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Bonnie and Blithe

  • The 12 Best Books I Read in 2020

    Life

    Reading for fun is one of my favorite pasttimes, but finding a great book can take a lot of energy! Here is the list of the 12 best books I read…

  • 6 Ways to Be a More Positive Mom

    Parenting

    Do you often find yourself doing more reactive parenting than intentional parenting? Read on for 6 ways to be a more positive mom and exuding joy and contentment, instead of always…

  • How (and why!) I stopped washing my hair

    Life

    If you’re interested in reducing the amount of time you spend getting ready each day (who isn’t?) then this post is for you! Read on for insights into my alternative hair-care…

  • How to be at peace with a messy house

    Parenting

    No one enjoys living in a messy house, but it’s par for the course with little kids at home (especially 9 of them)! If you’re looking for ways to stop going…

  • Christmas on the Cheap! How to Find Joy Without A Huge Budget

    Life

    The holidays can be a difficult time for many reasons, not the least of which is limited finances. Especially during a year of economic downturn, you might be looking for ways…

  • 5 Unexpected Ways a Smart Watch Can Improve Your Life

    Life

    Thinking about buying yourself a smart watch? There’s no doubt that they’re handy pieces of technology, but I was surprised at all the ways a smart watch can improve your life.…

  • Throw an awesome party on a tight budget: this one cost under $60!

    Life

    Whether you’re planning a holiday party, a birthday shindig or a baby shower, hosting friends doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Here is a step-by-step guide on how to throw an…

  • Coaching for Moms

    Life

    Being a mom requires massive amounts of physical, emotional and mental exertion…not to mention making time for your own self-care! Sometimes we just need someone in our corner helping us move…

  • Simple Holiday Traditions for Busy Moms

    Life

    Holiday traditions are what childhood memories are made of! But they shouldn’t be made at the expense of mom’s sanity. Here are some favorite ideas for creating simple holiday traditions that…

  • Create a Gallery Wall: Big Impact for Little Cost!

    Life

    Our front entryway was just a big blank canvas when we moved in two years ago, but our new pink picture wall is now one of my favorite spots in the…

  • Why We’re Not Buying Our Kids Smart Phones (and What We Use Instead)

    Parenting

    Most of us can hardly remember a time before smart phones, but in reality they’ve only been around for about 10 years. Our family is choosing to delay giving our children…

  • DIY Leopard Wrap Skirt

    Sewing

    Give me a tried and true pattern, a fun printed fabric and a couple of hours and I’ll sew up a wrap skirt! This DIY leopard wrap skirt is comfy, flattering…

  • My Favorite Unique Kitchen Gadgets

    Life

    You don’t have to be a world-class chef to really appreciate some great unique kitchen gadgets. Even if you don’t love spending time in the kitchen, the right tools can make…

  • THE Best Fitness Tool for Moms

    Fitness & Nutrition

    Our bodies go through a LOT thanks to pregnancy, breastfeeding and the overall exhaustion of motherhood. And while there are tons of gyms, fitness programs and workout apps available, there aren’t…

Older Posts

Welcome to Bonnie and Blithe

A blog to help you find more BEAUTY & JOY in your life as a stay-at-home mom. Click to read more

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As I sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for baby As I sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for baby, I’ve already begun thinking and getting excited about what to wear after I’m no longer pregnant! 🎉

After 8 times of dressing a postpartum body, I’m under NO illusions that I’ll be hopping back into size 6 jeans anytime soon, but I do know what to wear to make myself feel good, even with 30+ extra pounds hanging around (this photo 👆🏼 was taken 6 weeks after having Dean). 

I actually wrote a whole post about these fave postpartum pieces (it’s linked in my profile). Tag a new or expectant mama who might want some ideas for feeling amazing after baby!

#postpartumfashion #postpartumbody
I’m getting ready to give birth for the 10th (an I’m getting ready to give birth for the 10th (and final?!? 🤷🏻‍♀️) time and so birth is definitely on my mind these days!

Isn’t it about the craziest thing in the world that a tiny human being can grow inside another one and then come out, basically all on its own?

I’ve spent 16 years reading, researching, praying and planning for the births of my babies and each has been so different!

I’m grateful for the first two which were on the traumatic side so that I felt inspired to dive into the world of birth and make different choices.

I’m grateful for midwives and OBs, their training and their willingness to listen to me and my body.

I’m grateful for the community of moms I’ve found in person and online who care deeply about their birthing experiences and work hard to have the healthiest, most positive births they can.

