Holy cow its been a while since I've posted anything at all! Not cool, Jess, not cool!
I really feel like my life has not been my own lately. I've been running around taking care of my kids, going to doctors appointments, I went on a short trip and blah blah blah. Either way I feel like my life has completely gotten away from me.
I'm in desperate need of some relaxation techniques. I dont have a good bathtub where I can fill it with suds and light candles and have mood music. Its difficult for me to go out for a walk because I would have to take a kid or two with me and we all know that is NOT relaxing. Money is tight so I can't spend the day getting pampered, or even go for a mani/pedi for that matter. So I need some help! Anyone!!
I want to give a shout out to FuzzyWuzzyWuzaBear who is a WAHM who makes super cute diapers. We have one and its fantastic. You can find her on facebook. (just put that name into the search portion at the top of the page.)
My crunchy item of the week this week is Cascadian Farms cereal. HO MY GOSH! I love this stuff. It is organic, delicious, filling, and super good for you. It comes in a bunch of different flavors (is that even the right term lol) and it is so tasty. Heavily recommend that!
Ok so PLEASE ANYONE who has a great cheap/free relaxation technique to help me destress that would be awesome and feel free to leave me love with your suggestion!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Great Vaccination Debate!
There is a great debate in the "crunchy world" over something that has been a very common thing for children for several hundred years. Vaccinations! There is a lot of argument over whether to vaccinate completely, selectively, delayed or no-vax at all. In fact, a lot of schools will tell you that the child cannot attend unless they have all the required vaccinations (not true, which I will get into later).
Lets first go into the different types of vaccinations that the AAP and CDC requires of your children. Please note that this schedule has just been updated effective Feb 1, 2011:
Hep B: Hepatitis B given at birth and then 0,1 and 6 following that (3 or 4 doses)
Rotavirus: first dose given between weeks 6-14. The final dose should be completed BEFORE 8 months
DTaP: Diptheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis- 4 doses starting at 6 weeks and ending anywhere between 12 and 18 months
Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae type b- 4 doses given at 2,4 and 6 months and then between 12-15 months (depending on the brand of vaccine)
PCV: Pneumococcal Vaccine- Given between the ages of 12-15 months and a PPSV given if there are underlying medical issues
IPV: Poliovirus- 5 doses given between the ages of 6 weeks and 4 years
MMR: Measels, mumps, rubella- 2 doses between the ages of 12 months and 4 yrs
Varicella: 2 doses at 12 months and 4 years
HepA: Hepatitis A vaccine- 2 doses between 12 months and 4 years
MCV4: Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, quadrivalent- 2 doses, at least 8 week apart, beginning at age 2
So this is what the AAP suggest just between the ages of 0-6. There is a whole other schedule for the ages of 7-18. Just right off the bat this seems like a LOT of vaccinations (27 in roughly 5 years) but there are some that are more interesting than others and I want to take a good look at those in particular.
First of all lets talk about mercury in vaccinations. The FDA along with the CDC have been telling alot of us there there is very little mercury in very few vaccinations. And while the latter may be true (only 4 out of many) the AMOUNTS of mercury in each is surprising. The FDA recommends that pregnant women and children consume NO MORE than one 6 oz can of tuna fish per week, which contains 17 micrograms of mercury. However, just ONE shot of DTap, an individual Tetanus, flu shot, or meningococcal vaccine contains 25 micrograms of mercury!!! That is shocking! There has been a link of mercury exposure to Autism but I will not get into that because I believe alot more research needs to be done.
The vaccination Rotavirus. Rotavirus is a virus that attacks the bowels. It causes severe diarrhea among infants and children. What is very surprising is that almost all children will become infected with Rotavirus by their third birthday. The main reason for complications due to Rotavirus is dehydration. Although the vaccination is the MOST effective way shown to possibly prevent the virus, the chances that your child will still catch the virus are high. It just might not be as bad. I found this very interesting. So in MY opinion (not the opinion that I am trying to push on you) is that if you choose not to give your child this vax and they get rotavirus, keep them hydrated! Popcicles, water, pedialyte, high water content fruits, ect. That will keep them out of the hospital.
