The Enlightened Homemaker

It's Planting time!

2012-02-10T08:18:00.001-08:00

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

2012-02-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-01-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-01-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-01-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-01-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

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.

2012-01-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

Merrill and Marry, and their son Max are a happy and loving family in Arizona that are excited to add to their family through adoption. They are my sweet friends and I would love to see them add another beautiful baby to their home. Spread the word... Max really wants a sibling!

You can find out more about them by visiting their website

Breakfast.....Rosemary Potato and Kale Frittata.

2012-01-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

I love frittata's. They are a perfect way to clean out the fridge. It can be a breakfast or a dinner, vegetarian or carnivorous. They are simple and colorful.

I happened to have lots of potatoes that needed to be used along with a garden full of Kale and a huge bush of rosemary. Perfect. Rosemary is intoxicating.

If you haven't really done the frittata thing before, here is the easy low-down:

Saute your veggies in butter or oil of choice until just tender. Onions are a must. I finely chopped some white onions, finely sliced some Yukon gold potatoes and sauteed those until tender. Then, I added a couple of sprigs of chopped rosemary and some chopped up kale. I admit I did add a sprinkle of crumbled bacon for a little more flavor but that is totally optional. I then sauteed that just another minute to release the flavors and to wilt the kale.

When veggies are done, salt and pepper to taste and arrange in an even layer in the fry pan. Make sure there is still enough butter or oil so they will not stick. I used about 8 eggs to cover my veggies. Whisk eggs first and pour evenly over veggies. Turn heat down to low and salt and pepper the top. I also shredded some Parmesan on the top. Cook on low until the eggs are no longer runny. You can also put it in the oven if you have an oven-proof pan towards the end but I usually just cook it stove top. Don't overcook! If the pan is too hot, you will burn the bottom. Slow and steady.

Remove to a plate and serve in pie wedges. If I had my wish come true, this would be served with some fruit and a cinnamon roll. Perfect.

Making Stock, the good way.

2012-01-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

You know that old adage to feed a cold chicken noodle soup? Wonder why? Well, in the olden days, chicken noodle soup was made the proper way. The whole chicken was slow simmered with veggies until meat was falling off the bones and there was a rich, yellow stock. What is so great about that rich yellow stock is the nutrients it contains. The bone marrow of the chicken has great health benefits, particularly to the immune system. Thus, helping with healing of the body. However, today, our chicken noodle soup usually consists of powdered, MSG laden broth, antibiotic filled chicken and pesticide sprayed veggies. I can't imagine how that would help a cold.

To get that days of yore feel good soup, you need to start with a good , organic chicken carcass. I had roasted a chicken previously that night and took a majority of the meat off. You can just use a whole, uncooked chicken also. However, don't waste a left over chicken carcass! It makes great stock!!!

I took the carcass and put it in a large pot with a few carrots, celery stocks, onions, about 15 peppercorns, some parsley and a bay leaf. I covered it with about 12 cups of water and brought it to a boil. I then lowered the temp to a simmer. You want to simmer it about 3-4 hours making sure all the meat is completely cooked when done if starting with a raw bird. I was running out of time so mine was closer to 2 1/2 but it tasted great. After it has simmered, salt to taste with some Celtic salt and strain through a fine strainer. I put mine into two half-gallon glass jars with 6 cups of the broth in each. I put them into my freezer but they can also be pressure canned. Another option is to freeze into cubes to throw in recipes like rice or steamed veggies.

With the left over carcass, I took every last piece of meat left on the bones and put them in the freezer as well to add to a soup later. With the cost of a good organic chicken, I am not wasting one morsel! The left over veggies from the broth were enjoyed by my chickens.

It is nice to have my soup base ready to go in the freezer. I really wish I had a garage lined with freezers. If I lost power, I would cry. However, I am still ready with my back up plan to quickly pressure can everything in my freezer if needed! There is a lot of hard work contained on those shelves!

****Thanks for the tips, readers! Vinegar will help the meat fall off the bones and help pull nutrients from the bones. Use Apple Cider vinegar. Also, the longer you simmer, the more nutrients and flavor you will have. You will still have great flavor in 3-4 hours but simmering 8 hours or more will given you better health benefits.

Stocking up and the pantry list.

2012-01-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

Lot's of you have asked for the list and have had lots of questions. To clear a few things up:

The Pantry list does not include all my grains. That is in my year supply so I will always have that on hand.

The Pantry list contains the ingredients needed to make the menu items. I still have lots of other things in my pantry for everyday use and for some snacking. I also keep more on hand than I would need for my 120 meals.

The meals list contain 20 recipes that I time by 6 to get 120 meals. That gives you about 4 months of meals. I do a breakfast and a dinner. I figure we could be fine without a lunch or just eat some snacks and bread if it came to that.

Where do you store it all? I have always had a year supply even when I lived in an apartment. Things are under beads and in closets along with the pantry. We have added extra shelves in our closets. Most closets and pantries have a top shelf with plenty of room to add an additional shelf above that. We have added those. I have a notebook indicating where the items are so I know where to go when I need them.

There are lots of sources. I love Preparing Wisely, LDS.org, MRE depot and Costco online. Costco has some great freeze dried and storage items online. Preparing Wisely will now deliver to you as well. It is also a good idea to stock up on garden seeds. Most of those sources have those as well.

You also need to think of water as well for obvious reasons. Add a good purifier to your list. My favorite one can be purchased from Preparing Wisely. YOu can link to them on my right sidebar.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Resloution #4......Keeping stocked.

2012-01-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

I have always been pretty good about keeping a year supply of food on hand but in addition, I like a 3 month supply, at least, of meals as well. I want the ingredients for us to eat well for at least 90 days before we would have to live on our beans and rice. This last year, I have let my pantry run a little low.

I have had lots of people email me about crazy things they have been hearing urging them to get a year supply and 3 month meal supply going. Some of the info is nothing new , but the info seems a lot more pertinent these days. There are some crazy rumors going around and regardless if they will ever come to be, it doesn't really matter. It will always be a good idea to be prepared. We may need our food because of unemployment. We may need it if there is a temporary trucking issue. There are so many reasons why we may need to depend on the food we have. It just is a good idea to take stock.

My resolution this year is to always stay on top of my food supply. Always. We had planned to take a rather expensive trip with our kids this spring break. We have been saving and they were all excited. As the time has been approaching, I started to get a nagging feeling that the money should not be spent on one week of entertainment. I finally told my family that I thought we didn't have any right to do that when we didn't have a complete stock of food in the house and other necessities. To my surprise, I found little resistance. With much relief, I went on a shopping spree and stocked the house. I feel so much better and promised to keep it up. I am not a worry monger. I don't dwell on things that might happen. But, we can't go wrong with being prepared. Ever. It just feels good.

To keep up on my storage, I have a dry erase board right inside my pantry. If I use something on my storage list, I immediately write it down so I can get it on my next shopping trip.

To organize my 3 month supply; I keep a binder with menus, recipes and a pantry list. You can check out some of my ideas and see my binder under the year supply link on the right side bar. I would be happy to email you the pantry list that you can amend for your own use. Just shoot me an email or leave a comment.

I know we will all be blessed if we are prepared. We never know what lies ahead. It is our obligation to take care of our family.

Supplement order on Monday.

2012-01-06T15:34:00.001-08:00

I am ordering supplements on Monday if you need anything.

The execution of Resolution #3......

2012-01-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

Making resolutions is the easy part. Actually following through is a whole different thing. For resolution #3; a little "me" time, serious planning needs to be done. We put lots of things on calendars; kids activities, PTSO, church and community duties, service projects, etc. How many of us actually write something in the calendar that is just for us? If I have my sons soccer practice written down, I know that nothing can take that 4:45 slot. He needs to be there. I have to schedule around it.

"Me" time needs to be the same. We need to take a monthly calendar, look at each day and write down an activity just for ourself. We all have 24 hours in the day. If we are lucky; 6-8 hours of that will be sleep. Most of the other time is taken up with the basic motherly duties. There just has to be an hour in there that we can take for ourselves for some upkeep. I am on day 3 and so far, it has worked wonderfully. I am making sure that what I have written down is happening without interuption. You can bet that if you don't keep that one hour a day mandatory, someone will take it from you. If you have it on your calendar, in pen, you won't replace it with things that don't have more importance. Sometimes things will come up. But, most of the time, we just give that hour away.

I have looked at my calendar and have written down one hour a day that I can work out. I have then added a little time at the end of the day for reading and maintenance. We owe it to ourselves to have a little keep up time. If we feel pretty, life has a much better outlook. Having freshly painted toes goes a long way! Taking time for a little self-done facial can do wonders as well. Nothing has to be expensive. We can workout at home and buy a $6 bottle of OPI nail polish. I think I am worth at least that much.

Sometimes, if not all the time, getting that hour to ourselves means an hour before they all wake up. I can promise you, if you can get into that routine, you will be a much better mother for it. You have some peace and quiet before the demands are made. The day is never as smooth and peaceful if I wake up with them. Ever.

Another important thing we need to do for ourselves is nourishing our bodies. Often we take great care to make sure our little ones are getting the right nutrition but let ourselves eat the scraps. We don't take the time to really feed our bodies what it needs. We wait until our bodies are screaming with deficiencies and then try to make up lost ground. Don't wait for a total meltdown of physical being to take care of yourself. Treat yourself to a great green smoothie right off the bat. Since we are usually running low on sleep and overstressed, our bodies need all the help it can get. I get so, so many emails from moms who are facing horrible health problems. Most of them are due to the fact that they simply didn't take care of themselves. That is easy to do when you feel like you have given it all away to everyone else.

Sisters; by taking care of ourselves, we will be better wives and mothers. We will be happier. We will feel more confident and more confidence brings a better ability to serve and create friendships.

Get your calendars out and take out a pen. Don't give your hour away. You have earned it.

I drank my beautiful green smoothie today and am about to do a little P90x. My toes are freshly painted. The showers may not get cleaned today but no one is going to look at them anyways. Push aside the unnecessary. Let go of perfectionism. Seek balance. Include yourself on the scale.

Preparing Wisely Classes

2012-01-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

My friends over at Preparing Wisely have expanded and are having some great, free classes at their store. Check out their list below:

Class Schedule

Come Learn and Have Fun.

Emergency 72 Hour Kits - Night Class

Learn about the essential items that go in a well balanced kit.

Thursday, January 5th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Using Your Wheat: Beginner Bread Making - Day Class

New to Breadmaking? Come join us for a great intro class. Gauranteed Success with making Bread.

Friday, January 6th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Tortilla Making - Day Class

Come join us for a fantastic class on making homemade, healthy tortillas.

Tuesday, January 10th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Food Storage 101 - Night Class

Where do I begin? A great class for beginners and a good refresher for everyone else.

Thursday, January 12th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Sun Oven Essentials - Day Class

The Global Sun Oven is a great self sufficiency and off-grid way of cooking. Come learn how to use this oven for everyday use or in case of emergencies.

Friday, January 13th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Peter Bigfoot Discussion on Natural Remedies - Night Class

Peter will share his wonderful insights on desert plants and natural remedies

Tuesday, January 17th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Bread Making without a Mixer - Night Class

Develop the skills to make bread without a mixer. This class is an off-grid must.

Thursday, January 19th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Introduction to Canning - Day Class

This class will give you an introduction into Home Canning with Pressure Canners, Water Bath and Steam Canners

Friday, January 20th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Introduction to Whole Grains - Day Class

Make Whole Grains a part of your everyday menu. This class will start you on the right path.

Tuesday, January 24th at 11:00 AM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Water Storage and Purification - Night Class

How much water should I store? How do I store water? What are the purification and filtration methods for filtering water? We will help answer these questions.

Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Wonderflour Demonstration and Special Event with Chef Brad

Limited to first 40 participants. Cost is $5 per person.

RSVP (480) 964-3077 or troy@preparingwisely.com

Thursday, January 26th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S. Mesa Dr)

Using Your Wheat: Pancakes and Waffles from your Food Storage - Day Class

Use your food storage products to make healthy and great tasting pancakes and waffles.

Friday, January 27th at 6:30 PM at Preparing Wisely (144 S Mesa Dr)

Check out their blog and online store here.

A little Selfishness....Resolution #3.

2012-01-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

This resolution is a tough one for me and I am sure I am not alone. It seems that I flip flop on this each year. But, this week I have been a little grumpy. I have been trying to hide it but probably not too well. I couldn't really pin point why, everything is pretty hunky dory in my life but then it hit me. This happens to me when I miss myself. I am really missing myself right now. You know that feeling, I am sure of it.

