Busy at home!!

As I'm sure most parents know young children can make life busy! I have been wanting to post more than I have been but have been super busy with my own class and getting my daughters at home preschool set up!  I am very pleased with the progress she has made just in the week and a half we have been doing preschool!  She has learned to spell a few words and is learning the days of the week in order!  I plan to include some of the learning activities we will do on my blog.  In my opinion learning at home with parents is the most natural and organic way of learning.   I would like to continue he education at home as she gets older but that is still in discussion.

DIY Nursing Tank Tops

Nursing tank tops were a life saver when I had my newest baby!  I wish I would have had them with my first.  It makes it so easy especially in the beginning when they eat so often.  They are nice for when you are just at home or wear them under a jacket or another shirt.  Instead of buying the expensive already made nursing tanks they sell in stores, I decided to make my own!  It was very QUICK and EASY to do.  Use a spaghetti strap tank top you already have or buy a cheap one at the store.

1. Cut the strap in the back to detach from the rest of the shirt on both sides. 
2. Measure how big of a loop you will need to attach the tank top to your nursing bra.
3. Cut off remaining strap that is not needed
4.  Make your loop and sew on both sides. No fancy sewing machine needed just a needle and thread.

5. Now you can slip the loop on your nursing bra making it easy to feed your baby and stay covered on the other side.

This is what is should look like when you are finished!

Back to posting!!

Sorry for the lack of posts!  I was going through a lot of things and didn't get on here, but I am back will be posting regularly again : )

Colored Play Rice

My daughter loves to play in dirt, sand, and really anything she can dig in.  I have seen different ideas for coloring rice and using that instead of sand.  I was able to find a 20 lb bag of rice which was more than enough!  This is easy to do but can be a little messy lol  All you need is uncooked rice, food coloring, rubbing alcohol, plastic baggy, aluminum foil, paper towel, and a cookie sheet to dry the rice on.  You will want to do this on a sunny day so you can set the rice out to dry it dries pretty fast this way.  Here are the steps to making brightly colored rice:

1. In a plastic baggy put 2 cups uncooked rice, 1/2 bottle of food coloring, and 1 1/2 Tbls rubbing alcohol.

2. Shake rice until completely coated.








(Neon Pink)











3. Line cookie sheet with foil

4. Dump rice on cookie sheet and spread out evenly.  (Use a paper towel to spread the rice so you don't get food coloring on your hands.)

5. Set outside in the sun until all rice is dry.

 (Purple...i used a full bottle on the purple and thought it was too dark.  You could use less food coloring than I used if you want light colored rice.)








6.  Have fun digging and playing in the rice!

I store the colored rice in a big tupper wear container.  Sometimes I let her play with it inside but it does get every where even if you put a towel or blanket down so most of the time she plays with it outside for easy cleanup.  She loves it and wants to play in it ALL the time lol.  One neat activity to do is to hide "small treasures" down in the rice for them to find while digging.  This can be whatever you want.  My daughter has a few small plastic hearts that fell off a hair clip that she likes to dig for in her rice.

Bubble Art!

Looking for a fun summer activity???  Bubble Art is a fantastic way to keep your kids occupied and gives them a chance to explore their artistic side!  To make the bubbles, put about 10 drops of food coloring into a small cup of regular bubbles, lay paper on the ground, blow bubbles and watch them pop on the paper leaving cool color!  I did this as an outside activity and think that is this best place to do this activity.  It can get a little messy so I would do it someplace you don't care about colored bubbles spilling on the ground : )

Homemade Blueberry Pancakes

Everyone knows making pancakes with a pre-made mix is easy, but not many know making pancakes from scratch are just as easy!!  Making them from scratch is a great way to have organic/all natural ingredients in your pancakes!  In my opinion these tasted way better than the pancake mixes.


Homemade Blueberry Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour  (I used organic)
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbls sugar
1 1/4 cups milk  (organic)
1 egg
3 Tbls melted butter  (organic)

fresh blueberries

Mix dry ingredients together first (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) then add wet ingredients (milk, egg, and melted butter).  In a skillet, melt a little butter enough to cover the bottom of the skillet.  When better is melted and hot add pancake mix....I usually make small ones for my daughter and then bigger for the rest.  After pouring the mix into the skillet sprinkle fresh blueberries in the batter.  When the edges start to lightly brown flip pancakes.  I then topped the finished pancakes with sliced strawberries and powdered sugar.  You can really add other ingredients instead of blueberries like chocolate chips!

