The Positives and {Slight} Negatives of Our First Experience with Samaritan Ministries

About nine months ago, I blogged about three ways to try to save money on health care. One of the listed options was to join a medical sharing group, like Samaritan Ministries. Just a few months ago, in December, we dropped our traditional health insurance and joined this group.

Here's why we did that:

• Our premium costs were increasing rapidly, even though we had a high-deductible plan and HSA (health savings account).
• We're not big fans of the new health-care legislation, because it doesn't allow insurance companies to manage their risks, which will make costs much, much higher down the road. Plus it's too much big government for our comfort.
• Our maternity deductible became separated from our regular deductible, so we had to pay quite a bit extra per month in our premium plus another deductible before any maternity benefits kicked in. Not cool.

So, after quite a bit of time in prayer and research, we took the plunge and switched to Samaritan Ministries. It cut our monthly premium in half, plus the maternity benefit went right along with it, no separate charges.

Basically, Samaritan Ministries  is a Biblical, non-insurance approach to health care needs. You can see more details about how the medical sharing process works on their website, but basically it comes down to us paying a certain month's share for another family's medical needs. This is our "premium" and it is sent directly to the family, just as other families share our needs by sending their "premium" to us once our need is published (shared with the members).

There are certain medical conditions that are not covered or have limited coverage. I'd encourage you to closely read the guidelines.

Here are some things we really like about our experience with Samaritan Ministries so far:

• Our medical needs are shared among Christians. Those who sign up for SM are held to a high level of accountability.
• Precautions are taken to make sure that each family sends their monthly shares in a timely manner to the family to whom they are assigned.
• Needs that are not covered are still processed as "special prayer needs". Each month, we have a suggested special prayer need in addition to the monthly share we pay. We can give money towards that need if desired, as can a number of other families. We've done that each month (the suggested amount is $20) and it can really help someone who would not otherwise be able to publish their need.
• The monthly share cost (aka the premium) is very manageable for our family. We are at the highest tier and pay $355 per month, but it does not increase after this, no matter how many more children we add to our family. If the needs are becoming greater than the shares for more than 2 months in a row, the members may be asked to vote on whether to increase the monthly share across the board.
• We pay the first $300 for each medical expense that is over that amount, for up to 3 medical expenses per year. Beginning with the fourth $300+ medical expense, it is covered in full. (This means that if your child is in the ER for croup and then has a related second exam and the grand total is $700, those two visits are processed under the same need and you would only pay the first $300.)
• We like knowing that people are praying for us and for our family's needs and the notes we've received with the shares paid to us so far have been very encouraging.
• We like knowing how we can pray for others!

Now, here are the slight downsides that we've discovered about this type of medical sharing ministry. I don't want to come across sounding negative, but it's something to keep in mind.

• Each medical need under $300 must be paid for in full by us. So, if you're used to only paying a $20 co-pay at the doctor's office each time, be aware that you'll need to pay for those things yourself. (Remember, though, you're paying for that $20 "convenience" through your high premiums with traditional insurance anyway.) This would include such needs as checkups, well-child exams, dental or eye exams that are non-injury related. With our previous high-deductible plan, we paid out of pocket for these types of visits anyway, so it didn't affect us. On the plus side, it makes you think before running out to the doctor unnecessarily.
  
• Doctor's offices may be less willing to give discounts for non-covered patients. If you join Samaritan Ministries, you will be considered self-pay, which means you may have to pay the full cost of services, verses the discount that some insurance providers negotiate with hospitals. In our area we only have one large hospital within a 90 mile radius and so they don't have to negotiate with self-pay patients because there is no competition. Therefore, we have to pay in full for most appointments and were only able to negotiate a 10 percent discount for our current maternity expenses. Which brings me to my biggest negative...

Because we were not able to negotiate a large discount for this pregnancy, we still had a very big bill for our maternity expenses. Only if we paid out of pocket in two weeks would we be able to secure a small 10% discount. So we ponied up and paid the bill (it wasn't even the whole bill, because it didn't include the ultrasound or newborn stay in the hospital). We sent our need into Samaritan Ministries, express mail, so we could get it in before the end of the month, therefore getting our shares from the members faster to pay ourselves back for what we took out of our savings account.

