UPrinting is a great company because they are “committed to social responsibility and eco-friendly printing initiatives that support non-profit organizations and environmental sustainability.” They use vegetable and soy-based inks, up to 55% recycled paper content, and paper sources that practice sustainable forestry.

They offer business cards, canvas prints, stickers, posters, banners, and more.

Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. UPrinting is offering two Simple Mom readers a set of 250 die-cut business cards. Here is the nitty-gritty:

Choose from: 2×3.5″ rounded corners, 2×2″ rounded corners, 1.75×3.5″ rounded corners, 2×3.5″ leaf, 2×3.5 rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ half circle side, 2×3.5″ oval, or 2.5″ circle.
Paper type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt cardstock uncoated

6 Business Days Turnaround time, free US shipping only.

To enter, simply leave any comment on this post.

This giveaway ends tonight, May 19, and I’ll announce the winner soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend giveaway: UPrinting
• Summer Week of Giveaways: NeatDesk
• Summer Week of Giveaways: Online Poster Printing

Today’s weekend giveaway comes from sponsor Clean Mama Printables, a great source for homekeeping printables that really work for you and make your life easier. From Clean Mama Printables:

“Clean Mama Printables specializes in original organizational documents designed to take the work out of organizing your life. Becky is a clean freak and lover of list making – she has developed an innovative cleaning routine that follows a little bit of cleaning every day, so you have time to concentrate on things that really matter in your life.

Her most popular kits are her Budget + Bill Paying Kit and her Cleaning Kit, and her newest kit, The Fresh Start Kit, includes an implementation guide to help create a cleaning routine and meal plan that works for your family. She shares simple cleaning and organizing tips on her blog, Clean Mama, and shares daily cleaning reminders on her Facebook page.”

Clean Mama Printables has a wide variety of organizational printables, ranging from an Organized Kitchen Label Kit, a Garden Planning Kit, a Cute Calendar Kit, to a Teacher’s Planning Kit and a Chore Chart Kit. With over 200 different documents, you are sure to find something to make your life a little easier (and cuter).

Giveaway:

Clean Mama Printables would like to offer Simple Mom readers an exclusive discount shopping code. Use the code 20SIMPLEMOM to receive 20% off of your entire order.

This giveaway is now closed.  Additionally, Clean Mama Printables is giving away two (2) $50 gift certificates to Simple Mom readers. To enter, simply leave any comment on this post.

This giveaway ends tonight, May 12, and I’ll announce the winners soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend giveaway: Clean Mama Printables
• Weekend Links
• Weekend Giveaway: AboutOne Subscription

Today’s weekend giveaway comes from sponsor Againbags, the snack bags and lunch sacks that you can use again and again. From Againbags:

“Over the years, my children have carried countless lunches to school. And every time I packed one of those lunches in a plastic bag, I thought there has to be a better way — I felt worse and worse about all those plastic bags from my home ending up in landfills.

It didn’t make things any better that I was trying to teach my own children the value of recycling. But one day I wondered, why not make a reusable bag, one that looked cool, and which they’d be proud to carry to school and (most importantly!) home again?

The idea grew on me, and one day I asked my children what I should call it. My little one said, “Call it an Againbag, Mommy, because I can use it again and again.”

Simple as that, Againbags came into the world, reducing the use of plastic baggies, one lunch at a time! Also, Againbags are handmade in the United States from the highest quality materials we could find. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!”

About Againbags:

“Our active bags come in solid colors and can be mixed and matched to create a unique set. The large size or sub size is a heavy weight 2 ply construction and will hold up to the most active of lifestyles while keeping food fresh. The nylon fabric makes this bag very grease and moisture resistant. The extra wide Velcro closure ensures that everything stays contained, keeping messes inside!”

Againbags are reusable bags for snacks and sandwiches, made of 100% cotton laminated fabric that is BPA, lead, & phthalate free. They can be used over and over, and they clean up in the dishwasher or laundry. Handmade in the USA.”