I have that inner struggle all the time about being selfish. I had a mother that never took me time so in my mind, me time is selfish. I love being a mother and taking care of a family. I enjoy helping others but sometime, being selfish is important. If we can't fill our tanks now and then, we run empty. I think I am feeling empty.

Another big reason I need to be a little more selfish this year is because this is the year of the big 40. To say I am unhappy about that is an understatement. I don't know how I got here and to be honest, I never, ever thought of life after 40. I never pictured myself getting older. Getting older means my kids get older and leave, my body looks older and I become the "older" crowd. 40 seemed ancient when I was a teen. I don't feel ancient. I just can't wrap my head around this age. I have realized this last year that I absolutely need to take better care of myself. I haven't had my youthful bounce this last year. I look tired and I feel tired. I haven't done much to deserve otherwise. I do still have lots of life to live. I want to feel youthful and playful. I want to kick 40 in the behind and feel better than I have this last year of my 30's. I know this can only be done if I start being a little selfish. Take tonight for instance. I had my new yoga mat already. I was looking forward to going to yoga all day. Christmas break has been great but to be honest, I needed the quiet meditation tonight without someone saying "mom!" for just a few minutes. Mom is seeming like a swear word right now. Tate has been a bit high maintenance this break. I want to bite something.

Well, yoga didn't happen. I had told the little boys we would hit the dollar store after Tate's therapy today. They had a couple dollars to burn and wanted to buy something real special. We came home and Tate wanted to ride his bike. He needed to be outside so I obliged. I sort of hoped they would forget about the dollar store. They didn't. At 5 o'clock, we were in the car for the dollar store. By the time we came home, they needed food. By the time that ended, it was 6:30. Dang. There it went. I was mad at myself. I should have planned better. I owed that to myself. I need to make sure my time really happens. Instead, I am still a little grumpy and the yoga mat is still in its original packaging.

Tomorrow is a new day. I am starting my new workout regime and selfish me time! Just a little. I am sure a very little. Me time has to happen before 5 am and after 10 pm. I ordered the New Brazilian Butt Lift workout promising me a fabulous behind in 60 days. There are some new classes at the gym. I am going to be a new woman. My 20th anniversary is in a couple months. Wouldn't he be so lucky to have that 60 bucks payoff. I told him he couldn't look until then.

I know all of us need to give ourselves a little quiet time now and then. It is a balancing game and some take it way too far on either side. I am not one for girls nights out every week and shopping trips but I know I will be a far better and happier wife and mother if I can just think without being interrupted and feel a little better in my own skin. I miss myself.

Hope you all can do a little of the same.

Snapware and Prepping.....Resolution #2.

2011-12-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

Resolution #2 is also a small idea but one I have been working on for a couple months and want to get it down like clockwork this year. My friend, Jenny, posted a picture of her fridge on her Facebook so here is a couple shelves of what mine looks like. We think alike.

My goal is to have veggies and fruits prepped and ready at all times as soon as they are delivered or bought or picked. Since I am not doing plastic bags, and don't want them stored in plastic bags, I need to keep them fresh in containers. By having them all prepped and ready to consume, I find my smoothies are much better and I eat more. There are lots of varieties ready to eat so I eat more variety. It also looks so much more organized. I also wanted to get away from anything with BPA in it so I have now switched over to all snapware containers (I need an updated photo for my new containers) . They are BPA free and I love the rubber seals on the lids. Spill proof.

I purchased a big set from Amazon that come with some great sized containers, especially for kids lunches. I have other sets great for larger produce as well. Costco also has a set of 42 I have been told. I need to go check that out!

I also love seeing the produce as soon as I open the fridge so I don't forget something hiding in the back. I hate when good, organic produce goes to waste. That way, I can plan my menus around what I need to use up. Jenny uses dry erase markers to write on the containers. Great idea.

If any of you have some great ideas, pass them on. I would love to hear some.

More ideas coming. This year is going to be my year of Fine Tuning. I think that is the buzz word(s) for the year. Fine Tuning. I need that. I feel like last year I just kept up and didn't really progress much. This year I am ready for a little tweaking and perfecting. I need that. Especially when it comes to a little "me" time. Tweaking is an understatement there. The gym misses me.

Happy New Year! I am home partying it up with the littles while the husband works. Hooray for Me!

Pineapples and Preschool....

2011-12-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

Pineapples are only $1 at Sprouts thru 1/4. They are sweet and delicious. I buy tons to freeze for smoothies. Stock up! Also, if you were bummed like me when they took the coconut sugar out of bulk section, you can still get it in bulk for a discount if you just ask! They will order it for you. You get a 10% discount on bulk orders. I don't know what constitutes "bulk", but I ordered 25 lbs.

I have 5 spots left for preschool next year. 3 and 4 year olds only this year. Tuesday and Thursday's. $100 per month. One am slot and 4 pm. Email me or comment if you are interested.

2012.....going green, resolution #1.

2011-12-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

2012 is fast approaching and that means I get to pick out some new goals. I know you can really start goals anytime, but I am a sucker for the New Year resolutions. I look forward to it. I have a whole gaggle of resolutions on my list this year and I would love to share a small handful of them with you. I will run a little series of "resolution ideas" for you this week just in case you can't think of anything on your own. They really are good ideas. Promise.

#1.....Going green.

I know, nothing original but for some reason, this year, going green is a top priority. It is funny how you can pick and choose what important things in life apply to you. For instance, I didn't buy organic food until I read and understood what truly was covering my conventional produce. Now, I can't go back to conventional. That rule applies to me now. When Tate was diagnosed with Autism, lots of rules started to apply to me that were never in my world before. We can just sort of ignore things until we gain knowledge. When we catch the vision, we are then responsible for change. Going green has been something I have worked on now and then but after a conversation with my husband a couple months ago, I get it. Completely. Now, I can't be one of those who ignores the real problem. I am now included in that rule.

I'll let you in on the conversation.

My husband has been anti-water bottle for a couple years now. He has been great about bringing his own where he goes and setting the example. I mostly followed suit but when we were out of town, I would always bring a case for the kids. It was just easier.

My family loves the ocean. It is our happy place. There is something so calming and spiritual about being near such a grand creation. When my husband told me what his favorite surfer, Laird Hamilton said about water bottles, I took the bait and the rule applied to me completely. Laird said that years ago, he would encounter a water bottle out in the water every now and then but that in recent years, they are everywhere in the ocean, littering the beauty and the sacredness of the waters. I had heard the statistics of water bottle consumption in America but thinking about what that really meant didn't cross my mind before. Did you know that we use 2 million water bottles every 5 minutes!!!! Analyze that for a second. It is stated that we use enough water bottles every day to go around the world in a line 3 times. Our world is pretty big. Those statistics are mind boggling. With those statistics, our oceans are soon going to have little room for ourselves. Somehow we can just ignore it and keep drinking our water bottles because it is easier. Like it is really hard to refill a water bottle our selves or plan ahead and bring water bottles with you. We really are lazy people.

So, as of a couple months ago, I am water bottle free, unless there is an emergency. My kids are pretty good at this as well now. We have the collapsible water bottles and other BPA free Nalgene bottles that we take with us. Pretty simple. I feel so much better to not be contributing to the plastic overload in this world. I HATE to see all the water bottles littered everywhere after my kids soccer and baseball games. They are everywhere! We need to make changes.

The next part of my going green is at the grocery store. I used to justify the plastic bags since I needed them to wrap diapers in. Now, we are diaper free and they just collect under the sink. Now that I see the weekly accumulation, I am amazed at how much plastic waste I am contributing to. I went out and purchased reusable grocery bags and produce bags. The hard part for me now is actually remembering to bring them into the store. We forgot last night and I had each of the kids carry handfuls of groceries out to the car without bags. I am committed now so that means no excuses. We did look like a bunch of shoplifters.

The produce bags are great. I found them on Amazon but it would really be easy to make yourself.

I don't need them too often since I get my produce delivered from the Backyard Farmer but every now and then when I hit the farmers market, I can't justify bringing in reusable grocery bags and then putting the individual fruits and veggies in little plastic bags. I won't even go into the idea of BPA's in the bags themselves. We are just talking pollution today. They don't weight really anymore than the plastic bags. Such a great idea.

I feel better to not be contributing to pollution. I know often we think we are just one person and it really doesn't matter but what if lots of "one persons" make a change. Make the rule apply to you, unless you hate the ocean and don't care if the world is filled with trash. Just an idea.

Stay tuned for more great ideas for the New Year.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We were spoiled beyond belief. Thanks to everyone for making our season wonderful. The best was having my family in town. I am so blessed.

Check out the Amazon links on my sidebar!

Reindeer names

2011-12-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

Just in case you are new to my blog and missed this great idea.... here is a revisit for you.

Reindeer Names

Canyons and Parsnips.

2011-12-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

I am still alive. It is just that time of year when my whole being wants to swell with all the family I can get and the blog world gets shut out. It is this time of year that I am glad that I don't get paid to blog and have to blog on demand. I do have things to say....I will fill you in on the conversations going on in my head but all in due time. I will be a little poky for the next month. You understand.

I just returned from the beautiful canyons of Utah. They are breathtaking and rejuvenating. It was wonderful to have life halted for a week and to just take in the beauty of the earth and the love of family. We packed 22 family members into one beautiful home for crazy fun. Conversations until 2 am, nightly; musical jam sessions by my amazingly talented family; all 22 of them attending and LOTS of food! I won't go into details about the Thanksgiving dinner but when you have a family of chef's; it comes out something of grandeur. I would rob someone for this stuffing. It is really that good.

Now back at home, reality is awaiting. The reality is that I have been eating way too much treats and need to get back into the healthy lifestyle. My body is begging me along with pleading with me to get back into the gym routine. Such an inner struggle after two back to back vacations. I have had way to much meat and am trying to create meals with little to no meat and no dairy and no sugar and all organic and all from scratch and of course all under an hour. Sometimes I get stumped and I am sitting on that stump right now. Time to get some inspiration.

I started to look through some cookbooks tonight for some new ideas. I am really sick of my usuals. It was soup weather and I wanted a new soup to slip down my palate. The Backyard Farmer delivered some tasty treats to me yesterday so I had a variety to choose from. (P.S., he now has corn/soy free chicken feed and organic beef and chicken. Yipee!) I had a pound of parsnips and found a soup that intrigued me. Creamy Parsnip and Apple soup. Don't knock it until you have tried it. Super yum.

First, in case you didn't know about the parsnip in detail, let me explain:

Parsnips have been around for a very long time. When the potato became popular, they in turn became a little less popular as they do take on the flavor a bit of a potato. They are a very under appreciated vegetable but loaded with nutrition and very easy to use. They look like a white carrot and have a mild flavor. They are great to roast or steam or add to a soup. They contain lots of folate and B3 which is super important for pregnant women. They are also low in calories and packed with fiber to help get the wast out of the body. They are a superior food for liver and kidney health. They are also rich in vitamin C and potassium.

When selecting a parsnip, you want one about the size of a large carrot and with smooth skin. Peel them like a carrot and cut them as desired.

Here is the soup I made last night. The flavor was perfect and I loved it pureed but the kids would have liked a little more chunks. I made it totally dairy free but it tasted like a cream filled soup. You definitely did not need dairy in this. I served it with a whole grain cinnamon roll made with coconut sugar. Delicious and perfect for a cold night! Enjoy!

Creamy Parsnip and Apple Soup

Adapted from Martha Stewart

3 T. butter, olive oil or coconut oil

1 1/2 lbs. leeks

1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

3 apples, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

3/4 lbs. red or white potatoes, peeled and cut 1 inch.

24 oz. chicken broth

3-4 cups water

1 C. almond milk or milk/cream

salt and pepper

Prepare leeks by cutting top greens off so that the whites and the light green are remaining. Take off outer layer and slice into small circles. Saute in butter or oil for 5 minutes. Add parsnips, potatoes and apples along with chicken broth and 3 cups water. Add more water if needed so that veggies are covered with enough water. Pressure cook at second ring for 6 minutes or bring to boil and simmer about 20-25 minutes until veggies are tender.

Puree soup in blender until smooth or leave some chunks. Add more liquid if needed. Add almond milk/cream and salt and pepper to taste.

*****I will placing oil/supplement orders on Tuesday.

Baked Oatmeal....

2011-11-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

I love baked oatmeal and have wanted to share this one for quite a while. I just kept forgetting to get a photo for you all. It is so easy and fills the belly for hours. It is a great cold weather dish. It is better for you if you soak it overnight but in all honesty, I have never done that with this dish. It will change the texture but it is much easier on the stomach if it is soaked. I just have never planned ahead with this dish to do that. If you do, let me know how it goes. I will try to do better the next time!

