Four Fill in Fun

Linking up again this week for Four Fill-In Fun!


1) I can’t help it, but every time I see a dog riding in a car or truck I smile.
Okay, so I know this can be potentially hazardous for the pet...but they just look so free and happy with their head out the window, tongue flapping in the breeze. :) Who can resist that kind of joy? And I'm not even really a pet person!

2) Every time I smell cantaloupe I am immediately transported back to my childhood.
I don't know what it is about this, except that my mom used to pack it in my lunch all the time!

3) When I was little I wanted to be a Ballerina...or a movie star.
Er...I'm not quite there yet! ;-)

4) If I had to eat only one meal for the rest of my life it would be pizza!
Why, yes. I am seventeen!

March 3 in 30 Challenge- Week 2

It's time to check in for week two of the March 3 in 30 Challenge at AP Freewriting!

Eat 3 Meals per day with the family: Well...I definitely had more meals with everyone than I would've had otherwise! I will say that breakfast may be the easiest meal to eat together. Everyone gets what they want for the most part. Lunch is usually a choice between a simple sandwich or leftovers from dinner, so my son is sometimes not so keen about participating. Thankfully, my daughter will pretty much try anything. My son on the other hand, has been quite picky lately. That makes dinner trickier. But, generally speaking we've been pretty good about eating dinner 'round the family table.

Plan a Date Night Each Week: I think I should get an A for effort on this one! My husband is big into music (being a worship leader and all). Well, I did some major searching for something unique that he would be interested in (and free or low cost) and came across a free concert at a local church (we had never heard of the artist, but she did have music on i Tunes), and the other option I came across was hearing one of the members of Hillsong as a guest speaker at another local (mega) church. I presented both options to my husband, and we ended up going shopping for our date. I was a little bummed that we didn't do something new, but it was a good shopping trip, so I guess I can't really complain. We spent time together and that's what counts.

Declutter for 15 Minutes per Day: I actually did pretty well with this one! I didn't manage to do it every day, but I definitely feel less cluttered! I'm just excited to have made progress.

So, how did you do? Are you on track with your goals for the month?

Four Fill in Fun

 

1. Over the years I have had so many... places of residence! I think by the time I turned 18, I had moved more times than I had had birthdays! Since becoming an adult, though, I've cut way back on the moving. In fact, the last apartment that I lived in was the place I have lived the longest. 8 years! Wow!

2. It drives me crazy to... argue with my husband. Not because arguing is terribly upsetting, but because he happens to have a dizzying intellect, and I usually don't win! Boo!

3. Every time I walk in the house... I hang up my purse and diaper bag and other stuff on the hooks on the back of the door.

4. Right before I jump in bed... I use the potty. Ever since the two times I was pregnant, I can't stand having to get up in the middle of the night to go! It may seem like it's borderline OCD, but seriously, even if I just went 20 minutes prior, that is the last thing I do before going to bed.

So there you have it, four things you probably didn't need to know about me! :) 

Click on over to Feeling Beachie to read more!

Who is God, Anyway?

I was reading a blog post recently in which the writer encouraged women to receive what the Bible says God will do for them. A question came up in the comments to the effect of "what about what (insert influential individual's name here) says about that? How not receiving x promise may be a blessing from God?" (The question was asked genuinely, not as a challenge to the author).

Well friends, nobody is perfect in their theology...but I think that we need to dig a little deeper when questions like this come up. We need to go to the Word when we aren't sure who God is in our lives or what His intentions are toward us.

Jeremiah 29:11 states:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

And in James 1:16-17 it says:

"Do not be misled, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]." (Amplified. Emphasis mine).

So we can see that God does not desire for one person to be sick and yet another person to be healthy (or one to be healthy and then suddenly sick). Or one person to live in poverty and another to live in a mansion.


Bad things are not God's will for us! God does not "smite" us because He has something to teach us as some would believe. Consider the words of Job: even though God declared him a righteous man, he said "the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away..." (Job 1:21) Now, don't we hear that ALL the time? Yet, I believe because Job's heart was right before God, verse 22 tells us that he didn't sin or charge God foolishly. (God looks at the heart).


The fact is: God is good. He desires good for us. But bad things do happen. We live in a fallen world.


We may wonder why, when we pray for a specific outcome, our desire is not manifest. I've been there! There have been many times where I was so confused, thinking, "God, I prayed for this or that to happen, and it didn't!" One tends to start asking questions: Is something wrong with me? Is there something wrong with God? Is there something wrong with the person I prayed for? Is something wrong with my Bible? But as believers, we will not be dismayed if our hope rests in God, rather than a particular outcome. That's the power behind true faith. Didn't Jesus say to His disciples, "Have faith in God."? (Mark 11:22) We need to be like David who said,

"...for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long." (Psalm 25:5 Amplified)

Let's not let our view of God become skewed through the filter of our experiences! God is who He says He is! Not (necessarily) who we flawed humans say He is."...let God be true but every man a liar." (Romans 3:3)

When things don't turn out the way we think they should, we must remember "for we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 2:7)


That means our faith in God is not dependent upon external circumstances. We must continue to believe, trust and rely on Him! 

