Written by Jen P.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to be famous.  

Picture a 7-year-old girl watching Nadia until she had it memorized, and then re-creating the same ab crunches along with some rudimentary cartwheels in the backyard, all the while envisioning the movie they would make about her one day.

A few years later, while the neighbor kids were out riding bikes or huddled around afternoon cartoons, I was hovered over my parents' typewriter, plunking out page after page of "my first novel" that my school class would beg to have me read aloud to them, whenever the teacher would indulge me.

By age twelve my artistic ambition found inspiration in the pinnacle of talent that was Bob Ross.  I spent hour after hour agonizing over those canvases, trying to make my trees as happy as his were--persistent to the point of tears on many occasions.  But just wait until someone discovers me!

My dreams and life ambitions as a child and budding adult ran the gamut from olympian to professional pianist to artist to rock climber and more.  I wouldn't even call myself a dreamer, I'm actually more of a realist. But there's something beautiful in all of those childhood phases, as if like little pearls in oysters, innocent and unstoppable, so far untainted by the cold, harsh world of competition and reality.

There are childhood dreams that withstand the tempest of adversity, the tests of persistence and defy all odds.  Marian Anderson, Rachel Carson, Margaret Mead, Marie Curie, Margaret Bourke-White, and so many other influential women in modern history were shaped "just so" in their childhood to grow up and change the world in meaningful ways.  But for most of us, our coming of age involves the realization that changing the world in big ways requires more than just dreaming, and often more than we're willing to give. One of my poignant moments of realization came sometime after my second child was born.  Engrossed and wholly absorbed by the daily (and nightly) demands of two little ones utterly dependent upon me for their very survival, I found myself perplexed, and even a tad resentful, that my life of development of skills and talent now only amounted to wiping mouths and bums.  But one evening as I sat in the Bolshoi Theatre watching some of the most talented and graceful ballerinas in the world, I pondered their dreams, coming true, and my own childhood dreams, left unrealized.  And in that moment, my vision opened a little more clearly to see a couple of important and unforgettable life lessons. I was able to see that life is a beautiful chain--a chain of seasons and sacrifice.  I was now giving to my children what my mother had given to me: a loving, nurturing environment with the best opportunities I could give them in which their own dreams and self-development could take place.  My mother's mother had given this to her, and her mother had given it to her and so on. And that period of deepest sacrifice of self, when children are small and so demanding, when most of us can't find the time to shower uninterrupted, let alone pursue hobbies, develop talents or chase dreams, is actually a relatively short-lived season.

I was able to see that in this landscape of motherhood, we go through losing ourselves, finding ourselves, and redefining ourselves, over and over again.  Some of my little oysters of dreams have morphed into skills that have served me well as a mother, like helping my children as they struggle with art projects or writing essays.  And alongside that, new pearls have emerged--pearls such as patience, compassion, self-mastery, and acceptance--that have been formed in the pressure and challenges of motherhood.  And I daresay, pearls that will get me much further in the long run than the realization of some of those childhood dreams.

Did I ever become famous, like I always hoped I would?  I didn't become the next Toni Morrison or Mary Lou Retton, but I did become famous to four little humans.  And that's enough for me.

Jen is a mama to 4 tiny humans (pictured above). She now focuses on sharing her favorite techniques of meditation to other mothers through an app she created called Stillpoint.

Learn more here!

Written by: Jeana Hughes

I used to set an alarm on my phone to get up in the morning. Now, my alarm clock is the sweetest little girl and “Oh mama” does that little girl keep me up. There is that age old saying that every expectant mother hears while pregnant: ‘Enjoy your sleep now because once the baby comes you will not get any.’ I am here to tell you – THEY ARE NOT LYING! Go to sleep while you can because when the little one comes, goodbye sleep- hello exhaustion. I know a few mamas that have been blessed with great sleeping babies, and man, do I envy them!  For me on the other hand, sleep is a thing of the past. I am now the mom that is so tired she puts her shirt on backwards and needs her morning coffee to feel she can tackle the day.

