Happy 8th Birthday Austin

Christmas 2007

We Wish You a Merry Christmas..

Thought I'd post a little something here..since I have been rather busy doing everything BUT blogging. My shopping isn't done (still have 2 gift cards to buy), cookies aren't baked (the children MUST have their sugar cookies, frosted.. of course), and Christmas pictures..well.. Not going to happen. They will have to be post Christmas pictures. I never procrastinate, but this year has been something else. Starting with chicken pox before Thanksgiving.. Now the last few days, the days I had planned to finish up the holiday details (pictures, gifts, baking and grocery shopping), I ended up at a marathon birth (I was there almost 30 hours). That put a serious glitch in my plans. Oh well. Must press on!

This year, due to Savannah's busy little hands, I only put the kids hand made ornaments on the tree.
I apologize for the lack of kid-pictures. They will be on here ASAP. Promise. In case I don't make it back here before Christmas...

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Love and Blessings!

Staci

Chicken Pox Update

Savannah (18months) has a much worse case than Adrian (4 years old) did... but she is such a trooper. Still no fever, still feeling pretty good. I have been preventing her from scratching by putting her in footy-pajamas. Lots of baths and kisses...she will be just fine.

Did I mention that now Austin (age 7) has them. He was vaccinated for them, but still got them. His outbreak is very similar in severity to Adrian's (not vaccinated for them).

Your prayers are very appreciated...thank you. :)

Spots

We have been over Adrian's chicken pox for well over a week. His spots are healed. He never did get "sick" or even uncomfortable. He didn't even scratch his spots..just the one behind his ear. His most serious issue was a spot on his eyelid.. ouch! But that too is long gone.

Last night Savannah (18 months old) had 8 spots on her belly. This morning more.. but she isn't acting sick either. No fever, no..nothing?
I hope that we get through hers as easily as we did Adrians.

I am thankful for healthy, strong immune systems!!

More updates soon...have to go get Savannah up from her nap..

The Children's Museum

Friends and Family:

We really do have a lot to be thankful for this year...don't we?

I thought of listing all of the things I am thankful for, but I don't even know where to begin. The grace and mercy that the Lord has shown this past year, to those that are closest to me..is more than I can say...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Staci

Chicken Fox

Ironic


Would you believe me if I told you that this morning Adrian (my 4 year old son) came down with chicken pox?? Three days after I blogged about it...


Over a week ago he had a fever for 12 hours, and slept most of the day. Then he was perfectly fine. This morning woke up with about 8 spots. I was trying to figure out whether they were flea bites...or what in the world they could be.


By noon, his 8 spots...are 80+ spots, and blistering. He is running around the house, "I have chicken fox!!!!" "I have the chicken fox!!!!" No other symptoms, no fever. Hmmm.

Wordless Wednesday

What Are You Into This Month??

The Book I Am Into: The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, The Essential Guide to Nutritional and Botanical Medicine for the Childbearing Year, by Shonda Parker, author of Mommy Diagnostics. No, I am NOT pregnant, just love studying herbs, natural healing, and midwifery related stuff. This book is awesome, I can't believe I didn't find it sooner.

Magazine I Really Like: I can't think of the last time I had time to read a magazine. How about the Vision Forum catalog? If you are needing Christmas ideas for you kids, and want a really special, meaningful gift for them that sparks their imagination...this is where to look!! Request a free catalog today.

The CD I Can't stop Listening To: Victorious Valley Girls Home, just something my friend gave me, that makes me happy! :)

The BLOG I Am Always Reading: Baby Catcher, the day to day happenings of baby catching in poverty stricken Malawi Africa. I don't know how she does it. I would be numb with grief.

What I Am Most Looking Forward To Next Month: As much as I dislike to inevitable winter..I am really forward to Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. I love cooking warm satisfying meals..soups..pies..and most of all: holiday meals. I need some down time to look through some cooking magazines, and cookbooks to get some recipes.
Most of all I am looking forward to Christmas. If it would snow just one day a year, I wish it would on Christmas Eve, so that Christmas day we have a new blanket of snow. I can't wait to see Savannah's reaction to snow, sledding, and Christmas tree lights.