Linking up with Women in the Word Wednesdays

What I'm Into this Month- February

Ahh...the end of February! Is it already upon us? This month whizzed by. (Actually, now that I'm about to click "publish post" it is already March- I really tried to finish before midnight, but that didn't work out! I'm going to go to bed soon, I promise!)

What I'm Into this Month is inspired by Megan at SortaCrunchy. Read her latest "What I'm Into this Month post here.

On My Night Stand: Okay, so you must know that I technically don't have a night stand. Despite that harsh reality, I do have books that I'm reading. I just started The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, and I'm on the second or third chapter in a row about corn. I had no idea there was so much to know! :P I actually just finished In Defense of Food, which has so changed the way I look at food. Actually it kind of goes along with a lot of other research I've been doing about food in the past couple of years. I'm really amazed at how much I didn't know!

The other book I'm desperately trying to get through is Living in Love by James and Betty Robison. I'm going to do a review of it for my other blog, Happy Christian Home. So far it's a wonderful book, but I think the fact that it's kind of "required reading" (albeit self-imposed) is really messing with me. I've made the most reading progress when I've actually left the house by myself to go read somewhere (what bliss). I've been taking notes and doing the review questions and everything. Anyway, expect that review sometime in the next few weeks. I won't tell you how long I've been working on it.

Want to Read: The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson. I've heard so much good stuff about her books. Have you read anything by her?

TV Show Worth Watching: Ummm...I really have to say that I don't watch much television. Though I am a sucker for pretty much any cooking show. Especially the ones on PBS. We don't have cable (thankfully!) so I don't get to watch Food Network (that may be one of the handful of channels I would watch if we had cable). I love America's Test Kitchen and one of my other favorites is Lidia's Italy. It is so fascinating to watch other people cooking.

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater): Babies. I loved this movie! We checked it out from the library. I had wanted to see it since I saw the preview for it in the theater, but I just never got around to it. It was beautiful though. I loved watching all the differences between the cultures, but also saw so many parallels in the way the babies were parented, and the family structures, etc. I took it a step further though, and went to the official website and read the bios of the babies and their families. I was especially interested in the family from Africa. I would love to learn even more about their culture. The Mongolian family was interesting too. They were such an odd mix of modern and traditional living. You saw a goat drinking out of the baby's bathwater, and then an older sibling playing with Legos.

On My Mind: Wow, some big things are happening! I'm trying to determine the best course of action for myself in one particular area. I want to get involved in the childbirth education field, or perhaps become a doula, but I'm not exactly sure which route to take. I know I don't talk much about this subject on either of my blogs, but I'm so passionate about pregnancy and childbirth. I'm really leaning more toward childbirth education rather than becoming a doula, at least for now, as I really don't feel like I can commit to the (potentially) odd hours that a doula must agree to.

(Not as) Quick (as I had hoped) testimony: My husband and I were out to dinner one evening when he suggested that I go into this field. It was sorta random. I kind of responded with "hmm...yes". We talked about it a little more in depth, and that was it. Well the very next afternoon, an expectant friend sent me a message asking me to be her labor coach. She said that God placed it on her heart to ask me to do it, but she kept arguing it away thinking that I wouldn't be interested, and I have two little ones to look after, etc, etc. She only knew that I had had two un-medicated births, and she wanted my support in having a natural birth. Well that ended up being an amazing experience. Her doctor had previously suggested that she have a C-Section if her baby was "too big" (more than 8 lbs) and she really wanted to avoid that if possible. She had gone in for an ultrasound (I guess so her doctor could get a better idea of the baby's size- which I really think is not entirely reliable) well they didn't get the results back before she went into labor. She delivered a healthy 9 1/2 pound baby boy, completely un-medicated, no induction, no augmentation- nothing! Amazing.

Along those lines, one of my sisters is due to have her baby within a few weeks from now and has asked me to come and support her during labor. I'm so excited!

3 Most Recent (Even Somewhat Notable) Bookmarks: How to Crack Open a Coconut (video). I had great difficulty with this by the way! They made it look so easy! We got two coconuts in our produce basket from the co-op this week. I am determined to use everything we get- especially if it's unfamiliar territory for me. I'm still going to try this method with the second coconut. I'm determined! Lol! Blogging Your Way. I haven't explored this one yet, but it looks promising! Gluten-Free Vegan Chewy Molasses Bars. Don't these look delicious? (Pay no mind to my comments at the end) :P

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:  The birth of my sister's newest baby. Also a Pampered Chef show or two (I'm a consultant). Looks like March will be an action-packed month. I'm hoping for my son to be completely diaper-free as well. He's been doing so well on the potty the past couple of weeks. He was not really feeling using the potty for the longest time, so I'm glad he's finally doing so!

