Hi! My name is Carrie Willard. I reside in the northwest Atlanta suburbs with my woodworker husband and 7 homeschooling kiddos ages 4-20.
Some of my most popular posts are here.
A bit of personal history: I started blogging way back in 2003. For several years I hosted a parenting podcast called NaturalMomsTalkRadio.
Since I began blogging, I’ve gone through an unexpected divorce, a few years as a single, work-at-home-mom, paying off debt and building my online business, remarriage and blending a stepfamily, paying off my husband’s debt, buying a house, starting a LipSense business and all the while, homeschooling the brood.
I stopped writing about parenting for the most part until I gave birth to a 27 weeker preemie. For over a year after his birth, I struggled with depression, anxiety and PTSD. I became passionate about helping moms remember the woman they were before they became a mother – for their own mental health. Here’s a pic of me and the kids taken when Josiah came home from the NICU.
I enjoy reading and writing, cooking (and eating!) real food, going for daily walks or bike rides. A wanna-be French girl, I’ve been teaching myself French for a few years now. Je ne parle pas bien le francais.
Contact me at: clauth at gmail dot com (removing spaces)
I have learned a few lessons along the way and love sharing those with other women. My newest adventure is as a SeneGence/LipSense distributor. I decided to start a LipSense business alongside my blog just for fun, and it’s taken off faster than I could have imagined!
Thanks for visiting but don’t be a stranger… Sign up for my newsletter (sign up box on the right) and get instant access to my Habits downloads. These will help you examine what habits are most pivotal to creating the life you want, with less time and effort.
A few of my favorite and most popular posts:
– What the happiest moms do before breakfast
– Work at home moms aren’t making the feminine mistake
– How to eat like a French Woman
– Simple Bullet Journaling
My books on Amazon
Social Media Profiles
Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Amazon author page
Media Mentions/Elsewhere
My articles on SheKnows
My articles on BlogHer
January 2016 – Blissful Intent on The Life-Changing Magic of Good Habits
Picky Pinchers – How to have fun with kids without busting the budget
Just a Simple Home on How I Use Essential Oils for Emotional Support
November 2016 – 5 Ways to Avoid Homeschool Burnout at Canadian Homeschooler
October 2016 – His & Her Money show interview: How Carrie and Her Family Worked Their Way to Debt Freedom
August 2016 – Acorns blog: One Thing That Helped Me Pay Off Debt Faster
January 2014 – 3 Things I Learned by Tracking My Habits at EarlyBirdMom
October 2013 – SoloSmarts Talk Radio interview: On self-publishing for Kindle
Laura Vanderkam – How Keeping A Time Diary Changed My Life (And My Attitude).
Modern Mrs. Darcy – How to Find Time for Your Blog | The Day I Threw Away My Coupons, And Other Adventures in Frugality | The Why of My Work
MoneySavingMom – 6 Ways To Save Time and Get More Done Online | We Paid Cash for Our SUV | How to Earn Cash Doing Focus Groups and Market Research | How (And Why) To Do Budget Meetings
Musings of a Housewife – The Blessing of a Food Allergic Child
SingleMomsIncome – How a Single Mom of Four Gets Out of Debt
HillbillyHousewife – How I Spent $2.50 and Ditched My Starbucks Habit
SoloSmarts – Four Ways Solopreneurs Can Stay Happy (And Productive) This Winter
MissJane says
April 7, 2014 at 9:01 amHey I love reading your blog and I am recently subscribed to your blog by email. I have started my happiness project in this month too but have met some difficulties. It is really happy to see somebody doing the same thing and share similar thoughts. Please follow me on my blog too:
http://bloggermissjane.blogspot.hk
Lilia says
April 28, 2014 at 7:53 pmI would like to subscribe through your RSS feed but can’t find that link…could you point me in the right direction.
Thanks,
Lilia
Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies says
February 2, 2015 at 2:36 pmOh my, I am so happy I stumbled upon your site this morning via Simple Homeschool. I’m a bibiliophile and blog for my sanity, too. 🙂 I’m also taking a MOOC on the science of happiness at the moment.
Carol says
August 17, 2015 at 2:02 amHi Carrie.
I came across your blog when searching for “whooping Cough” information. I have 2 questions for you in regards to that.
First, what was the CDC’s response to that when the hospital reported her case? How did they follow up? Anything good to know regarding that? And secondly, my daughter is 4 years old and weighs 33 pounds. Any recomendations on how much Vit C (sodium ascorbate) to give her? I gave her some and 2 hours later she had diarrhea. Do you only give them one serving per 24 hours and make them sip throughout the day? We gave our daughter all of it at once which may have been the problem. We have also been using another recommendation from Humphries, lypo Spheric Vit C at night (one packet). Did you use that? So far we have seen no imporvement with her coughs at night despite the vit c. She acts completely normal during the day and then is up every hour at night. How many days did the consistent nightly cough attacks last for you? We are on night 16. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? I really appreciate all of your information. We are trusting in the good Lord’s healing and seeking counsel from those that have walked the road before us. Thank you. Carol
Kate Stephenson says
September 13, 2015 at 4:55 pmI love your blog… just ran across it today when I was searching for French eating. I also am a homeschool mom, with 13 kids (9 at home,) in a blended family. Can’t wait to read all about how you live you life and gather tips for myself 🙂 Have a great day! Kate
Rosemary says
October 19, 2016 at 2:42 pmI clicked on you recipe for White Bean and Cabbage Stew but it didn’t appear or re-direct me. Can you help? Thanks.
Carrie says
November 3, 2016 at 7:56 amI emailed you a link Rosemary. 🙂
Carrie says
November 3, 2016 at 7:56 amThanks Kate, great to hear from you!
Carrie says
November 3, 2016 at 7:56 amHi Carol, I emailed you.
Carrie says
November 3, 2016 at 7:57 amCool thanks so much for commenting Cait!
Carrie says
November 3, 2016 at 7:57 amHi Lilia, the feed is:
http://carriewillard.com/feed/
Emily says
May 1, 2017 at 11:39 amCarrie, I have to say that this “About” page is SO much more positive than the one you had when I first found you in, what, 2006? 2007? Sometimes, time is good to us. 😉
Carrie says
May 2, 2017 at 8:01 amGood to hear Emily 🙂
Kirsty says
May 26, 2017 at 1:39 amThank you Carrie, your post on toilet training and having no nappies has been successful for my twin boys! I heard about you from The Cohesive Home podcast and I am so grateful! Thank you a million times.