Progressive Pioneer

Make Your Own Toddler Undies

Like mom and dad, Sam is a little string bean.  There's pretty much no hope of this kid ever becoming a linebacker (thank goodness!), maybe a great runner or rock climber, but not so much anything that requires some serious bulk, including fitting into any training pants available in regular stores.  Sam's been using the potty since he was quite small, and we've had more or less success, depending on my diligence.  
As long as I remind him to go, we're pretty good at avoiding accidents.  But, I decided it was time to step it up a notch and have him start taking responsibility for it.  We were waiting for warmer weather, so I wouldn't feel like a bad mother letting him run around with no pants on.  Pants are a serious hindrance when you're under two and have to pee.  Unfortunately, when we went to the store, I could see at a glance that the training pants would be around his ankles and no use to us whatsoever.  So, besides 24/7 nakedness (which would be just fine with Sam!), what's a mother to do?  Stock up on tiny, cotton baby pants at the thrift store and turn them into wee toddler boxers, that's what!
The first pair ended up looking a bit more boxer brief-ish, but he still seemed to think they were quite the thing.  After figuring out the right length, I just lopped off the legs on the rest and sent them through the wash, no need for hemming or anything that labor-intensive.  We've got about a dozen or so pairs now. 
Is there anything cuter than teeny, tiny baby buns in teeny, tiny baby boxers?  I think not.  And so far, he seems to be doing a little better each day taking himself to the potty and not needing to be reminded.  Though I'm very open to any tips or tricks from experienced moms out there!  All the good books on potty training were checked out at the library, so I've just been winging it. We do have a sticker chart though... 

Companion Planting on Simple Organic

I've got a post up about companion planting over at Simple Organic today.  Have a peek if you'd like to have happy plants in your garden!

Baby Sheet Skirts (first baby girl things!)

I started a project that is somewhat new baby-related, though not exactly for her.  I'm planning on spending most of June and July parked on the back lawn, in a sundress, by the kiddie pool.  Being that I'll have reached whale proportions by then, I don't anticipate wanting to do much else in the heat of the desert sun.  So, I thought a light, summery quilt to lay on was in order, but I picked girly, floral prints in honor of the new little one.  Since Sam has some mama-made quilts, I thought this could be hers, even though it's a big one.

While cutting up the sheets for the quilt squares I had to cut off the elastic edges as some were bottom sheets.  I noticed that, at six to eight inches long, the cut off edges somewhat resembled tiny skirts...  Never to be one to let an easy project slip through my fingers, I zipped up the sides and added some hems, and voila!  Darling baby skirts!

I had enough of one pattern to make a double layered skirt and couldn't resist adding a bit of bias tape along the hem.  This one she probably won't be able to wear until she's at least three or four, but the other one is tiny enough to wear quite soon!  I made both of these in about twenty or thirty minutes.  I LOVE quick and satisfying projects.  It was so great not to have to deal with finicky elastic or any of that.  Now I might have to go out and find some more vintage sheets just to make cute skirts!
And here is the inimitable Piggy, Sam's dear friend and partner in crime, modeling the tiny skirt. I have a feeling it will look better on our little girl, who will hopefully not be so porcine in appearance:)

The First Seeds Hit the Ground

This post is a little late; I took these pictures a week or two ago and now we have pea shoots emerging from the dark, spring soil!  I love planting things early enough that you can take advantage of the spring rains and not have to water as much.

Sam, enamored with all things creepy and crawly, requests, "Finda worm!" as soon as we step out the door.  We dig one up for him and give him instructions on how to be gentle, but I'm afraid it's rather traumatic for the poor wormy.  He's learning though.

I feel so farmer-chic when I put on my boots and stalk around the yard, digging stuff up, feeding the chickens, mucking around.  They're so perfect for anything rain or garden-related and I love that they practically come up to my knees.  When I swap out my winter boots (another favorite that I've had since high school!) for these cheerful ones, it feels like spring has officially set up shop.  Those are the very last of our wintered over carrots.  Sam went through a grated carrot phase and ate them with salad dressing nearly every meal for a week!
 

We set out bush peas, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard and a couple grape plants that seem to be suffering a bit...  I try to cover them at night, but I'm not sure they're going to make it.  Keep your fingers crossed for the little guys!  We filled up two of our three beds, planning on replacing the plants with those that like warmer weather; tomatoes, peppers, melons, cukes etc., once the peas and greens have been harvested. 

Giveaway: Little Pink House AND Boomerang Kids

We have two wonderful things to give away to one lucky winner this weekend!  Melissa, of Little Pink House, suggested giving away one of her "Friends" prints because she knows I love it:)  How loved would you feel if a dear friend sent you one of these in the mail?  I'd smile every time I saw these guys looking down at me from the wall.