Giveaway

Againbags is pleased to offer Simple Mom readers a special discount of 20% off your entire purchase. Simply enter the coupon code “Simple20″ when you check out, and you will automatically receive the discount.

This giveaway is now closed. In addition, Againbags wants to give one Simple Mom reader an assortment of their products, in total worth over $100. The prize package includes: two large and two small active bags, two wrap sets, one lunch set, and one chalk mat, for a total of 11 bags and one board. To enter, simply leave any comment on this post.

This giveaway ends tonight, Saturday, May 5, and I’ll announce the winners soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend giveaway: Againbags
• Reusable Bag Winners
• Summer Week of Giveaways: Envirosax

This giveaway is now closed.

Welcome to our second annual Queen for a Day giveaway! Today we’ve got six gift baskets full of treats to celebrate the mom in your life (maybe that’s you!), just in time for Mother’s Day on May 13.

We love our mamas, we love being mamas, and we want to celebrate those women who do the hardest—and most rewarding—job in the world. No matter what kind of mother you are, you deserve praise and a tall glass of iced tea. At minimum.

This week, the six blogs at SLM (you have seen Simple Design, right?) are celebrating mamas by blessing six of them with a gift basket full of goodies! Each item we’re showcasing would make a fabulous Mother’s Day gift for the mom in your life—and most are around the $20-$50 range.

Hooray for moms! Read on to find out what’s in the Simple Mom gift basket.

1. For my Children: A Mother’s Journal of Memories, Wishes and Wisdom

From the creative questions to the delightful illustrations, I love every bit of this journal. So much more than a journal, For My Children by Dionna Ford is a gift a mom can give her children later in life. You know all those things you want to tell your kids, but when you finally sit down to write them, you’ve forgotten? Well, this journal is perfect—it asks you questions, and you can answer however you like—with words, scribbles, drawings, photos.

You’re given space to share your favorite childhood games, some of your family vacation memories, the special holidays you share with your own kids. It’s all the questions your kids won’t think to ask, but will love discovering the answer. For My Children is a sweet, sweet Mother’s Day gift from kids of all ages!

Dionna is including a copy of For My Children in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

2. Celebrate Mom necklace from Lisa Leonard

Sigh… I love everything this woman makes. Lisa Leonard has released this Celebrate Mom necklace, just in time for Mother’s Day! Hand-cast in fine pewter and strung on sterling plated chain, this sweet piece of jewelry has that perfect blend of sweetness without being saccharine.

I’ve already gotten tons of compliments on it. And I’ll definitely be wearing it on Mother’s Day! It makes a perfect gift.

Lisa is including a Celebrate Mom necklace in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code SIMPLEMOM20 for 20% off your entire purchase at Lisa Leonard Designs through May 7th!

3. Sweet strawberry honeysuckle lip balm, perfume, and lotion from Live Beautifully

Okay, I can testify to this personally: you’re going to have to hide this next Mother’s Day gift idea from your 7-year-old girl, because she’s going to want to borrow it all the time. Live Beautifully makes 100 percent all-natural lip balms, solid perfumes, solid colognes, and lotion bars, filled with natural skin conditioning ingredients and the finest essential oils.

The end results are lovely products that actually help heal and rejuvenate your skin. I’m most impressed with their perfumes—they’re made with natural oils and scents behave differently than regular, alcohol based manufactured scents. They react and bond with your body’s own natural chemistry, creating a scent that is uniquely “you.

Their sweet strawberry honeysuckle line just drips of summer—perfect for Mother’s Day! I couldn’t stop opening the perfume jar just to breathe deeply. It smells heavenly.

Live Beautifully is including a set of sweet strawberry honeysuckle natural lip balm, solid perfume, and solid lotion bars in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code MOTHERSDAY20 for 20% off your entire purchase at Live Beautifully until May 14!

4. Original artwork from Mary Kate McDevitt

I first saw this print on Pinterest, and I pinned it right away on my “I’d hang that” pinboard. Because I totally, completely believe this—it does feel good to get stuff done. And this has never been truer in my life right now as we work on our new house! I know exactly where this print will hang—in our new office.

