Momma of 4 Blessings

2011-02-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

A Lady's Hand's, A Lion's Heart by Carol Leonard

I love, love, LOVE this book!! A must- read if you enjoy birth stories and or midwifery! I couldn't put it down! ~Staci

"Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart is the telling of my journey as New Hampshire's first modern midwife. The book begins with the birth of my son when I had the unexpected experience of being cruelly strapped down during his delivery. The story spans thirteen years--1975 to 1987-- and is told with three threads.

The first thread is the home births and my apprenticeship with the wonderful old country doctor, Dr. Francis Brown, the only physician in the state who still attended births at home. He took me on as his sidekick, and we trooped around the New Hampshire countryside for years while my own practice was blossoming.

The second thread is the renaissance of the profession of midwifery in the United States, despite formidable opposition from a jealous medical profession.

The third thread is my love story with the impossibly handsome and brilliant obstetrician, Dr. Ken McKinney.

The book ends with a heart wrenching death.

Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart is first and foremost for the midwives. It is a dance and a song to the women who refused to be intimidated and who courageously continued their calling despite efforts to demoralize and criminalize and ridicule their passion. My book is for all the charismatic, skilled, feisty, articulate, opinionated, wild, and beautiful midwives. You are my sisters."

www.badbeaverfarm.com

2010-07-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

Wild Crafted Projects

Arctium Lappa

The children and I are starting an exciting homeschool project. We plan to catalog all of the edible and medicinal plants and herbs growing wild on our property. Our projects will be detailed on my "Back To The Garden" raw food blog. Please come see what we're up to!

2010-07-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

I know... I've all but abandoned my blog. I am just so busy, and honestly have nothing inspirational nor profound to share with you.

Above is a picture of Jesse James, he turned 1 year old in June. He is a joy and a blessing! Oh! And here is one of Savannah who turned 4 in May. She makes me laugh out loud at least once a day. Seriously.

2010-04-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

2010-03-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

I am so happy and proud to announce the my husband Jeremy is running for Newton County Sheriff. Thank you to everyone helping with the campaign for your support. Please don't forget to vote in your local Primary! Ours is May 4, 2010.

Please check out the website!
www.Lawsonforsheriff.com

2010-02-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

2010-02-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Just for Kelli :)

2010-01-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

My home-birth/doula/midwifery website is back up and running with

all new photo's!

Check it out!

www.blessedbeginningsbirthservices.com

2009-12-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours..

2009-12-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

6 months old!

2009-12-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

~ December 2009~

2009-12-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

Happy December

Wow. Is December here already?

Many apologies for my looong absence. Life is busy. Having five (FIVE!) kids is incredibly time consuming (in a happy crazy wonderful way!)

I (officially) started midwifery school. An awesome program Ancient Art Midwifery Institute. The next couple of years will probably be a whirlwind. I am doing my best to keep my priorities straight. God. Family (and friends!). Midwifery. Everything else. I attended a BEAUTIFUL birth on Thanksgiving. What a wonderful memory that will always be!

My digital camera is (to put it nicely).... struggling. Hence, the lack of baby Jesse photo's. He is growing and changing everyday. He is sitting up and has two teeth! I need to remedy that camera situation asap. We are heading out this morning to have some pictures done, so I promise pictures will be up soon.

The boys are all doing great. Busy schedules: martial arts, music lessons, etc. They are testing for their purple belts next week. Jackson enjoys the piano, but wants to start guitar lessons as well, not sure I can afford those right now..

Savannah is growing into such a little mommy. She mothers the baby. She mothers her brothers, they don't appreciate that one so much. ;) She even puts her hand on her hip while giving them instructions! LOL. Oh! I have been reading lots and lots of hair braiding/fancy hair-do blogs so that I can keep control of her waist long blond hair!

I'm rambling. Have a good day! Please comment and let me know what YOU have been up to!

2009-09-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Ignite the Fire Within
Taekwondo Tournament

2009-09-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

Jesse James is 3 months old!

Not great pictures, but they are pictures. :)

2009-09-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

More Vacation 2009

2009-09-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

Vacation 2009

Colorado and Wyoming

Jackson, my sister Kelli, Austin, me (with Jesse in a sling) and Savannah, my brother Keith and Adrian

My kiddo's eating with cousins Derek, Ryan and Alyssa.

more pictures to come...

2009-08-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

Jessie, the kids and I are headed west!

Bye ya'll! See you in two weeks!

2009-08-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

2 months old!

Jesse James is 2 months old (tomorrow)!

I am so happy to report he took a nap in his crib for the first time today. :) We have been holding him (or in the Mei Tai) since birth. He has a bad case of reflux, and does better upright in keeping his meal down. But, he has been doing better lately so I decided it was time to transition him to his crib (safely away from his very helpful, loving 3 year old sister). He is (of course) still sleeping next to me at night.

The transition was much easier than I had anticipated. I waited until he was full, and very, very sleepy, swaddled him, and put him in his crib and snuck away. He was fine for a few minutes, fussed for a few minutes, and then slept peacefully for almost an hour. I must confess I went in once to give him his pacifier. He loves his binky. :)

Perhaps now I can get some things done that I have neglected...like weeding the garden. That's challenging to do with a baby in a sling! :)

2009-07-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Beachin'

This past weekend we took the kids to the beach. There were few people on the beach and the weather was perfect.

This summer has been filled with picnics, barbeque's, fishing and more. We are really looking forward to ending our summer with a two week vacation out west (Colorado and Wyoming).

Unfortunately, when we return summer will be over, and we will have to start school.. that reminds me.. I need to order homeschool books.

2009-07-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

2009-07-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

Every good gift

and every perfect gift

is from above...

James 1:17

2009-06-16T00:36:00.000-07:00

Early

When my midwife did the Ballard Score on Jesse, she determined he is 4-5 weeks early. By gestational dating he was born at 37.2 weeks, but if you consider my pregnancies usually last 41+ weeks, she is probably very accurate.

4 weeks makes so much of a difference. He is so little, and frail, and skinny, and dependant. He shudders when unwrapped. His cry is so sweetand quiet. He is my first baby to ever wear "newborn" diapers, the others all started out in size 1. And all of my other babies were born with rolls of baby fat.

His birth weight was 7lb.14oz but had he would went "full term" he likely would have been almost 10lbs.

Savannah (now 3) never was a newborn, in that she came out eyes wide open as if she knew what was going on. She never acted newborn. She was alert and sassy from day one. :)

So I am enjoying this new little one, new in so many ways, teaching me everyday. It's like being a first time mother all over again..

2009-06-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

My Boys...

Adrian, Austin, and Jackson all earned their yellow belts this week! Great job boys!!!!

2009-06-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

Jesse James

Born June 9, 2009

2:15pm

7 lbs. 14 oz. 19 inches

Born at home in a peaceful water birth.

2009-05-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd Birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Jo!!!!

We love you!!!!

2009-05-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

The Heart of a Joyful Mom
Article by Jennifer (Steele) Carroll, May 2009 http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/

She truly carries the joy of the Lord with her at all times, but when we were young, and because it was always lived out before us as a normal way of life, we never saw it as out of the ordinary. After all, wasn’t this the way it was supposed to be?

The first time I heard it was at college. I am sure we were supposed to be studying, but Rachel, my good friend, and I were casually talking, surrounded by dozens of books, papers, assignments, pieces of sheet music, leftover coffee cup sleeves, one laptop, and a keyboard.

“We were having a family discussion one night around the dinner table,” she was saying, “and someone brought up the question, ‘Who is the happiest person you know?’ The vote was unanimous. Everyone decided it was Cathy Steele.”

The thought surprised me. Not because my mom isn’t a happy person; she is. The thought surprised me because my mom never strived to be the ‘happiest person’, nor would she put on a plastic smile “just because”. She truly carries the joy of the Lord with her at all times, but when we were young, and because it was always lived out before us as a normal way of life, we never saw it as out of the ordinary. After all, wasn’t this the way it was supposed to be? Mom cheered for us. Mom looked at a difficult situation and saw the good in it. Mom laughed. Mom praised our efforts. Mom smiled. Mom was our friend. In our small minds, through all those growing-up years, the idea was quietly, firmly established in our thinking and reinforced countless times that joy was a way of life because of what Jesus Christ had done for us, and that relationships would blossom and flourish when plentifully watered with it.

When people would ask my mom, “Why are you so happy all the time?” she would often reply, “I am just so grateful to be saved! Think of what Christ has done for us!”

My mom didn’t have anything like Created To Be His Help Meet when she got married. It wasn’t printed until decades later. She, from a radically different background, stepped into her role of being a wife and mother by revering and following the Word of God. Through the years, she formulated habits that served as crucial fibers for the fabric of our family. These are just a few of them.

She spoke of Dad respectfully, and joyfully served him. She made a habit of telling us things like, “Daddy just got a raise!” or “Ask Daddy, he knows how” or “No, Daddy told you not to, and Mommy always supports what Daddy says”. She spoke well of him to us and to our friends. She chose to cook meals that she knew he liked. She let him have “down time” when he came home from work, not badgering him with honey-do lists or complaints about how hard her day was. She smiled for him.

When she had to sacrifice herself, her preferences, or her time, she chose joyful selflessness. In our family of eight, there were often things that conflicted with scheduled plans. She was always the first one to offer to stay home with one of us sick kids, drive someone to a football game instead of going to that special dinner with her friends, or take one of us shopping who desperately wanted to go, even when shopping was not her favorite thing to do. One year in particular, she saved all her money from a home business and surprised Dad and the rest of us by spending it on a family vacation to Florida. We were too young to think anything like, “There are so many things she could have bought for herself with that money, but she chose us.” All we knew was that we were excited and happy, because Mom was.

When circumstances were stressful, or money was tight, she responded with joyful creativity and thankfulness for what we did have. I never heard her compare what she had to what someone else had. I never heard her sigh, “If only...” She is an incredibly hard worker, and loves to exercise her gift of resourcefulness. I remember her coming into the house all excited one day because, “The people down the road are building their house, and said we could have their leftover bricks! We can make a sidewalk with those!” You would have thought they were bricks of gold. She was so happy and so thankful about everything; it really got to be contagious, even if none of us had any previous knowledge about laying brick sidewalks. She always praised Dad for being such a good provider for us, and respected the work he did.

