yayamamas - Strong Women make Strong Mothers
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • 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

Go Outside: Teachable Moments

How much do you show nature to your kids? How often do you look up nature topics that interest you and/or your kids? Ever been curious about how to open a coconut or how pineapples grow? Ever wanted to grow herbs or start growing vegetables, trees, or roses from a cutting? Want to know more about the moon cycles? When your kids ask about natural occurrences, foods, trees, weather, etc., do you take the time to research these topics with them? Write about it. How do you involve them while encouraging a sense of wonder?

“You teach me, I forget. You show me, I remember. You involve me, I understand.” – E.O. Wilson

Go Outside: Childhood Memories

What are your favorite memories from childhood? Do those memories involve a sense of danger, take place outside, and have no grownups present?

“Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the opportunities for them to watch it? More important, why do so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching?” – Richard Louv

Go Outside: Excuses

Do you feel like you need to have an excuse or reason to go outside? (i.e. walk the dog, playdate at the park, mow the lawn, etc.) Do you make excuses to not go outside? What are some excuses you’ve made to go outside? What are some excuses you’ve made to not go outside?

“Adults forget the depths of languor into which the adolescent mind descends with ease. They are prone to undervalue the mental growth that occurs during daydreaming and aimless wandering” – E.O. Wilson

Go Outside: Quality

Write about your time outside today. The when, why, where, what, who. Now think about this: what do you consider quality outdoor time? Do you feel the need to plan an “outdoor adventure” when trying to get outside more? Or do you feel the benefits of simply going into the yard are enough? Do you feel the need to be prepared?

“Many children… delight in the small and inconspicuous.” – Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

Go Outside: Personal Preference

Write about what you did when you went outside today. Did you plan it? Was it spur of the moment? Do you prefer to use time in nature to de-stress when you’re in the middle of tense moments, or do you feel better if you plan ahead?

How do you think this preference could be worked into your outdoor goals? (i.e. If you’re a planner, making it a habit to step outside and take a deep breath first thing in the morning or scheduling in a park playtime or picnic. If you’re more spur of the moment, simply knowing you can announce “everybody outside!” when crankiness takes over).

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” – Thomas Berry

Go Outside: All the Feels

Write about when you went outside today. Write about what you did, how you felt while outside. How do you feel when you are outside in general? Better, stressed, at peace, calm, on edge? Really pay attention to YOU and how you feel during your moments outside this week. Check in with yourself first.

Then turn your focus toward your children while outdoors. How do they feel? Tired, free, creative, high energy, timid, energetic? Write about your observations. (Optional: write about how everyone felt during each outdoor time this week).

“Man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard; [the Lakota] knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too.” — LUTHER STANDING BEAR (C. 1868–1939)

Go Outside: Planning vs. Impromptu

You’ve spent a week observing, now it’s time to make some changes. Day one of get outside more: Go Outside. Write about what you did. Was it impromptu? Planned?

“When you have seen one ant, one bird, one tree, you have not seen them all.”- E.O. Wilson

Join Our Email List!

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

Subscribe

Follow the yayas!

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Custom 5
  • RSS

Instagram

Our first moose sighting on the new property 🤯 Our first moose sighting on the new property 🤯 My mind is blown. Just one of many “where are we!?!?!” moments here on the mainland after almost 20 years on Maui. 😆 I imagine people feel the same way the first time they see a honu, monk seal, or humpback on Maui 😉

Grateful to have 3 giant dogs! 🙏🏼 

#idahome #moosesighting #wherearewe #holysmokes #mooseinthewild #mamamoose #babymoose
Thanksgiving prep has begun. Our hearts are happy. Thanksgiving prep has begun. Our hearts are happy. Our tastebuds expectant. And yet. 💔 For some of us there are some very special people missing from the table this year. And it’s hard. 

We make their recipes in their absence. We hope to do them justice, knowing they will never be the same. We cry in the pantry. We forge ahead. We feed our people. We love them big…and we grieve. It’s both. 

If this is a year you’re missing someone big time or missing something that was, know that I’m praying for you. Let’s pray for each other. If you’d like some extra prayers, feel free to share in the comments or in a DM 🙏🏼
I saw a post that said “The future isn’t femal I saw a post that said “The future isn’t female, it’s family” and it hasn’t left me since. 💙 THAT is a message that needs to be out there. THAT is the truth. 

