Christmas Gift Ideas For Girls {And Info on Great Sales!}

I love to buy gifts for my children. Every year my husband has to hold me back at birthdays and christmas because I find all sorts of neat toys or educational items I would like to get them. We try to limit christmas gifts to three items each, and that doesn't mean three toys. So I have to think through each gift we get long and hard to make sure the child will like it.

Buying for my girls is easy, as I understand the girly mind and what it wants. :) I also have learned how easily cheap plastic items get torn up, and broken in a mere matter of minutes. So we try to invest in nicer items that will last longer.

If you are looking for some gift ideas for girls, below are some that I would suggest.

The Jubilee Doll from Vision Forum is on sale for $56.25, which is 25%off the price! Plus, if you spend $25.00 at Vision Forum you can get free shipping with the code: NOSHIPPING all week long! We don't personally own this doll as our girls are not old enough yet, but I read a lot of sweet reviews online about them. 

If you have need of more than one doll, you can save an additional 10% off the retail price of each doll when you purchase 2 or more! 

Of course you can't have a doll without sweet clothes to go on it! This Southern Belle dress is 40% off, making it $11.40. That is a lot cheaper than the American Girl doll clothes! 

Another favorite dress of mine is Elsie's Day Dress. So sweet. 

To browse all the dolls and dresses that Vision Forum offers you can go here. 

Here is a list of our other favorite items from Vision Forum for girls. 

We own this coloring book and it is the sweetest coloring book I have seen in a long time! I almost didn't want to let my children color in it! I Highly recommend this if you have a little ( or big!) girl that likes to color.

My daughter owns this tea set, and it receives a lot of use. I love that it is made out of tin and not glass, which is perfect for a girl's first tea set. 

We have been through several doll strollers until I finally got smart and realized we just needed to invest in a nice one that will last. My dad purchased this Chico Doll Stroller as a birthday gift for my daughter.  Let me tell you - this stroller will withstand the harshest treatment just fine! Our one year old plays with it just as much as our three year old, and she has sat on it so many times without it affecting the stroller at all. While the price is more than other strollers, I don't regret getting this at all. I know it will last for years to come! This is one of our most played with girl toys in the house. 

I just purchased this Melissa and Doug doll diaper bag for our soon to be  two year old's birthday in December. It looks like it will hold up under wear and tear, and is it is the perfect size for little girls.

If your daughter is into building blocks, wedgits are a great investment. I've been surprised how much our one year old even loves these. Guess what she is getting for Christmas? :) They even sell pink and purple wedgits for the girly girl! 

My mom purchased these magnetic dress up dolls for our daughter a few years ago, and they have been well loved and played with, by all our children actually. I've seen a lot of magnetic paper dolls but these are my favorite.

Here is a tip for buying gifts off Amazon. I do my usual online searches on swagbucks throughout the year, and then cash them in for Amazon gift cards! It really does add up quick and helps save money on gifts. A few years ago I saved all year long and put my gift cards towards buying my husband an iPod touch that he wanted. That really saved us some money! 

Finally, if you are looking for great gift ideas for the whole family, check out the entire Vision Forum sale they are having this whole week where you can save up to 50% and receive free shipping! 

Modest Middles Nursing Tank Top Giveaway!

The next three days will be filled with a fun giveaway each day, so make sure you check back to see what else will be given away. If you have a little girl and still need a great Christmas present for her you will want to check back tomorrow! But I'm getting sidetracked here....back to the present giveaway! :)

I was very intrigued when I came across information about the modest middles nursing tank top. Honestly I thought I knew about every nursing camisole there is out there-because there just isn't that many options. So I was excited to find something new!

The Modest Middles is a unique tank top that looks like a regular tank, but it is cut really low in the front to scoop under your bra, thus making it easy to nurse in. The ingenuous thing about it is that it will cover your front, sides, and back while you nurse! Who hasn't experienced that embarrassing moment of realizing your side is showing while you are nursing? I know after nursing four children I have had that happen to me!

