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Naturally Knocked Up eCourse & Giveaway!

By on July 6, 2010 in bellies & babies, news & giveaways

Do you desire to prepare your body to be a healthy and whole dwelling place for a precious little life?

There have been many exciting eCourse’s introduced online in the past several months, each with their own focus and mission, and I have been thrilled to see this revolution in offering a wealth of classes in an online setting to be completed in the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. I am excited to introduce you to a new course being offered with a focus on natural living, detoxing, and introduction to herbs to help boast your health and wholeness but also to prepare a safe womb for every woman in their childbearing years.

Donielle at Naturally Knocked Up has just released this wonderful eCourse focusing on these topics:

My goal with this 12 week course is to fully equip women with the knowledge of how to prepare their bodies for pregnancy. Through PDF lectures and handouts, as well as videos and podcasts, I’ll walk them through not only the facts of natural living, but how nutrition and what we eat effects our fertility and the health of our children. A forum will also be available for discussion which also makes it easy for you to have direct contact with me.

This one-of-a-kind 12 week multi media course will be a breath of fresh air in an otherwise depressing world of unfortunate statistics. With these classes you will learn:

  • How to cleanse your body of toxins
  • Why common products you use may be contributing to your infertility
  • What exercises can help you prepare your body for conception and pregnancy
  • How to pin point ovulation
  • What to eat…..and what not to eat
  • Alternative treatments for infertility
  • But most importantly you will learn how to conceive and go on to have a healthy pregnancy and a truly healthy baby!

From my review this eCourse looks very solid and thorough with a wealth of information on toxins, cleansing your body, natural living by reviewing the products you use on your body and in your home with practical help to simplify and replace with quality and safe products, exercise, basic fertility awareness, nourishing foods and superfoods that help boost fertility, health, and wholeness, herbs and holistic treatments, with practical tips on where to start.

This is a valuable course whether you are desiring pregnancy or not. If you are in your childbearing years, it is important to be wise and prepare your body to be the perfect healthy place for a little one to grow, if the Lord so desires to bless you in the future. A great preparation course comes to you here!

The cost of this eCourse is just $96.00 for 12 weeks of videos, podcasts, lectures and hands on practical tips and suggestions, in addition to a forum for group discussion.

Plus, you can save $26.00 on the cost of this eCourse by using the promo code: PASSHOME at checkout now through Friday, July 9th. That’s just $70 for this 12 week course!

Enroll today!

We are also offering a free membership today to one special Passionate Homemaking reader!

To Enter:

1. Write a comment below sharing why you would like to take this eCourse.

Giveaway Closed.

Please note that if you desire to take the course, please do register now with the coupon discount. If you are the winner, you will be refunded the registration fee.

Passionate Homemaking is an affiliate of the Naturally Knocked Up eCourse and will receive a small amount of each sale purchased through our links. Thanks!
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Sponsor Giveaway: FBS Books Preschool Pack

By on July 5, 2010 in news & giveaways

We’re going to take a fun break this week and offer a few exciting giveaways to our readers from our sponsors!

FBS Books is a wonderful family run business offering a wide selection of homeschooling materials, a wealth of books and inspiration for the Christian home. Today we are excited to offer a cute little preschool pack to one lucky winner!

Preschool Gift Pack includes:

Pattern Blocks (Retail: $16.99) This Melissa & Doug activity is perfect for little preschoolers and includes 10 wooden pattern boards and helps develop early color, shape, and matching skills. Fun for ages 2 and up.
Shape Sorting Clock (Retail: $12.99) – A great tool for early introduction of teaching time recognition along with color and shapes in this fun wooden clock. 12 removable wooden shapes and a movable hour and minute hand make for a creative educational toy.
Alphabet Bob Books (Retail: $16.99) this set of My First Bob Books includes 12 books of 12 pages each, presenting the letters of the alphabet in a gentle, fun, easy-to-understand way as only Bob Books can! With upper and lowercase examples of each letter, animal characters and charming stories, your child will have fun learning new letter sounds.
A wonderful fun set for a special family!

To Enter:

1. Please leave a comment below and share your favorite learning idea that you have used with a preschooler.

Giveaway Closed.

