10 Things I Learned About 10 Days of Real Food

Bulk Section of my Local Food Co-op

Well the 10 Days of Real Food is over. I'm very glad to have had so much support in taking this food journey with our family. I thought I'd wrap up my final post about the challenge with a list of 10 things I learned through the process.
#1 Convenience- It is so much easier to buy a box of cheese crackers than it is to make them. This also applies to bread. Finding that balance between keeping your sanity and making wise food choices is important. If you have a busy life and want to feed your family real food, being organized and having a meal plan is be essential. I think I'll keep buying my bread from the Old Mill Bakery because I love it and they grind their own grains, and that's more than I can do at the moment. I will still make some of my own bread. I plan on starting my sourdough this week. I'd like to keep an index card of a few simple, real food meal ideas I can make quickly on hectic evenings.
#2 Money-Eating a diet rich in organic, healthy whole foods can cost more than a diet of less quality foods. If your family eats meat, then that is an additional expense. We eat a diet rich in eggs(our own), legumes and fresh veggies. These are budget friendly foods. We do purchase local raw milk and cheeses, these are a bit more pricey - but worth it in my book. Taking advantage of buying in bulk for rice, beans, and grains can really save you money. Making your own foods such as yogurt and breads can really save you money too. Buying into a CSA or shopping at your local farmers market are budget friendly ways to put a priority on fresh, local produce. The best way to save money and have fresh produce is to grow your own garden. I am making it a priority to learn how to can this year and learn more about food preservation.
#3 Keep it Simple-Apples, cucumbers, carrots and strawberries are very simple snacks that children LOVE. No need for a lot of prep work. Slice, dice and serve. My kids ate so much raw fruit and vegetables this week, it was wonderful. Why wasn't I doing this before?
#4 Kids eat what you feed them.- I keep repeating this to myself as I'm walking through the grocery store. If I don't buy boxed snacks, they won't eat them. Lisa had an excellent article on the subject called Kids Eat Processed Food Because Parents Give It to Them. 
#5 Inspiration- I was feeling bored and tired with the food I was feeding my family. This 10 Day Challenge got me excited about food again. Using my Pinterest board along with a few healthy cookbooks as guides, I was filled with inspiration to get me out of my boring food rut. We ate creative, fantastically flavorful food all week. No one went lacking. I tend to get into a rut when I don't have access to all the fresh veggies, I guess it's the winter food blahs. I'm so pleased the farmer's markets are starting up again. They serve as weekly inspiration for me.
#6 Food can be fun.-This kind of goes along with #5. Being uninspired makes for boring food. When you are inspired about your ingredients you make great food. Adding fruit chunks to a bamboo skewer and calling it a kabob makes kids happy. Getting your children involved in preparing the food makes it fun for them. They are also more willing to try what you're cooking if they helped make it.
# 7 Connect to your community.- I get very excited to find a new real food provider in the area. I love the farmers market and knowing the names of the farmers. I love knowing Dave made my bread or Morel grew my lettuce. I feel better that my money is going directly to the farmers and their families. This means the money goes directly in my community. Knoxville has some amazing food providers such as Green Chin Farms ( they currently have milk shares open) , A Place of the Heart Farm, West Wind Farms, Wisner Farms, Mountain Meadow Farms, Cruze Farms and so many more.
#8 Eating out is the hard part.- The biggest struggle to eating real food according to the rules of the challenge was eating out. It's very hard to know what is in each sauce, dressing and bread. Knoxville has some fantastic food places that focus on local, healthy foods such as 31 Bistro, Harry's Delicatessen, and don't forget the Old Mill Bread Company for lunch. I plan to support these businesses more when eating out.
#9 Health benefits- Not consuming processed sugar for 10 days didn't turn my children into perfectly behaved angels and we weren't miraculously healed of all aches and pains. However, I do believe that the standard american diet filled with refined sugar, salt and artificial colors and flavorings does cause illness. Diabetes, cancer and a host of other diseases are in many cases directly related to diet. So I really hope to stick to my guns and eliminate the excuses when it comes to junk food. I want my kids to have a real food immune system. I learned sugar is everywhere, at least I'm aware now and I'm on the lookout.
#10 Definition of Real Food- Lisa set up some rules for the 10 Day Real Food Challenge mostly based from Michael Pollen's books. I think setting boundaries was essential for the challenge, however my personal definition of real food varies a bit. I won't be following the 5 ingredient rule, if I can read the ingredients and they are whole foods, it's alright by me. I'm sure we'll be eating sugar, though I'm hoping to get cooperation in following a rule of 5 grams or less on any packaged products we purchase. Have you come up with what defines real food in your home?
The challenge was a positive experience for my family. It brought to our attention a few weaknesses in our diet and helped us make some changes.  It was a springboard for a lot of discussion on real food with my children, friends and family. I am really thankful for all of my friends who joined along with me. Thank you to all of the bloggers that joined me (Couponing in Critical Times, Simply Natural Mom,Coupon Katie, Frugallisa Finds, Blue Frog Creations,Living Peacefully with Children and The Artful Mama) your insights and honesty were inspiring.
 Rebecca at Simply Natural Mom wrote a wrap up post for the 10 Day Challenge which includes some yummy recipes. Gabe from Couponing in Critical Times also wrote a post telling what she learned from the Challenge. I hope you'll check them out.
What are your favorite real food local resources? Please share!!
This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays and Simple Lives Thursday. 

Holistic Care of your Toddlers Teeth

Welcome to the April 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids and Personal Care
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories, tips, and struggles relating to their children's personal care choices.

Here is my little guy at the dentist

My oldest child was hospitalized to have caps on her teeth when she was three. I was devastated. I thought we ate well, I thought we had good hygiene. I didn't understand. I started the search for answers, but I ended up with more questions. I went to dentist after dentist only to be more confused and extremely frustrated. One dentist would blame it on extended breastfeeding, another on bacteria spread from sharing utensils with our daughter, another one claimed weak teeth enamel. I came to the conclusion they didn't REALLY know.
We learned that some foods which I thought were healthy were just bad choices for kids teeth. This includes sticky foods like raisins and gummy fruit snacks. Starchy foods like potato chips were the worst for sticking to the teeth. We learned a valuable habit that we still use to this day to "swish and swallow" after eating anything. This quick swish of water( or whatever the child is drinking) will dislodge any sticky pieces of food from the child's teeth. This habit is great for the times when you're eating on the run and can't get to a toothbrush. Just when I thought we made all the changes for healthy teeth I noticed my youngest had a tiny brown spot on his tooth that sends me back on that emotional roller coaster. I found an incredibly knowledgeable and supportive group of parents and professionals in the Very Young Kids Teeth and Alternative Kids Teeth Yahoo groups.  They are a safe place to ask questions and find some answers. One immediate change we made was to invest in an electric toothbrush. We decided to use the Oral B. We also started using Xylitol products 3-5 times a day. We used birch based Xylitol toothpaste and candies. Some Xylitol is made from corn and it's use is more controversial.
Ideally we brush our son's teeth after each meal and snack.  We especially make sure his teeth are clean before he nurses. While I do not believe breastfeeding causes cavities, I read a study that made a lot of sense to me. It basically showed that teeth that were clean and exposed to breastmilk were made stronger by the milk exposure. However, teeth that already had sugars on them and then were exposed to breastmilk were more likely to decay.
We experimented with a lot of kinds of toothpastes. I found it very frustrating that so many of the products marketed for children are full of harmful ingredients. We tried Squiggle, Toothpowder, and calcium based Toothpastes to help rebuild teeth. I haven't found one that I feel completely comfortable using. We're trying Christopher's Herbal Tooth and Gum powder. My oldest will use it, but my youngest is not a big fan.  I'm now experimenting with making my own toothpaste using Bentonite clay and xylitol.
Good nutrition is essential to a healthy toddler, including having healthy teeth. There is a lot more to it besides limiting your sugar intake. Teeth are made from minerals and can be built up from the inside out. Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist that documented the benefits of a diet rich in good healthy fats made for strong, healthy teeth. Many people have found that following his diet filled with raw, organic milk, butter, cheese and fermented cod liver oil has been able to prevent and even heal cavities. Vitamin D is another imporant aspect to having healthy teeth and remineralizing decay in children and adults.Building up the body with probiotics and good bacteria helps build the immune system and makes for a healthy, happy mouth. We've even been able to add probiotics designed to add good bacteria to the mouth. These good bugs fight off the bad, cavity producing bacteria. Dr. Ramiel Nigel wrote a book Cure Tooth Decay based on a lot of Dr. Weston's ideas. I find his newsletters and book very informative.
We've added homeopathy to our daily routine to strengthen our toddler's teeth. I love using homeopathy with my toddler, because he loves his 'wittle pills'. He thinks they taste good and are fun to take from the cap. We currently use #1 Calcium Flouride 6x, #2 Calcium Phosphate, #12 Silicea and cell salts. The goal is three times a day. We've also tried two herbal remedies to rub directly on the spot of decay. We alternate between Plantain extract and White Oak.
It's been about a year since we noticed the small brown spot on Lil' Z's teeth. I'm happy to say we went to the dentist the other week and we had the dentist check the spot. They reported that the brown spot was hard, and not a concern. This brought me a lot of relief in that the spot hasn't grown and there is no need for intervention at this point. Whew!
I share with you all of the things we do with our children in an effort to keep their teeth as healthy as possible. This is an area I do not claim to be an expert. I'm still learning. I'd love to hear your tips and tricks for healthy toddler teeth.