Mary Kate McDevitt is an Illustrator and artist living and working in Portland, Oregon. With an avid love of nature, chalkboards, collecting vintage goodies, bike rides in the city, drawing and browsing favorite design and art blogs, Mary Kate makes art and items everyone can enjoy! This girl is uber talented.

So much of her work makes great Mother’s Day gifts (I love her recipe cards!)—and this “It Feels Good to Get Stuff Done” is perfect for the moms who love crossing things off to-do lists. And who doesn’t love that?

Mary Kate McDevitt is including the “It Feels Good to Get Stuff Done” print in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code MOMSDAY for 10% off your entire purchase!

5. Mercy House

This next gift idea makes me smile from ear to ear. Mercy House Kenya is a non-profit organization started by my friend Kristen of We are THAT Family. In March of 2010, she traveled to Kenya, Africa, with Compassion to blog their relief efforts in the slums of Nairobi. She was especially burdened visiting the Mathare Valley, one of Africa’s largest slums. Just days after returning home, Kristen read a heartbreaking article about the large number of backstreet abortions by girls forced into prostitution to feed their families.

Kristen and her family prayed and partnered with a young Kenyan woman, Maureen, who was burdened to start a maternity house to support pregnant mamas. Together, they created Mercy House. As of Marcy 2012, they’ve housed 8 girls and 6 babies! Read more about Mercy House’s history here.

As a part of their sustainable skills program, Mercy House residents of the maternity home learn various skills and earn 25% from each sold item to help them start a business or further their education once they graduate from the program. By purchasing from their store, you are supporting these young mothers and their babies.

I love their large paper bead necklaces—each bead is made of rolled paper! I wear this necklace with everything—from a tank top and jeans to a date night dress.

Mercy House is including a large funky paper bead necklace in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

6. Primele

I’ve admired the shop Primele ever since I spied their custom return address stamps on Pinterest. It’s the creative design studio of sisters Patricia, Rachel, and Kim Mumau. Their current projects include their new stationery line Fawnsberg, custom wedding invitations for Bella Figura Letterpress, and calligraphy addressing.

They work together in the design process applying our strengths to a range of projects, drawing inspiration from natural elements, primitive and folk Americana, palettes of the 1930’s and 40’s, as well as contemporary design. The sisters live together with their families on a farm in Upstate New York orchard country on the ridge of Lake Ontario.

I love well-designed paper products, love calligraphy, and love writing—so Primele’s new stationery line, Fawnsberg, is totally up my alley. From the beautifully-designed box to the quality heft of the paper, their Cora Bouquet line has a whimsical vintage feel I love. It makes a stellar gift for the mom that loves writing notes and letters the old-fashioned way! Lets revive that lost art, shall we?

Primele is including their Cora Bouquet stationery for Fawnsberg in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code MOMSDAY2012 for free shpping until May 14!

7. Set of three floral prints from Rebekka Seale

Okay, this next one is personal. Rebekka Seale is the incredibly talented artist that has hand-painted all the Simple Living Media logos. I have loved every single thing she’s produced, and I love her blog. Rebekka is a joy and a delight!

Her specialty is house portraits—she’s booked through the end of 2012 already, but I’m definitely getting in queue to get a painting of our new house. How incredible are they? She’s got a beautiful home of her own—I love her taste in design and color.

Rebekka sent me three prints—her candy-stripe rose, golden ranunculus, and red poppy illustrations. I opened the envelope, and it brought tears to my eyes, they were so gorgeous. The vivid colors, the detail from her paintbrush, the beauty of the flowers captured… They’re going in the front entry of our new home.

Rebekka Seale is including all three flower prints in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code SIMPLEMOM to get free shipping on anything in her shop, good until April 14! Her set of three flower prints are also on sale for Mother’s Day, all three for $35.

8. Waterfront dress from Shabby Apple

Shabby Apple was created because they saw a need in women’s fashion that was not being met: a need to make women feel feminine and beautiful for what they wear, not what they bare. They offer flirty, stylish dresses a woman can wear just as comfortably in the office, at a family dinner, or on a date. Shabby Apple is a fashion company for women, by women, and of women.

