This post is part of my series The Way We Do Things. Please click through for more.

Five years ago, while pregnant and on vacation, I found myself in a library with a couple of hours to pass and thought I’d browse the parenting section. A book caught my eye. The words “Diaper Free” were written largely across the binding.

“Surely they don’t mean…?”

I grabbed the book* and found a comfy chair (My husband was somewhere else in the library doing the same thing – it’s how we roll. We even included a long Barnes & Noble visit to our honeymoon road trip!) and read the book cover to cover.

I already felt like I was going against the flow by planning to cloth diaper my bab(ies). Frugality was a big motivator for me, and what could be more frugal than NO diapers? But was it possible?

Communicating About Eliminating

Elimination Communication (or EC) was a completely new concept for me. In all of my research (and I’d done a LOT even before conceiving) I’d never heard of families doing anything other than diapering until they decided to potty train. I must have looked hilarious sitting there at the library with my eyes as big as saucers and my mouth stuck open for two hours! People DID this?

EC can mean no diapers. at. all. from. day. one. Or, more commonly, it just means paying attention to your baby’s potty cues. The little faces and sounds he makes, the way he tenses up right before he goes, etc.

What parents decide to do about the cues and how much attention they pay varies widely, but the spectrum generally looks like this:

There are families who hold their baby over a bowl or the toilet from day one and “catch” the waste. They may use diapers only rarely or never.

There are families who use diapers, but also use a potty of some sort from earl(ier) days to cut back on diapers and make potty training easier.

There are families who use diapers exclusively – even disposables – but work to make their children aware of what is going on so that at some point they are better able to recognize the sensation of the urge to go potty, and make it to the toilet without an accident.

I was completely intrigued by these ideas and their implications and pretty much had the book memorized by the time we got to the car and I got to spill out all of my thoughts to my husband.

As soon as we got home, I rushed to Google University and started devouring the information I found. There really wasn’t much about it in the blogosphere back then, but I did find some pretty even-keeled people doing some form of EC. And I learned about some of the anecdotal benefits of it:

* Extra Bonding – Just like some of the other parenting choices we looked forward to making, like breastfeeding and cosleeping, EC proponents lauded the fact that they were required to focus more on their children and pay attention to their cues and rhythms – which made them feel like they knew their children a bit better than they would have.

* Fewer Diapers – That meant either less money spent or less laundry done. Either way, I was sold!

* Fewer Diaper Rashes – Less waste sitting on the skin. Makes sense.

* Earlier Potty Learning – That sounded good! Same benefits as the “fewer diapers” category! But…

Should it be a race?

I had also read/heard plenty of advice that potty training too early or too firmly could negatively impact a child’s perception of elimination and make them regress, refuse to use the toilet, or even hold in their waste and endanger their health!

As with just about every other parenting decision, there seemed to be very different perspectives on the subject, so we decided “wait and see” was a good course of action. As interesting as infant EC sounded, it didn’t appeal to me strongly enough to give it a try.

Two of my favorite bloggers (both of whom have stopped blogging – sad day!) posted about their potty training and EC thoughts just before I gave birth. Their advice and experience was full of common sense, and in the end it stuck with me.

Where We Landed

One of the benefits of cloth diapering is that older babies are potentially more likely to want out of them because they are more bothered by sitting in soiled pants than their disposable wearing peers since cloth doesn’t usually wick away moisture as well.

It makes sense, then, that cloth diapered babes would want out of diapers earlier. We decided to make it our goal to pay attention to the signals Aidan gave us during and after he pottied and change him asap to get him used to the idea that being dirty is less desirable than clean.

Then, at around 8 months old, we began placing him on the little potty every morning after breakfast, since that is when he usually had a bowel movement.

It took only two or three times before he pood in the potty, and he “got it” right away! We clapped and showed him the potty, and from that day on he rarely ever pooped in his diaper! This was mostly because the “signals” he gave us for impending poop were much more clear than for pee (you know the “face” I mean). :)

By one year, we had increased to putting him on the potty several times a day successfully, and by 18 months, I knew he was ready for more.

One of the blogger’s whose advice I’d appreciated mentioned that she never used a potty seat – just stuck her boys right on the adult seat and taught them how to hold on. Aidan loved the idea of going potty just like a big boy, so for him this meant sitting at the back of the regular toilet seat and resting his legs on the seat as well.

