We’re in the final countdown to book release. It’s currently at press and we can.not.wait to hold this baby in our hands!! Writing a book is truly like growing and birthing a child. I’ve done both twice now and I can really see the comparisons. We are so excited to get this message into the hands of new mamas. The more time we spent laboring over these words, the more passionate we became of the fact that we are working towards a new movement of motherhood. . .one that is driven by grace – not methods, by love – not performance. We are bathing this book in prayer even now as it’s pages are physically formed and it’s cover is bound, believing that moms will be liberated to peace in the early days of parenting.

So – now that you’ve read me ramble about how excited I am, I want to get YOU excited too! We are planning a super fun launch for the book and we hope you’ll join us. Here’s the schedule:

April 1-5 – TBC’s Super Awesome Baby Bundle Giveaway {with prizes currently totaling over $500} – this bundle will be given away to one lucky winner and will include prizes from Aden + Anais, Cradle Rock, Mom4Life, Little Alouette, What’s In The Bible, 31 Gifts and many more {including several mom-owned Etsy shops filled with lots of lovely things for mom and baby}

April 9 – Book launches!! You will be able to find the book in stores and online beginning April 9.

April 8-12 – TBC’s Blog Blitz Tour – we’ll be featuring several bloggers who are preparing a message of grace and peace from their hearts to new moms. You will not want to miss everything these amazing mama writers have to share!

April 15-19 – TBC Freebie week! Anyone who has purchased the book up until this point and through the week will receive lots of awesome printables to use along their journey of baby’s first year. Schedule tracker, prayer cards and more!!

April 27th – TBC Book Signing at Lifeway Cool Springs {Franklin, TN} – those of you that are local will have the opportunity to meet all three authors at our book signing at Lifeway! Come on out and say hello!!

Date TBD – TBC All Access Facebook Party!! - Join us on Facebook for one night of total access to Dr. Heather Rupe {OB/GYN}, Dr. Andrea Johnston {Pediatrician} and Me {Mommy, writer} to ask your most looming questions about pregnancy, postpartum and life with baby. You’ll get immediate, grace-based answers while connecting to a wonderful community of women just like you!!

And that’s just April!! We haven’t even gotten to May yet! And May is Mother’s Day so you can be sure we’ll plan some additional fun launch activities then. Stay tuned for more info.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership in this growing community of moms and moms-to-be who desire to allow the peace and grace of God to lead their journey.

What do you think of the final cover? Isn’t it cute?!?!

Typically, I’m with Nordstrom in waiting to deck my halls until after Thanksgiving. I can only handle one holiday at a time. Today I’m breaking my rules though in order to share with you several, new Christmas resources that are sure to bless your whole family! If I didn’t break my rule, I couldn’t bring you this great Christmas giveaway and ensure it arrives to the winner in time to deck their halls with a wonderful background soundtrack!!

My husband and I are both music lovers. You’ll find everything from The Rat Pack to Sigur Ros in our playlists. Throughout the Christmas season, we enjoy listening to holiday renditions from our favorite artists as well as those we only break out for the occasion (Mannheim Steamroller). Christmas music never gets old for me. The whimsy of the bells and wonder of the words are enough to fill my spirit for the whole year ahead. Be it baby lullaby versions of my all time favorite Christmas songs or brand new music and lyrics, I just love it!

And then there’s the Christmas books. Since I’ve had children it’s been so exciting to find stories that will share the true meaning of the holidays with my wee ones. I’m always on the lookout for sweet, truth-filled storybooks to introduce to my children. Isn’t it a joy to share the miracle of Christmas with your children through beautiful images and words?

Today I have the joy of sharing about several new, Christmas products with you. Yes, I have been given copies of these products in exchange for review but the opinions are all my own. Truly, I am so excited to share all of these with you AND give one of you the chance to share them with your family!!

Hillsong, We Have a Savior – including many Christmas classics along with a few Hillsong originals, this album is a beautiful expression of Christmas worship – exactly what you’d expect from one of the most popular worship music sources in the world. This album is one of my new Christmas favorites. Some of the instrumentation and vocals are almost reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas albums (which are another favorite in our house). This collection is a great addition to your holiday music.