However, upon receipt of our letter in May, we found out our need had been prorated along with the other members that submitted needs for this month. This happens when the amount of needs exceeds the amount of share money available. Needless to say, I wasn't pleased. We were aware that this could happen, but were disappointed that it happened so quickly and for such a large need (for both of the needs we submitted, actually!). This left us with a large amount of money still missing from our savings account, because we had taken it out in good faith that it would be paid back.

The way they handle this is to process the rest of your need the next month, but they weren't sure they would be able to do that this time. When my husband called, they also mentioned that they've never seen a publishable need go unfulfilled, but until I see that money, it's not something I just take their word for.

I don't want this to sound spiteful or angry, because it's not the way we feel. We know God can most definitely provide for our needs, exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we ask or think (Eph. 3:20-21), but it is frustrating, being that part of the reason we became members of Samaritan Ministries was to see God meet our needs in this type of manner as we pursued a biblical alternative to traditional insurance.

That's where we're at right now. We are going to stay with them, because we believe in the mission and purpose of Samaritan Ministries and are still convinced it is the best route to take as far as providing for medical needs. It's just important to be aware of all the pros and cons of a non-traditional approach such as this! I'll keep you updated as to how this turns out!

Do you belong to Samaritan Ministries or another medical sharing group? If any of you have any personal experiences to share, I'd welcome them in the comments!

Please ask any questions you have as well, if you're thinking about changing the way you take care of your family's medical costs.

photo: freedigitalphotos.net/Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee, freedigitalphotos.net/tungphoto

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When Modesty Reaches Beyond the Hemline {Contributor Post by Lindsey}

Did you know that you can say and do the right things, look the part and play the role, but all the while be an imposter?

We tend to think of the hypocrite as anyone but ourselves.  However, do we ever take a look within, reassess our hearts and attitudes, and possibly see the hypocrite in the mirror before us?

Modesty is not just a style of dress. Modesty comprises a virtue affecting our appearance, our speech, our minds, and our hearts. By being modest in only one or two of these areas but negating the others is in its essence falsehood.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

Would it not appear to be highly inconsistent if a woman dressed modestly but then her speech was crude? If she were to strive for purity in every outward area but complained regularly about the cruelty of such a restriction, would it not seem odd that her heart was not behind her strict standards? If a woman dressed and spoke with the utmost piety, but then judged others harshly for not attaining to her spiritual maturity, would this not only turn those people away from her and the God she claims to follow?

We ought to be very careful and purposeful as women the messages we are sending and the example we are leaving.

Being Consistent For Our Husbands

When we are consistent in our modesty (in dress, speech, mind and heart), it is a safeguard for our husband’s soul.  We can instill a sense of security within our husbands as to our dedication both to him and the protection of our marriages. 

We can shield our husband from jealousy and protect ourselves from wandering eyes. This is an important step in also keeping ourselves from sin.

If you have an unbelieving husband, your modest spirit may be one way that the Holy Spirit reveals the love of God to your husband’s heart and draws him to salvation. 

Being Consistent For Our Children

I cannot stress enough the importance of sending a consistent message to our children in every area of our training with them.  Hypocrisy in parenting only leads children further from Christ, not toward Him. 

Joel Beeke, author of Parenting By God’s Promises puts it this way,

“Children are not looking for perfect parents, and they are remarkably forgiving.  They have an uncanny way of knowing who their parents are and what they stand for.  It is hard to keep secrets from anyone when we live under the same roof.  Children are always reading the books of our lives. Besides the Bible, the way we live our faith from day to day is the most important book our children will ever read. What children need to see is not a perfect mom or dad … but an unwavering commitment to Jesus Christ.” 

What “book” is your child reading in your life?  

Maybe you allow them to dress however they desire but are strict in areas of speech and require they wear purity rings, all the while never teaching their hearts why modesty is important for the whole person. Maybe you are on the other side of the fence and you implement a strict dress code but you yourself are quick to put others down and allow your children to speak the same way. What legacy are we leaving our children when our messages do not align?  

