tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67641433703976370132024-02-18T19:35:11.649-08:00Adventures in CrunchyLandOne mom's ramblings about everything crunchy! Focus on Unschooling, fun activities to do with children, being green, frugal living, earth friendly product reviews and more!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-77513403565703722602011-07-14T10:36:00.000-07:002011-07-14T10:41:47.961-07:00Deliciously Sweet Ice Coffee<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ice coffee can be so expensive... or it can be $1 at the local McD's, but either way, the stuff you buy from the take out place is definitely full of questionable ingredients and syrups. I've been told that the ice coffee for one giant chain just sits in open vats for days and they scoop the coffee out of it as they go.... not so appealing. So, in an attempt to make fantastic, cheap ice coffee at home, I've discovered this amazingly good ice coffee concoction. It uses a cold water over-night soak which really helps cut down on the old-coffee bitter taste that hot brewed and cooled coffee can cause. It is really quite simple.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ4zDM8HwaY9O7QwHxd4zLAjT5Dqr9kQFhiY4bjvz_zVA3aSnYJbLg1gouXWEdKONvJv4oQavt1aXxTccELjLV3VoYt5z2KZ50QKzqDMwmhV3YSMVq-K4NlIsl22t37tl2SxYL46jw4Cu/s1600/P7140067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ4zDM8HwaY9O7QwHxd4zLAjT5Dqr9kQFhiY4bjvz_zVA3aSnYJbLg1gouXWEdKONvJv4oQavt1aXxTccELjLV3VoYt5z2KZ50QKzqDMwmhV3YSMVq-K4NlIsl22t37tl2SxYL46jw4Cu/s400/P7140067.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">**First fill a large pot or container (a coffe pot will work) with <span style="color: #0b5394;">8 Tbsp of coffee</span> and <span style="color: #0b5394;">8 cups of filtered water.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">** Let this sit over night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">** In the morning, strain it through a coffee filter into a pitcher.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">** Add <span style="color: #0b5394;">1 cup of half and half</span>, or to preference and also <span style="color: #0b5394;">1 small can of sweetened condensed milk.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">** Blend in a blender.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">** Serve over <span style="color: #0b5394;">ice packed glasses</span> or store in the fridge for later use.</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-38220457482611589342011-06-09T12:10:00.000-07:002011-06-09T12:10:09.308-07:00Father's Day Geekery: BooksIf you have a geeky man in your life like we do (the dad in our fam is a Chemical Physicist who works with lasers and loves video games, comics, zombies, caffeine, and bacon...TOTAL nerd!) then Father's Day is a fantastic opportunity to spoil him with some of the awesome geeky dad inspired reads that are out there. <br />
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Here are some excellent choices for geeky dads and kids alike to promote bonding (both human and chemical)<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1592405525&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1592406440&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1592406882&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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This one brings out the pyro, explosion loving side of every true geeky dad and helps him share this passion with his like minded progeny. I figure it's safer to build a potato cannon than to make napalm, which is the last explosive project hubs and son did together! <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0451234197&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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And here is a History geek's alternative to the above (son and I would love this one)<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1556525265&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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Here's a great answer to those hellicopter type parents out there. Geeky dads are usually the complete opposite... I'm not sure just how many times I've heard hubs say to Kaden "try licking that battery!" <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0451234197&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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Now for some personalized geeky books, just for dad:<br />
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For the <strong><u>Comic Book Geek</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0756641195&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Zombie Lover</u></strong>:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1400049628&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Video Game Junkie</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0761536434&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Bacon Connoisseur</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0061704288&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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and bonus <strong>cookbook</strong>... <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0740797662&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Star Wars Fanatic</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0345477634&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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and bonus <strong>cookbook</strong> (wtf!): <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0811821846&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Trekkie</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0671536095&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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For the <strong><u>Caffeine Fiend</u></strong>: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0195092899&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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plus a <strong>cookbook </strong>:p... <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0890877548&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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There's lots more for techie type nerds and computer nerds too... but those ones are too boring for me (yawn) so if that is your kinda daddy-nerd, I apologize! <br />
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Remember to whip up some bacon, eggs, and coffee for your geeky guy on Father's Day, then let him relax with his new reads or send him out with the kids to terrorize the neighbour hood with a potato cannon!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-55205304024551888362010-06-14T11:03:00.000-07:002010-06-14T11:03:44.046-07:00My Favorite Pregnancy and Birthing Books<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">There are relatively few pregnancy and birthing books that actually give me any valuable information that I feel personally complies with my beliefs and interests. However, there are a handful of authors that I return to again and again because I know that I can rely on them for down to earth, practical, and compassionate information that meshes well with the practices I hold. For instance, I prefer authors that encourage natural nutrition, herbal remedies, and most importantly, a less medical view of pregnancy, birth, and parenting. At the end of this post I will also include a list of my <strike>most detested</strike> least liked books in this category. Ones that over-medicalize, over-stress, and over-do the advice related to their field. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Oh and yes, I've actually read all of these books. I'm sure there are many more great ones that I'm not mentioning, but I've chosen to only cover those books that I've actually read myself.</span><br />