 Josh Wilson, Noel – from the very beginning of the album, the beautiful guitar stylings of Josh Wilson carry you to a peaceful and uplifting holiday mood. Also including many Christmas classics with a few original songs, this collection is a sweet experience for those that enjoy singer/songwriters. But it’s not all guitar strums and smooth vocals. . .Mandisa joins Josh for “Go Tell It On The Mountain” bringing some fun, soul to the mix. Josh also pairs up with Andrew Peterson (another favorite) for a sweet story song to close the record. I can just see it now. . .kids in bed, hubs and I decorating the tree with fireplace lit, hot chocolate in hand and Josh Wilson as the back drop for our wonderful wintry night. Another perfect addition to your holiday playlist.

Precious Moments: My Christmas Bible Storybook – If you were born anywhere between 1970 and 1990, you remember Precious Moments and you likely had a Precious Moments bible (my prized possession when I was 7). These adorable faces are back again in the sweetest, little Christmas storybook. How fun to share something that meant so much to us with our kids? This board book includes several stories, prayers and songs combined with the cute Precious Moments images you remember from your childhood. A great book to offer little ones at the beginning of Advent to read throughout December.

Christmas: God with Us – In a style true to all of his music, Jeremy Camp offers a rock-centered album that is both fun and bright. Including a few low-key, sweet spots (such as O Little Town of Bethlehem) this collection has something for the entire family. 10 Christmas classics done in unique and powerful arrangements make this album another great way for your family to celebrate the season.

 I told you! There is something for everyone here. And now it’s time for you to enter to get this great collection of Christmas goodness for your family.
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Tell us how you would use these wonderful prizes with your family to create a memorable holiday evening. . .

Now. . .let’s go back to turkey’s and giving thanks. . .

Just like the millions of people who have purchased it, I love the book, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. It’s the perfect start to my day. I keep it on the kitchen table and read it while the kids are eating breakfast. I don’t have to worry that I’ll be interrupted. The devotions are so brief, I can fit them into by crazy routine. But while they are brief, they are not lacking in depth and purpose. Each one seems to hit me right where I am, giving me truth and encouragement to attack my day.

Given my connection to this wonderful resource, you could imagine my delight when I learned that Tommy Nelson was releasing the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook for my little ones. We’ve already been enjoying Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids but my daughter loves the addition of stories and pictures that come with the bible storybook. She just loves to thumb through the pages and pick one out to read. The illustrations are bright and colorful – take a look for yourself here. Each story includes a snippet from the Jesus Calling devotional allowing your child to hear a beautiful expression of the love of Christ to accompany the story they’ve read.

I am always looking for resources to share the Word with my children. Having a book that combines bible stories with the beautiful devotions I am already reading daily is the perfect combination to bring us together on our journeys of faith. The bible storybook is best for kids age 4-7 but I believe a 2 or 3 year old would love to look at the pictures and would grow into this book pretty quickly. This is truly a classic you will keep for years to come.

Our friends at Tommy Nelson are partnering with us to give a copy of this wonderful book to one of our readers! Enter below using Rafflecopter. Remember, you only need to sign up for Rafflecopter once and then you can easily enter all of our giveaways and those you come across on other blogs as well!

I’d love to know if you read the Jesus Calling devotional yourself. What are some ways you could incorporate this bible storybook and your child into what you are already reading?

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{This post contains affiliate links. I was given a copy of this product to review and giveaway though all opinions are my own. Seriously, I LOVE these books!}

Since before my daughter was able to talk I have been wondering how to establish a foundation of truth and faith for her life. I understand that it begins with me {and her daddy} as examples for her to observe. I understand that the holy spirit must do a work in her that cannot be forced or rushed. Still, I’ve longed to do more to help her understand. Mostly, I’ve purposed to talk openly with her about matters of faith, even though her little heart cannot yet understand the depth of truth. I see it as a way to establish an open line of communication with her for when she can better grasp such matters. I’ve looked around at resources for her age group {preschool} and have found a few good books. I was very intrigued to learn about a new devotional from Tommy Nelson though and thrilled when I began reading it with her.