It is our goal to lead our children to Christ through His Word, not confuse them and muddy the waters they tread on their journey to His cross. Our hope is that we make it easier for our children to hear the Holy Spirit’s call unto salvation, not stirring them to rebellion by our own actions.

Being Consistent For Others

The Church has done a poor job in recent years, I believe, particularly in the U.S. of sending a consistent message to society of who God is and what His Word says.  

When we hear the common stereotype of Christians is that we are all just a bunch of hypocrites, that should make us take a step back and reassess.  What are we doing wrong that is portraying such a message?  Often times it is because we require a standard of the world which the world is not equipped to meet.  

We forget that God’s standards are for God’s people, and God’s people can only meet God’s standards through God’s power.  Any convictions we come to and any convictions we follow are not of our own making, but of the Holy Spirit through us.  When we judge the unconverted for not acting converted then we are just being fools.

When we are inconsistent in our own actions, and also judge others for a lack of conviction in their own lives, hypocrisy thrives, our witness is crushed, and the God we preach looks rather impotent.  We must be so careful to strive for consistency according to God’s Word so that the sweet smelling aroma of the Gospel will spill forth through our words and deeds.

A Word On Modesty   

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which
is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1

As women we can be consistent in our conviction to be modest. We can regularly reassess our dress, our speech, our minds, and our hearts and ask God to show us where in these areas we are weak. Let's pray that the Holy Spirit will aid us as we follow His leading.

Lindsey Stomberg is a pastor’s wife and loving mother to three little

blessings living in Tennessee. Reading, sewing, and crafting

are a few of the things that Lindsey enjoys doing when she is not

cuddling with her hubby or playing with her children. Lindsey is

cataloging her journey to become the Proverbs 31 woman on her blog, Road to 31. Grab a cup of coffee and join Lindsey while she blogs about the Bible,
natural living, marriage, homemaking, homeschooling and more!

Tips to Help Baby Sleep Sweetly {Plus a $100 Pampers Giveaway!}

One question that moms of little ones often have is "how do I get my baby to sleep well?" After all, a well-rested baby makes for a well-rested momma, and everybody else is a bit happier too! Over the past 7 years, I've learned a few techniques that have worked well with my first three children and I'd like to share them with you! Here are some tips for great {or at least better} baby sleep!

• If they're young, try a swaddle. Obviously our babies were all snuggled and curled up in our wombs, so they're comforted by this position, especially in the first couple of months. When you swaddle, it keeps babies from being scared by their "moro" (startle) reflex, when their hands jerk around up by their faces. Our 2nd and 3rd babies both loved being swaddled and I wish I had done it with my oldest as well. {Check out this post for a tutorial on how to swaddle safely!}

• Turn down the lights. Bright lights aren't easy for grown-ups to sleep under and neither are they for babies. I typically pull down the shades on the windows during nap time, especially if my baby is extremely worked up and overtired. It really helps them settle down!

• Use a white noise machine. Yes, babies do need to learn to sleep with some noise, but there are times when they will be overstimulated or in an unfamiliar place and need a soothing, constant sound to help them relax. You can often find white noise machines at thrift stores or just use a small fan (pointed away from baby of course!) to help cover up some of the bothersome noises.

• Establish a consistent nap time and bedtime routine. From the day they come home, my babies have always had a "calm down" routine. It takes some tweaking but I find that if I do the same thing each time it's time for sleep, it helps baby know what to expect and gives them security and comfort. You can do this any way you like: rocking, praying, singing a quiet song, reading a book when they're a bit older, saying goodnight to everything, just as long as it's not too stimulating {no crazy bouncing for us!}. I love this snuggling time with my babies!

• Make sure your babies are dry before they go to sleep. I'll be honest and say that I'm a cloth diapering momma, so I don't rely heavily on disposables for every day use. But I do use them at bedtime and often nap time too, since I'm worried about them sleeping too long in a soggy diaper.
  
  When my daughter was little, she could not tolerate generic disposable diapers and had super sensitive skin, so she even had some trouble with cloth, but I noticed that she always reacted well to Pampers. I've continued to use them for my 3rd child at sleep time or traveling and I really do enjoy using them. They keep my little one dry for a LONG time and there have been no adverse reactions to them by Little J, which I'm very thankful for! Even though they're a bit more spendy than generics, they work better, so it evens out in my opinion.
  
