Joyful Messes
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Ashling Drew

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When The Laundry Piles Are Too High

Do you know how much laundry we have with two toddler boys and a baby? I can’t tell you how many times I walk outside to find them naked, clothes thrown in the bushes, mud and pool. I wish I could just tape on some underwear and leave it at that. A Tarzan-type attire suites them much better really. Laundry is something I have a very hard time keeping up with. Putting the clothes in the wash is a breeze. Getting them to the dryer in a timely manner is a little more difficult, but I’ve gotten better. Getting them folded to a proper place? Nearly impossible. And sometimes the sheer impossibility is so discouraging. I look at the laundry pile slowly growing larger and larger, and it seems like this massive mountain I have to climb with two toddlers clinging to each leg, and a baby in my arms.…

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The Top Safe Protein Powders For Breastfeeding Moms

I’ve been helping new mommies choose a breastfeeding protein powder for years now.  As a mom of three, I’ve found that protein powder is not only safe while breastfeeding but also super helpful for both lactation and weight loss. Protein shakes are such a great way to take in a lot of nutrients, which if you are breastfeeding, you need! Smoothies also fill us up with good calories, which is a great tool for losing the baby weight, but also helping with milk supply. Let me go over some reasons protein powders are super helpful for breastfeeding moms, while also discussing the importance of protein during lactation. Protein powder is safe for breastfeeding for several reasons: Protein powders are derived from organic and clean ingredients, not chemicals. Protein powders can be sweetened with natural sweeteners like Stevia, Monk Fruit, Vanilla, Cane Juice, or honey as ways to make it taste…

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How To Connect With Brands For Sponsorship on Instagram

Instagram, as I’ve said in a couple other posts, is my favorite social media platform because it is aesthetic, and I love photos.Many bloggers see Instagram as another method to build a following and traffic source…which it is, but if that’s all you see it as, you’re missing out on a lot. I’ve just gone over the 1k mark. That’s huge when you are just starting out on Instagram, and I’ve been able to work with large brands like JORD Watches, Smile Brilliant, DockATot, Lillebaby, Finn and Emma and more. I’ve also connected with smaller, local brands to work together, where I’ve either been paid to post, or posted in exchange for the product, depending on the brand’s policies. You don’t have to have a large following for the brands you love to be interested in you. My account is proof! Quick tip on sponsored posts and blogging. Since I wrote…

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Increase Your Milk Supply Overnight

I bought a shirt this time around, for my third baby, with a mermaid on it and text saying, “milky maids.” There’s a photo way back in my Instagram if you want to see it. Being milky, isn’t always fun, but it is so important to your baby. I’m still nursing my third baby boy now, and I am so thankful for the tools and tricks I’ve learned to keep my milk supply up. I’ve dealt with very difficult, stressful times, all while nursing a baby, and I never once let my milk supply suffer. If you are struggling with breastfeeding in general, I highly recommend this resource. It taught me a ton, which I didn’t even know, I didn’t know…if that makes sense! It will ease a lot of fears, and ensure you are set up in the right direction. Why does milk decrease? There are reasons your milk…

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How I Got My First Viral Pin

As a new blogger, I am basically doing a trial-and-error method when it comes to getting my content out to readers. I actually love writing on all things motherhood and lifestyle, and taking the photos is another passion of mine, but it’s not that fun when no one knows or reads because they don’t know you exist. So, I too am working to make my blog visible. Update: I am above 200k page views between this blog and my new blog. This strategy really works well! Making My First $1000 From Blogging Let’s Start Your Blog and Make Money Now By Doing What I Should’ve Done I haven’t taken the fast road to gaining views. I focused on building content, and my Instagram first. Instagram is a revenue source and business all on its own, so I’ve been over there working with brands and connecting with more and more people…

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Best Photo Tips For Fabulous Instagram Shots

Instagram is my favorite social media outlet because I love taking photos. I am infatuated with the beauty around me, and I want to capture and enhance it. Instagram is also one of the most important profiles for moms and bloggers. Moms capture their memories, and bloggers tell their stories. Did you know that blog articles with more images are more likely to be shared? The stat states that articles with photos every 75-100 words were shared twice as much on social media, That means, if you’re a blogger, your images need to be on-point and plenty. Whether you are a mom looking to take better photos of your kids, or a blogger wanting to up your Instagram quality, these are the articles and tips that I found most helpful to improve the quality of my photos. I also have a ton of my own tips and tricks on taking photos, editing photos, how…

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How I’m Teaching My Toddler Kindergarten Early

I’ve posted a few posts on early learning and homeschooling. One of my more popular post goes over how I’m teaching my toddler to read, and now I’m going to go over how we are learning Kindergarten early! I am jumping into Kindergarten curriculum because we are ready. I’ve got an eager learner, who wants to learn to spell everything, loves to write, and he has a huge appetite for stories. I can only tell so many stories, so I want him to be able to read them on his own. The difficult part for me, venturing into the home school idea, was how to know what to teach. What if I don’t teach him everything he’s supposed to know?? If I miss something, and he’s behind, it’s completely my fault! There are actually a to of resources when it comes to home schooling children, and I came across the…

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DockATot is My Favorite Item For the Third Baby

You would think, after having three babies now, I would know everything you need and don’t need. But, things change with each baby. I was so excited to try the DockATot because literally, with baby #3, I need to tow him around the whole house. We are never in one place long, and being able to have something easy for me to put him in, that I can maneuver from the kitchen, to the play room, to the living room and to my bedroom is great. He plays in it, sleeps in it and lounges while he watches his brothers wiz by. AND DOCKATOT IS GIVING YOU $10 OFF!! I recommend it if you have more than one baby, and are a co-sleeper like me. A lot of moms have told me that they’ve been thinking about getting one, and I think its worth your money. We were recently in Florida…

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After Trying Too Many Affiliates, This One Takes The Cake

Affiliate marketing is one of the number one ways bloggers earn money. So, as a new blogger here, I did my research, and I read tons of income-report posts, like I’m sure many of you are doing. When you’re new to blogging, everything is overwhelming. I will never forget when I first signed up for ShareASale, and I was so confused at the layout and what seemed like a million options…then I had to think of a post to write about something on the site??? How I Got My First Viral Pin I still haven’t gotten anything set up with ShareASale, and I still don’t get it. To be frank, as a new blogger with an actual business plan, who’s done tons of research, it’s just not a place I am going to spend a lot of time on as an income stream. To me, that’s going to be a…

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3 Tricks I Use To Lose The Baby Weight That Worked Three Times Now

I’ve gained and lost the baby weight three times now. I actually feel like I’ve got this part of life down, if that’s even possible. I’ve mastered how to manage the weight gain during pregnancy, and lose it after. Its a process that, because I’ve went through a few times now, I can offer help! I wrote a post a bit ago on five foods to help you lose the baby weight, but still pump up your milk supply. That’s an important read because your nutrition is so important to your healthy weight loss. Here are some additional tricks that help really help me!  If you are looking for a more in-depth plan that goes over healing postpartum, properly nourishing your body for milk supply, a meal plan and recipes and workouts to lose the baby weight, please check out my new program, The Postpartum Cure. So many mamas are having tons…

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