The new Hide & Seek Devotional from Tommy Nelson is a wonderful resource for studying the Bible and talking about important topics with your children. The premise of the book is to HIDE God’s Word in your heart (through scripture memory) and SEEK him (through simple bible study). Each topic follows the alphabet A-Z which further assists my goals for my daughter as she learns the alphabet. The book is geared towards 4-8 year olds and I believe as a child grows they will get something different and very practical from the book at each juncture. I definitely agree with Tommy Nelson’s description that this devotional, “Helps children hide God’s Word in their hearts and seek Him in their lives.” The book includes a free audio download of Scripture Memory songs to help children memorize 52 key Bible verses. The audio is narrated by actor, Kirk Cameron. The audio tracks are great! I love the intro story and the songs are fun and memorable.

You can preview the book here.

The Hide & Seek Devotional from Tommy Nelson is a great resource for preschool and early elementary kids. A wonderful tool that combines visual and auditory learning to fully engage your child.

Our friends at Tommy Nelson are giving away a copy of this great bible study tool today. Take a moment to enter below!

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{I was given a copy of this resource in exchange for this review but the opinions stated here are all my own.}

I consider myself one of those people who doesn’t always know what to say. This is why I love to write. Writing allows you time to think and formulate and perfect. Having words on the spot requires much more instinct. And guts. . .it takes lots of guts to open your mouth, let the words fly and hope you are saying the right thing. The good thing about me though, is when I don’t know what to say, I usually just say, “I’m so sorry” or I keep my mouth shut. I suppose this is a talent I gained after enduring several losses and cringing at the thought of some unknowing person thinking they know and in turn telling me what I should know to be true about my situation.

“God has other plans.”

“Maybe you should adopt.”

“If you will just relax. It will happen.”

The loved ones that truly brought healing were those who thought, beyond words, to reach out to my broken heart. Sitting by my side. Crying with me. Bringing a meal over so I didn’t have to cook. Holding my hand even though I clenched theirs so hard it hurt.

When someone is hurting, this is the outpouring they remember. Not the cliches and recited prayers. We need to go beyond words to meet the needs of grieving hearts. Because there is a holiness in tears and touch that can get lost in words that flow out of the human heart.

I have the great privilege to introduce our readers this week to an amazing artist and mother, Stephanie with Beyond Words Designs. You can read more about Stephanie’s story and the loss of her baby girl here. As a tribute to her daughter, Stephanie created Beyond Words Designs where she creates art that celebrates life. I met Stephanie at Blissdom this past February. We were sitting at a table together during one of the sessions. I overheard her sharing part of her story and I knew I was to meet her afterward. While many other attendees made their way to chat with the speaker, I knew I needed to and wanted to meet this woman who endured such loss (from what I could hear) yet emulated peace and joy.

I know there are several mothers in our community who have suffered loss through infant death, stillbirth, miscarriage and infertility. I know the pieces in the Beyond Words collection will speak to you. But this art is not only about loss. It’s about life. So no matter what your story, there is something beautiful for you in these pieces.

We have the great honor this week of giving away a $50 shop credit to Beyond Words Designs! Enter below for your chance to choose your favorite item in Stephanie’s store. You may choose something to honor a loss or if you are currently expecting there are beautiful images portraying life to celebrate your pregnancy.

We’d love to hear from you. . .what acts that went beyond words meant the most to you when you were walking through a difficult time?

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I’m a picture-taking fool.

I think I got this endearing trait from my mother. I can remember whining, “Mom, enough with the camera already.” And now my daughter echos my adolescent impatience. If you follow me on Instagram or even Facebook – look out. You will likely get tired of the photos of my everyday life (i.e. my kids doing things only I find precious and yet still feel compelled to share with the world). I admire those moms who find the patience and the time to participate in scrapbooking rituals such as the amazing Project Life phenomenon that is taking over the world. I’m content to simply create one digital photo book per year and regularly switch out the photos that adorn our walls (I’m so old school).

