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Author: Lori Beth Auldridge

5 Reasons I Switched to Natural Beauty Products

4 / 30 / 194 / 14 / 20

This article contains affiliate links. I appreciate Primally Pure’s products so much that I asked to be an affiliate for them to help spread their message of better health through good for you skin care products. Over the last decade, I’ve slowly but surely been switching my beauty and skin care products to more natural… Read More

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Our Invitations Are Numbered: The Shortest Longest Season of Motherhood

2 / 9 / 194 / 14 / 20
Our Invitations Are Numbered

I wrote this post a year ago when I had three kids under five. I was very tired then—still am. I never published it because I didn’t want to make anyone feel “guilty” about having a hard time with mothering in the early years. Many mamas write about embracing motherhood only to have others come… Read More

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The Never Ending Homeschool Question: What About Socialization?

2 / 2 / 194 / 14 / 20
Homeschool and Socialization

It’s Groundhog Day which makes me think of the Bill Murray movie where he lives the same day over and over until he “gets it.” Sometimes when I mention to others that I homeschool my children, it feels like that kind of Groundhog Day. It often plays out like this: Person: (When they see us… Read More

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Listen to Mothers: The Need for Change in Hospital Births

11 / 30 / 184 / 14 / 20
Listen to Mothers

They didn’t listen. Sometimes I watch my birth videos with my children (or I guess I should say, my ‘just after birth’ videos since births can’t be filmed at our hospital). And every time I’m sad. Deeply, deeply sad. Because a few years removed from my births, I see the bigger picture…I watch and hear… Read More

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Party Food & Favors

11 / 24 / 1811 / 19 / 18

Dear yayas,  The holidays are coming which means party after party. Not to mention all the kid birthdays mixed in there. What do I serve? I’m over the pizza thing. And I am tired of plastic trinkets that we take home that just turn into junk lying around. (Is that too harsh?) I appreciate get togethers,… Read More

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Gifts for Moms

11 / 17 / 1811 / 19 / 18

Dear yayas, I’m a dad in need of a mom’s perspective…getting gifts for my wife is hard. She doesn’t like surprises. How do I know what is the best gift for a wife/mom? I struggle with this every year. I usually wait until the last minute and I’m trying not to do that this year.… Read More

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Too Many Toys

11 / 10 / 1811 / 19 / 18

Dear yayas, 
Christmas has gotten out of control in our house. My parents and ILs buy us WAY too much stuff for our kid. We haven’t even opened or used a few things they gave him from his birthday. But really, we just don’t want the stuff. What would you do or tell people NOW… Read More

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Working From Home

11 / 3 / 1811 / 19 / 18

Dear yayas, I’m technically a stay at home mom, but I also work full time as a bookkeeper so I have to actually work during the day and meet with clients, even though I meet with them at my home. The issue I’m having is that I feel kind of bad about my kid. I’m… Read More

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Easier or Harder?

10 / 27 / 1810 / 13 / 18

Dear yayas,  Do you find friendships easier or harder once you have children? I’m getting ready to have my first baby and a friend of mine casually mentioned that friendships are easier now that she is a mom, but that pretty much means you can’t be friends with people without kids once you have them.… Read More

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Not So Fun-draisers

10 / 20 / 1810 / 13 / 18

Dear yayas, The school year has started again and the fundraisers are in full swing. How can schools even make these “mandatory?” I’m tired of asking family and coworkers for more money for useless things. And now my one daughter’s preschool is making us sell over $200 in raffle tickets no matter what. If we… Read More

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Lori Beth Auldridge is a mama bear to three little girls. She and her husband Chris run a renovation business in upcountry Maui. Lori Beth dreams up the designs and Chris makes all those dreams come to life. Her days are filled with her favorite things... coffee, writing, homeschooling, babywearing, audiobooks, binge reading parenting articles, miniature goats, fancy chickens, exploring Maui, moms groups, and more coffee. Yayamamas is her way of spreading aloha and using her B.A., M.A., & M.F.A. degrees to put more good into the world.

