challenge

July 28, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Why Your Older Kids Fight Your Teaching… and How To Fix That

I’m a mom of six children. I’ve been homeschooling eighteen years, and now that I have three preschoolers, I have another eighteen years of homeschooling to go!

Three of my children are adults. Cory is 24 years old. He’s a working man and a caring husband and father. Leslie is 21 and graduated from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, last year. She’s a stellar student who’s living in Europe as a missionary right out of college. Nathan is 20 years old and after one semester of college he was asked to work as a writing coach in the university’s writing center. Even more important than how well they’re doing in life, my three older kids love God and have a deep, growing relationship with him.

We also have three more kids ages 5, 3, and 2 who’ve been added to our family through adoption. As a 41-year-old mom, sometimes I’m overwhelmed with thinking of doing it ALL again, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s to focus on one day at a time. And focus on one heart at a time.

I started off by telling you of my older kids’ successes in education and life because I want you to know it is possible.

If you would have told me three years, five years, or seven years ago where my kids would end up, I would have been relieved—but confused. I often fought with my kids on getting their work done. They seemed unmotivated at times. Some (most?!) of their work was done half-heartedly, and there was one child who just could not “get” the read-the-book and answer-the-questions model.

There were many homeschooling days I found myself in tears. I prayed for God to give me the answer, and when it came it wasn’t what I expected. “Throw out the lesson plans and stop trying to force learning. Look at each child individually. Focus on that child’s heart, and teach to that child.”

He said, “Throw out the lesson plans and stop trying to force learning.” @TriciaGoyer

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“But what about geography and geometry and all those other critical subjects?” I prayed (and fretted.) Still, God kept the answer that He spoke to my heart the same…

(This article is continued on AmericanHomeEducators.org)

Prayer

God, thank you for speaking when we need to hear your voice. Thank you for teaching us according to our personal learning styles. Teach us how to interact with those around us in ways that honor their brilliance and uniqueness in your kingdom.

Let’s play a game!

My book The Kissing Bridge is a featured item in Barnes & Noble through August 18th! Next time you’re at Barnes & Noble, snap a photo of the book and post it on social media with the hashtag #iSpyTriciaG – You’ll be entered to win a $25 Starbucks gift-card and 5-book prize pack!

Only those in the US are eligible to win. Keep your eyes peeled for the winner announcement on August 19th!

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

May 22, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Let God be Your Oxygen | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 11

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

This post is part of the No More Frumpy Mommy Moms’ Night Out Challenge, happening now through May 22. YOU can join, too! You might win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out if you participate! Are you participating and want to leave your link to today’s challenge? Read through this post, then link up at the bottom! Here are the other challenges:

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Let God be Your Oxygen

The older I get (or maybe the older my kids get!) the more I need God.

I need His guidance.

I need His strength.

I need to remember He’s there, and I can trust Him.

I need to hear His voice.

We need oxygen to breathe. Oxygen isn’t something we really think about until it’s cut off—like when you choke on your soda or even your spit. (Don’t tell me I’m the only one who’s done that!) It’s then that our lungs and mind scream, “Air now!”

As moms sometimes the things our kids do feels like our oxygen is being cut off. The worse things get, the worse our mind screams, “God now! I need you now!”

It’s one of the benefits of being a mom, I think. Our kids remind us that God is our oxygen. We might be able to handle ordinary life with out Him (or so we think), but never the mommy life!

How can a mom let God be her oxygen?

1. Be aware of your need for Him. Your kids will help you do this, I promise!

2. Ask for His guidance. Beg Him to show up in your day to guide your steps. He does that well. You receive more of His guidance in your daily life the more you ask.

3. Learn to trust God more simply. (This means don’t freak out when things aren’t going as planned.) The more you see Him work out His good in everyday problems, the more you’ll rest in His faithfulness.

4. Develop the spiritual habit of breathing Him in. This just means acknowledging Him throughout the day. Taking not of the world He’s created, and rejoicing in His goodness no matter what’s going on.

Do not question if you really need God. You do, just like you need to breathe. And life just seems to work better when you have your God-oxygen.

How can you let God be your oxygen?

