Adventures in Green Living

How Not to Screw Up Your Kid

2012-02-26T13:30:00.002-06:00

Just joking. I have no idea. In fact, I often imagine every time I open my mouth I ought to be depositing a quarter into their therapy jars.

Hardly a day goes by that I'm not reminded how much they are learning from Me. Some good, some not quite what I'd like for them. My 4 year old will say something to me or her brother that sounds eerily familiar... and I don't like hearing it from the other side. I also catch myself saying things that I heard growing up and never intended on saying myself.

To top it off, my two year old is giving me a run for my money lately. It's almost amusing as it's not like I haven't been around this block before. Several times! I have tons of experience with this age! Managed it pretty well with my oldest, or so I thought. But man, this kiddo is just so intense. None of the 'usual' seems to be helping us at all. It's very frustrating for everyone and I feel like we've been spiraling downward something awful. So what can I do differently? How do I break our routine to discover another we can actually be successful in?

Over the next few weeks I'll be working on an online course called Peace in Your Home to address just that. It is a course for Positive Parenting, developed by Susie Walton and based on Redirecting Children's Behavior. I'm excited to learn some new things and trusting they really will help bring peace back into my home and heart. (Operation: Shake Mommy Guilt has commenced!) After spending time in the FAPQ section, I was able to employ a new strategy or two and immediately saw results the next day. It was so uplifting!

Consider this a brief introduction to the program- and if you feel you could use a little peace in your home, too- look over their website to see if it may be something you are interested in. I'll be blogging more about our experience with it as the weeks progress. But if you're at the same point I was/am, I don't want you to wait to check it out in the event this program may help you now.

So there's this funny thing about giving...

2012-02-26T13:30:00.000-06:00

I've been pondering the subject of giving lately. Specifically, what happens post-giving. Example: I give or do something that isn't necessarily easy for me, for someone else. And then am flooded with random blessings.

My question is this: Is it karma, or do we simply see things differently after having made a sacrifice?

I did try to do something for someone(isn't that a touch vague? sorry!) recently. It was an effort to help born also out of the desire to show gratitude for what we have and the help we had access to. If you will, to pay it forward. Except, instead of feeling like it went forward it seems like we got a ton of good things back! Much, much more back than what we originally gave.

I've been trying to decide if I feel as though this is a kind of karma, or I have a renewed sense of gratitude all around.

Thoughts? Have you done anything lately for someone else, a random act of kindness, etc?

Sleep, Allergies and Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-02-26T06:58:00.000-06:00

Also known as bleh. (The cookies. Ok, maybe the other two, too.)

I've been up much earlier than hoped for this lovely?gray Sunday morning. After a long night of little dude crawling in bed and proceeding to pat my face for a couple of hours, I'm beat. And hoping he sleeps. Then bitty baby decided it was time to get up and play. Sigh.

All I wanted was a decent tasting gluten free chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. But that is not to be, either! Oh yes, we are trying out GF to see if that's what has been bothering my 2 year old. Possibly my husband, too. Dairy has largely been removed as apparently that's part of the process initially. Cheese. I miss it. While we started this for our son, my husband has noticed a big improvement in his own health due to the removal of dairy. I'm just surprised he never thought to try it long before!

But anyways, long story short my son has had weird skin for a while, messed up digestive system and all other red flags of an allergic reaction to something. I took him in to the doctor this past week and got him setup with another appoint with a pediatric allergist middle of March. Part of me hopes it is something, and something easy, so I can be proactive and help him feel better. I know part of his tiny emotional struggles has to be that he just doesn't feel well.

I'll try posting some tried and true gluten free recipes over the next few weeks as there definitely are some hit or miss out there. Same goes for products you can purchase. Like this black bean spaghetti stuff- YUM.

Have a great week and hope you all got better sleep than we did at the Crazy Green House!

Good Reads: BPA, Levaquin, Easy Iron-Rich Baby Recipes, etc.

2012-02-25T13:30:00.001-06:00

Here are some links to things I've been reading recently. Hopefully I will get to writing on the last 3 this coming week!

Toxic Chemical BPA Under Attach, But Alternatives May Not Be Safer, Experts Say

Levaquin Causes A 'Lot of Damage': Fratti Explains

5 Easy Iron Rich Recipes for Baby

Like Mother, Like Daughter: What Children Can Do: A Guide

The Benefits of Essential Oils

SPD in Pregnancy and What Worked for Me

2012-02-24T13:30:00.001-06:00

About the 30 week mark the past two pregnancies, I start getting some pain in my left leg. It starts in the hip, down the thigh, and progresses until it reaches my foot. No position brings relief- sitting, standing, laying down. Sleep is elusive due to the discomfort. Walking is even worse. I believe this, my friends, is called Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction!

And yes, I totally self-diagnosed myself. Ha.

The only thing that differed for me from the general consensus, was that the SPD would resolve post partum. In my case with my son's pregnancy and birth, it did not. Despite regular chiropractic care and even a massage or two, nothing brought relief. It wasn't until I switched chiropractors when my son was about 9 months that things finally improved.

I was hoping with my daughter's pregnancy to avoid this again since we were still seeing the new Chiropractor. It was such a long time of being in pain and not functioning well with my son, we weren't eager to repeat it! Unfortunately it did kick in about the same time. But this time I decided come hell or high water, I'd be more proactive at trying things to keep it from spiraling out of control like it had before.

What did we do then and did it work?

Chiropractic, massage and acupuncture. And Yes. Thank heavens, it definitely worked. I'm pretty sure it was a combination of all three; however, the acupuncture is what really worked best in my case. Can't say I ever imagined I'd so willingly submit myself to a couple dozen needles, but the relief was so immediate! After the very first appointment I was able to get up off the table without pain. It really was amazing. And oddly relaxing; by the third appointment I was soundly snoozing through it all! Acupuncture was so beneficial, my husband and I decided to budget in a monthly appointment for me.

What's it like?

The needles are very, very thin. Like the width of a hair. You can't feel most of them. There was one on my back that was sore, but not excessively so. For my treatment, I laid on my side, on a table similar to a massage type table. It took about an hour. The needs were pre-sterilized and disposable. After removing the needles(you can't feel it) the doctor sort of shook/massaged my muscles a bit to get things moving. You can take a peek at my acupuncturist's clinic Here.

Since my own success with acupuncture, my mother in law has also gone in and found great pain relief in her neck and shoulders. Even my stepdad went in when he was struggling with his back! There are many things acupuncture can help with: insomnia, blood building, pain relief, fertility, etc. I don't really understand the whole Qi or meridian thing about how it works but figured it's been around long enough they must know what they are doing!

Which brings up another question- who in the heck first thought, 'Hey, I think I'll try sticking these needles here and see what happens.' And you Know those first needles were Not the width of a hair! Ha!

If you are so unfortunate to also experience SPD during or after pregnancy, I hope you are able to find relief whether it's through massage, chiropractic or acupuncture care. Take care of yourself!

Thirsties All in One: Review

2012-02-23T13:30:00.008-06:00

The other day I was placing my millionth Amazon order for Camilia(more on that stuff later) and you know, just can't resist the 25$ minimum order free shipping. Crafty, crafty marketing! In addition to the things we truly needed, I decided to get a new cloth diaper to try out: The NEW Thirsties All in One! Honestly I didn't even know it was new at the time. Then after ordering of course saw a ton a buzz on the 'net about them.

Look at me lookin' like I have some clue as to what's going on(not really).

So here is Alice, in snap closure! Check out the new package they came up with; it's 100% biodegradable/compostable. Love it.

And here's the inside. Soft fleece all around, super trim microfiber core attached along the sides only.

I think I like the design. Allows for better cleaning and quick drying, plus you can easily stuff something between to increase absorption. I'm a big fan of preemie prefolds as inserts and doublers. Not that we've needed to test that just yet!

Annie-fannie sporting the Alice size 1 on middle snaps and getting a great fit! She's probably 13+lbs at this point and you can see we have loads of room to grow. And my big girl gettin' in on some cloth diaper action ala baby lamb. You suppose she'll be cloth diapering her future babes?

Fluffy buns! Don't you just want to eat that chub up? Love her!

Le Verdict:

I like them. They are affordable and supremely easy. All the more unsuspecting parents to snag into cloth diapering! (Muwahahaha) Often I hear daycare being a reason not to cloth diaper; I'm not sure how any provider would have a problem with these. They truly are as easy and trim as a disposable. There are only two things I might have changed in some way. One is the front. It does pooch out a bit on my bitty due to there only being 2 snaps for the rise adjustment. Not a deal breaker, though. The other is the microfiber soaker. I'd like to see one more layer added of fleece to the back so as to enclose the microfiber entirely. Microfiber can't be used against the skin and I do worry a little about it the core shifting so that happens.

In addition to the ease, I love that they are broken into just two sizes. That means more bang for your buck and a great fit from start to finish. The first few months can be the trickiest at attempting a one-size diaper; the Thirsties size 1 and 2 resolve that issue. Size one goes 6-18lbs and size two 18-40lbs.

For any super soaker out there Thirsties does carry a nice looking hemp insert, too! They had a knitter do some custom in the US. Thirsties claims it's thicker, softer, and holds up better than any other on the market. Hopefully I'll get the chance to test that out! I'm a big fan of hemp. It was our magic bullet for my oldest kiddo to finally get out of using disposables at night. That kid could sure pee.

Looking for a trimmer cloth diaper or to talk a friend into trying cloth? Snap one of these up, pronto!

Wordless Wednesday- Haircut!

2012-02-22T13:31:00.000-06:00

We went to a legit barber shop about a month ago to get my little prince's hair cut. Usually I do the hubs myself, but a wiggly 2 year old is another ball game! They were awesome anyways, wasn't too much and his hair was just perfect. Sigh. He's growing up, looking like a little boy instead of a baby!

Love you, Boo!

Looking for a new Ped: Vaccination and the Right to Choose

2012-02-22T13:30:00.007-06:00

*Recognizing this may raise the ire of some, but that's ok. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Please remember, if you have something to say and it's not kind, post it on your own page. Thank you!

Last June, my son stepped on a rose thorn while gardening at the front of the house. I got to him immediately and removed it; making sure there were no additional thorns or anything left behind. Either Tuesday or Wednesday(can't remember for sure which!) after his bath I noticed the bottom of that foot had an odd bruisey-rashy thing going on. We soaked it in some hydrogen peroxide and that seemed to reduce the redness some.

By Friday it wasn't better so I called our Ped to ask if we ought to come in. They didn't seem to think so unless it changed any. By Monday the bottom of his foot was swollen so we opted to take him in and double check what was going on. They looked it over and stated just to watch it more and not be too concerned.(Before I get rolling on another subject, let me conclude this part with- it was a common spore that irritated his system and all was well after a couple weeks.)

Then they dropped the bomb on us. Back in Feb. of last year, they opted to revamp their policy on vaccinations and require families that had been allowed to do delayed/selective or no vaccination, to catch up with the recommended schedule or leave. This was never officially communicated to their patients. It was just an 'as they come in' type setup. Which I found odd seeing as we had been in a couple times after that policy change and no one said anything.

We'd been going to this group for over 3 years, having switched from our first Ped due in part to their unwillingness to delay vaccinations until 6 months but even more so due to their inability to keep an appointment. Initially, delaying to 6 months was all I wanted. Then as I read more and discussed it further with my husband, we opted to wait until the 18 months. Which became 3 years. We're at almost 5 now and still don't feel comfortable having them done given many different reasons.

I know many feel it's irresponsible not to give a child vaccinations. And I appreciate those sentiments. I think it's irresponsible to just go along with it all and not do our own due diligence. Thankfully it's still my right as a parent to choose for my child. While our pediatrician was quick to point out that he was 'trained to make these decisions, ' I'm also trained in common sense, the ability to read, and comprehend my own family history regarding vaccine reactions. His immediate, condescending assumption was that my concern was over thimerosal. Then he suggested I go home and 'talk it over' with my husband before making a decision as to how to proceed.

Ha. Sure, Doc. I'll be a good little wifey and get a permission slip from my husband.

At no time did he ask me on what grounds had I come to this decision. No questions as to previous reactions in my family history, nothing. And that's wherein my beef lies(condescension aside). Vaccinations aren't a One-Size Fits All bag. Yes, we should be questioning what's being injected directly into our kids' bodies. Yes, we should be provided full disclosure on every vaccination prior to the wellness visit. Yes, our family history should be taken into account and No, my concerns should not be brushed off because the Doctor was 'trained to make these decisions.' I could poke a million easy holes into that last argument.

So anyways, thankfully we found a new Ped willing to discuss everything I was concerned about and give me room to make the final decision. Even learned from him that lemon breaks down the proteins in mucus. Cool, huh?

Talk to your doctor if you have questions. Do not just go along with something if you are concerned. In the case of vaccinations, they can't be removed once injected. Please read as many unbiased, level sources of information you can find. It is difficult as everyone obviously has a strong opinion. The NVIC is one I like as it also give you tips on things to do if you choose to vaccinate. Obviously the actual vaccination labels are great, too. And if you'd rather read information to back up the opinion you already hold, well there's plenty of that you can find via google search for either side.

Blessings and the best of health to you and your family, regardless of your personal decisions.

Bottombumpers AIO diaper: Review

2012-02-21T13:30:00.000-06:00

Who doesn't love a bitty in some cloth diaper fluff?!

This is Miss Annie in a small Bottombumpers at guessing around 9+lbs. Isn't it a great, trim fit- especially on such a little one? I have found this to be a tried and true diaper for us. If we're going to be out, or she's going to take a nap, or she's going to go to bed, this is one I know will get us through without leaks. It's held in breastmilk poop fabulously, too. In general, if you haven't tried cloth before and have a newbie on the way, definitely start with cloth from the start! It sounds totally opposite but I promise cloth holds in those explosions much better than disposables.

Here's what the inner looks like on the Bottombumpers:

Cotton lining the PUL; organic, snap-in petal style soaker.

Wes-side! Annie is over 12lbs at this point.

No leaks getting through this baby!

The soaker is trim enough not to be too bulky but still holds a lot. I like that organic cotton is mostly against her tush, too. Sometimes synthetic fabrics cause a rash due to a skin sensitivity. Also, because of the way the soaker is sewn in 'petal' style, it dries quickly. (And in my opinion they wash more thoroughly when done this way). It is topped in organic bamboo velour.

They have cross-over tabs, which is a must for skinny minnies like mine! In addition to the hook and loop closure(fancy for velcro), they have side snapping sized and a one-size side snapping. The one-size will go approximately 8-25lbs. I haven't tried this one, ours is a sized small, but the snap down under the back of the soaker sounds like a great idea! Sometimes I'm not a fan of a one-size if it is too bulky in front due to those extra snaps and fabric fold.

You can also purchase pail liners, wipes, doublers and replacement soakers in their Accessories section. Add in loads of pretty colors to choose from and that they are made in the USA- I'm sold! We are really happy with our Bottombumpers diaper and I'd gladly have them make up most of my stash.

Find Bottombumpers on Facebook HERE!

Spring cleaning

2012-02-20T13:30:00.002-06:00

Spring is definitely in the air! Not only do I have almost all of my garden seeds in my hot little hands, but I've also caught a big case of Spring Cleaning. It's times like these, I'm so thankful for my little house!

There was a great article in the Vitacost newsletter last week talking about clutter. Basically, that we are stressed out because we have too much junk in the house. I totally believe it. In the past I attributed my craziness with things being in their place or toss/donation happy to a light case of OCD. Now I'm starting to wonder if my brain is just ahead of the game!

My conclusion after some retrospect is this: I'm happy with what I have. My needs are sufficiently met.

Now, that doesn't mean we're going 100% no more stuff. Given my love of spending some money(there's no frugal up there, ladies!) stuff will still be a part of our life. But I've decided I'm going to put some tighter reigns on just what that means, i.e. a productive hobby, to replace something we already have with one of better quality, buying local, handmade, etc. Bigger kitchen? No. Garage? No. Plastic junk? No. Six million shirts or shoes for the kids? No. Books? Ok, so that's the one thing I think it's pretty hard to have in excess.

I'm going to make sure and take care of what we have already. Starting with one room a week. Top to bottom cleaning, de-cluttering, organizing and sprucing up. Sometimes it's daunting to figure out just where to start. But this week, it's on like Donkey Kong!

I'm taking back control of my house in the name of better all-around health. You are invited to do the same! In some effort to be held accountable, I will attempt to take a before and after picture. Even of the basement. (*scream of horror*)

Happy Cleaning!

Have you seen a Hemangioma?

2012-02-19T13:30:00.002-06:00

One thing I've learned repeatedly with all my kids- each kid is different. Very different! I thought I'd seen it all until Annie came along. She had some swelling in the chest area due to hormones(had read about it but never saw it with the other kids; that was interesting) and she also has what's called a hemangioma.

At first I thought it was just her birthmark, maybe a port wine stain. It wasn't until my mother in law saw it that she immediately recognized it as a hemangioma. Two of my nieces actually had some a few years ago, too, but I was only aware at the time of one. The one I knew about was much larger, though. Hers became problematic due to it's location on the back of her head and eventually they chose to operate after repeat infections. My other niece had one on her stomach(this was the one I didn't know about).

What is a hemangioma? It's just a collection of extra blood vessels that didn't get used. Most will go away on their own leaving normal skin. Others might require special attention if they get infected or are located on the eye, for example. I do think Annie's is already changing some. In the picture you can see how it is not a solid patch- it appears as though slowly more 'skin' is showing through. I'm just grateful it's in a good location that doesn't get rubbed a lot or impede development.

