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My Perspective On The iRobot Vacuum | Are Roombas Worth It?

I'd been wanting an iRobot vacuum for quite a while, and recently got one. Today I'm answering the question, "Are Roombas are worth it?" A couple years ago I gave my mom an iRobot vacuum cleaner for Christmas. However as time went on, she didn’t use it a ton, and she ended up giving it back to me. Getting it was my happiest day in a long time! But the question was, would it live up to the hype and actually benefit us on a regular basis? I'm sharing my thoughts on that with you today. Celebrating The Small Joys (Like iRobot Vacuums) Seeing the words "my happiest day in a long time" on the screen makes me cringe a bit, but rest-assured, I do know that my life's joy isn't wrapped up in a mechanical vacuum. But my excitement must be a bit higher than usual, because this year has been crazy with so much disappointment. The little joys in life really seem worth celebrating, don't they? Anyway, there's just something thrilling about getting a machine that'll vacuum my house for me. I can leave the house and come back and it'll be clean. Oh my heavens! What genius invented these things?!  Are Roombas Worth It? 5 Things I Learned So as you can see, I did love my Roomba from the get-go... (read more) Read the full article

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Why I Once Made Special Dinner Food For Kids, But Stopped

It's hard to prepare dinner food for kids when they're super picky. Learn why Heather started making separate meals, then decided to stop. I used to make separate dinner food for my kids. If I didn't, they picked at their plates and only ate bites the size of a mouse's nose. For example, if there was anything chewy, hard, squishy, weird-colored (which could mean any color at all), too hot, too cold, in the wrong cup, on the wrong plate... they didn't like it. Then one day we stopped making separate food for kids, and had them eat what the family was eating. And guess what? They didn’t die. And they didn't even complain that much. (I was shocked). Here's how it all happened: Why I Made Separate Meals In The First Place My Daughter Had Texture/Sensory Issues Of course, I made separate meals when they were babies and only learning to eat.  But early on, my somewhat-sensory-sensitive oldest daughter shaped the way I cooked dinners. She had issues with texture, plus she choked/gagged on mandarin orange strings a few times when she was pretty young. After that, she refused anything remotely chewy or stringy.  I can't blame her because it's pretty freaky to get orange strings stuck down the back of your throat, making you gag. I shudder at the thought. During her twos and threes, she was pretty good at trying new foods, but wouldn't eat more than a bite or two. And if she didn’t eat, then 15 minutes after dinner was over she would be asking for a snack... Read the full article

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Two Simple Hacks That Will Entertain Kids In The Car For Hours

If you've driven anywhere with children, you know they get bored and whiny easily in the car. Don't miss these awesome hacks to entertain kids on the road! In this stage of motherhood, I spend a lot of time in the car. Which means my children also spend a lot of time in the car, and have ample time to get bored and make ear-splitting screeches about dying of hunger. Between school runs and normal errands, I feel like we are ALWAYS in the car. And because of that, I've had to get organized on how to keep the younger two entertained. This has become like my secret sauce of motherhood-- keeping myself sane in the car. I mean, of course my main focus is to entertain the kids and keep them happy, it has nothing to do with me. Ahem. So today, I thought I'd send you TWO amazing car hacks, in case you've ever have a child who is SO over being in the car that they start driving you bonkers (who hasn't?). Two Simple Hacks That Will Entertain Kids In The Car For Hours #1- The Book Bin I have two book baskets in my van. One is a foldable fabric basket that I had lying around. The other is a soft basket (like this) we got as a shower gift long ago. Read the full article

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11 Easy Trader Joe’s Frozen Meals For New Moms

