Saturday Links

It's that time of the week again! Saturday! I hope you all had a good week. I know I did. This Saturday I'm in Evansville, visiting my little brother. After a late night, I'm up with the littles watching Thomas the Train. But I still have links. So enjoy! 


The Thoughtful Parents Guide To Thinking Through Vaccinations - by Keeper of the Home

Warm and Fuzzy Budgeting - by Simple Mom

Loosen the Grip of More Stuff - by Small Notebook

Framed Maps - The Inspired Room (loved this idea for decorating!)

Sew & Tell: Vintage Button Display - Homework Today's Assignment: Be Inspired (adore this site)

Leasons I'm Learning Through Suffering

Hello Everyone. After a long day, it's nice to sit in the quiet. Rod is putting Isaac to sleep. Super Bubby is already in slumber-land. It's storming outside and I'm having some much needed Mommy time. I'm actually supposed to be in the shower, but oh well. 

I sat down earlier today and started a post about family routine.  It's a post I still intend to publish but my heart is pulled in another direction today. I have some things I keep playing over in my mind; lessons I'm learning the hard way. 

I'm fairly certain I learn most things the hard way...Don't we all to an extent? Or is it that the hard lessons stand out in our minds? One lesson I'm sure we all learn with battle scars is humility and submission. Ironic really because we fight ourselves. But anyway...back to what I've been learning. 


I think I struggle, more than most, with pride. Everyone does but some of us are weaker in this area of false strength. My pride is thinking I can do everything myself. I don't need help. And I'm almost always right. Wow...my honesty just made me a little sick. It manifests itself the most by being impatient and frustrated when I can't control my life and when I can't allow myself to be submissive to my husband, it causes conflict. (Yes, I just said submissive. But that discussion is for another post). Those two areas I learned a great deal about this week.
 
Many of you know I have a chronic illness. It's a funny circumstance that my illness limits my ability to 'do everything' and even more ironic that it comes with brain fog so it's a lot harder to think I'm 100% right all the time.


Let me stop to clarity that I'm not complaining (well maybe a little). I hardly ever talk about my issues except to those who have chronic pain themselves and to Rod. It makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable...probably, again, because I'm prideful and talking about it makes me feel weak. But I'm learning some lessons in humility so, for once, I'm laying it all out in the open (doesn't get more open than the Blogosphere!). So, here it goes...


I don't like being sick. But when I consider my life without pain, I come face to face with a person much different than I am now. And I don't see contentment, gratitude, joy in simple things. I most certainly don't see submission. I don't see humility because...


...My circumstances teach me something every day. I've spent the past couple years fighting and resisting the idea of learning ANYTHING from pain. It's bad enough that I'm in pain, right? Why should I have to learn anything from it? So wrong. So I keep trying to do everything myself. I keep pushing people away (our spouses usually get the brunt of this). I keep trusting, not in God, but myself. After all, if I can still take care of myself, I don't need Him. Again...so devastatingly wrong. 

This seems like the part in the story where I say my pain is through the roof and I can hardly cope. But, thankfully, that's not been the case. No, this lesson (even though it's been hard) has come from a much gentler source. My husband. When I married him 4 years ago, he probably never thought he'd hear me saying this. My pride was worse then. But here I am saying it now. For the first time it's sinking into my heart, and not just my head. 


While I am a special child of God, I am not important without Him. I cannot do this thing on my own. I am not a good wife without God's grace. I am impatient with my kids without the peace of knowing Christ. The fact I don't always get the housework done is irrelevant if I miss the heart issues. And I can't always control my circumstances. But I can learn to trust that Christ will get me through them. That is lesson number 1: HUMILITY.  

