Supplement order this Friday.

I am placing a supplement and oil order this Friday at noon. Email me if you need something or want to try out the allergy pills! 


$15 for the chewables and
$34 for the capsules

"Typical"

     When Tate was first diagnosed at the age of two with Autism, I had a goal.  I would "fix" him by the age of 6 and he would be in a "typical" kindergarten. Now he is 7 and my perspective is very different. I had his best interests at heart. I wanted him to be able to have a happy life, one not so complicated as our path suggested. The word "typical" doesn't hold purpose anymore. In fact, I would much rather my children be "A-typical".

     What does "typical" even mean, really? Do we want to fit into a certain mold? Do we want to be the same? Do we try too hard to have our children mainstreamed into a certain common thread? Why? 

     I read a fabulous article about some famous people who were all speculated to have some form of Autism. People who have changed the world. The article praised these brilliant minds and said that if we didn't have these special, "A-typical" minds in this world, we would be missing out on so many amazing inventions. Many speculate that Einstein was autistic. He didn't even speak until he was 4. We all know how brilliant he was.

     My desire for Tate is for him to be happy and to not be held back from anything he wants in life because of Autism. We have peeled back those layers through food and natural medicine so that he can function just like the rest of us. He isn't in a foggy world where sensory issues prohibit a happy life. That is a very important goal that everyone with an autistic child should have. It can happen. Tate is not like everyone else. Thank goodness. He is special. He is happy. He is creative. He loves life. I celebrate that he isn't "typical". It is perfectly normal for him to be hunting our cat in the back yard with a Batman mask on and no pants. 

     I had a conversation with a friend about her sweet son who is not like other kids his age. He doesn't have any syndromes or diagnosis. He is brilliant. He is creative. He is different and special and amazing. She worries about him because she wants him to fit in and to do well in school. I love this little boy. He is so sweet to Tate and they have a special spiritual connection. I told her how wonderful it was that he was not like the other kids. We need these different and creative minds. We need to celebrate them and let them be individuals without a mold to fit in.

    It is hard to parent these little minds. It's hard when we don't understand how they work or what is going on inside of them. We need to not worry about what is normal and to place more focus on raising children who love life and contribute to it in some way. Children that are happy and productive. If they are happy, everything else will fall into place.

     If a certain type of teaching isn't working; if a technique isn't applying well; try to change courses to see what will. All minds are different. 

     As parents we need to do all we can to help our little ones minds to be clear and focused. That takes health and nutrition and patience. But, when we can clear that path or even when we are in the process of clearing that path, we need to let them be who they are. We need to not worry. Who really wants to be "typical". How boring would that world be. 

   Oh how I love my little "A-typical" minds. 

Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

     I just felt good after eating this vegetarian meal. It was filling and light. This was a real basic chili that complimented the sweetness of the sweet potato. I found this simple recipe on a wonderful website that I have no idea what the name was. If someone knows, please help me. I printed several recipes off their site and unfortunately, the printed recipes do not contain the name. If I find it , I will pass it on. I had someone email me what vegetarian cookbook I would recommend and being that I can't find that email to respond (seems to be my theme right now), I will tell you all....I don't really buy cookbooks anymore. Why, When you can google everything under the sun? I simply type in whatever I am interested in cooking or a general "vegetarian recipe" search and millions pop up. I look for sites that have reviews so I can see what others are saying about the recipe. If they get good reviews, I will try it out. All Recipes is a great site. They get lots of feedback. Read the reviews because other cooks tell what they did to change the recipe.  I have a binder with plastic sheets and I print them, put them in the sheets and they are all in catergories. It is the best cookbook I have! I don't keep them if they aren't winners. 

There you go.

     Try out this recipe. You can change it up anyway you want but I liked that it was really basic. Sometimes I just like to taste simple ingredients not overpowered by spice.

 Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes

1/2 lb dried pinto beans or beans of choice, soaked overnight

2 tsp. Olive oil

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 t. salt, or more as desired

28  oz, crushed or diced tomatoes

Cilantro, onion, avocado, sour cream, etc. as desired

I doubled this but this recipe above serves about 4.

