May 11, 2013

Weekend Links

Johanna dancing at Palamidi Fortress in Nafplio, Greece. She is determined to dance her way across Europe's greatest castles, in her pink dress, of course. 

Links I loved this week:

You matter @ Simple Mom

The Cost of Being A Stay-At Home Mom @ Growing Home

So God Made a Mother @ A Holy Experience

Top 5 Herbs To Grow For Cooking & Medicinal Use @ Food Renegade

Free Vacation Bible School Curriculums: The Armor of God & The Fruit of the Spirit @ Money Saving Mom

Making the Switch from Nonstick @ The Marathon Mom

The Power of My Words in Relationships @ Visionary Womanhood

When Mom Has a Young Man in the Making @ The Better Mom

The ancient theatre at Epidavros... considered the best preserved in all of Greece. It's a marvel of technology, how you can hear everything that is said from the center of the stage, all the way to the top row of seats. 

This week...

Earlier this week, we arrived in Greece. I have wanted to come here most of my life, and so far, it has not disappointed! This week we're on the mainland. We arrived in Patras, spent 3 nights in Nafplio (and visited the theatre of Epidavros, as pictured above, as well as Mycenae, the site of the ancient runs of the Myceneans). We're currently in Athens for two days, and then we'll spend one week on Naxos island. We have one day to spend somewhere between the island and our ferry to Italy-- any suggestions?

It's so hard to put into words just what makes me love it here so much, but here are a few things:

  • groves of orange, lemon and olive trees, everywhere.
  • old men driving down narrow, crooked, cobble stone streets on motorcycles.
  • ancient Byzantine churches, with domes of perfection, which lift up my gaze.
  • pink, red, purple and white bougainvillea flowers, climbing over trellises, across fences, down drainpipes, over doorways, trailing off of patios
  • tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives, feta cheese, olive oil and vinegar.
  • this curious group of people, who can yell into their cell phone in the middle of a public place, having an argument with an unseen participant, and then be so warm and friendly to us, or even turn around and coo at my baby as if nothing happened.
  • baklava. pasty + nuts + honey. need I say any more?
  • the aquamarine sea.
  • castles on cliffs, castles on hills, castles on tiny islands.
  • ruins on cliffs, ruins on hills, ruins in valleys, ruins randomly everywhere.
  • delicious meat on a stick. is souvlaki not one of the greatest inventions ever?
  • taking my kids to a hospital (they're fine now, just so you know) in a city that is supposedly the oldest city in all of Europe, and perhaps, in the entire world. my brain can't even fathom it (the city's name is Argos, and it has been continuously inhabited for about 7000 years, or so I've read).
  • walking to the port to buy ferry tickets and stumbling on a market where I could smell the fresh fish and see the olives floating in barrels
  • white washed buildings. what is it about them that we love so much?

Am I the only one who loves Greek food? Did you notice how many times it came up in my list? :)

Filed Under: Weekend links 4 Comments
May 10, 2013

Host An Afternoon Tea Party! {includes Classic Tea Sandwich recipe}

By Kelly, Contributing Writer

Hosting a simple, yet elegant afternoon tea party is a delightful way to celebrate the special women in our lives whether it’s honoring our moms on Mother’s Day, hosting a bridal or baby shower, or just sharing a fun afternoon with good friends.

Simply dress up your table with some pretty linens and fresh flowers. And don’t be shy about borrowing extra china or serving platters from friends. Personally, I love the eclectic look of mismatched dishes and platters.


Keep the menu simple, yet elegant. A selection of assorted finger sandwiches pair nicely with tea. Lemon Dill Cucumber Tea Sandwiches (see recipe below), as well as egg salad and chicken salad are all traditional favorites. Another classic pairing with tea is biscuits or scones served with homemade jam and clotted cream.

For dessert, consider serving dainty treats such as little Lemondrop Cupcakes, Thumbprint Cookies, or Raw Cookie Dough Bites.


And of course, the most important part of any tea party is the tea! Set up a traditional tea service with teapots, cups and saucers, and a nice selection of tempting teas. Traditional favorites such as English Breakfast, Darjeeling and Green Tea are all delicious. For a special touch, consider creating your own unique tea blends such as Rosy Black, Lemon Tisane, or other Health-Boosting Herbal Teas.

Afternoon tea is all about simple pleasures – a time to sip tea, relax and enjoy a memorable afternoon together. It truly is a wonderful way to honor and appreciate the special women in our lives!

Lemon Dill Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

(serves 3-4)

4 oz. cultured cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill (or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed)
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
6 slices of your favorite wholesome bread

1) In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Then, season to taste with salt and pepper.

2) Cut crusts off the bread (reserve for making breadcrumbs or another use). Spread a generous layer of the cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread.

3) Layer the cucumber slices among three of the bread slices. Add a few sprigs of fresh dill, if desired. Top with the remaining three bread slices. Slice into quarters on the diagonal and serve. (Or cut sandwiches into pretty shapes, using a favorite cookie cutter.)

Have you hosted an afternoon tea party? What are your favorite tips and treats for making it a memorable affair?

Filed Under: Homemaking, In the kitchen, Keeping the Home, Real Food, Real, whole food, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , 12 Comments
May 8, 2013

Backyard Bucket List (73 Frugal & Creative Backyard Activities for Kids)