Is God your oxygen? Food for thought from @TriciaGoyer:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 21, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Finding Time to Be Quiet Before God | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 10

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Finding Time to Be Quiet before God by Kerri Pomarolli

“Be still, and know that I am God.” ~ Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

One of my goals I have never truly met is mastering the art of “quiet time with God.” I meet these women who seem so put together and happy, as if Jesus and the angels themselves got them out of bed with praise music. When I ask them what their secret is, most of them say, “Quiet time with the Lord.” Some of them say, “Zanex!” I don’t judge.

I’ve been trying to master this illusive quiet time. Yes, this might be the only time I’m not physically being pulled in fifty different directions but these are not my best moments. I’m cranky because I usually wake up with some kind of ache from a ridiculous new workout routine I’ve tried. I’m half asleep because I’ve been awakened three times during the night for no good reason except imbalanced hormones or restless children that need water.

By my bed, I have:

The Bible I’ve owned since third grade.
The Bible translated into a novel.
Two books about living a more prosperous life in Christ.
One book on the power of a praying mom and the power of a praying parent.
Four magazines.
A wrap thing I was going to wear to make my stomach skinnier.
Mom’s One Line a Day Journal which hasn’t been written in for more than six months.
My CD player with praise music.
Twelve pieces of paper with daily mantra prayers I’m supposed to say for my family.
My cell phone with includes four Bible apps, but more importantly my emails and my Facebook.

Do you want to guess which one I’m reaching for first?

Yes, number ten! If you think I’m a horrible, put this book down and go read something by another famous author. Now for the rest of you heathens, let’s work on this together.

It’s not for lack of trying that my “quiet times” seem to fail. I just can’t shut off all the loud noises in my head. I try to pick up the Bible and start reading. I’ll get into a chapter about King David and that will remind me of Lucy’s play date with David Gurman and the fact that we need to buy a birthday present for his brother. Then the mental roller coaster has taken off, and I try to get back to my daily meditations with God. I pull out a prayer. I start pleading the blood of Jesus over my family and that reminds me there was laundry left in the washer overnight and I wonder if I’ll have to do the whole load over again. At this point at least one child needs my attention and only half of my family has been prayed over before I need to get out of bed. I pray to God to help me make it through one more day. I thank Him that I’m alive and that I’m healthy. I try my best to pray for the people on my prayer list, especially those I promised I’d be interceding for and all those others who catch my heart. I think of my friend Janine in Africa, who is literally rescuing babies out of trash cans, and I look at the pictures of her beautiful babies on my phone screen and for a moment I am calm and God leads me to pray for that child who is surviving against insurmountable odds. I pray for Janine and her staff and thank God for her selfless devotion to saving these kids. I thank God that my kids are not laying in a garbage dump.

As I walk into the girls’ room, I’m greeted by the biggest smile you’ve ever seen from my baby, Ruby Joy. My prayer doesn’t really end; it just gets louder with giggles and squeals and morning songs and dances. Maybe it’s not so bad after all, and maybe God sees my heart more than the preciseness of my morning routine. I talk to Him throughout my day and never miss a chance to pray if someone needs it. So come to think of it, maybe my quiet time is a little louder than others, but I love the Lord with all my heart. I couldn’t make it through this motherhood jungle without Him. And one day when my kids are gone and there are no squeals to wake me, I will sit quietly with my Bible and I will scream loudly, “GOOOOOD, I miss my kids and the chaos!”

Take a MOMENT to think about . . .

What does your daily routine look like? How much of it includes time with God?

Are there any changes you want to make? Ask Him to help you.

Lord, thank You for looking at my heart and knowing it is pure. Thank You for creating me to praise You through chaos and always know I can turn to You for guidance. Amen.

Struggling to find quiet time with God each day? Here are some tips from @KerriPom:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 20, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 9

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams

As a young mom, I had a dream to be a writer. I attended my first writers conference when I was twenty-two years old and pregnant with my third baby. My dream of sharing the good news of God through articles and book was my dream, but seeing it accomplished meant carving out time. There is only so much one can do in a day after all.

