About Jami Balmet

Image courtesy of [sritangphoto] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

 

Does this happen to anyone else? My days get packed full of summer bible studies, days at the park, camping trips, church picnics, chores…and not to mention lots of blogging work {and it’s HARD to sit on a computer all day with the sun shining outside}! All of these things are good and many of them I should spend my time doing….but it gets so hard to organize it all!

5 Ways to Get Organized This Summer

Don’t let summer pass you by! I’ve learned that I need to get organized {and STAY organized} so that I can actually do things I want to during summer. Here are some tips I’ve learned:

1) Get a good daily planner

A daily planner is a MUST for me. But I have some strict requirements when it comes to what planner will work well for me. And it’s really hard to find. In a planner I want:

• A monthly view so I can write down things like doctor’s appointments and see them all at once! 
• A weekly view because I need to see each week at a glance and be able to write down daily things like blog posts and our dinner meal plan
• Lots of space to take notes, jot down contact information, and make shopping list.

Basically I want a master organization tool that I can have out with me in the kitchen to make my shopping list, by my computer to help with work, and something I can throw in my purse quickly. Check out my FAVORITE planner: the Homemaker’s Friend daily planner. {BTW you can get a FREE 2013 planner when you order the new 2014 planner right now - find out more!}

2) Become a list maker

I think I am a natural born list maker, but even if you are not, I would urge you to take up list making just for the summer to try it out.

I don’t know about you, but during the summer my brain becomes chaotic! There are so many parties, outings, fun things and other commitments PLUS normal housekeeping, menu planning, grocery shopping, ect. It can be crazy to keep track of it all.

So this summer I urge you to try making lists. It will help you in a couple ways:

1) When you make a list, you can stop worrying and thinking about everything. Just relax knowing it’s all down on your list and you won’t forget it!

2) When you make a list, you can prioritize the important things. See why this is important in the next point!

3) Do the important {or boring} stuff first!

Usually when I start my day, I start by doing the easy things first. I hop on the computer to check my email “real quick” and 2 hours later have not accomplished anything significant.

By making a list and putting that list in a planner that I can carry around with me, I am better able to prioritize what needs to get done. This way I can get my bible reading done everyday, meals on the table, and other important things I need to get done!

4) Plan FUN time into your schedule

This is a big one for me. When I start envisioning how my day will look, I usually pile on WAY too much stuff. I try to get 15 things done when really I can only get 4 and I stumble into bed exhaustive.

This then leads to burn out and fatigue, which isn’t good for anyone in my family! So by actually scheduling in some time to read or relax with my husband then I’m investing in my family and my marriage!

5) Don’t neglect your Bible reading and time with God

This is another BIG one that gets neglected for me during the summer. Because the summer time usually has a wacky schedule and so many different things going on, my time spent with the Lord really suffers.

So I’ve been getting better about putting this as the FIRST thing on my to do list each day and writing in my planner to help. This gives me daily reminders and encouragement to make it a daily habit!

Introducing the Homemaker’s Friend

A big help in managing my crazy schedule as a wife, mother of twins, and business owner is with my daily planner. And as I said above, I am picky about my daily planner! It has to have everything I need.

Well I have found a wonderful solution that I want to share with you! It’s called the Homemaker’s Friend Daily Planner.

What I Love

This planner pretty much has everything I need! It hits all my major requirements. It has the perfect monthly and weekly views like I said I like above. It also has specific tabs for tasks, projects, info, and shopping!! For a list maker like me, this is heaven!! Order your copy here!

The last section is really neat. The shopping list section includes lists that tear right out of the planner so that you can take the list with you or throw it out when you are done! Order your copy here!

PLUS the planners are just plain cute – which is very important to me ;) I love having a cute planner…it makes me want to use it more! And they have a pretty cool deal going on right now! If you purchase the new 2014 planner you get the 2013 planner for FREE! You still have half a year to use the 2013 planner so order today and get two planners for the price of one! Order your copy here!

Do you use a planner? What is your favorite thing about using a planner?

Growing up, my family did not take medicine lightly. We didn’t take ibuprofen at the first sign of a headache and I’m thankful for that. But I was largely ignorant and skeptical of home remedies.