Baked Apple Oatmeal

From Molly's Cookbook

1 C. whole rolled oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 tsp. sea salt

3 T. maple syrup

1-2 peeled and diced apples. (I grate mine sometimes)

1 1/4 C. milk (I use coconut or almond milk)

Nuts if desired.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a glass pie plate. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie plate. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Don't over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit. Serve with a little milk, whipped cream or yogurt if desired.

Tactile Creatures

2011-11-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

Humans are tactile creatures. We were given the sense of touch for a reason and somehow, we learn best when we are using that sense. Touching inspires creativity and embeds images in our heads. We can soak up information through our fingertips. We learn best in dimensions. I try to foster creativity whenever possible. I will always buy sheet music, art supplies, creative experiences mostly whenever asked. My almost 18 year old asked where the modeling clay was on Saturday. When I told him we didn't have any, he responded, "Mom, this is a house of creativity! We need clay. We should have clay."

He was right. We usually have clay but it was looking pretty shabby and I pitched it. Sorry. He went to Hobby Lobby, pointing out to me that he was the only "dude" in the store, and came home to sculpt "Terri" in all his moods. Each color indicated a different mood. Above is "calm Terri". Below you will see "angry Terri":

There were many more to follow. Here are all the "Terri's" after their photo shoot:

They are adorable and they make me giggle a bit. I love creative minds. He was right. We should have had clay. We will always have clay from now on.

I try to provide a good tactile environment in preschool as well. Learning letters can be a little hard for 3 year olds. I have been using a salt tray for them to use their hands to "feel" the letters. It has been a hit!

Using jumbo letters, they can push them into the salt and then trace them with their fingers. This way, they aren't just seeing what the letters look like, they are feeling what they look like. I left this tray out when my kids came home and every single one of them made pictures in the salt. It stayed out all day and was a hit. Kids don't need video games. The best thing I ever did was to never buy a game station.

Another hit at preschool is making "muffins" with beans and sorting items with tweezers:

This gives them an opportunity to work on their finger control, especially when using the tweezers. Cute little fingers!

My friend has a blog giving some great ideas for tactile experiences. She is a occupational therapist for kids and she has some great ideas! Check it out ;Therapymommy.blogspot.com. She is putting on my little sensory man we made at preschool yesterday. Her cutie is in my class. I will be stealing some of her ideas for sure!

Go buy some clay. Pour some salt on a tray. Take away the video games...at least for a while and let your kids create!

Rainy Days and Rain Boots....

2011-11-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

I woke to my alarm at 4:45 am and heard the rain hitting the window. There was a river running down my street and it was still pitch black. Yep...the gym was canceled. I couldn't possibly head out in that weather. Back to bed. It is hard to get things going on rainy days. I am so thankful that I have a day like today that can be scaled back to accommodate my rainy day mood. I am still in my cuddly robe, still bed unmade. I talked to my mom about the exciting Thanksgiving plans. I replied to emails and made cinnamon toast and a smoothie. I planned out my preschool plans on the 5 senses this week and almost have the dishes done. The garden was going to be finished today but now that has to be put on hold. I just may have to go see a movie with my husband instead. We both have Monday's off. Lucky Duckies.

I opened the pantry to see yellow rain boots next to the grain buckets. I love how having little ones around means that nothing has to make sense. I thought about how much I am going to miss the fact that little feet that once had yellow rain boots on were in my pantry. I will be sad at the day when things make sense. I will be sad when we are all grown ups. I love finding little finger prints. I love when the mirrors fog in the bathroom and small hands have drawn pictures in the steam. I love Tate's many, many pictures and notes covering my fridge; drawings of little ant people with top hats and nonsense words that mean something to him. I love to see my large son's name carved on his bed (don't tell him that, he got in trouble for that one) because too soon he will be missing from that location for good. I loved to hear 3 of my children singing to my daughter on the guitar last night in 3 part harmony. It was beautiful. I love that I can laugh every day at their funny sense of humor.

Today is a day full of gratitude. How can it not be. It is fall in Arizona. It is cool and crisp and rain soaked. Everything is green. We are healthy and happy and the holiday's are around the corner. I want to capture every moment of it and make it last a lifetime.

It is going to be a great week. Life is perfect just as it is.

Cubed.

2011-11-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Because A. I hate to waste food and B. I love to freeze things; I am getting pretty great at using my ice cube trays. Ice cubes are just the perfect size for blending and thawing and a perfect measurement for so many things like lemon juice in a recipe or pesto in a sauce.

Whenever I have a little smoothie left over, it goes in an ice cube tray to use in future smoothies. Slushy smoothies are the best but buying frozen fruit is expensive so using some frozen smoothie or frozen juice is great. I also juiced some apples and froze them with some of the pulp.

I have a big basil bush that needs to be used so I am going to make several batches of pesto to freeze in cubes for the winter. I usually loose my basil plant around December when we get a freeze so I need to stock up now. Pesto freezes great. Take a few cubes out to thaw and toss in on some pasta for a quick dinner. Even better, toss it with some cubed new potatoes and green beans roasted in the oven. Yum!

Lemon season is around the corner and good thing as I just used my last lemon cube. Can't wait. There is always neighbors begging for someone to take their lemons. You can freeze all kinds of citrus for a great smoothie or to throw in a pancake when thawed for flavor. So many ideas. What have you "cubed"?

Another frozen favorite is freezing bananas. Bananas are best for you when they start to get the brown spots. The sugars are being broken down. You have to eat them before they get mushy but they are extra sweet at about this stage, just before the banana bread stage. You can usually buy them for super cheap, like $.20 per pound in a bag when they get speckled like this at the store. Buy them up, peel them, cut them in 2 inch chunks and freeze them in a freezer bag (they don't get brown). You can then throw them in a smoothie or make banana "ice cream" as seen in my post here for a quick and cheap treat.

If you want to waste a little time, I found a new blog, thanks to April. I am in love. Check out Soule Mama here. Where in the world does she get all that time?

Homesteading......

2011-10-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

These are the seeds of my garlic chive plant. They are part of the reason why I haven't blogged for a week. It is all part of my "Homesteading" agenda. What is homesteading? By definition: Homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.

I want to be a homesteader in every sense of the word. I want land, as in acres, with chickens, cows, goats, numerous fruit trees and gardens dotting the land. I dream about it. I crave it. Of course, with that dream comes time to actually work the land but my dream is there. I believe dreams can come true.

My neighbor, Shawn, has this same dream. We bumped into each other at the bookstore and he had a handful of "homesteading" books in his hands. Conversation sparked. He has "the dream" as well. We both came to the same conclusion that if we want that dream, we have to prove that we really want it and need to make our 1/4 acre into our own personal homestead now. There is really so much we can do with the land that we have. There are spaces that have not been utilized. If we can't "homestead" what we have, we have no right to gain bigger acres with bigger responsibilities.

Therefor, I have been very busy. Not that I haven't always had a garden, planted fruit trees, bought chickens, etc. But, there is so much more I want to do. I sit here with a broken back and dirty toenails that still haven't cleaned up like I would like. I have been shoveling Cow stuff in my garden today. Really, all week. I decided to do all the tilling by hand with a little shovel and some gloves. I finished one side in just under 8 hours. I still have another side to go. My sidekick has been way too busy this week and it has been all me. It is a great workout! The ground was hard....really hard. But, it looks fluffy and dark and ready for plants. Super late but nonetheless, I am going to have plants.

I also enjoyed pruning my very tall plum tree much to the amusement of my little neighbor boys as I scaled the fence and balanced with a trimmer in one hand. Believe me, it was impressive. I have also dried some seeds from my garden just pulled out for next seasons garden. Gardening is expensive. If you don't use some of your own seeds and your own mulch, the cost keeps adding up. I am trying to cut that cost down a little. We will see how the seed thing goes. If you want to dry your seeds, simply let that plant go to seed if seeds aren't produced in a fruit/veggie. Dry the seeds out and then store them in a packet in the fridge or freezer. Here are some cute seed packets to print:
http://www.gardensablaze.com/SeedPacket1.jpg

There is something about working the land that is so completely satisfying. For me, nothing compares. I love dirt on my toes and hands. I love watering things. I love collecting my chicken eggs daily. I loved processing the 40 pound box of apples this week to freeze for later use. I love my new pomegranate tree with the promise of future backyard yields. I love the oranges and tangerines starting to turn a shade of orange. I love being able to go outside without the fear of melting. I belong on a farm. I was born in the wrong century. But.....I will have my dream. It may be on 1/4 acre for now but it will be perfect. I am a homesteader. I am really tired. I think everyone should have a piece of land to work. It brings you closer to the Almighty. Nature is purifying. I could go on and on about the health benefits of why we should all grow food but you all know that. But, it is for the mind as well. Life is too busy, too rushed. We all need a little time out to put our hands in the dirt and to smell the fresh air.

Try it.

Roll up water bottles.

2011-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

I have struggled to find a good water bottle that my teens will actually like to carry around school. I don't buy plastic, throw away water bottles unless on a trip in my effort to help save the world a bit. However, I have a teen in particular that will buy his own because I haven't found a water bottle cool enough for him to bring to school or one that will not leak at all.

In California last week, I saw this neat water bottle that rolls up when you are done for easy storage. It freezes, doesn't leak and looks "cool". Top it off, it is BPA free! Hooray. I bought a couple and after trying them out on the highschoolers, the little ones begged for their own. Amazon saved the day and we ordered a few more.

They have this great clip on them so they can clip right to their backpacks. Lightweight, stylish and durable. Thanks, Vapur. Great idea.

Chicken Feed

2011-10-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

Now that I am a chicken rancher, I get many emails about what I feed my chickens. This is a great question and one I have thought a lot about. The reason I have chickens isn't so I can spray off the chicken droppings three times a day just for fun....it is so I can have the best, most nutritious eggs sans the hormones and pesticides that are in store bought eggs. Therefor, if I fed them the exact things that are fed to commercial chickens, I would just be spraying off the patio in vain. I certainly don't know everything about chicken ranching yet, but with the help of my professional buddies I get to bombard with questions, I am learning as I go.

The question I get mostly relates to corn and soy. Yes, corn and soy is in EVERYTHING!!!! We must all have DNA that shows up now with little corn cobs linking our double helix and coated with a glaze of soy. If you ever read a label to almost anything processed, you will find these ingredients in there somewhere. The problem with this is that these are super GMO'd and super horrible for you. Chicken feed is usually heavy laden with these two ingredients. I thought it was because it was the cheap way to feed them. I learned a little from my BACKYARD FARMER friend, Galen who always schools me on whatever I email him.

Here is what he said to me when asked about corn and soy costs:

The biggest issue I run into is the impression that corn and soy are the cheapest grains and that is why they use them for feeds. Soy cost twice as much as corn and corn cost more than wheat, Milo, peas. oats etc.

The protein is higher and that is why they use them. you have to add protein like fishmeal or blood meal to other grains to get the protein % to the proper level for the type of feed being made and the fishmeal and other protein products are very expensive.

A 50# bag of corn around $15

A 50# bag of Fishmeal $65-85

Chickens need their protein. To be good layers, they need the right composition of calcium, protein, vitamins and greens. I am sure they could survive off of about any scraps around, just like humans do on a regular basis, but to get the best eggs and lots of them, their diet is important.

What do I feed my chickens? Mine get to roam the backyard and eat lots of grass and bugs first off. They had a field day in my mulch bin as I stirred it and the little roaches came crawling out. Yuck. They eat everything we have left over: oatmeal from breakfast, pancakes, stale bread, rice, noodles , odds and ends from every fruit and veggie I don't use, kefir, etc. When I step out the back door, they run up to me like I am their queen. The chicken mama, as my husband calls me. They know I usually have something good in my hand and they greet me with all the love their little chicken bodies can show. I don't feel so guilty about wasting when I know in the end, it will turn into an egg!

For their grains, I use three different feeds. I get them all from THE BACKYARD FARMER. I use a layer feed, a scratch and an egg enhancer.

The layer feed has extra ingredients for calcium like oyster shells and fish meal. His feed has corn in the ingredients but it is not the first thing on the list and contains fish meal and alfalfa as well. The Super scratch also has wheat and milo. The Ultra Egg enhancer is my very favorite as it turns the yolks a deep orange indicating the nutrients embedded in these fresh, backyard eggs. I give them a cup a day to munch on for all 5 birds. They go crazy when I sprinkle this down. The Backyard Farmer whips this up himself. He says he will be making a soy/corn free feed coming up but it will be more expensive. I am OK with giving a little corn, but I like that it isn't what my chickens live on. They get all sorts of grains and nutrients, all sorts of fresh produce and grass. They get vitamins and high grain feed. They look like healthy, happy chickens.

