Back to School Times Four

I knew it was coming, that I could not escape it.  It was inevitable, but it still took my breath away and has me typing this at one in the morning.

This year, our youngest baby starts kindergarten.  For the very first time, in the history of sending our babies off to their first day of school, I will be coming home alone.  No little hand in mine, walking home together, collecting leaves and planning our day.  No little voice singing along to the radio as we drive the older kids to school.  No kids shows as background noise.  No little shadow following me around the house.

Just me.  And the fur babies.

Every single last piece of my heart will be leaving me at home by myself all day.  Just the thought has me sobbing and in tears.

For over fourteen years, my life has been my children.  I went on maternity leave with my eldest and once he was born, I never looked back.  My entire day centered around my babies, it’s all I’ve known for so long, I feel lost knowing this chapter of my life is closing.

Sara still feels like a little baby to me, not ready to be sent away all day.  She still says words that take us several minutes, to her great frustration, for us to understand.  She just barely turned 5 a little over a month ago, and already, she has been stamped as ready for school and will be starting her journey outside of our home.  Away from me.

This all feels greatly rushed, especially not being in our own home, still living in a rental house as our place is in the process of being put back together from the fire.  I feel cheated out of our last summer.  I had so many plans, so many dreams of the perfect summer vacation with my babies before school started.  I allowed our circumstances to steal that away from us.  Shame on me.

Already, the hectic school year schedule has started, with dance and marching band kicking off earlier this month.  The days are flying by, I am running out of summer, and there is nothing I can do.

So I cry.  And I type at 1 in the morning, trying to make some sense of my sadness until my brain is too tired, too exhausted to think one more sad thing, and I finally drift off to sleep.

Tomorrow, I will hold my babies.  I will kiss their sweet, chubby, little baby hands, and I will cherish every last glorious minute I have with them before the school year steals them away from me.

I don’t know how moms survive this.  It feels unbearable to me, watching my babies grow up so quickly right before my eyes.

Now you see me….maybe…

Seriously flirting with the idea of vlogging, adding another element to my blog here, and a new way to interact.  I’m implementing a lot of big changes in my world right now, and as I’ve mentioned before, re educating myself on all things PCOS.  I’m learning even more than I did before, 8 years ago, when I first dove into my research, and feel like it could be helpful to share what I find.

Speaking of 8 years ago……

So, it never fails to hit me this time of year, as the date approaches, and this year is no exception.  Next week, on April 13, marks what would have been my third baby’s birth date/estimated due date.  I was so stinkin’ excited to have a baby with diamonds as their birthstone!!  Not to mention, we don’t have any April birthdays in the family yet!  This year, I would be celebrating 8 blissful years, but the universe had another plan for me.

I lost my baby early on, and went spiraling down into my unexplained infertility battle, that I would eventually find out was caused by PCOS.

I am fighting PCOS to this very day, and have recently gotten so over it, I have decided to really do everything in my power to show this nasty condition who’s boss.  (Spoiler alert: I’m the boss!!  The power is in my hands, and yours too, if you are in my boat!)

I want a happy ending to my tear filled journey, and if I can give even a tiny glimmer of hope of help to someone who feels the same way, who is going through the same thing….well, then I feel like it’s my job to offer a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, or even just an ear to listen.

That’s why I have been seriously considering vlogging, since I feel like I can better emote to you and speak like your friend, rather than just type the words to try and convey what’s in my head and heart.

I’ll have to see what my tech guy says, because I am thinking of just hitting record, spilling my guts, then sharing the video.  I get annoyed at the idea of editing anything or doing anything technical because, blah, it’s boring to me!  I am not a patient girl, I just wanna talk.  🙂

 

Teacher Gifts

Can you believe that December is already here?!  Craziness!!  I like to get all the grunt work done as early in the month as possible, so I can try and enjoy the fun and traditions with the kiddos without worrying about last minute shopping, baking, etc.

Yesterday, between our water being turned off accidentally by the water company (new computer system apparently, but holyhell was that a major headache!!), a sick baby coughing her cute little head off, and our internet not working for most of the day…….I happened to hop online and quickly had my holiday spirit squashed like a bug.