Apparently there's something new to learn with every kiddo!

Honeysuckle Breastmilk Storage Bags

2012-02-18T13:51:00.029-06:00

In my quest for breastmilk storage bags, this time I turned to Amazon to see what was out there. Sure, I could get the usual Lansinoh or Medela in town. But I haven't been thrilled with them. The Medela ones were just too small and stiff in my opinion. And Lansinoh I dislike even more. After using them for almost 4 years, I decided we were through playing the 'Is this one going to break and we'll lose all that milk?!' game.

Seriously. I shouldn't have to thaw out a bag in another bag to account for weak seams. Who has time for that? No, it didn't matter in my experience whether or not they were frozen flat. And really, the person that came up with the 'don't cry over spilled milk' line obviously never pumped.

Thanks to Amazon, I saw that there were several other options. After price checking and review reading, we settled on testing Honeysuckle brand breastmilk bags. Why? In part due to the great price. And big bonus for the Green Mommy- they are OXO-Biodegradable!

The handy pouch they come in with tissue-like dispenser middle.

What they look like.

Success! Milk in bag.

In their description Honeysuckle states the bags are freezer safe, 100% leak proof double zipper seal, pre-sterilized medical grade, 100% BPA free, designed with a tamper evident feature and reinforced bottom gusset with gripper lines for extra leak protection.

Just in handling them, I really believe they'll hold up to all promised. Sounds weird to say a breastmilk bag feels nice, but these do! Compared to what I've been using, these are much better quality. I really like the double zipper and reinforced bottom gusset best. To test them out I thawed one bag- NO LEAKS. Yay!

But you don't have to take my word for it- you can actually contact them to request a sample bag Here. How cool is that?

Honeysuckle also recently came out with a neat looking baby food bag. Usually I just use the ice cube method for freezing my baby food, but can totally see how handy these would be for on the go, daycare, grandparents, etc. (Especially maybe grandparents- you know, 'cause you can write some directions right ON the bag- I know some of you feel me).

If you are unhappy with your current breastmilk storage bag or maybe looking for one that's a little more environmentally friendly, I highly recommend checking out Honeysuckle!

A Little Love for the Ladies!

2012-02-17T13:30:00.003-06:00

Here's a little peek at the lovely ladies supplying us with seemingly endless eggs of late:

Our Black Australorp

An all white Easter Egger

One of our Barred Rocks(the other escaped the camera)

Our other Easter Egger

Our Rhode Island Red.

And my favorite chicken of all.

They really are so fun to listen to outside. I love closing my eyes and feeling like I'm on a farm! The kids love to watch them, too. My husband says they are his friends. I'm not even joking. These are some very coddled hens. They've spent nary a night this winter without their heat lamp on! But hey, whatever makes the man that's cleaning the coop happy!

Hope for those Little Brothers and Big Sisters...

2012-02-16T13:28:00.001-06:00

... In 20 years.

My little brother sent me flowers for Valentine's Day(and our little sister, too). Isn't that the sweetest? He's 24, ladies, and single! Could almost stunt for Shia LaBeouf... I'm sure he's really going to appreciate me trying to hook him up via the interwebz. Teehee.

But I digress! Point being, we gave our parents a run for their money as kids. Fought a ton! And I might still harbor some sister guilt over not having included him more when we were younger. But thankfully, he hasn't held a grudge. I love him and my other siblings so much! It's gestures like these I have to remind myself of when I'm ready to send my 2 and 4 year old to boot camp. Annie just watches them and smiles like, 'Don't worry guys, I'll be along to shake things up even more shortly!'

And I can't wait. <3

Wordless Wednesday- Smooshy Cheeks

2012-02-15T13:30:00.000-06:00

Ewephoria Knits, shout out some love!

2012-02-09T14:03:00.000-06:00

There are some really wonderful people I've had the pleasure of purchasing from over the last several months; I'd like to do some shout outs so you can be introduced and hopefully fall in love with their work, too!

Today I'll be introducing you to Ewephoria Knits!

At some point I realized I wanted a car jacket for Annie- and it needed to be baby friendly wool. I'm a bit particular on patterns and it wasn't until last minute that I came across the Shluttli pattern. Then, being so close to the end, began a desperate hunt to find one in time!

In my Google search of the pattern I was blessed to come across a listing Kelly of Ewephoria Knits had in her Etsy shop. It wasn't quite the right size, though! On a whim I decided to ask her if she might be able to make another for me that could get to us in time. She didn't think she could get it to me before Annie's birth but at least it would be soon after. Even with getting to pick out my own yarn and buttons, Kelly managed to do both beautiful work and beat my prenatal clock!

Is it not perfect? We've worn it almost every day now! Any time we go out, on it goes. It is such a breeze to get on her and I love how soft the wool is. We get compliments on it all the time. The knitting is just flawless. What I'd give to have one in *MY* size!

Kelly's Etsy shop is on vacation right now, but check out her feedback to see some of the things she has done in the past(and loads of other happy customers!). Also scroll through her photo albums on facebook for more delicious knits and yarns!

Thanks, Kelly, and all the other wonderful work at home people that make such beautiful things with love and care.

Wordless Wednesday- And Then There Were Three

2012-02-08T00:39:00.001-06:00

Watch out! She's gettin' crafty...

2012-02-04T00:57:00.000-06:00

I decided for Christmas I wanted to make Annie's gift from us. I did some google for ideas, thought a lot, drew it out on paper and then... waited until the last minute! Ha! And my machine jammed part way through, requiring a dear friend to come to my rescue with her Viking. Hello, like how am I supposed to go back to my dinky Kenmore after that?!

Without further ado, Annie's Christmas softbook:

Back page and Front page- I put a layer of fleece between each side to give it a soft form.

The alligator ended up a little over from where I wanted him.. But I was please with my idea to put clear/shiny sequins around the bee wings(difficult to see maybe in the photo).

That fusey fabric stuff was definitely my friend to get these pieced together!

Some fun buttons for 'peas' to add dimension.

What kid doesn't love pointing out the moon?! And of course I needed some flowers... This is kind of meant to be a sort of opposites page.

And of course, shapes.

I had to hand sew the binding as it was too thick to run through the machine. I thought this would be really difficult but it ended up being no big deal with a regular needle. For the solid color fabrics, I just grabbed one of those fat quarter quilter's packs. My aunt sent a care package of the fun fruits and veggies fabrics! All in all I'm really please how it turned out. Oh, and I made it a ribbon closure.

Santa decided to also get in on the fun, too! I passed on a picture I'd found to him of this awesome barn. Of course, it isn't a project unless I make things more difficult so I requested some slight modifications.

Santa's barn

In the original, the loft part is open. I requested it closed and with a hinged roof so the kids can 'hide' things up there. Santa even added his own special part- a movable 3 section fence! He only got the one done before Christmas but has been informed he will need to make 3 more post haste! Didn't he do a lovely job? The kids play with it every day and their Schleigh figurines fit perfect. He doesn't know it, but Santa's also going to be making us a Tree House.... (bwahahahaha)

Homebirth: Why it's not for Me

2012-02-04T00:31:00.001-06:00

*Gasp*

What is she saying?!

I know this may come as a shock to some. At least, it sort of was to me after all the glowing 'reviews' on homebirth. So let me explain why I've come to the conclusion it just isn't for me. Apologies for the ensuing novel! I kept trying to cut it back and gave up.

For our second baby we wanted to go to homebirth as that was our only way to get a waterbirth, but couldn't find a midwife in town that would take us. So for our third baby we opted to try for a homebirth again, given some unsatisfactory experiences in the hospital with both my first daughter and son. It was a huge financial stretch as it was all out of pocket to the tune of 5k, but we decided it was worth it for a shot at the healthiest pregnancy and birth possible.

In addition to switching to a full on out of the hospital midwife, we rented a birth tub, bought the Hypnobabies program, did a couple massages, acupuncture, regular chiropractic care, hired a doula and had the placenta encapsulated. We went full out! I read Ina May, Henci Goer, Peggy Vincent, etc. Ok, so I *meant* to do yoga, but just didn't get around to it. But for real, I was going to own this thing!

What I didn't plan on was how difficult it would be for me to keep the house clean enough(to my standards) for an entire month. While working at home with my 2 big kids. It was like that saying, shoveling while it's snowing? I'm a little OCD though, so you better believe I still tried. It was stressful. I ordered the wrong stupid birth kit so there was some confusion after the birth that things were missing the midwives were used to having on hand. (FYI, always have extra towels!) Yes, I'd still have been cleaning if we were having a hospital birth. But maybe not quite so crazy as the whole clean thing takes on a new meaning when you're actually birthing in the space. (I know, I know, my home is still 'cleaner' than the hospital...) And while there may be some assistance with clean up after the birth, no one sticks around to do the laundry!(haha)

The other problem was the whole when to call everyone bit. I absolutely knew when I was in labor. But still doubted myself as it wasn't progressing in the traditional sense. One thing I'd heard prenatal- 'It's so nice everyone comes to YOU rather than you having to go to THEM!' Which is great, except what happens if they don't come to you when they're supposed to because... your husband can't write down the alternate phone number in a message to try calling, or... your doula decides she's just going to 'assess' you before passing on the message that, oh by the way, they need you now?'

The biggest part of my birth I'd like to have changed wasn't necessarily homebirth specific, though, as it can happen with any birth you have someone assisting. Doctor, midwife, nurse, spouse, etc. In my case, it was my doula. She caused me to doubt what was happening as she was the one telling me they were looking for stronger, longer contractions that were closer together, in addition to some bloody show or something(before it was 'time' for people to come over). Then when we told her we needed her and to bring the midwives, she took it upon herself to show up first and decide if we really needed them without letting them know we'd requested them. Had she done it when we asked, they would have been there a full half hour before Annie's birth. Rather than 3 minutes.

I can't even begin to explain how hard it is to labor with someone watching you who is supposed to be helping you but they aren't doing anything because they don't think you're really in it. It really screws with your head. When she first got there, I desperately thought, 'Ok, I'll have a contraction and she'll see how serious this is and then have them rush over!' ...Nope. She did help me change my breathing as the slow Hypnobabies breathing wasn't matching my intense, short contractions. I'll give her that. And she touched my back once or twice for counter pressure, then walked away. Isaac imitated it whenever he could. But if he left my side for something quick, she didn't step in to keep it up.

I felt so alone. There was a birth story I'd read about another mother who said she didn't like Hypnobabies because no one knew what was going on as she had such a calm exterior. No one could tell what was going on inside. I told my doula about this, warned her and everyone else that I probably wouldn't appear to be really in labor but to trust that I was. And yet that's exactly what ended up happening- she didn't believe me. There's no doubt in my mind had the midwives gotten the call when they were supposed to, been there earlier, they would have been able to tell exactly what was going on and I would have had some emotional and physical support. My husband and I have the exact same mental image of our doula's position while sitting at the kitchen table(with her finger on her forehead), where she remained most of the time at a distance from me.

After the birth I felt very confused. I wasn't sure what I'd done wrong that she'd decided to just sit there. I was so exhausted. Didn't want to hold my baby or breastfeed her. I did anyway but it wasn't pleasant. I felt no joy. No sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. It was difficult when people asked me how it was. No one wants to hear 'alone' so I settled for 'intense'.

I'm guessing she knows she messed up big time. After the birth I really didn't hear from her. She made no attempt to do the post partum follow ups in her contract. She just dropped me. It is hard not to feel foolish when I was so sure about everything. We spent so much money to do it all the way I wanted.

Physically it was my most difficult birth due largely to the precipitous nature. Of course it was my first drug-free birth, too. It was also the best/easiest/quickest physical recovery. Maybe a drug-free waterbirth is for me, then? Emotionally, it was the worst due to the lack of support. It's embarrassing to admit I didn't want to hold my baby. It was heartbreaking to feel no joy. Don't get me wrong, I never expected a perfect birth. I hoped it might be a little healing after the debacle of my first. And I did expect some emotional and physical support in my labor. We kind of paid for it?

Maybe some would argue it wasn't the homebirth I disliked but rather the doula. And that's probably partly true if you remove the whole cleaning/prepared/birth kit part. If I can wrap my head and heart around having another baby(we always planned 4) it will most likely be in a birth center if one is available at that time. That would eliminate the cleaning and supplies preparation part/stress plus still allow for the flexibility of going home earlier than maybe they'd let me at the hospital. And, no drug availability. Bonus: Insurance would cover it!

But right now I want to throw up at the thought of another birth that would most likely be even shorter and more intense!

There were some good things to having a homebirth. Being able to get in my own bed immediately was nice. Having my own shower, all my stuff around me. The one really shining, happy moment for me was when the kids came in to see their sister for the first time. My oldest exclaiming, 'Oh my gosh! She is so cute!' and my son amazed at her, 'Nose! Face! Nose! Face!' It was beautiful.

So there's the nitty gritty for you. I'm not entirely sure what I hope this accomplishes. Maybe it's simply to be cathartic for me. Maybe I hope my doula will read it, pull her head out of her bum and apologize. And refund me some of the $600! Oh wait, here it is. I want you to know that you can do your best to prepare, but if it doesn't go perfectly it's NOT your fault. For those who may have a precipitous birth(aka- extremely fast and hard) it's not so unusual not to want to hold your baby immediately. I wish I'd been told that right away rather than walking around for almost 3 months thinking something was broken in me and I was a bad mom.

Seriously, can you ever escape that blasted mom guilt? That's my goal for this year. I'm going to figure out how to shake the dreaded mom guilt once and for all!

Here chick, chick, chick!

2012-02-03T23:42:00.000-06:00

Well, so much for blogging about the ladies as they grew from chick to hen! I've got some pictures at least saved up to share that I hope you'll enjoy!

Cheep cheep! The day we got them(in the mail)

Daddy helping her hold one.

I'm not sure who was more excited, the kids or dad!

Starting the coop/run. Using pallet wood.

Yay for walls!

Whoop! No chicken for dinner 'cause the ladies are out of the house!

The 'flock'

It's really been fun learning as we go. It took us a long time, lots of thinking, reading, etc to feel ready to make the jump. And now I get where people say it's a lot easier than one would think! Chickens don't take a lot of time to care for. They are pretty resilient(I think). We actually are in our second week now of eggs! At 5 months plus one week exactly, we got our first egg from one of the Easter Eggers.

Pretty blue!

And by the end of one full week, we had a total of 21 eggs! Lost one due to it cracking in the coop and another was shell-less. That shell-less one was pretty interesting. Totally intact, just... jelly like?

Our first week's 'catch'!

Now we're getting about 4 eggs a day. So about 2 dozen, which is exactly what I'd figured. I'm really looking forward to being able to give some away to neighbors, friends and family. It's strange and fun to have a steady stream of eggs in my own backyard! If you've been on the fence about it, I say jump in!

Introducing: Annie

2012-02-03T21:36:00.000-06:00

Annie, 11-18-11, 2:30am, 8lb 8oz, 21in

We're 11 weeks out now from our birth and I think it's time to introduce my peanut and get her birth story down!

In my prenatal meetings with the midwives and doula, I told them this wasn't going to take long. That my labor would start at night, I'd estimated it at 4 hours, and if the Hypnobabies was working I wouldn't appear to be as in labor as I was. Check, check, and check.

The only thing I didn't count on was going a week past my medical date! My first daughter was right on her medical date, my son a couple days prior. Annie's medical date was 11-11-11(wouldn't that have been cool?!). It was a surprise then, but the more I thought about it realized My initial dates were off. She wasn't really 'late', I just had been going off the wrong information. I am thankful that I felt confident in my baby and body to know when she needed to come, rather than rush her. We truly did nothing to try and start labor.

I went to bed at 11 pm that night. At 11:30, I woke up to my first real contraction. (Or pressure wave, if you will) The first hour I did on my own so my husband could get some sleep and I could figure out if this was the real deal. By 12:30 it was apparent, although the contracts were just 10 minutes apart and didn't require breathing through much. I woke him up at that point and contacted my doula to let her know what was going on. We put away laundry and ran around the house making last minute preparations(mostly to keep me distracted and relaxed as possible). In the time that I texted with my doula, the contractions went from 10 minutes to 5 minutes apart. It was necessary to focus and breathe through them, but they were oddly short.

At some point I decided it would be nice to get in the portable hot tub setup in the dining room. Which, by the way, homebirth or no I highly recommend! Every pregnant mama ought to have the luxury of a hot tub in her dining room before giving birth! Anyways, so I was in and out and in and out to run to the bathroom a million times. At 1:15 I decided I did *not* want to get out. That was my red flag per my midwife to call them as they found from past experience at that point it wouldn't be long. The contractions were still short and I just wasn't sure though. So I rode a couple more and decided at 1:30 it really was time to call the troops.

At that point I couldn't call myself so I had my husband do it. His first attempt he got a voicemail and couldn't comprehend the number left in it that he was supposed to call if someone didn't answer(he was exhausted and is dyslexic- bad combo!). I really needed him to hold my hand and be 100% with me then so I told him to text our doula and tell her to come and get the midwives.

About 1:50 she came to our house. When she walked in by herself I asked if the midwives would be here soon- she told me she was there to assess me and then would let them know what was going on. At that point I knew they weren't going to make it! She had no clue I was truly in deep labor. I got out of the tub once to try laying in bed on my side. This was the position I'd found most comfortable in my son's birth and I knew I could feel better what was going on as it was familiar. It didn't take long for me to determine she was descending, and fast. I knew then I had to decide if I wanted to birth in my bed or in the tub and quickly!