When she was hurt, she chose joyful forgiveness. I remember, as a little girl, perceiving when ‘Mommy’ was down or hurt over something. But it never lasted for long! Before you knew it, she was talking as cheerfully as ever, or suggesting something fun to do. We never had to wonder, “What kind of a day is Mommy going to have?” It wasn’t even a question in our minds. We felt peaceful and stable, because Mom was.She did not spend her time entertaining herself, but joyfully invested in our lives.

If you want to know where you will find my Mom, it will be with Dad or one of us. She has constantly poured out her time, energy, love, skills, knowledge, patience, and prayers on our behalf, even when circumstances were extreme. On one occasion, the college house I was living in had a cat take up residence underneath the house and infest the place with fleas. We did what we could, but they kept coming back. We were all exhausted with our recitals, tests, and deadlines coming up, and were at a loss for what to do. Mom found out about it, told us she was coming, and drove over two hours to get there. She treated the carpets and bedspreads, washed all of our laundry, swept and vacuumed everywhere, opened windows to air out the place, put everything back in order, took us to lunch, and drove back home, all in the same day. The fleas didn’t stand a chance!

She freely blessed us to expand our horizons and joyfully let us go, even when it meant more work for her. Through the years, several opportunities came up for me to travel and encourage other girls. The trips lasted anywhere from one week to two months. I am her oldest daughter and felt the responsibility to help around the house. But when the time came for another ministry opportunity, I never once received a guilt-trip discussion about all the work she would have to cover while I was gone, not to mention the continuation of homeschooling for the younger kids. She blessed me and encouraged me to go. She blessed my older brother, Joshua, leaving at the age of only sixteen to go on a mission trip to Hong Kong for two months. Other mothers questioned her “looseness” with the apron strings. But it was unspoken knowledge among all of us siblings that her blessing on our service to the Lord, regardless of where that happened to be, only made us want to serve and bless her more. We knew she was not selfishly possessive of us, and we loved her for it.

She gave us a legacy of joy that is now spilling over into our own marriages. Recently, my sister and I entered the biggest adventure of our lives. We became help meets. We now step in stride with our husbands, laughing, playing, working, learning, observing, growing, and rejoicing with them. God has blessed us tremendously through Mom’s example. We are joyfully fulfilled in our marriages, just like our mom, knowing that it is a privilege to respect and serve our husbands. Now that I am married, I fully realize what a heavenly gift she gave us.

She sent us out with joy.

“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace...” Isa. 55:12.

“...her children rise up and call her blessed...” Prov. 31:30.

2009-05-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

My vegetable garden is in!

I planted: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, swiss chard, kale, eggplant, cucumbers, acorn squash, butternut squash, watermelon, musk melon, buttercrunch lettuce, spinach, bush beans, onions, zucchini, and sugar snap peas.

Herb garden: lemon balm, echinacea (cone flowers), rosemary, thyme, cilantro, basil, chives and garlic chives, oregano, spearmint, peppermint. (below)

I started a shade garden: 8 varieties of hostas, coleus, ostrich ferns, lambs ear, purple lamium, and snow on the mountain so far..

2009-05-13T16:47:00.001-07:00

Master Cleanse

Everybody needs to "change their oil" once in awhile. We are systematic about doing it for our vehicles, but what about our bodies?? What about all the gunk that is collected there?

Enter the Master Cleanse.

The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemonade Diet, or the Maple Syrup Diet is a program created by Stanley Burroughs Burroughs states that it is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins from within the body, as well as a reducing diet for loss of weight, and a cure for ulcers and "every kind of disease," resulting in "the correction of all disorders."The Master Cleanse is a way to rid the body of toxins and remove the cravings associated with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and eating junk food. "Coffee, tea, and various cola drinks, as habit-forming beverages, also lose their appeal through the marvels of the lemonade diet." The cleanse involves drinking only lemonade made from fresh lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, water and Cayenne pepper. No solid food is eaten for the entire cleanse.

My husband is on day 6 of the Master Cleanse. Day 1 and 2 he felt pretty rough, we are guessing from lack of caffeine (coffee). But he has never once been hungry. We have done other fasts, and thought (*grins*) we were starving to death. So far he has lost several pounds, his dandruff is completely gone, he is starting to taste and smell again, and his shoulder pain (from what we suspect is a partially torn rotator cuff) is almost gone. We are hoping this fixes his sinus issues. He looks and feels GREAT! He plans to continue for 10-14 days..

I really recommend reading the book before starting the cleanse so that you understand the dynamics of the cleansing and healing process.

2009-05-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Living Simply

I am constantly looking for creative ideas on how to live well (and simply) on one income. I am blessed to be able to stay home, raising and home schooling my children.

Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

My husband and I decided together what we really "need". "Needs" and "wants" are different. Do we really need 2 cars, a huge house, and brand name clothes? Learn to be content with what you have!

1Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

We decided a long time ago that we would never let debt or money ruin our marriage, and sought to find a biblical approach to our marriage and finances.

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

In an effort to get completely out of debt, we got rid of our big house (and mortgage payment) and moved into a modest 3 bedroom home in the country. We are within months of paying off our truck. We have vowed to pay cash for everything, and will never again finance a vehicle or anything else. Our 4, soon to be 5 children share 2 bedrooms. They wouldn't have it any other way. :)

I have found many, many ways to stretch each and every paycheck:
To be able to afford our almost entirely organic diet, I buy bulk. I buy very little prepackaged, or convenience foods. Boxed cereal is even a treat. I buy bulk staple items such as cane sugar, beans, rice, honey, oatmeal, and wheat for grinding and making into bread. I buy fresh seasonal fruit locally and freeze or can it for year round use. We plant a large garden, and freeze and can our own vegetables. I buy fresh raw cow milk and make my own yogurt and kefir, as well as butter and cheese. When the neighbor has an over abundance of goat milk, I make goat-cheese (think feta). Sooo good! My husband and boys hunt, so we always have a freezer full of venison and poultry for them to eat.

We save tons of money on medical and dental bills by eating whole foods diet! Prevention really is the best medicine!!!

Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

In order to be able to live well on one-income we did have to eliminate some unnecessary costs and activities. My kids enroll in one activity at a time, right now all 3 boys are taking taekwondo, which they chose over baseball and soccer. We also splurge for piano and violin lessons, which we feel is a necessary expenditure. This arrangement works well for us because it allows me to take care of things at home (laundry, healthy meals) and not be driving all over the place, all the time.

I hang my clothes out on a clothes line (this sure cuts down on the electric bill) I love being able to get fresh air and sunshine, and it helps my disposition to step away from the children for a few quiet moments. ;) I will also be using cloth diapers with this baby. I was given a bunch of gently used, very expensive cloth diapers from a friend, I was pretty excited!!! I also use cloth menstrual pads, and homemade cloth nursing pads. I am planning on making cloth napkins very soon.

Lend, borrow and buy used!! There really is no shame in second hand, shopping Craigslist and yard sales. Just don't buy stuff you don't need!!

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

2009-04-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Sunday

2009-03-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Butter.

I'm making butter over on my other site... check it out!

2009-03-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy and Home birth

I have been wanting to share my thoughts and feelings about pregnancy and home birth, and midwives..and everything. I will share the not-so-private aspects..

Let me start by saying, I love being pregnant. I love home birth. But, I do not love giving birth. You would think after doing it four times I wouldn't think it was such a big deal. But I haven't had four beautiful, peaceful home births. I've had 2 rather traumatic hospital births, followed by one PERFECT HOME BIRTH, followed by a 48 hour attempt at home birth then being transferred to the hospital.

I am rather opinionated about this subject. So, if you are quick to be offended, please click away now. :) This is just MY opinion/experience.

I do feel that each woman has the RIGHT to give birth where she feels safe, and with a qualified care provider she is comfortable with. Just because my safe place is at home with a midwife, doesn't mean that's what is right for every woman. We all have different experiences, education, likes and dislikes. I do believe every woman should be treated with respect and dignity. I makes my skin crawl to hear about impatient, rude doctors..or midwives for that matter. I feel that if you are not being treated properly, FIRE THEM! You are paying them! I have fired many a doctor.

I choose birthing with a midwife because it's safe. Plenty of documentation and studies to prove it. My midwife knows my name, she knows my husbands and children's names. She knows my birth history. She spends as much time with me at each appointment as I need her to (the average prenatal appointment with a midwife is over an hour). She has educated me as a pregnant mother about my body, pregnancy and childbirth. She has encouraged me to take responsibility for this child long before he/she is born by education, proper diet, herbal supplements, and a healthy lifestyle.

Pregnancy is not a sickness nor disease, that needs to be "managed". And childbirth is not a medical event, or surgical procedure. Our bodies were meant to give birth! I think if all women were educated properly, the induction rate (nearly 81%) and the c-section rate (as high as 33%) would be reduced significantly. Doctors specialize in high-risk medicalized, surgical childbirth, and midwives in NATURAL birth.

If women would just take the time to educate themselves, about all of the risks associated with "routine procedures" that happen at the hospital. Do you know there is a risk to you and your baby by using Pitocin to be induced? Cytotec? Internal (vaginal) exams during labor? risk of infection, and completely unnecessary, listen to mama's cues... and you will know when it's time! Having your waters ruptured (called amniotomy)? Epidural anesthesia? Routine ultrasound? Do you know that giving birth on your back, with your legs up in stirrups is the least productive (and least comfortable) way to give birth?!? Being to told when and how to push? You will know, you don't need to be told!

Do you know that there is another way, all you have to do is ask!!!! Even at the hospital...

Do you know that all of those "routine" things they do to your newborn are for their convenience. Suctioning? usually not necessary. Cutting/clamping the cord immediately? not good for baby, best to wait until it stops pulsating at the base near the placenta. Taking the baby to a warmer? Mama is the best warmer, read the benefits of skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, promotes bonding and regulates baby's temperature. Antibiotic eye drops? Do you know they assume you have an STD and that's the ONLY reason for the eye drops. Do you know babies have been blinded by these eye drops? Do YOU have an STD? No? than why give the drops??? Newborn Hep B vaccine? Is your infant at risk for getting a sexually transmitted Hep B at birth? Would it hurt to wait until your newborns immune system has a chance to develop before injecting them with a disease? Vitamin K shot? Do you know WHY this is given, have you looked into whether it is necessary for YOUR baby? This is your child, don't you owe it to her to research these things?

