Welcome to the May 2013 Natural Living Blog Carnival: Taking Time for Mom.This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Natural Living Blog Carnival hosted by Happy Mothering and The Pistachio Project through the Green Moms Network. Oftentimes, Moms are so busy taking care of their families that they forget to take care of themselves. This month our carnival participants have written posts about what they do just for themselves.

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As a mother, I often forget about taking care of myself. So many other things seem so much more important - feeding my family healthy meals, planning out our homeschooling for the week, or scheduling the next playdate. When I get a break (usually between the hours of 10 pm and 2 am), I spend that time doing one of the above or blogging.

Can blogging be considered "me time?" I certainly enjoy it. It doesn't usually involve wiping runny noses. But when I really think about it, it's a job. It may not be a well-paying job but it's more closely related to work than to taking care of myself (although it does instill a sense of self-worth and accomplishment, which are extremely important things).

So I am making a commitment to take care of myself more. Here are 5 ways I plan to take care of me:

1. Mindfulness

In a previous post, I mentioned my new commitment to mindfulness. Mindfulness is about living in the moment without judgment. And it is the perfect way to take care of yourself. When you can focus on what you are doing in the moment, rather than letting the stress of daily life distract you, you enjoy life more. I had a fantastic Mother's Day because I focused on my beautiful children and being with family. I chose not to let tiny stressful events take over my day. I am going to continue to study and practice mindfulness.

2. Exercise

I need to exercise more. It is good for my body as well as my mind. And I might sleep better (when my daughter actually allows me to sleep)! My exercise plan involves walking and hiking more with my family, going to weekly mom-baby yoga classes and using the elliptical machine that is taking over our living room.

3. Eating Healthy Foods

I already have a pretty healthy diet composed of mostly natural and organic foods. We have very few processed foods in the house, and we never eat fast food. But I do have a sweet tooth. I don't intend to eliminate sugar from my diet. I believe that depriving myself of something I enjoy will only make it worse. Rather, I intend to reduce desserts - I am going to aim for three times a week.

4. Sleep

Getting a good night's sleep is pretty much impossible for me. I have an eight-month-old baby. She is still breastfeeding and we cosleep. So I have to wake up every two to three hours. Going to bed earlier just doesn't work because I need those precious few hours when the kids are asleep to get things like blogging done. But maybe I will try to get in bed an hour earlier than normal. And take my husband up on his offer to let me sleep in on the weekends.

5. Get Out of the House

I am an introvert and a homebody. This means that I have a hard time getting out of the house. On the other hand, I love traveling (occasionally) and visiting local parks and gardens. I am making a promise to myself to get out of the house (for non-kid related stuff) at least once per week. I will also take my husband up on his second offer to watch the kids while I go out by myself. I haven't been away from my baby for more than 2 hours for her entire life!

Hopefully, I will be able to stick to the above goals and, as a result, I will be a better and happier mom!

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Visit Happy Mothering and The Pistachio Project to learn more about participating in next month’s Natural Living Blog Carnival!Please take some time to enjoy the posts our other carnival participants have contributed:

NOTICE: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking one of these links, we receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Help support One Part Sunshine and our mission to reduce toxins in your child's environment by purchasing all of your Amazon products through our affiliate links!

If you want to use bug sprays, choose natural options that are free from DEET, a chemical insect repellent. DEET can cause minor reactions such as irritation and blistering as well as more significant problems including insomnia, mood changes, low blood pressure, low heart rate and neurological damage. Most of these issues occur as a result of breathing or ingesting DEET, but even applying it to the skin can result in seizures in small children..

Bug repellants containing only natural ingredients are a much safer alternative. However, be cautious about using "natural" sprays containing pyrethrins (which come from the chrysanthemum flower). Pyrethrins can also cause reactions ranging from breathing difficulties to seizures and vomiting.

Because kids are much more susceptible to the harmful effects of toxic chemicals, it is a good idea to avoid using ingredients like DEET and pyrethrins when applying repellents to your child's skin or clothes. Natural insect repellent options are readily available online and in stores.

If you want to be very sure about what goes on your kids' bodies, you can also make your own natural bug spray. You will need to reapply every couple of hours, but I would much rather have to keep spraying my kids than coat them with toxic chemicals. In any case, I prefer to apply bug spray to my kids' clothes more than their skin. Natural bug sprays work in two ways: by masking your natural scent and by using smells that repel insects.

If the spray is being used for a pregnant woman or infant (under six months old), I recommend not applying it directly to the skin. There are a number of essential oils that are not safe for pregnancy. When I was pregnant, I would spray my hat or the chair I was sitting on. I also like to spray picnic blankets and tables or around the outside of our doors and windows.