Hepatitis B. This vaccination is to prevent a sexually transmitted disease. I"m sorry but I don't know of any 2 year old that is having sex or using IV drugs. This vaccination, again, in my opinion, is not so much dangerous as it is unnecessary at such a YOUNG age. Unless the child is born to a HepB infected mother, there is no need until the child is much older, possibly even into adulthood.
Varicella. This vaccination is to prevent chicken pox. Chicken pox in an of itself is not a dangerous virus. In fact the vaccination can cause chicken pox! The way that this shot works is by injecting a live virus into the child's body. The reason why I believe that this is unnecessary is because most children will get the actual virus by 5th grade and the chances of a severe case are slim. I suggest bringing your kids around the virus so that they get it and allow their immune systems to grow and fight it off on their own. Once they have had it they are immune to it! (However if your child has not had the chicken pox by 5th grade I WOULD recommend giving them the vaccine as catching chicken pox- or shingles as an adult could be dangerous)
One more unnecessary immunization (in my opinion) is the FLU shot. Everyone seems to push the flu shot. But the crazy thing is that the there are hundreds of different strains of the flu. Each year, the strain with the highest known incidence from the year before, along with (recently) a variant of H1N1, and a strain of H3N2 are farm raised in the "best of the best" eggs around. The egg is fertilized and checked out by the FDA for pathogens and infections. There is 1 strain per egg and 3 eggs per dose. So now the flu vaccine can cause an issue if the child has an egg allergy. But the reason it is unnecessary is because it will not always prevent you from getting the flu!
Dr. Sears has said that the best way to keep your kids healthy is to expose them to germs early on in life. The more germs they are exposed to the more immunities they will naturally produce in their body.
Ok.. those are all the vaccinations I can handle right now! Haha... I'm tired!
But really quick... my crunchy item of the week is..... Coconut Oil. This can be used for absolutely everything, cooking, lotion, chapstick, conditioner, diaper rash ointment ect. You can get it at almost any health food store and it can even sometimes be found at Walmart!
I would love to know how you feel about vaccinations or if you have every used coconut oil! Thanks! :)
Lets first go into the different types of vaccinations that the AAP and CDC requires of your children. Please note that this schedule has just been updated effective Feb 1, 2011:
Hep B: Hepatitis B given at birth and then 0,1 and 6 following that (3 or 4 doses)
Rotavirus: first dose given between weeks 6-14. The final dose should be completed BEFORE 8 months
DTaP: Diptheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis- 4 doses starting at 6 weeks and ending anywhere between 12 and 18 months
Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae type b- 4 doses given at 2,4 and 6 months and then between 12-15 months (depending on the brand of vaccine)
PCV: Pneumococcal Vaccine- Given between the ages of 12-15 months and a PPSV given if there are underlying medical issues
IPV: Poliovirus- 5 doses given between the ages of 6 weeks and 4 years
MMR: Measels, mumps, rubella- 2 doses between the ages of 12 months and 4 yrs
Varicella: 2 doses at 12 months and 4 years
HepA: Hepatitis A vaccine- 2 doses between 12 months and 4 years
MCV4: Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, quadrivalent- 2 doses, at least 8 week apart, beginning at age 2
So this is what the AAP suggest just between the ages of 0-6. There is a whole other schedule for the ages of 7-18. Just right off the bat this seems like a LOT of vaccinations (27 in roughly 5 years) but there are some that are more interesting than others and I want to take a good look at those in particular.
First of all lets talk about mercury in vaccinations. The FDA along with the CDC have been telling alot of us there there is very little mercury in very few vaccinations. And while the latter may be true (only 4 out of many) the AMOUNTS of mercury in each is surprising. The FDA recommends that pregnant women and children consume NO MORE than one 6 oz can of tuna fish per week, which contains 17 micrograms of mercury. However, just ONE shot of DTap, an individual Tetanus, flu shot, or meningococcal vaccine contains 25 micrograms of mercury!!! That is shocking! There has been a link of mercury exposure to Autism but I will not get into that because I believe alot more research needs to be done.
The vaccination Rotavirus. Rotavirus is a virus that attacks the bowels. It causes severe diarrhea among infants and children. What is very surprising is that almost all children will become infected with Rotavirus by their third birthday. The main reason for complications due to Rotavirus is dehydration. Although the vaccination is the MOST effective way shown to possibly prevent the virus, the chances that your child will still catch the virus are high. It just might not be as bad. I found this very interesting. So in MY opinion (not the opinion that I am trying to push on you) is that if you choose not to give your child this vax and they get rotavirus, keep them hydrated! Popcicles, water, pedialyte, high water content fruits, ect. That will keep them out of the hospital.
