Friday, August 31, 2012

Cheap Skate Mommyhood

Here are a few simple tips to save money in pregnancy and child-rearing. :) 



Pregnancy and Nursing: 

When obtaining "maternity clothes" stock up on cute little dresses (make sure the material and/or style has some "give")  
This allows you to use them as dresses early on and shirts later on. 
Yoga pants... stretchy black pants are your best friend. You can wear them throughout your pregnancy and after your pregnancy when you are shifting in sizes. 
Don't blow a bunch of bucks on nursing bras. Go get yourself some "Genie" bras. They have them at walmart, and there are $20 for a pack of three. They are not super supportive, but if you wear them with a shelf tank they do fine... they're stretchy and they "V" in the front for nursing. 
Works great for pregnancy when you are "growing" and great for nursing... just "pull it aside".

Kiddos:

Always try to get free stuff from friends, but if you can't....

Babies:
Stained Onesies can make decent burp rags


Girls: 
Girls are the best for clothes. 
If you keep an eye on the neckline you can easily buy things a size or more "big" and have your little girl wear a tshirt as a dress. Or visa versa, you can use that cute casual dress as a tshirt as she grows, just put leggings with it. 
Always buy stretchy pants. When she is little it can be long stretchy pants, and when she grows they become cute stretchy capris. 

Boys: 
Buy jeans with an elastic waste
When they're jeans get too short cut them off, hem 'em (either with a machine or just by hand) and you have cute shorts.  
Don't ever throw away pants because they have holes in them... you can either "re-purpose" them or just let them play in the dirt with them. 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Common sense for Common Scents

I was reviewing some aromatherapy website and came across some misinformation which lead me to wonder if anyone would follow this bad advice. 

Firstly... no matter what any website tells you, you should never put any undiluted essential oil on a small (0-12 mo) baby. Even the most gentle oils (ie lavender) can irritate their very sensitive skin. You are in fact better off not putting any scents on your baby (until at least 6 months). A drop or two of lavender in a bath is no biggie, but regarding lotions and such, you should use pure organic carrier oils. If you want to use essential oils to help them sleep, put a small amount in a diffuser.   
Secondly... I saw some recipes for bath salts online that included sugar. Um.... NO!!!!! Sugar breeds yeast... yeast breeds yeast infections... Enough said! 
Thirdly... the reason essential oils affect your "mental state" is because scent is the strongest sense attached to emotion. So don't let anyone definitively tell you how scents should affect you. It's a misnomer that all scents will affect all people in the same ways. 
For example: Lavender, Chamomile, Geranium...etc are good for relaxation but if you find that scent agitating than there is no reason to "force the issue". 

As a general rule:

Relaxation: 
Lavender
Chamomile
Geranium
Orange
Bergamot
Ylang Ylang
Patchouli
Clary Sage

Energy:
Peppermint
Rosemary
 Basil
Tea Tree
Ginger
Grapefruit
Cinnamon

Sensuality
Jasmine
Ylang Ylang
rose 
Sandalwood


BUT THIS IS JUST A "GENERAL RULE". Go with how you feel... not what the website tells you or the bottle says. 


And lastly... there is too much of a good thing. A little dab'll do ya. ;)
Also always be safe!!! Always use carrier oils and don't put on anything "citrus" right before going out in the sun. It will increase your chances of getting burned. 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Beautiful Mess


You know what I love about God? I love his ability to turn the ugly into beautiful! Sometimes it feels like this world gives us unbearable truths when in reality they are blessings in disguise... and sometimes God can take the ashes of lives to fertilize immeasurable beauty.

My grandfather was raised in a indescribably abusive home. He ran away from home when he was only 9 years old and lived in either "boys homes" or the streets from there on. 
By the time my father was a teenager, my grandfather had succumb to alcoholism and pain. 

After his kids were grown, God grabbed him by the heart and wouldn't let go. He broke down his pain and barriers, saved him, and made him new. He made a 180 in life. 

Shortly after this, he hopped on his motorcycle and got in an accident that took his life. 


Some would say that this tragic. "How could God take him away when he was finally right with God?" 
I can't pretend to have the answers... but my theory... he saved him from himself. My grandpa had suffered so much that he wanted to take him before the world could do any more harm to him and separate him from God. 

It was a wordly tragedy and a Heavenly blessing. 

Sometimes crap happens in our lives, and I don't subscribe to the "God is punishing us" belief. I subscribe to the "that's the flawed world we live in" belief. The wonder of it is that there is nothing that God can't make beautiful if we let him. 
I feel like he provided the ultimate example of this in his own death. 
Horrific turned Perfection!  




Next time you are facing a painful season in your life try and close your eyes and say "God, what beautiful thing are you going to do with this?" 








