Julie Naturally
natural self-reliance for Christians
When you’ve been in the habit of stuffing your emotions with food, it can be hard to reverse that trend. But, the toll it’s having on your emotional, physical, and mental health probably frightens you. Then, feeling bad, you eat more to try to feel better. It’s a vicious cycle that cannot be broken with …
During the holidays and winter months, we can experience higher levels of stress. This time of year often stirs up painful memories and family tensions, deepens financial troubles, and finds us gaining unwanted pounds. We also tend to get sick more often. So, what do we do? We engage in stress eating. The roots of …
During the holidays and other stressful times of the year, we often eat too much. And then, we make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. The average person gains about ten extra pounds during the fall months. But, how many times have you made that resolution? How many diets have you tried? For many women …
Do you have a bad mood? Considering today’s environment of uncertainty and chaos, it’s pretty common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports an increase in depression and anxiety in 2020 over 2019. Their study showed that 40% of adults currently struggle with mental health or substance abuse. But, we cannot stay depressed, …
Have you ever woke up and an hour later, you’re ready to go back to bed? At times, I have felt that way and wondered why. After all, sleep should be refreshing, but maybe that’s not enough to give me the energy I need. So, where does energy come from? Quite simply, burning calories. But, …
Essential oils are all the rage these days. Multi-level marketing companies have popularized their use for cleaning, boosting immunity, and helping children with common sleep and focus issues. But, how about essential oils for relaxation? Most people are familiar with lavender as a sleep aid, but there are several other oils useful for calming the …
Before I get started, I’m talking about mom’s morning devotions, not the kids’. I also want to acknowledge up front that homeschooling moms often don’t get much time for their own morning devotions. I’ve heard some say they have as much as 30 minutes or as little as five. These secrets are useful no matter …
Adult coloring books are all the rage these days. These relaxing coloring pages recall youthful days with bright new crayons. Do you remember the joy of opening that new box of crayons with all the exotic colors and none of them broken or with flat tips? The only thing I didn’t like was the smell. …
Did you know that one of the benefits of journaling is that it can save your life? Because of its effects on the mind and body, journaling has some surprising benefits. For example, according to Psych Central, research shows that journaling strengthens the immune system and acts as a stress management tool. Another example includes …
We all know that things often get crazy when we’re at the relatives house. It’s noisy. Kids are running around everywhere, maybe bickering, maybe yelling, but definitely getting in the way, right! And, oh no! Aunt Sarah made that dish Michael hated last year. Or, maybe Uncle Eric brings up politics again. With all the …
When we’re feeling stressed out, we can’t always get to our favorite method to relieve stress. We need to know how to relieve stress right there in the moment. One of the best ways to to do this is to learn our triggers so we can avoid stress in the first place. Relieve stress by …
As Christians, we know that finding peace starts with a relationship with Jesus. But, sometimes even if we have a strong faith, we can get sidetracked. This especially happens during busy times of year, such as the fall when school starts and the holiday season hits. Suddenly our peace flees us and we feel just …
As a homeschooler in the north, I often dread winter. After all, winter means months indoors with restless children. It means allowing an extra half hour of prep time whenever we need to go somewhere. And, there’s the inevitable illness that descends, striking each of them in turn. But, winter also brings a time of …
When my kids were small, we didn’t do any computer-based lessons. I occasionally incorporated some educational videos and when I needed a break, I offered educational video games. For children under age 10, I truly felt that hands-on, project-based, and “analog” activities were best. However, as my kids grew older, I allowed more online learning. …
Have you ever wished you could walk where Jesus walked? I do. I wish I could go to Israel and do the whole Bible tour. That won’t happen any time soon, so when I came across the new Holy Land Delivered Artzabox, I had to take a look. First, I loved that each box focuses …
When we think of Christmas, we think of the three wise men and maybe mistletoe. But, there are actually eight Christmas herbs. These are: frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe, holly, poinsettia, pine, peppermint, and cinnamon. On my podcast, Crunchy Christian Podcast, I cover seven of these in depth over the holiday season. When we think of these …
This time of year is supposed to be joyful, but many times, it brings stress and exhaustion instead. It is possible to have stress free holidays, but we have to be proactive about it. Why do we get so stressed out? What can we do to change that? Here are some of my favorite ways …
Very few companies offer a subscription box for special needs children. And, if they do, it’s usually sensory-based and appropriate primarily for young children. But, special needs children deal with more than sensory issues. Very often, because of their learning challenges, they show a lack of motivation, learned helplessness, and a reluctance to learn, even …
Living books form a significant pillar in my homeschooling approach. So, I thought I’d create a list of my top children’s books about elections. After all, the election is upon us. And, it’s an important civic duty that all citizens should exercise. Why not start young? Kids understand basic voting, especially if you have several …
Recently, I tried making a list of kids life skills that all homeschoolers need to teach. I wanted to help unschoolers focus on what’s important since we tend to do things more organically. As I began making my list and doing some research, I came across the Life Hacks Series from Hess UnAcademy. Wow! She …
With all the focus on technology careers, math, and science, we might wonder, why is botany important? Why bother teaching kids about plants? Isn’t it enough that they know the basics? As a Master Herbalist, I’m biased, of course, but I have a definite list of answers to the question of why is botany important. …
I really hate how schools teach kids about plants. It’s soooo boring! If you really want to know how to teach kids about plants, don’t use a textbook. And, don’t make it a short little chapter in a biology book, either. I certainly didn’t develop my love for plants from those types of resources typically …
In my homeschooling journey, we read a LOT of books. We use other things, too, such as videos or YouTube channels, field trips, hands-on projects and handicrafts, classes, and nature. But, until high school (and even then, only for specific subjects), we don’t use textbooks. However, it is really hard to find good living books …
It’s in a kids nature to run around and explore the outdoors. I see this in my two year old granddaughter every day. She can’t wait to get outside. She wonders at anthills, the whispering trees, soaring birds, cackling squirrels–all of it. It offers no end of delights. But, we can extinguish a love for …
