Skip counting activities + FREE printable cards

Looking for fun skip counting activities? These cards are probably one of my favorites! I’ve only recently heard about the skip counting method. It intrigues me! However, we’re trying to spend the least amount of time as possible staring at a piece of paper or worksheet. So I wanted to create a resource that parents could use on the go as a skip counting activity or whatever else they want to use them for! The number one question is usually, “Why not just use flashcards?” This is such a valid question and the truth is, you totally can! For our homeschool, we have a huge baggie STUFFED with flashcards! It’s kind of where the idea came from to create skip counting cards too! We love them! However, if you lose one, you might as well have lost them all. Bummer. By having access to a digital file, I can print the one we’ve lost, reprint the entire set if they’ve gotten too worn, or even use them digitally on a device! Actually, I just thought of the digital aspect (ha!), I bet when uploaded to an app like GoodNotes, your kiddos would love to trace the numbers too! I’m going to have to give that a go! 🙂 Do you see? I’m not trying to put the flashcard business out of business… I just love the versatility of creating my own flashcards for skip counting activities! | Related: Free Monthly Lesson Plans + Activities Sent to Your Email Here’s a quick list of some of the ways you can use these skip counting cards in your homeschool: Put the cards in order Use 10 – 20 cards of your choice and find the missing numbers Lay out a few cards and ask what’s next Sort the cards Jump on the card with the number you say When I created these, I added them to my Teachers Pay Teachers Homeschool Store. However, since you’re a dedicated blog reader 😉 I like to share every now and again (another reason to subscribe!) So I am making these available for you in exchange for your email address! If you see the value in having a digital copy of a resource that you can use again and again, click here to share your email with me and I’ll send the digital skip counting cards straight to your inbox! I’d really love to see the creative things you do with these cards! Consider connecting with me on Instagram and sharing your creativity with me!... [read more]

HOMESCHOOL IN MARCH: What to celebrate, how to celebrate it, and tips to make it memorable

Have you ever wondered what the heck to do for homeschool in March? Or every month for that matter!? We are an eclectic homeschool family, meaning, we tend to switch up the way we homeschool often. I love to pull in elements from Montessori and Charlotte Mason. We all love to do unit studies too! But we tend to lean heavy on the Wild + Free method of learning and that is when I feel most grounded in our homeschool. | Related: Our shift into becoming a homeschool family The only problem with Wild + Free or “Unschooling” is the whole aspect of not planning anything and just teaching throughout your day as your child leads. My personality is FAR from Type A… That’s my husband 😉 But when it comes to things I want to execute WELL, I love to put my outline of ideas and major milestones / goals on paper with a clear path to get there. That’s why planning our homeschool in March is going to be such a game-changer for our family! Planning is not bad, especially when you’re homeschooling multiple ages. I want learning to be exciting and adventurous so that their hearts will long for it. So, while we make time to allow for spontaneity throughout our day, I still like to have an overall idea and smidgeon of preparedness when it comes to what we need to / want to learn that day! For other moms out there who are screaming YES and AMEN as you read this… I’ll be creating monthly calendars like the one I am sharing today for homeschool in March so that you can have something in your back pocket too! I can’t promise it will always be “National Day” based (like this one), remember… I said we were an eclectic family 😉 But I do promise to deliver it the week before a new month so that you can use it to plan your month accordingly! This is NOT a curriculum, feel free to pick and choose topics and activities you’d like to do. Move the days around and create your homeschool. There’s a topic and idea for every single day, so that you can homeschool in March. Some families do school on the weekends and some don’t. So feel free to double up or skip 🙂 This is YOUR homeschool. The exciting thing about this is it allows for a break in your regular schooling. So you can use this alongside whatever curriculum you ARE using! We actually school year-round, so a few breaks every now and then are so important for our (my) sanity. Plus! Kids actually have a better attention span when they take a break during the day! And March is that time of year everyone gets antsy to get outside. It’s starting to get warm, the days are starting to get longer, and literally the smell of summer is not that far away! Give your kids something to look forward to every week for homeschool in March with this calendar! That photo is the entire calendar of topics we will be planning our weeks around for homeschool in March! Save it to your phone and plan your day using those events and national celebrations! However, remember I said that I love a good plan?! I’ve also created a full activity plan to go along with it, including complete grocery, craft, and book lists for each week! Here’s the link to the full plan! Now that you have everything you need for an incredible March full of fun and excitement for learning, here are a few ways to make it memorable and help your kids make it stick: Incorporate humor into your dayIf you can’t laugh about something funny that happened, something that sounds funny, or even looks funny, I mean… That sounds pretty dramatic. Even God created a Narwhal… Just saying 😉 Relax a littleYou literally have all the time in the world. Bells do not ring for lunch and buses in homeschool. Don’t rush it! If your kids are into whatever you’re learning, then continue talking about it and finding rabbit holes to dive into. I promise it will be worth it! Use manipulatives to make it hands-on and visualMake 3-D versions of whatever you’re talking about with Play-Doh, build a tower with sticks, use a book as a ramp when you’re talking about trajectory. Visual learners aren’t the only ones who can learn this way. Often it helps to reinstate what another type of learner has retained while reading or researching already! I would LOVE to hear how this helped your family dig deeper and develop a love for learning within your babies’ hearts. Consider connecting with me on Instagram, it’s where I love to hang out! And don’t forget to save the calendar to your phone or grab the full plan here 🙂 Good luck, have an incredible homeschool in March, and happy learning!... [read more]