By Beth, Contributing Writer
There are a bajillion ideas out there for super-duper fun things to do in the summer with your kids. Go to the zoo, go camping, exhibitions and fairs galore, summer camps, and the list goes on.
Sometimes, though, you need to be a little more low-key. A little more mama-doing-laundry-while-the-kids-amuse-themselves-in-the-backyard. The stuff of regular-people life, ya know?
We can't all be traipsing all over the country exploring and taking in the sights. Many of us also can't afford a ton of expensive activities and toys and equipment, and some of us don't even want to!
The creative value of some old plastic containers and some mud and grass and sticks is astounding, and cloud-watching is a highly underrated activity that I indulged in many-a-time in my (*cough* recent) childhood.
In March we moved into our own place after living in my sister's townhouse for 6 months (after moving across the country last summer). This new place has a fenced backyard, which was pretty well my number one desire for wherever we ended up living. And, because I'm a busy mama with 3 kids 4 and under (plus my two-year-old niece on weekdays), I'm on a mission to make my backyard a total mecca of awesomeness for my little ones.
I want them to play outside from sun-up to sun-down (not literally, I guess, but almost!), and I want them to have permanent dirt-stained feet and fingernails from now until September.
The thing is, like many of you, I'm sure, I am a natural-minded mama and I value things like exploring nature, open-ended imaginative play, creativity, and frugality. That's why I came up with this list. It's for a variety of ages, so you'll want to pick and choose what catches your eye. Hopefully you'll find lots to add to your own Backyard Bucket List, but if nothing else - my own kiddos are gonna have a rockin' good summer.
Enjoy!
  1. Plant a picking garden (I recently came across this idea on - where else - Pinterest... and I am in love with the idea, thus it wins the number one spot on my list!)
  2. Stone soup (container + water + dirt and rocks, etc.) served with mud pies, of course!
  3. Picnics
  4. Tag
  5. DIY sprinkler out of a pop bottle
  6. Paint - the fence, rocks, paper taped to the house, themselves...
  7. Finger painting and feet painting
  8. Cloud watching
  9. Camping
  10. Help tend the compost
  11. Raise backyard chickens
  12. Nature scavenger hunt
  13. Draw what you see - a leaf, the clouds, your house, your foot, the grass...
  14. Listen to music; lay in the sun
  15. Popsicles (these blueberry-yogurt ones look amazing - but go for the full-fat dairy!)
  16. Trampoline
  17. Soccer
  18. Sandbox
  19. Watering plants
  20. Fairy garden
  21. Build a fort
  22. Tea party
  23. Bug catching
  24. Sidewalk chalk (lots of DIY recipes on Pinterest!)
  25. Bug races
  26. Catch fireflies
  27. Low balance beam
  28. Identify plants in a book
  29. Hopscotch
  30. Reading
  31. Stacking tower
  32. Set up an obstacle course
  33. Dirt pile. Not to be confused with a sand pile, of course. There is a definite difference - just ask my four-year-old son.
  34. Swingset, jungle gym, etc.
  35. Bonfire with roasted hotdogs and marshmallows (the moderately healthy versions, of course...)
  36. Drive-in theatre - hang a sheet and project a movie onto it when it’s dark
  37. Parents play too - if you join your kids in any of these activities, I guarantee you'll make their day.
  38. Stargazing
  39. Reading nook
  40. Make and hang a birdfeeder, then watch for birds while in your reading nook
  41. Make and bury a time capsule
  42. Spread out a big blanket and take indoor toys outside
  43. BBQ and eat it outside
  44. Have breakfast outside in your pajamas
  45. Gather a bucket, hose, and sponges and wash your bikes (dump trucks, balls, deck, etc.)
  46. Water table or wading pool play
  47. Create a nature table to display special nature treasures you find
  48. Croquet or Bocce ball
  49. Badminton or T-ball
  50. Catch
  51. Horseshoes
  52. Create a map of your yard
  53. The quintessential science project: the vinegar and baking soda volcano
  54. Backyard bowling (use items around the house like cereal boxes, spaghetti jars, etc)
  55. Play dough
  56. Backyard Olympics
  57. Paint a white sheet hung on the fence as a canvas
  58. DIY bubbles
  59. Play with scissors
  60. Pizza on the grill
  61. Ice cube paint
  62. Go garage sailing; then enjoy your new find in the backyard.
  63. Read them a chapter book while lying on a blanket.
  64. Water fight
  65. Make and eat watermelon cookies (slice the watermelon and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes)
  66. Water balloon pinata
  67. Pool noodle race track
  68. DIY zip line for toys
  69. Make a water wall
  70. Wading pool with water and plastic balls
  71. Throw paint-filled eggs at a canvas
  72. Bury some treasure and mark it on your kids' map for them to find the next day
  73. "Badminton" with balloons and rackets made from paper plates and popsicle sticks

Still want more ideas?

There are tons of Pinterest boards that you can follow; just type "backyard activities" in the search bar. You might wanna grab an iced coffee and a comfy chair first, though. Don't say I didn't warn you. 

I've begun collecting ideas on my Summer Bucket List Pinterest board. If you're a homesteading family, then check out this great list of 22 Activities for the Country Toddler or Preschooler.

What's on your Backyard Bucket List?

Filed Under: Children, Family life, Mothering Tagged With: , , , 13 Comments
May 7, 2013

How to Make Mayonnaise

Written by Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer

Today I'm going to share my favorite mayonnaise recipe and give you the details on how I make it.

It's not complicated, but it does take a little patience.

The first time I made mayonnaise it was a complete flop. I rushed it, and well, I never actually got mayonnaise.

Since then I've tried a few different methods and have settled on the one that works best for me. If you've attempted to make mayonnaise before and it didn't work, I encourage you to give this method a try.

Many people use a food processor to make mayonnaise, or even a stick blender, but I've had trouble with both. (My sister tells me her food processor works beautifully for mayonnaise. She makes a delicious looking garlic and lemon mayonnaise. Maybe it's just me!).

In fact, since I know many, many people use a food processor to make mayonnaise, I thought I'd try it again when preparing for this post. I got frustrated when it kept splashing out the sides:

So, I went back to my tried and true method: the handheld mixer.

I like using a handheld mixer to make mayonnaise because I have more control over the speed. The other bonus is that it doesn't get too hot. Excess heat ruins the mayonnaise making process. This is one reason some high-power blenders don't work well for mayonnaise: they generate too much heat.

If you have success with food-processors, blenders, or other appliances, then by all means, carry on. And if you don't have a handheld mixer, give it a shot in one of the other kitchen appliances. (They work really well for plenty of people.)

Why make mayonnaise?

It is awfully hard to find good mayonnaise at the store; most use undesirable oils, like soy or canola, and have other additives. Making it yourself allows you full control over the ingredients.

Plus, it tastes really good.

How to Make Mayonnaise.

The following recipe is adapted from Everyday Paleo. It turns a beautiful yellow color due to the mustard. It's so flavorful! It's an excellent addition to sandwiches.

Ingredients

2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups olive oil, light olive oil, sunflower oil, or walnut oil (or a mixture of these)

Method

Add the eggs yolks, vinegar, mustard, sea salt, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or your food processor. Blend together for about ten seconds.


(See! I told you I started out in my food processor!)

With the mixer running on the lowest setting, add the oil slowly. Just a little drip at a time.

When the cup is very full, it can be hard to control how much oil is poured out, so I sometimes use a measuring spoon to drizzle the oil in slowly.