  Pampers Baby Dry offers 12 hours of overnight protection with three layers of absorbency, verses two in other leading brands. As an added bonus, my son loves looking at Elmo on his diaper at changing time ;)

The lovely bundle I received, very nice!

I was very pleased when Pampers contacted me and asked my opinion on their diapers. One of the other reasons I like Pampers is that they have a Gifts to Grow program that you can join and earn points on each purchase of diapers and wipes you make. Those points can be redeemed for prizes or, even better, donated to organizations like Graham's Foundation, which provides support for parents of preemies, and also March of Dimes.

They sent me a wonderful gift pack with hard cover books, a package of diapers, wipes, a sweet "Twilight Ladybug" and coupons for the full value of a wipes and diaper pack! Everyone in our family is benefiting from the package, including the 7 year old who loves to read to his siblings!

Would you like some Pampers? Then this is a good day! Pampers is donating a beautiful gift pack {valued at $100} consisting of Baby Dry diapers and other goodies that enhance baby’s sweet sleep time to one of my readers.  Woo hoo!

Reading the classic Goodnight Moon

 Gift pack includes:

·         Pampers Baby Dry diaper pack ($13)

·         Pampers Baby Dry diaper coupon ($13)

·         Pampers Wipes ($5)

·         Pampers Wipes coupon ($5)

·         Constellation B Glow Animal ($30)

·         Good Night Moon book ($10)

·         Brown Bear, Brown Bear Book ($10)

    Where the Wild Things Are book ($15)  

You can also go to www.coupons.com to get a one-time only $1.50 printable coupon to use on Baby Dry diapers and a $.50 coupon for wipes. {Buy a pack on sale and combine it with the coupon to get better savings!} When you join Pampers Village you can get coupons as well.

Participate in Moment of the Week: Parents can post photos of their little ones enjoying a dry night’s sleep on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Pampers) and on Twitter (@Pampers; #PampersBabyDry) for a chance to be featured as the “Sweet Sleep Time Moment of the Week.”

Enter the giveaway in the Rafflecopter below. Just one super easy entry puts you in the running! Here's to happy, sweet sleep for your baby!

*I was provided with a gift pack from Pampers for the purposes of review. All honest opinions are my own. Please see my full disclosure policy.

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35 Frugal, Fun and Simple Summer Activities for Kids

This summer I have every intention of doing some of the fun activities I've been pinning and bookmarking on my computer for the last couple of years. I must admit that because I'm not the most creative mom, I don't always follow through with my grand plans for a boatload of activities.

Here are 35 activity ideas that I've collected and shared with you! Some I've done and many I'm planning on doing this summer! These are frugal, fun and simple, and they won't take a lot of preparation or crafty skill. Perfect for our kids and hopefully for yours as well!

1. 7 Activities to do with Glow Sticks
2. Fireworks in a Jar
3. Jumping Grasshopper Craft
4. Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint with Broken Chalk Pieces
5. Sponge Relay
6. Simple Bubble Recipe (No Glycerin)
7. Easy Rainbow Bubble Snakes
8. Campfire Cones Snack
9. Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program
10. DIY Sponge Ball 
11. Reading Map (link to printable under "Make Reading an Adventure" heading)
12. Sidewalk Chalk City
13. Melt Crayons in the Sun
14. Spray each other with a hose
15. Go on a nature walk and/or bike ride
16. Make your own Bouncy Ball
17. 6 Summer Ministry Ideas to do with your Kids
18. Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
19. DIY Sidewalk Paint
20. Visit all the parks in your area at least once
21. Go on a picnic
22. Complete these printable All About Bees Activities and make some Hunny Bee Cookies and buy some local honey for added fun
23. Campfire Snack (with grapes, pretzels and cheese!)
24. Splash in puddles on a rainy day
25. Grow "Window Sprouts"
26. Make a Sprinkler out of a Pop Bottle
27. Race Soap Boats (or just float them in the kiddie pool)
28. Paint with water on the sidewalk/driveway
29. Have a hula hoop contest
30. Have a Drive Inn Movie Event (great for a really hot day)
31. Go to a free kids workshops at Lowe's or Home Depot
32. Play the Circle Sidewalk Game 
33. Make Mini Marshmallow Shooters
34. Make Solar Smores
35. Make healthy fruit & yogurt popsicles!