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A realistic gift guide for homeschooled preschoolers under $100

I don’t know about you but, every time I search for a gift guide for my kids I find bookoos of blog posts by bloggers who are playing the affiliate game. And it drives me nuts. You know the game… They find the most expensive version of a toy or educational gizmo and share it with an affiliate link to make as much money as they can when someone clicks to buy. I get it. Affiliate links are amazing, especially for mamas who are trying to run a blog (it can get expensive!) And when I do see something I want, I like to buy through an affiliate link because it doesn’t cost anything extra and I can support a fellow mama I’ve grown to love! But when you start capitalizing on the desire I have to buy something for my kids by only sharing the most expensive gadgets you can find… It makes me not want to shop through your links. So, as I’ve been shopping and browsing, I’ve found a few things I really love for my pre-schooler and I wanted to share them with you. Here’s the fun part. I’ll post the link to the item WITH and without my affiliate link. I’m not bashing affiliate links, but the whole mission of this blog is to bring the REAL back to the interwebs. Affiliate links are GREAT when they’re used in an honest, real way and not just to make the biggest buck you can make. My kids literally have every one of these items mentioned – and genuinely love them. Without further ado… Let’s get on with the realistic gift guide for homeschooled preschoolers!... [read more]

I’ve contributed over $6,000 to our family this year as a stay-at-home mom

First of all – I am a 1,000% believer in the stay-at-home mama role of managing the home and kids without ever seeing a dime to her name. My husband is amazing. He has never once made me feel like I HAD to contribute financially. In fact, every time I send him a message showing him I’ve made a few bucks, he’s encouraged me to spend it on myself. So, if you’re a stay-at-home mom and do not financially contribute, there is no shame in that game, friend! However, if you want to earn a few bucks for extra pampering now and then, keep reading! You might see something you could do as well!... [read more]

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Homeschool Curriculum Update: A Gather ‘Round Christmas

With the New Year quickly approaching, I’m doing what most do this time of year. I’m reflecting on the things that I want to change. About myself, our family, our home, our routines, and most importantly, our homeschool. We began our first year of homeschooling this past July (2019). I feel like we had to hit the ground running because our family didn’t start out homeschooling. Our oldest, 12, began her educational career in public school. This is technically her “sixth-grade” year. And I’m feeling like we need to do #allthethings in order to keep up with her “public school grade”.... [read more]

Our shift to becoming a homeschool family

We’re about to head into our fourth month of becoming a homeschool family and I’ve been feeling a little discontent. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for about five years now, right before we had our second baby. There’s a seven-year difference between our oldest and him. As a kid, I have homeschooled my entire childhood. I had always had my mind made up that my kids would “get to experience what I didn’t”. My husband was public schooled, so it was never a question when it came time to enroll our daughter in pre-school. We knew that she would be in a public school. Over the first few years of public school, we were incredibly blessed with amazing teachers. I can’t sing their praises high enough. Each of them treated our little girl as if she was their own. They communicated well and they made her (and me) feel safe. When she reached third grade, I began having thoughts of homeschooling our family. At first, I pushed them away, because I thought I didn’t want that for them. Plus, in third grade, our little girl literally hit the jackpot of teachers and had the BEST year. But I couldn’t swing the thought that we needed to shift into becoming a homeschool family.... [read more]

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WHY YOU NEED A HOLIDAY PLANNER

