A blog about nourishing and loving ourselves and our families.
Haley is a Catholic wife and mama of two (and one on the way!), ballet teacher, and lover of all things Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh, and Wendell Berry. Find her at Carrots for Michaelmas where she writes about urban homesteading, motherhood, literature, faith, homeschooling, and her undying love for bacon.
My daughter was the perfect baby. She was born after an easy, drug-free, natural labor. She took to breastfeeding like a duck to water and consumed nothing but breastmilk for her first seven months. She didn’t even know that bottles existed. I practiced ecological breastfeeding and wasn’t separated from her for more than a… [read more]
Our family is big on having kids in the kitchen because of the wonderful benefits of mastering valuable skills as well as spending quality time together. But it’s also important to us that our kids know where their food comes from. One of the great benefits of having an urban garden is the joy of including our… [read more]
When I had my first baby, I was so focused on the pregnancy and preparing myself for a natural birth that I didn’t do a lot of mental preparation for motherhood. And I soon discovered that motherhood is hard. For me, one of the most difficult transitions was getting used to the idea that I… [read more]
It’s still wintry and chilly outside, but it’s time to start planning for your Spring garden. And for those of us in the deep south, spring gardening is already in full swing now that we’re had our last frost (fingers crossed!). If you’ve never tried out your green thumb before (and even if you have)… [read more]
Time for some honesty: I hate being pregnant. Now don’t get me wrong. I love my babies. I love motherhood. But the first trimester and I are not friends. The first 3-4 months of pregnancy are a roller coaster of misery for me. The unyielding nausea, vomiting, and exhaustion make labor seem like a walk… [read more]
Raised beds are a great option for an urban garden. Our favorite things to grow in raised beds are carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, parsley, cilantro, lettuce, squash, beans, and peas, but you can use them to grow just about anything. And for certain plants, raised beds really help them thrive because of… [read more]
When we wrote our birth plan for our first baby, my husband and I were surprised to realize how many things we hadn’t thought about before. Who was going to cut the cord? Did we want our newborn wiped off or just handed directly to me for skin-to-skin contact? Did we want to circumcise? Eek!… [read more]
Free, delicious, healthy organic eggs whenever you need them? A pet that can help teach your kids about nature, reproduction, and responsibility? There are so many benefits to having backyard chickens, but getting started can be a little intimidating. Here are some guidelines to get you going! Research your local city ordinances regarding keeping poultry. In… [read more]
We recently got the wonderful news that we’re expecting Baby #3. (Yay!) I thought by the third time around, discovering we were pregnant would feel old hat. It didn’t. I was just as shocked and in awe at this news as the first time we found out we were expecting. Truly. I literally screamed “I’M… [read more]
At our house, fall means the beginning of winter squash season: butternut, acorn, pumpkin… I love it all! And winter squash is incredibly versatile since it can be prepared to be sweet or savory. There is so much more out there than just the traditional pumpkin pie. So, if you’re wondering what to do with… [read more]
We grew sunflowers for the first time this year in our garden. I fell in love with having these cheery yellow giants waving in our yard. They brighten up the garden and add fun and warmth to the home when placed in a vase on the dining room table. What I didn’t know until this… [read more]
I grew up on an avocado farm and we had chickens. Some of my earliest memories are going to get eggs in the morning with my Dad. I so wish we could have chickens in our backyard. Our yard is big enough, but we have a pit bull and I am sure he wouldn’t… [read more]
Hiya! I'm Stephanie. Looking for Slow Cooker Freezer Meals? You're at the right place. For more easy & delicious recipes, check out my cookbook!
M+BL is all about helping mothers on their own personal health and healing journey and enjoying life along the way. You can learn more about me and what I'm all about. Sign up for my newsletter for more tips, info and inspiration!
