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We have an official accepted signed offer on a home on 40 acres with a barn, big garden, apple trees, and trees producing sap for syrup.  I am hesitant to say too much until the key is in our hands and we are moving in, but we are planning that within about 60 days it will be ours!

Projects, dreams of fixing and decorating, and what animals to put in the barn are floating around in our heads.  It’s so good to be at this stage of buying after the ups and downs we’ve come across so far in this process.

I’ve been reading a great book about starting a homestead and she caught my visions with her words:

And soon it spread, until the word home could make me cry.  I wanted one.  With a man.  A house.  The smell of cut grass, sheets on the line, a child running through a sprinkler.  This humble wish seemed so impossible.  It was so different from the life I was living, and no one in my circle had those things, or wanted them or would admit it if they did. ~ Kristin Kimball

Soon this home I’ve been dreaming of, full of imperfections but possibilities, will be mine.

I recently posted about What I’m Reading, and one of those books is Organized Simplicity. I have been working my way through it – albiet slowly so I don’t wear myself out during the second trimester.  I have completed the living room declutter, deep clean, and organization and I’m still in the kitchen working (after days of going at it already).

I started insides the cupboards first, and I think that they are rid of the the things I don’t use and organized in a better way.  My cupboards now:

Today my goal in the kitchen will be a good scrub down, and then I can move on to the next room!  How is your spring cleaning going?

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My friend Tara, who I met in Texas during our travels in our RV, is releasing an amazing and powerful e-book. I have had the opportunity to “dig in” during the pre-launch and within the first two sections, I knew this was going to be different than any other “self-help” book I’ve read before.

Not only is it a written book complete with a workbook for processing, but everything is also on audio so each person and their learning styles can benefit. This book is like having a life coach talk right into your ear or heart, while you process on your own time. It’s sincere, it’s gentle, it’s heartwarming, and freeing but let me tell you that you may come upon some messy things while you are working through this.

I encourage you to give this a try if you are trying to find answers about a relationship, parenting, an experience in your past you would like to break free of. Dig deep, process, release, be free!

If it’s not what you expected, and it’s not working for you, Tara stands behind her work and will refund your money within 30 days. Don’t worry though – you won’t be disappointed.

Click here to view more details

This is an affiliate link and I will make a commission on any sales made on through my blog. The money will be used toward our new homestead.

The Slight Edge is a book I’m reading through personal development with BeachBody. It explains about how to get the “slight edge” in business and in life by doing the things that are the small, easy things to do (or not to do). It’s very motivating.

I just started Hypnobirthing by recommendation by a few friends who birthed this way and my midwife who has seen it in action. It teaches a way to be fully present in your birth but not feel the pain. I’m all for that!

Organized Simplicity is just as it sounds about organizing and simplifying your home. It’s not just the ideas of it though – it puts it into action. I have created a purpose statement for my home so I can stay on track with chores, friends, and all the stuff we own (or will get rid of). Today I start tackling the living room – wish me luck!

What are you reading and what’s inspiring you?

It has been over 3 years since I graduated college.  It’s been way longer than that since I have graduated high school.  But.. I am excited today because me and another friend are signing up for a class tonight.

Why does that make me so happy?!

I’m a life learner!  I can’t help but get excited about learning new things… especially with someone as interested in these things as I am.  So, what class is it you ask?

It’s a Family Herbalist Course through one of the founders of the American Herbalists Guild.  I am taking the course so that I can learn more about the history of the use of herbals, how to grow them, harvest them, and use them for myself and family and friends as a form of preventative medicine.

We would love more people in our study group!  Let me know if you are interested!

What are you looking forward to learning this week?

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What’s better to do on a cold winter’s day than sip tea and read good books?  Nothing!  So that’s exactly what we have been doing around here.

I started my reading spree with my favorite author, Nicholas Sparks.  Don’t judge.  Every once in awhile, I like an easy, mushy, girly read and he always comes through.  I read The Last Song and enjoyed the teenage coming of age and love story.