If you are still reading, consider yourself tagged, I would love to hear what YOU are into this month. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment about what YOU are into!

Apology, explanation, and a reality check.

Just thought I would check in and say hello. I want to apologize to all of my friends who I have not called back.. and for emails that have not been returned. I have been so very busy with trying to keep up on the boys school, keep up with housework, and make arrangements for the church play that is in 2 weeks. I help with the scenery, props, etc.. and assist with costumes, make up, etc.. and anything else that needs to be done.

Last week I spent 27 hours at a first time moms house while she labored, and ended up in the hospital with c-section. The 2 days after that were spent trying to do what I wasn't home to do.

The last few home births I have attended have all ended in transports to the hospital. No medical emergencies or anything horrible...just lack of progress at home, and the moms need help because they were physically and mentally exhausted. Home birth is only for low risk, uncomplicated births. Once there is anything abnormal or risky...we take them to the hospital right away. This has happened to the last 3 moms. They all resulted in healthy babies, and happy mama's. But it is discouraging to watch these poor women who have their ideas and dreams of what home birth will be like, crushed by the reality of a medical birth. I have been pretty lucky so far, with all of the other births I have attended, until these last 3, about 99% of them were beautiful, uncomplicated home births. I guess this is just my reality check.

October 24, 2007

I took these last night from my backyard (with my new camera..thanks Em!!)

Okay, maybe I do like fall.

The "why's and how's" of living and eating "healthy"
(click links in blue)

The "why".

1 Cor 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"
And, because I care what I am putting into my body, and the bodies of my family. God entrusted me with raising these little people, I intend to do my best.
People often wonder WHY 1 in 4 people are diagnosed with cancer, WHY the diabetes rates are so high, WHY obesity is an epidemic, and WHY heart disease is the #1 killer. I will tell you why. Look at the way we eat, and treat our bodies.

The "how"

It's much easier to eat the standard American diet (SAD) than to scrutinize everything.
Here are some of the changes I have made, and why.
- no longer use white sugar. Evaporated cane juice crystals, turbinado sugar, and sucanat are much healthier options. Available at the grocery store.
- no longer buy regular milk. Organic milk, or raw are much healthier options. Perhaps try Rice Milk. Regular (store bought) milk contains hormones (that are given to the cows so that they will produce more milk), and antibiotics (given to cows because of their living conditions, and mastitis due to milk production). These things are passed on to you in the milk. Research shows that this is why young girls are reaching puberty at a much younger age. Also a contributing factor as to why we are immune to all but the strongest antibiotics.
- no longer use white flour. Zero nutritional value in it. It has been bleached with a chemical similar to chlorine bleach. Whole grain flours are much healthier. I do use organic AP flour sometimes.
-no longer buy commercial meats/poultry. We raise our own chickens, and occasionally buy meat from farmers we trust. My family also likes venison, which we always have on hand (thanks to my hubby, and Jackson)
-I only buy 100% juice. No sugar added. My kids are allowed 1 cup a day, the rest of the time they are encouraged to drink WATER.
-buy organic whenever possible. Organic produce and grains have not been sprayed with toxic pesticides, and herbicides. Organic dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) have been fed organic diets, are free of pesticides, and herbicides, and have not been given growth hormones nor antibiotics.
- make my own bread whenever possible. No, I don't knead and roll the traditional way. I dump all the ingredients in my handy-dandy bread machine, push the button, and walk away. 3 hours later...home made bread. Yum!!!
-I buy organic packaged, and canned foods when I buy canned and packaged. Kashi brand is really good. I buy that brand of cereal for the kids, we also buy their granola bars, and snack crackers. My local grocery store (Meijer), has it's own brand of organics, that are very affordable.
-no longer use regular laundry detergent. The perfumes, etc.. that are added are toxic to our bodies. Your skin is the largest organ right?? Well, it's absorbing whatever is placed against it, slathered on it, etc... I switched to "Free and Clear" from the grocery store. Every brand makes it now.
-no longer use body lotion. I can't even pronounce the chemicals that are in there. I now use (for me and my entire family) organic, unrefined coconut oil.
-no longer spray perfume directly on my skin. When I do use it, I spray it on my clothes.
-no longer use regular body soaps/bars. Sodium laurel/laureth sulfate is bad, bad, bad. I buy homemade soap, or Dr. Bronners castille soaps.
-no longer use Cascade type automatic dishwasher detergent. It contains chlorine (toxic), and I don't want my family ingesting chlorine. I use BioKleen brand instead.
-no longer use antiperspirant/deodorant. Contains aluminum which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and cancers. I use the health food store kinds.
-no longer use toothpaste containing fluoride it is toxic. Research that one, it is very interesting.
-we try to only eat "out" twice a month. Note: try. :)
-Oh yes! and last but not least: We DO NOT VACCINATE. I do not want my kids immune systems compromised by poisons (mercury or thimerosal) that don't make them "immune" anyway. I wrote about it here and here. Read more about vaccine dangers here.