Just a month or so before his two year birthday, I took Aidan out of diapers completely and also started ushering him to the bathroom every hour or so.

By the time his birthday rolled around, he was in underwear over night with only an occasional accident (thankful for mattress protectors!)

Round Two

Cora was much the same as Aidan in the beginning, but our journey with her was longer and bumpier. I had to laugh out loud reading this post about Potty Training the Strong Willed Child recently. While I do think that our EC/Early Potty Training Hybrid works for our family, anything that requires cooperation goes a little bit slower with our assertive little girl.

Cora walked a full 5 months later than Aidan, and in the midst of figuring out mobility, we went through a long and traumatic ordeal with her dental health.

She didn’t like to be forced away from what she was doing to potty. She didn’t like to have her diaper changed when it wasn’t convenient for her. And no matter how “matter of course” cheery eyed I was, getting her to sit on the potty was sometimes a creative feat. And then there were a few tantrums on the bathroom floor about putting her underwear back ON.

*whew* I am exhausted remembering it. But she’s only three, and it’s over, so it was short-lived (thank you, Jesus)!

Some of the things that helped us with our reluctant pottier:

* Pretty underwear. With ballerinas. Enough said.
* A little travel potty seat* to sit on top of our big seat and make her feel more secure.
* Our motto that “food can’t fit in until potty comes out.” We explained how our food turns into waste and that if wait too long to let it out, our insides get too full of waste and adding more food would make us sick. So we go potty before snack and before meals. Food is usually a pretty awesome motivator. She never goes hungry!

It took Cora until almost her third birthday to be diaper free at night, but that was back in March and so far she hasn’t had a single night time accident.

Round Three

Our little Alexander is 10.5 months old now and I only change one or two poopy diapers a week. His digestion is way better than the other two as well, so diapering is a dream this time around. For reals.

We started him on the Little Potty at 8 months just like Aidan and so far he thinks it’s the best thing ever. In fact, he has four “words” right now: mama, dada, ball, and poo poo. :)

Maybe fiestiness is gender specific in our family? ;)

To Sum Up

We’ve chosen to watch our children for potty signals, start them on the potty early, go directly to underwear instead of pull-ups, and not use incentives.

That’s what WE’VE chosen to do, but I do NOT think it is best for everyone. Life just isn’t one-size fits all, so no guilt trip here! In fact, while I do think there are ways that potty training can be done “incorrectly,” none of them are commonly accepted methods. In general, I think that late potty training is just as “good” as early. Potty training in a weekend can be just as effective as a more drawn out process.

Cora would probably have been a good candidate for letting her potty train herself when she wanted to if we hadn’t started so early and I hadn’t decided that two in diapers was more than I wanted to handle. It might have meant more work for me in the end. That’s not a complaint, it’s just the choice I made. You make yours. You are the only one who knows your child. :)

If you do decide to try EC or Early Pottying, I hope this post gives you some insight!

And lastly, the impetus for me writing this post now instead of letting it sit in draft forever like most of my other posts (*sigh*) is that the photo of Alex on the Little Potty that I posted above is in a photo contest this week!

Out of 27 finalists, 9 of us will win a prize! I’d love for your vote if you have a minute. :)

*This post includes Amazon Affiliate links – I am compensated when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

This book wasn’t about plot though, in my opinion. It was about facing the complicated realities of infertility, surrogacy, adoption, multi-cultural relationships, loss, and family. I was tempted to stop reading several times because I didn’t really want to deal with the issues, honestly, but I’m glad I kept reading. I know I’ll be digesting ‘The Offering‘ for quite a while.

About the Book

From bestselling author Angela Hunt, the heart-wrenching story of a young mother who unknowingly gave away her own child after serving as a surrogate for a childless couple.

After growing up as an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her soldier husband can’t afford to have more children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. She loves being pregnant, and while carrying the child she dreams of having her own son and maybe another daughter. . .
Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy’s world and leaves her reeling. Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium.

Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened—could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child? Over the next few months Mandy struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and what’s best for the little boy she has never known.

About the Author

With over four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including “The Nativity Story”. Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book “Don’t Bet Against Me”, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela’s novel “The Note” (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel’s history. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RITA, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the Holt Medallion. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.

