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In previous posts I believe that I have discussed my dedication to the ideals of attachment parenting. AP parents everywhere are no doubt exicted by the changes occurring within Attachment Parenting International. They have a new look and many new resources available to parents that want to parent with connection and attachment.

Attachment Parenting International (API), a non-profit organization that promotes parenting practices that create strong, healthy emotional bonds between children and their parents, has several exciting changes they would like to announce, including:

• A newly redesigned web site and new logo at Attachment Parenting.org
• Attachment parenting worldwide support forums
• Parent Education Program - a comprehensive series of classes for every stage and age of child development from infancy through adulthood
• A new book based on API’s Eight Principles of Attachment Parenting by API co-founders Lysa Parker and Barbara Nicholson which is expected to be available this summer
• A series of podcasts, webinars, chats, and forums with API Advisory Board members and other supporters of AP. Future events are scheduled with Dr. Bob Sears, Dr. James McKenna, and Kathleen Kendall Tacket. Check out the events page for more information.

These are just a few of many exciting things going on at API. I hope you’ll stop by and check it out for yourself.

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My oldest was on Spring break this last week and we did a variety of “crafty” projects. One of my favorites was our painting piggy banks project.

We ended up buying two ceramic piggy banks at Kroger. My kids wanted some sort of “treat” which is code for toy. I told them my stipulation was that they pick something that will last, that isn’t plastic, and that does not have excessive packaging. Mommy is MEAN huh? They picked out two ceramic piggy banks (unpainted) much to my delight and when we got home they proceeded to spend the next two hours busily painting and naming their pigs.

Of course after their piggy banks were painted they needed mom to contribute to their bank funds. I think they have developed and eagle eye for stray change in the couch cushions and in the laundry room.

The piggy banks only cost $5.50 each too, which is a real bargain. The same ones are $8.87 on Amazon. I also saw there is a Melissa and Doug paintable piggy bank too…and it is only $3.99…just in case your looking for a fun unplugged project for the kids.

Do you have an unplugged project you want to share on this blog? Send me your story and pictures!

Technorati Tags: unplugged, crafts, piggy bank, painting, project

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TGIF! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

I will continue spending lots of time with my oldest son who is on spring break. We have been doing crafts projects, going to the movies, going bowling, and I think we are going to the zoo today if I can swing it. While at the movies I fell into a pothole and sprained my ankle which now has a golf ball size lump on it. But to cheer myself up I got my spring/summer haircut early. I hacked off my shoulder blade length hair…2 inches or so in length on the top and so short in the back they practically shaved it. I am loving it.

But on to all the good stuff I have to wrap up the week….

As the number of parents that refuse vaccinations for their children grows we can only expect to start seeing more and more of these type of articles. The article discusses how non vaccinating parents are putting everyone at risk and how laws that allow them to refuse vaccination are foolish. Aka we should be FORCED to vaccinate in their opinion. One person in the article calls those that do not vaccinate “parasites”. The fear mongering is starting.

I came across two cool homeschool resources:

Virtual Field Trips -  This web site has organized virtual tours. All the educational research, site navigation and step-by-step instructions will turn web browsing into a goal-oriented educational experience. For instance if you want your child to see the Louvre (who wouldn’t) but you can’t swing that ticket to France this site gives you step by step instructions for navigating their web site so your child can get a mini-Louvre experience. Try it out…it is pretty cool.

Family Road Trip- Wow! How fun is this? This homeschooling family just embarked (this month) on a one year road trip to see America and learn all about American history. They bought a motor-home, packed up their family, and hit the road. On their blog they will share how  they homeschool on the road and specifically what are learning about  American history…complete with lesson plans and activity suggestions. I am green with envy!

Book Reviews - I have updated my book reviews page to include easy links to all the book reviews I have done on this blog. Be sure to check that out and be prepared for MANY more book reviews over the next month or so. I have an overwhelming stack of books to be read.

Green Coupon Code Roundup

Isabooties- Get some cool new vegan, soft sole shoes for your babies just in time for Spring. Use code “Springtime08″ for 15% off all orders through April 15th.

GreenNest - LOTS of green living gear for the home including some new products for baby…like natural rubber pacifiers and Born Free bottles. Save $5 on a purchase of $10 or more with coupon code: EARTH

And now for the winners of the used books and the Skinny Songs CD from last week. I picked the winners with random.org. If you are on the list email me with your address. Thx!!