Tub it was! I got back into that thing as fast as I could between contractions. The warm water really did provide a lot of comfort. The contractions were so intense, it took everything I had to focus on breathing through them and attempting to stay relaxed. Most of them I rode upright and kneeling, then would sink into the water. Oh, how I loved that water! My doula asked me at some point if I could feel her head. I knew it wasn't her head but didn't have sense to realize it was the bag of waters right there. After a few incredibly intense waves the bag finally popped- 2:20am. A cloud of vernix poofed out in the water!

At 2:27, the first midwife arrived. As she walked in the door I was between contractions and able to smile and tell her hello. That really threw her off! As soon as a contraction hit though, she knew. She rushed to get the doppler out and was approaching me when the last contraction hit and Annie's head came out. I had felt stretching but not the ring of fire, so I wasn't expecting her head right there. It was rather amusing watching the midwife slowly put the doppler on the table, unused! She then knelt beside me to remind me to wait for the last contraction and then to push her body gently. Truly I don't know that I pushed more than a couple times total and it was only in response to what my body was telling me to do. Most of it was just hanging on and breathing through. I could tell as she was being born that she was much bigger than her siblings! A full pound+ and 2 additional inches! Her poor nose was knocked over to the side from being rammed through me. I felt so bad, I'd tried so hard to stay relaxed and make it easier. Annie also has a sweet little stork bite on her nose, just like her sister has between her eyes.

It was 2:30am, and my labor was 3 hours start to finish. The second midwife was walking up to the house when she heard Annie's first cry. While Annie was obviously much larger than her brother and sister were at birth, she was oddly covered in thick vernix. My midwife commented that she sure didn't look like a late baker- thick vernix is usually a sign of being on the early side. Let's be real, I'm so glad she didn't hang in there any longer and pack on more pounds! The word I used most to describe it afterwards was 'intense'. Never, never again will I wish any woman a fast labor! Easy, yes. Fast, no! I'd never felt so tired in my life. It was like I'd run a marathon- and ladies, I don't run!

Thankfully I tore only a little and didn't require stitches. She was healthy, I was healthy; we both survived that wild ride! My mom and the big kids were sleeping upstairs- my mom only woke up when she heard the door open and close multiple times. It was really nice to have them there, even if they weren't really right there for the birth.

Here are some additional pictures of my peach's birth day:

Getting measured!

Getting weighed!

Squeezing into my newborn stuff!

Annie and Daddy getting acquainted.

Homebirths, chickens and a bushel of blueberries

2011-08-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

I feel a little like a stranger on my own blog. It's been a long time since I've felt ready or wanting to put pen to paper! It's difficult to know where to even start as the past couple months feel like such a long journey.

Starting with some easy things I'll note and expand on via separate posts:

Chickens. Yes, we finally bit the bullet and should have baby chicks arriving next week about this time. Crazy? Of course! It's how we roll. We're starting with 6- 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 1 Rhode Island Red and 1 Black Australorp. Truly I'd be happy with 4 but am attempting to plan on beginner mistakes... though hoping that doesn't happen! We have the brooder pretty much ready, coop plans bought and now just need to get going on materials and coop constructions. It is exciting and seems like well timed now that it isn't so insanely hot anymore! Pictures to follow, of course!

Berries! The last few years I've gotten most of our berries from a combo of our own yard and my mom's. However I lost my strawberries and raspberries last year and had to start new this year. The strawberries did fine but didn't bear(normal, won't until next year). The raspberries for some reason just didn't make it. Odd, as for once we hardly flooded at all in the backyard! The two blueberries plant near the dead raspberries seem to be doing well, so I'm going to be adding 2-3 additional blueberries in that particular spot. Not one to give up, we'll be building a couple raised beds behind the new(to us) swingset this fall and putting raspberries there.
This is a lengthy prelude to what I really wanted to talk about, The Berry Patch! Because we didn't have our own I had to look elsewhere; found a lovely berry patch about 30 minutes away. We went 2 times and came back with literally 20 pounds of berries. I'm not exaggerating in the least. Most were blueberries but also got red and black raspberries. Not this weekend but the following I hope to get back there again for some blackberries, raspberries and more blueberries. We did jam, syrup and vinegar from the blueberries. The others I froze and have used either in muffins, pancakes or on granola and oatmeal. It really is so fun to go as a family and pick berries together. I highly recommend finding a local patch and doing just that very soon!

Last but certainly not least, homebirths. After much research and soul searching, we've decided to switch from our hospital midwives group to a local CNM and a homebirth. My first birth was the traditional hospital OB; second a hospital midwife. While the hospital midwife birth was hands down a better experience than my OB, there were still too many routine interventions that got in the way of the kind of birth I feel is best for us. It will cost more than a hospital birth. Money certainly isn't free-flowing here but it's a priority and we will make it work. At a later time I'll write more in-depth of how and why we arrived to this decision. I will say this, if you are pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant, please pick up Ina May Gaskin's, 'Guide to Childbirth' and Henci Goer's, 'The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth.' They are thus far the most informative books I've read on the process of birth.

May everyone be finally getting to enjoy beautiful weather!

Roundup and Birth Defects Study released

2011-06-10T22:13:00.000-05:00

Did ya'll catch this study that was released by Earth Open Source?

Roundup and Birth Defects - Is the Public Being Kept in the Dark

It's a very thorough look at what's gone on in the European Union regarding experimentation and regulation. Right up there with the PCB fiasco pretty much.

More and more people are becoming aware of what's happened to our food source over the last few decades. The fox entered the hen house for sure and our regulatory agencies have long been bought out by corporations. In the age of so much readily available information and rapid communication, it's my hope that we can organize, demand and change.

Over the past several weeks(while I wasn't blogging) I tagged more GMO type articles to share with those of you that may be interested. Hopefully some you haven't seen. Knowledge is power! Decide for yourself.

Cancer cause or crop aid? Herbicide faces big test

US subsidizes Brazil's cotton to protect Monsanto's profits

Toxics in our kids' foods: Where is the FDA?

Scientists warn of link between dangerous pathogen and Monsanto's Roundup(***warning***sad picture of late term bovine spontaneous abortion)

(About the PCB situation I refer to) Monsanto Hid PCD Pollution for Decades

Health Scandal of the Decade- Monsanto's GMO Perversion of Food - I *really* like this one for explaining what's going on and why we should be concerned.

Thinking Ahead- Do I want to hire a Doula?

2011-06-10T21:49:00.000-05:00

It's still crazy to think I'm almost half way through this pregnancy. I say crazy, because I know just how fast arrival time can sneak up on you after 2 full term pregnancies! Sure, the last couple weeks might drag but all in all, it really goes by so quickly.

There are a few things I've been mulling over regarding how we might want to proceed come The Big Day. One thing is a trying to determine if we'd like to hire a Doula. ERGOparent Magazine had a nice little post on Inviting a Doula to Your Birth that got me to think about all of this. Don't you just love the internet? I've never had a doula present before. We have been blessed to have our sister in law (an L&D nurse) with us for our previous births. And while I love her to death and we have the same end goal, we still have different ideas in how best to get there!

My husband is on board with how we'd like things to go(under ideal circumstances, of course). But the poor man turns into a deer in headlights when push comes to shove. Pun intended. We tried using Hypnobabies with the last pregnancy and really loved it. It really helped us feel more connected to the pregnancy rather than it just being me alone. It also helped us fall asleep every night in record time! In fact, we will begin going through the program a second time very soon using the Home Study course. However, again, everything we practiced for our son's birth flew out the window when he panicked. Poor guy!(Poor me) He needs almost as much support as I do!

There were also a couple of things that I believe may have gone differently had we a champion of sorts there to speak for us when I was otherwise occupied and my husband stunned speechless. For things like, demanding a wireless fetal monitor so I could walk- along with an IV thingy on wheels. Or at the end, being flipped on my back when I explicitly had noted I did NOT want to birth on my back. Just to have someone there able to keep their head about them for things like that would be really nice. That's where a Doula would hopefully come in. A Doula's purpose isn't to take over the role of the birth partner, but rather to help give a little direction when they don't know what to do to help.

Thinking about giving birth a 3rd time does in some ways scare me. It shouldn't. But it does. I know it's really important to get on top of those fears immediately so as to be better prepared and relaxed at the end. Giving birth is such an interesting mental process. If I can just get myself to a place where I feel safe and relaxed(as one can be while pushing 7+lbs out) then I know all will be well. Having someone experienced, on my same 'birth page' so to speak, would definitely aide that process.

So, I'm mulling. I do that a lot. I'm a muller. A very slow decision maker. But really this one is a no-brainer to me. The only hard part is figuring out which Doula to choose! (Oddly enough, despite our midwife shortage, we have an abundance of Doulas in our area. Go figure.) I'll be considering how many births they have attended, what their philosophies are, their birth experiences, cost, etc.

And then I'll have to decide. Will let you know how that goes! I'm actually really excited about this. Whew for some rays of sunshine!

If you'd like to learn more about Doulas, please visit DONA International.

Sigh.

2011-06-09T14:42:00.002-05:00

"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily.

"So it is."

"And freezing."

"Is it?"

"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."

Winnie the Pooh and friends are Trademarks of Disney. Quotes are taken from Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne.

And so it seems things keep going. It's been horribly dry in our area for a long time and we needed rain desperately! Finally got some last night and today. But unfortunately with it came not one, not two, but three hail storms. The first was marble sized, the second pea and the third mixed with half-dollar pieces. We were totally mentally prepared for flooding. But hail? Not so much.

I can see leaves everywhere but am afraid to look too closely. Haven't even put on my glasses for the day. I don't want to see what the damage is to my gardens. It sounds so trivial, but the gardens were about the only thing going right and a sort of brief escape for me while working in them.

I know most things will bounce back eventually. Just really bummed and wanting to drown my sorrows in my crossword puzzle book and a carton of ice cream. Preferably Maggie Moo's dark chocolate with gummi bears and peppermint patties.

At least tomorrow is Friday?

Arizona Trip- Take 2

2011-06-08T11:37:00.000-05:00

Grandma H's house!

This was a large part of why we went out to Arizona- I've never met my husband's grandma. Her health is such that she can't travel. We were to go out there June of '08, but that's when the floods hit our area. The night before we were to leave we had 18" of sewage water in the basement. Yeah. Ick.

Anyways, so the first half of the trip we spent with his Grandma H. She is such a neat lady. I was surprised how much she reminded me in ways of my own grandmas. In stature she is similar to my dad's mom(tall, thin). Then for one meal we were preparing she was excited to mix a couple frozen juices for the beverage. That was so my mom's mom!

We just had a nice time getting to know each other, telling stories and laughing. All of us also helped in the yard with pruning and the citrus trees. Oh yes, she has a lemon, grapefruit and 2 orange trees! At one point she had a lime tree but it sadly died. Here are some pictures of our time there:

I wish you could smell these through the screen! Grandpa H loved roses and planted these. Wish I could have met him, too.

Grapefruit time!

1, 2, 3... that's a lot of grapefruit, mom!

A little silliness makes the job go faster?

Trying so hard to get one off the tree!

It was just too tough!(For me, too! And they have spike-like things, ouch!)

This was just getting started. Maybe a quarter of what we pulled.

I thought it was pretty cool to harvest citrus! Wish we could grow some back home! There was so much on the tree we ended up juicing most of it and freezing it to take home. After looking at these pictures, think I'll go make myself a glass or two.

Still to come, Squaw Peak and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!

Wordless Wednesday- Silly Sleepy Snuggles

2011-06-08T11:12:00.002-05:00

While on vacation in AZ. Love that they are in the same position!

Also while on vacation in AZ(we were really beat, can ya tell??). He sure loves his daddy!

Arizona Trip- Take 1

2011-06-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

On our drive out to Phoenix, we made a little detour last minute and opted to stop at the Petrified National Forest. I love getting a little spontaneous!

We came across the park driving from Albuquerque on I-40 towards Phoenix. Happened to catch the signs and asked if anyone had every been- the response was, 'No, but it'd be awesome to see so let's do it!'

The Forest also has some of the Painted Desert in it, so as far as I'm concerned we killed two birds with one stone. The colors were amazingly breath taking. Not only did we get to see really beautiful, interesting petrified woods but also a wonderful historical Inn and Indian ruins. There were even some cool petroglyphs around the ruins we got to walk around(around, not actually in). Although one part of that trail was closed due to 'swarming bees'. Um, yikes!

Sad attempt at a family picture! Wish my camera was able to capture the depth of color in the hills.

I was pleasantly surprised at some of the flowers that grew there.

My favorite men!

An example of petrified wood. The water washed over them(hard to imagine water here!) and left mineral deposits behind. These changed the properties of the wood to quartz. Would love one of these hunks for an indoor or outdoor table! Unfortunately, a lot of people must have thought the same because a lot of the fossils have been removed.

Not usually a fan of wikipedia, but they do have some good info out there on the forest if you're interested in reading more: Petrified Forest National Park.

More Arizona Trip Takes to come!

***I had more pictures but my camera battery died and we can't find the stinkin' charger just yet. I know it came back with us, for sure had it in the following days, but now 'tis missing! Hoping it turns up soon or we'll be making an emergency purchase.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-06-07T15:47:00.001-05:00

The past few weeks I, like every other gardener out there, have been laboring every spare second in my gardens! Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse at what I have going on in the backyard currently. Maybe eventually I'll even do a vlog?

This is my great grandpa's rose from the family farm. First time blooming in my garden!

The veggie beds off my patio. Spinach, eggplant, basil, cilantro, lettuce, carrots, peas, brussel sprouts, lots of bell peppers and jalapenos.

These are my back 4x8 raised beds. They are currently housing green and yellow zucchini, cucumbers, beets, chard, kale, corn, beans and 8 tomatoes.

My garden mascot, The Blue Flying Pig.

The West Garden.

The South Garden. Snuck some Baby Bok Choy in there that I ran out of room for!

The newly-remodeled North Garden. Soon to include a 3x5 raised bed in the middle for herbs!

The Kids' Nook next to the sandbox. Complete with birdhouse and toadhouse!

So there you go, a little peek into some of my gardens. They are ever changing and the blooms really coming on now. Once I find my blasted camera charger, will post more current ones! If you have any gardening questions, please feel free to ask away. I'll do my best to help!

Menu Monday!

2011-06-06T15:47:00.000-05:00

Doth mine eyes deceive me? Is it really a Menu Monday, on Monday even?!

Oh yes, chickadees. I actually have my house in order this week! Or shall make a valiant attempt.

Monday:
Pancakes, blueberries and banana
Fettuccine Alfredo, broccoli, applesauce and bread/jelly
Cool Salad, TBD exactly

Tuesday:
Eggs, toast, cheese, oranges
PBJ, carrots, apples
Mexi-stuffed peppers(a super big recipe to freeze several entrées!)

Wednesday:
Pancakes, berries(whatever is good and available this evening at the store)
Grilled pizza with bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, oranges
Dad's house

Thursday:
Eggs, toast, cheese, oranges
Easy corn chowder, apples or grapes, bread
Chiro appt- so just leftovers

Friday:
Steel cut oats, berries or bananas
Tilapia or Salmon, steamed veggies and applesauce
Thai red curry(another make ahead freezer meal that will yield extra entrées!)

This week is about one part easy, one part plan ahead. In addition to the 2 freezer meals on Tuesday and Friday, we'll make at least one or two more on Saturday. My hope is to get in the habit of doing a couple of these a week so come crunch time in the fall- AKA, canning AND baby- it won't be too out of control.

Happy Monday!

The End of our Breastfeeding Journey: 17 months

2011-06-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

Well, we almost made my goal of 18 months. It's close enough that I truly do consider it met. We made it 17 months in breastfeeding!

*insert cheer, yay, rah rah rah, boom, and assorted other huzzah's*

When we went on vacation the first part of May, we were so busy my son didn't really have the opportunity to nurse much. And he wasn't asking for it. After a week and a half of nursing maybe once or twice a day, I figured he was done.

We got back home and I was surprised when he wanted to nurse frequently again. Unfortunately by that point, what little milk I may have had left was greatly reduced. Add that to the fact he was cutting teeth and it was painful. I wished he would just be done!

Fast forward to tonight. Tonight was a rough night for the little man. He was overtired and those darn teeth still hurting. There was much screaming for 2 hours straight. When the tempest passed, he decided he wanted me. Not daddy. Which was unusual. So I thought maybe he wanted to nurse?(That's generally why he chooses me over Dad!)

Nope. He just wanted to lay in my arms and snuggle while I sang softly to him.

There's a part of me that wants to cry. To hang on for dear life to my baby. He is growing up so fast! And he won't be the baby of the family for much longer. We have such a different bond, he and I, than what I understood could be had when my daughter was a baby. I know I am afraid to lose that with him when #3 is born.

All that and I'm so thankful we were able to breastfeed as long as we did. It was only thanks to the love and support I received from many women I've never met in real life! My only hope is to pay it forward to other mothers who also wish to breastfeed their babies. Having done both, bottle and breast, I will say from my experience there is no comparison to the joy you receive from knowing your body is nourishing your baby in the healthiest way possible. If able, you won't regret it!

My Prince

Extremely Belated Wordless(Almost) Wednesday: Week 18: Belly pic

2011-06-06T15:34:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've hit week 18 in pregnancy #4. I can hardly believe we're almost at the halfway mark! For those unfamiliar with how we roll in bellies, don't hate. *wink* My torso is 4 inches longer than the average woman's. Which equals a fairly small bump. What it does not mean, however, is getting out of morning sickness, the inability to sleep at night, back pain and peeing my pants when I sneeze.