Learn more at http://www.angelahuntbooks.com

Win a NOOK and More!

Angela Hunt is celebrating the release of The Offering with a Nook HD Giveaway and an Author Chat Party on Facebook {6/5}.

One winner will receive:

• A Nook HD
  
• The Offering by Angela Hunt 
  

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the “The Offering” Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

In just half a decade, cloth diapering has become so much more accessible! In the circles I run in, it seems that about a quarter of the moms cloth diaper – and plenty more have thought about it or tried it even if it didn’t work out for them!

Still, I’ve never seen a comprehensive and easy to read resource like this one until now.

Erin from The Humbled Homemaker has cloth diapered three little ones just like I have, and run into the same trouble I have (yeast rashes, stink, leaking, worn out velcro), but unlike me she’s actually done what is necessary to overcome each of these issues and now she’s written about the solutions to common problems as well as just about anything else you’d like to know about diapering with cloth!

She’s written 200+ pages in an easy to read e-book called Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert.* And she’s generously letting me give one away to you!

The book is organized into 10 sections or “confessions” that cover everything from the common hurdles of cd’ing successfully, to using cloth while traveling, to building your cloth diapering stash on a limited budget. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot – even after five years of my own experience!

After reading “Confessions,” I finally figured out what has been causing my trouble with smell and raw skin in our overnight diapers. It’s a resource I’ll recommend to all of my mommy friends we are looking into using cloth.

Oh… and she quotes me on page 84. It might not be worth buying the book for just that, but it adds a little somethin’ somethin’. ;)

Purchase a Copy

Learn everything you need to know about cloth diapering for $9.95 – less than the cost of a week’s worth of disposables! And right now you can get 20% off by using code: Barrsincloth

Win a Copy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I’m an affiliate for this e-book and receive a portion of the sales price. Thanks for your support! All opinions are my own.

I know that I just posted about how much I love e-books, but I’ve gotta be honest. I agreed to review these two titles with LitFuse almost purely because of the beautiful cover art.

I immediately knew that I wanted to hold these paperbacks in my hands while I read them – and then I wanted to pass them along to my mommy. :D

The way the books are written was compelling, as well. The author, Evangeline Kelley, is actually the pen name of four authors – Patty Berg, Pam Hanson, Barbara Andrews, & Camy Tang - who come together to write this series from the perspective of the main characters, the Marris sisters.

The novels are set in Nantucket. I’ve never been or even thought about Nantucket, but it’s on my short list of places to see now! The setting is charming and whimsical and full of lovely imagery!

The first two in the series, Seaside Harmony and Sunflower Summer, are available now, and you can order the third, Whispers on the Dock, for pre-order from Amazon. It will be released in August.

About the Books and “Author”

The Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn series (Guideposts Books) introduces readers to Caroline, Gracie and Sam as they gather for a vacation where they spent the summers as children, and follows their adventures as they fulfill their mother’s dream of opening a bed and breakfast. As the sisters heal from their mother’s passing, they bond in ways they never imagined and discover evidence of God’s hand in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

A team of four authors come together under the pen name of Evangeline Kelley (Patti Berg, Pam Andrews & Barbara Hanson, and Camy Tang. Each of them has published novels individually, but this is their first series together.) to bring the unique personalities of each sister to vivid life and welcome audiences to the charming and historic island of Nantucket, complete with cobblestone streets, quaint shops, ferries, sandy beaches and salty air.

Seaside Harmony:

Three sisters, a charming inn, hints of mystery and romance, and a gorgeous seaside setting. Summer reading at its finest!

When Caroline Marris joins her sisters, Gracie Gold and Sam Carter for a Nantucket Island getaway, she has no idea how it will change her life. The sisters stumble upon Misty Harbor Inn, the place their late mother loved so much, and Caroline talks her sisters into buying the beautiful but dilapidated inn. But can free-spirited Caroline stay focused enough to make opening the inn a reality? Hand-drawn old postcards draw the sisters into the mystery of Hannah Montague, the young widow of the original owner. Can the sisters uncover the fate of this woman who disappeared in 1880? As Caroline and her sisters work together to make their mom’s dream a reality, they bond in ways they never expected.