So, my fellow chicken mama's out there; I hope this answers some questions. Like with humans, the key is moderation. If you could do all corn/soy free, that is best but since that is hard to find unless you are making it yourself, do your best to moderate and feed them all sorts of things balancing their proteins. I will keep you posted when THE BACKYARD FARMER has his corn/soy free feed available. Till then, I will keep on using my current mixture that is the best I can find.

Remember, businesses will sell what is in demand. If we don't ask for it, we won't get it. Every time I go to Costco, I see more and more organic and healthy choices. I am so impressed and if we didn't buy it, they wouldn't stock it. They even had organic premade hamburger patties this last time. Love them! Support good food.

Getting in Gear

2011-10-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

Whomever the person is who gave us fall break, bless them. We just returned from another glorious week at the beach. It was a little rough getting up this morning to an alarm but somehow, we dug deep and got out the door. I pieced some sort of breakfast and lunch together out of absolutely nothing in the fridge. Thanks to the chickens who welcomed me home with an egg to make some muffins and the few scraps here and there in the fridge. I wondered how it would be if I couldn't shop today and had to live off what I had for a month. I am halfway tempted to try it but after a week at the beach, I desperately need some good greens. Sure, we could survive. I do have a year supply but I would miss the fresh food and the garden isn't quite in yet. The chickens were privileged to the garden while I was away since the gate was left open and everything is pretty much down to the stalks. It was time to dig them up anyways but I was going to leave my pepper plants. No more. Hope they enjoyed their feast.

I want to do so many things right now that it is hard to do any of it. It just seems that when your list is so long, it is hard to focus on any of it if you know what I mean. I am picking up a 40 pound box of apples today that will need processing, I need to get my garden in this week, preschool lessons planned and taught, a merit badge clinic I need to teach on cooking, baseball and soccer games, etc. , etc. All good things but so overwhelming. Add to that the 20 loads of sandy laundry waiting for me and grandparents who need visiting. I just realized that it is also early release for parent teacher conference this week which means less productive hours at my house. Oh well, glad to have the kids home. I guess they will have to be put to work.

Anyways, I love this time of year. The holiday's are beginning. I am anxious for cool weather and family time. I love having my family together and know that that time is drawing more and more to an end. The oldest is applying for college now and soon a mission. I realized that at the beach this week, it may be his last time there with us for a few years. Big time mommy pains. How could time go so quickly?

Thank you fall break. Thanks for letting me have my children for a week. Sorry we dodged out on the ball games but I just had to have them to myself. Just a little longer. Today I will work on my list. Laundry first, food next. At least we are starting out the week with great tans and fully rested spirits. Hope you all had a good break too.

If you live out in the east valley and want to get a 40 pound box of local organic apples to munch on this week too, shoot me an email. My friend has a few boxes of Granny Smith left for $40 for the box. Super great deal. They are going fast!!

Chimichanga; Unfried, Uncheesed.

2011-10-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

This was half eaten before I remembered to take a picture for you all. Not so pretty but quite tasty. I have been struggling to come up with some good Mexican food without cheese. Not all of us are completely dairy free at my house but I have been trying to keep meals dairy free for a good handful of my household members. Now when you are also trying to do meat only a couple of the meals a week, the laying off of cheese is even more tricky. The thing I have been missing is the occasional enchilada or chimichanga. In desperation to make it seem like we were eating a chimichanga, I put this dinner together with a little inspiration from a recipe from Miss Molly's cookbook. It passed the food critic's in the house. I did put a little tiny bit of cheese in a couple and honestly, I didn't taste much difference in the non cheese ones. You could really go as low fat and healthy as you want with this dish.

Here is how it assembled, to the best of my recollection:

Baked Chimichangas

Flour tortillas, whole wheat or white

Butter or Olive Oil to brush tops of tortillas

1 cup cooked and shredded chicken (optional)

2 cups black beans

1cup corn corn

1 medium diced onion

1/2 cup diced red, yellow or orange bell pepper

1 cup pureed type salsa

1 -2 tsp.Cumin

salt

pepper

Cheese if desired

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil or butter until limp. Add cumin then all other ingredients but tortillas. Season to taste with extra cumin, salt and pepper. Add enough salsa to make mixture a little moist, not overly wet.

Fill tortillas with mixture and cheese if desired and roll with both ends closed. Brush tops with olive oil or butter and put in a pan. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes , cilantro, avacado's and whatever else you want to throw on it.

Apple season around the corner.

2011-09-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

There is a sense around here that fall is coming. It is only 100 degrees today so I am almost giddy. I have faith that someday we will be able to pull out the hoodies and play outside for more than a half hour at a time. It will happen! That means, apple season, pumpkin pie, holidays! Hooray!

A couple weeks ago, we were up at the cabin and the apples were ripe for the picking. It had been a couple years since we have had good apples due to the frost and Elk. The kids were busy gathering bags full to take home to munch. We needed to use them up fast so we ate lots and lots of apple dishes: Apple crepes, apple muffins, apple crisp, apples and peanut butter, apple sauce, etc. I still had a big bag full so I did the lazy girls version of canning; my favorite.

I used my handy apple corer/peeler and in minutes had those apples in cute little rings. Immediately they were dunked in a bowl with half water, half apple juice (no sugar variety) and about 8 drops of lemon oil (essential oil) to keep them from turning brown. As I would peel/core the apples, I would put them in the bowl. This way , they were kept from turning brown while I was getting the whole batch done.

After the bowl was filled. I gently put them in quart freezer bags, making sure that there was a some juice in each bag so that they were not exposed to air. I would seal them up tight so there were not any air pockets and into the freezer they went. I always have a backup plan in case we all loose power , long term and my freezer food storage would spoil. I have a 3 burner camp stove with 4 extra propane tanks filled and ready to used. I have lots of mason jars and good pressure cooker/canner. I would can them immediately so then they could go on the shelf. Same thing for the meats in the freezer. I prefer to have my food frozen, not canned so I usually go for the freezer first with the canning back up plan. When I run out of room in the big freezer, I opt for canning but I haven't been that good lately to stock up as I should. Hopefully I will be better the rest of the year!

These apples are great to pull out to use for waffle and crepe toppings or apple crisp. I love that they aren't in a syrup to ruin the nutritional quality. Apples are sweet enough. They don't get mushy if you use good apples.

Until next Wednesday, October 5th, Organic apples are on sale for $.99 per pound at Sprouts. Great time to get your apples stash going!

Pre-Schooling

2011-09-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Now that I am 17 1/2 years into child rearing and into my second year of teaching those cute little chubby fingers in my preschool classes; I have some opinions about early education. Now, granted, this is my opinion so take it for what may but there are probably a few out there who may also agree with me. This opinion probably has changed a bit over the years and really takes watching your first born go from womb to graduation. Watching my children's journey in education has inspired me in my preschool teaching and what these little ones really need to succeed in their primary education.

Everyone will learn their ABC's at a certain time in their life, barring disabilities of course. They will be able to count to 20, recite their colors and label shapes. It will happen if they aren't already there by 3. So many measure their little ones success and intelligence by what they know at 3 and worry way too much if those milestones aren't met. What I have learned is that the pre-school years should be focusing on getting ready to learn. Of course, learning academia at this age is also important but a huge focus should be on learning how to learn.

For instance, if a child lacks obedience for authority, ability to hold still and focus or inspiration to learn, they won't be nearly as teachable. If a child is allowed to run the show and dictate their every wish; that will carry into their education. If they lack manners or social skills, education and friendships will also suffer.

Therefor, these early "pre-school" years should be focused heavily on shaping these little primary students to be. If they come out of it knowing how to read ahead of the game and are the smartest cookie in the class; great! However, the most important thing is that they are ready to learn. They become ready to learn by holding still when it is required, being polite, respecting authority, being attentive, being obedient. When these are mastered, everything else will fall into place. Not everyone is a rocket scientist. We all come with different levels of intelligence but social skills and manners will make up the difference. Guaranteed.

Teaching these skills takes patience and diligence. It means not letting the little ones run the show. It means not giving up when it doesn't go smoothly. This can be done in a sweet but firm manner. I run my preschool like this and somehow, they all love me despite my rules. I expect them to listen, to be polite and to follow the rules of kindness. It is a learning process so it does take repetition. So many times it is easier to let the little ones get what they want so we don't have to endure the fight but this will only carry on to bigger things in life. You need to nip it in the bud early on.

I get to see lots of little personalities. I get warned by moms of their child's precociousness and stubbornness. I sort of like these challenges. It really doesn't take very long to get them in the groove of things. They learn the rules quite well since there really isn't an option for them. It can be done without time outs and belittling.

Every child is different. Some are born with more ants in their pants than the others. Every mom can testify to that. However, I am a firm believer that each and every one of them can learn all the skills they need to be successful in the classroom. That is true for the typical child as well as those with special needs. Just a little more patience is involved. This must start in the home as early as can be. Children really do best with rules.

For me, I feel that if my preschoolers graduate from my class with nothing else than learning to sit still when asked, saying "please" and "thank you" without being prompted, sharing and being kind to each other, respecting my authority and following the rules; my job has been done. Of course, it is great if they can learn the basic preschool academia as well but that is done over and over again the next few years of school.

Just my thoughts but for my children, I think this has worked. Even my little Tater with autism is an extremely obedient little one for his teachers. Not always for mom but he respects his teacher. He follows rules like their wasn't an option. I know by learning this early, this principle has blessed my children's lives. I thank the teachers who have persisted to teach this to my children and have not let them get away with things. I thank the teachers who have made learning fun and creative.

Children need to be inspired and that means they need to be allowed to be creative and hands on. Just one fun thing before I end this sermon ; the picture above is something we do often for snack time. Toothpicks; love them! It makes snack time fun and educational. On this day, I gave them toothpicks, Cheerios and raisins. We were learning patterns so I would tell them how many cheerios and raisins to pattern. They loved it and it was much more entertaining than writing it out on paper. It also teaches them to sit and focus and to develop a better pincher grip. Just a little idea to pass along.

Thanks for listening.

P.S. I have ordered some extra immune boosting supplements and allergy pills for those who missed my order today. First come, first serve.

The Tour

2011-09-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am simply in love with the Queen Creek Olive mill. After years of wanting to go take the tour, I finally did with my hot date and we both fell in love with it all. This mill is truly a "5 star" establishment and sticks to the Enlightened Homemakers strict guidelines for acceptable foods. I learned so much about the process of making olive oil and what true, good olive oil is about. I learned that "light Olive Oil" in the stores is the worst of it all; the garbage oil. So many think that means low calorie. Stay away from that. You want Extra virgin, expeller pressed and from the Olive Mill if you can! (you out of towners can order from them).

First, I must tell you a bit about the great people who brought this to us. The owner, Perry, had a lucrative auto parts business in Detroit (I think it was there?) and decided to retire from it and do something different with his life. He had a gaggle of kids and wanted them to learn something new. He had farmer stock in his family and decided that would be a good venture. Now, he did what I want to do in the worst way ever. He yanked those kids from their home and moved them far away to become farmers. He decided on olive trees and before he knew it, he was making some amazing olive oil that fine restaurants were begging for. Today, he is on top of his game with some of the best oil in the world. I will leave the rest for you to learn about. My dream is to have a plot of land, away from the worldly things of this life (not too far), away from chaos and rush of life and to have my hands in dirt and up to my elbows in canning and homemaking. I love that this man had a dream and went with it. I love that he makes quality and does not , at all cost, cut corners jeopardizing it.

Back to the olive oil; these trees are grown under sustainable farming. No pesticides, no waste. They use the left over olive pulp for mulch. They press the oil using the best possible techniques so you get all the flavor and all the nutrition. Perry hand makes all the oil blends with his amazing touch. If you go, you get to sample them all. I had the chocolate olive oil drizzled on my roasted banana gelato. Heavenly. I had an amazing roasted veggie foccacia sandwich and their homemade prickly pear lemonade. I wish you could have all joined me.

The Backyard Farmer just delivered the Garlic Olive Oil to me from the Olive Mill and I can't wait to use it tonight. This is going to be an expensive new hobbie!

Anyways, I simply love how there is still quality in this life. I love that people find passions and go for their dream. I love that kids are learning to work hard. I love that there are people like Perry in this world and I so hope that I can meet him soon. (Anyone at the Olive Mill reading may hook me up anytime. I will do dishes or shovel olive manure; whatever it takes)

Hope you all can take the tour. It is a great date. Go in October and you will get to actually see the whole process as it will be harvest time. It really is fascinating and makes you appreciate food. We are so detached from our food. If we saw how things were made or grown, we would be much more picky about what we eat. I now will only be able to use this Olive Oil. I am spoiled on the good stuff. It is rough being a foodie.

