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***TOP 1.5 % Global Podcast*** Are you a busy mom who wants more time for what matters most, but you have no idea where to start simplifying your life?
Do you wish you could nourish your family with healthy homemade food but are too overwhelmed and end up going through the drive thru......again?
Are you concerned about the toxins in your home and food but don’t know how to find simple, natural options to support your family’s health?
I am so excited you are here! This podcast will teach you how to live an simpler life, make your own natural products, simple ways to garden, cook from scratch, and preserve your food to save money and reduce the items you have to buy at the store to become more self-reliant and creating an income on your homestead!
Hey, I’m Monica, I’m a wife, mom of 5 kids, grandma, nurse and daughter of the King! I was overwhelmed with my full schedule and knew I wanted to create more time for my family by simplifying my life. I started small by swapping toxic products for more natural ones, cooking simple healthy meals from scratch, and creating simple systems without the stress and overwhelm! And I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with you!
So grab that cup of coffee, get cozy on the porch swing…..and let’s chat!
Website: Claimingsimplicity.com
Join our Community of Christian Moms https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -＞ monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -＞ https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Episodes
Friday Feb 02, 2024
Friday Feb 02, 2024
Hello!
So it has been brought to my attention that some of you might be thinking that cooking from scratch is not simple and it sounds overwhelming to you, so I want to break down a few items today that you can make yourself in a few minutes and I promise you-I don’t have time to do anything difficult or tedious and I have to keep it all simple because I honestly don’t like spending much time in my kitchen if I don’t have to~I would much rather be in the garden, with the animals, or just doing something outside!
As I have been learning more and more about the ingredients in the foods we buy and how food affects our bodies, the more I want to make as much as I can from scratch so I know what is in what we are eating, but I really don’t have much extra time, so quick and easy recipes are the only ones I make!
This is how simple it can be to make sour cream and it will be the best sour cream you have ever had and you won’t buy it from the store ever again!
Another thing that is very simple to make is crackers. I got this amazing healthy cracker recipoe from my friend shannon and it is so simple and my family also loves them!
These are just a few recipes that we love and if you are busy and are interested in learning how to make more simple recipes like this so you don’t have to rely on the grocery store, just go to claimingsimplicity.com and get on the waitlist!!!!! I’m doing videos to demonstrate each of the recipes and I think you are really going to love it!
Look for more simple recipes in the future to incorporate into your life!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Love ya friend!
Monica
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Hello Friend!
Where are you looking for contentment in your life? Contentment refers to the state of being satisfied and at ease with one’s life and circumstances. Embracing contentment involves appreciating the present moment, finding joy in the little things, and cultivating a sense of fulfillment in the midst of life’s challenges. Contentment is the lifeblood of happiness. Your journey toward purpose and joy will be short lived without it.
Learning contentment is difficult in our society that says the more you have or do, the better, especially when you are constantly trying to keep up with others. If you are not content, discontentment will distract you from living with simplicity and deep meaning. That is why you have to CHOOSE contentment because otherwise discontentment will begin to take over. Every one of us has a different journey, but you can actually learn to be content with little and live an incredibly happy life when you aren’t always chasing stuff and wanting more.
Did you know that contentment not only brings you purpose and joy, but also reduces stress and makes your life enjoyable so you can live the life you were destined to live.
Are you looking for contentment in all the wrong places? When you realize that contentment is not found in accumulating more for yourself, but in giving more to others, your whole life can change. The less you need, the more you give. Giving your time and money will help you live a happier, more fulfilled life and generous people are healthier, happier and more satisfied with life and less inclined to search for it somewhere else.
I want you to think about this as you learn to be more content. A good friend is the best gift you can give-people naturally are attracted toward others who have an open heart to share. Giving of yourself improves lives and is an example to the world of a better way to live and can encourage others to do the same!
I want you to realize, you already have enough friend, so don’t be held hostage by the pursuit of more! Remember how really blessed you are.