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce sweet potato and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until tender.Be careful to not overcook! I did. Mine were smaller and were done in 30 minutes.

Cook soaked beans according to directions. Soaked beans will usually cook in under an hour or about 20 in a pressure cooker. You can also used canned beans. 

Slice onion thinly. Over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the onions and garlic until softened. Add the spices and tomatoes. If the tomatoes are diced or whole, smash them up or blend them. Bring to a simmer and reduce for about 20 minutes. When the beans are done, drain and add to the tomato mixture. Taste for salt and spices to see if you need more flavor. Adjust accordingly. Let simmer another 10-20 minutes for beans to soak in flavor.

Split sweet potato down the middle and fill with chili. Top with optional ingredients. 

***To make things go quicker in my house, I cook beans in bulk and freeze in 2 cup increments. This is a huge time saver since I don't want canned beans. If you are as lucky as I am, you got your fresh dried pinto beans from The Backyard Farmer! Totally spoiled!

It's Planting time!

     It's that time of year again where I put out the plug for home gardening. It is warm enough here in AZ now to get the soil ready and begin the planting. If you have paid attention at all to what is going on with Monsanto and the seeds they are producing, you understand why it is so important that we grow plants ourselves. Monsanto is in it for the money. Completely. They are taking our seeds and corrupting them with pesticides so that all the seeds now become toxic. They are slowly buying out seed companies right and left and soon will be the only company out there. They are shutting down family farms with law suits and corruption. The head of Monsanto was appointed to the FDA by our own Obama. What a perfect marriage for Monsanto. 


     I don't know about you, but this doesn't sit well with me. I want safe food. It is bad enough that our water has junk in it, but I want to start with good, healthy seeds left as God made them. You need to buy heirloom plants. You can use seeds from heirloom plants to grow new plants. It just takes a little dedication. There may be a time that the only way we are safe is if we grow it ourselves. That time seems eerily close. 


     If you only have a small space, get a small planter. Grow one thing if you have to. If I had to pick one thing, I would grow collards or kale. It grows easily and abundantly and is such an amazing food for our bodies. We pick leaves daily for our smoothies. If that is all you had for your greens, you would be blessed. 


     I am adding another 56 square feet of garden tomorrow. I have a large garden on the west side of my house that doesn't get enough sun. I never thought about building a raised planter along my North fence line but the sun is perfect. I can hardly wait to have it up and running. My pepper plants are going to be so happy there! If all you have is an area that gets little sun, you can still grow some leafy greens. Mine do very well in my shady spots. The broccoli does not! Watch your yard for a day to see where your sun is. You want at least 6 hours per day. You can buy pots and stick them in various sunny locations if you have to. I am to the point now where I care more about what I can produce on my land then what the landscape looks like. It can be pretty if it is taken care of. I would much rather have a plant giving me food than a bush giving me flowers. 


     I had a great meeting with some wonderful women last night. They are all trying so hard to change their lives and help their children. There wasn't one of us in the group that was without struggles. We all had children that require extra help through nutrition. Our food matters so much. It costs extra to be healthy. However, you will always save in the long run. My kids haven't been to the Dr. for illness for at least 7 years, no lie. Food is the best medicine. 


Grow something. It does the body good.


Click on my "gardening" label to the right to get more gardening tips.

***FYI, Burpee plants can be linked to Monsanto. I called A & P nurseries and he says that they don't use any Monsanto plants, pretty sure. I looked up the companies that he listed and they are safe seeds. They also have lots of heirloom plants in stock.

Charlie's soap powder

With a big family which includes lots of stinky boys, I go through lots of laundry soap. I shy away from the chemical filled soaps so that means it is a little pricier to do the laundry. 

I read about Charlie's Soap and am super impressed. You can get 1000 loads for $105 bucks. No residue. No chemicals. The best part is that it really cleans. This is a great year supply item to have on hand.

Here is info from their website:

Biodegradable Laundry Powder

Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder is a laundry detergent originally developed for use in textile quality control labs.

Charlie's Soap is truly the answer to getting the cleanest clothes with the biggest savings while at the same time caring for the environment.

Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder is a clear, scent-free laundry powder that cleans thoroughly, rinses completely, and leaves nothing behind but the sweet smell of clean.

