WATER issues??

PLEASE check this out!! In addition to the poisonous flouride that is ALREADY in your water supply now this!!!

http://www.naturalnews.com/033661_sucralose_drinking_water.html

I take issue with this development!! Don't you?

Ticks, Sun, and ending of Summer!

So what do YOU use for bugs and sun??

Just because we have a family full of special diets and allergies does that mean we have a miserable summer?? NO!!! We go the lake, camping, everything!!

We use All Terrain Ditch the Itch for after the fact chiggers - you know when your son comes home from scout camp COVERED and scratchin like CRAZY! We were using Dr. Christopher's BF and T Complete Soap... and it works GREAT. All Terrain is just easier to get my hands on out here!

Next we use Quatum Research Buzz Away Extreme Spray... it repells even TICKS!!! VERY important out here!

We were using Jason's Sun Screen, which works well and smells very nice. But I found Alba Botanical equal in everything BUT price, so Alba Botanical wins our competition.

So if you're looking for sun screen, bug spray, et cetera answers - try these brands and see how they work for your family! They've worked great for ours!! Even with our asthmatic baby!! SPeaking of whom, she is getting so much better because of our trips to our gifted chiropractor!!

YAY for Summer!!

Wednesday!!

Crunch: Total Resculpt! This one is taught by a dude! He growls!!! I loved him! Lots of fun. Great for a beginner. None of the combos too challenging. Easy steps and moves. Still lots of fun for someone like me!

Covers ALL of the arm muscles and back! Lots of legs and squats. Don't ya just love squats?? Plenty of pliets as well. I am beginning to love those pliets! Not much cardio though.. so I feel like I need more cardio now. So faar the other ones were cardio too... but not this one really.

Mmmmm. yep, I feel like runing or something now - but no time :(

Try a little something new. You never know till you try it. Find something you like so you stick with it!!

Sweat on!!

Daipers and Decisions

So Our second youngest got bit by a tick and had a skin reaction. No Lyme disease or anything just the skin infection. Unfotunately had to use antibiotics... being reminded that I need to learn more about herbs!!!

For all your diapering needs check out www.mother-ease.com. We're getting some training pants for our 2 yr... she is still recovering and having more accidents due to the medication.

So, I've talked with a very knowledgable friend... she will teach me more about herbs and lend me a few books! YAY! I love friends!!

Made Blackberry jam yesterday with blackberries from our yard!! Going to get today or tomorrow!! YAY!

Now I need to find a sign language class and where to hold my Trust Birth Meetings, now that I am a facilitator... hmmmmmm....

Tuesday!

Another dance workout with an Ab Blaster. I like the dance workouts because they seem to be targeting my abs and give my legs a bit of a rest. Lots of sweat! Worked out hard, but it wasn't a fav. So I doubt I'll be repeating it. No particular reason, just not my preferred.

I'm gonna do a "Best Butt Fast" tomorrow. Looks like there's some yoga and dance in that one as well as general aerobics and strengthening.

You wanna have a good start to your day? WORKOUT!!! Rev up those endorphins! Brightens up your mood, gets your heart rate up so you're not dragging yourself to begin your day! Yeah, sure you may have to drag yourself into the beginning of the workout... but that's ok! By the end of it your engine will be humming with energy and your mind will be gearing up for whatever you've choose to do that day!!

Do I do this to look good?? Honestly? No, not really. I have an honest appraisal of my looks - I'm no beauty queen. I'm your everyday girl next door looker. Do I do this so I can eventually fit into my Favorite jeans? YES!! But mostly I do this for the energy I get from it and the amazing mood lift!!! This is Prozac, people, with nothing but good side effects!! I do this so I can play in the yard and the park with my 7 kids!! I do this so I feel healthy and fit. I like to be strong! I love to run and not jiggle like crazy! Don't you??

Well, then... SWEAT ON!!!

kittens kittens

So we have kittens... anyone want some?? Also we're getting rid of our Pygmy goats!! Ya want a few??!!

Feingold-

Please check out http://ourfeingold.blogspot.com/

Our blog about our dietary adventures to come!!

Becoming Crunchier...

DId you know that store-bought toothpaste with FLouride is chock full of neurotoxins?? Yep, it is! Did you know that several of the food colorings you can get at your grocery store have been banned in other countries? Yupper.

