MBM review: A Month of Thankyou's

Gratitude....

Ever wondered how gratitude works in your life? How it helps you to manifest those awesome dreams? How it fits in with your passions?

Well. Here's the deal.

Gratitude is the glue that holds all those affirmations, manifestations, dreams, desires, passions and purpose together. It's the part where you say thank-you for what you have and thank-you for what you don't yet have. It's the part where you assume that your going to get what you want, and more, and you give thanks for it.

To say that it's an important part of a healthy, happy, purposeful Mama's life is really an understatement.

Having said all that I'm sometimes not that good at being grateful, especially in the heat of things with my girls. And so I have a few little rituals that help my family and I to focus on what's good.

My favourite little gratitude treat at the moment is a pack of 30 of Lori Portka's beautiful 'A month of thankyous' gratitude cards. I've given most of these away now with little love notes on the back - to friends, family and others I'm grateful for and they have been a great little pick-me-up when I've been feeling out of sorts and struggling to feel like my life if a blessing. As a mama you would know that this can strike quite suddenly or take up an entire day when things don't go to plan....and a little pocket of gratitude in there can go a long way.

Other family rituals for gratitude include a silent minute together with my girls in the mornings when we first get up, a 'blessing' of our food at dinner time and our 'favourite thing of the day' that we all say during dinner each night. These don't always happen - sometimes we forget and sometimes we're distracted, but my intention is to be grateful as a family and as a mama, and it's with this persistence and intention that my grateful life takes form.

In the spirit of gratitude today I'd like to offer you some special post-Easter Passion Test coaching.

Check out my coaching page for more information about the Passion Test and my longer-term Mama on Purpose coaching programs, however for next week I'm offering

Passion Test coaching sessions for 5 Mamas via phone from Margaret River, WA. - one each afternoon/evening AEST - for $99 for a one hour session and follow up email support in the coming weeks. 

Those dates, just to be clear, are Monday 21/4 through until Friday 25/4 2014.

As you know we're slow travelling around Australia at the moment so coaching opportunities are limited, but I want to help you discover your passions mamas, to help you be clear on what they really are, and to guide you to your purpose, so I'm making time happen while we're travelling.

Contact me at mountbeautymama@gmail.com to secure your place,

Carolyn xx

Friday book review: Living the Good Life

An oldy but a goody. First published in 1954, Living the Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing is the ultimate book about dropping out of the 'rat race' and living a down to earth life that is close to nature.
Of course there are many books about this sort of change, but I really like that this couple faced the same sort of challenges that exist today (and many that do not, it must be said). They aim to "live sanely and simply in a troubled world".
They left NY during the Great Depression and "decided we could live a saner, quieter, more worthwhile life in the country".
We had the first truly warm and sunny day here in the Mount Beauty since the onset of Winter and as I spent my day in our sunshiny garden I thought about this book and how it's simple yet powerful message underlines what we're working on here as a family.
I was living the good life today...is fact so much that this post almost didn't get written in favour of moving strawberry plants, planting seeds, thinning seedlings and playing with children.
*sigh*

Friday book review: Handmade Home

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little"

Edmund Burke

Aaaahhhhh....I do so love this book (and others by Amanda). Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasuresby Amanda Blake Soule (from my favourite Soulemama blog) is one of my personal favourites for crafty inspiration around our home and in nature.
This is such a lovely book because of her photos of craft with her children, the simplicity of the crafts she describes and the way she uses repurposed materials to create new things. I find it uplifting and freeing to make things from scratch, or from free or secondhand, quality materials and this book changed the way I look at craft and creativity.
I particularly like some of the things she says (because I do so like quotes and sayings):

"Our small actions can improve not only our earth, but also our hearts, our spirits, and our children - and bring about the kind of change that is the most powerful, the most heartfelt, and the most personal" (p. XIII)

"During these simple times of play and creating together we can connect so deeply to each other, build our relationships with one another, and strengthen our family bonds" (p. 116)

"The great outdoors holds so much magic for you to witness and experience together as a family. The woods, the ocean, the mountains..." (p. 149)

Sometimes this book lingers in various places around our home - on my bookstand, near my bed, on the kitchen bench. And sometimes its 'away' on the shelf with my other special books. But always its ideas and sentiments are close by should I need a little inspiration.

Enjoy.

Friday book review: Simplicity Parenting

"If a child has been able in his play to give up his whole living being to the world around him, he will be able, in the serious tasks of later life, to devote himself with confidence to the service of the world"

- Rudolf Steiner

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kidsby Kim John Payne is one of my favourite go-to books as a Mama.
So many times I've found myself musing over the complexity that can creep into our lives when I reach for this book and find an answer in its pages.
Yes, I love books, I'll be up front here. And I do have a lot of them dear readers (see my little treasures post to read about the $1000 I spent on them just last year!). But that doesn't mean I have just any books, in fact the books that I have are thoughtfully chosen and very special to this Mama.
This is another one of those extra special ones because it says things that guide me as a mother:

"Too many scheduled activities may limit a child's ability to motivate and direct themselves" (p.138)

"Rhythm and ritual are what we aim for; predictability may be what we achieve" (p.98)

"Children need experience, not entertainment, in play" (p. 80)

Ahhh...there is such common sense and beauty in this book. Sometimes I snuggle up with it for some late night peace of mind and sometimes I keep it on my bookstand as I type and take a dip into its wisdom each time I sit down. Either way its staying on my shelves and in the life of our family.