One More Thing: Okay, so I know all of you who live in snowy climates are probably not going to really appreciate this one, but it snowed here! In the desert! Here's a picture of snow-capped Superstition Mountain (taken from the gas station around the corner):

I think it's pretty amazing! (It didn't stay long though- this pic was taken yesterday after church, and the snow is completely gone now!)

What are YOU into this month???

3 in 30- Goals for March

I cannot believe that February is almost over! It is a shorter month, but it felt super short for some reason. I noticed over at AP Freewriting that it's now time to make some new goals. I opted out last month, as I blogged about a few weeks ago, but I'm back this month!

This past month has been more orderly for me, even though I didn't actually set any real goals. For this past week or so, I've been sticking with my daily routines, and that has been really helpful. I'm not as prompt about doing things as I would like, but for the most part, they get done. So, I feel ready to aim a little higher!

Here are my goals:

1. I want to start eating three meals per day with the family, because it seems like we just kind of eat on our own all the time. My son wakes up, he asks for food when he's hungry, then my daughter gets up...I fix her something else to eat whenever she seems hungry, and I eat sometime after that usually. We don't usually have a regular "lunch time" per se. Dinner time is not that big of an issue, but I do want all of us to sit at the table together each night. I wanted to create more structure in our meal times, but also cultivate the habit of spending meaningful time together. Also, I won't feel like I'm constantly in the kitchen if we have distinct meal times. I'm sure I'll discover other benefits to doing this, but even if I don't, I think I will experience more order in my day. I really need that!
2. Next, I would like to create the habit of spending 15 minutes per day de-cluttering/tidying up. I do this from time to time, and I'm always amazed at what a difference it makes. I feel like creating this habit will help make it easier to maintain order (there's that word again!) around the house. I don't like to feel overwhelmed when I look around. 
3. Third, I want to plan a date night each week with my husband that is either free or low-cost. The expense issue is not quite as important as the intentional time with my husband. We used to be pretty good about making it a point to spend time together alone, but you know how it is...you just get caught up in doing other stuff, and it gets pushed aside. 

Anyway, that's what I'm up to! What are your goals? Are you taking part in the 3 in 30 Challenge?

Health Improvements

At the beginning of this year, my family and I started on The Maker's Diet. We stuck with it for about two weeks. (!) It's a forty-day program, by the way. I actually opted to go off of it because of my daughter's reaction to it. She's breastfed and since she was about six weeks old, she has shown allergic reactions to various foods I was eating. I blogged about that "ordeal" here (in case you wanna read).

Her recent reaction wasn't really severe or anything, but the diet is quite heavy on dairy and eggs, and those are two of the foods I had eliminated previously. She started getting itchy and so every time I would change her, I would see new scratch marks on her. (That only started since I reintroduced dairy and eggs). The reactions used to be a lot worse, so she has improved, thankfully.

Anyway, since going off of that diet, and going back on grains, I've noticed that I don't feel as good as I did on The Maker's Diet. I've also been consuming more sugar than I was. I'll spare you the details of how I feel when I eat a lot of grains, but I'll just say I feel much better when I don't have them (I think I look much better when I don't eat them as well).

One thing I have made some progress on is giving up caffeine! I'm so excited that I have done so. It really is freeing. I don't need it. I don't even really want it. I like a hot beverage in the morning, so I've switched to herbal tea with honey. I used to drink a lot of green tea, which has many health benefits, but I think for me, the bigger health benefit is not having caffeine.

I've been reading a lot about adrenal health, as well as gut health (more about those issues here), and I just came to the conclusion that caffeine was something that needed to go. I really did try to hang on to it for a while, but I just felt awful every time I would drink coffee or whatever. It was just time. I think it's pretty safe to say that I had been addicted to caffeine in some form or another since I was a teenager. (Like 16 years or so for anyone keeping track!) In the form of sodas, coffee, tea and chocolate. (I haven't totally given up chocolate...but that may be next!)

I guess you could just say that I'm "tired" of not feeling my best. I think once you know that you can attain to a higher level of physical function, giving up unnecessary things is not so difficult. I will say that is harder, and less convenient for sure...but it's kind of like the story of Daniel. He was surrounded by a culture that didn't adhere to the same diet that he had, but he felt way better than everyone else. He was physically healthier. That's what I'm aiming for. Not so I can say I'm healthier than the general population or anything, but I would like to show people that vibrant health is not unattainable.

I've also been reading a couple books that have totally changed how I look at food. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan has been an awesome read. I also read part of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. (Only part of it, because it was due back at the library before I could finish it, and someone had placed a hold on it so I couldn't renew it. I'll have to purchase it, or check it out again at a later time.) Anyway, those books have really influenced me to change not only how I eat, but where we get out food from. I highly recommend them if you're looking to improve your health.