Comment #16 - Eileen - Shopping Our Way to Safety by Andrew Szasz

Comment #28 - Bebemiqui - Fast Food Nation

Comment #6 - Sarah - How to Eat Like a Hot Chick by Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent

Comment #30 Danielle S. - Diaper Changes

Comment #32 - Carrie - Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens

Comment #8 - Cindi - Skinny Songs CD

Comment #16 - Eileen - The Right Words at the Right Time

Comment #26 - Ghislaine - Crazy Sexy Cancer

Congrats everyone!!

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One of my readers, Tessa, recently left a wonderful comment asking me to share some ideas for parents who are just starting to analyze their children’s eating habits and try to change them. Specifically she said she would like to see ”recipes for kids who are used to eating pizza and hot dogs”. This is a hugely important topic because there are so many parents out there that allow their children to be nourished by a diet of pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and French fries. I think they have some idea of how BAD this kind of food is but they probably don’t know just HOW bad these foods can be. Convenience may also be playing a big factor in how they feed their kids.

But to me this is a very serious issue. When I was 18, I started working in a movie theatre while I was in college. For years I ate buttery popcorn and soda as meals…it was accessible and it was free. Then when I had my first baby and I started working in marketing and advertising I let my 60+ hours a week work schedule dictate our diet. Let’s just say my oldest child had a lot of Happy Meals. This went on for about 2-3 years and started to change for the better when I got pregnant a second time and quit working. As my life made a huge shift towards natural family living and my days were spent at home, our diet improved greatly. But it was already too late…I would be diagnosed with colon cancer not too much later and it was stage 3 so I had it for awhile and didn’t know it. I think I had everyone in my family shaking the naughty finger at me. We pretty much all knew why I got cancer. Needless to say I look at food a lot differently now and I LOVE to research as much as I can on the subject. Amazingly I found that 40% of all cancers are attributed to diet. Yikes!

Also, I wanted to mention that my son (who was injured by a vaccine) developed epilepsy by the time he was 3. The part of his brain that caused the seizures was actually damaged so Doctors held out little hope that he would ever be seizure free. He went on prescription medications as suggested by his neurologist but I also decided to see if I could control his epilepsy or even get rid of it by changing his diet. Within a few months of following a diet like the one I describe below, I took him off his meds and he has not had a single seizure. His Doctors are still scratching their heads over that one.

Here are some scary health facts about the healthy diet/kids connection:

* Autopsies done on children as young as 2 years old are showing signs of fatty cholesterol buildup in the arteries.

* Over 100 studies have been done that validate the theory that food dyes and additives are a factor in ADHD and ADD.

* It is estimated that 10% of 2- to 5-year-olds and more than 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. 25% of those are obese.

* 14% of children now have type 2 diabetes, a condition that used to be pretty much specific to adults.

So what can you do? I don’t want to lay down a list of hard and fast rules here because well… different strokes for different folks but…in general the things most important to me when I feed my own kids are these:

* Organic foods - It is important that my family eats food with no pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, or chemicals in it. All of these things can accumulate in the body and cause health problems. For me it is issue of clean or dirty almost. Organic is “clean” food and I that is what I want to eat and what I want my kids to eat. I wrote an article last year about how to eat organic affordably. 

* No food coloring - Synthetic color has no nutritional value whatsoever. Beyond that, the food colors approved for use today are in a class of chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are universally suspect as carcinogenic (cancer causing). But according to the FDA it only causes cancer when it is injected into rats, not when they are feeding on it. Therefore, they conclude that it perfectly safe for humans to eat. Food coloring is also predominantly in super sugary foods that kids don’t need anyway. My oldest child can be VERY hyperactive after he eats something with food coloring in it.

* Unprocessed whole foods with no preservatives or additives - Many processed foods have chemical preservatives and additives in them. Some of them have been linked to cancer too. For instance, hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats are packaged with a preservative called sodium nitrite. In the 1970s it was discovered that sodium nitrite was not safe and it was linked to cancer. The government tried to ban it but food company lobbyists played hardball and in the end they got their way. These type of products are a no-no in my home unless they are preservative and additive free. Dedication to whole foods would also eliminate things like white breads and flours because they have been refined and left nutritionally lacking.

* No refined sugars  - Refined sugars can really be bad news for my kids where behavior is concerned. This is especially true for my daughter. Give her a bit of sugar and she will be unbearable all day long with bad mood swings, crying, tantrums, and irritability. Refined sugars will send my oldest into hyperactivity and aggression.