Thursday, August 23, 2012

Bucket List

These are the thing that come the end of my life, when I look back I will regret not doing. 


1. See my kids saved and baptized.
2. Write a book.
3. See my book published.
4. See my a good friend of mine saved.
5. Build a house.
6. Get Hubby's knee fixed.
7. Finish a personal project.
8. Learn to play my hammered Dulcimer. 
9. Learn more sign Language
10. Have an awesome greenhouse
11. Go on an amazing romantic vacation with just John
12. Swim with a Dolphin
13. Go whale watching and see whales close up 
14. Take a beautiful train ride. 
15. Teach both my kids how to cook and clean. 
16. Learn to sew and teach my kids. 
17. Build something on my own (without husband assistance)
18. Get a Newfoundland dog
19. Become a skilled swimmer. (not Olympic, just fish-esque)
20. Make my husband proud to be married to me. 
21. Give Give Give
22. Get over my fear of singing.
23. Be in a position to take care of mine and hubby's parents. 
24. Raise strong confident Christian kids.
25. Have absolutely no debt of any kind
26. Help John start and run his business. 
27. Establish a retirement for John so he doesn't have to work forever. 
28. John and I get in healthy shape as a couple. 
29. Get John the car he wants. 
30. Teach my children impeccable respect and values. 
31. Learn to shoot. (just for the heck of it)
(my goals are simple)



Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Murphy's Law Of Mommyhood



You can't possibly fully understand "Murphy's Law" until you have kids. The have a way of bringing it out in the universe in a powerful way. 

For example....

1) The baby will wait until you're dressed to spit up on you. 
2) Diaper explosions always happen in cute outfits.
3) The day you forget baby wipes at home, you will definitely need them.
4) Kids will wake up bright and early on days when you can sleep in and sleep in on days where you really need to be somewhere early.
5) Kids will develop an allergy to naps when you have 1000 things to do.
6) If you get sick, you're whole family will instantaneously also get sick and require care.
7) If you and your hubby are trying to get "physical" your child will have a bad dream or need to go potty.
8) If you have a busy day planned, your kids will wake up grumpy. 
9) Your kiddos will feel obstinate on days that you have PMS.
10)  When you're exhausted it will take twice as long as normal to get your kids to bed. 
11) Your kid who nearly never pees their pants will have an accident on a day in which you left their change of clothes at home. 
12) You'll either loose your keys when you're running late or realize upon starting up your vehicle that you don't have enough gas to get where you're going. 
13) When you are expecting an important phone call, the kiddos will have run off with your phone. 
14) People will drop by for surprise visits on days where your house is a disaster (this isn't my house, but it reminded me of mine, some days)
15) When your car is clean, only yourself and your family will see it, but if it's been... let's say... Neglected?... you will need to give someone a ride.
16) Your wee one is going to wait until it's silent in a very public place to either announce that they passed gas or they filled their diaper. 
17) Your kids will always wait until people are looking to tug on your clothes, or lift up your skirts, and thus exposing you to onlookers. 
 19) When siblings are playing nicely is always when someone gets hurt and ruins the fun. 
20) The one time you don't bring snacks in the car, the kids will spend the whole time begging for them. 

21) The one time you don't make your kid go potty before you leave because either your forgot or they said they didn't have to... 5 min down the road they make you stop somewhere public to use the restroom... 
22) If your child is going to develop car sickness it's going to be at the beginning of a road trip. 
23) If your baby is going to decide not to nurse much during the day, it's going to be a day in public... without nursing pads.... 
24) If you venture to have an evening glass of wine after the baby (who is still nursing) is in bed, they will decide for the first time in months to not sleep through the night. 
25) Whenever you want to show off your sweet one's antics, they never cooperate. 
26) If you plan big birthdays, with all the trimmings, no one shows up... if you keep it very basic and have barely enough, everyone comes and brings 2 guests. :) 

27) If you make a quick dash to the store in your sweats, your whole high school reunion will be waiting for you, but if you are dressed up and feelin' gorgeous it will be a ghost town. 
28) Some days you can plan to take a nap as soon as the munchkins get to sleep... but when they do, your mind starts racing with all the things you should be doing, or could be doing now that they're sleeping, and you end up not being able to sleep. 
29) If you use the worlds "always" or "never" regarding your kids they will "always" prove you wrong ;)
30) There is always an available babysitter (ie family friends etc) until you really need one. 

Monday, August 13, 2012

Naturally Beautiful Home

I'm not going to lie. I have no qualms with using Bleach or Lysol. I like to go natural, but I love the smell of a disinfected house. I, however, don't hesitate to use what I already have lying around to make my house clean and my dollar stretch. 

Here are some things I make myself to save money. 