Sunflower Summer:

Misty Harbor Inn officially opens, and Gracie Gold, the middle Marris sister, wrestles with an overwhelming decision. As the sisters learn the day-to-day workings of running an inn, Gracie counsels its first guests, newlyweds whose honeymoon seems to be ending before it begins. Meanwhile, Sam’s discovery of a clue in a secret room sheds unflattering light on Hannah Montague, who vanished from the house more than one hundred years ago. And as Gracie and Caroline welcome guests to the inn, they are delighted to see how God uses it — and them — to deepen relationships and transform lives.

Thank you to Litfuse for the complimentary review copies. All opinions are my own.

I’m recovering from a stomach bug that must have killed some brain cells, too. No writing happening here despite my best efforts. We’ve had some gorgeous weather here the last couple of days, though, and we got out as a family yesterday to take our first tram ride up Mt. Roberts.

Aidan has been excited about the tram since he spotted it on our first day in Juneau. Daddy surprised us with a season pass and then had us meet him on his lunch break yesterday. :) Both kiddos thought is was pretty awesome.

The tram is $31 per adult, per day. That’s pretty pricey without a season pass, but you can ride up and down it as many times as you’d like in a day.

There’s a restaurant and little theater at the top, a bald eagle who was rescued and nursed back to health but can’t fly anymore, as well as a nature center, and “bear viewing platforms” (too snowy for us to explore those or the miles of trails right now).

It was so fun seeing Juneau from above. We live in such a beautiful place! We could see Rob’s office, the area that our house is in, and I can just imagine seeing whales in the channel sometime this Summer!

The kids begged to watch the tram go up and down for a while, so we sat ourselves down and ate pb& j sandwiches and watched the tram until we heard that there was a cruise ship coming in shortly. Then it was “ok littles, shove that food in your mouth so we can get a head start!” I think I’m turning into a Juneauite pretty quickly. :)

I’ll admit, I was a reluctant convert to e-books. Until this year, I didn’t own a smart phone or a tablet or a cool e-reader (like my NOOK pictured above), and I was really bugged by the fact that you can’t send an e-book in a care package.

In a matter of months, I’ve gone from being a paper-book only gal to reading about half of my books digitally!  What happened? Well, for me, getting a NOOK was key, but I think that if I would have had a better picture of the benefits of e-books, it wouldn’t have taken so long.

Why E-Books Rock

* Less to lug around - I keep my NOOK in my diaper bag and I have instant access to my Bible, devotionals, latest novel, and whatever else I want to have on hand! And trust me, that diaper bag is heavy enough!

* More Money in Your Pocket – Ebooks are typically cheaper than their print counterparts, and there’s no shipping!

* More Money in THEIR Pocket – There are no printing costs. And authors who would otherwise hit a roadblock at trying to get published and market their books “the old fashioned way,” can self publish and start earning NOW! Well established authors in the print world do well with ebooks too because less of the profit goes into printing (though depending on how much they are selling their title for, you can imagine it might even out).

* Lots of Freebies – It’s less cost-prohibitive for authors to give away free sample copies if they are digital, so there’s never a shortage of free titles to snag. Visit eReaderGirl to see what I mean!

Do You Have To Have An E-Reader?

Nope! I mentioned that having a NOOK was key for me because I get too distracted trying to read anything lengthy on my laptop/desktop with my email and Facebook open in other tabs to taunt me. That’s why I went with the NOOK Simple Touch – it doesn’t do a darn thing but display books. :)

If you are more disciplined than me, you can download Kindle for PC for your Kindle books, or just read your .pdf files in Adobe.

You can also print your ebooks yourself. The first two ebooks that I purchased years ago got sent off to OfficeMax to be printed same day. I knew I’d use them more often that way. Totally legitimate.

How Do You Keep Track?

I review for LitFuse, and I just purchased that AMAZING ebook bundle I’ve been telling you all about, so what do I do with the HUNDREDS of e-books I’ve acquired?

Very simply, I have organized folders by topic and as soon as I get a book, it goes where it belongs. I do this on our bookshelves at home, too. My husband thinks it’s silly. Not all librarians love Mr. Dewey. ;)

What Would Your {Librarian} Husband Say?!