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon April 10 with all the carnival links.)

• Rub-a-Dub Co-Bathing in Our Tub — Bath time is more than soap and water! That Mama Gretchen shares how co-bathing with her toddler has opened up a world of cleanliness, learning, and bonding.
• This is How We Take a Bath — Shannon at GrowingSlower shares her special formulas for babywash and a happy bath time.
• How to Gently Trim Your Toddler's Nails — Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses some of the gentle suggestions she has received to help Little Man overcome his anxiety of having his nails trimmed, as well as how she copes with her need for his nails to be trimmed.
• Baby bath time and skin care — Ursula Ciller shares some simple and natural tips for bathing and skin care.
• Want Your Child To Love Getting Clean? Have Them Make Their Own Soaps, Shampoos, and Lotions! — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares her secret to empowering her daughter to "get clean." Together, Jennifer and her daughter make their own body washes and lotions which makes clean up time fun!
• Encouraging Self-care Through Awareness... and Fun — Amy at Presence Parenting shares some tips on how to transform self-care from a struggle into an opportunity -- for kids and adults.
• Caring for kids' curls — Lauren at Hobo Mama tells you how to clean, condition, comb, and style ringlets and waves on little heads.
• Playing in the Rain — Jorje of Momma Jorje loves how her family has come to make a family event of showering!
• The Cleansing Power of the Football — Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet talks about her son's favorite bath buddy.
• Coconut Oil: Nature's "Baby Magic" — Megan at The Boho Mama has only one must-have baby care item in her cupboard: Coconut Oil!
• For Sensitive Kids, Less Is More — Kadiera at Our Little Acorn finds less cleaning is better.
• Bathtime: Just Another Chance to Play! — Lyndsay at Our Feminist {Play} School discusses the many reasons bath time is important - getting clean isn't one of them.
• Hygiene? What hygiene? — Sheila at A Gift Universe confesses some of her most embarrassing hygiene secrets.
• Confused About Chemicals? — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake, Half Asleep describes how to find out where the toxic chemicals are in your house and tips on alternatives.
• Clipping Those Talons — ANonyMous at Radical Ramblings describes the ways her daughter's tolerance for personal care has changed over time, especially when it comes to nail clipping.
• Sit Back, Relax and Unschool Hygiene — Instead of focusing on tactics of how to 'get' your child to focus on hygiene, Authentic Parenting explains how to help your child internalize hygienic standards.
• Help! My Tot will not let me brush her teeth! — Mudpiemama shares five positive ways to help toddlers brush teeth and sabotage the tooth fairy’s secret conspiracy.
• Self Care and the Spirited Child — Amy at Toddler In Tow shares how a balancing act between independence and connectedness helps her spirited child learn appropriate self-care.
• Hairbrushing is a Safety Issue — Dulce de leche guest posting at Natural Parents Network explains that although tangles are not a safety issue, self-confidence and body boundaries are.
• 15 Ideas to Prepare Toddlers and Preschoolers for Dental Procedures — Dionna at Code Name: Mama is sharing ideas on how to thoughtfully prepare little ones for dental visits (particularly those that require anesthesia).

• Holistic Care of your Toddler's Teeth — Erica at ChildOrganics tells a tale of her children's teeth issues and how she uses homeopathy and good nutrition to keep cavities at bay.
• Bath Time Bliss : Fuss-Free Bath Time for Toddlers — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares how she has made bath time completely fuss free for both her and her toddler.
• Homemade Natural Toothpaste — City Kids Homeschooling hosts a guest post on a homemade natural toothpaste recipe that kids will love!
• Bathing Strike Strategies — Crunchy Con Mommy offers her best tips for keeping your little ones clean when they refuse to bathe.
• Bodily Autonomy and Personal Hygeine — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children discusses the importance of supporting a child's bodily autonomy in the prevention of abuse.
• A Tub Full of Kiddos! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment has kiddos who love the water, so bathtime is a favorite evening activity!
• The Trials of Tidying My Toddler — Adrienne at Mommying My Way shares the difficulties she has with getting her on-the-go son to be still enough to get clean.
• Wiped Clean — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen shares her recipe for homemade diaper wipe solution to clean those sweet little cloth diapered bottoms in her home!
• Snug in a Towel: Embracing Personal Grooming — Personal care is time consuming,especially with more than one child; but the mama at Our Muddy Boots is learning to embrace this fleeting and needful time.
• EC: All or Nothing? — Elimination Communication. Even the title sounds complicated and time consuming. It doesn't have to, if you adapt it to meet your family's needs, says Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy.
• Routine Battles — In a guest post at Anktangle, Jorje of Momma Jorje outlines a simple incentive to help inspire your little one to follow a routine.
• Redefining Beauty For My Daughter — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger relays her struggle to define her own femininity and how her preschooler unexpectedly taught her a lesson in true beauty.
• Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Three Girls In The Tub — Chrystal at Happy Mothering shares how she turns bath time into a few minutes of peace and quiet.
• Montessori-Inspired Activities for Care of Self — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now has a roundup of Montessori-inspired activities for care of self and ideas for home environments that encourage independence.
• 10 Gentle Tips for Little Ones Who Hate the Bath — Kim at life-is-learning gives 10 tips to get your little one into the bath and maybe even enjoying it.
• The Boy With The Long Hair — Liam at In The Now discusses his son's grooming choices.
• Personal Care in a Montessori Home — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares a summary of the ways she has organized her family's home to make for easy, Montessori-inspired toddler personal care.
• Styling Kids — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is letting her kids decide what to look like.
• Clean Kids: Laundry and Bath Tips — Kimberly at Homeschooling in Nova Scotia shares tips on how to get your children helping with laundry plus recipes for laundry and liquid soap.
• How to Clean Your Children Naturally: A Tutorial — Erika at Cinco de Mommy shows you how to clean your children.
• Cleaniliness is next to... dirt — The lapse-prone eco-mom (Kenna at Million Tiny Things) sometimes forgets to bathe the kids. Except in the mud pit.