Friday blog review: Ben Hewitt

I discovered this little blog through another - Soulemama (my favourite for a long time for instant inspiration). Its written by father of two Ben, who unschools his boys on their farm and I find myself laughing and nodding my head a lot when I have time to read one or two of his posts. He is funny in a way that I understand, likes to 'tell it how it is', which I appreciate, and is yet another blog that I follow where children are not formally schooled.
Now I'm not sure where this is heading for me, but I definitely seem to read a lot about others not schooling their children in the traditional way. More to come on this I think...
Anyway, what I do really love about Ben's blog is his passion for an authentic education for his boys. Unschooling is definitely not just a default option for him and his wife, this is what they believe to be the best education they can give their children and I find myself mesmerised by his description of their life together. They play on their farm, in nature, help with baling hay or feeding animals and play with handmade toys. It sounds like a eutopia of some sort and, like Soulemama, I am turning to this blog with joy and genuine interest almost daily now for some inspiration and new thoughts.

Enjoy

Blog review: Little Eco Footprints

I have discovered a delightful little blog called Little Eco Footprints. I love that its Australian, that its written by a Mama of two girls and most of all that this family is working towards a sustainable life full of learning and growing together.

After a read of several posts I've picked one that hits the spot for me at the moment - Learning to be a slow spender. As I've written in several posts recently (Little Treasures, Our $21 Challenge, part 1 and part 2), we are on a mission to reduce our spending and really bring more awareness to what we do with our money and what we bring into our home. Tricia writes in this post about the 'old-fashioned' concepts of saving for things first (rather than spending on credit), using lay-by to save up for purchases (rather than buying it now, probably on credit) and resisting the urge to buy what you see and to wait for something cheaper or free to turn up that will do the same job. Really its about patience and trust.

Now this Mama hasn't been known for her patience in the past (although in my defence I have improved a lot) and trust is something that I'm learning to focus on more and more. But despite this I like the ideas in Tricia's post and feel like its adding another piece to our budget puzzle.

Friday Blog Review: The New Good Life

Another new site for you today. A blog called The New Good Life caught my eye recently, and as I love the old English show - The Good Life, with Tom and Barbara Good trying to live sustainably from their urban property, I thought this one sounded exciting.

After having a good look through it I find the author, Mrs Good, to be on a similar path. Again we are more alike than separate to others on this planet. She writes about trying to live more sustainably at home, of slow-cooked meals, growing veggies and making her own pasta, cheese and sauces. I like this.

Just a quick post today, dear readers, as it is late and this Mama needs her sleep before the little one (and bigger one) awaken.

Happy reading and happy living to you.

Friday Blog review: Loving Simple Living

This week's blog review is Loving Simple Living, which is written by an American blogger named Lorilee Lippencott. She and her family have downsized their life - by which I mean their possessions, what they eat and what they do. She has posts on how to simplify your life, be a minimalist and focus on things that you really need or love.

My favourite post is actually quite boring, but eye-opening at the same time - that sounds unusual I know, but you'll understand when you read it. Titled 'Minimalist Living - What we own', its basically a list of what she has in each room of the house (boring), but there's also photos of the rooms and they are amazingly empty of stuff. Now I like to have a little inspirational clutter around me - the results of play or learning on the carpet, a half-made casserole on the bench, that sort of thing - but I am inspired almost about the peaceful look of such a minimalist house.

And so this Mama is thinking that she could perhaps put things away more often. Does all the tea really need to sit out on the bench permanently? Do we really need a fish tank in the kitchen? Do we need all those backpacks up in the cupboard. I feel some de-cluttering coming on (again) ladies and gentlemen.

I read further and see a post for decluttering usable things - this is where I often get stuck. I'm usually confused when decluttering things that are perfectly fine, or I have spent good money on, or someone has given me as a gift, but I don't use - what do I do with these? It seems counter-productive to keep things that I don't use or love...but that clashes with my ideas about money and waste. This post clears things up a little by providing some guidelines for getting rid of usable items. Definitely something for this Mama to work on further.

And this gets me thinking about another book I read recently - Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. 'Thing' no.9 is; 'Be Boring: Its the only way to get things done'. Reading this was a bit like a revelation to me because it put some things together and made new sense of them to me. Like the bit where author, Austin Kleon, says:

"The thing is: It takes a lot of energy to be creative. You don't have that energy if you waste it on other stuff."

