Courage, New Hampshire Review & Giveaway!!!

I am very pleased that I was contacted recently to review a new exciting TV drama Courage, New Hampshire and even more excited that one of you will win the first season!  (You'll have to keep reading to learn how).

Watch the trailer here:




Courage, New Hampshire is an 18th century costume drama that depicts the tumultuous years leading to American Independence. This show has an impressive cast of both British and American talent including Jim Tavaré (Harry Potter), Joe Massingill (Trouble with the Curve), and veteran character actor Basil Hoffman (The Artist). Currently, the show is airing on PBS Southern California affiliate, KVCR.

I really enjoyed getting to watch the first season of this show.  In fact, I would like to watch it again!  I love watching period dramas and this was no exception.  There are heroes and heroines, good and evil, and plenty of excitement to keep you interested and anticipating the next episode.  The women are women and the men are men!

Doesn't the king look evil here?

 This drama is inspiring and will remind you of the roots of this once great country.  From INSP's website:

In 1770 America, family-man, tavern-keeper and local Justice of the Peace, Silas Rhodes strives to balance home, business and politics. Together with British deserter Bob Wheedle, they do their best to fight back against the growing tyranny of the British King. The two men lead a band of ordinary men who are secretive soldiers known as the “Sons of Liberty.” With brave acts of midnight justice against local British officials, they battle the bondage of the King’s oppressive laws in the pre-revolutionary township of Courage, New Hampshire.

This powerful drama depicts daily life for families, tradesmen and British officials living in this early American township during the turmoil just before the Revolutionary War. The people, politics and intrigue of the time are presented with historical detail, bringing this significant period in America to vibrant life once more.

Courage, New Hampshire will be going national on INSP on Memorial Day!  It will air on INSP on Monday, May 27th starting at 7pm Eastern Standard Time.

This drama has just the right amount of excitement, drama, and yes, romance.

In Episode 1 ("The Travail of Sarah Pine") a country girl, Sarah Pine (Alex Oliver) is caught in a scandal with a British soldier, Bob Wheedle, with promises of marriage while he is under house arrest for suspicion of kidnapping.  Sarah is abandoned even after bearing Wheedle's child. When Bob returns to the township a year later, again in search of deserters, he endures a bastardy trial presided over by Silas Rhodes. The arrest of a British soldier is embarrassing to Governor Wentworth and he sends Simeon Trapp to defend the crown's interest. Will Wheedle awaken to his obligations?

In Episode 2 ("The Sons of Liberty") Justice Silas Rhodes travels to Portsmouth for the execution of two
notorious criminals. Royal Governor Wentworth details the “light hand” needed for ruling the New Englanders, and a new pastor Silence Laud (Donel Thoms-Cappello) arrives in Courage, Township. But something seems askance with Laud.  Is he really a virtuous preacher?

In Episode 3, ("A Snake in the Garden"), Rev. Silence Laud grows weary of Abby's icy, but melting, virtue. Country farmer John Hildreth (Eric Drazin) has a run-in with a Tory judge William Bramley (Patrick Finnerty), who under the auspices of enforcing the White Pine act, tells Hildreth he can't clear the
trees from his own farm. What will the men of Courage do about this?

Well....you'll have to watch to find out!

In future episodes, the story of Courage Township will tell the story of the ways the American Revolution took root in the hearts and minds of ordinary people, long before the actual battles took place. Though fictional, many of the story lines will be based on actual events.

My only complaint about this drama was that in a couple of episodes there is a country dance in which many of the women wear very low-cut dresses we sometimes see in these period dramas.  The rest of the time they were so modestly dressed, so I don't see why the gowns had to be so low cut for the dance.  I know several other films such as Pride and Prejudice include this also and are still much-loved in the Christian community.  But still I wanted to warn you because I would rather they had left that out.

Would you like to see this exciting drama for yourself?  Well, I have good news!  The generous folks who produce Courage, New Hampshire have offered to give away the Season 1 (4-pack) on DVD to one special Blessed Homemaking reader!  This giveaway is only open to U.S.A. residents and will end on May 31, 2013.  Thank you to all who read my blog!

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A Late Mother's Day Gift for YOU

Now through Tuesday, May 14, you can save $3 off of all Motivated Moms planners, making the planners only $5!  The Motivated Moms apps are $4.99.  To get this special pricing, purchase through my link and enter the code MOTHER at checkout.  I love these planners and you can read my review here!  Remember, this pricing lasts only through Tuesday.

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

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Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.

 

Thank You and Happy Mothers Day

I just wanted to thank those of you who purchased an Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle through Blessed Homemaking.  That was truly a blessing for our family.  I hope you are enjoying all of your amazing resources!  I was able to earn a free bundle, so I have just barely downloaded all the ebooks and hope to start reading some of them soon.