I wore their waterfront dress to church the first weekend after it came in the mail—and I loved finally donning a dress after this long winter! I wasn’t sure how it looked on, but I modeled it for Kyle, and he loved it. I was convinced.

It’s feminine without the frou-frou, and I can dress it up or down, depending on the shoes and accessories.

The day I shot these photos it was freezing! But it’s just as lovely with a cardigan and boots. It’s a delight to wear.

Shabby Apple is including the waterfront dress PLUS a $50 gift card in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

9. Four 5-oz. soy candles from Soy Delites

Soy Delites is the brainchild of Christy and Garland, a husband and wife team from my hometown, Austin, who started making soy candles almost ten years ago. They were first amazed at how great soy candles smelled and how long they lasted. Christy was especially surprised that she didn’t get headaches from them. And once they learned all the disadvantages of paraffin candles versus the benefits of soy candles, they were hooked.

We have quite a few Soy Delites candles in our home, and they’re almost always burning (they really do last forever). After they’re gone, we wash and use the glasses as part of our stemware! They’re the perfect size and shape.

Christy sent me four spring-y scents: bamboo garden, moonflower, jasmine, and midnight fig. I love them all, but my favorite is the bamboo garden. It’s got a grassy, floral scent reminiscent of spring—perfect for Mother’s Day!

Soy Delites is including four 5-ounce soy candles—bamboo garden, moonflower, jasmine, and midnight fig—in the Simple Mom Queen for a Day gift basket.

Use the code SIMPLEMOM15 for 15 percent off your order at Soy Delites.

How to win

One Simple Mom reader will win all the items listed above, so that you can bless the mama in your life. I know, right?

Everyone has three chances to win. Here’s how:

1. Comment on this post, asking this question: what’s the best thing about being a mother? Or if you’re not a mother, what’s the best thing about a mother you love? (If you’re reading this via email, you must click over to the post to leave a comment.)

2. For an extra entry, “like” Simple Mom on Facebook. Then come back here and leave an additional comment letting me know.

3. For an additional extra entry, tweet about this giveaway, mentioning @SimpleMom, the hashtag #mothersday, and the URL of this post (http://lvsm.pl/JOXNSA). Then come back here and leave an additional comment letting me know.

This giveaway will end on Sunday, April 29 at 11:59 p.m. EST (the deadline has extended!), and I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday. I hope you win!

Enter all the Queen for a Day giveaways:

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Queen for a Day giveaway 2012
• Queen for a Day: And the winner is…
• Weekend Links: Queen for a Day winner (& coupon codes)

Whole Food Meal Plans is an extension of the blog Natural Health at Home, created by Nicole and Alex Kraft. For over a decade, Nicole and Alex have studied natural health, nutrition, and holistic living. After many requests from friends and family for recipes and ideas to incorporate more natural living practices into everyday life, they started the blog to share what they know.

Whole Food Meal Plans was born out of that inspiration and the desire to help families eat a healthy dinner, simply.

The meal plans are based on years of whole food nutrition study integrated with the timeless wisdom of the traditional food movement. Although the plans are certainly inspired by traditional foods, they consider them to be “Traditional Foods Lite”—focusing on real, unprocessed foods that are easy to make and that can fit into a busy life.

They really value the virtue of lingering and spending time at the dinner table with your family so they use recipes to help you achieve the best of both worlds.

Giveaway!

Nicole and Alex want to give three Simple Mom readers a three-month subscription! This giveaway has now ended. To win, simply leave any comment on this post. (And if you’re reading via email, you must click over to the post to leave a comment.)

They’re also giving you coupon for $5 off a three-month subscription—simply fill out this form, and they’ll take $5 off your order when they contact you.

I’ve signed up for this service—I think it’ll be a sanity saver for my family in the coming months!

This giveaway will end tonight, April 21, and I’ll announce the winner soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend giveaway: Whole Food Meal Plans
• Summer Week of Giveaways: A Month of Meals
• A Simple Plan for a Month of Meals

From kitchenware to skin care, MightyNest has built a broad selection of products that are free from known toxic ingredients like BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Lead, Melamine, Formaldehyde, Parabens, and more.