**P.S., you can still get the Groupon for $18 that is good for two tours, two gourmet sandwiches and two drinks. Super great deal:
Olive Mill Groupon

My new addiction....

2011-09-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know how I have survived this long on my culinary journey without the encounter of these delectable oils of splendor. Honestly. How did I not splurge before now? This was my first lot of Gourmet olive oils from our very own Olive Mill in AZ. I came home with 3 oils and one vinegar. I will be going back very soon. I will not rest until I own them all. I started with Blood Orange, lime, rosemary and the pomegranate vinegar. I opened the blood orange and really could have drank it. It was amazing. If you haven't tried fresh pressed olive oil, you have no idea what you are missing. It has a whole different taste to it. I drizzled it on my cantaloupe with a little chopped mint. I then put some of the blood orange and pomegranate vinegar together for a salad dressing. Nothing else needed. The rosemary vinegar was half gone after my Sunday dinner. I rubbed a whole chicken with the oil and put some rosemary and thyme sprigs in the cavity. I tossed the new potatoes with the rosemary oil along with the roasted vegetables. Divine!! The lime oil was used in my veggie fajitas.

You can get some of this delicious oil at the Langley's market on Guadalupe just west of Higley (click here) or at the Queen Creek Olive mill (click here). Did you know they have some of the best olive oil in the world? Even better than Italy? So I am told and now believe. The Olive Mill has an oil of the month club that I am itching to join...just for fun! You can also get some of this oil delivered right to your house from the Backyard farmer along with some local produce. (click here) I just ordered up some roasted garlic olive oil with my Backyard Farmer order next week. Can't wait for Wednesday. The jalapeno olive oil will be on next weeks order, ooooh and the Backyard Farmers fresh cranberry beans and sweet peppers; a lovely pair!

It is so nice to be able to completely season your food with just a little drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. They even have a chocolate vinegar. Not sure about what to do with that one yet....strawberries?

****Supplement and oil orders are due Monday. B complex, D3, Spice of Life, C? Stay healthy this year!

Sprouts deals for the week.....

2011-09-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

Yipee! Sprouts has organic green grapes on sale for $1.49 per pound right now. Doesn't get better than that! Great time to stock up and freeze them. They taste like candy when frozen.

They also have Organic Pluots for $.99 per pound, also great to freeze and put in a smoothie.

Their organic So Delicious Dairy free ice cream is 2/$7.

Neti pot, aka, the Nasal Cleansing Pot is $12.99. This is a great thing to have on hand for the upcoming flu and cold season to flush out the gunk.

Their whole , seedless watermelon's are $1.49!

Sale prices are good until the 7th.

The Long Answer

2011-08-31T17:25:00.000-07:00

I get lots and lots of emails from women with health issues either for themselves or their children. From my end of it, it seems like almost everyone is dealing with something ailing somewhere in the family. I am sure that history didn't have what we have now. I know there were terrible plagues and diseases but not the type of self-inflicted problems that we have now through our diet and medicine. When I get these emails or phone calls, I run into to two different sort of people; those wanting the short answer and those wanting the long answer.

The short answer is the answer many are looking for. It is the pop the pill, take a nap and all your troubles are over type of answer. I can promise you will never get the short answer from me. Short answers yield short lived results. That is our world. We want it all now without the work.

The long answer is hard. I can usually tell when I start the long answer if I have the short answer mom or the long answer mom on the phone. The long answer causes anxiety. The long answer usually brings tears and lots and lots of questions. The long answer is just that....long and involved. I know lots of people who asked me years ago about their child or themselves and didn't want to hear the long answer. They tried the short answer; the multi level type miracle supplements or medicine and most of them are worse off for the wear at this point. I do not know ONE SINGLE CHILD on the autism spectrum who was every recovered with a short answer. I do not know ANY SINGLE WOMAN with endometriosis, MS, depression, IBS, chronic Fatigue Syndrome or any other auto immune disease that was ever healed with the short answer. Barring a miracle, it won't happen.

So what is the long answer? It begins with understanding where the problem began. For kids, it will begin with the gestation and health of the mother. By getting this history, it is often quite easy to understand where the problem began. Lots and lots of times I hear about mothers with yeast infections during gestation. A child born who would vomit everything they ate as an infant. Bowel issues. Chronic ear infections and antibiotics. Allergies and eczema. Sleeplessness. The list goes on. Their is always a trail but usually we wait until the trail is long before it is addressed. Boy how I wish I knew all this 6 years ago. I see children on this trail and I want so badly to tell this mother what needs to be done to stop the train wreck. But, so , so many only want the short answer.

For moms, the trail to demise has been going on for years. We are good to neglect ourselves and not listen to what we need. We can add so many things to the mix to really mess up our systems. After thousands of dollars spent at Naturopaths and Dr.s and thousands of hours spent on research, there are always basics that almost everyone of these health issues we are plagued with can be linked to: yeast, bowel issues, allergies and protein issues and diet. The problem is that these situation don't heal themselves. The problem starts small and builds until we now have no energy, depression, stomach issues, etc. The problem is that when we get to this point, the energy to fix it seems to be a problem.

What do we do? Take heed of the small signs. If you think there is something wrong with a child or yourself, take action. Don't just wait and see. Stay off the antibiotic train. Change your diet. Get sleep. Address allergies.

Don't take the short answer. I believe there is a natural way to heal about anything, especially if addressed early. You don't have to live with ailments; unless you want to. If you don't want to take the hard road to fix the problem, you will stay on the hard road of living with the problem. I promise it is much easier in the end to do the hard work now.

If you want the long answer, I would be happy to talk with you. I will never profess to know all the answers but I will be happy to tell you all I know and point you in the right direction. Everything in babysteps. You can do it! Let's end the trail of destruction in our society. Start by cleaning up your diet. It is the single best thing you can do for yourself and your family. If you aren't willing to do that very first step, you will always, always pay the price. Everytime.

My speech for the day.

Vaccination Information

2011-08-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

If I say the word "vaccination", the flood gates open of comments. I am not reopening the conversation, I am merely passing on a great website to help educate you a little so you may make your own decisions. My friend, Linda, passed this on to me and I thank her for it. I reiterate to you all, I am not against vaccines. I am, however, for responsible vaccination which is something that is not practiced in this country. We have to take this into our own hands. I am very thankful that I don't have little ones to worry about these vaccines anymore. It is absolutely ridiculous the amount of injections they want to toxify their systems with. Please think about it. I urge you especially to not vaccinate your newborn in the hospital. Please. At least wait. They don't have the immune system to fight off what you are putting into them. I am always in favor of waiting several months at least.

Here is the link: http://www.nvic.org/Downloads/49-Doses-PosterB.aspx

Take the time to really explore the site if you have little ones. Be educated.

Please, no nasty comments. I know this is a heated topic but I am really tired of the same comments. I am posting someone elses site so you can leave nasty comments for them on their site. Thanks.

New B complex from New Beginnings

2011-08-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

I was pretty excited to see that New Beginnings is now carrying a B-complex vitamin as I went to place my order today. I think every woman should be taking a little extra B vitamins as we deplete ours so easily. I wrote a little bit about it a while back. Here is a little taste of what I wrote:

The B vitamins are a group of 8 vitamins that aid the body in cell metabolism. Of course we all know that cell's are what make up our body so it is probably a good thing to keep them in shape and metabolising properly. The B's also keep our skin and muscle tone healthy, our immune and nervous system in check and helps us combat the stress and anxiety in our lives. When you are really stressed out, your body actually depletes itself of B vitamins so you should make sure you take extra at this time. For children with disorders such as Autism and ADHD, many times a huge culprit is the way their body handles their B vitamins. Almost all of the time, they need major B supplements. For my son, I inject him with B12 vitamins to help his body work properly. Without these vitamins, the system can't work right and the brain will then suffer. Anxiety levels and depression levels are greatly affected when we don't get the vitamins we need. Another great benefit of B's are that they help the metabolism to speed up to aid in a healthy and lean body. Who doesn't want all this? It is like a little miracle pill. Yes, you still need to eat foods rich in B's like lentils, bananas, tuna and potatoes, but we all need a little help. Grab a bottle. Pass it a round. Take care of yourselves ladies!

The great thing about this B-Complex is that is so cheap! You get a bottle of 90 capsules for $19 bucks! Woo Hoo! I ordered a few extras for any of you wanting to amp up your energy.

It is always important to get our vitamins naturally so eating a rich, colorful diet is important but you can never get too many B vitamins. It's good to have a little extra help sometimes!

Last claim on order....

2011-08-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

I have placed the orders for the bulk items and due to ordering requirements, I will have an extra 4 gallons of coconut oil left, 7 tubes of toothpaste and 1 gallon of shredded coconut. First come, first serve or I guess I have restocked some of my year supply items!

Prevention....a refresher course

2011-08-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again...back to school which means the proliferation of germs. 3 days into school I already had the note home that there is strep in the classroom. School = Germs. But, it doesn't have to be. Really. We didn't have any sick days last year from school. That is really important since I teach preschool and can't have sick kids home. Kids can be surrounded with germs and can actually ward them off. It isn't to say they aren't going to feel a little "yucky" for a day , but the full fledged , in bed type sick really can be avoided. The body needs to build up an immune system by being exposed and fighting it off but you don't have to let the germs win the fight. Let's refresh ourselves on the basics of a healthy immune system:

First off, SUGAR. Sugar lowers the immune system which invites the germs to hang out and multiply. That is why illnesses spike in the fall and winter right around the holidays. We eat lots of sugar at this time with Halloween being the kick off. I have just figured this out first hand. In my quest to really listen to my body and note how food makes me feel, I have made a crystal clear correlation with sugar and my tonsils. I am pretty good about not eating much sugar EXCEPT when my daughter makes my favorite cookies (here).
I tend to eat a few too many bites of the dough and a few too many cookies. What happens EVERY SINGLE TIME is my throat will be very sore the next day. Without fail. I never put this together before. I take my special remedies (to be discussed) and it goes away but the sugar allows the germs to attack my throat. That is my weak point. I think I have learned my lesson in this area. Hopefully.

Second, you need to pump up the immune system. This is critical in children who seem to have a weak system to begin with. I am an absolute huge believer in vitamin D3 as a daily supplement except when you are out all summer getting it the natural way. When school starts, I start the D3. I use the ionic liquid D3 and put it right in their drinks in the morning, at least a few times per week if not daily. You can search D3 on my site and gets lots of info on that, including recommended dosages. You can give it to all ages. I also pump the vitamin C, especially when they feel something coming on. If their is an allergy issue, it is important to address that as an allergic, inflamed body loves to invite the germs. It is a moist, mucousy environment that is a petri dish for germs. I love the New Beginnings A & I to help with this along with Cod Liver oil to help get the histamines out. Also important is clearing yeast from the body which also attracts the bugs, especially congestion.

Now, when things do go awry, as they will, and a child comes home saying they don't fell so great; nip it in the bud asap! There are so many natural things to do so it is important to keep some remedies on hand. I am a big fan of rotation so your body doesn't get used to one certain thing. I LOVE Spice of Life by BeYoung oils. I put it in a capsule for the older ones or put it on the feet of the little ones. I give extra C, use garlic, Elderberry, Golden Seal, Colloidal Silver, Oreganol, etc. Sometimes I use it all! There are so many things for so many different situations. Grape Fruit Seed Extract should be a staple for any home. I use it for everything from cleaning to sore throats. When there is a sore throat coming, we gargle 3 drops of GSE in 4 oz of water several times a day. Tastes absolutely horrible but it works. Big time. I just used some on my chickens infected foot. It is cheap and lasts forever. Of course, there is the ever popular Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar to help the body become less acidic which breads the germs as well. 1 tsp daily is always a good practice. For chest issues and snotty noses, I love the Breathe essential oil.

The last bit of advice, which I am finally doing better at, is sleep. If you don't get your Z's , your immune system will not be in top form. I have always been one to sacrifice in that department but after feeling so good on vacation this summer, I realized how bad I feel daily on 5 hours of sleep. I have , for once in my life, been really trying to get almost 7 hours of sleep and I feel like super woman. I am getting too old to live on 5 hours anymore. Plus, it keeps the eye bags away.

Keep those kiddos healthy. Sick days are no fun...for mom or kids! I promise, you can keep them at a minimum.

I am ordering today if anyone wants to stock up. I will order a few extra to have on hand.