Hepatitis B. This vaccination is to prevent a sexually transmitted disease. I"m sorry but I don't know of any 2 year old that is having sex or using IV drugs. This vaccination, again, in my opinion, is not so much dangerous as it is unnecessary at such a YOUNG age. Unless the child is born to a HepB infected mother, there is no need until the child is much older, possibly even into adulthood.
Varicella. This vaccination is to prevent chicken pox. Chicken pox in an of itself is not a dangerous virus. In fact the vaccination can cause chicken pox! The way that this shot works is by injecting a live virus into the child's body. The reason why I believe that this is unnecessary is because most children will get the actual virus by 5th grade and the chances of a severe case are slim. I suggest bringing your kids around the virus so that they get it and allow their immune systems to grow and fight it off on their own. Once they have had it they are immune to it! (However if your child has not had the chicken pox by 5th grade I WOULD recommend giving them the vaccine as catching chicken pox- or shingles as an adult could be dangerous)
One more unnecessary immunization (in my opinion) is the FLU shot. Everyone seems to push the flu shot. But the crazy thing is that the there are hundreds of different strains of the flu. Each year, the strain with the highest known incidence from the year before, along with (recently) a variant of H1N1, and a strain of H3N2 are farm raised in the "best of the best" eggs around. The egg is fertilized and checked out by the FDA for pathogens and infections. There is 1 strain per egg and 3 eggs per dose. So now the flu vaccine can cause an issue if the child has an egg allergy. But the reason it is unnecessary is because it will not always prevent you from getting the flu!
Dr. Sears has said that the best way to keep your kids healthy is to expose them to germs early on in life. The more germs they are exposed to the more immunities they will naturally produce in their body.
Ok.. those are all the vaccinations I can handle right now! Haha... I'm tired!
But really quick... my crunchy item of the week is..... Coconut Oil. This can be used for absolutely everything, cooking, lotion, chapstick, conditioner, diaper rash ointment ect. You can get it at almost any health food store and it can even sometimes be found at Walmart!
I would love to know how you feel about vaccinations or if you have every used coconut oil! Thanks! :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Miracle of Birth
Today my friend had her second baby, a baby girl. She.is.adorable. In light of this new little addition to the world I was taken back to my own birth experiences. All three of my labors and deliveries were without incident and downright boring (ask my husband!). And I realized why it was that they were lacking in the "excitement area." I was all DOPED UP!
**Please don't think that I am refering the birth of my children boring, just the labor part was, I slept the whole time. The actual birth of my three little ones were and always will be the best moments of my life**
With all of my children, from the second I walked into the hospital they had me hooked up to all sorts of IV's pumping Nubain, some sort of saline solution, and whatever else they could get me to consent to into my body. I would progress fine during that point and was feeling not too shabby. I mean, who wouldn't when you felt like your head was a cloud? And then I would get to around 4-5cm and they would say, "Ok, you can get the epidural now." Well, whoopdy-fricken-doo! Sign me up! I dont know what would happen after that point but all 3 times I would just STOP progressing. I would get to 6cm and just stop. Then, I would have to be given Pitocin (an artificial oxytocin to cause you to contract). And then I would be on my way. Mind you, all this time I was pretty much in and out of conciousness because of all the medication I was on.
Now some people would consider this experience great! No pain, sleeping for 16+ hrs, ect. But I have to be completely honest. I have been in labor for a total of 46 hrs, and I can hardly remember any of it! Like I said before, I, ofcourse, remember and cherish when they were actually born, but the entire time working up to that is a blurr. And that makes me very sad!
Well, I have made a decision. IF/when I have another child, I will be doing it naturally. I want to remember every second and work for the baby I will give birth to. I am not going to go into the various health benefits of natural child birth, if you are interested I would be more than happy to entertian a conversation with any of you via email about it. I just know that this decision is the right decision for us.