MightyNest Glass Storage Giveaway

MightyNest has compiled over $100 worth of high-quality, durable, and well-designed glass storage for the kitchen. (For a healthy kitchen, food is best stored in a material like glass so you can be assured that any unwanted chemical aren’t leaching into your stored food.)

Included in the glass storage giveaway are:

• 5 Lys square glass storage containers (1 of each size): Made from tempered glass with BPA-free lids, these containers are ideal for storing leftovers. Freezer and dishwasher safe.

• 2 stackable jars (1 of each size):  These air-tight and terrific for keeping dried pasta, cereal, coffee, nuts, grains, oatmeal and other foods fresh.

• Glass chiller pitcher: 64-oz glass pitcher with a lid to keep beverages stored beautifully.

• 5 glass air-tight spice jars: Wide-mouth glass jars for easy transfer of bulk spices. You can actually get a measuring spoon inside.

• Glass salad dressing bottle: Make your own salad dressing with this glass bottle. Directions/proportions for five recipes are printed on the bottle.

• Bake ‘N Store Glassware, 2 cup: Bake in the oven, store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer and reheat in the oven or microwave! All with the same glass container.

This giveaway has now ended. To win, simply leave any comment on this post! (And if you’re reading this in an email, you must click over to the post and comment here.)

This giveaway will end tonight, Thursday, April 19. I’ll announce the winner soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Sponsor giveaway: MightyNest
• Weekend Giveaway: Essential Safe Products
• The pantry organized: before and after photos

Freedom.

This powerful word evokes strong feelings in each of us. For some, it conjure flag-waving and patriotism. For others, it speaks to the purpose of a spiritual faith. In Western culture, freedom is honored, cherished, and pursued.

Who would be afraid of freedom?

As it turns out, we were.

My friend Laura and I were good girls who had grown up to become good women, women who were relied-upon, predictable, and responsible. We were women who were highly invested in doing things the right way. When we each discovered we were pregnant with our first children in the spring of 2004, we began to ask around, seeking answers from trusted friends and family members about how, exactly, does one care for a baby the right way.

We reached out for The Rules.

And The Rules were what we received. These Rules worked wonderfully for many families, and The Rules were passed on to us with glowing smiles and the highest praise. As we read The Rules in the books that we were given, we internalized the instructions and found great comfort and peace in knowing that in all the uncertainty that parenting a new baby brings, at least there was the assurance of structure, stability, and order.

We wanted strong marriages, happy children, and efficient homes. It simply never occurred to us to wonder where freedom fit into the equation. Freedom seemed to run contrary to The Rules.

Freedom was for the families who let their kids stay up late into the night until they simply passed out on the carpet after a long day of play. Freedom was for the families who consistently showed up fifteen minutes late for every event with complete disregard for the schedules of others. Freedom was for mothers who nursed their babies anytime and anywhere, with no concern for the activities going on around them.

No, freedom sounded good on paper, but it was for other families and not for us. We had every intention of following the black-and-white instructions that worked well for others. When fears began to creep in about what life with a baby would look like, we found comfort in the pages that explained The Rules, and our fears were replaced with happy daydreams of order, harmony, and predictability.

And then our babies were born.

And as it turned out, trying to do things the “right way” was harder than we ever could have imagined. Every time we turned around, in every area of parenting a baby, we were forced to choose between following The Rules or following our hearts. As the disconnect grew between the right way in the books and the right way in our hearts, so did the internal anguish each of us were experiencing.

We had hoped to feel more deeply connected to other parents in our community who supported and encouraged The Rules; instead, we felt alienated and alone.

We had planned to strengthen our marriages by guarding against a child-centered home; instead, all of our obsessing over The Rules led to—you guessed it—a child-centered home.

We believed we would find comfort and peace in the instructions set forth by The Rules. Instead, we found ourselves sobbing nightly into our pillows, crushed by another day of failing miserably.