I also want to wish all of my readers who are mothers a happy Mothers Day.  What  a blessing, gift, and privilege it is to be a mother.  Not everyone can be a mother, so if you are, please thank the Lord for that on Mothers Day.  What an awesome calling, what a responsibility, and what a joy when we see our children walking in the ways of the Lord.  I hope you have a blessed day tomorrow.

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Earn at Home with the National Consumer Panel

Since many of you have expressed interest in learning ways to earn money from home, I wanted to share another opportunity with you.  I am a member of the National Consumer Panel (NCP).  The National Consumer Panel is the most prestigious of all household panels.  The NCP focuses on measuring consumer attitudes and behavior. The panel is made up of people whose opinions help manufacturers and retailers make decisions on what products to develop or improve.

When I go shopping I scan the items I bought with their handheld scanner, and then once a week I send in the information via the scanner.  I earn lots of points and sweepstakes entries for doing this.  They also send me surveys to complete for additional points.  The points are redeemable for items in their gift catalog.  They have a ton of wonderful, name brand products in there.  There are crock pots, vacuums, a Vitamix blender, cameras, baby items, and many other things.  They also often add in new items.

If you would like to join, it is easy to do. Just go here to sign up.
 
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Get a Free Nursing Pillow!

Here is how to get your free nursing pillow!  And don't worry--this company is legitimate as I have ordered a car seat canopy and a nursing cover from them before with no problems.

1.  Go to www.nursingpillow.com.
2. Click on "Shop Now" and select the Nursing Pillow of your choice in any of their 9 prints!
3. Once you have made your selection, you'll automatically be directed to the shopping bag. Enter the promo code "29F3A1" and we will deduct 100% off the cost of your selected Nursing Pillow - all you pay are the shipping fees!

Remember: the promo code is "29F3A1" and you can use it more than once, just open a new browser window each time you do. 

For a limited time you can upgrade to a
super soft Minky Nursing Pillow for only $5!

These nursing pillows make great gifts.
Selections dwindle quickly, so get yours today!

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The Morning Work Greets Me & Important Reminder

If I get up in the morning before the children, all is quiet.  I can hear the clocks ticking.  It is nice and peaceful.  I can hear myself think!  I can prepare for our day together.  It is more productive.

The children get up and all the busyness of the day begins.  I have some who had nighttime accidents and so there is lots of bedding to wash.  Today is diaper wash day since I switched to cloth diapers.  There seems to be a cold being shared among the children: now spread to the baby.  I must make dinner preparations: de-bone a chicken and strain the broth for a yummy soup.

Today is a school day, so it will be busy with that also.  I will be mostly teaching and nursing a baby all day, with hopefully a little cleaning thrown in.  This is my calling, and I love it.  This is my full time job.  I am on assignment from the Lord all day.  My job is to lead my little ones to God; to train them up in the way they should go.

Are you looking to better yourself as a mother, wife, homemaker, and/or homeschooler?  I think the things we read are so important because they help form us as a person.  I don't spend much time reading fiction, but I do love to read books to better myself as a homemaker.  Remember, tomorrow (May 4th) is the last day you can purchase the Ultimate Homemaking Homemaking ebook Bundle.  Once it's gone, it's gone.  If you've been thinking about buying it, now is the time to do it, and I would really appreciate if you'd purchase through my link.  I had several of the ebooks included in the bundle even before this bundle was put together, and even those on their own are well worth the price of the 97 ebook bundle.  Remember, you don't have to read all those books right away, or even ever, if some of them don't interest you.  But it's kind of like having a library of books available just to you, for you to pick one or two out at any time to glance through and come back later, or devour and learn from.  AND that library is full of books to benefit you in your roles of being a wife, mother, homemaker, and homeschooler (and of course it benefits your family too with the knowledge you gain).  I hope you can get it before it's gone!  And thank you for your support of this site.

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that support my family and keep this site going.  Thank you for your support.

 

A Very, Very Exciting Offer for Homemakers!!!

Just in Time for Mother's Day!

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97! More than anything, our goal for this sale was for it to be, well… ultimate! We firmly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. For this low price, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you'll use. This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools. To sweeten the pot, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free! 

What's Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Each The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you'll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

Would you like a peak at some of what's included? (A full list follows below...)

Here are all the exciting resources included in this amazing bundle!