Now for my crunchy item of the week:
One important way to get "crunchy" is with your laundry. Ofcourse the most "eco-friendly" way is to do it by hand and line dry, but very few of us actually of time for that. So I would recommend an HE (high efficiency) washer and dryer. They optimize minimal electric and water usage and work (in my opinion) better than the original washer and dryers. So along with an HE washer you need to have HE laundry detergent. So my recommendation is for Ecos Laundry detergent. Ecos uses 100% natural coconut oil, purified water and the essential oils of whatever scent you choose. It is 100% biodegradable, and non-toxic. And it is plant based and made of replenishable and sustainable ingredients. Plus you can get it at bulk stores for a great value and because its concentrated it lasts you twice as long! http://www.ecos.com/ecosliquid.html
Ok... so thats my written word vomit for the week. Please share with me your experiences with natural or medicated child birth and let me know if you try Ecos Laundry detergent or if you have a different all natural detergent that you prefer!
**Please don't think that I am refering the birth of my children boring, just the labor part was, I slept the whole time. The actual birth of my three little ones were and always will be the best moments of my life**
With all of my children, from the second I walked into the hospital they had me hooked up to all sorts of IV's pumping Nubain, some sort of saline solution, and whatever else they could get me to consent to into my body. I would progress fine during that point and was feeling not too shabby. I mean, who wouldn't when you felt like your head was a cloud? And then I would get to around 4-5cm and they would say, "Ok, you can get the epidural now." Well, whoopdy-fricken-doo! Sign me up! I dont know what would happen after that point but all 3 times I would just STOP progressing. I would get to 6cm and just stop. Then, I would have to be given Pitocin (an artificial oxytocin to cause you to contract). And then I would be on my way. Mind you, all this time I was pretty much in and out of conciousness because of all the medication I was on.
Now some people would consider this experience great! No pain, sleeping for 16+ hrs, ect. But I have to be completely honest. I have been in labor for a total of 46 hrs, and I can hardly remember any of it! Like I said before, I, ofcourse, remember and cherish when they were actually born, but the entire time working up to that is a blurr. And that makes me very sad!
Well, I have made a decision. IF/when I have another child, I will be doing it naturally. I want to remember every second and work for the baby I will give birth to. I am not going to go into the various health benefits of natural child birth, if you are interested I would be more than happy to entertian a conversation with any of you via email about it. I just know that this decision is the right decision for us.
Now for my crunchy item of the week:
One important way to get "crunchy" is with your laundry. Ofcourse the most "eco-friendly" way is to do it by hand and line dry, but very few of us actually of time for that. So I would recommend an HE (high efficiency) washer and dryer. They optimize minimal electric and water usage and work (in my opinion) better than the original washer and dryers. So along with an HE washer you need to have HE laundry detergent. So my recommendation is for Ecos Laundry detergent. Ecos uses 100% natural coconut oil, purified water and the essential oils of whatever scent you choose. It is 100% biodegradable, and non-toxic. And it is plant based and made of replenishable and sustainable ingredients. Plus you can get it at bulk stores for a great value and because its concentrated it lasts you twice as long! http://www.ecos.com/ecosliquid.html
Ok... so thats my written word vomit for the week. Please share with me your experiences with natural or medicated child birth and let me know if you try Ecos Laundry detergent or if you have a different all natural detergent that you prefer!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Lets Talk About B@@BS
A friend of mine had her first baby this past week and she dealt with something that I have never had to. Breastfeeding difficulty. He was latching on and everything fine, but loosing weight! I can only imagine how frustrating that must have been! The nurses were all but helpful. Criticizing her and trying to force her to give the baby formula. She felt hopeless! As she was telling me this1, I started thinking, why are so many people "anti-boob"??
Here is some food for thought, direct from the American Academy of Pediatrics website: Most health professionals are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding. The AAP continues to support the unequivocal evidence that breastfeeding protects against a variety of diseases and conditions in the infant... Breastfeeding is also a great benefit to the environment and society. Breastfeeding families are sick less often and the parents miss less work. With this said, I'm so confused! Why is it that so many nurses/doctors, who should be informed about the importance and benefits of "mama milk" are often times so unsupportive of it? A mother who is struggling to feed her child in the way that God created our bodies to do should not be made to feel like a bad parent, should not be forced to give the baby formula. But instead, be encouraged, shown the right positions to hold the baby, be offered the services of a lactation consultant, ect.
