Bare Feet on the Dashboard

10
May
2015

Motherhood Changed Everything

I often think of the befores and afters of my life, how I came to be who I am today and how I evolved from the person I once was. Transformations happen naturally as we grow and mature, and sometimes abruptly through traumatic events or drastic changes. Reflecting on milestones is big part of the human existence. We think about our graduations, weddings, job changes, deaths of loved ones, births of children. I’ve experienced a lot in my almost 36 years, but the biggest transformation of my life has come from motherhood. I am a very different person today than I was five years ago, and the two sweet babies who made me a mama are the reason.

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07
May
2015

A Thank You Letter to the Teachers Who Made a Difference in My Life

categories: inspiration

Most of have at least one, that teacher we remember who cared about us, challenged us, brought out the best in us, that made a difference. I was lucky enough to have many such educators in my school years, and today I’m joining a group of bloggers to take the time to say thank you. I has been 18 years since I graduated from high school, and yet the memories of my school years are still vivid. Good times and bad, my worst moments as well as a few great ones, the school years shape us and give us a foundation for the future. During this Teacher Appreciation Week, take a minute to thank a teacher. Thank one who made a difference in your life or the life of your child. Teachers work hard and get paid little to mold young minds, and the demands on them increase year after year. I want to thank the teachers who made a difference in my life.

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07
May
2015

Glow in the Dark Fun Indoor Play Ideas- A to Z Rainy Day Activities Series

categories: kids, play

Glow in the dark activities are REALLY fun for kids (and you), but they are SUPER difficult to photograph. I tried, really I did, but nothing worked out. So, I’m sharing a few fun ideas for glow in the dark fun with your kids for those hot or rainy days when you need to play indoors and you’ll have to use your imagination to picture them. Thanks for understanding. These are ideas are simple, but will provide endless fun for your family. Be sure to check out the rest of the A to Z Rainy Day Activities Series at Something 2 Offer for more fun indoor play ideas.

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05
May
2015

Create a DIY Leather Feather Diffuser Necklace {Tutorial}

categories: diy, essential oils

Making jewelry can be a fun and frugal way to add style to your wardrobe. A diffuser necklace is so much more than an accessory. Diffuser necklaces help you to enjoy your favorite essential oil throughout the day without having to reapply. I love using essential oils to lift my mood, bring focus, or help me relax. I’ve seen many different diffuser necklace styles, but hadn’t found one I loved. I wanted something that would work well but also blend with my wardrobe and sense of style. This necklace is functional and fashionable, and so easy to create. Use the tutorial below to make our own.

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04
May
2015

A Summer Mission Trip Opportunity at YoungLives Camp

categories: jesus, life to the full

For the second summer in a row, our family will be serving at YoungLives Camp this June and we would love for you to join us. I am the child care admin for our camp for teen moms in the Texas Hill Country, so Jed and the kids join me at Camp Buckner to help give pregnant and parenting teenage girls from all over Texas and surrounding states an incredible week of summer camp with their babies. YoungLives is part of Young Life, an international Christian youth outreach ministry that Jed and I have both been involved with for over 15 years. We actually met at a Young Life camp in North Carolina called Windy Gap.

We love getting to be a part of kids hearing the Gospel at camp, and would like to invite you to come and serve with us. In order to run camps for teen moms, we need LOTS of child care volunteers to help take care of the babies. Camp starts June 6, and we still need over 30 volunteers for each week at Camp Buckner. Would you consider giving a week of your time to rock a sweet baby or chase a toddler so their mama can learn that she has a Father in heaven who loves her and her baby?

Teen moms often face a lot of obstacles and have a lot of odds stacked against them. At camp we help give them the tools they need to be the mom they want to be AND share God’s love with them. Watch the video below, and consider joining us this summer. If Texas is too far, check out the other service opportunities at YoungLives camp weeks across the U.S. For more information and to apply to serve this summer, check out the YoungLives Experience here.

YoungLives Experience from lisa fiedler on Vimeo.

03
May
2015

Three Tips & Tools to Simplify Family Travel

categories: travel

We love to travel as a family, but getting to our destination with small children in tow can be a serious hassle. Today we are sharing three of our favorite tips and tools to help you simplify family travel this summer. As we do every summer, we are planning a big family trip and the air travel portion seems so daunting. That’s why I was so thrilled to find out about the service CLEAR offers and add it to my #ToolsforTravel, and share it with my readers as well. With our CLEAR membership, we will breeze through the airport with no hassle. Best of all, CLEAR is offering a FREE two month membership for all of my readers! Click here to get it and use the code CLEAR2M2.

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03
May
2015

Eleanor Pearl at Two Years Old

categories: baby, family, toddlers

I cannot believe this little princess is two years old. The time has flown by, as everyone told me it would. She is so much fun and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings. At two years old, our Pearl Girl is full of energy and curiosity, learning new words every day, and such a joy to raise. She challenges me and makes me a better mama. I am so thankful for her sweet spirit and her determination.

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27
Apr
2015

Three Tips for Teaching Preschool Kids to Brush Their Teeth

categories: green living, kids, preschool

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NaturalGoodness #CollectiveBias

Like every transition we’ve gone through with our kids, I’ve spent so much time worried about how to transition our preschool son to big kid toothpaste. His dentist recommended the switch months ago, and I just couldn’t figure out how to teach him to brush and spit the toothpaste out. He is almost four, so I finally quit procrastinating and bought big kid toothpaste. We chose Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry Fluoride Toothpaste because I’ve loved and trusted Tom’s of Maine products for nearly 20 years and it is the perfect fit for our family’s quests to live green. Within a few days, the we had the whole brushing and spitting thing figured out and I realized I’d wasted time worrying about nothing. Read on to find out our three easy tips for teaching preschool kids to brush their teeth to make the transition easy and painless for your kids.

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22
Apr
2015

Celebrating Earth Day with Preschool Kids

categories: green living, preschool

Happy Earth Day! Today we celebrate this spinning globe we call the earth and all that the natural world has to offer. I’ve shared Preschool Activities for Earth Day before, but today I’m talking about simple ways to celebrate the day (or all of Earth Month) with your preschooler. Be sure to enter our Earth Day Giveaway at the bottom of this post.

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21
Apr
2015

Three Practical Tips for Dressing Kids on a Budget

categories: baby, budget, fashion, kids

Kids are a blessing and a gift to parents and family, but they can be expensive. There are so many ways to save money on your child’s wardrobe to help you make it through these fast growing years without breaking the bank. How many times have we had a child outgrow an outfit before they even get a chance to wear it? Very rarely do my kids actually get to wear something until it is worn out. They grow too fast! Spending a ton of money on kids’ clothes just doesn’t make sense when you are on a tight budget, but there are ways to dress your kids well without spending a ton.

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