I had no idea that a vast world of home remedies past down through the years could be so helpful {and healthy} with my own family! 

Photo by trec_lit

Until recently, I have been clueless about essential oils, natural remedies, herbs, and ways to help my family naturally. But there is a whole world of natural remedies that we have at our disposal that can help heal and nurture our family’s naturally.

But when it comes to my family’s health, I am protective. I don’t want to neglect giving my children and husband medicine when they truly need it! And I don’t want to give them “natural” things that could be harmful.

So I’m doing research! I’m working to stock a natural medicine cabinet. I have a LOT to learn but it’s been fun knowing that I am treating my family in a way that helps them recover quickly without all those nasty and harsh chemicals!

But knowing where to start in stocking a natural medicine cabinet can be tough! Here are a few ideas to get your started. {OR check out this great eBook collection that is FULL of natural medicine goodness – The Natural Mothering eBook Collection}

Stocking a natural medicine cabinet

1) Stock your kitchen

Wait? I thought this post was about stocking a natural medicine cabinet. It is. This is the first step.

So many of our sicknesses, illnesses, and general ickyness comes from how we eat. We mask the symptoms with medicine and doctor’s visits when really we need to treat the root of our pain – our diet!

I highly suggest you start by reading the comprehensive book Nourishing Traditions. If you are interested in healthy eating at all…then you need to get this book to start with.

In Herbal Nurturing, Michele shares,

“In your pursuit of wellness, I urge you to always seek the root of any issue; don’t merely try to treat symptoms without ascertaining the cause. Strive for holistic wellness, with a strong foundation of nourishing real foods, rest, fresh air, exercise, prayer/worship, chiropractic maintenance, and supplements.” ~ Pg v.

PSSSST – This week only {Ending June 17th} you can get a great eBook collection that INCLUDES Herbal Nurturing. Find out more about the collection HERE.

Image courtesy of [Simon Howden] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2) It’s all about prevention

As you begin to study home remedies you will quickly realize that there are herbs, supplements, and dietary guidelines that you should take all the time! Not just when you are sick.

Prevention becomes the key and a few preventative measures in your household can save you many headaches {literally}!

“One of the keys in warding off illness is to keep the immune system strong, allowing it to do the job that it was designed to do.” ~ Mother’s Little Herbal Helper and Home Remedies

3) Learn to know what is normal {and what isn’t}

Our modern science oriented culture is happy to reach for medicine at the first sign of an illness or pain and move on, never giving it a second though. But this often leads to further illness and more pain! We walk around in semi-ill states most of the time because we don’t take the time to stop, listen, and find out what is normal and what isn’t normal in our bodies!

For example, so many American’s feel like it’s normal to live with constant headaches. It isn’t.

“Most people think that the way to handle a head -ache is to reach for a bottle of aspirin. They think that it’s normal to have a head -ache, but they are mistaken. While headaches (and the countless other aches and pains that people experience) are certainly common, health is the truly normal state. Disease is an aberration, caused either by harm you’ve done to yourself or that others have done to you.” ~ The Curative Kitchen

4) Do your research

This is the most important thing in starting a natural medicine cabinet! Do your research before you try natural and herbal home remedies. While most natural remedies are gentler and safe for your family, but you should always be familiar with the correct way to administer home remedies.

For example, there are some herbs that are dangerous to take during pregnancy. So do your research and start out slowly. Over time you will build up a storehouse of knowledge, practical wisdom, and confidence in your home remedies. Here are some great resources to get you started!

Some great resources:

Herbal Nurturing: A Family Healing & Learning Guide by Frugal Granola

Learning about natural remedies and then actually using them in every day life are two different things. I love this book by Michele because she gives you nearly three dozen recipes to use in your household and provides helpful tips & tricks along the way!

“Herbal remedies can be a natural and affordable option in the midst of a society filled with expensive, chemical-filled “medicalized” treatments.” ~ Herbal Nurturing

Mother’s Little Herbal Helper and Home Remedies by The Family Herbalist

If you are new to home remedies {like me!} then I think this is a great book to start with! She really starts from the basics and doesn’t assume you are familiar with the natural home remedies world. She covers everything from home remedies for kids to antibiotics to proper nutrition. I’ve only read the first part of the book so far {and skimmed the rest} and can’t wait to finish it!