Need a few more ideas? Check out four essential items for frugal kids summer activities! And here are some great free and frugal family summer fun ideas from contributor Ashley!

You can print out these ideas and cross them off as you go (just copy and paste into a Word doc) or write each on a popsicle stick and put them in a jar, like this!

Please feel free to pin this post if you enjoy it!! Have a fun and frugal summer!

How Many Clothes do Kids Really Need?

I used to think my children didn't have a lot of clothes. Based on the amount of clothing I saw displayed at garage sales, my kids really didn't have much in comparison, I reasoned.

But when we started to be able to go 2 full weeks without washing anything (except socks and underwear), I began to see that perhaps we weren't as minimalist as I thought.

Seriously, where did these clothes come from? I wondered. I became convinced that they reproduced on their own, like mushrooms. Then I started thinking about just how we filled our drawers and closets.

A shirt here, a dress there. I'd buy things on very good clearance and then forget what we had (because it was packed away in a box) and buy more. Next someone would give us hand-me-downs. Then the kids' birthdays or Christmas would come and grandparents would give clothing as gifts.

It was all coming into our house in a inexpensive manner, but as we go along in our frugal living journey, I'm realizing more and more that a deal really isn't a good deal unless you're going to use it. Our closets aren't overflowing but we're definitely not lacking in selection either.

One of our three financial changes for 2013 is to spend less money on clothes, especially our children's clothes. We are 30 miles from the nearest thrift store and with three children and being pregnant, I don't have a lot of time or energy to browse clothes or go in on days where there are rock-bottom deals, stuff-a-bag sales, etc. Garage sales in our small town don't have a lot of selection and so that's hit or miss as well. 

The best ways to make this change seem to be to pare down and minimize our children's clothing "collections" and to stay organized about what we already have so we don't buy duplicates or too many extras.

In our family we have two boys and one girl (until our next girl joins us on October!) and we don't go many places throughout the week. This means that I'll have a chance to wash clothes that get dirty fairly often. 

Super duper clearance clothes from Old Navy--I'm going to remember & use them!

Based on our needs and our lifestyle, this is what I'm planning on having (per child):

• 2 pairs of dress pants/shorts/skirts, in different colors 
• 4 nicer dress shirts (polos, button up, etc)
• 1 fancy dress outfit (1 fancy dress for my daughter)
• 5 outfits for play that are interchangeable and can get dirty without me minding
• 2 nicer casual outfits
• 3-4 pairs of pajamas
• 1 swimwear item
• 2 pairs of shoes, one dress, one casual (read why I always buy new shoes for my kids)
• 1 pair of play sandals for the summer (like crocs or flip flops)
• Seasonal jackets & outerwear as needed
• Undergarments & socks as needed

I'm also going to be stricter about when clothes go in the wash. At the end of the day, if it's not noticeably dirty or smelly, it can go back in the drawer or closet. This saves on wear and tear from washing as well so the clothes last longer.

Possible barriers to success:

• I'm a clean freak, so I expect the whole "waiting to wash" thing to be a slow process
• I will forget to wash clothes and my kids will have nothing to wear but undergarments (public nudity is not my thing)
• I will wake up one morning and realize I have gone completely insane

Maybe this seems like an extremely minimal amount of clothes and it's going to backfire. Thanks to the rational inspiration of Stephanie from Keeper of the Home, I'm just going to try this as an experiment this summer, so I won't let go of the winter clothes I've already stocked up on for this winter just yet. I want to see if these amounts of clothing are really consistent with our needs.

Already I've had a little success! I was pleased to find after going through my 2 year old son's clothing last week that the only thing I had to buy new for him this summer were one pair each of dress and play sandals. I've saved some of his brother's clothes and bought a few clearance items last year so that was very helpful.

Likely benefits of a minimal children's wardrobe:

• Less storage space used to store clothes for the next season or when saving for the next child down.
• Less time washing, drying and folding (maybe my kids can manage it ALL now!)
• Better record keeping
• Saving even more money!