Most hombirth midwives do not practice "routine intervention".

Midwives in a home birth setting are trained to recognize problems long before they are an emergency, leaving plenty of time to transport the laboring mama to the hospital. Midwives also monitor your baby's heart rate throughout labor (using Doppler), and carry oxygen for respiratory issues. Midwives can start IV's if necessary.. can administer herbs or Pitocin to stop bleeding, etc..

This time around I am doing many things differently. My diet is different. I am not much of a meat-eater, and this time I am following a mostly vegetarian diet.. and I feel better!:) I am trying to avoid another 10 lb 14 oz. baby (that likely resulted from excess calories, little exercise, and too much ice cream). That pregnancy I gained way too much weight, and it took some time to get back to a healthy weight. I am happy to report that at my 6 month prenatal, I have only gained 16 lbs.. that's awesome for me, comparatively speaking.

This time around I am concentrating on getting my greens (lots of spinach and kale in my green smoothies), lots of fruits and veggies, and lots of good quality protein foods..beans, legumes, eggs, nut butters, avocado's and brown rice, and whole grain breads. I have been avoiding white breads, cereals, sweets, and dairy products, (except for cheese, which I cannot live without :)

I am also taking herbal supplements. Lots of red raspberry leaf tea, and capsules "....gives tone to the muscles of the pelvis and uterus. The benefits of this toning action include: prevention of miscarriage and false labor, reduction of pain during and after birth, production of more effective contractions during labor and therefore a faster birth, and prevention of postpartum hemorrhage or bleeding. Red Raspberry is also an rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and E, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. These nutrients make it an excellent prevention and treatment for anemia and leg cramps, as well as a beneficial remedy for the reduction of morning sickness. The high mineral content also assists in the production of breast milk"

as well as taking liquid chlorophyll, or Floradix, and Alfalfa tablets. And drinking lots and lots of water (usually with green tea drops in it)
I am also drinking kefir, YUM!

I have also been doing some yoga, something I never thought I would enjoy, and now absolutely LOVE! I also get regular chiropractic care, and am scheduling some 3rd trimester massages.

I haven't written a birth plan yet. This time around I plan to invite less people. I can picture this birth, a hot summer day, home with just my hubby until things get serious. I'm thinking the less people and distractions the better. I plan to walk around outside, and use our swimming pool in early labor. And eventually move inside and give birth in my jacuzzi tub. I could go on and on about water birth!

I'll let you know how it goes... ;)

2009-03-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

March Madness

March has been the craziest/busiest month this year..

*5 members of Jeremy's family were killed last week, the funerals are this weekend. I was advised not to travel because of the risk of premature labor.. Both of my midwives say that the physical stress of riding in the car for 18 hours, and the emotional stress of the funerals, could cause premature labor. I have mixed emotions about not being able to attend.

*I am trying to keep up with the boys school lessons despite all of the chaos. I want to have the majority of their book work done so that when the weather turns nice, we can play outside! :) I am still on track to be done with school by May 1. I love home schooling!!

*The torrential rains this past week have flooded our gravel road, and filled our driveway with knee-deep water. Jeremy came home from a conference late Tuesday night to find the driveway completely hidden, so he had to park on the road, and wade through the freezing water to get home.

*A union meeting early this week confirmed what I have been dreading. Jeremy's union plans to strike June 27 (my due date is June 28) if contract negotiations do not improve. I guess I should consider this a blessing.. He won't have to take vacation time for the birth..
Jeremy works for the largest communications company in the world.
"AT&T took in $119 Billion in revenues last year. Cash from operating activities was $34 Billion, a new company record. Double digit earnings per share, which is 4 times the Standard and Poor average.
In fact, they were so profitable they were able to pay seven employees over $150 million in wages. To put that number in perspective, the amount of money AT&T gave to just seven of it's employees could pay for the health care for all 11,000 IBEW Local 21 members."

But AT&T continues their propaganda campaign to try to convince us that we should be prepared to accept "significant givebacks" in this years bargaining.. including not providing it's employees with health care any longer.

* On a happy note, both of my midwives (both my home birth, and my CNM-hospital midwife) agree that I should be able to have a home birth if things continue the way they are now. My condition (massive subchorionic hematoma) does put me at risk for premature labor..but if I can make it to 37 weeks, I should be able to safely home birth. Hooray!

2009-03-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Five members of our family were killed yesterday in a

head on vehicle collision.

Jeremy's Aunt Julie, Uncle Terry, cousin Troy, his wife Kristy, and their two young children Cameron and Kerabeth were traveling to NM from TX for a weekend ski trip. A vehicle traveling opposite direction lost control, swerving into the path of their mini-van. All 6 people in the van were ejected despite wearing seat belts. Jeremy's Uncle Terry was the only survivor, and is in critical condition.

In loving memory of Aunt Julie, Troy, Kristy, Cameron, and Karabeth.

Aunt Julie (above center)

Cameron, 10 (driving the 4 wheeler)

Kristy (above center), Aunt Julie (above right)

Troy, a Huntsville TX paramedic.
Kerabeth, age 7

Please pray for our family.

2009-02-25T06:10:00.000-08:00

An Old Taoist Story~

There was an old farmer who lived in a small village. One night the farmer's only horse ran away. The next day the farmer's neighbors lamented, "What great misfortune has befallen you!" The farmer only replied, "Maybe yes, maybe no."

The following morning the farmer awoke to find that his horse had not only returned, but had brought back 6 companion horses. The neighbors all rushed to congratulate the man on his great luck, to which the farmer simply replied, "Maybe yes, maybe no."

The next day the farmer's son tried to ride one of the feral horses, but he was thrown off and broke his leg. Having heard the news the neighbor's sympathized, "You will surely become poor now as you have no one to help you on your land! How terrible!" The old man smiled and said, "Maybe yes, maybe no."

The following afternoon a conscription officer of the army came to the village recruiting all young able-bodied men to fight in the war. The farmer's son was passed over due to his injury.

Giving thanks always for ALL THINGS unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ~Ephesians 5:20

2009-02-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

My Homeschooling Journey

“Nourish a child daily with loving, right, and noble ideas... which may bear fruit in his life.”--Charlotte Mason, 1842-1923

My homeschooling journey began 6 years ago when we had to decide whether or not to put my oldest son Jackson in public school. My husband was much more enthusiastic than I was about homeschooling. I was downright terrified. I didn't even know where to begin, and was afraid of failure. I knew if I failed, Jackson would pay the price. No pressure there!

I agreed with all of the many reasons my husband wanted us to home school.. one of which was the fact that the public school system in our county was poor, at best. And we were afraid more what he WOULD learn there, than what he wouldn't.

I began teaching Jackson kindergarten with the very respectable Christian curriculum Abeka, recommended by a friend. That first year I bought many more books than necessary. School was tedious, and boring. I knew there must be some way to make school fun, or at least tolerable for both of us..

A year or two later another friend of mine from church gave me the book A Charlotte Mason Education, by Catherine Levison. Finally. The light came on! THIS is what I had been searching for..and much, much more. I read the book and started applying what I had learned. Instead of agonizing over science textbooks, we took walks and learned about science and nature firsthand. Instead of math textbooks, we counted change, and added and subtracted with raisins and peanuts. Instead of cutesy children's books, I introduced him to fine literature. Yes, at 6-7 years old. We read Black Beauty, Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and many many more. I took him on the field trips that the public school system had to cut because of budget restraints. We attend museums, art galleries, the symphony, apple orchards, dairy farms, aquariums, working farms, and more.

Today, I am using a few select textbooks. But not one certain curriculum. I continue to use Abeka math, I find it to be less tedious than Saxon Math. I use Spelling Power for my older boys. They have learned creation from Dr. Kent Hovind, and Ken Hamm. Never again will they be confused by the nonsense and lies of evolution. For science text we use Considering God's Creation. For history we use TruthQuest. I adore Simply Grammar. I use a variety of "love to write" type of books, giving the boys much liberty in what they write about. Most importantly, 3 of my 4 children know the Lord as their personal Savior.

I have learned that little boys are not meant to sit in a classroom, for hours on end, doing paperwork. Boys need to run, and touch, and explore, and play. Even big boys!

Weather permitting we take frequent trips to the park and library. On cold winter afternoons we cuddle on the couch reading books, or watching science documentaries. And we fill our warm afternoons fishing, swimming and playing. The boys play violin, piano, baseball, and take taekwondo. Of course they love spending time each week with their friends.

Today I am seeing the fruit in the lives of my children--the result of good counsel, from Charlotte Mason and a Christian friend.

2009-02-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

Bad Attitude
By: Michael Pearl, No Greater Joy

In one of our recent seminars, a mother complained to Debi, “The children frustrate me so much...
...I tell them to do their school work, and they just piddle around. I tell them to clean up their rooms, and they fuss over who is to clean up what. They are always irritating one another. It frustrates me so much, trying to cause them to maintain a good attitude. They are always complaining and whining about something. I get frustrated and spank them, but it seems to do no good. They just don’t seem to care. They pick on each other continuously. I get so frustrated....” Debi interrupted her mournful complaints to answer, “Yes, it is an attitude problem.” The weary mother hastily agreed, “That’s it! They have bad attitudes.” Debi responded, “No, it’s you that has the bad attitude.” The mother’s widening eyes and gaping mouth expressed her dismay as she stood waiting for the forthcoming explanation.