When Marleigh was first born, she had jaundice which made her super sleepy. You would think I was lucky right? Wrong. I had to feed her consistently every two hours to help with the jaundice. You would also think during the day I would sleep when she did? Wrong again. I would stay awake staring at her because I was so infatuated with my new baby, and truth be told I had to be awake to get all my errands and daily tasks completed. I would organize the house, stare at Marleigh, wake her up to feed and think next time I will nap, but then I wouldn’t. When night time came, I was bone-tired. My body was ready for sleep but I still had to set my timer and feed her every two hours.

I am not sure if I can accurately explain the sleep deprivation I experienced. There were moments I would feed Marleigh and drift off to sleep holding her. I would set her back in the crib once I realized she was no longer eating and had fallen back to sleep. I would go back to bed, set my alarm for another two hours and drift asleep. I was so exhausted that I would quickly fall into a dream state and dream that I was still feeding Marleigh. When my alarm would go off two hours later, I would wake up in a panic because she was not on me. I would look next to me on the bed and I couldn’t find her. I would literally be freaking out and then look in her crib and see her laying there, sleeping peacefully. This literally happened to me constantly for the first few weeks until I could finally start letting her sleep through the night.

As time went on, and I no longer was on the every two hours schedule, I started to get more sleep (Hallelujah!) but was it good, quality sleep? We would put Marleigh to bed around 9pm and she would sleep until about 2am. Five solid hours of sleep! I would feed her and put her back to bed until about 6:30! Another solid 4.5 hours of sleep! Sounds great, right?! Yet, I was still not getting more sleep, even when she was sleeping longer. I could not sleep through those hours because as a mom, especially first-time moms, we are consistently waking up and checking the monitor to make sure the baby is alright! Even though she was sleeping, I was not fully sleeping. I now consider myself a light sleeper because every noise has me up in two seconds.

Now, Marleigh is doing pretty well with her night time sleeping! Our fun issue is napping! Once you get one sleep pattern accomplished and settled, the next sleeping problem arises. I swear the four-month sleep regression is no joke! Except our regression is happening during the day, she will just not sleep during the day. I honestly breed a non-sleeper because she refuses to go down for a nap unless I feed her and hold her the whole time. Once she is asleep, I am scared to move a muscle or she will wake up! If I try to put her in the crib, she immediately wakes up and cries. You know those videos of the parents getting in the crib and sleeping with them, yeah that just might be the next thing I try.

The sleep issues are all a phase and will get better once Marleigh gets older… well I am keeping my fingers crossed at least. I have researched so many sleep training tips, scheduling ideas, routines for night time, nap tricks, etc. I have done the research and I still have my issues. Ask me how sleep training is going? It’s not. I am just a first-time mom trying to figure out how to get my sleep back! Honestly, as a mom - do we ever really get our sleep back like we used to? Maybe when she turns 18 and heads to college, I will find my sleep again. Maybe.

I finally understand the extent of sleep deprivation. I swear my pregnancy midnight wake ups were just preparing me for the rest of my life. I am that mom that gives up in the middle of the night and sneaks her baby into bed just to feed her and catch a few more minutes of sleep. I wake up in the morning and miss the refreshed feeling. I am the mom praying that my child will sleep for a few more minutes because mommy is not ready to get up yet. I live for the days my husband will take her in the morning and let me continue to sleep. I find myself chuckling to myself when I think about how the days, I said I need my eight hours of undisturbed sleep. I mean in all honesty would be grouchy without a full night's sleep, and yet here I am running on 2 hours of fulfilling sleep, a coffee, but a whole lot of love. As much as I miss my sleep, I love my late-night cuddles with my little one. Even if I did breed a non-sleeper, that just means I get more hugs and quiet time with my daughter!

Now, I am off to go catch a few more minutes of sleep before my little one wakes up again!

xoxo,

Jeana Hughes

It's no secret that we love Once Upon A Farm and all they stand for...healthy, affordable, and easy on-the-go eating for your littles.  

As a mom of three busy babes, it can so hard to balance healthy eating and snacking on-the-go, so I'm thankful for these powerful superfood pouches.  

Their storybook smoothies are perfect for keeping my three tiny humans well-balanced while out and about.  Cold-pressed, dairy-free, no added sugar and with 3 grams of both protein and fiber, they fill the void other snacks leave. 