My hubby is the director of our local public libraries. He is asked ALL THE TIME for his opinion on how eBooks will affect libraries, whether libraries will become obsolete, etc.

Some libraries have adapted to this new digital age by allowing patrons to check out ebooks with their library cards. Definitely check to see if yours has ebooks available – free is good! And it’s important to support your libraries in this endeavor because frankly, it’s a tough road.

Publishers are scrambling to determine how to make a profit when it’s so easy to self-publish, and libraries are feeling their stress. From my husband:

“There are only a handful of large publishers in the North American market. When you purchase an e-book through them or one of their distributors (any major retailer), you are not actually purchasing a copy of that book. Instead, you buy a license that dictates how, when, and on what device you can consume the content you’ve licensed. It also dictates how your reading habits can be tracked, and by whom. These licensing schemes allow publishers to circumvent what’s known as first sale doctrine, which is the part of copyright law that allows you to resell, lend, or give away what you have legally purchased.

 The circumvention of first sale doctrine has had an immediate impact on libraries and a somewhat less noticeable (so far) impact on consumers. Of the top 25 e-book best sellers as of April 3 rd, libraries are only allowed to purchase licenses to 13. In order to purchase one of those 13, a library must pay three to five times as much, per copy, than a consumer. Sometimes the pricing difference is even more dramatic. The popular best seller Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead can be purchased in e-book format by consumers for $14. If you’re a library, it costs $80.85 (Best Sellers price comparison).

Why has this happened? Publishers are afraid and they’re closing ranks. As e-books gain market share, their business model is eroded. Think about how much it would cost you to publish your own e-book versus publishing a book in print. The major value publishers bring to the relationship between author and reader is by making printing and distribution – to a mass market – financially realistic. A Bowker report out late last year found that self published e-books grew 129% between 2010 and 2011. As e-books become more popular, publishers are becoming the easily removed middle man.

 This doesn’t have to be the case, although it will require a large industry shift to be avoidable. Publishers will almost certainly need to follow the music industry and give up notions of complicated digital rights management (DRM) systems and licensing schemes. Many people believe that DRM exists in order to prevent people from illegally stealing copyrighted material. It doesn’t. DRM encourages theft. If one has the choice to purchase a license to content that can be taken away from them without compensation at the whim of a company, or download a copy of that same content to consume, without restriction, it’s hardly much of a choice. The actual purpose of DRM is an attempt by individual companies to create a monopoly by locking individuals into a specific platform. If you can only read your kindle licensed-books on a kindle or through kindle apps, you live on the kindle platform, and the more money you invest into kindle licenses, the harder it is for you to leave – because you lose everything.  

This may seem all very well and dire. In some respects it is, but a lot of it is attributable to industry leaders testing out the waters and learning where they can change, adapt, and, in the end, profit. It is incumbent upon consumers and citizens to help guide that path, by being responsible with our purchasing decisions and supporting organizations that stand up for what we believe to be the right way of doing business. Your local library is one of those, and on a larger scale, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is another.”

So does this mean that you should commit to only reading paper books that you can get from your library? Absolutely not. Demand creates change. And besides, supporting independent authors and supporting libraries are not mutually exclusive. Plenty of libraries love to showcase indie authors – especially if they are local.

While the publishing world is going through this period of “growing pains,” you can give a little love to everybody. :) Libraries are amazing community resources and hubs of inspiration. Paper books have a “realness” to them that can’t be replaced. And eBooks give you the opportunity to branch out, read MORE, and support your favorite authors.

I’ve always been a lip balm or lip gloss girl rather than a lipstick girl. I appreciate tint every once in a great while, but for every day I prefer a natural look.

Back in the day before I cared about *living* naturally and paying attention to what went on/in my body, I used all kinds of glosses and balms with unsavory ingredients. And I went through a LOT of balm/gloss. You can relate, right? If someone asked me to name three non-essentials that I would want to bring along if I were stranded on a dessert island – I would have said “breath mints, Pepsi, & chap stick.”

One of the first things I noticed when I started living healthier was that I didn’t need to use nearly as much lip balm! Something about drinking more water and not rubbing alcohol (a common ingredient in lip balms) all over my lips… ;) I also noticed that a lot of those balms and glosses that I’d been using had a terrible taste. So many balms either taste like chemicals (which makes sense!) or fake food. I mean, if I wanted to put processed food on my lips, I wouldn’t have to put it in a plastic tube first!