This is the part where you must be patient. Maybe even read a book while you are standing there!

When the mixture begins to emulsify, or thicken, you can begin to add the oil a little more quickly, but still be very careful. Don't dump all of the oil in at once.

This whole process will take close to 20 minutes. But it's worth it!

This recipe makes a little over 2 cups of mayonnaise. Keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

In Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon suggests adding a tablespoon of whey to the mayonnaise and leaving it out for several hours. She states that it will then keep for up to 6 months. I have not tried this. Anyone else? Ours never lasts that long since we use it to make salad dressing, as well as egg and chicken salad.

Do you make your own mayonnaise? If so, which kitchen appliance do you use?

 

This post is sponsored by Plan To Eat. Plan To Eat was born from our desire to eat real food — great food — prepared at home, together as a family. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them, automatically generating your grocery list, organized the way you like to shop. Eat well. Eat together.

Filed Under: Do it yourself, Frugality, Homemade, In the kitchen, Menu Planning, Nutrition, Real Food, Real, whole food, Recipes, Traditional foods Tagged With: , , , , 23 Comments
May 6, 2013

I Don’t Do Spring Cleaning

By Stacy Myers, Contributing Writer

I’m coming out of the cleaning closet. Are you ready for this? Much to my mother’s dismay, I do not do spring cleaning.

Yes, I know – your eyes are bugging out of your head. I see all these posts all over the internet about 10 Easy Steps to Spring Cleaning Your Home or Spring Cleaning Your Home Using Only Vinegar and One Towel! I’m keepin’ it real, y’all…I just send those posts directly to my trash folder. Booya.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…my goal in our home is to make sure we don’t live in a dump hole. At this stage of my life, with two little children and a messy dog, good enough has become good enough for me. When I’m 93, I won’t look back and say “Well honey, I sure do wish I had spring cleaned our house in 2013…I really missed out.”

Sometimes I’m getting 45 minutes of sleep at night. So I’ll be honest: The last thing on my mind is getting down on my hands and knees to clean the corners of the bathroom using a Q-tip or moving all the furniture out so that I can vacuum behind it.

In all stages of life, I’m trying to learn to give thanks – even when I’m cleaning up pee-pee off the bathroom floor or answering “why” 5.6 million times per day.

Some days are harder than others – some days my “spring cleaning” consists of mopping up milk after every meal. Some days I want to pull my hair out – but then I change my mind because I really don’t want to clean that up either. I’d rather spend my time playing with my babies and cooking – hanging laundry out to dry and gathering eggs with my daughter.

I am not the perfect mom. Considering I just yelled at my 3.5 year old because she spilled an entire cup of water all over the floor, I feel like a failure most of the time. But, I refuse to feel like a failure because I don’t spring clean…what mom needs more Mommy Guilt? Let’s kick it out. Bye-bye, Mommy Guilt!

Now, all that was not to say that we live in a pigsty. Yes, I do feel like I fight a losing battle with dust bunnies and grass all over the kitchen floor. Sometimes my daughter brings me handfuls of dust bunnies and says “Here, Mama.” Then she just goes back to her playing. Dust – it’s a fact of life.

I do my best to keep our home maintained instead of doing a deep clean once per year. To me, it makes more sense to make sure things are picked up regularly than to live in a big dump and just clean periodically. I’m the type of person that would become SO overwhelmed at a project that large that I just wouldn’t do it – I’d move instead.

So, what’s my secret and how do I live in a non-dump hole without Spring cleaning? I’ll tell you – lists. I use cleaning lists. They’ve saved my sanity on multiple occasions. Not only can I get things done this way, but when the husband comes home and wants to know what we did that day, I can actually tell him – instead of scratching my head and saying “Uhhhhh, eat?”

The first list I use is a free printable from Clean Mama called “31 Days to a Clean Home.” Her general idea is that if we get just a little bit done each day, then everything stays clean…well, as clean as you can get with two kids and a messy dog.

I don’t do something every day because life happens. But, I figure if I work myself through the list and start over regularly, the house is still getting cleaned. Bye, bye, dump hole.

I also use a weekly schedule. This is my MAIN list. If I get everything done on the list that day, then I move to the 31 Days list.

This is a printable from Tip Junkie called “Week at a Glance Cleaning Check List.” Barry (my husband) personalized this for me using Photoshop and I put it in a vintage frame. As I get things done, I cross them off with a dry-erase marker, and then I can start over the next week. Marking stuff off just makes me happy.

So, that’s my secret. No big revelation, huh? Also, as I clean I’m teaching Annie (3.5 years) to do the same…so that as she grows older, cleaning the house with me will become part of her chores.

Disclaimer: If you Spring clean, that’s cool. I don’t hate you. My Mama spring cleans, and she’s my best friend. I’m not pointing fingers…because when I do, there are three more pointing back at me.

 

Filed Under: Getting organized, Homemaking, Keeping the Home, Living Simply Tagged With: , 56 Comments
May 4, 2013

Weekend Links

Colorful buildings lining the Old Town Square in downtown Prague, Czech Republic.

Links I loved this week:

Intention in the Morning @ Clover Lane. I often forget this, too. Such a necessary reminder for all of us mamas.

Teaching girls to respect their bodies (and each other) @ a Delightful Home

Patience on the Journey of Motherhood Holds Great Rewards! @ (in)courage. For every mom that is struggling right now with the season that you're in, read this and press on towards the rewards of mothering, the ones that we can't see or feel yet, but await us nonetheless.

You are mighty, because you mother {A Mother's Day video} @ Lisa-Jo Baker. Watch this!

How to Choose a CSA {Green in 365} @ Live Renewed. CSAs are such a great alternative for those who don't want to or aren't able to garden, but still want to support local farmers and enjoy the freshest, seasonal produce.

planting time @ SouleMama. Oh, how I miss my garden this year. I crave being in the dirt, to run my fingers through cakey black soil, to poke holes to be filled with seeds. To wait with bated breath each morning as I check on them, to see if new life has sprouted up like a miracle that catches me by surprise every spring.

4 Steps to Take When You're Not Ready for Change @ A Holy Experience

Last chance to grab your eBook bundle! Sale ends tonight!

Edit: This sale has ended now-- hopefully we'll do it again next year! :)

I've told you plenty about The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle all week, so I won't get into the details too much right now. The main things you need to know are this:

  • 97 eBooks and eResources, all geared towards inspiring and equipping homemakers in their various roles.
  • $640 value PLUS $140 in bonus offers, all for just $29.97!
  • Sale ends tonight, Saturday May 4th, at 11:59 pm EST.
  • This is a one-time only sale, and there will be no late sales offered. Once it's finished, you won't see this particular bundle back again.