Boomerang Radio is giving away THREE episodes of your choice!  I love this quote about Boomerang, "If television is chewing gum for the eyes, Boomerang is granola for the ears..."  You can choose from all sorts of wonderful programs that will have your kiddos riveted and learning about the wide world around them; topics range from cooking lessons, empowerment, the adventures of wonder girl to silly things that parents do.  Try a few out, you'll love them!

To be entered to win, just leave a comment.  You can gain SIX additional entries (there's a new one in there) in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

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Congratulations to Jen who said, "I'm adding your buttom to my blog! http://SewnNaturalstudio.blogspot.com Thanks!"

The Friday Make and Do

Fancy up some old tote bags (and maybe you'll be more likely to remember to bring them to the store!)

Make a cut wool rabbit to tuck into an Easter basket (and remember to start growing your real Easter grass!)

Make some felt eggs (I think these are so sweet; you could make more each year to add to your collection, reusing them each year.  So much nicer than the plastic ones.) Make some mushrooms to decorate your lawn or make a fairy ring!  Here are instructions for paper bags ones and more weatherproof tinfoil ones.

Bring some branches inside to force early spring blooms.  Sam and Clay brought me some bare, red branches a couple weeks ago that I've had in a jar, simply because they looked pretty.  And would you believe they burst out with leaves all over last week?!  Pick something like forsythia or pussy willow and you'll have pretty indoor blooms weeks before the trees outside do.
Have a wonderful weekend!  I think we're off to the Holi Festival at the Krishna temple tomorrow; I can't wait!  And remember to stop by tomorrow for a great giveaway.  It won't run as long as this week's, probably just through the weekend.  Hope your weekend is warm and sunny and full of spring-y goodness!

Birth Stories: Crystal's Deliberately Natural Birth

I especially love this story because it really supports what I'm learning in my Hypnobabies classes.  And I love how Crystal was supported in her journey to a natural birth by other women around her.  Feeling that support, feeling a part of something greater, and larger than ourselves is so important.  We are only one in a long chain of strong, empowered women who have accomplished the same great miracle that is bringing another life into being.

I played college soccer.  I could out run everyone on the team.  I excelled at physical endeavors and mentally approached everything as a competition.  When I became pregnant, all of that was preparation for the task at hand, a healthy and joyful birth; to make it the greatest moment of my life.  I knew I could do it.  When people asked, I told them, “I plan to have a natural birth.”  Followed by, “Yes, without an epidural.”  This was usually met with an apologetic look and, “Well, that is what my sister/cousin/friend/wife said and…”  Months of this and I too, began to doubt myself.  
Three weeks before my due date, I was downtown in a tiny shop.  A woman probably a decade older than me, whom I did not know, approached me.  She smiled and asked my due date.  I told her.  She leaned in and gently said, “It really doesn’t hurt.”  “What?”  I asked.  She looked at my slyly, “When I gave birth, it didn’t hurt.  I don’t know why they say that, ‘pain.’  It is such a false description; it is more of an intense pressure, a very intense pressure.  But it feels good; because your body knows what to do.”   We chatted more.  She told me her name, Margot, and her child birth preparation teacher, Ruth, the very same woman as ours.

Two days later, I could no longer deny the fact that I was in labor.  I went to work, I ate lunch, I called the doc.  My husband and I spent our last hours as just the two of us together walking our yard.  My water broke as I tried to sit in the swing.  We went to the hospital.  They were full.  I paced the halls as they found a room for us.  I rocked on a birthing ball and my nurse put her hands on my knees.  She looked me squarely in the eyes and said, “What do you think?”  Although I could barely speak and we had only just met, I told her the first thing that came to mind, “I want to do it naturally.”  She replied, “Great.  I know you can do it.”

We walked, we paced, I bounced on the birthing ball, we showered, we hit 10cm two hours after arriving at the hospital.  There was intense pressure.  An hour and a half of pushing later, our baby girl was born, beet red and healthy.  She was placed on my chest.  I sobbed tears of joy, my husband sobbed tears of joy.  Our nurse cried.  We named her Margot.  I sipped the only substance I was administered since I had been admitted, a cranberry and ginger-ale “cocktail.”  It was perfect.

My daughter’s birth was the most AMAZING experience.  Two women I had never met and who did not know me, believed in me.  They knew something many of those close to me doubted… that I could birth on my own terms.  I could have the birth that I wanted.  I will remember it vividly as the most powerful and awe inspiring moment in my life.  And you can too.  I know it. 

Progressive Pioneer in the Mormon Times

There was an article about us in the Mormon Times yesterday!  You can read some of my thoughts on the importance of family, simple living and how my faith informs our sustainable living lifestyle here. 

And you can read about being Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints here.