My husband is one of the most valuable gifts God has given me because he helps draw me closer to Christ. And even if I'm usually right about plans and time and organizing...Rod is usually right about matters of the heart. And I need to thank him for helping teach me a little about submission this week. A lesson He didn't really mean to teach me but since lesson #1 was already taking place, I could actually hear lesson #2: SUBMISSION


After a few days of pain and trials, anyone would say I am justified to feel overwhelmed and angry with my situation. But in God's grace, he prepared me for those hard days through Rod and a sweet conversation we had about humility. The impression it left on me was so great, it carried me through each moment I could feel myself getting frustrated and angry. And because He was teaching me about submission, I could allow Rod to lead (through being a servant, I might add). The one time I began to have control withdrawals (and feel a bit defeated) by husband so graciously came to my rescue and because I had trusted him instead of taking back the reigns, the reward of joy and peace was overwhelming. 

That's all I have to share about my lessons. It's hard to go into detail on a blog but sometimes it's better to leave the details in my memory and focus on the outcome instead. If you took time to read my story today, I thank you. Everyone needs an ear from time to time.


Whether you have chronic pain or another life issue that is hard to deal with, let it teach you all it can. Otherwise our pain is all in vain and life just seems cruel. But if we can allow it to draw us closer to our Heavenly Father, it's all worth while. 


Do you struggle with an area of life? How do you deal with it?

Decluttering The Junk Room...errr, Office.

Whew! What a day. After 2 1/2 years of living in Calhoun, I have finally got the office to working standards. You can actually see the floor. And for the first time, I can type a blog post from the office desk instead of a random corner of the house (usually my bed).

It wasn't easy. Here is a picture of the stuff I dragged from the office to the living room to get out of the house. I feel like I have a tumor in my living room floor....It's hard to believe all that stuff was in my small office area (not to mention the stuff Rod took out last week!).

What I find amusing is that most families I know have one of 'those rooms'. The luminous black hole that collects all the items you don't want anymore but don't have time to get rid of, plus your vacuum cleaner, 5 memory boxes from when you were a child, your hubby's baseball cards, Christmas decorations.....Is there anything that doesn't end up in this room?

I am now happy to report my office looks rather bare. I moved my desk into my bedroom for a nice, cozy work space. And without piles of boxes and junk thrown across the floor, it feels like a different room.

And I feel different too. Lighter. Less stressed. That is what unnecessary and unuseful things do to us...they weigh us down. As much as I was teasing before, my junk room was a lot like a psychological tumor. I hated being in this room. And the task "Organize Office" was working it's way farther and farther down my to-do list. Now I can cross it off the list entirely. That feels so good.

So I would encourage you today to do some de-cluttering. Whether it's that annoying junk drawer in your kitchen, the messy garage or a unkempt room in your home...find time today to clean it out. You'll be amazed how cleaner your mind will feel and how much lighter your spirit will be!

Now...maybe I'll learn to keep it junk free.

Soda Can Give You Cancer?

I don't often post about specific articles or happenings but this bit of information couldn't slide by without a shout out.
Many of you may have already read this article (or one like it). I read it several days ago but I keep talking about it, probably  because I'm so shocked. At this point, I'm not sure why our food industry shocks me. I should be fairly used to their blatant disregard for the public's health....

So, the newest thing to shock even me:

Caramel Carcinogen - your soda pop could kill you

Maybe this was such a blow because I love soda and have had such a hard time giving it up. If the damaging effects of High Fructose Corn Syrup aren't enough to make me stop, this definitely will be. And I'm happy to report I have had ZERO sodas since I read this article!

Ahhh....healthier, happier body.

I found this article via Food, Inc's Facebook page. 'Like' their page to get frequent updates on eating healthy.

5 Ways To Get Nothing Done

Today's post hits a little too close to home (actually most of my posts do). I used to be a chronic do-it-all kind of person. I never sat still and got little sleep. I got a lot of 'things' done but I ran myself into the ground in the process.

Now, at 23, I am a chronic tired person. I am possibly more productive but only because I have to pick and chose the most important things to get done. I don't have energy to do it all anymore (although I never really did). So needless to say, I've learned a few tricks to help myself be more productive and discipline. But if you have days you want to get nothing done (I've had a few recently) then here is what you should do....

