!
Disclaimer: prime day deals and early prime day deals are subject to change. These are current discounts valid at the time this blog is posted. Links are commissionable links, which mean I may earn a small commission- at no extra cost to you- when you shop these links, thank you!
I know…I know. Where the heck have I been? Well, long story short…I’ve just been living life! Today I’m going to be sharing my year in review. My goal with my blog is to always Inspire, encourage, and motivate you whichever way I can; while also keeping it real.
There are a few key points Ive been focusing on this year, the first (in no particular order) being Homemaking/Biblical womanhood, the second – Homeschooling and the third most recent adventure of mine is Homesteading.
I’ve shared snippets of these adventures throughout the year on my blog and social media accounts, and today we’re going to review them. It’s easy to see people’s highlight reel on social media, but I want to be honest with you. None of these things have gone how I had planned 😅 but that’s life! I’ll also share what I’ve learned along the way and what I hope for in the new year to come. I hope it brings you some encouragement ✨
Disclaimer: some of the links in my blog may be commisionable /affiliate links, which mean I may earn a small (very small) commission when you purchase anything through those links – at no extra cost to you!
Homemaking/Biblical Womanhood
Over the last two years I’ve made a huge lifestyle change, I gave my life to Christ. And in the beginning, I didn’t realize how much it would change my life. I knew it would be a journey to help better myself, but goodness, it literally turned my entire life around for the better!
I’ve mostly always enjoyed being a stay at home mom, but something I always struggled with was the home aspect. I felt like I was drowning in housework, I felt incredibly disorganized, and I felt like other than raising Olivia, my work at home was redundant… But, GOD!
This year especially I’ve learned to LOVE homemaking. Homemaking has easily become one of my passions and I’m not mad at it. There’s something about being the keeper of your home, making it a safe and welcoming space, serving your family, and loving what you do. I’ve learned that there’s so much value in homemaking, where as before I felt like what I was doing was meaningless.
It has definitely been a learning process, Ive had to decipher what works well in my home and what doesn’t. I’ve had to figure out balanced routines that brought me peace instead of stress. There have been fails, but without trial and error it’s hard to discover what really works for you. I’m working on a blog sharing all of the helpful details that helped me go from barely surviving to thriving! For now, here are some of my favorite resources that give me encouragement!
Something I REALLY looked forward to this year was homeschool. We’ve been tot-schooling and doing a lot of intentional learning through play since Olivia was about 1.5 but this year was the year we took (or planned to take) things to the next level!
By the age of 3.5 Olivia was assessing at nearly a kindergarten level and I felt like by 4 she’d be ready for a more structured learning time. I worked all of summer preparing our homeschool room, our curriculum, and we even joined a co-op!
When I tell you nothing went as planned….literally nothing went as planned 🤣 A few weeks into our homeschool year I found out we were expecting our second child, and we were seriously overcome with SO MUCH JOY! What I wasn’t expecting though, was the violent first trimester symptoms I experienced that lasted well into the second trimester. With my first daughter I had some serious complications throughout my pregnancy, morning sickness however wasn’t one of my symptoms. At least morning sickness to the extent that I experienced this time around. So you can imagine, homeschool (or how I had planned to originally homeschool) took a bit of a detour.
I’ll be honest, at first I questioned my ability to do this. I mean, I could barely get out of bed that’s how intense my pregnancy felt in the beginning. Not once on this journey, up until those moments, had I questioned my ability because I KNEW this was something God had called us to do. Especially in this day in age with how a lot of things are in the public school setting.
On top of that, my husbands nearly 20 year old car who had never given us any issues before, decided to give us a hard time. And with us living out in the country and him having to commute into the city, we no longer felt safe with him driving it until we got everything all clear. Because of that, we also didn’t get to really experience our co-op like how we had hoped. We attended maybe a handful of times, and after that we continued to do our co-op curriculum at home. Many of you have asked me how I’ve liked classical conversations, and I can truthfully tell you that I feel like I can’t give a good answer at this time. We weren’t able to get the most out of it co-op wise. But that isn’t CC’s fault at all and that is why I really don’t talk about CC. Life just took us in a different direction, and by the time we got everything all sorted out, I’ll be honest I felt too behind to go back to our co-op.