FBS books is offering free shipping on any order with the coupon code: FREESHIP. If you are planning your fall homeschool curriculum, now is the time to buy and save. Check out their wealth of good resources!
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June at Our Home

By on July 2, 2010 in faith & womanhood, news & giveaways

No buyers, no clients, many sleepless nights…thus would summarize some of the struggles that have been going on in my heart over the last month. I was striving, putting my best effort forward to get the word out there. Desiring desperately to move on to the next season of our lives. It feels so peaceful to move…to be closer to Aaron’s work allowing more family time (instead of hours in traffic separating us), more opportunities to reach out to his co-workers and be more in a community of families in an actual neighborhood that we could minister to, in addition to being closer to our church family.

I wanted doula clients so I could complete my certification. I only needed three. How hard could that be? I was shocked and inwardly battling discouragement when I was refused again and again. Was I really in the Lord’s will? Was this just a sign that I wasn’t supposed to be doing this? I knew I was not desiring to pursue a career in this by any means as my mothering is a full-time ministry, so maybe this wasn’t the best time to look for outside ministry opportunities?

Many continued battles with insomnia…many nights crying out to the Lord.

The Lord spoke loud and clear through two gracious friends….”Wait on me, Lindsay. All your striving only results in heartache and disappointment. Wait. It may take 6 months to sell your house, but why would you doubt that it wasn’t My will? Do I always confirm immediately? If this were so, my perfect refining work would not be completed in you. Your fulfillment will not come if you fulfill your certification requirements by the end of the year, which was your time frame. Wait for My time frame. That is perfect. My peace I give to you, My peace I leave with you. Not as the world gives – not the immediate satisfaction of your desires that the world lays forth as confirmation. I am doing a beautiful work in you. Let My peace overwhelm you. Let My peace satisfy you. Wait and be faithful where you are.”

Peace has flooded my heart. A beautiful work that only God can do when I fully resign my desires to His timing and control. I decided to stop striving and wait. It feels so good. Are you striving today? May I encourage you with these verses:

Cease striving and know that I am God. (Psalms 46:10)

Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run, and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Praise the Lord for His good work. Praise the Lord for a rich time at the beach this past month with my wonderful family! Praise the Lord for His provisions! Praise the Lord for my two little children – two precious bundles of joy, two little disciples! That is where I will be faithful. I may stumble again, but the Lord is Faithful and True to pick me up and carry me along.

The Taylor Clan 2010 – Lincoln City, OR
L-R: Aaron, Titus, me, Karis, Mom, Christa, Kelly, Brooke, Sam, Brandon, Dad, Dan, Stephen, Micah, Larissa, Trinity and my new niece – Isabelle

In the meantime, I am taking a little blogging break. Aaron has had two intense weeks at work, and we need to rest together and be a family. See you sometime next week! Have a glorious and restful holiday weekend!

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Essential Oil Pack Giveaway Winner!

By on June 29, 2010 in news & giveaways

We had a whopping 810 entries in the Doterra essential oil introductory kit! Thanks to everyone who contributed some wonderful ideas for the natural use of these wonderful products of creation. Congratulations to:

Krista – kstallardmass…

You will be receiving an email shortly! God bless!

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Primer on Essential Oils & Giveaway!

By on June 22, 2010 in natural & green, news & giveaways

This guest post is brought to you by Jenni of Dr Mom Essentials. Jenni blogs at Dr. Mom Essentials and describes herself as a do-it-yourself, mom of six adventurous, but generally healthy kids who seem to keep her well supplied with a continual variety of minor medical dilemmas. She has a master herbalist degree and is currently studying aromatherapy. She is a distributor of Doterra essential oils.

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. If you have ever enjoyed the gift of a rose, a walk by a field of lavender, or the smell of fresh cut mint, you have experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils…Essential oils have been used throughout history in many cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits. – Doterra

I’m going to tell you about some basic essential oils that I use regularly. Once you know a few basics, essential oils are easy to use and extremely effective for a variety of health issues. The most important thing about oils is making sure you’re getting a truly quality product. The FDA only requires 10% inclusion of actual oil for any company to claim that it’s 100% pure oil. So find a brand you really trust, especially if you’re ingesting it.

Store products such as Vicks or Icy Hot use synthetic, chemical copies of the natural compounds found in essential oils. These unnatural duplicates are designed to produce a specific effect, but they don’t communicate with the body to strengthen and heal the way natural compounds do. Essential oils are safer then synthetics and they help all body processes to work more efficiently.

