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#1 Time-Saving Tip for Getting Dinner on the Table Each Night

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A guest post from Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer of Thriving Home.

As food bloggers, cookbook authors, and freezer cooking evangelists, these moms are on a mission to “help your home thrive, one delicious meal at a time”. Their popular website, ThrivingHome.org and cookbooks help bring busy families together over healthy, homemade meals. Follow them on instagram (@thrivinghome) for recipe ideas, meal prep tips, mom hacks, and more.

When I had my first kiddo, I made the decision to stay home full-time. Our one-income budget was tight. My time was tight. And to be honest, my post-pregnancy jeans were tight.

It seemed like the only thing that had room to grow was my cooking repertoire. I just could not get dinner figured out. 

Before kids, I’d had this lovely vision of providing healthy, homemade meals around the dinner table each evening. As you can probably guess, that never happened. Not even close.

I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how I was supposed make a meal EVERY-SINGLE-NIGHT! Or, how could we possibly afford fresh, healthy foods on our tight grocery budget? We weren’t eating well, and I didn’t have a clue what to do about it. 

Relate?

AN ANSWER TO THE DINNERTIME DRAMA

What if I told you that there was an answer to this dinnertime drama? What if it was something you could start doing TONIGHT!? It’s not new. It’s not sexy. It’s not complicated. In fact, you’ve probably heard of it. It’s freezer cooking!

Wait! Wait! Don’t close the browser. Hear me out.

I’m well aware that when many people hear the term, “freezer cooking” they think of mushy, beige leftovers. I did too. However, what if I told you that freezer meals can be fresh, vibrant, and full flavor and texture? It’s true!

In fact, after developing hundreds of freezer friendly recipes for our website and freezer meal cookbooks, we are confident that a freezer cooking lifestyle can change your life. In fact, here’s what one reader recently emailed us:

Thank you to you ladies for making dinnertime (ergo my life) so much less stressful. The week, I used your cookbook for dinners. The only thing extra I did was double the recipes. By the end of the week, I had 6 meals in the freezer ready to go. It’s been such a blessing in my life, thank you!
-cderry

 

4 BENEFITS OF FREEZER COOKING

When I say “freezer cooking” I am referring to preparing meals in advance and freezing them before cooking. This method of simply doubling a meal and freezing one for later, has become a lifestyle in my home which has helped me get dinner on the table, even on the busiest nights.

Here are a few more reasons I love freezer cooking.

1) It saves money by buying in bulk and eating at home.

It’s no secret that when you buy food in bulk quantities, it is usually cheaper. By meal planning, you’ll see your grocery bill go down significantly. Plus, having ready-to-go meals within reach reduces the temptation to spend money eating out.

2) It cuts down on prep and cooking time, leaving more room to relax and spend time with loved ones. 

By having meals that you doubled from a previous meal ready to go in the freezer, you’ll cut down on all those extra little trips to the store during the week. Even more importantly, you’ll cut down on your prep, cooking, and clean-up time regularly, leaving weeknights freer to relax, spend time with your family, exercise, enjoy hobbies, or whatever else has been crowded out of your life by the daily cooking grind!

3) Freezer cooking helps you eat healthier!

Freezer cooking, especially using our recipes, makes homemade food full of REAL, wholesome ingredients readily available. When you cook at home, you are in control of the ingredients. This means your family is consuming less additives and preservatives and more whole foods.

4) You’ll always have meals on hand to take to a friend in need.

With meals in the freezer, you can be that friend who shows up at the doorstep with a healthy dinner and a few words of encouragement. It’s a simple act of caring and thoughtfulness that can make a bigger impact than you may realize. 

 

WHERE TO FIND GREAT FREEZER MEAL RECIPES

As self-proclaimed “freezer cooking evangelists” we have developed and rigorously tested hundreds of delicious, freezer-friendly recipes and perfected the freezing/thawing methods for all different types of meals. Here are three places to find our recipes:

1) Thriving Home: You’ll find that our website is a wealth of information for anyone looking for make-ahead freezer meals, including things like:

 

2) From Freezer to Table: Another way to find the best of the best of our recipes is to snag our cookbooks. Our popular first cookbook walks a reader through freezer cooking basics and provides a wide variety of our favorite family-friendly recipes.

3) From Freezer to Cooker: In our second cookbook, each recipe provides instructions for both the slow cooker AND the Instant Pot. On top of that, we provide instructions for how to prep it ahead and freeze it for those extra busy nights.

Fun fact: we even got to go on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family show to share about this cookbook!

Want to try a recipe from From Freezer to Cooker? We’d love to share one with you! In fact, this recipe is on the cover!

SLOW COOKER ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

We love that this dish is low carb and filled with lean meat and vegetables, but also seasoned well with amazing Asian staples like soy sauce, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and more. These work well as an appetizer or for a lighter dinner. Beware that they can be messy, so have napkins on hand. Kid-friendly tip: wrap the rice and chicken/veggie mixture in a whole grain tortilla. 

Makes: 4 servings (2-3 lettuce wraps per person)

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (or up to 2 teaspoons)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil or peanut oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey)
  • 2 cups shredded coleslaw mix (sub: 1 cup shredded carrots and 1 cup shredded cabbage), plus more for garnish
  • 1 bunch green onions, trimmed chopped, white and green parts, divided
  • 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
  • 16 crisp leaves of Boston Bibb, butter leaf, or Romaine lettuce
  • ½ cup peanuts, crushed

 

Slow Cooker Instructions: (tested in a 6 quart cooker)

Make It Now:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Brown the ground chicken until there is no more pink. Drain off any grease. (Freezer meal instructions begin here.)  
  3. Add the chicken, coleslaw mix, green onions, and water chestnuts to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the top and stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until vegetables are soft and flavors are combined.
  5. To serve, use a slotted spoon to spoon the filling into a lettuce leaf. Top with fresh shredded cabbage, crushed peanuts, and (optional) more hot sauce, as garnish. Wrap and eat like a burrito.

 

Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-2. To a gallon-sized freezer bag or container, add the cooked, cooled chicken, coleslaw mix, green onions, water chestnuts, and the sauce, and seal. Add the crushed peanuts to a small freezer bag or containers and seal. Freeze both together as a kit.

Prepare From Frozen: Note: You will need lettuce and (optional) shredded coleslaw and hot sauce on hand to finish this meal. Thaw. Place the meat/veggie mixture into the slow cooker. Follow Steps 3-5.