I almost gave up, but I had to remind myself that God’s plans are way greater than mine and maybe what I had in mind, wasn’t how things were supposed to go. After all, I’ve been on a journey of letting go of perfectionism and being more flexible and in the moment.
Eventually we found our grove, and even through it didn’t look like the perfectly curated morning school routine I had planned in my head ; we’ve really been enjoying homeschooling! Olivia gets excited each day to learn, and we love getting together with other homeschool families for play dates.
Homesteading:
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen that earlier this year we moved out of the city. It was something God had really placed on our hearts, and we really do believe that He lead us to our home. We purchased nearly two acres of land with a home already on it.
We were prepared to start our homesteading journey. We hoped for self- sustainability with animals, rain-catching systems, and a garden.
Our property was already pretty open, there wasn’t anything that needed to be cleared and other than our home there was only one other structure on it! Our well and septic system had already been maintenanced before we moved in so literally we were ready to get right on into homesteading!
What we weren’t ready for was the massive freeze that happened here in Texas February of this year. It got three of our giant oak trees, I mean these trees had to be about 100 or more years old and they were beautiful! Unfortunately most of what we had saved to get our homestead started went all to clearing those trees. (I’m talking thousands, who knew clearing trees was so expensive? This city girl sure didn’t 😅) Im grateful we were able to get them taken care of, one of the trees was literally falling apart and it would not have been good had it fallen on our house or even a neighbors house.
What we were able to do was start a small garden! It wasn’t something out of a magazine, we definitely had to go more on the budget-friendly side but honestly I LOVED it! It was my first time ever growing ANYTHING and I started it all from seed. Along with my homeschooling doubt in the beginning of my pregnancy, I also wondered if I’d be able to throw in starting another garden next year. And I’m feeling more and more confident about it as time goes on! This year I grew cucumbers, tomatoes, and watermelon. Really only my cucumbers were successful, but they were the best dang cucumbers I’ve ever had! 😅
What I’ve learned…
The cliche…sometimes( a lot of the times ) things don’t always go how we planned but it’s our reaction to those things that determine whether or not we make it through. Hard times are only temporary, and we run the risk of losing out on the blessings that life bring if we stay focused on the negative. So do what you can, when you can, how you can!
My hopes for the New Year…
Even with the challenging things this year has brought, I’ve felt incredibly blessed.
My hopes for the next year are to mostly continue how we’ve been going. Id like to continue to foster my love for biblical homemaking, and encourage other woman to do the same. I hope to be able to balance motherhood with our new baby’s arrival, I’m really looking forward to having another child! It has been years of trying and I’m looking forward to this little bundle of joy joining our family, God willing! I mostly hope to just enjoy life, be present and in the moment!
What about you?
How are you feeling about the end of the year and New Year? Any big hopes, dreams, goals! Id love to know more, share with me down below!
I’ve connected with some amazing bloggers to share some of their 2022 New Years goals! Motherhood, Fitness, Blogging, even a recap of 2021 into 2022! Head to each of their accounts to check out what they are sharing!
Wow, summer just flew on by! It’s time to get ready to get back into the swing of things, more specifically: School!
For us, this will be our third year Homeschooling, my daughter is four but we’ve implemented a learning-through-play/intentional play time since she was very small to help encourage her with her speech delay. This year, we’re joining the big guns – a homeschool Co-op!
What’s a homeschool co-op? There are all different types of co-ops, but in general, it’s a group of Homeschooling families who meet. Some meet weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly. This year we’ll be meeting weekly, so school for us will have a little bit of a different routine to it this year.