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<u><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Best Pregnancy and Birthing Books:</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth </em>by Ina May Gaskin</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Ina May is a world renowned midwife who originated from the </span><a href="http://www.thefarm.org/"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Farm</span></a><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> community in the 1970s. She provides a natural, alternative view of childbirth. Although hospital birthing is also discussed throughout the book, I find that this excellent source is especially geared towards those considering home or birthing center births. However, her advice and techniques for labouring without much/any medical intervention and without fear are unlike anything else out there and are so incredibly empowering. This book will help you take the birthing process back into your own hands. Above all, she stresses that birth is a natural process and not a medical one. Women have been doing this for millenia!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0553381156&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Natural Pregnancy Book</em> by Aviva Jill Romm</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I absolutely adore Aviva Jill Romm's books. There are so many great ones but this was the first one that I've read. It's so refreshing to get health advice from a book that covers natural options. Advice and remedies for anything from anemia to hemorrhoids are included in this book and the suggestions Romm makes are extremely valuable to all pregnant women looking for prevention or relief from common pregnancy symptoms. Romm also gives excellent advice on nutrition, maintaining a healthy phychological state, and physical exercise. There is even partner-directed advice that you can slip to your mate!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=1587611783&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Wise Woman's Herbal for the Childbearing Year</em> by Susun Weed</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Renowned herbalist Susun Weed wrote <em>Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year</em> as a more direct herbal advice book than Romm's. Weed focuses more on herbal remedies than on general pregnancy advice. If you are really interested in herbal medicine and natural remedies, this is the source for you. I love this book because it provides so many great alternatives to mainstream medicine and puts the power back into your hands as a woman, to care for and nourish yourself without potentially harmful chemicals and side effects.</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Birth Your Way</em> by Sheila Kitzinger</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sheila Kitzinger has written many books on pregnancy and birth. I like <em>Birth Your Way</em> as a great introduction for those who are perhaps questioning the mainstream way of birthing (in a hospital). She presents arguments for different types of births including home birth, and birthing centers. Kitzinger is great at bringing to the fore many topics and debates that are certainly overlooked in traditional pregnancy and birthing books (you know, the ones that assume everyone wants to give birth in a hospital and question nothing). Kitzinger also has a fantastic book on Homebirth.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0789484404&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Labour Pain</em> by Nicky Wesson</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">This bluntly titles book is actually a fantastic resource for women looking to control their pain in labour naturally. There are so many great suggestions and remedies provided in this book. Many options are available to lesson the pain of labour and Wesson does a great job in providing easily accesible and simple measures to aid in labour pain. She covers aromatherapy, herbals, visualisations, homeopathics, music and more.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?t=adventincrunc-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=0892818956&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">One more book I will mention that is less of a pregnancy and birthing book and more of a post-partum book is</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Natural Health After Birth</em> by Aviva Jill Romm</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I am currently still reading this book, but it is another fantastic resource for natural health. The post-partum period is so ofter overlooked in literature but it is also so very important. Proper post-partum care is very significant in reducing post-partum depression, medical issues, and bonding. Romm thoroughly discusses modern and past practices of the post-partum care within other cultures as well as our own. She argues that not enough is currently done to help women during this time and that the focus is always on the baby, leaving the mother to struggle on her own. Romm also provides herbal remedies and practical natural health advice that is expected of her books. This is an excellent and rare resource that I strongly encourage all pregnant women to read.</span> <br />
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<u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Books that I Cannot Stand</span></u> <br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I apologize in advance if this offends anyone, but these views are entirely personal. I admit I adamately read some of these books during my first pregnancy and even glanced at them during my second. This time, I really cannot stand to look at them. The advice is so mainstream, force-fed, and over medicalized that I just do not relate to it at all. Here is my short list.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>What to Expect When You're Expecting</em> by Heidi Murkoff</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">If you feel at all confident, at ease, or peaceful about your pregnancy and health, just read this book to change all that in about 2 seconds flat. You will now worry about so many different medical problems that you apparently cannot do anything about save go on antibiotics or some other medication, or, better yet, do nothing about! The nutrition information is terrible and will make you feel like a bite of ice cream now and again will make you a horrible fetus-poisoning monster who will forever have stretch marks and extra fat. This is the classic fear-mongering pregnancy resource. Please avoid the hype and avoid this book!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Mother of All Pregnancy Books</em> by Ann Douglas</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Pretty much the same as above!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy</em> by Vickie Iovine</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Wow. This one is bad. Iovine is so centered on body image it's crazy. She even goes so far as to discourage exercise! Mainly because you will feel bad that you look fat in your workout clothes! Really!? This book is very negative and dose not discuss any options but instead assumes everyone has a traditional hospital birth and questions nothing (in other words, doesn't think for themselves). Not only that, buy Iovine actually discourages the use of midwives and encourages the use of c-sections and epidurals handed out by request of the mother (with no medical reason)! It isn't too hard to see why this is by far, the worst pregnancy book you could read...ever....!</span> <br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">In short, I feel that it is so very important to educate yourself. Read everything you can get your hands on but make sure to think for yourself and keep an open mind to alternatives. There is nothing worse than following the mainstream out of fear. Trust me. You will run into critics, including family members, but the power and confidence you will get out of taking charge of your own education, health, and mind-body wellness is very much worth the cost.</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-46842757711245193022010-03-30T06:40:00.000-07:002010-03-30T06:40:11.894-07:00Yummy Tostadas From ScratchI've come out from hiding (sort-of) since the first couple of months of my pregnancy were pretty rough with the nausea and the tiredness and all. I thought I'd share a recipe with you that I made quite a while back when my family was visiting. I originaly planned this for my baby brother to show off my culinary skills (ha ha), and to delight his taste buds (hopefully) after a long solitary bus ride to my house (he didn't fit in the car).<br />