Here are just a few of the benefits of using Charlie's Soap

• Only use one (1) tablespoon per large load!
• Safe for all HE machines.
• Softeners are not recommended or needed. That means even greater savings on your laundry!
• Non-toxic & completely biodegradable.
• Safe and effective for all fabrics, including silk, wool, linen, cotton and high-tech micro fibers.
• Contains no clays, dyes, phosphates, ultraviolet brighteners or perfumes.
• Will not fade your colors.
• Removes entrapped odors from athletic wear.

Some stores in the valley do carry it if you go to their website and type in your zip code. They also carry natural cleaners as well.

Return and Report on Resolution #3....and a yummy pizza.

I have had lots of women asking me how the "Brazilian Butt lift" is going and my resolution #3 so I thought it was time to do a little reporting. It has been almost a month.


First off, I am proud to report that my plan of 1 hour per day, 6 days a week for personal upkeep has happened. Let me tell you, it isn't easy. It seems impossible most of the time and if I weren't absolutely , 100% committed, I probably would have only made it work about 1/2 the time. I already have to get up at 5 am for the day so getting up an hour early isn't going to happen. That means that it is usually after 9 before I get to start my workout. That usually means I really would rather not. However, I made a promise to myself and I deserve to keep that promise. I won't let myself get out of it. 


We all have 24 hours in the day and no matter how much money we have, we can't buy more. Everyone is busy. We are all tired. I know I have used that excuse many times to relax at night instead of get the exercise I need or to read my scriptures but the deal is that I can't go back in time and take that hour of day back to improve myself. For heavens sake, my oldest turned 18 today. How can I have an adult for a child? Ugh. If I don't stick to my guns by taking that one hour per day just for me; even if it means it is late at night and I would rather use that hour to lounge, I am loosing ground. I am going to age faster. I am going to feel older. 


The Brazilian workout is working. The jeans are looser. My stomach is flat. I am doing it for health and energy. The loose jeans are just a bonus. I am not getting on the scale. I didn't measure my hips. Our motivation should be for our longevity and quality of life. The result of looking good should just be a byproduct. I highly recommend these videos, for those of you asking. 


My kids have all been inspired too. They are hitting the gym and doing workouts with me. As moms, we are the leaders. They look to us for inspiration. We need to teach them that being healthy and fit is important. These are lessons that will stay with them for life. 


We don't need to be size 0 supermodels. Size is not the issue. But, we need to take care of ourselves. If we don't, we won't be able to take care of others.


There is my report. Month two, here I come! 


If you need a little dinner suggestion, here is what we had last night:

Rosemary Potato Pizza.


Pizza dough of choice. 
Thinly slice Yukon potatoes in 1/8th inch slices. Soak in salted water for an hour then drain and dry. Toss in olive oil with rosemary and onion slices. Place on dough and salt and pepper to taste. Brush dough with oil. Bake at 500 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and put back into oven until melted and golden.

 
Serve with a Balsamic reduction sauce and Arugula. To make the sauce, take one cup of Balsamic Vingegar and 1 T. of honey. Bring to a boil while stirring then simmer for 30 minutes or so until reduced by half. Drizzle over pizza. 

Brothers.

I was sitting in the waiting room at Tate's speech therapy and witnessed a sweet brother taking care of his brother with autism. The one with autism was older by a couple years, probably 10 while the younger brother was about 8. The 10-year-old was upset because "everything was lame". Something was not going right in his world, as often is the case with autism, and the 8-year-old was doing everything possible to help his brother feel better. He was talking so calmly and sweetly to his flustered brother like he had been through this a million times. 


     "What if I buy you a treat when this is done...something gluten free."
     "How about you come look at this Batman book with me?"
     "I will tell Dad to get you something really neat if you will go into therapy and be happy."


      He tried it all. The 10-year-old just kept telling him "everything in this place is lame!"


      The brother went into therapy, reluctantly, and the other left with his mom, totally unflustered. 


      I wanted to hug him and tell him what a wonderful brother he was. I gave him a little smile and he looked at me like he had no idea why.