Many times we hear about back to school tips for the kids, these tips will be for you- The parent! Spending all day with your children is a huge blessing, but finding pockets of time to get what you need/want done can be challenging. But it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few tips I’m implementing this year to help us have an easy going school year.
1. Fill your cup
I don’t know about you, but if I don’t meet my needs before I have to meet everyone else’s, I’m an anxious hot mess. So, I wake up at least an hour before everyone wakes up rather then waking up when everyone else wakes up. This gives me an opportunity to get into the word of God- one of the most important things that help me with day to day life. I’m able to shower in peace and get ready for the day. Literally, it sounds so insignificant but trust me. Getting that time to take care of yourself in the mornings, makes a world of a difference and it’ll help you serve others better, too.
2. Meal plan for the busy days
Co-op days will take up a huge chunk of your day. I’m the type of person who if I’ve been out all day, the last thing I want to think about is what I have to cook for dinner when I get home. So, I’ve designated co-op day our official crockpot day! Pinterest has a ton of dump-and-go crock pot recipes perfect for busy families. If you’re not a fan of crockpot meals, give your busy days the easy meals. One pot or even oven meals to take off the load of the day.
3. Start the school year off stress-free
This will be our first year using multiple curriculums, like actual curriculums. The last few years we’ve done a lot of hands on learning with toys, puzzles, books, and a little bit of curriculum mixed in. We’ll still be doing that this year, however we’ve added some more structure to our day.
It was SUPER overwhelming trying to make lesson plans with all brand new things. SO, what I’ve done to help ease us into this school year is create a 3 week refresher where our focus will be 1. Getting into a homeschool rhythm that fits for us 2. Re-visiting all that we’ve learned last year and working on what needs improvement and 3. Making lesson plans as we progress!
Homeschooling is all about helping your child learn with the learning style that best fits their needs and starting off the year this way, I feel, can be less intimidating and you as the parent can see what your child needs and go from there. Rather than jumping in at 100 miles an hour.
4. Get out of the house
The beauty of homeschooling is that learning can take place literally ANYWHERE! I am an introvert by nature, but I also recognize how getting out of the house when homeschooling can really help with minimizing burnout. Don’t get so caught up in textbooks that you for get to live! We’re making designated library and park days to help mix it up!
5. Make a plan, but don’t let it own you.
For many new homeschooling families, the pressure of creating a public school setting at home takes over. The specific structured learning times, the pressure for learning to only happen at a desk with a book, the pressure of only and always sticking to the plan! Let me tell ya, that’s not what homeschooling is about!
Make a general plan for the year to help you get an idea of what you’d like to touch on this year, but don’t let the plan own you. The beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility! I decided to plan out general things I’d like for us to work on this year, rather then writing down specific structured plans for specific days and times.
This not only allows you to work with your child on a certain subject or topic how ever long they need, but it’ll also help your child not feel so pressured to 1. Please you by trying to move forward with the lesson even if they don’t fully understand it. 2. It takes stress off of your back from feeling “behind” or feeling like you have to “catch up”. Can I tell you a secret? There’s no behind in homeschool.
Lastly, have fun!
Have fun with it! Homeschooling is what you make it, and it can be the best experience (or your not so favorite) but the reality is, it’s your school! You can change and move things around for what best fits your family’s needs. Create fun homeschooling traditions for the first day, or even the 100th day! Celebrate the milestones as you hit them and remember to HAVE FUN!
I’ve connected with some amazing bloggers to share some Back to school tips! Getting back into a schedule, school supplies, diy projects, etc. Head to each of their pages to check out what they are sharing!
Summer is officially in full swing – and as introverted as I am – I can’t be home every single day. So, I’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite kid-friendly summer activities that we love to do, hopefully you will enjoy them too! The best part? They’re affordable!