Leave the bed a mess - Getting up and not making the bed is a great way to start the day of unproductively. It leave you feeling like, at any moment, you'd like to crawl back under the covers for a good nap. So, if you want to get less done in your day, don't make the bed! (I know. I can't believe I said that either)

Stay in your jammies - I think some days are perfectly fine to stay in sweats and a t-shirt. I do that most days! Especially if it's cleaning day. But on days I need to get some serious work done (errands, perhaps?) nothing thwarts my plans like not getting dressed. Suddenly it feels like Saturday and I'd rather watch movies with the kids than go to the grocery!

Leave the t.v on...all day. - I'll admit there was a time I would leave the television on as "background noise". And that may have been partly true. However, I know I didn't get much done because I'd stop periodically to see what Rachael Ray was cooking or how awesome that new bedroom looked on HGTV. Now, I don't have television channels but I can get distracted by the kids movies and before I know it...I'm back in bed watching Toy Story for the millionth time. If I want to be the most productive, I have to turn it off (or maybe unplug it!).

Spend the day on Facebook - Most of you probably know I spend quite a bit of time on my laptop, especially Facebook. Ever notice how you can sit down for "5 minutes" and that turns into an hour? Or maybe you sit down to check Facebook but soon you've been to Twitter and the daily news (don't forget the celebrity gossip). Then you decided to change your hairstyle and buy some books on Amazon. As amazing as the Internet can be, it can also be a HUGE time-waster! Sometimes, after all my work is done, I purposely sit down for some computer time. But a great way to get nothing done is to spend countless hours on the computer, first thing in the morning, with no plan to get off.

Start the day without a plan - Some thing I am learning, but have not perfected, is planning for the day ahead. I've started sitting down the night before to make out my to-do list, plan for dinner, write down any errands or goals, etc. This has been so effective in getting things done. But I can take it to the bank...if I want to be less productive (or not at all) I'll make no plan and let the day be my guide. Sometimes that is appropriate (say when your kids are sick) but it's not for everyday.

I hope you took this list as sarcastically as I meant it. We all have days we need to rest and perhaps stay in bed! Other days, when it just seems like we can't get anything done, we may need to look at our habits and see if they prevent us from being productive. Sometimes all it takes are a few simple steps and we're on our way to getting that to-do list done! But don't forget to look at this list again, when you need some down time. And maybe you could add "Read Organic Homemaking" somewhere in there too. :-)

What about you? What things keeps you from being productive? Do you have designated days to relax and have fun?

Valentine's Day Bandwagon

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Now that I've said that, I'll say, I'm not big on V-Day. For no particular reason, except that I'm not really a mushy person....and Valentine's Day is SO mushy. 

But I don't want to rain on anyone's parade because it is sort of a big holiday and people seem to really get into it. So, to make sure I don't feel left out, here is my list for this Monday: Top 14 reasons I Love My Hubby (in no particular order)



1. He's patient with me. 
2. He sings in the morning (a quality I pretend to hate but secretly makes me smile). 
3. He's a great daddy. 
4. He sees the good in people. 
5. He makes me try new things
6. He makes up his own words to songs.
7. And then sings the same line over and over and over....
8. We're total opposites, but he takes time to 'get' me. 
9. He wakes up everyday working to be a better, godlier man. 
10. His cooking always surprises me (this goes along with #5). 
11. He's a kid at heart. 
12. But also one of the wisest people I know. 
13. He loves his family more than anything...
14. Except God, and that's why he loves his family so well. 

Sometimes it's good to be mushy. 

Happy Valentines Day, Rod.  

Saturday Links

We have had one sick kid at our house this week. And, as all of you parents know, when your kids are sick...everything stops. Well, everything except watching their favorite movies over, and over, and over.....

The one thing I have had time for (because my handy netbook sits right in my lap) is Internet surfing. I'm almost maxed out on television and computers. But anyway...

For some time now, I've wanted to designate one day a week for cool links I want to pass along. Today seems like a good day. What I'm really saying is I've watched too much Go Diego Go, my brain is mushy and I don't have a blog post for you! And it may take me a couple days to re-cooperate. 