I’m not sure exactly what I had searched, but I happened upon a blog with a list of items teachers really want for Christmas, along with a very long list of things they apparently hate getting for Christmas.  Basically, it boiled down to giving them cash or gift cards because they hate anything teacher related, handmade, or simply bought out of the goodness of your heart.  The post had soooooooo many comments from real teachers, agreeing with the list and groaning and moaning about all the tacky stuff they get each year.

Wow.

It got real ugly real quick, and the overwhelming vibe was how ungrateful the list and the people replying to it really were.

Now, valid points were made.  I guess.  Of course, the teacher won’t like every single lotion or candle or goodie that they receive.  But shouldn’t they love the thought behind it??  The love and the intention of someone carving out precious time and money during the holiday season to show their appreciation??

If I were swimming in money, oh the gifts I would give!!!  I would spoil every single person around me!  Being without oodles of cash, I still make a point to try and show our love and appreciation to our loved ones and the amazing teachers we have in our lives.  Isn’t that enough?  Shouldn’t the recipient of any gift at all just be grateful that you thought of them and made sure to include them?

This one little post soured my mood and filled me with more bah humbug than I care to admit.  Of course, I want to believe that we are the exception, and that anything we ever give is greatly received and appreciated, but now I am filled with doubt.  One thing this girl can’t stand to be is unappreciated.

Blah!

For the most part, each year, we give a gift to the main teacher, and then I have my kids make hand drawn cards for all the extra awesome people they encounter daily, like the special area teachers, the lunch ladies, the bus driver, janitor, school nurse, everyone we can think of that is a part of making each day awesome.  Along with the homemade cards, we usually attach a piece of candy or something of the like.

The response from all of the usually forgotten people has always been amazing, and we will continue that tradition for sure.  But I find myself on the fence now with the teacher gift because, well, I want to be appreciated for appreciating!  Is that so crazy?  I have four kids who are all very busy with school, scouting, dance, band, etc.  For me to carve precious time and money from our already overstretched schedule and pocketbook is a big deal to us.  I want to give a gift that is appreciated and makes the teacher feel loved and cherished.  I don’t want to imagine them rolling their eyes and throwing our gift in a pile of perceived crappy gifts.

I guess really, I will give them whatever the heck I want to, try and forget that crappy blog post I read, and just hope that the people in our lives are not as ungrateful and awful as the people that felt the need to trash the things they get for Christmas each year.  It’s hard to feel sorry for people who are showered with gifts, whether they are up to their snooty standards or not.

I choose to believe that we put good thought and intentions with our gift giving, and if the people want to be jerks about it, so long as I don’t hear about it, I don’t care!  Pffffffffft!!!

I guess I should get off this soap box before it splinters…….

Last thought, and something I am constantly saying to my kids since they were teeny tiny:

You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.

Rant over.  🙂

 

The Day I Woke Up Vegan

I have to start this post with a promise and a fact.  As I stated several times before, I don’t judge anyone, I think everyone should live their life exactly as they see fit.  Be happy and smile, ignore the negatives, spread the love, etc, etc.  And I sincerely mean that from the bottom of my heart.  No matter what my choices are in life, I am never looking around me and judging others for making different choices.  That is craziness, and most assuredly, not me.  I decided to share this with you all, my awesome readers, because I like to think if this little blog as a friendly place to chat and vent and share a little slice of me.  No need to be offended by anything I ever say here, because I can promise you that if I knew I offended you, it would break my heart.

Okay, now where were we…………..ahhh yes…….

The Day I Woke Up Vegan.

So this will sound super hippy dippy to a lot of you, I’m sure, but I have been researching and learning to take charge of my newly realized empath abilities.  If you don’t know what that is, it’s not vital to the story, but it’s an interesting condition, if you are so inclined to Google.  🙂

Basically, I am a super emotional person, and I have found that I am hyper sensitive to the emotions of people around me.  A lot of empaths are written off as being too thin skinned and overly emotional, and a lot of empaths just accept that as the truth and feel like a loser all their lives.  What a crappy way to live!!

