Aaron & Lindsay, Victoria, BC
It has been full and profitable month at our house. We celebrated Karis’ 3rd birthday in which we reflected back on her special arrival in this world via a natural breech homebirth and what a miracle that was. She has become such a sweet girl who loves to go on dates with Daddy, help mommy around the house, carefully organize her things, and explore the world of imagination with her dress up box (which we compiled for her for her birthday). Daily she will dress up in a lovely outfit and dance around the room while listening to her CD player with various Scripture songs playing aloud.
I completed my CAPPA training which brings me one step closer to becoming a certified labor doula and childbirth instructor. It was three intense days of training in everything related to birth. My brain was a bit overloaded. I am excited to see how God might use this training to minister and bless other women. My desire is to use it as a ministry to help empower families to have glorious birthing experiences.
Karis, celebrating her 3rd birthday, with her new chef costume!
Finally, Aaron and I visited Victoria, British Columbia this month in celebration of our 4th anniversary. We were able to get away for 5 days and invest in our marriage, tour the beautiful Beauchart Gardens, enjoy scrumptious food (including High Tea), hike and walk all over the city, and simply rest and relax together. We were so blessed to have Aaron’s parents willing to watch our kiddos for an extended getaway. It was amazing!
On top of all this, we put our house up for sale! We have been praying and deliberating for some time now, and felt it was finally time to start pursuing a move. We would like to move into Portland to be closer to Aaron’s work, church, and the potential of reaching out to his co-workers more effectively. Please pray with us that God would bring the right buyer, and if you know of anyone looking for a two bedroom condo in Vancouver, WA, pass on our info! 
Book Reviews
With all the events taking place this month, I wasn’t able to complete as much reading as I would have liked, but have a few recommendations for you:
Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan – a quick, simple, and easy guide to real food based upon his book, In Defense of Food. Enjoyable reminder of the priorities to make in your food choices.
Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting by William Farley – this is a powerfully eye opening read for every Christian parent. The gospel is the foundation, the training manual for our instruction when training and disciplining our children. The gospel is the key to effective parenting otherwise we can easily stray to the self-centered, child-centered, or power struggle oriented parenting philosophies of our day. We cannot overly protect them from the world, or assume that new birth has taken place because they are in a safe Christian environment, but rather actively pursue planting seeds of the gospel in their hearts and allow it to transform their lives, giving them vision and purpose for their future.
Blog News
I hope you will take a moment to check out our new sponsors for the month of June (see sidebar or RSS links below)! I wish to thank them all for their continual support for this website and ministry! Dr Mom’s Essentials is a site dedicated to equipping wives and mothers for do-it-yourself schooling, cooking, and doctoring at home. She offers a wealth of information on essential oils (stay tuned for a giveaway later this month!). Old Fashioned Homemaking offers a useful blog filled with pursuing traditional values in modern homes. FBS Books joins us again with a huge reason of Christian books and homeschooling resources.
I am also excited to welcome Michele at Frugal Granola as a new monthly contributor! Check out her biography on our contributors page.
I also want to give an update on our home sponsorship. As many of you know, we donate the majority of our profits earned through advertising and affiliates to support an orphan home in Cambodia. Over the last several months, we have been able to donate roughly $750 each month to support this orphan home thanks to your support! Please continue to join us in our efforts to get this home fully sponsored. Your purchases through our links make a huge difference! Learn more about our home, Phnom Thom, and the wonderful work that is taking place there. How did this vision come about? Read my story! Take part with us in spreading God’s love to the nations!
Coming up this month, we will be talking all about traveling – how to eat nutritionally on the road, traveling activities, exploring the world without even leaving home, and other fun topics! What would you like to hear about? Please share!
Lindsay, I found your sight through Michelle @Frugal Granola. I’m so excited. I just read your About page and am COMPLETELY on the same page. Sounded like words from my own heart and story. I will definitely be following along. God bless
-Amy
We want to move to Vancouver. Want to buy our two bedroom house in Hillsboro? Maybe we’re too far out of Portland for you? If not – let’s swap!