So the question remains: Will this experiment work? I'll keep you updated! 

How many clothes do you think a child should have? How much is too much? If your kids have too many clothes, what is your plan to pare down?

Shared at Raising Mighty Arrows, Deep Roots at Home, The Better Mom, Time Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers, Family Fun Friday and My Joy Filled Life.

Four Essential Items for Frugal Kids Summer Activities

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing some posts that I had last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer. 

I am so excited to have another great guest post, this one brought to you by my friend Stacie at Motherhood on a Dime! 

Summer will be here before you know it...and along with it, kids who need something to do! As the mom of three little girls (ages 4 to 7), I understand the need to keep them occupied and engaged during the long, hot summer days. Here are four inexpensive items I keep in my "summer activity box".

1) Sidewalk Chalk

Here are a few of our favorite ways to use chalk:

• Build a chalk city (this keeps them entertained for so long!!)
• Practice letters and numbers
• Draw and play hopscotch
• Review spelling words

2) Bubbles

Bubbles and summer days just seem to go together. Here are a few bubble-blowing variations you might try:

• Body Part Bubble Pop
• Use pipe cleaners or experiment with other items to make bubble wands
• Make a huge bubble wand from a hula hoop
• Have a bubble-blowing contest (Who can make the largest? Who can make the smallest?)

3) Foil

You can pick up a roll of foil fairly inexpensively at a dollar-type store or use a coupon to get a good deal. Here are just a few ideas for foil:

• Make boats
• Make a foil river
• Use foil (and the sun) to make s'mores
• Tinfoil dinners
• Use foil to make sculptures 

4) Water

Well, I can't actually store water in my activity box, but there are so many fun activities to do with water during the summer!

• Make your own slipe-and-slide
• Water balloon toss (classic!)
• Make your own soaker balls
• Scooping and pouring water in a kiddie pool
• "Paint" outside with a bucket of water and large paintbrush

Do you have any inexpensive summer fun ideas?

Stacie is the mom of three little girls and wife to her college sweetheart. A former teacher, she blogs about kid's activities, bargains, faith, and life over at Motherhood on a Dime. She also loves skimming through Pinterest to find favorite crafts for kids, homeschooling, and organizational ideas.

Shared at Raising Homemakers, Thriving Thursdays, Family Fun Friday and Raising Mighty Arrows

How I'm Using My eBook Bundle Freebies for a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby

Have you used your Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle freebies yet? They must be redeemed by May 19!

Here's how I'm using mine for a healthy pregnancy and faster recovery after baby comes!

For the Fit2B Studio freebie, I'm redeeming my 2 months of free membership and using the pregnancy workouts! They have a big variety of videos plus they have safe workouts for those with diastasis recti (splitting of the abdominal muscles) that you can do after giving birth. I have this condition so I look forward to seeing how they'll guide me though it!
With my $15 credit to TruKid, I actually ordered just one item to make my order completely free (plus only $2.25 shipping)! I purchased their baby wash, which has non-toxic and all natural ingredients. I feel better already about what I'm going to be using on baby come October.

I picked the Facial Mud Bundle for my Redmond freebie. Pretty excited about this since I've been wanting to try the detoxing and healing effects of clay for a long time! (Please read up on this yourself, but from what I've read, Redmond clay is safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.) I also added Redmond clay stomach ease capsules for my husband and I to the order, so that shipping was free. Shipping would have been $12.99 for the bundle alone and by adding a $13.99 item, at least I'm getting something extra plus free shipping.

I'm going to be trying the sourdough starter from Cultures for Health, mostly because I've been curious about it for a long time and have never made one of my own! This will be a healthier choice of bread for our family. According to an article I read recently, true sourdough bread can be eaten by those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

Woo hoo! So pumped about my free 3 month subscription to Plan to Eat! You can add in your own recipes and they will give you a shopping list and simple drag and drop menu planner. This will help me organize meals during our busy summer and also for after baby arrives (one less thing to think about and I can do it ahead of time!). 