So..Da Da Da! Your Saturday links. Have fun! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights - the perfect treat for your man! - Passionate Homemaking

Praise Junkies Beware - Not Just Cute
14 Organic & Fair Trade Chocolates - The Daily Green
Finding Joy in the Early Morning - Keeper of the Home (I personally loved this post as I am not much of a morning person)
Joy in Mothering  - Raising Homemakers
Breaking Picky Eaters - Food for My Family


I'm seeing a lot of 'joy' and 'chocolate'...Maybe they go hand-in-hand!

Holistic Living 101: Finding Time for Spiritual Health

It's the last day of our Holistic Living Series and I'm sad to see it go. To be honest, there are so many things I could still write about. I haven't touched on every aspect of living holistically but eight posts is enough for me!

I saved spiritual health for last on purpose. It takes balance in every area of life to be successful but our spirituality and relationship with God brings everything else together and gives it meaning. We may think we've got the other areas under control but unless we're under God's control our efforts are futile.

And so I titled this blog post "Finding Time for Spiritual Health" because I believe most of us know what spiritual health means. We can picture what a healthy relationship with Christ would look like in our lives. But what I struggle with in my life (and I think others struggle with this as well) is how we make that picture a reality. So here are some ideas I've found that work...when I am disciplined to do them. I hope they help you too.

A healthy spiritual life needs DAILY attention. I know I'm guilty of going two or three days without opening my Bible. And when I do - my days are a mess. Spending time with God is not just a luxury...it's a necessity. Anyone who thinks they are doing ok without this vital time, is only fooling themselves (and will more than likely crash and burn soon).
My husband tells a smart analogy that asks if you would go without eating tangible food for days at a time? Would you only eat food on Sundays and perhaps, Wednesdays? We are spiritually starving ourselves when we don't make daily time to be with God, in His Word, so He can do the talking and we can be refreshed.

Schedule time for renewal. There is no shame in putting your spiritual needs on a to-do list or on your daily planner. It doesn't make you less spiritual if you need reminders to slow down. I write my wake up/quiet time on my daily schedule. Seeing it reminds me what my priorities are.
It's a great idea to schedule less frequent, more concentrated times for refreshing as well. Maybe once a week you sit down and evaluate how your past week went and spend time in prayer for goals in the next week. Or perhaps you can take a day, once a month, to do the same thing. Plan it and it's more likely to happen!


Be flexible. Wait, didn't I just say stick to schedule? Yep. But if you become so focused on having to get your quiet time done, it becomes a burden. For example: I plan to get up at 7 each morning and spend some quiet, peaceful time reading my Bible and in prayer. Some mornings Caleb wakes me up at 7 and I don't get alone time. I can either try to read with Caleb playing in the same room or I can wait until the kids take a nap. Some days I sit down at 10 pm because the day hasn't gone as planned. That's ok too. The important thing is that you make time.


Serve. Our spiritual lives are not complete without service. That will look different for each person whether you cook meals for a sick neighbor, teach Bible class, clean the church building (for free!), kiss your child's 'boo-boos', etc. etc. etc.
Let me clarify that service does not mean doing everything. Because each person is asked to serve in Christ's body, no one person should be doing it all. But no one person should be doing nothing either. :-)
I think many women feel exhausted and unable to get it all done because we're trying to do everyone elses stuff as well as our own. And that's not a noble cause when we're doing that out of control and lack of trust (in others as well as God). Here is an example (and I hope my husband doesn't mind).

I often feel an overwhelming need to point out to my husband every thing he could be doing 'better'. While I may rationalize that I am helping him, I am only lying to myself. What my 'help' really says is that I don't trust Rod to grow and work things out himself. And as a Christian, I'm saying I don't trust God to perfect a good work in him. That's not to say we don't help grow each other but if we are searching our hearts...we know the difference. Now, that may mean things don't get done the way I think they should but when I interfere I show my lack of trust and rob my husband of a chance to grow (this works both ways by the way).

On the flip side, we can often be slow to serve others because we're afraid of being taking advantage of. We definitely should show wisdom and discernment. But lets not be hasty. How much of a lesson am I 'teaching' Rod if I leave his shoes by the door and 'remind' him about it daily? I have to ask myself all the time - What is the real issue? Am I going to be taken advantage of? Or am I really afraid to trust God to work on this person's heart if they do take advantage of me?