Homemade Wet Wipes

I'd been meaning to make some wet wipes for quite some time, and just hadn't gotten around to it.  We've had simple, homemade cloth wipes since Sam was born (flannel squares that I just zig-zagged the edges of), but we've always just gotten them wet in the sink, which can be kind of a pain.  When I came across this simple recipe for making your own wet wipes, I decided to finally give it a go.  It was so easy that I've been whipping up a batch every few days.

Here's what they recommend:

• 3 cups warm water
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 drops of lavender essential oil (or scent of your choice)
• 2 drops Tea Tree Oil
• 2 T baby wash

The first time I made some we were out of that unscented baby Dr. Bronner's, so I just swished some natural bar soap around in the mix.  But then I whizzed it all up in the vitamix, which made quite a frothy mess!  The later batches with Dr. Bronner's (which is non-sudsing) were much more successful.  I mixed it in the blender so the oil would emulsify and not just end up on the top wipes.

 

I first tried reusing this container, but the cloth wipes are too thick to pull through easily.  Now we just use a Pyrex container with a lid. I've tried a few different essential oils.  I really like including tea tree oil; I feel like it keeps them fresher longer.  Another fantastic trick I discovered is putting a few drops of antiseptic essential oils (tea tree, lemon, clove, mint etc.) on a dry wipe and dropping it in the bottom of the empty diaper pail.  Then when I go to wash the diapers they're way less stinky; it's amazing!  And give the wipes a try; they're so handy to have around and it only takes a few minutes to whip up a whole bunch.

No-Fail Whole Wheat Bread (it's not dense!)

Though I'm still loyal to my Peter Reinhart book for making whole wheat versions of fancier breads (challah, cinnamon rolls, bagels, pita etc.), I've discovered that nothing beats my mother-in-law's recipe for simplicity, softness and tastiness.  If I'm going to be making all our bread, the process needs to be pretty darn simple or it's just not going to happen.  I can whip this up in under half an hour (just hands on time, not rising and baking, but you can do other stuff while that's happening).

To make two loaves, mix 3.5 cups warm water, 1.5 tsp. yeast, and 1/4 c. honey in your mixer bowl and let the yeast proof.  Next mix up and add half of your 7 cups of whole wheat flour (3.5 cups), 2 tsp salt and 2 heaping tablespoons lecithin granules or olive oil (I use olive oil because I have a bunch, but I think the lecithin makes it even spongier).  Mix it all up and let it sit for one minute.  You can just use a wooden spoon here.

Now add the second half of the flour (another 3.5 cups). I do this part in the Kitchenaid.  Mix it on high  for 7 min.  Then let sit for 15 minutes. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and divide in it half (I use one of those big pastry scrapers).  It will be quite sticky and stretchy (see the first photo), so work quickly and with plenty of flour.  Shape it loosely into loaves, put it in two pans and let it rise until it's sticking over the top of the pan.  I line my pans with parchment paper and reuse it over and over.  Bake the bread at 350 for 35min.

Final step: slice off a big, fat piece, slather it with butter and honey and sink your teeth in!  At least half a loaf always disappears within the first few minutes of it coming out ofthe oven.  The second loaf I pop into the freezer where it keeps and thaws beautifully.  I make this recipe at least once a week; it's perfect for sandwiches, toast, dipping in soup etc.  I know my mother-in-law does a double batch and makes four at once, so you could easily double it as well.  Enjoy!

MamaViews: Katie from Kitchen Stewardship

I invited all the talented, fascinating women that also contribute to Simple Organic to have a turn in the MamaViews series.  I was so happy that they all accepted!  Katie is our first interviewee and I think you'll love her take on mothering, eating, consciousness and becoming green one baby step at a time.  It's been such a treat to get to know these wonderful women through our association at Simple Organic and I'm looking forward to introducing them all to you! When did you start being a "kitchen steward?"  What was the transition like for you and for your family? 
I've always been a conservative person, "green" at heart if you will, and I've always had a strong faith, so I think understanding that God calls us to be good stewards of all our resources just came naturally and was part of my person as I matured and gained more adult responsibilities.  The term "Kitchen Stewardship" happened in my mind sometime after my son was born.  Pregnancy and parenthood are impressive motivators to suddenly become an amateur nutritionist.  However, my ideas about nutrition have evolved as the years have gone by (my son is about to turn five), and I've slowly grown more eco-conscious as well. 
I really made big changes after reading Real Food by Nina Planck and Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell a little over a year ago.  (I got to interview them both last month!)  I only read them to prepare to write a book called Kitchen Stewardship, but I had stumbled across a field of totally new information for me.  At first, I was totally overwhelmed.  I stood in front of the milk at the grocery store and didn't know what to buy!  Then I realized that my own philosophy of baby steps was the only way to go, and I made one change at a time.  Sometimes my husband still thinks I'm crazy, and my son asks, "Where is all the cereal?" every so often, but overall we're so much healthier than before "the big shift" and I feel good about what I'm putting on the table.