Anywho, back to The Maker's Diet. I may return to that at a later time, but for now, I will definitely cut back on grains, and dairy. Dairy is pretty easy to avoid and still eat a really good variety of other food. I may look into getting raw dairy, as I've heard that people who are allergic usually don't have issues with raw dairy. It's something worth pursuing, anyway.

Have you made any recent health improvements? Have you been "on the fence" about anything health-related lately? Let me know in the comments!

TV at Wendy's? Yuck!

These days we don't do very much fast food. But my son had been asking for French fries, like...all day, so I decided I would surprise him with an outing to our local Wendy's for some natural cut, sea-salted fries. Plus I felt like taking a break from my recent peeling, slicing and frying routine that I started in order to avoid, you guessed it: fast food French fries.

On the way in, I spotted a booth in the corner with a conveniently located high chair for the baby. So, after we received our order (two large fries and an ice water, in case you were wondering), we made our way over to said corner booth. What I didn't see at first was the flat screen television overhead. My son sat facing it at first, and then when I realized it was there and tuned into Nick (it was showing some teen-sitcom/drama or something...according to their line-up on their website, it may have been a show called Big Time Rush?), I made him move to my side of the booth.

I purposely came into the restaurant to spend some time hanging out with the children in the non-home setting (nothing wrong with being at home, just that we're there all. day. long usually). That, and my daughter was getting really fussy with being in the van (I don't get how this happened, she used to love riding in the van...it's like she has switched over to "I now hate riding in vehicles" mode...which is the opposite of her brother who used to hate riding in the car but now enjoys it.) 

Anyway, so we sat munching on fries, and he kept glancing at the TV, which was mildly annoying.  But the stuff that was on it (mind you I could only hear it as I was facing away) was so ridiculously inappropriate. I just couldn't believe the stuff they promote to young children...and I know it's not the teenagers that are actually watching that stuff either. It's the tweens and probably younger that are being saturated with these grown up (at least in my opinion) themes. (It was all a lot of drama about who likes who and who wants to date so-and-so. And don't get me started on the commercials! I thought people paid for cable to get rid of the commercials, but I digress).

I have no idea why there was a television at Wendy's. And why it was tuned to Nick? No idea. The only people sitting on that side of the restaurant (besides us) were seniors. I may send an email to their corporate office stating my dissatisfaction. Not that we frequent Wendy's or anything. But I can't imagine that other people want to leave their homes and come to Wendy's to watch...silly teen drama.  Anyway, what are they saying? That in addition to eating fast food, we need to watch more television?

What do you think? Any thoughts on watching television at fast food restaurants? What about children's  programming on cable networks?

No Goals This Month

Well, I didn't link up this month with the 3 in 30 Challenge for February. I kind of slacked off on my goals last month (well, two out of three anyway). I did, however, maintain the habit of having a Bible study/prayer time before everything else. That has been amazing! I'm going through a read the Bible thru in a year plan, and it's pretty fun. Every day you read a different part of the Bible. Like Sundays, you read the Epistles, Mondays you read Historical books, another day you read Psalms, and so forth. I've only missed a couple days. I really like this plan, because I don't get stuck in the book of Numbers for a month straight and lose interest entirely. (Ha ha!)

Anyway, back to my lack of goals. I really enjoyed participating in the 3 in 30 challenge, and I like the accountability, and encouraging others to reach their goals, but I sort of kept forgetting my goals! Like the water drinking and bedroom organizing. I seriously just forgot that I had made those goals. Anyway, I'm going to try to regroup during February, hopefully get stuff around the house in a better state of organization (in general), try to get my routines worked out (I still haven't really "settled in" from the move), then, come back for March with renewed focus. Don't miss me too bad, okay? :D

What goals are you working on for this month? Comment so I can come visit you! 

3 in 30 Challenge: Week 2

This is the end of week two of the 3 in 30 Challenge! This month is flying by already!

An update on my goals:

1. Have my quiet time before computer usage and chores each day.

I've been doing pretty well with this one! With the exception of one day, when my 15 month old woke up way too early (she usually sleeps in- like a teenager!) But I still squeezed in my quiet time later when she went down for a nap.

2. Spend 15 minutes each weekday getting our master bedroom in order.

No progress here. Unless I manage to do it after I write this- which I still may do. I've really just forgotten to write it down on my list- which for me, actually making a list is a step in the right direction.

3. Drink 64 ounces of water every day.

I still haven't really been keeping track. Though I do feel like I've been better about drinking water in general, I know I'm not drinking as much as my goal states- 'cause I'm not running to bathroom every hour! I got some great tips to remember to drink enough water in my comments last time- take a look if you need some help in that area too!

What about you? Are you any closer to reaching your goals this week?