Sparkler holder

Ever have the problem of sparklers popping you??  Try sticking the wire of the sparkler in the end of a stick!  It works great as a holder for sparklers for young children!!  If you can only find smaller sticks the wires wrap easily around the end of the stick!

Natural cold remedies

Unfortunately kids don't stay healthy all the time.  Both my girls started getting colds these last couple days. My 7 month old only got a cough and sneezed about half of a day but has since not been showing any symptoms.  This is more than likely due to the fact I am breast feeding her! For my 3 year old who started coughing and runny nose all day I used a few different things.  First to relieve her coughing and sore throat, I gave her some honey.  She was pretty happy about this since she loves honey! Remember anyone under 1 should NOT have honey, it can make them very sick!! Then I used a saline spray in each nostril.  This helps dry up and get rid of the mucus in her nose. I also put a warm stream humidifier in her room.  If she gets to congested, I will turn the shower on hot water only to get it really steamy in there and have her hang out in there as long as I can.  This is really good for breaking up congestion and making it easier to breathe.  I do this myself when I am sick and would be my first choice for a baby who is congested! Drinking LOTS of water is important to flush everything out!!

Breastfeeding! Can't get any better than that!

Breastfeeding is the ONLY all natural way to fed your baby!  I have done it with both my girls and will do it for any future children we have.  My oldest that is 3 year now breastfed until she was 14 months old.  By then most of her eating came from food but at night and nap time she would nurse.  I am currently breastfeeding my 7 month old this way.  I will continue to feed her this way until she is ready to stop!  I learned the world average is 5 years!!  I will not be breastfeeding her that long but if that is what other moms prefer or need to do to feed their babies I won't be one to judge.  Now remember that is a WORLD average so that would included countries where food is scarce and that would be the only way for their child to survive.  There are so many benefits and not many drawbacks!  Anything that some might consider a drawback might not be to others or there are ways to work around it. 

First we will start with the benefits....

• It's FREE....you don't have to spend any money on it except to feed yourself lol
• It's all ready to feed your child as soon as they are hungry...don't have to wait the time to properly (notice I said properly) make a bottle...I say it this way because I have seen WAY too many moms make bottles with hot tap water or stick them in the microwave!
• Breast milk adjusts to your babies needs....for example if your baby is starting to get a cold or flu your body will produce the right antibodies to keep your baby from getting really sick....My youngest was born in the fall so sickness spreads like crazy and is hard to prevent.  She ended up getting RSV which can be very serious for young babies.  Her doctor let me know because I was breastfeeding she would not get nearly as sick as babies that are formula fed, and it worked out that way : )
• Breast milk develops the babies brain first while formula develops bones first.
• Breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk of breast cancer.  it also has properties to protect the child later in life from developing cancer, diabetes, polio, and other diseases.
• It helps the mother lose her extra weight from being pregnant faster! I'm proud to say I was back in my regular jeans by 6 weeks!!
• You don't have to worry about running out!  Your body will make as much milk as your baby needs.
• If you had smaller breasts before pregnancy they will get much bigger : )
• You form an AMAZING bond with your baby!

Here are some things that might be considered drawbacks, but I have also included ways to change this. . .

• Your  baby will get hungry when you are out and about, especially the first few months.  
• You can pump milk before you go and have a bottle of breast milk.
• Use a blanket or get a cover and feed your baby in the car or where ever is convenient.  I have sat in the grocery parking lot with a blanket over us and feed her with no one noticing.
• Some experience discomfort the first couple weeks.  This could be because baby is not latching on correctly or dryness.

• If it;s due to not latching on correctly it can be helped by talking with a lactation consultant who can give you advice.
• Make sure you have cream for your nipples they may get chapped in the beginning if you don't.  There are special creams for this and they work great.  My hospital provided me with samples of Lansinoh® which worked well.  I also used Medela Tender Care™ Lanolin whiched worked just as well.
•  You have to go back to work.
• Where I am from the work place is required to provide a place to pump and store milk. Some babies (like my 7 month old) refuse to take a bottle. I think that was partly because we didn't start until 10 weeks
• Leaking for the first few month of breastfeeding.
• There are disposable and washable nursing pads available at drugstores or online.  I have he even seen some that collect the milk that leaks but have never used them.  I used the disposable with my first daughter and washable with my second.  I preferred the washable ones.

I would encourage all mothers to try!! Don't give up in the first few weeks!  There are so many benefits to breastfeeding for you and your child!