I decided to go with the whole “knowledge is power” theory, and decided to do loads of research on it all.  Like, all of the research, exhaustively.  It’s how I do.  As I learned more and more, I have found myself becoming more relaxed and more in tune with what is happening around me, instead of constantly bombarded and stressed.  It also, happened to push me intuitively, to start watching a series of films through Netflix that greatly contributed to my total food revolution.

Perhaps a catalyst to all of this, was at my 3 and 5 year old’s recent dr check up.  Noah, at 5 years old, weighs exactly the same as Sara, my 3 year old.  My skinny little Noahbean has been instructed to put on some serious poundage in the next two months, when he will go in for a weight re check.

My kids are all very healthy eaters, and Noah certainly holds his own at meal time, often times finishing off anyone’s plate that has any leftovers on it.  What the doctor recommended, to aid in his weight gain, is Pediasure.  Now, I don’t know about you, but looking at the gross list of sugars and chemicals on the label of the Pediasure drinks, sure didn’t sound like a healthy way to get added nutrition.  I waffled back and forth with the idea, but ultimately decided I couldn’t serve my baby the chemical laden goo with a clear conscious.  I decided that I would treat him myself with healthy, whole foods.  Added fat and calories from real food like nuts, and smoothies filled with fruits and veggies, so sugar and no unpronounceable chemicals.

It seemed no coincidence when I was drawn to the Netflix film Fed Up, and subsequently, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead; Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead 2; Forks Over Knives; Food Inc; and Vegucated, just to name a few.  The two that really jolted me to my senses were Food Inc and Vegucated.

Now, I’m not a stupid person.  Every time I ate a burger, or bacon, or chicken, etc, I knew exactly where it came from.  I knew an animal died, and said animal was on my plate.  There was still a massive disconnect though.  To see the conditions that commercial animals are held in…….Well, it was eye opening, and that’s all I have to say.  It is super easy to look up this information for yourself, if you are so inclined.  If you are not so inclined, that’s okay too.  🙂

So the morning after watching these films, and yes, I absolutely binge watched them, thank you Netflix, I woke up realizing that I couldn’t support this lifestyle anymore.  My heart was just broken, I couldn’t imagine carrying on as if I hadn’t seen what I had seen.  That day, we stocked up on all 100% vegan foods, mostly fresh produce, grains, legumes, real food stuff that is pure nutrition, not chemicals and much less murder-y.  lol

The amount of choices available for a vegan lifestyle is pretty overwhelming.  It’s awesome.  Also, I feel good knowing that I am feeding my family foods that can nourish and heal them.  There are so many studies supporting a plant based way of eating, the health benefits, the disease curing, ailment curing, you name it.  It just seems silly for me in my life right now, not to do this.

So yes, as of this moment, and having started on April 25, 2015, this mama is 100% veggie fueled.  And I did it all cold turkey…..errrr….cold tofurkey?  lol  I can tell you that I feel good.  Really good.  And I will definitely be reporting soon on how my whole food fix works on Noah’s weight gain.  He is definitely loving all the fresh food and yummy smoothies, so I don’t predict any problems with him happily enjoying the change.

UPDATE May 28, 2015:

It has been over a month since I have plunged into this new lifestyle, and I am very happy to report that my entire family has jumped on board with me.  I will admit, we have not been 100% vegan, but we have been 100% vegetarian.  And my skinny little Noahbean, who needed to gain weight and was prescribed Pediasure?  Well, I am ecstatic to report that through all whole, plant based foods, I have been able to stack on a good 6 pounds of weight on him, in just about a month’s time!!  Mama has dropped a few pounds as well, and everyone is enjoying the new plant based menu.   I’m looking forward to where this journey takes us in the future.  So far, so awesome!!  🙂

Citrus Lane September 2014 Review!

We just got our September Citrus Lane box and I am happy to share with you all the fun little goodies we received!!  Let’s jump in!

This month’s box was quite heavy, and no wonder, because it has a big, chunky, wodden Melissa and Doug item included!!  This month’s box contained:

Red Shape Sorting Clock from Melissa and Doug

This is an awesome addition to the box, I am always so excited to get Melissa and Doug anything!!  This is a very substantial toy, serving double duty as a tool to learn shapes when the little ones are smaller, and to help establish time telling skills when they are a bit older!  I love the bright colors and am very excited to add this to our daily home school routine for my two little ones!