Affordable summer activities for kids:
1. Have a backyard picnic with your favorite foods
Pc: CANVA
We love backyard picnics! Our favorite foods, a sunny day, and just running around and playing outside! Seems so simple, but it’s a nice way for you to unplug and enjoy quality time together!
2. Go to the splash pad!
We just recently started spending time at the splash and we LOVE IT! Here in Texas the splash pads are completely free, and almost every park has them! A tip I’ve learned: get there before they open. It’s not as hot and less people!
3. Go to the beach!
Here in Texas the beaches are also free, and many of them have free parking. I’ll be honest, the thought of taking a toddler to the beach used to give me super bad anxiety! But, we’ve found a super cute small local beach, it truly is a hidden gem. Look around online for any small local beaches near you, some communities are building beaches in neighborhoods here. It’s the craziest thing, but also comes in handy for when you don’t want to make a big trip to the big beaches with your little ones.
4. Play in the rain
I don’t know about where you live, but here in Texas it’s been an exceptionally rainy summer. As long as there is no lighting or thunder, we’ll play and run around in the rain! Get you some rain boots and go to town on the muddy puddles!
5. Have a movie day
I got this idea from my sister and I love it! Bring out the mattresses, pillows, and all of the blankets to the living room! Camp out, make some homemade popcorn and watch a family movie! This is great for those rainy days when you can’t play outside. Here in town they have $1 early bird kid movies, that’s a great option as well!
6. Go to the park!
Good ole trusty park playground! Pack a cooler with lunch, sunscreen, and some water and spend the day at the park! I don’t know about you but my kiddo can spend the whole day there!
Screenshot this pic to easily shop all of your garden needs in the LIKEtoKNOW.it app!
I know what you’re thinking, “isn’t it too late to start a garden?” Depending on where you are in the world, right now is the perfect time to start your summer garden! You may not be able to start seeds indoors, but you can sow them outside or buy plant starts from your local farmers market or nursery.
Imagine: landscaping stone and mulch around the pots 😅. The garden is planted, the aesthetics are a work in progress.
We live in SE Texas, so we have an extra long growing season! I’ve actually just sowed a few seeds directly outdoors and they’ve already taken off!
If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you probably have no idea what I’m talking about! I know Ive been a bit MIA from my blogging space, so the long story short update: we moved out of our apartment in the city and bought some land in hopes of starting a small homestead. We’re doing this all on our own, and on one Income. With prices of lumber and materials skyrocketing, we had to do lots of research as to how we would make our garden. And so, our budget garden was born!
Here’s what I’m using this year:
Growbags!
Tomatoes growing in 10 gallon grow bags
Grow bags are a great option to grow your veggies in! The materials are self-wicking, they are a great help to the plant’s root-system, and the best part they’re cheap! I’m growing in 10 gallon grow bags, you can get away with 5 gallon grow bags ; but I really wanted my veggies to not have to compete or sacrifice for space. However, because of their self wicking nature they do need to be watered more often. Currently with this Texas heat I water once a dawn and once at dusk, for some this may be a con but I honestly enjoy being in my garden space so I don’t mind.
A trellis!
Depending on what you grow, your veggies may need something to climb up on. I’m growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and sugar baby watermelons. You can use a tomato cage for all of these, upside down for the melons. I also really wanted to use cattle panel, but I drive a sedan so getting a trellis and tomato cage home was a challenge. I found this trellis netting for under $10! It’s actually surprisingly sturdy and does an awesome job! You’ll need something to attach it to, and something to help support and guide the plants onto it.
Garden Stakes
As mentioned earlier, you’ll need something to attach the trellis netting to! That’s where these garden stakes come in, I stuffed these on each side of the grow bags on the inside and secured them to the handles of the grow bags. Using the zip ties
Zip ties attached to the grow bags + zip ties securing the trellis netting!
Garden Zip-Ties
I needed a way to hold everything together. Originally I hammered the garden stakes into the ground, however that made them way too short! So, not only did these zip ties allow me to secure the netting to the post, but it also was able to secure them to the plant and grow bags! These items seem like such a mindless thing, but they really are the “glue” that keeps it all together!