I have been asked "how do you afford to buy organic and the healthy stuff"?? Honestly, I quit buying the other stuff. I no longer buy soda pop, packaged convenience foods, junk food, frozen pizza's, and sugary snack items. This leaves a lot of money to spend on the good stuff.
I make my kids "snacks", baked items, etc.. And they eat a lot of fruit instead of snack crackers and potato chips. We did not do this all at once. I started replacing things one at a time. I didn't want my kids or husband to starve to death, or to think that Mommy flipped her lid. :)

I would love to hear your thoughts (positive or negative) , or healthy ideas. I'm always learning. And don't misunderstand me. I am not claiming that my diet is perfect. But I try. I still have a couple of hang-ups. I love Coke, love it (so I don't keep it in the house). And I love coffee, which I'm not even sure how to function without it. Rumors are that it is indeed possible.

My friend asked me yesterday what my favorite scripture verse was. I have to choose just one? I think I settled on this:

John 8:32
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I would love to hear yours.

T.G.I.F

(above: Savannah's first piggy tails) Don't let her cuteness fool you. She has become lovingly known as "the tornado", going from room to room, leaving behind complete destruction. So far this week she has emptied the pantry, cleared several bookshelves, dumped the dogs food/water bowl(many times), and figured out how to open the toilet-bowl lid, and put EVERYTHING in there within reach (toys, toilet paper rolls, sippy cups, books and my.hair.brush) I won't even start on the list of things she has thrown away in the kitchen trashcan. Guess what I am buying this weekend..you guessed it! A new trashcan, with a lid.

Adrian's new favorite hobby: self photography.

Have a great weekend!!! :)

Happy 10th Birthday Jackson!!

where does the time go?

seems like yesterday you were this little :)

So sorry I got this up a day late, we were just so busy with your birthday, and your (and Austin's) baptism yesterday, that I didn't get around to it. Love you Buddy.

This "MeMe" at Adventures In Babywearing made me smile. Of course she is much more cool than me, just check out her answers.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Patches Windstar

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Chocolate Chocolate Chip (umm...I'm the wrong color for that name)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
Slaw (oh dear.why can't I be cool????)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Flamingo

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, hospital where you were born)
Jo Rose

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
Lawst (Lost is my Star Wars name????...I am so not cool)

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
The Pink Teaser (as in Ice Teaser)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers),
Clarence Clarence (I couldn't have made that one cool if I tried)

9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ),
Eldon (My mom doesn't have a middle name so this one doesn't really work)

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Pink Pasadena

11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower).
Summer Sunflower

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Pineapple Skirty

13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Granola Palm

14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”),
The Bloggin' Thunderstorm Tour

Can't wait to see yours!!!

Hope you are having as nice of a weekend as I am. :) This morning Savannah and I went out to breakfast with a friend, then shopping. She is growing so fast. My little baby girl is now very much an independant toddler. She was so cute at breakfast, quiet as can be, inhaling her happy-face pancake at IHOP, while us girls had time to catch up.

Oh! Chicken Pie!