Peixinhas da Horta or Garden Fish (vegetarian) Days 8,9

This is a fabulous recipe passed to me from my Mother in law. She is a wonderful cook. She has a lot of simple and fantastic recipes that she shares with me. We all enjoy her food, it's very homey, healthy and comforting. So without any further ado here is Nana's Garden Fish recipe or in Portuguese she says: Peixinhas da Horta

First you'll need to gather:

1 cup of flour ( for the challenge I used white whole wheat)

1 cup whole milk

1 egg + 1 egg seperated

Shredded mixed veggies 

Salt and Pepper

Coconut oil

Use whatever mix of vegetables you have handy. I used shredded carrots, zucchini, cauliflower and peas. I know Nana usually does green beans, but I didn't have any. You want the veggies to be shredded small enough so that they can cook quickly when frying in the mix. Mix flour, milk and 1 egg plus yolk of separated egg. Right before frying beat egg white and fold in gently. Mix in shredded veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into skillet and  fry in coconut oil. Cook slowly to get the veggies cooked through, flip when you see the edges cooked through and bubbling. Keep warm in your oven until all of the garden fish are ready. You want to be sure the batter is cooked through and not wet in the middle.  We serve them with a yogurt dipping sauce. We usually mix yogurt with a little bit of dill, salt and pepper. 

Day 8-What we ate ( I like how that rhymed.)

Breakfast- Mixed potato hash with West Wind Farms Italian sausage and eggs.

Lunch- Leftover Garden Fish. It heats up really well in a toaster oven to keep it crispy.

Dinner- We went out tonight to see a Cirque du Soleil, Quidam (FANTASTIC show!)  with a group of friends, many of whom are also doing the 10 Day Challenge. We all went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday's. We enjoyed the salad bar, baked potato and the Creole Fish.  Lisa has a really helpful list on eating out during the challenge that was helpful for all of us ordering tonight. I did try to eat at a more locally owned option, but many were closed today.

Tomorrow we are going to an amusement park. I'll let you know how our real food journey goes with the junk food swirling around us.

Day 9
Breakfast- Egg and cheese sandwiches on Old Mill Honey Wheat rolls. The boys had West Wind Farms sausage on their sandwiches. We went to the amusement park all day, so we ate these on the car on the way.
Lunch- We packed a cooler and headed out to the van to eat our lunch. We ate an assortment of raw veggies and Ranch Style Dip* including yellow peppers, cauliflower, carrots and cucumbers. We also had a ton fruit including strawberries, blueberries, apples and watermelon.  I also packed plenty of snacks in my backpack to eat throughout the park. We had lara bars, apples, Funky Monkey snacks and string cheese.
Dinner- We were out a lot later than I had originally planned. I was going to make whole wheat pasta for dinner, but we didn't make it home. We found a Thai Restaurant called Thai Basil in Sevierville. Before the whole family was unloaded we went in and asked some questions as to their dishes. They were helpful and said they just started serving brown rice. Yippie! They also said their was no sugar in there main curries.  We ordered salmon for the kids and we ate fresh veggies with curry. It was so delicious!

Real Food for Children- Sunday Surf

There has been some fabulous food being made this week. It's been really enjoyable to read everyone's menus. Did you see Artful Mama posted her meal plan, and she was in labor?  Now that is dedication to real food! She was filling up with healthy, protein rich food so she's  ready for delivery. So what about real food for baby? I thought THIS article was really great. I know with my children I learned more with each child. Avocados were the first food for our kids. We don't need no rice cereal!!!
A few fantastic recipes were shared. Gabe posted a recipe for Rosemary Quail and Rebecca posted a recipe for homemade pizza. The pictures made me hungry. I think we'll be adding that to our list of foods to make. Pizza is always a crowd pleaser.
We're winding down to the end of our 10 Day Real Food Challenge. I am really enjoying the process and look forward to continuing to eat this way. I was feeling in a rut and completely unmotivated when it came to preparing food. This challenge has got me excited about food again. The farmers markets are starting soon and that will keep me inspired. Did you see we took a visit to Green Chin Farms and saw all of the babies that were just born?
Most of us notice a change in our health or that of our children's when we take positive steps in good nutrition. Margaret wrote out the reasons for her journey towards real food HERE. I have been feeling more energetic this week, I know I've been eating more than I usually do. I think that has been a big help.
Steering kids free of the junk food is hard.  That is a struggle most of us face when trying to find balance between social eating and healthy food. My family already thinks we're 'weird' about so many things. I try not to make an issue about food all of the time, but I'm just not ok with my children eating garbage. How do you handle these situations? I found this post at The Nourishing Gourmet helpful about raising children in a culture of junk food. I'd love to hear what you do in these situations.
Last but not least there is a great giveaway for convertible training pants at the Natural Parents Network,Check it out! This has nothing to do with real food, but I thought it may interest you. Have you found some helpful links on the web this week, do share!

Children and Food Rituals-Days 6 & 7

 Habits, traditions, rituals and even memories are often associated with food.  I've really been thinking about how much of what we eat is connected with what we do. We create rituals associated with food. Some good, some not so good.
I inadvertently developed a  bad food habit with my kids. We have bible study in town one night a week. It's a late night and we get home after their normal bed time.  On our way home it's become our habit to drive through Taco Bell. Lil' Z always orders two cheese roll ups and Big Z usually goes for a potato soft taco, and I always order the 7 layer burrito. We bring it home and watch a recorded episode of "Chopped".
 Well I guess I didn't think about it too much before starting this 10 Day Challenge. I justified that we ate healthy most of the other time and this was a treat. But this week I had to be creative when bible study night came around. I drove a different way home so we didn't pass Taco Bell. I also made a big deal about making homemade ice cream, and pointed to that as our special treat when we came home. The kids didn't mention Taco Bell, though I was sweating it.
 I was glad to hear that I wasn't the only parent that has set up some food rituals that I needed to skirt around this week. Simply Natural Mom wrote an article about her creativity in arranging dinner at 'mom's restaurant'.  Kids love it when we make special food for them and give it some thought. One goal I have after finishing the 10 Day Real Food Challenge is that  I hope from here on out to divert their attention from Taco Bell and make a healthier food habit.
It's eye opening to realize how much of our traditions and forms of entertainment are associated with food. I was working on this post, when I noticed Gabe wrote about her family  tradition of rolling cabbage rolls for Easter. Food has a way of making memories.  I love when we visit my husband's family in Portugal that an entire day can be spent leisurely eating one scrumptious dish after another. You only need to take small breaks to fill up your glass of port.
 This week we had to distract the  kids from the free cookie at the grocery store bakery and lead them to the free balloon instead. I also had to give up my habit of a piece of dark chocolate after dinner. We have a ritual each evening of having a cup of tea together as a family. We usually have it with a cookie or sweet treat of some kind. So we've made adjustments there as well. I don't think I realized how much sweets were a part of our routine. This is been a positive time for change in that area.
So here's what we've been eating lately:
Day 6
Breakfast-I made a giant omelet. Half of it was filled with cheese for the boys, and the girls had veggies including spinach, peppers and onions.
Lunch- We were on the run. I packed a lunch of raw veggies (cucumbers, yellow peppers, carrots) with hard boiled egg with a side of Ranch Style dip*.  I made Moroccan Sweet Potato salad from the Simple Food cookbook.The kids also had string cheese.
Dinner-Vegetable fried rice with Miso soup. I started making it then I realized my soy sauce had sugar in it. Wha! I had spent so much time researching my soy sauce after switching from using Bragg's liquid aminos.  I was disappointed it had sugar, boo! So I had to get creative and season my rice a little differently than normal, but it turned out pretty good. I used Thyme, Cayenne, lots of black pepper and miso stock. The kids had shrimp with their rice.
Snacks- Funky Monkey fruit snacks, Breakfast cookies*
Day 7
Breakfast- We had to be out the door early this morning. Cereal ( shredded wheat) with honey, eggs, and bananas.
Lunch- Leftover Kidney Bean soup. Sprouted Corn tortilla quesadillas.
Dinner-Green Lentil Curry Coconut soup* with 'Garden Fish'.  It was so delicious! I'll share the Garden Fish recipe Monday. I also baked two loaves of Honey Whole Wheat bread* that we enjoyed with the soup.
Snacks- I made chocolate mousse ( cold cream from coconut milk whipped with vanilla, cocoa powder  and a little maple syrup) as a special dessert tonight with our evening tea.
* recipes can be found on  my pinterest board for the 10 Day Real Food Challenge.