Love it! We are actually looking to move into NE Portland, but that would surely be hilarious! Our condo is yours if you want it.
Hi Lindsay,
Thank you for writing such an encouraging blog! Really been enjoying it! I have a question about the wooden kitchen set. how large is the box that it arrives in? We live over seas and may be returning for a visit to the States, so we wanted to bring a toy kitchen back with us, but not if the box is too big/heavy for a “ceck in” item for the flight. If we were to purchase a toy kitchen where we live, it would be three times this price! Thank you.
It’s actually pretty small since It comes disessembled. I would imagine it would work fine, but cannot say for sure since it’s been over a yr since we bought it.
I would love ideas for some real food solutions to breath mints. I admit, I’m addicted to them and my 2 year old asks for them every time we get in the car. I tried to switch to altoids because they have a less terrifying ingredient list, but they’re more of a choking hazard than my usuals and still are mostly sugar. Any suggestions? Is there some kind of honey candy I could make and add peppermint to? Do I just need to break the habit? I’ve tried xylitol gum but don’t love it and can’t share gum with my toddler yet. Anyway, I’d love to have some suggestions. It even kind of fits in the travel tips category
Really looking forward to the info about traveling. Hopefully, it will come in time for our vacation. Thanks for all your encouragement on this blog.
Thank you for putting together such a wonderful blog. I enjoy it so much. How exciting that you are becoming a doula. I just had my first baby 6 months ago and had a doula with me and she was amazing! I enjoyed a wonderful, completely natural childbirth experience. Along these lines…all my research into natural birthing and and receiving holistic, herbal treatment for some health issues has led me to study to be a Master Herbalist. I found a wonderful coorespondence course put together by a Christian lady named Jessie Hawkins. Her website is http://www.Vintageremedies.com . She starts you out with the basic course of Family Herbalist and then you can continue on to becoming a Master Herbalist. I am almost half-way through the Family Herbalist program and the info has been invaluable to help me raise a healthy family, as she discusses nutrition, pregnancy, birth, immunizations and more. I wish every mom could go through this program – it’s worth it’s weight in gold, especially since it is written with a Christian perspective, which is hard to come by in the world of herbalism.
Anyway, just thought I would pass that on!
I respect you so much for donating the money from this site to an orphan home in Cambodia. You rock!
Oh, Lindsay, I love the picture of you and Aaron. And I’m so continually blessed by your blog. Thank you so much. I’m glad you had a good getaway with your hubby.
I’d like to see a pic of Karis’ dress-up box, if you get a chance to post on that… my girl’s dress-up box has exploded all over their room, and I need a new idea on how to manage that!
Blessings, friend!
shannon
We hang up our dress-up clothes in a sturdy re-used gift bag, instead of using a box.
Blessings,
Michele
Thanks, Michele. I have never thought of that idea. That way it’s not taking up any floor space.
I just bought a wooden wicker basket that is rectangle in shape (kind of like a hopechest but wicker). It looks nice and contains them all.
Lindsay, I really enjoy your monthly family updates!! Well, I enjoy everything about your blog, but I just think it’s fun having that little glimpse into your family life each month.
Happy Anniversary! So glad you could have a wonderful getaway with your hubby.
I would love to hear more about your goal of becoming a doula/childbirth instructor! I have thought about the possibility of becoming a doula someday, but haven’t researched into what all is required for training. I’ve had three great births (2 at home–which was the BEST!), and would love to help other women have great birth experiences also. It would be neat if you could write a post about your plans/goals in this area sometime!
I hope your house sells quickly and that you’re able to find a great new home in Portland! Blessings to you and your family!
Carrie, right now I am just in the exploratory stages of this pursuit. I really have a heart to be able to serve single mothers through doula services in the future, but not sure how that may come about. I really see it as a ministry/outreach to those who need love and support to have a fulfilling birthing experience. Ideally, now doulaing would be primarily on the side, and I would just be teaching classes from home on a regular basis. I don’t want to be apart from my children that often as they are my primary obligation in this season. Trusting the Lord…
I have fallen in love with your blog, as I share so many of the same passions as you- Jesus (of course), living simply, real foods, cloth diapering etc. etc. etc.!