The fabric used to make these are silky soft and comfortable. It is a blend of 93% cotton and 7% spandex. I'm looking forward to wearing this after the baby comes! 

The Modest Middles comes in four colors - black, white, nude, and gray. They are made in the USA, and were designed by a mother of five children herself!  

They are priced at $29.99 for one, and the price goes down if you buy more than one. I have a special coupon code for you though-you can get FREE SHIPPING on this when you enter this special code at the checkout: MM143. 

The Modest Middles company has generously offered to give a tank top away to one of The Modest Mom readers! To enter, please fill out the rafflecopter form. Please make sure to do the entry, and then click the green "I Did This" button so you will be entered! 

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Mothering isn't for quitters...

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I think we all understand that there can be issues with training children to sit still in church. Some children pick up on it easily, while other children are prone to wiggle and squirm every waking minute - whether they're in church or out.

We are blessed with four children 8 and under. Our oldest generally does well in church, but our other three (just turned 6 year old, 3 year old, and soon to be 2 year old) still struggle with sitting still. We've tried various things, like bringing a bag just for them with coloring books, felt books, etc. but found that it just made a mess and was very distracting. We sometimes allow them to draw on a piece of paper, but in general we really try hard to have them sit quietly and listen, with only an occasional book to look at.

That's the goal anyway.

This last Sunday was rather interesting. My husband was very involved in both church services we had so he wasn't able to sit with me. I had planned on him being with me to help for the second service but he ended up being busy again. Being in my third trimester I'm quickly losing my lap to my swollen tummy, making it difficult to have my squirmy little one(s) sit on my lap.

When I saw my husband was going to be busy for the second church service as well I have to admit I fought back tears. I wanted to give in to self pity. I was tired, hungry, and touched out. All I wanted was to have my husband sit down and take over so I could go eat something and have a minute to myself.

I looked at my children, and decided that I'd better wrestle through my feelings. I've determined that it's better to smile at my children even when I don't really feel like it, because it helps me get to the point where I actually do want to smile at them. So out came the smile, an arm around my squirmy six year old, and I braced myself to hold my youngest on what's left of my lap!

You know what? I ended up admitting defeat. I left my oldest to listen to the church service and decided I'd better listen to my tummy grumbling and go eat a protein snack (I struggle with low blood sugar especially while pregnant so I have to eat a lot of snacks). I took my three youngest children with me downstairs and had them sit on chairs. A friend ended up coming down with her children, and between my children wanting to snack with me and seeing little friends down there also, all my child training fell apart right before my eyes. They didn't sit still at all and I really didn't have it in me to make them.

They had a privilege taken away (the two middle children, the youngest is still not old enough to comprehend) and I talked to them afterwards about the fact that they didn't sit still very well.

So why am I sharing this on my blog? Because life isn't perfect. We all have ideals and goals for mothering our children, but at times we have to admit defeat on some of these little areas and not give ourselves a complex over it. The experience at church has made me more determined to work at home on sitting still - no, I haven't given up on the hope that one day that will happen. Now I know full well that not every outing with our children will be perfect; some days we will (or at least I will) end the day in tears wondering how we can wake up the next day and do it all over again.

But we do, and we will.

By the grace of God that is.

Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute we make it through. The sticky fingers, the constant questions, the messes that never end, the temper tantrum we thought that child had outgrown - we endure and persevere. We have hope for a better thing. We see an end in sight for our child and as mothers we are determined to make it to that goal. Giving up and admitting defeat means terrible consequences for our children so it's just not an option.

If you are struggling through a difficult time mothering your children-don't give up! I have many, many areas I need to work on as a mother but I'm determined to keep going. God has richly blessed me with four (almost five) very unique children. I'm still in awe sometimes that I get to be the one responsible (with my husband of course!) of raising these children, of finding their hearts and keeping them close to me until it's time to let go.

Is it exhausting? Yes. Without a doubt. Sometimes so very exhausting.