You have all sorts of great tips about getting started (and the Monday Missions!).  What do you think are a few easy, but impactful first "baby steps" that someone could implement?

At first I just wanted to give up myself and scream, "Everybody out of the pool!"  But you can't just stop eating or breathing the air.  You have to put on your non-organic jammies every night and sleep on your offgassing mattress and not let the stress of thinking about all that kill you before the toxins do!   Step one is to allow yourself to celebrate small successes.  Realize that doing one thing better today than yesterday is exactly what you want to be doing. 
The "baby steps" all depend on where you are starting.  If you're still drinking three diet sodas every day, that's where you start. If you're already cooking with lots of whole foods but want to go farther, I would recommend homemade yogurt, chicken stock, and cleaning supplies, because they all save money AND the earth AND protect or improve your bodily health.  A pretty basic three things to start with that aren't stressful at all are using real butter, eating whole eggs (no egg white omelets, please!), and eating more beans and legumes, preferably cooked from dry. 

I offer my Top 10 Kitchen Stewardship Habits and actually listed out all the baby steps I took in my own household in one year - it's a crazy list!
I really like the idea of kitchen stewardship, the idea that "working in our kitchens, like everything we do, is an opportunity to love God and serve our families."  How does your faith influence your choices in the kitchen and what sort of religious/scriptural/spiritual support do you find for your choices?

It's all rooted in faith.  Since God is the giver of all these good gifts: my family's health, the earth, my money and time to spend with my loved ones, taking good care of them all is my responsibility as a faithful person.  In Genesis God's first two commands were "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it."  Not conquer, but subdue, often interpreted as "steward."  To be a good steward is to realize that nothing we have is ours, but it's all on loan from our Creator.  We need to only use what we need and try to leave the earth a better place for our children. 

1 Corinthians 6:19 instructs us to treat our bodies as a temple of the Holy Spirit - I don't think we should fill our temples with junk food! I also believe that Christ sanctified the body by becoming flesh, and He glorified its worth by allowing Himself to be broken for our sins.  If His mortal body could be used for the salvation of the world, shouldn’t ours at least be respected enough to be honored and kept healthy by our choices? In the same sense, Christ teaches us to let go of our earthly bodies and trust in the promise of Heaven. We must be stewards, but not fanatics.

For those wanting to learn more, what books (or other sources) do you recommend?

Just wait until I write mine!  Just kidding.  Real Food by Nina Planck is 100% the place to start, then maybe The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.  They're very accessible and only a tiny bit overwhelming.  Inspired by Planck's work and the tome, Nourishing Traditions, there is a whole network of "Real Food" bloggers who can help you find recipes and sources for eating healthier.  If you want to balance frugality and eco-consciousness, too, you have to come to me.  ;)

In being a more conscious and conscientious steward in the kitchen, do you find that there is a snowball or domino effect that draws those types of habits and thinking into other parts of your life as well?  What other benefits have you seen in yourself and your family from being a steward of the kitchen?

Again, it's just part of my personality to be a "saver" and very frugal, so that and a renewed desire for simplicity that has certainly grown out of our quest for more traditional food means that almost every decision I make is a "stewardship" decision.

Random benefits of the Kitchen Stewardship lifestyle for me include: certain budgetary reductions, especially in cleaners and convenience foods; my kids know what a farm looks like and where food comes from (for example, my toddler daughter recognizes "garlic" and "dough" but can't identify the "microwave"); and I have met new friends through real food searching.Katie, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and resources; I have so much great information to dig into now!!

Giveaway: Goodies from FIVE Shops!

This morning was a bit fraught with computer problems, sorry about the slow unveiling of this great giveaway.  Don't worry though, it was worth the wait!!  We have goodies from a bunch of wonderful, local shops run by creative, talented women.  And one lucky ready is going to win a whole lot of loot!!

Tami with Beehive Soap and Body Care is offering a gift basket featuring 3 soaps and a solid lotion bar.  Their handcrafted soaps are made in small batches and cured for four weeks.  Clarissa from Coco Sailore is offering a darling, handmade onesie and a pendant banner, perfect for a spring party and you can use it over and over.  We have a cloth pendant banner that we pull out for every occasion that calls for a little festivity.  It's so great to not have to buy decorations every time and to have something so unique.  And if you're looking to give something special and handmade consider picking out one of Clarissa's sweet onesies or tees, or even commissioning something just right!
Kersey from Made By Matchgirl is giving away a handbound book.  She makes beautiful custom guest registry books and such for weddings and other events (in fact, one of her books is going to be on the Style Network!!).  Ask her to customize one for your next event or a friend's shower; what a special keepsake!

