Steady Mom

Steady Mom's Christmas Vacation

Photo by George

Hi there friends. After two years of writing here regularly, I feel the need for a little blog vacation--just in time for the holidays.

I'll be spending lots of intentional moments with my three little people, busily unwrapping the gift of slow.

I hope you'll be doing the same, wherever you are.

If you're new around here, make yourself at home!

There are two full years of archives to browse through, or you can cut right to the chase by heading to 20 of my most popular posts.

If you need a boost of mothering enthusiasm before the new year, you can always get a copy of my book Steady Days for a quick dose of encouragement.

I'd love for you to subscribe as well, so you'll be up to speed when I start writing in the new year.

I may post a few holiday photos over the next three weeks, and you can always catch me over at Simple Homeschool.

Happy, wondrous, thrilling, peaceful, joyful holidays to you and yours!

Paying It Forward

Yesterday gave me such joy - I loved sharing a little surprise with you all and hearing from those of you whose day it brightened.

A few people mentioned in the comments the idea of paying forward one kindness with another--I love it! This time of year, more than any other, opportunities for us to do good abound and it blesses both us and our children when we seek out ways to give to others.

There are also a few small ways that you can support my work and the causes on my heart this time of year, so I thought I'd take a moment to mention those today.

A Giveaway for You - With 100 Winners (!)

Photo by Brandi Sims

To celebrate two years of blogging, I wanted to do something fun.

Something different.

I just finished five days of giveaways over on Simple Homeschool last week. It was awesome, but I didn't want to recreate more of the same.

Still, I wanted to have a little way to say thank you to those of you who read here so faithfully.

Soooooo, I decided to give away 100 e-copies of Steady Days! Today!!

7 Ways Starting a Blog is Like Having Your First Child

Photo by David Terrazas

This week I celebrate two years of blogging. Two years ago I sat down at this machine and crafted my very first post.

A lot has happened during those 730 days. I've thought from time to time that blogging and child-raising share quite a few similarities.

Know what I mean?

Here are seven ways that starting a blog is a bit like having your first child.

1. You have no clue what you're doing at first.

In my book Steady Days I write about the overwhelming moment when, hours after giving birth to Jonathan, the fullness of my lack of mothering knowledge struck me straight in the eyes.

Should we use a pacifier? Is thumb-sucking good or bad? Where should he sleep? And on and on.

In the first few months here at Steady Mom I had similar questions: How do I get readers? Do other people really want to read about me and my children? Do I have to join Facebook?