I have been very blessed in my efforts to nurse my two youngest children. My daughter nursed for just over 6 months and weaned herself. And my son is 15 months old and we are still going strong. I cannot tell you how many sideways glances we get. How many times people say to me, "when are you gonna stop that?", even the receptionist at the doctors office said to me, "oh you should stop that!" I'm baffled. A direct quote from the AAP says, "The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby."
In this country of healthy living and awareness of whats good for your body, why is it that one of the fundamental and original ways to do whats the healthiest for your family is demonized? Now, I"m not a "nursing nazi," there are some cases where breastfeeding just doesn't work. But my point is that people in the health care field in particular should be some of the first to offer support for a mother that would like to try it. Not make them feel like their baby is going to suffer because of it. And as a disclaimer, for any of you reading this, if you DID NOT breastfeed your baby this post is in no way intending to belittle or judge you, it is merely a rant from a tired mother of three about the lack of support for those who do.
Ok... so now that my big 'ole rant is over... time for my Crunchy item of the week...
The Crunchy item of the week issss: the gDiaper gCloth inserts. I started cloth diapering in true crunchy fashion and I was amazed at the possibilities of what you could fluff your baby's bum with! The gDiaper is a well known cloth diaper. It is a so called "big name" in cloth. However, I was not aware that there were REUSABLE inserts for the diapers. I was under the assumption that there were only disposable biodegradable inserts. Well these reusable gCloths have received very high ratings and come 6 in a pack for $23 at babiesrus.com. Here is the link! Let me know if you decide to go with cloth, or have used the gCloth reusable inserts before! Enjoy your week!
Here is some food for thought, direct from the American Academy of Pediatrics website: Most health professionals are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding. The AAP continues to support the unequivocal evidence that breastfeeding protects against a variety of diseases and conditions in the infant... Breastfeeding is also a great benefit to the environment and society. Breastfeeding families are sick less often and the parents miss less work. With this said, I'm so confused! Why is it that so many nurses/doctors, who should be informed about the importance and benefits of "mama milk" are often times so unsupportive of it? A mother who is struggling to feed her child in the way that God created our bodies to do should not be made to feel like a bad parent, should not be forced to give the baby formula. But instead, be encouraged, shown the right positions to hold the baby, be offered the services of a lactation consultant, ect.
I have been very blessed in my efforts to nurse my two youngest children. My daughter nursed for just over 6 months and weaned herself. And my son is 15 months old and we are still going strong. I cannot tell you how many sideways glances we get. How many times people say to me, "when are you gonna stop that?", even the receptionist at the doctors office said to me, "oh you should stop that!" I'm baffled. A direct quote from the AAP says, "The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby."
In this country of healthy living and awareness of whats good for your body, why is it that one of the fundamental and original ways to do whats the healthiest for your family is demonized? Now, I"m not a "nursing nazi," there are some cases where breastfeeding just doesn't work. But my point is that people in the health care field in particular should be some of the first to offer support for a mother that would like to try it. Not make them feel like their baby is going to suffer because of it. And as a disclaimer, for any of you reading this, if you DID NOT breastfeed your baby this post is in no way intending to belittle or judge you, it is merely a rant from a tired mother of three about the lack of support for those who do.
Ok... so now that my big 'ole rant is over... time for my Crunchy item of the week...
The Crunchy item of the week issss: the gDiaper gCloth inserts. I started cloth diapering in true crunchy fashion and I was amazed at the possibilities of what you could fluff your baby's bum with! The gDiaper is a well known cloth diaper. It is a so called "big name" in cloth. However, I was not aware that there were REUSABLE inserts for the diapers. I was under the assumption that there were only disposable biodegradable inserts. Well these reusable gCloths have received very high ratings and come 6 in a pack for $23 at babiesrus.com. Here is the link! Let me know if you decide to go with cloth, or have used the gCloth reusable inserts before! Enjoy your week!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Year... New Hopes
Happy New Year everyone!
I have had a great last couple of weeks. Christmas Eve, and Christmas Morning spent with the family at home... LOVE. Then the monday following the kids and I took a short trip to Ohio to see my mother, brother and sister. Then it was New Years Eve not long after! We spent the evening at home with a couple friends and I got the ring in 2011 with a kiss from my wonderful husband! Fortunately the kids got the memo that saturday was "sleep late day" so we didn't have to get out of bed until 9:20ish. Woo hoo!
