At Least They're Honest!

I woke up feeling pretty yucky this morning. So yucky in fact, that I figured it would actually be forgivable to miss church. So I sent S, JR, M, and A to church, and N and I stayed home (N would sleep, so I would be able to rest!)

Well, every Sunday after church, we have our weekly meal out at a local restaurant--one that happens to be a part of a popular nationwide chain. However, since I stayed home today, I gave S my order so he would bring me some home. When he arrived home with my lunch, I could not believe what was written on the to-go bag! I mean, I know non-organic food has chemicals and preservatives, but to actually print this on their bags:

Enough said. Once again, unless you grow it, you don't really know what's in it!

A Miracle

Today was long, another day of "just surviving." I was fighting my cold, JR and M had coughing fits, and A was a total wreck. He wouldn't sleep well, he wouldn't eat well, and he even fought his bottles. If we tried to encourage him to eat, he would cause himself to vomit (a trait that is becoming more common). And if I set him down, he would scream and scream. I finally realized tonight, however, that in addition to his horrendous cold, he is teething again. I found another tooth that will pop through any day, which explains the fight with food, bottle, and sleep.

As always though, our Father in Heaven showed his presence once again, and in a wonderful way! Since I picked up N from the adoption agency, he has been seen by 2 pediatricians and 2 orthopaedists, all of whom told us he had a moderate case of hip displasia. He was last examined this past Monday, just 2 days ago, and the pediatrician confirmed it again. I was given the information regarding the leg harness he would have to wear, and it was explained to me that he would likely have to wear it for 6 months to 1 year. But, before he could get the harness, he had to have an ultrasound of his hips to find out just how severe the problem was. I had the appointment today. The doctor performing the ultrasound kept asking for the details as they had been explained to us. Then he turned the ultrasound monitor so I could see the screen. He pointed to the image of N's hip socket, looked at me, and said, "This is a perfectly normal hip." He then proceeded to take several other measurements while he attempted to literally pop the hips out of joint (N did NOT appreciate that!). Nothing. He said there was absolutely no give, his tendons were fine, everything was shaped normally, and his final report would state "Normal."

As a medical professional, he explained that it is possible that his tendons were just very loose after birth, allowing more flex than normal, and that they may have just tightened. However, I have trouble believing they went from "moderate" displasia to "normal" in just 2 days! I am in awe. We have been praying for him, though probably not nearly as much as we should have. Perhaps some of you were praying as well. Whatever the case, I am amazed and in awe of God's unconditional and loving grace and mercy.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God..." --1 John 3:1

Sick Day

The last few days, we have had some type of cold going through the family. I can't complain really, as, ever since we started drinking raw milk, our family really hasn't gotten sick. Even JR, who used to catch everything and then passed it on to me, rarely slows down anymore. In fact, as best I can recall, since we started raw milk about 6 months ago, we have not had anything worse than sniffles, and even then, it only lasted about a day or two.

So this go around, JR came down with sniffles and a mild fever, but he seemed fine within 24 hours. Then M got the sniffles and a bit of a cough, but all in all, she is doing OK. Then A caught it 2 days ago. His raw milk is limited at this point, so he is generally fussy and wanting to be held a lot. Unfortunately, since I have been away from home, I had no raw milk and limited organic foods for about 2 weeks, which I think weakened my immune system. So, this morning, I woke up feeling horrible!! But, it still isn't nearly as bad as the colds I used to get. Nonetheless, today, this TV-hating mommy has already popped in 2 different Disney movies for JR and M, and has Veggie-tales on standby! And when I am not blowing my nose, testing my blood sugar (illness wreaks havoc on a diabetic!), or washing my hands in an attempt to keep little N healthy, my limited energy is focused on A.


I certainly don't enjoy my little boy being sick, but I have to admit it has its perks. I love holding a sleeping baby. They seem so peaceful!

Despite how bad I may feel, I am also reminded how blessed we truly are. I spent a few minutes this morning sorting and de-tagging gifts from a baby-shower last night. A few weeks before N was born, a friend called and asked if she could throw me one. I love baby showers, but felt almost awkward since this was, after all, baby #4. She insisted though, and I was truly blessed by the ladies who came, to show their support for our adoption and for little N himself. I had a couple ladies take pictures for me, so I can put them in N's scrapbook. In the event he ever wonders, I can show him that he was loved and celebrated by many. Thank you so much ladies for the blessing you are!