Catch all of the details, including each and every phenomenal eBook included, as well as the breakdown of bonus offers, in this post.

If you already know you want the bundle and just needed the reminder, you can get yours now.

 

This week...

The buildings in the Old Town Square don't mean that much to our kids... they prefer to chase brilliant bubbles from this entrepreneurial young man.

What I'm reading: Nothing. I've got a big list of books I can't wait to read, but at the moment, life has been a little hectic. Now that our massive eBook bundle sale is almost over, I'm eager to take a bit of time off and spend it relaxing and reading!

What I'm doing: Staying up way too late in our Prague apartment, finishing up with blog work, doing trip planning, and packing up to head to Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic tomorrow morning, and then on to the Greece mainland this coming week.

What I've been making: Yogurt and kefir. Except not really "making" them, but mostly just pouring them into a bowl or cup and thoroughly enjoying. Since arriving in Europe just over two weeks ago, I've been delighted at the high quality yogurts and kefir available in almost any store I shop at.

What I'm enjoying: Today I took my 5 and 3 year olds out for our last day in Prague (while my husband stayed home with our sick 8 year old and 1 year old). My favorite part of the day was the last half hour before we went home, when we ducked into a little cafe near our rental apartment, called The Gingerbread Museum. The kids each chose a delicately decorated gingerbread cookie from the myriad options. Even better than the ones you can eat, though, are the incredible pieces of art and decor they've made out of gingerbread and colored icing-- a map of historical Prague on the wall (my fave), chandeliers, flowers and scrolls along the wall, a pillar colored in a winding rainbow of colorful hearts. So captivating!

What have you been enjoying with your children lately?

Filed Under: Weekend links Tagged With: , , 3 Comments
May 3, 2013

16 Books On My “To Read” List

I firmly believe that one can never own enough books.

Our family has been on a mission to simplify and declutter over the past year or so. Books are one of those areas where I begin to sweat profusely and develop nervous twitches when I attempt to weed out the ones I want to get rid of.

Making the switch to primarily digital books has made all the difference for me. Now I don’t have too worry about having too many, and I can also carry a sizeable library wherever I go, whether it’s simply out to the backyard, to the doctor’s office, or while traveling halfway around the world.

More books to read? Yes, please!

It should not surprise you, then, that I’m pretty happy about the 97 eBooks and eCourses that we compiled together for this week’s astounding Ultimate Homemaker’s eBook Bundle sale.

There are a good number of these resources that I already owned or was familiar with, but there are also plenty I’ve yet to read, and I’ve delighted in filling up my Kindle folders with new books, just waiting for a quite moment (or a bathroom break with a locked door… let’s be honest, moms).

Making for time for reading more books is always a priority for me, because I truly believe that the books I read have a huge impact on the person I am at present, and the one I am becoming.

So often I share about books I’ve already read, but today I just want to tell you some of the books from the bundle that I can’t wait to read:

(Note that I haven't linked to the individual books, but you can find the link to every one of these books on this page)

Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky of Clean Mama.

I try. Honest, I do. Creating cleaning routines I can do. Sticking to them, not so much. My husband can attest to how many times I’ve come up with the “perfect” routine, only to have it flop within weeks. Needless to say, this book appeals to me (and my husband).

NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa of The Inspired Room.

I’m many things, but one of those women who picks up ugly, discarded furniture from the side of the road, or for 25 cents at a garage sale, then swiftly sands, paints, distresses, and then decorates it into a gorgeous dining room buffet that draws complements from everyone who visits their home? Nope, I’m not one of them. I don’t really do DIY when it comes to the home, much as I feel like I should when I spend (waste?) time on Pinterest. My home sense and decorating skills need work, for sure.

Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chores System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy of The Good Old Days Farm.

Last year, in a fit of inspiration and madness, I bought the book Manager's of Their Chores by the Maxwell family. I know, this book works for many, but it did not work for me at all. It is huge, complicated, and I got really hung up when it came to actually creating and printing out our chore cards and actually implementing the schedule. For me, it was a FAIL and a waste of more than $30. I need simple and doable, and Alina's ebook looks like it will deliver.

Balcony Girls (1 & 2) by Sandy of The Reluctant Entertainer.

I have an 8 year old daughter who desperately wants to learn to be more self-sufficient in the kitchen, and as a hostess. Reading through the sales page, these books impressed me with the character and virtue lessons that they teach, so that our daughters can really learn what it means to be a friend, a gracious hostess, and one who truly serves. I can’t wait to go through these with my daughter when we get back home from our year abroad, and maybe find another mom and daughter to do them together with.

The Dig for Kids by Patrick (husband of Ruth from The Better Mom).

I’m always looking for new material that will work for our circle time devotions before we begin our homeschool days. These look meaty enough, but still fun and lively and entertaining for kids.

Seasonal Meal Plan on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana of My Humble Kitchen.

Not only is Diana a writer here at KOTH and a sweet friend, but she’s also an incredible cook. I love pretty much any recipe of hers that I try, and she frequently causes me to drool all over my keyboard. Her style is definitely Spanish-inspired (her family is from Spain), and there’s so much Mediterranean flair, mixed in with homesteading “grow it yourself” or farmer’s market fresh seasonal focus, but she’s also very budget conscious. Add to that her firm understanding of nourishing and traditional foods and I’m positive that this meal plan will be something I’ll love to use.

Plan a Fabulous Party by Mary of Giving Up on Perfect

I’m not really a party planner, but you know? I think I should learn. There’s something about throwing a fantastic party (in a way that doesn’t make you loose your mind, which is the whole premise of the book) that really makes people feel special and I’d like to learn to master that skill.

Kept and Love Like Him by Katie and Lara of Quench Bible

These are two Bible studies from Katie and Lara, who are also part of the HelloMornings team. I can tend to get into a rut of simply reading the Bible or using devotional books, but not actually digging in and truly studying the Word, so I'm glad to have these resources to encourage me to do just that.

Redeeming Childbirth: Growth & Study Guide by Angie of Redeeming Childbirth

Now, there's no announcement coming any time soon, but we do hope to add to our family again in the future at some point, and this is something that I would love to read while preparing to welcome a new baby.