How did I find time to follow my dreams? Here are four ways:

1. I set aside “writing time” every day. I’d homeschool in the morning and then in the afternoon I’d set aside a few hours to write while my children played. Those early years, I wrote articles and ideas for novels as Barney played on the television. At least a dozen times during those two hours my kids would ask me for milk, or a snack, or to play with them. I’d offer what I could but then remind them, “This was Mommy’s writing time.” I learned to get a lot done in those two hours, and my kids learned to entertain themselves. Soon, when I started getting things published, they were excited to see that what I’d been working on was in print.

2. Listen to God’s whispers. The biggest time-waster is chasing success to no avail. Once I started praying, “God show me YOUR dream and help me to follow,” everything changed. I found success because I was walking along the path God had for me. When I sought Him and paid attention it became easier and easier to join God where he was already working.

3. Focus on the person standing in front of you. “Jesus understood what is meant to prioritize and to balance,” says Richard Swenson M.D., author of The Overload Syndrome. “It’s okay to have limits. It is okay not to be all things to all people all of the time all by ourselves. At any given moment, the most important thing in life is the person standing in front of us.”

4. Cut out the good things to focus on the best things. For so many years, my motivation had been the approval of others. I wanted to show I could do it all . . . and do it well. That’s when I became aware of Ecclesiastes 4:6, “Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”

That’s me exactly! I realized. Instead of filling my life with tons of good things, I cut out everything except what was best for me and my family.

Has it made a difference? Yes. Today I’m honored to serve my family and follow God—wholeheartedly, completely and full throttle, wherever He may lead. I don’t want to look back fifty years from now and think, What if I had trusted God? Where would I be?

There is always time to do what we want to do most—what God wants us to do most—guaranteed.

What about you? How do you make time to follow your dreams?

It’s never too late to follow your dreams! Here’s how you can find time (via @TriciaGoyer):

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 19, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 6 Comments

Quick Cleaning Tips | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 8

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli

Here is my number-one cleaning tip: Hire a cleaning lady! OK, I know I know, I’m in Hollywood and I’m so rich I can afford it, right? Um . . . think again. I shop at the dollar store for my produce and milk too. The thing I learned is this: I’m a full-time working mom. I realize that hiring a cleaning service can seem like a luxury to some of us. But I had to think about the value of my time. What is the value of the entire day it takes to clean my house when I’m comparing it to time I could be spending with my kids or doing the work that needs to be done?

I have a wonderful lady named Teresa, and about once a month we as a family budget to have her come over and “save us!” This means she cleans everything in our house from top to bottom, and it costs the same as the four of us going out to dinner. So I have to ask myself, would I rather have a sparkling clean house or one dinner out? I choose the clean house. As a busy mom who likes things neat, I find myself compulsively cleaning all the time. If it’s not cleaning, I’m picking up things that are in one room and belong in another, and it never ends. Sometimes Teresa shows up like Mary Poppins and I get a break. I get to focus on my work deadlines and all the other tasks at hand. If I could adopt her like Alice in The Brady Bunch, I would. But I know because she comes over every so often, Mama is happy. And as they say, ”If Mama ain’t happy, then noooooobody’s happy!”

So call me a diva if you wish. But there are all these great deals on Groupon or LivingSocial where you can try out a cleaning service sometimes as low as $30. See? It’s not that crazy of an idea. When my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I said, “Have Teresa come over!” I hug her every time I see her smiling face at my door! The only problem is when it’s time to leave, it’s me hanging onto her ankles saying, “Don’t go! Plllleeeease don’t go!”

What are your quick cleaning tips? Share below in the comments!

Too busy to clean, Mom? Here are some quick tips from @KerriPom and @TriciaGoyer:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 18, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 7

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks

One thing about real life is that people have to eat. Yes, it’s true–my family “expects” food in the fridge and dinner on the table. Can you believe that?!

One thing I’m always on the hunt for is easy and yummy meals that don’t take a lot of time (which means more time to write or spend with my family!). One of my former editors gave me this recipe and I’ve used it LOTS over the last twenty years. It’s so easy and so good!

Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can pinto (or kidney) beans
2 cans chili beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can white corn
2 cans Mexi-corn
1 can stewed tomatoes – Mexican style
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

Preparation

Brown ground beef and onions in a large pan, drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients (do not drain any of the cans) and simmer for an hour or so. (Or put it in crockpot.) When ready, serve in big soup bowls with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.

(Note this recipe can have substitutes too. For example, my family doesn’t like onions, so I usually don’t use them. You can add whatever beans you like. I just use what’s in my cupboard. It’s the same with the corn and tomatoes. Sometimes if I don’t have Rotel, I’ll just throw in a can of green chilis for flavor. Some people serve it with cornbread instead of tortilla chips. You really can’t mess it up!)

OK, now your turn. Do you have an easy and yummy recipe to share?

Don’t have time to cook? Think again! Check out this easy soup recipe from @TriciaGoyer:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 17, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Simple Makeup for Busy Moms | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 6

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Simple Makeup for Busy Moms

For years I was a frumpy stay-at-home mom. I’d spend most of my days in yoga pants. Oh, wait! I still do that . . . but at least my hair and makeup looks cute!

Seriously, from 2001–2006 (OK, 2001–2013?!) I’m pretty sure the only time I put on makeup was on Sundays or if I was leaving the house (and even that was optional!). My makeup routine was so non-existent that every time I put on makeup, my kids would ask, “Where are we going?” They knew.

I’m not one who wears a ton of makeup, but going without it made me feel frumpy all the time. When did things change? Actually, last fall when Bella started going to her wonderful therapy school. I’d have to actually get up and get dressed to take her to school. I started showering, doing my hair, and putting on makeup early. At first I did it because I didn’t want to look frumpy in front of the other “put-together” moms, but soon I realized I started feeling GREAT. And I didn’t cringe when my doorbell rang. I could answer it in confidence.

My Simple Beauty and Makeup Tips:

1. Start with a clean face. I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub day and night. My face feels so clean afterward.

2. Moisturize. My 84-year-old grandmother should have bought stock in Oil of Olay. She uses it day and night. She’s taught me to always moisturize, too.

3. If you have oily skin, use Mary Kay Oil Mattifer. This helps keep a lot of the shine at bay.

4. A little concealer goes a long way. I use it under my eyes to brighten my face.

5. Use a powder foundation such as Bare Minerals or Clinique Superpowder. It’s easier to apply than liquid foundation, blends well, and gives you a more natural look.

6. Use an eyebrow pencil. It gives your eyebrows shape and helps you look more put together.

7. Use a moisturizing lip stain like Burt’s Bees so your lips won’t get too dried out.

8. Line the outside of your lines with a thin line. It’ll brighten you eyes.

9. An eyelash curler and mascara are a must!

10. Soft pink on the apples of your cheeks is an instant pick-me-up!

Of course, those are just my tips. I asked a few friends for their best tips, and this is what they came up with!

Actually put it on. I feel way better and am more productive during the day when I wear it. —Tamara

Start with Mary Kay, which is the best there is. —Ginger

Make up? What is that? I think I wore it once. Lol. —Tracey

Use your hair dryer to heat up your eyelash curler. Works great! —Erica

Perfume and happy lipstick only take a second and go a looooong way! —Mandii Marie

Concealer may be the best gift for a new mom. Seriously, so exhausted with a newborn and that can make you look so refreshed (even when you’re really tired) because you’ll likely take lots of pictures with that baby, and you want to look good too! —Shannan

Never sleep with your makeup on, and wash your face before bed and lots of water for a clearer complexion. —Jenna

A lighter shade of blush or highlighter on the apples of your cheeks, the center of your forehead, and right above the lip brightens you up considerably. Makes even tired moms faces look younger and awake. —Danya

Concealer in the inside corners of your eyes really brightens and makes you look younger. Always do your eyebrows, but not with a sharp line look. Full and natural makes you appear more youthful. —Tammy

Sleep and water! Oh wait, first one doesn’t work. Ok, so here is Plan B: Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid Serum followed by Vitamin B Serum twice a day, and you may not even need the make up. Your face will start glowing in just a few days!!! And the best part, it’s affordable. —Britta