Four children

I have 4 children! It is a fact that I have been mulling over for some time. To think that just 6 years ago, I told my husband (fiance' at the time) that I would never have children. While that decision was based on my medical history, I had resolved to myself that I would be content without them. How God can change our perspective and our lives, if we only have faith, trust in His guidance, and allow his blessings! I am in such a different place than I could have possibly imagined just a few years ago.

Having these 4 little blessings is a concept that I really got the feel for today. After the whirlwind the last 2 days, today was our first "normal" day, where S is gone before I wake up in the morning. After 3 night time feedings for little N, I failed miserably at getting up early for my quiet time. In fact, thank the Lord, the kids decided to sleep in, so I didn't have to get up until 7:30. Nonetheless, we tried to do our normal routine, but it was quickly replaced by more excitement over the new baby. JR and M were still all over him, showing him toys, feeding, and holding him. If I happened to turn my back for a second, I would find one of them "petting" his head, placing a blanket over him, or lending him a stuffed animal. Cute as it was, for safety's sake, I was constantly checking his little bassinet to ensure they hadn't slipped something in there that I would need to remove. They absolutely adore him. A still isn't sure, but he was obviously happy to have mom back in his life. I played and interacted with him a lot today, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Around mid-day, I had to drop the older 3 off at a friend's house so I could take N to his appt. with the orthopaedist. Fortunately, it was an easy appt with no new surprises; unfortunately, he was more confident than the previous doc that N will soon be wearing a Pavlik Harness to help prevent his hips from disabling him to any extent. According to this doc, he most likely has a condition that is basically synonymous with hip displasia--the ball of his femur does not sit properly in the socket of the pelvis. We will find out more next week after an ultrasound. I have another appt tomorrow with the pediatrician to check his weight and start his annual schedule. The rest of the day was spent playing with or holding the kids (they were extra cuddly today), trying to do a little catch up and unpacking, and learning the ins and outs of handling 4 children, with 2 being babies. I have a little work to do to get myself as organized and scheduled as I would like to be, but I am looking forward to this new chapter in life!

Kitchen Adventures

Something happens to my brain around this time every year, and I get into such a domestic mood. I want to bake, but since my family really doesn't like to eat all the sweets I so enjoy baking, I am always searching for other projects.

My most recent project has involved trying to make my own baby food. A is finally eating well enough that the food can have little chunks in it, and so far he seems to like my creations. So, over the last couple of evenings, I have spent a total of probably 2.5 to 3 hours cooking and blending up baby food. I discovered it is a great way to use up any unneeded produce or certain leftovers that I don't want to go to waste! I put the mixes into glass jars I have saved, label it, and freeze it for future use. Here is tonight's tally:

• 5 jars yellow squash
• 2 jars chicken pot pie
• 4 jars baked macaroni
• 3 jars carrots
• 2 bowls green sweet peas

Making baby food didn't quite satisfy my baking need though, so I decided to try my hand at homemade soft pretzels. I don't think these are worthy of passing on the recipe, but they were fun, and they are pretty good. The kids really enjoyed helping.

Reflections of the Day

I have had a busy day....many enjoyable moments like 2 of my children helping set up the Christmas tree, watching my husband work diligently on a gift for ...... (sorry, too many folks read this blog ;) ), eating some delicious leftovers from yesterday, and we enjoyed a lovely time of family worship together.

I have also had some disheartening moments. We spent quite a bit of time this morning talking with some Jehovah's witnesses. We don't usually have discussions with such door-to-door folks, but this is the gentleman's second attempt with us, and for some reason, we agreed to pull out our Bibles and compare notes. We had some interesting discussion, a great time researching the Bible, and although the gentleman left without converting us, I can only hope that God can use something from our morning to plant a seed of truth in his heart.

This evening we decided to take a VERY rare opportunity and have a "family movie." So rare, in fact, I don't think we have done such since last Christmas, when we watched "The Nutcracker Ballet" at Grandma's house. Anyway, we rented a Christmas movie advertised as PG and family comedy. I cannot believe what is now considered PG! I was actually in shock. Why is it so necessary to put swear words and sex content into everything today?! I guess the only movie I will be watching in the near future is Fireproof--a Christian film, and one I have been wanting to see for some time.