Buy From Freezer to Cooker Here

A Minimalist Baby Registry

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A guest post from Jessie Martin

Jessie Martin is a wife, mama, photographer, and educator. She writes at Jessiemartin.com and hosts the Grace and Intention podcast. She is passionate about empowering moms to see how incredible their everyday motherhood journey is. One way she does this is through teaching moms how to take beautiful pictures of and with their families (even if they don’t have a fancy camera).

Jessie is a mom of two little ones with another on the way. She lives in the woods with her family and loves all things photography, minimalism, and simple living.

This baby registry is for you if you are trying to be more minimal, you value quality over quantity, and you love neutral colors!

Many of the items in this post are affiliate links. You don’t get charged any extra, but my family receives a small commission when you shop via one of my affiliate links & we are so grateful for your support!

Over the last few years, minimalism has really influenced the way I run our home. Allie has been one of my biggest mentors and role models and I’m honored to be a guest on her blog.

The effects of being on the more minimal side has transformed not only our home, but me! I’m less stressed and I’m able to manage our home way better than ever before. I’m able to spend less time cleaning up and more time with my family doing what matters.

When we got pregnant with oldest, I knew I wanted to keep minimalism in mind as we prepared to bring a baby into our home.

Below is a list of my favorite baby gear. I’ve been compiling this list over the past three years. I’m three kids in and I feel like it’s truly the essentials and only what you’ll actually need.

 

SLEEP

Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard Portable Napper & Changer

This alleviates the need for a bassinet when you have a newborn and is a must for your baby registry. It can be used for many years as a portable crib & a safe play area. We use it every single day.

Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard Fitted Sheet, Grey

I recommend getting 2-4 sheets to have as backups when one gets dirty.

Little One’s Pad Pack N Play Crib Mattress Cover

I recommend buying 2-4 sets. This keeps the Pack n’ Play mat from getting ruined.

Ikea Sniglar Crib

We bought our crib from Ikea and love it. This is a very similar one from Amazon & it has great ratings and reviews.

Graco Premium Foam Crib & Toddler Mattress

This mattress has worked great and feels super comfortable!

100% Cotton Jersey Knit Fitted Crib Sheet

I would recommend buying 2-4 fitted sheets.

Waterproof Fitted Mattress Pad Cover

I would recommend buying 2-4 mattress pad covers.

Mom Hack: Make your baby’s crib like normal with a waterproof fitted pad and a fitted sheet, but add an additional waterproof pad and sheet on top of the first set. This makes for really fast bedding changes in the middle of the night when everyone is tired.

White Noise Machine

This. Every Nap. All night long. When the dogs bark or my car alarm randomly goes off, our son doesn’t wake up thanks to this life saver.  A sound machine is one of the best baby items I can recommend.

The great thing about this sound machine is that it grows with your kids. We still use it as a sound machine for our one and two year old, but we also use the “Time to Rise” function for our two year old (the light turns green when it’s time to wake up and he knows he can call for me to come get him).

If you’re looking for a cheaper sound machine, we’ve used THIS one. I’ve had three and they all break after about a year of using them, but they’re only $20, so they’re great in a pinch or on a budget.

Baby Monitor

I use this for every nap and all night long. It’s priced much lower than a lot of video monitors and it’s a really great quality. It shows the room temperature as well, which is a feature we love. I can’t recommend this one enough.

Swaddles

I am a swaddle snob. I will be the first to admit it.

My absolute favorite swaddle blankets are Max & Moose. They’re more like t-shirt material and they are bigger than standard swaddles, so they’re easier to use. I have purchased 7 of these between my two kids.

Another similar brand is Mebie Baby. These swaddles are a little thinner and super stretchy (make sure you get the stretch swaddles, they work much better and your baby won’t bust out of them as easily). I like using these for warmer nights.

I recommend buying 6-8 swaddle blankets. They have to be changed almost as much as outfits due to diaper mishaps 😉 

Bibs Pacifiers

Bibs is a newer family owned business. They have a million colors and their pacifiers are really super cute. Alivia has loved them and took them right away. I also love  Ryan and Rose pacifier clips.

Baby Swing

I don’t think you need a million baby gadgets, but having one swing or rocker that moves on its own is extremely helpful for when you need to cook dinner or shower. This swing is great because you can disconnect the rocker portion to fit in tighter spaces. I use this when I need to shower or get ready in the mornings. I bring it into the bathroom with me and the rocking keeps the baby happy.

The big size makes me die inside a little bit, but the smaller, cuter rockers (like the 4Moms MamaRoo) only has a gliding motion & a lot of babies don’t like it. I’ve researched it a ton and read so many reviews in all of the mom groups because it’s just so much cuter and smaller. Ultimately, I always come back to the Graco swings because they seem more functional. We use ours for the first 5-6 months and then break it down and store it away for the next baby.

 

BATHTIME

Angel Care Baby Bath

When we had our first, I loved the Puj Tub for sink baths. Now that we have two kids, I really like this little bath seat because I can bathe the kids at the same time. I realized really quickly that doing two separate baths was going to take forever.

Primally Pure Baby Products

After almost three years, I’ve finally found a natural line of baby products that actually work. I use all of Primally Pure’s baby products for my kids (they’re the first natural products that have ever actually worked for my son’s eczema, too!). Click here for 10% off!

I use the Bottom Balm as diaper rash cream, nipple cream, eczema cream, and to help treat cradle cap. It’s the only natural cream I’ve found that actually works for my son’s bad eczema.

I use the Primally Pure Baby Oil as moisturizer after every bath and before bedtime.

I use Primally Pure Baby Powder for diaper rashes and I love that it’s talc-free.

I use the Primally Pure Baby Bar as soap + shampoo for both kids as well.

 

FEEDING

Burp Cloths

 

With Locke I used the standard white cloth diapers as burp cloths, but they got pretty gross and stained. For our second baby I bought these grey ones from Burts Bees and I have loved them! I bought two packs and it has been the perfect amount.

Nipple Butter

I use Primally Pure Baby Balm as Nipple Butter and it works amazing! Breastfeeding can be a little rough the first few weeks and this stuff helps so much! Click here for 10% off!

Medela Pump in Style Breast Pump

I’ve been super happy with this pump & use it every day. Your insurance will probably pay for this, so call and chat with them before you purchase one.