Here is my favorite bug spray recipe:

Natural Insect Repellent Spray Recipe for Kids (and Grownups)

• 2 Tbsp distilled (or boiled and cooled) water
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (the vinegar smell will go away when it dries)
• 2 Tbsp rubbing alcohol or vodka (if you don't want to use alcohol, you can substitute this with witch hazel)
• 80 drops of essential oils (for example a mixture of one or more of the following: eucalyptus, citronella, catnip, cinnamon, lemon, peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, rosemary, orange, clove, cedarwood)

You can use any mixture of the essential oils listed above. Just try to use several different kinds of essential oils so the spray will work for many different types of bugs. And make a scent that appeals to you. You can also add in other essential oils. There are pre-made essential oil blends for repelling bugs that you can buy online or in some natural food stores.

I don't care for the scent of citronella so I use very little or none of that. My favorite combination is 20 drops lemon, 20 drops eucalyptus, 20 drops peppermint and 20 drops lavender essential oils. For use with babies (over six months) and small children, I use 20 drops lemon, 20 drops orange and 20 drops lavender essential oils.

If you are pregnant or have a small child, please consult with a physician before applying any type of bug spray. Extra care should be taken when using essential oils on children - for example, ALWAYS dilute essential oils before applying to your child's skin. See this article and this post for more tips on the safe use of essential oils for babies and children.

Stay tuned for more natural bug repellent ideas! Also, find more ideas on our Pinterest Natural Remedies board.

For more natural summer care tips, check out:

• Green and DIY Summer Essentials
• Product Review: Badger Baby Sunscreen

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Years ago, I took a course on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. It was really helpful, but somewhere during the chaos of motherhood and life, I forgot most of what I learned about being mindful. Recently, I began reading about mindfulness again, and it has made me a better and happier mother. And I had a perfect Mother's Day.

Not everything went perfectly yesterday, but mindfulness taught me to live in the moment without judgment. So rather than focusing on a lack of sleep, I focused on my daughter's beautiful smile . . .

I focused on the joy my son experienced while picking strawberries from his Grandmom's garden . . .

I focused on how intensely delicious my daughter found a fresh-picked strawberry . . .

I focused on the carefully picked bouquet of flowers from my son . . .

I focused on the smell of the beach air and the look of wonder in my daughter's face as she ran her hands through the sand . . .

I focused on the love between my dad and his granddaughter . . .

and the love between my mom and her grandson . . .

I focused on my children and that indescribable feeling of having someone love you so completely.

More Mother's Day stories from One Part Sunshine:

• 10 (Practically) Free Mother's Day Gifts for New Moms
• 10 Eco-Friendly Gifts to Buy for a New Mom on Mother's Day
• Dear Mom, Sorry I Was Such a &!%@$

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I love to wear dresses! But now that I am a nursing mom, I can't really wear most dresses - unless I want to hike the whole thing under my chin or pull the entire top down. So I have been on the hunt for dresses that are both pretty and practical for breastfeeding moms.

If you need to nurse, the most practical dresses are those that allow you to expose just one breast. While there are dresses specially made for nursing, such as those from Majamas, it is not necessary to buy nursing dresses. Great regular options include wrap or faux-wrap dresses, cross-front dresses, shirt dresses, kimono-style dresses, some strapless dresses and any dress that is low-cut and made from a stretchy fabric.

Here are 10 of my favorite nursing-friendly dresses:

1. Kimono Sleeve Maxidress by J.Crew - $69.99 (I actually own this dress and love it!)

2. Wrap Dress in Moon Dot by J.Crew - $325.00 (Okay, maybe this one isn't so affordable but it is super cute!)

3. Calypso Cross Front Dress by Athleta - $64.99

4. Printed Crossover Maxi Dress by Gap - $79.95

5. Sea the Sights Dress by ModCloth - $47.99

6. JW D&A Nursing Maxi Dress by Japanese Weekend - $84.00

7. The New Sleepy Dress by Majamas - $58.00

8. Ivana Tie Bamboo Nursing Dress by Annee Matthew - $108.00

9. Bandana Panel Dress by Anthropologie - $128.00

10. Mackenzie Colorblock Tank Maxi Nursing Dress by Larrivo - $110.00

For more cute dresses for nursing moms, check out my Pinterest board.

More stories about nursing:

• The Safe Way to Freeze Breastmilk
• All About Breastfeeding

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I started One Part Sunshine six years ago when my son was born. I was learning more and more about toxins lurking in our food, furniture, clothing and even the air we breathe. And I became committed to making sure that I protected my child from those toxins. I decided to share what I learned about green parenting and natural living with other parents, and One Part Sunshine was born!

I hope that all of you love the site as much as I do. If you do love One Part Sunshine, you can vote for my blog in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Eco-Friendly Moms contest! Voting is open until May 16, 2013, and you can vote once per day.