Homemaking

13 Simple No Sugar Valentines Day Ideas For Your Child’s Classroom

It happened to me every year. Valentine’s Day would sneak up on me!

When the kids were in elementary school, they would have a Valentine’s Day party and card exchange. I would ALWAYS forget until the day before (if I was lucky).

It’s kinda funny, because Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that stays the same each year, so unless it fell on the weekend, I should have known better.

But there was just too much going on in my mom brain and Valentine’s Day wasn’t at the top of the list.

Also, I really didn’t want to pass out candy. I don’t mind my kids eating candy, but it gets to be overload on that day. Since I know there will be lots of sugar available, it is always nice to bring a treat that has no sugar.

So if this is you, I want to help.

I searched the internet (who are we kidding, Pinterest), and found some really cute ideas for Valentine’s Day (that you can do the day before) that don’t include a sugar filled treat.

13 Simple No Sugar Valentines Day Ideas For Your Child’s Classroom

Applesauce Cup Valentine’s Day Free Printable @ Savoring the Good

Nacho Average Valentines @ Skip to My Lou

You Light Up My Life @ Eighteen 25

Owl + Crazy Straw Valentines Cards @ Happiness is Homemade

Bullseye Valentines With Pencil Arrows @ Positively Splendid

Hope You Have a Ball Valentine Printables @ Somewhat Simple

Dollar Store Bubble Valentine Printable @ Our Home Made Easy

Make Your Own Valentine Necklace @ Non Toy Gifts

Lip Valentines Printable @ Persia Lou

Sunglasses Valentines Day Cards @ Where the Smiles Have Been

Crazy Straw Valentines @ Simplistically Living

Crayons Valentines Day Cards @ The Taylor House

Heart Pencil Toppers Craft @ The Best Ideas for Kids

Don’t those just look so cute! Some people are so creative. And since that isn’t me, I love that I can find great ideas on Pinterest in a matter of minutes.

I hope this post helped you find a Valentine’s Day treat for your child’s classroom that is cute, easy and not sugary. That’s a triple win!

What treats do you like to send with your kids on Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

Why Healthy Self Care Is Important For Women

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

Self care is a topic that I always thought was a little “woo-woo”. A little too indulgent for a mother of three boys.

I didn’t have time to go to the spa or away for a girls weekend. Maybe one day. . .

Fast forward 10 years and now I am the mother of three teenage boys (17, 15, 13) and I am looking at the future with tear filled eyes. Soon they will be out of our house and on with their own lives.

I often look back and wonder if I could have been a better mother if I had taken the time to take care of myself.

Those first years (with 3 boys under 4) were really hard. Sleepless nights, constant activity during the day and all that noise! It was crazy.

So I am writing this as a person that is starting to make self care a priority. I should have done it much sooner.

How do I define self care?

Self care is simply taking care of your own needs without guilt. It doesn’t mean you don’t take care of others.

It just means that you realize your health and wellbeing is just as important as others in your life.

Why is self care important?

Women (and mothers especially) tend to always put others first in their priorities and time management.

This is a great quality and should not be diminished.

But taking time to make self care a part of your routine can allow you to stay healthy and sane so that you can take care of others around you.

For so long, I didn’t take care of my health because I felt dieting or working out was taking away from my kids and family. I knew that wasn’t true, but I always put things off to “some day” when the kids were grown.

I would always feel guilty for taking a day for me, even when I was a stay at home mom that was with my kids 24/7 on most days. Mom guilt (for those that work inside or outside of the home) is real and can keep you from taking time for yourself.

How do I make time for self care?

Making time for self care doesn’t mean you abandon your family. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about them.

Making time for self care means you realize that you are your best when you feel good and healthy. You feel and act more patient and understanding with your family when you take care of yourself too.

If you have little ones around, time for self care is limited. But that doesn’t mean it is gone all together. A little break can go along way (and I’m not talking about hiding in the bathroom!).

10 Ideas for healthy self care that don’t take much time:

Taking a shower uninterrupted.
Painting your toenails.
Eating healthy.
Watching your favorite tv show after the kids go to bed.
Relax in your garden and enjoy what you have accomplished.
Listening to music you love (and maybe have a dance party).
Go for a walk.
Getting dressed and ready for the day.
Reading a new book.
Call a loved one you haven’t spoken to in awhile.

10 Ideas for healthy self care that might take extra planning (but are necessary):

Date night with your husband.
Yearly physical.
Going to the dentist (atleast once a year, twice is better).
Exercise.
Girls night out with your mom friends.
Shopping (by yourself or with a friend).
A weekend getaway or anniversary trip.
Lunch with a friend.
Learn a new skill (photography, painting, gardening, etc).
Go to a museum or movie with a friend.