Ingredients to avoid are: Sugar · Brown sugar · High Fructose Corn Syrup (or HFCS) · Glucose · Fructose · Corn sweetener (HFCS) · Corn syrup · Dextrose · Fruit juice concentrate · Invert sugar · Lactose · Maltose · Malt syrup · Sucrose · Syrup

To sweeten things in my home we opt for raw honey, stevia, raw agave nectar, raw sugar cane, coconut milk (on rare occasions), natural maple syrup, raw yacon syrup, and fruit… like figs.

* An abundance of raw (uncooked) foods - Raw foods are living foods with their life giving enzymes still in tact. Heating and cooking foods kills those enzymes and renders them useless so eating raw food is important. Cooking also kills off a large portion of the vitamins and nutrients, approximately half of the protein content, and it causes fats to become rancid.  I like to make sure my kids have lots of raw fruits, nuts, and veggies in their diet. Check out my previous post on the benefits of raw food and my recipe for raw peach cobbler.

* Raw (unpasteurized) milk and cheeses - They might be hard to get in your area but the benefits are wonderful. In fact raw milk is the only milk I can drink. Check out the Real Milk site for all you could ever want to know about raw milk and where to find it in your area. I also prefer raw, organic because I don’t like pesticides and growth hormones like rBST in our milk.

* Limited meat (except fish)- I like to limit meat for a variety of reasons…one is environmental impact. Meat eating is a big time contributor to pollution. Organic meat can be expensive and is therefore less likely to be the heavy on my grocery bill. Also, since I like to emphasize raw foods as much as I can this usually leaves meat out. I won’t prepare raw/very rare meat dishes in the home but when we go out we will enjoy a good steak tartare and we LOVE sashimi and sushi. Usually once or twice a month the whole family will head out to our favorite Japanese market for fresh sashimi and we usually have one or two cooked fish meals a week.

* Superfoods -These are the foods that are considered to be nutritional powerhouses. They are generally rich in antioxidants, nutrient dense, and they help the body fight degenerative conditions and diseases like cancer. We like blueberries, Goji berries, seaweed, Spirulina, and cacao beans among others. Just throw some seaweed, green powders, or Spirulina in a fruit smoothie and everyone is getting a big boost of healthy nutrients.

Of course these are my choices for health. I have other sticking points that are more ethical in nature such as eating local when we can, growing our own food, and I guess organic falls in under the ethics category too. It is a heck of a lot to consider for a someone who is just beginning to question the standard American diet but baby steps are okay. My outlook on food as outlined above was not an overnight thing. Try picking one thing above, do some research on your own and see how you can make some changes. When you have that aspect under control switch gears and start again. This is one area where you may never stop learning…I know I haven’t. The end goal is worth it though…the health of our children. You are what you eat.

Be sure to check out the recipes section of this blog…and these related articles:

Healthy School Lunches  | Healthy Snack Ideas  | Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables  | Natural Family Recipes

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Natural Family Food Reviews:

My family and I tried a handful of new products lately and I wanted to a quick write-up for each and give our thumbs up or thumbs down. Hopefully this will be a regular feature as we try new things.

Wholesome Valley Organic Hummus in Roasted Pepper- I have to admit that I am not a big Hummus fan. This is unfortunate because Chickpeas are so good for you. With reluctance my family and tried the Roasted Pepper Hummus and and guess what…it wasn’t awful, LOL. The kids and I actually liked it for dipping fresh cut veggies in and and my hubby liked it enough to request we keep buying it. So if they carry it at Whole Foods we will be picking this up occasionally. It is organic and has no trans fats and no preservatives.

Our verdict: Thumbs up

Wholesome Valley Organic Mozzarella & Chedder Cheese Slices - Now these I don’t usually buy. In fact I can’t remember the last time I bought pre-packaged cheese slices so when Galaxy sent me these, my kids didn’t even know what they were. These too are organic and they contain no antibiotics or growth hormones. Personally I did not care for them much. My kids ate the cheddar cheese ones and didn’t complain but they didn’t ask for more either. I used the mozzarella cheese slices on a Chicken Parmesan dish and they tasted kind of bland and they didn’t melt very well.

Our verdict: Thumbs Down

Raw Hemp Nut Brownies with Almonds- Brownies are yum right? Well, not these ones. Generally my kids and I thought these were gross. These uncooked brownies are made with hemp and cacao powder and then sweetened with agave. They are supposed to be a sweet and nutritious source of protein and they were….they just didn’t taste good. My hubby on the other hand thought they were “okay”.