I have had many well-intentioned loved ones question my birth choices and insinuate that I was doing something irresponsible or dangerous.

It’s important for us to remember that there’s NO ONE on the planet who cares more about the well-being and health of their body and their baby’s than a mother. And I would argue that there’s no one more qualified to make the right decision regarding a birth than the person doing the birthing.

I have never taken the decision about where, how and with whom to give birth lightly. These decisions have been the result of much prayer, research and listening. 

I’m mostly grateful for inspiration and the ability we all have to get direction from the One who knows everything from the beginning. 

I can’t wait to see how this birth pans out!
Life lessons from a brand new 4 year old: • birt Life lessons from a brand new 4 year old:
• birthdays are to be anticipated and celebrated!
• don’t be afraid to try something new, no matter how many times you might fail (watching her on her tiny new rollerblades is adorable)
• forgive completely and quickly. Forgiveness doesn’t pardon the offender, it frees the offended 
• smile at everyone and hug all your friends and family regularly 
• it’s OK to be thrilled about simple things (a unicorn balloon, a bag of skittles, or a new $6 toy)

I think this might be my new favorite age...she’s so fun to watch!
Happy Valentine’s Day to this crew of crazies wh Happy Valentine’s Day to this crew of crazies who fill me up with so much love every single day. ❤️❤️
(But there’s also LOTS of yelling and stress and crying and sass, every single day. 
Just in case anyone was wondering 😝)
Who else lived their whole lives thinking that if Who else lived their whole lives thinking that if they “just tried harder”, they’d stop feeling bad about themselves??

When my girl @brenebrown dropped this little tidbit on me in her book, Dare to Lead, I almost fell over. You mean, my early adult attempts at being “perfect” simply stemmed from my inability to accept myself exactly how I am?

Ummm, yup. #micdrop

Here’s the good news- all our scrambling to be the perfect parent and have the perfect house and look perfectly put together can be curtailed with a very simple (but often extremely challenging) thought: 

That we are enough. 

That doesn’t mean we get to stop trying to improve or that we can or should be content with laziness, it just means that we can sit back and be at peace with our imperfections. 

My imperfections of today are here to teach me lessons which will help me improve and get to a level that uncovers more imperfections. Then I get to work on those. (And so on...)

Let’s give ourselves permission to stop doing this little dance called “pretend there’s nothing wrong with me”. 
It’s exhausting, amiright?

In truth, the more we allow others to see us and all our flaws, the more we’ll ALL realize that we’re beautiful and lovable, just the way we are. 

(This whole fight against perfectionism is where my friend Monica @aboutprogress shines- everything she writes about it is...well, perfection 😉👏🏼).
#37weeks with baby #10! Swipe to see the wild rid #37weeks with baby #10!

Swipe to see the wild ride the past 16 years have been...

My road to motherhood has been hard; I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. There’s been lots of discomfort and oodles of sleepless nights.  And then labors and deliveries that have required more of me emotionally and physically than I ever thought I was capable of.

But every last moment has been worth it for all the beautiful, tiny humans that God has entrusted us with. 
Every. Last. Moment.

Of course it’s taken some work and sacrifice to get here; all good things come with a price. But mostly it’s been an incredible, awe-inspiring HONOR. 
I’d do it all over again in a second. 

#familiesareforever
So this happened this week 😱😱😱 Some craz So this happened this week 😱😱😱

Some crazy thoughts and feelings come over a girl when she’s suddenly in the passenger seat of a (massive) van that her baby is driving.

Thoughts about what I can, should and shouldn’t control in mine and my children’s lives. Thoughts about all the scary, terrible things that might happen to my kids when I let them make their own choices. And thoughts about the amazing opportunities and joy that await them when I DO let them choose for themselves. 
Deep thoughts for a Wednesday, basically 😂
How are you handling the relinquishing of control as your kids grow up??
We create so much drama around our appearance as w We create so much drama around our appearance as women, don’t ya think?
Add in some self abuse (crappy eating, lack of exercise or eating disorders), changing bodies due to pregnancy, nursing, weight gain and loss, and it becomes seemingly impossible to having positive feelings about our amazing, incredible bodies.

What if you decided that there’s absolutely zero problem with your body the way it is today? What if you thought that your body gives you exactly the freedom, joy and power that it’s supposed to?

What if you you chose today to show your body the love and acceptance that you *think* you would if it looked “perfect”??
How would that change things??

#mombodlove #babynumber10
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