3 in 30 Challenge: Week 1

Checking in! For those that don't know, each month, you are to set 3 goals that you will complete throughout the month. This challenge is hosted by Ashley at AP Freewriting 101 and Meghan at The Tuckers Take Tennessee.

Here are my goals for January: 

1. Have my quiet time before computer usage and chores each day.
2. Spend 15 minutes each weekday getting our master bedroom in order.
3. Drink 64 oz of water each day.

Well...I've been kind of a slacker with my goals this week! With one exception: on five out of seven days, I actually had my quiet time before I turned on the computer or anything. That has really been a good thing for me!  Too often I will get on the computer first, and then before I know it, everyone will be awake. 

Today, I actually started keeping track of my water intake. That goal is not that easy for me right now, because I haven't really been thirsty! I used to be really good about drinking enough water, but probably in the last six months or so, it's been difficult for some reason. I just haven't wanted to drink water. Hopefully this challenge will help get my body used to drinking enough water, and that way it will just be second nature for me. 

And, I'm sort of bummed to admit that I only spent one afternoon in our master bedroom this week getting it in order- but I actually spent closer to thirty minutes, and I was surprised at the progress I was able to make. I unpacked two big boxes (we just moved at the end of November) and started arranging some furniture.

Hopefully next week I'll be able to report that I've been more diligent in making progress toward reaching my goals for the month!

What about you? How are your goals for January coming along?

Still Here!

I haven't abandoned this blog! Really!

To be honest, I really thought about it. I wasn't sure why I needed a second blog. I do really feel like I need to focus on my main blog, Happy Christian Home. Sometimes, though, stuff comes up that I want to express, but it doesn't necessarily fit into the theme of Happy Christian Home. I don't want that blog to be a "catch all" of everything that crosses my mind. (Come to think of it, maybe I should transfer my "Mommy's Piggy Tales" posts to this blog...hmm...) So I guess this is why "Something Bigger Than Me" exists.

For the other stuff that God is doing in my life. Maybe even the "behind the scenes" ('cause I know that's terribly interesting, right? ;-D).

In the future, I may use this blog to chronicle more personal things like our family life, and other experiences I have. In my "spare time" (we all have loads of that right?)

I am amazed that this blog is gaining followers even though I haven't posted in two months...I am very humbled that you all are interested in what I have to say. And, thankful that you've taken the time to stop by.

So this is my official "welcome" message to my new followers...welcome!

And I will aim to post more than once every two months from now on! 

Hope for the Chronologically Challenged?

I have a looong history of being "always late, but worth the wait". In fact, I even remember arriving to elementary school late on a somewhat regular basis. It's really something that's basically ingrained into my being. I've been late to every kind of event you can imagine.

So why am I telling you all this?

Well, I want to stop. I thought when my son came along over three years ago, that I would "magically" morph into this punctual individual that would never inconvenience anyone by arriving 10 or 15 minutes late. Hmph! I was so disappointed when my son's first doctor's appointment rolled around, and there I was, on the freeway when I should have been filling out paperwork! Surely, I would stop being tardy for the sake of teaching my son good habits...right?!

I actually had a span of probably six months to a year when I did really well with arriving on time to work and other commitments. This was before marriage and children. I don't know what happened after that. I just drifted out of the habit of being punctual. I really believe that at the time, I must have been tapping into the grace of God, mainly because it wasn't really difficult to be on time during that time period. There was a "character building" series being taught at church, and suddenly I was convicted of the importance of punctuality. It worked for a little while. It was pretty rewarding too. At the time, I worked at a job where they actually kept track of your tardies and absences and you would get penalized for both. It would affect our bonusing potential if we were tardy or absent. I stayed at that job for a couple of years and left not due to being fired on account of tardiness, but because I was offered a better job...at which I was repeatedly reprimanded for my tardiness. Go figure. By the way, prior to that, I had held a plethora of other jobs where I was habitually late. Most of those employers didn't really care.

So, anyway, here I am now, a wife and mother of two...chronically late to most every appointment, church service, volunteer commitment, birthday party...whatever. Now more than ever I feel the need to stop this horrible habit...but I just feel like I don't know how! I can get things ready the night before, get up extra early, and so forth, but I just haven't discovered the (lasting) key to breaking this awful habit. It's so bad, that just recently I told someone (quite matter-of-factly, I might add) that I realize full well when I'm late; I am fully aware of what time it is. But then I completely disregard whatever information I receive from the clock on the wall...and go about my business only to get to my destination "when I get there".

I know it's irritating to other people. Even I get irritated when people are late on my clock. You would think I would be forgiving of this fault in others, right?

Anyway, hopefully someone can come along and offer some tips or something to help me get over this annoying character flaw. I'm really going to start making a diligent effort to be on time. I will probably post about my attempts in the upcoming days and weeks. Let me know if you know of anything that helps, or if you've overcome this thing in the past. Thanks in advance!