Clairice from Nifty Swank is giving away a selection of beautiful paper goods. Check out her shop for personalized book plates, charming notecards, and frameable prints on vintage book paper. 
Annie from Happy Little Artist is giving away a funky headband.  She's also got this great thing going called "Half for Haiti," where half of your purchase price goes directly to benefit Haiti.  So, load up on great accessories and feel perfectly virtuous about it! 

Thanks so much to our great sponsors this week!  Please check out their shops and consider tucking some handmade, etsy goodness into your Easter baskets this year. 

To be entered to win all this lovliness, just leave a comment.  You can gain SIX additional entries (there's a new one in there) in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

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Congratulations to Melissa, who said, "neat giveaways! Hope some luck of the Irish stretches into today :)."

The Friday Make and Do

Make a crock of homemade sauerkraut. Learn to make beauty products and herbal remedies.

Grow your own fancy mushrooms. 

Start growing your Easter grass for baskets and table decorations.  

Make some German egg boxes.

Have a wonderful weekend!  And remember to check back in tomorrow for the etsy extravaganza giveaway!!

Birth Stories: Megan's Unexpectedly Natural Delivery

I love this story from Megan who says, "I decided to share my birth story today because it is something that I think about and draw strength from."
My birth story may be somewhat different than others read so far, but I am sharing to offer a different perspective.
My water broke at 7 am at home.  By the afternoon  I was checked into the hospital having regular painful contractions.  The nurses drew my blood as part of their normal routine.  The results of my blood platelet test were such that I was not a candidate for an epidural.  I was only dilated to a 3, the contractions were coming hard and fast, and I was in shock.  I had not planned on a 'natural birth.'  In fact, I tried to not think about the birth process the entire pregnancy.  I did not attend a childbirth prep class.  I did not read any childbirth books.  I was completely unprepared because I just planned on doing it the mainstream way.  That was no longer an option.  I was in a real life crash course in natural childbirth.
After a few minutes of majorly freaking out, my husband, the nurses, and my doctor talked me into gaining control.  They were telling me that I can do this and I started to believe them.  The contractions came and didn't seem to go.  Before one started tapering off the next one came.  Pressure points on my knees and hips became my life saver. I tried all sort of positions from standing to laying, but I found kneeling was the best for me.  When my mind was in the right spot, the contractions felt right.  They still hurt, but it was so natural. When it came time to push, I knew it and nothing felt so good.  It was 8pm when she arrived.  When the doctor laid her on my belly, it was such a wonderful feeling, words cannot describe how awesome I felt.  I had a beautiful baby girl and I was now a mother.  I did it.  I had
her in my arms and all the pain was gone.
I would not in a million years change the outcome of that platelet test.  I am so glad that I was forced into having a more open mind about childbirth.  I have done it once and I am forever changed.

Swimming in a (Free!) Sea of Pink

Clayton came home from Idaho with the trunk full of treasures from his cousin; bags and boxes full of baby girl clothes!  I didn't realize that I like pink as much as I do, but I kind of swooned at the floral explosion and pink and purple preciousness. 

I've only purchased a handful of clothing items new for Sam; a couple pairs of shoes, a jacket, maybe a few other things.  We received so many great hand-me-downs and the thrift stores are just chock full of practically new stuff that I couldn't see any good reason to buy new stuff except for the pure entertainment value of shopping.  But, that entertainment factor can definitely be found in thrift store shopping as well.  I love the high of finding a true treasure for mere pennies!

Besides being light on the wallet, using previously-used stuff is kinder to Mother Nature.  We produce so much STUFF that it seems silly not to pass it around, rather than throw it out and create more.  I'm certainly not into dressing my kids in ugly stuff (luckily Clay's cousin has great taste; I loved everything and it was all in immaculate condition!).  When I peruse the thrift racks I've got my eyes out for good brands and quality materials. 

 

It really was delightful to to be knee deep in tiny frilly things.  It made me so excited for our little girl to arrive!  

What are some of your favorite second-hand sources or best thrifting success stories?

Five Ways to Get Veggies into Your Little Ones

Sam was going through a brown food phase and I just didn't like the fact that he wasn't really getting the whole rainbow of foods into his system.  He would be thrilled to eat oatmeal, hummus, beans, bread and peanut butter etc. all day long.  I always feel weird saying, "Eat your fruit and then you can have your beans..."