Our verdict: Thumbs down

R.W. Knudsen Organic Sensible Sippers- I was already a fan of R.W. Knudsen Organic juices so I pretty much knew I would like these. They are juice boxes with organic juice, no sugar added and 40% fewer calories than regular juices. The sippers have the Berenstain Bears on them too so my daughter referred to the different flavors by the different characters on them…aka the sister juice or the papa juice, etc. Pretty cute.

They come in four flavors: Apple, Banana, Fruit Punch, and Mixed Berry. My kids liked them all but Apple and Mixed Berry were the faves here.

Our verdict: Thumbs up

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Spring has somewhat sprung here in central Ohio. There is a light dusting of snow on the ground as I write this but the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Yesterday a beautiful Cardinal was sitting in an evergreen tree right outside my bedroom window. I also have some rather ugly plastic flower arrangements hanging on my back porch that were there when we moved in. I don’t have a heart to remove them though because every spring a few finch families build nests in them. I have seen a lot of nesting activity this week.

I believe I am rethinking my thought that fall is the best season. I just didn’t appreciate spring until I lived in an area with harsh and dreary winters. I am ready for spring and for planting season. My dining room is overrun with seedlings just waiting to make their debut outdoors so I have gardening on the brain.

I am not the only one because the local gardening centers and nurseries are getting new life too. I saw a gal drop a huge chunk of change on gardening stuff the other day and it got me thinking about how gardening doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are a few ideas for frugal gardeners:

1. Grow Your Own Plants from Seed - Seeds are cheaper than nursery grown seedlings so growing your own will save you some green. Local seed exchange programs and community gardens might also provide you with free seeds.

2. Don’t buy peat pots when you can use your leftover toilet paper rolls, eggshells, or newspapers for free.

3. Instead of buying containers for container gardening why not recycle household stuff like old boots, buckets, baskets, metal tins, old toys, apple barrels, wheel barrels, broken plastic tubs, etc. A few years back (in Arizona) I took two old wheel barrels and stacked them on top of each other in my front yard and planted in them. The result was so gorgeous that a picture of it ended up in a small local newspaper.

4. Make your own pinwheels. I use pinwheels in my garden to detract critters and while they are not that expensive (usually only 1.00 a piece at the store) I can save $10.00 bucks or so and have a nice time crafting with my kids by making my own…and they aren’t plastic…which is a plus. I just love the look of pinwheels blowing around in the garden, it is lovely. Ribbon attached to a stake works good too.

5. Look for open bags of soil at your local gardening center and seedlings that are past their prime. You can usually get some steep discounts on those items. Ask the cashier if they can cut you a deal.

6. Re-purpose broken watering cans by using them as planters or by cutting off the spout and using them as refill containers for bird feeders.

7. Do you or any of your neighbors have fish tanks? When it comes time to clean the tanks use the water to give your plants a tonic they will love.

8. Use a plastic garbage can to collect rain water by putting it under a drainage pipe. Then just scoop out water as needed instead of reaching for the hose to water plants.

9. Use kitchen scraps to make your own compost and put banana peels under your roses to give them a potassium boost.

10. Cut down on fanciful flowers and plant some drought tolerant plants instead like one of my personal favorites, hens-and-chicks.

11. Grow food and you won’t to buy as much at the grocery store! You can even grow your beauty products.

12. Put old saucer or plates under your pots to collect water run-off.

13. Line your pots or containers with 6-8 sheets of newspaper to help them retain moisture so they won’t need to be watered as much.

14. When it rains scoop up your indoor plants and set them outside for a little while to get a drink.

15. Shop for gardening tools, containers, and lawn and patio furniture at yard sales,  garage sales, and barn sales.

Do you have any frugal gardener ideas to share? I would love to hear your ideas!

Technorati Tags: frugal, garden, food, recycle

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So did you end up with any plastic Easter eggs this past weekend? If so, here are a couple ideas for repurposing them.

1. Store them to reuse next year. Round them up and put them in a box or an egg carton and then next year you will be all set.

2. Put them inside an egg carton and add them to your kids play kitchen.

3. Use them to make an Easter egg wreath for Easter decorating next year. Use thread to wrap around the branches and close the eggs over the thread. Trim the thread and you have made a gorgeous looking wreath. Here is a picture of an Easter egg wreath my kids and I made a couple years ago:

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I was SUPER excited to get this book. I have been a big fan of the Healthy Child Healthy World organization for many years so when they published a book I knew it would be good. The title is Healthy Child, Healthy World and it is written by Christopher Gavigan, the CEO of the organization with the same name. The forward is written by Meryl Streep and it has contributions from Gwtneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Tom Hanks, Tobey Maguire, Kate Hudson, and Erin Brockovich…just to name a few.