Mom Hack: You are going to want a hands-free pumping bra. You can buy one like this, OR you can make your own for way cheaper. Buy a few cheap sports bras like these & cut two small holes in them.

Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags

These make for super quick cleaning of pump parts and alleviate having to boil your pump parts to sanitize them every day.

Baby Bottle Brush

I ordered this 2 pack of bottle brushes. They look cute in my kitchen & it isn’t some huge pack of different size brushes that I need to store or hide away.

Breastmilk Storage Bags (BPA and BPS Free)

You need these to store and freeze your pumped milk. I’ve tried several brands and I haven’t noticed any difference. These are the best price I could find, so it’s what I buy.

Sarah Wells Wet Dry Bag

I store my pump parts in this both at home and at work (I got the black & white one).

Mom Hack: Schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant for a few days after you give birth. You’ll need all the help you can get. This helped me SO much in the very beginning & gave me a lot more confidence.

Washable Nursing Pads

For the first several weeks you will leak breastmilk even when you aren’t nursing. I tried multiple brands of disposable nursing pads but I thought they were itchy so I switched to reusable ones.

Como Tomo Bottles OR Glass Bottles

I start with 8oz bottles and skip over the smaller 4oz bottles. I didn’t want to store multiple sizes that they would grow out of anyways. We have one bottle for each kid and that’s really all we’ve needed. You’ll probably have to try a few different brands to find what works for your baby. (Always start with the slowest flow nipples).

The Como Tomo brand has worked really well for both of my kids as newborns, but if my babies were exclusively bottle fed I would opt for glass bottles like these. I’m going to try one of these with the new baby before I try the Como Tomo Bottle just because I’m trying to move to all glass or stainless steel products.

Organic Baby Bandana Scarf Bibs

If your kid spits up a lot, these will save you a ton of laundry and outfit changes. They’re also super cute and my kids get so many compliments on them. These are another cheaper option that have held up very well.

High Chair

We love this chair because it hooks right onto our table, it’s easy to clean (just throw the cover in the washing machine), and it doesn’t take up a ton of space. We have one for each kid and I love them so much. They both still look brand new.

If your table has a lip and you need a traditional highchair, this one from Ikea is highly recommended by my mom friends.

Spoons (BPA Free Silicone)

We have four of these spoons and use them daily. They’ve held up great and I even put them in the dishwasher 😉

Note: I ended up rarely using our boppy pillow + cover. (Some people swear by the boppy though, so it’s definitely personal preference). I just used a normal pillow until I got the hang of nursing and now I just hold him. If you are someone who leaks a lot while you nurse, Milkies Milk Saver is an awesome product that saves your milk from being wasted.

Nursing cover

You can absolutely just use a blanket, but I like the nursing cover because they grow with your baby. You can put it over highchairs at restaurants to prevent your baby from touching a bunch of germs. I always have one in my diaper bag.

 

TRAVEL

Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat and Base

This carseat is easy to get babies in and out of. It’s lightweight and comes with a base that stays in your car. It comes with a newborn insert that is really easy to remove and wash.

With our first, I was torn between buying an infant carseat or a convertible carseat, but decided on the infant seat. I’m really glad I did because it’s so nice to be able to take them in and out of the car without unstrapping them or waking them up every single time.

We bought THIS convertible carseat for Locke when he was around one, and we love it!

We just bought the same Convertible Carseat for Alivia, so now we have two!

Mom hack: I cut one of these in half and put it at the bottom of the carseat under the kids. This is a lifesaver after blowouts & makes for easy clean-up.

BOB Revolution SE Single Jogging Stroller

I LOVE this stroller. This is an item I found second-hand for a fraction of the cost. If you can find one second-hand – do it! When you have a second baby you may want to upgrade to a double stroller anyways.

I wanted a high quality running stroller, because running is hard enough as it is. This is easy to maneuver and it fits in the back of my small trunk. It’s super light-weight so it’s easy to get in and out and set up quickly.

I use it at the mall, grocery stores, etc and haven’t had any problems with it fitting anywhere.

BOB 2017 Single Infant Car Seat Adapter

This adapter is specific to the Chicco infant carseat and allows you to snap the carseat into the BOB stroller.

Ergobaby 360 All Carry Positions

I have this Ergo and it’s great. It came with a newborn insert and it’s easy to get them in and out. I like the simple colors and it’s easy to store. Because we are a pretty active family this was a must-have for hiking. This is an item I didn’t want to skimp on price wise because I knew I needed something that would be comfortable for my back. The longest hike we’ve done so far was seven miles and it was comfortable the entire time.

Note: Tons of mamas swear by wraps and slings. I would recommend borrowing one from a friend to see how you like it before you buy one. Some people love them, but some people never use them. I love my Solly Baby Wrap the best for newborns.

Diaper Bag

Our Fawn Design diaper bag was a big splurge, but I love it so much. I have been so happy with my choice and it still looks brand new three years later. Click HERE for $10 off at Fawn Design.

Portable Changing Pad

I carry this in our diaper bag for changing the kids on the go. Gathre Micro+ mats are more expensive ($30), but super cute 😉 If you shop during Black Friday or during the holidays they always have great sales!

 

HEALTH

Humidifier

I run this in Locke’s room every night during the winter months. It’s also one of the first things we recommend to parents when they bring congested kids to the hospital.

Digital Flexible Thermometer

These are the most accurate for little babies – the forehead thermometers seem great, but they aren’t very accurate. As a pediatric nurse, I’ve seen so many parents bring their kids into the ER for a false high fever after using a temporal thermometer.

oogiebear Ear & Nose Cleaner

I call this the booger picker & it’s my favorite. It’s less traumatic than a bulb syringe.

NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator

Super gross. Super helpful. And I promise snot will not get in your mouth.

Saline Spray/Drops

This helps to loosen stuffy noses before you aspirate with a bulb syringe or nosefrida.

Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water

When babies are born, their GI system aren’t completely developed so they tend to have tummy issues for a few weeks. These drops can really help.

Baby Nail Clippers

Those little suckers get so long and sharp. I use these all the time. These are mini, so they are easier to use than an adult size would be.

 

CLOTHING

I am SUPER minimal when it comes to the kids’ clothes. I barely registered for any clothes because they’re so seasonal that stores tend to stop selling them by the time your baby shower rolls around anyways. Plus, people will get you clothes no matter what because they’re super fun to shop for.