Laundry Detergent:

4 c water
1 c washing soda (not to be confused with baking soda)
1 c Borax
4 C Castile Soap
Orange Oil (Until it smells good)

I boil the water
Turn off heat
Add the soda and borax until dissolved
Turn off heat 
Add The Castile Soap and Orange Oil
When it cools I put it in recycled/washed plastic containers  (ie old vinegar bottles, milk jugs, etc) 

***I use Orange Oil because it smells good, is very gentle on the skin, and it's really really cheap***

Dishwasher Detergent:

1 C Borax
1 C Washing Soda
1/2 C Salt 
(I think you're supposed to also add citric acid, but I typically don't)

Wood Floor Cleaner

I occasionally will make my own orange juice and when I do this I save the peels in a jar with some vinegar. I let it sit for a couple weeks, remove the peels, add a tbsp or two of olive oil and VOILA! It's a fabulous wood floor/cabinet cleaner. It cleans, it polishes, it makes julienne fries!!!! ;) (not really on the last one) 
If you don't add the olive oil it is a good all purpose cleaner. 


 Orange Peel Vinegar

PS: If I don't want my house to smell like vinegar and don't feel like waiting 2 weeks for more floor cleaner, when I run out I will often clean with Tea Tree oil and vinegar or Tea Tree and Castile, depending on what I'm cleaning. 



OH ONE MORE THING... I almost forgot. If I'm out of everything... which often happens... One thing I nearly always have in my cabinet is baking soda   (it's like .50 a box) so I have been known to mix it with some hot water and go to town... better than leaving it dirty right? 






 

Monday, August 6, 2012

It's not a Political Statement... It's FOOD

I have been informed that this is "Breastfeeding Week". So, naturally, I figured I'd do a post on Breastfeeding. 
I breastfed both my kids. I nursed Gideon until he was 14 months, and Gabriella until she was 16 months. I nursed them until they didn't ask for it any more. I also hope to at some point become a lactation consultant. I am definitely an avid advocate for nursing. 


  <-Yes, I'm Breastfeeding in this picture! 


BUT.... 
I don't think Nursing should be or have to be a "political statement". There shouldn't have to be "nurse-ins" or "controversial" pictures of women nursing in military uniform. 

really?

Where has the common sense gone? Can't people figure out that if an infant is hungry, we must feed them? As long as a mother is using some discretion (not just sitting topless in the middle of the park/mall/restaurant) than it should be a non-issue. 

I know that most of the issue here is ignorance. People are not sure what the social protocol of being around a nursing woman, is. 





  • Should I avert my eyes?
  • If I look at the baby am I going to look like a pervert?
  • What if I look at the baby and they "come off" and I see her nipple?
..etc...

Let me answer these questions for people... just clear the air. 

If a woman is willing to nurse in front of you, she doesn't care if you look at the baby. It is far more awkward if you are obviously averting your eyes or acting uncomfortable than if you just look at the flippin' baby. If a woman is shy about nursing, she will either leave the room, or cover up. 

Guys... women can tell the difference between "Oh look it's a baby nursing" and "look at those boobs!!" ;) Just don't "stare" and you'll be fine. 

If you accidentally see a woman's nipple... it is an unfortunate thing. Speaking as a breastfeeder... we do try and avoid this. My person preference was that people not make a big deal of it though. 

I remember when I was in the hospital, with my first kiddo (Gideon) and was learning to nurse. It wasn't going well, because he was severely Jaundiced, large, and having trouble latching. Due to his jaundice he needed more fluid, but all he wanted to do was sleep. The lactation consultant was awesome.  She is/was my inspiration to be a lactation consultant (some day). She was completely relaxed and made the whole process relaxed and without shame. This was particularly amazing, because more often than not, I pretty much had to be topless while they did everything they could to increase my milk supply. Some (not many) of the nurses, however, were awkward. They were trying a little too hard to "respect my space" and didn't want to embarrass me. This, in turn, made me embarrassed to nurse in front of them. 
Moral of the story: It's only awkward if you make it that way. 

Every mammal on earth, nurses.... let's not make it weird... OK? 

Natural soothing

Moisture Rich Fizzy 

Dry ingredients:
Wet ingredients:
Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and then in a separate dish or cup mix wet ingredients and then combine the two. I use a wire wisk….the mix doesn’t really even look wet but it compacts nicely into molds and after drying through the night they are rock hard and fizz for almost 2 minutes.
Make sure to wisk fast when adding wet ingredients to prevent fizzing whisk for a good minute and then press mix into your mold.





A Natural mask for Acne


4 1/2 TBSP honey
1 tsp carrot seed oil
1 tsp lavender oil

Try this! You will NOT be sorry you did! 