Whatever your method for capturing and preserving memories, they are likely some of the most precious possessions you have. We are so blessed to have the options we have to chronicle our lives and the lives of our children. Now that we are inundated with Pinterest pins and Instagram feeds, it would be easy to feel overwhelmed or even as though we can’t measure up to other moms out there. Whether you go to town recording and capturing every moment or you follow a simple, minimalist method of memory keeping – the final product should reflect you and your family. Don’t get caught up in the competition of the process or you will miss out on the point.

We are excited to have the chance to do a fun giveaway this week in partnership with UPrinting.com

One lucky winner will receive one of UPrinting.com’s 16″ x 20″ Rolled Canvas Prints {free shipping in the US only}.

Their turn around time is pretty quick so you just might be able to give the print as a mother’s day gift!

Entry options are below. Make sure you provide your email address so we can get in touch with you.

We’d love to hear your methods of preserving memories. What’s worked for you? Share with us in the comments for one entry to win this great prize!

(more…)

What do you believe?

{UPDATE: The winner for our What’s In The Bible giveaway is Kristy C! Congrats Kristy!}

This year we have a new stocking holder on the mantle adorning a complete set of stockings that I’ve waited to display for a long time now.

What might seem like a simple and traditional piece of Christmas decor actually means the world to me for all it represents.

BELIEVE it boldly states.

As I sit peacefully in our dimly lit living room – brightened only by the light of our tree – I am asking myself what this bold statement means to me…to our family.

BELIEVE.

I’ve asked myself a similar question a lot lately as I begin to try to instill family values in our preschooler. It’s been easy to go about our lives – just my husband and myself – knowing deep down what we believe to be true about life and faith without ever really vocalizing it. I pray that our actions and our words have expressed those beliefs and while I think what comes out of you is the most powerful expression of what you believe, I know it’s not enough. Especially when trying to teach a wee one.

I am working to put into words the truths we hold in our hearts so that daily we can live them out in our lives. Christmas is such a wonderful time to do this because after all, it all started with Jesus…he is the reason we can believe in anything.

WE BELIEVE

in Jesus

in ourselves

in each other

in others

in grace

in love

in hope

in giving

in serving

in encouraging

in forgiveness

in redemption

in perseverance

in laughter

in prayer

in miracles

What do YOU believe? What do you want YOUR CHILDREN to believe? Make a list and challenge yourself to make sure your words and deeds match up with what’s on paper. Use the list to daily guide your actions and decisions allowing your children and those around you to see that you truly believe in those values. I am challenging myself to do just that. I know I won’t live up to it 100% of the time but 5th down from the top “we believe in grace” means I’m covered and so are you.

{GIVEAWAY!} This week we have the privilege of giving away the amazing What’s In The Bible: Why Do We Call It Christmas?* DVD. If you are looking for a fun and creative way to teach young children about what you believe, this series by Veggie Tales creator, Phil Vischer is a must have. Using fast-moving, catchy animation, puppets, music and more, What’s In The Bible shares biblical truths that may even teach mom and dad a thing or two.

To enter, simply leave a comment sharing a value your family believes in. Like The Pregnancy Companion on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for extra entries. Just leave a comment saying you did so. *Visit the link above for all kinds of great Christmas printables and resources!

Believing in the joy and wonder of the season,

Jessica

UPDATE: The winner of these two great Mark. products is Morgan! Just in time for baby’s arrival. Email me at jesswolstenholm at gmail dot com and I’ll get your moisturizer shade and send it right out to you! Congrats!!

Blame my pregnancy brain but when I posted this late last night, I totally forgot that I wanted to do a GIVEAWAY with this post!! Read below for details!!

As I think about packing my hospital bag for the impending arrival of our baby boy, I have been trying hard to stock up on those cosmetic essentials I will not have time to shop for in the weeks to come. I’m no expert, although I did work for Clinique for over 5 years and I now have the privilege of being a rep for mark. (Avon’s younger, hipper but still inexpensive line). So I have just enough experience with makeup and women to know what essentials can help tired and worn out mommies look fresher and more rested.