All of Locke’s clothes are pretty much from Primary.com, H&M, or Amazon. Most of Alivia’s clothes are from Primary, H&M, JamieKay, Zara, and Amazon.

I’ve started sharing the kid’s capsule wardrobes on the blog, and you can find them HERE and HERE.

My newborns pretty much live in long sleeve onesies. I get most of them from Primary.com (Use code PRIMARYJESSIEM16 for 25% off). I love Primary because I can wash and dry their clothes a million times and they hold up perfectly. All of our Primary clothes have lasted through both Locke and Liv and I’ve got them saved for the new baby as well!

I also really love the L’ovedbaby brand on Amazon. They hold up SO well (even putting them in the dryer) and they have really beautiful neutral colors that Primary doesn’t carry.

Booties

Socks don’t stay on, but I really love these for during the winter months.

 

LAUNDRY

Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner

This is the laundry detergent I’ve settled on. I tried at least five different ones because of how sensitive Locke’s skin is, and this has been my favorite. It has all natural ingredients & it’s organic. It lasts for a long time & I just think it’s worth it to avoid the harsh chemicals. We use it for all of our laundry.

Mom Hack: I tried a few baby stain removers and none of them worked very well. Now I just use our dish soap. I put a little dish-soap on the stain right away & scrub it. I rinse it and throw it in the wash.

 

ADDITIONAL BABY GEAR

Blankets

I bought two of these to lay/play on. One for the living room, one for the nursery. I wash & dry them constantly and they have held up really well.

I’ve also invested in special quilts for each of the kids. Liv’s quilt is from Nested Quilt Co and Locke and the new baby have special quilts coming from Grain Handmade.

 

DIAPERING

Newborn Pampers Swaddlers

Pampers have little indicator lines that are really helpful during the first few weeks. If you shop at Costco, I’ve been really happy with their Kirkland brand diapers, too (they don’t carry a newborn size for some reason, so we use them for size 1 and up).

Mom Hack: when your baby starts sleeping through the night or going longer stretches, use night time diapers like these and size up one size. This prevents leaks and they absorb better, which means baby sleeps better and longer.

Wipes

We use water wipes from amazon. I like these because they’re non-toxic and 99.9% water. I made the switch after I used a popular brand of baby wipes on myself one day and it totally burned my skin. I felt so bad that I had been using them on my babies and immediately researched and switched to water wipes instead.

Diaper Genie

This is not necessarily a must-have item, but it’s been worth it to me because our dumpster is almost a mile away. You’ll also need the liners that go into the Diaper Genie.

Baby Changing Pad + Scale

We use the Hatch Grow and I love it. It has a built in scale so I can check and know that my babies are getting enough milk during nursing and gaining weight. You can use the scale to weigh your baby before your nurse, and then again after you nurse.  The app does all the math for you and tells you how many oz of milk your baby ate.

I throw a Gathre Micro+ mat on our scale and it’s really cute!

 

A FEW NEW THINGS I’M GOING TO TRY WITH OUR THIRD BABY

I ordered a Snuggle Me Organic on Black Friday and I’m really excited to have it for baby #3.

I’m going to purchase a Snuza for this baby. It detects the baby’s abdominal movements and will alert you if your baby were to stop breathing. I think this will give me more peace of mind at night. I’ve done some research and this is much cheaper and seems to have less false alarms than the Owlet monitor.

 

A FEW FUN EXTRAS FOR OLDER BABIES

Joovy Spoon Walker

We own this walker and love it for it’s minimal clean look and collapsible storage feature.

We also own this macrame hammock swing. I actually won it in a giveaway on Instagram, but I would buy it in a heartbeat. It’s beautiful and both kids have loved it!

 

FREE GUIDE TO MOM PHOTOGRAPHY

The last thing on this list is actually something I made with you in mind. If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to stop snapping pictures once your sweet baby is born!

I run an online business like Allie where I help moms learn to take beautiful pictures of their families (even if they only have a smartphone). 

If you want to learn how to take the best pictures possible and document this incredible time, I created a free guide that teaches you how to take beautiful pictures of your new baby (even if you don’t have a fancy camera). You can grab it for free, HERE!

THAT’S IT GUYS. THAT’S ALL THE BABY GEAR WE OWN AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ON MY BABY REGISTRY!

A Guide to More Sustainable Purging

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A guest post from Kat Steck of The Junkyard Journals

I participated in Declutter Like a Mother last year and was so excited to be purging a bunch of unneeded stuff and freeing up much needed space in my life and home.  However, when I had bagged it all up two things really struck me.  

First, how the heck did all this crap end up here in the first place?  Second, all of this has to go away… but what does “away” actually mean?

Addressing my tendencies to accumulate more is something I know I will be working on for the rest of my life.  Allie is an amazing support in this, but she will say too that there’s no quick cure-all… you have to do the work! 

Some things that have helped curb my overconsumption are:

  • knowing where my worth truly lies (not in stuff)

  • practicing gratitude

  • addressing stressors and anxiety

  • awareness of the way I am being targeted as a consumer

  • learning more about the environmental and human rights impacts of fast fashion and consumerism

  • avoiding trigger stores

  • shopping less

  • finding alternate hobbies

  • making and sticking to lists

  • deleting shopping apps

  • waiting 24 hours before making a purchase

  • budgeting

  • setting boundaries

  • opening up communication with family members

If you’ve committed to never returning to this place of overwhelm and overload, you still have to deal with getting out from under it in a responsible way.  Of course some things on this decluttering journey are destined for the trash can- old makeup can fester bacteria, no one wants your stained underwear, and those candy wrappers under the bed – they’ve met their fate. 

Most of the other things that we are boxing up need to be given a second thought, especially before trashing them and even before donating them. 

Did you know that thrift stores only sell about 1/3 of the stuff that gets put out on shelves?* The rest makes its way through secondhand outlets, gets shipped overseas and ultimately is sent to a landfill or burned. 

In the past, I had always felt good about donating things to the thrift store, in a way it almost made my overconsumption feel charitable. Through researching it a little more, I have decided to take a step back and reevaluate.

Now, I try some steps to get the items to someone in my community before hitting up my thrift store donation line.  This way the life of the item is extended before being sent to a thrift store and at some point a landfill or incinerator. It’s not a perfect system, but it is definitely doable. 

My two favorite places to get rid of unwanted items are on my local Buy Nothing group (find yours here)  and Facebook Marketplace / Buy-Sell-Trade groups.  I take and post pictures as I am putting them in the donation box. To move items faster, bundling like items can be really helpful.  