Feed the Spirit.


The same hold true for our spiritual health. Our healthy spiritual 'eating' will hopefully push out the junk in our lives. But I know tons of people (and have done this myself) who do all the right spiritual things but don't die to the flesh. What does it mean to starve the flesh? That will be different for each person. It could mean giving up your favorite t.v show because deep down it's worldly (and the same goes for movies). Have we taken inventory of our music and it's lyrics lately? Do they feed the Spirit or remind us how 'great' the world seems?


This is not an easy task because it goes against what we want. But Christ asks us to die to flesh. He didn't say keep flesh tucked away in your basement and feed it enough to keep it alive. It's a process but what's did Paul say? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!


Spiritual health, just like physical health, takes lots of discipline and encouragement. Let's not forget to spur one another on, just like we would do with eating healthy!


What things do you do to stay spiritually fit?

Holistic Living 101: The Green Baby

I am so excited for today's post! Nothing is sweeter than babies and nothing more fun to write about! I am also excited because it was having my own little boy that ignited a passion for green living and homemaking!

Two years ago I brought home the most precious bundle I could ever take care of. Suddenly the air seemed more polluted, there was dust everywhere and I felt the need to know what was in everything. Most new moms are probably like that but my curious nature drove me to learn more and more about how to take care of my baby in the most natural way possible. But I think most of you probably already know about BPAs and organic baby food so I'm going to talk about some things that are a little off the radar. Some of these ideas are not strictly suited to every family, they are simply things that have worked for our family and may work for yours too! Let's start with some green changes anyone can make (I just love saying that).

All Natural Baby Soap - When you get to the baby section in your store and scan the shelves for baby soap and shampoo, you probably skip over the all natural soaps. Why?  They cost so much more than conventional soap. As much as I love the smell of Burt's Bees Baby Bee Soap, we don't buy it often. But I would suggest switching to an all natural soap of some kind. Regular store bought soaps are full of chemicals and fragrances - things absorbed into your baby's skin when they are washed with it (the same holds true for lotion). Allergies and other skin problems are just one issue that can come about from regular soaps. Check out Cosmetic Database for a chance to look up your favorite baby soap and see what ingredients are in it as well as it's rating for toxicity.

Baby-wearing I love baby carriers. And I love baby wearing! Nothing makes me feel attached to my baby in the same way that baby-wearing does. I'm pretty sure he feels the same way too! Not only does it help foster mother/baby attachment but baby-wearing can give you an extra arm, so to speak. I can't tell you how many times I've put Caleb in his sling when I needed to get some things done. When he wants to explore and play, he gets down and he's usually less fussy about it because he has satisfied his need for closeness. Baby carriers are also great on the go. You may get some strange looks, but wearing your baby in the supermarket has it's perks. I have never (and I mean never) had to deal with a fussy baby when he's in his sling at the grocery. I may be getting lucky but I think it has something to do with baby-wearing. And for an extra green twist, look online for small businesses that make their own baby-carriers or buy a gently used one!

Buy Wooden or Glass Products - I know I said I wasn't going to talk about BPA but I just can't help talking about plastics in general. While plastic has certainly made things cheaper to purchase, it has quite a few downfalls (that I won't get into here for time sake). Now, let me clarify up front that I am not being a green snob. We own plastic sippy cups and toys and we're grateful for them. I only want to present perhaps a better option. Buying glass is often more difficult with young children but you have the option to purchase glass bottles for babies. With toys, usually the best option is wooden (or another sustainable material) with non-toxic paint. Those can be quite pricey per toy so here are some solutions.
One, you can purchase a lesser (but still better) toy option by buying wooden but without a guarantee of non-toxic paint (let me clarify that unless it states clearly on the label that a product is 'organic' or 'bio-degradable' or 'non-toxic' - it still contains harmful chemicals. Paint may not have lead in it but that doesn't make it edible). I have found lots of wooden toys at Walmart at good prices. (I can't believe I just said that). Two, you may consider purchasing toys from a manufacturer you know has integrity but compensate for the price by purchasing less toys. I personally think that is the best option. After all, how many toys do babies really need? And most of the toys from, say Oompa Toys, are not only eco-friendly but educational and stimulating as well. Not to mention how adorable they are!