Yep. I promise I'm really pregnant. The less-than-thrilled look on my face was due to my husband's refusal to get me donuts. Grrr...

Winner! $30 gift certificate to Jen Speers Norwex!

2011-06-03T15:20:00.000-05:00

Lucky number 2.... Amanda!

Thanks to those that entered! Amanda, I have emailed you at your provided address; just leave me a comment here if you don't receive that email.

Happy Friday everyone!

Last call! Norwex $30 gift certificate ends tonight!

2011-06-02T16:30:00.000-05:00

If you've wanted to try them but haven't, or even if you have already and love them, make sure to head over to Jen Speers Norwex on facebook and 'like' her page! Then comment here or there that you did that and you're entered.

My favorite things to clean thus far have been the windows. Totally serious. I'm a wee bit OCD when it comes to streaks and whatnot, so it can be a tedious task requiring multiple attempts. Generally ending in just giving up! But with a microfiber Norwex cloth and their Purple Drying Cloth, it's literally a one time deal. AND, no chemicals necessary. Just water. For real!

If you aren't sure where to start in trying their products out, personally I'd recommend the Basic Package. It's only 30.99 and includes 1 small enviro cloth and 1 window cloth. Consider the paper towels, window cleaning solution, time and energy you could save!

Ends tonight, 11:59 PM CST. I will draw the winner tomorrow!

An Unintentional Test: Old Eating Habits

2011-05-31T21:37:00.000-05:00

When things started to get tough at home and work a few months ago, my usual steadfast resolve to make my own from scratch and eat healthy foods wavered. Then crashed. Then burned. Big time.

Queue lots of eating out, eating junk food, drinking soda. Every trip to the grocery store meant either donuts(if in the morning) or a candy bar(if in the evening). I'm definitely an emotional eater, no doubt about it. Even sitting here now- after the day from Hades- I can't help but wish I had a plain glazed donut for each hand.

That's bad.

Pretty much our diet reverted back to what I'd consider to be the average American's diet. McD's, chips, soda, candy bars, easy processed meals, etc. Here's what I noticed in my 8-ish week binge with the dark side:

1. It's expensive.

2. It tastes gross.

3. It only added to my overall feelings of, well, feeling yucky.

Some may be surprised at the first item. Generally our organic diet is equated with a more expensive grocery bill. And in some things, it can be. But I think the idea that processed food is less expensive than organic whole foods is very false. Organic processed food, well, ok that definitely is more expensive. Pre-pregnancy and general life disasters my organic grocery bill was around $50 a week. That's for a family of 4 and feeding some extra mouths during the week. Now it's more like $100. That's not counting eating out.

Number two surprised me. Not sure why! As with the last 3 pregnancies, as soon as we get knocked up it's like some sensor kicks on and I can taste or smell chemicals a mile away. Fake sugars, preservatives, etc. I'm like a human divining rod for fake food! There was a time I delighted in eating the chocolate off a Milky Way; I'd flatten the remaining caramel and nougat, roll it up and finish it off. So I grabbed a Milky Way one day to eat clandestinely on the way home. And you know what? It was gross. I couldn't even finish it.

Of course there was plenty else going on that would explain some of the yuck feelings. But there's no question eating poorly contributed in a negative way. I justified everything I ate via cravings or the *need* to gain weight for the pregnancy. Not smart, Stacy!

So, what's a girl to do?

Start being smart, for one. This weekend I put time into making a pantry list of everything I already have. Then sat down and came up with a list of meal ideas based around the pantry list. Even busted out my Fix it and Freeze it book to choose a half-dozen freezer meal ideas I'll work on.

It's time to get back in the saddle and take care of myself. And the baby I'm growing. If you've fallen off the proverbial saddle, too, hop back in with me. And pass the organic broccoli, please!

Birthing Pools Seized?

2011-05-27T16:30:00.001-05:00

I came across some info on Facebook yesterday(I know, sometimes I think it's about as reliable as wikipedia) about the FDA seizing a container of birthing pools at customs in Portland, OR. The intent being to 'inspect and destroy' the pools as they are unregistered medical equipment.

First of all, I hope it's not true. But sadly, it is very likely legit. The FDA has to look like they're doing something when in reality they're about as effective as a wet match. Running with the assumption that this isn't a ploy to garner media attention by the birthing pool industry, let's consider what reasons may be behind this sudden interest in birthing pools by the busy, busy, FDA.

Taxes?

One comment I read noted that under the new healthcare laws, medical equipment carries a 10% tax. From what I understand, the tax is on the companies making the devices. I'll be upfront and tell you I've no desire to understand taxes so forgive any ignorance on my part in how they work. My brain's already junked up enough thanks to variable annuities!

Anyways, the thought is that unless the birthing pools are labelled 'medical devices' by the FDA, they can't tax them with that special medical tax. Hence the motivation to seize and require they become registered or whatnot. Money is always a motivator.

Preventing access to alternative birthing options?

My own initial thoughts on this were that they wanted to prevent having the option of a safe birthing pool to deter women from homebirths. Now I know many have used bathtubs and even kiddie pools successfully, but my personal opinion is that those(especially the kiddie pools) aren't the safest option due to needed depth of water and consistent temperature. No flames, please. Just my opinion.

Again in this possibility, money could be a legitimate factor due to the continuing rise of homebirths in the US. In 2008, there were over 28,000 homebirths(0.67 %). I'm sure that number has increased significantly since '08. Just taking that 28,000 and averaging a 10,000 total cost each to have a baby in a hospital- well, you've got a significant number I'm sure some are losing sleep over.

Which on that note, if homebirths were only 0.67 % of all births in '08, birthing is some crazy profitable business for the doctors and hospitals of the remaining 99.33 %!

Those are the two main ideas I've come across thus far for the purported actions of the FDA. Maybe it's neither, maybe it's a combo of both? In either case money stands to be had and I'm guessing someone wants it.

The situation is of some interest and concern for me as I'd love to have a waterbirth. If I'd had my way, my son would have been born in water! At my most recent (hospital)Midwives appointment, I asked if I were to rent a tub could we could bring it in to the hospital. The answer was no, as they don't have anyone trained on them. I knew this would be the answer but hope if they see a demand, it'll eventually be offered.

But what about homebirth?

It is something we seriously considered with my son. Unfortunately due to finances, it just isn't feasible for us. (And unassisted is not an option for me.) In my area, we currently have 2 Certified Nurse Midwives. Each one's fee is about $5,500. I think that's fair. However my insurance won't cover a homebirth midwife- just midwives that birth in centers or hospitals. We don't even have a Birth Center active at the moment(will hopefully spring of 2012). To rent a birthing pool adds another $600. On the flip side, I can go through the midwife group attached to one of my local hospitals and it'll cost less than half of that $5,500. From experience with my son, I can say that while not all of my plan was followed, it was a huge difference from what happened at the birth of my daughter.

So waterbirth is a bit of a pipe dream for me. Unless they magically get that birth center up and running by October! (Not happening). Then again, we do hope to have 4 children so I've got another shot at maybe in the future.

Here are some links if you'd like to look at other blogs or see where I got my numbers:

http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/20428 - Homebirth numbers

http://wonderfullymadebelliesandbabies.blogspot.com/2011/05/chance-to-make-change.html - FDA seizing pools blog post and great ideas for how to respond.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Waterbirth-International/356739977947 - Waterbirth International facebook page

As I get more information I'll try to update my post. Still really hoping this isn't true.

Norwex Winner and Extra Giveaway!

2011-05-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

Congrats to the Klemm Family! I am emailing you now and will ship the product out as soon as I get your info back!

***EXTRA GIVEAWAY ALERT***

And because the more I use these cloths, the more impressed I am and sure that everyone should give them a try. I'm going to self-sponsor a $30 gift certificate to be used at Jennifer Speers Norwex! Throughout the next few days I'll be talking more about where I'm using them around my house and how they are working out.

What would you get?

A Basic Package?

Some Kitchen Scrub Cloths?

I'm drooling over the Mop Starter Package... Oh yes, I am!

Just 'Like' Jen Speers Norwex on facebook and comment here OR on my facebook wall post that you've done so.

(Make sure I have a way to contact you if your profile is set to private.)

For an extra entry, refer friends and family to also 'Like' Jenn Speers Norwex on facebook. You get an entry for each person that says you referred them! No Limit!

***This is just a quickie giveaway running until 6/2/11 11:59 PM CST. Self-Sponsored! You know the drill. Have fun and a great Memorial Day weekend.***

Hello, Old Friend

2011-05-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to feel like a broken record, 'Apologies for my absence...'

We survived 'vacation'. What a silly word, by the way. One that invokes ideas of relaxation and/or rejuvenation. Which, if you're headed to a week at the spa, may be the case. But let's be honest- there's nothing relaxing or rejuvenating about driving 1400 miles(one way) with 6 people in a car. Add almost daily trips about, not always the healthiest food and a 2 hour time difference = potentially a recipe for disaster.

Disaster it truly wasn't, but prepared for the aftermath, not so much. I keep thinking I've felt what has to be 100% exhaustion and then amazingly, it gets worse. In my pregnancies that equates more puking and general passing out. As all mom's know this doesn't mean life slows down in sympathy one iota to allow us time to catch up. And I've found myself slipping further and further behind. Like I'm walking in water or have 20 pounds of mud on each shoe. Each seemingly small task or obligation has felt insurmountable to the point I've been incapable at accomplishing anything, even the things I used to enjoy.

I'm sure there are several readers that can see the red flags in the above paragraphs. Yes, I've slipped into stupid depression over the last few months. An Old Friend, if you will, that I haven't seen around since before I got pregnant with my first. What makes it more frustrating is that I generally feel the best(mentally/emotionally) when pregnant. Must be a better mix of hormones for me. Go figure.

This realization was just had recently and I'm taking steps to reduce some stress triggers in an effort to get on top of it. One big one being taking a paycut for a while at work and reducing some hours. Financially it's a bad plan but, saving what's left of my sanity is worth the sacrifice. I haven't been the mom, wife or individual I want to be for several weeks/months and it's time to take care of myself so I can get back to that.

Another thing that may be changing some is my blog. It started out for fun and migrated into almost a part-time job. Which also migrated into being not fun and more stressful than cathartic(which is why I write). Props to the moms that can manage full time blogging with a full time job! I'm not that good. So I'm going back to what I am good at- sharing life, thoughts, information- as able. No schedule to follow, no expectations to keep up with the Big Blogs!

My blog is going to be just Me. Trying my best to take care of my family and make the world a better place.

I invite you along for the bumpy, but hopefully worthwhile, ride.

Jen Speers Norwex review and giveaway!

2011-05-04T20:21:00.000-05:00

Unless you're living under a rock, you've probably caught wind of the hot 'new' company, Norwex! I first heard about them around New Year's at my aunt's home in Minnesota. My aunt had attended a Norwex party and fallen in love with their products. She was very excited at the prospect of cleaning without the use of toxic chemicals. Which we definitely love in the Crazy Green Home!

Fast forward a few months and my mom gave me a couple to try(right about the time morning sickness set in). She kept telling me how great they worked but you know how sometimes things go in one ear and out the other when your mom talks? Even at almost 30, I just can't help it. Then my good friend, Jen Speers, contacted me about reviewing some additional products and hosting a giveaway. So I figured it was high time I found out for myself what the fuss was about.

To start, Norwex has actually been around for a while. They began in Norway, 1995. Then moved into the US and Canadian markets in 1999. From there it's been nothing but growth! It was in 2007 though, that they introduced the antibacterial microfiber. That's when things really took off. And for good reason- it truly is a remarkable product.

The Norwex Microfiber is different than the kind you'd find in stores. It's a certain blend of polyester and polyamide. They get the fiber smaller than 1/100th of a human hair and then knit it in such a way that it becomes an amazing cleaning material. It can hold up to 7 times its weight in water. And while many lesser quality materials simply smear dirt around, the Norwex microfiber actually picks it up. The idea is you can clean WITHOUT using those toxic, harsh chemicals that are affecting our health and creating super bugs. And how is this possible? Because their material is antibacterial.

Why is Norwex Microfiber antibacterial? It's due to special technology they use with silver particles. (My washing machine actually has a silver cycle on it, too!) The Enviro Cloth picks up bacteria and due to the silver particles, they are removed. Testing has shown it effective against E. Coli, Salmonella, Bird Flu, MRSA, SARS, etc. Some nasty bugs! The Enviro Cloth is not the only product with the silver in it. The Window Cloth, Dusting Mitt, Towels and Mop Pads do, as well.

And it didn't take me long to see why so many people love Norwex! I started out in the bathroom. On the toughest thing I could think of: our tub. Hate, hate, hate scrubbing the tub and shower tiles. Despise! Short-cut! Pass it off to the hubs! Using the yellow Enviro Cloth I went to town on it with a bit of a scowl. Which was soon replaced with a look of surprise. Followed by... delight? Joy? Oh yes, I scrubbed that tub with glee. It was amazing. We have an old cast iron tub and my wonderful (but sometimes misguided DIY) hubby used the wrong grout when he redid the tiles. The iron in our water also leaves a bit of a rust stain. But that cloth took it right off.

So I hopped out of the tub when it was done and kept going. It was a bit addictive to see what I could try cleaning next. The mirrors, followed by the purple Window Cloth. NO STREAKS. NO LINT. It was so easy! Actually, easy pretty much sums up what it's like to use these cloths. It just doesn't take as much effort and they are so effective. I'm sold. We have an Enviro Cloth, Window Cloth and Kitchen Cloth. I've heard great things about their mops, too, so will definitely be getting those to try on our hardwood floors and tiles.

Norwex carries tons of different products for the home in addition to the Microfiber Cloths. They have a floor system, bath and body products, home essentials, a kids' line, etc.

I'm so grateful to my friend, Jen Speers, for finally getting me motivated to try Norwex! And because she's so awesome, she's also giving away some great product to one of our readers to try! Here's what the package will include:

1 Pink Enviro Cloth

1 Fruit and Veggie Scrubber

1 Norwex Dishwashing Liquid

1 Micro Cleaning Hand Pads

Retail Value: $43.96

To Enter:

Please visit www.speersnorwex.com and comment which item you would be most interested in trying.

Then, 'like' Jen Speers Norwex on facebook. Comment when you've done that!

Each task is worth an entry, so make sure to leave two total comments with an email address that I can contact you at if you should be the lucky winner! That's all, easy peasy! The giveaway will run until 5/15/11 at 11:59 PM CST.

If you are interested in purchasing, hosting or selling Norwex, you may contact Jen Speers at www.speersnorwex.com or email her at Speersnorwex (at) gmail (dot) com.

***I received product to aid in giving my honest review, no monetary compensation was received. The opinions and experiences contained are my own. We would like to thank Jen Speers Norwex for the opportunity to try their products!***

Silikids Siliskin review

2011-05-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

A little while back I was sent a pair of Silikids Siliskins for baby food jars to try out! My kiddo is largely past baby food now at 16 months but we do still carry some on the go for emergency snack situations. (He is always hungry) Silikids carries several different silicone sleeves that are great for all kinds of things. First, here's the baby food jar skins in action:

Here you can see the small and large size jars to get an idea of what they look like.

It is probably hard to discern, but there are bumps to aid in grip.

And here's a side and bottom view. The hole on the side I used to pull the skin on the jar. It was easy.

Silikids is a relatively new company started by a couple of moms tired of the toxic garbage in kid products. (We can relate!) They opted for silicone as it's safe, clean and hygienic. This is due to silicon's non-porous properties. It's easy to sterilize, germs in general can't hang out and it's soft, making it great for many different uses. Silicone also is not made with BPA, lead, PVC or phthalates.

The idea behind these silicone skins is to reduce breakage in your diaper bag or via dropping your glass jar, bottle, etc. The skin both protects the item and serves to give you(or baby) a better grip. They are dishwasher safe; technically you could even throw them in the freezer or microwave. There are several siliskins you can purchase of varying sizes- including ones with the glass or glass bottle already in them!

I've been carrying around those two jars in my bag for a good week now. They've taken all the standard beating, getting banged around, dropping the bag, stepping on the bag, etc. So far, so good! We'll be taking them with us to Arizona tomorrow. I'd really love to try the 6oz glass 4-pack that Silikids carries, too. We have some well-known plastic sippie cups we've been using and I'd love to toss them and go to glass. Plastic issues aside, dentists for years have been saying it's better to get our kids to use cups rather than sippies, anyways. They are also on my list to buy for my kids' Kleen Kanteens. Every time they drop their Kleen Kanteens I cringe; wouldn't have to if we had Siliskins on them!

You can purchase Silikids Siliskin products on their website at www.Silikids.com! The pair of baby food jars is only 6.95. Definitely worth checking out if you are a glass user or wanting to switch to glass but concerned about things getting broken.

Follow Silikids on facebook and twitter.

**I received product in order to provide my opinion and experiences; I was not compensated monetarily. The words contained herein are my own and not influenced in any way.**

Wordless Wednesday- Sibling Love

2011-05-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

Pardon the poor quality camera phone picture! But I think you get the idea. The kids have started holding hands in the car between their seats when we go places. They laugh, make silly noises together and in general, melt my heart.

SCOTT Naturals review- 4 Week Test Drive

2011-05-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

The company SCOTT Brand, known for their paper products like napkins, paper towels and bath tissue, has recently come out with a new line called Scott Naturals! SCOTT Naturals are a made with a blend of recycled and new materials. The result are hybrid products that both perform well and are kinder to our environment.