I have been so please by this lip gloss made by my bloggy friend Danielle for a couple of reasons: It’s truly soothing and doesn’t dry out my lips when I don’t have it on. And it has almost no flavor! The little hint of peppermint in the “cool cocoa” lip balm is not overpowering in the least!

And because this mama has been burning the midnight oil a little too often lately, and I’m still breastfeeding my little guy, I have had cracking lips every once in a while. My complimentary review balm came at the perfect time!

Virtuous Lips is made with wonderfully simple ingredients, and comes in two varieties – original and Cool Cocoa. Danielle has graciously agreed to gift one of my readers a set of both kinds of her nourishing lip balm!

And for those of you who don’t win (sorry, there’s always next time!), Danielle has created a discount code just for my readers! Use code BARRS30 to receive 30% off your order of Virtuous Lips!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is also part of Blogmania 2013! Click the button above or the links below to enter to win 35 more prizes from bloggers all across the web! You’ll especially want to visit my bloggy friend Rebecca at A Beautiful Ruckus – she’s giving away two Lilla Rose items from ME! :)

Also linked up to Healthy 2Day Wednesdays.

I am forever creating some kind of sweet mash and serving it to my kids as “pudding!” haha! It occurred to me the other day that I’m not sure they’ve ever even had pudding as I knew it in my childhood – but rice pudding, chia pudding, and this delicious recipe are regular requests from my 3 and 5 year olds!

This is really a variation on what started out as a “smoothie” to help me with cramps during my pregnancy with Cora in 2010. It’s turned out to be one of our favorite snacks for when we feel like something indulgent but still nourishing.

If you don’t have dates on hand, you could absolutely sweeten this with honey to taste – the banana sweetens it up nicely all by itself even!

But if you do use dates, I suggest you either soak them for a bit to soften them, or blend the pudding good and long with a high powered blender like a vitamix. Ours ends up with a little but of date “sediment” sometimes that might turn others off.

Let me know if you try it and if you create any different flavored variations! Recipe below:

This post is linked to Natural Living Mondays, Make Your Own Mondays, Healthy Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, and Healthy 2Day Wednesdays.

Don’t you love finding a yard sale full of great books? Or a bookstore with a sale going on? The library here in Juneau has a bookstore run by volunteers that sells tons of books for about $1 each! $29.97 could get you pretty far in a situation like that!

But it wouldn’t be NEARLY as exciting as what I am about to share with you!

I know I’ve been posting  a lot of promos & giveaways lately. This has been temporary and purposeful, I promise! Many of you are new readers (hi!!), and part of the reason I hosted the giveaway or posted the recipe that got you here is so that you’d be reading when I announced this sale! I don’t want you to miss this!

This week (April 29-May 4) $29.97 will buy you an ENTIRE LIBRARY of books! Books handpicked just for homemakers like you!

And if an entire library of e-books (if e-books intimidate you, don’t worry! I am posting a big post full of helpful tips tomorrow!) weren’t enough – you’ll also be getting over $140 of freebies! But before I get ahead of myself, I know you really want to see what’s in this bundle! Here it is!

Isn’t that an amazing selection?! It shakes out to just $.31 per title! 97 titles to read or give as gifts (please delete your copy if you gift a title!) for the price of two print books!

These books have been written by some of my favorite bloggers and authors. I even have the privilege of considering a few of them friends! I’ve already purchased my bundle and I can hardly wait to dig in!

All the Beautiful Details

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97!

More than anything, our goal for this sale was for it to be, well… ultimate! We firmly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. For this low price, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you’ll use.

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools.