Just a Little Bit More "Green" Now

When I was growing up, I remember my mom sharing with me a memory she had of her grandmother.  She told me that her grandmother (or maybe great-grandmother???) never used shampoo on her hair (which at the time sounded repulsive!) but she said she remembered that every day her grandmother would take her very long hair out of the braid she put it in, would brush out her hair, and then cleanse her hair and scalp with witch hazel- then re-braid her hair, and wrap it up again around her head.  I don't know why that thought has stayed with me all this time, but it was brought to my remembrance again yesterday when I was thinking about my "new" hair care routine.

I had read a couple months ago about the "no poo" method of hair care. Well, I think I'm a "convert" now!  I started washing my hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar the other day, and I like it!  I've been searching for some way to keep my hair clean, but not use so many harmful chemicals.  And I haven't been willing to pay $10 (or more) for a bottle of organic shampoo or conditioner (I know, I'm kinda cheap like that- I know people pay way more for hair care products...but whatever).  

There's no rhyme or reason to the products I'm using, this is just what I happen to have on hand right now.  I'm thinking I will get a different bottle of apple cider vinegar and save the organic unpasteurized stuff for the kitchen!

Anyway, I did a Google search for "no poo" and came across this article, and figured out how to get started.  I was a little skeptical, but after the apple cider vinegar rinse, I was convinced.  My hair felt soft and manageable (and not tangled!), and the results were similar to using shampoo and conditioner.  Plus, I feel really good about not dumping all those chemicals on my head, and them subsequently getting into my bloodstream, etc.  The first time I did it, there were a ton of little hairs sticking up all over my head once my hair dried (regrowth from postpartum hair loss), but the next time, I just used a little bit of coconut oil to smooth them down.  My hair feels soft, and smells like...hair.  I don't mind the absence of perfume-y scent, as I find most strong scents irritating anyway.  


So, let me know...would you consider doing this???  Have you done it?  What do you think?

Labor Day Weekend

Well, I think we are staying close to home for the holiday!  That's ok with me, though.  We actually went to start our vehicle this morning, and...nothin'.  So tomorrow we are having a friend look at it to find out what's wrong.  

We have lots of stuff to keep us busy at home though.  Hubby has offered to help out with some much needed "deep cleaning" so I am truly thankful for that!  Also, I finally got my anniversary gift the other day!  (That was oh...a month ago).  We like to stick with the traditional themes for gifts, and my husband brought home some gardening supplies to get me started.  This years theme is "fruit and flowers", though I don't plan on planting fruit or flowers...just vegetables and herbs.  Anyway, it's loosely based on this years' theme.  I'm really happy with what he got me though.  I'll get some pictures when I go out on the patio to get started.  I'm so not sentimental (usually) so I'm one of those rare women that actually appreciates practical gifts like vacuums and food processors.  Anyway, I hope to get my garden set up tomorrow...maybe.

On another note, here's a couple of blogging questions that I'm just going to "put out there" in hopes that some helpful person with point me in the right direction: First of all, I seem to have problems with Blogger as I'm typing a post, and it changes fonts on me at random...how do I fix this?  Secondly, if I need to edit something after I've already published a post, I click on "preview" to see the changes and all the formatting is gone.  It just turns into one big run-on paragraph.  Anyone know how to fix that???  It's just kind of irritating.  I'm still pretty new to all this, so I'm not really sure what to do.  I don't want to be stuck with typos and other mistakes I notice after the fact.  Or spend several minutes reformatting the post.  Know what I mean???  Thanks in advance.

Happy Labor Day to all you hard-working employed individuals!  

What I'm into this Month- August

I borrowed this idea from Megan at SortaCrunchy (a great blog, by the way), and thought it would be fun to do here, just so you all could get to know me a little better!   Enjoy!

On My Nightstand: Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley (The FlyLady), re-reading A Wife After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

Want To Read:  Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris, Radical by David Platt, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

T.V. Show Worth Watching: I like watching Wife Swap though it seems to be going the route of Jerry Springer (silly and shocking). 

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater):  I watched Premonition with Sandra Bullock yesterday.  I was not such a fan!   

In My Kitchen:  Dirty dishes right now, as we're ending a pretty rough week health-wise (3 our of 4 of us have not been feeling well at some point or another).  Last night was chili, and tonight is meatballs- so yummy!

In My Ears:  "Your Love is a Song" by Switchfoot...also earlier this month I was constantly listening to "Lord Speak" and "Arise" by Shachah.  Good stuff...and probably not so much what you would think I would listen to!  Lol.

Three Newest Blog Reads:  http://www.chattingatthesky.com/,  http://www.keeperofthehome.org/,  and http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:  I hope it cools down at least a little!  We're roasting over here! 

Go Away Headache!