A couple of Christmases ago, I was frustrated at how unorganized my Christmas season had gotten and the idea of a Holiday planner was born. We had a brand new baby, our first grader had just started at a new school, and life was chaotic. WITH EVERYTHING WE HAD GOING ON, OUR BUDGET FOR CHRISTMAS WAS BASICALLY NON-EXISTENT. So the need to keep our gift-buying on track was crucial! I decided to throw together a Google Sheet to keep track of our budget, who we needed to purchase a gift for, and who we already had a gift for. It worked SO well! I kept the sheet for the following year and have used it every year since! Each year, I’ve thought of something new and helpful to add to the document – Christmas card lists, movie night details, and parties and activity lists. This year, I moved the document to a digital planner and added a place for Holiday menus, recipes, and fun! I couldn’t be more excited about this planner!!... [read more]

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT BEING BOLD AND LIVING OUT MY CALLING

Wait a minute… Before we go any further… I think I need to barf. Have you ever done something SO outside of your comfort zone that you physically felt like you were having an out-of-body experience? That’s me, right now. I published my first YouTube video (for this blog) this morning and I literally want to crawl into a hole. #Justkeepingitreal I know, I know.. I GET IT! I’m the “BOLD mama”, I don’t get scared. LOL! First, I’m sincerely sorry if I put off that persona in any way. Y’all, I get scared. I still want to throw up every time I put myself out there. I still make up excuses when something I need to do for my business puts me outside of my comfort zone. AND THAT’S WHY MY BUSINESS HAS BEEN STAGNANT. And if you struggle with the same, it’s probably why you aren’t getting anywhere either. We’ve got to stop shaming people for living a bold life, putting themselves out there, and building their dream. BECAUSE we do this (and don’t even think about saying you don’t – we all have…) our subconscious thinks other people are doing it to us and THAT is the root of why we’re becoming more and more timid in business, especially as women! But that’s another video, for another day. Today, I’m laying it all out there. I’m sharing where I’ve been, what’s in store for the future of Live Bold Mama, and I’m being SUPER vulnerable about my TRUE feelings of building something MORE for my family. I hope you’ll check it out. And I really hope that you’ll be encouraged by it. Don’t look at it wishing you could “be bold like me” – use it as the catalyst to share your own video. You’ve got this mama.... [read more]

FEELING UNMOTIVATED TO WORK ON YOUR BUSINESS? HERE ARE 13 THINGS TO TRY!

Feeling unmotivated to work on your business? Now, that doesn’t sound like you! You LOVE what you do! It’s your passion. Your calling. The thing you were made for! If you’re anything like me, you’ve said those exact things to yourself. And continued to question why you are doing what you’re doing in the first place. Sometimes owning a business (especially an online business) can feel like the loneliest place in the world. When you’re feeling lonely, inadequate, and unmotivated – it’s easy to question why you should keep going. RECENTLY, I’VE GIVEN MYSELF A BOLD BUSINESS MAMA CHECK-UP. What the heck am I doing? I will never reach the number of readers that she has on her blog! Why doesn’t my Instagram grow as fast as hers? What does SHE have, that I don’t? I am destined to just be a mama and a wife. That’s it. These are the thoughts that are constantly going through my head. They’re the thoughts that make me question everything I share. Those thoughts make me wonder if I’m really on the right path for my life. Then I heard a sermon today. If you don’t have time for a little relational chatter, just scroll down to the list and get your creativity back on track. But if you have a minute, I’d love to share my heart with you. Keep reading. The preacher talked about aligning the things in our life with Jesus. When we start to feel broken, scattered, insecure, hopeless, those are all symptoms of being out of alignment with our Creator. The reason I exist is to complete a calling God placed on my life and I believe that calling is being carried out through Live Bold Mama. But my mindset is shifting in the way I view my position and the potential I see for this space on the internet. If we truly want to be mamas who want to live out our calling and allow Jesus to control our business, we need to do things within our business that may not make sense in the typical business industry. FOR ME, THAT LOOKS LIKE RELYING ON JESUS TO GUIDE ME WHEN I’M FEELING UNMOTIVATED. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said that in order to follow Him, we must first forget ourselves. I want Live Bold Mama to be a platform that honors God and points others back to Him. I can’t do that if I am constantly looking for ways to make it better on MY terms. If God wants this to be successful, He will grow it in His time. I just have to be ready, willing to be obedient, and trust that He has it under control. As I said, I’ve been feeling unmotivated. And I’m guessing I’m not alone since you’re reading this too! So I started a soul-searching adventure (as my 4-year-old would explain it). All of this “need” to be successful and “talk” about growing a business myself – I’ve just realized that I am focusing on all the wrong things. It’s not ME who can grow this business, it’s God. He’s called me to this and I know He will make a way. So here’s my question for you, what are you doing that’s making you unmotivated? Perhaps a little soul-searching adventure wouldn’t hurt you either!? I ASKED A FEW FELLOW BUSINESS MAMAS WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY’RE FEELING UNMOTIVATED Their answers really stuck out to me! These are some great options for when you’re needing a little help with creativity and I would encourage you to choose one or two to do during your soul-searching adventure as well! Get in nature – It’s probably the most creative place you could be! Practice Yoga – Deep breaths and slow movements, perfect for a mind that needs to be motivated! Work on easy wins – Check your to-do list for the day, what could you knock out quick just to feel accomplished for the day? (clean the house, shop for groceries, send an email) Listen to a podcast – This is currently my favorite. Take a shower – Pray, listen to an audiobook, or just be silent. Showers can be the best motivation for a busy mama. Read a book – Either carve out an hour to yourself or make it a read-aloud for the family. But reading an actual book always gets my mind on the right track! Learn something new – A new skill in your niche, a new way to cook your favorite meal, it doesn’t matter. The point is to work your brain and learn something new to you! | Related: Mom Boss Confidence Journal in quiet time – This is a great time to sit and listen and then write what you hear. I’ve had so many great ideas straight from the Source when I’ve done this. Incentivize yourself to get something done – Craving ice cream? Grab a cone WHEN YOU FINISH the blog post you’ve been working on for three days. Not talking to myself at all… Hang out with the kids – Kids are SO creative! They play and imagine and wonder. Anytime I make the choice to close the laptop and play with them, I do NOT regret it. I almost always walk away refreshed in my soul! Rest and recharge – Take a nap. Go to bed early. Sleep in. Sometimes our body just physically needs rest! Scroll Pinterest – This is one of my favorites. Scroll for inspiration, ideas, and motivation! Pin things that make you smile, don’t be business-minded, just use Pinterest as a consumer for once. See how great those are?! But I wouldn’t be doing any kind of service to you if I didn’t share the most important thing you could do when you’re feeling unmotivated. PRAY. Pray for yourself, guidance, your business, your clients, your future clients, your bills, your profit. Pray for God’s grace, support, and creativity. Pray for motivation to do His work. Pray that others see Him through...... [read more]

