yayamamas - Strong Women make Strong Mothers
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Custom 5
  • RSS
Menu
Skip to content
  • Home
  • About
  • High Five
  • LB’s Library
  • We Love
    • Products
    • LB’s Library
    • yaya Swag
  • Guided Journals
    • Monthly Guided Journals
    • June 2019: Mom Style
    • May 2019: Legacy
    • April 2019: Detox
    • March 2019: Food
    • February 2019: Fitness
    • January 2019: Finance
    • 2018 Guided Journals
      • December 2018: Expectations
      • November 2018: Philanthropy
      • October 2018: Friendship
      • September 2018: Go Outside!
      • August 2018: A Sense of Home
      • July 2018: Family Fun
      • June 2018: Transition
      • May 2018: Connection
      • April 2018: Date Night
      • March 2018: Alone Time
    • yayamamas Journal Club
  • Where We Are
  • Ask
    • Questions & Answers
    • Meet the yayas!
  • Homeschool
  • Babywearing
    • Information
    • Babywearing 101
  • Childcare
  • Contact

Archives

Artificial Colors

Time to take a look at artificial colors. How many products in your pantry and fridge contain artificial colors? And how can we lower that number extremely or eliminate it altogether?

Research artificial coloring today and how it affects the body. Be sure to include a search for common names given to artificial colors as they appear on ingredient labels. Write down what you find and if you feel you or your children might be affected by them.

Gut Health

Spend some time today researching how foods, additives, and pesticides affect our gut health. Choose one or more of the ideas below to help guide your search if this is a new topic for you:

  • Get rid of all vegetable and seed oils and don’t look back. Become a “no vegetable oil” house & stick to it
  • Commit to buying healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter
  • Increase your bone broth intake
  • Swap out chicken and beef stocks for bone broths
  • Check out food bloggers such as The Food Babe, Lil Sipper, and Be Well By Kelly LeVeque
  • Or come up with your own gut health research topics!

Liver Detox

Our liver is our body’s detoxifier, so it makes sense that we need to give it some care and attention. You must check with your health care provider before doing a cleanse or detox. Formal detoxing is not suitable for everyone and you must take responsibility for your own health and well being by talking with your provider about your specific needs.

Spend some time today researching the whys & hows of a liver detox. Write down what you find out and if you believe you’re a good candidate for one.

Less Packaged Foods

Our society relies very heavily on prepackaged foods. As a result, our preservative, sugar, sodium, and genetically modified ingredient intake is high. Today’s journal prompt piggybacks on yesterday’s goals of increasing fresh food intake. Spend a few moments today looking at how much of your daily food intake includes prepackaged foods. How do you feel about the fresh vs. processed balance in your own life? Write about it. What could you do differently?

Choose one or more ideas from the list below to start decreasing your processed food intake today:

  • Commit to buying less prepackaged foods
  • Commit to buying more fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, etc.
  • Commit to buying more “whole food” snacks like nuts, veggies, fresh fruits, etc.
  • Make your own homemade version of packaged foods (pasta sauce, salsa, guacamole, soup, etc.)
  • Figure out what a balanced diet looks like for your family when it comes to fresh vs. packaged foods
  • Buy more frozen whole foods to pull out when needed
  • Replace boxed breakfasts with quick protein packed ones (like eggs or protein smoothies made with whole frozen fruits)
  • Commit to cooking at least one or two homemade meals per week that don’t include packaged food
  • Or choose your own!

Get Fresh

We all know by now that fresh foods are better for us than processed foods. Let’s spend today looking at our fresh food intake vs. packaged/processed food intake.

The bottom line: we need to put more “real” food in our body. We need to cook more whole foods and get back to basics, which will help lessen the burden we put on our bodies. Think about it in terms of “you are what you eat.” If you consume a lot of junk, your body will turn that into fuel or fat. That junk can get stuck in our bodies in negative ways. We need to keep things moving and in working order.

Think of food in terms of what it does for you and your kids. Imagine if we ate a typical American kid diet of cereal, cheese pizza, cheese quesadilla, fried chicken nuggets, juice boxes, cookies, noodles with butter, sugar laden pb&j…we’d feel like crap. Our bodies would be begging for a salad or carrot stick after a while. Kids aren’t sure how to ask for those things, so the request for better nutrition comes out in things like behaviors and/or back to back illnesses. We need to be giving our children what their bodies actually need and not what commercials try to convince them they need.