I followed that up with a suggestion from my (soon-to-be) sister-in-law – The Hunger Games.  She was so right that it’s a page turner.  I didn’t read it as fast as her, but every chance I had I was reading.  Thank goodness for my Kindle and my Kindle app…  I always had it with me.

Of course, I’m starting the second book in the series – Catching Fire.  I’m just a few chapters in, but it’s just as captivating.  If you are ready to read a good series, this is it.  Order all of the books at once though, or you’ll regret it.

Through all of this, I’m pining for my non-fiction reading though as well.  As many of you know, I enjoyed Natural Healing by Frugal Granola and wrote about what I made here.  I am gearing up for a summer of growing herbs, harvesting them, and making things with them.  So I digging into The Herbal Medicine-Makers Handbook.  There’s so much to learn!

As many of you know, I have been working on decluttering for quite awhile.  A little here and a little there – then getting rid of big things like the extra car and the RV.  Now I want to hunker down with this free eBook and workbook called Conquer the Clutter to declutter room to room because of Dusti Arab!  She’s a mom too and a living example that living with less with kids is totally possible.

She recently released Minimalist Mom too, and it was kicking my butt!  Hence my New Years Resolution of streamlining and simplifying.  I am adding Dusti to my SAHM series even though she is a working minimalist mom who is also attending college because these books are beneficial to anyone who needs to simplify their home and family life.

I got to interview Dusti about Conquering the Clutter and Minimalist Mom – MY VERY FIRST INTERVIEW!  I’m so happy she obliged.

I’m digging your eBooks Conquer the Clutter and Minimalist Mom.  What has inspired you to write these books?

It’s an interesting story, actually. When I first discovered “minimalism” per se, I was fascinated that there were others like myself who had realized they were happier when they weren’t being held down by all of the junk.

However, I also saw there was a common misconception that one couldn’t really be a minimalism if they had children. It made me so mad that all of these people, mostly mothers too scared to part with their things, were propagating the belief that there is anything a mom can’t do.

Writing for The Minimalist Mom began in September, when I first began to discover how few people wrote for those with children who wanted to live more simply. The only example anyone ever gives is Joshua Becker, but the thing is he lives in a big house in suburbia.

Does anyone else see something wrong with that? Sure, radical minimalism where you only live with 100 things isn’t for everyone, but I wasn’t really interested in those people. They don’t want or need radical change.

I wanted to write to the people who did. The other parents who wanted to live incredible lifestyles and refused to give up just because they were parents, these would be my audience.

Conquer the Clutter was the introductory text. I wanted everyone to have already stripped their lives of everything unnecessary before I came in with the really radical ideas. Now, whenever someone is like, “Oh, no! How can I possibly get rid of grandma’s china or my beloved televsion?!” I refer them to CtC. It nullifies the arguments to getting rid of your junk.

What is your biggest goal as a Minimalist Mom?

I want to show my daughter that you don’t need tons of crap to be happy. Through minimalism, my life is being built in a way that will enable us to live the way I dream of. Traveling around the world. Can you imagine a more amazing way to grow up? I can’t. I want the world for my daughter and I, and this is how I will give it to her.

What do you want other moms to get from your writing?

I want other moms to realize how important it is to not just be a mom. Being a mom is part of who you are, but it is by no means all you are. You are a woman! Embrace it! Our society has convinced us we need to sacrifice ourselves for husband and baby, but this is so wrong. Being an excellent parent requires enough selfishness to take care of yourself, so you can properly take care of your child. Be the sexy, amazing, brilliant woman you were born to be! Everyone around you deserves it.

What do you have now that you didn’t when you had all the clutter in your life?

Interesting question. Time. Real friends. Freedom. Getting rid of all of my junk has happened concurrently with starting my blog. For me, that makes the two inseparable. Once the junk was gone, I began to realize just how empty other parts of my life were. However, because my time was freed up, I was able to lay the foundations for friendships I truly believe I will have for the rest of my life, even after this niche dies (which is already beginning).

Do you miss anything that you donated or sold?

Not a bit. Honestly, once it is gone, you forget you ever had it. You also tend to wonder why you ever had so much crap to begin with. Seriously, hack away at all of your junk mercilessly, and you will reap the rewards.