Garden Velcro Tape
Velcro tape guiding plant up the trellis!
Velcro? For plants? YES! Now because of the type of trellis Im using, I needed something to help guide the plants up and to also keep them secure during wind and storms. Tomatoes naturally grow up, but melons like to spread out unless you train them to go up yourself! This Velcro tape is more gentle than using something like zip ties, and it allows the plant to grow without being disturbed. I found growing the plants up rather than letting them stay on the ground have helped minimize the pests.
EXTRAS
Hand pruning shears
Pruning is almost always necessary for a healthy garden. I thought – because pruning seed starts were easy with my fingers – that i didn’t need these. I was so so wrong, these plants got SUPER thick. These pruning shears are a MUST!
Organic Potting mix
Having an organic garden is my priority! This organic potting mix is affordable AND effective in the garden!
Organic compost
Two of the most important components of your garden should be your soil/mix and your organic matter. This compost has been working great in our garden and is also very affordable!
Screenshot this pic to easily shop all of yours garden needs in the LIKEtoKNOW.it app!(Disclaimer, links are affiliate links. Which mean I may earn a small commission if you shop through these links, at no extra cost to you! Thank you!)
And there you have if, a simple garden on a budget! Are you gardening this year? If so, what are you growing? I’d love to know In the comments below!
Looking for a Father’s Day gift guide for all budgets? Look no further!
How to shop the list: simply click on the picture and the link will direct you to the item of your choice.
Disclaimer this blog contains affiliate links, which mean I may earn a small commission when you shop through those links – at NO extra cost to you. If you chose to purchase anything from these links, I genuinely thank you for helping support my family. Happy shopping!
Gifts under $50
1. Customizable Father’s Day picture collage, this will look great on any wall in your house!2. Every dad needs a good Father’s Day Tee in their wardrobe!3. Personalized Father’s Day workshop sign4. What dad doesn’t like a nice hat! The leather is a nice touch!5. This has to be probably my most favorite gift under $50. A personalized docking station for Dad!6. Super sweet keychain for dad!7. For the grill master dad – a nice personalized spatula 8. For the veteran dads, a custom ammo box! It also comes in all of the US military Branches
Gifts over $100
1. Blackstones are ALL THE RAGE right now! These things are awesome and perfect for outdoor cooking!2. Listen listen listen, I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good men’s cologne. Having worked in the beauty and fragrance department at a luxury department store I can tell you that THIS scent Is easily one of the top 5 men’s scents.3. Yeti travel cooler! Perfect if your man enjoys camping/hiking/or just a good ole outdoor family day!4. Ember temperature control mug. If I don’t get this for my husband I’ll definitely be getting it for myself! it also comes in a travel mug!5. The ultimate tool set!6. A super handy drill charging station!7. And last but not least, a gun safe to go with that ammo box!For easy shopping, screenshot this pic to shop in the LIKEtoKNOW.it app!
I’ve connected with some amazing bloggers to share some Father’s Day Gift Ideas! Amazon ideas, diy, homemade from kids and more! Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing
I don’t know about you, but I can only have a smoothie in the summer months, when I really need a nice filling and refreshing treat.
Today I’m going to share with you the EASIEST smoothie recipe that even your kids will love.
As an added bonus, you can include a scoop of probiotics, greens, or any kid-friendly protein/veggie powders for your pickiest kids.
If your kiddos aren’t a fan of smoothies, we love to use this recipe with extra frozen bananas to make an “ice cream” consistency or pour into popsicle moulds to make homemade popsicles!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 extra ripe bananas (the more ripe the better, it makes it super sweet!)
A handful of frozen mixed berries
Milk of your choose
Chocolate greens (we used our favorite from Sprigs Life)
Pour all into the blender and blend up some tasty summer goodness!
