As a stay at home mom who also has a home-based business, I'm constantly looking to network with other moms like me to get ideas about how to promote my business with greater efficiency. I've recently been contacted by several companies that offer to "raise my Google rank" or "get on the first page of the natural search with Google". I'm not sure if these are for real or not....Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great breastfeeding in public."

Too hot to play outside after 10 am...We started "Maschue Hourly Bootcamp". Each hour we take 1-min turns jumping on the tramp, jumping jacks & planks. I'm trying to tire them out and burn some calories...Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great while breastfeeding!"

Guess what I'm doing today....I'm glad at least Philip likes helping. Typically I do laundry on the weekends and try to have it put away by Tuesday am. Summer has made that task a bit tough to complete. It seems like there is evermore laundry. I'm trying to get the kids into the habit of putting away their own laundry; It's a work in progress. Looking at this mountain of laundry, I actually can't wait for school uniforms!!!...Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"

Breastfeeding expert, Amy Spangler , says it best in my opinion..."While breastfeeding may not seem the right choice for every parent, it is the best choice for every baby.".....Amy Maschue "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"

Here's a photo taken for an upcoming feature on Modest Middles--Sharing the American entrepreneurial spirit with the kids =)

As our family has grown, many would also think that our vacation options have decreased. Not really. We have always been a fun-oriented family and the more kids we have the more we feel we need to go on family vacations to relax the craziness of daily life. This weekend we went to San Diego, California. I was blessed to grow up in Northern California (our destination last year), but Southern California is a great vacation spot for our family and since it's closer to Phoenix, we typically end up in LA or San Diego when we can get a weekend away. We left on Friday afternoon and hit Viejas Casino to meet up with my sister and her family. The Indian Casinos in CA (and AZ too) have become great places for inexpensive family entertainment. We grabbed a bit to eat at their outdoor food court, then did some Cosmic Bowling and finally watched a "Fire in the Sky" live action show (that was free!) in the courtyard. The kids had a blast! Saturday we swam at my sister's house. Kids hanging out with other kids is always fun. You add a pool and it's a full day of activity. Later that night we met some friends (who also have 5 kids) at the San Diego Padres v. AZ Diamondbacks baseball game. We were in the nosebleed seats, but the kids loved it! We saw several homeruns. One was an in the park homerun (sadly, the Padres won). We spent the night with our friends on Saturday and woke up early to get to church. We grabbed some lunch on the go and headed to Mission Beach. With a big cooler of treats, sunscreen, boogie boards and sand toys, the kids (and adults) were entertained for the day. I stayed inside and watched from the house my brother-in-law rented on the beach since Maeve is too little for the beach. The baby and I could watch the big kids play and "surf". The ocean breeze was amazing. We all were tired, but revitalized. After quick showers and some great BBQ, we packed up the kids and headed home. Back by 1:30 am on Monday, we were tired, but look forward to our next trip to San Diego!

How can I keep my kids busy in the heat of the AZ Summer? I ask myself this question starting in April through the start of school. I'm always looking for fun, inexpensive (free is best), and action-based things to do with my kids. This summer has been particularly tough because our baby Maeve (4months) and little 2-year old Jillian can't tolerate much outside time; they would just wilt in the heat. Usually we do City swimming lessons because they are four days a week and inexpensive, but this year it was too hard get all four of the big kids enrolled at the same time. So, what to do? Lots in the Phoenix Metro area. We have Harkins Summer movies. We go on Fridays. It's only $7/kid for 10 MOVIES! We also have some great free kids water parks with playgrounds attached. Last week we went to indoor mini golf. It was a blast and only $6/kid. There was a great bench area where I could breastfeed Maeve and let her sleep in her carseat as I watched the big kids play golf and Jillian look at the animal structures. Fun in the sun is definitely possible, even in an excessive heat warning =)....Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"

I love this quote! "A newborn baby has only three demands.  They are warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence.  Breastfeeding satisfies all three."--Grantly Dick Read. As a mom of 5 I have done a lot of nursing. I can't say it's always been easy, but it has been a way to show love and care for my babies that is fully giving of myself. To all new moms out there having difficulty breastfeeding: keep trying, call Le Leche League in your area, talk to moms who have nursed their babies. You can do it! Breastfeeding is best....Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"

Wow it's been a busy week--a busy month! How is it mid July already? We just got in a new order of Modest Middles Nursing Tank Tops for breastfeeding moms that needed to be packaged. I'm almost done, but this was the first order I had to package in between caring for a newborn infant. Challenging. I needed to get to some emails this afternoon for Modest Middles events in CA and some blog reviews that are upcoming, so I needed the kids to keep themselves busy (and quiet) while Maeve took a nap. I took the time to set up an environment that would keep everyone happy. Oh, I forgot to mention two of my sister's kids were over to play...sounds crazy, but two more kids actually help keep mine big 4 busy. The girls dressed up like princess cowgirls and danced to an Alvin and the Chipmunks II CD. The boys dressed up like Ninjas and made a fort in the living room. I got my work done and the kids had a blast! Thank goodness for dress up clothes...Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"

I've recently been trying to make healthy, yummy, but budget-friendly meals that I can add to my old standbys. A friend sent me some links to organic cook books and I came across a book called, "Organic Manifesto" by Maria Rodale that I ordered on Amazon.com Even at the grocery store there, seems to me, a bigger push of the organic produce, actually organic everything. Safeway has an entire brand based on organics now. These organic foods are often significantly more expensive than the food treated with  pesticides and preservatives I have spoken with people on both sides of the organic argument and am more confused than ever!

A farmer friend of mine from California says that "organic" is all a hoax as the organic and non-organic growing fields are often bordering one another and water and the pesticides, etc. can flow from one field to another. Another farmer I spoke to at a farmer's market here in Phoenix disagreed and touted organic fruits and vegetables as important pillars in a healthy diet. So, here's my issue....I want to eat healthy. I'm concerned about the impact preservatives and pesticides have on our health. I also want to stick to a budget; with a family of 7 it's a necessity!....Any thoughts/advice?....Amy "You nurse to give your baby the best, let Modest Middles help you look great doing it!"