We also have children similar in age – My sons will be 3 in September and 1 in Aug. And now I see you’re becoming a doula! Crazy- I’m currently completing my certification with DONA. I’ve been through training, have completed one birth and have three more lined up. Yay! We should be friends. 
Your daughter’s little stove is adorable! Did someone make it or did you find it somewhere? We have plans to make something like it for our daughters next winter.
We actually bought the Educo My Creative Cookery kitchen set from Amazon. We love it because it is so simply, sturdy, gender neutral and includes lots of food items already. It was on the cheaper end of most sets but I am sure you can easily make one in this fashion.
Congratulations on your 4 year anniversary!! My husband and I celebrated 4 years in May as well. And our daughter turned 3 the first week in May!
I will say a prayer for your house and your move down to Portland. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog! It has blessed me so much and it is really an encouragement to me!
Have a wonderful day!
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary! Love the photo-just beautiful with the waterfall in the background. I like your updates around the house; sounds like you have so much to be thankful for. Best of luck in your new move. I have a feeling the right buyer will come along for you. It seems when your priorities are in the right place (and yours certainly are), good things seem to have a way of working out. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you had a wonderful time away! I live in Victoria, and I would agree – it’s a beautiful city!!
Lindsay,
Your blog has been a staple for me over the past year, and has been such a blessing in my pursuits to be a woman, wife and mother that pleases God. Thank you for doing what you do, and being who you are. Congrats on 4 years together, and blessings on a lifetime ahead:)
Have a great day!
Lindsay, I didn’t realize you were training to be a doula – how exciting! I’m getting close to finishing my own certification with CBI. I’d love to know how you’re planning to mix doula work with mothering small children. That seems to be the biggest obstacle for me – childcare “on call” just doesn’t come easily! What are you planning?
Currently, I am just planning on being a doula on the side while teaching private birthing classes from home with the potential of serving as doula for my clients. I am committed to not taking more than one doula client per month so as to avoid too much adjusting in the home, and so as not to take me away from my little ones too often. I came to the conclusion that it was best to get the certification out of the way while my munckins were young and I had the time to study and then take it year by year.
Looking forward to your traveling tips and eating well!
I can never get enough on the subject
Our favorite tip is to take our blender along with us and stop at truck stops to mix up a green smoothie. We drink them 3 times as is, and they are really so easy to make on the road too!
How exciting to be moving into Portland! Do you have any idea what area you’re interested in? I am a native, though I’ve been away for nearly seven years now, and I still miss it every day.
We are planning on moving into the NE Portland area, such as Hollywood district. My husband works off of Airport way, so we are looking for something close to that.
What a great trip! I am curious as to how you are able to escape for an extended vacation with a little one. Is Titus still nursing? We are trying to figure out how to get away for some much needed marriage time, but are unsure of how to make it happen since our 20 month old is still very much attached to nursing!
Titus was gradually weaning before we left. We were down to three nursing sessions each day on his own. I brought a pump with me and supplemented him with raw milk during our normal nursing periods and he did perfectly fine with Grandma. My supply was waning as it was, but I tried my best to keep pumping during our trip. We did do a few comfort nursings after we came back, but he wasn’t too interested, so we are fully weaned now at 15 months. It was sad to say farewell to that sweet season with him, but it was well worth it for the focused time with my hubby. If you have good supply, you should very well be able to pump and keep nursing when you get back.
I was going to ask that same question! I would love to take anniversary trip with my husband this year. My daughter is down to two nursings per day and my supply can barely make those worth it for her. I’ve been struggling with feelings of guilt over leaving her with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days … nursing has been such a huge thing since birth and it feels strange to think of not being there to nurse her. However, I also feel in desperate need of a few days alone with my husband to focus on just the two of us. Thanks for sharing your story here … maybe we’ll take that getaway after all!
Just make sure you test out baby with a bottle first! My son refuses to take a bottle of breastmilk. I suppose if he got hungry enough he would, but I don’t want to leave him like that! Ah well!