This week we are celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the Passionate Homemaking blog! In light of this event, we are hosting a few exciting giveaways and then next week we will be republishing some of the most popular posts from these last two years. It will be loads of fun!
Today we start out with a fun giveaway from Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home. If you haven’t seen Steph’s new e-book, you will want to check out this handy little resource. Healthy Homemaking: A 52 Week Journey of Baby Steps to Help you Move Towards More Natural, Nutritious and Sustainable Lifestyle is a quick and easy read but altogether practical! If you are just getting starting in living more naturally and healthy, this book is especially for you! If you have been on the journey for awhile, this book will provide you with some extra encouragement and accountability. It is a baby step guide, 52 weeks to be exact, of easy steps towards cleaning your home naturally, avoiding waste, eating healthy, and living wholeheartedly in being good stewards of God’s kingdom. I found it very enjoyable to read. Each step can take a week at a time or you can draw it out as long as you desire, but each step is simple.
Stephanie’s description is as follows:
This 76-page eBook includes:
** 26 Baby Steps, covering a broad range of topics in the areas of Nutrition, Cooking and Food Preparation Techniques, Going Green/Sustainable, and Natural (non-toxic) Living. Each step gives you a specific goal, teaches why that step is important, and then gives detailed directions and tips for implementing that step into your life. At the end of each step, you’ll find both online and reading resources to help you with completing the step, as well as to encourage you to look into it more on your own.
** A printable chart intended to help you keep track of the steps that you are working on. It includes space to set goals for yourself, as well as to write your own notes and reminders as you implement these steps.
** A detailed introduction, discussing some of the why’s and motivation behind pursuing a journey like this.
** My own personal journey. I share with you my story, from unhealthy child and teen, to where I am at today. It is a story full of bumps and challenges, huge learning curves, many mistakes and ultimately, a whole lot of God’s grace.
Now, for the giveaway! We are offering 5 copies of this e-book to 5 lucky winners!
How To Win
1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite practical and easy step towards more naturally living. What was your first or favorite step in the journey?
2. For a second entry, follow me on Twitter and pass on the love about the giveaway or blog about it and make sure to let me know about it.
Giveaway is closed.
Happy Anniversary!!!!!!! My first step was to remove all chemical cleaners and use vinegar and baking soda. And boy do I love not feeling sick after a good housecleaning. Also, the money I save by not buyng a product for each thing I clean. Vinegar and baking soda will clean just about everything.
My first step was when my baby was born. I realized I did not want him poisoned by chemicals in his shampoo or food. So I threw it all out. The biggest step for me has been to purchase locally grown food (we just purchased a half of a grass-fed cow raised nearby…best meat in the world!). I also eat more legumes such as lentils, which is saves money.
I started out by using reusable grocery bags. They are so much better! I’d love to have more pratical steps to help me along.
Two of our natural living habits are: we bake our own wholewheat/wholegrain bread, use vinegar and water combination instead of glass cleaner. My first step was eliminating all white flour products from my eating plan.
I have loved our switch to cloth diapers; it has gone so much better than I could have anticipated! I have also really enjoyed making all of our own baby food. Knowing exactly what my girls are eating is wonderful.
My first step was to make homemade bread in the bread machine.
It is so easy, cheap and at least we now know what’s in our bread.
And who doesn’t like a home which smells of freshly baked bread, mmmm…
I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m excited about incorporating more natural products in my family’s lifestyle. My first step in more natural living was noticing how many products in our home contained MSG and finding more natural replacements or eliminating them altogether. Less artificial food in the home make me a more happy wife and Mommy!
I shared your info. on my blog at http://mommoment.blogspot.com/! Thanks Lindsey for all your encouragement!
First step: cooking from scratch, Second: reusable grocery bags, Third: cloth diapers, Fourth: simplifying! We’re having a HUGE garage sale this weekend to get rid of all the excess.
I would LOVE this book…I feel like I’m just peeking at the tip of an iceburg!
My first step I took was eliminating boxed cereal. My favorite step has been re-discovering raw milk (I say re-discovering since I grew up on it)and making kefir! I have learned so much from your blog–thanks!
I blog about the giveaway here:
http://secondtimeparenthood.blogspot.com/2009/09/2nd-anniversary-passionate-homemaking.html
alohamolly@gmail.com
first and favorite is probably cloth diapers. It was a big step and I still love them!