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HOW TO BE CONTENT IN LIFE AND BUSINESS

Is it possible to be content in life AND business? I’ve really been praying about the direction of Live Bold Mama. I believe that just because you are good at something, doesn’t mean that should be, or is your calling. This has been something I’ve been wrestling with for a while now – God, you’ve given me the talent of writing, why aren’t you helping me write?! You see, God doesn’t work like that. He’s not a genie. And too often I forget that His thoughts are higher than my thoughts and His ways are higher than my ways. So I’ve spent some time really praying over this space, digging into His word, and opening my heart to receive whatever He has for me in this next season. THANKFULLY, THIS BLOG WAS IN HIS PLAN! I love to write. It’s always been my passion, ever since I can remember. Writing is my creative outlet. When I was little I would spend my days writing poetry, short stories, and really bad screenplays (ha!) So naturally, I wanted to keep this space open for my sanity. But I gave it all to Jesus because most importantly, I want to be used by Him. With or without this blog. He’s given me SO much to share and I’ve broken it down over the next 12 weeks. Conveniently, this is the start of Q3 in the business world. And even more convenient… This is the start of the LAST HALF of 2019. What the heck did I do with the first half?! And how the heck am I going to leave a legacy during the last half?! Well. It’s going to start with being content. Let’s dig into that word together. Don’t let it scare you… Keep reading! I’ve committed to reading Matthew 6 every week for the next 12 weeks. Here are just a few highlights I’ve journaled about so far (these may or may not make sense to you in the season you are in right now, so I encourage you to read Matthew 6 as well and write down what stands out to you too!): When you help someone – Don’t think about how you look to the world or who’s watching. You have an audience of One. Don’t be so occupied with getting, so that you can respond to God’s giving. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now! THE NEXT 12 Over the next 12 weeks we’re going to look at contentment as moms and wives, and then break it down even further to apply specifically what God is saying to our business. Maybe you’re just starting out and you’re overwhelmed with everything everyone is telling you to go with your new venture. Or perhaps you’ve been in this game for a while but are feeling called to shift the focus of your business and are kind of afraid of what that will do to your already successful endeavor. Maybe you are a seasoned business owner, tired of trying all the things to gain a little headway in the small business world and simply need some God-given direction in your life. Whatever the reason, I am confident that this theme will speak volumes to your life, home, and business if you let it. Don’t miss a single post! Click here to join the tribe of mamas who work together to support, encourage, and learn with each other! Each week we’re going to focus on a mini-theme that will direct us, hold us accountable, and inspire our every business move together! This week, the mini theme is I love Jesus, SO I am called to be generous. “…You’re far happier giving than getting.” Acts 20:35 WE ARE CALLED, AS MAMAS AND WIVES WHO FOLLOW JESUS, TO BE CONTENT AND GENEROUS. At home, this could look like giving more time to your family. Planning date nights with your husband, taking the kids to the park, making someone’s favorite meal, planning family fun nights, these are all ideas for being generous with your time and serving your family well. Now, there IS a delicate balance, because we do still have a business to run. But I am learning more and more that God can do so much more with my business during the time I commit to Him than I can. So, on days my family needs a little more mama time, I make the choice to be there for that. And I trust that the Lord is working behind the scenes to manage what He’s called me to do. OKAY! APPLYING GENEROSITY TO BUSINESS GETS A LITTLE TRICKY. Businesses cost money to run, and more times than not you’d probably rather make money for your family in the process, yeah? So being generous in business needs to be strategic. One way that I am generous in business is by sharing content that actually helps people. Not just vague, click-baity topics that force you to pay for the “real help”. UGH! I can’t stand that! Other ways you could be generous in business is by offering a referral bonus, sharing the proceeds of one of your products with a new charity each month, or planning flash sales. PERHAPS YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT AND CAN’T AFFORD TO DO THOSE THINGS. First, I would encourage you to pray about it. Again, God can do so much more with all of your faith, than none of your trust. | Related: Mom Boss Confidence: What to do if you’ve lost it Next, you could look at other ways to be generous like mailing thoughtful words of encouragement on a postcard to new clients, sending voice memos of happy thoughts and gratitude to team members, or creating a Facebook group for your customers where you send them exclusive content and tutorials! There are so many ways we can be generous in our business. Please spend some time this week to pray about the direction God is leading you to take when it comes to...... [read more]