Well, we're finding this out too. Along with these important tidbits of info we're also finding out that nitrates, dyes, "flavorings", etc can be responsible for odd behaviors in children and adults!! So we're going the Feindgold way. Do I have the book yet? Not in my fingers as yet, but wokring on that. We are going through everything and gradually cleaning out our kitchen. Gradual for me anyway... which is pretty fast for others.

As of today we have 3 flavors of homemade toothpaste. Kid tested and approved. We've chucked the food colorings. I'm currently cleaning out my cabinets and ridding the house of MSG. DO you know how bad that is?? Look it up, aweful stuff.

It'll take a month or MORE, but we'll get it. And I'll post here any behavior improvements. Our 7 yr old DS, 4 yr old DD, and 13 yr old DS could use all the help they can get. 13 yr old DS has Aspergers which improves everytime we do this sort of thing. 7 yr old DS has RAD and developmental delays, and emotional issues. And little Miss L1 is just hyper and craving yogurt, cheese, and sugar all the time... I just KNOW something's not right there. The others, if they are having challenges, they are too subtle for me to detect, and I'll post any changes I observe.

DId you know that COconut oil cures THrush on mommy's nipples? ANd in the diaper areas too? Crunchy. Crunchy. More and more home remedies with results that surpass those found when using scripts given by the doctor. YAY! Love my midwife friend with her herbal remedy store. Fab!! Just FAB!

We've got lettuce, maters, peppers, and corn coming up in the garden. YAY! One day, when things don't die so predictably for me, I'll want a larger garden. But getting more and more crunchy as the months pass.

Long time - no post...

And not much time now. Two things I wanted to post:

1- If you have a milk goat AND a baby. Get a Maya Wrap!! Carry baby while milking to goat!! YAY!

2- We're leaving for Nauvoo in the morning. Gonna enjoy Pioneer Days and a Temple Visit for the 4 yr old's bday! She's soooo excited!


Thank you to our friends for lending us you house!!!

One day when I have a little more tie, I'll post more about the happenings on our homestead. Keep up the food storage and emergency prep! We'll be back soon :)

Sewing...

A moment away from emergency prep...

When we moved out here I had NO IDEA how to sew... now I make coats, dresses, pants, et cetera. Nothing fancy mind you. Just cute and practical... a lot of it Home on the Prairie - ish.

Recently, through a friend I found an super cute pattern on Etsy. Yup, I'm a copy cta, my friend made it first. My friend is also much more clever regarding colors and such. *wink* But I wanted to show off my next sewing project...created by dearmykids - dmkeasywear (is what you look for on Etsy)

So go here and check it out!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62648718/stylish-kids-double-breasted-coat-age-1?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=dmkeasywear&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

When it's finally done, because remember I have 7 kids and not a whole lot of time to do this sort of thing, I'll post a pic of the finished product!

Long time no post...

Sorry been busy at the homestead. So back to storage... got a fantastic deal on rice 2 weeks ago, so we now have 210 lbs of it in various places. Ground 50 lbs for flour. FABULOUS!

This week there was a sale on strawberries and mushrooms - so some got frozen and some canned. So satisfying to go into the basement and see at least 3 mths of food storage down there. We're doing a great job of staying in our budget and getting prepared for anything!!

Snow Day...

Well, it's snowing so... we are working on organizing the school room! In preperation of beginning again after taking a semester off! So let's get to it, right?

The kids enjoyed organizing the file folder games, the puzzles, books, and so on! Fun morning. Now for lunch. PNB with pear honey sandwiches, apples, and popcorn, while listeing to an audio book equals happy kids! YAY!

The Art closet is waiting.... ho hum.

Jane Austen and LDS chicks....

http://www.ldsliving.com/story/63666-why-jane-austen-appeals-to-lds-women

Baby-

Well, I told my hubby no matter when she came, he was getting a baby for Valentine's Day/Anniversary gift. 2 days after the "I love Us" (HallMark)Day, the baby came. And it was glorious.

On Monday, according to the last menstrual cycle we were 43 weeka long with the baby. After much prayer Tuesday, I went to the chiropractor, as since Sunday I had been experiencing excruciating pain. The Chiropractor, Crystal, found my hips terribly misaligned. After my 45 minute appt, I stood up and experienced WONDERFUL pain FREE movement! I expressed my gratitude several times, while enjoying the fact that standing was no longer painful. On my way out the door I decided I could have the baby now that I could move freely - well, as freely as most women this far pregnant.

