January 2013 New Beginnings

Happy New Year!
Three really cool things have happened:
1) We got to see my family and went skiing! K got to try it for the first time. It was awesome! He's only three years old! Can't wait to do it again.

2) I got money from my parents as a Christmas gift, so I decided to get a toaster oven. Why? Because I was trying to step away from using the microwave as much a possible for many reasons. The few reasons that come to mind right now are
RADIATION,
THE FACT THAT ALL FOOD NUTRIENTS GET KILLED,
IT FEEDS INTO THE WHOLE "IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION" CULTURE WE LIVE IN
Well, it took a little bit of an adjustment on my part (mostly pre-planning), but I did it! My initial goal was to cut my microwave usage by half, but then I figured I'd try to go 100% without using the microwave.
It will be 4 weeks and I haven't used the microwave at all! Not. Even. Once.
My husband still uses it, but only for his stuff and the one time he was going to warm something up for K, he yelled, "Not the microwave, Dad!" Lol. Good boy. :)

3) We are still going strong on the whole juicing thing and eating lots of raw fruits and veggies. The new thing about it is that Baby Girl (almost 1 year old) is now also drinking juiced fruits and veggies every single morning! She loves it! And the best part is that she's not picky about what is in it (beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, you name it, she'll drink it all). And thank goodness that she does because she is down to 2-3 breastfeedings a day and she is not a milk person. I have tried all kinds of milk and she won't have any of it. So she is getting many of her nutrient from the juices and no, it does not upset her stomach of make her have loose stool. Now, juicing is officially a family affair!

(left to right: A's cup, hubby's cup, K's cup and my cup)

This is a really cool plate I found at Wal-mart. It has helped K learn about what foods go into every category to eat a balanced meal. We list off foods and say whether they're fruits, vegetables dairy, etc. He loves it and I do, too. I helps to know portion sizes for a toddler and what a balanced meal looks like.

Brand new

First use: blood orange (fruit), barley (grain), green bell peppers (vegetable),
chicken (protein), and mozzarella cheese (dairy).

End result: SUCCESS!!!

Week 13: Beautiful and Heartfelt Quote

This week was a more relaxed week in terms of how much homeschooling we did; we learned lots, nonetheless. The reason why it was more relaxed is partly because we've been out of routine for a little while and we haven't been intentional about getting back into it full-swing. And partly, it is because I still haven't had too much time to get Caleb's materials together. Granted, we could've worked on stuff I already have ready, but oh well, I'll eventually get into it.

I'm just being honest. I love homeschooling. One of the things I love most about it is the flexibility it gives us. And I am definitely taking advantage of it! haha
I wrote the following as my Facebook status today and it is true through and through: 

"The day I stepped away from the chalkboard to pursue a career as a mother, 

I knew I wouldn't stay away for long. And I was right. 

Homeschooling is so wonderful, so rewarding, 

and so special because I am teaching my own seed, 

which definitely carries more weight and responsibility alike. 

What a privilege!" 

Needless to say, it got many "likes".

Essential Oils and Homemade Body Wash and Hand Soap

I have a good friend who knows a lot about essential oils and their therapeutic/healing properties. She has taught me about them and last night I got some clove essential oil from her to make a natural teething remedy for my baby to complement the Baltic amber necklace.  Yes, she is getting a tooth already.  Sigh, time is flying! The natural teething cream is making a paste with raw organic shea butter, coconut oil, and a few drops of clove essential oil.  Totally edible, natural, and nontoxic.  I am excited about making it!  
My friend also let me borrow a book that gives all kinds of information about essential oils.  So informative!  It is called Essential Oils Pocket Reference and you can find it here.
Keep reading to find out more about essential oils and the recipe to make body wash and hand soap at home.

Complete and perfect homemade toothpaste

-  1 tbsp bentonite clay
-  3 tbsp baking soda
-  20 drops grapefruit seed extract
-  5 drops clove essential oil
-  10 drops of another essential oil (I like cinnamon and bergamot or any minty ones - spearmint,
   peppermint, wintergreen, etc)

Equal parts of coconut oil and grapeseed oil (enough to make a paste).
You might need to add a little bit of water, as the clay absorbs liquids readily.
Taste it, it's great; you might not need to sweeten it at all, but if you feel you do, add dashes of xylitol to taste.
Keep it in a glass jar with a lid. I like a 4oz quilted mason jar.

I am a Young Living essential oils distributor. You can order from www.youngliving.com and use my distributor number to order if you'd like (1498096).