Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

While sitting here thinking about ways to become more ecologically friendly I decided to think over all the ways we have already, and here is my list:

*Organic gardening
*Composting (CHICKENS!!)
*Breastfeeding (no bottles, no supplementing)
*Natural Family Planning
*Reusable food storage containers
*Reusing the ziploc bags we do have and any grocery bags we might have
*Using cloth grocery bags (this one we need to do more often)
*Cloth diapers and cloth wipes
*Cutting down on paper towels (at least 50%!)
*Carpooling when possible
*Using our own homemade laundry and dishwasher detergent
*Cutting out commerical beauty supplies
*No more commerical cleaners. Vinegar is my best friend!
*Choosing to fill our recycling container over the trash container

And now for ideas that I've either been experimenting with or that interest me:

*No commerical shampoo or conditioner. I'm trying to find the right balance for using baking soda, vinegar, and coconut oil instead.
*Mama cloth.
*Finding natural cleaners for face washing. I've read that Castor Oil can be good for this and want to give it a try.
*Looking for natural baby wash, but haven't been successful yet.

A site I love for making your own mama cloth, diapers, slings, etc http://crafts.sleepingbaby.net/PADS.html

Potty Training: Day Three!

Oh my goodness, I am so very happy with the way this has went the past three days! By the end of the day Kade has been telling me he needs to go pee BEFORE he does it! And he even went poop, well, not in the potty, but he told me as soon as he did it and wanted to sit on the potty (he did it ON a pair of pants on the floor in the living room). And it wasn't explosive! Woohoo!! And his skin looks so good now. No more blisters!!

I think the plan is to just keep doing what we are doing. We are even going out and about and as long as I am taking him frequently (before leaving one place and upon arriving at the next and a few times in between) he's able to keep his pants dry. Maybe next week I'll be able to officially say he's out of diapers! (Well, for during daytime and naps, anyway.)

I'm so very, very, very proud of Kade. My big boy!!

Potty Training: Day Two

Today went fabulous! Only one miss and the rest of the time all potty-ness. No poop yet still, but I imagine tomorrow there will be. We shall see how that goes. I am only hoping there isn't a massive eruption or explosion of feces that covers everything within a 5 ft. radius of where he is standing/sitting when it happens. Thinking all the good pooping-in-the-potty thoughts I have.

Again, I am so very proud of Kade!

GOT GOAT'S MILK?

I knew there had to be something about the benefits of goat milk vs. cow milk and after doing a bit of research here is what Dr. Sears has to say about it...

*Different fat

*Different protein

*Different nutrients

and more! Check out the article!

GOT GOAT'S MILK?

Raw Milk, Goat Milk

We have recently tried goat milk. I'm not talking from a can or from the grocery store, I'm talking goat milk fresh that morning from the goat farm. And it's gooooood. I don't think I want to go back to cow milk for my regular milk drinking needs! If only it weren't $5/half gallon. *Sigh* I like goat milk. And the boys do too!

Next is to try the raw milk. The milk we bought was pasturized, as we had never tried goat milk before and thought we'd take slow steps, in case we didn't like..and raw is a $1 more. So yes, you have to sign a waiver in able to buy raw milk saying you don't hold the local farm liable in case you get a number of serious or nonserious illnesses. I find it amusing. Anyway, yes, adventure on!

Oh! Oh! Before I forget, they also make lotion and soap out of the milk and I will update on how amazing those products are soon. And we had a great time teaching the boys about the goats while watching the buggers play about. It was wonderful!

ETA: For more local info about buying goat milk or milk products check out http://www.drakefamilyfarms.com/

January: No tv in the mornings except for on the weekends: Week Two

The month is halfway over and we are doing great! Some days are harder than others, especially if Trent had an active night meaning I am utterly exhausted in the morning, but we are doing good. It's funny how this weekend the boys aren't even that excited for their 2 hours of Qubo like they used to be. They'd rather be reading books, playing trains, or helping create something new with the sewing machine.