     Of course he didn't. This was his world. I am sure everyday he is bending over backwards to make his brother feel better and loved without even realizing it.
He loved him and was taking care of him.


     I thought of my Tate and his wonderful brother's. (He has a wonderful sister as well). They bend over backwards to help him. They adjust to his moods and sacrifice when things have to change for him. They love him and take care of him. 


     What a blessing it is for these boys to have brother's with Autism. It may seem strange to say but the lessons these boys learn because they have to serve and sacrifice are priceless. I am thankful that my boys have learned such a valuable lesson. I am most thankful for those sweet brothers out there who take care of their siblings with sacrifice and love. I am thankful for all the wonderful sisters as well but sisters just come with more patience and sense of service. 


     I don't know if the brother from therapy got his special treat from his dad ,but I know he sure has a great brother. That is much better. I hope someday this brother knows what a great friend he is. 

Easy Clean Up.

I don't do Sunday dishes....well except for that last dish in the sink that no one wants to do. The one with the baked on grime that "needs to soak" they say. Pretty much an excuse. Tonight it is my beautiful enameled roaster pan that has baked on grease and grime. Easy solution:

Vinegar, baking soda and a scrub brush. It comes off lightening fast. My 7 year old could do it. I am certain that the almost 18 year old who's job it was tonight could have done it just fine with out the "soaking". 

They sell all sorts of chemical ridden cleaners to get those enamel pans clean. Once again, vinegar and baking soda will do about anything. I think my 18 year old needs to learn my secret.

Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday dinner. Ours was absolutely delicious! Wish I could give someone else the credit...really I do. I am sure someone else is capable. My 9 year old made some great, fresh squeezed lemonade and some killer peanut butter candy tonight. There's a start. 

Preschool

I know I have been wishy washy for those of you who have asked, but I have decided to do the 2-4 year old Wednesday only social preschool class next year. So, sign ups start now. Sorry, I don't remember who had asked me so first come first serve. Your child needs to be 2 1/2 by September. They do not need to be potty trained. 


It is on Wednesdays at 9:30-11:30 beginning in August. Tuition is $40 for the month. Registration fee is $25 due in May. I will have 9 slots. This is social based but we also do academics. Many use this class as a supplement to a Tue/Thur preschool taken elsewhere. 


Also, I have 4 slots remaining in my pm Tue/Thur preschool class for 3-4 year olds. It is from 12-2:30 and is $100 per month with a $50 registration fee.


IF you would like information or have questions, please email me or leave a comment!


goodman-7@cox.net


Thanks!

Take a second....Educate.

I am just a bit frustrated today. I just can't handle watching what kids are eating. I am so very sad for them. I am tired of moms asking me about what to do for their kids with ADD and ADHD and everything in between but they fill them with processed food and chemicals with no desire to change. I am tired of seeing kids dip everything in ranch dip which , unless you make it yourself from scratch, is full of harmful MSG. Pure adulteration of a carrot. There is rarely a packaged food that doesn't contain MSG and Soy proteins not to mention High Fructose Corn Syrup and Aspartame. These chemicals are destroying our bodies. They are altering these little minds. 


My plea today, read this long article here, and learn a little bit. I know most of you who stop by my blog are well aware of what is in our food but this article just confirms even more so the importance of how we need to eat. Pass it on. The article is long and at first, a bit technical and boring but read on. I love Dr. Blaylock. He is a neurosurgeon and knows what he is talking about. I trust him. 


When I have kids over for dinner or lunch, I usually get asked for ranch dip. It just isn't going to happen here. I know there are some healthy ,homemade recipes but I really prefer my kids to taste the food itself not cover it up with ranch. I prefer a good vinaigrette on salad's that are light and healthy. 


Start reading what you are feeding your kids. I worry about the future generations. How are any kids ever going to survive without disease? One thing is for certain; the food industry is not going to change. We have to be the ones to change. We have to control what we are feeding our family and educate!


Thanks. I know this is a repeater topic but so few are really listening. The price will be paid. Thank you all who are trying so hard. It takes time and it takes practice. I am so not perfect but we are trying around here. We get our share of junk but we try to keep it real. Do your best. Bless the lives of your family.