So for much of today, I've had a headache and I've really been trying to avoid taking any kind of pain relieving medication for it.  It's mostly gone now (praise the Lord!) but I got to thinking about some natural ways to get rid of headaches and thought I would share.  

I will say that for a time, I got into the bad habit of automatically reaching for the bottle of acetaminophen or ibuprofen just because I didn't want to deal with the pain, but I feel that kind of approach opens up the risk of potential side affects.  These side affects include liver damage (for acetaminophen) and various stomach and digestive issues (related to NSAIDs like ibuprofen).  I'm usually really conservative when it comes to medication, so I just wanted to break the habit I had gotten into of relying on pain relievers. 

Headaches can be caused by many things and it's important to take care of yourself in order to avoid them.  Get enough rest (easier said than done with little ones around, I know!), make sure you're getting balanced nutrition by avoiding junk food, too much sugar or caffeine.  Sometimes throughout the day as we're chasing after little ones, we neglect ourselves, and that's no good!   Also, if you're a mom, it's a good idea to evaluate what's going on in your world.  A lot of headaches are caused by stress.  Are there some things you can eliminate from your day to day life?  It's important to avoid that whole "supermom" scene, as we women have a tendency to spread ourselves too thin by saying "yes" to everything. 

The number one natural way of getting rid of headaches that I know of is to drink some water!  It sounds simple, but I think I heard once that about 90% of headaches are due to dehydration.  So next time you feel one coming on, pour yourself a glass of water, drink it and wait about ten minutes and you should feel relief.  Another non-drug method I've used is to take a hot shower.  I just let the hot water run over my neck and shoulders, and it relieves tension (if you have a bath tub, it might be relaxing to just sit and soak for several minutes).  If you happen to have a sinus headache, letting the hot water run on your face really helps too.  Neti pots are really good for sinus headaches too.  When I was pregnant with my son, I would sprinkle lavender oil on my pillow at night and it really helped me relax.  


Those are just a few ways that you can avoid taking pain relievers if you have a headache.  There are many other ways as well, but those should bring you some relief! 

I Love this Time of Year!

Ok, somebody (my husband) better keep me out of Walmart right about now.  Hee hee.  I've been entranced by the aisles and aisles of back to school supplies.  I know it's probably a bit nerdy, but it's true.  Furthermore, don't send me to Staples...I could spend hours in that place.  Seriously.  I always thought I was completely in my element as an office manager (before being a SAHM)...fun times...I could buy all the office supplies I wanted.  *Sigh* 

In our house, we still have about another year before I really need to start stocking up on supplies, so I can't really justify going "hog wild" on crayons and pencils and notebook paper and binders and pencil cases and sharpeners...oh my.  Just in case you're wondering, we are pursuing the home schooling route, and our three year old son is technically already "kindergarten ready" (if he would just get the hang of using the potty! ;-))  But I can hit up the clearance items in a few weeks!  Some of that stuff is practically free.  I love it. 

It reminds me of that line from the movie "You've Got Mail"..."Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." (Aww...)  

I wish I were in New York (or some other place that's starting the transition of seasons) right now!  It's still 107 degrees where I am!  Sheesh, there should be laws.  Anyway, I look forward to the days when the weather turns cooler and the school supplies are in great abundance (at rock bottom prices).  Anybody else with me???

Swimming Upstream- Breastfeeding from My Perspective

This post is part of the Breastfeeding Blog Carnival hosted by The Leaky B@@b. It's World Breastfeeding Week and the carnival theme is "Perspectives: Breastfeeding from Every Angle." Visit The Leaky B@@b for more perspectives on breastfeeding.





Ten years ago, if you would've asked me if I would breastfeed my future children, I'm sure I would have said "no way!" There are several reasons why I was not likely to do so. First of all, I was not breastfed myself. Second, none of my sisters (all three had children before me) were successful at breastfeeding. I was never around anyone who breastfed their child, and if I was, I sure was oblivious! I guess people just didn't do it around me. I have no idea how that's possible, but before I had children, I'd only really ever seen a baby being fed formula. From a bottle.

I was born in the late seventies. From what I gather, many moms of that day subscribed to the formula feeding method, and also started their babies on rice cereal early on...especially to get their baby to "sleep through the night". I was one of those babies. In fact, according to my baby book, my mom started me on rice cereal at six days old! Six. Days. Old. I can't even imagine. But, moms back then- like moms today- did what they knew was best. As far as I know, all of my sisters were fed that way as well. So needless to say, I never saw my mom breastfeeding any of my younger siblings. I don't think I remember ever hearing breastfeeding mentioned in our home in any capacity. I was pretty unaware that breasts were designed for feeding babies! Further, during my pregnancy with my first child, my step-dad asked if I was going to try to breastfeed. When I answered in the affirmative, he said something to the effect of "well, good luck with that, kiddo, your mother never could" (I've never been able to ask my mom about this, as she passed away when I was a teenager).