Then I decided to get on the computer and read the news. First, I read some of the headlines about the carnage occuring in India, followed by the saddening stories of people who died right here in America from the Black Friday crowds trampling and shooting each other. I would ask "what has our world come to," but I already know it is prophecy being fulfilled. Then, to top it all off, I noticed an update had been made to an article from earlier this week. Mind you, the earlier article had revealed the fact that a sample of American-made baby formula had tested positive for melamine--a chemical toxin used to make plastic, or as in the cases in China, used as a filler for food items. This chemical has been responsible for countless pet deaths from contaminated pet food, as well as a number of infant deaths from contaminated formula in that country. So, in this article (I wish I had a copy, sorry), a note was posted, basically saying (in paraphrase), "don't worry, it was an isolated case, and the FDA has already proven melamine is safe up to 250 parts per billion, which this sample was well-below." Well, tonight's article was completely different. As it turns out, while not all samples tested positive, it was not an isolated case. In fact, 2 popular brands tested positive multiple times--including the one that we use! Interestingly, this article said that "recent tests" had shown that the melamine level was now determined to be safe up to 1000 parts per billion. While it is certainly a concern, we realize we cannot worry about it. Even if we switched formula, something else could easily be contaminating a new brand. It is just further evidence that, unless you grow your own food, you just truly don't know what is being added into what you eat. It is also further support of the fact that it really is no wonder we have so many unexplainable illnesses in the world today.

Really, all we can do is Thank God for all that we have, do our best to care for our bodies with the resources he has given us, and then have faith that He will take care of us in every other way.

Follow up on "Plastic...a fact of life? "

I posted a while back on my attempt to somewhat eliminate plastics from our lifestyle. I have since realized the enormity of such a thing. In our modern, western way of life, I am about to conclude it is literally impossible to eliminate plastics. I knew big things like our vehicle, carseats, and such included them, but I have also discovered that almost every food item I buy is wrapped in some way in plastic. Even the organic beef I recently bought, which I assumed would be wrapped in butcher paper, I also found was partially wrapped in a layer of plastic. I have had to replace several of my kitchen cookware items recently. So you have any idea how hard it is to find kitchen gadgets that are plastic-free?! With Chrismas just around the corner, I have been doing some shopping for gifts. Thanks to the melamine and lead-paint scares in China-made products, I have been steering away from plastic toys and looking for silver, natural wood, and other natural toys. I have discovered that ENTIRE warehouse stores contain ONLY China-made toys.

So, in the interest of brevity, here is my current status on plastics: In our current circumstances, I cannot eliminate plastics to the point that I had originally desired. So, I am instead focusing on eliminating where I can. I am trying to avoid any plastic cookware, bakeware, storage containers, or serving dishes. I am also trying to eliminate, or at least reduce, any plastic toys that could potentially come in contact with my children's mouths.

It was a very interesting attempt though. With all the information being discovered in regards to the toxic chemical components of plastic, it has been very educational learning just how often we come in contact with these toxins. Kinda scary, really!

What brought us to this point

I had a conversation with my mom recently which got me thinking about why we are heading in the direction that we are. Why are we seeking to go to the extreme of raising our produce and meat, and cooking our food from scratch? Why are trying to collect rainwater to drink and bathe in instead of using the more easily accessible tap or well water? Why do I want to homeschool my children instead of utilizing the schools that my tax dollars are paying for? Am I denying myself and my family by living the simple life? As I got to thinking, I reflected back on some of the reasons. I know exactly why, and it is not just a whim. It is a result of many factors, but, in an attempt to keep this post to a controllable length, here are a few:

• I am an animal fanatic, and always wanted to live on a farm with lots of animals.



• My husband is an environmental tree-hugger (to a point) who seeks to take care of the creation that God has given us.



• As a diabetic, I used to drink a lot of diet soda, as it was about the only non-water drink I could have. Although I drank them in moderation, after years of this, I began to get headaches shortly after I drank more than about half of a diet soda. I reduced my intake, and shortly thereafter, the study was released in the news that linked the artificial phenylalanine chemical that was predominant in artificial sweeteners to many health issues due to its chemical nature. That's when warnings began appearing on the can.