(Sorry, wasn't smart enough to grab a picture BEFORE I opened and used the product!)

I've been participating in their 4 Week Test Drive to see just what I think about their new products firsthand. Now I'll preface the following with this was actually a little difficult for me. 'How hard can it be to use paper towels and napkins, Stacy!?' Well, you'd be surprised how hard it is to break a 4 year habit! Since shortly before my daughter was born, we switched to using mostly cloth. That being said, I recognize cloth is not for everyone and am thankful for efforts being made by companies to use more recyclable materials. SCOTTS Naturals Brand Manager Jennifer Nobui states, 'If we all used SCOTT Naturals products for four weeks, we'd save over two million trees.'

So obviously, if cloth products aren't an option in your home, it would be eco-prudent to consider using ones that contain recycled material. I can hear what you're thinking. 'I've tried them before and (insert product here) fell apart, didn't work well, wasn't soft, etc.' Oh yes, I've been-there-tried-that 1-ply recycled toilet paper!(Yuck!) But after giving SCOTT Naturals a go for the past 4 weeks, I can tell you they are indeed both functioning and eco-friendly.

Here's a break down of what I tried:

Bath Tissue: SCOTT Naturals tissue is 2-ply and contains 40% recycled material. Even the packaging is made from 20% post-consumer recycled plastic and the cardboard tubes are 100% recycled material.

My take: Not bad for a recycled bath tissue. My family will tell you, I've bought some pretty tough stuff, but I've heard no complaints from them while using SCOTT.

Paper Towels: SCOTT Naturals towels are made from 60% recycled material. They also offer the option of using half a sheet versus a full one. The packaging is again 20% post-consumer recycled plastic and the cardboard tubes are 100% recycled material.

My take: I really can't tell a huge difference between these and ones made from all new materials. They function just as they ought! And amazingly enough I actually WAS thankful to have them available while struggling with morning sickness. We'll leave it at that.

Napkins: SCOTT Naturals napkins are made from 80% recycled material.

My take: I love that they have such a high content of recycled material. Again, you really can't tell the difference between these and those made from all new materials. They were quite handy for my daughter's tea party!

Flushable Moist Wipes: SCOTT Naturals flushable moist wipes are made from 100% sustainable resources. Available in tubs or refill packs. The tubs contain 30% recycled material, the refill pouches contain 25% and the bags the pouches come in are 20% recycled material.

My take: This is the only product to date we haven't used. Why? Because I'm saving them for Arizona! What better test than a 24 one-way trip with 2 kids?

I found it interesting how the recycled content percentage varied from product to product. Part of me wishes it were all 100%, but the logical part of me knows that isn't possible if we want a product that people will actually use. (Because I totally know just how fun that 100% recycled, 1-ply tissue is!) Bottomline, I truly believe you'll find SCOTT Naturals to be a quality, eco-friendly alternative to products made with no recycled materials.

'Take the 4-Week Test Drive' Sweepstakes!

(From the sponsor) In honor of Earth Month, the Scott Naturals brand is challenging Americans to take an easy green step by testing out its line of hybrid paper products for four weeks- and to enter the brand's 'Take the 4-Week Test Drive' sweepstakes for a chance at winning a new 2011 Ford Fusion hybrid sedan.

For more details and official sweepstakes rules, visit www.ScottBrand.com. Promotion ends 9/30/11.

SkinMD Natural Shielding Lotion review

2011-05-02T11:30:00.019-05:00

A few weeks ago I was sent a bottle of SkinMD Natural Shielding Lotion to try out! I'll be honest- I'm not a huge lotion fanatic. You won't find me at a certain large bath products shop as scents make me nauseous and we're really trying hard to reduce product use in the home that contain parabens, sulfates and the like. SkinMD is definitely my kind of lotion, although it took me a while to really start to use it since it hasn't been habit.

This little bottle packs a lasting punch!

What I like best about the Shielding Lotion is how non-greasy it goes on. A little bit goes a long way and it absorbs readily without leaving you feeling like you might need to wash your hands to rid the residue. It also doesn't have a scent, which I greatly appreciate(as does my husband). Of course the big question is if it works- and I'm happy to say that under the most dire, roughed up, dried-out gardening hands, it truly does.

This is all I put on. Initially you can apply every 2-8 hours, then once or twice a day. I probably use it twice a day due to gardening.

In the last week of gorgeous weather we've really put the Shielding Lotion to the test. One of the worst things I get from gardening without gloves(I know, I know, just can't stand wearing them!) are these prickly bits of skin that stick up on my fingers and grab on to anything with texture. Getting dressed can be pure torture! However, after a couple applications of the lotion, the condition of my hands greatly improve. Even to the point I can pull on my cotton, sweater-knit top and not cringe!

There are other things I appreciate about the SkinMD Natural company. For one, they don't do any animal testing. They are also free of animal products and use 100% solar energy to manufacture their product. If only every company made such efforts.

SkinMD Natural has a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and you can even request a sample to try before purchasing here! They have two formulas; the original and one with SPF 15. You can purchase on their website or use the store locator for a retailer near you.

Catch up with SkinMD Natural on facebook and twitter for the latest news and deals.

***I was sent a complimentary bottle of lotion in order to base my review; it in no way influenced my review and the words contained here are reflective of my honest opinion and experiences with the product.***

Menu Monday?

2011-05-02T11:30:00.018-05:00

Menu Monday has been a disaster the last month. I kept trying, but any effort to stick to it has been outdone by work stress, morning sickness and family events. My usual healthy, frugal, home-cooked diet has been replaced with eating out and convenience foods. Don't get me wrong- I've discovered some very handy and healthy fast fixes(hello, creamy tomato soup in a box!) but it adds up quickly to a much higher grocery bill than what I'm accustomed. Truthfully, there are no plans to rectify this sad state of affairs until we get back from our 'vacation' to Arizona. So, barring any disasters or continued morning sickness, my goal is to resume Menu Monday with the usual gusto May 23rd. Possibly a trial run on the 16th, but don't hold your breath!

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

2011-05-01T20:27:00.001-05:00

Many apologies for my lengthy absence, life kept tossing tomatoes quicker than I could catch them! Ok, not all tomatoes, some lemons which were made promptly into lemonade. But things have finally eased up a bit to the point I feel I can blog positively again! Skipping the tomatoes, let's do a quick picture recap of the things that have kept me happy the past few weeks:

Girly's birthday(s)
My sweet daughter had her 4th birthday mid-April. The much loved birthday girl pretty much had a whole month of birthday goings on! From a special mommy/daddy/daughter date to purchase our first fish(that debacle shall be saved for later blogging), to birthday parties with 3 sets of grandparents(all separately) and one tea party hosted by yours truly for her little friends, it was busy. Think, lots of balloons. Lots of missed naps. But lots of great times with family!

Easter
Easter pretty much ran like all of our other holidays; aka: 4 family dinners. Three of those crammed into one weekend! No, we don't do anything the easy way here. That's just how it rolls with a large, close family. While it all ends with the wish of one more day to recover, wouldn't change it if I could.

Gardening
We lucked out in the midwest with a week of great weather around the start of April. It was well timed as we had 4 fruit trees, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries all delivered about that time. We worked hard to get everything in and were rewarded with just barely making it before the rains moved in. Lovely! Even managed to get the flower beds somewhat cleaned of debris and winter cover which I'm hoping equated to less chance of slugs. The last week of April was once again gorgeous, so we've been back at it mulching, tilling, planting, building raised beds, etc. There is still lots to do but I feel so much better now looking out at my tidy gardens.

Baby
I wasn't joking when I said we don't do anything the easy way here! To add to life(pun intended) we're expecting baby number 3. A bit of a surprise, but we are very excited. I'm about 13 weeks now and finally starting to feel something akin to human again. Technically this is my 4th pregnancy and I have to say, out of all of them this has been the hardest. The morning sickness has been difficult(may as well call it half of the day sickness) but the worst has been the exhaustion. Sheer, utter, indescribable exhaustion. Most likely exacerbated by stress from those tomatoes and lemons. But thankfully it's easing! Our due date is sometime November. My belly is definitely sticking out earlier than the others!

So that's about it. Minus the produce which you don't want to hear about. There's a lot to catch up on- I'll get there, bear with me! We have a mini vacation coming up next week but I'll be taking my trusty little netbook with me to blog our experiences. Twenty-four hour car trip one way with 2 kids and my in-laws? Check. First experience in Arizona? Check check. Copious amounts of delicious Mexican food? Check, check, double check! If nothing else, I'm sure you'll want to peek in to see what nuggets of wisdom were gleaned from the 24 hour, one way drive. Did I say 24 hours? Oh yes. Yes, I did.

Happy May Day!

Trudie Davies Designs: April 2011 Giveaway

2011-04-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have a little weakness for handmade jewelry. Trudie Davies Designs has some really beautiful pieces. And since this month is her birthday, she's giving away a gorgeous stacking ring set! Go and enter it now!

Trudie Davies Designs: April 2011 Giveaway: "Well It is my birthday this month and I have not done a giveaway on my blog for a while - so here it is April 2011's giveaway: I reckon it..."

Good Reads: GMOs, Medela and Bravado

2011-04-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

Why You Need to Take the GMO Threat Personally- Not Academically
Eco-Farming Crops Yield More than GMOs...
I pretty much eat, sleep and breathe GMO information.

Medela Pumps Light Breasts on Fire, FDA is Mad
My opinion of the FDA and it's effectiveness aside, the more I learn about Medela the more frustrated I become. This was the first thing I read about the pumps loosing their suction- which is exactly what happened to mine. I thought it was something I did wrong. Next time we're in the market for a pump definitely going Ameda!

Bravado Sells Out for the Big Bucks
Sigh.

Wordless Wednesday- Sleeping Puppets

2011-04-06T10:00:00.002-05:00

Modest, Sleeping Puppets

This is how my almost 4 yr old put her Prince and Princess puppets to sleep the other day. Can't remember if I'd posted on our first boyfriend experience. But that's where this came from! Her little crush spent the day with us a couple of Fridays ago and they were in heaven playing The Prince Rescues the Princess! Cape, dress and all. It was hilarious. She even asked me if they could kiss. Which I was definitely not ready for(at least she asked??). Mom's quick thinking said hugging is better. *wink* Ah, young love!

So much for Wordless Wednesday... haha.

Baked Falafel recipe

2011-04-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

My friend Heather told me about her Baked Falafel recipe post when I was looking for a new version to try. So we put it to the test a couple of weeks ago. It was really delicious and so easy! Stuff a couple in a pita pocket with whatever extras you enjoy and you've got a healthy meal. My kids all did great with them, too.

Check out her post: Baked Falafel for the recipe.

And I used this Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing recipe to go with. Yum!

Of course now I'm having a bad case of Mommy Brain, but I really don't think I strayed too far from the original recipes. Might have added a lightly beaten egg white or two to help it all stick together! Man, now I'm hungry after looking at these pictures. Yum yum!

Diaper, Diaper, Who's Got the Diaper?

2011-04-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

Did you ever play that game as a kid? Button, button, who's got the button? That was one of my favorites! Of course now I look back and think, really, not exactly an exciting game to play with just two or three people. But still! Loved it. Along with Skinamarinky Dinky Dink and Heads Down, Thumbs Up!

This evening, however, I pay homage to another love- my cloth diapers. Three in particular.

Green Acre Designs pocket. Bought used for 6.50. In rotation for 1 year.

Green Acre Designs pocket #2. Bought used for 6.50. In rotation for 1 year.

Patchwork Pixie fitted. Bought used for 10.00. In rotation for my daughter and son!

While I'm not sure an approximate number of use for the Patchwork Pixie fitted, I can estimate the GAD pockets to have been somewhere around 200 times each. They weren't pretty when I got them! But they sure paid for themselves and then some(5 times over, to be exact). With a simple prefold insert, these puppies were an awesome workhorse diaper. It was painful but I finally sent the GADs on to the Great Cloth Diaper Heaven in the sky. The PWP I can't let go of, yet- rather silly but sentimental in that it was used on both of my babies.

Just had to share! We usually only see pictures of super cute, super new diapers. This is what those diapers look like when they've been loved, loved and loved some more. There's no shame in holey dipes! Only love, respect and gratitude. Wear 'em out, mamas!

Menu... Almost Monday!

2011-04-04T22:13:00.000-05:00

Well, technically it's publishing on Monday but I know most of ya'll won't see it until Tuesday! Generally I get it put together on Sunday evening, however with a trip to my grandpa's far this weekend that didn't happen. Pulled today off by the skin of my teeth and have some good things in store for the rest of the week.

Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal, raisins and banana
Lunch: Hamburgers with veggies in them, whole wheat rolls, carrots and apples
Dinner: Leftover. Thank goodness for leftovers!

Tuesday
Breakfast: Eggs, toast, banana, cheese
Lunch: Shrimp and Asparagus pasta, applesauce
Dinner: Kale and sausage soup, rolls, apples or grapes

Wednesday
Breakfast: Pancakes, berries
Lunch: Brazilian bean soup, oranges, rolls
Dinner: My Dad's/Papa's!

Thursday
Breakfast: Eggs, toast, banana, cheese
Lunch: PBJ, crudites, apples or grapes
Dinner: Cheater's skillet meal. Oh yes. I'm totally cheating with a frozen entree.

Friday
Breakfast: Pancakes, berries
Lunch: Squash soup, bacon, rolls, apples or grapes
Dinner: Grill night! Steaks, fries and whatever fruit is left

Truly this week should be a fairly cheap one, which is great. And I've given up on the whole Wednesday shopping switch for a while. It'd probably be easier if I made the week's menu on say, Tuesday, then shopped on Wednesday. But my brain isn't capable of that switch at the moment! Something feels so unorganized about it, and Stacy needs to grasp whatever straws of organization she can manage!

Happy eating!

Hey there, Hot Stuff!

2011-04-04T21:00:00.000-05:00

I have to share a little personal celebration- although this is a bit of a lame post as it lacks pictures. But no matter! I'm doing a little happy dance because...

... I'm seeing a number on the scale I haven't seen in 10 years. Ok, 11+ years! I'm in a size that I've never worn!(Though this may be in part because I swear they have sized up everything. Still going to celebrate!)

And I'm not even sure how it happened. Yeah, I know way back New Years-ish I posted this schmancy 8 week Transition Diet from Beachbody we were going to work on. Totally honest with you- pretty much never got past the first couple weeks. (And never got back to working out like I wanted, either.) Yet, the pounds kept coming off!

So what is my secret? Was it some magic pill, potion or cleanse? Well again, I'm not entirely sure but I can tell you the couple changes I made and adhered to the past few months:

1. No soda. None.
2. Lots of water.
3. Reduced milk/dairy intake.

That's it. I'm now 10lbs under what I was when I got pregnant with my 4 year old. And I was in pretty good shape even then!

This is not to say that I don't believe in regular exercise- that's very important and we're working on incorporating that more into our daily life. But I do hope this might be motivational to someone out there not sure where to start. We didn't even drink that much soda to begin with, so if you're a big soda drinker you may see better results than I have!

So there you go! My newly discovered weight-loss secrets! Grab that reusable water bottle and fill 'er up with filtered tap water. Really technical, eh? Happy drinking!

Boost Your Buzz, $1000 giveaway!

2011-03-31T22:26:00.002-05:00

How does a cool $1,000 in your paypal account sound?!

Enter the Boost Your Buzz $1,000 Giveaway! One lucky person is going to win $1000 USD paid via Paypal! No joke. And remember, SOMEONE has to win- it might be you! (I would know, last fall it was me. *wink*)

Gain entries in this giveaway by following Adventures in Green Living on GFC, twitter and facebook!

The giveaway starts April 1st 12 am EST until April 15th 11:59 pm EST and is open worldwide. $1,000 CASH prize will be delivered via paypal as soon as the winner’s entry has been verified.

Boost Your Buzz can be entered on Survey Junkie, Simply Stacie or Little Yaya’s (you only have to enter on one of the sites as the forms will be the same on each).

Good luck, have fun!

Menu Monday!

2011-03-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

Belated, but made it! Actually had it done yesterday but spent time with my mom instead of blogging. Last week I had a menu but it was a bit of a disaster. We had so much stuff happen that we ended up eating out not once, not twice, not even three times. FOUR! Four times! That is pretty off the charts for us. And again, a testament to the rotten week it was. This week just has to be better. I demand it!

Monday
B: Oatmeal, raisins and walnuts, oranges or blueberries
L: Calzones with spinach and mushrooms, applesauce
D: Egg drop soup, apples and crackers

Tuesday
B: Eggs, toast, strawberries, cheese
L: Sausage Kale Soup, bread, apples or grapes
D: Pa Jun, grilled fruits? TBD

Wednesday
B: Chocolate chip banana pancakes, extra banana and bacon
L: Burritos with lettuce, tomato, cheese, apples and carrots
D: Dad's/Papa's!

Thursday
B: Oatmeal with raisins and walnuts, oranges
L: Vegetable soup from the broth I'm going to make to use in a beef stew, bread and apples
D: Leftovers

Friday
B: Eggs, toast, strawberries, cheese
L: Alfredo pasta with salmon and peas, applesauce
D: Dinner with a friend!

A mostly simple week. Much needed. Still working on doing the bulk of my shopping Wednesdays as that is my local store's 10% off organics deal. It is really hard to switch gears from shopping on Mondays!

Wordless Wednesday- Dude, Where's My Car?

2011-03-23T21:00:00.001-05:00

Where's my car, Dude?

Oh, it's right here!

Future heart-breaker!

