There are so many benefits to living in a small home, even with a growing family, that I am surprised more people don’t consider it. When my husband and I were looking for a new home, we knew we wanted something manageable that would give us more time together. Anything was an upgrade from the RV we were currently living in! When we closed on our 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house, we had a 9 month old son and were already trying for baby number 2. While the idea of growing a family in a house that we had already realistically outgrown scared me, my husband used my own words from our dating Read The Full Story
7 Ways To Save Money by Eating a Vegetarian Diet
When people hear that I’m a vegetarian, they immediately assume that they couldn’t do it or offer some reason why vegetarianism isn’t for them. The truth is, even if you only adopt a vegetarian diet a few days a week, the health and financial benefits can be huge. It’s possible to save a ton of money by eating a vegetarian diet! Use Lentils in Place of Meat This is one of my favorite tips. Everyone assumes that our diets are low in protein because we don’t eat meat. There are lots of ways to get loads of protein in a vegetarian diet! Lentils are one of my favorites. I make lentil Read The Full Story
How to Handle Baby’s Birth Doesn’t Stick to Your Birth Plan
If you're expecting a baby, chances are you've heard the term "birth plan" on more than one occasion. A birth plan is basically a written outline of your wishes for your birth to make them clear to everyone involved. Sometimes, your birth will not only deviate from your birth plan, but go completely off the rails and throw you for a loop. How you handle these changes can impact your view of your birth experience for weeks, months, even years to come. In the case of my first birth, I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted an intervention-free birth with no medication, in a birth center, Read The Full Story
6 Mistakes Every New Parent Makes and How to Avoid Them
When we became first-time parents, my husband and I knew we had no idea how to raise a baby. I kept saying “can you believe they’re letting us take him home?!” I mean who thinks this is a good idea?? You have a baby and the hospital just assumes you’re going to be capable of taking care of this completely helpless human being. I hoped he would at least come with an instruction manual. We made a few mistakes as new parents, but overall, I think we’ve done a great job! There are a few key mistakes that every new parent makes – and easy ways to avoid them. Don’t Buy New Baby Read The Full Story
8 Ways Your Second Pregnancy Will Be Different Than Your First
2018 Update: Baby #3 is here! I did this amazing birth program this time around and couldn't have been more pleased. Even though my 3rd labor was a whirlwind (2 hours from start to finish), I managed to stay calm with these techniques. When I got pregnant with “Dumplin”, we were elated and I felt prepared. I had been through all of this just a year before, so I felt like a seasoned vet when it comes to pregnancy and babies. One thing I wasn’t expecting was just how different a second pregnancy can be from your first! If you have Read The Full Story
What My Doctor Recommended to Get Pregnant with PCOS
When you’re first married, you assume that you will decide when to start a family. Unfortunately, for many women who have PCOS, having a baby seems almost impossible. When this was the case for us when trying to conceive baby number 2, I consulted my doctor. What ended up getting us pregnant were the tips that I share here, but I found numerous women online who had success with my doctor’s tips as well – including some of my doctor's very own friends. The Most Important Thing Your sanity. You absolutely need to be more than your PCOS. When you're struggling to get Read The Full Story
9 Ways to Appreciate Your Kids While They’re Still Little
Between the stress of trying to keep a house running smoothly, paying bills, maintaining friendships, marriage, and raising little ones, life can get pretty stressful. It’s easy to see why days turn into weeks, and weeks into months and years in the blink of an eye. I’m here to encourage you to be a little more mindful of the time that’s passing while your little ones are still young and to appreciate your kids while they're still little. Believe me, there are days that our baby crying and household chores are enough to make me wish I could fast forward a few years to when it’s just my Read The Full Story
7 Ways to Make Your Husband Feel Special Again After the Baby Comes
Quick disclaimer: Simple Living Mommy is positive vibes only. I've received a lot of negative comments on this post from people who either REALLY hate their husbands or are just totally offended that a new mom would care about her husband's feelings at all. Your husband BETTER be taking great care of you after you have a baby, if he isn't, send him my way ;-) Finally, all comments are approved before they're posted, so any not-so-nice comments are deleted before anyone can see them...in other words, positive vibes only or don't bother ;-) You’re Read The Full Story