Need some dinner ideas? These Trader Joe's frozen meals are perfect for new moms and busy families! Don't miss this list! My kids are about to revolt. We're out of Trader Joe's frozen blueberry waffles, and the kids have had it with my continual failure to hit up TJ's for a new stash. They want answers. Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic here, but it's true that they do ask, "Do we have any waffles yet???" practically every day. I live a bit far from Trader Joe's to make it a weekly stop, so it's taking me a while to get there. Plus, with online shopping and drive-up groceries delivered to my vehicle at Safeway, I'm getting a bit spoiled. But I'm running out of some key freezer items (in addition to the waffles) that I like to always keep on hand. So I'm going to have to go soon. And who am I kidding? I LOVE to go to TJs. I'd just rather go alone than with any or all of my kids, so I've been putting it off. (Am I alone here?) No more excuses! Must get waffles! The Best Meals At Trader Joe's For New Moms Today I'm giving you a list I created especially for new moms. (But I won't tell if you've been a mom awhile and you still want to peek) I have a soft spot for new moms, because you have a huge time crunch when it comes to making meals. I've found that Trader Joe's frozen dinners are SO tasty and SO easy that they make any new mom's dinner prep a breeze... (read more) Read the full article

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Introducing Some Friends Dear To My Heart Here At Strong With Grace

Here are the top posts I've done on friends' blogs to inspire you as a mom! In the past several months, I've enjoyed being featured or guest posting on some amazing sites created by some wonderful bloggers and businesses. It's not always natural for me to ask to post on someone else's blog, and it's been an exercise in growing my confidence. Also it really made me think about what I have to offer the other writers and their audiences. I've always been social and I love connecting on a deep level with others. But on the flip side, I'm an introvert who thrives on alone time. I'm also incredibly independent and like to figure things out on my own. I like to set off and accomplish goals, pursuing them on my own and not looking to many others to help me out. Fighting The Urge To Stay Isolated During this crazy season of isolation, it's been easy for me to push ahead and not consider how I can engage with others. Making connections can seem like a lot of extra work when I simply want to get the job done. It's taken me a while, but I've finally started to realize the value of relationships in something so individualistic as a blog. And today I'm going to introduce you to some blog posts I've written, but instead of posting them here on Strong with Grace, I posted them on other sites with the help of some fabulous bloggers and friends. Below you'll find links to the guest posts and collaborations that I've done with other bloggers... Read the full article

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7 Reasons Why I Love My Minivan (Wanna Get One?)

If you're considering a minvan, don't miss Heather's 7 reasons she loves hers! Her husband even came around and now "likes" it too! A while ago, my husband wrote a hilarious post about us getting a minivan and the fact that I'd finally convinced him to get one. We got the blessed vehicle over a year ago now, and I can safely say that I'm just as excited it about it now as I was then. My husband even *might* admit that he's rather fond of it as well. In a very manly way of course. As for me, I personally think "wow, this car is SO freaking amazing. So glad we got it!" on a regular basis. I know there's a huge stigma about getting one and some people just can't bring themselves to do it. But I'll tell you that it's more than worth biting the bullet, heading down to the dealership and picking out the car that will save your sanity 1000 times over. Why do I love it so? Let me count the ways... 1-3 Those Beautiful Minivan Sliding Doors The sliding doors actually count for numbers 1-3 and here's why: 1- No Dinging Of Other Cars In The Parking Lot While I like to find the closest spot possible to the store, my husband is the opposite. He parks as far away as possible (at least it seems that way to me) in order to avoid door dings and getting boxed in by other cars. They say opposites attract, right? Regardless, the sliding doors are genius. They prevent excited toddlers from shoving the door open as hard as they can and slamming it into another vehicle... Read the full article

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27 Quotes With Humor And Encouragement For New Moms