I use baking soda and vinegar to clean almost everything in my home! It is cheap and effective! Especially when cleaning off little finger prints that reappear DAILY and drive my husband crazy
I think the first step is awareness. It is a huge leap to simple notice what you are doing out of habit. I remember when I first became aware of paper towels. it suddenly struck me how many clean paper towels are thrown away just because they are damp. I was in high school that day and began saving paper towels in my desk to reuse. I cringe when I think of how many paper towels I have thrown away in my life with out even being aware!
I have taken one of two steps towards healthier more frugal living. It involves baking all the gluten free products that we were previously buying for my husband and son. The next step will be to begin baking regular bread etc. for my for the rest of my family. It feels healthier and more nurturing to do this for them…I love it.
I love that we don’t use one single commercial cleaning product! In addition to saving so much money on our budget, it feels great to know that my cleaners are not harmful to my family and many of them are made from natural and/or edible products.
Love it! I switched to homemade bread made especially easy with a breadmaker:)
Our first step toward more natural living came when we were expecting our first blessing. I was employed as a part time secretary with way too much spare time on my hands and I spent quite a bit of it researching diapers and all of the different cloth options and benefits. I would come home from work and tell my husband all about my findings (for weeks, all he heard about was how wonderful cloth diapers are!) I may have been a bit obsessed with this subject, but we have certainly enjoyed the results. We’re on baby number two now, still happily cloth diapering, and looking for many more ways to live simply and naturally.
We strive to eat food as close to the way God made it as possible…the least processed the better!
I would love to get ahold of that book! My first step is taking advantage of our apartment’s new recycle program. I’m amazed at how much it reduces our garbage!
My favorite thing that I’ve done was to use cloth diapers… it was the first real step that I initiated (much to the shock of many friends and family!) in wasting less and it has really made me feel good as a mom to be less dependent on commercial products in caring for my kids and my home. Your site has really inspired me to go through each room of my house to simplify down to the must haves… it’s quite a process with two little ones running around, but very rewarding!
I think switching to cloth napkins was one of the easiest steps I made when I first started trying to live more naturally. I learned that I love them. They are softer, prettier, cheaper and just as easy (just toss them in with the rest of the towels).
Purchasing my fruits & veggies from our local CSA has been a fabulous step in obtaining organic foods and eating them when they are in-season!
Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite natural living step these days is going to the farmer’s market every week for veggies and simple prepared foods (fresh pasta, mmmm). I take my son there (13 mos) and he loves all the activity.
Another favorite step is trying to use more elbow grease and less bleach when I clean
I would love some practical help and encouragement in being better stewards of the lives God has given us! One of our first big steps towards heathier living has been making green shakes. My husband has had skin issues and one of our 3 sons has struggled with constipation and so this is a fun and easy way for our family to get more of the nutrition we need in a way that tastes good too!
My favorite step has been to make my own cleaning supplies–it’s so easy and natural ingredients like vinegar and tea tree oil make everything smell so good! They clean far better than any household cleaners on the market. But I originally started a more natural lifestyle when my brother developed epilepsy and we radically changed our diet. Now, in my own home, I try to incorporate one new thing a week (or sometimes just one a month
to live a more natural lifestyle.
My first step was trying to make all sorts of natural body/household products: lotions, laundry detergent, handsoap, etc. I found it to be fun and suprisingly satisfying also.
Happy Anniversary! That book sounds great!
I have changed so much in the past year or so that it is hard to remember what was first…but I think the biggest change is the way I eat and shop for food. I try to eat mostly whole foods. I shop at the Farmer’s Market, the local health food grocery store and Trader Joe’s. It has taken awhile to re-build my pantry…but it is so worth it!
I blogged about this:
http://schmamy.blogspot.com/2009/09/passionate-homemaking-blog-giveaway.html
My first step was changing to organic foods and shopping the perimiter of the store. That evolved into learning about ways of eating and that eventually evolved into a new career for me that allows me to still be home with my children. What’s better than that?!
My first step is using vinegar and baking soda for most or all of my cleaning, rather than toxic chemicals. I hate the idea of leaving poison around a house full of kids, and vinegar’s much cheaper anyway!
It’s hard to pick my favorite healthy thing we do – but I think grinding our own flour and gardening have been two things that are right there on the top of the list! And buying used things – thru thrift store, craigslist, etc. is another awesome way to go.
