It’s time to think about spring cleaning! Want to make some easy homemade cleaners that won’t add to the toxic load of your body, so you don’t have to turn around and “spring clean” your body as often? Do you want to use cleaners that won’t make it so you have to send all the kids out of the room because of the dangerous chemicals?

Now through March 31, you can get 25% off this amazing DIY Non-toxic Cleaning Recipes Ebook by one of my favorite bloggers, Heather Dessigner, aka Mommypotamus.

In this DIY ebook you can find yummy-smelling recipes for homemade cleaners like:

• laundry detergent’
• homemade, reusable cleaning towels that go around a paper towel holder
• ruby red grapefruit soft scrub
• fabric softener
• rosemary soft scrub
• pink lemonade dish detergent
• cinnamon and cedarwood carpet deodorizer
• citrus splash cleaner
• nonchlorine bleach

These recipes sound good enough to eat! Buy by the end of March and get 25% off! Pay 18.71 instead of 24.95.

Click here to view more details

Use the code SPRING25 to get 25% off.

I am giving away two copies as a giveaway! Please comment below if you would like to enter for a chance to win a copy.

I hope you have seen The Other Side of Heaven, which is based on the stories of Elder John Groberg and his mission to Tonga, collected in the book, The Eye of the Storm. A young, before-she-hit-it-big-time Anne Hathaway plays his girlfriend, Jean, who eventually becomes his wife. This is such a great movie! Elder Groberg has such love and light emanating from his stories. If you watched the movie when it first came out, show it to your younger kids, if they are like mine, they haven’t seen it yet. Enjoy! I have included two of the best scenes of the movie below.

Here’s the wonderful “Hurrah for Israel!” scene:

I thought I might catch more attention with the title above that I chose for this blog post, instead of writing the actual title of the book, which sounds flowery and beautiful but does not grab your attention. This is a beautiful story of how one man come to know the infinite power of the saving grace of the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ when he decided to overcome his porn addiction. His addiction became so bad that he acted out on it and committed adultery, which resulted in his excommunication. His wife is amazing! She knew this was his battle to fight and overcome and did not take his addiction personally. They had eight children together through the mess of his addiction, they did not get divorced, and …I won’t tell you the complete rest of the story, but sufficeth it to say, it has a happy ending with his full recovery and rebaptism. Go read it!  It is such an inspiring story! You can read a preview of the book right here.

Some of you old-time blog readers or students in my Mothers Who Know Class may recognize this author. Yes, he is the author of Putting on the Armor of God, a fabulous book on conquering evil. He can write such a book because he lived it as he was tutored by God on how to overcome his addiction. I am in awe of this man who has humbly shared his sins and weaknesses and his conviction of the truth as he repented.

The author’s real name is Gerald Curtis, and his web site is right here.

Woot-woot, we are done with February guys! I love March! The snow is gone from our grass, and I hope it stays up in the mountains. February always brings thoughts of being pregnant for a looooong time. A little over 16 years ago I was pregnant in February for 10 days more than I wanted to be, the longest 10 days of my life. Who would have thought that the 9 lb. 4 oz. baby boy I gave birth to barely sixteen years ago, my first home birth baby, would be such a dramatic, verbally articulate guy whose social calendar I can barely keep up with? He makes me laugh every day with his darling, quirky sense of humor.  He makes the most funny connections that I never would think of on my own. His friends threw a surprise party for him last weekend and they and I were so sneaky about it, it truly was a surprise for him. One of the friends even made the cake pictured above. Yes, this was a girl.

So, in honor of my reflections about his birth a little over 16 years ago, I have created ten tips to a happy, holistic, healthy pregnancy. I wish I had known these back then. Even though I had already given birth to two babies, this was my first “holistic” pregnancy. I bought lots of red raspberry leaves, Polly Block’s midwifery book, a book about herbs in pregnancy, tons more herbs, and lots of gadgets like a thing to do Sitz baths. I could have dispensed with all of those things and just followed these 10 tips, and they would have made a HUGE difference, especially in those last 10 days. 

1. Don’t eat a vegan diet! Did you know that there is a diet of sacred and traditional foods for pregnant and nursing mothers? What are these “sacred and traditional” foods? Go to the link and find out! Your baby needs lots of nutrients for a healthy brain and nervous system. I actually was vegan with this pregnancy over 16 years ago and my baby turned out healthy, happy, and robust at 9 lbs, but I can’t help but wonder that maybe the pregnancy and birth would have been a lot easier if I had had a LOT more good fat in my diet. Maybe my body would have stretched much easier to let out all 9 lbs of him painlessly with that fat in my skin. My baby is now a smart 16 year old, but maybe he would be even smarter if I had followed this pregnancy diet that calls for good fat. You can see pictures of babies born to moms with this diet right here.

The following book will help you to navigate this “new” world of old food where cod liver reigns supreme and natural fat, bacon, and eggs are not treated as an enemy.

2. Have a body pillow to support your body as you sleep. Sleep is one of the best tonics for pregnancy. So do whatever it takes to make that sleep happen. Having your body supported by pillows all over will make it easier to relax, especially since pregnant moms are told not to sleep on their backs in the later months.