If you've recently had a baby, or know someone who has, don't miss this encouragement for new moms! You'll find 27 quotes and inspiration, plus get 4 free printable mom quote bookmarks! Sometimes I look around my living room and think, "What the heck happened in here?" I cleaned and organized it literally 7 minutes ago, and it's already a complete disaster. On occasion I can laugh it off and I hear an old granny voice in my head saying, "oh, they're only young once, Deary." Other times, my blood boils, I feel exasperated because my house won't be clean for like a million years, and I moan, "why do they always drop everything in the middle of the walkway?!?!?" Motherhood Is A Marathon Not A Fast Walk To The Pantry For Chocolate I'm pretty sure that deep down, we all know that we love our children and that a clean house is not THE most important thing in the world. But it would be nice to feel like the never-ending treadmill of laundry, cooking, dishes, and cleaning up would somehow grind to a halt and we'd get a little break. Going to the pantry for chocolate is one of my favorite breaks, by the way. But I digress... As moms, it's important to take care of ourselves and to set boundaries with the kids. However, with parenting, there will always be certain things we can't avoid, like picking up messes that appear out of nowhere.... (read more) Read the full article

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21 Inspirational First Time Mom Quotes

Motherhood brings on so many tough challenges. Take a breath, know that you're doing great, and check out these first time mom quotes for inspiration! Includes 4 free mom-quote bookmarks!  I remember one time as a new mom, after my daughter had gotten her 6-month shots, she started to have trouble breathing. At least, I thought she sounded kind of wheezy. Was I sure? Not really. Actually I was VERY unsure. Instantly my mind started racing with what I should do. Was she still getting air and breathing? Yes. Was she showing distress? Not really. Still, I couldn't tell, and I was worried that she was having a vaccine reaction. I'm writing this post about first time mom quotes because it's so hard as a brand new mom to know how to handle each new challenge. I could have used some inspiration, and I'm sure you can too. Motherhood brings lots of questions (thank goodness for Google!): When is my baby ready for solids? How do I get stuff done around the house now? How do we handle teething? And what about sleep training? We All Have New Mom Questions In my case, the question was: Should I take my baby to the Emergency Room? And not only that, but my husband was deployed at the time, so I didn't have his opinion or perspective on it. It was all on me. Read the full article

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17 Amazing Instagram Moms To Follow Who Love Jesus

If your feed is full of random pics and not relevant to your life, don't miss this list of Instagram moms who love Jesus! Get inspired and encouraged today! It's easy to feel isolated and lonely at home, especially when you've got kiddos to wrangle and not a lot of mom friends to vent to. Sometimes Instagram can be a nice escape, but what about when the images flashing through your feed are discouraging, or make you feel more insecure than encouraged? I've been there. I've been spending more time over on Instagram lately and on some days I enjoy my feed. Other times it seems random and irrelevant, and that usually ends with me unfollowing a few people. It's important and healthy to make sure you're not allowing a bunch of discouraging stuff into your feed-- just unfollow or block if necessary! One cool thing though, is I never realized how easy it is to connect with so many other awesome Instagram moms who love the Lord. It's fun to get a sneak peek into their lives, in a self-paparazzi kind of way, and see that I've got similar struggles and similar passions to a lot of other women out there. I have to admit, some people are better than others at the pretty feeds and staying true to their message. I feel like I'm still working on both aspects, but it's always a work in progress. Read the full article

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21 Top Baby Sleeping Products To Keep Baby Snug, Safe & Asleep All Night

Looking for the best baby sleeping products for your registry or newborn? Don't miss Heather's complete list and insider tips. Includes all 21 items in a printable checklist. I remember it so clearly: laying in bed in the middle of the night, groggily glancing at my phone to check the time. "Is she going back to sleep, or is she up for good?" I would wonder every time, staring at the video monitor and listening to my baby fuss and squirm. I'd slip back toward sleep, then she would start to wail and I knew I had to peel myself out of bed. Moms = Warriors Of The Night Regardless of what type of parenting style you have... what method of feeding you do, whether you just fell asleep or you've been out for hours, or you use a routine or go minute-by-minute, it doesn't matter: You're amazing! Plus, all moms with babies experience the sleep-deprivation, the night sessions, the being pulled from a cozy warm bed to face the dim, chilled air. And it's tough. I know, I've been there too, with all three of my daughters.... Read the full article

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How To Be Productive At Home With A Baby (or Toddlers)