Show Children Where Their Food is From -Days 4 & 5

Over the past few years I have really enjoyed finding local sources for food. I've been thrilled with the quality of cheeses, baked goods and meats we've been able to find. While I'm a vegetarian, I do not mind feeding my family grassfed, organic meats. We want our kids to grow up feeling connected to their food, so when they are older they'll continue making wise food choices. By exposing them to small family farms and allowing them to have a role in growing their own food they'll be able to make that connection. Farmers markets are a fantastic way to get kids connected with their foods. I'm so excited that New Harvest Farmer's Market is opening next week. It's fantastic to see the farmers each week and buy directly from them. If you are local to the Knoxville area you may be interested in contacting Green Chin Farms they do deliver weekly to South Knoxville. Call Morel at 865-933-0855.
I've written before about "our" cow, Crema.We participate in a cow's milk and Goat cheese share at Green Chin Farms. She gave birth to a beautiful little calf on Monday. This morning one of the goats gave birth. So we were fortunate enough to go see the new babies on the farm. We were also able to see the new chicks and check out the organic vegetable garden. It was a great field trip. I think it's very important for children to understand the difference between small family local farms and large factory farming institutions. As they get older, this helps them understand the reason for the supporting fast food places and eating 'cheap' food.

So are you curious what we ate for days 4 and 5 of the Real Food Challenge?
Day 4
Breakfast-Dippy eggs and toast. We also had a few breakfast casserole muffins left that we finished eating.

Lunch-I roasted a large pan of vegetables including beets, fennel, brussel sprouts, onions, carrots and cauliflower. I drizzled them with a bit of olive oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper.  We ate the roasted veggies with the rest of the tomato caper salad.
Dinner- I made Eggplant Involtini * with a side dish of sauteed spinach with lemon. It was beyond delicious.  I've always enjoyed Eggplant Parmigiana when it's fried crispy. I wasn't sure if I'd like the eggplant in it's more natural state. It was a rich and creamy dish. It was just me and the kids for dinner and we really enjoyed it. Even my three year old ate up two of the eggplant roll-ups.I will make this recipe again. I'm already looking forward to eating the two small rolls leftover.
Snacks-Lemon Ice cream,smoothie popsicles, dehydrated fruit.
Day 5
Breakfast- Whole Grain Pancakes. My mom shared with me a great recipe that includes whole wheat flour, rolled oats, flax seed and yogurt. I can post the recipe if anyone is interested. We topped the pancakes with bananas and maple syrup.
Lunch- Remember when I made rice and beans earlier in the week. I cooked a large batch of kidney beans, so I used the remainder of the beans to make Kidney Bean Soup.  We enjoyed the soup with some whole grain rye crackers that I was able to find at Big Lots. The soup is a recipe from my husband's mother. I hope to post it soon. This is also what my husband took to work for his lunch.
Dinner-We had some leftovers built up so I decided to clean out the fridge. I dove into the Eggplant Involtini. The kids enjoyed some Broccoli Gribbiche, roasted veggies and eggs.
Snacks- Smoothie Popsicles, Maple Pecan Breakfast cookies* (yum!),raw veggies and Ranch Style dip*
We're half way through the challenge. I really hope we can continue to eat like this. I'm feeling good and the kids are enjoying it. My  husband jokingly said today, "I"m craving some high fructose corn syrup!" My daughter was quick to reply, "That's silly, 'cause we don't eat that anyway."

What are we eating? Days 1-3

Our Dinner Last Night

Here we are already finished with the third day of our ten day real food challenge. I must say I'm feeling very motivated with all of the positive feedback I'm receiving from everyone. So far the challenge is really helping me realize that our family was too dependent on organic junk food for snacks. Yes, those little packets of gummy fruits and fun shaped crackers were convenient, but at what cost? This challenge has really opened my eyes to the amounts of sugar my children were eating.
I went to my local food co-op Three Rivers Market to start my grocery shopping for the week. I picked up lots of bulk nuts and other goodies. Early Sunday we headed to Kroger to do the remainder of our grocery shopping. We have a new-ish Kroger on Broadway here in Knoxville that has a fantastic organic and produce department. We spent about $100 at the co-op and about $120 for food at Kroger. I'm curious how this challenge will influence my budget this month. I'll keep you updated.
Day 1
Breakfast- Creamed Kale and Eggs*. I loved it, my husband ate it but he is not crazy about greens, the kids ate it but didn't clean their plates. I did overcook the eggs, so the yolk was not as runny like it should have been. I think I"ll try it again and try to cook it properly this time.
Lunch- Creamed Vegetable Soup* with wasa crackers. Everyone LOVED this. I made an extra large batch of soup hoping we could have some for leftovers or lunch the next day. I'm happy to report that by the end of the night the entire pot of soup was gone.
Dinner- We made crab legs with butter for the kids. This was their treat from the grocery store trip today. A much better choice than the 'free' cookie the bakery offers, though it was a little harder on the wallet. My husband and I ate more soup and my husband made me a grilled cheese on Honey Whole Wheat bread from the Old mill with Saurkraut, cheddar cheese and apples. It was so delicious!
Snacks- The kids ate tons of watermelon (another grocery store treat, apple slices, baby tomatoes and carrot sticks with Ranch style dip*. I also made dark chocolate whole wheat brownies* that evening. The kids each tried one and had a cup of tea before bed.
Day 2
Breakfast- I am still feeling highly motivated and inspired so I made my own version of Breakfast Casserole Bites. Some with grassfed hamburger and blue cheese for the meat eaters. For the vegetarians in the house I made cheddar cheese, pepper, onion and spinach casserole bites. Everyone loved it, kids gobbled it up. I used our own eggs and the Old Mill bakery Honey Whole Wheat ends to use in the bites. We had a few left over, that will come in handy for snacks or a breakfast on the run.
Lunch- I was running errands after breakfast and we were getting hungry. Fortunately I packed some dehydrated fruit and Lara bars for the kids until we got back to make lunch. We went to my parents house to spend the afternoon. Mom and Dad are doing the challenge too so that made lunch easier. We made Caprese grilled cheese sandwiches* with 'french fries'. For my husband's lunch he took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We were able to find a nice strawberry jelly with no sugar. He had a lunch meeting with the Vice President of the company. It made for interesting conversation as to the reason why he wasn't eating the catered lunch they brought in. He said at least he made an impression. ;-)
Dinner- I had soaked some kidney beans the night before. So I was able to come home and make some brown rice and beans for dinner. We ate it with sprouted corn tortillas. The kids loved this meal. My 3 year old gobbled his down, it shocked me how much he ate. This is a staple meal around here, so I already knew everyone would enjoy it. I made a large batch of beans so I can use them later in the week for another meal.
Snacks- My mom made power balls* that the everyone loved. They helped me out with my chocolate cravings too. We finished the evening with a whole wheat brownie and cup of tea.
Day 3
Breakfast- I soaked steel cut oats. I'm embarrassed to say I was multi-tasking and left the kitchen and my oats burned. I was still able to salvage enough for breakfast, phew! I topped the oats with maple syrup, cinnamon, whole yogurt and apples.
Lunch- My favorite lunch so far, it was so fantastic!I found it in the Super Natural Every Day cookbook. Broccoli Gribbiche is a fantastic dish made of roasted potatoes and broccoli. You made a dressing over it made of olive oil, red wine vinegar, capers, mustard and herbs. Then you dice a few hard boiled eggs and mix it all together. YUM! I think this is a dish that would be great to take on the run or to pack in a lunch. I served it with polenta 'fries' and red sauce. The kids also had the last piece of their crab legs and butter. I have lots of leftovers from this meal, we'll see what is left at the end of the day. My husband took left over rice and beans for his lunch today.
Dinner- It was just me and the kids for dinner so I went very simple. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare dinner either, but it still turned out fantastic. I made tomato and caper salad with roasted chickpeas and leftover Broccoli Gribbiche.
Snacks- Mozzerella string cheese snacks and smoothies. The left overs from the banana, berry and milk smoothies were put into popsicle holders to be snacks for later. I made lemon ice cream with sour cream, yogurt, milk, lemon juice and honey. That was our special treat for our long day.
I am very thrilled with the response from the community on taking on the Real Food Challenge. If you follow me on facebook you'll be able to see all of the posts from local bloggers and those participating in the challenge.They are sharing some of their struggles, menus and what they are learning through the process. One of our local Farmer's Markets is opening next week. That will be just the push I'll need to keep going down this real foods path.
All recipes marked with an * can be found on my Pinterest board set up for the 10 day challenge.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesday's hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Real Food 101, Whole Food Wednesdays, and Simple Lives Thursday.