For example, I will post a group of books and say “free,” “must take all” and “priority to first pick up.” This has proved to make people show up in a timely manner and ensure items leave my house quickly which is crucial when you are really trying to keep up the momentum of decluttering.

Since joining a Buy Nothing group a few months ago, I have successfully purged unwanted Christmas gifts (sorry thoughtful relatives! It’s the thought that counts!), open self-tanner,, sealed makeup samples, extra mirrors, plates, electronics, mugs, plastic planter pots, vitamins, cocktail mixers, baby toys, books, plastic silverware, a rocking chair, and so much more. 

When someone is interested in an item I posted,  I message my address and literally leave it on my porch for them. I keep a box for trash, donation, and pending free items that have already been photographed and posted.  

I do occasionally sell an item, but I will set myself some strict guidelines regarding how long I will wait and what the item has to be worth to be worth in relation to my time and space in my home (Allie always suggests 3 days). Oftentimes, I opt to give it away for free instead. Remember, as Allie says, your money was wasted when you bought the item, not when you gave it away.  

Other places to check in with before donating to the thrift store are animal shelters (towels, bedding, plastic bags), food pantries (non perishable food and toiletry items), schools and churches (toys, art supplies, and books), women’s shelters (women’s and baby clothes, sometimes toys/books) and homeless shelters (seasonal clothing like coats, sweaters, and mittens).  Always make sure to give these organizations a call first to assess their needs and to avoid dumping unwanted items for them to have to sort and donate.

While the main objective of this article is to provide you with options to declutter in sustainable ways, please know that I love thrift stores! They do wonderful work for our planet and many provide charitable donations and job training. Thrift stores are a great place to donate and to get needed items in the first place.  

However, thrift stores get an overwhelming amount of donations and cannot sell and/or process it all, checking the options above first may get the items in use for longer and into hands in your community that can use them. 

Taking a step back when you are decluttering to think about the afterlife of your items can extend their usability before ending up in landfills.  

The most important part of the decluttering process is not just reinventing our space but reinventing our mindset, challenging old habits, and confronting our consumerism head on so that we can live more peacefully and freely in this new chapter. 

Here’s to a fresh start! Happy decluttering, mamas! 

Kat Steck
The Junkyard Journals

You can find me on Instagram where I share more about donating, shopping secondhand, and making simple, earth & budget friendly swaps for families.

How To Edit Your Favorite Photos

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A guest post from Jessie Martin

Editing your photos can make a seemingly mediocre picture really come to life. It can be the most satisfying part of taking pictures, but it can also be the most frustrating. Editing definitely takes a little bit of practice, but because of the impact that editing can have on a photo, it’s something worth investing a little time.

However, before you start trying to edit your photos, you should take some time to learn how to take a good photo. If you don’t have a basic understanding of how to use your phone or your DSLR or you don’t understand how to use light, editing will be a nightmare.

Editing is used to ENHANCE a photo, not fix it. No amount of editing can truly ‘fix’ a photo if it’s too dark, too bright, out of focus etc. 

 

I would recommend going back to the beginning of this series & taking my free photography course for mamas if you want to learn some of the basics:

 

Below are some examples of both unedited phone photos and DSLR photos, followed by the edited versions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this post I am going to cover editing using your phone and free editing apps. However, if you have a DSLR or you really want to up your editing game, I highly recommend Lightroom for your computer.

Free Tools for Editing

My favorite free tools for editing on my phone are the VSCO app, Lightroom app, and Snapseed app. Each of these have their own strengths and weaknesses + they all have a few different features that aren’t offered by the rest. I almost always find that I use at least two of the apps in combination to edit my photos.

 

VSCO:

VSCO is the simplest of all the editing apps. The free version comes with several ‘presets’ or ‘filters,’ which are basically just pre-made edits that you can apply to your photos with one tap. You can apply the filter and call it good, or you can edit the photo further. Most photos are going to need a little more editing than what a filter is going to provide though, so I suggest editing every photo further. The better you are at taking pictures, the less editing your pictures will need.

 

Lightroom:

The free Lightroom app is a really great tool. It has a feature where you can adjust each color within your photo individually, which is a game changer.

 

Snapseed:

Snapseed has a ‘Heal’ function which both free versions of VSCO and Lightroom lack. It allows you to clone out blemishes or unwanted parts of your image.

 

Editing Tips:

When it comes to editing your photos, it’s important to remember that the goal is to enhance the image and make it look as natural and life-like as possible. Try to have a light hand while making adjustments.

When I go to edit my photos, the very first thing I do, regardless of which app I’m in, is adjust the brightness (aka exposure) of the image. I typically need to increase the brightness.

 

In the example below, increasing the brightness made a huge difference & really made the image pop:

The next thing I focus on is the ‘temperature’ or ‘white balance.’ Sometimes when you take a picture, the image will look a little too blue or a little too orange. To fix this, you need to adjust the temperature. The goal is to adjust the temperature just enough to make the image looks as natural as possible (or fit your personal taste).

 

In the examples below, the first image is too blue, but the second image is too warm. To fix this I adjusted the temperature in the third image to be more neutral:

From here, I assess my photo and try to see what else it might need.

Many times I need to straighten my photos or crop them to be more visually pleasing. I always take a look at the skin tones of the people within the photo and make sure they look natural. If they look too orange or too washed out, I use the Lightroom app to adjust the orange and yellow colors in my image (if you’d like to watch a tutorial on this, I have a Lightroom app tutorial saved to my highlights on Instagram. 

At this point in the editing process, I assess the photo and decide if it needs anything else or if any part of the photo needs additional enhancements.

To simplify and recap, these are the steps I suggest taking with each photo:

  1. Assess the brightness of the image. Is it too dark or too bright? Edit accordingly.
  2. Assess the temperature of the image. Is it too blue or too orange? Edit accordingly.
  3. Is the photo straight? Does it need to be cropped?
  4. Assess the skin tones within the image. Are they too orange or too washed out? Edit accordingly.
  5. Make whatever additional adjustments you think the photo needs and/or add your personal touch/style to the image. For example, some people like to fade their images and add grain to create a film look etc. 

 

Suggestions + Tools to Simplify the learning process

Editing can feel overwhelming, but I promise that if you set aside a few minutes to play around with each app, it won’t seem so daunting.