“For thousands of years parents have been treating their children with natural remedies that include no chemicals, preservatives, fillers or binders. These remedies come from nature and many of them can be found in your own kitchen. Many mild herbs are merely food, have very few if any side effects, and are completely safe to use with children.” ~ Mother’s Little Herbal Helper and Home Remedies pg 15

 The Curative Kitchen by Susan Smith Jones, PhD

Susan takes an honest and real look at what American’s call “health” and modern medicine. She shares how we have been led astray in our thinking about medicine and what it truly means to be healthy. Plus my favorite part – she covers 21 superfoods! Love this section of the book!!

“Collectively, Americans have been making some very poor choices. We’ve become a self-medicating society because we don’t really understand how beautifully robust the human body is. Each of us needs to be reminded that our bodies are magnificently equipped to meet life’s problems when supplied with the simple and easily obtainable requisites of health.” ~ The Curative Kitchen

**This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are 100% my own and I am really excited to share these resources with you regardless of affiliate links :)

A few years ago I started my family’s journey towards healthy eating. Slowly I’ve been learning what it truly means to live a healthy life and how to create a healthy and non-toxic home for my family.

But this process was set on fast forward last year when I got pregnant with our twin boys. I started thinking about cleaners I was breathing in, what type of laundry detergent we were using, the food in my pantry and more!

As I prepared to be a mother, I also realized I was preparing a more natural home. It’s been a long process of research, talking to friends, and more research. I have a long way to go so that’s why I am so excited about this new collection.

It seems like each week there is something new I am learning about raising a healthy family. There have been things I have done thinking it was a healthy and later learned it wasn’t. I have been wishing there was a manual for how to raise a healthy family.

I am super excited to share with you that now there is a natural mothering collection that has everything you need for raising a healthy family! I can’t WAIT to dig into these books.

This Week Only

For this week ONLY {June 10 – 17} you can get access to this amazing collection of motherhood books. You can see all the amazing resources in this collection HERE and buy it HERE!

Why am I so excited? With this eBook bundle you get access to a 35 book library on all kinds of topics including fertility, pregnancy, cloth diapers, health, crock pot meals, and more! Along with the 35+ books, you will also get nearly $200 in bonuses!!

One of my favorite parts of these eBook sales are the bonuses you get!! I always take advantage of these free offers and I highly suggest you do too! When you purchase the Natural Mothering eBook Collection you also get {for FREE} nearly $200 in products including: two month membership to Fit2Be studios, Breastfeeding Simply audiobook, baby’s first year month by month printables, and MORE!

Books I Can’t Wait To Read

While there are literally a couple dozen books in this collection that I can’t wait to read – here are a few that are on the top of my “to read” list!

Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert {Normally $9.95}

Okay…so I technically have read this book already but I plan to read it through again! I’m cloth diapering my twins and pretty much everything I learned I about cloth diapering I learned from Erin! She has written this comprehensive {over 200 pages} guide to everything cloth diapering! I highly suggest this book to anyone thinking about cloth diapering. And it’s a fabulous resource to have on hand and constantly check certain sections.

You can read my review about the book here. Even if you don’t get this bundle, I highly recommend getting this book on cloth diapering!

The Family Dinner Project {Normally $9.95}

As my kids get older, something I want to always focus on is having intentional, fun family time! And an excellent way to do this is around the dinner table. There are 12 themed dinners {along with cute printables} to make fun planned dinners for your family. I love the idea of taking these 12 ideas, trying them out, and then developing our own creativity as a family to see what else we can come up with!

A peek inside the book, it looks really neat!!

Healthy Homemaking {Normally $12.95}

This book looks awesome! I’ve already had the chance to dig into it a little bit and read through some of the chapter topics and I can’t wait to read the whole thing. Stephanie dives right into discussing what it means to live a healthy, non-toxic life! She seems to cover so many topics. It looks like an awesome introduction into creating a more natural home!  She takes you one step at a time on a journey towards a natural, more healthy lifestyle.

Don’t Miss Out!