Starting the Real Food Challenge & a Real Food Sunday Surf

I'm joining Authentic Parenting and Hobo Mama for Sunday Surf. Share your best reading of the week, and link up your post at either blog!

For more great reading, visit Hobo Mama or Authentic Parenting for the latest Sunday Surf and linky.

Happy Surfing!

It takes some work to make changes in your lifestyle. While I don't think these changes will be huge I had some cookies I had to hide before starting the 10 day Real Food Challenge. I have been watching labels and learning a lot about foods I regularly purchase. Mostly I'm surprised how sugar is sneaking itself into everything  from my beets to my tomato sauce. I'm looking forward to making changes in our diet and kicking that sugar out the door.
I've been working on a grocery list of items to have on hand during the challenge. I don't want anyone to go hungry or to complain about the lack of snacks, etc. I'm hoping to make the switch with my family without much fuss. Today was our first day and we started with a delicious breakfast of Creamed Kale and Eggs  (you can find this and other recipes on my Pinterest Real Food Challenge board). We've stocked up on some Lara bars and Funky Monkey fruit snacks when we need snacks on the run.
I've also went through my cookbooks and  I think The Art of Simple Food as well as Nourishing Traditions cookbooks will be great inspiration this week. I picked up my holds from the library, I'm excited to browse through them and find some new recipes to make. I picked up Deliciously Organic, Almost Meatless and Super Natural Every Day.
Talking with the kids is an important step in making this challenge be a success. My three year old understands terms like 'this is yucky' and  'it has bad stuff in it'. However, my soon to be 10 year old can understand the importance of real food on a different level. She raises her own chickens and she has helped me make our own cheese, yogurt and breads. Of course she'll still gobble down a bright red lollipop with no hesitation. It takes baby steps I guess. Here is an excellent article about the main reason kids eat processed food is because parents give it to them. That makes sense, doesn't it?
I'm excited to see my friends and family talking about real food. We're sharing ideas and brainstorming where we could catch a healthy meal about town. I hope you'll help spread the word. I'll be posting all of the bloggers that are participating. You can follow me on Facebook for more daily updates including what we're eating on a daily basis.

Here is a list of bloggers that have already posted about joining the 10 Day Real Food Challenge: http://www.frugalissafinds.com/2012/03/10-days-of-real-food-challenge.html(Knoxville)

http://www.couponingincriticaltimes.blogspot.com/2012/04/knoxville-10-days-of-real-food.html (Knoxville)

Also many of my fellow bloggers from the Natural Parents Network will be participating, here’s a partial list:

http://livingpeacefullywithchildren.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/10-days-of-real-food/

http://theartfulmama.com/2012/03/preparing-for-the-10-day-real-food-challenge/

If you have a recipe, website or cookbook that you would like to share, please let me know in the comments.

10 Days of Real Food Challenge

I love Michael Pollan's books and documentaries such as Food, Inc and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead were right up my alley. I don't think that it should be so difficult to eat real food. It is a priority in our life to find the best food for our family including local milk, cheeses and veggies. It makes me especially sad to see children bombarded with artificial colors, flavors and truckloads of sugar. This standard american diet (SAD) is wreaking havoc on the health of our families.
 Recently I was introduced to a website called 100 Days of Real Food. The website originally chronicled Lisa Leake and her family's adventures of eating 100 Days of Real Food. She was a mom that didn't read food labels, never bought organic and used processed food on a daily basis. After getting a wake up call, she changed their diet and now helps families everywhere to make these positive changes for their family. I just learned that she grew up here in the Knoxville area and she is very excited to have us take part in her 10 day challenge.
I personally love challenging myself on the road to self improvement. I read about the10 Day Challenge on Lisa's website and thought my family can do that. I feel we basically eat a healthy diet,  probably about 80 percent of the time. We eat whole grains, get our milk locally, support our farmers markets, eat lots of fruits and veggies. However, I know there is room for improvement in our diet.
I personally don't feel that sugar is evil in moderation. I do feel eliminating sugar from our diet will be the hardest part of the challenge. I do bake often with maple syrup and honey, but I do have a habit of having a piece of dark chocolate everyday. While I don't necessarily think that is bad, I do think I need to cut down on my family's sugar intake.  I think my children will be the ones that will benefit the most from the challenge. It's amazing that no matter where we go people are offering artificially colored lollipops to my children.
So would you like to join us on our 10 Days of Real Food Challenge? The Rules are pretty simple. You eat whole foods, whole grains, whole milk, nothing skim or low fat. So you load up on your fruits, veggies and enjoy your local meats and seafood in moderation. I think the hardest aspect is no refined sugar, only maple syrup and honey as natural sweeteners. Some packaged food is allowed if it doesn't have more than 5 ingredients and they follow all the whole food rules.  Please visit here to see all the rules in  more detail and to have any questions answered.
I really think my area, Knoxville, has some great local food resources. I've already discovered a great bakery that grinds their own grains and has a fantastic whole grain bread with under 5 ingredients. I will be exploring all that Knoxville has to offer for real food resources including farms, grocery stores and restaurants. I"m looking forward to finding more in my community. Many other bloggers will be joining me, I'll be linking up with them throughout the 10 days.
I have created a board on Pinterest with some delicious food ideas to use on this 10 Day challenge. I'll be posting daily our food choices successes and struggles on Facebook. I hope you'll join us one way or another. Please share your favorite real food resources, recipes and ideas.

This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday and Real FoodWednesday. These are fantastic sources for Real Food inspiration! 

Tube Feeding with a Blenderized Diet of Whole Foods

Welcome to the March 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting With Special Needs

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how we parent despite and because of challenges thrown our way. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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It won't surprise most of you to know that breastmilk is the best first food for most babies. It is the perfect balance of fats, nutrients and immune builders for our newborn infants. Breastmilk is even more important for  NICU babies and infants with special needs. However the stress of dealing with the NICU and special needs can put a lot of stress on a mama. Adding to that stress the idea of using a breastpump every 2 hours, it can be overwhelming and exhausting, yet so vital.
When our middle daughter, Bella, was born we knew she was going to have some issues, but we didn't know to what extent. After nearly two months in the NICU and hours of  speech therapy it became painfully obvious that she wasn't going to be able to breastfeed.We had to deal with this fact and move on. Bella underwent surgery to have a g-tube. This is a simple tube that is inserted through an incision the abdomen. To feed Bella we attached a tube with a syringe filled with breastmilk to the little button in her tummy. I was diligent in using my breastpump and was able to feed her exclusively on breastmilk for the first year of her life.