I keep these in our office mini fridge and pop them in my bag right before I head to the carline pickup. They also are an awesome fit for the afternoon activities to make sure everyone has a healthy afterschool snack before their busy kid hustle continues.  From Girl Scouts to baseball practice, Once Upon A Farm has this busy mama covered with a healthy choice I can stand behind!

 To read more about Once Upon a Farm, click here.

Did you know it's the National Sleep Foundation -Sleep Awareness Week, March 10 to 16, 2019?

I love to sleep....when I can actually get it. With three kids at home, I feel like I haven't honestly slept in over a decade, ladies, I swear!

We're FINALLY starting to get to that 'golden stage' where almost everyone is staying asleep and in their own room for (most of) the night... thank the Lord.  As sleep has gotten a tad bit better in our house, we still have a few struggles most are mine and our oldest daughter's inability to fall asleep.  We're typical females with over-stimulated minds that wander all night...sound familiar?   If you're like me and that long list of 'must do's' and 'worries' get your mind going at night try a few of my favorite tricks and products. 

1. It's not always easy but If I can swing a soak in the tub it's always with Dr. Teals Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution.

2. Natural Vitality Calm drink has been a staple in my motherhood since year one. Natural Calm is a fruity, effervescent drink that promotes healthy magnesium levels and balances calcium intake—helping you to feel less stressed and more relaxed.

3. ZzzQuil is a newer product I recently started using for both myself and our daughter (they offer a children's version) it's a gummy melatonin.  This unique blend of Melatonin and botanicals like Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon Balm and Valerian Root has been a winning combination for me lately.

4. Dodow was designed with chronic insomniacs, like myself in mind.  This little blue light will help ease the busy mind and lull you to sleep with its amazing technology. 

1. For the busy little minds that sometimes can't sleep, zzzQuil offers gummies for kids too! 

2. Every kiddo needs a lovey and all of our babies have had their own Scout dogs. These programmable dogs will learn your child's name and play 15 minutes of night night music for them making bedtime routines a little easier with a friend by their side.

3.  Another new zzzQuil product we've been trying is their soothing Aromatherapy balm.  Apply this relaxing balm after bathtime to relax the busiest of littles to help set them up for a good night sleep.

4. Night lights are a must in our house and all my kids have had these fun little characters featured on their ceilings to 'Protect' their rooms. The offer an array from princesses, to ocean scenes and superheroes they've got a light to keep your little at ease.

We can all agree sleep is so important for functioning in our day to day lives not just for us but for the littles too.  However, you have to get it mama try and get some zzz's in.  We hope this little list of our loves can help you find some new tips and tricks to get some much-needed rest!

We love supporting our fellow female founders and try and work with female-run businesses as often as we can, here at Mom Culture. It only seemed fitting that we start spotlighting some amazing women on International Women's Day! 

Last summer, I had the pleasure of being connected to Christina Marshman, Owner and Founder of Mae Innovations. I had just hired my new Marketing Manager, Julie, and was struggling with our new project for Mom Culture Wines; she mentioned having a friend who did branding and graphic design. Truth be told, I'm ALWAYS scared of mixing friends and business. You never how it's going to work out. If it does turn sour... cue the hurt feelings...you know the drill. I agreed to meet her and give it a go and boy, am I glad I did!

After chatting like longtime girlfriends in our meeting and hearing her input on our wine project, I was hooked and I hired her to take on the task of designing our labels. This creative and savvy sweet mama has been the most fantastic addition to our team! She is constantly bringing new ideas, merchandise and a fresh eye to some of our old favorites.

Since coming on board with us, she's also started working with some other fantastic fellow boss babes and female founders through the 'network effect'. Some of these amazing women include: Krystal Donovan-Festerly of Gather The Village, Sarah Duncan of Loved By Hannah and Eli and Tricia Huffman of Your Joyologist.

Some of her work for us and female founders:

See how women working together and supporting each other can have a significant impact on growing small businesses?

The Power of Women 

"Women have the power to change the world. From our purchasing decisions as consumers to the leadership and employment opportunities we offer as business owners, women are an incredible and undeniable force. More than 11.6 million firms are owned by women, which translates into 9 million jobs and $1.7 trillion in sales. Women reinvest income in their families and communities at higher rates than men.

By increasing the wealth and opportunities for women-owned businesses, we can significantly impact our communities for the better."