Just like homesteading, when you start your contentment journey, keep it simple and start small. Maybe you could give of your time to a friend or someone in need. Make a meal for someone that had a baby or find a charity that aligns with your values and either volunteer or donate money.
As you start to give your time, money and energy, your life will feel lighter and you will start to learn to be content.
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Chat Soon!
Monica
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Hey there!
I don’t know if you are like me, but there are still some areas I am working on to get organized in my business and homestead. I feel like my home has great systems, but when it comes to business there are a few things I will have to pay extra attention to and track now that we have more animals.
I just want to give you 7 tips that are working to organize our homestead and online businesses.
- Create a Master Plan: Outline your goals and priorities for both your business and homestead because having a clear plan will guide your organization efforts.
- Set Priorities: We all know that there are a million things you could be doing in business and farm, so you need to identify the most crucial tasks and projects and focus on what truly matters to your business and homestead success.
- Declutter your space: whether its your office or homestead, decluttering is key. Get rid of unnecessary items and creat a clean functional environment that you enjoy working in. Having clutter around me makes my brain spin, so I need everything to be in order so I can easily get projects started and finished.
- Time Blocking: Allocating specific blocks of time for different activities so you can avoid multitasking and it will help keep you focused on one task at a time. This really helped my squirrly brain!
- Digital Organization: I still have a hybrid system of paper and digital but I have been able to move alot of my business online which has helped for many things. Im hoping to add on team members to delegate work to soon, so I wanted to create a system that was not only for me to understand, but simple for anyone else to do as well. I’m still working on that as I would rather be working with my hands than spending time on an electronic device and I have alot to learn as I am technically challenged, but as learning! I just don’t like paper clutter either, so it has helped to get many projects paperless~that is a process as well.
- Delegating Tasks: Don’t hesitate to give jobs to your kids or husband or hire a team member when it is the right time. There are many things that they may enjoy doing and that they may be better with. I would gladly give away any digital jobs because they take up so much more time than an experienced person could do in just a portion of the time it takes me.
- Reflect and adjust: Take time to assess what is working and what needs improvement and then adjust your strategies accordingly
I hope this helps you organize part of your business or homestead. We all are so different that a one size doesn’t fit all, but just trying different ways to do it so that it works for you is key!
~Monic
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Friday Jan 26, 2024
Hi Friend
Since it is flu season and everyone seems to be getting sick, I just wanted to talk about what we do to stay healthy. It is very very rare that my family gets sick and even though we are around sick people often, we really haven’t been sick in years. I will pick up shift on occasion in urgent care with very sick people and still don’t get sick.
One of the things that we added to our health routine about 5 years ago was we started eating juice plus which is an extensively researched company and no matter how healthy we eat, our soil is depleted and just doesn’t have the nutrients that our body needs. I believe this is the most important change that we made from being sick to healthy for over 5 years. Let me know if you want more information and I would be happy to share it with you. There are some other products out there that look similar, but they don’t have the research studies that this company has. Many olympians and professional athletes take this also to improve their performance.
Next, we try to stay away from processed food. I used to think our family ate pretty healthy until I started reading labels and saw all the hidden ingredients and dyes. We have slowly switched to making all our own bread & pasta products, many dairy products, and swapping out as many snacks and other items as I can easily make from scratch at home. There really isn’t much time involved, it is just mostly figuring out how you can make the products you are already buying, so it does take a little research and planning, but I have a whole list of things I can’t wait to teach you so you don’t have to waste time doing that yourself!
We also stick to mostly drinking water and try to stay away from any expensive or unhealthy drinks. This keeps us hydrated and even in the winter it is just as important to stay hydrated for optimal health and wellness.
We do use home remedies too in case we start to feel off and that will usually take care of the illness before anything shows up.
I do believe that growing our own organic fruits and vegetables also helps keep us well. Many years ago we started buying the organic dirty dozen but it did get quite expensive, so that is another reason we choose to grow as much food in our garden as we can. Gardening doesn’t have to be complicated either. I did not grow up with a garden and so our garden is not a traditional garden, but we have made it so simple that I don’t have to worry about weeds, it gets watered on a timer and is simple so I can manage it even when on vacation for a few weeks. We had our garden like this for 3 years, so I am hoping to keep it as simple as possible at our new home as well.