Around that one year mark, we decided to look into supplemental foods to add to Bella's diet. The doctors recommended Pediasure. I did a little more research and found that you could use whole foods in blended forms for g-tubes. Natural organic whole foods for my special needs daughter  made more sense to me.
I found a supportive group of parents on the Yahoo Group Blenderized Diet that were able to provide so much information. I contacted a holistic nutritionist and set up a meeting to discuss Bella's dietary needs. Though she would not be covered by our insurance, she was well worth the money paid out of pocket.  I did have a dietician through our GI doctor, but they would only provide information in regards to calorie intake with formula. They did not support the idea of using whole foods in a blenderized form for g-tube patients. I was open in discussing this with my GI doctor but was surprised to learn he was not very informed on the topic and would just refer me to the dietician in the office. Some doctors feel that a whole foods blenderized diet can raise the risk for bacteria and infection, they are also concerned about food getting stuck in the tube. I felt these were small risks when compared with the benefits of a whole food diet.
I started slowly with a base of breastmilk. I kept a food journal and kept a regular schedule of what medications and supplements went with each feeding. I started by introducing 2 TBS of banana with 60cc's of breastmilk, we then added foods like avocado, sweet potatoes. Our nutritionist recommended foods like beets, wheatgrass, apricots, quinoa, and goats milk. We used careful calculations figuring we needed 50 calories per pound with a goal of 650 calories per day. So each day started with me with my Vitamix calculating, measuring and storing her food for the day.  The Vitamix was an essential part of being successful with a blenderized diet. The food really must be broken down into a liquid form, not just any blender would do. When adding nuts, seeds and using fruits such as blackberries it was very important that there be no pieces that would clog the g-tube. To build Bella's immune system we added supplements such as fish oil, colostrum, probiotics, and elderberry syrup. We always followed with water.
Since we were providing a nutrient rich blenderized diet using organic products were essential.
Later Bella was given a Zevex infinity pump for her feedings. This pump regulated the flow of the food. She had severe reflux and she needed to be fed very slowly. A large amount of her feedings were given overnight. This pump was great. It made feeding Bella much more convenient and less time consuming. It worked well with the blenderized diet. I just needed to make sure it wasn't too think and check on the consistency. The Zevex pump would be sure to beep and let me know if wasn't pushing the food along properly.
I don't believe a blenderized diet will work for every tube fed infant. It worked well for our family. Our daughter was gaining weight and growing well on the blenderized diet. It was not as convenient as pouring a bottle of formula into her tube would have been. So we constantly had coolers and ice packs with us. However having a child with any special need is never convenient. It's more about making the best choices for your circumstances. Money is also an issue to consider. If you have to pay for your child's G-tube formula it can be very expensive. However if your insurance pays for the formula, then choosing to feed organic, whole foods to your child is definitely more expensive.
I felt feeding Bella whole foods was really beneficial to her health. The life expectancy for a child with her disability of Walker Warburg Syndrome is under one year of age. Bella lived for 16 months. Support is essential to be successful at feeding your special needs g-tube child a blenderized diet. Start with your doctors to get their viewpoint, then ask you dietician. If they lead nowhere, keep researching and find a dietician that will work with you and your family needs.

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

(This list will be live and updated by afternoon March 13 with all the carnival links.)

• Parenting A Child With Neutropenia — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses the challenge of parenting a young child who cannot produce enough neutrophils to fight off bacterial infections.
• How I Love My High Need Baby — Shannon at GrowingSlower was shocked to find she is parenting a high-needs baby, but she's surviving thanks to attachment parenting.
• We're a Lot Like You — kaidera at Our Little Acorn talks about how her family is similar to others, even with all their special needs
• The Emotional Components of Bonding with Preemies — Having a premature baby can bring on many unexpected emotions for parents, but working through those emotions can bring about a wonderful bonding experience. Adrienne at Natural Parents Network shares.
• Raising a babe with IUGR: from birth through the toddler years — Rachel at Lautaret Bohemiet shares the story of how her son’s post-birth IUGR diagnosis affected his first days of life and gave her an unexpected tutorial in advocating for their rights as a family.
• When a grandparent has a disability — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares how she has approached explaining her mother's disability to her young child.
• Taking The Time To Really See Our Children — Sam at Love Parenting writes about her experiences working with children with various disabilities and how it has affected her parenting style.
• Natural Parenting In An Unnatural Environment — Julie at What I Would Tell You gives us a glimpse into how she improvised to be a natural parent against all odds.
• Getting Through the NICU — Laura at Authentic Parenting gives a few pointers on how to deal with your newborn's stay in the NICU.
• Living With Sensory Processing Disorder — Christy at Adventures in Mommyhood talks about the challenges that can come from living with a child who has SPD.
• Our rules for NICU - March Carnival — Hannabert's Mom shares her family's rules for family and friends of a NICU baby.
• Muddy Boots: Speaking Up for Special Friends — MudpieMama shares about the day her little boy stepped up and spoke up for his best "special" friend.
• Letter from Mineral's Service Dog — Erika at Cinco de Mommy imagines the letter that accompanies her special needs son's Service Dog.
• Blessings in Unexpected Places — That Mama Gretchen welcomes an inspiring guest post from a dear friend who shares about the blessings that come from a child with Down syndrome.
• Tube Feeding with a Blenderized Diet of Whole Foods — Erica at ChildOrganics shares her experiences with using real food when feeding her daughter who was unable to feed herself and needed a feeding tube.
• Abbey and Evan — Amyables at Toddler In Tow writes about watching her preschooler play with her friend who is autistic and deaf, and wonders how she can explain his special needs better.
• How to Minimise the Chance of a {Genetically Prone} Child Being Diagnosed with ADHD — Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares her tips on keeping a child who is genetically prone to ADHD from suffering the effects.
• Tough Decisions: Parenting With Special Needs — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares what has been keeping her up at night worrying, while spending her days discovering just what her options are for her precocious child.
• Life with my son — For Dr. Sarah at Good Enough Mum, life with an autistic child is just another variation on the parenting experience.
• Dear Special Needs Mama — Sylvia at MaMammalia writes a letter of encouragement to herself and other mamas of special needs children.
• His Voice — Laura at WaldenMommy relives the day her son said his first sentence.

• What is 'wrong' with you' The challenge of raising a spirited child — Tara at MUMmedia discusses the challenges of raising a child who is 'more' intense, stubborn, and strong willed than your average child.
• Tips for Parenting a Child With Special Medical Needs — Jorje of Momma Jorje shares her shortlist of tips she's learned in parenting a newborn with special medical needs in a guest post at Becoming Crunchy.
• Parenting the Perfectionist Child — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children discusses that as parents of gifted children, we are in the unique position to help them develop the positive aspects of their perfectionism.
• Montessori-Inspired Special Needs Support — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now gives a list of websites and blogs with Montessori-inspired special-needs information and activities.
• Accommodating Others' Food Allergies — Ever wonder how to handle another family's food allergies or whether you should just skip the play date altogether? At Code Name: Mama, Dionna's friend Kellie (whose family has a host of allergies) shares how grateful she is when friends welcome them, as well as a list of easy snacks you can consider.
• Only make promises you can keep — Growing up the child of a parent with a chronic illness left a lasting impact on Laura of A Pug in the Kitchen and what she is willing to promise for the future.
• A Mom and Her Son — Jen at Our Muddy Boots was fortunate to work with a wonderful family for several summers, seeing the mother of this autistic son be his advocate, but not in the ways she thought.
• Guest Post from Maya at Musings of A Marfan Mom — Zoie at TouchstoneZ is honored to share a guest post from Maya, who writes about effective tools she has found as a parent of two very special boys.
• You Don't Have to Be a Rock — Rachael at The Variegated Life finds steadiness in allowing herself to cry.
• When Special Needs Looks "Normal" — Amy at Anktangle writes about her experience with mothering a son who has Sensory Processing Disorder. She offers some tips (for strangers, friends, and loved ones) on how to best support a family dealing with this particular neurological challenge.
• Special Needs: Limitation or Liberation? — Melissa of White Noise describes the beauty in children with special needs.
• How I Learned It'll Be Okay — Ashley at Domestic Chaos reflects on what she learned while nannying for a boy with verbal delays.
• Attachment Parenting and Depression — Shannon at The Artful Mama discusses how attachment parenting has helped her get a clearer image of herself as a parent and of her depression.
• On invisible special needs & compassion — Lauren at Hobo Mama points out that even if we can't see a special need, it doesn't mean it's not there.
• Thoughts on Parenting Twins — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares her approach to parenting twins.
• ABCs of Breastfeeding in the NICU — Jona at Breastfeeding Twins offers tips for establishing breastfeeding in the alphabet soup of the NICU.
• Life With Michael - A Mother's Experience of Life With Aspergers Disorder — At Diary of a First Child, Luschka's sister-in-law Nicky shares her experience as mother to a child on the Autism Spectrum. It is filled with a mother's love and devotion to her child as an individual, not a label.
• Raised by a Special Needs Mom — Momma Jorje shares what it was like growing up as the daughter of a mother with a handicap.
• Becoming a Special Needs Mom — Ellen at These Broken Vases shares about becoming the mother of a child with Down syndrome
• She Said It Was "Vital" — Alicia of Lactation Narration (and My Baby Sweets) discusses the conflict she felt when trying to decide whether therapy was necessary for her daughter.