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I made the tortillas and refried beans from scratch. However, you can buy corn or wheat tortillas and fry them in hot oil until they are crispy. Corn ones might work better for store bought.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc81g_TdSpXeJmWlDJSKEVG5zzz47rFiMumw469tlGUbYxBwtpTfuw7jyLX1EiSpjbn3RQfJg7pFqcA9KN8nMumUihuMvWp0JjpW-pnvDAMmBUoyWPGAkv5DuF-acahI-4XdoXpMVwUtVq/s1600-h/December+%26+January+2009+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc81g_TdSpXeJmWlDJSKEVG5zzz47rFiMumw469tlGUbYxBwtpTfuw7jyLX1EiSpjbn3RQfJg7pFqcA9KN8nMumUihuMvWp0JjpW-pnvDAMmBUoyWPGAkv5DuF-acahI-4XdoXpMVwUtVq/s200/December+%26+January+2009+032.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Tortilla Recipe</strong> (for 18 tortillas):<br />
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Stir <span style="color: #cc0000;">1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, and 4 cups of whole wheat flour </span><span style="color: black;">in a bowl with </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 tsp. of salt. </span><span style="color: black;">Mix in </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">1/2 cup of shortening</span><span style="color: black;"> with your hands until the mixture is crumbly, not gooey. In the center, pour in </span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water<span style="color: black;"> and mix all until evenly distributed. Sprinke your hands and surface with flour and knead the dough until smooth and no longer sticky. </span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Make 2" size balls, cover with a dishcloth in a warm, draft free place and let rise for an hour minimum, but can be left out over night or through the day.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">Roll the dough out on a floured surface until very thin and fry in hot oil in pan until you see bubbles on the surface, then flip, cook for 15-20 seconds, then flip again. Repeat with remaining tortillas.</span></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Also, I'll include my favorite refritos (refried beans) recipe that I make in my slow cooker. I usually don't measure, but I'll take a guess. You can adjust ingredients to your preference for spiciness, etc.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Refritos: </strong>(approx 8 servings for tostadas)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cups dry pinto beans, soaked and cooked in boiling water</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 Tbs. olive oi1 </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 minced onion</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6 or more cloves of garlic, minced</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4 tsp cumin</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tsp salt</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">fresh black pepper to taste</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 small jalepeno (optional)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 small bell pepper (optional)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Saute onion, 3 cloves of garlic, cumin, and salt in olive oil until onions are soft. Add peppers and saute a few minutes longer. Add the rest of the garlic and black pepper. Add the beans and mix, them mash with a fork and cook a while longer. Can be stored in the fridge and reheated. Another option is to add the sauteed vegetables to the beans in a slow cooker and cook on low overnight or through the day (this is what I usually do), making sure to add some extra water to the beans first.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<strong>Tostada Toppings</strong> (suggestions)<strong>:</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf-dUvYmblj9lSkTZcmDbO0J_c_dlbyUjQiWnfzdOmfinRZSBn7xIJ9AV6sUpI0-RFZYEvJ5hS8q4_WUojhRS51qav1sOmVWkZr2gaIEX_xX1TnyL719VUM8t31mHAuujfvikfKi9ebq0/s1600/December+%26+January+2009+039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf-dUvYmblj9lSkTZcmDbO0J_c_dlbyUjQiWnfzdOmfinRZSBn7xIJ9AV6sUpI0-RFZYEvJ5hS8q4_WUojhRS51qav1sOmVWkZr2gaIEX_xX1TnyL719VUM8t31mHAuujfvikfKi9ebq0/s320/December+%26+January+2009+039.jpg" width="320" /></a>chopped olives</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">grated cheese</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">chopped tomatoes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">diced avocado or guacamole</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">sliced jalapenos</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">sour cream</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">salsa</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">shredded lettuce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">hot sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">nacho cheese sauce</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">sauteed onions and peppers</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-87429430332777077622010-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:002010-02-03T09:39:02.325-08:00Hyped Up Infant Formula: Marketing Vs. Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkVKO5_yDGvYOPs8Wj5sHnE3raQvBNG2bFmvZ3zkBoxOluyMnC1wc4vYFYIINw0dD3doCe9bUCHIidU5K08CxkITGh4YXgWSaGCaYQD2DZojU-rOrhEGPMf_Wc3BBAnpNf53flqCc4RjF/s1600-h/Of+all+the+rights....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkVKO5_yDGvYOPs8Wj5sHnE3raQvBNG2bFmvZ3zkBoxOluyMnC1wc4vYFYIINw0dD3doCe9bUCHIidU5K08CxkITGh4YXgWSaGCaYQD2DZojU-rOrhEGPMf_Wc3BBAnpNf53flqCc4RjF/s400/Of+all+the+rights....jpg" width="400" /></a></div>"A recent study concluded that children who consumed infant formula fortified with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA had higher cognitive function than children who consumed unfortified formula. Breastmilk was not included in the study, and the formula used in the study was provided for free by a manufacturer.<br />
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Miriam Labbok of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill said she was doubtful about the study's findings.<br />
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"It might be reasonable from these industry-funded studies to consider that this would be a good additive to formula if you are forced to stop breastfeeding," she said. "However, 1) none of these studies compare to continued breastfeeding, 2) you could also get these [nutrients] from other sources if you stop breastfeeding, and 3) there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other components in human milk that cannot be replaced."<br />
(Taken from naturalnews.com article Infant <em>Formula Study Just a Marketing Gimmick to Push Formula Over Breastfeeding </em>02/03/2010)<br />