Your health and wellness matter, so take control of it yourself and you will feel the difference!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Fruits & Veggies -> monicabaker.juiceplus.com
~Monica
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Hey Friend
Eating seasonally refers to the practice of consuming foods that are naturally harvested and available during a specific time of the year. This approach involves aligning your diet with the natural growing cycles of various fruits, vegetables, and other food items.
Eating seasonally means choosing foods that are harvested at their peak ripeness during a particular season. For example, enjoying watermelon and berries in the summer, or butternut squash and apples in the fall.
Seasonal eating often involves selecting foods that are locally grown and available in your region. This supports local farmers and reduces the environmental impact of transporting produce over long distances
Seasonal foods are picked at their prime, offering the best taste and nutritional value. Freshness and flavor are heightened when you consume foods during their natural season.
Seasonal produce tends to be more nutrient-dense because it is allowed to fully ripen before harvest. This means you get a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals in your meals.
Eating seasonally fosters a connection with the changing seasons and the natural rhythm of agricultural cycles. It encourages a sense of mindfulness about the origin and availability of your food
Here are some budget friendly tips to saving money on food.
~Purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers' markets or directly from farmers. Local produce is often more affordable, and you support local businesses if you are not growing your own produce.
~Take advantage of bulk discounts when seasonal items are abundant. You can freeze or preserve extras for later use, ensuring you have affordable, fresh options year-round. Since we moved last year, I had to buy more produce because I wasn’t able to grow everything myself last year. Actually, we just recently took our frozen tomatoes out of the freezer and made our spaghetti sauce.
~Farmers' markets often offer competitive prices, and you might find unique, seasonal produce that's more affordable than in supermarkets
~If you have any CSA programs around you, they allow you to buy a share of a local farm's harvest. This not only supports farmers but also provides you with a regular supply of seasonal produce at a potentially lower cost, so this is a great option too if you don’t grow your own food.
~Tailor your meal plans based on what's in season. This helps you take advantage of lower prices for in-season items and avoids the expense of out-of-season produce. We eat ALOT of zucchini in the summer……..zuchinni noodles, zucchini tots, fried zucchini, grilled zucchini and all kinds of great meals.
~When seasonal fruits and veggies are abundant and less expensive, consider preserving or freezing them for later. This allows you to enjoy seasonal flavors throughout the year without paying a premium price.
~Prepare larger quantities of meals when seasonal ingredients are affordable, and freeze portions for later. This can save you money by avoiding last-minute, more expensive food choices
By aligning your grocery shopping with the seasons and being mindful of where and how you purchase your food, you can savor the benefits of seasonal eating while keeping your budget in check
Overall, eating seasonally is a holistic approach that considers the natural cycles of food production, supports local agriculture, and enhances the taste and nutritional quality of your meals. It's a wonderful way to enjoy a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle
~Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Hello Friend!
God has put it on my heart to talk about contentment whether you are a beginning homesteader or just striving to get by every day as a busy mom. I think in this modern world we live in, we are so focused on what we have and who has more instead of just being happy where we are at. If you are doing work you hate to just have more things, you are missing the joy in every day. Day in and day out, you are just going through the motion instead of living the dream God has for you. When you seek after Him like never before, you will find peace and contentment.
I love John 14:27 Peace I leave with you: my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. This means that unlike worldy peace, Jesus' peace gives us confident assurance in any circumstance.
I often think about if I am living my daily life the same way as if I only had a week or month to live and there are times I need to step back-especially in business because I love to be productive and I love the work I am doing, so it is easy to spend more time on it and this is where I have to set my boundaries.
You can’t be happy if you are not content. It is hard to have joy and purpose if you are not happy and I believe social media has ramped up this feeling of discontent because you are only seeing the highlight reels. This is one reason I have a hard time posting on social. I don’t want everyone to be envious of this life we have created. I love it and enjoy it every day, but if you are still working toward this life of time freedom, it can make you become somewhat discontent and that is the last thing that I want for you friend.