Wednesday, I woke up feeling that we should break my water, or at least strip my membranes. Well, my family doctor, who used to be an OB and is trained for such things, is no longer licensed to. My friend, a midwife, is out of town. So after errand running, I was still on a high about being able to move so painfree, I met Hubby at home. He stripped my membranes, having the same *feeling* about it as I did. We prayed. And half an hour later I was in labor and running myself a bath.

2 1/2 hours of labor. That was it. And it was wonderful. Hubby managed to feed the children dinner, and keep them occupied while still being there for me. He was amazing, as he always is. He offered water, ice, hotter water for the bath, and so support verbal and physical support for me during this time. He had his hands perfectly placed to catch our daughter as she came into the world. She tried breathing right away! He brought the children in, gave me everything I needed while we nursed for a while, delaying the cord clamping.

The girls were mezmerized, the boys looked and left, not knowing how to interpret this little naked purple things as their new sister. Our eldest stayed to help. Handing us towels, blankets, items out of the birthing bag we had prepared together, and so on. She thought it was fabulous. She asked many questions and was amazed at this miracle of birth.

Eventually we clamped and cut the cord, storing the placenta for processing into capsules later. While DH and DD dressed the baby, I showered. When I came out I found that DH had tucked everyone into bed and the baby was ready to nurse again. DH made me dinner, then went out to milk the cow. By this time it was very late... who is not impressed with DH yet??

When he came back in to take a shower, he scrubbed the bathroom clean (as is his usual practice after a birth at our house) then took a shower. He tucked the baby and myself into bed before climbing in himself and falling alseep before his head hit the pillow.

There were no complications of any kind. No tearing, or pain that could not be dealt with with the bath water. The baby showed her lusty set of lungs right off, needed no suctioning, or resucitation. The delayed cord clamping allowed her to gain the blood from the placenta. She is very healthy, nursing often and greedily. She is also a very calm little girl.

This was the most blessed experience I have ever had birthing a baby. Much of it is very personal and spiritual and find I cannot share all the reasons here. But I am so very grateful to my Heavenly Father and my husband for making this possible.

42 1/2 weeks and counting...

Usually I care not a wit for other peoples' opinions. But for some reason, due in part I'm sure to hormones, during pregnany I listen to what others have to say a lot more than usual, and take it to heart for some short duration of time.

I have turned it OFF! YAY, me. I stopped listening to horror stories of late births, pitocin possibilities, other induction choices, and need after need after NEED of ultra sounds, etc, etc, etc. Since turning this inane chatter off, and letting it wash off my back, instead of giving it credit, I have felt so much LESS stress about this baby. I feel much more in control of my emotional state, mental outlook, and perspective. I am once again the optimist. Confident in my ability to birth this healthy baby in due course.

So, yes, I am over 42 weeks pregnant. I have carried so far 3 other babies past the 41 weeks mark and had nothing but easy labors and happy healthy babies as a result. I am not worried or concerned about the health of the baby or myself. I admit this one is lower and dropped a while ago so - Yeah- I'm darn uncomfortable, but that's par for the course.

This fear that going past 40 week sis dangerous doctors and other well-meaning people in the medical proffession infect their patiens with is a MYTH! Yes sirree. A Myth! You're not technically considered POST-Due until after 43. ANd even then it is not considered a real threat unless there is some sign that either the placenta is beginnig to break down, or the baby is stressed. There is no date at which the placenta automatically begins to calcify, some begin this process as early as 27 weeks, hence many many early labors, while others don't begin to break down at all. There is no proven reason, as yet, as to why this happens or does not happen. Although I have a hunch that it has a lot to do with the mother's health both preconception and during pregnancy.

So, my friends there is no reason for me to be overly concerned, except of course in the topic of standing, sitting, and walking. I am looking forward to being able to move more freely, hold our new baby, recover and get my energy back. But those are not reasons good enough to jumpstart this pregancy before the baby is ready. The baby send out chemicals from the womb that triggers labor. Yes these chemicals can be stimulated from outside forces, but why would I do that. These last few days or weeks the baby is developing her endocrine system. The system that helps her adjust to life outside the womb. Why would I stop that prematurely.