Pieces Foam Bath Puzzle from Boon

A bath toy that doesn’t squirt or hold icky water, woo hoo!!  This will be a very welcome addition to splash time, a fun, bright jellyfish design in a puzzle that sticks directly to the tub wall for bathtime problem solving!  This is very cool and Sara is huge into puzzles right now, so I know she will definitely enjoy this toy!

Little Red Hen Book & CD Set from Barefoot Books

We are book hoarders in our house, so I am always super excited when we receive a book in our box!  This one is no exception, and has the fun bonus of a story cd read by Debra Messing and even a bread recipe to add a super fun activity to go along with the well loved children’s classic!  Love, love, love!

Cinnamon Crunch from Somersault Snacks

Snack time!  This month’s box included a new treat I had never heard of, a healthy new snack that is nut free and made from sunflower and sesame seeds.  Crunchy, sweet, yummy….was I supposed to share these with my kids?  Oops!!  Hehe!  They are a very yummy addition to snack time, and definitely something I am looking forward to having again!

Free Box for a Friend!

We also got a coupon to receive a free box for a friend, a nice way to introduce someone to the awesomeness of Citrus Lane!

 

So ends another awesome month of Citrus Lane!  If you are totally jelly and wishing you had your very own box of goodies delivered right to your door each month, carefully curated just for your child, then click HERE and give Citrus Lane a try!  Shipping is always free, and you get an awesome array of goodies each month specifically for your child’s age.

 

There is also a great promotion going on right now, but ending soon!  Click HERE and be sure to enter code HALFOFF to get 50% off your first box!!

Citrus Lane Box January 2014!

Time for our monthly Citrus Lane review!  🙂

I have aged Saraphina’s box up one full year after being a little bit disappointed in a few of her previous boxes.  Now, that’s not to say her boxes weren’t great!  The problem is when I compared her box to some of the other boxes that I saw on the Citrus Lane Facebook page.  Hehe!  Rather than be envious of the older boxes, I decided to just age her up and honestly, I have been very happy with the aged up boxes!  That said, here is a quick peek at our January 2014 Citrus Lane box!

*Zig Zag Zebra Coloring Book from Barefoot Books (estimated value: $6.29)

Super cute book this month that is no ordinary coloring book!  The interactive pages have your little one adding their mad artistic skillz to the cute activity pages.  Every page is full color and sturdy, making this book not feel at all like a simple coloring book, which it most definitely is not!  Very fun way to introduce drawing and shapes and even colors to the little kids.

*Duo Tip Washable Markers from Faber-Castel (estimated value: $4.99)

These awesome markers have a colored tip on each side, one wide and one fine, plus they are made from food grade vegetable dyes, so when they inevitably get on your child’s clothes, the stains easily wash out!  Yay!  These are a perfect companion to the coloring book!

*Fruit Set from Plan Toys (estimated value: $8)

This set was exclusively made for Citrus Lane, so I estimated the price by looking up a larger, 6 piece set that was $16.  These super cute fruits are made from wood and Velcro, so you can “slice” them with the included play knife for fun pretend kitchen play.  My kids LOVE cooking with pretend food!  We have had lots of play food over the years, and wood is definitely the way to go!  The plastic play foods get smashed and unrecognizable, and the little cardboard boxes?  Yeah, they don’t last ten minutes in our crazy house.  We have been slowly replacing all the old smooshed stuff with wooden pieces, so this set was an exciting addition!  It’s also fun to “slice” the food and get that satisfying crunch from the Velcro!  🙂

*Upset Tummy & Nausea Relief from Mommy’s Bliss (estimated value: $10.49)

This is perfect to have on hand!!!  I noticed a lot of moms saying they had no use for this item, just wait until their kids get their first case of the stomach flu!  Trust and believe, this is a must have for the medicine cabinet!  All ingredients are completely natural and 100% vegetarian/vegan with no gluten, dairy, soy or sugar.  Even if it’s just a queasy tummy from motion sickness, indigestion or gas, it’s nice to know you have something ready to go to ease your little one’s discomfort.  Yes, yes, yes, I love it!