To sweeten the pot, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection, you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Each The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you’ll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae @ SarahMae.com ($4.99)
Getting it Together: Your Guide to Setting Up a Home Management System that Works by Kayse @ kayse pratt ($3.99)
Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky @ Clean Mama ($10.00)
Simple Living by Lorilee @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99)
NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99)
One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00)
28 Days to Hope for your Home by Dana @ A Slob Comes Clean ($5.00)
Organizing Life as Mom by Jessica @ Life as Mom ($9.00)
Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed by Jenni @ Live Called ($4.99)
10 Steps to Organized Paper by Lisa @ Lisa Woodruff.net($5.00)
Handmade Walls by Jamin and Ashley @ the handmade home ($9.95)
Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chore System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)

Educational Children’s Resources

Princess Training by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($3.99)
The Armor of God by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($2.50)
My Bedtime Learning Book by Richele @ Under the Golden Apple Tree ($1.00)
Think Outside the Classroom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($6.97)
Raising Rock Stars — Kindergarten Bundle by Carissa @ 1plus1plus1equals1 ($10.00)
The ABC’s For Godly Boys Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00)
The ABC’s For Godly Girls Curriculum by Lindsey @ Road to 31 ($8.00)
K4 Curriculum by Erica @ Confessions of a Homeschooler ($15.00)
Write Through the Bible (print) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00)
Write Through the Bible (cursive) by Trisha @ Intoxicated on Life ($5.00)
Balcony Girls (books 1 & 2) by Sandy @ Reluctant Entertainer ($19.90)
The Dig for Kids: Luke (Volumes 1 and 2) by Patrick, husband of Ruth @ The Better Mom ($5.98)
Music: An Essential Ingredient for Life by Ryan @ Resound School of Music ($6.99)

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

From Debtor to Better by Barry @ From Debtor to Better ($10.00)
Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy ($2.99)
The Homemakers Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule by Amy @ Raising Arrows ($4.99)
Your Grocery Budget Toolbox by Anne @ Authentic Simplicity ($7.99)
Finding Financial Freedom by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($5.97)
Become a Frugalista in 30 Days by Susan @ The Confident Mom ($3.99)

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Crock On by Stacy @ Stacy Makes Cents ($5.00)
Real Food, Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
Wholesome Mixes by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99)
Restocking the Pantry by Kresha @ Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
Money Saving Mom’s Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($3.99)
Simply Summer by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($7.95)
Do the Funky Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($4.95)
Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS and Jami @ Eat Nourishing ($20.00)
Seasonal Menu Plans on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana @ My Humble Kitchen ($4.99)
Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn @ Just Making Noise ($12.00)
The Curative Kitchen by Susan @ Handy Pantry ($20.00)

Pregnancy & Baby Care

First Bites by Hilary @ Accidentally Green ($9.99)
Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
Stress-Free Baby Shower by Sara @ Your Thriving Family ($4.00)
Unbound Birth by Jenny @ The Southern Institute ($2.99)
My Pregnancy Journey by Mindy @ Simply Designs ($9.99)
My Buttered Life Baby Edition by Renee @ Made On Hard Lotion ($5.00)
The Minimalist Mom’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Rachel @ The Minimalist Mom ($5.00)
Redeeming Childbirth: Growth & Study Guide by Angie @ Redeeming Childbirth ($3.99)

Holidays & Special Events

Festive Traditions by Jill @ Modern Alternative Kitchen ($7.95)
Holiday Mixes: Gifts in a Jar by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
Flourishing Spring by Michele @ Frugal Granola ($5.95)
Family Camping Handbook by Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship ($6.95)
Truth in the Tinsel by Amanda @ Oh, Amanda! ($7.99)
Plan a Fabulous Party by Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect ($4.99)
iPhone Photography: The Visual Guide by Alli @ Alli Worthington($9.97)

Spiritual Growth

Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 by Amy @ Amy Bayliss ($3.99)
The Best of Visionary Womanhood by Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood ($5.00)
God’s Word in my Heart: A Scripture Memory Learning Guide with Verses {all 4 versions} by Jenn @ The Purposeful Mom ($3.99)
Kept: a 13-Week Inductive Study on 1 Peter by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($4.99)
Love Like Him: an 8 week Inductive Bible study on 1 Corinthians 13 by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($2.99)

Marriage & Romance

Rekindling Romance by Jason & Jami @ A Biblical Marriage ($4.99)
Good Wife’s Guide by Darlene @ Time-Warp Wife ($2.99)
31 Days to Build a Better Spouse by Ashley @ Ashley Pichea ($4.99)
31 Days to Great Sex by Sheila @ To Love, Honor and Vacuum ($4.99)
Entangled: Recognize Your Emotional Affair by Amy @ Amy J. Bennett ($4.99)