Self care may seem indulgent and unnecessary. But it isn’t, believe me.

If you are a mother of young children, your kids take everything you’ve got. That is natural and normal.

But one day they will grow up and you might just wonder what happened to you.

Maybe you’re overweight because you ate your feelings and frustrations.

Maybe you and your husband are strangers because all you ever did was worry and fuss over the kids.

Maybe you don’t have any friends because you never took time to talk or spend time with them.

You can be a good mother and still take a few minutes a day for yourself (see the first idea list).

You can be a good mother and leave your children or family for a few hours or days (see the second idea list).

The things on both of these idea lists can recharge your batteries so that you can be a better version of you; the mom, wife and friend you want to be.

I’m not saying that you need to go to the spa or travel Europe to practice self care. In this case, a little goes a long way.

So if you don’t have much time, make it count. I’ve been there. I understand. And I wish I had done this sooner in my life. It can make all the difference.

How do you practice healthy self care in your life? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

4 Reasons We Are Giving An Experience Instead of Christmas Gifts This Year

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

How can we make Christmas different and memorable for our kids?

Don’t get them presents.

What? That’s crazy! No presents? Have you lost it?

Probably, but we are trying it anyway.

This year for Christmas, we are trying something new.

We have teenagers (17, 15 and 13 year old boys) and they don’t need anymore stuff.

They have a house full of stuff and they don’t appreciate most of it.

Even though our house burned down 4 years ago and they lost everything, they still have too much stuff.

So this year, we aren’t going to give them a bunch of stuff we will probably just throw out this time next year.

This year, we are going to give them an experience instead.

For our Christmas gift to our family this year, we are going on a 5 day cruise to Mexico with some of our extended family.

It was actually my sister in law that suggested this to us at the beginning of last year.

“Wouldn’t it be fun to get a bunch of family together and go on a cruise?” she said. Of course, I thought that was an awesome idea.

Then she said “We are planning on doing this and have it be a Christmas present to our kids. The only Christmas present.”

I had heard of people traveling for vacation on Christmas, but it was mostly for older people that didn’t have kids at home anymore.

Have you ever seen the movie Christmas with the Kranks? That’s what I was picturing.

But as my husband and I thought about it more, we started loving the idea. Here’s why:

4 Reasons We Are Giving An Experience Instead of Christmas Gifts This Year

1. They already have enough stuff

Like we said above, they just don’t need more stuff. And if they do, they have ways of earning money for themselves.

Also, they will get stuff from other family members that aren’t going with us. So don’t worry, they will have things to open on Christmas Day.

2. They are growing up quickly

They are teenagers now, so time is flying by. I can’t believe that next year they will be Senior, Junior and Freshman in high school.

All that time we spent thinking that “they are too little to remember a big trip” or “too little to enjoy a more expensive vacation” has been replaced with “what can we teach them before they leave home” or “we don’t have much time left before they are gone”.

Family vacations are how we bond as a family and that time is growing short.

3. This will be a Christmas they always remember

I have one Christmas that I will always remember from my childhood. It was the year we went to Alabama (from Texas) to visit my family there.

We played on the beach (even though it was cold) and saw people we never get to see.

But for the most part, my Christmas memories of my childhood are more of a feeling than an exact memory.

I remember family getting together, opening presents and lots of good food.

And while those things are great, I want this Christmas to be the one that my kids remember vividly from their childhood.

I am hoping that by doing something different, they will never forget this Christmas.

4. We believe that what you learn is more important than the stuff you have

While opening presents and getting what we want is fun, it is a fleeting moment.

But the things we learn can stick with us forever.

So by traveling to another country, seeing new things, meeting new people and having new experiences, these things can have an impact on them their whole lives.

Not to mention, spending time with us and extended family.

These are the things that shape them for the rest of their lives.

{Here is our Christmas card picture for this year!}

But just because we aren’t doing traditional Christmas presents doesn’t mean we are skipping Christmas (refer to the movie above).

We are still decorating, buying other’s presents, making Christmas treats, sending out cards and all of the other things that come with Christmas.

In fact, everything is about the same except Christmas morning will be alot faster. But because the kids know what is happening, I don’t think it will bother them too much.

Our cruise is in January, so until then we will enjoy the snow and holiday cheer.

Have you thought about giving your kids an experience instead of gifts?

I highly recommend it. We have been talking about it all year and everyone is excited to go!

How has your Christmas gift giving evolved as your kids have gotten older? Please tell us about it in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

21 Keto Christmas Recipes For A Bloat Free Holiday

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

Check out these 21 keto Christmas recipes and make something healthy for your family today!

Christmas can be a frustrating and overwhelming time for someone that is trying to eat healthy.