Wondering how to be productive at home with a baby? We moms want to both get stuff done + care for our kids. Don't miss these secrets to doing it all! Plus get a free guide, "How To Start An Infant Sleep Schedule" to help you find time to accomplish your goals.  Today I'm excited to introduce my friend, fellow military spouse and mom, Noralee Jones! Noralee blogs over at MrsNavyMama.com and I've come to realize that she's a master of productivity. She's going to share with you all about how to be productive at home, which is something she mastered long before having her four children. But I'm pretty sure she's almost perfected it by now. Noralee and I have followed each other around the country, ending up at nearby duty stations multiple times. Both of our third kiddos even had the same scheduled c-section date in San Diego, though my daughter pulled a fast one and decided to come early. Don't miss all of Noralee's incredible tips that will make your life as a new mama sooooooo much easier! I've already learned some awesome hacks in the process of preparing this post. Yay! How To Be Productive At Home As A Mom With Young Kids Children are one of the most amazing paradoxes the universe has ever come up with. A child can make you want to cry from joy in one minute and fear in the next.... (read more) Read the full article

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How To Find Contentment in God (As A Tired Mom)

It's hard to find contentment in God when it seems like "more stuff" will give us the confidence boost we need. Learn how to get back to the truth. Last month I found a cute, trendy pair of casual sneakers. I have the hardest time finding shoes in my size, but I was so pumped to find these shoes. I felt like I had taken a step up from the mom frump I've been feeling. Finally! Then my 2-year-old reached over and drew across the top of one shoe with a dry erase marker. AHHHHHHH! I was so pissed. And disappointed. And mad at myself for letting her have a dry erase marker, which I knew better. Plus I was standing right by her while she wrote on a dry erase board. How did I not see that coming? I also felt a bit crushed. The new shoes symbolized me gaining back some self-worth after my body had been out of whack. I felt like I was going to be "cool" again (whatever that is). Ha. A backstory would help here. Besides having a hard time finding shoes, my closet had mostly been maternity clothes for two years. The remnants of two back to back pregnancies, my hangers were filled with worn-out tees, no-longer-used maternity clothes and 2500 sweatshirt jackets because, hey, they're comfy. Nothing bad about comfy, don't get me wrong. But I found myself feeling not cute or "put together" most of the time... Read the full article

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5 Myths That Kept Me From Feeling Like A Good Mother

What is a good mother? Why do we always feel like we'll never be enough for our family and kids? Discover myths that discourage moms-- and be free of them! These days it's pretty easy to feel like a failure as a mother, pretty much all the time: When you see kids quietly following their mom's orders while your child is at your feet screaming bloody murder.As you crumble in agony due to stepping on a lego (that hasn't been put away for days) and your kids moan that they have nothing to do.When you gag over the instagram-perfect pictures of families frolicking in nature while you drown in piles of laundry and your kids are destroying the stack you just folded. It's enough to make you curl up into a ball and hide under a blanket for the rest of the week. Except for the nagging realization that when you emerge from the blanket, the chaos will be even worse than before. I used to struggle with the feeling that I was doing a horrible job as a mother. That I wasn't good enough and I would never get a handle on all the crap that came my way. But I learned that feeling was a lie. I allowed myths to dictate how I felt about myself and whether or not I was a good mother. Here are some of those myths: 1- That if I wasn't doing everything right, I wasn't "good enough." (read more) Read the full article

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What Prego Moms Can Expect At Pregnancy Dr Appointments | Interview

What do pregnancy dr appointments look like these days? Are you fearful to be pregnant right now? Don't miss the timely tips in this insightful interview! Plus you'll have the chance to start the free "5 Days To Positive Thinking" email challenge.  Today I'm thrilled to have my lovely sister in law, Stephanie, sharing on the blog. As I write this, she is literally preparing to be induced tomorrow if all goes as planned! I'm so excited to be an auntie again! Since Steph has been facing our global health situation throughout most of her pregnancy, I couldn't think of a better person to interview for this topic. She can give you, my readers, some incredible insight into what pregnancy dr appointments are like and what is different for her this time around. (She has another son the same age as my oldest-- my girls all love him!) Here are her answers to my questions on all things pregnancy dr appointments, spouse and partner rules & regulations, and digging into her fears and how she processes through them. What Prego Moms Can Expect At Pregnancy Dr Appointments How have your pregnancy dr appointments been different during this season than your last pregnancy? The main difference has been the frequency of in person visits, and who can attend visits. There have been no visitors allowed at my OB’s office since March, and we’ve been asked to wear masks in the office since April. Read the full article