Are you a frustrated parent? Is your brow drawn tight as if pulled by draw strings? If parenting is not enjoyable, be assured, you have a bad attitude. When your children look into your face what do they see? They are not fooled. They know what you feel toward them. Your face is a graph of approval or rejection. Verbal “positive affirmation” is not enough; in fact, it is worse than nothing if there is not genuine delight in your heart. Children can see through a parent who is made of muddy water. If they see disappointment and criticism they will answer in kind. Discontented parents breed discontented children. Your attitude is the root of the family attitude tree. A bitter root cannot produce sweet fruit.
Parental attitudes are highly contagious, and the children usually come down with a worse case. “More is caught than taught.” And children seem more highly susceptible to catching a bad attitude than of being taught to have a good one. They can catch the disease of bad attitude while being passive. On the other hand, they must exert themselves to have a good attitude.

Your children are playing follow-the-leader. They are deaf to your words, but they “hear” your attitude loud and clear. Example has always been more effective than theory. Where parents are constantly modeling the bad attitude; a good attitude is just a theoretical concept to the child. Try as they may, they can’t quite fathom the meaning of a good attitude—it has been so long since they have seen one. If you dress your children in tight pinching shoes, don’t blame them for having sore feet.

The bad news is that you are responsible for the condition of your children. The good news is that you don’t have to be frustrated over attempting to change them. You only need to change yourself. Since their attitudes are reflections of your own, you need only change your attitude, and the reflections will change.

I know you are only expressing your displeasure over their foolishness. You are using your disapproving scowl as a threat to induce them to shame. They are supposed to so crave your approval that they make great sacrifices to win your smile. It is not working is it? Actually, you are working against the very thing you desire to achieve.

There is a natural principle you must understand: Children living under condemnation are not motivated to good works. None of us seek to please someone who is condemning us. You have trained your face to display a nearly constant look of disapproval, disappointment, and frustration. You may nag or gripe them into relenting to your will, but you can never bad-attitude them into a good attitude. Children cannot be intimidated into positive character. To stand off and criticize their performance will not induce them to a rectifying shame. No one has ever been motivated to climb out from under a pile of disapproval to win the praise and affections of his or her accuser.

The law of human nature is such that condemnation and shame cause an alienation that only produces more disobedience. Paul said
“The motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5).” “Because the law worketh wrath... (Romans 4:15).”
But if you become so disappointed with their failure that you assume an air of judicial condemnation, they will unwillingly accept the blame, but THEY WILL NOT HAVE THE MORAL COURAGE TO CHANGE. Law and condemnation never produce righteousness. If you are always ready to show them what is wrong, but do not constantly exemplify what is right, they will cower under your judgments while continuing to grow into the likeness of your graceless bitterness.
The parental spirit of displeasure holds the child in “death.” A new spirit in the parent will allow the child to serve from a joyous spirit and not from the strengthless bondage of legal depression. In our relationship to God, it is called “newness of spirit.” “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:5-6).”
Mother, if every time you looked at your husband you saw dissatisfaction and disappointment, if he sighed with defeat over what a lousy wife you are, would you feel inspired to make improvements? Absolutely not! You would withdraw. If your are spunky in spirit, you might fight back and give him further reason for rejection, but if your are broken in spirit you would quietly withdraw. You would then seek friendship and approval elsewhere.

Your children will begin to develop positive character only in an atmosphere of forgiveness and acceptance. The first step to recovery and the ground on which it continues is the parent’s smile. In our book, To Train Up A Child, we have a chapter called Tying Strings. Parent, you need to tie strings of fellowship through your smiles, strings of trust through a display of trust, strings of respect through mutual respect, strings of kindness, grace, and forgiveness. You can not disapprove your children into heart compliance, but you can example them in, smile them in, care them in, patience them in, and woo them in with a heart that exemplifies Christ-like character.

If “the joy of the Lord is our strength” surely the joy of the parents is the strength of a child. If fellowship with God provokes His children to holiness, what will be the result of a child’s fellowship with his parents? The best training is done under the supervision of a smile. There is a time for discipline, rebuke, spanking, and even controlled anger, but such should be temporary signposts on a path of communion that you walk with your children. If they see your delight and appreciation, they will have the courage to try to maintain that sweetness.
Parent, relax. Lay back. Slow down. Enjoy the trip. If you can’t train your children to meet your high standards, lower the standards until they can reach them. We are not talking about the law of God. We are talking about muddy feet, carrying out the garbage, picking up dirty clothes, doing school work, etc.. Put the bar low enough so that with the effort they are willing to give, they can clear the hurtle and finish each day a winner. Raise the bar a little at a time so they can improve, but will always be a winner. If you set the standard, not beyond their abilities, but beyond their willing efforts, you will cause them to cease trying. They will be like the kid in public school who is already behind two years. He cares so much, to keep from being further hurt, he pretends not to care at all. He is just killing time until he gets old enough to quit.
Find a place to confess your sins, and then go smile at your children.

2009-02-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

Freshly Painted Kitchen

I painted two walls cream and two sage green. I have some spiky plants picked out for the top of the pantry. And I really need a framed picture for over the deep freezer.

2009-02-14T16:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!

It really was.. Savannah is pretty much over the crud..or the measles..or whatever it was. A full 7 days of fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose and the the rash.. thank goodness that's over. Now I have something.. probably the same junk everyone seems to have.. sore throat and head congestion. Boo Hoo. :)

So, what did I do for Valentines Day? Hubby worked 8+ hours.. I painted my kitchen with the kids help.. and it looks FABULOUS! if I do say so myself.. I took down layers of outdated wallpaper and border, it was sooo overdue. But when we moved in, I had to paint literally every room in the house, the kitchen wallpaper was the least of my worries.

My Valentines day gift you ask? Jeremy bought me a new blender! :D I know to most people this sounds rather unimpressive, but to me.. it was awesome. My former (cheapo) blender exploded yesterday trying to make smoothies.. and he knows I cannot live without my green smoothie fix these days. What did I buy him? Pistachio ice cream. His favorite. :) We rarely buy each other traditional holiday gifts.. we usually go for practical.

2009-02-02T05:41:00.000-08:00

Happy 6th Birthday Adrian! I love you!!!

2009-01-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

Back To The Garden

I would like to introduce my new Foody Blog.

Instead of putting all of my recipes and nutrition info on here, I just started a new blog.

I know...but it's like therapy for me.

Some people write, some knit. I blog. :)

Click over there and leave a comment. Please?

2009-01-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!!!

Wish I could have been there for your party!

I love you!!!

2009-01-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Kefir

It means “feel good” in Turkish.

Kefir is a refreshing cultured milk beverage. It tastes similar to drinkable yogurt, yet a bit more sour. Kefir also has a slightest hint of a natural effervescent zesty tang.

Kefir contains more and stronger beneficial bacteria than yogurt. It is far superior to yogurt, as the bacteria in yogurt will only survive a few days in your digestive tract. Kefir contains live active cultures of normal flora that repopulate in the digestive tract. It's a super probiotic punch!

The cultures in kefir are active and growing when they enter the body. They thrive in dairy and use up the lactose and partially digest the proteins, making it a product most people can benefit from. Even those with milk or dairy sensitivities can usually tolerate kefir.

Kefir is full of vitamins and minerals, normal flora, and enzymes that aid digestion. It boosts your immune system.
Kefir grains, or kefir granules if you wish, are in fact a natural-starter. The biological structure or each grain is created through a dynamic or symbiotic association between a vast mixture of friendly Lactic acid bacteria [LAB], vinegar-producing bacteria and yeasts strains.

A batch of kefir grains consist of many individual white to bone-coloured mostly self-enclosed bodies made up of a soft, gelatinous biological mass somewhat resembling cooked cauliflower rosettes. The complexity of the kefir grain is a mixture of protein, amino acids, lipids [fats] and soluble-polysaccharides.

If you can pour, you can make kefir! Make your own at home for the price of milk. You can buy fruity, sweetened kefir at health food stores ( or Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sunflower, etc.) but it is rather pricey. It is much better to make your own. My kids love strawberry kefir smoothies..

If you are in Indiana, I have grains (starter) and would be happy to share..

Happy 2009!

2008-12-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

Happy 9th Birthday Bubba!

2008-12-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

2008-12-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

The presents are bought, and wrapped. The cookies are baked. Christmas dinner groceries are in the fridge. The kids are dying to open their Christmas Eve gift, which they strongly suspect (and hope) is a whoopie cushion. The house needs cleaned for the company that will be here early tomorrow morning. Savannah's crayon drawings need washed off the computer desk and fridge.

Christmas pictures to follow, promise.

Have a good day! Don't stress out Momma's! Enjoy your little ones, they won't be little for long...

2008-11-27T06:24:00.000-08:00

Jeremy, the kids and I, just wanted to wish everyone a

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-10T05:35:00.000-08:00

Number Five

Another heartbeat has awakened.

I am again amazed at how something so very small can affect our lives so deeply. The moment I confirmed it I was frozen, shocked, not quiet believing. I wanted desperately to be happy and thankful. But I feel like I'm not ready..I thought I wouldn't have any more children...I'm not done babying Savannah (now 2.5 years). All of these selfish thoughts reeling through my head. Shame on me.

I AM thankful, and blessed. Especially when I think of friends who want to become pregnant, and aren't yet. When I think of friends who have lost their babies. When I think of those who can't, or won't, ever have children of their own.

I'm just a planner. And this wasn't planned. My whirlwind of a month was sort of settling down...and I thought I would soon have things under control. That was my problem. I need to realize ("practice what I preach" is probably more accurate) that I am not in control...

And the Lord has reminded me of that in the most beautiful way...

If my calculations are correct, baby is due around July 1, 2009.

2008-10-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

Happy 11th Birthday Big Guy!!

2008-08-23T15:31:00.000-07:00

2008-08-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Summer 2008

Today, Jeremy and I have been married 13 years..

Happy Anniversary!

2008-08-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Are you ready?

Seriously people. I know it's easier not to think about it. It's easier to think about your plans for the next weekend, or what shoes to wear out to dinner tonight.

But the writing is on the wall. It's out there for all of us to see..yet no one cares.

There is a very real possibility that America is heading for economic collapse, if not WWIII. What do I mean? Have you ever seen gas prices reach $4.00+ a gallon? Did you ever think we would have a terrorist attack (9/11) on American soil? Are you naive enough to think it couldn't happen again? Not to mention the housing market, gulp. Have you noticed that food prices are rising? And, that retailers are putting limit's on bulk food purchases?