I got a mineral makeup facial. They taught me how to use a sharp, tiny brush to put on eyeliner quickly. Two dashes and a bit of red lip gloss makes my whole face look different. I feel different—and more confident. Spend the money for a nice “everyday” facial and learn as much as you can. —Angie

I have skin issues and have not found any makeup that works well, so for me I have learned that I’m happiest and feel more confident when my face is au natural. I might use a little eye liner once in a while, but that’s about it. —Jennifer

A pretty sandy, gold eye color like Mary Kay’s Beach Blonde Cream to Powder eye color, paired with mascara. Use this color from lash line to brown line. This is my “go-to” look. You can easily dress up the look with a darker color in the crease of your eyes and eyeliner. I used to sell Mary Kay. —Katie

A bright lip color will wake up a tired-looking face. —Mollie

I use a white eyeliner on my top lid from the inner corner and fade to the outside. Makes my eye look more awake. —Eileen

Tinted moisturizer, mineral powder, mascara, and lip stain with gloss on top: my favorite five-minute “mom face”! —Aimee

Never leave the house without gloss and mascara . . . and for those fellow moms of newborns: Visine. —Keisha

I’m addicted to my Rodan+Fields Soothe face regimen and FRESH cucumber eye gel. It makes my puffy eyes not so puffy in the mornings. A little blush, powder, lip gloss, and I’m ready. This is the routine of the lazy mom. LOL! —Jill

I love BareMinerals, and somehow since I had a baby I can get my makeup done in five minutes! So cool. A good tip I have is to use as much natural light as you can when applying. And the “old less is more” tip is right on, especially as you age. You can also go into an Ulta store or BareMinerals boutique and get a free makeover or “makeunder,” which is helpful when you want to learn more about application. —Kristen

I love Clinique’s chubby stick eye shadow. Rolls right on in less than five seconds per eye. —Molly

How about you? What are your favorite make up tips?

Need some easy, quick makeup tips? @TriciaGoyer and friends share theirs:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 16, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Take Time for Friends | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 5

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Take Time for Friends by Kerri Pomarolli

People ask me all the time why I became an actress in Hollywood. I didn’t get to sit at the “cool” lunch table in eight grade. It probably started earlier than that, my obsession with fitting in, but the most scarring moment was in the eighth grade cafeteria when Katie Mase ostracized me with deadly words: “There’s no room for you.” Me standing there with my lunch tray of nuggets and everyone staring at me afraid to speak out against their leader’s ordinance. Kerri is not welcome among us!

I, of course, did the mature thing, dropped my lunch, and ran to the girls bathroom to bawling. Katie and other cool girls decided I was not to be seen in their social circles because I was the new girl. Instead of swearing the way they did, they heard me saying ”Peachy Keen Jelly Bean” ( I learned that from Rizzo in Grease). I was fresh out of Christian school and didn’t know how to be “awesome” in their public school rules.

It was the 80s and there was a craze where everyone was wearing these “button shirts” (basically T-shirts with designer labels and buttons sewn on them). In the tradition of Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, I decided to make my own button shirt from a Hanes shirt of my dad’s and buttons I found in my mother’s sewing kit. I felt really cool . . . that is until I walked into school. It was like a bad movie. People stared as I walked down the hall, and the mean girls had no problem letting me know I had made a major fashion catastrophe. I was mortified and wore a cardigan over my creation for the rest of the day. It scarred me.

I can honestly say I never did get over not “being one of the cool” kids in life. I was always different and never really accepted that until I was an adult. But I see now I had to be different to accomplish all that God had for me. No standup comedian had a”blissful childhood.” Where would we get our material?

And when I became a mom I met a group of new mommies. We played Bunco and planned play dates. The problem was the working full-time moms could never attend the play dates and the stay-at-home moms had all the time in the world. I was stuck in the middle. I tried my best to rearrange work to be there at parks and pools. But most of the time I unable to attend. So of course, I stopped getting invited. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. I would hear about it later and be crushed. I lamented to Ron about it and he was understanding. He joked and said, “So you’re upset because you’re not in with the Mommy Mafia?” But this time it was different. I called my friend Claire and talked to her about it. I totally realized that no one in that “cool crowd” was trying to exclude me. It came down to schedules.