Choose one or more ideas from the list below to help get more fresh, whole foods into your family’s diet this week:

  • Be sure to include one raw food with each meal (i.e. nuts, carrots, fruits, etc.)
  • Do your research: look up articles about how to clean up your eating
  • Commit to buying more fresh foods
  • Commit to making more of your own foods (i.e. soup in a crock pot made from fresh ingredients rather than a can)
  • Make fresh chicken for sandwiches rather than just processed deli meats
  • Subscribe to a local fruit & veggie delivery service
  • Try new fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis. Let your kids be involved in the picking and preparation
  • Talk openly with your kids about why they need to eat fresh foods
  • Commit to serving fruits and vegetables on your kids’ plates at every meal, even if they believe they “don’t like it.”
  • It takes multiple introductions to a food for kids to try it on their own
  • Research the benefits of specific fruits and vegetables and share your findings with your family
  • Or come up with your own! Whatever helps you include more fresh, whole foods

Decrease Sugar

If you didn’t detox sugar during last month’s Guided Journal (Food Month), here it is again…because it’s THAT important.

I believe our entire country is overdue for a sugar detox. Our sugar consumption is out of control. It’s presented to us at literally every turn. It’s so prevalent that you have to TRY REALLY HARD to avoid it in foods. I have to read a dozen labels (on items like spaghetti sauce and jarred salsa) before I can find one that doesn’t contain sugar.

Give sugar your attention today. How much are you consuming? How much are your kids consuming? Do you feel like you “need” sugar or a sweet treat every day? Do your kids ask for sugar more than any other food? How comfortable are you with your answers? Write about your observations and your reaction to them.

Take a look at the list below and choose one or two ideas to help you and your kids begin to kick the sugar habit:

  • Talk openly with your kids about sugar. Let them know what the foods they are eating do for their bodies, especially sugar heavy items. It can help them logically understand why it is we need to say no to most requests for sugar
  • Make your own homemade sugarless versions of foods that typically contain sugar
  • Read more labels. Make a conscious effort to choose products that do not contain even small amounts of sugar. (Those small amounts add up and change our family’s palate)
  • Brainstorm: Look at your own habits—do you have a sugar habit? Do you consume it regularly? Has it worked its way into your daily routine? Spend some time looking at ways sugar has snuck into your life and stayed, then brainstorm how to reduce your intake
  • Brainstorm: Same with your kids. Do they have a sugar habit? Has it snuck in and stayed? How can you shift this for your children?
  • Avoid sugar substitutes (including foods that claim to be “diet” foods)
  • Get better/more sleep. We often reach for sugar as a boost when we are feeling low energy. Getting more rest can help us avoid the need to reach for a quick fix
  • Ditch sugary drinks. Just don’t buy them. Don’t keep them in the house. Don’t order them when out. Go so far as to make it a family rule: “Our family doesn’t drink soda”
  • Or come up with your own! Find what works for you and start chipping away at the sugar mountain that has crept into our daily diet

Drink More Water

Flush out those toxins! Give your body a fighting chance. Water isn’t just about hydration, it’s about giving your body what it needs to function properly.

Choose an idea or two from the list below to help you and your family drink more water:

  • Aim for a higher water intake all day long
  • Have a glass of water by your bed to drink first thing in the morning
  • Pack larger water bottles for your kids to encourage drinking more
  • Encourage your kids to drink more water by having it available
  • Set a timer on your phone to drink water &/or offer it to your kids every hour
  • Ditch single use plastic water bottles in favor of refillable ones
  • Know your water source & what your water contains
  • Filter your water (our favorite is the Berkey)
  • Use reusable water bottles made of silicone and/or metal (avoid plastic)
  • Consider adding trace minerals to your water
  • Look up “detox water” recipes for some delicious ways to drink more water
  • Or choose your own! Just get more water! Your body will thank you

Join Our Email List!

Stay up to date on the latest articles, giveaways, journal topics, blog posts, product updates, and so much more!