I just highlighted only three of the over 35 eBooks included in this collection that look interesting. If you purchased all three of those eBooks separately, it would cost over $32. But if you purchase this bundle, you get those three awesome eBooks, plus 32 other fabulous resources, PLUS nearly $200 in products!!

This deal is too good to pass up! That’s why as soon as the sale went live this morning, I purchased a bundle for myself! I’ll let you know more about the books I like as I dig into them! **I’m thinking about possibly buying a couple more bundles for presents***

Go HERE to see all the resources in this collection and learn more!

A big part of my family’s life for the past 3 1/2 years has been blogging. I started out with a small personal blog where I wrote about my new husband and our plans for the weekend. But I soon fell in love with blogging and knew I wanted to take it to the next level.

So I launched Young Wife’s Guide in February 2012, A Biblical Marriage in October 2012, and have a NEW blog coming this summer {Sh…it’s still a secret but we will share more information soon!}!

Blogging has been an incredible blessing to our family. I have met so many amazing ladies and made some real friends I talk to on a daily basis. It has been a source of inspiration to me as a homemaker, encouraged me to learn new things, and has even helped to bring in an income to our family.

Image courtesy of [stockimages] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

*Note: This is a sponsored post brought to you by Blogelina and happily shared by me! All opinions are 100% my own and I’m so excited to share this class opportunity with you!…Keep reading to see how awesome this opportunity is*

Take a FREE Blogging Class

If you are interested in blogging then I am SO excited to share this great opportunity from Blogelina to take a free blogging class for beginners! In this 4 week class, Blogelina will cover everything you need to know including:

• How to Get Your Blog Started on the Right Foot
• Questions to ask as you begin blogging
• How to Choose a Web Host for Your Blog
• Why Your Blog Design is So Important
• 9 Different Ways to Easily Monetize Your Blog
• How to Draw Visitors to Your Blog
• A 60 page class manual
• And one FREE year of web hosting {$84 value}!!

This really is an awesome deal. I wish I could have taken this free class when I first started out. And I am going to go through this course too…there are always new things you can learn!

How It Works

When you sign up for this FREE 4 week class, you will get instant access to the 60 page class manual, lots of resources, and directions for claiming your FREE year of web hosting!

Then in June, you will “meet” once a week for class and learn how to become a profitable blogger! And if you can’t actually make it at the meeting time {like I can’t} then each session’s notes will be emailed to you along with the presentation.

Sign up for a FREE 4 week blogging class and get a 60 page manual and a free year of web hosting! Sign up HERE! 

The wide world of blogging can seem to confusing!  It’s hard to know where to start. But Blogelina is offering this great opportunity to learn how to start your blog off right, take it to the next level, and network with other bloggers {which is a huge opportunity}!!

Plus I’ll be taking the class so we can meet in class and chat :) You can sign up HERE for the class that starts in June!

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post brought to you by Bloelina. All opinions are 100% mine and I’m really excited to share this class opportunity with you!*

As the weather warms up, the jackets come off and the itty bitty shorts come out. Sometimes it’s understandable. In 100 degree weather no one wants to be wearing turtle necks and long pants.

But modesty is still just as important during summer. So how do you dress modestly, stay cool, and also still be cute? Here are some tips I’ve learned through the years for dressing modestly during summer as well as some of my favorite places to shop!

How To Dress Modestly During Summer

Here are  few practical tips to help you dress modestly this summer. Summer modesty guidelines and practice will look differently in each household. So talk to your husband or father about how they can help you dress modestly this summer because gals – sometimes it’s hard!

1) Find Some Good Shorts

Good shorts are essential to me during Summer because other than Church I pretty much live in shorts!! I don’t want to be legalistic {or impost legalistic standards upon you}, so each household needs to decide what their standard is. Personally I have just drawn the line at knee length {you can read more about my personal modesty guidelines}.

According to The Modesty Survey, 64.5% of men said “It is immodest for a girl to expose her legs up to mid-thigh.” This means that over half of the men around us struggle when we expose our legs at mid thigh. This has convicted me that for the sake of not causing my brothers in Christ to stumble {1 Corinthians 8:13}, that I will simply wear knee length shorts…there’s really no harm in that small sacrifice! {Again I am just sharing what I personally feel convicted about}.