And this makes more sense when you read another quote in the book, this time by Gustave Flaubert:

"Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work".

I like this. I strive for creativity in my life and in the life of my family, but its been very chaotic of late and my creativity has taken a dive. This book, and Loving Simple Living, help me to make sense from this chaos and give me a direction forward. More to come on this I'm sure...

Good days to you all.

Friday blog review: Down to Earth

The Down to Earth blog by Rhonda Hertzel focuses on 'sustainability via house and yard work' - its simple, no fuss, no claims to fame - just humble honesty. This feels like a different sort of blog to me.

I take a further look and see a nice quote on the front page:

"We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts and live our own lives" - Laura Ingalls Wilder

I scroll further and see there are sponsored ads on this site, but they're relevant to sustainable home-making and obviously placed there with care (rather than consumer-abandon). I click on a link to eco-friendly organic yarns in Australia and feel my excitement growing (mmmm, new yarns to knit with, weaving and spinning tools...).

I scroll further and find links to all of Rhonda's tags. I click on 'aquaponics' because I've been thinking I'd like to know more about this for a while. Her post is informative and links nicely to further information.

I notice that she has been writing on home-based sustainability for a while and has many, many posts and tags. I definitely want to find the time to read further and can see how I will get a lot out of this blog.

As I write this review I'm at my parent's property in Bairnsdale, and reading Down to Earth reminds me of the myriad books on frugal, simple living which belong to Mum and Dad.

After I've perused Mum's bookshelves yet again I pick out two books that I've looked through before and come back to each time I'm here. Somehow they seem relevant to Down to Earth and Rhonda's message:

Domestic Goddess on a Budget by Wendyl Nissen is one and her writing always has me inspired to handmake anything and everything, grow what I can and really love my home. She's based in New Zealand.

The Hard time Handbook is the other book I pick out. It was written 30 years ago by Keith and Irene Smith (editors of Earth Garden magazine) and so sounds a little old in its language, but I like its no-nonsense way of explaining how to do stuff and the wealth of topics it covers. In particular I like the stories about a family who bought their food once a year and saved lots of money, of how to save seeds and the value of re-making worn-out sheets (plus plenty of others).

These books both remind me of the humble, down to earth approach in Rhonda's blog and I like this lack of pretense.

Of course, Mum's shelves are full of plenty of other books about sustainablity, frugal living, cheap and healthy cooking, green cleaning techniques... and I hope to write about all of those in time.

I wish you a day that is down to earth and very satisfying.

Friday blog review: Slow your home

As I look through Brooke's writing on Slow your home I find that her story is very similar to mine, and I feel a connection (again I'm amazed at how similar we all are - that separation really is a state of mind, not a reality).

I read further and find that I like her no-nonsense approach and the way every post is designed to give the reader helpful information. In particular I like her budgeting posts because I still need convincing that budgeting is something I can enjoy. I am intrigued to know what she will write here and continue to read through all three of her posts on this topic.

I read even further...hmmm, 2013 in 2013, what could that mean? I scroll further...I see - its a challenge to de-clutter and de-own 2013 items this year - nice! I like this train of thought and read the advice on what to de-clutter this month:

"May is the month of entertaining - kitchen and dining room".

Actually that's where I was thinking of decluttering today if I get time. This site is fun. Its end of May, yes, but if I declutter a little I know I'll feel good.

Off to the dresser for some decluttering methinks....

Friday blog review: Simple Mom

I love this blog and the way it focusses on giving to yourself so that you can give to others, primarily your own children. Simple Mom: live intentionally says Tsh, the creator. I love this message and want to know more.

As I scroll through I see her recommended reading list and take a look - wow! Great books here with a heartfelt review of each and why she's found them important. I'll need to get a couple of those I think. Then I see a lovely quote about reading from C.S. Lewis:

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me"

I like that.

I look further, intrigued by Tsh and her message, and more particularly how she came to write a blog about living simply. I find her list of her favourite posts and read through these to get to know her site more. I discover that she has had depression like me and I feel a further connection to her and her message. I really like her post on The beauty of living...slowly and ponder whether I'm too busy and need to take stock (again) of where I'm at and whether it suits me.

I also like her post titled A public school parent's guide to learning at home - this is exactly where I'm at right now and feel relieved that someone else is in the place I'm in. I really like her quote about what we can do as parents, even if our children go to school:

"Continuing to build a home where learning is nurtured and valued is one of the best ways we can equip our children for life after graduation".

I see a list of downloads available for free, created by Tsh, to help simplify your day, week, life... And I like free-stuff, so this makes me feel supported and kind of special. It also makes me think about the purpose of a blog - is it for me or is it for others? Tsh shows me that I can give stuff away, freely, without ties or expectations. That is something for me to think about. I also notice that Simple Mom is an online community, not a company or marketing gimmick, it invites others with similar interests to join in and contribute.