2 Ways to Use Essential Oils

1) Smell them straight out of the bottle, put a few drops in a bowl of boiling water to diffuse them into the air, or use a diffuser which is a bit more effective at spreading the oil molecules through the air.

2) Apply to skin at the location of pain or a specific problem, or rub on the bottoms of feet. The bottoms of our feet have large pores and many nerve endings, so oils applied here will be absorbed and circulated throughout the entire body. It is often recommended that essential oils should not be put directly upon the skin (in case of allergic reaction), but should be diluted with a carrier oil (such as jojoba oil, almond oil, etc – approximately 1 Tbsp carrier to 1-2 drops essential oil), but we do so occasionally as mentioned below with caution. Be aware that not all are safe to put directly on the skin. We recommend you do your research first.

Lemon

Lemon is the one I use the most because I drink it all day long. I put 6-8 drops in my water bottles (1 qt). Lemon can also be used (5 drops) in a spray bottle for cleaning and disinfecting anything around the house. It’s mood enhancing and effective (1-2 drops) with a teaspoon of honey for sore throats.

Lavender

Lavender is the calming oil. I rub a couple drops on my children’s feet or neck at bedtime or when they’re hurt to calm them down. It works well on bug bites, stings and burns.

For traveling, apply 1 drop to a tissue to calm at anxious moments and to the pillow in a new sleeping place. This gives kids a feeling of home away from home.

Peppermint

Peppermint oil is invigorating and intensely cooling. One to two drops can counteract headache pain if applied straight on the temples and neck. If the summer heat is getting to me or I want to cool down after a work out, I put a drop on the back of my neck or several drops in a small spray bottle to immediately cool down my whole body. It’s amazing!

Dilute a few drops of peppermint in 1 teaspoon of carrier or vegetable oil and rub on the stomach for tummy ache. Keep the bottle open by you when studying for increased recall power. I’ve used it while driving to stay awake on long trips. It smells like chocolate mint—it’s so delicious!

Melaleuca/Tea Tree Oil

Melaleuca or tea tree oil is well known for it’s anti-fungal properties. I combine it with lavender for cuts and scrapes, which capably prevents infection from developing. Multiple studies have shown it to be effective against antibiotic-resistant Staph, acne, and fungal infections such as thrush, diaper rash, and athlete’s foot. (Ferrini et al., 2006, Bassett et al., 1990, Bagg et al., 2006) Use a cotton swab to spread around the inside of your baby’s mouth for thrush. Add 5 or 6 drops to a pint douche of water for yeast infections.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus Radiata oil has traditionally been used for congestion, sinus infections and to help open airways. For children, dilute 5 drops with 5 drops carrier oil and rub on chest and neck for all respiratory troubles or diffuse 3 drops at a time.

Breathe

There are respiratory blends that work more effectively than single oils. We will be giving away one such Blend called Breathe made by Doterra. It’s a combination of oils that open, strengthen and fight infection in the sinuses and bronchioles. I’ve recommended this blend with great success for asthma and other breathing problems.

We don’t always need to turn to specialists to get the health treatments our families need. We can learn simple tools to be more self-reliant in our homes. Essential oils can help us be healthier and happier.

Doterra offers an introductory kit that comes with an audio CD and usage chart ($26.67 value). We are excited to offer one of these kits today for a giveaway. The Intro Kit comes with 3 basic oils as pictured above: lemon, lavender and peppermint in addition to the Breathe combination oil.

How To Enter:

1. Leave a comment below and share your favorite essential oil and what you like to use if for. If you are new to essential oils, tell us about what intriques you about them.

2. For a second entry, head over to Dr. Mom Essentials and subscribe to her blog. She shares a wealth of information on natural living, doctoring, and homeschooling that will benefit one and all. Come back and tell us you subscribed in a second comment.

Giveaway Closed.

If you want to purchase or learn more about using essential oils in your home, please read the other articles on Jenni’s website at Dr Mom Essentials. Doterra essential oils can be found through her website here.

Thank you Dr. Mom Essentials for your June sponsorship of our site!