Short Nap = Earlier Bedtime

So I have been struggling with how to get my 3 year old to actually go to sleep at a decent time.  I have tried getting her up a little earlier, trying to skip naps, and no tv when she goes to bed.  None have these have seemed to work!  Getting up a little earlier did help sometimes because she would get an early nap, but her mood throughout the day was not the best.  No nap definitely didn't work because she would fall asleep at 7pm and wake up again at 11pm....which totally defeated the purpose of trying to avoid a nap! Dad did not agree with no tv so that idea went out the window lol marriage works well when there is give and take!  So i have found this week she went to bed a lot easier if she only took a 30-45 min nap instead of an hour or hour and half nap.  I am going to keep with this nap schedule and hopefully we will see good results!!

Stir Fry

One of my family's favorite meals is stir fry!  It is pretty simple to make and has a wide variety of veggies that everyone can be happy!  Here is the way I make my stir fry. . .

Chicken or Steak (we prefer chicken)
Green Pepper
Red Pepper
Broccoli
Carrots
Snow Peas
Sliced Water Chestnuts
Soy Sauce
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Meat Seasoning

In a large skillet or wok heat a couple table spoons of olive oil.  Season meat and cut into chunks.  Cut peppers and other veggies into chunks.  Cook meat in olive oil on medium heat. (Stir often) Remove from pan when completely cooked but leave oil and juices from meat in pan.  Add green pepper and red pepper to pan of olive oil, after about 5 min add broccoli, carrots, and snow peas cover and cook until almost done. (Remember to stir often) Add sliced water chestnuts and re-add meat.  Cook a few more minutes then add a splash of lemon juice and soy sauce for taste.  Serve over rice and with egg rolls.

Stir fry  is a great way to use lots of vegetables that your family likes.  I usually use fresh produce but have used frozen in the past.  I found a preservative free broccoli, carrot & snow pea mix in my grocery store's produce section.  Some other ingredients I have used in the past that were not included in this one are bean sprouts, the little baby corn, onion, or mushrooms.

(I have an egg roll recipe I will be sharing soon)

Vinegar...a fantastic cleaner!

Part of living naturally is cleaning naturally. The best thing to use is vinegar!  It is a naturally disinfectant and makes cleaning food off the stove or counters a breeze!  Also you don't have to worry about it harming your children.  My 3 year old loves to help with everything, this is a way she can help me wipe her little table down or clean up messes off the floor.  I use it as my all purpose cleaner and in my dishwasher.  I have also heard it is a good fabric softener and stain remover but have not tried it yet.  

All Purpose Cleaner/Disinfectant

1 part water

1 part white vinegar

You can add a couple drops of scented oil to make it smell better :)

Add about 1 cup vinegar before you start your dishwasher.  It leaves your dishes sparkling clean with no white soap residue!  I never run my dishwasher without it and never use those expensive extras for the dishwasher.  This will NOT make your dishes smell or taste like vinegar.

It is also a great way to clean the microwave.  We don't use one anymore but when we did I used vinegar to clean it.  Use 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in microwave safe container and turn on for 10 minutes.  Wipe down with a damp cloth when time is up.

I ALWAYS have a big jug of white distilled vinegar on hand!

Lobster Appitizers

Yesterday was my husband and I's 7 year anniversary!  We had super at home with the girls which consisted of two very good lobster appetizers.  The first one I made was a lobster stuffed mushrooms.  They were delicious.  Here are the ingredients I used....

Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms

Boiled lobster tail (boiled about 10 min. the cut into small chunks)
Large white mushrooms with stems removed  (I used organic)
Crushed croutons (I used organic)
Shredded mozzarella
Minced garlic (I used organic)
Melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Place mushrooms on a cookie sheet.  Combine all other ingredients.  Stuff mushrooms with mixture.  Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese has melted and started to brown. Serve while hot.


The second appetizer we had was lobster pizza it was also very good....


Lobster Pizza

Boiled lobster tail  (Boiled about 10 min then cut into chunks)
Diced tomato
Basil
Shredded mozzarella
Grated or shredded Parmesan
Minced garlic
Wheat or flour tortilla (I used wheat)
Melted butter
Dash of salt and pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450.  You can either use a cookie sheet or round pan, spray generously with cooking spray when salt and pepper the pan.  Put soft tortilla down then brush with melted butter and minced garlic.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Add diced tomatoes, lobster, and basil.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake in oven 5 min or until cheese is melted.  Serve warm.


I made two 5 oz. lobster tails and was able to make 2 lobster pizzas and 9 mushrooms.  This ended up being more than my husband,3 year old, and I could eat.  I may only make 1 lobster tail next time.