So, I set out on a campaign to make his diet more colorful again.  We experienced one day where he didn't eat breakfast until about eleven because all I offered were brightly colored fruits and veggies and all he wanted was oatmeal.  I know, I know, oatmeal is perfectly healthy.  And he does eat a huge bowl of it every morning still.  But I felt like we were in a food rut and I wanted him to be eating other things throughout the day.  By that afternoon he was sampling the rainbow of foods I had placed on his tray and actually liking some of them.  Now I offer him only one or two things at a time, often doctoring them up in a way I know he likes (see below) and usually placing a piece of something new on the tray.  They say you often have to expose a kid to a new food around ten times before they like it, or sometimes before they'll even try it! 

Here are some of the ways that have been effective in getting Sam to eat a more varied, colorful diet:

• Green smoothies and veggie ice cream (basically a frozen fruit-heavy smoothie.  We just use less liquid and blend frozen fruit until it's like soft serve.  Sam is nuts about it).  A simple and surprisingly sweet and delicious combination is spinach and pineapple (we use frozen).  The spinach really doesn't alter the taste much and if they balk at the color just serve it in an opaque sippy cup!
• Grated or minutely chopped carrots, cabbage, red peppers, even spinach etc. (get the red peppers organic, cabbage though is surprisingly low in pesticides when grown conventionally).  I find that if I chop things really tiny he's more likely to eat them, especially with a liberal dousing of his favorite dressing, a homemade vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, herbs etc.
• Place a piece of something new on their tray each meal without mentioning it or coercing.  9 times out of 10, they will try it eventually, even if it takes a few days.
• Have something for dipping (dressing, peanut sauce, homemade ketchup, fruit purees etc).  The trick is getting them to actually eat the thing dipped and not just the dip.  For this reason, I try to make sure the dip is healthy too, since often mass quantities get consumed.  Homemade sauces are much better because you can control what goes into it.
• And lastly, just don't offer the junk, keep only healthy snacks around.  Sam loves dates as a treat.  We also call his chewable vitamins "candy" and he thinks those are treats.  Fruit leathers and corn chips are about as junky as I try to let it get.  That way he feels some liberty in being able to choose snacks and I feel good knowing that any option chosen isn't too bad.  
  

Giveaway: Futurenatural

Looking for some organic beauty products?   Futurenatural is a one-stop-shop for all sorts of swanky goods you can actually feel good about!  You can get 15% off anything in the store with the code "PIONEER," but only for the next two weeks.  And the winner of today's giveaway will get a Juice Beauty Age-Defying Kit worth $75!  The kit contains a Green Apple Peel, cleansing gel, antioxidant serum, and two moisturizers.

Juice Beauty's Green Apple collection is exclusively formulated to accelerate cellular turnover, boost antioxidant protection, help increase firmness, smooth, brighten and refine for radiant, ageless skin using hydroxy acid, peptides, coQ10 and selectively chosen skin enhancing vitamins.  It's all natural with 95% of the ingredients being organic; not too shabby!
Futurenatural has products for face, hair, body and makeup and mama+baby stuff too.  I especially like their selection of men's products; I find it's much harder to find healthy stuff for Clay than for myself.  There just aren't as many manly options at the health food store. 

Futurenatural's motto is, "Live well. Do good. Look gorgeous."  I make an effort in the first two areas, but I could use a little help in that third one...  Perhaps if I had some luxurious beauty products to get me excited about it, I might be more inclined:)  I'm pretty sure whatever I'd need to let out my inner green glamour gal, they'll have it at Futurenatural.  

Leave a comment to be entered to win.  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

Congratulations to Emily who said, "Thank you for this giveaway. I've been following your blog for about a month now and I'm loving it!"

Giveaway Changes

Today's giveaway will be the last Monday giveaway.  I'm moving them to Saturdays and running them through the weekend, I think.  I'm also giving sponsors first crack at the giveaway spots each month, which means we should be seeing some fun goodies from some of our fantastic sponsors!  I still like to squeeze in new/small/mama-run type companies when I can, so don't be afraid to ask.  And make sure to check in this weekend because the giveaway is awesome!  It's an etsy extravaganza, with a bunch of artists all pitching in on one giveaway!

The Friday Make and Do

Dye some yarn or cloth using copper pennies. Plant something!  You can get your greens, peas or root vegetables in the ground now.

Make silhouette portraits (I love this family tree that doubled as a baby announcement).

Have an evening of playing old fashioned parlor games (this one with string sounds fun too).

Create a specimen box for one of your child's creations, or your own!
Have a wonderful weekend!

LDS Holistic Living

I'm so excited about this conference coming up in June!  Remember the great Herbs 101 class I went to?  The woman who taught the class is the mastermind behind the conference and it promises to be amazing and inspiring.  The mission of the conference is "to help all people draw closer to Christ by discovering His hidden treasures of knowledge for the health and healing of the mind, body and spirit."  I absolutely love thinking about how our bodies are designed to be healthy, how we are built to be happy and how the paths to those things are often the simplest routes; so inspiring!