Would I have started this mothering adventure if I had known what it was really going to be like?

Absolutely.

Cyber Monday Sale at The Modest Mom!

Today is the day!! The Modest Mom is having a Cyber Monday sale! Come take advantage of this unique sale where every single item on the website is on sale for 10-30% off! Whether it's our selection of skirts, ready made skirts, dresses, blouses, shells, or nursing covers, they are ALL on sale! Now is the time to stock up on modest clothing for you and your daughters. 

 There is even more good news though! 

We would also like to bless your family by offering you FREE items on top of our Cyber Monday sale! 

For every $125.00 you spend (before shipping) we will send you a $15.00 Lilla Rose gift certificate to spend on any Lilla Rose item of your choice, $15 or less! Choose from elegant but convenient Flexi Clips, lovely bobby pin sets, beautiful jewelry - the list goes on. We expect you'll have a hard time deciding what to get with your coupon! 

But there's more! 

Spend $175.00 (before shipping) and we will give you a $15.00 Lilla Rose coupon AND a Marrianne blouse of your choice of color and size. This is a $34.95 value altogether! *(If in the event that we sell out of the blouse in the size you need, the blouse will be substituted with a free shell). 

To shop this great sale, go here. 

$50 Gift Certificate to ecomom for $15!

Today only on Plum District they are offering you $10 off any order you place.

You can purchase a $50 gift certificate to ecomom.com for $15 and receive free shipping on your orders of $50 or more! ecomom sells natural and organic products, such as natural shampoos and soap, toys for children, and lots of items for mamas-they even sell baby slings and carriers!  

To receive your $10 off, enter the code: enjoy10 when checking out at Plum District.  Your discount code will then be available to redeem at ecomom! 

Black Friday Sales!

Black Friday Deals are abounding everywhere! While there is no way I could possibly highlight all of them, I did want to share about a few deals with some great companies! 

Lilla Rose will be offering 15-25% off all orders placed on Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th.  Now is a perfect time to grab a flexi clip, bobby pin sets, or jewelry for that special girl or woman in your life! They make wonderful gifts. 

MadeOn is offering different promotions all morning long, starting with coupon codes for 40% off! Visit their blog to learn more about it. 

All of the e-books at Cottage Mama are just $1.00 each until Friday night at midnight. 

Don't forget about Vision Forum's Black Friday special that has been going on all week! Buy any two items, and receive the third one of equal or lesser value totally free! 

Vision Forum is also running a special for Friday, the 25th only where you receive a free $50 gift certificate to BlueBlueBehemoth.com free with an order of $95 or more! 

The Bulk Herb Store is offering 15% off your entire order Friday the 25th only! This is a great way to stock your herbal medicine cabinet and save some money. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving! 

Today is about so much more than eating a good meal and gathering with family. I pray we can remember all that we are truly grateful for, and who has so abundantly blessed us. Our God is so good and merciful to us! 

The Modest Mom is hoping to bless your family through a special sale on Cyber Monday! To learn how you can actually earn free products, go here to read more about our one day sale coming up soon! 

Finally, if you have any special young ladies in your life you won't want to miss Vision Forum's special that is today only! 

You can purchase Joyfully at Home for just $4.50, which is a huge savings of 75% off! Also remember that the buy 2 get one free deal is still going on! 

Thanking God For His Blessings...

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Today I'm thankful for my godly upbringing, and that I was given godly instruction and counsel and my paths were always lovingly pointed to my Savior. I would not be where I am today without a faithful mother who diligently gave of herself to raise me up. Or a father who worked hard so my mom could stay at home with us to teach us.

I'm thankful for my husband who is quick to show mercy to his wife, and gives me support in days when I'm exhausted and frazzled. His wisdom never ceases to amaze me, and his devotion for his children gives me great peace. I know many ladies long for husband's who will be more involved in family life, so I do not take what I have lightly.