Brazilian Feijoada recipe

2011-03-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

While searching for recipes to use a hamhock, came across this gem on myrecipes.com. My husband lived in Brazil for a while so I thought I'd give it a try and surprise him!

Brazilian Feijoada

Ingredients

2 cups dried black beans
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
3 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (9-ounce) smoked ham hock
1 tablespoon white vinegar
8 orange wedges

For the rest of the recipe, go HERE

I'll be honest, not a huge meat gal and this was a lot of meat. A little pricier dish than what I usually do, too! But the hubs loved it and said it was pretty close to perfect. Well, he really said it was perfect but I know it was a little off. For all of my culinary practice, I am not a good crockpot cook. Which may be in part due to the crappy crockpot we have(now had, thanks to my mom buying us a new one for our anniversary!). It always ran hot, even on low. Which makes for a lot of overcooked meat if you aren't super on the ball. Who is with kids?! Anyways, my only 'error' was upping the liquid to 2 1/2 cups. A straight 2 would have been better. And the meat counter was out of bone-in beef ribs so had to fudge with regular boneless ribs. Make sure those beans are in the liquid, too. They stay firm if not!

All in all, it's a good meal for the carnivorous sort. Won't be doing it often, but it's a nice treat for the hubs once in a while. Served with rice fried Brazilian style. Would be awesome with mango and avocado!

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry recipe

2011-03-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Not sure how I found this one amidst all of the recipes out there, but so glad I did! It is such a unique mix of ingredients(in my opinion) and you just can't go wrong with curry!

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

Ingredients

2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For the rest go HERE

The big change I made due to reviewers' recommendations was to switch out the chicken stock for a can of light coconut milk. Yum! Didn't have coriander on hand so used a teaspoon of Rogan Josh from Penzey's Spices instead. Also no fresh ginger, just used a little ground. Then in the end I forgot the peas and lemon juice due to the chaos of unexpected guests(ha!). Still was pretty tasty. Might up some of the spices next time as I really, really love Indian spices. But for the kids' sakes I kept to the recipe this time until I knew how they'd come through. In another curry recipe it calls for a rotisserie chicken, bet that would be delicious in this one, too! (Served with basmati rice, wished we had naan and a mango!)

Happy eating!

Little One Books review and giveaway

2011-03-18T11:00:00.003-05:00

My family will tell you I'm not a big collector of trinkets and things, but when it comes to books I have a weakness. We just can't have too many. It is one thing I make space for in our tiny home! And green though I may try to be, just not sold on the whole Kindle thing, yet. Reading is such a tactile experience. I like the feel of the pages, they way they smell, the vivid illustrations. There's a certain joy in pulling out an old book my parents read to me as a child- sharing that very same, well-loved book with my own children.

Today I'm excited to introduce you to a great company that believes in making the process of choosing a great book(or two, or three...) easier for parents, grandparents, caregivers, everyone and anyone:

Joan McCoy and Barney Cohen are the people behind Little One Books. They started their web-based store specifically to carry quality media for children birth through age five. My own kidlets are currently 4 and under, so it's really nice not having to wade through material that isn't age appropriate for them. They've taken the guess work entirely out of it as the site is organized by age! Joan and Barney are grandparents to five grandchildren under the age of seven; which of course means they bring plenty of experience and test subjects to find the best media for their customers.

What I think speaks volumes(pun intended) is that they have personally selected and reviewed every product you'll find in their store. Going a step further- they've created a "Why we chose" section for each product. In this area their staff goes into detail as to why they chose the product, a few highlights about it and what the little people in their lives loved. Yes, their products have also been reviewed by kids!

The "Why we chose" section of each product page is simply brilliant. It is so helpful when trying to determine what book(s) would be most enjoyed by you and your family. Because let's be honest, while we'd like to buy them all(Oh, I would!), we must pace ourselves! Little One Books generously offered me the choice of one book to review. I completely relied on "Why we chose" to help narrow down and ultimately decide which book to request.

So what did we get? Thunder-Boomer, by Shutta Crum!

I opted for this book for several reasons. One, we're in the Midwest and thunderstorm season is fast approaching! My oldest is just now starting to show fear in various things(bugs, the dark, etc) and I suspect a good thunderstorm may scare her a bit this year. My hope is that by reading this book together often, it will ease some of those fears. I also liked that it takes place on a farm as my grandpa's farm is one of her favorite places to visit. Really, what kid doesn't love a farm? Add in some gorgeous illustrations by Carol Thompson, lots of fun sound words and a little humor- you've got one fantastic book that everyone in the family enjoys!

She was so excited to read our 'special book' together!

Little Lady says, 'Thank You!' for her new favorite book(So does mom).

I've actually ordered from Little One Books in the past and can say it was a pleasant experience. Their customer service is personal and superb. You can tell how much everyone there cares about children and their need for access to wonderful books. When I'm looking to add to our collection, I know I can trust the products they've chosen. And it is SO easy to just pop out to their site and select whatever age group is needed!

Right now they are having a special promotion just for Adventures in Green Living readers-

Buy any two Little One Books, get the CD Good Morning, free!

What a great way to start your family's day with some of the most wonderful classical music written.

BUY

You can purchase your own copy of Thunder-Boomer, by Shutta Crum, for $16.00

WIN

Little One Books is giving one Adventures in Green Living reader a $20 gift certificate!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Little One Books and sign up for their newsletter(Top right- you will not get tons of emails, promise. I'm on it!)

'Like' them on facebook

You must do both and may leave a comment for each task(total of two)

Please leave your email in your comments for me to contact you should you win!

Extra Entries:

Follow Little One Books on twitter

Follow Adventures in Green Living on Facebook

That's it! 4 total entries possible(2 of those mandatory)

Open to US only. Closes April 1, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. I will contact the winner via email and post an annoucement on my blog after confirmation. Winner will need to respond to my email within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn. Good luck!

***I received product to aide in giving a fair and honest opinion of this company. I have received no additional compensation and all experiences and opinions are my own.***

Sticks and Stones...

2011-03-18T09:00:00.010-05:00

There's a babble.com post floating around in the interwebz that has elicited a very strong response from hundreds of people. Summed up, this mom thinks she might love her son a little more than her daughter. At first thought, it seems so wrong, right? And why would any mom voice those thoughts in a public place? From the comments that flood her post, most readers reacted as though she said she dreamed about her daughter dying so as to leave her with just her son. She surely must be a despicable person.

But if you read this post I wrote almost 2 weeks ago, you probably know I have have a little different take on it. Because I've been there. And I'd like to think I'm not a despicable person.

Have you read her post? Have you read mine? Go, read them. Then come back.

.
.
.
.
.

Ok now.

Why on Earth would anyone cast stones at this woman? How is it not totally evident that she was sharing a part of her life that rendered her vulnerable? The difference in our two posts is she is in a different place in the grieving process right now. She probably doesn't even know it. Where I have all but completed it, she is just beginning. It took me a good week of scared-as-crap-writing to get what I did out and hit the 'publish' button. I was ashamed to admit my attachment issues. Still a little so, as I can't bring myself to share my post on my personal facebook wall where my family would read it(they don't read my blog ;0).

Yes, she probably would benefit from some counselling. So would I. So would just about everyone. It saddens me that people are so quick to judge and be harsh when someone is obviously struggling. Of course being on the internet, the cruelty is 100x worse. Because you're not saying it to their face. There's no consequence, no guilty conscience. And that lovely 'Share' button on facebook just adds fuel to her stake.

Did she put it out there to garner other's opinions, perspectives, etc? Maybe. Obviously if you put something on the net that's what's going to happen regardless. Will her daughter be destroyed if she ever reads what her mother wrote? I doubt it. Who here thinks their mother was perfect? Or maybe I should ask, who figured out (probably in their 20's) their mother wasn't perfect, but human and did the best she could? I did. So will this little girl. So will my daughter.

As for me, I wrote what I did not because I wanted other people's opinions. I needed other mothers' support. Writing it out was something I knew I had to do to aide in my healing process. And attempting to help others avoid what I experienced is also part of my healing process.

We need to speak out about these things. About being informed in labor and birth options, attachment issues, breastfeeding hurdles, postpartum depression, etc. Anything a mother might grapple with as she is learning how to be a mom. We need to be supportive! No one should feel ashamed for struggling or sharing their struggles. I know she and I are not the only two people out there that experienced attachment issues. If you have, speak out. And even if you haven't, if you can't relate to this particular situation, I know everyone can relate to doing the best you can as a parent/wife/daughter/sister and feeling you fell short. It is not a pleasant feeling, is it? I bet you beat yourself up enough without having others kick you while you're down.

So when you see her link float by on facebook with stones being flung, say something. As gently as possible. Maybe just a little reminder that we all have our various struggles and need support. Not one of us is perfect. We're all just doing our best- and can do even better when given love and support.

The honorary duty of a human being
is to love.

~ Maya Angelou ~

Good Reads: Poultry Industry, NBA Players, Worm Bin

2011-03-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

Poultry Industry Smother Immigrant Farmers and Abuses Antibiotics

I considered just posting the above link, because I feel it to be another extremely important read. The subject matter really is applicable to many things we consume today. Or in general, the way the majority of American Consumers have been trained to think. Cheap has a hidden cost. Whether it's in a lesser quality product or jobs sent overseas, it has a cost. What are you willing to pay?

Players Chip in to Save Coac h's Life after Clippers Decline Medical Coverage

I'm not a sports person at all. But this is a good read.

How to Start a Worm Bin

We hope to get one of these up and running this year! When we do, I'll be sure to share the process with you. Anyone can do this regardless of space!

Spinach Black Bean Lasagna recipe

2011-03-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

Apologies as I took no pictures(of any dish this week!) but still want to share the wonderful recipes we tried. The first up is this Spinach Black Bean Lasagna found on myrecipes.com.

Spinach Black Bean Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Go HERE for the rest!

I used a slightly larger pan and had 4 noodles across, but then only ended up with two layers of noodles needed. There were only a couple of things I did a little different. One, didn't mix in the monterey jack cheese into the ricotta mixture. I just put it on top of the ricotta/spinach mixture and then on top of the whole thing(so two layers of the shredded cheese). Two, added a little garlic now. We sort of put garlic on everything! Three, had some mushrooms on hand so chopped those up and mixed into the pasta sauce This is a really easy dish that you can easily customize to your taste preferences!

Happy Belated Anniversary & Whoa! Two Date Nights in a Weekend Row!

2011-03-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

The 4th of March was our 5th wedding anniversary. He's a good man. A while back I remember explaining to my friend(who was struggling at the time with her relationship) that I must have lucked out. Because I married my husband knowing his potential, not because he was perfect in our relationship at the time. We certainly had our rough moments in the beginning! The man never *actually* proposed to me. He's been ~~threatened~~ told gently that one should still be forthcoming.

You may have heard the story of how we met before, but I love to tell it again anyways.

My first memory of my husband is of him chasing me around a pear tree at his parents' house and me being exceedingly embarrassed at the attentions of a boy. I was around the age of 6; he was 8 or so. My mom and his mom sewed and canned together. One of his sisters has my exact birthday and we played together, too. We went to the same church and small town school but he readily admits, he didn't know it until he was a senior and I was a junior! It was a fairly typical setup. He was a kind of jock; I was a total nerd. After that pear tree incident, I spent the next 15+ years wishing he'd notice me again. But at the same time I spent a lot of energy trying to blend in at school to avoid being teased from (insert anything and everything kids tease about). So it wasn't really his fault. It wasn't until my senior year that I began to stretch my wings a bit and step out of the wallpaper.

We went on one date when I was 20ish. He never called me back! Apparently while I was intimidated by his hotness, he was a little intimidated by my perceived smarts and um, opinions. We hung out a couple times after and always had fun. But it never seemed to be anything more than friends. When he called me up around Valentine's Day '05 (after getting my number again from my mom, HA) and invited me to a movie, I thought why not? We are just friends! A couple of weeks later he informed me it was actually a date... I still remember the goofy, 'Yessss!' he exclaimed after our 'relationship talk'. Did I mention he turned out to be an even bigger nerd than I am?

February- started dating. November- engaged. March- married. We figured since we'd known each other so long, not much point in dragging things out! There was initially a 4 year plan before having kids. That I negotiated to 2 years. That became 4 months when I got knocked up. Funny how those things go!

So there's a little story of how our family began.

And yes, we've managed 2 date nights in a weekend row to celebrate our anniversary! Thanks in large part to having so much family nearby. My dad and stepmom had the kids the first weekend. We went to our local Science Center to visit the traveling Da Vinci exhibit and watch the Van Gogh Imax documentary. Then out to dinner. I thought I'd find the Da Vinci exhibit the most fascinating but ended up being more interested in the Van Gogh doc. If you find them available in your city, please go visit!

This past weekend my hub's parents watched the kids while we went to TRON at the Imax(mostly for the hubs but in truth, I loved it. Awesome way to see that movie!) and then out to dinner again. I should note, we just happened to have gift cards to both restaurants, the exhibit and one Imax show so all in all, it was a cheap extended anniversary celebration! We probably went out more in the past two weekends than we usually do in 3 months. A girl could get used to such fancy shenanigans...

5 years down, countless more to go. Love you, babe!

Menu Monday!

2011-03-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

I'm up way too late but by golly, got the darn menu done for the week! Here's to hoping I can will myself out of bed in the morning to make a quick run for a couple day's worth of stuff. I'll be attempting to switch the bulk of my grocery shopping over to Wednesday. My local grocery store has a 10% off their 'Health Market' aka organic stuff on Wednesdays. Not terribly convenient for how I like to set my week up but then again, if it were Mondays they'd probably lose more money, right?! Ah well, after a quick common sense calc in my head I realized doing this could save me 300+ a year. That's motivation enough for me!

Monday
eggs, bacon, oranges, toast
tilapia, mixed veggies, applesauce, foccacia bread
spinach calzones with blue cheese, apples

Tuesday
cream of wheat, berries, walnuts, honey
PBJ, carrots, celery, banana
Brazilian Fejoada, oranges, rice, sauteed kale

Wednesday
pancakes, bananas, berries
spinach black bean lasagna, applesauce, bread
Dad's house for dinner

Thursday
cream of wheat, berries, walnuts, honey
sweet potato chicken curry, basmati rice, naan, applesauce(would rather a mango but near impossible to get a good one here!)
leftovers, oranges

Friday
eggs, bacon, banana, toast
falafel in pita pockets with cucumber dip, red and yellow bells slices, oranges
The Hubby's Grill Night- he's in charge. I said whatever, just grill it!

There you go! This week's menu is all fresh(no frozen leftovers) so mama's going to be a busy lady. But after a week of leftovers last week I promised the hubs a stellar menu for this week. The Brazilian Fejoada is a surprise for him. Hoping I make it right and he likes it! The grocery bill is most likely going to be a bit more than usual, too... Yikes.

Happy Eating! Once I try out some of these new dishes I'll report back with what was delicious!

Good Reads- Local Harvest Newsletter

2011-03-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Today's Good Reads is a simple one, because I hope that more are encouraged to read. I think it that important. This line in particular struck a chord with me:

'When "But I paid for that!" moves me to the phone, and "But that's not right!" doesn't, that is a problem.'

Local Harvest News- Feb 24, 2011 newsletter

Have a great weekend!

Just a couple changes...

2011-03-10T20:56:00.000-06:00

I've been doing some thinking the past couple of days(frightening, yes,) and have come to the conclusion it is not mentally possible for me to attempt posting every day on my blog for a bit. 'But Stacy, you don't post every day!' I know, I know, but I try and feel bad when I don't! My family requires some extra attention right now and we're not sure for how long. I already take the weekends 'off' but not thinking that'll be enough. While you might notice some decrease in post frequency, I'm not going away. I'll be posting Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; if able to do more, that's just gravy. We'll still be doing the usual reviews, giveaways, information and recipe type posts.

So stick around! There's still plenty more I have to learn and want to share. I just *know* ya'll are dying to see my gardens in a few months, right?

Thanks for your support and patience.

Giveaway: Win One Of These Kids Dress From Shabby Apple!

2011-03-10T16:19:00.000-06:00

Did you know Shabby Apple carrier kids' dresses?(And maternity, too!) Stop over at Mogul Baby for a chance to win a cute girl's dress!

Giveaway: Win One Of These Kids Dress From Shabby Apple!

Wordless Wednesday- The Book that Changed My Life

2011-03-09T09:00:00.001-06:00

Ok, a little melodramatic. But truly, my brain sets off fireworks whenever I read this book! It is such a treasure trove of information. In fact I'm going to go read it right now.

Itsy Belle: Grand Opening Giveaway!

2011-03-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

Do you have a birthday coming up? How about some fun things from Itsy Belle for your little man or little miss! I'm going to try and be creative this year for my daughter's and would love to use a package like these!

Itsy Belle: Grand Opening Giveaway!: "I am so excited to announce the Grand Opening of Itsy Belle on Etsy! We are finally up and running and to celebrate we are having a giv..."

A Story About Birth and Forgiveness

2011-03-07T09:00:00.043-06:00

We're little more than a month away from my daughter's 4th birthday now. It doesn't really seem so long ago I was in this exact spot- stretched out on our bed and even with a laptop on my lap!

I think back to how unprepared I was for her birth despite best efforts. Oh, we had the nursery picked out, the crib together, clothes washed and hung up on little hangers, the car seat properly installed and inspected. We had her name chosen. I had a 'birth plan' all checked off and printed. My hospital papers were sent in early as they suggested. We took a few birth and baby classes. And yet when it came to it, neither my husband nor I were truly prepared for birth.