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Have you ever noticed how even though everyone knows that "breast is best" infant formula ads continue to push their product as a 'healthy' and 'effective' alternative to breastmilk? We don't see any breastfeeding advertisements and can you guess why? Because breastfeeding doesn't make any money for greedy corporate businesses! It still astounds me that people buy into the marketing schemes of formula companies that push their "DHA added" and "iron-fortified" fake powederd crap to consumers. It's not surprising that they forget to mention that the DHA and iron added to these formulas is not effectively assimilated into an infants body. All they have to do is label their product as containing these fashionable terms that symbolise health and nutrition and they have their target market wrapped up in the B.S. they're spouting. I'm still not quite sure how consumers can actually believe that the powerdered "food" they are mixing up is at all comparable to human milk. It is as simple as the old adage claims: "human milk for human babies". <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_Hi8kaH_brlshjxkhdHxc9m0ko9SxpkLsz__DY06LJu6ZjuDNan70MmIFI0MMhg6qCP4Z6f0iHnPnUkbAoe29bpaoE_P2yJhz6NTQS9k53vIWNdunBGr6BKsmcUO9UcnEY-UGcs87WQA/s1600-h/P8311548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_Hi8kaH_brlshjxkhdHxc9m0ko9SxpkLsz__DY06LJu6ZjuDNan70MmIFI0MMhg6qCP4Z6f0iHnPnUkbAoe29bpaoE_P2yJhz6NTQS9k53vIWNdunBGr6BKsmcUO9UcnEY-UGcs87WQA/s320/P8311548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Let me get a little more into the biology of this argument. First off, no other animal in the world besides humans drinks another species' milk. Not only that, but cow's milk is specifically designed to raise calves. Is your child a calf? Does your child need to grow fat and strong and walk soon after birth? No. Human's have evolved mainly as a superior intellectual species. Do you think that cows can claim this same advancement? No. Cows are built to grow big, hence the large amount of protein found in cow's milk. Human milk contains a large amount of fat, which is what the human brain is made of. See the pattern here? It's quite obvious once you begin to think of it from a natural point of view.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, formula has it's place. For example, formula was developed as a medicinal aid to save infants whose mother had died in child birth or afterwards. Formula has saved lives in this manner. But, the problem lies when parents begin to believe that formula is an acceptable stand-in for human breast milk! Studies have shown that approximately 1% of women have a biological impediment that prevents breastfeeding. I know that many more women that that are both alive and do not fall into that 1%. The question is why are they not breastfeeding? Well, I have even heard parents claim that formula was "just the same as breastmilk"! I actually cried that day, I couldn't believe the distance that some people's belief systems had fallen from nature and into the corporate marketing scheme of these formula companies. I do understand that there are sometimes financial or other reasons that women do not breastfeed, but I also believe that the decision not to nurse is made much too lightly these days without really understanding the consequences.<br />
I really hope that women will wake up and recognize that replacing nature has so many consequences, both recognized and unrecognized. The more that we study infant development and nutrtion, the more clearly our fall from nature has been criticized. These formula companies will pull rabbits out of hats to maintain their customer base. Please, don't fall into the trap!<br />
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For more information on the far reaching benefits of breastfeeding please go to <a href="http://mothering.com/">mothering.com</a>, <a href="http://drjacknewman.com/">drjacknewman.com</a>, or <a href="http://breastfeeding.com/">breastfeeding.com</a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-83937653267982512062010-01-21T12:00:00.000-08:002010-01-25T16:32:02.529-08:00Cleaning out the Closet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>So, I went three days without eating. I know that's not a big deal to many people who routinely fast or cleanse, but I'm a huge foodie and I usually eat small meals or snacks like every 2-3 hours. So, I thought I would be <strike>dead</strike> starving for three days, but the humongus amounts of liquid I had to drink for the cleanse definitely kept my stomach full enough! I have to say, I feel great. I felt headachy and sick for the last couple of days, but I'm sure that had something to do with the lack of caffiene. An avid coffee drinker like myself is bound to feel at least a little withdrawl! This was a great start for me because I wanted to stop drinking coffee anyhow as I am trying to concieve bean #3. <br />
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Regular detox cleansing is important because although humans may have been "made to eat meat and dairy" (I hear this statement ALOT), we were not supposed to eat it in such large quantities. Especially when it is packed full of growth hormones, antibiotics, and pectides and was fed corn in a factory farm. Nor were were designed to eat processed foods and inorganic sugars and starches. As well, many of the chemicals we come into contact with in our environment come from the air around us or are slathered on our bodies such as off gassing from various plastics, cleaning supplies, and toiletries/beauty products. Cleansing gives our bodies a chance to eliminate some of these toxins and to rebuild an strengthen tissues that have been damaged. It also helps to get rid of built-up waste in our colons which, according to Dr. Christopher and the School of Natural Healing, causes 90% or more of all diseases.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, now my two children are on a detox cleanse as well. This one is a little different (and much more expensive). I couldn't bare to put them on a juice fast so I bought an herbal detox that allows raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds. All dairy, chocolate, candy is to be completely eliminated and grains are to be avoided if possible. How do you get a 6 year old and 1 year old to eat only fresh fruits, veggies, and nuts you ask? Well I was prepared for a battle but I explained to Kaden how this cleanse was going to make him feel better and help to rid his body of toxins. It will also help with any medical issues he's having such as enuresis, which was a big motivator for him. Seeing as how the cleanse will also help Mikhail's asthma, he was on board. It also fit in with our current unit on Healthy Living (immune system, vitamins & minerals, foods, vegetarian food pyramid, etc.) that we've been studying. Now this is a kid who cooks himself eggs and toast every.single.morning. He also loves cheese and eggs, things which I've been wanting to cut back and maybe eliminate. Surprisingly, Kaden has been excellent with the strict diet. He has been happily eating raw carrots, salads, smoothies, nut bars with peanut butter, freshly made juices, and low heated veggie soups every day! The cleanse I purchased is specifically made for children and can be used from the very young to teenage years. It consists of 4 seperate herbal formulas: Lungs and Respiratory; Lungs, Gallbladder, and Spleen; Kidney, Bladder, and Adrenals; and Colon and Digestive. More information about this cleanse can be found on <a href="http://www.dherbs.com/store/children-detox-liquid-extracts-p-73.html">DHerbs.com</a>. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">After doing some research in both published medical journals and information from natural health practitioners, I discovered (quite accidentally) that milk can actually cause or exacerbate asthma <em>and</em> enuresis. I was surprised! Apparently with enuresis, doctors frequently suggest eliminating milk products to see if it helps. Same goes for asthma as approximately 50% of people have some degree of milk intolerance or allegy. I'm not just talking about lactose intolerance, I'm referring to the protein casien in milk which causes many problems with children who are sensitive to it including acid reflux, asthma, intestinal problems, acne, enuresis, adhd, etc. In fact, many families who have tried eliminating milk from their children's diet have noticed a vast improvement with their child's symptoms, whatever they might be. I am now considering continuing with the no-dairy diet after the cleanse is complete to see if any symptoms improve. <br />