I'm thankful for four beautiful children who fill my days with sounds of Indian war cries, questions that never end, hysterical statements that make me chuckle, and yes, even the noise that four young children bring because it means they are strong and healthy. I'm thankful for the ways I've matured since having children-being a mother is much more intense and emotionally and spiritually draining than I ever anticipated, but it brings me to my knees which in no way is a bad thing.

I'm thankful for my aching back, swollen feet, and blood sugar that dips low all the time. It means our baby is alive and growing in my womb! The movement at midnight that keeps me up, the kicks that are strong enough to take my breath away - these are precious to me.

I'm thankful for a messy house, laundry that never seems to be caught up on, and dirty dishes that abound. Dirt Smudges on the white trim, and yes - even the bathroom that smells from little boys using it all the time. : ) It means we live in this house. It is our home - a place where activity is constantly taking place and that we dwell here as a family.

For self employment ups and downs - having hardly ever known a constant guaranteed paycheck since being married, I am thankful. It means I have not discouraged my husband from his dreams in being self employed even though my fear of the unknown has tempted me to do so at times. The memories we have already created as a family are priceless.  Being at the cabinet shop at midnight (especially around the holidays) and stories of mowers almost going in the pond or ditches are aplenty also. While I didn't grow up in an entrepreneurial type family I'm thankful I have caught the spirit and now actually love it!

For the freedom that we have in this land-Praise God! We can worship where we choose, teach our children as we feel led, and still have a vote in who runs this country. While there is cause for much mourning because of the state of our country I'm still thankful for the liberties we do have. They are abundant compared to other countries!

Finally, I'm thankful for all of you-my wonderful blog readers. You continue to amaze me by coming back here to read this little blog. I feel totally inadequate when it comes to writing but I have a heart to share about femininity and modesty so I press on. Thank you for all the encouraging comments and emails!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! 

Vintage Style Aprons!

I love aprons. Even while pregnant I have a few aprons that I can wrap around my mammoth tummy and still manage to feel halfway cute while I'm at it! Some of my aprons are very worn and dirty looking-even after washing. I have a paint apron, and a special apron my sister made me that I put on if I'm working in the kitchen before company coming.

Today on Zulily (a daily deal site for moms and children) they have the most adorable vintage aprons! If you love the 50's style, you will fall in love with these!

Pink Paisley Audrey Apron - this one is my favorite! 

Pink floral Lindy Apron

Green Audrey Apron

These aprons even have matching oven mitts and hot pads that you can buy to go along with them! 

To find these aprons on Zulily, look under "Grandway" and you will see all these and more! You can also save $5.00 off your order of $50 or more with the code: GA5867. 

Herbs for the third trimester

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I'm trying something new this pregnancy and taking herbs during my third trimester. I've never felt the need to do that before as my labors have normally been about 3-5 hours of hard labour, and then I deliver. We won't talk about the days of contractions leading up to that hard labour. :) Overall, I think I've been pretty blessed in my labors though.

I did lots of research this pregnancy and decided (with my midwife's OK) to take some things starting at 32 weeks to gently prepare my body for labour.

Red Raspberry - This herb is well known for being an aid for females! In leading up to delivery, Red Raspberry works to strengthen the uterus, thereby making the uterus more effective when labour starts. It is also supposed to help with afterbirth pains. I started drinking the Mama's Red Raspberry Brew tea from The Bulk Herb Store, which is a combination of red raspberry, alfalfa, nettle, and peppermint. This tea tastes so much better than just the little boxes of red raspberry tea I have bought at the health food store before. I'm not a tea lover, but I actually enjoy drinking this tea!