Hula Hoop Girl by September of One September Day

The sub-title for this book is "finding your center while keeping momentum". I like the sound of that. It can be all too easy to get unbalanced and overwhelmed as a mom. I've heard so many good things about this eBook and am eager to read it soon, to glean some wisdom and encouragement from another mom who has also struggled with overload and burnout, and come out on the other side.

Mindset for Moms by Jamie of Steady Days and Simple Homeschool

I already owned this one and have read bits and pieces of it, but it's the kind of book that you can go back to again and again for, well, changing your mindset. The short readings and thought-provoking quotes are perfect for helping you to shift your attitude or the way that you think about things. We can all use positive attitude adjustments sometimes, and for me, that's what this book offers.

31 Days to Build Better Spouse by Ashley Pichea

You might read the title of this eBook and think "Wow, a book that's going to help me change my spouse!". Except that really, it's about changing your own heart by bringing your husband before the Lord in prayer, and ultimately trusting God's work in his life. Probably a much better idea than wanting to them our husbands ourselves right ladies? :)

31 Days to Great Sex by Sheila of To Love, Honor and Vacuum

In most Christian circles, we’re totally afraid to talk about this topic, but I don't think that's a good thing. Sex is important and it needs to be talked about. I’m going to read this book. I think we should ALL read it.

42 Days to Fit by Brandy, Emma and Stacy

Though we're doing a ton of walking on our journey this year, I haven't been incorporating much intentional exercise into my days. The ideas in this eBook look simple to implement and don't require a bunch of fancy equipment or gear,. It was written by moms that I really respect and I know that, despite their busy schedules, they've found ways to add effective workouts into their daily life, which is exactly what I want for myself!

Embracing Beauty by Trina Holden

I've begun to skim through this eBook since I first downloaded my Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle, and I have to say, I can't wait to read the whole thing! Trina is in the trenches of young motherhood, just like me, with often chaotic and messy days, and the changing body that comes along with pregnancy, nursing, pregnancy, nursing, etc. This past two years, I've been learning a lot more about my personal style and how to embrace and accentuate my natural beauty, both for myself, and for my husband. I can't wait to glean more from Trina's own story and tips.

Homeschooling from the Heart (audio seminar) by Renee of FIMBY

Homeschooling is an area where I can never get enough fresh encouragement. Though I love it and feel called to homeschool my children, it can also be an incredibly difficult thing to do. This audio file comes from Renee of FIMBY, and I thoroughly appreciate her approach to educating her children, so I'm sure that this will be a worthwhile listen.

I want to read these books, too... where can I get them?

Note- This sale has now ended. Hopefully we'll be doing it again next year! :)

You'll find the links to each of these eBooks and eCourses in this post, as well as the entire list of all 97 digital resources included in this collection for homemakers. Right now, every one of them is available as part of the bundle package, a $640 value selling for just $29.97, this week only.

Don't forget that this bundle sale ends very soon-- Saturday, May 4th is the last day to purchase your bundle! If you haven't got your bundle yet, you can buy it here, or learn more about the details here.

Which books are on your "to read" list?

Top photo taken by Simon Cocks, adapted by Stephanie Langford. Quote taken from this post.
Filed Under: Books, Homemaking, Mothering Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments
May 2, 2013

4 Books That Have Helped Me to Simplify

Learning to slow down and simplify isn’t a lesson that I have learned easily, or one that I am finished learning, but it’s certainly one worth pursuing.

Over the past 2 years or so, there have been several blogs and ebooks that have spurred me on towards the goal of cutting back on the non-essentials, in order to free up time and space for the things that matter most.

These four books have been particularly inspirational and helpful for me on this journey of simplifying.

Simple Blogging

As a blogger, it is unbelievably easy to consistently buy into the lie that you have to add more tasks, more work, more expertise, more social media, to what you already do, in order to be a "good enough" blogger.

I’ve been blogging for 5 ½ years, but about 2 years ago I reached a point of physical, emotional and spiritual burnout where something had to change, or I would have to give up blogging for good.

During that difficult season, when I was dealing with depression, adrenal fatigue, and a lot of discouragement, I read the ebook Simple Blogging by Rachel Meeks of Small Notebook.

It was a breath of fresh air, and it lifted a heavy chain of obligation off of me. Rachel tells how not only is it possible to blog in a simpler and less consuming way, but how to continue blogging with excellence even while cutting back on all the things you “should” or could do (and there are many).

This is the book I recommend most highly to other bloggers who are feeling overwhelmed, and want to know how to better balance blogging while keeping their more important priorities in order.

Simple Living

I actually first read 1-2-3-Stop (which is no longer available), by the same author as Simple Living, Lorilee Lippincott, as well as spending some time reading her blog Loving Simple Living. Both books have a similar message—that by having less, we can actual have more, and spend our lives on the things that matter most, rather than wasting time on maintaining our stuff, cleaning large homes, etc.

Simple Living actually walks you step-by-step through the process of downsizing your physical possessions, something that my husband and I did in earnest this past year.

As we were preparing to pack up our home, and travel around the world for one year with our children (which we are currently doing), we sought to get rid of anything that we didn’t truly love, need, use on a regular basis, or find particularly beautiful or meaningful.

That process was extremely freeing for us and liberated us of multiple van-fulls of stuff. All that stuff? Well, it apparently wasn’t adding anything to our lives, because we haven't missed any of it. You can read more about our journey to less here.

The No Brainer Wardrobe

I’m no fashionista. I’ve always been one of those people that struggles with figuring out my style, buying the wrong things in the wrong color because they happen to be on sale and then finding myself with a closet full of clothes that I hate to wear and that make me feel ugly.

I bought this book, The No Brainer Wardrobe, during our season of purging our belongings. I was eager to figure out how I could simplify my wardrobe, and have less clothes that looked better on me and that I enjoyed wearing more. Could it really be possible?

The practical examples and pictures in this book were so helpful to a visual person like me. I began to really understand the type of pieces that I could use to pull together a versatile, functional and yet beautiful wardrobe. It gave me particular confidence in planning out a very small travel wardrobe for our one year on the road.

I wouldn’t say that my wardrobe has gone from discouraging to diva overnight, BUT I have gained more confidence in which things do look good on me, knowing which items will help to stretch my wardrobe further, when it’s better to buy more classic or trendier items, how to stick to colors that look good on me and that work well together, etc.