So ends another awesome month of Citrus Lane!  If you are totally jelly and wishing you had your very own box of goodies delivered right to your door each month, carefully curated just for your child, then click HERE and give Citrus Lane a try!  Shipping is always free, and you get an awesome array of goodies each month specifically for your child’s age.  Use coupon code FEBHALFOFF to get 50% off your February box!

We survived snowmageddon!

Being in the midwest, we get our fair share of weather.  Snow, storms, tornadoes, you know, the fun stuff!  While we typically get a good snow once or twice a year, it has been quite a while since we had such a crazy storm like the one that plowed in on January 5th!

We happened to need groceries on the 4th, shopping on the day before  a big snow.  Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it.  People go nuts.  I mean, like, end of the world, the zombies are coming, bread is the new gold crazy.  o.O

Somehow we managed to survive the crowds, just barely, and then we were home to wait for the snow.  The kids were scheduled to go back to school on the 6th, but we pretty much knew they would be extending their winter break.  Over about a 24 hour period, we ended up with just shy of a foot of snow.  It was gorgeous!  But the temperatures were far too cold for the babies to play outside, we had windchills in the -40’s.  Now, I know that’s not too crazy cold for the northerners who are used to the deep freeze, but we rarely get below 20 here in Missouri, so those temperatures were shocking to us.

So we had all of this glorious snow, no school, and the kids couldn’t even go out and play in it.  That was a bummer, but they had plenty of new toys to play with and books to read, so they didn’t complain much.

I didn’t even let Abe try to leave for work on Monday morning, the roads were a nightmare!  It was nice having him home with us, and I will admit, I enjoyed the extended vacation with the kids, which ended up being the whole rest of the week!  I was most definitely ready for the warmer temperatures to come melt away the snow though, and help us get back into our regular routines.

I haven’t had all the ingredients needed for following the 30 days of smoothies plan through Young and Raw, so I have been going rogue with what I have on hand.  I have tried to make every recipe as written at least once, so I could say I tried it and decide whether or not I like it, but I have to say, if you have been following the smoothies on the Facebook page, you now know that I hate bananas.  Bananas are a regular staple in a lot of the recipes, and I just can’t make myself even try to drink one more smoothie with any hint of that slimy abomination, disguising itself as a delicious fruit.  Blech!  And the same for cilantro!  Like, gag me with a spoon, grody to the max, and so on and so forth.

So, I haven’t been posting pictures of the smoothies because it’s pretty much the same thing every day.  I use spinach and either coconut water or almond milk, depending on whether I want a lighter or creamier smoothie, and then I add whatever combination of fruit I feel like having.  Not so fancy or glamorous, but it works for me.  Smoothies can be cheap and easy, or pretty pricey and complicated.  I think for me, where I’m at right now, cheap and easy is the way to go.  It’s tough to find a lot of the more exotic ingredients, although I will say, I also add chia seeds and or flax seeds because they are an easy add in that doesn’t affect the taste and they offer great health benefits.  I’ve never been one to follow strict rules anyway.  😉

Natures Paradise Organics Review!

I have recently discovered another awesome company that specializes in organic products, with lines for baby, beauty, household, you name it!  Natures Paradise Organics is a company that started with the founder’s great grandmother’s family recipe for skin irritations, something she cooked up herself on her stove top and gave out to family and friends to soothe their irritated skin.

This is a company that is passionate about providing it’s customers with organic, safe, and natural products.  Their recipes include no chemicals, no toxins, no petroleum, no synthetics, no parabens, no phtalates, no BPA, no sulfates and are 100% vegan!  Safe ingredients equal a safe product, and one that you can feel 100% confident in using both on yourself and on your precious baby’s skin!

I received the  Baby Organic Coconut Moisturizing Lotion for review, and I just have to say, the formulation is heavenly!  It is silky smooth right out of the bottle and the scent is just divine!  It is a very light and delicious coconut smell that leaves skin fresh and moisturized without weighing it down with a greasy, sticky mess.  It absorbs well and best of all, it works wonders on dry winter skin!