Mama's Red Raspberry Tea

Here is an easy way to make the tea and also get the most nutrients out of it. Take a quart jar and put a good handful of dried herbs at the bottom. 1/2-1 cup dried herbs is what I have been doing for a stronger tea. Fill it with hot water, put the lid on and let it sit on your counter for 2-4 hours. Strain the herbs out but don't throw them away! I instantly boil some more water, add about a Tablespoon more of fresh dry herbs to the used herbs and make one more batch out of the same herbs. I then add a little bit extra water to the tea, and fill up a gallon jar about 3/4 full. It is a little strong, but I don't have to drink as much then. :)

Evening Primrose Oil - This oil has long been known for helping the cervix to soften and be prepared for labour. Normally midwives say to start it at 37 weeks-the actual dosage seems to vary greatly online though. If you insert them internally the important part is to get the pill up high by your cervix. Evening Primrose oil contains substances that are very similar to prostaglandins-which help ripen and soften the cervix. That is the reasoning behind why it helps. I've heard anywhere from 1-3 pills inserted at night can be helpful, but definitely talk to your midwife or health care provider if you decide to try it. From what I've heard and read, if your body is not ready to go into labour than simply inserting the oil will not make you go into labour. It's just another tool to slowly prepare you for when your body is ready.

Liquid Chlorophyll - A lot of women struggle with keeping their iron up towards the end of pregnancy and I have always been one of them! I'm taking a liquid chlorophyll this pregnancy, which actually doesn't taste terrible if you get the mint flavored kind. :) When we last tested my iron level was 10.9, which is not outstanding but it's much better than it normally is at this point in my pregnancies. So I'm going to keep chugging that down until the baby comes. Low iron at the time of birth can lead to a greater chance of excess bleeding after the birth. Chlorophyll is high in Vitamin K which helps clotting and preventing the excess bleeding afterwards. It is also great for your overall health.

I'm terrible at taking pills, but when I get close to giving birth the thought of labour pains makes me more motivated to chug down my pills each day. :) I'm curious to see if my labour is any different this time around, if not I still know my end result will be an adorable baby to snuggle!

$600.00 Vision Forum Gift Card Giveaway!!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! 

The Vision Forum company has been a blessing to our family, so when they asked me to sponsor this giveaway I didn't have to think twice! 

For many years now we have benefited from the wonderful materials that this company has produced. The quality Christian books they sell, the toys for the children, and the outstanding audio resources have been wonderful resources for our family.

My husband has enjoyed the history materials they sell, particularly the Bill Potter audio sets and the History of the World series. 

For several years now our two son's birthday presents always include something from Vision Forum. Whether it's the shield and sword set, the WW1 helmets, or the pop guns, they have played long and hard with whatever they receive!

Our daughters are not old enough yet to have a really nice doll, but our three year old daughter loves to look at all the pretty dolls and dresses whenever the catalog comes! They also have really sweet historical play dresses for girls. 

If I had to pick one product that has blessed me the most, it would have to be the Large Family Logistics book they published a few years ago. This book gave me great encouragement, and I feel like it would do the same for any mom - whether they have one child or ten! Another favorite book that I pull out often to read from is The Family book by J.R. Miller. There is much wisdom contained in this book concerning the proper roles and responsibilities of each member of a godly home.

If you are not receiving their catalogs you are missing out on an exciting fall day when the mail comes! To sign up for their free catalogs, go here to request one. 

Vision Forum has also started their Black Friday Super Sale-which goes on all week long! Buy two items and receive the third item of equal or lesser value FREE!! This sale ends Saturday, November 26th at Midnight. 

Now comes the really exciting part of this post! Vision Forum has generously offered to give away $600.00 in gift cards through the Modest Mom blog! There will be three winners in this giveaway. One person will win a $100 gift card, another a $200 gift card, and yet another a gift card worth $300 good for any purchase from Vision Forum. Per the request of Vision Forum, the person who wins the $300 gift card needs to have blogged about this great giveaway, using the words "Christian books" in your post with those exact words linking to www.visionforum.com . So if you have a blog I'd suggest you get busy and write a post about this awesome giveaway! If you don't have a blog, don't despair - you still have a great chance at winning the $100 or $200 gift card! 

Please use the rafflecopter form to enter below. You must leave your email address so I can contact the winners. The entries will be verified that you really did them, so please read the instructions carefully! This giveaway will end December 3 at Midnight.  