3. Practice some form of relaxation every day. This can be hard when you have little kids running around. Find some kind of activity they can engage in for at least 15 minutes, put on some Enya tunes, and go relax with meditation and aromatherapy.

4. Read lots of books, especially stories, about birth. Not just any books, but books, with positive birth stories, that promote a confidence and faith in a woman’s body to give birth naturally. The books above and below are my favorites on birth. The one above is written by five LDS women, and it’s an amazing book! Because I have given birth seven times and followed my own advice, I have read a lot of childbirth books. These two are the best!

5. Watch videos about birth. Here’s one of my favorites, because my midwife with baby #6 is the midwife in this video. Hi Heather! The mom in this video makes some sounds that show she is in pain, but the sounds/pain don’t last that long, and then the baby comes out!

6. Drink raw milk every day. It will make for a much better labor, according to this blogger, a favorite of mine.

Photo credit: notonthehighstreet.com

7. Do something a little glam/pretty every day. This can be hard to do, I know, as motherhood tends to make us forget about such things, but glamour really does wonders for the psyche when your body is growing seemingly out of control and you can’t see your toes any more. Wear some jewelry and makeup, get your hair done regularly (trade babysitting with a girlfriend if you have to) and get some NEW (to you) pretty maternity clothes, even if you have to get them at the thrift store or borrow some from a girlfriend. Get out of the T-shirts and sweats! 

8. Do something with nature every day. Go for a walk, sniff some essential oils, or just a lemon, stand on your porch and breathe some fresh air, walk on your grass barefoot, and especially eat real food!

9. Write some letters to your baby to help you connect. Share your fears, your dreams and plans.

10. Read about breastfeeding! So many moms focus on pregnancy and birth, they forget that the breast is a “second placenta” and deserves to be learned about so your baby can thrive at the breast with the perfect food only you can give your baby. I write all about this in my book (see the tab above that says “my book”). Here’s a great resource (pictured above) to learn all about breastfeeding by some La Leche League rock stars. The authors are both La Leche League Leaders and lactation consultants, board certified. It’s the latest edition, revised with a girlfriend tone to it. If you really want to be nerdy about breastfeeding, which I do, I recommend you read an older edition (7th or younger), too, as those were written by the seven founders of LLLI, with more of a “grandmotherly” perspective, and I find a lot of value in that, so much so that I stood in line for 90 minutes with the edition pictured below at the Washington D.C. Hilton with a baby in a sling after 9 PM so I could have all the founders autograph my copy. It was so worth it!

I hope these ten tips make your pregnancy more joyful and easier!

Do you remember when I blogged about Utah State Senator Osmond’s “Agency-based Education Bill” over here?

Here is the latest update of what has happened to the bill, thanks to the report of my friend Karianne:

Home School Friends,

1SB39 Home School Amendments made its way successfully through the Senate. Now, on to the House!

• Here is the audio from the bill’s hearing in the Senate Education Committee.
• Here is the audio from the bill’s hearing on the 2nd reading.
• Here is the audio from the bill’s hearing on the 3rd reading.

These recordings are highly informative. Several Senators made excellent remarks in support of home school families. A few Senators felt that home school families need government oversight to ensure that home school children are being educated. Senator Deidre Henderson supported the bill and spoke against the idea that government oversight is needed. Senator Osmond pointed out that our current law has no enforcement mechanism. Senator Mark Madsen supported the bill, saying this legislation brings home school law in Utah into the 21^stcentury. 1SB39 passed the Senate 3rd Reading with 22 supporting, 5 against.

 

Two teachers from the Granite School District spoke against the bill in the Senate Education Committee. Their concerns reflected what they described as formerly home schooled students that entered the public education system behind in subject areas causing a burden on the public classroom. However, a national study compares home school student achievement in individual states with three categories of state regulation: low, moderate, and high. Academic achievement is virtually the same across all regulation levels. (Please see the attached graphic.)

Many important policy decisions affecting home schooling have been made over the past several decades. The UHEA board recognizes that these decisions are made based on either the perceived or actual academic performance of home educated students.

 

We assert that it is not necessary, nor is it possible, to prove that home education is better than public education. However, based on numerous studies, it is clear that the average home school child performs significantly higher than the average public school child. (Please see the attached pdf.)

 

The Utah Constitution cites the need for frequent recurrence to fundamental principles. The UHEA agrees with the Legislature in recognizing that “parents or guardians are a child’s first teachers and are responsible for the educationof their children.”

 

Through a series of cases, the Supreme Court also recognizes the fundamental right of parents to direct theeducation of their children.

 

These findings comport directly with this proposed legislation.  For further information on this bill, click here.

Please email the House Education Committee after reviewing this legislation. If you agree that this legislation will facilitate positive change for Utah’s home schooling families,please ask them to support this bill and pass it out of committee. If your representative sits on the committee, please inform him/her that you are a constituent.

 

Please consider attending the House Education Committee Meeting 1SB39 will be on the agenda of the House Education Committee sometime this week. You can check the agenda here if you wish to attend.  Look at the agenda for each upcoming day to determine if this bill will be heard that day.

To find your Representative, click here.