Motherhood

The Heart of Simplicity by various authors @ The Heart of Simplicity ($9.99)
True Christian Motherhood by June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home ($7.00)
Hula Hoop Girl by September @ One September Day ($4.99)
When Motherhood Feels Too Hard by Kelly @ Generation Cedar ($4.97)
Mindset for Moms by Jamie @ Steady Days ($4.99)
From Cube to Farm by Heather @ From Cube to Farm ($2.99)
4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Parenting Questions by various authors @ 4 Moms, 35+ Kids Parenting E-book ($7.99)
That Works for Me! by Kristen @ We are THAT Family ($8.00)

Health & Fitness

100-pound Loser by Jessica @ Muthering Heights ($4.99)
Honoring the Rhythm of Rest by Danielle @ Domestic Serenity ($2.99)
42 Days to Fit by Brandy @ The Marathon Mom, Emma @ Real Fit Moms and Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($4.99)
Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
Personal ePlanner by Jennifer @ ListPlanIt ($5.00)

Beauty

Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae @ SaraMae.com ($4.99)
The Cottage Mama’s DIY Guide by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
Simple Scrubs to Make and Give by Stacy @ A Delightful Home ($3.99)
The No Brainer Wardrobe by Hayley @ The No Brainer Wardrobe ($7.99)
Embracing Beauty by Trina @ Trina Holden ($9.00)
Reuse, Refresh, Repurpose by Kristen @ The Frugal Girl ($3.99)

Working from Home & Blogging

Your Blogging Business: Tax, Talk and Tips by Nikki @ Christian Mommy Blogger ($4.99)
The Bootstrap VA by Lisa @ The Home Life {and Me} ($12.99)
How to Grow Your Blog and Manage Your Home by Jacinda @ Growing Home ($4.99)
How to Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too by Mandi @ Life Your Way ($12.00)
Simple Blogging: Less Computer Time, Better Blogging by Rachel @ Small Notebook ($8.00)

Ecourses

Learning in Love: The Preschool Years by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99)
Homeschooling from the Heart by Renee @ FIMBY ($7.99)
Grocery University by Carrie @ Colorado Bargains ($24.95)
Vibrant Living Strategies for Moms by Lisa @ Well-Grounded Life ($59)
You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.00)

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions. New members only.)

A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)

Get $10 off Union28′s original “my husband rocks” tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

• Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
• For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
• All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
• All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

• It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
• Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

The three flexis pictured above are all limited time. The bottom style is only available for 5 more days! All of them are perfect for Mother’s Day. And ALL of them are 10% off TODAY (Friday) ONLY! Purchase them here.

If you’re not familiar with Lilla Rose flexi clips or why they are so amazing, you can read a little about how they are made (with music wire!) and why I love them to much here. I am an Independent Consultant with Lilla Rose, so thanks in advance for considering this as your Mother’s Day gift!

If you have any questions about the best size (there are 7) for your hair, just contact me!

You can also find hair inspiration on my YouTube Channel, Lilla Rose Facebook Page, and Pinterest Hair Board. :)

Ultimate Homemaking E-Book Sale!

You’ll have to wait just a few days to take advantage of this sale, but I just had to give you a little bit of warning…

97 EBOOKS! For just $29.97!! Crazy!

I already own 6 of these books and I can vouch that they are wonderful. That means 91 that I haven’t read! And you can bet I’m buying them for myself for Mother’s Day!

What will be included?

I will post a complete list of titles on Monday the 29th. In this bundle you’ll find books (and e-courses!) that cover everything from marriage to blogging, from babies to fashion, from food to homeschooling!

The price is so ridiculously low that it shakes out to $.31 per title!!

On top of that – there will be $140 of FREEBIES for each person who purchases the bundle, including a two month subscription to Fit2BUs workouts!

What if you already have half of the titles? Well… I’m jealous… but good news!! Any titles you already own (or any that you aren’t interested in) can be passed along/gifted to someone else! You are free to give them away as long as you delete your copy!

And if $29.99 still isn’t in your budget, consider splitting the cost and the content with a friend!

These e-book authors are super generous! I am an affiliate, and I will receive 40% of the sales price from any bundles purchased through my link. So come Monday, when you see all the buzz, please consider visiting this blog to support me!

“Like” Raising the Barrs on Facebook so you’ll see my reminders.