What if, just what if, there was another attack, say nuclear, here in America? What if the dollar crashes like it is being predicted to do? That means that your paper money (Federal Reserve Notes) will be worth nothing. Zip. Zero. Do you know that the Royal Bank of Scotland issued a global stock and credit crash alert? Did you read the news article about the IndyMac bank in California closing it's doors, and not letting it's customers have their money?

What if grocery store shelves were empty in a week? I don't mean "picked over". I mean empty. How could this happen? (stock market crash/terrorist attack..gas prices go up to $10 a gallon..trucks stop delivering goods= shelves empty)

Are you ready?

How long would the food you have in your house right now last your family? A week? A month? What happens to you and your family after that?

So, how do you prepare? After it finally sank in that this is a very real possibility..I began researching, and stocking up. Here is some information that I hope helps those of you still reading (the ones who don't think I'm nuts).

This page has a link "food storage calculator" that you can punch in your family size (adults/children) and it will calculate the amount of food you need to have for a ONE year supply. It will humble you.

http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/previousyears/aa102201b.htm

This page has many useful and informative links on food storage, rotating, etc..

http://lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage/a/foodstoragewhat.htm

I have also done MUCH price comparing, so if you would like that info, please ask..

Even if you don't think that anything major is going to happen here in America, isn't it wise to store food anyway? My parents always did..

And no. I'm not ready either.

2008-08-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

2008-07-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

More Vacation Photo's

Misty, and I. My friend since 6th grade.
Adrian, Austin, and Jackson camping.

Adrian, his usual charming self.
Savannah and Adrian watching the geese, Granite Lake, WY.

2008-07-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

Family Stuff..

Above: My mom and dad, camping.
My brother Keith and wife Lisa

Above: Me, Kelli and Keith (my younger siblings, twins)

Alyssa, my sweet niece, that I met for the first time on this vacation.

2008-07-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

More vacation pictures..

Above: My boys and cousin Ryan at Boulder Falls, Boulder, CO.

Savannah picking wildflowers in Wyoming.

Savannah watching the other children play in the fountain at Pearl Street, Boulder, CO

Savannah bored silly from the 16 hour car ride home..

2008-07-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

We're Home.

We enjoyed 2 wonderful weeks of beautiful scenery,

family, and friends..

more pictures in the upcoming days. I think between Jessie (a friend that went with me to help with the drive and kids) and I, we took around 400 pictures.

2008-07-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Vacation Updates

We survived 3 days of camping in the Rocky Mountains. The boys tent-camped with Grandpa, while the girls occupied the camper. My boys caught their first trout, and were sooo proud of themselves.

Tomorrow we plan to go to Denver, to visit my sister, brother and SIL, neice and nephews.

Sunday we are planning a day trip to Estes Park CO, complete with rides on the sky tram overlooking the Rockies, shopping, a 2 mile hike, and picnic lunch. After that we will drive the peak-to-peak, down the canyon into Boulder to feast on Rocky Mountain Pies, at Beau Jo's Pizza.

I am unable to post pictures, as my parents computer is somewhat dated. I will get them up ASAP.

Blessings!

Staci

2008-07-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We have had a really nice start to our vacation. We made our 1000 mile trip in record time, with no car trouble or delays. :) The weather here in Wyoming is beautiful, in the 80's and no humidity (major change from Indiana).

Today we had a family get together, and my friend from school brought her family up to Cheyenne to visit us. We had a really nice day. Later this week we are going camping/fishing, the kids are sooo excited.

Emma- HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY!!!!! Hope you had a good day, sorry I missed it! Love you!!

Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend!

Staci

2008-07-02T00:27:00.000-07:00

Top 20 things that are more dangerous to children than lead paint in Mattel toys

by Mike Adams of naturalnews.com

The mainstream media is amusingly irrational when it comes to reporting scare stories. The latest example involves the lead content of Mattel toys made in China. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a third recall of Mattel toys involving over 700,000 toys containing unacceptably high levels of lead paint (over .06 percent lead). Irrational parents are rushing back to retailers in droves, turning in their Mattel toys to "save their children" from the dangers of lead paint. Mattel, for its part, is being rightly blasted in the media for selling shoddy products made with toxic heavy metals.But here's the interesting part in all this: Parents directly poison their children every day with products far more dangerous than Mattel toys. Don't believe me? I'll name twenty things in this article that are far more dangerous to children than Mattel toys. It doesn't mean Mattel toys are safe, of course. They apparently do contain unacceptably high levels of lead, and there's no question about the toxicity of lead. But children don't eat toys nearly as often as they eat some other toxic substances given to them by their parents, and even as parents are herding back into retailers to refund their toxic lead-laden toys, they're returning home and poisoning their children with many other products that are far worse. The press, of course, reports nothing about these other toxic products. And why? Because they're made in America.

(leaving some of the article out here to save space)

The top 20 things that are more dangerous to children than lead paint in Mattel toys:

1. Mercury fillings. Often called "silver fillings" to hide the fact that they're made from mercury, these highly toxic fillings are placed directly into the mouths of children where they are inhaled (mercury vapor) and swallowed, causing systemic mercury poisoning to the child and leading to long-term neurological damage. Visit http://www.iaomt.org/ and watch the "Smoking Teeth = Poison Gas" video to learn more.

2. Vaccines. Think vaccines are safe? You've been hoodwinked by the popular media parroting drug company propaganda. Vaccines are preserved with methyl mercury, one of the most dangerous chemical forms of the toxic heavy metal. This mercury is injected directly into the bodies of children where it causes severe neurological damage. And yes, it does cause Autism, despite what you've read in the dumbed-down press. Only a fool would inject their child with mercury-preserved vaccines.

3. Hotdogs. Hotdogs are made with horrifying processed meat parts (click here to see shocking photos of processed meat products, then preserved with a cancer-causing ingredient called sodium nitrite. As detailed in my book Grocery Warning, this ingredient causes brain tumors in children, not to mention leukemia, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and other cancers. Hot dogs are far more dangerous to a child's health than lead paint in my opinion, and yet parents keep feeding them to their children!

4. Antibacterial soap How about a little nerve toxin in your soap? That's what's found in antibacterial soap. It's a toxic cocktail of chemicals designed to kill life. That's how it kills bacteria. The problem is that it also harms people -- especially infants and children who are trying to develop healthy nervous systems. Avoid all products claiming to be "antibacterial." You're better off using natural soap (like Dr. Bronner's soap, http://www.drbronner.com/ ) and letting your child's immune system fight off common bacteria. The world isn't sterile, after all. You can't turn your house into a germ-free bubble.

5. ADHD drugs Would you give your child street drugs like speed or meth? Probably not, but what if your doctor wrote you a prescription for speed and said your child needed it because he was ADHD? If you're like most parents, you'd fall in step and start giving your child speed. But wait, you say: ADHD drugs are not speed, are they? But of course they are. They belong to a class of drugs called amphetamines. They used to be illegally sold as speed. Now they're prescription drugs, and they're given to children in schools all across America (and elsewhere). Psychiatrists and drug companies are making a killing dosing up kids and infants on substances that used to be considered illegal street drugs (and that have no legitimate medical use whatsoever).

6. Sports drinks. For some reason, parents irrationally believe sports drinks are healthy because they contain the word "sports." Didn't they notice the neon green artificial coloring? Sports drinks are, in my opinion, a nutritional joke. Made from salt water, processed sweeteners and petrochemical coloring, many of their ingredients are actually harmful. Drinking water would be smarter, and feeding your child some healthy trace minerals would be even better. Low on potassium? Eat a banana.

7. Cough syrup and over-the-counter medicines. They contain multiple toxic substances such as chemical sweeteners, preservatives and additives. Cough syrup, in particular, has been scientifically proven to be absolutely worthless in preventing coughs. Many "children's" medicines are actually more toxic than their adult counterparts because they're sweetened up and cosmetically enhanced with artificial colors made from petrochemicals. Yet parents poison their children every day with over-the-counter medicine.

8. Sunscreen. The sunscreen industry is a huge scam. Most popular sunscreen products actually cause skin cancer due to the numerous toxic chemicals they contain (which are quickly absorbed into the skin where they cause DNA mutations that lead to cancer). Even worse, sunscreen blocks the UV radiation that allows the skin to manufacture all-important vitamin D -- the most powerful anti-cancer nutrient yet known to modern science. It prevents over a dozen different cancers, yet parents block it by slathering toxic sunscreen on their children, all while mistakenly believing they're "protecting their children from cancer!" What a scam.

9. Fluoride. Fluoride in the water. I've always found it amazing that city water officials were dumb enough to actually buy a toxic waste substance and arrange to have it dripped into the public water supply where it would be ingested by infants and children. The result? Mass fluorosis and toxicity to children everywhere. Didn't these people realize that fluoride only works topically? (That is, it only works if you rub it on your teeth, then spit it out, and even that only works if you're using natural fluoride, not the chemicals spit out as byproducts of the fertilizer industry, which is what city water departments are buying and dripping into the water supply.) Click here to see my CounterThink cartoon on this topic. Whoever heard of drinking a topical medication in the first place? It's like swallowing sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Even worse, putting this into the public water supply effectively mass medicates everyone with a bioactive chemical substance that no one has been given a prescription for. This is all done with no regard for the level of natural fluoride children might already be ingesting from other sources. The situation is so crazy that it's difficult to find a more insane example of medical tyranny than the mass fluoridation of public water supplies. The fact that doctors and dentists so vehemently support it demonstrates just how crazy they really are.

10. Processed milk. Children as young as 10 years old are now being diagnosed with heart disease and clogged arteries. Ever wonder how it happened? It's due in part, I believe, to all the processed milk children are swallowing these days. Not only is the milk contaminated with pus, blood and detectable levels of pesticides and other chemicals, it's also homogenized, meaning the fats are artificially modified in a way that makes them stay in suspension. This homogenization also makes milk fats dangerous to cardiovascular health. While I support the consumption of raw, unprocessed milk, I think that consuming processed, homogenized milk is dangerous to the health of infants, children and adults alike!