DISCLAIMER: We are not licensed aromatherapists, so please always use essential oils with extreme caution. We recommend you consult a naturopath or doctor before using these essential oils, especially if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or susceptible to allergic reactions.

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Winners of God’s Word A to Z Giveaway!

By on June 13, 2010 in news & giveaways

We would like to announce and congratulate the winners of the Scripture verse CD: God’s Word A to Z!

Erin – Eralel…@
Mary – pouc80..@
Elizabeth – elizabethschwe…@
Angela – bkmoma…@
Mrs. Pear – Mrs.Pear…@

May God richly bless you as you fill your homes with His praises!

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A Peasant’s Feast: Nourishing Food on A Budget E-COURSE

By on June 11, 2010 in news & giveaways

I am so excited to share with you an awesome new e-course that is being released by my friend, Kimi at the Nourishing Gourmet. Kimi and I have been real life friends for over 10 years now, and I remember our first hilarious encounters as we acted together as angels in a church play. Kimi has compiled this 13 week e-course, A Peasant’s Feast: Nourishing Food on A Budget, to take you on a well-guided tour on preparing real food on a budget covering topics like stretching a chicken to cover three meals, the health benefits and frugal practices of incorporating seafood in your diet, how to soak and sprout grains, lacto-fermentation, homemade sourdough bread, homemade dressings, homemade yogurt and cultured diary products, fruit based desserts, and so much more. She will help define for you all the terminology for carefully selecting quality ingredients, meal planning basics, and the key components of a nourishing diet…all on a budget!

This course will provide you with weekly information in the form of topical articles, high quality step by step cooking demonstration videos, and shopping guides. I have reviewed the materials and was highly impressed by the colorful documents she has compiled, practical tips and frugal ideas, in addition to the thorough extensive coverage in her video tutorials (a 20 minute step by step guide of cooking seafood stir fry for one!).

If cooking healthy food has been intimidating or discouraging because of the cost, this course is for you! And you don’t even have to leave your couch to take part in this interactive course including forums, discussions, and all. Kimi is far more advanced than me in the knowledge of preparing nutrient dense food in the Nourishing Traditions style, so I am going to take the course too!

The cost of the e-course is $120 for 13 weeks, or you can break it down into three monthly payments, which makes it less than $10 per class! Sign up ends June 27th with the class commencing on June 28th.

Sign up today!

Join me as we learn how to stretch the budget but still provide nourishing foods for our families!

Passionate Homemaking is an affiliate of A Peasant’s Feast e-course and will receive a percentage of the sales earned through our links. Thanks for helping to support our site!

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Giveaway: God’s Word from A-Z CD

By on June 6, 2010 in building the family, news & giveaways

Abe and Liza Philip are an internationally recognized husband & wife songwriting team.  They have a strong desire for their children to hide God’s Word in their hearts and recorded a CD called God’s Words from A to Z. They recently sent us a copy of the CD for our enjoyment and review and we cannot say enough how much we have enjoyed this CD. Karis has been dancing and singing the verses repeatedly over the last few weeks. She has mastered several of the verses in just a few short days!

This excellent CD with an assortment of diverse music (jazz, classical, bluegrass, pop, country, rock, celtic) highlights 26 Bible verses that correspond to the alphabet. Their 2 year old daughter, Zoe, and 4 year old son, Zach, memorized all 26 verses in a week and share each verse in turn at the beginning of each song. It is so adorable.

This is one simple tool for your library to help reinforce the planting of the truth in the hearts of our little ones. When we memorize Scripture to song we retain it so much more effectively too! These 26 songs will take you on a journey that begins with our sinfulness, runs to the cross of our Savior and ends with the joy of heaven.

Abe & Liza have offered our readers 5 copies of this delightful CD!

To Enter:

1. Simply leave a comment below sharing your favorite tip or tool for helping memorize Scripture or tell us why you would love to receive this CD.

2. For a second entry, feel free to post about this giveaway on your blog, facebook page, or twitter and let us know about it in a separate comment.

Giveaway Closed.

To hear song clips, please visit here. To purchase, please visit their website at Phillip Music.