So... the New Year comes chock-full of lots of different things. For some, new debt from overindulging at Christmas time (hopefully not though). And for others you have made a whole list of "new years resolutions." Yet for some, the new year is coming complete with new challenges. Whatever the situation... the new year is just that... NEW! It'll take most of us about 3 months to start writing 2011 at the end of the date (we will probably have to rip up about 5 checks because of this error).
One thing I want to challenge all of you to focus in this new year is the HOPE that we find in Christ alone. He is the one that can help you with that debt. He can help keep you on track with all of the "resolutions." And HE is the one that you cling to when you face 2011's challenges.
Zepheniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
How amazing is that? He takes delight... in YOU. He is mighty to save... YOU. I have been finding my self lately so bogged down and feeling... hopeless. But this verse is so promising to me. God is with me... he will never forget me. He rejoices over me. Thats the big one, He rejoices over me. There are times when I feel like no one appreciates what I do or how I handle my family or whatever! But gosh... HE appreciates it! HE rejoices over it! Praise God!!! So... in closing to this topic... lean on him... trust in him... HOPE in him. This new year will NOT be perfect, no year ever is. But He loves you and will be with you no matter what you encounter.
SOOOOOO... Being that I am a self proclaimed semi-crunch mama, I have decided that in each post I will share with you one of my new fav crunchy finds! This weeks Crunchy find of the week is Amy's Organics. They are frozen, canned, or jarred items... all premade and easy... but all organic! Everything is vegetarian, and there are gluten free products as well. The best thing about them is that they are easy on the wallet! This afternoon for lunch I had Amy's lentil soup... oh my gosh! DELISH! I buy this stuff at Walmart... but I'm sure you can get it at most places. Please check it out... I really really recommend it!
http://www.amyskitchen.com/index.php
Well thats all for this week. Let me know if you try Amy's Organics or have tried them in the past and let me know what YOU thought of them! Also, leave any prayer requests or any New Years resolutions that you would like to share with us! Thanks!
I have had a great last couple of weeks. Christmas Eve, and Christmas Morning spent with the family at home... LOVE. Then the monday following the kids and I took a short trip to Ohio to see my mother, brother and sister. Then it was New Years Eve not long after! We spent the evening at home with a couple friends and I got the ring in 2011 with a kiss from my wonderful husband! Fortunately the kids got the memo that saturday was "sleep late day" so we didn't have to get out of bed until 9:20ish. Woo hoo!
So... the New Year comes chock-full of lots of different things. For some, new debt from overindulging at Christmas time (hopefully not though). And for others you have made a whole list of "new years resolutions." Yet for some, the new year is coming complete with new challenges. Whatever the situation... the new year is just that... NEW! It'll take most of us about 3 months to start writing 2011 at the end of the date (we will probably have to rip up about 5 checks because of this error).
One thing I want to challenge all of you to focus in this new year is the HOPE that we find in Christ alone. He is the one that can help you with that debt. He can help keep you on track with all of the "resolutions." And HE is the one that you cling to when you face 2011's challenges.
Zepheniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
How amazing is that? He takes delight... in YOU. He is mighty to save... YOU. I have been finding my self lately so bogged down and feeling... hopeless. But this verse is so promising to me. God is with me... he will never forget me. He rejoices over me. Thats the big one, He rejoices over me. There are times when I feel like no one appreciates what I do or how I handle my family or whatever! But gosh... HE appreciates it! HE rejoices over it! Praise God!!! So... in closing to this topic... lean on him... trust in him... HOPE in him. This new year will NOT be perfect, no year ever is. But He loves you and will be with you no matter what you encounter.
SOOOOOO... Being that I am a self proclaimed semi-crunch mama, I have decided that in each post I will share with you one of my new fav crunchy finds! This weeks Crunchy find of the week is Amy's Organics. They are frozen, canned, or jarred items... all premade and easy... but all organic! Everything is vegetarian, and there are gluten free products as well. The best thing about them is that they are easy on the wallet! This afternoon for lunch I had Amy's lentil soup... oh my gosh! DELISH! I buy this stuff at Walmart... but I'm sure you can get it at most places. Please check it out... I really really recommend it!
http://www.amyskitchen.com/index.php
Well thats all for this week. Let me know if you try Amy's Organics or have tried them in the past and let me know what YOU thought of them! Also, leave any prayer requests or any New Years resolutions that you would like to share with us! Thanks!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
10 Days until Christmas!
I cannot believe that it is only 10 days until Christmas! Where has this year gone?? My year has been filled with lots of changes, some heartbreak, lots of joy, a bit of worry and tons and tons of LAUGHTER! I have been so thankful for the people that God has decided to put in my life this year. I have grown old friendships and started new ones. I have even gained a deeper relationship with my husband.