• In 2004, my first son was born with many health problems. His non-stop screaming resulted in us being exhausted and frustrated. At just 3 weeks old, he screamed for 8 straight hours with no sleep. As a result of his condition, I was forced to supplement him with formulas. He was starving all the time, and I spent most of my day feeding him. His frequent and copious vomiting resulted in his classification as a failure to thrive, and we were on the hairy edge of being monitored for neglect. We were forced to medicate him to help control the vomiting so he could gain weight. Consults with multiple doctors and nurses left everyone baffled. When I realized he was having mild seizures, we convinced a doctor to refer us to a neurologist. By now, he was about 7 months old. Although he was on track developmentally, we were at our wits end with the screaming, vomiting, and seizures. No one would babysit, the church nursery always had me come and get him. We could hardly go anywhere. We were miserable. We knew there had to be a reason. While we were awaiting the referal, we continued to pray. After a great deal of prayer, God led S to some results from a recent water testing in the area in which we lived. While the results were within "normal" range, we saw that many of the toxins in our water were on the high end of normal. S began to do some research and found that some specific toxins in water caused a particular type of infant seizure. Symptoms of these seizures included abnormal vomiting and screaming. As an experiment, we decided to switch to bottled spring water. Just 3 days after switching water sources, it was like someone flipped a switch. EVERYTHING stopped...no screaming, no vomiting, no seizures. Just like that, he became a "normal" happy baby who began to thrive--the child that everyone knows and adores today.



• When JR was about 18 months old, he had a severe allergic reaction to penicillin. The reaction was so severe, the doctor ordered that we remove every trace of penicillin from his environment for one week to get it completely out of his system. This involved switching to all organic dairy products (organic animals cannot be fed antibiotics). After a week or so, JR was fine, but this led me to begin researching the benefits of organic.



• At the same time, I was having multiple infections. Although it was common for diabetics to have such infections, I didn't have a history of it and I didn't fit the profile of the diabetic who typically gets them. We were also working with service dogs and it seemed like every puppy that came into our house got sick. We watched one who almost died after being with me only 3 days. The only common denominator was the water. We switched the dogs to spring water, and I began to take brief showers instead of baths. The pups quit getting sick and my infections diminished significantly.



• As a precaution, when we moved shortly thereafter, we purchased and installed special filters for our tap water and our showerheads. Amazingly, my infections were eliminated.



• In 2006, I began to itch with no explanation. It started in my joints, and spread up and down my arms and legs. It was like my skin was crawling. If I scratched, I broke out in hives and left huge red welts. It was the strangest thing. I evaluated my diet and living conditions. We were in a new area, so I assumed I was having an allergic reaction to something. Since I had no history of allergies though, I was puzzled. I saw two doctors, one being an allergist, who, again, blamed it on my diabetes. I wouldn't believe that. My sugars were good, I was healthy, and I had NEVER heard of itching and hives as a diabetic complication. They put me on an antihistamine and told me I would likely be on it the rest of my life. The meds controlled the itch and at least let me sleep, but everytime I tried to wean myself off, I started itching again. Remembering what I had learned with JR's organic experience, we decided to experiment. We switched to a more natural, somewhat organic diet. Amazingly, the day we officially switched our diet was the last pill I had to take. I have never had another issue with itching and hives. We are convinced it was a build up of chemicals in my body.



• I used to irritate S because I did not like drinking out of a plastic cup. I always used our glasses. Of course, with young children, this meant occasional breakage. When he would beg me to switch to plastic, I always told him, "I can't really explain it, but my tea just tastes different in plastic. I don't like it. I like it out of a glass." We occasionally had this discussion until last year when the study results came out about the BPA contained in most plastics. Let's just say that, not only does S not mind me drinking out of a glass anymore, he drinks out of a glass now too!! If it breaks, we get out the vaccuum! LOL



• I put JR and M into preschool for one semester while I finished my degree. It was a great little private preschool, and certainly offered a great deal for them. However, within a week of attending, JR began having a serious attitude. Other mothers told me, "don't worry, it is totally normal when they start school." I had to ask why? Then JR began coming home and telling me about what some of the kids would do in class or how so-and-so didn't listen to the teacher. After attending a couple of field trips with his class, it was quickly apparent that his attitude was deriving from his peers and the fact that the teacher was limited in her ability to discipline. I did not want my child to learn those negative lessons at such an impressionable age.