For other CD recommendation of Scripture put to music for families and children alike, check out this post: Christ-Centered CD’s for Kids
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May at Our Home

By on June 2, 2010 in news & giveaways

Aaron & Lindsay, Victoria, BC

It has been full and profitable month at our house. We celebrated Karis’ 3rd birthday in which we reflected back on her special arrival in this world via a natural breech homebirth and what a miracle that was. She has become such a sweet girl who loves to go on dates with Daddy, help mommy around the house, carefully organize her things, and explore the world of imagination with her dress up box (which we compiled for her for her birthday). Daily she will dress up in a lovely outfit and dance around the room while listening to her CD player with various Scripture songs playing aloud.

I completed my CAPPA training which brings me one step closer to becoming a certified labor doula and childbirth instructor. It was three intense days of training in everything related to birth. My brain was a bit overloaded. I am excited to see how God might use this training to minister and bless other women. My desire is to use it as a ministry to help empower families to have glorious birthing experiences.

Karis, celebrating her 3rd birthday, with her new chef costume!

Finally, Aaron and I visited Victoria, British Columbia this month in celebration of our 4th anniversary. We were able to get away for 5 days and invest in our marriage, tour the beautiful Beauchart Gardens, enjoy scrumptious food (including High Tea), hike and walk all over the city, and simply rest and relax together. We were so blessed to have Aaron’s parents willing to watch our kiddos for an extended getaway. It was amazing!

On top of all this, we put our house up for sale! We have been praying and deliberating for some time now, and felt it was finally time to start pursuing a move. We would like to move into Portland to be closer to Aaron’s work, church, and the potential of reaching out to his co-workers more effectively. Please pray with us that God would bring the right buyer, and if you know of anyone looking for a two bedroom condo in Vancouver, WA, pass on our info!

Book Reviews

With all the events taking place this month, I wasn’t able to complete as much reading as I would have liked, but have a few recommendations for you:

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan – a quick, simple, and easy guide to real food based upon his book, In Defense of Food. Enjoyable reminder of the priorities to make in your food choices.

Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting by William Farley – this is a powerfully eye opening read for every Christian parent. The gospel is the foundation, the training manual for our instruction when training and disciplining our children. The gospel is the key to effective parenting otherwise we can easily stray to the self-centered, child-centered, or power struggle oriented parenting philosophies of our day. We cannot overly protect them from the world, or assume that new birth has taken place because they are in a safe Christian environment, but rather actively pursue planting seeds of the gospel in their hearts and allow it to transform their lives, giving them vision and purpose for their future.

Blog News

I hope you will take a moment to check out our new sponsors for the month of June (see sidebar or RSS links below)! I wish to thank them all for their continual support for this website and ministry! Dr Mom’s Essentials is a site dedicated to equipping wives and mothers for do-it-yourself schooling, cooking, and doctoring at home. She offers a wealth of information on essential oils (stay tuned for a giveaway later this month!). Old Fashioned Homemaking offers a useful blog filled with pursuing traditional values in modern homes. FBS Books joins us again with a huge reason of Christian books and homeschooling resources.

I am also excited to welcome Michele at Frugal Granola as a new monthly contributor! Check out her biography on our contributors page.

I also want to give an update on our home sponsorship. As many of you know, we donate the majority of our profits earned through advertising and affiliates to support an orphan home in Cambodia. Over the last several months, we have been able to donate roughly $750 each month to support this orphan home thanks to your support! Please continue to join us in our efforts to get this home fully sponsored. Your purchases through our links make a huge difference! Learn more about our home, Phnom Thom, and the wonderful work that is taking place there. How did this vision come about? Read my story! Take part with us in spreading God’s love to the nations!

Coming up this month, we will be talking all about traveling – how to eat nutritionally on the road, traveling activities, exploring the world without even leaving home, and other fun topics! What would you like to hear about? Please share!

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Healthy Snacks to Go Winners!

By on May 30, 2010 in news & giveaways

Thank you to everyone who entered the Healthy Snacks to Go giveaway! We are excited to announce the following winners:

Torie – toriepost…
Jenny – jennifer.leigh…
Judy – rcathmom23…
Angie – angelajiniel…
Leah – mybabybird…

You will be receiving your free e-book from Katie shortly!

If you did not win, there is a great opportunity to purchase your own copy of Healthy Snacks to Go at a discounted rate! Katie is offering a 25% discount to all Passionate Homemaking readers. Enter the coupon code: PASSHOME by Friday, June 4th to save! Purchase your copy today!

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