I can't wait to see who wins, and rejoice with three blessed families!! 

(Click "Read More" to use the entry form!)

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November Flexi Clip Is Back In Stock!

The very popular November Flexi of the Month is now back in stock! This Flexi sold out extremely quickly when it was first released, and thankfully Lilla Rose has been able to get some more made in time! 

The Fallen Leaf is just beautiful, this is one of my favorite monthly clips they have made! I personally think it looks like fall and wintertime. :)

If you want to order, hurry and do so! They still have just a limited supply of these clips. For the next ten days there is a limit of 2 clips per size so everyone can get one, with a limit of one clip for the mini and x-large. After the ten days it will be reset and you can get however many you want. 

To place your order, go here. 

*Also, Vision Forum has a 20% off sale until Saturday the 19th. Save an additional 20% off regular and sale price items with the code: ALLEXTRA20. Shipping is just $5.00 for your whole order! You can get the Liberty Doll 50% off with the coupon code!*

Choosing joy through trials

There is more cause for joy than for complaint in the hard and disagreeable circumstances of life. 

Browning said, "I count life just a stuff to try the souls strength on." Spell the world "discipline" with a 

final g, - "discipling." We are here to learn time's lesson for eternity's business. What does it signify if the

circumstances about us are not of our choice, if by them we can be trained, learning the lessons of 

patience, fortitude, perseverance, self-denying service, acquiescence with God's will, and the hearty 

doing of it? Circumstances do not make character. The noblest character can emerge from the worst 

surroundings, and the moral failures come out of the best. Just where you are, take the things of life as 

tools, and use them for God's glory; so you will help the kingdom come, and the master will use the 

things of life in cutting and polishing you so that there shall some day be seen in you a soul conformed to 

His likeness. 

      Maltbie Davenport Babcock

Taken from the book "Streams In The Desert 2" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. 

I read this last night before going to bed, and it encouraged me! I'm busily scurrying around trying to get a huge list done before our baby comes, and last night it was pretty discouraging how much there still was to do. I was irritable and weepy, but reading this reminded me to take joy in all things!

Timberdoodle Block Builders Review

Do you have a budding architect in your family? Blocks of any sort have always been a huge hit in our house. Whether they are used to build towers, castles, roadways, or just used as bombs (!) blocks are played with frequently around here, if not daily.

As part of Timberdoodle's Blogging Review Team, I was sent a package of the Block Builders to review. Or rather for my children to review! This is a unique set of 6 blocks. Now a mere 6 blocks does not sound like it would do much, but these blocks are hinged where they can open, close, flip, and stack! The blocks come with a set of fifty challenge cards showing you ways to build architecture designs with the blocks.

My children were all excited to open up the package, from my eight year old down to my almost 2 year old! The eight year old loved the cards that came with it, and we sat and tried to build the designs together. I have to admit, we relied on the back (which shows you exactly what blocks to use) most of the time. My mind is architecturally challenged! My six year old and 3 year old loved to just use the blocks to build their own towers without the cards. When my husband came home from work he sat on the floor and became fixated on trying to put the more challenging designs together!

I keep these blocks in my school cabinet and when I need one of the children to be busy with something while I'm helping another child, they can go get these blocks out. Whether they are actually using the cards or not, I feel it's a great educational toy for them to use that gets their brain thinking!

If you have a builder in your house, someone who loves to follow directions than these blocks would be perfect!

Timberdoodle also has their Holiday catalog out, which highlights their best educational toys of the year that they carry. We all poured over it, talking about the many unique items found in it. Christmas at our house is a little different than Birthdays, and we try to focus on getting a few more educational type items instead of just toys. The catalog was so helpful to get ideas from! If you are still looking for high quality items for gift ideas, take a look at Timberdoodle's website!


Thanks to Timberdoodle, I was sent these blocks free to review as part of their review blogging team. I received no compensation for writing this post.