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MOM BOSS CONFIDENCE: WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE LOST IT

Over the last few months, I have been actively searching for my purpose, my mom boss confidence, my calling. I have begged for a reason to walk away from this business and the feelings I have for continuing this journey of writing and building a legacy for our family. I’ve always loved writing. It’s always been the way I have expressed myself and the things Jesus has laid on my heart. It’s what motivates me to manage a blog in the first place. But sometimes, just having a deep love for things isn’t enough to keep you motivated to pursue your purpose. If you’ve lost that mom boss confidence that you feel began your journey as a mom who wants to build something more for her family, keep reading… Let’s get it back together. Here’s the thing, the confidence we began this mom boss journey with wasn’t just something we were born with. That confidence has been developing year after year, the moment you feel the tug to start your own business and raise a family. When you realize that the mom boss confidence you’ve “lost” is still there, it’s just buried under months of negativity, hangups, and self-doubt, then you can begin the process of bringing it back to the surface and running a successful business with Jesus’ help. After praying for some direction in this myself, the Lord led me to these five ideas that will help us keep our mom boss confidence front and center, with His guidance. I am sharing these ideas with you, but if you’re just going to read them and pin them for later, just don’t waste your time. If you are truly ready to gain back the confidence you already have as a mom boss, you must read these ideas and PUT THEM TO ACTION. Commit that effort, not to me, but to yourself and the Lord. Allow Him to help you and see what happens in the end. Ready? Let’s go! RELATED: Simple confidence boosters for the stay at home mama SPEAK WORDS OF LIFE OVER YOURSELF AS A MOM BOSS Words of life are simply affirmations that you believe about who you are, who God made you to be, and the business that He has called you to manage. I struggle with being bold and often times I lack the confidence I need to manage what the Lord has given to me. Whether that’s life, family, or my business. But mindset is everything, sister. Affirmations keep my mind focused on what I am capable of, with the Lord’s direction. Don’t discount the power that a good set of affirmations can have on you. Click here to grab a list of affirmations I’ve created. It’s free, and a great place for you to start affirming who you are as a wife, mom, and boss. But I encourage you to start adding to this list and speaking words of life that are specific to your calling over yourself as well. CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO BE BETTER AT SOMETHING YOU’RE LACKING We all have our weak points, right? For me, I am weak in follow through and execution. I am incredible as strategy, developing a plan, goal setting, dreaming, but when it comes to actually sticking with the path I’ve laid out for myself, that’s a struggle for me. In the end, my business and my calling suffer because of this weakness. However, I’ve made it my passion to turn this weakness into my biggest strength. No longer will I allow my insecurities, past hangups, and weak points to determine the success I can achieve with my business and life through Jesus. Determine the weaknesses that are holding you back and challenge yourself to improve it. Learn everything you can about it and tackle it with everything you have. PRAY. AND THEN PRAY SOME MORE. I am quickly learning that the Lord is my guide. I’ve known this my entire life. But as I am entering year 31, I am realizing that I have to invite Him to direct my steps. This blog post is the first, after many months of feeling stuck, and all the glory goes to Jesus. It is from prayer for my business and my calling that this blog post is coming to fruition. It may sound meaningless and small, but my friend, the Lord cares about the small things in your heart too, because He cares about YOU. So pray. Pray for yourself, your family, your role as a mom boss, and pray for His direction in your business. He will guide you if you let Him. SHIFT YOUR MOM BOSS THINKING INTO THAT OF POSITIVITY Remember when I said mindset is everything? Negativity births negativity. When you are focused on all the things that are weighing you down and holding you back, you will never take a forward step in your business. The last few months I’ve spent my days scrolling social media, staring at the back end of this blog, and wasting so much time and effort on meaningless fillers that I managed to fool myself into thinking was WORK. I focused on not having enough. Not being enough. Not sharing enough. And eventually, that focus drove me and my business to feelings of scarcity and overwhelming silence. Don’t let your negative thoughts drive your purpose. Use those thoughts to FUEL the very things God has called you to do! KEEP. YOUR. RESILIENCE. After everything I’ve been through trying to develop a purpose for myself and a place to share what the Lord has laid on my heart, I can honestly share that it’s been a journey to no end. There are times when I’ve completely walked away disgusted at myself for not being smart enough to make this work. The thing that keeps me going, however, is my resilience. The resilience that the Lord placed inside of me for a reason. I refuse to give up. I keep failing, but I refuse to let it define...... [read more]