Friday, August 3, 2012

My Loss Your Gain

I'm severely laid up with what I believe to be food poisoning from bad cottage cheese. (not 100% sure on source of sickness)
So what do I do? What every mother of my variety would do... research. Lots of research on healthy natural means of treating specific symptoms and general treatment for food poisoning. Most of this info is a re-cap, but some of it is news. 
I figured I'd share, just in case any of you might need this info at some point. So here you go... My loss your gain! 




Bananas: 
    "Vomiting and diarrhea may deplete your body's supply of potassium, which may leave you feeling even worse. An extreme potassium imbalance can even be fatal."  <Bananas are a great source of Potassium
    Bananas also helps with Diarrhea because they tend to "slow things down". 
    They are also very easy for your stomach to digest so they help with nausea. 
Yogurt: 
"Look for yogurt with live cultures. These 'cultures' are friendly bacteria that can go in and line your intestines, providing you with protection from the bad guys. If you've already got diarrhea, yogurt can help produce lactic acid in your intestines, which can kill off the nasty bacteria and get you feeling better, faster." 

Blueberries: 
"Blueberry root is a long-time folk remedy for diarrhea. In Sweden, doctors prescribe a soup made with dried blueberries for tummy problems. Blueberries are rich in anthocyanosides, which have antioxidant and antibacterial properties, as well as tannins, which combat diarrhea." 
Orange Peel Tea
"Orange peel tea is a folk remedy that is believed to aid in digestion. Place a chopped orange peel (preferably from an organic orange, as peels otherwise may contain pesticides and dyes) into a pot and cover with 1 pint boiling water. Let it stand until the water is cooled. You can sweeten it with sugar or honey."
Aloe:
Aloe may be used for diarrhea that is accompanied by gas.

Ginger: 
    You can suck on candied Ginger or you can make a Ginger tea and it is wonderful for nausea, especially if you're pregnant. 

Peppermint:
    Peppermint tea or peppermint oil can sooth nausea and vomiting. 
    Sugar can also help with nausea so if you heat some water add sugar and a couple drops of peppermint oil, it is a great flu-tonic. 










Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: 

Ginger
Nutmeg
Peppermint
Spearmint
Tarragon
Fennel 
Lavender
"Dilute, as required, massage 1-3 drops on the mastoids behind the ear and over the navel. Do this hourly. You can also place a warm compress over the stomach after the oils are applied. Directly inhale the oils 4-6 times per hour or as needed.
You can also place 1-4 drops on your tongue"



Pioneer Momma

Pioneer Woman!!!


I am trying to learn to be a pioneer momma. Transitioning into learning to DIY everything.  Sew clothes, make everything from scratch, etc. 

This is what I'm going for: 


Some days it looks more like this


God is workin' on me. I have cut my computer time down to just a few minutes a day (except on days like today when I allow myself to blog a bit). I am changing my lifestyle little by little. 

FYI...just so I can't be accused of trying to deceive... I DO shortcut. I use my bread machine to make dough, and then stick it in the oven when I am making bread/pizza/etc. 

Goals in life: 
Make my husband PROUD to be married to me
Feel physically exhausted every night, from working my tail off for my family. 
Feel proud to be me
Always know, no matter what, that there wasn't any more I could have given, that day. 
Be as skilled at my profession (homemaker/mother) as I possibly can.
Have a house that can  handle "surprise drop ins" at all times
Do it all with a smile

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Can they trust you?

Make sure you are a person that people can trust. 


Unfortunately, I am the type of person who tries not to open up to many people. When I have made an exception, it hasn't ended well. My best friend is my mom and she is always the person I open up to about things going on in my life. She's safe. 

Recently, my mom had to move to Colorado (temporarily) for my dad's work. It has been a touch on the lonely side and has resulted in me opening up a little more to other people. This has been bitter/sweet. I have only spoke with a few people in my life and it's been a great bonding experience with some, and for others I immediately regretted it. 

This has got me thinking about being a "safe" person. I always want to be the kind of person that people can trust. I want people to feel like, when they open up to me, that they won't be greeted with judgement or condemnation. 

Being like Christ and just in general being a good friend means that you never use other people's pain to seat yourself above them in any manner or fashion. 

I think this is particularly difficult for women, because we, by nature, have an urge to talk about people which leads to gossip. 

  • I promise to do my best to be a good friend. 
  • I promise to always work to be a "safe" person. 
  • I promise to not greet you with judgement or condemnation. 
  • I promise  to do my best to make sure that you never regret opening up to me. 
  • I promise to make an effort to never talk about you on a personal level when you're not there... unless I am just saying how wonderful you are. 
  • I promise to make an effort to cry when you cry, laugh when you laugh, and encourage you with love when you need it. 
  • I promise to make an effort to always make you feel loved, no matter how I'm feeling.