D3 $20
Spice $29
Vitamin C chewables $7
Carlson's Cod Liver Oil $32
A & I chewables $15
A & I capsules $34
GSE $12
Allimax (garlic) $32
Oreganol $29
Elderberry $28
Breathe $29

Shredded coconut and toothpaste order

2011-08-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

I am placing an order for 1 gallon containers of organic, pure shredded dried coconut. No sulfites, pesticides or sweeteners. This is hard to find. I usually order from Azure but they have been out the last few orders. This coconut is the best you can get. I cook with coconut a lot and have missed my supply. These gallons are usually $25 and are on sale right now; with shipping , they are $20. Let me know if you want one asap. Your cost will be $20 out the door. I order in bulk to get the prices so let me know if you want to be included in the next order.

I am still ordering the coconut oil as well for $60 a gallon.

In addition, I am also placing a group order for my favorite toothpaste:

Sweet living peppermint

$2 per tube. Floride, sulfite and sugar free. My very favorite. Tom's brand runs you about $4-$5 per tube. Super great deal. Get as much as you want. The tube is about the same size as the Tom's tube.

The essential oil liver cleanse paks (lemon and peppermint oil) are also still on sale for $25.

I will be ordering by next Friday all products, oils and supplements.

Have a great day! More posts coming soon....

Summer Sides....

2011-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

If I was cooking for myself only, I would live on fresh side dishes. I really have no interest in heavy, meat dishes any longer. This is definitely an evolved taste. But fresh, flavorful sides just make my taste buds and body happy. I only wish my kids shared my enthusiasm. They do like the side dishes but it doesn't seem like a meal to them. I am glad they indulge me anyways.

I had a vegetable drawer full of veggies from The Backyard Farmer that had to be used asap. I had one big yellow squash, a sweet onion, 2 Armenian cucumbers, corn and some red potatoes. Yum. They were all delicious served up in just the right format.

This is how it went down; simple and refreshing:

The potatoes were quartered (they were small) and tossed with fresh pressed olive oil and some Herbs de Provence. They were roasted in the oven until lightly golden at the edges and fork-tender.

The cucumbers were served sliced, as is, next to a homemade dill dip.

The corn, cut off the cob, sauteed in some butter with sweet onions, Celtic salt and fresh pepper. I never cook my corn in water. It ruins the corn. It needs very little time to cook.

Easy stuff.

My very favorite dish was the photo above of the yellow squash side dish. I absolutely despise soggy veggies. The old school version of squash that is mushy in a pan with butter and cheese makes me rethink my love for veggies. It really is an act of disservice towards this beautiful creation. You zap the life and goodness right out of them that way not to mention any desirability. Many people don't realize that a squash can be eaten raw with great taste if the seasoning is right.

This was yummy. Everyone ate it up.

1 large yellow squash or two small

3 T. of lime juice (lemon ok too)

3 T. olive oil

1 thinly sliced or diced shallot, white only or about 2 T. chopped onion.

1/4 tsp dried thyme

feta cheese

chopped pecans

salt and pepper as desired

Slice the squash, peel on, very thinly and then cut in half. Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper in a bowl. Add squash and shallots and toss several times so that marinade soaks in. Add the

chopped pecans and feta. I left some without the nuts and feta for those who didn't like nuts and for those who are dairy free right now at my house. It still tasted great. Let sit for a few minutes for flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

It was a perfect summer side.

Book List

2011-08-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

I get great emails everyday and many of them are my blogging prompts. One email that I get often is where I get my info and what I suggest for reading. That is always a little tough for me to answer because I have read everything I could for at least 25 years so to go back and say where I learned it all, is impossible. However, there are some basic "food bibles" that I think everyone should read to get a good understanding of the truth of food. They are overwhelming but you take it one step at a time. Work on one principle and then move to the next when you are ready. There is so much false information out there so you need to be careful. Many times you will get information that is backed by a certain group trying to push their product. These books aren't affiliated with products. They speak the gospel of nutrition and I love them for that.

My top picks:

Nourishing Traditions

by Sally Fallon

This is the best book I have ever read on food. She has lots of crazy recipes that i probably won't try but the information in the sidebars and everywhere else helps you understand how our ancestors got it and we have lost it. LOVE this book to pieces.

In Defense of Food

by Michael Pollan

Super great book also about the true value of food. This is usually at Costco and I read most of it on multiple visits there before I finally grabbed it to take home.

The China Study is a great book to read especially if you want to understand the role meat plays in the diet. It is a great book if you are on the fence about becoming a vegetarian. It helps you understand the diet and long term health.

Nourishing Hope

by Julie Matthews

This book is for anyone who has kids on the spectrum from autism to ADD or even gut issues. It clearly explains the role of supplements and food relating to the gut. It lists the various diets and how they work. It is scientific and brings hope. I have read this book so many times that I think I could teach it for a living.

My other daily feeds are my email subscriptions to Dr. Weil and Dr. Mercola. Keep in mind that these two are always trying to sell something but their daily news topics are always informative. I don't buy any of their products but they do usually have some pretty good info backed by research. They keep my mind going and usually spur me into further research.

Anyone have anything else they would like to add? There are so many great reads out there. The world is waking up. Slowly.

If you need a book , click on my amazon link. Amazon is the best place to by books! I usually buy them used for about half the price.

Happy reading!

PS, I have two more gallons of Coconut oil for the next order. Any takers? $60 per gallon.

Back to School Breakfast

2011-08-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in school. This summer was a blink. I had planned a lazy summer with lots of "kid time" but it didn't really go as outlined. My sweet grandmother broke her hip and I was blessed to be able to spend the days with her. I felt bad that the kids were minus a mom for most the summer days but thanks to good friends and fun vacations, they had a good summer. I am also thankful that they were able to learn the importance of service and that we take care of our family. Life isn't all about playtime and life certainly doesn't always go as planned. In the end, the summer was still a good one and today it all ended. Happy school days ahead!

We celebrated the end of the summer with a little back to school Peach Breakfast Cake. In my effort to create new breakfast recipes, I put this little summer fresh piece of yum together with some heavenly peaches sitting on my counter. We are dairy free around here so cooking is a little more challenging. You don't realize how much you use dairy until you stop. It just takes a little variation now and then but the end product is still great. The cheese part is the hard thing but so far, so good.

The peaches were so sweet that this tasted like dessert. Normally I would have had a little dollop of whipping cream on the side but honestly, I never missed it. It was perfect as it was.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you aren't on the bandwagon yet, please oh please make that your goal for the year. Keep it wholesome, hearty and homemade. Send them out the door with a full belly and a head start. Get the cold cereal out of the house and banish the pop tarts.

Try this out on the little ones:

Peach Breakfast Cake

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1/3 cup for topping

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup milk or milk substitution (I used almond milk)

5 drops of lemon oil (you can also use zest or omit)

2 cups fresh peeled and sliced peaches

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 C. whole grain flour ( I used sprouted kamut/barley)

1/2 tsp. salt

3 T. coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat the egg and add 1/2 cup of coconut sugar. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently fold in oil, lemon oil, milk and vanilla. Spread mixture on the batter on the bottom of a greased 9 X13 pan and top with fresh, sliced peaches. They should cover the batter. Sprinkle

mixture of 1/3 cup coconut sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon over top of peaches. Bake for about 30 minutes or until done.

P.S. I have a third group wanting coconut oil. If you are interested, email me asap. Thanks!

San Joaquin Gold

2011-08-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

San Joaquin Gold. My new Costco find. It was one of those rare moments where I was alone at Costco and had a moment to spare....rather took a moment since I was too tired to move any faster.

I was looking for some Parmesan cheese and took a gander at some of the other cheeses in the case. There are so many out there and I really try to go for the more wholesome varieties. That usually means expensive and rare to find. I was lamenting over the fact that Parmesan is so expensive when I saw this little San Joaquin Gold wedge. I had never heard of it and even from the label, I still had no idea what it was. It was hard like Parmesan and was made from cows milk but what caught my eye was the statement, "raw milk cheese". Sold. I decided to take a gamble. It came home with me and into my spaghetti and meatballs.

It did taste like Parmesan. It was delicious and fresh tasting. I fell in love. I did a little research and found out a little about this cheese. Let me share: (off itscheese.com)

San Joaquin Gold is a cow's milk cheese made by Fiscalini Farms in Modesto, Californio, in the United States. It is named after the San Joaquin Valley in central California. It is a relatively recent cheese, but has already won numerous awards, including gold medals at the World Cheese Awards in London in 2004 and 2005.

The cheese is a pale yellow that darkens to a golden color as it ages. San Joaquin Gold has a thin, natural rind, that has the shape of a cow stamped on top. The cheese is made in 32 pound wheels.

The cheese was an attempt at making a cheese like ItalianFontina. San Joaquin Gold has a harder texture and is saltier, making it a cheese of its own. The texture is firm and granular. It has been described a a cross between Cheddarand Parmigiano-Reggiano. It has a sweet, salty, buttery taste that becomes nuttier as it ages. The cheese is very flavorful, but still mellow. It is at its peak at about 16 months.

Fiscalini Farms uses unpasteurized milk from their own Holstein cattle to make the cheese.

San Joaquin Gold is a very versatile cheese. It grates well and melts easily. It is good for snacking, as a table cheese, or for a topping for soups or salads.

Are you with me? Costco has impressed me time after time with it's natural, organic and healthy choices. Definitely one of my BFF's! Take time to look deep into the shelves for new and healthy choices. Leave the kids home one time and see what treasures you can find! Please share.

Coconut oil order

2011-08-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

I am trying to get a bulk coconut oil order together and need 6 gallons minimum. The gallon of Tropical Traditions Gold label coconut oil would be $60. Please let me know asap if you are interested.

Also, I will be ordering essential oils and supplements next week if you need anything.

Thanks!

Abigail Fights Cancer

2011-07-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

I know many of you have followed little Abigail's story and have helped monetarily with her fight. A little update....her little body has been through so much and as of now, is cancer free. They still have a long road ahead though, to keep the cancer from coming back. For the Goss family, it means back and forth trips to NYC and costly care. The Goss family has set up a great website for any who are able to help, even very small donations. They would also love any donated frequent flyer miles! If there is any business out there who would like to make a charitable donation as well or someone looking for a fundraising opportunity, take a look at the website for information.

Thanks for your help. They are such a sweet family that are angels on this earth. I love them dearly. Check them out here.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

2011-07-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

We need a few new breakfast ideas around here. I make breakfast pretty much every morning, mostly for selfish reasons. I am a big breakfast type gal. It just makes me feel good to feed myself well in the morning and with good whole grains and produce, I don't need to really eat a meal again until dinner. I usually eat some light fruit for lunch with a little nuts for protein but my hearty breakfast ties me over other than that. That is just how my body likes to work. But, I am tired of the usuals so I've been reaching out to some of my favorite blogs for help. I love the "Grain Crazy" blog , which you can access on my favorites list and she had these great little oatmeal breakfast bars listed. I made them up and gobbled them down with a side of fresh, organic blueberries from Costco. They are even better the next day. Thanks, Grain Crazy lady!

Ingredients:

1 C Oatmeal
1 1/2 C boiling water
1/3 C coconut oil
2/3 C honey
2 eggs
1 1/2 C whole grain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C shredded coconut
1 small apple grated
Directions: Serves 12 or more

1. In a sauce pan boil water. Take off the heat pour in the oatmeal and let it sit for 15 min.

2. Cream oil, honey, and egg. Then add the oatmeal,flour, soda, cinnamon, salt, coconut and apple. Don't over mix.

3. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 for 20 to 25 min., or till done. (I used a square muffin pan and cooked them for about 16 minutes)

***To make these even healthier, soak the oatmeal and water overnight with a T. of lemon juice or kefir then add it right to the recipe in the morning skipping the boiling water part. I used my sprouted spelt and barley flour as well. I was out of coconut so I made it without and it was delicious as well.

A special thanks to these ladies for their contribution to these great little breakfast bars. Couldn't have done it without you!

Why I became a chicken farmer

2011-07-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

This one's for you, Jes. Eggs. What is the Omega-3 enriched eggs all about? What is the deal with free range, organic, high omega enriched and why do you really want to pay double the price for these eggs or procure them yourself? Here's the scoop.

First off, in our diets today, we are consuming a large amount of imbalanced fatty acids. We get the Omega 's 6's but not much of the Omega 3's. Omega 6 is in the cheaper oils, especially the soy varieties. Soy is in everything so we become lopsided. This is dangerous in the body. While we want both, getting too much of the 6's and not enough of the 3's is linked to all sorts of diseases in the body. America is famous for this. There is a great article by Dr. Weil that you can read here to help you drive this point home.