Well, there you have it. I don't mean to scare anyone, but no one can deny we have encountered some pretty impressive situations and "coincidental" (try THANK GOD!) outcomes. A few other things worth mentioning....I have noticed since we began the changes in our diets and environments that I have not had a single migraine, rarely get so much as a cold, the kids seem healthier overall, we feel better and I have way more energy, and my blood sugars are actually easier to control. I will admit that I really have no "hard" black-and-white proof to my claims about our water and diet, however, I will never be convinced otherwise. My children, at least for now, seem to be heading down the path S and I desire for them, with a love for the Lord and a compassionate nature. I thank the Lord for showing us how to help ourselves in most cases, and for making it as simple a solution as just practicing what the Bible teaches! Are we denying them? Possibly. However, I can live with myself denying them material possessions and fun "things" if it will help them learn to keep a focus on Christ, develop a love for family and helping others, and an understanding that hard work and earning your keep is a Biblical and desirable trait. I do pray that I can have the wisdom to balance these lessons with fun and enjoyment, and that we provide them sufficient opportunity to develop to their fullest potential. But, I can confidently say that I feel comfortable and at peace with these principles as priorities.

So, in closing, I want to share two things with you. One is my most recent sewing machine creation. While nothing impressive to an experienced seamstress, I am pretty excited about it.......

My first cloth napkins, and to make it even sweeter, I used some extra fabric I had laying around!

And secondly, something I even more proud of, JR reading during today's lesson. (If you can't view now, try later. Processing is taking a while!)

Plastic..A fact of life?

I have recently been convicted about being hypocritical. It never occurred to me before, but it was true. Here we are, claiming to live a simple life, and striving to protect the environment, and yet, we are polluting the earth--not to mention our bodies--with plastic, plastic, plastic. Assuming I have my facts straight, plastic is one of the few substances that takes upwards of 70 years to even begin decomposing, kills countless animals every year in different ways, contaminates our food and water that we consume daily, and yet, it is everywhere. It is used to produce kitchen utensils and dishes, condiment bottles, wraps, dog tags, cleaning bottles, furniture, and so much more. As a result of my internal conviction (not to mention a tremendous eagerness to start doing SOMETHING to work toward my goal of being self-sufficient, healthy, and more natural), I began to notice the items that surround me everyday that are a>made of plastic, and b>could be changed to another material. At first, I thought it would be an easy transition--just work toward replacing all my plastic with glass, ceramic, wood, or metal, all of which are naturally occuring substances. The more involved I become with this idea though, the more realistic I become as well. I have, sadly, realized that either I can't or am just not willing to give up EVERYTHING I have that is plastic. My van is full of plastic, but I consider it something of a necessity. I also can't give up things like carseats, strollers, toothbrushes, medical supplies, and several other things which offer no alternative. There are 3 big items I have struggled with, however, as I COULD give them up, but have basically decided I just am not ready at this point. One is my cleaning wipes. I LOVE those too much, and must admit, my house is SOOO much cleaner with their regular use. Unfortunately, they come in a plastic container. Another is ziploc bags. I use them for tons of stuff, and in the case of air travel, they are considered a necessity. Finally, is disposable diapers. I feel REALLY bad about this one, but I have used cloth diapers a bit when I potty-trained, and I HATE them! I hate cleaning them, I hate the frequency with which they have to be changed out, I have yet to figure out how to get a child to go through a night with drenching through them. So, for now, I must confess, I like my disposables.

WHEW! OK, now that the truth is out, I don't feel so hypocritical. That all being said, here is what I am planning to change:

• Switch all my plastic kitchen cook/bakeware to metal or wood.
• Switch my plastic food storage containers to glass (unfortunately, most of these still come with a plastic lid, but at least it helps!)
• While I won't get rid of the kids' current plastic toys, if I must buy a toy, I will aim to start buying wood or other natural type toys whenever possible.
• Become more faithful about using my re-usable cloth grocery bags, as well as try to re-use the plastic produce bags (just to prevent sending more to the landfill).
• Try to start making my own baby food. A is getting old enough he can eat more variety, and although I will still have to use our plastic ice-cube trays and ziploc bags to freeze the stuff, at least I will cut down on baby food in plastic container purchases (and save some money in the mean time!)
• Use a refillable water-bottle instead of using disposable plastic water bottles.
• As we make purchases in preparation for the setup of our farm, I will avoid plastic whenever possible. There are many ways we can do this!

I have realized there just aren't many alernatives today for some items that we use regularly. My desire here is to prevent contamination of my body, my family's bodies, and our earth where I can though. Every little bit helps, right? If you have any additional ideas, I would LOVE to hear them!! Leave me a comment!