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Welcome to the first edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama!
In the month of January, we start afresh, a new year, new ideas. Hence, our participants have looked into the topic of “Birth and New Beginnings”. Take a look at the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants.
***

Looking back

How do you move forward after facing the loss of a child? This is a question I've wrestled with over the last few years. Whether it's loss through a miscarriage or infant loss it can paralyze your life.  It's an experience that makes you stronger than you ever thought you could be- or wanted to be.

January is a tough month for me. This month Bella would have turned 6.This is also the month my youngest turns 3. It's a month filled with mixed feelings, emotional ups and downs.
Our family still experiences grief though she has been gone for over 4 years. We miss our Bella a great deal. We are able to talk about her with joy in our hearts. We talk about our memories of her and we can laugh as we remember. This is a welcome change.
Deciding to have another child after a loss can be very difficult. We had decided not to have any more children after Bella due to our chances of 1 in 4 of any of our future children having Walker Warburg Syndrome. We felt strongly we didn't want to go through all of the pain again. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Surprises happen. One year after Bella's death (almost to the very day), we found out we were expecting another child, our hearts filled with joy, dread and lots of lots of questions. We had feelings of grief and hope all swirling around inside. Big Z was elated at the idea of being a big sister again.  We had a very anxious pregnancy until our 20 week ultrasound when we were given the wonderful news of our baby boy being healthy and strong. This pregnancy and birth was a time of reflection, hopefulness and healing.
People have made thoughtless comments in regards to a new baby taking away our grief. It doesn't work that way, he doesn't replace Bella. We still mourn our Bella and grieve for her, a part of my heart will remain empty and broken until I'm with her again. However, having another baby has been the most lovely distraction from my grief you can ever imagine.

Looking forward

We move forward with our new life as a family without Bella.  Having another child after our loss has given me deeper appreciation of my children and our life together. We make room for sadness and for joy.




Visit Authentic Parenting and MudpieMama to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Becoming Intentional with My Time Valerie at Momma in Progress shares the beginning of her year-long journey toward more intentional living. 
• Alirik’s Birth Story: Sweet Surprise Lauren at Hobo Mama tells the sweet surprise unassisted home water birth story of her second child.
• My Rebirth: An Honest Look Darcel at The Mahogany Way talks a little about some of the fear and insecurity she's felt over the years since starting her parenting journey and her blog.
• Trusting My Body: Ailia’s Birth Story After a very challenging birth with her son, Dionna at Code Name: Mama was nervous about having another natural birth. But practicing relaxation techniques and birth affirmations proved to be just what she needed to have her perfect, peaceful, unassisted homebirth.
• My Homeschool Philosophy Paige a Baby Dust Diaries shares her new year's resulution about homeschooling. 
• Yet Another Resolutions Post... Zen mummy's resolutions for a better 2012
• Renewing Green Passions in the New Year Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction talks about renewing a passion for green living in the new year
• Birthing and New Beginnings... And Better Mothering Sheila at A Living Family shares her first ever New Year's resolutions to be a more mindful, compassionate and respectful mother to her two-year old daughter after the recent birth of her son.
• An Open Letter to MTV Regarding 16 and Pregnant Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama delivers a pointed message to MTV about how they misrepresent birth and parenthood on 16 and Pregnant.
• Setting Intentions Megan at The Other Baby Blog shares another way to ring in the New Year.
• Spencer's Birth Story Momma Jorje shares her family's story of birthing her son with Down syndrome.
• Looking Forward, Looking Back Erica @ ChildOrganics shares how she is able to look back at the loss of their daughter and yet move forward with her family at the same time. 
• Unique unto Itself. Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings has chosen a word for her second child's birth: awareness.
• The Unassisted Birth of The LIttle Buddha. Laura at Authentic Parenting shares the birth story of her new baby
• Birthing and Resolutions: Keeping Good Things in Motion. MudpieMama shares her VBAC story and why she skipped making resolutions in the traditional way. 
• The Birth of a New Era by Mandy from Living Peacefully With Children

Oil Cleansing Method

Welcome to the January 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Experiments in Natural Family Living

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have reported on weeklong trials to make their lives a little greener and gentler. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

It seems only a few short years ago I was working in the mall behind the counter at an upscale make-up counter. I must admit I really enjoyed working there. It was like playing dress up everyday. I had fun playing with colors, doing make-overs and obsessing about skin care.
Now I look back at those years and the chemicals I was using on a daily basis and I shudder. I loved all the suds and bubbles to wash away all of my oil and dirt.  My skin did look good, it was squeaky clean, but what damage did I do? Eek!
 Over the years I have refined my daily skin care routine to be more eco-friendly by using organic, non-toxic products from reputable companies.I learned to do without the suds and bubbles.  For the most part this has worked well, except for the fact that many of these products are quite expensive. Many of their ingredients are relatively simple to put together yourself. Could I do it?
 When I was younger my skin was prone to breakouts, so I cleaned and exfoliated my skin pretty vigorously.I always had oily skin. I used all of the oil-free products. I had high hopes because as my oldest daughter starts to creep closer to those teenage years  I thought it be fabulous if she could use a truly safe and natural way to keep her skin healthy. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to have learned a natural way to keep my skin healthy as a teenager?
 I read about the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) on the Crunchy Betty website. I learned something. Like dissolves like. So oil is perfect to use to wash away oil. Hmm...
Now three children and many years later, my skin is on the dry side.  It's like working with a whole new monster. I wondered if the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) would  work for me. It sounded simple, but could it be too simple? Would all of the oil make my skin feel greasy and clog my pores? Would it meet the needs of my now dry skin?
 There was only one way to find out.  I was at the very end of my facial cleanser and moisturizer. So I figured there was no time like the present to try out the Oil Cleansing Method.
So here's what I did:

•  I started with organic extra virgin olive oil. I chose this oil simply because it was what I had in the house. Olive oil is full of anti-oxidants and vitamins, it's good for your body whether taken internally or externally.  I filled my empty glass bottle from my previous cleanser 2/3 full with the organic olive oil.
•  I filled the last third of the bottle with castor oil.Choose a cold-pressed, hexane free oil. Castor oil is very nourishing for the skin and can help heal breakouts. It penetrates deep into the skin and works like many anti-aging products. 
• .I massaged about a tablespoon of the oil into my face in small circular movements. You can warm it up with your hands before applying to your face . Take your time using slight pressure to work the oil into your skin. This will remove make-up, dirt and oil. This part feels good, enjoy it, take your time.
•  Warm water is what you'll need next. Use a nice large cloth soaked in warm/hot water. Wring it out and place over your face. Ahh...this is my favorite part. I feel like I'm at the spa. The steam will open your pores. Let the cloth cool on your face. Gently wipe your skin clean from the oil, make-up and dirt. Repeat two or three times.
•  I then used a small amount of Coconut Oil or shea butter as a moisturizer. Depending on your skin, you may not feel the need to use additional moisturizer.
•  In the morning, just use warm water to steam clean your pores and moisturize if needed. No need for the oil to cleanse.