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae @ SarahMae.com ($4.99) Getting it Together: Your Guide to Setting Up a Home Management System that Works by Kayse @ kayse pratt ($3.99) Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky @ Clean Mama ($10.00) Simple Living by Lorilee @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99) NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99) One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00) 28 Days to Hope for your Home by Dana @ A Slob Comes Clean ($5.00) Organizing Life as Mom by Jessica @ Life as Mom ($9.00) Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed by Jenni @ Live Called ($4.99) 10 Steps to Organized Paper by Lisa @ Lisa Woodruff.net($5.00) Handmade Walls by Jamin and Ashley @ the handmade home ($9.95) Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chore System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)

Educational Children's Resources

Princess Training by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($3.99) The Armor of God by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($2.50) My Bedtime Learning Book by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($1.00) Think Outside the Classroom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($6.97) Raising Rock Stars — Kindergarten Bundle by Carissa @ 1plus1plus1equals1 ($10.00) The ABC's For Godly Boys Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00) The ABC's For Godly Girls Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00) K4 Curriculum by Erica @ Confessions of a Homeschooler ($15.00) Write Through the Bible (print) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00) Write Through the Bible (cursive) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00) Balcony Girls (books 1 & 2) by Sandy @ Reluctant Entertainer ($19.90) The Dig for Kids: Luke (Volumes 1 and 2) by Patrick, husband of Ruth @ The Better Mom ($5.98) Music: An Essential Ingredient for Life by Ryan @ Resound School of Music ($6.99)

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

From Debtor to Better by Barry @ From Debtor to Better ($10.00) Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($2.99) The Homemakers Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule by Amy @ Raising Arrows ($4.99) Your Grocery Budget Toolbox by Anne @ Authentic Simplicity ($7.99) Finding Financial Freedom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($5.97) Become a Frugalista in 30 Days by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($3.99)

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Crock On by Stacy @ Stacy Makes Cents ($5.00) Real Food, Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95) Wholesome Mixes by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) 20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99) Restocking the Pantry by Kresha @ Nourishing Joy ($9.99) Money Saving Mom's Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($3.99) Simply Summer by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($7.95) Do the Funky Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($4.95) Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS and Jami @ Eat Nourishing ($20.00) Seasonal Menu Plans on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana @ My Humble Kitchen ($4.99) Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn @ Just Making Noise ($12.00) The Curative Kitchen by Susan @ Handy Pantry ($20.00)

Pregnancy & Baby Care

First Bites by Hilary @ Accidentally Green ($9.99) Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95) Stress-Free Baby Shower by Sara @ Your Thriving Family ($4.00) Unbound Birth by Jenny @ The Southern Institute ($2.99) My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy @ Simply Designs ($9.99) My Buttered Life Baby Edition by Renee @ Made On Hard Lotion ($5.00) The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel @ The Minimalist Mom ($5.00) Redeeming Childbirth: Growth & Study Guide by Angie @ Redeeming Childbirth ($3.99)

Holidays & Special Events

Festive Traditions by Jill @ Modern Alternative Kitchen ($7.95) Holiday Mixes: Gifts in a Jar by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) Flourishing Spring by Michele @ Frugal Granola ($5.95) Family Camping Handbook by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($6.95) Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Oh, Amanda! ($7.99) Plan a Fabulous Party by Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect ($4.99) iPhone Photography: The Visual Guide by Alli @ Alli Worthington($9.97)

Spiritual Growth

Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 by Amy @ Amy Bayliss ($3.99) The Best of Visionary Womanhood by Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood ($5.00) God’s Word in my Heart: A Scripture Memory Learning Guide with Verses {all 4 versions} by Jenn @ The Purposeful Mom ($3.99) Kept: a 13-Week Inductive Study on 1 Peter by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($4.99) Love Like Him: an 8 week Inductive Bible study on 1 Corinthians 13 by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($2.99)

Marriage & Romance

Rekindling Romance by Jason & Jami @ A Biblical Marriage ($4.99) Good Wife’s Guide by Darlene @ Time-Warp Wife ($2.99) 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse by Ashley @ Ashley Pichea ($4.99) 31 Days to Great Sex by Sheila @ To Love, Honor and Vacuum ($4.99) Entangled: Recognize Your Emotional Affair by Amy @ Amy J. Bennett ($4.99)

Motherhood

The Heart of Simplicity by various authors @ The Heart of Simplicity ($9.99) True Christian Motherhood by June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home ($7.00) Hula Hoop Girl by September @ One September Day ($4.99) When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($4.97) Mindset for Moms by Jamie @ Steady Days ($4.99) From Cube to Farm by Heather @ From Cube to Farm ($2.99) 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Parenting Questions by various authors @ 4 Moms, 35+ Kids Parenting E-book ($7.99) That Works for Me! by Kristen @ We are THAT Family ($8.00)

Health & Fitness

100-pound Loser by Jessica @ Muthering Heights ($4.99) Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Danielle @ Domestic Serenity ($2.99) 42 Days to Fit by Brandy @ The Marathon Mom, Emma @ Real Fit Moms and Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($4.99) Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($12.95) Personal ePlanner by Jennifer @ ListPlanIt ($5.00)