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3 TIPS FOR BRANDING YOURSELF ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Branding yourself is more than just a pretty color palette and an award-winning logo design. We get so caught up in what it means to “create a brand” that we spend countless hours designing and marketing things that will never give us a return on our investment. It is possible to brand yourself on social media, without focusing a majority of your time on aesthetics. If you’re wondering how to brand yourself or why it’s important to focus on branding yourself rather than your business or products, click here to get access to my FREE Instagram Branding workshop. Now, let’s create an experience for your potential customers by covering three actionable steps you can take to brand yourself today! Keep reading.... [read more]

SIMPLE SELF-CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS FOR STAY AT HOME MAMAS

Do you ever wish you had more self-confidence? In general, in motherhood, in wife life. I’ve been living a life of pretty much zero self-confidence and I’m kind of over it. I’ve gotten a taste of what it feels like to be a confident woman and I love it! Having a bit of self-confidence enhances everything around me… my mood, the way I parent, how I feel in the dressing room, hanging out with my husband. I can’t even begin to explain the transformation I’ve experienced in my mind by implementing different things throughout the day that boost my self-confidence. I wanted to share a few of those things with you today and hopefully empower you to get your own self-confidence in check. Let’s dive in, shall we?... [read more]

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MY FAVORITE WAY TO TURN A BIG GOAL INTO A SIMPLE TASK LIST

Longest. Month. Ever. School is finishing up, summer is so close I can smell it, and the day seems like it never ends! We spent our first “real” summer night out in the yard having a water fight with the kids this past weekend. It was GLORIOUS! I am LIVING for the days of no bedtimes and slow(er) mornings! I feel like I am working non-stop to get Live Bold Mama ready to launch and I am SO excited about the chance to set new goals, develop strategies to reach those goals, and get motivated to work the strategies in the process! I’ve got a HUGE vision for Live Bold Mama and without goals to keep me on track, I will never get there. It’s kind of daunting, to say the least… But as a motivated, determined, full-of-all-the-mama energy-I-need-to-make-it-happen kinda woman… It’s totally doable! Keep reading if you want to see how I’m getting it done!... [read more]

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MY SECRET TO THAT RIDICULOUS MOM ENERGY WE ALL CRAVE!