I’m wasting less money on things that I’ll ultimately never want to wear, and becoming a bit braver and bolder with finding my own style in the process. If you battle with your closet as I did, this book may be just the thing you need.

Honoring the Rhythms of Rest

Daniele sent me this short, but refreshing ebook last winter, when I knew that I had learned a lot about cutting down and mastering my schedule, but was still sometimes struggling with the implementation of it all.

More than anything, I find it hard to rest. Resting makes me feel guilty, or sometimes lazy. What is supposed to be a gift, and something necessary to give us the strength and renewal we need to carry on with the rigors of daily life, sometimes has felt like a burden to me.

Why is it so hard to let ourselves truly rest? We’ve been taught in our go-go-go society that we need to be ever efficient, multi-tasking, productive, and busy. Those things aren’t all bad, but we were also hard-wired by our Creator to require genuine times of rest.

This is still a regular struggle for me. I often push myself so hard that I find it difficult to rest when opportunities arise, and there are many seasons of life when I do not create space or give myself permission to rest adequately.

This is never a good thing, and always shows itself in my life through exhaustion, anger, discouragement, spiritual dryness, struggling relationships, and even (ironically enough) inefficiency, because my body, mind and spirit are simply too worn out to function as they ought to.

This is a book that I need to read again. And again. Learning to implement a rhythm of rest into my daily, weekly and yearly routines is a crucial skill that I need to continually be encouraged to work at.

Do these sound like ebooks you would like to read?

Note- This sale has now ended. Hopefully we'll be doing it again next year! :)

All of these books are a part of The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle sale, which is happening this week, from now until Saturday. This is just a small snapshot of the types of books that make up this comprehensive library of 97 eBooks and eCourses!

The bundle is just $29.97 for a $640 value—it’s an incredible deal! You can purchase it here, or read more of the details of what’s included in the bundle.

In fact, these four books alone have a retail value of $21.97. When you think about it that way, if you regularly buy eBooks (as I do), it really doesn't take many purchases to make it worth it to spend the $29.97 to get a whopping 97 to add to your eLibrary (not to mention that there are $140 in bonuses on top of that)!

I don't know about you, but I love getting good deals on things that I'll use and enjoy. :)

What has impacted you in your own journey towards simpler, but more meaningful, living?

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission when you make a purchase, so thank you for supporting this site!
Filed Under: Around the World Trip, Blogging, Books, Living Simply, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , 6 Comments
May 1, 2013

The Magic of Making Things Yourself {Plus a 5-Minute Salt Scrub for Tired Feet}

"Hi, my name is Stephanie and I like to make things that normal people just buy from the store."

I'm not sure at what point in my natural living journey I became a "make-it-myself" junkie. The first time that you create a product you would otherwise have purchased, and then marvel at how awesome (and cheap and natural and easy) what you just made is, I think that's when the magic (and then, the addiction) begins.

Being on the road this year, I have far less opportunities to make homemade products than I usually would. I can't always find the right ingredients, I sometimes lack the tools I need, and more often than not, I'm lacking in the time and energy, because living in new cultures just saps a lot out of you (much as it's a wonderful and enriching experience).

This week, however, I was in the mood for some magic. It had been too long and the kitchen messer-upper in me was feeling restless.

I find there's something satisfying and soul-soothing about being a creator, whether it's penning words to paper, making my own deodorant, kneading and baking fresh bread, or putting seeds into the soil to watch them grow.

What to make, what to make

If you get around the internet much (or Pinterest, heaven help me), you'll realize that there is more to make yourself than you could ever possibly dream of doing.

The biggest thing for me right now was knowing that I could find recipes with simple ingredients, to suit my needs. I came up with two projects that fit the bill (both from ebooks that are included in The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle that's available right now), double checked that their ingredients would be readily available, and set to work at making:

Classic Mayonnaise from Restocking the Pantry

Basic Salt Scrub from Simple Scrubs to Make & Give

We've been buying mayo so far this year, even though I prefer to make it, because I don't usually have any sort of mixer/hand blender/food processor or even whisk available to me. This particular kitchen has a stick blender, and I rejoiced.

The salt scrub is for my feet. Since we don't have a car while traveling, we take public transportation and we walk. A lot. I only have two pairs of shoes, one a closed toe sandal, and one pair of flip-flops. My feet were getting very rough and needed a bit of TLC.

5-Minute Foot Scrub for Tired Tootsies

I love making scrubs. I used to think that these were expensive and luxurious, something that I could never really buy or have around. Since learning how completely easy they are, they're one of my favorite things to make for myself, or for gifts.

Here's what you need for this recipe from Simple Scrubs to Make and Give:

  • 1 cup salt (you can use sea salt or even plain table salt if that's all you have-- I used a combination of table salt and some white sugar, because there wasn't quite enough salt)
  • 1/4 cup oils (olive oil and sunflower oil were what I found easily at the store- other oils you could use include sweet almond oil, jojoba, grapeseed, etc.)
  • About 10 drops essential oils (optional, but nice). I chose peppermint and eucalyptus, because I wanted something really refreshing.

Method (taken from the book) :

  1. Add the salt to the bowl, then pour the oil on top.
  2. Mix it thoroughly.
  3. If it's too dry, add a bit more oil. If it's too wet, increase the salt little by little. You want it to feel a bit oily, because this moisturizes the skin, but not so goopy or liquidy that you can't easily scoop it up and rub it on without making a mess.
  4. Add your essential oils, and mix again.

That's it! It literally took me 5 minutes from start to finish.

Then, I got to do this...

And my feet went from this BEFORE picture, to the much softer (not to mention cleaner) AFTER picture...

Seriously, the things I do for blogging. Showing you my dirty feet?  *blush*

I will say, though, that my feet felt so much better and smoother after using the scrub. I made enough to use for the next couple days, each time I take a shower, and my feet are very grateful.

Mayonnaise from scratch

Next, I moved on to mayonnaise.

My basic ingredients were:

  • egg yolks
  • a blend of olive oil and sunflower oil
  • sea salt
  • dijon mustard
  • apple cider vinegar
Stacy will actually be sharing a simple and delicious mayonnaise recipe with you in just over a week, so I'll leave the details to her, but essentially with mayo you combine your ingredients with a blender or in a food processor, except the oil. Then continue to mix as you slowly pour in the oil, allowing time for the mixture to emulsify (thicken). That's it!
Again, another 5 minute project, and voila. Healthy, homemade mayo to spread on our sandwiches.