So many of you are dreaming of a farmstead or homestead, but there are so many things you can do right where you are to get there someday. I can’t emphasize enough about learning! When you learn the skills right where you are now, you are less likely to become overwhelmed when you actually get to where you want to be. Remember, God’s timing is perfect, so stay content in where he has you right now whether it be an apartment or in the city and keep dreaming and asking God what His will is for you.
Not only will contentment bring you joy and purpose, but it also reduces stress and makes your life so much more enjoyable and there is such freedom in contentment to be who God created you to be and live the life you can only dream of.
Here are a few items for you to start your journey to contentment. First pray~this is the most important thing you can do in every situation in your life. Next, remove items from your home that you have not used recently and declutter as much as you can in your home and learn to be happy with less. There are many studies about clutter and mental health. Less stuff is so freeing and will also eliminate hours of time in managing the stuff and also less cleaning. I was recently with someone that was stressed out about getting her house cleaned before someone came over, but once you have simple systems in place and less stuff, your whole life can change because you will have more time to make memories and less time managing your home and you won’t have to worry about someone stopping over!
I pray that you can find more contentment and peace in your daily walk.
~Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Friday Jan 19, 2024
Friday Jan 19, 2024
Happy Day!
I want you to have a home that is easy to keep clean and manage. Once you get a system down, you don’t ever have to worry about unexpected guests coming over. Really-you shouldn’t worry about that anyway because they are probably over to just enjoy your company.
Every year, I have to go through our inventory and also evaluate if there is something that isn’t working. I talked a few episodes ago how things in our pantry were getting stacked up on the counter and we weren’t able to open the doors above that space and we had to put another stand in place to keep that from happening and this is similar to your systems for cleaning your house.
What is working? Are you able to keep the counters clean and clear of clutter? If not, what can you do to change that. If it is mail that is coming into the home and getting stacked up on the counter. Find a system that can stop that habit. Mail has never been an issue for me. I look through the mail as I come in from the mailbox, put any unwanted items in the garbage and then it you need to do something with some of it, have a bin for that and then have another bin for look at someday. This would be something like seed catalogs or something you want to look at but don’t have time right now. Did I mention seed catalogs? Anyone else getting excited for our season? Anyways…..If it is dishes on the counter and in the sink, can you make sure that you get them into the dishwasher or washed every evening so you don’t wake up to a mess right away in the morning? You could also rinse and put them right into the dishwasher during the day as you use them.
If you are having problem keeping your bathroom clean, one thing that is so simple to do is to make sure to have your cleaning spray right below your cabinet and clean the counter off and spray it down right after you are done getting ready in the morning. It just takes a few seconds. If there are clothes laying around, put a basket to put them into or make sure you are bringing them to the laundry instead of leaving them on the floor. If your toilet is dirty, just take a couple minutes to clean it after you are done using it. These things don’t take much time, but if you let them get out of hand, they can get much dirtier and harder to clean.
Maybe it is your entry way that gets cluttered up quickly. If it is coats, you hang some hooks so that it is easy to hang up. My family is more likely to hang their coat on a hook than open a closet door and put it on a hanger. Plus, many times, you hands are full when you walk in the door, so it is much simpler to have hooks. If we get too many shoes in that area, I have everyone take their shoes to their room because you can only wear 1 pair at a time. It seems like you have alot more shoes with girls than boys, thats for sure!
It could be your living room that is causing your stress and hard to keep clean. Once again, evaluate where the problem is. It may be that you have to declutter so you have less stuff to manage because that will not only keep your house cleaner, it will also clear your mind. What can you do without? If there is garbage laying around, have your whole family of putting it in the garbage. What can you do to streamline this process?
Start with one area of your home and create systems to keep that area clean and then once that is on autopilot, start on the next area of your home. I used to spend hours cleaning my home, but once I simplified everything, decluttered and made simple systems, I feel like I rarely ever clean. It just becomes a habit and you will have less stress once you get your systems in place.