As I entered adolescence, I became an aunt. I really have no idea whether my sister ever considered breastfeeding. Several years later, another sister started a family. Again, as far as I know, bottle feeding was the preferred method. Good, bad or indifferent, that's just the way it was. At that point, I certainly didn't have an opinion about breastfeeding. It still really wasn't on my radar. I've seen cousins, sisters, friends and others have children and I can't remember a single one breastfeeding.

I have spent almost my entire adult life in a state where breastfeeding rates are extremely low. (I think it's something like of the 85% that start off breastfeeding, only 15% are still breastfeeding their child at six months old). I think I finally was aware of a breastfeeding mother when I started attending a church as a single in my mid-twenties. She and her family were also very committed to healthy organic eating. In fact, this mom ended up being a teacher in a health seminar that I attended at our church. Basically what I knew about being "healthy" at that point was to avoid drinking soda, and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. That was about it. Since attending that health seminar, I really caught on to even more truths about healthy living. It's been something that I've pursued wholeheartedly since that time more than seven years ago.

So, almost four years ago, when I learned that I was pregnant, the decision was an obvious one for me. I would breastfeed. I began receiving prenatal care from a midwife, and also saw a chiropractor on a regular basis who also was a good resource for natural baby care. I researched and read all that I could, and took a free breastfeeding class at a local store. I prepared as much as I knew to so that I could be successful in my breastfeeding relationship.

I was absolutely floored when I faced such a struggle during my early breastfeeding days with my newborn son. Between my postpartum hemorrhage, needing a blood transfusion, and being ordered to stay in bed for the entire day after my son was born, as well as my son having Jaundice and needing to be in the nursery (so I was told- not sure if there were any alternatives available), there were many things working against us. Add unsupportive hospital staff and a lactation consultant who had the weekend off (I gave birth on a Friday night) to the mix- and you can well imagine the drama that ensued there! It was kind of a nightmare. I left the hospital with a son who did not know how to latch on and a breast pump. He eventually learned sometime around three weeks old after I received counsel from an independent lactation consultant.

I returned to work when my son was three weeks old. Thankfully, I had really great employers who were family-friendly and allowed me to have him in my office with me. I opted to enroll him in the on site day care when he was three months old as I was not able to focus on my job and him! The first in-real-life person that I knew who was breastfeeding at the same time as me was my younger sister who gave birth to her fourth child when my son was seven months old. It was nice to finally have somebody to actually talk to about breastfeeding triumphs and challenges, and it felt good to be an encouragement to her. Aside from my experience with her, I felt basically alone in my commitment to breastfeeding. I would be on the lookout for other moms with babies- at church or what-have-you, but all seemed to be formula feeding. (I don't know the reasons or anything, but it just felt pretty isolating to not be able to connect with other moms in my "circle" about breastfeeding).

I breastfed my son until just past his second birthday. Now I am nursing my second child and this time around (I'm happy to report) it was much easier getting started. I wasn't fighting with anyone over feeding preferences or anything like that. I still get surprised responses from doctors and others that learn I am breastfeeding, and it just makes me wonder if it really is that rare to encounter a breastfeeding mom. I really hope that it's just my perception! I am so thankful for the online resources that are available for the breastfeeding community, but hopefully someday breastfeeding will be much more common with the people in my "real" world!

Farmer's Market

Today we took the family to the local farmer's market.  It was small, but I think that's due to the summer season.  We got a late start (we got there at 11:00) and it was already 101 degrees!  We were there for about 40 minutes, and by the time we left I had sweat running into my eyes, and both children had red faces.  Umm...maybe we'll return when it starts to cool down!

But...I wanted to share some of the cool things I found there.  First of all, most everyone was really friendly, and there were food samples in abundance (my kind of place)!  I especially liked the samples of pickled asparagus and green beans (I know it sounds weird, but it was really good).  I will more than likely pick up a jar next time we're there.  I wish I would've grabbed the business card from that booth.  One of the vendors there was Double Blessings Lotion and Cosmetics...her products are made with goat's milk and other natural ingredients.  I picked up a couple trial size items...some soap, a shampoo bar, and some face/hand/body lotion.  Everything smells really good, and the lotion is really great.  My hands tend to get really dry, and this lotion feels very nice.  I also picked up some awesome smelling poblano peppers that I will do something with later on.  I picked up a couple other things too, but like I said, the market was pretty small, so there wasn't a huge variety of produce (at least not like I expected).  Here's a picture of some of what I got:

In addition to the peppers, we got some peaches, shallots, and in the little tub that says "chili pepper" are some little gluten-free crackers made with flax seed. By the way, the peaches were delicious- I'm totally sold on the locally grown organic aspect of that.  They taste way better than some I've gotten from the store lately. 

Anyway, that was our morning.  We were going to drive around and look at the homes in the historic district, but didn't get that far 'cause the baby was upset.  So...next time! 

What's going on where you live???