Do you love making things yourself?

Note- This sale has now ended. Hopefully we'll be doing it again next year! :)

Besides the two books that I mentioned in this post, the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle (available this week only!) is bursting with books that will inspire and satisfy the creator in you:
  • One Bite at  a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler (various home projects)
  • Not a DIY Diva (simple home decor)
  • Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed Homemaker (natural cleaning recipes)
  • Wholesome Mixes (easy-to-use mixes for your kitchen, or to give as gifts)
  • Real Food Kids (homemade fun for your kids- my daughter ADORES this!)
  • Just Making Ice Cream (this one is obvious, right? Yum!)
  • First Bites (homemade baby food)
  • My Buttered Life: Summer Edition (sunscreen, after-sun lotion, tan enhancer, bug repellant, foot protector bar)
  • Festive Traditions (real food holiday favorites, like eggnog, spicy nuts, and cranberry sauce)
  • Holiday Gifts & Mixes in a Jar (simple and healthy recipes specifically for Christmas giving)
  • Flourishing Spring (boredom busters for kids, meals and snacks, and gifts)
  • Family Camping Handbook (delicious real food anywhere you go)
  • Truth in the Tinsel (ornament crafts and activities to inspire with the real meaning of Christmas)
  • Healthy Homemaking (baby steps towards homemade food, simple cleaning and beauty, and reducing waste)
  • The Cottage Mama's DIY Guide (cleaning, beauty and body, natural remedies, and lots more!)
  • Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose (soo many great ideas for giving new life to old clothes)
  • You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen (Laura will have you making healthy, from-scratch food in no time)

You can see a full list of the ebooks that are included here.

Not to mention, there are a few bonuses that come with the bundle (there are actually 10 altogether) which are also awesome for those who love things homemade:

  • Cultures for Health. One of either a FREE heirloom sourdough starter OR a yogurt starter-- both so easy and delicious to make yourself - read more about sourdough and yogurt-making here)
  • Wheatgrass Kits. Get a 12-pack of culinary herb seeds for FREE! Anybody can grow herbs, even if you've only got pots on your patio.
  • Plan to Eat. 3-months to use their completely customizable meal planning software, so that you can put more homemade food on the table.

There are just 4 days left to grab your own Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle-- if you know you want to get it, don't wait!

Tonight, I read this comment below from a reader who purchased a bundle already, and it made me smile.

Here's what Sara said:

I am so excited about this bundle! I've been working since our oldest (3) was born while my husband went back to school after being laid off. He is now working on getting into his new career field and this month we are starting to live off of the average entry level salary. God willing he finds a job soon, I'll go from working mama to SAH mama (and feel a little overwhelmed). I purchased the bundle yesterday and started organizing all 97 e-books based on topic.

There were quite a few I already noticed don't really apply to our current stage, but for now I'll hold on to them and see what I may find I need over the next year. I can't begin expressing the peace of mind I have with so many resources, covering so many topics, that are now at my finger tips when we make the switch!

This is exactly the point of the bundle-- giving you resources to inspire and equip you. Which of us mamas doesn't need some extra help to make life a little easier? 

Do you love creating and making things yourself? What are your favorite homemade items?

Filed Under: Around the World Trip, Books, Homemade 2 Comments
April 30, 2013

What On Earth Do You Do With 97 eBooks?

I was hesitant back when I bought my very first eBook, and even more so when my husband encouraged me to purchase a Kindle a couple years back.

The feeling of holding a book, its pages beneath my fingers, being able to flip from section to section, and all of those tangibles that make a book a "book" had me questioning whether eBooks were really something I would ever come to appreciate in the same manner.

{Note- This sale has now ended. Hopefully we'll be doing it again next year!}

Some of you may be feeling the same way when you look at The Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle sale that I announced yesterday and you're thinking "But what on earth would I even do with 97 eBooks???".

Seeing as I'm one of the organizers of this sale, that should tell you that over the years I've become a big fan of eBooks, which I definitely have!

Allow me to share with you why eBooks have become my books of choice, why I almost prefer PDF files over regular Kindle files (despite owning a Kindle), and how I would approach such a large and potentially overwhelming amount of resources in a bundle like this one...

Why I love ebooks

  • They cut down on clutter. I'm a bit of a book-a-holic, so having a library of books on my small and lightweight Kindle is so much nicer than having a large shelf of books somewhere in the house.
  • They're cheaper. Ebooks are almost always cheaper than their paperback version, plus I never have to pay shipping for them.
  • They make it easy to bring multiple books when I go places, without the weight and bulk. Obviously this is key for us this year, while traveling. But even before we began to travel, I loved the convenience of having a whole bunch of books in one small device when I would take a planning or personal retreat day, or even for when I was going to be sitting in an office waiting for an appointment. It's nice to have a selection of books to choose from no matter where you are!
  • They're available instantly. There are times when I find a book that I really need or want to read, and not having to wait to have it shipped or wait until I have time to go to a bookstore is huge for me. I can buy it right then and there, from my home, even late at night, and have the file instantly ready for me to read. Just call me a fan of 21st century technology.
  • They've allowed more writers to get their fabulous content out there. It's no secret that landing a traditional publishing contract is hard, and it's often more an issue of who you know, rather than how great your ideas or writing is. Self-publishing through ebooks does have its downfalls (yes, there are some authors who don't put in the effort and their books are inferior in quality). Most self-publishers, however, pay attention to detail, work very hard to craft their book and make it just right, have excellent writing, and are able to share tutorials, recipes, and ideas that may not have made it into a full-length, traditionally published book, but are valuable in their own right. I'm thrilled to be able to get truly useful, practical content on specialty topics that I'm interested in, for lower prices than if I bought paperbacks or hard covers from a bookstore.

Curious about how to keep all of your eBook files organized and easy to find? Erin gives a great tutorial here.

Why I love PDF files

One comment that I hear frequently about eBook bundles is that the files are PDFs, not specific Kindle or Nook files, and that's a turn off for some people.