So, getting back to the topic at hand... CHRISTMAS! It is in 10 days! My oldest and I have made a countdown paper chain and every morning he wakes up and takes one link off the chain... we started at the beginning of December and it is getting so short... AH! We also recently made sugar cookie cutouts... which I will never do again because it was the worst experience ever! I dont like it, its not fun for me. However, I am looking for some good cookie recipes so if you have any please feel free to give them to me!
In the next couple of days we will be starting some fun traditions. Baking a cake for Jesus, stuffing out stockings, wrapping presents at night, and doing Christmas Music dance parties before dinner! What are some of your traditions that you enjoy during the Christmas season? Does your family sing and play music around the piano? Do you bake cookies and pass them out to neighbors? Do you wait to decorate the Christmas tree until Christmas eve?
Even with all of the traditions, the holly-jolly-ness and the family gatherings, lets remember what this season is really all about. Its about a tiny baby who was born to save us all. Jesus is the reason for the season!
Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
So, getting back to the topic at hand... CHRISTMAS! It is in 10 days! My oldest and I have made a countdown paper chain and every morning he wakes up and takes one link off the chain... we started at the beginning of December and it is getting so short... AH! We also recently made sugar cookie cutouts... which I will never do again because it was the worst experience ever! I dont like it, its not fun for me. However, I am looking for some good cookie recipes so if you have any please feel free to give them to me!
In the next couple of days we will be starting some fun traditions. Baking a cake for Jesus, stuffing out stockings, wrapping presents at night, and doing Christmas Music dance parties before dinner! What are some of your traditions that you enjoy during the Christmas season? Does your family sing and play music around the piano? Do you bake cookies and pass them out to neighbors? Do you wait to decorate the Christmas tree until Christmas eve?
Even with all of the traditions, the holly-jolly-ness and the family gatherings, lets remember what this season is really all about. Its about a tiny baby who was born to save us all. Jesus is the reason for the season!
Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
A DIY Christmas!
Who says that the holidays have to break the bank? I've been talking with some people who like to utilize their creative bone for Christmas! The first idea.. that I thought was really cute was from my friend Liz. She made pine cone elves... but for a resourceful twist she made them into ornaments! Really all you need is a pine cone, some little wooden balls and felt. Very inexpensive but very cute!
Another great idea I found for people who have adults to give gifts to is these home made ice candles. They are gorgeous and look store bought! You can make them into whatever color you want! And make them as tall and skinny or as short and wide as you want. 1 lb of parafin wax is only $3.50.
By far my favorite thing to craft for christmas has been for the little girls in my life. Its a very simple tutu and matching headband. All you need is tulle and elastic for the tutu and stretchy braided ribbon and silk flowers for the headband. In total for the 3 tutu's the cost is $8 and $12 for AT LEAST 10 headbands.
In short, please dont think that becaues you are on a budget that you can't give gorgeous and quality gifts! Just use your imagination and you have no idea what you could create! Please come back because I will be adding more crafty ideas and inexpensive Christmas gifts!
Another great idea I found for people who have adults to give gifts to is these home made ice candles. They are gorgeous and look store bought! You can make them into whatever color you want! And make them as tall and skinny or as short and wide as you want. 1 lb of parafin wax is only $3.50.
By far my favorite thing to craft for christmas has been for the little girls in my life. Its a very simple tutu and matching headband. All you need is tulle and elastic for the tutu and stretchy braided ribbon and silk flowers for the headband. In total for the 3 tutu's the cost is $8 and $12 for AT LEAST 10 headbands.
In short, please dont think that becaues you are on a budget that you can't give gorgeous and quality gifts! Just use your imagination and you have no idea what you could create! Please come back because I will be adding more crafty ideas and inexpensive Christmas gifts!
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