Second, conventional eggs are from chickens that don't generally ever see the sun. We want our chickens basking in the sun rays to soak up the D3. We want our eggs full of nutrients. Today, our eggs are void of much nutrition not to mention full of pesticides and hormones. Chickens should be doing what chickens should always be doing; foraging the earth for vegetation and insects out in the fresh air with sunshine. This allows them to get a good diet, exercise and sun. A healthy chicken gives you healthy eggs. If you have to choose, I would pick free range over organic every time. Of course, the best would be both free range, organic with a side of Omega 3 enhanced. If you crack open a conventional egg and a pastured, omega 3 enriched egg, you will immediately see the difference. As with most fruits and vegetables in nature, if not all, the richer the color, the more nutrients and vitamins you are getting. The healthy egg has a rich yolk, almost an orange color. The nutrient void egg has a pale yellow color. Adding flax seed among other things to the chicken feed will aid in getting this rich color. The flax seed add's the important omega 3 side.

Now eggs get a bad rap from some these days and many just go for the whites. There are so many valuable nutrients in the yolk that you want and remember, all fats are not created equal as with calories. Eat the yolk. The yolk and the white were put together in one cute little package for a reason. I know many are concerned about cholesterol but with the Omega 3 eggs, the cholesterol is in a healthy form that the body actually needs. The yolk contains the important B vitamins that the body needs. For vegetarians, eating eggs is very important to get the B's you need. The yolk also contains Lutein which is essential for eye health. The egg also has selenium for your immune health, vitamin E for your antioxitant and vitamin A for your skin health, among other things. It is a great protein for your body and eating a hard boiled egg after a workout is a great way to get the protein intake so many are concerned with when hitting the gym. I cringe at the protein powders being sold on the market. Horrible stuff, really. Not to mention expensive. Just eat and egg and some almonds and you are getting all you need.

My last point, and one I never really thought about before I had chickens is about the chicken itself. I didn't really think about the chicken as a living being. I just bought eggs or meat. Now that I have them grazing in my backyard, I realize that they are a living, thinking, feeling creature. They each have personalities. They come up to us and like attention. They are now pets. A few of them will even climb onto my sons lap and like to be petted. Weird. But, this makes me realize how torturous it must be to have thousands of chickens crammed into a little cage for their whole life for the sole purpose of laying eggs. They are suffering. It makes me sad. Like I said before, I have never been an animal activist or anything but now I understand more fully that life should be respected. An animal, any kind of animal, feels. It makes me sad to think of them suffering. It is easy to not think about our food supply that way but when I do, it makes me want to adopt a more committed vegetarian lifestyle.

So, there you have it. All you wanted to know about the egg. We eat lots of eggs. I believe that they are given to us for our betterment. A chicken can lay one egg a day. We really don't need that many chicks so I think it was part of the game plan for us to eat them. My personal thoughts.

We lost some of our chickens to heat this summer. We cried. Honestly, I had no idea that I could be sad about a chicken. It is a little life and I do have tender spots in my heart for little things.

I am going to go make an omelet.

As a side note, Costco, who is so committed to sustainable, healthy food, actually works with a number of farms to get us these good omega , free range eggs. They believe in quality and have strived to make this obtainable for all of us. I love them. They even have organic , fresh blueberries and blackberries right now. I also scored on the no nitrite, no msg, no gluten Italian sausage.

Langley's Market

2011-07-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to tell you all about this cute little market for months but have always forgotten to bring my camera with me when I go for a picture. I still forgot the camera so I grabbed one shot off the web that doesn't show so well. You can vaguely get the idea.

Langley's Market in Gilbert is a cute little shop that sells local, pesticide free produce and the Olive Mill products among other things. It is cute as a button and quite addicting. I love people who want to share such wonderful things for us! Best of all, today you can get a groupon for $20 worth of products for only $10! Yahoo. It made my day to find that in my inbox.

Click on this link and grab yours today:

$10 for $20 Worth of Local Groceries and Produce at Langley’s Country Market in Gilbert

You can also go to their website to learn a little more by clicking here. Visit them at 2738 E. Guadalupe Road in Gilbert.

My personal favorites are the tepanades to make grilled pizza with. Such perfect summer dishes.

Fresh Finds....Sprouts

2011-07-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Just took a peak at the Sprout's ads....

Organic grass-fed ground beef: $3.99 per pound

Organic Celery: $.99 each

Almond milk yogurt: 4/$3 New to the market

20% off all Biokleen products

Mango's, not organic but very little pesticides if any:

3/$1. Great to chop and freeze for smooties

Good through July 27th.

This is one of the best prices for organic ground beef so stock up and freeze!

Another thing to check out:

Frontera sauces are a super thing to have on hand for quick meals. I have had the green chili enchilada sauce and the red sauce and they taste fresh and homemade! They have great ingredients as well. If you check the label of the canned green chili sauces, you will be amazed at what you are really eating. There may be some out there that are better than others but the Frontera enchilada sauce is pure and natural. I was so excited to see this. It is exhausting to make everything yourself sometime!

Just Breathe....

2011-07-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

It is always hard coming home from the beach. For 8 days, I don't have anything resting on my shoulders. I sleep, eat, play, eat, sleep, etc. I don't let the stresses of the world rest on my shoulders and I realized how very good it is to get sleep. Real sleep that lasts more than 5 hours. That part is my fault but I always come home committed to change. I have all of these wonderful life changing ideas when I am out of the daily grind. Some stick, the sleep part never does.

I came home and made the mistake of jumping on the computer to check a week worths of emails. 298 emails. Reality hit and I could feel the tension mounting on my shoulders. It isn't like I have a rough life or am facing major turmoil in my life, it is just that I have responsibilities that felt nice left behind for a while. My daughter is playing "Just Breathe" on the guitar and the words are ringing in my ears. Just breathe, Miss Shari. I went through all 298 emails. I jotted down my to do lists and pondered the days ahead. I couldn't sleep that night. I want those quiet moments on the beach back where all that mattered was my family and good food. Life just isn't supposed to be that quiet, I suppose.

I just returned from my grandmother's bedside. A place she spends most of her hours at this time. "Just Breathe," I told her. The air will clear your mind and give you peace. She took a deep breath and so did I. It wasn't the beach but sitting there, holding her hand felt as calm and right as the moments I spent watching the waves.

I know that we have the burdens and stresses in life to make us appreciate the quiet moments and to make us bigger and better than we were before. I know that there is breath in life everywhere, especially when we serve and take a moment to drink it all in. I am thankful that I have strong shoulders to carry the load and a family that shares the load with me.

I came home from the beach resolved to be better in the more important arenas in life.

Scriptures

Worship

Family time, one on one with my children

cleaning my closet

Exercise

Reading to my little ones

Creating new recipes

Restocking my year supply

Leaving stress behind

Sleeping.....

So many good ideas. I will really try. I promise. Summer is a great time to reboot. I think back to school time is akin to the New Year. Thank goodness there is more than one chance a year to get our acts together.

How has your summer been? Are you taking the time to Breathe a little? I hope so. We all need a reboot now and then.

Time to switch the laundry load. I brought half the beach home with me, I am sure.

Sticker Therapy

2011-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yep, I am still on vacation but I want to let you know about a little project you can help with.

Operation Sticker Therapy.

Remember sweet Abigail Goss? She is the sweet little one who is fighting stage 4 cancer. It has been a very bumpy road and many of you have helped out. Her sweet mama has thought of a way to help out other little ones who are also facing this struggle. That is how she is, always thinking of others even when she is facing the toughest battle of her life. Read the info below that she has posted on her blog page and help if you can.

Operation: Sticker Therapy

Your mission: to help bring happiness and distraction to toddlers fighting cancer by mailing stickers, sticker books, or happy vibes!

Hi! This is Abigail the day before her 2nd birthday. You can see her central line and her surgery scar.

When she was 19 months old she was critically ill, and diagnosed with cancer--stage 4, high-risk Neuroblastoma.

She has been through a lot--with a lot still yet to go through. Abigail loves stickers and they offer distraction and entertainment during multiple hospital stays.

When kids are fighting cancer, they go through a lot of yucky therapies: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, antibody therapy, etc. We decided to call this project Sticker Therapy...a therapy they could look forward to!!

Our goal with Operation: Sticker Therapy is to receive enough stickers to be able to put some packets together to share with other children we meet who are fighting for their lives. We encourage you to donate some stickers, and then know that you are blessing the lives of some precious children.

Please mail them to:

To: Operation: Sticker Therapy
C/O Fans Across America Charitable Foundation
18521 E. Queen Creek Rd., Suite 105-187
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

Thank you for your kindness and generosity, and may it be returned unto you!

If you would like to make a financial donation to Abigail, that would be greatly appreciated. You can do so by visiting this site:
http://www.fansacrossamerica.com/assist_a_family/registry/families/families_in_need/abigail_goss_family.php

or by including a check payable to "Abigail Goss Medical Trust Fund" with your stickers. Thank you dearly!

Guest Post, natural laundry solutions.

2011-07-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am still on vacation but my good blogging friend, Raygon wanted to let you all know about her all natural laundry solutions. She was sweet enough to write up a little post for you all. Enjoy!

For the wash:

About 6 months ago, I saw a deal on line for some soap nuts, it was a generic email that came to my inbox. I had actually never heard of them, but they looked interesting. I read about them and after learning about them, I really wanted to try them. The company I ordered them from answered all my questions. I emailed with a list and a very kind lady was prompt to respond. I asked her about things like who gathers the nuts, are the compensated appropriately, is this a sustainable practice, etc. After I learned about them I was excited to try them! I got in on a good deal, I spent just over $40 and bought enough soap nuts for almost 400 loads of laundry! They clean beautifully and after using them for a while, I can say I would recommend them to others. I have 3 small kids who make lots of messes thru the day, sometimes the soap nuts don't cut all the stains. (I got a natural coconut based stain remover from the same company I got the soap nuts from, I am trying to be generic here in my information since I know you have someone who wants you to sell her soap nuts. I don't want to detract from her business, although I did mention the price I paid....but I got mine on sale. Maybe your lady would offer a deal to your readers? If she sells the stain remover, you could add something here about it....its good stuff! If you don't go with the lady that has contacted you, let me know and I will give you the name of the place I got mine from. They were great to work with and answered tons of my questions. I like knowing who is selling me stuff)

There are lots of good things about the soap nuts, in my opinion. #1 enough nuts to clean 400 loads of laundry came to my door in a medium size priority mail box. #2 Inside there were little muslin bags full of the nuts. After the nuts are used, they get tossed in my compost bin and the muslin bags get used to store Hot Wheels Cars, darts for the Nerf gun, shoes, etc. #3 I am not tossing any large plastic jugs in my trash can! The waste from enough soap nuts to clean our laundry for about a year was a few quart sized bags.

Another great addition to loads of laundry is 1/2 cup baking soda or/and 1/2 cup vinegar. Baking soda helps brighten whites and remove stains. Vinegar helps to soften clothes (don't worry they don't come out smelling like vinegar)

Now for the dryer:

Since I was trying to get rid of the chemicals in the wash, I had to do the dryer too. I had to stop tossing a sheet of Bounce in the dryer! I actually tried drying our clothes without anything and for the most part they are fine. But my husband wears business clothes 6 days a week and his clothes were so full of static! I found a very reasonable solution. My neighbor uses some of those plastic mass produced blue balls in her dryer. The idea intrigued me but I didn't want those blue things in my laundry! So I looked around to see if there was something similar, made from a natural product. I finally came upon a nice little lady that sells 100% natural felted wool dryer balls. Made from a natural fiber all the way down to the core (beware of some wool balls that are wool wrapped) I toss those in my dryer and they have worked great! They actually help my laundry dry faster too! I bought mine from a lady who sells at www.wooldryerballs.com. She was nice and friendly and answered my questions too. (she also sells on ebay and you can get a little bit better of a deal on there.)

I have found that drying our clothes in the sun is another great and energy efficient way to dry them. (but we are short on sun up here about 6 months out of the year!) The sun has magical powers and helps remove stains from clothing. Its how I keep my cloth diapers looking bright and white and good as new!

The last thing: If you like your clothes to smell like Tide or Febreeze or Downy, or any kind of "smell", this is not the system for you. There are no added dyes, fragrances, perfumes, etc. This is a good system for my family and I think its keeping our clothes and linens looking good and clean, but it might not work for everyone.

Anyone interested in trying out soap nuts, I have a blogging friend here in AZ who has some to sell. Just email me and I will get you the info.

Thanks, Raygon!

Time Off for Good Behavior

2011-06-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to get to blogging lately and that makes me stressed for some reason. I know people don't wait around for me to blog but yet I feel some sort of responsibility. I don't know why.