Beauty

Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae @ SaraMae.com ($4.99) The Cottage Mama’s DIY Guide by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00) Simple Scrubs to Make and Give by Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($3.99) The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley @ The No Brainer Wardrobe ($7.99) Embracing Beauty by Trina @ Trina Holden ($9.00) Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by Kristen @ The Frugal Girl ($3.99)

Working from Home & Blogging

Your Blogging Business: Tax, Talk and Tips by Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger ($4.99) The Bootstrap VA by Lisa @ The Home Life {and Me} ($12.99) How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda @ Growing Home ($4.99) How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00) Simple Blogging: Less Computer Time, Better Blogging by Rachel @ Small Notebook ($8.00)

Ecourses

Learning in Love: The Preschool Years by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99) Homeschooling from the Heart by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99) Grocery University by Carrie @ Colorado Bargains ($24.95) Vibrant Living Strategies for Moms by Lisa @ Well-Grounded Life ($59) You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.00)

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies...

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.) A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.) Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.) Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.) A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.) Get $10 off Union28's original "my husband rocks" tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.) A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.) A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

• Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
• For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
• All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
• All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

• It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
• Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

Healing Hearts with Helping Hands

 
 If you've ever known someone who lost a loved one, you probably wanted to help.  Maybe your heart ached for their loss, but you didn't know how to help. Maybe you were afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing.  It can be hard to know what to do when someone close to you is stricken with grief.  Maybe it's even harder with someone you don't know quite so well but still want to help. 

Lorrie Flem of Eternal Encouragement has written an excellent guide to help you with these issues.  Lorrie draws on her own personal experiences with death and serving others in the grieving process.  Healing Hearts with Helping Hands is available as a Kindle ebook that will help you be prepared to be of service to people when they lose a loved one. It will answer questions you might have like, What should I say?  What should I not say?  What is the grieving process?  What should I write in a card?  How can I help them heal?  She also includes lots of valuable information about ministering with meals (including recipes), giving support over an extended period of time, being a blessing, and much more.  There are also tons of related Scriptures included. 

I think this book will be very helpful for many, if not all, people, as we will all know someone at some point who has a loved one who dies.  I have a very dear friend who lost her husband a while ago, and I would have loved to have this rich resource then.  I would recommend everyone pick up a copy of this book so you can be prepared to be a true blessing to someone when the time comes.  We cannot take away all of the bereaved one's grief, but we sure can lighten their load and bless them.

On April 29, 30, and May 1st you can receive this newest Kindle ebook for only $0.99.  Did you know you don't need a Kindle to own and read Kindle ebooks?  You can also get Eternal Encouragement magazine for free by visiting here.

I received this product in exchange for my honest review.

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The Pleasures of Cleaning

Cleaning is not a dreaded chore in my home.  Do you know why?  It is because when I clean my home, I am blessing my family.  It is a joy for me to see them
have a pleasant, clean home.  You can make cleaning not a chore too by changing your attitude.  Instead of dreading cleaning the toilets yet again, think of it as blessing your home, blessing your family.  This makes it very pleasant instead of a drudgery.  It is wonderful to see something that was dirty now clean.  You will enjoy cleaning much more if you have a good attitude about it.  And your children will probably catch that good attitude too.

I like to make my own cleaners with essential oils.  That way I am not using harsh chemicals, but the essential oils kill germs and leave the house smelling great.  These cleaners are safe for the children to use, too.

What is your favorite thing to clean?

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Those Strangers Are Reminding ME

I am so very busy sometimes that I get rushed, hurried, as we are out and about.  My children are pretty well-behaved most of the time when we go out, though sometimes they might start to argue which always embarrasses me.  I know when we are out and about we are representing Christ to the world, and I want that representation to be good.  So as children do get into trouble sometimes, I have to remember that it is also my reaction to them that counts.  Am I patient and kind in my response to them?  If only we could only stop and think before we speak and act.  Lord, help me to be better at this!

But anyways, the point of this post was that we often hear of the rude comments that people make when a large family is out and about.  I have heard them too.  But more often than not what I hear is blessing.  Blessing upon blessing from complete strangers.  I hear that I am blessed, that I am doing a good job, that my children are beautiful, that they are so well-behaved, that they are such good helpers, that Jesus loves them....Oh, so many words of encouragement, when I need it most!  It is almost like God is speaking to me through these people, "I love you and I love your children.  And what you're doing is of great worth in My sight.  It will be okay."  So I am just so thankful for the kind words people have said.  And I am thankful to have my "little" brood about me, even though it is harder to go on errands with several children in tow.  So even though I knew it before, I am thankful that these people have reminded me that I am blessed.

Do you other mothers with many children ever get compliments when out and about?

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