Breaking the rules left us broken and hurting, burdened by a sense of failure. And that is when God rescued us with His message of freedom.

Photo by {Charlotte.Morrall}

God spoke into our darkest days as new mothers and assured us that there was, indeed, a right way to parent a new baby. And this right way was one that was perfectly crafted for each individual baby, exquisitely tailored to meet the needs of each unique family.

The right way to parent a new baby was one that could never be fully captured in a set of instructions; rather, it was a way that meant stepping out into the freedom of following what we know to be best for our own children.

We’ll be the first to admit that at first we were terrified. The Rules looked like a master-planned community with row after row of pristine houses with smiling neighbors who waved to each other across neatly manicured lawns. The way of freedom looked like a narrow path through an unknown wilderness.

But once we found the courage to speak out loud about what we were learning as we explored this newly-found freedom, we discovered that there were others on the same path. We began to talk about how The Rules worked great for some families, but they didn’t work quite so well for us, and how every aspect of our lives had been changed by making the simple choice to do what we knew was best for our own children.

And from the discussions on this once-lonely path, a beautiful community grew. And from our own stories and the stories in our community, a book began to take shape. Oh, we’ve laughed and laughed, Laura and I have, over the two of us writing a book about parenting a new baby. It was, after all, those parenting books that caused us so much angst as new mothers.

But we truly believe that the message of Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby’s First Year is a powerful one, one of redemption and renewal and growth. It is our hope that when new parents reach out for The Rules, as we once did, that what they’ll receive in the pages of this book is not another set of instructions, but rather all the permission, encouragement, and support they need to confidently choose the way of freedom as they navigate the challenges and joys of baby’s first year.

Giveaway!

This giveaway has now ended.

Megan and Laura are graciously giving TEN Simple Mom readers a copy of their new book! I’m so thrilled to bless you with it and to shout about this book from the rooftops. It’s so very beautiful, so comforting and encouraging; I kept saying, “Yes! Yes!” as I pored its pages.

This is one of the best parenting books I’ve read. Seriously. It’s my new first-time mama gift.

To enter to win a copy of this book, simply leave any comment on this post! (If you’re reading this via email, you must click over to the post to comment.)

This giveaway will end tomorrow night, April 17, and I’ll announce the winners soon after. I hope you win!

Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby’s First Year is the first release from authors Megan Tietz and Laura Oyer. Megan writes about faith, family and natural living at SortaCrunchy and lives in western Oklahoma with her husband and two daughters. Laura blogs her reflections on the real and ridiculous things of life at In The Backyard, and makes her home in Indiana with her husband, daughter, and son.

This post is part of a lovely blog tour—head to the rest of these sites for more chances to win a copy:

• 4/10 The Gypsy Mama, Mama Monk, and Little Hearts Books
• 4/11 Sarah Bessey
• 4/12 I Take Joy
• 4/13 Love Well
• 4/14 Joy in this Journey
• 4/15 The Stanley Clan
• 4/16 Life Your Way
• 4/17 Lifenut
• 4/18 Fried Okra, Live Renewed
• 4/19 The Pilot’s Wife
• 4/20 Nish Happens
• 4/23 Keeper of the Home

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Spirit-Led Parenting: Overcoming the Fear of Freedom
• Adoption: Lessons Learned
• 4 Parenting Strategies for Difficult Days

Looking for the place to submit your before and after pics for Project Simplify, week 2? Head here.

I first met Lisa—gosh, years ago, I don’t really know. It was at a conference, and we ended up perched in a corner at a party, chatting for a really long time about husbands, work, ministry, kids, and everything in between. I knew after that weekend that I had found a like-minded friend, and I look forward to seeing her any chance I get.

I also ADORE her work. Lisa is one of the most talented mamas I know, and guess what? This weekend, she wants to bless two Simple Mom readers with a $75 gift certificate for anything in her store!

Seriously, I love just browsing her shop for fun. You could pick this:

Or this:

Or any of these:

Or, or, or… I don’t envy the two of you that have to choose. But I’m happy to make your day!