-The Power of Women @FFC



Christina is a wife and mama raising two ladies while chasing her creative dreams. Working with small female-founded companies like hers has a huge impact on your local economy.  Female shoppers account for about 85% of all consumer purchases. Investing in women is investing in your own backyard.

Christina is a huge asset to the Mom Culture crew with her fresh ideas and daily innovations. We can't wait to see where this beautiful female founder takes her growing business next as long as we get to tag along!

For more on the FFC, click here.

"How do you balance it ALL?"

This is probably the most frequently asked question I get on social media via direct messages, so it seems fitting that the theme of March is balance. And as I am writing this, the kids are in the background fighting, my husband is complaining about homeschooling, I'm listening to music, the dogs are barking...such is life!

By definition, balance is an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. Basically, this is what we as mothers and women try to do, hold steady, stay on our feet and keep the weight of our daily chaos balanced. So, how do we achieve this thing called balance? Honestly...we don't. Yep, I said it. We don't.

Before you stop reading because of my lack of faith in this magical thing called "balance", hear me out. I believe we're rock stars as women and we're queens of multitasking like a mother, but that doesn't equal balance. If we're all being honest, there are areas of our life that at any given time have more weight and time put in then others and that's ok. This is what I believe is the real obtainable balance. 

Sometimes our children will need more time and attention than our jobs or passion projects, so shift the focus to them. Sometimes our spouses need a little extra attention, so work on getting a date night or a trip put together and change the weight and focus to them. Work, I know not everyone has the option to not fully to balance and focus on their job, but there are indeed times when the weight needs to shift away from this area to focus on others where "balance" is lacking and demanding some attention. For a long time, I was hyper-focused on building my brand to the extent that my children and my husband honestly suffered. I lacked any "balance," yet I thought I was killing it doing all of the things, but I wasn't. I needed to shift my time and focus back to them to obtain a little of that magical thing called balance. There are times where work demands time, and that's my most precious commodity. I'm fortunate now to have a small team in place so that I can shift my weight into the areas of my life like family when it's most needed.

The concept of balance will look different to everyone there's no secret sauce or formula to how you get it or how you use it. I believe it's a real juggling act shifting weight from one area to another in your life is what real balance is, noticing areas that need you more than others at a particular time. You can't be all the things mama all the time but you can do what you can each day, and that's good enough.

The hardest part of finding "balance" and juggling it is making sure YOU are a factor. Yes, YOU! The demands of wife, mother, friend, sister, and human are so much for just one person. So, make sure you factor in some of that magic balance and weight in your direction too, or you'll crack. This was an area I honestly ignored until meltdown town would hit me. I now recognize when I need a little "balance" for myself and while it's hard to get personal time I practice simple self-care tactics to shift weight in my direction when I feel unbalanced.

I genuinely believe that there's zero perfect balance in life; everything in moderation is what I preach. People get so fixated on achieving this "balance" that they drive themselves crazy. Take a moment to process all the balls you have up in the air. Shift some focus to the ones struggling to stay up and once it's doing well, shift on to the next one mama.

Lastly, learning to let things go a little will help obtain some level of "balance" because like I said above, you're only one person and you can't be all the things, all the time, all at once. It's not possible. Tackle each day and each area as it needs you. Trust that you're doing the best you can even if your best isn't tackling it ALL of it, ALL of the time.

To me, this is what balance looks like: doing my best daily, tackling what I can, when I can and IF I can. Merely giving each area as much weight as I can and allowing other areas to get what they need when they need it most!

Do you struggle with remembering appointments? Are you showing up late constantly? Did forget to call your brother to congratulate him on his promotion at work? If this sounds like you, it's time to get organized! You're in luck, we have the secret for how you can do just that.

We found a company called Boldly + Co. which was created by two very busy working mamas. Their planners are the cutest and most functional you can buy. Their focus is to regain control of your life, so you can actually have time to rest and enjoy every moment. What a strange concept, huh??

Even if you're not naturally a planner-type person, this process will help you tremendously! The way it works is to set aside a short amount of time at the beginning of the week (about 30 minutes) to write out everything on your mind and on your "to do" list. This section is called the "Brain Dump". You literally just list out everything.