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What I can say is that we are now half way through the cleanse and Kaden's behaviour has been amazing. He is already a great kid, but he seems much more compliant now. I mean, he's eating salads with homemade vinegar/oil dressing everyday with no complaint! In fact he smacks his lips! Amazing!<br />
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Next I would love to try one of the many cleanses that Dherbs offers. I am ready to step it up and complete a longer (21 day or so) cleanse. Of course, on one that long, I will be able to eat...so that's sounds great to me!<br />
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For more <a href="http://www.dherbs.com/detox/">information on detox</a> and for the Children's Cleanse I mentioned, plus many others from Fertility Cleanse, to Green Cell Cleanse, please visit <a href="http://dherbs.com/">Dherbs.com</a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-7005989477252014152010-01-02T13:12:00.000-08:002010-01-24T10:38:04.481-08:00Sprouting With Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Happy New Year everyone! This post will provide you with a fun new project to jumpstart your healthy New Year resolutions :-)<br />
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A fun idea to try with your kids that I have been attempting with Kaden, is to grow SPROUTS. This is a great activity for Spring, although sprouts can be grown any time of year. Kids will love watching the little sprouts start to grow and then be able to eat them. This also may encourage fussy eaters to try a very nutritious treat.<br />
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Sprouts are a very nutrient dense food which provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and protiens. Since they are a living food (such as breastmilk, yogurt, etc.), they continue to gain more nutritient qualities even after they are harvested. This does not occur with food that 'die' after they are picked such as fruits and vegetables. This 'living' factor also contributes to a more easily digestable food source. That is why breastmilk is easy for babies to digest and yogurt is often touted as a food that is excellent for digestion (we'va all seen the TV ads for that 'active' yogurt!). Sprouting at home is an easy and frugal way to produce an excellent nutritional food source.<br />
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You can sprout many many things from nuts to beans (dried), just make sure that they are not too old or they wont sprout. This can be done inside using very simple materials and only requires you to rinse twice a day. Also, since kids can be impatient, sprouting is great for them because you will yield results in a couple of days and the sprouts should be ready in 3-4 days or longer, depending on the kind of sprouts.<br />
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The steps for sprouting can be found at these websites:<br />
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<a href="http://www.cityfarmer.org/sprout86.html">http://www.cityfarmer.org/sprout86.html</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.littleakiko.com/recipes/Sprouts.php">http://www.littleakiko.com/recipes/Sprouts.php</a><br />
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There are many ways you can use your sprouts in recipes. However, I realize that sprouts may not entice your children since they have a funny texture and acquired taste, but maybe, just maybe, they will try them if they helped grow them. Even if they don't eat them, this project can help teach children about plant growth and beginning to garden, as well as the responsibility of remembering to water them.<br />
Try these links for recipes using sprouts once you have your harvest:<br />
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<a href="http://www.sproutpeople.com/cookery.html">Sprout People</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/food/menus_and_collections/12_tasty_sprout_recipes.php">Canadian Living Sprout Recipes</a><br />
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Good Luck Sprouting! <br />
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<em>The previous post has been adapted from "Sprouting with Kids" written by me in 2008 on my old blog "Generation Global" on Fredmoms.com</em>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-12503326382747337832009-12-20T17:05:00.000-08:002009-12-20T17:27:21.576-08:00Have a Very Eco Christmas!: Part Two<span style="color: #cc0000;">I hope you are all enjoying your Holidays! Hubby is now home with us and we always love that. When our whole family is together it feels so much more relaxed and happy around here :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">We are also *really* looking forward to having our extended family come to visit. My parents, younger brother, his girlfriend and their new baby will be staying with us for about a week and we are seriously counting down the <strike>hours</strike> days! Especially because we haven't met the little new edition yet and I am a little baby crazy. I can't wait to hold the little bugger!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Okay, getting down to the eco-decorating post I promised. Kaden and I had so. much. fun making ornaments for the tree and house this year! We've never really done it before but Kaden has been creating stuff almost every single day. He's made copious amounts of wrapping paper since the last post as well.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-VDxEZ_z7ciVVeHw5bDRAs_bVsYOlpnBJO9T0a0LCNRAIp81UhtsKW8u6sXebLJchHOzFZEtyVzPBpLt0XAAQMCtsmdbJWCEL9tiaF-GvZjTzkZmmyrvCwRmjjLHwp2I-A4Y-zUxd9kN/s1600-h/December+2009+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-VDxEZ_z7ciVVeHw5bDRAs_bVsYOlpnBJO9T0a0LCNRAIp81UhtsKW8u6sXebLJchHOzFZEtyVzPBpLt0XAAQMCtsmdbJWCEL9tiaF-GvZjTzkZmmyrvCwRmjjLHwp2I-A4Y-zUxd9kN/s400/December+2009+038.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #38761d;">A while back I ordered some plain wood and mache ornaments to paint with Kaden. We're also currently working on some Christmas craft kits we got from an Oriental Trading Company craft swap. The wood ornaments were very fun to decorate. We just painted them in red or green and dusted with sprinkles. We kept to a red/green palette this year because our whole tree was decorated in those colours. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46sJVk9hz1aCBk2F47vbaiBjaTIhJC3tH5lYVU-85FLgK3FFBxSQbDnzUHG4wuYMTe6lQJGJyQybiXg5arPAlvtZD9M83emG6QK-6Vcvttf_HlqCIg3eD3CVcefl5ZK9RCvlMDBn7Z_3Y/s1600-h/December+2009+034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46sJVk9hz1aCBk2F47vbaiBjaTIhJC3tH5lYVU-85FLgK3FFBxSQbDnzUHG4wuYMTe6lQJGJyQybiXg5arPAlvtZD9M83emG6QK-6Vcvttf_HlqCIg3eD3CVcefl5ZK9RCvlMDBn7Z_3Y/s400/December+2009+034.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">We had both traditional ball-shapes as well as stars. The hexagonal ornaments we wanted were backordered so, we had to do without :(</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecI-e6PlJ_CCuB55YedsPYq7a8BbaBengv-GYmblXUNmft9gFuKIzgJ1WB0NLUnk14aAg6PMCyZ4NVSm7oQliKfJJW9jiYiCIDWdbhBeuY7UdIcWVHDpRk_vFDDl28oFsFWhWErPw9RKS/s1600-h/December+2009+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecI-e6PlJ_CCuB55YedsPYq7a8BbaBengv-GYmblXUNmft9gFuKIzgJ1WB0NLUnk14aAg6PMCyZ4NVSm7oQliKfJJW9jiYiCIDWdbhBeuY7UdIcWVHDpRk_vFDDl28oFsFWhWErPw9RKS/s400/December+2009+002.