11. Fast food. Fast food is extremely unhealthy for children. Not only are the foods often fried, homogenized, hydrogenated and otherwise altered, they're also laced with chemical additives, taste enhancers, processed sugars, petrochemical food coloring and other unhealthy substances. Strangely, many parents actually reward their children for good behavior by buying them unhealthy fast food meals, thereby creating a psychological association between good feelings and junk food. (Fast food restaurants further exploit this psychological link by building playgrounds and running feel-good advertisements that emphasize friends and fun, then link those good vibes to their food products.)

12. Antidepressant drugs. Children as young as six months old are now being put on psychotropic drugs such as SSRIs (antidepressants). These drugs, we now know, cause suicidal thoughts and violent behavior, especially in young boys. They imbalance brain chemistry and even alter the body's metabolism of sugar, promoting diabetes and leading to rapid weight gain. These drugs are so dangerous that feeding them to children should be considered a crime. Every single school shooting involving a child in the United States in the last 15 years has been linked to antidepressant drug use. Need I say more?

13. Chemical laundry detergents Parents are shown fancy ads on television depicting how wonderful and clean their clothes will be if they wash them in brand-name laundry detergent. What they're not shown, however, is the toxicity of all the synthetic chemicals that go into most laundry detergent products. The fragrance chemicals alone are often carcinogenic, and they're just as bad for the environment as they are children's health. A new alternative has appeared, however: Soap berries! It's laundry soap that grows on trees. We offer it at http://www.betterlifegoods.com/

14. Flame retardant chemicals. Did you know that new mattresses for infants and children are often sprayed with extremely toxic flame retardant chemicals? These are easily absorbed through the skin of infants and children where they contribute to numerous neurological disorders and immune suppression. Many clothing products are also sprayed with flame retardants, as are some carpeting products. In the push to make everything fireproof, state regulators (who have mandated the flame retardant chemicals in states like California) have created a toxic environment for everyone. I suppose if you're a politician, it's always better for a million people to die of a mysterious disease that can't be linked to you than to have one baby burning up on the evening news with fingers of blame pointed directly at you.

15. Soda. Aside from directly promoting diabetes and obesity, sodas also contain high amounts of phosphoric acid, a substance that dissolves bones and causes a loss of bone mineral density. This causes massive tooth decay as well as a shrinking jaw bone and overall skeletal fragility. Diet sodas are even worse, since they contain chemical sweeteners linked to neurological disorders and learning disabilities.

16. Air fresheners. Air fresheners contain cancer-causing chemicals. Unleashing them in the house exposes children to these chemicals, promoting asthma and other respiratory problems. If you value the health of your children, avoid air freshener products and just use essential oils or citrus peels instead. (Peel an orange and hang the peel in your kitchen.)

17. Synthetic vitamins. Many children's vitamins are made with cheap, synthetic "vitamin" chemicals that actually harm people who take them. Plus, many are loaded up with artificial colors, sucrose and chemical sweeteners. Avoid cheap, store-bought children's vitamins or anything containing cyanocobalamin (a toxic form of vitamin B12). Quality children's vitamins are available through sources like Nordic Naturals (fish oils) and http://www.integratedhealth.com/ (also check http://www.wellnessresources.com/ for high-quality supplements).

18. Dryer sheets. Most popular dryer sheets and fabric softeners are made with toxic synthetic chemicals that are not safe to use on children's clothing. The fragrance chemicals alone are often highly carcinogenic, and the other chemicals contribute additional toxicity to the clothing. Children's clothes should never be washed or dried in chemicals. Only use natural detergents and fabric softeners, or avoid the fabric softeners altogether.

19. Bacon. Most bacon and sausage are processed meat products made with sodium nitrite (like the hot dogs, above) and contaminated with various chemicals lodged in the animal fats. Conventionally-raised beef, pork and chicken products are, in my opinion, extremely toxic to the human body and contribute to colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and many other diseases and disorders. If you make meat for your children, shop for 100% organic, free-range, antibiotic-free meats that have no nitrites or nitrates.

20. Shampoo and bath products. Virtually all popular shampoo and bath products sold on the market contain cancer-causing chemicals. The ingredients read like a top-40 list of toxic chemicals. Virtually none of these chemicals have ever been tested or approved for use on humans (they are simply ignored because the FDA astonishingly believes the skin won't absorb chemicals). If you want healthy products, use the shampoo I recommend: Pure Essentials Fragrance-Free Shampoo from Earth Science (http://www.thenewes.com/)

2008-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

2008-06-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

click the image if it is too small to read..

2008-06-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

Me: "Savannah, have you been eating the berries?"

Savannah: "Noooo. (smiling)"

2008-06-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

Today's Pick: Mulberries

Our new yard is loaded with raspberry bushes, and mulberry trees. The kids and I picked mulberries for hours this morning. Ahhhh.. summer.

The kids and I are are planning a trip out west very, very soon. Anyone have any travel tips for loooooong (17 hour) car rides with 4 kids (ages 10, 8, 5, and 2)?

2008-06-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Fruitatarian:

a word my son Adrian(5)

uses to describe his younger sister.

He also refers to her a a yogur-tarian.

2008-05-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Savannah!!

2008-05-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

Homemade Granola
This recipe is very similar to the original recipe in the Ball Blue Book

4 c. uncooked regular or quick oats
1/2 c. wheat germ (or milled flax seed)
1 c. coconut
1 c. slivered almonds (or walnuts or pecans)
1 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c.brown sugar (or evap. cane juice crystals)
3/4 c. vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
1 c. raw pumpkin seed (optional)
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c. raisins (optional)

I always double this recipe for my family of 6.

Combine dry ingredients, except raisins. In a saucepan combine oil, sugar, and honey. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Mix until well blended. Spread on a shallow baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (Mixture may also be dried in an electric dehydrator at 145 degrees F about 3 hours or until mixture is crunchy) Stir in raisins. Store in home canning jars or plastic food storage bags.
Makes GREAT cereal, yogurt topping, or a snack. Enjoy! :)

2008-05-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Sin Of Tolerance

By: Gabriel Pearl, www.nogreaterjoy.org

Most moral boundaries are written in stone, clear to anyone who can and will see. We all know it’s wrong to smoke crack, watch MTV, or beat our wives.

But it is mostly the subtle mental corruption that mostly vexes our souls, sneaking into our minds at unguarded moments. We must constantly be on our guard with our shield of faith and the sword of truth. It’s scary. I watch my second child, born just three weeks ago, and already the gravity of life and the weight of eternity seems to be even more real than it already was.

Jocelyn, our first born, is now a little over two and a half, and Lori and I think she’s borderline genius. We’re probably the only ones who do, but she’s certainly learning quicker than we are. Everything sticks. Recently we got PBS, Public Broadcasting Service. It’s a relatively clean, commercial free, government station that comes in free over the air with a lot of nature shows and some great programs for kids, but I’ve noticed an underlying tone in some of the kids’ shows. It’s not always out front, but it’s always there. It’s like a strange worldwide conspiracy. It’s the religion of tolerance. It’s one of the things the Muslims hate so much about us. It started as a snowball, but has become an avalanche. It’s constantly smothering the flame of truth, to the point where we become a lukewarm television-preacher society, incapable of standing up in a crowd of people and declaring that there is only one God and one way to him.

I guess that is really what it boils down to. Their main agenda isn’t really freedom of choice or right to push their so-called gay lifestyle onto our children, but it is the slow, persistent neutering of the truth that almost makes it unrecognizable. Fellow Christians, the world would like nothing better than for us to feel guilty about boldly standing up and saying that God is the only God and that He hates sin and is not tolerant of it. We are strangers and pilgrims in this world, but clearly not of it, so let’s guard our minds from the world’s influence, especially the developing minds of our children.

2008-05-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

We planted our vegetable garden this afternoon.

Tonight we roasted hotdogs,

and made Smores on our backyard campfire.

Perfect way to start the holiday weekend.

2008-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Navy Memories..
Proudly served 1992-1997

2008-04-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

5 Things..

What I was doing 10 years ago:

I was living near Ft. Bragg North Carolina, while Jeremy was in the 82nd Airborne.

Five things on my To-Do list today:
1. Make dinner
2. Make egg salad for Jeremy's lunch tomorrow
3. Call Kelly about Vacation Bible School stuff..
4. Laundry
5. put away at least one box.. of "stuff" (grrrr.)

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Chips and Salsa
2. Garlic Hummus and Tortilla Chips
3. Bananas
4. Apples
5. Does Coca-Cola count?

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give it to to those who need it most.
2. Pay off my debts, and the debts of those I love
3. Buy a tropical island to hide on, when I wasn't traveling.
4. Travel..travel..travel
5. Buy a really BIG....boat.

Five bad habits:
1. Prejudging people
2. Not listening
3. Talking too much
4. Giving unsolicited advice
5. Being impatient.

Five places I've lived:
1. Colorado
2. New Orleans, LA
3. North Carolina
4. Pensacola, FL
5. Memphis, TN

Five jobs I've had:
1. Cashier at a grocery store
2. Air Traffic Controller
3. U.S. Navy
4. Insurance Sales
5. Waitress

Now, I tag:
ANYONE who wants to play along.

2008-04-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

"What we do in moderation, our children will do in excess.."

2008-04-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

"Stuff"

Usually the more you have..the more you want. We live in such excess in the US that we take it for granted. If you have lived in the US all of your life, and never traveled overseas, you cannot comprehend the poverty that 80% of the world lives in. I cannot comprehend it. Did you know that half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day. According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty

Here in the US, if we don't have a huge house..we think are poor. If we don't have 2 cars..we think are poor. If we don't clothe our children in brand name clothes...we think are poor. That is just not reality. Reality is that if you have a roof over your head, and enough food to feed your kids, you are doing better than 80% of the world.

We live in a consumerism-obsessed culture. We see it on TV..we want it. The neighbor has it..we want it. A family member has it..we want it. Do you know that the whole purpose of marketing is to make you feel like your current state is not good enough. They want you to want "stuff". They put "want creators" on TV, on the Internet, junk mail, and on billboards. It's everywhere. And now that I am aware of it, it's kind of driving me crazy. :)

I really hate clutter, so I am taking drastic measures to get rid of "stuff"

* I donate LOTS of stuff to Goodwill. 2 truckloads during our recent move.