Once that's done, you sort each task by priority level using the checkboxes to the right of your list. There's also a column to specify if a task needs to be done on a certain day.

Toward the bottom of the page, there is a section called "Quick Tasks". These are geared toward those random spare minutes you find during your day. Maybe your husband surprised you and cleaned the kitchen, so now you have time to call your mom and ask what her Mother's Day plans are! These sorts of tasks take 10 minutes or less. At the very bottom of this page is a section focused on balance. This is a great visual reminder to see if you are making an effort to improve these areas of your life every week. They include: mental health, physical health, spiritual health, etc.

 Another mindset this company emphasizes is to pay attention to your "zones". They categorize our energy levels throughout the day into a stoplight: green, yellow, and red.

Green zones (or times) are when you are most productive and have the most energy. It's best to focus on the tougher tasks on your list during this time. I am most productive and energetic first thing in the morning. So I try to get the hard work out of the way in the morning.

Yellow zones are when you are still productive, but you may be a little bit slower-moving or have more distractions. Try not to make huge decisions during this part of your day.

Red zones are when you are least productive and mentally aware. For me, this happens right around 9pm. I start getting super sleepy and possibly cranky...my husband can agree with that! ;) 

Again, having a visual representation of your energy levels is an amazing way to stay more in-tune with your body and respect it when you need rest.

Everyone has 24 hours in a day. So, this is your reminder that you only have as much time in the day as you make for yourself. Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and plan out your week! 

(Pictured above: Sarah with our "Raise Good Humans" Made in the USA mug)

XO,

Julie

I’ve literally started this blog post about 10 times already and haven’t been able to remotely finish it, or even put into words how I’m feeling. I knew that today would be rough, and I would be semi emotional because of what happened a year ago today to Ember and I, but I didn’t know I would be this way.

Before I start writing more I do want to put a trigger warning on this post. If you’re currently going through a complicated pregnancy, have gone through a complicated pregnancy, had a baby with complications because of what happened during your pregnancy, or lost a child because of what happened during your pregnancy-this post may be a tad tough to read. I would still encourage you to read through this though and realize you’re not alone in the way you’re feeling. I think what happened a year ago contributed A LOT to my PPD and PPA. It was a very traumatic time for myself and my family, but I’m posting this in hopes of helping others who are going through or have gone through something similar.

September 7th, 2017 at 10:30pm I started uncontrollably bleeding-not like a little bit of blood but actual gushing blood-at 33 weeks pregnant with precious Ember. We had an amazing friend who lives a few houses down from us rush over to stay with Hadlee while my husband literally sped to the closest hospital. I thought for sure my placenta had erupted and we lost Ember. I was crying and praying and pleading to God to just keep our baby girl healthy and alive. We had already lost one child early on due to a miscarriage, I couldn’t lose this baby girl that I carried for the past 33 weeks and had gone through so much already just to make sure the both of us were ok and alive. My husband later told me that he thought he was going to lose the both of us because of the amount of blood that was pouring out of me. I cried when he told me that.

At the first hospital we were at, they were so nice to us. They had no idea what was happening. We requested right away to be transferred to the hospital where my doctor was at and where I was set to deliver Ember at originally. They wanted my bleeding to come down a lot and me be stable enough to transfer so they waited to transfer me until the next afternoon. I had an ultrasound at that first hospital to check on Em-she was perfect, heart beat was fine, not in distress like she should’ve been with all the bleeding, and most importantly she was just moving away inside my belly.

When they transferred me, they sent the NICU nurses to transfer me to Antepartum. We knew Ember was ok at the time-we we’re monitoring her around the clock, but we all thought for sure she was going to come early and be a NICU baby. Ember has always had her own agenda from the very beginning and does things when she’s ready, so this was no different. The NICU nurses told me that she would be in good hands there and not to worry as it was a level four NICU after all.

I was admitted to the Antepartum unit that afternoon and spent a month there before getting induced and delivering baby Ember at 37 weeks exactly. I went through multiple ultrasounds to check on her growth, to try to find the bleeding, and to check on me to make sure I was going to be ok. I met with a maternal fetal medicine doctor for the third time in my pregnancy with Ember. I literally met every single doctor minus like two that do rounds and work at my OB’s office. Everyone was incredible to me. The nurses were amazing and took such great care of me. They always were making sure Ember was ok, making sure I was eating and was ok, and that I was as comfortable as I could be while staying in the hospital for such a long time.