But, it is summer. My life is less organized yet somewhat busy. My routines are off and my continuing education plan has halted. I haven't really learned anything new to share and my menu ideas are at a stand still. It is just too hot to care much in the kitchen. I am spending all my computer time in creating the best preschool ever for the fall (you lucky preschoolers) so research in the health and nutrition area is halted.

With this said, I am going to let guilt go and just take a little break. Not long. Just a month. That's what you do in the summertime. I hope you are all taking a little break as well. As always, my email is open so ask any questions you desire. They always spur me to think and research and I can always use a little "spur-ing".

Peace out. Talk to you soon...hopefully I will learn something new to share or at least create a delicious meal worth repeating.

What can I do, Mom?

2011-06-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

Are you getting tired of being activities director? I don't know about you, but my kids need something to do EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY. I am thankful that they don't like to watch TV and want to be busy, but I also need to get a few things done as well. And....we can't just go out and spend money all day long doing exciting activities. So, mommy friends....what are you doing for fun that is under 10 bucks and entertaining? Send me your ideas or leave a comment so we can all share our great ideas. We are only a few weeks into summer around here and our vacations are still a few weeks out. I would love some fresh ideas!

The mighty cup challenge to use all the cups in the bag without it toppling was a hit. But, it lasted 3o minutes.

Water balloons are loosing their appeal.

Swimming saves our life every day, thanks to family and the public pools.

There is the first Friday of the month free nights at the Phoenix art Museum, that's one day down.

Bounce U has $5 days if you sign up online for emails good for a two hour bounce. Did that several times. Getting tired of that as well.

Scavenger hunts at Target finding the worst food, best food, funniest game, funniest under ware, etc. The store employees love that! We put it all back nicely.

Rec center. Letting them climb their wiggles out on the rock wall.

Ping pong ball air hockey. Using your kitchen table, have one child on each side of the long end of the table and give them a straw. Using a ping pong ball, have them blow into the straw to try to get the ball to the other side for a score.

Fill a bag full of junk and have them make up a play using everything in the bag. I am sure girls like this better than my boys.

Lots and lots of art projects.

Dollar store adventures.

What else???

Sunscreen continued.

2011-06-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

Since I have received so many emails with questions about sunscreen, I thought I would post this article that my friend Terri posted on her site. It tells you a little more about sunscreen so it isn't just from me.

Read it here.

For those of you thinking that the FDA is on the side of Sunscreen, well they are doing many investigations right now on sunscreen as well. They are looking at things like the vitamin A reaction in sunscreen. Seems sunlight is reacting with the vitamin A and causing increased cancer risks. There is also the issue with the sunscreen not blocking the truly harmful rays of the sun, only one type of ray. There is much more to that story. Best bet, limit the use, limit your sun. Watch for ingredients. Zinc Oxide has been used for years and is always a good way to go. I like Terri's idea to mix it with coconut oil since zinc oxide is like spreading Desitin on your skin. Doesn't work so well.

Glad you guys are doing your research!

Toothpicks

2011-06-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today after our movie day, we still had some time on our hands; me and 7 kids. We decided to take a stop in at the 99 cent store. Seriously, they have everything. I turned them all loose to buy one magical thing. It took them almost 30 minutes to find the right thing. My son had grapefruit juice. Whatever tickles his fancy! I came out with a bag of mini marshmallows and 1000 count box of toothpicks. They were curious.

It took a whole two bucks to entertain them for one hour of tower building fun. I had them convinced, well all but one I am told, that these Mexico made marshmallows would make them really sick. They had some pretty creative designs using at least 500 toothpicks. Great fun.

On the topic of toothpicks, they are a staple for my preschool classes. They are great for developing their pincher grasps to be better at writing and coordination. When I give them their fruit for snack time, they get a little toothpick to eat with. It makes the fruit taste better, I am sure of it. They also love to lace their cheerios on the stick and count to ten. We also make shapes with them and letters. So much fun for a buck!

Sun... friend not enemy.

2011-06-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I don't every remember getting slathered with sunblock the moment I stepped outside. I remember living outside in the summer. AZ summers. If we had too much sun, we came indoors. Today, kids are loaded down before they even step outside. It doesn't matter if they are going to be out for 10 minutes of 2 hours. It is just something moms are told to do.

The problem is that sunblock=chemicals. Your skin being the largest organ, soaks it all in and those nasty chemicals get absorbed right into its magnificent cells.

We aren't warned. The FDA isn't giving us any facts. We just accept that is something we should do.

WRONG.

Why? Well, the obvious; you don't want those chemicals in your system. Horrible stuff. Second, you need D3 from the sun. The sunblock actually prevents you from absorbing the D3 that is so vitally important for every cellular function that we have. Over 85% of us are actually D deficient. It can lead to so many disorders. You don't truly absorb the D3 to the right level until the skin starts to turn a little pink. A little pink is good.

What do you do? Practice sun safety. Use sunscreen, and a good natural one if you can, when you have to use it. For us, that means when we are going to be outdoors all day at the beach or the lake or are turning too pink and need to be out a little longer. Other than that, go outside after or before the peak sun hours of the day. I have never used sunblock when we swim after 3 or before 11. If we are out for an hour in the hot times of the day, I don't bother as well. Now, I know some burn faster than others. For this, swim shirts and hats are wonderful and seeking shade works wonders as well. Your body will tell you when yo have had to much and listen to those ques.

Let the little ones get their sun. Let them absorb the D. Don't be afraid of a little pink in their cheeks. We don't want them burned but some color is a good thing.

Check labels for natural sunscreen like Soleo brand sunblock. Sure , it costs more but if you are using it less, it will even out a bit. I admit that I still use some junk kind when we are at the beach now and then but I try to keep this at a very minimum. I am still working towards all natural perfection. Maybe this year will be the beach year of Soleo sunscreen only. Yep. I just decided.

(There, Rachel, I posted. Hope I made your night!)

Miss Shari's Playtime

2011-06-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have been getting plenty of emails from frantic moms looking for last minute preschool options. Miss Shari's Preschool is full but due to popular demand, I have decided to add my 2 1/2 to 4 year old one day a week social class on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 only. We will still work on academics but the focus is on social skills, manners and fun. This is the class I taught last year and it was a great time for all.

If you are interested, I have 6 slots left. It is $40 per month. It will begin on August 17th.

Email me with any questions.

Summer Sides....Jicama

2011-05-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Now that it is getting warmer, my mouth craves anything with lime, cilantro and fruit. It is cool and refreshing...exactly what you need to live in the AZ summer. Tonight, I tried out a new creation with a veggie I have never even bought before; jicama. I am not sure why I haven't bought it except for the fact that I remember eating it once as a child and not liking it. Desiring something new on my dinner plate, I bought the weird looking veggie and brought it home for a little dressing up. Tonight's side was a perfect accompaniment to our corn enchiladas.

It is sort of a citrus jicama slaw. It was a good combo of sour and sweet. It was cool and crisp and even went well as a taco topping.

Jicama is loaded with potassium and fiber among other things. It is also super low cal at only 20 calories for a 1/2 cup. It is filling and soaks up whatever you put with it.

My creation tonight was simple with very basic ingredients:

One medium Jicama
lime juice
oranges
cilantro
red onion
sea salt

I julienned the jicama and put it in a bowl. I cut up two oranges into very small pieces, about 1/2 inch wedges. I roughly chopped about 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro and juiced enough limes to make about 1/4 cup of juice. I used a little too much onion but would recommend about 2 T. of chopped red onion. I tossed the ingredients with a little sprinkle of sea salt and a little juice of half of a fresh orange. I chilled it for 30 minutes but it would be great even longer. Serve cold.

Enjoy!

Faith

2011-05-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

I woke up sad today. Yep. It's because of that guy up there. Now and then I feel the weight of it all on my shoulder's and I have a little melt down. He has been a little nuts the last couple days, which happens now and then, and I get frustrated. Not with him so much but with myself. I don't know what else to do. For 4 1/2 years I have studied, prayed, spent lots of money on all sorts of doctors and treatments and fought for where we are now. All my focus was on getting him fixed. Now, I am at the point where we have done most of the things I know to do and he is not totally fixed. All of this is on my shoulders. I am Mom. Mom's carry the brunt.

Getting him out the door to school today was like pushing a hippo through a doggy door. He wanted to watch Dora. I sorta decided I was done. After dealing with insurance this week, medical bills, etc., I just wanted to be done. The tears came, I told this little boy who was caught in my firm grasp that I just wanted him to be fixed. I wanted him to be normal. He saw the tears and patted my back. He got up and somehow we managed to get on the bus.

The house was quiet and my thoughts continued to consume me. What was I to do for him? I am stuck. I cried more. On my knees. I prayed, I begged for guidance of how to fix him.

I had planned on going to our temple today for some quiet reflection (LDS temple). I was hoping I would get some insight into what I needed to do for him through inspiration. I really wanted a loud voice to tell me exactly what treatment I needed to pursue. That would be the easy route. Instead, the inspiration came to me quickly and clearly, "You are not here to fix him, he is here to fix you."

Of course, I needed to help him. All we have done for his 6 1/2 years of life has been to help him; to get him to where we are now. It was all important. I knew he was sent here for me, to make me a better person. I get that. But, I now understand a little better how he is to make me a better person.

Tate has been a case study in nutrition for me that has helped me to be able to share with many others. I thought perhaps this was one reason Tate was here for me. He has helped our family become healthier and more compassionate. I am so thankful for that. But, as the words kept replaying in my head that he was here to fix me, I kept thinking of how I still needed to be fixed. I feel pretty fixed right now and would rather he just be fixed at this point.

I left the temple and went to visit sweet Annabeth. Annabeth is going through her own personal "fixing" with her little Abigail. (And, I must share that this little miracle child who was filled with stage 4 cancer in January is cancer free at this moment!) As always, my conversations with Annabeth are uplifting and inspiring. She was just what I needed today. We talked about our little ones and our struggles as mothers. She was telling me that as she was praying the other night, trying to understand why so many of these little ones are suffering, words came to her as well. It is all about faith. They are here to teach us about faith. They are here to make us put all our faith in the Lord. Deep and unrelenting faith.

I drove home and started to really think about that. I know about nutrition. I know about Doctors and therapies. I have learned patience and compassion and perseverance. What I needed to learn more than ever before is to have faith. I have faith but I need to have faith to know that the Lord knows what is best for me and Tate. I need the faith to know the He is answering my prayers. He has not left me alone or put the burden upon my shoulders only to bear. He is there beside me and has my very best interest in mind. I didn't need to worry about Tate. I could keep doing my best and He would direct our paths. The thought was basic but it gave me such peace. I came home with a calm assurance that I needed to just relax, not worry and just love and enjoy this child.

He came off the bus a happy child. We went in the back to eat a Popsicle and watch the chickens. I held his hand and talked about his day and realized that everything is going to be OK. I didn't need to worry about fixing him. He is fixed. He is perfect. He will one day have all the blessings that I desire of him. I know that. I just don't know the timetable but I don't need to know it. The Lord does and I have faith in Him.

Thanks, Annabeth. You are my sister. My friend. BFF's.

Hoping to Adopt.....

2011-05-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Just in case you know of anyone or hear of someone who knows someone....this beautiful family would like to add another bundle of joy to their home. I can highly recommend them. I would join their family.

The Day

2011-05-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

I can judge how my day is going to be by the first 15 minutes of the morning.....

First, woke up to this: (Oh, yea, and woke up 1 hour late!)

Somehow I went to bed completely forgetting that I didn't finish the dishes. I went to take a quick shower and never made it back downstairs. Totally disappointing when I came down for breakfast first thing. This is an automatic 1/2 hour set back this morning. Totally can't afford that one.

Next, chickens were left unattended this morning and finished off the kale in the garden: garden fence going up this weekend.

Then, the bus for Tate came 15 minutes early. He was still in PJ's. Why do they know when you are behind? EVERYTIME!!

I promised my highschoolers that I would bring them lunch today. Lunch is at 10:30. They each want different things. That leaves about 1 hour to get my hair colored (the gray hairs are out of control), clean the house, water the garden, finish emails and pick up two different lunches to be dropped off. The list after the 10:30 drop off is even more impressive. I totally shouldn't be on the computer right now but when the day already seems shot, who really cares that I am going to be even more behind?

But....somehow, at the end of the day, it will all be under control. I just know it. Ball games, speech therapy, visiting grandparents for lunch, the gym, dinner preparation, preschool prep, a hair cut....It is all going to happen in 12 hours or less. It is truly amazing what you can do when you put on your running shoes.

Have a great day. Hope the dishes fairy hit your house. I am not leaving a tip for mine. Totally skipped me over last night!