Basically it addresses all of the environmental toxins that our children are exposed to, why we need to be concerned, and where they may be lurking. Just as we attempt to child proof our home and cover electric sockets we also need to be concerned with less tangible things….things we can’t see but that still prove to be a serious risk to our children. No parent wants to even imagine that they are allowing their child to come to harm but unknowingly that is what many parents may be allowing to happen and that is why this book was written, to help parents create a cleaner, greener, and safer home. This is a book that EVERY single parent needs to read…before they read the What to Expect Books or even Dr. Sears books. More parents NEED to know about the dangers their children are being exposed to every day. Parents concerned about the issues covered in this book are not alarmists or extremists…the danger is there and it is real. This book is my new #1 baby shower gift.

It just covers so much good information I am in awe…like a collection of the “best of the best” that parents need to know. It has also many cut out cheat sheets for green cleaners, fruits and veggies best eaten organic, and a list detailing each plastic and which ones are the most toxic.

The first chapter discusses raising a healthy baby while pregnant and all the potential dangers that are present before a child even enters the world. It covers a lot of things that pregnant moms need to consider from synthetic fragrances to nail polish and all the ways you can ensure a healthier pregnancy.

Chapter 2 discusses household cleaners and why they are so dangerous. After highlighting what specific ingredients do the most harm and why it goes on to explain that green cleaners are the way to go…buying more natural ones or making your own. It has several recipes for homemade cleaners too.

Chapter 3 is one of my favorites. It discusses food and all the nasty preservatives, additives, and chemicals in our food and all the reasons why organic and whole foods are better. It shows how much of the stuff at the grocery store is not real food…you know…like that techni-color blue, cotton candy flavored yogurt for kids. It really covered all the basics…nitrites, food coloring, RBGH, pesticides, high fructose corn syrup, etc. In this section Gwyneth Paltrow shares some of her childhood experiences and provides few recipes her kids love. This summer I will be trying her daughter Apple’s favorite Organic Roast Veggie Sticks with fresh carrots and parsnips from the garden. Mmmm…

It also good info on what to cook your food in and what not to (Teflon) and what the safest food storage options are. In this chapter you also get educated about BPA in plastic baby bottles. This is the first book I have read that had this important info in it.

Chapter 4 was another good one. It addresses beauty products….toothpaste, deodorant, perfumes, lotions, shampoos…all the chemical laden stuff we use to beautify ourselves. It had two essays I loved from Kate Hudson and Vanessa Williams. It is hard to imagine Vanessa Williams reading the Environmental Working Group reports and Kate Hudson making her own homeopathic remedies just like I do.

Chapter 5 takes on the topic of toxic toys and children’s gear that is on the market with nasty chemicals. It mentions all the toys with PVC, pacifiers with BPA, cloth diapers with chemicals, toxic crib mattresses, and our petroleum based crayons. It was a nice refresher but the part I most enjoyed was reading about Noah Wyle and his natural parenting style and background. What can I say…I do kind of like celebrity gossip…and I really enjoy reading about celebrities that have a natural, granola, attached style of parenting.

Chapters 6 & 7 are green gardening and yard maintenance and clean water. Chapter 8 is about green and healthy pet care…something I haven’t really delved into before.

Chapter 9 is all about a safe home from the mattresses to the carpet and then the last chapter talks about where to start your home makeover with all the information you just read. It has a cutout chart with 5 easy steps to a cleaner, greener, safer home. It also has a large resources section at the back of the book that I LOVED. I sat for a long time and looked up all the online stores and resources it mentioned  for everything from clothes to a backyard playset. I was also stoked to see some blogs I read mentioned in it.

This book covered all the major issues that any green/healthy child book should cover and that is no easy task. Of course it doesn’t go into all the topics very deeply but it gives a brief overview of each danger zone so that parents can do their own supplimental research and conclude to do something about each. I highly recommend this book for all parents.

Buy Healthy Child Healthy World

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Now is your chance to tell me exactly what you want to read about on this blog. I have set up several choices for you to choose from (as many as you like) and the most important part is the text box at the end…tell me specifically what YOU want to read about. Thx!!!

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