I discovered I was better at attending” Bunco” nights without my kids and “Moms’ Night Out” than park days. I have formed some amazing friendships, and I made it work for me. Our kids see each other at preschool or ballet, and I make sure I go out of my way to invite Lucy’s friends over whenever I can. I’ve made it work for me and found peace. It’s been six years with these girls, and I know they’ll be in my life for a long time.

Lucy is my own little “button shirt” firecracker of a girl. She marches to her own drummer and is stronger than I ever was. She dresses like Punky Brewster and refuses to ever match. She’s a leader, not a follower, and I hope she never changes. She did ask me a couple years ago when she had put together one of her fabulous outfits consisting of a fur hat, tank top, and shorts: “Mom, what if the kids don’t think my outfit is cool?” I smiled and said,” Lucy you define cool! If anyone ever says you’re not, they just don’t get it.”

Lucy said, “Yeah, cause they probably need Jesus don’t they? That’s what matters right, Mommy? If they have Jesus in their heart?”

Learn from @KerriPom’s experience in finding time to meet with other moms who understand you:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 15, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 7 Comments

Fun Ways to Exercise With Your Kids! | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 4

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids

Since moving to Little Rock one of our favorite things for John and me to do is bike. There are amazing bicycle trails and beautiful scenery. We biked often when Alyssa was little. She loved riding along on the back of Daddy’s bike.

Then we adopted Bella and Casey, and we couldn’t figure out how to make biking work. They were too big for a bike trailer and too small to ride beside us. (Or so we thought!)

Then, just last month, our little neighbor Presley learned to ride her bike. Not wanting to be outdone, Bella (six) learned to ride without training wheels the next day.

Not wanting to be outdone, Casey (three) learned to ride the day after that.

Not wanting to be outdone (do you see the pattern?), Alyssa (four) learned to ride without training wheels. She’s the most timid of the group, and it took her a week. But amazingly in the course of three weeks, we had three kids who were able to ride the bike trail with us!

The only problem was they needed help to “start.” The couldn’t figure out how to push off without falling. So Daddy gave them some incentive. We took them to one of our favorite bike trails to walk around.

“Once you learn to start by yourselves, we’ll bring you back here to ride,” he told them.

They were motivated!

The kids practiced and it took a few weeks for them to get they hang of it, but they were soon starting on their own. So the next Saturday we headed off to the bike trail. I love the smug look on Alyssa’s face as we prepared to head off. She felt so big!

It was so fun seeing them ride alongside Daddy. We only had a few instances where Casey rode off the trail—mostly because he was watching the other bikers who passed us instead of watching the trail!

Here is a photo of the happy kids! It’s amazing how they turned into bikers overnight!

For our family, biking is our favorite way to exercise. I asked some of my friends for their ideas for fun ways to exercise, too. Here are their ideas!

Play tennis on the Wii. —Diane
We run and bike together. —Tami
In whatever way they enjoy. If it’s a bike, great! If it’s Wii tennis, great! If it’s hiking, great! —Michael
Dancing! Turn on the tunes and boogie! Downhill skiing, scuba diving, surfing, snow shoeing, hiking, rock climbing, skateboarding, swimming, biking, JUMPROPE! —Holly
Elmo has an exercise video. We did it all the time (nine years ago . . . yikes!). —Loretta
Most of my exercise comes from activities with the kids, Just Dance on the Wii, the trampoline, wrestling, walks, and playing on the playground equipment WITH them! —April
My daughter has been participating in the Mighty Milers club at school. She has made us punch cards to run once summer vacation starts. She says when we get 40 miles in—the goal for Mighty Milers—we get an ice cream cone. She is hardcore for a kindergartner! —Alyson
Trampolining. —Catherine
We take them hiking. We wear or push the smaller ones. Or I have put them on bikes and walked fast along side them. —Martha
There are tons of videos I came across on YouTube for baby wearers. Awesome stuff. —Kristen
I meet up with a friend, and we do “gym class”-style workouts (jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups) while our kids play on the playground. Between us there are four kids between five and nine. Sometimes they exercise with us. At most we use a yoga mat and light weights. —Gretchen
The Family Time Fitness program is fun. Plus counts as PE for homeschoolers! —Teisha
Swimming is fun. They like to ride bikes or scooters while the parents walk. Skating is fun too. —Cheryl
We go biking ALL the time. We also do homeschool at the park; we’ll do a bit of school, then do something crazy like run three times around the playground or jump 100 times, then a bit of school, then lunges. It’s fun. —Erin
Play tag and then do a seven-minute dance party in the morning to Mandisa’s “Good Morning” and “Beautiful Day” by Jamie Grace. —Molly
Pick up the yard like a scavenger hunt. We see who fills their pail. It’s easy on the farm, with broken scrap pails, bits of paper, broken sandbox toys, flyaway bags, doggy shreds, sticks and branches to put over to the fire pit area, wayward toys, etc. Then a good ole game of tag. —Natalie
Geocaching. We’ve done this with our children since they were infants. They call it “treasure hunting,” and they love it! —Amanda
I found a fun way to exercise with my grandchildren when they were younger. I would play “March” music, give each if them a shaker, a bongo drum, or a tambourine, and we would line up and march around the house letting them take turns leading. They wore me out because they never wanted to stop! —Loretta