Subscribe

Facebook

WordPress Gallery

Instagram

“Are you telling your soul to sit down and shut “Are you telling your soul to sit down and shut up so you can do the ‘more important’ work of getting through the week?” -Allison Fallon

A lot of writers worry that their writing isn’t going to be any good—but then find a way through that doubt during their writing. A lot of moms worry that what they’re doing isn’t any good either. What if moms had a tool to work through that doubt? Today’s guest Ally Fallon makes a solid case for how writing could be just the tool we need. She brings all kinds of encourage and insight about the sacred act of making space for writing in our lives and how to not get stuck in our to-do lists or lost in distractions. 💕

Ally is a new mom with a new book: The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life. She’s going to help us see the myths surrounding writing (including the one that writing is for some people and not for others). She shares how writing has been transformative in her own life and shows us how it can reveal things we didn’t know about ourselves before we wrote them down. Writing is revelation and learning through play…things that we see and encourage in our children on a daily basis. Ally shows us how we can now turn that same philosophy and encouragement inward and apply it to ourselves as moms. 

We talk about all the things: writing, motherhood, misconceptions, spirituality, connection, life-long learning, the power of getting to know ourselves, and what you can do to get started today. We’re going to bust through some learned writer’s block and show you how to use writing as a vehicle to get to know your truest self.  This is a great episode for all moms—whether you identify as a “writer” or not. And if you’re a homeschool mom, it’s easy to see how these writing ideas can crossover into homeschool as well. 

Ally’s Bio: Allison Fallon is an award-winning author, sought after public speaker, and nationally recognized writing coach. She has worked with thousands of people to realize their writing potential and become published authors. Check her out: @allyfallon 📚😘
Writing has been a huuuuge part of my life for a l Writing has been a huuuuge part of my life for a long time. I have two master’s degrees in literature and creative writing. I love journaling and write guided journals. I jot things down on napkins, receipts, and piece of scrap paper surface I can find...

AND YET.

I still learned so much from reading @allyfallon ‘s newest book The Power of Writing It Down. 🙌 Ally is on the @elevatingmotherhood podcast this weekend talking about her book that is available this week! Tune in and be inspired! 💛😘
Do you study or appreciate or follow certain educa Do you study or appreciate or follow certain educators or education philosophies? 📚 The work of Charlotte Mason has been an extremely positive influence in our homeschool and in my motherhood journey. I’m curious to know what quotes, notions, & ideas influence you 😘
Did you read the title of this episode and think, Did you read the title of this episode and think, “I can’t seem to get ONE type of rest as a mom let alone 7!?” I know I did a double take when I first read about Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s idea that there are 7 different types of rest and that we need all 7, but…my curiosity was peaked! Diving into her explanations has brought me so much personal clarity, I’m so grateful for her work and all the ways she shows up and encourages mothers. 

This episode is so life giving—Dr. Saundra is articulate, kind, authentic, and just so generous with her insights. She teaches us what we need to show up as our true and best selves. 

I left this conversation feeling so understood—and I know you will, too. As Dr. Saundra presents these 7 types of rest, she doesn’t do it in a way that’s overwhelming but rather shows us a bigger picture and that we really are all quite unique. The types of rest I need most in this season of my life probably aren’t the same types of rest you will benefit from the most right now. There is no one size fits all answer for everyone, but when it comes to rest, there are a lot of options! These ideas about rest will help you learn more about your true self so that you can understand what you need—and then confidently meet that need armed with information and insights about these 7 types of rest. 

This topic is also a great conversation starter. Once you hear the different types of rest and take the quiz online (www.restquiz.com), I bet you’ll want to send this quiz to your partner, spouse, sisters, friends, and moms group so you can dive deeper into this topic with them! It’s the resolution we didn’t know we needed going into the new year. Learning about rest is a great way for us to become more self-aware so we can support and nourish our true selves, recover our lives, renew our energy, and restore our sanity. 

Dr. Saundra’s Bio: Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician, speaker, and author. She is an international wellness expert featured in numerous media outlets including Prevention, MSNBC, Women’s Day, FOX, Fast Company, Psychology Today, & as a guest on Dr. Oz show. More in the show notes on the EM website!
You know what most of my “top posts” in 2020 c You know what most of my “top posts” in 2020 contained? Baby goats. 🐐😋😂🥰 

They are pretty life giving, stinking adorable, and fun to be around. (New life, new hope and all of that). 💕

If you’re one of the mamas who liked the baby goat pics, I have some good news for you! 😍 One of our other goats, Eddie, is (most likely) pregnant and due around Mother’s Day! I say “most likely” because it’s always hard to tell if it took, but she’s moody and bossy and acting like she did the last time she was pregnant. 