There’s a new buzz word floating around in the atmosphere, have you heard of it? It’s gut health. There are SO many studies out there that are linking all sorts of issues we’ve been experiencing for years, to your gut! I admit, when I first heard about it, I rolled my eyes. Another fad. Another “Keto” train. Not. Even. Interested. But then I watched my friend transform from this super irritable, easy-to-tick-off, yelly, sluggish, forgetful, and foggy-brained kind of person, into this calm, patient, full-of-energy, focused, driven woman and it grabbed my attention so fast! For real. So naturally I asked her what she was doing differently, right? Nope. I stayed in the shadows. Watched her transform into the mom I longed to be. And I didn’t say a word out of fear and skepticism. And maybe that’s where you’re at? You’ve got this desire to be a better mom, have more energy, lose the brain fog, and love your kids with patience and kindness and soft tones. Well, if so, keep on lurking.. I mean reading.. I’m about to lay out all the deets!... [read more]

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7 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO HAVE THIS BOOK IN YOUR PERSONAL LIBRARY

Have you ever just read a really great book? You know, one you start reading and just can’t put down? One that has you turning every page with anticipation and excitement? One that truly makes you a better person? I recently finished a book like that and I haven’t been able to stop telling my friends about it! This book rocked my soul. It challenged me. It made me believe that there is actually still good in the world, and it starts with me. If you’re in the market for a really great book. Keep reading…... [read more]

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ADVICE FOR NEW BLOGGERS WHO WANT TO START A LIFESTYLE BLOG

Starting a lifestyle blog can be SUPER scary, especially if you’re one who stays closed off from the outside world. Sharing your life, what you’ve learned, mistakes you’ve made, literally putting yourself on blast is intimidating. As a four-year blogging veteran (hahaha … for real though … never thought I’d be saying that!), I’ve learned so much and grown so much and I’m here to tell you that, if you’re committed, starting a lifestyle blog will change your life. A lot of people look into starting a lifestyle blog to make money. So before we go any further, let me just say this… if that’s you, go ahead and press the back button on your browser. There are 29,610,573,007 other ways to make a quick buck. Starting a blog requires consistent effort, a lot of work, and a truck-load of passion, all for little-to-no reward in the beginning. Now, I’m not saying you’ll never make money with a blog, because who knows what a little consistency and effort could bring you! However, I am saying that making money should not be the reason you start a blog. Keep reading… You need a passion. | Related: Why you should create a blog for your homeschool A passion is the thing that will get you motivated every morning to sit down and write. You need a strategy and an end-result for your audience that brings value. You need thick skin, a little bit of knowledge, and a whole lot of grace. Starting a lifestyle blog is not for the weak, my friends. But it is something that could make you a better person while giving you the opportunity to change the world, one reader, at a time. So, if you’re still with me, I can only assume that you’re ready for the challenge! That you’re committed for the long haul and ready to get started! As promised, this isn’t a fluffy, step-by-step, what everyone else tells you in a “starting a blog” kind of post. I’ve got 10 things to share with you that they don’t tell you about starting a lifestyle blog. Nevertheless, for the sake of the reader who may need a little help getting going… I will do a quick overview of the steps you should take to physically start your blog. Here we go.   Domain Your domain is the website address that will showcase your blog! Pick something fun and creative, but easy to comprehend (and say). You can use your name, like I have, or create something unique to your readers (like createyourhomeschool 😉 ). Totally up to you! My favorite way to check the availability of domain names is by using GoDaddy Who Is. You can type something into the search bar and it will tell you if it’s available. If it’s not, it will suggest other variations! When you’ve figured out what you want, you can also purchase your domain from GoDaddy! Hosting Hosting, in layman’s terms, is the service that works behind the scenes of your blog to make it show up on the internet. It’s a necessity if you want to start a blog, there’s really no way around it. I personally love BlueHost They have super affordable options for hosting and is a great hosting service for bloggers! You can click this affiliate link to learn more about them and check out their plans. CLICK HERE. WordPress Next, you’ll need a platform to create your blog on. Personally, I use, and will only ever use, WordPress. It’s professional, simple, and easy to navigate. It has everything I need to create a successful blog and I think you’ll be quite satisfied, too! There are other platforms out there, but you’ll need to research those. Basically, I’ve just listed the best one for you. You’re welcome! Theme There are SO many themes to choose from. You can use free themes, paid themes, make your own theme (if you know someone techy), the options are endless. The thing to remember about themes is, when you’re looking for one, look past the colors and photos. Those are customizable and will not download with the theme anyway. When looking at themes, you’re looking at the layout of it, what features it offers, whether it’s responsive or not. You’ll get to design it later! Plugins Plugins are miniature “add-ons” to enhance the theme you’ve chosen for your website. My favorite plugins are JetPack and Yoast SEO. JetPack simplifies your website analytics, which is super important for you to learn to navigate and know if you want to build a successful blog. Yoast helps you learn how to optimize your blog so that it will show up higher in Google’s search results. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is crucial to the success of your blog. Pages You’ll want to create a list of pages that you’d like to showcase on your blog, then start creating them! To start out, I would create an awesome “About Me” page, a “Contact Me” page, and a “Freebies” page. The first two are pretty self-explanatory, but the freebies page may need a little explanation. Basically, you’ll want a page that has nothing on it but a sign-up form for your email list. This way, when someone clicks the “Freebies” link (or whatever you want to call it) at the top of your website, in the MENU section, they’ll have no other option but to hand over their email for the super valuable freebie you’re offering them! | Related: The top five freebies that will convert on any blog Blogs Lastly, starting a blog actually means you’ll need to write some blogs! The Yoast plugin will have you aim for anything over 300 words, which isn’t a problem if you love to write, like I do 😉 However, for the best opportunity to get your blog seen by more people, you need to create something valuable, that’s worth the read and shareable. I would personally aim for 750 words or more. You’ll want to create a few evergreen posts that will become...... [read more]