…Also, cleaning takes ten minutes, even with a two year old underfoot.

What’s your favorite part of being a minimalist mom?

You should see my daughter’s room.

My daughter is on the 100 Thing Challenge. Oh, yeah. You heard me. The fact is, all kids need are toys and clothes. That’s it.

Everyone is so convinced by marketers that they need every new gadget from the time they get pregnant (though I did swear by an electric breast pump for a while), that they forget that the main ingredient in a happy childhood is attention! In a world where everything is trying to interrupt our focus, being able to focus enough to give our kids the love and attention they need is so important.

Also, being a minimalist mom forces me to be much more self-aware. What I mean is that I can’t hide behind my stuff anymore. I know buying something isn’t going to make me happier for more than little while (although I’d dig a new laptop right about now), and it enables me to reflect on myself and my actions on a daily basis. Do I believe in what I’m doing? Is the way I spend my time reflective of what I think? These are the real way to achieve self improvement.

I recently wrote a blog post about my daily schedule – what does yours look like?

5:00 – Get up, get ready, head out the door by 5:25

5:30 – Get to coffee shop around the corner, start writing. Don’t stop until 8:00

8:00 – Go home. If baby is waking up, get her up. Otherwise, do some networking, writing, or possibly a little cleaning. Tie up loose ends.

9:00 – The usual time baby wakes up. Make breakfast, and play with baby until nap time. Sometimes we stay home, but more often we head out to the library or talk a walk or something more interesting.

1:00 – Baby goes down for nap. I get back to writing or homework, whichever has a sooner deadline. Work until baby wakes up.

3:30 – Usual wake up time for baby. Spend evening playing, loving, laughing, etc. Hang out with my partner.

8:00 – Put baby in bed. Hang out with my partner. Have amazing sex. Lots of it = key to keeping a happy relationship. Pass out eventually.

That’s my schedule about four days a week. However, I want to make it very clear that isn’t my whole life. If it were, I’d probably go crazy. You see, I don’t have any other mom friends. This means I spend quite a bit of time alone or at home, if I’m not careful. However, those are two things that don’t help my small business grow or get my homework done! Thus, here is my schedule the other days of the week.

5:00 – Get up, get ready, head out the door by 5:25

5:30 – Get to coffee shop around the corner, start writing. Don’t stop until 8:00

8:00 – Go home. If baby is waking up, get her up. Otherwise, do some networking, writing, or possibly a little cleaning. Tie up loose ends.

9:00 – The usual time baby wakes up. Make breakfast, and get out the door! Drop baby off with my mom by 10:00.

10:00 – Hop the train to my beloved downtown Portland.

11:00 – Do whatever I like. Usually have a meeting with someone scheduled for work or play or both. Head home when I feel like it.

This time for adventuring, being alone, being with friends, and generally exploring the greater depth of myself than just the part of me that is a mother is vital to keeping myself and everyone around me happy. If I cannot wander and occasionally indulge my passions, I will go crazy.

If you want to learn more about Dusti do check out her blog!  Don’t forget to grab your free copy of Conquer the Clutter and don’t miss out on the inspiring Minimalist Mom book too – it has really given me the push to keep striving for less stuff but for MORE of what really matters!

Are any of you unhappy with your doctors or pediatricians?  Do you think maybe you can take some control of your health and the health of your family by doing things a little more naturally?

Last year about this time, Val had an infected toe.  Now I’m not talking about a little cut that was a tad oozy.  I’m talking about her entire toe turning green!  We went the pediatrician, who happened to be out of town, and we had to deal with his fill-in.  She was not polite, she took a sample, told me the results would be in on Monday because of course it was a Friday, and even rudely asked me if I was going to breastfeed in front of her.  Okay, I’m getting off of my soap box.  She told me to just give Val some antibiotics and to be on our way.

Well, maybe she should have just told me this over the phone.  I could’ve guessed that’s what she would have done.  So we called our chiropractor – who we should have called first.  He told us about a homemade salve to fight infection, we made it, and within a few days it was HEALING!  Drastically!  Without antibiotics that would change the healthy flora of her gut.