Start with VSCO. Download the app and pull a practice photo into it. Play around with all of the settings and sliders. After you have an understanding of VSCO, move to Lightroom, then Snapseed.

To help you learn what all of the buttons and sliders do within each app, I’ve created a free cheat sheet that explains all of the functions and what they do to your photos. You can download it HERE. 

I taught myself how to edit by both trial and error and watching youtube videos! I think it’s really helpful to watch other people edit. Youtube is a great place – just type in something like, “VSCO editing tutorials.” If you like the way I edit my photos or you want to learn more, I frequently do video editing tutorials in my Instagram stories. I have several saved in my highlights.

 

Thank you!

I have appreciated so much the opportunity Allie has given me to share my heart and love of photography with you, her sweet audience. I know you all are a loyal bunch and love her to pieces and I’ve been honored to hang out with you this month during the photography series. I hope you know that I am an open book and am always happy to answer questions and chat further. You can email me any time at hellojessiemartin@gmail.com or come say hi over on Instagram (@hellojessiemartin).

 

My heart truly is for you, mama. Although I love sharing my passion for photography, I believe it is so much more than a hobby or creative outlet. Taking pictures of our families can be something we make into a burden or a mundane task with little meaning, but it can be so much more! These pictures can be an exclamation of thankfulness and gratitude, a reminder of all of the blessings we have. We as mamas have the privilege of documenting our families’ stories and I truly believe this endeavour has worth and value.

 

If you’re hoping to up your photography game, I’ve created a FREE 5 day course just for you, mama! You can enroll for free today!

 


Mom-Tog in Five

Five Days to Better Mom Photography, Even if You Don’t Have a Fancy Camera

I don’t care if you have a crazy expensive camera or a hand-me-down smart phone – you have everything you need to create pictures you’re proud of & tell your family’s story.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Powered By ConvertKit

    *This post may contain affiliate links.*

    Hi, I’m Jessie!
    I am a wife + mama and self-taught photographer. Im passionate about empowering fellow moms to to see how incredible their everyday is and to take beautiful pictures of their kids (regardless of what camera they use). I teach moms how to apply the same techniques I use as a professional photographer to their own personal photography. 

    – Jessie

    jessiemartin.co

    I love new friends! Come say hi over on Instagram (@hellojessiemartin)!

     

     

     

     

    How To Take Better Smartphone Photos

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    A guest post from Jessie Martin

    It’s easy to get discouraged if you feel that you don’t have the best camera to take your pictures. Maybe you have an old iPhone or a hand-me down camera and you feel like it’s holding you back. If you are feeling like this, I have some encouragement for you:

    YOU are the one in control of the pictures that your camera takes. You are the conductor and the creator.

    Even the best camera in the world can’t take a good picture if you don’t know how to use it. Your camera or smartphone is just a tool. If you don’t know how to use that tool correctly, it won’t matter how expensive or up to date it is, your photos won’t turn out the way you hope.

    When Allie and I first met, she shared with me that she takes almost all of her pictures with her iPhone. Her and Brian own really great equipment for their business, but she prefers her iPhone over any of the fancy cameras. She also shared that the photos she has hanging on her walls are primarily ones she’s taken with her smartphone.

    GUYS. That says so much about smartphone cameras. Allie has access to a fancy camera and she knows how to use it, yet she prefers and chooses the simplicity of her iPhone.

    I’ve spent a lot of time trying to master my smartphone camera even though I love my DSLR. I don’t always have my fancy camera with me, so I want to be fluent with both of my cameras in order to take pictures of my son whenever and wherever.

    I’ve got 10 tips to help you take better pictures with your smartphone:

    1. Turn off the flash

    Lighting will make or break your pictures – especially if you’re using a smartphone. If you take pictures with artificial light, like lamps or ceiling lights, it will cause an unnatural yellow/orange tint. Use natural light as often as you can to avoid the yellow discoloration. Take advantage of windows and doors. By using natural light you alleviate the need for flash and can turn it off.

    Although I always advocate for natural lighting, I truly believe, “moments always win.” Don’t skip taking a photo just because natural light isn’t available. Just keep it in mind and use it when you can.

     

    2. Use two hands for stabilization

    Using two hands will help stabilize your phone and decrease blur in your photos. It’s helpful to alleviate as much blur on your end as you can, because if your kiddo is anything like mine, they definitely won’t be holding still for you.

     

     

     

    3. Use the volume buttons to release the shutter

    When your camera app is open on your phone, the volume buttons can be used to release the camera’s shutter and take the photo. This can reduce blur and allows you to stabilize your phone better. If you have an iPhone with the apple earbuds (they’re called EarPods), you can use those volume buttons to release the shutter as well.

     

     

    4. Tap the screen to hold and lock focus on your subject

    Tap the area you want to focus on and hold down. This will lock the camera’s focus on your subject and your image will be more clear. You may need to do it a few times if you’re subject is a fast-moving toddler.

     

     

     

     

    5. Tap the area you want to expose for

    Before you take the picture, tap the area on your screen you want to make brighter.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    6. Use the exposure meter to brighten or darken your image

    When you tap and hold on the area of focus (as described in #5) a little sun icon will appear. You can drag your finger up or down on the screen to increase or decrease the brightness and then snap the photo.

     

     

     

     

    7. Set HDR to Auto

    The HDR setting is a feature that takes multiple shots and then combines them into one final high quality image. This is great for a stationary object, but if your subject is a wiggly kid, the image will be blurry. Set your phone to HDR auto so it will turn on and off at the appropriate times.

     

     

     

    8. Don’t use the ‘selfie’ camera

    The selfie camera on your smartphone is actually a lower quality lens than the outward facing lens. Always use the outward facing lens on the back of your phone to take pictures. This will help your pictures have sharper focus and be more clear.

     

     

     

    9. Consider taking burst shots of moving subjects

    When photographing a moving subject, hold down the shutter button (or volume button) for a few seconds. This will take burst shots (multiple pictures in a row at a really fast pace) and increase your chances of getting an in-focus photo. Another option is to tap the shutter button as quickly as you can over and over again. This will capture several pictures and increase the chances of capturing a non-blurry one. Go in afterwards and delete the duplicates from your phone.

     

    10. Don’t Zoom

    When you zoom, you lose photo quality and your image will not be as clear. Instead, try taking a few steps closer to your subject.

    All of these tips have really helped improve my smartphone photography and I hope you learned something new and feel more confident when you pull out your phone for pictures!