Would I be thrilled to go into labor today- YUP!! But I'll let my body and the baby decide when that time is. My body's ready and has been for a while. So I'm just waiting on baby. I'm sure she'll arrive when she's good and ready.

I believe birth to be a natural process, just like the pregnancy. I do not believe it is innately dangerous. It's beautiful, natural, powerful, and to be embraced with faith and confidence. Perhaps this is an unusual philosophy, but I doubt it. It's just not the mainstream idea. But I've never thought very highly of many of the mainstream ideals that have gone in and out of fashion.

Homebirth versus Hospital birth

Fantastic blog entry!!!

http://hippiehousewife.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-homebirth.html

Way to go Hippie Housewife!

Ultra Sounds Pros and Cons

http://ecochildsplay.com/2010/10/07/to-ultrasound-or-not-to-ultrasound-reasons-vs-risks/

It may come as a shock to a lot of people, but there ARE cons to having ultrasounds done!!!

Get the Party Started Already!

Okay- we're 41 weeks, the baby's head is engaged, I'm fully effaced, and 6 cm dilated. Oh, and sick of being PREGNANT! So let's get this party started, right?

Okay since I'm feeling like this let's address the at home possibilities for labor inducers, shall we?

1- Herbs-

Blue and Black Cohosh (not the same plant). Blue Cohosh helps the uterus to contract more substantially. Black Cohosh helps these contractions become regulated. Note: those mothers with blood problems should steer clear of Black Cohosh, because it can have blood thinning effects.

EPO (Evening Primrose Oil) which I have mentioned before, is used to dilate and efface the cervix. Taken internally or placed near the cervix before bed, either way it has wonderful results. However, it also has blood thinning effects in those mothers with blood issues.

RRL- I have a friend who swears that is your labor starts and you drink as much Red Raspberry Leaf tea as you can possibily stand it'll keep it going for you!

2-Walking- Yeah right. Okay, to be fair it CAN help the baby become better placed for birth and let gravity help with that. It may even help cause a few BRaxton Hixs contractions. But walking has not been documented, or even reported to begin labor.

3- Mowing the lawn. Granted with a snow storm coming in my direction, it's not something I get to try. But I do have a friend who swears it started one of her labors. I tried it with our 4th. Just made me sweaty and uncomfortable. But I'd try it again!

4- Sex, Sex, and more Sex. That is how it got there to begin with right? Semen has a high prostaglandins, which help efface and dilate the cervix. Orgasms encourage uterine contractions. And Nipple Stimulation release oxytocin to help all of this along! Unfortunately, it has never jump started any of my labors - but it's from lack of trying ;)

5-Spicy Foods? Well, it'll give you and excuse to dive into that Mexican dish you've been craving. And because they can irritate the bowels, it is possible it could help get your labor going. But it has never worked for me, or anyone I know.

6- Pineapple. Has certain somethings in it that can also help soften the cervix, but that's it. Eat up if you like it. I do!

7- Dancing - I saw on Youtube a woman's water break while dancing in the kitchen with her hubby. I've even tried jumping jax, and no water breakage for me. But try it if you're up for it.

8-Bumpy car ride?? Never heard of this actually working. And I get one anytime I go amywhere from our house.

9- Castor Oil, which I am possibilty getting desperate enough to try. YUCK for one. BUt it cause intestinal cramping and diahrea, which can get the labor contractions started - OR it can just leave you dehydrated and sick.

10- The last one I want to mention is Stripping the Membranes. This is where someone takes their fingers (two usually) and inserts them into your cervix, and gently seperates the bag of water from the uterine wall. This sometimes cause contractions and can get your labor started. This has in fact worked for me in the past. But, in my experience, the person doing it has to be pretty ruthless. It doesn't hurt everyone, so I hear, but it seriously hurt me. My cervix is so sensetive this late in pregnancy, that is REALLY hurts. But truthfully I get over it, and am grateful when it works.

There are some other otpions to be found online. But honestly I don't think they're even worth considering. Like I said I'm contemplating the castor oil at this point. Like I said in the beginning, my body is WAY ready, so maybe a little kick will help "Get This Party Started"!