These things work, and I wanted this book because I wanted to make a stash of goodies to keep on hand in case of scrapes and even when Mama just needs a soak.  In barely any time at all, I made three different soothers from Michele’s recipes to start my healing stash.

I bought some ingredients and containers from Rose Mountain Herbs and Tropical Traditions.

And this is what I made!

I am happy to announce that I am giving away

one copy of

Herbal Nurturing by Michele at Frugal Granola!

This eBook covers a lot of things from salves to teas and

syrups to lip balms.  It’s a great companion

for a family who wants to get well

naturally!

To enter leave separate comments for more chances to win:

1.  What you would like to learn from this book?

2.  Like Frugal Granola on Facebook.

3.  Like Making a Home and Family on Facebook.

4.  Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave the link in a comment.

For those of you who can’t wait

for the giveaway,

use FAMILY25 when you get your

Herbal Nurturing book for 25% off!

The giveaway will be announced on

Friday around 8pm CST.

Good luck!

]]> http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2010/12/14/herbal-nurturing-a-family-healing-learning-guide-giveaway/feed/ 16 http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2010/11/21/sunday-inspiration-belly-laughs-and-louder-than-words/ http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2010/11/21/sunday-inspiration-belly-laughs-and-louder-than-words/#comments Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:39:48 +0000 Jennie http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/?p=552

This week, I took a break from my usually scheduled reading of The Fountainhead (which is taking me forever by the way).  I borrowed a couple of books from a friend and just devoured them!  Now, you may be surprised to hear I was inspired by this author (or not depending on what you think of me ) but these books were a great reprieve from the slow moving book I had been reading.

The first was Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy, and I’m not quite sure why I didn’t read this sooner after having Val.  With her humor and crass way of telling it like it is, I may have felt a little bit better having a little one in the house.  All the crazy stuff was totally normal and maybe I could have laughed a little more.  It’s a quick read.  Even with a toddler, I finished it in a day.

The second book was also by Jenny McCarthy, but a little bit deeper than the first one.  It’s called Louder Than Words – A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.  I know some people think that Jenny isn’t qualified to talk about autism and how to heal or what might cause it.  I am a firm believer in a mother’s instinct, in healing with diet, and not so much of a believer of the medical field sometimes.  She doesn’t know or claim to know exactly what caused her son’s autism, but she does know what actions she took to bring him out of his window and she’s sharing that information.  I am not a mother of a child with autism, but I would recommend this book to one so they would start asking questions.

Some inspiring links to share~

::A mesmerizing Goddess video shared by Shazzie

::Do you want a daily yoga practice?  What about just trying 7 minutes a day?

::Spend your time how you want to spend it!

::A video about changing the parenting paradigm.

::An interview talking about attachment parenting and beyond.

::Who remembers Blossom?  Here’s an interview with her talking about her homebirth.

::Green prefab homes - I’m really interested!  The layouts are great!

Visit the Organic Sister on Mondays to read about others who are Inspired and share yours too!

My DH has been gone for a whole week already.  He is in the beautiful red rock area of Arizona for work.  Don’t get this post wrong – I am appreciative of all of the hardwork and sacrifices he makes to provide for us – but sometimes, being a full-time mom (and one that is so “AP” or whatever) can be challenging.

Remember the post about it takes a village to raise a child and take care of a family?  I asked for help because I needed a break to refresh and regroup to be a better mom.  Who better to ask than my own mom?  Mom to the rescue!

So she took Val to do errands and to visit my sister and nephew, and I did some quick tidying at the house before going out.  I went to the library to get The Fountainhead (as recommended by DH) and then I went to a cafe for a soy latte.  Just a few chapters and an uninterrupted coffee can do wonders for an overstimulated mama.

That quiet time was followed up by a big hug from Val at the door when I saw her, baby talk to my nephew and baby smiles in return, and then a big lunch at our favorite little burrito place.

I went home with my cup overflowing!

What can you do today, so your cup can overflow a little too?