What about you? What is your favorite way to exercise with kids?

Do double duty! Find time to exercise WITH your kids with these tips from @TriciaGoyer:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 14, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 3

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

This post (by my funny friend and fellow author Kerri Pomarolli) is part of the No More Frumpy Mommy Moms’ Night Out Challenge, happening now through May 22. YOU can join, too! You might win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out if you participate! Are you participating and want to leave your link to today’s challenge? Read through this post, then link up at the bottom! Here are the other challenges:

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets By Kerri Pomarolli

This is a family favorite from my grandmother’s cookbook in Alabama. I don’t cook, but when my mom does everyone comes running! Maybe I’ll try this someday because it’s so yummy and I think I could actually do it! I’ve always wanted to say I made a pie.

Chocolate Pie

1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 tbsp cornstarch or flour
2 tbsp butter
2 heaping tspoon cocoa
1 tsp.vanilla
1/3 tsp salt

Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together add cornstarch and butter,
Cook until thick and smooth.
Pour in cooked pie crust. Beat egg whites until stiff adding at least 3 tablespoons sugar. Put on top of pie and bake in slow oven until brown.

Then eat and be fabulous!

Don’t have time to cook? Think again! Check out this easy dessert recipe from @KerriPom:

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I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.

May 13, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) | No More Frumpy Mommy ‘Moms’ Night Out’ Challenge Day 2

Want to win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out (plus copies of Moms’ Night Out [the novelization] and Moms’ Night Out and other things i miss)? Keep reading!

This post is part of the No More Frumpy Mommy Moms’ Night Out Challenge, happening now through May 22. YOU can join, too! You might win $200 or tickets to see Moms’ Night Out if you participate! Are you participating and want to leave your link to today’s challenge? Read through this post, then link up at the bottom! Here are the challenges:

Easy Hair by Tricia Goyer — What’s your secret to easy, no-fuss hair?
How to Get to Church on Time (with Kids) by Tricia Goyer — What tips do you have for getting your family to church on time?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Include Chicken Nuggets by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your go-to, easy recipe?
Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Kids by Tricia Goyer — How do you involve your kids in your exercise routine?
Take Time for Mom-Friends by Kerri Pomarolli — What’s your favorite way to spend time with your mom-friends?
Simple Makeup for Busy Moms by Tricia Goyer — What are your favorite tips for no-fuss makeup?
A Fast Recipe that Doesn’t Involve Fish Sticks by Tricia Goyer — Share your easy, go-to recipe for your family!
Quick Cleaning Tips by Kerri Pomarolli — What are your quick cleaning tips for busy moms?
Finding Time to Follow Your Dreams by Tricia Goyer — How do you make time to follow your dreams?

How to Get to Church on Time . . . with Kids

I don’t know about you but Sundays are always a struggle for me. It’s hard to get to church . . . on time.