I thought my OB would deliver her for me. It sounds silly but that's the best way I can think to describe it. There was no real realization that I would be the one giving birth- that I would be the key player calling the shots. We had a fairly drama-free, healthy pregnancy and when our due date rolled around, I woke up that morning in what was finally understood to be real labor.

Despite the birth class and breathing practice, we put none of that to use and went in to the hospital too early. We sat in the triage room for a couple hours while they checked, tested and tried to determine whether or not to admit me. I could tell my water was leaking but they couldn't get 2 out of 3 tests to come back positive for amniotic fluid and I wasn't dilated very far(not even a 4?). Thankfully the triage nurse got me finally into a room. About 30 minutes after that, my water broke.

We were blessed to have my sister in law as a labor and delivery nurse. I'm sure she played a part in keeping things from escalating due to how slow I was progressing. At that point in my life I had no desire to attempt a drug-free birth(the crazy green mommy came long after the birth!) and requested an epidural. All in all, my labor was 12 hours to the minute. For a first baby, that's not too bad. The back-up OB waltzed in at the end in a foul mood, possibly because the on-call OB was stuck in another Cesarean. I remember him telling me sternly to stop pushing and me responding with something along the lines of, 'Is there an On/Off switch to this thing?' Because at that point my body was doing everything on it's own. I was not pushing. It was in fact, the first time I considered my body and this process might be amazing. That my body knew exactly what to do.

The first thing I thought when my daughter was born: 'Oh my gosh, I gave birth to my sister!' She looked so much like my little sister had as an infant. For 5 seconds I had her on my stomach, in total disbelief that this entire person had been inside me. Smiled, blinked. Then she was whisked away to the corner.

At some point she had inhaled some fluid. Thankfully not meconium, but they told me she had fluid in her lungs that they needed to suction out. For a half hour we watched them work on her in the corner. No one updated us. She screamed and cried, they laughed as she batted their hands away while keeping one eye open through the goop. After a half hour they called the NICU nurses in; those nurses worked on her for an hour more. The entire time she screamed and fought them. No one told us what was going on.

(We'll just leave out the part where the delivering OB cut me despite instructions otherwise and pulled my placenta out for no reason, losing the handle and having to retrieve it. It wasn't until much later I learned that could have killed me or left me unable to have more children. The stitch up job was done with the same grace and care he showed the rest of the process- none. Thank God that epidural was still working.)

Finally they stopped. The NICU nurse said they'd try leaving her with me rather than take her to the NICU. By the time she was handed back, she was exhausted and I was in shock. We tried to breastfeed but she wasn't interested and just wanted to sleep. I was starting to swell up from all of the IV fluids received during labor. When I walked, the tops of my feet jiggled.

Unfortunately, those weren't the only things that were over the top swollen. When she did wake, there was no getting her to latch. But we kept at it and finally, finally she was nursing when a lactation consultant walked in and unlatched her without asking me so she could put us in the football hold. Then later that day, one of the floor nurses threatened me if I didn't get her to nurse for 20 minutes straight, she would give her a bottle. This same nurse told me I couldn't use the nose-sucker to suction out my baby's nose(she said it was bad and would make things worse) despite the fact I thought her latching issues were aggravated by her nose being so stuffy she couldn't breathe while at the breast.

We did not make the 20 minute requirement. I was crushed.

Fast forward to going home and adjusting to life with baby. Before she was born I would have told you without a doubt, I wanted to be a stay at home mom. Most of my life I wanted to be a stay at home mom, save for sharing time at school when it was more 'exciting' to say a teacher or veterinarian. After my daughter's birth, wasn't so sure. In fact, I wasn't so sure I really liked her. When my husband was home he gave her all of the bottles (we were supplementing as latch was still a problem) and changed her diapers and clothes. I looked at her a lot. But I didn't really want to hold her.

Maybe in retrospect I was suffering from postpartum depression. Or even PTSD. I opted to return to work while my sister, mother and husband shared shifts caring for my daughter. For a whole month I went back. During my pregnancy, Thursdays were always Throw Up Thursdays. After returning to work, they were always Crying Thursdays. Because by Thursday, I had no idea what my daughter's schedule was like or what she needed. It only took a few of these to realize if it bothered me so much, I must like her and want to stay home. By this point my milk supply had dried up at the end of 3 months.

Things were not magically resolved when I made the choice to stay home. While I knew by then I loved her and cared for her well being, there was no attachment. For the first couple years, all I saw was how she preferred her dad or grandpa over me. So I busied myself in cleaning and organizing, eventually stumbling into craigslist, cloth diapers and a whole new world of 'green', handmade, frugal living.

Initially I didn't acknowledge what happened at her birth. It didn't occur to me to question what had taken place. Why would I? Like many others, I'd been taught to trust my doctor and any medical person. Eventually I did question it. And then got mad. The more I figured out what went on that shouldn't have, the angrier I got. After a poorly managed blighted ovum by the same OB office, I left their practice. Then midway through a third pregnancy(my son), I changed medical direction and went with a midwife group and natural birth program in an effort to avoid a repeat experience. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Sound familiar?

I grieved for my daughter's birth. It took me almost 4 year to realize it. Four years of carrying guilt for feeling unattached to my sweet, intelligent, beautiful, strong-willed daughter. I didn't even understand that was what was going on until after I had my son and felt what it was supposed to be like, how I could feel as a mom towards my child. One day while going over for the millionth time in my head what was wrong, why couldn't I feel attached to her the way I did my son, why was I such a bad mom, the words and emotions finally met:

'Five seconds into Motherhood, I failed my daughter.'

I should have told them to stop(the medical personnel that later reviewed her birth file stated they excessively suctioned her). Should have told that lactation consultant to get the hell away. Should have 'fired' that nurse and demanded a new one that would support my efforts to breastfeed. Should have, should have, should have. And I didn't.

And I know it was not my fault. I did the best with the information I had at the time.

I'm not sure why that's all it took. But at the very moment it was thought, the strings to the giant balloon I'd been dragging around were cut. My body felt physically lighter.

Even better than losing the weight of guilt- I have begun to feel attached to my daughter. It was almost instantaneous. I can look at her and smile with a joy no longer muddied by my own self-doubt or self-loathing. Oh yes, I hated myself for my failures. And every new perceived failure built on the last. Don't get me wrong, my Well O' Patience is not suddenly bottomless; she's not suddenly minding all the time. She is after all only (almost) 4!

Where I used to worry that some day she'd notice something wasn't quite right, that something important was missing, now I have hope. I hope maybe I won't screw up being a mom as bad as I thought. Or at least, she'll recognize despite the mistakes made, I love her wholly. So much so that I desperately want to ensure no one else within my sphere of influence goes through what we went through.

If I ever come off as a loon when it comes to being informed in birth and breastfeeding, please understand I don't mean to offend. Nor do I think I have all of the answers. You don't need to have a natural birth with hippies tossing flowers all around you while Matthew McConaughey beats a conga to avoid what I experienced. You just need to be informed and feel empowered to stand up for yourself and your child. I believe we have an obligation, as mothers, to share our experiences and information with others(gently as possible) so as to aid in making the best choices for ourselves and our families. Speak up, ladies! If we remain silent, we cannot support one another as sisters in what is arguably one of the most rewarding and challenging periods of our lives.

I see these pictures, and I have no memory of what she was like at that age.

I think, 'Oh, she was so cute!' And I want to remember. But I can't.

I don't want any other mother to experience the pain of detachment.

Menu Monday!

2011-03-07T09:00:00.039-06:00

Whoo, she's on a roll! Yet another Menu Monday, on Monday! The goal for this week is cheap and easy. Thanks to my trusty freezer, it will be just that.

Monday
Breakfast- PB toast with banana and honey
Lunch- Chickpea fritters with salad, apples and walnuts
Dinner- Kale Goulash with applesauce and bread

Tuesday
Breakfast- Cream of wheat and berries
Lunch- 6 Bean soup with bread and oranges
Dinner- Filled Rolls(new one for us) with applesauce and corn

Wednesday
Breakfast- Eggs, english muffin, cheese, banana
Lunch- Turkey dumplings, apples(lots of veggies in the dumplings)
Dinner- Dad's

Thursday
Breakfast- Cream of wheat and berries
Lunch- Wild rice squash soup, apples and bread
Dinner- PBJ, banana, carrots and celery

Friday
Breakfast- Egg, english muffin, cheese, berries
Lunch- Spaghetti, applesauce, bread(lots of veggies in the spaghetti sauce)
Dinner- Beef stew, bread and oranges

There you have it! Over half my grocery list is produce. The grand total was: 48.00. I got a couple extra things for the pantry or it'd have been more like 40.00. Still, not bad for a week's worth of organic groceries to feed 4+ mouths.

Chicken Corn Chowder recipe

2011-03-05T10:00:00.021-06:00

My first foray into the world of cream soups... thanks to Our Family Treat! It. was. amazing.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Serves 6-8
Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 onion, chopped
6 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups frozen corn
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

For the rest, go HERE.

I actually came across this recipe because I was looking for something to do with the frozen corn we have in the freezer. We canned it 2 falls ago and there is some remaining that needs eaten. Even better that I also happened to have copious amounts of chicken leftover from that oven-roasted whole chicken made last week. Going all out, we got a bag of organic red potatoes, heavy cream and cream cheese. In my experience, organic dairy makes a huge difference you can taste. And the soup did not disappoint! It was amazing. I sprinkled a little cheese on top and then realized I really wanted something green, so chopped up some cilantro and piled that on. Served with apple slices(we eat a lot of apples!) and French bread. The only way this could have been any better is if I had made the bread fresh that same day!

Changing How We Look at a Fever

2011-03-04T11:00:00.011-06:00

I came across a great article a while back by Sherri Tenpenny, DO, titled 'The Importance of Fever.' When our kids get sick we worry; when they have a fever we seem to worry more. But according to her article, we shouldn't be so quick to try and reduce that fever.

You can read her article HERE.

While we've tried to back off the pain/fever reducers while my son is teething, I don't withhold it from him when he is in a lot of pain. Nights are the worst as he can't be distracted with kids and playing like during the day. We also love using Camilia to naturally manage the worst of the pain(cheapest to buy on Amazon!). It seems to help him sleep better both at night and for naps. I love the single dose tubes and carry them in my diaper bag at all times. He actually likes taking it!

What things do you do to help your child manage teething pain or fevers?

*Please consult your doctor with any concerns*

Sayings of a 3 year old

2011-03-04T11:00:00.002-06:00

Gems from my Big Girl:

We all have boobs. We all have butts. We all have faces.

We don't eat people. That's yuck.

We don't eat poop.

I don't poop or pee on the floor. Just in the potty.

Mommy, you're so cute.

I'm going to go down that hole to China. And bring back some stuff for Mommy, Daddy and Brother.

(after passing gas) Oh grandma, that's just my butt sayin' 'Hi'.

Grilled Veggie Quesadilla recipe

2011-03-04T09:00:00.011-06:00

I *heart* me some EcoKaren and her lovely recipes! This week I tried the Grilled Veggie Quesadillas and another sandwich(I'll write about that one in a bit).

Grilled Veggie Quesadilla

Ingredients

1 green zucchini – sliced lengthwise
1 yellow zucchini – sliced lengthwise
1 yellow pepper – quartered
1 red pepper – quartered
1 bundle asparagus – ends chopped
8 flour tortilla
1/4 C chopped cilantro
2 avocados – pitted and sliced
1 C of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 olive oil
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp coarsely ground peppercorn
1 Tbsp coarsely ground sea salt or mineral salt

For the rest, go HERE.

Before you go saying, 'But I don't like asparagus!' keep in mind these are customizable. We followed the recipe pretty much to a T- even got fancy with homemade tortillas- and while they were delicious, I'd still change them up a bit next time. I loved the asparagus. Loved loved it. The balsamic vinegar is a must. I think a red onion or mushrooms would also be a yummy addition or substitution for something else. Of course, you can easily add a refried bean spread, hummus, chicken or shrimp to these and that would also be tasty. One thing I realized after making these is that I prefer an open-faced sandwich. So next time I'll be skipping the top and eating it more like a pizza! (Maybe that takes the 'dilla' out of the Quesadilla?!)

Either way, it was fantastic to open up the grill and throw some veggies on. I forgot how much I missed them!

Half-way created, minus the zukes as they were still on the grill!

Good Reads: (Mostly) In the Kitchen

2011-03-04T09:00:00.010-06:00

A handful today on some good topics:

How to Tell if a Product is Really Organic

Simple Steps for a Greener Lifestyle- Add More Vinegar

FDA Urged to Prohibit Carcinogenic 'Caramel Coloring'

Newly Identified Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Leach into Food Packaging

Happy Green Living!

Creamy Pesto Pasta recipe

2011-03-03T11:00:00.006-06:00

This was a super yummy and easy dish to make- the kids loved it!

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

Pesto Sauce

1 cup	fresh basil
1/2 cup	pine nuts
4 cloves	garlic (I cheat and use the stuff in a jar)
1/2 cup	shredded asiago cheese (non-processed parmesan is fine too)
1 t	coarse ground black pepper
to taste	salt
1/4 cup	extra virgin olive oil

Alfredo Sauce

1/4 stick	butter
1/2 cup	milk
1 T	flour
1/2 cup	shredded asiago cheese (or freshly shredded parmesan)

Pasta of choice (our favorites: ribbed penne or capellini)

Click HERE for the rest!

I used the honeycomb type pasta because the kids love the shape. Then toasted walnuts to put on top. Sliced pink lady apples on the side and some homemade crostini with a sun-dried tomato bruschetta. All in all it was pretty good. The sauce I had doubled and it was a pretty fair amount for the half a box of pasta I made. The color to me isn't that appealing so next time i might do the pesto with the pasta and then keep the sauce pure and drizzle on top. Would also be yum with maybe spinach, or mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes. Almost forgot! I think the cheese could be reduced. Maybe add some garlic? Can't put my finger on it but something was missing... Still a great dish to play around with!

Car Seat Safety Webinar- Hosted by Britax

2011-03-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I attended a webinar on car seat safety hosted by Britax! Yes, I just talked about updated car seat safety on Tuesday, but there were some additional things not included in my post I'd like to share with you that were covered in the webinar. Bear with me as I'm going off of chicken scratch notes taken at that time!

1. Kids are 5 times safer rear-facing through their 2nd year of life.

2. When rear-facing, there should be 1 inch space from the top of their head to the top of their seat. If there is less, you would need to purchase a seat that allows for greater height while rear-facing or turn them forward.

3. Car seats are only tested for frontal impact.

4. It is best to use your car seat to the maximum's- both for rear-facing and forward-facing. Do not base on child's age.

5. When rear-facing, the strap height should be at or below their shoulders. When forward-facing, the strap height should be at or above their shoulders.

6. It is legal to turn your child forward-facing at 1 year AND 20 pounds but it is best practice to remain rear-facing.

7. To check that the harness is adjusted snug enough, attempt a vertical pinch of the strap near the collarbone. The fingers should slide off. If you can pinch any material the straps are too loose.

8. Chest clips are always to be at the armpit level. The purpose is to keep the straps on their shoulders so the child does not eject from their seat in the event of a crash.

9. A booster seat should only be used with a lap and shoulder belt- not just a lap belt(like in the center of some older vehicles). It is how they were tested.

10. Keep the booster secure whether or not the child is in the car. In the event of a crash it may become a projectile and harm the other occupants or driver.

11. A child is ready for a regular seatbelt when they meet the following requirements:

Tall enough to sit without slouching
Back is against the seat back
4'9" and age 8
Their knees are bent over the edge of the seat and feet are flat on the floor

Basically, the law is the legal minimum requirements. The safest practice is to base the proper car seat setup for your child on height, weight, age and body development.

The webinar instructor was:

Sarah Tilton
CPS Tech. Instructor
Britax Child Safety, Inc.

USA.SafeKids.org

Shh... because I like ya...Awesome Giveaway site

2011-03-02T23:00:00.005-06:00

Are you as enamored of Etsy as I am? Are you in total awe of so many talented people in one place? Could you spend just about every last cent there? (I sure could!)

Well, some brilliant person(or two) put this awesome blog together specifically to help find handmade giveaways all across the web. Trust me when I say, there is probably more out there than you or I have time to enter. This setup is fantastic as it's spotlighted several artists I have come to love that wouldn't otherwise know were out there. I'm all about trying to support handmade as much as possible but have to know who/where they are, right? Etsy(and other similar sites) can be a bit daunting to comb through sometimes. Not that I don't enjoy procrastinating a little on the dish washing or laundry folding to 'window' shop... *wink*

Ok, Stacy. Link me to this magical site!

EtsyGiveaways.blogspot.com

Make sure to sign up for their emails. You'll get a new list every day. It's kind of like Christmas!
I would love to hear back if you happen to win anything or if you find an artist that you particularly love!

You CAN Teach an Old Mom New Tricks... Tips on Nose Wipes and Naps

2011-03-02T15:42:00.000-06:00

Motherhood is an amazing adventure full of learning at every turn. Just when I think I know it all (HA) something surprises me! There are two things in particular that did just that recently- one with my big girl and one with my little guy.

1. Flexing for Baby- Mom, don't wipe my nose! Or face!

(Hoping I haven't already posted this but pretend it's new if you've read it before)

No kid I know likes their nose wiped. At least by age 2 or 3 they know it's inevitable and don't put up the huge fight that a strong willed 14 month old can. We used to dread it, trying a distracted sneaky nose wipe or a surprise attack that my son loudly protested. Using a cloth wipe helps some but even that wasn't making things easier for us. Then one day for some reason I changed my approach. Moving slowly towards him with the hated wipe I quietly said, 'Gentle, gentle, gentle.' while very softly wiping his nose.