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Here’s to 43! 🥳 We’re spending my birthday Here’s to 43! 🥳 We’re spending my birthday traveling in our RV on an epic family adventure! So many long time dreams coming true this week 💕 I’ll share more when the whirlwind is over 🥰
I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with I wouldn’t trade all of these extra moments with my children for anything in the world. Homeschool has allowed us to learn and grow together. Right now we have the joy of traveling together on our own schedule. This time with these beautiful children is the greatest gift. 💙 

This audio is perfect for this memory. Staying at campgrounds you run into a lot of retired people. They light up around babies and children. You can see memories of their own children and grandchildren twinkle in their eyes. They “get it” in ways those of us in the thick of young seasons can’t sometimes. 🥰

We stayed at the KOA in Billings, Montana (the very first KOA ever, 10/10 recommend). There was an older couple playing mini golf behind us. The older woman said, “Your children are wonderful. You obviously spend a lot of time with them…it shows.” (Oh, my heart 🥰) I told her we homeschool. “Good for you,” she said. “A lot of people are taking that route…I think it’s good.”

For all the naysayers out there, there are others who are cheering for you, Mama. 💙 I’m cheering you on, too. We are allowed to enjoy our children without pressure and criticism. If you find yourself feeling pressured or discouraged today (from the outside or inside), do something to release that pressure valve and return to just enjoying being a mother to your beautiful children. Look in their eyes. Give them a hug. Tell them something you admire about them. Tell them you love being their mom. Maybe do something fun together just because. 💗
I found my laminator & binding machine after almos I found my laminator & binding machine after almost 2 years of being packed away in boxes. 🤩 I’m ready to laminate everything! 😂

We are on an RV trip…part homeschool, part work, part fun 🥰 I found a whole bunch of free road trip printables for kids, printed them, laminated them, and now we are enjoying them in our RV! 🥳

There are soooooooooo many free homeschool resources on Pinterest 🥰 The trick is to search for exactly what you are looking for. For this I searched “road trip printables for kids.” You can type in “learning the A printables,” “Little House on the Prairie curriculum,” etc. Be specific (or general). Play around with it. 🙂 You’ll either find what you need or be inspired to create what you need.
First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! First Grade is one of my FAVORITE grades to teach! 🤩 Most 1st graders are going through “the 7 year change”…so between their maturing notions of life and the pleasant topics of first grade lessons and stories, it is just so, so fun! 🥰

@oakmeadowschool first grade curriculum is lovely. I lean into it for first grade and beyond. 🙂 Their curriculum comes to you already bound and organized. It’s pretty easy to follow & easy to either follow as is or pick and choose what works for your family. 🙂
Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing Reasons Why We Homeschool: Things worth observing are found outside the classroom. They are found in beautiful books. And in daydreams. And in our backyard. And in observing others in our hometown. And in our travels. For us, they are not found in an environment where “learning” is dictated and judged against what others believe. It’s not found in grading our performance. We’re not here to perform. We’re not here to be judged. We’re here to learn—for our whole life! Learning never stops…but the passion for learning can. 

Homeschool is amazing in that way…it gives you the space to provide your children with the opportunity to be put in the way of things worth observing. 🌺 Want to homeschool? I can help.
I read once that mothers promise to love our kids I read once that mothers promise to love our kids when they are babies. How we treat our children then becomes their personal definition of love. This notion really gave me pause. What am I communicating to my children? What is their definition of love based on my words and actions? What am I bringing to the table as a mom and keeper of our home? Am I falling for the cultural messaging of “cool” moms who make fun of their kids constantly? Am I acting like they are in my way? That they annoy me? Am I giving in to the victim and martyrdom messages about modern motherhood? Or are my values and actions aligned…? 

It starts with figuring out what I value and what I believe:

I love my kids. 
They are not in my way.
Convenience is not important.
I am not a martyr.
I can be brave and honest about how I’m showing up as a mom.
I can apologize.
I can do better.
I can be gracious with them…and me.

Opt out of the messages about motherhood that divide you from the deep connection you have with your children. 😘
Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that Pour into yourself, too, mama. 💙 Add books that bring hope to your heart and light to your life. @ruthchousimons new book Pilgrim is phenomenal! It’s gorgeous, it’s thoughtful, & filled with biblical wisdom. 10/10 recommend this stunning book!

Bonus: Ruth is going to be on the podcast! 🥳 One of the next episodes of Elevating Motherhood will feature Ruth talking about this book! 🥰
My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My k My bestie published a children’s book! 🎃 My kids have been reading it and singing the words all day 😄 It’s a cute book for Fall & Halloween! Available on Amazon! 

Way to go @afconsultingteam 🥳
Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, Take first day of school photos. Include yourself, mama. 🍎 This marks the beginning of a year of growth for you, too. 😘

#homeschool #homeschoolmomsbelike #homeschoolmom #homeschoolmama #homeschoolexplained #homeschoolfun #firstdayofschool #homeschool2023 #homeschooling #homeschoolidaho

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