I used my Bee All Natural store credit to get baby diaper rash cream. I've just decided this time that a more natural alternative to zinc oxide is the way we're going to go! (Plus, who doesn't want a free lip balm too?) My order total was $7.20 ($1.25 over the credit for the balm, plus $5.95 for shipping).

At first I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to use my credit to Trilight Health. But then I found their Contract Ease liquid herb mixture for after-birth pains and uterine cramps. Yes, please! Praying that it helps, as mine seem to get worse after each child. My total was $6.99 (shipping cost).

These products have really been helpful for me as we pursue more natural living in our home. How are you using your freebies?

Shared at: Time Warp Wife, Tending the Home Tuesdays and Growing Home.

**This post does contain some affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure.

How to Answer the BIG and Little Questions Kids Ask

Not a day goes by in my house where many, many questions do not get asked. Some of these are questions that are easy to answer, like, "Can we get an elephant and keep him in the backyard?" but others are not so simple.

Some of them are technical questions, like when my 7 year old son asks how many light years apart the planets are in the solar system or when the four year old asks how old she needs to be before she can cut up cheese slices with a real knife.

Others are the big things. You've heard them in your house I'm sure.

Why do people die?
Why did that guy rob the Cenex gas station?
How come my friend John doesn't live with both his parents?
What does God look like?

Yikes! So many questions, so little time to answer them. Kids are curious. Sadly, there are times when I find myself a bit, well, lazy about satisfying their curiosity.

Sometimes it's because I don't know the answer off-hand (like the one about the planets), so I say we'll look it up later. Except we don't.

Other times I don't want to answer because I feel like I've answered the same question a dozen times {such as "why does my sister get more time on the iPod?" (she really doesn't) or "when can I change into my Tinkerbell dress?" (when I say you can).}

And maybe those smaller questions can be let go without detriment. But what about those BIG questions? How can I answer them in the right way? Sometimes the right words escape me at the moment.

As I'm going along in my parenting journey, I'm thinking there are maybe some questions that I need to answer with care and others where it maybe doesn't matter if I give them the deepest, most profound answer in the world.

To be honest, I'm going to forget to answer the "distance between planets" questions sometimes (although after blogging about it, I might actually look that one up!). And the repetitive questions might get a sigh before I respond.

But the BIG ones? The meaning of life inquiries? Those we as parents should definitely be ready to talk about.

So, is it okay to say "that's an important question, let's talk about it tonight"? So we don't miss the opportunity to impart an essential life lesson or teach a spiritual truth in its full explanation? Or should we simply take advantage of those character building moments, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). Is it possible that the devil will sneak the time away from me later to keep me from helping my child understand the difference between right and wrong (or other issues) in the throes of bedtime madness?

Many times I really need to force myself to stop and answer questions that may seem simple to me but are complicated to my children. It's hard to wrap their minds around why bad things happen or why some families are different than ours.

And it's true, we might not have the time to talk about it later. As parents, we need to evaluate what's really important, but in the moment that isn't always easy to do, especially when we are busy doing other things that seem to need to take prefernce. Yet it IS important to our children, so shouldn't it be meaningful to us as well? Even if the subject manner is boring, it's the conversation that shows our children that we acknowledge their questions and care enough to answer them (or, if we really can't right that moment, make a point to come back to it later when we have learned more about it).

Because if we don't answer their questions, others will. And it often won't be the truth we want our children to hear!

What do you do when your children ask you those big important questions? Do you find it easy to answer them or do you get stumped sometimes like I do?



photo credit: pat138241/freedigitalphotos.net

Shared at: Walking Redeemed, Heart+Home, Time Warp Wife, Deep Roots at Home, Tending the Home Tuesdays and Growing Home.

Mother's Day Weekend Giveaway! The Good Wife's Guide, How to Grow Your Blog and More!

Happy Mother's Day weekend! I hope you can celebrate this weekend with your mom, grandmother, children or someone who has been like a mother to you. Even if you are far away, a simple phone call or Skype conversation can be very meaningful, especially if you include the children (my mother-in-law who is far away loves getting homemade cards from our kiddos!)

Anyway, on to the point of this post! In appreciation of this weekend, I am giving away a few ebooks. Each has a separate Rafflecopter and all that's required is a super-easy click for entry!

