{Photo Credit}

I had a huge inspirational boost this week while on The Organic Tribe call (you can read about that here), and I have been blissed out on life since then.  After the call, the universe (God… whatever you call your higher being) kept sending me similar messages.  Here are a few:

::“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”

::“If-then thinking s***s in the face of contentment.”

::My Uh!Maze!Ing! coach

::146 reasons to cut out sugar

Have a blessed week!

]]> http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2011/08/21/inspiration-sunday-2/feed/ 0 http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2011/08/20/the-organic-tribe/ http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2011/08/20/the-organic-tribe/#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2011 21:37:04 +0000 Jennie http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/?p=905

I am sure many of you have heard me talk about The Organic Sister before on my blog, facebook, or twitter.  She is one absolutely amazing woman, traveling full-time in her RV with her family, and someone I greatly admire for being honest, genuine, and authentic.

So… she is putting together a Tribe.  An online sisterhood to help coach us through bi-monthly conference calls on certain topics and opening a forum for us to grow together.  I have always thought about being coached by her – I think the fear of getting to the root of anything or having to be so honest with someone held me back.  You know how it is, right?

But bi-monthly calls and a forum?  I can handle that.  Still digging deep but in a group of other women who are also evolving .. now that was calling me.  I signed up!  Unfortunately, I missed the first call because I was at an information homeschooling meeting but when I listened to the recording I was MOVED.  I cried, laughed, jotted notes, doodled, dreamed, answered questions in my mind, and started breaking stuff down.  You can read my testimonial and others here.

Did I mention the call was about being OVERWHELMED?  Um hello?!  I have a toddler, about to have a baby, and on the verge of a move to a FARM!  It was speaking or YELLING right at me.

I am so flippin’ excited about this that I had to share.  As Tara says, it’s Uh!Maze!Ing!

Click here to view more details

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.

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?

Last week, I felt the need to take my Sunday morning to myself.  Well, take my Sunday morning and be more present with Val.  We had breakfast and played and read books.  Even though I had a lot of inspirational links to share, it just felt right.

~Some inspirational links~

A short but relaxing evening yoga.

Will you choose to parent negatively or positively?

A funny flow chart to help you find real food at the supermarket.

Mama talking real about being a mama.

I learned about hip hop dancing once afternoon.

A celebrity mama being beautiful and natural.

Break out of shyness.

Have you heard about cyborgs?  We are cyborgs!

Re-engaging boys in learning with games.

Thank you, Surgeon General!

Another celebrity (that I love love love) talking about her way of parenting.

What’s inspiring you?

I just made a post about my 2011 Resolutions, and one of them was to plan my menu better and include more fresh veggies.  My way of doing that was to plan a monthly menu in advance, finding recipes, and writing up a HUGE grocery list.  It will save me so much time the rest of the month, and there will be less chances of me slacking if everything is right in front of me.

J went with me so I could stock up on a week’s worth of produce and a month of staples.  I am ready for cooking in 2011.  I will make a trip or two a week to get the rest of the fresh produce we will need.  Do you want to take a peek at my dinner meals for the month?  Click on the image to make it bigger.

Take note of the Out/Leftovers on some days – those are just openings in case we go out, are invited to a friend’s or family’s house, or have leftovers.  I am sure I will not stick strictly to this menu, but a general outline is nice to have as a guide.  Be sure to check back on Mondays for my weekly menu with breakfast and lunch included.

Are you making any changes to your diet this New Year?  Could it help to plan a menu like this one?

{Photo Credit}

I am sure many of you caught my 11 things to let go of in 2011, but I also want to make a list of things I do want in my life in 2011.  I generally don’t like the idea of resolutions at New Years, but I can’t help but love the urge of big ideas to make me a better person.

My Resolutions for 2011:

1.  Food – more diligent about menus, healthy choices, and including more fresh fruits and veggies

2.  Exercise – make time to stay fit and make monthly goals to keep motivated

3.  Planet – take Sustainable Baby Steps to help our family and our Earth – specifically recycling

4.  Technology – turn it off one night a week.

5.  Minimize – Downsize my stuff and streamline my schedule

Be on the look out for more posts about how I will put these into action, my progress, and how you can do it with me.

What are your resolutions?  How will you stay accountable?

I’m a little late to this Reverb10 thing, but I stumbled on it this morning after some yoga.  I had my tea in hand.  I thought, “Why not?”  I dusted off the journal and started.

{Photo Credit}

11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011?

1.  Expectations of others. Normally if I expect things of others, either behaviors, things, actions, in some way they will fall through.  Now I’m not trying to be negative, but my general idea of them or what they said they would do is just that – an idea.  Humans can communicate, but I think we are generally bad at conveying our thoughts with others.  This makes for mixed communication and a confusion in expectations.  I want to focus on the positives they do bring to my life.

2.  Worry. As I have heard, it’s just a bunch of meandering thoughts whirling around a pit of fear.  It does no good.  I want to do something in its place and find solutions or let it go.

3.  Procrastination and laziness. Now I understand that there are times needed for rest, but I know I deliberately cut corners sometimes out of laziness.  I want to feel accomplished instead.

4.  The idea that material things makes me who I am. I am me because of my thoughts, my life experiences, and the people I surround myself with.  I can still be me without the stuff.

5.  Excuses! They are just that excuses!  They do nothing positive for my life, and I want to experience more without being tied to limits.

6.  Negative thoughts and speech. I want to enjoy my days in reality and in my thoughts, and I want to pass those traits along to my daughter.  I don’t want to be and I don’t want her consumed by negativity.

7.  Labels. I want to parent, teach, live, learn, experience without labels.  They may help us find community, but I am seeing a lot more people fighting with others or with themselves over expectations because they are trying to live up to a label.

8.  Attachment to technology. I love gadgets and the online community, but sometimes I just feel stuck in it rather than really living and doing offline.  I want to find a balance.  Expect more on this one later.

9.  The clock.  Some days, I go mad because Val hasn’t napped by 1pm.  Why?  Because the clock told me she should be napping RIGHT NOW.  That creates a downward spiral, and it’s unnecessary.  I want to follow the rhythm of the day and just flow.

10.  Feeling obligated.  Either do it or don’t do it and stick with the decision.

11.  Envy. I’m human – I get jealous of other people’s things or situations or their time spent doing things like meditating or doing yoga.  I want to be grateful in all the little moments because this is my life, and I’m totally going to enjoy it in 2011.

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/2010/12/08/welcome-to-my-home-wednesday-you-dont-need-a-job-you-need-guts/ http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/2010/12/08/welcome-to-my-home-wednesday-you-dont-need-a-job-you-need-guts/#comments Wed, 08 Dec 2010 18:26:20 +0000 Jennie http://www.makingahomeandfamily.com/?p=605

• ::So we realized we are human when we came down with the stomach bug.  Yuck!  I’ll spare all the details, of course but that’s why I’ve been so quiet.  I’m blogging now to the hum of my dishwasher and my washing machine.  It means we are on the mend!
• ::An awesome E-book launched today!  Have you heard of it?  You Don’t Need A Job, You Need Guts! Buy it – Ash will rock your world!
• ::By this time next week, we should have signed on a great house to rent.  I will wait until next week when everything is for sure before divulging anything.  I swear I jinx myself if I share too much too early.
• ::We put up our Christmas tree and our decorations this week even among all the craziness.  How are you preparing your home for the holidays?