Breastfeeding - I have been so impressed with the upward publicity of breastfeeding. While some of it can be far-fetched and there are still a lot of misconceptions about it, breastfeeding is gaining popularity as more women know of the benefits. With an understanding that not all women can breastfeed all the time or at all, it is still undeniable that breastmilk is far superior to formula (no matter what those commercials say). There is no other way to feed a baby that is so specially designed to meet their every nutritional need! Plus, if you decide to do child-led weaning, you insure your little one has all the nutrition they can get for a longer period of time.
I think it's also good to note that breastfed babies do get sick, but usually less often that those not-breastfed. And their rate of ear-infections is lower as well. I often think of breastfeeding as the ultimate green food for babies, and it is!

Co-sleeping

Now the biggest issues I've heard to co-sleeping are these:

• It's not safe - actually co-sleeping is often found to be safer than crib sleeping, if done properly. Check out this study done in 2002 on crib/adult bed sleeping statistics. As well as this article that talks about SIDS and co-sleeping (it also has safety tips to look over). 
• It will spoil your child - As sincere as people are, this actually makes me laugh. There is nothing wrong with differences of opinion and preference, however (a big however), where children sleep will not determine whether they are spoiled or not. Unhealthy emotions and dependencies with co-sleeping can possibly 'spoil' children, but sleeping arrangements alone will not. If we are taking time to develop character in our children and foster healthy independence at the proper times, we will insure they are not spoiled. 
• They will never get out of your bed - Ironically, I know this to be true in some families and they are quite content with it! Those arrangements don't work for every family and often children start sleeping by themselves between 2 - 5 years of age. I will say, I've never worried about Isaac or Caleb being 15 and still wanting to sleep with mommy and daddy! 

I say all of this because I love co-sleeping with my boys and I wholeheartedly believe in it. I do know that co-sleeping is not for everyone and some babies don't like to co-sleep at all so you have to work out what is best for your family. I've included some links at the bottom if you want to do some more reading.

I think that is all we'll talk about for now. I am hoping to do some post strictly geared toward natural parenting (well, aspects of it) in the near future. If you have any specific topics you would like me to talk about, leave a comment below or email me!
Check out the links below. They contain the links already promised as well as some websites I love. And enjoy this sweet, short Top Ten list for a green baby (I couldn't help myself).
1. Make your own baby food.
2. Use Cloth Diapers
3. Hang dry clothes (and diapers)
4. Make your own diaper cream
5. Use all natural soaps, shampoos etc
6. Buy Organic cotton clothing
7. Research and try Natural Elimination (have fun with that!)
8. Use BPA free sippy cups or try stainless steel
9. Keep your baby health with natural remedies and chiropractic care.
10. Name your baby Willow, Spring, or Mountain so they feel especially green...haha, not really. Just making sure you're paying attention!

P.S. - You may have noticed I used family pictures today in the blog (minus the nursing baby, that would just be too personal if it was me). I did that so you could see my family, in action, doing the things I am writing about today. If I can do it, so can you!

What 'green' or natural things do you do with your baby? Have these changes been hard or easy? 

Safe Co-Sleeping - by Dr. Sears.
The Family Bed - An article by Kellymom that's so easy to read!
SIDS, The Family Bed, & The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission  - by Dr. Green - I loved this article
Green Baby Guide - A website I recently stumbled upon. It has a little bit of everything!
Green-mommy - Another fun green site.
Safe Mama - All you could ever want to know about safe child products.

For the Love of Milk

I am deviating from our Holistic Living Series to bring you a snapshot in the life of my 10 month old, Caleb. Anyone who knows Caleb knows how much he loves to eat. His mood can literally do a 180 when his belly is full. Today, I snapped this picture after he'd had a chance to drink some milk...

Now, tell me that isn't a happy face!

Breast milk: The Immune Booster and Happy Pill...all in one.