I don’t know about your home little mama but when it’s time to put up the Christmas tree, our living room gets rearranged. And the smallest mess seems like mountains of clutter on top of the kids’ indoor adventures from negative temperatures. And if you’re already wondering how to reorganize your home, the loot, and de-clutter with little ones under foot, here are some fun tips for you. Christmas Ornaments You can either save the boxes each ornament comes in, or save space and time with egg cartons. …
Homemade Baby Wipes
But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 NLT Fifteen years ago our family started using this effortless recipe to clean everything from sweet bottoms to the top of the bathroom sink. Start using these homemade baby wipes today and save money for years to come! What homemade helpers do you use on a daily basis? We would love to learn from you! In Christ alone, Tara Dovenbarger
Facing the Mother “Hood” Alone
Hello little mamas! We have a special guest today. Catrina Gray signed up to have a mentor from The Mom Initiative and the funny part is we were just beginning to become friends while I was already on the M.O.M. Team. Catrina is a single mom with a heart for God and an eye for beautiful shots of life. Because she is in college and has dyslexia, she shared her story and I wrote her article; as a single mom, she has faced many trials including whether or not her daughter would be “normal.” Motherhood is a challenge for …
Technology & your child’s brain development
Our kids will never know what it is to live in an unwired world. We’ve moved from the technology of the light bulb to the microwave, to the CD player, to the answering machine, and now to the mobile phone. Just doing homework research opens Pandora ’s Box of distractions like YouTube and Facebook, for starters. Today, moms find it hard to imagine what kind of tech will be commonplace to our kids when they grow up. Some parents feel overwhelmed by the waves of change and try to shut out the digital invasion. When adults check out, kids miss …
To the Mom Who is Barely Hanging On
When I was a young girl, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a mom. While my friends were making plans to have a career or be someone famous, I day dreamed of being a mom and what my family would look like. We would have the perfect house complete with a white picket fence. I would drive a minivan and volunteer for local charities. I would greet my husband at the door every evening with a kiss after his long hard day at work. I would have a girl and a boy (because isn’t …
Do I have to say goodbye to bubble baths?
Today I’m sharing an excerpt from my eBook EXPECTANT: 40 Devotions for New and Expectant Moms. EXPECTANT helps a mommy-to-be or a new mom grow her own life while growing a baby. Like this excerpt from the chapter about “Strengthening Your Heart,” transparent stories and biblical truth give new mamas a generous helping of hope and wisdom for the transition into motherhood. What girl doesn’t love a long hot bubble bath? It’s right up there with a pedicure, a latte, and reading on the beach. Read a magazine and drink a latte, while getting a pedicure at the beach, and …
Survival guide for taking kids to restaurants
Kids are not born knowing how to behave in public. In fact, “public” manners vary greatly depending on the culture you’re in and the setting within the culture. When I posted a recent observation on Facebook about a mom wrangling two boys at a coffee shop, it stirred up a flurry of comments. Strong feelings came out from non-kid-toting adults who feel impacted by children in public places like restaurants, church, and stores. Equally strong feelings came out from moms with fresh memories of the challenges of getting out with children. I sensed both groups asking, “Don’t they get it?” …
5 Ways Twins Can Change Your Life
Some people call me a superhero, doubly blessed. Others say I have my hands full, double trouble. Hi, my name is Christen, and I’m a mother of twins. Before I had children, I had heard rumors that motherhood was the most challenging and rewarding job on the face of the planet. I was the newlywed that thought I could handle the challenge of being a mom; that it couldn’t be that hard. I had illusions that the reward part of motherhood would be more often than the challenge and my children would be well behaved, athletic, musically-talented, smart, and successful …
EXPECTANT: Growing a life while growing a family
A track-mom friend stood by the fence as we cheered our senior girls across the finish line in their last high school race last night. And then my friend did something I didn’t expect. She reached over and hugged me, smiling with teary eyes. Then I did something I didn’t expect. I had a flashback to bottles and blankets. Swallowing a surprise gulp of my own, I reminded myself that this growing up and moving on thing is good. We don’t have children to keep them forever, but when my husband placed our baby girl in my arms over eighteen …
Don’t Lie to Me
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ,” (Galatians 6:2). I want to chat with the new moms out there. Seasoned moms, pull up a chair, because we’re all in this together. Are you comfy? Let’s talk. Motherhood isn’t easy. It’s not supposed to be. Caring for children is a physically grueling, emotionally draining, and spiritually challenging round-the-clock job. I don’t know who might’ve told you otherwise, or how many women withheld this bit of information when they gushed over your adorable baby shower gifts, but I’m here to set the record straight. …