When my oldest child was about to have her first birthday, my husband and I decided that we were going to take a simple approach to celebrating birthdays. Now that a few years have passed and we have three kids, we’re so glad we’ve taken this approach! Though we believe that forgoing extravagant parties is right for our family, it’s … [Read more...] about 10 Alternatives to Parties for Celebrating Kids’ Birthdays
7 Healthy Canned Foods
When I do our grocery shopping, I try to make sure I get lots of healthy foods and skip over most of the unhealthy ones. I get fresh produce, lean meats, healthy grains, etc., but I avoid most processed foods that come packaged in things like cans and bottles. This is a useful approach in general, but it means I may skip over a number … [Read more...] about 7 Healthy Canned Foods
5 Reasons I No Longer Apologize for My Messy House
A couple of weeks ago one of my neighbors stopped by and asked if she could come in and visit for a few minutes. Though I have no desire to pretend like I have it all together, I do have a bit of pride and I was incredibly embarrassed regarding the state of my house. If I let her in, my neighbor would walk through a dining room that I … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons I No Longer Apologize for My Messy House
6 Healthy Ways to Freshen the Air in Your Home
A couple of weeks ago we talked about places to investigate when your house stinks and the health risks of conventional air fresheners. Today’s post is a lot more pleasant! Whether you want to mask an odor or you want to add a nice scent to your home, there are numerous ways to do this without endangering your family’s health. Here are … [Read more...] about 6 Healthy Ways to Freshen the Air in Your Home
“Just In Case” Cesarean Preferences for Your Birth Plan
Late last summer, as I was preparing to give birth to my third child, I made plans to write a post about how to prepare for a successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). As you can see, that’s not what I’m writing about today. This is because sometimes unexpected things happen during the delivery of your baby. Of course, I could … [Read more...] about “Just In Case” Cesarean Preferences for Your Birth Plan
The Health Risks of Air Fresheners and Home Fragrances
Whether you’re trying to mask an odor or you want to add a pleasant scent to your home, there are a number of air fresheners and home fragrance options available. However, I encourage you to avoid spraying an air freshener or lighting a scented candle until you’ve considered this information. We have to be very careful with air … [Read more...] about The Health Risks of Air Fresheners and Home Fragrances
14 Simple Ways to Get Started Observing Lent
Last week I shared about how all Christians, not just those from particular denominations, can benefit from observing Lent. As I noted last week, I didn’t grow up observing Lent. As I’ve learned about it in the last couple of years, I’ve discovered that it is both easy and difficult to observe. It is easy in that there are a lot of … [Read more...] about 14 Simple Ways to Get Started Observing Lent
Vanilla Buttermilk Spice Muffins
Making baked goods for my family is a little tricky. I like intense flavors, my husband likes mild flavors, and my kids…well, it depends on the day. These muffins are one of the few baked goods that everyone will eat. I found a recipe for Buttermilk Spice Muffins years ago on the Mimi’s Café website (it doesn’t appear that the recipe is … [Read more...] about Vanilla Buttermilk Spice Muffins