This is a product that you can feel good using on your children and yourself, along with their many other amazing products.  As the year is coming to an end, now is the perfect time to go through your cabinets, throw out the old, toxic, nasty, chemical laden products and replace them with something better both for you and for the environment.  Even better, Natures Paradise Organics is having a sale on their products!

Go to their website by clicking HERE, and enter code “blackfriday” to get 60% off!  That is a steal!  Browse through their many products and stock up now, it is a great way to start the new year and an amazing gift for the loved ones on your holiday shopping list!

“Like” Natures Paradise Organics Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Follow Natures Paradise Organics on Twitter by clicking HERE.

The 60% off sale has been extended to include Cyber Monday!  What are you waiting for?  Go shop!  🙂

The awesome folks at Natures Paradise Organics provided me with free product for review purposes only and I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are my own, and I really do love their products!

Citrus Lane Black Friday Deal!

I love Black Friday season, snagging a good deal and saving money are a sure fire way to make this mama very happy!  This year, just in time for Black Friday, Cirtus Lane is offering up an awesome deal for new subscribers OR current subscribers who would like to renew their subscriptions!  What a perfect time to try it out for yourself or to send it as a gift for someone you know with a baby aged 0-5!

Click HERE where you will find their offers for 3 months for just $56 (regularly $75!), 6 months for just $105 (regularly $150!) or a full year for just $196 (regularly $300!)

We LOVE our Citrus Lane box!!  We have been getting boxes for Sara since she was only 9 months old and have found some really amazing goodies in our boxes over the years!  Take advantage of this amazing deal, and remember, shipping is always free!

Back to School Allergy Tips

Now that the kids are back in school and the fall season is in full swing, it’s that time of year when fall allergies seem to sneak up out of nowhere.  This is no time to be weighted down and miserable with allergies!  There are school projects due, apples to be picked, pumpkins to be carved!  So this is the perfect season to refresh your home and your medicine cabinet arsenal.

Every time we start a deep cleaning in the house, no matter the month, my kids always ask me, “Is it spring cleaning day?”  If your family suffers with allergies and even asthma like mine, then I’m sure you’re used to frequent “spring cleaning” as well.

Here are some Back to School Allergy Tips to help you prepare:

1. Be sure to have Children’s Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, on hand!

2. Multi-vitamins are building blocks to having a strong immune system. Make taking a multi-vitamin part of your

child’s daily routine.

3. Let there be light! Mold doesn’t like sunlight, so try to keep your curtains open during the day. Should be easy

during the summer months!

4. Did you know that most pillows trap allergens, dust mites, and bacteria? Monitor the cleanliness of the pillow

your child with allergies sleeps on and replace if necessary.

5. Back to school season means lots of laundry for many moms. Be sure to remove laundry from the washing

machine promptly. Allowing wet clothes to sit in the washer means mold can quickly grow there.

6. Monitor pollen counts and adjust outdoor before and after school activities accordingly. Dry, windy days

can be particularly high in pollen.

7. Showering or bathing at the end of the day as opposed to the morning can be helpful in removing allergens

from body surfaces and hair.

8. Stay hydrated! Always send your child to school with a bottle of water. Drinking lots of clear fluids through the

day can help get rid of toxins and flush out body.

9. Peak pollen production typically occurs in early morning, so try to plan outside activities at other times of the

day.

I think prevention is one of the biggest and best defenses when allergy season comes around.  We regularly wash our pillows and sheets, and we definitely always keep Claritin in full supply.  Other allergy medications, while effective, have a severe drowsy affect on everyone in our family, and with four kids with dance and scouts and school and friends……well, being sleepy is not an option!

Don’t forget to wash the pets too!  When the pups are playing with you outside in the leaves and grass, they are also getting covered in pollen and other allergens.  That’s on top of the already present pet dander that can aggravate allergies, especially when they are already present.  This is the time of year it’s especially important to keep up the regular baths!

Be prepared this allergy season, it’s your best defense!

As a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.