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">Kaden also made a waldorf-syle gnome house as a centerpiece. He used scraps gathered from nature herself as well as a little star cut out of felt. We tried moulding the pieces together with plasticine, but after a frustrating attempt, we used hot glue. These gnome houses are so easy and fun to make! Notice the birch bark wrapped gnome in the corner? He has a little sea shell hat, but it's hard to see in this picture. Too cute! Kaden also made a hand-dipped beeswax candle, but I have no picture of that at the moment.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnZ_8rGnUhByGjE8sgSNYp4nZ5n4KstjIaVrnIcUUHMHoySRw77xoq8BgzJ9dwdCo3iD_vU_Jo7yMTNPiorLdiOJXaU8TrXDLfpDPlGwCYHNrbjsJ80tAt5R9rFJZL9frB_b2XYQk616x/s1600-h/December+2009+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnZ_8rGnUhByGjE8sgSNYp4nZ5n4KstjIaVrnIcUUHMHoySRw77xoq8BgzJ9dwdCo3iD_vU_Jo7yMTNPiorLdiOJXaU8TrXDLfpDPlGwCYHNrbjsJ80tAt5R9rFJZL9frB_b2XYQk616x/s200/December+2009+036.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000;">The last tree decoration we made was the classic paper chain. We used scraps from various construction paper projects and crafts we'd already done instead of throwing them out or chucking them in the recycling bin.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">For the door, I wanted something less traditional then a wreath, which I had no time to make. I thought of a really simple project to do with some pinecones and ribbon. Check it out below:</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQG_BAIsJohT-LXw9Se3n62klFQBfFqT8lXzccNebOhIYdDxBR5yhjzUdJf-x1Hzi1Fl2ehF-hPtHocpFvPZnXyTtqzk2g5IjdbUdjk7lnRbXxEvKsTzKzNksH8QOiyAkqgsuMuzXDorL/s1600-h/December+2009+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQG_BAIsJohT-LXw9Se3n62klFQBfFqT8lXzccNebOhIYdDxBR5yhjzUdJf-x1Hzi1Fl2ehF-hPtHocpFvPZnXyTtqzk2g5IjdbUdjk7lnRbXxEvKsTzKzNksH8QOiyAkqgsuMuzXDorL/s640/December+2009+042.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I threaded some eye hooks into the pinecones (which hurt like a b*tch!--did you know pinecones have spikey things?! Ouch!) and then looped some pretty red ribbon through them. I used thumb tacks to secure them to the top of the door. I recommend using tape first until you like the arrangement of your pinecones. I left mine in their natural state to match my front door, but you could always paint them or glitter them up (using low VOC paint of course!)</span><br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Enjoy decorating!</span><br />
</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-86843079589455618272009-12-11T11:29:00.000-08:002009-12-11T11:33:59.358-08:00Have a Very Eco Christmas!: Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmKUISjBZSKroegTGwsPjU2SiFXfMt23w06pbT9TEERt0tsFenrin4tHW2wVBxKdpda1PuwzUf5vz4Hxm04dYNbN1Fw-SJlbffdozNnUVD4NshAQKOOksGQVbnO-mx2FzeTtqIPkNJml/s1600-h/December+2009+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmKUISjBZSKroegTGwsPjU2SiFXfMt23w06pbT9TEERt0tsFenrin4tHW2wVBxKdpda1PuwzUf5vz4Hxm04dYNbN1Fw-SJlbffdozNnUVD4NshAQKOOksGQVbnO-mx2FzeTtqIPkNJml/s640/December+2009+026.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #cc0000;">It is probably fairly obvious to anyone even remotely green-mined that the Holiday Season puts a toll on the environment. What with all of the plastic toys with their unhealthy off-gasses chemicals and petroleum based materials, the wrapping paper made of virgin fibres and chemical coatings and dyes. Not to mention that many gifts and all the wrapping end up in the dump, further polluting our environment. In this post I am going to focus on gift wrapping the eco-friendly way! I will provide you with some ideas that I've actually thought of and tested so that you know they really can work. My next post in this subject (Part Two) will center around eco-friendly gifts for all ages (using my actual gift list!), and third, I'll talk about green decorating.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">This year, I decided that our family would not be buying any Christmas wrapping. It is so incredibly wasteful and in my opinion, makes every gift look the same--boring and commercialized. Since I was not buying many (if any) commercial presents, then I was certainly not going to wrap them in conventional gift wrap!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">First, let me say that this took some months of planning. We saved all of the materials that we could from packaging and papers that we already had comming into the house or already laying around. For example, we saved coffee canisters and bags, paper wrapping from mail packages, ribbon and tissue paper from packages we received, paper bags, and other items. Along with all of this, I saved drawings, small crafts, and colouring pages (Christmas ones in particular) that my children created. This resulted in a big box filled with materials to re-use! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfMcoYK4qVNtbhjCMn5NwaivnxbSehSQYAT0IC96DkJqqKu7vwFDQ7a49vQ0uatqLWMHR6XHR0_pla9XUqxHZEYL0xI2pV_SbO0dDz1f16yAqtECDGq4v1-hK44VMhD7NqhQAxvG7KFcW/s1600-h/December+2009+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfMcoYK4qVNtbhjCMn5NwaivnxbSehSQYAT0IC96DkJqqKu7vwFDQ7a49vQ0uatqLWMHR6XHR0_pla9XUqxHZEYL0xI2pV_SbO0dDz1f16yAqtECDGq4v1-hK44VMhD7NqhQAxvG7KFcW/s400/December+2009+022.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #38761d;">Putting the materials to use was quite easy. All that was needed was a little vision and creativity. I used used but clean paper bags, salvaged raffia, and paper scraps to create gift bags for my family's smaller presents. I was aiming for a simple look, but you could easily add more to your gift bags.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZA9G6IGuVaYOymxtnpb0niRCayvbR-kwzYmgb0B0eq10spJ2lhYFPknzlRk4yQSxf36SXvjEp-_LEXuGiZkFhS3j5CRiggslnPPKIcrJ1umlzTbA-Pp7nb4pjJ44Syv_ip_7RvQbWkVY7/s1600-h/December+2009+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZA9G6IGuVaYOymxtnpb0niRCayvbR-kwzYmgb0B0eq10spJ2lhYFPknzlRk4yQSxf36SXvjEp-_LEXuGiZkFhS3j5CRiggslnPPKIcrJ1umlzTbA-Pp7nb4pjJ44Syv_ip_7RvQbWkVY7/s400/December+2009+028.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #cc0000;"> My children's Christmas artwork also made wonderful Christmas wrap that adds a unique personal touch to giving gifts. All of this paper was rescued from postal packages that held my children's Christmas presents. Doesn't this look so much better than store-bought wrapping? Just add some ribbon and you're all set :-) Even toddlers can get in on the action with scribbled paper in Christmas colours!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BJVCHAMa2dkSUDPTM9adVFgF4UQNV19ia4wXo41RXQkqDXIrQss0KY_wAPwO5rwGuuh56BwjKNqvz8hRVLbHU6fcPvjRpRJVG0HZbaCgDHqfLMDWJDZ1ttxQwoCyC_w2k2QrhsHG84dT/s1600-h/December+2009+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BJVCHAMa2dkSUDPTM9adVFgF4UQNV19ia4wXo41RXQkqDXIrQss0KY_wAPwO5rwGuuh56BwjKNqvz8hRVLbHU6fcPvjRpRJVG0HZbaCgDHqfLMDWJDZ1ttxQwoCyC_w2k2QrhsHG84dT/s400/December+2009+025.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #38761d;">Christmas crafts that my little unschooler created also were put to good use in creating wrapping for our presents. Both colouring pages and cardboard gingermen were put to use below. Again, the paper is recycled from packaging we already recieved. I just cut off or hid the addresses printed on the paper. The gingerbreadman hides an address in this example.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKLv4mCbYuHpXH-qKXkjoI3WLENJEvCi4l_ePi1NLwmzyB6Ldk0Z7tvFAP1_U46oupE7UV51r9rK7NRWI5v5SYzp-T84NN-PIjqP5auD-tfTXaQpsBa-ZHImHsZof770yTBD-C9puNPHW/s1600-h/December+2009+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKLv4mCbYuHpXH-qKXkjoI3WLENJEvCi4l_ePi1NLwmzyB6Ldk0Z7tvFAP1_U46oupE7UV51r9rK7NRWI5v5SYzp-T84NN-PIjqP5auD-tfTXaQpsBa-ZHImHsZof770yTBD-C9puNPHW/s400/December+2009+032.