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THE TOP 5 FREEBIES THAT CONVERT ON ANY BLOG

You’re ready to start an email list but have no clue how to get your audience to hand over their email? Well… You’ve come to the right place! When you decide to start an email list (which, by the way, should be a part of your startup blogging plan, not an afterthought), the two biggest questions you are probably going to ask yourself is, how do I get their email? and what the heck do I send them? Today, we’re going to tackle the first question! Let’s get going! Okay, you’ve made the decision to start an email list, you’ve chosen your email marketing provider (I like MailerLite), integrated the service on your website, created a form, and are now ready for the emails to start rolling in! Only… they’re not. You have two things going against you in this day and age. The first, people have an expectation that, in order to give away something of theirs, they need or want something in return. This is where an awesome freebie would come in handy to grow your list. The second thing you have going against you is, people are no longer satisfied with a free printable calendar, coloring page, or worksheet. There’s SO many of those floating around that you’ll be lost at sea if you try to promote it. | Related: Advice for new bloggers who want to start a lifestyle blog I daresay, should someone happen upon your site and see something to that effect being promoted as “free” they’ll just roll their eyes, keep reading what they came there to read, and leave without thinking twice about signing up for your email list. You have to provide something with ridiculously high value in order to convert your audience into raving fans! Here are the top five freebies that will make you stand out in the world of overused, generic freebies! A masterclassThis is a very specific class that you will teach as an expert on a specific subject. The most important piece to the masterclass puzzle is, you have to clearly define what they’ll learn, and what immediate result they will walk away with after the class is over, and then DELIVER what you’ve promised. That’s the piece that will set your masterclass apart and have your audience entering their emails so quickly you won’t even understand what’s happening. A crazy couponThis can’t be a coupon for free shipping or 10% off, it’s got to be good! I mean, you’ll have access to their direct email inbox for a good while, it’s going to be worth it in the long run! So brainstorm what you can do, without losing money on your products or services. Typically, a 25% or 30% discount is a great place to start. You could also do a free chat (like a consultation, but do not use the word consultation… people hate that word!) – If you choose this option, make sure you list the amount of information you’ll provide and in what amount of time, as well as list the value of what that call would cost without an email address. A resource libraryCheck out my resource library here!This is an incredible way to convert an audience! A resource library is basically an area that you only give access to those who are on your email list! It’s FULL of things like workbooks, cheat sheets, training materials, printables, etc. So much value packed into one completely awesome freebie! An exclusive videoThis could be a one-time or multi-part series that you email to your list! Choose a topic that you can really dive into, that leaves your audience wanting more from you! Include at least one actionable step they can take to improve whatever the topic of your video is in their own life, but make sure they know that they need you (and need to stay on your list) to continue learning and growing! A challenge + workbookA free challenge is so much fun! It offers direction, accountability, and support, all of which are so appealing to any person who’s struggling in your particular niche. The key to making your challenge stand out is not only making sure you’ve provided a solid explanation of what your participants will accomplish by taking your challenge, but also including a workbook! Workbooks add so much value to the challenge itself because people know that you’ve taken the time to make sure they “get it”, therefore, already proving that your challenge isn’t just another basic waste of time! So there you have it! Five, super high value, not too difficult to pull off, absolutely non-generic types of freebies to make you stand out as you start an email list for your website!... [read more]

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HOW TO BE BOLD IN 2019

Okay, I’m not going to pretend like I have the answer to the question how to be bold, but I think I have a good idea of how I’m going to personally live out the word, BOLD, in 2019. Maybe if I share my focus, then you’ll grab some good nuggets for yourself too.... [read more]