These eBooks are part of the Ultimate Homemaking eBook Bundle from a couple of weeks ago. They are eBooks that I already had or are not needed at this point in my life but I know they can be useful to many of you! They are free for me to gift as I choose (or as Rafflecopter chooses in this case!)

Here are the books in the giveaway:

• The Good Wife's Guide by Darlene Schacht
• How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda Vandenberg
• Plan a Fabulous Party without Losing Your Mind by Mary Carver
• Flourishing Spring: Nourishing Activities for Rainy Days by Michele Augur

Also check out my Facebook post for other eBooks and freebies from the bundle I am giving away this weekend! 

Go ahead and spend a couple of moments entering and then enjoy your weekend! This giveaway is open until Monday, May 13, at 11:59 pm CST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Top 3 Tips for Packing for a Road Trip with Less Stress

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be re-sharing some posts that I wrote last year as part of a series called Spring Into Summer. My blog has grown much, thanks to all of you, in the past year, so many may not have seen these posts. I hope to give you some tools to prepare ahead of time for a fun, creative and relaxing summer. 


Twice a year, in the summer and the winter, my family takes a trip to visit my in-laws, who live 12 hours away. Since we first starting making this trek five years ago, we've added two more children and countless "stuff" that is needed for our stay. 

Over the years we've learned some important things about packing efficiently and successfully for a road trip. Here are some ideas designed to keep you calm and help you make the most of the space in your vehicle!

Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

Make a Detailed Packing List - Before you begin randomly stuffing items into suitcases {ahem}, it's important to have a detailed list of what you need. Some things you may want to consider when deciding what to bring along:

• The length of the trip
• The weather and/or potential weather
• What activities will keep kids occupied {lots of ideas in tomorrow's post!}
• What type of food you'd like to eat along the way
• Activities you plan to do while on your trip {swimming, sledding, going to the beach, etc}

What we've found so helpful is to type up a list of the items we bring every time. {Check out this really cute printable packing list!} Then we put in a page protector to be reused for any trip, simply checking off each item as we go and wiping it clean for next time. We add things to the list of course, depending on the destination.

Decide How to Pack and Store Needed Items - We've always had a van to travel in, but this summer will be the first time we've had stow-and-go (woo hoo!). There have been a variety of ways we've tried to pack but these have been the most successful. 

• Packing three to four outfits plus swimsuits, limiting ourselves to one soft drawstring bag for each person's clothes. This suggestion was given to me by a friend and it was a life-saver!

• Roll and stuff heavy sweatshirts and snowpants in the winter. When you roll clothing items you can fit them much more easily into tight spaces or small suitcases!

• Pack using a large tote to store all children's clothing, diapers, shoes, etc. When we do this, we pack non-essentials (things we won't need on the way) near the bottom.

• If staying overnight on your way to your destination, have ONE small suitcase that you put a change of clothes and only necessary toiletries in for each person so you don't have to drag out all your totes and suitcases when you stop.

• Packing activities {books, coloring pages, worksheets, a Trip Clip and "busy bags"} in a reusable shopping bag for easy storage.

• Pack stuffed animals, blankies, and other can't-go-without-them items in another reusable shopping bag so they don't get left behind.

photo credit

Be Prepared so Packing for a Trip as Stress-less as Possible! - I tend to get stressed out easily {blame my Type-A, high-strung personality} and so I'm trying hard to tweak the way we pack so that I don't end up just being a grump before we leave. 

• Start packing 3 or 4 days in advance so you're not doing everything at the last minute {we're still working through this one at our house!} 
• Give your kids a small list so they can help pack. Yup, half the time they won't do it right but that's okay! It might at least keep them busy and it's good reading practice :)
• Eat an easy meal before you leave so there is little to no clean-up. 
• Try to relax! Realize that it will all get done and unless you have a minute-by-minute plan for your trip, leaving a half-hour late won't upset the apple cart too much ;)

What tips do you have for packing successfully for a road trip? I'd love to hear them in the comments!

You may also like: Five Healthy Snack Ideas for Traveling with Kids, How to Travel with Kids and Not Go Crazy

Shared at Family Fun Friday, The Better Mom