I had planned on making this the Top 5 Make Up Must Haves for New Moms but then decided it would be fun to participate in Oh Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday Link up. . .so you’re getting my recommendation on 5 more products every new mom (or any mom. . .or woman for that matter) should have in her cosmetic bag. If you like to keep things simple (or if it overwhelms you to think about applying mascara) then stick with the Top 5 recommendations. I’m listing them in order of importance (according to my daily routine). I’ve thrown in a few non-makeup (more cosmetic) items such as a hair and body product just to round things out a bit and to give you my essential list for getting out the door from head to toe (with the addition of deodorant, which I didn’t think needed to be listed). PLEASE NOTE: This list applies with or without a shower cuz let’s be honest, there will be less showers now that you are a mom!

1.  Tinted Moisturizer {mark. Get A Tint SPF 15} – $10 – Every face should begin with a good primer. No need to deal with blending full on foundation. A tinted moisturizer (especially with an SPF) is the perfect way to smooth out your complexion. mark’s Get a Tint is a great, inexpensive option with the perfect amount of coverage.

2.  Concealer {Neutrogena 3 in 1 Concealer for Eyes} – $10 – Let’s make one thing clear right now. . .whether or not you have dark circles now, you WILL have them after you are up all night with your little one. Concealer is probably the most important weapon in my arsenal. The amazing thing about this Neutrogena concealer is that it is formulated for use under eyes AND on your eyelids. That is not the case for most concealers. So if you are in a hurry and don’t have time for eye shadow, grab this concealer to cover those circles and smooth out your lids.

3.  Blush {mark. Just Pinched Instant Blush Tint} – $8 – Who doesn’t need some color on their cheeks, especially when they are tired?! This blush tint is so easy to apply and blend to add life to your face in an instant.

4.  Eyeliner {Sephora Liner Electro} – $8 – Eyeliner should glide on easily and make your eyes sparkle! Sephora’s Liner Electro does both. My color is Choco Electro. It’s a great, subtle, shimmery copper brown.

5.  Lip Gloss (Neutrogena Moisture Shine Gloss} – $9 – This lip gloss comes in some great colors and glides on easily without the unnecessary stickiness that comes with many glosses on the market today.

6.  Hair Freshener {mark. Next Day Spray} – $6 – As I mentioned earlier, there WILL be less showers now that you have another life begging for your attention. mark’s Next Day Spray is the perfect product for freshening up unwashed hair. Just spray lightly from root to ends and work through with fingers, a brush or even a quick blow dry. Hair feels fresher immediately and smells great too.

7.  Mineral Makeup {Clinique Superbalanced Powder SPF 15} – $34.50 – Mineral Makeup adds an additional smoothness to your complexion with minimal work. Don’t be turned off by the price tag because this powder will last you 6-12 months. The turn and click function allows you to only dispense what you need so you don’t end up with powder all over your clothes.

8.  Neutral, All Over Eye Shadow {mark. Custom Pick Eyeshadow} – $5 – No need to do up your eyes with a base, contour and highlight eye shadow. Simply find a great, all over neutral color (like mark’s Biscotti shade) that you can apply quickly to bring brightness to your eyes.

9.  Mascara {Maybelline Great Lash} – $5 – Not sure that an explanation is necessary for the need for mascara or the fact that the classic, Maybelline Great Lash is my fave. I’ve tried all kinds of $20-30 mascara’s and I always come back to this one!

10.  Body Spray {Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist} – $12 – Don’t skip your deodorant but add a quick layer of freshness and life to your tired body with a pick me up fragrance mist. My current, summer favorite is White Citrus.

GIVEAWAY TIME! One lucky winner will get to try two amazing mark. products! Get a Tint Tinted Moisturizer and Next Day Spray!! You know the drill. Leave a comment below or share this post on Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment saying you did to be entered to win. We’ll pick a winner this Saturday.

I wanted to note that these are literally all of the products I use almost everyday (unless I have a hot date with my hubby, when I break out the fancy stuff) and I can apply my makeup in around 5 minutes. The important thing is finding products you love and trust so you don’t have to take your time or think about it too much when doing your application. I am a firm believer that with the right tool kit, anyone can look great in 5 minutes!