And while you might decide to take Christmas Day off from a healthier diet, often the whole month of December (who are we kidding, since Halloween) is one big junk food extravaganza!

If you eat too much for too many days in a row, you are going to start feeling it in a bad way.

Heartburn, bloating, and excess gas are no way to spend a holiday!

We want to have energy to enjoy the holidays with our family and friends.

So I searched the internet (who are we kidding, Pinterest) and found some awesome keto recipes you can make for yourself or take to parties to give you a no guilt good time.

Many main dishes (such as ham or turkey) are already keto friendly, as long as you don’t add glaze or other sugar to it.

21 Keto Christmas Recipes For A Bloat Free Holiday

Side Dishes

Supreme Green Bean Casserole @ Low Carb Maven

Bacon and Chive Deviled Eggs @ Keto Connect

Bread and Sausage Stuffing @ All Day I Dream About Food

Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce @ Joy Filled Eats

Keto Stuffing Recipe @ It’s Simple

Creamy Cauliflower Mash and Keto Gravy @ Keto Connect

Cookies

Keto Gingerbread Cookies @ Keto Diet

Gluten Free Cutout Sugar Cookies @ Breezy Bakes

Sugar Free Paleo Pecan Snowball Cookies @ Sugar Free Mom

Low Carb Bourbon Balls Recipe @ Low Carbology

The Best Almond Flour Sugar Cookies @ Meaningful Eats

Keto Cinnamon Stars @ Sugar Free Londoner

Keto Ginger Snaps @ Completely Keto

Keto Shortbread Cookies @ My Keto Kitchen

Pie

Low Carb Pecan Pie @ Keto Connect

Keto Chocolate Silk Pie @ Ruled.Me

Low Carb Lemon Meringue Pie @ Definitely Good Food

Other Desserts

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites @ Beauty and the Foodie

Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Cake @ All Day I Dream About Food

Low Carb Lemon Cheesecake Bars @ Simply Tara Lynn

Sugar Free Candied Pecans @ Wholesome Yum

All of these keto recipes look so delicious! I can’t wait to try them this year too!

You don’t have to go crazy on the carbs to enjoy the holidays this year. These yummy recipes will help you enjoy the holiday and stay on keto all season long!

Want to remember this? Save 21 Keto Christmas Recipes For A Bloat Free Holiday to your favorite recipe Pinterest Board!

What are your favorite keto Christmas recipes? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!

Practicing Gratitude: 8 Activities for Families

by Julie @ Real Food Homestead

It’s November!

I love November because it is still fall (my favorite season).

It is also the month we celebrate Thanksgiving and gratitude.

It is important to be grateful all year long, but we put a special emphasis on gratitude this time of year.

Gratitude is a skill that is so desperately needed in this self absorbed and entitled world.

We need to teach our kids gratitude in our words and deeds so that they may feel it too.

So today, I wanted to share with you some ideas of how you can bring a special expression of gratitude in your home this season.

8 Activities You Can Do To Teach Your Family Gratitude

1. Thankful Tree

Doing a craft together is a great way to learn something as a family. The Thankful Tree from Hands On As We Grow is a fun craft that each family member can look at and add to all season long.

2. Family Gratitude Jar

We have done this before as a family and it works great. This Family Gratitude Jar from Get Away Today allows all family members to add things they are grateful for over the month. Then the papers can be read on Thanksgiving to let everyone know what family members are grateful for.

3. Gratitude Journal

Want to get your thoughts on paper but don’t want to spend alot of money? Check out this Printable Gratitude Journal from Frugal Fun 4 Boys and get all of your thankfulness out on paper and keep it forever.

4. Conversation Starters

Sometimes you want to talk about gratitude with your kids, but you don’t know what to say. These Conversation Starters from Creative Family Fun will get the conversation flowing with ease.

5. Thanksgiving Books

Kids love to read books, either by themselves or as a family. This list of 40 Favorite Thanksgiving Reads by Second Story Window has great books that your kids will love and learn from for the season.

6. Scavenger Hunt

Need to get out of the house and get some exercise on Thanksgiving. I love this idea of a Gratitude Photo Scavenger Hunt from Let’s Get Together, where you look for certain topics (as a small group) and take pictures of them.

7. Play A Game

Kids love games! This Gratitude Game from Teach Beside Me is a great way to encourage your family to think about things they are thankful for.

8. Gratitude Stones

Need a physical reminder of your blessings? Gratitude Stones from Fireflies and Mudpies are a cool and cheap idea to have something tangible for your family to hold and recognize their blessings.

I want my kids to have a grateful attitude, all year long. That is why doing these types of activities as a family is so important.

I hope you pick a few of these ideas to incorporate in your Thanksgiving traditions with your family. It will be so rewarding for all those involved.