Potty Training: Day One

Today we started Day One of the three days of potty training. We'll see where we are at on Day Three if Kade is actually ready, or if his poor skin got a much needed healing time. See, I know Kade isn't really ready for potty training as he doesn't tell me when he has to go, he wakes up sopping wet and could sit in it for a long while (longer though if in disposables), I strongly doubt he recognizes the urge to go pee or poop until the moment it's about to happen, and he can't go more than 30 minutes without needing to pee. Although in his defense he can get his pants down by himself and can get himself to the toilet by himself...just not ON the toilet. So why start potty training? Because his poor skin is so sensitive and needs a break from needing bum cream on all the time.

Now, how did he do today? GREAT! He went on the toilet many times today...I think no less than 13ish times. He had one miss and that was when we were at the optometrist. Yes, we even left the house to go to taekwondo, optometrist, pay a bill, and then over to Gramma's House. Only one miss, and wasn't even all the way wet to the pants, just enough to wet his underwear. We have yet to ever experience a poop on the potty, and for that I am nervous, but we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Today, I am so proud! Go Kade!

Our Discoveries of the Day

*Goat milk is delicious!

*Kade is no longer afraid of goats and thinks they happen to be silly.

*Braxton's intense memory does indeed crossover into the world of music and piano playing.

*Trent likes spinach.

*Kade enjoys taekwondo.

*Mommy CAN learn to sew!

*Tomato and Carrot soup is quite delicious.

*Brothers really are best friends.

Two New Teeth, Two Loose Teeth

Today I can see that Trent is growing his last two front teeth before working on the molars and Braxton's bottom two teeth are loose! Holy moly! I wonder how long it will take before they start falling out...I'm guessing until about June. I'm really glad Kade is done with any teething for the time being since the idea of 3 boys with new teeth popping up doesn't sound like my idea of a good time....

3/52

Jibber Jabber

Isn't it amazing how different all children are? Even kids in the same family. Just so different. Braxton has been so vocal and has an impeccable memory, Kade is so active, has a GREAT imagination, and is so sensitive, and Trent is so sweet.

He's proving to be a bit of a ham, quite shy, and so observant. I think he's soaking in the details. He will blurt words out every now and then like yesterday when he looked at me and said, "Chicken!" plain as day. I laughed and said, "Chicken?" and after bursting with giggles he says, "Chicken!". I love it. Trent calls Paul dada and I am mamma. He knows Whiskey is a dog and I think he's tried to say "Kade". And with how often he make the "t" sound I wonder if he is trying to say "Trent". Braxton said his name perfectly for the first time at 9 months, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if Trent did the same. Holy cow, I can't believe Trent is 9 months on Sunday! If he were to nurse for the same amount of time as Kade did then in less than a year he will be weaned. I hope not. I hope he nurses until he is 2. I love it and I know he does too (and yes, he has teeth. 6 of them with the 7th on the way!).

January: No TV except on the weekend mornings: Week One

When I first told my boys that Monday thru Friday the tv wasn't getting turned on I was recieved with looks of shock, anger, and even some tears (this includes Paul). PBS is all we ever watch and I know my Braxton and Kade have really missed Dinosaur Train, but we've been surviving. We did cave once when we went to Blockbuster to buy Up because it was on sale and Paul let the boys watch some of it that evening. But we were all together watching, so that's gotta count for something, right? Anyway, so last weekend I told my boys to pick out 5 activities to do from my big art book and we would do one a day. We haven't been great about that part...we've only done two...BUT we have been doing other things, so that's ok too. We've made giant clocks and Kwanzaa masks and the other days we have done things like going to the dinosaur museum (new members! woohoo!), planning and putting together a dessert party, going to the library, karate class, and more. There has been way more coloring going on, which has been great. And more cursive practice. It's amazing how much easier it is to learn writing in cursive than it is in print.

I am planning a visit to the Great Salt Lake next week (weather permitting) and probably going back to the aqaurium. Our dinosaur reading and researching is continuing on, but I think the boys are ready to add in trains. About half the day is spent putting together the tracks and racing the trains around. There is an awesome train museum in both Ogden and Toole and I think it's time we paid a visit.