There are six hour-long sessions throughout the day where you can choose from a whole range of lectures and classes to attend.  There's also time for a lunch break and time to peruse all the vendors that will be there.  Here's what I think I'll be taking (it's so hard to choose, though!):

Pain Relief without Medication

Pain is almost always a sign of inflammation, which is the body’s primary response to tissue damage.  In this class, I’ll cover what happens when tissues get injured and how inflammation can be rapidly reversed.  I’ll demonstrate basic techniques for completely relieving pain in minor injuries in 5 to 20 minutes.  I’ll also talk about how to apply these same principles to ease chronic aches and pains.  

Sweet is the Work: Peaceful Mothering in a Chaotic World. 

Sharing the triumphs and errors in mothering that have taught valuable lessons.  Simple ideas to incorporate into our lives to strengthen ourselves and our families and bring more harmony to our hearts and homes.

The Miracle of Birth

God has designed families. A mother’s purpose is divinely given. Inspiration is available to guide us. Pregnancy and labor are natural, normal processes with both physical and spiritual benefits. You can have a natural birth—I’ll share tips on how to prepare. 

The Top 10 Essential Oils and How to Use Them:
Learn easy ways to incorporate oils into your daily routine and heal your family.  Jonelle will be sharing her favorite top 10 oils, their uses, how to use them and make simple blends.  Jonelle likes to call the oils her “friends”. They are always there to help and make things better. How oils affect the body and emotions simultaneously, and make a difference daily. Bring your nose for smelling and sampling!

Pass the Sugar, Please!

On average each American eats 30lbs of sugar per year. Come learn how to eat sweet healthily. Discover alternative sweeteners found in nature. Learn the facts about High Fructose Corn Syrup and processed sugars. Balance your palate to make naturally sweet foods sweeter. Over 100 recipes have been gathered and will be shared, including Green Drinks and naturally sweetened treats!  GREAT class for diabetics.

You can read about the various speakers and what they'll be teaching here (scroll down) and more details on the conference blog.  If you'll be in Utah this coming June I hope to see you there!!

Book Review: Owl Moon

One of our latest library treasures was Owl Moon .  It's not a fast-paced book, but rather a slow, contemplative read.  So, I was pleased that Sam sat quietly and seemed to enjoy it.  I loved the loose poetic style, easy and not forced.  I hardly realized I was reading poetry, the words slipped so easily from my mouth, more like conversation, or well, like a good story.

But, my favorite part of the book was that it reminded me of my dad and how he used to take me out in the woods and would point out animal tracks and scat, teaching me how to read them to learn how long ago the animal had been there, what it had eaten, what kind of animal it was.  He taught me about plants and which ones I could eat.
We had a special tree, across the road, through the field, over the stream and up a hill.  It was a big old oak with a split trunk, perfect for sitting in and chatting and looking out across the fields.  We called this our listening tree and it was where we could talk about anything.  Owl Moon reminded me of the special role that dads are privileged to play in their children's lives and how meaningful seemingly simple things like listening trees and going owling at night can be to a child.

Birth Stories: Morgan and Oliver, a Quick Arrival

I love this confident, calm story of a mama of two, gently bringing her third into the world at home.  Thanks for sharing, Morgan!
When I was pregnant with my third baby, after two natural childbirths before (one in a hospital and one in a birth center) it became apparent that a homebirth was going to be the experience we were wanting. So, we interviewed six midwives and finally found our match! She was supportive and hands-off, both important components in a care provider. 

I was due in early April, and had many many nights of prodromal labor. Every night for a week, I'd get excited thinking, "Maybe tonight!" only to wake up to find the contractions had disappeared. The night it finally became reality, I knew it in my bones. Tonight was the night. I had my husband assemble the birth tub and we went to sleep. At 1am I was awakened to a strange sensation. The contractions had returned but they did not hurt at all. I had a few very intense, pain-free contractions and decided I must be in labor. The midwife was called and came on over. My sister, three hours away, was called and started her journey to come tend the kids for me. As soon as I called the midwife, the contractions shifted from intense but pain-free to intense and very painful. I felt suddenly so out of control. Why? Why did they hurt so much all of a sudden? I tried to be patient waiting for the birth tub to fill. I used vocalization and my birth ball as my life line while I waited. My midwife and husband were spectacular, holding my hand, and speaking comforting words. 

FINALLY! The tub was full of hot water. Bliss! I felt so much more relaxed during and in between contractions. I was able to actually focus on what was happening and realized almost immediately that I needed to push! So, push I did. I listened to my body, and eased my baby onward and outward. My husband and midwife sat on the sides of the tub and each held a hand to steady me.  I went slow...slow...slow. It was hard, intensely difficult work, but it was good work. I would push, then wait while my body rested, then push, then wait. Finally, a HEAD! Then slowly a baby. He emerged in a fully intact bag of waters (called being born "in the caul") and under the water. I reached down, broke the bag with my hands and pulled up my baby. He was here! 