For the pops:
Pour the smoothie into popsicle moulds and freeze over night for a delicious and healthy homemade popsicle!
I’ve connected with some amazing bloggers to share some Summer Treat ideas! ☀️🍦🍭🍬 Drinks, desserts, treats and more! Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing
Easy + fun Valentine’s Day breakfast you can make with your toddlers
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Hey friends! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that we had a rough week last week. Now, to be honest, we don’t really celebrate most holidays other than Christmas and thanksgiving, it’s a special time for our family to get together since we’re pretty scattered. However, I really wanted to do something extra special for Olivia. With her dad being gone working out of town, I really wanted to shower her with love! Not to mention she LOVES helping in the kitchen. So, without further ado, let’s get to making a fun, easy, and healthy Valentine’s Day breakfast!
Feel free to customize this and add/remove things to your liking!
Makingheart–shapedpancakes
• Make pancake batter according to the instructions on your bag/box. (We added chocolate chips to our batter but you can omit this step, or even add something else)
• Add a little bit of butter to your warmed pan
• Place cookie cutter on the pan and immediately pour in some batter
• Let the cookie cutter sit just for a few seconds and then gently remove
T I P: make sure you only pour a thin layer of batter. I poured a super thick layer and when I removed the cookie cutter it all came out and made a huge mess. Wait a bit before turning the pancake over so that it doesn’t lose its shape.
Making heart shaped strawberries
• use a pairing knife to cut a V-shape at the stem.
• Remove the stem and the strawberry on the cutting board v-shape down.
• If you have a thick strawberry you can slice it into multiple thin flat pieces, or you can just slice them in half.
• That’s it!
Bonus: for my breakfast I made heart shaped eggs.
• butter the pan
• Place the cookie cutter on the pan
• Immediately crack the egg in
• Wait just a few seconds and gently remove the cookie cutter
• Season + cover the egg until cooked to your liking.
Voila!
To get extra fancy you can assemble all of this on a charcuterie board and serve family style! I hope you enjoy!
Do you do anything special for tour family on Valentine’s Day? Share with us in the comments. 💗
All the treats, all the sweets🍭🍫🍬 I’ve connected with some amazing galentines to share some blogs featuring valentines desserts! Brownies, donuts, cookies, cupcakes, charcuterie boards and more! Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing.
My thoughts about being a mother, homemaker, and a spouse have radically changed since accepting God into my life.
I went from an ultra-feminists, man-hating woman, to a woman who now strives to love and honor God. Which as a spouse means loving and honoring my spouse as the head of our household because we are to submit to him as we do unto the Lord.
You see, society tells us that we as woman need to be the ones who are always in control. That we shouldn’t be keepers of our home or depend on the man.
There is a lot to un-learn and re-learn. Especially if we’re truly seeking to love and serve God.
Sometimes we think that Gods word is figurative and not literal, and that because we live in modern times that He really doesn’t intend for us to Live out the word because it “cannot” be applied today. But the word of God is not a suggestion, it’s a guide for how we should live. We are to be set apart. It is not enough to be a woman who has faith, if we continue to live life by OUR standards and not by Gods.
What I’ve learned is that it is OKAY to love your role as a women. It’s okay to be feminine and not feminists. It’s OKAY to submit, love, and honor our husbands. It’s OKAY to be a homemaker and want to raise a family. The Lord has chosen our husbands to be shepherds of our households, to lead us and help us get closer to God. To protect and provide for us. And as women society tells us they we shouldn’t be any of those things and that we shouldn’t lean on our husbands for support…and that’s because society is lead by a spirit that is NOT the Holy Spirit. And the more I get into the word the more I see the war and attack that the world has against the nuclear family.
The truth is that when we fall in line with who God intends us to be, we live so much more at peace. We no longer have to stress or carry burdens that are no longer ours. We work better together when we act accordingly to how God designed us to be. 💗
Grace Mccoy 