I love your web site and also keeperathome. I have easily switched from low fat to full fat foods and also have been avoiding a lot of processed foods. This is easier than you think.
My first step to natural living was eating healthy and making food from scratch. I have had lots of health problems, so this has been really helpful. I would love to read the ebook!
I think my first step was trying to drink more water. In fact, I am still working on that one!
My first step was reading the ingredients on all the processed food I was buying, and then deciding to stop buying all of that junk and turning my diet around! Since then it’s been an awesome journey of local food, cooking from scratch, natural cleaning, and cutting back on waste. I would never go back!
My first change for natural living has been to change over to making things from scratch. Over the last 6 months we had made many changes such as the use of vinegar and baking soda for cleaning and shopping through a co op. It has been really good for my family. Thank you so much for your blog, it has really helped me.
sounds like a great e-book–and happy blogiversary
I can’t remember what my first step was, but one recent (within the last six months) step was to replace all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. I was already using whole wheat some, but not in everything. I can substitute white whole wheat in everything, even pie crust, with great success. Still not grinding my own wheat, but I’m taking steps in that direction.
Eliminate clutter! The more we have, the more we have to take care of and fuss with. This is a step that I’m still (and always will be) working on! Thanks!
I grew up with parents who try to live a natural lifestyle, but now with a family of my own I’ve made it my own. Living in a differnt country has made it more challanging, as many things I took for granted in Canada don’t exist here (like boxes of baking soda). That started me making my own cleaning products. I am also passionate about food, and make all food from scratch.
Taking my own bags to stores or refusing bags when I have only one or two items has been one of the simplest first steps I took to more natural living. I love both Passionate Homemaking and Keeper of the Home blogs and am excited about the chance to win the e-book
One baby step I have taken for my family is to make sure we eat at least 5 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables a day. I plan to study healthy fats/oils for my next step. : ) I also use cloth grocery bags- I reuse the plastic ones I do have.
I would have to agree that cooking from scratch has been the most “natural” way to live naturally because I grew up with a mother who cooked that way. Now I am trying to adapt the same philosophy throughout other areas of life – cloth diapers, natural cleaning products, growing a few vegetables, shopping for used – not new – items, etc… This book would be good read for me at this stage!
My first step, a long, long time ago was to start using reusable bags when going to the store. It took me a while to be consistent, but I love not having to deal with plastic bags all over the place!
My first step was not to buy canned beans, and plan ahead and cook them myself, we have had many healty meals with beans, and love them!
My favorite step towards healthy, natural living is changing how I grocery shop. I have made the trip very simple, in sticking to fresh, and making most of my baking and meals from scratch. This has made our home more healthy, but it has also added to the enjoyment of being at home. I have come to love providing this to my family of 5, and hence, I am a happier mommy!
The first step in my journey was actually sending my kids to school, and observing what most kids bring to school for their lunches. My son is VERY affected by additives, and sugar in his diet, so I could not send what lots of kids were sent. So, making our own treats just seemed the more healthy, natural alternative. I feel such a responsibilty to teach my kids proper nutrition, as well as model it too!
Thank you for your blog, as it has challenged me, and inspired me to be the best mom, wife, and woman I can be:)
God Bless!
I used to volunteer at the Notebaert Nature Museum here in Chicago. As part of a workshop, we made window cleaner with vinegar and water, using newspaper to wipe up the solution. I never thought that I’d end up replacing Windex with vinegar and water, but I found that it works so much better. That led to greening my cleaning routine and h&b items.
My favourite and easy step to more natural living is to plant a food garden. Even a small patch is rewarding.
Last year we had quite a large garden and became too busy to maintain it, so earlier this year I took our three children out and in about 5 minutes we planted a row of sugar snap and snow peas, which we’ve been enjoying eating for a few weeks now. And there are still a few more weeks to be had.
Congratulations on your Blogiversary
My first step was making foods from scratch in place of the ‘convenience’ foods we used to always use, my fave being fresh baked bread or homemade taco/burrito seasoning mix.
The thing that has helped me the most in trying to be more healthy is just to make the best food choices possible while at the grocery store. If I don’t want it in my home, I just don’t buy it. Then, when snack time comes, only healthy options are available.
I started when I thought my 4th child had food allergies and we I started learning about what is really in our food. I started cloth diapering too. Then I stumbled upon your blog and I LOVE it! I just got my Bosch mixer a couple weeks ago and now homemade bread is all we have!