By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer Coffee. The beverage that seems more like a king than a mere drink. Adored and revered by it’s faithful followers the world over. It’s the one thing that many of us refuse to start our days without. Plus, drinking coffee includes you in a worldwide club where members write about it,…
By Jessica Smartt, Contributing Writer I just had my third baby, and I (finally) had a natural childbirth. Induced and with Pitocin, even. Virtual high-five, anyone?? This was not easy, but I had planned it for a long time. I had horrific experiences with my two prior births. There was the emotional disconnection and fallout of the…
You’d think by number five I’d have learned how to announce this more creatively, but perhaps it’s that with each child, a smaller percentage of my brain seems to be left with full function. (I’m only half kidding on that.) So I’ll just come right out with it and tell you we’re excited to announce there’s…
If you’re going to spend a big chunk of money on a high-quality blender, you want to make sure it’s going to do the job;and;do it for years to come.; For most of us, an expensive purchase like a Vitamix or Blendtec high speed blender is a carefully-made decision, and a purchase for which you’re…
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer This is my third year writing a day in the life post for Keeper of the Home. And I must say, it feels strange! It’s caused me to reflect over how my life has changed in the past few years and I’m wrestling with a little frustration over the fact…
By;Rachel Marie, Contributing Writer I’ve been a mom for 7 years now and in no way am I am expert, but I am getting much better at this gig than I was when I first became a mom. A few weeks ago;we hosted small group at our;own home for the first time and I was…
I gave up trying to do lengthy workout videos long ago, and the gym hasn’t been much of a thought since my first baby arrived . These days, I’ve got four kids around, at least one or two of whom have radar for when my feet hit the floor each morning. In other words, it’s hard…
Looking for some new reads for your little ones? Check out my list! By Jessica Smartt, Contributing Writer I don’t have many vivid memories from my pre-teen years (gratefully, perhaps?). But a few memories randomly stick out, oddly clear and poignant in my mind. For one, I’m perched on the peach-colored chair in the living…
I bet you’d never guess the tools I find most useful when it comes to sticking with and maximizing our grocery budget. You might think it has to do with meal planning. Or perhaps a kitchen appliance like a grain grinder or crockpot. Maybe it’s planting a garden or using my farmer’s market. Or finding…
Guest Post by Marci Ferrell I do enjoy summertime with the abundance of fresh produce whether through a home garden, CSA, farmer’s markets or your local grocery store. I didn’t used to be a salad lover but it could be because a salad used to consist of head lettuce and ranch dressing. Not too healthy…
It happens every time we slow down. During this whirlwind, around-the-world trip of ours, usually staying in one place for anywhere from one to four weeks is when I feel it most keenly. But every so often, even three days in an apartment with a kitchenette can bring it out in me. Sometimes it finds…
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer I settled in on the couch with my laptop and a few pieces of candy leftover from our Christmas stockings to watch two documentaries exposing the rampant use of forced child labor on cocoa farms on the Ivory Coast of Africa. The candy I was savoring? You guessed it –…
Looking for Christmas stories to read to children? Natalie has 12 to share with you today! By Natalie, Contributing Writer My favorite thing to do with my kids is read to them. Chapter books are great for reading out loud in the afternoon and at bedtime (and if you read to the end, I have…
By Beth, Contributing Writer I grew up in the Christian church youth group subculture of the nineties. I came by my revolutionary mindset honestly, as we questioned if we were ‘radical enough for Jesus’, week after week. Even now, more than a decade later, something in me resonates with that revolutionary mindset, both in my faith…
By Michele, Contributing Writer From Day 1, fear can be a huge temptation in parenting, although the specific fears may change from season to season. I continually try to remind myself that my children belong to God, and they are in His hands. He created them and placed them into our family for a reason….
Welcome. We’re so glad you’ve joined us here at Keeper of the Home, a site dedicated to naturally-inspired living for homemakers. home·mak·er (n.) One who manages a household, especially as one’s main daily activity. As a homemaker, you wear a lot of hats. Your day to day duties as a household manager may include being…
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; By Natalie, Contributing Writer Pregnancy is such a mixed bag, don’t you think? On the one hand you have the miracle of LIFE filling your body. On the other hand you also get the garden variety of emotions and physical stresses that come with the complete…
By Natalie, Contributing Writer We talk a lot on Keeper of the Home about how to be good stewards of the bodies God gave us by feeding them real food that nourishes. But how zealous are we in feeding our spirits with real food? Real Food vs. Junk Food The Creator made us as integrated…
By Diana, Contributing Writer This post was intended to be all about spring gardening – spring vegetables that children love to grow, which vegetables will produce the most for your family, which types you can grow in containers, etc… However, my mind and thoughts are in other places. One of the things that I love about…
If you are like me, weekday mornings are very busy. You’re getting the backpacks packed, the curriculum prepared on homeschooling days, the water bottles filled and lunch boxes ready to go… and the very thought of breakfast puts me even more behind. So I love the thought of easy breakfasts. Who doesn’t?? Here is a rundown of…
Written by Stephanie Langford, Creator of Keeper of the Home I’ve been thinking about writing this post for so long, and yet now that I’m writing it, it feels surreal and I don’t even know what to say. For the last several weeks, I’ve been hinting that our family is packing up and that an…
Guest post by Beth of Red & Honey “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they…
By Crystal Paine, Contributing Writer Ten years ago, when my husband and I were first married, frugality was a must. If we didn’t pinch pennies, we couldn’t survive — or at least not without racking up a serious amount of debt and financial trouble down the road. So we pinched pennies, did without, and prayed…
By Natalie, Klejwa, Contributing Writer Because we live in a sin-wrecked world, not everyone will be able to have as many children as they would like. For various reasons that range from unwilling spouses to physical limitations, our families will all be of varying sizes. One thing we can all say with resounding conviction is…