How to win:

1. Head to Lisa’s store and tell me in a comment below what YOU love from her collection. (If you’re reading this via email, you must click over to the site to leave a comment.)

2. For an additional entry, “like” both Lisa Leonard Designs and Simple Mom on Facebook, then come back here and leave a separate comment, telling me you’ve done so. (It’s all good if you already “liked” one or both of us.)

This giveaway ends tonight, March 17 at 11:59 p.m. PST, so enter now!

Psst… Lisa’s also sharing the code SIMPLEMOM20 for 10% off your entire order. It expires March 19, so hurry!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend Giveaway: Lisa Leonard Designs
• Giveaway Time: Score Handcrafted Jewelry from Lisa Leonard!
• A Holiday Giveaway: Lisa Leonard!

Looking for the spot to share your before and after photos for Project Simplify? Head to yesterday’s post to find out. You’ve got until tonight—can’t wait to see them!

Today’s giveaway comes from loyal monthly sponsor Plan to Eat, a genius little online program that pretty much does everything for you but actually cook your meals.

This is a simple tool that allows you to store your favorite recipes (and import them from around the Internet!), create menu plans using those recipes, and even provide grocery lists based on those same recipes.

My favorite feature? How simple it is. Its clean interface allows for intuitive interaction — it took me mere seconds to get my account up and running, and I had my weekly menu plan created in minutes.

This is a great tool for busy families with hungry kids.

You can share recipes with others on Plan to Eat, you can organize your grocery lists by store, and you can tag your recipes in infinite ways. You can even track nutritional information and cost breakdown of all of your recipes and menus! And for those of you that love going paperless, you can use Plan to Eat’s mobile app to carry all your menu planning with you. No more accidentally leaving the house without your grocery list.

Take a tour of Plan to Eat to learn about more of its features.

Giveaway

Plan to Eat is offering an yearly subscription for five Simple Mom readers!

To win, simply leave any comment on this post. (And if you’re reading this in an email, you must click over to the post and comment here.)

This giveaway will end tonight, Saturday, March 10. I’ll announce the winner soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend Giveaway: Plan to Eat
• Weekend Giveaway: Plan to Eat
• Weekend Giveaway: Plan to Eat

Today’s weekend giveaway comes from sponsor Pip & Bean, makers of the coolest superhero capes! From Pip & Bean:

We’ve always been struck by the importance of creative development and imaginative play for children. The quest to keep pace with our own children’s imagination led to a number of costumes and creative projects—whatever it took to unplug our kids from the TV and help them build a world of their own.

What started with tutus led to princess costumes, and eventually a superhero cape. Eventually that cape became a birthday present for our daughter’s friend, which turned into a booth at a craft fair, and then an online shop.

Two years (and thousands of capes) later, Pip & Bean sells custom superhero capes, costumes, and masks all over the world. We’re an active supporter of Inspiration Through Art, an awesome non-profit organization that supports children with illnesses by helping them see their own inner super hero.

Pip & Bean superhero capes are made of polyester satin and felt. The capes are washable (because superheroes get dirty) and close with a Velcro clasp (because we’re safety paranoid parents too).

Where it’s possible, we use materials with high-recycled content (our felt is 100% recycled PET). Most of our capes are personalized and they are all custom-made in Bloomington, IN.

Giveaway

This giveaway has now closed. Pip & Bean want to give five Simple Mom readers an emblem superhero cape! (They’re for your kids, but if you want to wear them instead, I won’t tell.) To enter, simply leave any comment on this post.

This giveaway ends tonight, Saturday, March 3, and I’ll announce the winners soon after. I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - Meal planning made simple.
• MightyNest - Helping create healthy homes.
• Natural Health at Home - Whole food meal plans.
• Clean Mama - Printables that really work for you and make your life easier.
• Again Bags - The reusable snack & sandwich bag.
• UPrinting - Spread your message.
• Oak Meadow - Creative homeschooling since 1975.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Weekend giveaway: Pip & Bean
• Classic Toys That Are Worth The Money
• The Gift Basket Giveaway Winner