2/52 (Part Six)

2/52 (Part Five)

2/52 (Part Four)

2/52 (Part Three)

2/52 (Part Two)

Ohio Shame

I lived in Stark County in Ohio for about 6 months in 2008. During that time I paired up with another doula, in hopes of re-starting my doula business in Ohio. This other doula had at least of decade of expereince working in Ohio and one of the first things she pointed out was how slow it was and how many cesereans she had attended. When I got my first phone call from a potential client for an interview I immediately began calling the local hospitals to ask for statistics and was horrified at what I was finding out...one hospital reported that nearly 50% of their patients had cesereans (they claimed it was because of how many high risk patients they had)!! HOLY CRAP!! So when I became pregnant with my third son, Trent, I was able to convince Paul that a homebirth would be so much safer. Though with the legislation as it was then, it was pretty risky to have a midwife too..it would all have to be "underground". So with the plan of possibly having an unattended pregnancy and birth, we set out to hire our midwife. Thank goodness we ended up coming back to Utah when I was only 3 months pregnant. I did have my homebirth, but rather than having to hide it I have been able to announce it to the world and share my fabulous midwife's name, Raeann, with everyone and recommend her to all. With all this in mind, I made a very disturbing discovery today...Ohio's 2008 ceserean rate for FIRST TIME, LOW RISK MOTHERS is 27.1%!! 1 in 3 perfectly healthy pregnant women are subjected to all the risks of having an ceserean for no good reason. No wonder America's maternal and fetal mortality rate is so awful.

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2010/1/5/ohio-releases-hospitals-2008-c-section-rates-for-low-risk-fi.html

Feeling Wingy(less)

Last night we decided it was finally time to let the chickens be out and about during the daytime (while the our very curious boxers stay inside) so before we opened the door for free roaming, we headed to the store to pick up some scissors so we could clip their flying wings (totally painless and harmless!!). Figuring we'd just hit the closest store to us, we picked Wal-mart. If you ever decide to have chickens and need to clip their wings I don't suggest going to the craft department at Wal-mart where the cranky old lady with poofy gray hair sits with a menacing stare that dares you to ask for any type of assistance for if you do may the Universe come and save you from the secret CIA moves she secretly practices on her breaks just in case someone like you happens to ask a question that she just might consider one of the most stupid questions on the face of this earth...or she might try to eat your kids. Anyway, we did dare to ask (and thank Goddess she didn't pull out the CIA moves or eat my kids, but we both know she was thinking about it) if she might happen to know which pair of scissors one should use when preparing to clip the tips of chicken feathers. She thought we were joking. After assuring her that we were indeed not joking and wanted to clip feathers she told us to go "that farm store". Yes, we know we should have gone to the farm store but we had guests who were soon coming to visit and upon their visit were planning on feasting on Oreo pies, fresh raspberries and a bit Jell-O topped with whipped cream, and orange smoothies made with non-chlorinated water as of the guests who were coming there happened to be a chlorine allergy among them and we didn't have any of the ice cubes made with the non-chlorinated water or any of the desserts made yet...we the ingredients for those up on that same shopping trip....so we didn't have time to go "the farm store". Sooooooo......while cranky old lady with poofy gray hair walked away deciding whether or not to call security on the hooligans with chickens, we picked out a grand pair of scissors (and the rest of our goodies) and headed home to clip, mix, whip, and refrigerate.

Oh...and the chickens did quite well. I think they enjoyed Kade crooning softly to them, "Don't worry little chickens, me-me keep you safe."

For more backyard chicken info check out http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Science & Sensibility » Her Survival Was a “Christmas Miracle,” but the Disaster Was Man-Made

Science & Sensibility » Her Survival Was a “Christmas Miracle,” but the Disaster Was Man-Made

What We Love To Watch

And Kade is always asking for "The Baby Mamas":

2/52 (Part One)

Woozles, Dragons, and Igloos..Oh My!

Today was a day of:

Woozles

dragons

igloos

caribou

trains

roaring

Masiakasaurases

Today was a good day.

1/52 (Part Two)

1/52 (Part One)