Sort of like how you walk around a horse.

Oddly enough, it worked. Nose wipes? No problemo! Now, face wipes with a wet cloth(even warm) still a no-go, but we're working on it.

2. Flexing for the Big Kid- But Mom, I Don't Wanna Nap!

My almost 4 year old has taken a 2+ hour nap almost every day since she was 18 months. Before that, she took 2 2-hour naps a day! Now we're in the crazy transition stage where she thinks she doesn't want to nap but can't quite make it to bedtime without melting down. It's become a daily struggle to get her to stay in bed and not do everything in her power to stay awake(singing, playing with our lovie, looking out the window, etc). Finally this week I got fed up with her waking up the little man and had her lay on the couch. If nothing else, I thought she'd get some quiet time in and maybe that would get us through the day.

Then she fell asleep. I kid you not.

The Big Girl that refuses to nap in my bed or her bed will fall asleep easily on the couch. Wondering if it was just a fluke? We've done this now 3 days in a row. I can't tell you how pleasant it is not to have to remind or scold or get frustrated with my sweet, still needing a nap daughter(at least over this!). She's snoozing peacefully on the couch 10ft from me as I write. Have to admit, I benefit not only in getting a break myself but also getting to watch her beautiful, sleeping face. I know you know what I mean. It's the only time we get to study the incredible people we grew that are now in constant, blurry motion.

So what exactly are my tips and tricks? Approach your baby like a spooked horse when it comes to nose wipes? Try napping your big kid on the couch? Not necessarily. My tip is just to be flexible and willing to try something new when the usual method isn't garnering your desired results. And think outside the box! You might just be surprised what works for you!

Wordless Wednesday- Creative Banana Eating

2011-03-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

What happens when you leave a bag of bananas on the floor?

(Daddy was changing LP's stinky dipe when I took grabbed the camera- hence the weird angle!)

And yes, I did open the banana for him properly. Then he didn't want it. Go figure!

Leksi Designs...This Handmade Life: Firedaughter Clothing GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

Are you a runner? Or do you just love comfortable clothes that look great and make awesome statements? Check out Firedaughter! I so want the 'Give More' hoodie!

Leksi Designs...This Handmade Life: Firedaughter Clothing GIVEAWAY!: "Hey blogger peeps! I know I haven't been posting as much as usual, but time is very limited for me right now. I have had some major life cha..."

Cheddar Biscuit Cups recipe

2011-03-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

Sunday night we threw together a dinner of grilled pork chops, sweet corn, grilled potatoes and applesauce. I knew I wanted a quick biscuit to go with and came across this delicious recipe that took no time at all.

Now in the comments people suggested some flavor additions, so I tossed in a teaspoon of dried parsley and a half teaspoon of poultry seasoning. Might have added a little garlic powder, too. We were pleased with the results! You can really play around with this basic recipe and adjust according to your tastes.

Cheddar Biscuit Cups

yields 5-6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup self-rising flour*
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

*As a substitute for 1 cup of self-rising flour, place 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup.

For the rest of the recipe please go HERE.

Now in the comments people suggested some flavor additions, so I tossed in a teaspoon of dried parsley and a half teaspoon of poultry seasoning. Might have added a little garlic powder, too. We were pleased with the results! You can really play around with this basic recipe and adjust according to your tastes. Also, we found the mix filed 6 cups well enough and cut the bake time by a few minutes.

Happy Eating!

Milestone's for My Little Man- and a Few We Choose Not to 'Hit'

2011-03-01T09:00:00.014-06:00

You'd think after years of experience with kids and being on my own kiddo #2, I'd have it down pat. But I forgot how much fun this stage is that we're coming into with my 14 month old son. There's this explosion of development and rapid-fire milestones coming at me faster than I can say, 'He's still my baby!'

Climbing: We've gone off the coffee table, over the back of the couch, down stairs, off chairs, off the kitchen table. He just wants to climb all. the. time. We've even figured out how easy it is to drag the play chairs across the floor to better reach things on shelves. *Safety Tip* Please make sure your shelves, dressers, anything tall that can tip are anchored!

Eating: With a fork. It's amazing! The spoon, not so much. But it's coming.Until then I'm grateful for old-fashioned Gerber flats for bibs.

Talking: Almost every day there's a new work or an old word said even more clearly than before. Mommy, Daddy, Puppy, Guys, Kids, This, Out, Bite, Don't, Mess, etc. Pretty sure last week I even heard a 'Mama mess!' when he tried to dive at my makeup!

'So This is How It Works' or 'I'm a Big Kid Now': Trying to put on hats, shoes, taking off diapers, socks, running with the Big Kids, picking up toys and putting them away. He just adores big kids and tries his best to both keep up and imitate them.

While my son is healthy, happy and exploding in development, there are a few milestones we choose not to reach at this time.

1. An end to breastfeeding: It took a lot of perseverance in the beginning to get going successfully and it still takes some perseverance now, but my goal is to reach 18 months before we stop. Possibly even the age of 2. My thoughts are we'll be done when I want to or he wants to, regardless of which comes first. I'm just proud of myself for choosing to breastfeed as long as we have. Hopefully in the near future, it won't be thought odd to breastfeed past the age of 1.

2. Forward Facing:

My Prince rear-facing in his Big Sis' Marathon. She now has a Frontier.

Some may still not be aware, but the old rule of thumb '20lbs/1yr' has been updated. The AAP and many other entities now recognize it is safer to keep children rear-facing as long as their car seats allow. This was a foreign concept when my daughter was an infant, one I hadn't even heard of until shortly before her first birthday(2008) and before the AAP updated their recommendations(2009). It didn't take much research on my part though to come to the conclusion that it was indeed best practice to keep her rear-facing. My husband took some convincing. Actually, I had to negotiate with him to keep her turned until 18 months. By the time she hit that he'd come around and she remained rear-facing until shortly before her 3rd birthday.

Did she ever complain about her legs being cramped? No. Was I ever concerned about her breaking her legs in a crash? No. I was concerned she could break her neck- or worse- in a crash if forward facing. The potential injuries a child could sustain in a crash while forward-facing before their body and neck are developed enough far outweigh a broken leg. From the CDC site:

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the US. Placing children in age and size appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal unjuries by more than half. -http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/childpas.htm

More than half. Please tell me, what more do you need to know to be convinced?

Just having your child in a car seat is not good enough. They need to be in one installed properly and that is age and size appropriate. Due to differing rates of development, I would argue that height and weight are better measurements than age in determining what is safest for your child. Chances are your child will outgrow rear-facing in height long before they will max out the weight(most car seats go up to 40lbs now).

Once in a while there is a kiddo that struggles with motion sickness or has some kind of medical need that requires them to be turned around earlier. I know of one little boy that had trouble with vomiting. In that case, it may be safer to have them forward facing. But at the risk of sounding mean, please don't tell me your baby needs to be forward facing so they can see the DVD screen in the car. Your child's safety is more important. There are many other things one can do to keep baby happy while in the car. Music and singing is a great one. Books on CD, talking to them or even a special car-only toy also help.

Bottomline: While having your child in a car seat is better than nothing, it is not the best practice. Please research for yourself and your family before turning your baby around at a year and 20lbs.

Need help getting started? Check out these suggestions for more information:

AAP- Car Safety Seats and Transportation Safety
The Importance of Rear-Facing (Youtube)
SeatCheck.org

Your car's manual (Lots of information, great refresher even for adult passenger and driver safety)

The Kyle David Miller Foundation is a great source, but it appears they are having trouble with malware on their site. You can find them on facebook or their blog as an alternative.

Cox Family Adventure: Firsthand account of how 5pt harness seats vs booster seats with seat belts saved this mom's children from serious injury.

MAX OUT THOSE SEAT'S LIMITS!

To Sew With Love: Giveaway by Flirty Gems

2011-02-28T22:57:00.000-06:00

Check out this awesome giveaway on To Sew With Love for a fabulous pair of earrings from Flirty Gems!

To Sew With Love: Giveaway by Flirty Gems: "*This post supposedly went live yesterday mid-noon. I said 'supposedly' because I actually thought I have already hit the publish post butto..."

Menu Monday!

2011-02-28T09:00:00.003-06:00

Gasp! Another Menu Monday actually on Monday. I know, it's amazing. Here's what we'll be cooking up this week:

Monday:
Breakfast- eggs, toast, oranges, cheese
Lunch- Creamy pesto pasta with toasted walnuts, apples
Dinner- 6 Bean Soup, bread and (fruit to be determined)

Tuesday:
Breakfast- Waffles, bananas and blueberries
Lunch- Squash soup, bread and apples(a little bacon sprinkles maybe)
Dinner- Grilled veggie quesadillas, oranges

Wednesday:
Breakfast- eggs, toast, oranges, cheese
Lunch- Chicken corn chowder, bread, apples
Dinner- My dad's

Thursday:
Breakfast- waffles, bananas and blueberries
Lunch- Kale goulash, bread, oranges
Dinner- Beet sandwiches, apple

Friday:
Breakfast- Pancakes, strawberries hopefully!
Lunch- Navy bean soup with added turkey, bread and apples
Dinner- Leftovers

This week's grocery list is a little longer than what I usually like but there are a couple new things I'm trying because we need to shake it up a bit. The bean soup ingredients will leave a large surplus so it will be stretched for many meals. Most of my grocery list is comprised of fresh produce. Might be the need for Spring coming out! This week the Bean Soup, Grilled Veggie Quesadillas, Chicken Corn Chowder and Beet Sandwiches are new for us. Also, the bread I'll be making is a recipe passed on to us by Amie of Kitty Cats and Airplanes- found on Alexandra's Kitchen and adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François. Looking forward to sharing some good food with you!

Spring is coming, get out those seeds!

2011-02-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

This weekend is one of my favorite weekends all year. Seed starting weekend! Which means, my mom and I get to play a little in dirt and dream up our gardens. Generally speaking, it's best to start some vegetables about 6+ weeks before you'd put them actually into the ground but this year we're testing how things do at about 10 weeks before transplanting. I'll make sure to let you know how it goes!

What is all involved in starting seeds early? Well you'll want some kind of container(s), potting mix or special seed starter mix, markers and your seeds. That's pretty much it. Of course, before you get to this point you'll want to have your garden roughly planned with what kind of vegetables and how many. Tip: I often plant an extra or two in the event one doesn't germinate or grow well.

In the past, my mom has ended up with seed trays scattered around her house that she moves in and out(when the weather warms up). Due to kids and cats, I take advantage of having her close so I don't have to mess with seed trays in my house! This year she purchased this awesome cart at Lowe's for about $50. It will fit 12 trays and has a cover that goes over the whole thing. It's fantastic and worth it if you're planning a large garden.

Here is the mess we start with: boxes and buckets of seeds, our garden plans(love my grid paper!) a bag of potting mix and the seed trays.

I find it very helpful to have my garden planned on grid paper. That way I can draw it to scale and determine how much of each vegetable I can fit in and where best to locate them.

Empty seed trays! We saved the containers from last year- some from our local nursery when I bought annual flowers to plant. These are great because they are a little larger than some you'll find at your local home improvement store. Larger well = more space for your seedlings to grow and be healthy.

After filling the pots with the mix, we set about marking each plant with the variety and who's it is(M = Mom, S = Stacy). This is really important to do with a permanent marker! Pen will fade in the sun and then it is frustrating trying to figure out A. what the plant is and B. who needed it. Ask me how I know. *wink*

Your seed packets will tell you the depth each seed needs planted and how they should be spaced in the garden. That is where it becomes necessary to know your garden's dimensions so as to determine the amount of plants you can fit in the space.

After the dirt, seeds and markers, all that is left is a drink of water! You'll want to soak the soil and then set the trays in your sunniest, warmest spot in the house. Kids especially enjoy watching them germinate and as they get bigger and the temperatures improve outside, you'll want to put them outside during the day and bring them in at night. We can get into that more later. It's a process called 'hardening off' and helps the seedlings survive transplant shock when they outgrow their little pots and need to be put in the ground.

What seedlings did we start?

Green, orange and red bell peppers, jalapeños, eggplant, parsley, cilantro, basil, kale, cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, baby bok choy, brussel sprouts, cantelopes and tomatoes. Some would argue a few of these can go right in the ground as seeds when the last frost date has passed- and that is true. But we're experimenting this year both in starting seeds earlier and in starting some varieties indoors. My hope is that this will lengthen our growing season and increase our yields. Gardening is one big experiment; don't be afraid to try new things!

Good Reads: Chocolate

2011-02-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure where I first learned about The Dark Side of Chocolate. Chocolate is a food group in my house, even my 3 year old prefers it over other special treats. But after discovering the human struggle behind how some of it gets to me- especially the thought that someone's kidnapped child might have been involved- I no longer blithely grab whatever is available.

As with any crop production, there are also concerns about sustainable practices. Meet Your Sustainable Chocolate Farmers is a great article to read on efforts being made in Ghana.

Not sure where to find Fair Trade Chocolate? Check out this link here.

(Guittard is my favorite- both bittersweet for cookies and milk drops for plain eating- and available at my local grocery!)

Wordless Wednesday- New Toothbrush Fun!

2011-02-23T17:30:00.000-06:00

Amazing the motivation one can find to brush your teeth when a spinning Cinderella is involved!

Little Brother just wants to be like Big Sis!

French Bread recipe

2011-02-23T17:00:00.001-06:00

With all of the organic, toxic, gmo type material I've been reading lately, I found myself a little angry in the grocery store at 7am Monday morning. Upon picking up a healthy(er) sounding loaf of bread, I read the label to discover not only was it made with enriched flour but it also had high fructose corn syrup in it.

I was mad.

So I decided I'd get serious again about making my own breads. No longer will I consider it something I do when I feel like it, it will be something I do every week. If we want bread. Haha. I'll be testing out some recipes to share with in the event you'd like to join me on this journey to 'stick it to the man' (aka, cut out more processed food).

French Bread

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups water (70 to 80 degrees F)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon cornmeal
GLAZE:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

For the rest go HERE

Here's the thing you have to know with bread: They won't look perfect the first time, it takes practice. But barring any huge errors, it'll still taste amazing fresh out of the oven! I tell you this because it's still difficult for me- being a bit of a perfectionist I want it to look like the picture!

Speaking of pictures...

This bread was amazing hot out of the oven with butter and garlic on it. I was unsure of the whole roll it out and roll it up step, but I really liked the results. This will be my new go to recipe for a chewy crusty bread. Oh, and I didn't have the sesame seeds or 3 1/2 cups of bread flour- only had 2 1/2- so the other cup was regular all-purpose. Still great!

Roast Sticky Chicken- Rotisserie Style recipe

2011-02-23T16:30:00.002-06:00

I have a couple recipes to share today that I made this week and enjoyed. First up is the amazing Roast Sticky Chicken. As almost always, I get many recipes from allrecipes.com and tweak them a bit. Trust me- you want to try this. You won't feel the need to buy an expensive grocery store rotisserie chicken after you see how easy it is to do at home!

Roast Sticky Chicken

Ingredients

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 onions, quartered
2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Go HERE for the directions

So I have a few chicken 'fryers' in the freezer from my grandpa's farm. I haven't been the best at using them because I felt a little intimidated working with a whole bird. This recipe really changed my mind about that as it was so easy. The recipe calls for 2 small birds but mine are little bigger so we used one. I didn't have onion powder or white pepper so skipped that. Of course if I were thinking I'd have made half the seasoning the directions make as it is for two birds, but my brain wasn't functioning last night at 11pm!

Put it in the oven at 7:15am and it was done by 11:15am! No basting required! I checked the temperature to make sure I had at least hit 170 and then set it on the stove top to finish cooking and cool down. This is what I got:

This chicken was unbelievably juicy and tender. I decided to pair it with some green beans, applesauce and the rest of yesterday's french bread(which I will post, too!) It was so easy. And we have tons left over now to freeze for enchiladas, chicken soup, etc. Have I ever told you how much I *love* my freezer?

The whole delicious plate:

MMMM!

Squash and Chickpea Fritters recipe

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

This was one of my out-of-the-box recipes I gave a try the other week. I'm still trying to decide what I think about them...

Squash and Chickpea Fritters

from Adeena Sussman, Sunset, October 2010

Time: 30 minutes, Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup blanched hazelnuts
8 ounces cubed butternut squash
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
1 large egg
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups mixed winter greens such as radicchio and escarole
1 tablespoon tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until browned and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Put squash in a microwave-safe container with 1/4 cup water and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high until squash is tender when pierced, about 3 minutes. Drain.

3. Pulse bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add squash and chickpeas and pulse until slightly chunky. Add egg, flour, sage, salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Pulse just until blended.

4. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Drop 1/4-cup portions of squash mixture into oil, making a few fritters at a time, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter.

5. Toss greens with remaining 3 tbsp. oil, the lemon juice, and hazelnuts. Serve squash fritters with salad.

Where I think I went wrong: 1. Couldn't find hazelnuts. I'm sure that would lend a very different taste. 2. Used 2 slices of homemade bread, thicker and denser than store bought. 3. Pureed it all too long so it was smooth and not chunky. That being said, it still turned out ok. You'll notice in the picture I put a little dressing on top. After I took a bite, realized it didn't really need it. The squash and winter green flavors work superb together. I will definitely be giving this another try with the copious amounts of squash I still have from last fall's garden!