Ember was estimated at 33 weeks to be 3lbs 8 oz-so a tiny thing. I’m not a big person anyways and my oldest daughter Hadlee was born at 39+1 and only weighed 6lbs 4 oz, so we figured Em would be a tiny thing like her big sister. Ember is a fighter just like I am. She is the strongest baby I’ve ever met. Literally was pulling up on things and trying to walk at 3 months old. She would try to throw herself out of her rock n play, her newborn boppy lounger, her swing, and anyone holding her. I call her my tiny ninja warrior because legit she is! That baby held on. She wasn’t going anywhere and we weren’t going to lose her-she made that very clear and God made it clear to us as well. This was a journey we had to go on for a reason we didn’t know at the time, but I’m figuring out we have gone through these things to help other people and to spread the message about God and miracles really happening because of Him.

The doctors never could figure out where the bleeding came from. Literally it’s a mystery and it still bugs me knowing we don’t know why this happened a year later. Maybe a hidden placental abruption? Maybe something else? No one really knows. I want a reason but I’ll never have one. I was told I could have more children if I wanted to and this was probably a fluke thing-I sure hope so! I don’t think I could go through something like that again, even though I know deep down I would to make sure me and my unborn child are ok.

I feel like being in the hospital for that long and being away from my oldest child and worrying about my unborn child, really brought on a lot of feelings I didn’t know existed in me. I think the cause of some of my PPD and PPA is because of that hospital stay and what happened during it.

Thinking about that stay makes me realize that I was a strong person but going through it at the time I felt so helpless and so weak. I had to ask for help, and I hate asking for help. Heck I hate asking for help now with my PPD and PPA. I just want everyone to know that you’re not alone in going through this. I understand your struggles. I understand your hurt. And I understand the mom guilt. I still feel that guilt a year later and I’ll feel that way about having to leave Hadlee with my mom while I stayed in the hospital for the rest of my life.

I have a ton of people I need to thank, so I’m going to take a minute to do it right here. My Mom flew from Nebraska to help take care of Hadlee for that whole month while Jeremiah, my husband, was able to stay with me for the majority of the time while I was in the hospital. It was so hard knowing I couldn’t go home and rock my oldest daughter to sleep, or play with her, or just do any of our normal things we had done during the day. I felt like the time I had with Hadlee before Ember was supposed to be born was taken away from me, and I’ll feel guilty about that. I’m so grateful for my Mom for helping us out and helping to take care of Had’s. I’m so thankful for my mother in law as well who got in the car and drove 7 hours from where she lives to where we lived to make sure Hadlee was ok and I was ok as well. And I’m really thankful to my sister in law, brother in law, and my niece who is four months younger then Hadlee for jumping in their car at 2 am and driving 2 hours from where they lived to where we lived to be there when Hadlee woke up so she had familiar faces to wake up to and wouldn’t be scared. To all my family and friends who sent us prayers in the hospital, who checked in on us, who sent us care packages-thank you. You guys have no idea how much the prayers and the kindness helped us on our journey while we were there.

I’ll share Ember’s birth story next month on her birthday, October 5th! I just want everyone to know that Ember was not a NICU baby, she was amazingly strong for such a petite little thing and had no issues at all. She’s growing and thriving now, and is 11 months old and a spit fire, stubborn little soul who I love to the moon and back.

Thank you all for reading this emotional post. I hope I can help someone out there that has been through this or is going through this now. All my love and support.

-Codi B.

To read more by Codi, click here to see her blogs!

It's no secret we're big book lovers in our family, and you can often find the kids and me at the local Barnes and Noble on our homeschool Fridays for a new book and coffee date.  Our daughter is by far the biggest book worm in the family currently and my favorite buddy reader.  It's one of her favorite things we do together, so we're always on the hunt for new titles, and when we find them, we like to share.  

Here are a few current faves for 'Raising Ladies' and empowering young girls.

From a strong feminist to scientist these are just a handful of our current books on repeat in Lily's room.  We hope you and your little lady (or ladies) enjoy some quality reading time together or a date to find your own special empowering read!