Currently, I’m not only getting myself ready. I have three little kids ages six, four, and three, and then there’s my grandma to help, too. Why are we late? I underestimate the time it takes to get everyone ready. (And I won’t comment about my husband and young adult son who we need to get into the car, too. A-hem.)

So, I decided to ask some of my friends to give me their best advice. Here are 17 tips!

1. I’ve had this conversation before with friends. Why is it we make sure we get the kids to school on time or can wake up super early and be excited for a flight or getting into Disneyland early? We should be just as excited for church. But yes, I get myself ready first and then the kids get up. My husband is usually already gone as he helps in the children’s ministry and if we ever have to the kids eat in the car. It’s a twenty-minute drive. —Crystal

2. Prioritize it! Get to bed early and prep the clothes and breakfast in advance. —Gabrielle

3. Wake up early, get yourself ready, start waking everyone else up, begin breakfast—then fix the children’s hair! —Linda

4. Get up earlier than you think you need to. —Stephanie

5. Go to the late service. Ours is at 1:00 p.m. —Debbie

6. Plan an extra hour for getting ready, just in case of diaper blowouts and big kid meltdowns. —Kathryn

7. Lay clothes out the night before and use prepared breakfast (like bags or bowls of cereal already fixed/and/or crockpot breakfasts). Make sure Bibles are laid out and whatever else is needed for ministry, etc. OR even go ahead and put them in the car the evening before. Shower the night before so that the only things you need to do are eat breakfast and dress. No TV, no electronics, etc. Make sure you let the kids take ownership in this. As long as they have ownership, they are more likely to participate and participate joyfully! —Laura

8. Dry cereal for breakfast in a snack trap, and I get myself ready first. Daddy brushes girls’ hair and I fix it. I pick out the clothes and he helps dress them. Teamwork! —Sarah

9. Getting everything together the night before, even trying clothes on to make sure they still fit. For some reason kids grow fast from one Sunday to the next, leaving you with high-water pants if you are not careful! —Sharla

10. Watch Moms’ Night Out‘!!! There is no such thing, something will mess it up. Loved that movie. —Anita

11. I’ll share the funniest tip I ever heard. Years ago I was a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) leader. One mom had three sons under five and attended our church. Her boys were always picture-perfect every Sunday. I had three boys, too, who were a bit older, but we always managed to arrive without someone’s shoes or breakfast on a least one shirt. Her secret? She proudly informed us, “I put them all in the dry tub naked, give them dry bowls of sugar sweetened ‘Sunday cereal’ so they don’t drop a bit, and then dress them one by one and load them straight into the car.” A bit extreme for me, but then it did seem to work! —Allison

12. A pastor’s wife told me one time she would let her little ones sleep in their clothes. —Gwyn

13. There were four of us girls to get ready—and I remember Mama setting out everything the night before—even tucked our offering envelopes into those white patent shoes. —Mitzi

14. Clothes picked out the day or night before, tote bags with Bible ready by the door, even having part of breakfast ready the night before (i.e. cereal already decided upon and in the bowl, breakfast table already set, muffins already made, etc.), showered and bathed before bed (even if you are in the habit of doing it in the morning, this one day will be the exception), and one of the biggest things that helped us in our household . . . early bedtimes. Friday nights were the only nights they were allowed to stay up late. —Diana

15. I pick out clothes the night before. Since we have food allergies, when I’m on top of it, I also get their snacks ready the night before. —Jenny

16. We used to try to be ready early so we could sit around the living room discussing last week’s sermon and singing some hymns together. —Jill

17. Bribery works well. Get ready on time, and we’ll go to the donut shop. –Cheri

I love these and I have some new ideas for Sunday! What about you? What’s your best advice?

Have trouble getting your family to church on time? Here are 17 tips from @TriciaGoyer and friends:

Click To Tweet

I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Link-Up

Link your blog post with the corresponding challenge so others can see your progress and I can stop by your blog to give you some encouragement.

To link up your blog, copy the URL of the exact post and paste it below.
To link up to your Facebook status, click on the time of your status, which will send you to your status’ URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.
To link up a tweet, click on the tweet itself, which will send you to your tweet’s URL. Then copy the URL and paste it below.