Blessings!
Monica
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Pinterest -> https://www.pinterest.com/claimingsimplicity/
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Hello!
When you live your life intentionally, there doesn’t seem to be the feeling of friction which creates so much less stress is this crazy fast modern world. If you listened to the last episode, you will understand when I say that social media is not something I want to be intentional about. I would rather spend time with my real friends than the ones that just like everyones posts. I just don’t want to take time away from what matters to me most and maybe that is you too. What keeps you on these platforms? I often wonder when people say they are busy, what they have to show for it. Busy scrolling or busy with the people they love. I hope it is the latter of the 2.
You can’t ever get your time back and making memories and being intentional is key. I am so thankful we bought a little piece of land just off the lake years ago and the kids were able to make memories from when they were very young. We cleared the land, worked on it with cash as we went, put in electric and well, built a cabin and spent hundreds of weekends just making memories with family and friends. The best part is that we didn’t have any internet service. Now our grandkids love all the memories we make up there and on our farm.
We like to go on vacations a few times a year at least with our 2 kids that are still at home as they get to have many experiences as we have traveled around the US to many different locations. They only have 5 years left at home, so we want to be intentional about that as well. We like to take a few weeks at a time so we can see as much as possible. Sometimes we fly, but we would rather drive so we can do more.
My husband & I have had weekends away, but we have our whole life to travel by ourselves after the kids are gone, so we like them to experience as much as possible while they are with us. We don’t spend alot of money when we vacation and many times it is a business expense.
We like to hike and have visited many many national parks and since we make our own food from scratch, we usually rent houses with kitchens that we can cook from scratch ourselves so we keep our energy up and stay healthy. If there are some unique places to eat at with a fun experience, we will stop, but for the most part, we don’t like to waste our money on high priced unhealthy meals.
I encourage you to look at what you are doing intentionally in your life. Is there some memories you would like to make, would you like to start cooking from scratch or learning some new skills? We only have so much time on this earth, so I challenge you to stop scrolling and start living life! God has so much more in store for you friend! You will be so glad you did!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Hello Friend
I want to give you 3 simple time management tips to put into place when cooking from scratch because I know it can seem a little overwhelming at first.
First, I want you to decide on 1 new item you want to make. If there is a recipe that you would like to make, but don’t want to waste time researching, please just email me because I have tried many and if I find one is simpler than another and just as good, I will stick with the simple one! I don’t want you wasting time on pinterest or social media because that will keep you from getting into action. Once you have that recipe,make sure you have all the ingredients or make a list of ingredients you need and when you will go shopping for them.
Next, put it on the calendar to make so you know exactly which day you will be doing it. Allow for time to prepare and make sure you know the cook time-one of the worst things that could happen is that you have it on the calendar to make and you didn’t realize how long it was going to take and can’t eat until 10pm!
And Last, if you family likes this meal and it was simple for you to make, put it into a favorites recipe binder. This will help you stay organized and make it easy to pull out when you need a quick from scratch meal.
Repeat this process until you have a few weeks worth of recipes and that will make it super easy to plan your from scratch meals easily.
The key to not getting stressed out about cooking healthier is do it slowly. Try 1 meal a week to start out if doing more than that stresses you out. You don’t have to eat perfectly, but when you transition slowly, you will have lasting change.
Chat soon!
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
~Monica
Friday Jan 12, 2024
Friday Jan 12, 2024
Hi Friend!
I want to give you some simple meal ideas to cut your grocery expense and eat nutritious healthy meals without a lot of time in the kitchen.
Some simple ways to cook is instant pot meals, easy casseroles or hot dishes, simple crockpot recipes for soups and chilies, egg bakes and any kind of breakfast food.
Make sure you don't waste time in the kitchen so you can spend life living more intentional.
Below is instagram link if you want to check out what is happening in my life
Website:
Join our Community of Christian Moms ->
https://www.facebook.com/groups/claimingsimplicity/
Email -> monica@claimingsimplicity.com
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/claimingsimplicity/
Love ya friend!
Monica