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc1O8BkQBRf_BC1c_gTyAJSpDY4xL2FzZl5y0s73IqWDbAKzS-k6QOz3AiFek9XoDNO8YFUXtFiFp67OpHSfhz1hwhZTJWFZ4-m617-Xpar2euNOoKn_8FbU2J5VVXci9BDnEOe_7a48Z/s1600-h/December+2009+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc1O8BkQBRf_BC1c_gTyAJSpDY4xL2FzZl5y0s73IqWDbAKzS-k6QOz3AiFek9XoDNO8YFUXtFiFp67OpHSfhz1hwhZTJWFZ4-m617-Xpar2euNOoKn_8FbU2J5VVXci9BDnEOe_7a48Z/s400/December+2009+030.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Other fantastic ideas that many of you have probably already heard of are to use old maps, newspaper comics, and stamped art paper. If you are not crafty or creative in the least, or if you are short on time, you can also always purchase eco-friendly wrapping paper from stores such as </span><a href="http://www.grassrootsstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=wrapping&Page=1"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grass Roots Store</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShjzvARgLIuyuf6e108sBghm1biFAwy1SlfAcQWjtw7SaLPb1k7Yvebrfln6-q1unLikBlKvkFfsEi74XUuIIL52-lap30mmOGxRA4NBERwOlSO0WD_j8BJQhvTJ8JFOj-xygj5RLqRDn/s1600-h/wrappingpaper_winterwonderland_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShjzvARgLIuyuf6e108sBghm1biFAwy1SlfAcQWjtw7SaLPb1k7Yvebrfln6-q1unLikBlKvkFfsEi74XUuIIL52-lap30mmOGxRA4NBERwOlSO0WD_j8BJQhvTJ8JFOj-xygj5RLqRDn/s400/wrappingpaper_winterwonderland_large.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Please share your eco wrapping ideas and pictures!</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Happy Wrapping!</span><br />
</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-27222055430652110202009-11-20T07:54:00.000-08:002009-11-20T07:58:00.464-08:00Unschooling--not so "un"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VFf9C6dEVoEofDMazdB-JkPsxcryT1POFw9RZyD8NZP0As01S-VZfp1YWcV7j_6Kc96wFbUSDHgtUq8V_BXZ7QachuifiFuTz1ISqVMRTc2FZNXh8830SxiN99cY6m-s0LhlSOo3s-t3/s1600/September+%26+October+2009+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VFf9C6dEVoEofDMazdB-JkPsxcryT1POFw9RZyD8NZP0As01S-VZfp1YWcV7j_6Kc96wFbUSDHgtUq8V_BXZ7QachuifiFuTz1ISqVMRTc2FZNXh8830SxiN99cY6m-s0LhlSOo3s-t3/s400/September+%26+October+2009+054.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><span style="color: #e69138;">Well, the first couple of weeks of unschooling have been very sucessful. Magic School Bus only ruled my den for two full days! I expected a much longer binge than that. And besides a few scattered sessions on Beatles Rock Band, Kaden has mostly stayed away from the Wii as well. Very suprising considering he used to play Wii as soon as he woke up (before going to school) and as soon as he got home. Now it seems that having it be available all the time as created less of a desire to play. Instead Kaden's been building sofa cushion forts, crazy creatures out of pipe cleaners, toilet paper rolls, empty containers, and cardboard (complete with moving parts!). Besides all the free-play, we've been reading a lot more around here. We're still working on The Magician's Nephew from the Narnia series, but we've also been reading a lot of non-fiction (the library is great, no?) We've read about Japan, about Castles & Forts, a great book about Sea Creatures (fictional and real), a Prehistoric Monsters book, about Lasers (followed by a long explanitory discussion by dad, of course, since he works with lasers every day!), and more I can't even think of right now. Other things we've done have been to make cookies and bread, he has learned how to cook scrambled eggs on his own (with us turning on the stove). We're growing sprouts and plan to start growing more things to plant in the garden come Spring. So far, everyday has been full except for a mid-week slump this week while I was in a stressed out mood (can anyone say Blowing-the-Budget-on-Christmas much?)... Thank goodness for Karate and Swimming Lessons on those days!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;">Currently Jeff is building a skating rink with Kaden in the back yard. They've got the wooden structure nailed down and half of it covered in plastic sheeting, but funds have run out and leaves are piling up on the plastic as we wait to splurge on another roll of plastic. I think it hasn't happened yet because we thought there was enough in that (expensive!) roll and it looks like we'll need another couple of rolls instead... However, we plan to repurpose the wood and plastic in our Square Foot Gardens this Spring. I think it's so great that the boys can do stuff like that together. One because it's great bonding/learning time for them both and two--I get some time off (bubble bath, wine, book---ahhhh). </span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;">So, what I've learned so far is that Unschooling is not a lot of Un, it's mostly active, hands on, and fun!</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-31646215342707253592009-11-05T08:14:00.000-08:002009-11-05T08:44:21.455-08:00Asthma? WTF?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3D2FJmb537tz_BwIn_aG-mv4EDz61mPUh0aCbSBB-hk8oJuYUg_3fu7egE7wiQcl-H1gAafx9ftjjDgvcxmO71J6afzkF-xeSGgTjRaf4YjAsDT8_1tgUUiqHXp3Y-C0rBo1X1S6JSLWy/s1600-h/P8311548.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400661208821157810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3D2FJmb537tz_BwIn_aG-mv4EDz61mPUh0aCbSBB-hk8oJuYUg_3fu7egE7wiQcl-H1gAafx9ftjjDgvcxmO71J6afzkF-xeSGgTjRaf4YjAsDT8_1tgUUiqHXp3Y-C0rBo1X1S6JSLWy/s320/P8311548.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K-bvYrQIfrx4pFf45imwp1675woJ0-3jGtq5y2eRLpsBA0ofyU8dFzg4fif-GuT2Sv4EkFMTVpb73xXaZhi2svjZttn2gWhpfQn-dNKU1B6buggzoDno-hLxnLkm1C5GbvrX1-PFiK_T/s1600-h/September+%26+October+2009+113.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 245px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 335px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400659120064684034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K-bvYrQIfrx4pFf45imwp1675woJ0-3jGtq5y2eRLpsBA0ofyU8dFzg4fif-GuT2Sv4EkFMTVpb73xXaZhi2svjZttn2gWhpfQn-dNKU1B6buggzoDno-hLxnLkm1C5GbvrX1-PFiK_T/s320/September+%26+October+2009+113.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#000099;">So, our family has been through a lot in the past few days. On Monday, our 15 month old became extremely lethargic, he was struggling to breath and not able to nurse. We took him to the hospital's H1N1 clinic and were rushed through. His oxygen levels were extremely low and his neck was pulsing and nostrils were flaring. His abdomen was contracting with every breath along with a 2 inch <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">concaving</span> in his chest when he tried to breath in. He couldn't even open his eyes and was gray around the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mouth</span>. The doctors thought he had H1N1 and contracted <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pneumonia</span>. They were very worried and he was rushed away by ambulance. It was so incredibly scary to see paramedics, about 5 or 6 doctors, and 2 to 3 nurses looking down at his chart and then looking at each other with fearful eyes. I tried to stay calm,but I was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">afraid</span> he wasn't going to make it. He almost suffocated to death.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">In Emergency, they gave him masks and x-rays. No <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pneumonia</span> was found, or H1N1 virus (although he could still have had it). Instead, they found enlarged lungs. Apparently my sweet little happy go lucky boy has asthma. So much for breastfeeding all this time, so much for eliminating toxic chemicals from his environment. None of the effort I went through to protect my child prevented him from getting asthma. I felt like a failure and I felt like I was losing my son.