 I wish I knew about the oil cleansing method much earlier. It is so simple, works wonders and I feel like I'm having a mini spa treatment each day. My skin didn't feel greasy and it didn't clog my pores.
 In the very beginning it is possible to have a few breakouts while dirt blockages are being pushed from your pores. But then your skin quickly clears and you will have a lovely healthy glow to it.  It started as an experiment, but now it's my daily routine, and I'm keeping it!.
The Oil Cleansing Method can easily be adapted to the needs of your skin. If your skin tends to be oily increase your ratio of castor oil, the drier your skin is then increase the olive oil. You can also experiment with different oils such as sunflower, jojoba and avocado oil to replace the olive oil. The castor oil is the essential part to success with this method.
I think this is a fabulous way to teach young girls ( and boys too!) to care for their skin. I've introduced this method to my daughter. She likes it because we do it together and she likes this spa time with mom.   No need for artificial fragrances and  toxic sudsing agents to poison their delicate skin. They can have fun with the process and make it their own. Essential oils can easily be added to this OCM for a lovely scent. Lavender or rose oil would smell lovely, don't you think?
No chemicals, all natural and organic skin care made from ingredients that you already have at home. What's even better than that is the result of healthy, glowing skin. I'm hooked!
Have you tried the Oil Cleansing Method? Tell me what you think!

Don't forget to ENTER our giveaway for a keepsake infant pearl bracelet, ends Saturday!

Photo by suzyq212

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Make your own moisturizer! — Megan at boho mama whips up a winter skin-friendly moisturizer.
• Cold Water Only — Brittany at The Pistachio Project talks about how you do not need hot water to wash laundry.
• Family Cloth... Really?? — After lots of forethought and consideration, Momma Jorje finally decides to take the plunge with family cloth.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : 5-5-5 Things A Day — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about decluttering her home in an attempt to create a gentler living space. She takes on a new project where she sets a goal of reducing, reusing and recycling every day.
• Pros and cons of family cloth — Lauren at Hobo Mama would love to continue replacing paper products with family cloth … if she could only get over how damp she feels.
• Craftily Parenting — Kellie at Our Mindful Life finds that crafting makes her a better parent.
• Changes — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one area to experiment with, so she wrote a long post about all the fun changes initiated in her life!
• Life without Internet: Not all it's Cracked up to Be — Adrienne at Mommying My Way tries to go a week without the Internet, only to realize a healthy dose of Internet usage really helps keep this stay-at-home mom connected.
• My Progression to Raw Milk — Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares her natural parenting progression all the way to trying raw milk.
• mama's new little friend. — Sarah at Bitty Bird tries a menstrual cup to "green her period," and is pleasantly surprised when she falls in love with the product!
• Before you throw it out, try homemade laundry soap! — Jennifer at Practical OH Mommy shows visual proof that homemade laundry soap is cheaper, easier, and works better than the store-bought chemicals!
• Oil, Oil, No Toil, No Trouble — K from Very Simple Secret talks about her foray into the oil-cleansing method.
• I Need a Hobby — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro couldn't decide which experiment to run, so she did them all.
• 7 days of macrobiotics for a balanced family — The Stones make a [successful] attempt to release the "holiday junking" with 7 days of macrobiotic meals to balance their bodies and souls. Elisabeth at Manic Mrs. Stone includes an explanation of macrobiotics.
• Chemical Free Beauty Challenge — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction turned to natural alternatives for her daily beauty and cleaning routine, with great results.
• Greening my Armpits!? My Green Resolution — Shannon at The Artful Mama talks about how she decided to give up her traditional antiperspirant and make the switch over to crystal deodorants and definitely isn't looking back!
• Going Raw (for a while) — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom shares her family's experience with raw food.
• Do we get to eat gluten today? — Sheila at A Gift Universe has been trying to figure out if her son does better with or without gluten in his diet … but it's really hard to tell for sure.
• Hippies Can Smell and Look Fabulous Too! — Arpita of Up, Down And Natural details her experience of going shampoo-free and overhauling her cosmetics to find the balance between feeling beautifully fabulous and honoring her inner hippie.
• Our cupboards are full...but there's nothing to eat — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud takes on the challenge of chomping through the contents of her storecupboard rather than going shopping — but there's something that she just can't bring herself to do …
• Elimination Experiment 3.0 — MudpieMama recounts the messy adventures of her baby daughter trying to be diaper free.
• Family Cloth Trial — Amyables at Toddler in Tow talks about making and using family cloth wipes in the bathroom for the first time.
• Taking a Hiatus — Amy at Peace 4 Parents shares how her experience of much less internet interaction affected her family and how it will change her approach in the future.
• Trying Out the Menstrual Cup — Lindsey at an unschooling adventure ditches the tampons and gives menstrual cups a try.
• Managing Food Waste in Our Home — Tired of the holiday waste, Robbie at Going Green Mama takes a weeklong focus on reducing food waste in her home, and learns some lessons that can take her through the new year.
• Going Offline, Cloth Tissues, and Simplicity — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama muses over her time away from blogging and social networking. In addition, she shares her newfound love of cloth tissues and simplicity.

• The Oil Cleansing Method — Erica at ChildOrganics explores an easy, organic and natural way to tackle skin care.
• Experiments in Natural Family Living - Natural Toys! — Lani at Boobie Time enjoys the silence of natural toys and being more present with her son.
• Discovering a New City and Organic Foods — Amy at A Secure Base describes her family's switch to and search for organic foods for one week.
• My Experiment in Homemade Bread — Crunchy Con Mommy tried — and loved — baking her own homemade bread.
• Menu Planning: Stop the Excuses — Gaby at Tmuffin stopped the excuses and started planning her weekly meals, drastically cutting her grocery budget and stress level and improving the quality of foods she fed her family.
• My First Menstrual Cup — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children was pleasantly surprised with her first experience using a menstrual cup.
• My Natural Beauty Regime — Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares the results of banishing cleanser and soaps from her bathroom, as well as a couple of natural homemade recipes that have worked well on her skin.
• Unplugging and Creating a Rhythm: Our Experiment in Natural Family Living — Dionna at Code Name: Mama focused less on gadgets and spent more time with her family to create a healthy rhythm for the new year.
• Experiments in Natural Family Living: 5 First Steps Toward Preparing for a Natural Birth — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama discusses how she tackled the pressing matter of how to begin preparing for a natural birth.
• All you need is...vinegar! — Kristen at My Semi-Crunchy Life learns that one household product can replace all the cleaners in her cabinet.
• Nope Nada Ixnay Negative Pass Decline — Zoie at TouchstoneZ finds out what shakes loose if she says, "YES!!" to anything anyone asks of her over the space of 10 days.
• Reducing our exposure to toxins found in plastics — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins throws out the melamine and BPA plastics which have been hanging around the kitchen for too long.
• Duh! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares how she began the process of helping her 2-year-old son stop physically acting out.
• Experiments in Natural Parenting: Starting, Stopping, and Gaining Perspective — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings explains how pregnancy brain interfered with her attempts to complete an experiment, but how she gained some interesting perspective as she started and stopped several.
• From Experiment to Lifestyle — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her experience avoiding processed foods for a month, and deciding to make it a permanent lifestyle change.
• From Disposable Paper to Reusable Cloth – AGAIN! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle stops flushing trees down the toilet and switches to the softest ever butt-wiping material: cloth.
• Extra! Extra! Water Heater Turned Down, Mom Doesn't Notice! — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis finds an energy-saving experiment that's so easy she didn't even realize it was happening.
• Worm Tea — CatholicMommy isn't sure how successful her worm bin will be, but she's having fun anyway.
• Miles to Go ... — Rachael at The Variegated Life learns that when it comes to sleep debt, she's in real deep.
• My Month With Water Kefir — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries experiments with a new fermented probiotic drink homemade in her own kitchen.
• OMG Mom is Home... All Day Everyday: A Week-Long Experiment in Connecting — What a difference a week makes! Ana at Pandamoly is afforded a week off from work and takes the chance to reconnect and reattach with her 16-month-old son through an experiment in simply being there.
• Creating Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her experiment with healthy, gluten-free recipes and a chocolate muffin recipe that was created during the experiment.
• Adventures in Alternative Haircare: No 'Poo — This guest post at Natural Parents Network from Amy at Anktangle chronicles a months-long journey into the world of no 'poo.
• My Experiment in Natural Family Living: Natural Family Planning — Birth control options are seriously limited for those of us trying to live a little closer to the earth, so Mama Psalmist experiments with natural family planning.