     

     

     

    If you’re hoping to up your photography game, I’ve created a FREE 5 day course just for you, mama! You can enroll for free today!


    Mom-Tog in Five

    Five Days to Better Mom Photography, Even if You Don’t Have a Fancy Camera

    I don’t care if you have a crazy expensive camera or a hand-me-down smart phone – you have everything you need to create pictures you’re proud of & tell your family’s story.

      We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Powered By ConvertKit

       

      *This post may contain affiliate links.*

      Hi, I’m Jessie!
      I am a wife + mama and self-taught photographer. Im passionate about empowering fellow moms to to see how incredible their everyday is and to take beautiful pictures of their kids (regardless of what camera they use). I teach moms how to apply the same techniques I use as a professional photographer to their own personal photography. 

      – Jessie

      jessiemartin.co

      I love new friends! Come say hi over on Instagram (@hellojessiemartin)!

       

       

       

       

      10 Reasons Your Photos Aren’t Turning Out The Way You Want Them To

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      A guest post from Jessie Martin

      Pictures provide us with a way to revisit a single moment in time and relive it over and over again. They allow us to remember the small details that we never want to forget and provide us with the opportunity to document our children’s childhood. They give us physical reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from, and what’s important.

      Unfortunately, taking pictures can actually be super challenging and discouraging when our photos aren’t turning out the way we envision.

      I remember a few years back scrolling instagram and wondering how in the world all of these non-photographer mamas were creating such amazing pictures with only their smartphones.

      I realized pretty quickly that those mamas had been very intentional and had invested some time to learn HOW to take better photos.

      Good pictures aren’t just going to happen. Even the most expensive camera isn’t going to magically take great pictures. I believe if you’re willing to be intentional and put in a little bit of time, you can learn to take incredible photos of your family and make photography a natural part of your everyday life.

      Below are 10 reasons why your photos may not be turning out the way you hope and how to improve in those areas:

      1. You aren’t seeing the magic in your everyday

      Sometimes, when we’re knee deep in diapers and sleep deprivation, we can lose sight of how incredible these days actually are. We can’t help but put our heads down and push through – constantly looking towards the next season, thinking it will be easier and better. Taking pictures can do something to you, though. It can cause you to dig deep. To slow down. It can cause you to see.

      Let photography help you slow down. Let it help you see the magic of your everyday. Think of the things your kids do that make your heart burst. Think of the everyday family routines you never want to end. These things are the magic of your everyday. The little details. The seemingly ordinary moments that make up your days and eventually your years.

      If you want to know how and why I see the magic in my everyday, you can read my ‘Why,’ from week one. 

      Pick a day and make a list of all the things you are thankful for. Don’t just include broad things like “family.” Get specific. What things throughout your day are you really truly thankful for that maybe tend to go unnoticed? These are the things that you should be taking pictures of.

       

      2. You’re letting the thought of taking pictures overwhelm you, and in turn, you aren’t taking any

      Taking pictures doesn’t have to be some huge unrealistic time commitment. Photography can be incorporated throughout your day in a natural, unburdened way with a few simple habits.

      1. Keep your phone memory uncluttered so that you always have enough storage to take pictures when the time comes. Back up your photos often and then delete them off your phone. Google Photos is an amazing tool – It offers a ton of free storage and after you use it once, you can set it to automatically back up your photos for you. Allie actually did an interview in my photo course for moms where she shared that Google Photos is her go-to as well!

      2. Keep your phone (or your camera) somewhere nearby and easily accessible. This will probably already be your habit if your phone is your main camera, but keeping it close, or in a central location, will alleviate missing photo opportunities. I keep my camera hanging by the door with a clean memory card and a fully charged battery at all times so that I can quickly grab it if I notice a photo opportunity.

      3. Start picking 2-3 things each week that you want to document about your family. An example may be that you really want to take a picture of the way your baby looks when they’re asleep. When a good opportunity arises during the week, take the picture. That’s it. That was like 2.5 seconds of being intentional, planning a photo, and taking the picture.

       

      3. You don’t know how to use your phone or your camera to its full potential

      The basic difference between a phone camera and a DSLR camera is the amount of control you have over the settings.

      A smartphone camera gives you less control over the settings but significantly simplifies the  process. Most smartphones have pretty incredible built-in settings and features that make the photo capabilities rival that of many DSLRs. The trick is knowing how to use the camera you have to its full potential.

      There is a saying among photographers –

      The camera doesn’t make the photographer, the photographer makes the photographer.

      You could have the most expensive camera on the market, but if you don’t know how to use it or how to use the light around you, your pictures will be awful. On the flip side, if you understand basic photography techniques, you can make beautiful images with just your phone camera.

      I had the chance to talk to Allie about the photos she has displayed in her home. She shared that all but ONE of the photos she has hanging in her home are iPhone pictures! She and Brian own a fancy camera, but her go-to is her smartphone because it’s simple and she’s taken the time to learn how to use it.

      Don’t feel sorry for yourself because you don’t have a $3000 camera. Change your mindset. Be intentional and learn how to use the camera you do have. Become an expert at taking pictures with the gear you have available to you and I promise you’ll be ecstatic with your photos.

       

      4. You aren’t being creative with the way you take your photos

      ‘Composition,’ is the way you arrange your photo. It’s being intentional and thoughtful with the way you take your picture and where your subject is in the frame. Composition isn’t just for professional photographers – it’s an easy way for anyone to take better photos.

      Easy Composition Tricks

      Always make sure your photos are straight. Pick a vertical or horizontal line within the image and use it as a guide. It’s much easier to do this before you take the picture, but if you forget, you can always correct this when you edit.

      Think of ways to make your photos more creative. Get closer or further away from your subject. Take pictures at your subjects eye level. Take pictures from above or below. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and take pictures from various angles and heights.

       

      5. You don’t understand light or how to use it

      Lighting is one of the most important elements of taking a great picture. It can make or break your photos, so it’s important to understand it.

      There are different types of light depending on the time of day. The most well-known is during the evening when the sun is just starting to go down. This is called “Golden Hour,” because the sun is casting a golden glow onto everything. This is one of the prettiest types of lighting.

      The easiest type of lighting to use as a beginner, and especially if you’re using your smartphone, is “even” light. Get out of the sunlight and take your photo in the shade where the light falls evenly across your subject. This alleviates having to worry about angles or the sun causing weird shadows on your subject.