Would love to hear about the trusty tools in your personal tool kit. What products do you swear by for new moms (or any mom, or any woman for that matter)?

Happy Face Painting!

Jessica

UPDATE: Our winner for the How To Be God’s Little Princess Giveaway is Jenni Saake! Congratulations Jenni! Please email me your address and I’ll get the prize out to you this week. Hope you and your princess enjoy!!

*Winner chosen using Truly Random Number Generator from Random.org

“Who is that young woman? She shines out like the dawn. She’s as pretty as the moon. She’s as bright as the sun.” Song of Solomon 6:10

Princess Hope

The other day I was playing with Hope in her room when she declared,

“I am the princess!”

with all kinds of confidence and excitement. She was standing on her bed at the time, which is something we don’t encourage. I told her to get down. She looked at me and said,

“I am the princess so I can do whatever I want.”

Really?! Where did she get that from? We spend our greatest energy trying to develop in her a heart of obedience and humility. This was not a response I thought I’d hear. I told her again to get down and eventually I had to discipline Hope for her attitude.

I wouldn’t allow myself to get too discouraged by this setback. I know that nurturing the heart of your child to bend towards gentleness, obedience and humility is a life-long process. But I took this episode as a sign that I needed to step up my game. As I prayerfully considered what that meant for me as her mother, I felt strongly that it wasn’t only about greater discipline and zero-tolerance. It was also about providing experiences for Hope that would allow her to see how a young lady with a gentle and obedient spirit (aka a princess) behaves.

My dear friend at Tommy Nelson had been telling me about one of their new books, How To Be God’s Little Princess by Sheila Walsh. I was intrigued by the subject (it was very timely) and thought it would be fun to create a princess party for Hope to introduce her to it. We talked about the princess party for several days and she was so excited when it finally arrived. So excited in fact that when we returned home one afternoon and I told her it was time to clean up and get ready for the princess party, she disappeared to her playroom and didn’t come out until every, single toy was put away in it’s proper place. I hadn’t even told her to clean up the playroom. The princess party was to take place in the kitchen.

Our Princess Party

We prepped and decorated and waited for her Aunt DeeDee (my sister) to arrive. We sat down and enjoyed a light afternoon snack while discussing the proper behavior of a princess during such an event. I had her undivided attention! I read a few notes from the book and although I think it’s definitely meant for older girls, Hope seemed very interested. I look forward to bringing it out and discussing these principles with her in the years to come. The book discusses everything from proper dress for specific occasions to internet do’s and don’ts to how to host the perfect party. With interactive activities and tools, I think this book is the perfect gift for any developing, young princess.

Mother’s of girls. . .how are you helping your daughter develop the heart of a princess? What character traits and behaviors are you working to build in her?

Grace. Beauty. Gentleness. Kindness.

I don’t think it’s ever too early to start to encourage these traits.

Ready For The Party

Princess DeeDee and Princess Hope

Our friends at Tommy Nelson are giving away a How To Be God’s Little Princess Party Prize Pack that includes the book and some really fun tools to help you create a princess party of your own {4 adorable princess mugs and 4 foam tiara’s ready for decoration with the included, colorful gems}. There are three ways to enter. All you have to do is leave a comment below, sharing about a princess in your life (or the princess in you). Or you can “Like” The Pregnancy Companion on Facebook or follow @pregnancypal on Twitter and leave a comment telling us you did to be entered. We’ll draw a winner on June 4th.

Praying God’s grace on you as you nurture the heart of your little princess (or prince),

Jessica

We’ve got lots of amazing mom blogs giving away the book for Mother’s Day this weekend. Stop by these great sites and enter to win. Again, even if you are not pregnant or trying to conceive, you can enter to win the book for a friend of family member.

Thank you to all of our new friends for supporting The Pregnancy Companion book

and helping to spread the word about this faith-based pregnancy resource!

Check them out:

The Mommyhood Memos

Mom4Life.com

Momnbaby.com

Bowmania.net

Happy Mother’s Day!

Jessica