Hubby and I at Pearl Harbor on our Honeymoon

2) Find a Good Swim Suit

Ack! Finding a modest bathing suit is essential to summertime but it.is.so.hard.to.do! I will suggest a few swim suit companies below but ultimately, just be wise, discerning, and prayerful when picking out a suit…and get a man’s opinion on it before you take the tags off {such as your husband or father}!!

3) Make Wise Choices

Really the summer is the perfect excuse to “forget” about modesty for a few months and wear what is hip, cool, and not care. But be set apart this summer girls. Be bold for Christ and show the world that there is something different about you! Don’t give in to the temptation to look trendy at the sake of glorifying God with your body {1 Corinthians 6:19}

I urge you to spend some time in prayer and discussion with your husbands {or fathers if you are unmarried} and really dig into what Scripture has to say on modesty. Think about what is really at the HEART of modesty and pray that God molds you into a beautiful modest woman. I urge you to dive into The Modesty Survey and find out what over 1600 Christian men think about modesty {find out more information about the survey here}

Modest Summer Fashion Guide

Are you on the hunt for modest clothing this summer? I actually find most of my modest clothing cheap in normal stores and thrift shops, but certain things like modest cami’s and bathing suits I get online.

1) Apricot Apparel

I have tried every cami under the sun and they all are either to low to begin with or by the end of the day they droop down. But my hands down favorite cami I have ever found is from Apricot Apparel. I stumbled upon their site onr day and now my sister’s and I do a new order from them each season! On my next order I intent to try some of their other laying shirts too!

The cami is my very best friend. A whole new world of cute shirts opens up to you when you can add a camisole to your outfit! Suddenly dresses and shirts that were highly immodest become the perfect summer modest outfit!

A favorite dress that would be too low cut without my favorite Apricot Apparel cami!

2) Mod Bod

My sister’s have a few of their layering shirts that I would love to get but my favorite thing from them is their perfect tank!  I wear it under shirts and it’s the perfect thing to wear under most dresses! I have it in white, black, pink, and brown.

3) Lime Ricki

For the past several years, Lime Ricki has been my go to place to buy bathing suits! My sister’s and I were actually able to find bathing suits that were high enough and not too expensive! Yay!

While it seems that a few of their swim suits this year might be a little too low cut for me, I’m actually thrilled with this year’s line up of suits!! I’m having a hard time deciding what to order. I really like the Coral Zulu, Cinch-Neck Hibiscus, One Shoulder Mini Dot, and Ruffle Hibiscus {I think this is my favorite but I’m debating whether it will be modest enough :\}. And I of course pair these tops with long shorts or skorts.

My Sister’s and I in Lime Ricki Bathing Suits

4) Mikarose

I love Mikarose clothing!! They have so many adorable shirts and dresses that really are modest! I love that most of their clothing doesn’t require a cami – they are truly modest! And their quality is really high, I can tell the clothing will last for a long time {that’s really important when spending money on modest clothing}! This lace shirt I got last year is actually on clearance right now. I’m really in love with this Julia dress right now…it would be perfect for this summer ;)

5) DownEast Basics

I think I start drooling every time their catalog comes in the mail. I think their dresses are my favorite thing – especially this honeydew dress! Many of their tops seem very modest also although I only own 2 of their dresses and a jacket. I actually did a review of one of their dresses last year! Mind you….I was 21 weeks pregnant with twins in this photo – so not my best photo LOL!

6) Divinita Sole

I think Divinita Sole might just be among my favorite modest swim suits I’ve ever seen! But I haven’t actually tried them yet. It seems that you have to buy the top and and bottom together and since I cover the bottoms with shorts anyway, I don’t need matching bottoms. So I have yet to try them out although I’m thinking about calling them to see if I can purchase just the top :) They have some really super cute and modest swimsuit tops!!

7) Novae Clothing

I have always loved Novae clothing but haven’t ordered from them…yet! I love their dresses especially and just about died when I found this skirt…actually it’s a skirt and dress EXTENDER! I HATE when you find a super cute dress or skirt and it’s too short :( But this dress extender is brilliant. It’s super cute and could make so many dresses and skirts an option! I really need one!!

These are just some of my favorite modest clothing companies! But I’m always on the hunt for more. Do you know of any?