* I am teaching my children the difference between want and need. This is a lesson every time we enter a store.

* I buy USED whenever possible..Craigslist/Freecycle/Cheapcycle, garage sales, consignment/thrift stores, etc..

* I am teaching my children contentment.

* I am teaching my children to take care of what they have. To appreciate the things they are given. To appreciate what they have, and not worry so much about what they don't have.

I understand wanting to give your children nice things. I understand wanting your children to have more than you had..

But if I give my kids everything they want, the moment they want it, without having to work for it, or wait for it... I am not preparing them for reality. I would be raising spoiled brats, that appreciate nothing, and that will grow to expect that the world owes them a living.

2008-04-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

My Testimony

I grew up Lutheran. We didn't go to church every Sunday, but often enough for me to have been familiar with most Bible stories. I knew about God, and that Jesus died on the cross.

When it comes to salvation, I literally can't remember one lesson, or sermon on the topic. I grew up believing that if you are good, you go to heaven, and if you are bad, hell. I simply thought if your "good" outweighed" your "bad", then you were in (heaven). Hell was not a word used in the Lutheran church. I honestly wasn't very concerned about it either way. Nobody ever talked about it, so I didn't give it much thought.

We moved to Indiana in 1999. We went to church with my husbands parent's on several occasions. I had never heard preaching like that. I was not familiar with the term "saved" . The preacher gave a sermon on salvation. He explained salvation so simply.. it confused me. Why didn't my childhood pastor ever tell us this? If you are going to go to church, and sing hymn's, and read from the Bible...shouldn't someone mention the most important part??

The preacher explained that:

You don't have to attend any certain church to get into heaven..
You don't have to attend church at all!
You don't have to do "good deeds/works" to get into heaven.
You don't have to be baptized to go to heaven.
You don't have to pay a priest penance to get your soul out of purgatory.

You don't have confess your sins to a priest to get into heaven.

Very simply..all you have to do is believe. Yep. That's it. Believe. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, to pay for your sins (and the sins of the entire world). Believe that on the third day He rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Then accept Him as your personal Savior. That's it. It's between YOU (yes YOU) and God.

The Bible says: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But, like any gift, you have to RECEIVE IT!!!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation... Romans 10:9,10,11

So..one Sunday morning when the preacher gave the invitation, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I didn't go up to the alter, nor do it publicly. I prayed silently right there in my pew for Jesus to come into my heart, and save my soul from Hell. I understood that it was between me and God. The preacher so kindly gave the invitation for anyone to go up to the alter to pray, or for us chickens.. we could just pray silently in our pew.

It was pride that kept me from going up there. It was pride that kept me from sharing my experience with others. I was hurt and disappointed that I had attended church for all those years, and not been told.

The Bible makes it very clear.

...that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21

...what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.. Acts 16:30,31

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1Cor 1:18

Get right with God today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

2008-04-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Earthquakes, Beads Up The Nose, and Updates Galore..

I apologize for my absence. Much going on around here.. here is a summary:

* We had an earthquake this morning at 4:40am. Not a typical thing here in Northwest Indiana. It shook the house so badly I thought a train was passing by, only we don't live near any train tracks. Of course, the kids slept through it. It was a 5.6, and was centered in southern Illinois. Michelle..did you feel it where you live??

* Savannah has a strange fascination with stuffing small objects up her nose. It started with raisins and cereal.. Sunday she stuffed a small plastic pink bead (the size of a pea) up her nose, and I had to take her to the ER to have it removed. (Thank you St. Anthony's Hospital for your kind treatment!!!)

* We moved!! but not too far. I love our new house... slightly bigger, much newer, more yard (about 2 acres of grass now), and a ranch, no more climbing stairs. Pictures soon, I promise..

* Jeremy started seminary. It is a 3 year distance learning program.. He is unsure of exactly what he wants to do in the ministry, time will tell..

* Jeremy's mom had surgery last Friday to remove cancerous tumors from her kidneys. She is recovering well at home. Jeremy's dad, who also has cancer (multiple myeloma) is currently doing well..

* Midwifery. Hmmm. With preparing the new house, moving, and finishing up the kids home school.. I haven't been doing a whole lot. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do from here on.. I feel like because of attending births, and studying, I'm neglecting things here at home. I'm not being a good mom, not being a good wife, not being a good home school teacher, and not being a a good student midwife. It's hard to do it all.. I honestly feel like midwifery is a calling for me.. maybe just not now. The thought of enrolling in AAMI (Ancient Arts Midwifery Institute) is completely overwhelming. It is impossible to be a "keeper at home"... if you are never home..

2008-02-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-02-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Juice! Juice! Juice!

Want your kids to eat more fruit and vegetables? Why not juice? I don't mean the sugar filled, pasteurized, store bought stuff. I mean REAL LIVE JUICE!!!

Some facts about carrot juice:

* Carrot juice is THE richest source of Vitamin A, but also contains Vitamins B,C,D, E, G (I didn't know there was a G), and K.

* Carrot juice helps promote the appetite and is an aid to digestion

* One pint of carrot juice daily has more constructive body value than 25 pounds of calcium tablets.

* Carrot juice is a natural solvent for ulcerous and cancerous conditions

The best thing about carrot juice is IT TASTES GOOD!

We have been juicing for about 5 years. We have a mid-priced juicer, a Champion ($220), I find it easy to use, easy to clean, and economical. If you can afford the best money can buy, it would be the Norwalk Juicer. I also encourage you to research the benefits of blending, with a high quality, 3+peak horsepower blender. I would not recommend the Juiceman-type juicers... (you get what you pay for..)

My kids favorite juice is: carrot/apple or carrot/orange

My favorite juice is carrot/apple/celery

A great book on the benefits of juicing is: Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, by N.W. Walker. Includes recipes and remedies for specific ailments (using juice therapy)

Oh! It best to drink fresh juice as soon as possible after juicing. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more nutrients are lost.

Happy Juicing!

2008-02-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

I Love Seventh Generation Diapers

My plan was to cloth diaper. That didn't happen this time around. Then I found these. With just a little shopping around, I found these to be very economical, convienient, more environmentally friendly, and safer for my baby girl.

Did you know that there are toxic, cancer causing ingredients in name brand diapers? Do you know the effects of chlorine bleach (which is used to bleach name brand diapers so white) on your skin. Not to mention that your baby's body heats up that chemical..

Dioxin, which in various forms has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases, sterility, and genetic damage, is a by-product of the paper-bleaching process used in manufacturing disposable diapers, and trace quantities may exist in the diapers themselves. Dioxin is listed by the EPA as the most toxic of cancer related chemicals. Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals... No studies have been done on the long-term effects of these chemicals being in contact with a baby's reproductive organs 24 hours a day for upwards of two years. Studies have also been done to show that the chemical emissions from disposable diapers can cause respiratory problems in children.

I have found that I can buy a case (4packages) of Seventh Generation diapers at http://www.1800diapers.com/ for about $35.00 (that includes shipping) or Babies R Us now carries a nice selection of Seventh Generation products in their stores.

2008-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

Personality Painting.

Click here to create your own painting.

2008-02-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Happy 5th Birthday Adrian!!!

2008-01-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

My new home birth website is up..

www.blessedbeginningsbirthservices.com

This website is still under construction. I plan to add tons of information, resources and links in the very near future. Please visit often. :)

2008-01-15T14:14:00.000-08:00

And her middle name was "trouble"

"Hmmm..what's this?"

2008-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

A Whole Foods Diet

As much as I dislike "new years resolutions" I am determined now more than ever to depart from the Standard American Diet. I have some pretty serious goals for 2008 regarding health, and my family's diet. Here are some:

*I will not feed my family "fast food" (read: McDonald's) for convenience or "as a treat." I will instead plan ahead or seek out healthy alternatives.

*My goal is to feed my family 75% organic (everything..fresh and packaged) I even joined Timber Creek Farms Organics, fresh organic produce, meat and dairy..delivered to my door weekly.

*I will not buy white sugar, white flour, or white pasta again (instead buying raw sugar, whole grain flour, and whole grain pasta)

*I will use my juicer EVERYDAY, making fresh fruit and vegetable juices for my family.

*I will buy a grain mill, and grind whole grains into flour for bread and baking.

*I will make bread in the bread machine EVERYDAY, instead of buying the store bought kind (filled with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals)

*We will not drink soda pop.

*I will teach my children WHY we aren't eating the "other stuff". Who wants to be normal? The average American is obese (or over-weight), has cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. I do not want to be normal. The average American spends more time on the couch watching TV than exercising...I want better for MY children.

*I will let the children make decisions about what they eat, helping me in the kitchen to make breakfast smoothies, or healthy cookies, veggie pizza, etc..

Quick thought: If you put pancake syrup into your car's gas tank, instead of gas...how well would your car run, and for how long?

If you are putting sugary cereal, soda pop, candy, and fast food into your (or your kids) body..how well will you function, and for how long?

Banana Smoothie (my kids favorite recipe)

In a blender:

3 frozen ripe bananas

2T. raw honey

cover with Rice Dream Rice Milk.

Blend. Makes 4 kid size breakfast smoothies.

Other additions: You could add almond or peanut butter, protein powder, Superfood type green powder (I use Greens First), fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, or kefir instead of rice milk, or Stevia as a calorie free sweetener.

2008-01-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

I wish you a happy and blessed 2008.

2007-12-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 8th Birthday Austin

2007-12-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

2007-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

We Wish You a Merry Christmas..

Thought I'd post a little something here..since I have been rather busy doing everything BUT blogging. My shopping isn't done (still have 2 gift cards to buy), cookies aren't baked (the children MUST have their sugar cookies, frosted.. of course), and Christmas pictures..well.. Not going to happen. They will have to be post Christmas pictures. I never procrastinate, but this year has been something else. Starting with chicken pox before Thanksgiving.. Now the last few days, the days I had planned to finish up the holiday details (pictures, gifts, baking and grocery shopping), I ended up at a marathon birth (I was there almost 30 hours). That put a serious glitch in my plans. Oh well. Must press on!