As much work and worry as it is, I’m grateful that we have something to look forward to that gives us purpose and hope. 🙏 

Are you finding that you need to lean into future fun or hope at the beginning of the year here now that Christmas and New Year’s Day is over? 😘

Photos: @mrsmeganmiller
My word for 2021: Motherhood. 🌺 No, seriously. My word for 2021: Motherhood. 🌺

No, seriously...I know that my podcast is called Elevating Motherhood and that the way I show up for others is aaaaaaall about motherhood, but this year I’m also going to be reflecting on what it means to ME. 💕

I’m going to use it as a way to focus my writing (I’m working on books about and for mothers), a way to focus on our homeschool (thinking about motherhood first will help me lean into connection over things like grading systems), a way to focus on my marriage (let’s be real…a lot of disagreements among spouses center around parenting differences), and even as a way to learn more (I want my kids to see their mom learning and growing and reading and dreaming…to understand that that is part of what motherhood is, too). 

“Motherhood” is such an unglamorous seeming word when compared with others that are being shared in the New Year and doesn’t seem to be at the top of anyone’s list. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Honestly, I didn’t intend to choose a word—I feel like this one chose me. 💗 I’m not big on resolutions (I see them as incognito expectations and those lead me straight into funks), but I am into guiding lights.🌟 So motherhood will be my guide this year—I’m excited to see what that looks like, feels like, and what it grows within me. 🥰

What is your word for 2021? Do you have one? Would you consider choosing motherhood? ✨

Photo: @kristycopperfieldphotography 😘
Welcome to 2021! 🥳 The New Year brings with it Welcome to 2021! 🥳 The New Year brings with it a lot of talk about expectations, health, & overhauling our lifestyles and diets with goals, resolutions, & the best of intentions. 

To be honest, I find all of the expectations surrounding the New Year really overwhelming. 🙈

And if our main goal is a healthy body, mindset, & lifestyle—what does that mean? What does that look like? Over the years, I’ve come to believe that true health varies for each person—& the more we can learn and broaden our understanding of “health,” we can easily begin to apply a wide variety of perspectives, ideas, & teachings to ourselves & our own health journeys. There is no one size fits all answer when it comes to our children’s health, our family’s health, or our own health. 

I’m really excited for the opportunity to introduce you to @holistichilda —someone who has been very influential in my own personal health journey. In fact, her voice & work is such an everyday presence in my life & learning that I realized it’s probably time I shared more about her & her work with you. She’s frequently referred to as “Holistic Hilda,” (which, the idea of holistic is just one more layer in the “what is true health” conversation). In this episode, Hilda & I talk about @westonaprice + the realities of modern motherhood, what holistic means, ancestral concepts of nutrition, how we can nourish ourselves & our children, intuition, connection, ideas for improving our diet & overall health, as well as myths & expectations surrounding the idea of health & wellness in our modern world. 

Hilda’s Bio: Hilda Labrada Gore is the host and producer of the Wise Traditions and Tradiciones Sabias podcasts. A certified health coach, she has traveled the world exploring traditional practices for optimal well-being. Hilda shares the best of experts, experiences, & epic adventures on the podcasts, her Holistic Hilda YouTube channel, & on ancestral health tours that she leads. Hilda is also a podcast coach & the author of “Podcasting Made Simple.” Hilda has energy to spare thanks to her love for sunshine & liverwurst. 😉
Wow, y’all. 🤩 There is some silver shine that Wow, y’all. 🤩 There is some silver shine that seems to have popped up overnight! Wowza! I love it! 😍

#cantstopstaring #silverhair #silverhairtransition #silversisters #silversisters2020 #greyhair #greyhairtransition #grayhairrevolution #silverhairdontcare #silverhaircolor #grayhairmovement
Today is the #vigilforem This week Emily and her u Today is the #vigilforem This week Emily and her unborn child passed away. She was a light in the homeschool community & we are feeling the loss. More of her story can be found over at Wild & Free’s page. I’m humbled by her messages & teaching. Today I am grateful for my children, my husband, and my life. Praying for peace and clarity for her husband, children, and friends.

Baby Tula

Tula

Follow the yayas!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Custom 5
  • RSS
Site made with ♥ by yayamamas
Angie Makes Feminine WordPress Themes