Who’s ready to spring into change? Who wants to win a free registration to the March Mothers Who Know? 

Mothers Who Know is the Eternal Warriors Class for mothers. I am starting the mentoring of a new session on Wednesday November 6. Who would like to join me?  

• 8 weeks of 2 hours of group mentoring over the phone and internet
• knowledge of how to win the battles that the adversary dishes up on you
• specific help in achieving three goals that you pick yourself
• an LDS perspective on psychology, motivation, self-betrayal, and addiction
• lots of encouragement and support in a loving atmosphere!
• peace of mind as you realize that you are not broken, cursed, or defective because you struggle accomplishing the same things after years of working at it
• lifetime access to all of Maurice Harker’s digital recordings, on a variety of subjects. It is so refreshing to have a Godly, Christlike perspective on psychology, marriage counseling, and self-help!
• a new life, empowered by the sense that you are awakened to satan’s modern-day battle strategies of brain chemistry warfare!
• the ability to be a mother lion who protects her home from addictions
• the ability to teach your children how to set goals, track goals, and be accountable
• the ability to shine as a beacon to your children as you escape from your pre-addictions

Here’s what one mom had to say about the class:

“I had been thinking about taking this class for quite a while.  Now I wish I had signed up the very first time I heard about it.  What an incredible blessing it has been in my life!  I am praying, studying my scriptures and journaling more consistently and powerfully than ever before.  I have conquered weaknesses and bad habits that have been plaguing me for years.  I feel productive, positive and well-prepared to protect myself and my family from the fiery darts of the adversary. Instead of just worrying about my children, I can teach them the skills they need to arm themselves against the entanglement of addiction. Thank you Celestia for your incredible “Mothers Who Know” class.  It has blessed our entire family.” -Melanie, mom from CA

If you would like to enter for a chance to win, please comment below. If you are NEW to this site, and not signed in, please request membership so you can sign in and make comments. I will be announcing the winner on Wednesday March 12 around 9 PM MT.

My younger kids have had a lot of fun with this geography app on my Kindle. It’s called Stack the States, and it’s for learning US geography. You can also get Stack the Countries for learning world geography. In a flashback to Tetris you have to stack states so they don’t fall, after being quizzed about the state. So you learn the shape of states and their names, where they are located, and the names of state capitals. My four-year old knows all his states now from playing this game, even though he can’t read, thanks to his older siblings helping him. I am usually not fond of video games but I am of this one.

You can go to Amazon here and order it, for FREE. I am not sure when the free offer expires, it might be today only, so don’t delay in getting it.

This engaging story is about a little girl in love with a squash. She treats the squash like a baby doll after her parents buy it for dinner at the farmer’s market. She rescues it from its fate and then wraps it up in a blanket and takes it everywhere. It’s funny to read about her parents’ pleadings to get her to give up the starting-to-rot squash. Any parent who has ever witnessed a child’s attachment to some unpredictable object, like squash, will delight in this book! 4 out of 5 stars.

This quirky book will work for you as long as you aren’t looking for something extraordinarily serious or completely original. We’ve seen this message before: don’t have envy, instead appreciate someone else’s gifts and learn to work together, like in the Spoon book I reviewed last week. This book is a fun story about how Goat thinks he’s cool until Unicorn shows up. Unicorn can make cupcakes rain from the sky and turn things into gold. Goat gets envious, but then he learns that Unicorn envies his curved horns and cloven hooves. So then they decide to work together as an amazing superhero team. A great book for encouraging friendship and synergy despite differences. 4 out of 5 stars.

We checked this out from the library on a whim the week before Valentine’s Day and just finished it last week. It’s a cross between a picture book and a chapter book. It has pictures, and chapters, but the chapters aren’t terrifically long, just too long for me to want to read the whole thing in one bedtime session. After all, we had had other books to taste that night. In this story, a kitten gets adopted by a lonely young man who works a menial job by day and unleashes his inner artist at night. An unsavory character steals the kitten who grows to a cat to use him for his own advantage. Then the bad guy gets his comeuppance, a princess acts like true royalty, and the artist gets his cat back and quits his day job to follow his rainbow of painting for a living. This is a great story! I love stories like this where I wonder how it’s going to all turn out for justice to be served! 5 out of 5 stars!

We finally finished this one! Rufus M. made me laugh out loud several times. It’s a chapter book actually, but it does have some pictures. The author, Eleanor Estes, has a great sense of what fascinates kids and the odd, funny things that they do. It’s about Rufus, the youngest child of the Moffat family, who lives in New England during WWI. Each chapter is a story in itself. There’s really not much of a plot actually. I can’t really think of what the climax would be. Each chapter has it’s own plot and then they are loosely strung together. I loved the one about the neighbor’s invisible piano player that mystified Rufus, so much so that he was willing to risk being caught by the ornery neighbor lady by sneaking into her home in order to solve the mystery. Rufus’s determination to get a library card is a great example to kids to persist. Anyone who has ever had a little boy (and I have had five!) will relate to these humorous stories about a little boy and the strange way he thinks about the world. He loves adventure, friendship, family ties, and trying out new skills like knitting and selling popcorn.