This year, due to Savannah's busy little hands, I only put the kids hand made ornaments on the tree.
I apologize for the lack of kid-pictures. They will be on here ASAP. Promise. In case I don't make it back here before Christmas...

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Love and Blessings!

Staci

2007-12-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

Chicken Pox Update

Savannah (18months) has a much worse case than Adrian (4 years old) did... but she is such a trooper. Still no fever, still feeling pretty good. I have been preventing her from scratching by putting her in footy-pajamas. Lots of baths and kisses...she will be just fine.

Did I mention that now Austin (age 7) has them. He was vaccinated for them, but still got them. His outbreak is very similar in severity to Adrian's (not vaccinated for them).

Your prayers are very appreciated...thank you. :)

2007-11-29T13:11:00.000-08:00

Spots

We have been over Adrian's chicken pox for well over a week. His spots are healed. He never did get "sick" or even uncomfortable. He didn't even scratch his spots..just the one behind his ear. His most serious issue was a spot on his eyelid.. ouch! But that too is long gone.

Last night Savannah (18 months old) had 8 spots on her belly. This morning more.. but she isn't acting sick either. No fever, no..nothing?
I hope that we get through hers as easily as we did Adrians.

I am thankful for healthy, strong immune systems!!

More updates soon...have to go get Savannah up from her nap..

2007-11-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

The Children's Museum

2007-11-22T07:23:00.000-08:00

Friends and Family:

We really do have a lot to be thankful for this year...don't we?

I thought of listing all of the things I am thankful for, but I don't even know where to begin. The grace and mercy that the Lord has shown this past year, to those that are closest to me..is more than I can say...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Staci

2007-11-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

Chicken Fox

2007-11-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

Ironic

Would you believe me if I told you that this morning Adrian (my 4 year old son) came down with chicken pox?? Three days after I blogged about it...

Over a week ago he had a fever for 12 hours, and slept most of the day. Then he was perfectly fine. This morning woke up with about 8 spots. I was trying to figure out whether they were flea bites...or what in the world they could be.

By noon, his 8 spots...are 80+ spots, and blistering. He is running around the house, "I have chicken fox!!!!" "I have the chicken fox!!!!" No other symptoms, no fever. Hmmm.

2007-11-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-11-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

What Are You Into This Month??

The Book I Am Into: The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, The Essential Guide to Nutritional and Botanical Medicine for the Childbearing Year, by Shonda Parker, author of Mommy Diagnostics. No, I am NOT pregnant, just love studying herbs, natural healing, and midwifery related stuff. This book is awesome, I can't believe I didn't find it sooner.

Magazine I Really Like: I can't think of the last time I had time to read a magazine. How about the Vision Forum catalog? If you are needing Christmas ideas for you kids, and want a really special, meaningful gift for them that sparks their imagination...this is where to look!! Request a free catalog today.

The CD I Can't stop Listening To: Victorious Valley Girls Home, just something my friend gave me, that makes me happy! :)

The BLOG I Am Always Reading: Baby Catcher, the day to day happenings of baby catching in poverty stricken Malawi Africa. I don't know how she does it. I would be numb with grief.

What I Am Most Looking Forward To Next Month: As much as I dislike to inevitable winter..I am really forward to Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. I love cooking warm satisfying meals..soups..pies..and most of all: holiday meals. I need some down time to look through some cooking magazines, and cookbooks to get some recipes.
Most of all I am looking forward to Christmas. If it would snow just one day a year, I wish it would on Christmas Eve, so that Christmas day we have a new blanket of snow. I can't wait to see Savannah's reaction to snow, sledding, and Christmas tree lights.

If you are still reading, consider yourself tagged, I would love to hear what YOU are into this month. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment about what YOU are into!

2007-11-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

Apology, explanation, and a reality check.

Just thought I would check in and say hello. I want to apologize to all of my friends who I have not called back.. and for emails that have not been returned. I have been so very busy with trying to keep up on the boys school, keep up with housework, and make arrangements for the church play that is in 2 weeks. I help with the scenery, props, etc.. and assist with costumes, make up, etc.. and anything else that needs to be done.

Last week I spent 27 hours at a first time moms house while she labored, and ended up in the hospital with c-section. The 2 days after that were spent trying to do what I wasn't home to do.

The last few home births I have attended have all ended in transports to the hospital. No medical emergencies or anything horrible...just lack of progress at home, and the moms need help because they were physically and mentally exhausted. Home birth is only for low risk, uncomplicated births. Once there is anything abnormal or risky...we take them to the hospital right away. This has happened to the last 3 moms. They all resulted in healthy babies, and happy mama's. But it is discouraging to watch these poor women who have their ideas and dreams of what home birth will be like, crushed by the reality of a medical birth. I have been pretty lucky so far, with all of the other births I have attended, until these last 3, about 99% of them were beautiful, uncomplicated home births. I guess this is just my reality check.

2007-10-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2007

I took these last night from my backyard (with my new camera..thanks Em!!)

Okay, maybe I do like fall.

2007-10-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The "why's and how's" of living and eating "healthy"
(click links in blue)

The "why".

1 Cor 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"
And, because I care what I am putting into my body, and the bodies of my family. God entrusted me with raising these little people, I intend to do my best.
People often wonder WHY 1 in 4 people are diagnosed with cancer, WHY the diabetes rates are so high, WHY obesity is an epidemic, and WHY heart disease is the #1 killer. I will tell you why. Look at the way we eat, and treat our bodies.

The "how"

It's much easier to eat the standard American diet (SAD) than to scrutinize everything.
Here are some of the changes I have made, and why.
- no longer use white sugar. Evaporated cane juice crystals, turbinado sugar, and sucanat are much healthier options. Available at the grocery store.
- no longer buy regular milk. Organic milk, or raw are much healthier options. Perhaps try Rice Milk. Regular (store bought) milk contains hormones (that are given to the cows so that they will produce more milk), and antibiotics (given to cows because of their living conditions, and mastitis due to milk production). These things are passed on to you in the milk. Research shows that this is why young girls are reaching puberty at a much younger age. Also a contributing factor as to why we are immune to all but the strongest antibiotics.
- no longer use white flour. Zero nutritional value in it. It has been bleached with a chemical similar to chlorine bleach. Whole grain flours are much healthier. I do use organic AP flour sometimes.
-no longer buy commercial meats/poultry. We raise our own chickens, and occasionally buy meat from farmers we trust. My family also likes venison, which we always have on hand (thanks to my hubby, and Jackson)
-I only buy 100% juice. No sugar added. My kids are allowed 1 cup a day, the rest of the time they are encouraged to drink WATER.
-buy organic whenever possible. Organic produce and grains have not been sprayed with toxic pesticides, and herbicides. Organic dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) have been fed organic diets, are free of pesticides, and herbicides, and have not been given growth hormones nor antibiotics.
- make my own bread whenever possible. No, I don't knead and roll the traditional way. I dump all the ingredients in my handy-dandy bread machine, push the button, and walk away. 3 hours later...home made bread. Yum!!!
-I buy organic packaged, and canned foods when I buy canned and packaged. Kashi brand is really good. I buy that brand of cereal for the kids, we also buy their granola bars, and snack crackers. My local grocery store (Meijer), has it's own brand of organics, that are very affordable.
-no longer use regular laundry detergent. The perfumes, etc.. that are added are toxic to our bodies. Your skin is the largest organ right?? Well, it's absorbing whatever is placed against it, slathered on it, etc... I switched to "Free and Clear" from the grocery store. Every brand makes it now.
-no longer use body lotion. I can't even pronounce the chemicals that are in there. I now use (for me and my entire family) organic, unrefined coconut oil.
-no longer spray perfume directly on my skin. When I do use it, I spray it on my clothes.
-no longer use regular body soaps/bars. Sodium laurel/laureth sulfate is bad, bad, bad. I buy homemade soap, or Dr. Bronners castille soaps.
-no longer use Cascade type automatic dishwasher detergent. It contains chlorine (toxic), and I don't want my family ingesting chlorine. I use BioKleen brand instead.
-no longer use antiperspirant/deodorant. Contains aluminum which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and cancers. I use the health food store kinds.
-no longer use toothpaste containing fluoride it is toxic. Research that one, it is very interesting.
-we try to only eat "out" twice a month. Note: try. :)
-Oh yes! and last but not least: We DO NOT VACCINATE. I do not want my kids immune systems compromised by poisons (mercury or thimerosal) that don't make them "immune" anyway. I wrote about it here and here. Read more about vaccine dangers here.

I have been asked "how do you afford to buy organic and the healthy stuff"?? Honestly, I quit buying the other stuff. I no longer buy soda pop, packaged convenience foods, junk food, frozen pizza's, and sugary snack items. This leaves a lot of money to spend on the good stuff.
I make my kids "snacks", baked items, etc.. And they eat a lot of fruit instead of snack crackers and potato chips. We did not do this all at once. I started replacing things one at a time. I didn't want my kids or husband to starve to death, or to think that Mommy flipped her lid. :)

I would love to hear your thoughts (positive or negative) , or healthy ideas. I'm always learning. And don't misunderstand me. I am not claiming that my diet is perfect. But I try. I still have a couple of hang-ups. I love Coke, love it (so I don't keep it in the house). And I love coffee, which I'm not even sure how to function without it. Rumors are that it is indeed possible.

2007-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

My friend asked me yesterday what my favorite scripture verse was. I have to choose just one? I think I settled on this:

John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I would love to hear yours.

2007-10-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

T.G.I.F

(above: Savannah's first piggy tails) Don't let her cuteness fool you. She has become lovingly known as "the tornado", going from room to room, leaving behind complete destruction. So far this week she has emptied the pantry, cleared several bookshelves, dumped the dogs food/water bowl(many times), and figured out how to open the toilet-bowl lid, and put EVERYTHING in there within reach (toys, toilet paper rolls, sippy cups, books and my.hair.brush) I won't even start on the list of things she has thrown away in the kitchen trashcan. Guess what I am buying this weekend..you guessed it! A new trashcan, with a lid.

Adrian's new favorite hobby: self photography.

Have a great weekend!!! :)