He was asleep. Apparently, the poor little man got tired from being born and promptly took a nap. Born into peace, he was snoring instead of screaming. I held him close and we both rested. My husband snapped a few pictures of our new little man, and the midwife checked everyone over to assure a safe arrival. All was well. i had gone from "maybe labor" to "Baby" in four hours. And in that time I had never once had an internal cervical exam. Yay!  My little sister had arrived 15 minutes before the birth and came in to meet her nephew then. I showered, and nursed while everyone else cleaned up and looked after us. My two older boys woke up soon after and came in to find that "the midwife had brought the baby!" No amount of us telling them that the midwife did NOT bring the baby could get them to believe us. All in all, it was a beautiful morning. We named our littlest one Oliver. 8lb 12oz and 19inches long.

Spring is in the Air...

Every winter I worry in the back of my mind, "Maybe this is the year spring won't come!"  Okay, logically I know that's pretty unlikely, but sometimes the arrival of spring seems like such a miraculous thing and winter just seems to dig in its heels so hard, and I do wonder if spring will ever come.  But finally, I've been seeing some signs!

Bare feet in the warm soil is a sure sign of changing seasons!The firewood Clay laboriously chopped at the cabin, brought home, and stacked on the patio has been steadily dwindling; I made my last fire the other day.  Thankfully the mornings have been warm enough now that I haven't missed the daily fires burning in the stove. And the final harvest of last year's crops means it's time to make room for new ones!  We let some of our carrots winter over, hoping to get some of the "candy carrots" that Elliot Coleman talks about.  They are definitely sweet and crisp.  And it was so fun to have something edible to dig up when the urge to be out rooting around in the soil struck.
We even had some volunteer New Zealand Spinach up and ready!  Love those optimistic little guys. And, of course, the classic sign of spring: the freak snowstorm!  This happened only a couple of days after the barefot-in-the-garden day.  Luckily it was just a minor setback, turning to rain and puddles by the afternoon, and spring has continued to plug along, bringing us warmer and warmer, bright and sunny days.

And yes, green things are finally beginning to tentatively and bravely poke their pointy green hats out of the soil!  The brave bulbs, always the first to test the air, are the surest sign that spring is, indeed, on its way.

All You Ever Wanted to Know about Woodworking

If you just can't get enough of the Beard, you'll be excited to know that Clay has started a blog to go along with their company website.  It's a place to showcase the process behind the finished product as well as to share some design ideas, cool furniture and other neat things he comes across. 
So far you can read about the amazing mosaic that Clay has been making to go around this huge fireplace they're building, as well as check out some of the massive reclaimed timbers they're using.  It's fun to see the behind-the-scenes stuff that most people aren't privy to, and it definitely makes you appreciate all the work that goes into custom furniture and cabinets! 

Homemade Granola: It's Easier than Pie!

Sometimes bare cupboards inspire the tastiest things at our house.  A trip to the grocery store was in order, but apparently not in the cards, because it just wasn't happening.  So, I scrounged around in the cupboards, looking for inspiration among the raw ingredients, and homemade granola was the result!

There was some dried fruit languishing in the snack cupboard and a hefty sack of dried coconut from a co-op order.  The bulk of the granola, grains and nuts, we always have in abundance.  And I combined a few sweeteners; molasses, maple syrup and the tail end of a jar of rice syrup.

Although I looked at a recipe to get the basic idea, I just used what we had on hand and it turned out beautifully.  So delicious, in fact, that even though I made a 1 and 1/2 batch it was gone in less than a week!

Motivated by how simple it was, I whipped up a second batch (tripling the recipe this time) the following week.  A slightly different version, based on the cupboard contents at that time, but equally delicious.
This variation had rolled oats, rolled wheat, coconut, walnuts, pecans, almonds, dried apricots, gogi berries and dates, plus the three sweeteners and some olive oil.  But really, your imagination is the limit!  The basic proportions are about 1/4-1/2 cup oil, 1/2-3/4 sweetener (or more or less depending on your taste, you could even skip it altogether) to every 6 to 8 cups of dry ingredients.  Mix that all up and bake it at 350 for 15-25 minutes, stirring every so often.  It helps to put the liquids in your baking pan and pop them in the perheated oven for a moment to soften the syrups.  Then stir in the granola and mix it all around right in the baking dish and put it back in the oven.  Add your dried fruit at the end, after it's done cooking, so they don't get scorched.  I'm not sure how long it keeps, we haven't been able to hang onto it longer than a week...