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Ventolin</span> masks really helped him and he came back to life although he still was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">vomiting</span> any milk he tried to drink. I hated seeing him being pumped full of steroids and hooked up to machines and IVs, but what choice did I have? No <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">naturopath</span> would be able to help us now! I am <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">grateful</span> for emergency medicine and this is where our medical system is extremely proficient.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">After a night in the hospital, a team of doctors came by to ask some questions. The main pediatrician was very happy to hear that Mikhail had been breastfed all this time and is still going strong. Apparently it could be much worse if he was bottle fed formula. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Breastmilk</span> is very important in preventing and reducing asthma it seems. This is probably why he has been alright until now and they said it is most definitely why he has not shown any allergies or persistent eczema. At this point I was feeling better about my efforts and about his future.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">After another couple of days, we were allowed to go home. The doctors gave me a list of things to do to improve his environment, starting with giving away our brand new Golden Retriever puppy. Ironic that we bought this puppy specifically for Mikhail. He could have been part of the reason the attack occurred. I've always envisioned our home with pets, but apparently this is a no go. Maybe a hairless cat someday? The list of improvements was daunting but also empowering. I was happy to see that we have already done much in the way of helping his environment including not using any toxic cleaners, laundry products, air sprays (like <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Febreez</span>, etc.), synthetic bedding, etc. The organic mattresses we've bought for Mikhail and ourselves are definitely paying off now! As well, his diet is important. I'm so glad that nutrition has been such a huge focus in our lives since Mikhail is already getting the best food I can afford. Apparently asthma medication can reduce bone mass, so he'll just need extra of my homemade yogurt every day :) Thank God he loves the stuff!</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">All in all, I am happy that our family's crunchy habits are already in place and have created a buffer against this disease. I'm scared and stressed and do not know how to handle this right now, but at least our lifestyle is set up to be able to deal with this issue. If any of you have experience with asthma, please leave a comment and let me know how you've <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">dealt</span> with it and what I can do to help my little boy.</span></div></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6764143370397637013.post-77652512019784615862009-11-02T06:55:00.001-08:002011-09-23T12:45:19.004-07:00Unschooling (or Deschooling) Begins!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj7Og5HZl87ej2M8neUSedgW_980DvvBavt-S2rRf1wUsPWq25_f02epIXQMZWjD7hUWqRZnyTgviNxltUd9OQMA1Xw9gXbcgXx0P-6rd_dyqaUfk1M_7OmwHt7haMJCmTnQiShGlSVqq/s1600-h/October+2009+073.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399524524514727826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj7Og5HZl87ej2M8neUSedgW_980DvvBavt-S2rRf1wUsPWq25_f02epIXQMZWjD7hUWqRZnyTgviNxltUd9OQMA1Xw9gXbcgXx0P-6rd_dyqaUfk1M_7OmwHt7haMJCmTnQiShGlSVqq/s320/October+2009+073.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Halloween was so much fun, as always. Kaden got very much into role playing with his costume--as you can see!</span></span></div><div></div><div><span style="color: #009900;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error">Horray</span>! We are officially <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">de</span>-schooling now :)</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Mind you, the proper forms have not been returned to us granting 'permission' for us to make our own educational choices in this matter, BUT I did at least send in the forms last week. I just couldn't stand to send my son <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Kaden</span> into the school one more day. I can't imagine how degrading it would feel to not be allowed to speak during <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">lunch</span> and snack time while eating at your desk in the class....silently...when you are a SIX YEAR OLD BOY! A couple of weeks ago, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kaden</span> has his lemon cookie taken away for stating during snack "I have a lemon cookie!" What is the benefit to taking away children's food for talking? They certainly aren't going to be able to concentrate on eating...when they have. no. food.! Sometimes I wonder about the thought processes behind some of these decisions....</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Teacher: "The student's don't have enough time to eat their lunch!"</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Board: "Well, then, do not allow them to speak!"</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Teacher: "How should I manage them if they speak during lunch and snack?"</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Board: "If they talk, take their food away! That will teach them to eat!"</span></div><br />
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<div><span style="color: #009900;">See the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">fallacy</span> in this thought process? Anyway that's only the beginning. The little ones, including my active grade <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">oner</span> (is that a word?) are not allowed to play on the play equipment during outdoor lunch recess....Why? Because there are big scary kids on there! They must not interact! In fact, there is a large yellow line <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">separating</span> the big scary kids (10, 11, and 12 year <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">olds</span>--Oh my! 10, 11, and 12 year <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">olds</span>--Oh my!...sorry a little to Oz?!) from the younger ones. This means no f<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ield</span>, basketball court or playground for the smaller kids. Wow, way to conquer childhood obesity with your every three day gym period and banishment from the play structure! Such forward thinking!</span></div><br />
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<div><span style="color: #009900;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ok</span>, well enough sarcasm. Today my son has a "sore throat" and we are "worried about swine flu" so he's staying home. Okay, so I had to teach <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Kaden</span> about little white lies today while calling the school to say he wasn't <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">coming</span> in! Hey, he learned something! I just don't want to deal with anymore calls from his teacher complaining that "this has never happened to me before! This is a great school! What about socialization? What is your rationale? Why can't you do enrichment on your own time?" Well because I want it to be <em>all</em> <u>our</u> time. No more boring worksheet, which are the same day after day.</span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;"></span></div><br />
<div><span style="color: #009900;">Today, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Kaden</span> will watch way to much Magic School Bus and then we'll read some Narnia (Magician's Nephew) and paint some of his Knight figurines and then make dinner together and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Kaden</span> will learn so much more than how to "sit and listen and memorize this".</span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03144647097050175385noreply@blogger.com8