      Once you feel like you’ve mastered the easy light, move on to more challenging lighting situations.

       

      My Number One Lighting Hack:

      Artificial light casts a yellow glow onto everything and causes photos to look unnatural. One of the easiest ways to transform your photos is to turn off all of the artificial lights and open the curtains to let natural light in.

       

      6. You aren’t editing your photos

      The ability to edit your photos gives you so much creative freedom. A good edit can transform a photo and bring out so much life to an otherwise uninteresting picture. Editing is a skill. It takes a while to get a good eye for it. Practice makes perfect!

      My favorite editing apps are VSCO, Lightroom, and Snapseed. Go download one or all of these and play around with them. If you’re new to editing apps, start with VSCO and play around with the free filters and adjustments.

      Everyone edits differently, but I personally try to edit as true to life as possible.

      My goal as I edit is to enhance the photo, but to do so honestly.

      If you ever need editing help, I frequently do editing tutorials over on Instagram! I also created an editing cheat sheet that explains all of the actions in VSCO and Lightroom and what they do to your photo. You can get it for free HERE.

       

      7. You aren’t in any of your pictures

      I am a big promoter of getting into pictures with your kids.

      I know how easy it is to feel self-conscious in photos. I know it’s much easier to hide behind the camera and be the one taking the pictures.

      Don’t let insecurities get in the way of taking pictures with your kids.

      Because of Allie and her heart for encouraging self-care for us mamas, I took the time to invest in myself in a few simple areas and it has helped my confidence SO much. I took her advice and invested a little bit of time and money into a wardrobe that I love. I also took some time to learn how to do my makeup and created a five minute makeup routine for myself. Those two things alone have boosted my confidence SO much. When I am dressed and ready for the day, I feel confident and am so much more willing to jump into pictures with my son.  

       

      The more confident you feel, the more likely you’ll be willing to get in front of the camera.

      Because we don’t always have someone else to take pictures for us, there are a few simple things you can do to take those pictures yourself. I suggest investing in an inexpensive tripod and shutter remote. These two tools simplify the process SO much and make it possible to get into pictures with your kids whenever you want!

      Smartphone Shutter Remote + Tripod

      DSLR Shutter Remote (Canon + Nikon)

      DSLR Tripod

       

      8. You haven’t developed a consistent photography style

      Have you ever been scrolling Instagram, seen a photo, and without looking at the name you know exactly who took the picture? This is because this person has developed their own personal photography ‘style.’

      Allie is a great example of someone who has a consistent photography style. Anytime her photos pop up on my instagram feed I know they’re hers before I ever see her name. Her instagram stories are also a great example because they always have a similar look and feel to them.

      Start a Pinterest board with photos, colors, and tones that stand out to you. Take note of the way you decorate your home or the colors you choose to wear. These things can tell you a lot about your ‘style’ and will help you develop an honest photography style that is true to who you are. You can see my Inspiration board HERE as an example.

      It takes time to develop your own style and there is a lot of trial and error. Don’t be discouraged if you try something for a few weeks and then decide you don’t really care for it anymore. You’ll find yourself continually tweaking and improving upon your style. You’ll continue to get better and feel more confident in your ability to create.

       

      9. You focus too much on posing or staging your photos which leads to frustrated kiddos

      Every kid is going to be different and their age needs to be considered. My biggest tip for taking pictures of your kids is to make it as easy going and simple as possible. Letting your kids just be themselves will allow you to capture their true personalities. If you let them be, you will be able to capture so many of their different emotions and their true personalities.

      Because my camera is always easily accessible, if I see something picture worthy or the lighting is really beautiful, I can grab it real quick and snap a few pictures.

      Try to limit yourself to just a few minutes and then put your phone or camera away.

      For babies, I don’t recommend trying to pose them in any specific way. Try placing a few toys in a spot that is getting good light. Let your baby do their own thing with their toys and take pictures while they play. When I do this with my son, I usually walk away with several pictures that I LOVE. While he plays I’ll occasionally make him giggle by singing a funny song or making a silly noise. For the majority of the time though, I try to just leave him alone and take pictures as he plays.

      A common issue with little kids is getting them to hold still long enough to get an in-focus picture. Try putting them in something that contains them a little more, like their highchair or the bathtub. One of my favorite places is our kitchen sink! I have taken some of my favorite photos while my son is playing during a sink bath.

      For older kids, you can make a game out of taking pictures. Another great trick is to let them do something that is usually against the rules, like jumping on the bed. When you do ask them to pose or do something specific, just be quick and don’t make them take pictures with you for too long.

       

      10. You don’t know when to put the camera down

      When my son was born, I was terrified that I was going to miss an opportunity to capture a moment with him. He was growing so quickly and changing everyday. I was terrified that I was going to miss something or forget something. I read this quote by Ann Voskamp and I have been so thankful for these words, because I think it has saved me so much mom-guilt.

      “All the moments a mother never captured on film – isn’t perhaps a failing, but a relaxing into fully being in that moment. They say that you can tell as much about a life by the photographs that weren’t taken as those that were. There doesn’t have to be fear of missing. Moments don’t need to be captured as much as they need to be enjoyed. There’s ridiculous freedom and glory in courage like this.”

      Be encouraged mama. Pick up your camera and capture your babies.

      Be intentional and practice taking good photos so that the time you do use your camera is worthwhile. Spend the rest of your time living in the moments with your family.

      Don’t ever be afraid to put your camera down and just plain love on your babies. You won’t ever regret being fully immersed in moments with them.

       

      If you’re hoping to up your photography game, I’ve created a FREE 5 day course just for you, mama! You can enroll for free today!


      Mom-Tog in Five

      Five Days to Better Mom Photography, Even if You Don’t Have a Fancy Camera

      I don’t care if you have a crazy expensive camera or a hand-me-down smart phone – you have everything you need to create pictures you’re proud of & tell your family’s story.

        We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

        Powered By ConvertKit

         

        *This post may contain affiliate links.*

        Hi, I’m Jessie!
        I am a wife + mama and self-taught photographer. Im passionate about empowering fellow moms to to see how incredible their everyday is and to take beautiful pictures of their kids (regardless of what camera they use). I teach moms how to apply the same techniques I use as a professional photographer to their own personal photography. 

        – Jessie

        jessiemartin.co

        I love new friends! Come say hi over on Instagram (@hellojessiemartin)!