Growing up I was brainwashed to believe that the messages of feminism were truth. But then I got married to a man that I love & the messages didn’t check out. Then I had a son. Add to that the fact that I love and respect my dad. And my grandpas. And uncles. And nephews. And a lot of men in my life, and suddenly all of the “girl power” messages hammered into my head via advertising, school, and the culture in general didn’t make sense. They also didn’t make room for them, in fact they taught me to look down on them, make fun of them, and devalue them. Many female “empowerment” messages create division. They create beliefs that someone is “better than” and that simply isn’t true. 

I think what they meant to communicate is that we all have value and up until that point, some people didn’t personally feel valued. But putting someone else down (i.e. all men) in an attempt to build yourself up? That’s not gonna work. It’s not going to give you tools to have peace in your everyday relationships. It’s not going to empower mothers to raise strong children whether they are raising boys or girls. 

And when I really think about it, every woman I know who champions “the future is female?” —they are either divorced, not married, or in unhappy relationships on the verge of divorce.  

I have never been able to reconcile within myself the notion that we should turn away from men, because those men also include people we love and respect like our husbands and sons. 

Now imagine an entire generation that hears the message that family is what it’s all about. Imagine the potential for strength and peace in everyday life if family was put first. 

Feel the need to be a rebel? Rebel against the toxic messages of our current culture that scream “the future is female” (while also claiming there is no such thing as female). Rebel in a way that changes the current culture and brings you peace, security, and mutual respect in your relationships.

#thefutureisfamily
My cup runneth over…and so did my plate 😉 La My cup runneth over…and so did my plate 😉

Last night I celebrated “Friendsgiving” with my mom friends here in Idaho. I’m not 100% sure I’ve ever been to a friendsgiving…truthfully, the name always turned me off. To me it was always a random thing people in their early 20s did—you know, your 20s when you think your drinking buddies and being “cool” are the most important things. Your early 20s when you’ve turned away from your family and try to create things to replace what you’ve lost. 

At 43, that is not what I crave at all. Last night’s gathering blew my past assumptions right out of the water. It was beauty & gratitude all around. The food…the people…the conversations…the memories we have…the memories we’re making…the way we celebrate & encourage one another. It was stunning from start to finish. I’m so grateful for these strong, passionate women in my life. I’m grateful they value what’s important in life. And that they take the time to pause and celebrate everything we have together. 

Thank you for hosting, @danikanormannn Thank you for pulling us together, @krunchymamabear Thank you for including me, @redheadhippielife 😘 

I’m not sure I can tag everyone who was there, but thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the ease, depth, and encouragement you bring to my life. 💜
Grace laced indeed. 💙 This interview with @ruth Grace laced indeed. 💙 This interview with @ruthchousimons needed exactly zero editing. Ruth is so generous in this episode…her calm, gentle voice is just what you need today. Her new book Pilgrim is just what you need on your coffee table as a daily reminder of the beauty & strength of God’s character. 

I believe in God‘s timing. Within a few hours of releasing this episode, I got a message from a listener saying that this episode was perfectly timed for their life. 🙏🏼 That’s all I want, mamas. I want words of encouragement to find their way into your life at just the right moment for you. 💕 My heart is full today thinking about the positive impacts of @elevatingmotherhood 🥰 I hope this episode blesses you, too. 😘
I shared a very personal story today in The Elevat I shared a very personal story today in The Elevating Homeschool Community… I wasn’t really planning on jumping into the deep end of the pool to start the group, but here we are. Want to tread water with me and talk about it? Join the community via the link in my bio 😘
New Episodes of @elevatingmotherhood are here! 🥳 Start with Episode 152 for a candid behind the scenes explanation of why I took the summer off from the podcast. 💙 

I’ve had so many mamas reach out to me about this particular episode 😱 Your feedback has been encouraging…I’ve really enjoyed your messages about it 🥰

Have you listened? Tune in! Get caught up! Cause two more are coming your way soon!
It was soooooooo lovely meeting mamas today at @pa It was soooooooo lovely meeting mamas today at @paideianorthwest 💕 What a beautiful gathering of incredible mamas! 🥰

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my booth, signed up for my email list, subscribed to the podcast, joined the Elevating Homeschool Community, & shared your stories and smiles with me! 

Thanks, Melissa, for another memorial gathering! 💗
I have so much to share with you about homeschool. I have so much to share with you about homeschool. 💗 I want my shares to be meaningful & encouraging, simple & doable. 

If you are looking for off-social-media homeschool support that brings more peace to your homeschool days, join me in the Elevating Homeschool Community. 🌺 

Link in bio 😘

Baby Tula

Tula
Site made with ♥ by yayamamas
Angie Makes Feminine WordPress Themes