While I do understand that sentiment as a Kindle owner myself, because it's true that some PDFs are simply not as easy to read on an eReader, here are a few reasons why PDF files are still usually my preferred format:

  • They're printable. You can't print from a Kindle or Nook file, at least not easily. When you're talking about recipes, or books that have printable resources in them (chore charts, personal planners, etc.) this is a huge deal.
  • They can still go on my Kindle. It's very easy to transfer a PDF to your Kindle. Even though the formatting or font size isn't always perfect, most PDF eBooks that I own are definitely still readable on my Kindle.
  • I can ALSO read them on the computer. With a PDF, I have the option of whether I want to read on my Kindle or on my computer. This is a file type that gives me more flexibility.
  • You don't have to have an eReader device to read a PDF. For those who don't own such a device yet, you can still freely read PDF files, either through your computer's Preview program, through Adobe Acrobat, or by downloading a free eReader software (these are available for Mac and PC- just google it).
  • They're ideal for viewing images. For something like cooking a new recipe, or trying out a tutorial for a homemade product (like lotion or lip balm, for example), I love being able to see large, full color photos.  Most images look terrible on the small eReader screens, especially if you have a black and white eInk screen.This gives me some of the benefit that I would get from a hard copy version of the book, but still with the convenience of it being on my computer instead.
  • They save me from printing out a recipe and wasting paper until I know for sure that it's really a recipe worth printing. I can pull up recipes on my computer, put the laptop near me on the counter, and easily read as I cook or prepare something. Once I know I truly like a recipe, then I can decide to print it out and store it in a binder.
  • They're easy to navigate through. Though I love reading on my Kindle, it isn't very useful for books that you want to use as more of a reference, and be able to flip from one section to another. For example, I bought the eBook version of Trim Healthy Mama about 6 weeks ago. I purposefully chose the PDF version, rather than the Kindle file. The reason is that I have the file loaded on my Kindle in PDF format, and I can use this to just sit there and read straight the book, but it's super inconvenient if there's a particular recipe or chapter that I want to look at. Having the PDF on my computer means that finding a page or recipe is a snap, and then I can view it in large print for easy viewing while cooking.

Reading the No Brainer Wardrobe eBook on my computer... it's perfect being able to see all of the graphics and diagrams large and in color.

But seriously... 97 eResources? What will I ever do with them all?

Create your own custom library

Here's a little secret... you don't need to use them all.

Being the frugal type, you might (as I would) initially feel aghast at the idea of not making use of every part of something that you've paid good money for. I get it, believe me.

The thing is, we didn't pull together almost 100 products because we expected that you would want to read and use every single one of them. No way!

The idea is rather than you have full access to an incredible collection, a library of resources. You get to go through them all, picking and choosing the ones that most appeal to you and that you actually want to own. There is NO need to feel like you should download or use every book in the bundle!

So go through the list, making a note to yourself of each one that really sparks your interest or seems applicable to you and your family. As you're doing this, try to think forward to future seasons and things you might want to learn about down the road.

For example, I am really excited about the book Handmade Walls. However, I'm going to be traveling around the world with our family for another 9 months or so-- no decorating happening here! Knowing that I'll use it sometime next year, once we're back home, makes it reasonable that I would store this one in my eBook folder to use at a later time, when I'm ready.

Certain books for certain seasons

Don't expect to use all of the books you've downloaded right away. Some books are for different seasons than others.

It's nice to have eBooks stocked up, so that you have them when you want them, especially when you're able to get them for such an unbelievably low price (did you know that this bundle works out to just over 31 cents per eBook or eCourse?!).

A few ideas on when you might make use of the various eBooks:

Devotional books. You won't speed through these, of course, but it's nice to have a stash of books ready to use when you need something new.

Mothering books. Personally, I like to read several books on mothering each year that offer me encouragement. I would put these in my Kindle "Mothering" folder and read them gradually.

Homeschooling or educational books.  I usually read homeschool books in the late winter, when I'm tired and discouraged, and in summer, to help me ramp up and plan for the next year (plus look at new curricula or resources I might want to use). I rarely read them at other times during the year, however.

Recipe books. My preference is to go through recipe books one at a time, explore a book for a little while, trying out several recipes, and then I set it down and pick up another one for a month or two. You'll have a nice range of books to slowly work your way through, as you find new recipes to incorporate into your repertoire.

Fitness or health books. These are ideal for times of year when you're prepared to start working on some specific goals. For example, my own book, Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time is a series of 26 steps, meant to be completed over the course of a year, but it can be started at any time.

I can't wait to start trying out the exercise program in 42 Days to Fit, but we're traveling quite fast right now so I will probably wait until we stay put in one place for a little bit longer and I can work on developing an exercise routine and habit.

Homemade books. Perfect for the fall and winter, when you're working on homemade gifts for Christmas, or when you want projects to tackle during those cold or grey winter days when you're more cooped up in the house.

Planners, Scheduling, Cleaning and Homemaking Routine books. They're there when you're ready to make some changes, to tackle spring cleaning, to work at getting more organized, to prepare for the new school year, or when you're going on a personal planning retreat, etc.

Pregnancy and baby books. These are very obviously for when you're in that season! Right now, my "baby" is almost 15 months old, but I might really enjoy using the pregnancy journal or reading the Redeeming Childbirth study guide the next time I'm expecting a new baby (Lord willing). Or, they might make a wonderful baby shower or new baby gift!

Holiday and special event books. Use those as needed, whether it's Christmas, planning a big birthday bash, or wanting fresh activities for enjoying springtime with your kids. However, the iPhone book is a great one to read soon, since so many of us use our iPhones for taking photos!

They make great gifts

One last thing to consider with this monumental package of eBooks is that they can also be given as gifts!

If you already own a certain book in the bundle OR if they are books that you personally don't care to read but you know a friend or family member that would benefit from it, you can definitely "gift" these books to them.

Here's how to do it:

  1. Make sure that either you own two copies of the book OR that you don't want to own it and are willing to delete your own copy.
  2. Decide how you want to gift it. You could download the specific file and send it via email to the gift recipient. Another option is to actually print out the book that you want to give, then have it bound somewhere like Staples or Office Depot, or hole punch it and make a classy presentation in a binder or duotang folder.
  3. A third option is that you can even purchase a bundle for the sole purpose of gifting it to someone. To do this, you would buy the bundle, and then send them the purchase email with the link to all of the downloads and bonus offers. (Hint: Mother's Day is coming soon! What about asking for this eBook bundle as a gift from your family?)

Do you use eBooks? How do you organize them and what's your preferred method for reading them?

*Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post, which means I will receive a percentage of all sales through my links. Thank you for supporting this site!

Filed Under: Books, Getting organized, Homemaking, Keeping the Home, Living Simply Tagged With: , , , , , 35 Comments