Homemade Chocloate Syrup

My family LOVES chocolate milk so when we decided to eat only all natural or organic foods I was a little concerned about what we were going to do about chocolate syrup!  I have come to the realization that anything you can get at the store you can usually make your own or find an organic alternative.  I have started making my own chocolate syrup and it is WAY better than the ones you buy in the store!!  Its extremely quick and easy to make!  I am all about quick and easy....with two kids, two dogs, a busy husband, a house to take care of, and going to school online I like get things done fast without losing quality!  I have tried several variations of chocolate syrup and this is the one I have liked the best....


Chocolate Syrup

1 cup cocoa powder  (organic varieties available)
1 1/2 cup sugar  (organic varieties available)
1 cup water (I use bottled water)
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium sauce pan combine cocoa powder, sugar, water, and salt.  Whisk together ingredients while it heats up making sure to get all sugar and cocoa dissolved.  Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 2-3 minutes.  (if you don't boil long enough you can taste the powder from the cocoa).  Make sure to keep an eye on it while it boils so it does not boil over.  Whisk in vanilla.  Allow to cool, pour into a clean container, and store in the fridge.


Its very simple, tastes better, and doesn't have any preservatives or harmful ingredients!  I have also found it mixes with milk a lot better too!  Hope you enjoy this yummy chocolate syrup : )

Chore Sticker Chart!

Teaching children from a young age the importance of cleaning up after yourself and good personal hygiene will only help them in the long run.  I was always taught the importance of a good physical appearance....wearing the appropriate clothes for different situation, keeping my face, hands, and clothes clean, and keeping my hair nice and not a complete mess.  This is not always easy to do with a hyper 3 year old that likes to dig in the dirt.....yes, my 3 year old daughter LOVES digging for worms and slugs lol.  Unfortunately I was not made to clean a lot as a child, I loved it then but have seen now I would be better at keeping my house in order if I had been made to do this...sorry Mom lol I do think you should have made me do chores (never thought I would hear that come out of my mouth lol)  To encourage my daughter to enjoy doing this, I have come up with a sticker chart.  I have listed several age appropriate chores and as she completes them each day she gets a sticker.  At the end of the day if she has all or almost all of her stickers she gets a special treat (candy, ice cream, cake, ect.)  She enjoys putting stickers on more than the treat at the end of the day I think. I made it my self and it was a very quick and easy.  I included chores like brushing teeth in the AM and PM, feeding and watering the dogs and cat, picking up toys, and doing a kind act.  I think this is going to be a great way to encourage her to help out!

Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

I posted about a week ago that we were starting a new schedule.  Well that has gone ok but not great!  I have had some family circumstance come up that has affected us being gone and seeing family during the day or evening and that has definitely affected staying on schedule.  I have seen a little improvement with nap time.  If I don't overly emphasize she has to take a nap but needs to at least rest, she seems more apt to staying on the couch and falling asleep.  Yesterday she was throwing a fit about laying down so I laid down with her and started making up a silly song about her being grumpy and before long she was giggling and then falling asleep.  Its funny how the silliest thing can be a big help!  I don't think you can have just one set way that works every time.  Making it fun and not overly dramatic (if that's possible with a 3 year old girl LOL) keeps her attitude positive and allows her to relax!  Today she has requested to lay blankets on the floor and take her nap.....we will see how she does lol.

Beginning a new schedule. . .

Tomorrow morning marks the start of a new schedule for me and my children.  I am lucky to be a stay-at-home mom but need to get better organization in my house!  I am hoping to use this as a way to hold myself accountable for sticking to our schedule and eating the right foods.  I have been having trouble getting my 3 year old to take a nap and go to bed at a decent time so hopefully this new schedule helps.  In the past, I have let her sleep in until whenever she wants but I think it's time I start waking her up by 8/8:30 am so she gets worn out enough to take a nap after lunch! Updates on how the new schedule worked will come tomorrow. . .

Welcome to my blog!!

Hello and welcome to my blog!! This is my first time doing one so I will probably be making lots of changes and experimenting these first few months.  I am creating this blog to share my experiences raising my two children and eating and living as naturally and organic as possible.  My family consists of two small girls, my husband, two dogs, and myself.  I have always felt living naturally was important, but after hearing of all the dangers of pesticides, growth hormones, and all the preservatives and then having a couple family members experience cancer it really got me thinking of how we had been eating in the past and how important what we eat is for our future.  I want to set a good example for my kids when it comes to healthy living and eating so they have a long and quality life.  I plan on sharing recipes and good organic food finds as well as parenting tips and welcome other recipes, tips, and suggestions.  Hope you enjoy reading!!