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I Thought God Couldn’t Hug Me (And 3 Other Silly Things I Believed)

We moms often believe lies that stop us from living confidently and trusting God. Heather shares personal examples in this God hug story (and three others). This is the third post in the New Mom Encouragement Series! Be sure to check out the other posts below! I was single all through my 20s, which felt like being one of those incredible dogs you see that are missing a leg: They can do amazing things and are happy, but a big piece is glaringly absent. I really wanted to meet “the one.” During those years, I did Bible studies about waiting on God, pursued other dreams like coaching basketball and teaching, and kept my eyes peeled for the handsome guy in jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and ball cap, driving a truck. I was a little unsure, though, how God would sustain me during this time without a significant other. God couldn't even hug me, so how would He fulfill my longing for a husband? I thought He might be able to find me someone, but what about in the meantime? It seemed like His love could only get me so far but there were ways He couldn’t fulfill me.  I used to believe some other silly things too. For example: 1- I Believed I Needed To Fulfill Every Dream In My Heart. Immediately. When I was younger, I felt like I needed to change the world yesterday. That I was wasting my life if I wasn’t accomplishing all that was on my heart... Read the full article

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Does It Work? How I Used A Newborn Sleep Routine With All My Girls

Want to use a newborn sleep routine but wonder how they work? Don't miss Heather's recap from parenting her 3 daughters and see the results from real life. Includes a free guide "How To Start An Infant Sleep Schedule." Click here to download. Morning Glory I woke up to the beam of light peeking through the cracks in the curtains. As I rolled over and slowly settled into a new position, I winced protectively and held my stomach.  My c-section was healing nicely, but I still didn’t feel quite normal at 8 weeks post-delivery.  Glancing at my newborn sleeping peacefully in her travel-sized pack n play, a smile crept onto my face. She’s still out, and sounds like the other girls are too. I wish Daddy could be here to see her.  Daddy had missed the last two months of pregnancy. He had only witnessed the c-section delivery over the phone from onboard an aircraft carrier. And he didn’t meet this baby, his third daughter, until she was 5 months old. But in that moment, though I missed him dearly, I could only focus on one thing: going back to sleep... Read the full article

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To My Girls Who Get Mommy's Leftovers When I Help Your Two Sisters

As a mom, do you ever feel defeated and like you're not enough for your kids? I do. Here is my message to my girls and where I turn for the truth. This is the eighth post in the New Mom Encouragement Series! Be sure to check out the other posts below! Some days I feel like I can't win. I'm doing everything I can to love and serve my three girls, and then my efforts blows up in my face. One kid is complaining, one has a boo-boo, and one is flopping on the floor in tears because she wants to snuggle, but I'm bringing in the groceries. I feel like I can't meet the needs of my children all at once. It might be the nature of raising kids 6 and under, or the reality of life in a big family. But there is only so much of me to go around. And while I know they will learn to wait their turn and share, some days I end up feeling defeated and like I'm not enough for my kids. So, today I wrote this letter to my kids to tell them how I feel, how much I love them, and to work my way back to remembering that the grace of God covers all my shortcomings. To my darling daughters who get my leftovers when I help your two sisters: To my oldest: My heart hurts when you ask me to help you do your hair in the morning but I have to get the 2-year-old dressed before we dash out the door. I want desperately to help you learn to do your hair the way you want and to help you understand how to express your true beauty, inside and out. I promise to work harder to make more time to help you. Read the full article