Raw Milk Legislation

I have a favor to ask of all you readers. There is legislation in the process right now to approve a bill for raw milk sales in the state of CA. It has just passed the Senate floor and is now moving up the chain. The bill contains recommendations for very stringent safety tests directly for bad bacteria (pathogens), allowing sales of the safest raw milk so far. It is a great bill. You can get more info about it online. It is called SB 201. Ok, so a bill being passed in CA may not directly benefit you, so why be concerned? Well, my thought process is that current legislation allows the sales of cigarrettes and tobacco products. We know for a fact these cause illness and death, and in large numbers. Yet, they have taken our right to choose what we want to drink with no scientific evidence that raw milk is truly more dangerous than conventional. This bill is a first step toward getting that right back. If CA approves this bill, other states could then follow their example. It would also provide study subjects that will provide more accurate results than the few biased studies that have been done to date. It is a very good step in the right direction.

Call Gov. Schwarzenegger's office at 916-445-2841 and follow the prompts to "voice your opinion." I told them I was not a CA resident, and they said I could voice anyway. Just tell them you support bill SB 201 for Raw Milk. You don't have to give any personal info, but the Gov. can then see how many people think this could be a good thing and make a more educated decision. Thanks so much and pray that it passes. It would be wonderful to have the freedom to choose to buy and drink natural milk created by God's design!!

Summer Dinner Schedule

Due to a direct request for a sample of my monthly dinner schedule, I have uploaded it below. If you decide to try this type of organizing, just replace my dinners with your favorites. I don't always follow precisely day to day, but I generally stick with having the scheduled meals at some point during the scheduled week. This allows me some flexibility if, for example, I have some produce about to go bad, I can use it in a recipe or if we eat out one evening. I can't tell how much it helps, though, having a plan, even if you can't stick to it completely! "FREE" nights are generally for cleaning up leftovers or experimenting with new recipes. If there are any dinners on my sheet that you would like recipes for, just ask, and I will post them when I can!


To see a larger format, just click on the picture. Enjoy!

Going Organic

A blog reader recently asked for basic instruction for going as organic as possible, as cheaply as possible. Based on our experience going more and more organic, here are my suggestions:

--Don't change everything right away
--For 1-2 weeks, just read the ingredient label on every packaged item you purchase or eat. Notice words ending in "-glyceride," ",-ose," "-flavoring," "-color," and other words like "high fructose corn syrup," "added for freshness," and ANYTHING you can't easily pronounce. These items are typically created in a lab somewhere and added as filler because it makes the food less expensive to produce, thereby making it more profitable (but more toxic to your body!) Also, notice the serving size and sugar content of nutrition labels. You will begin to notice a pattern.
--After you become more aware of what you are eating, began noticing labels on the front of food packages like "conventionally grown," "100% natural," "all natural," "organic," and "USDA organic." Unfortunately none of these guarantee totally natural foods, as there are loop holes in all legislation. But as a general rule, "conventional" is grown according to current standards in the name of profit, "natural" means there are no preservative chemicals added to the finished product before packaging, and organic (specifically USDA organic) means the food was grown in an environment with no pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics, etc. It is the safest item produced and sold in commercial stores.
--Start shopping. Do some price comparisons at different stores, as there are significant differences for the same item. Eating healthy is, unfortunately, somewhat expensive. I have found the least expensive method to be as follows:

--Buy any produce that you peel (bananas, avacados, onions) conventional
--Buy any produce you eat without peeling (apples, squash) organic. If money is really tight, get this conventional as well. It will contain some pesticide residue, and perhaps some genetic altering, but at least in can be washed thoroughly and doesn't contain toxic preservatives.
--Any canned foods should be purchased "organic." It is generally only slightly more expensive, and can usually be easily found on the shelves right beside the conventional version.
--Buy as few packaged foods as possible. ANY packaged item (crackers, cereal, pasta, etc.) should be bought natural or organic (check the ingredient label to make sure there are no preservatives and that it contains only ingredients that you know! You'd be surprised what they can legally call natural!).
--Several items can be found at bulk discount stores.
--Buy milk raw if possible, organic if not (the brand Organic Valley is a very good one!) Likewise, other dairy should state something like "made from milk from cows not treated with...." Avoid processed cheeses (American, Velveeta, etc), as they are not naturally produced.
--You can cut out a lot of expense by eating less meat, but when you do eat meat, I recommend looking for organic if possible, natural if not. Make sure the label says something like "from cows not treated with ...." Avoid any pork product that says something like "......added for freshness." If you have storage space, it is least expensive to find a local natural or organic farmer (or call your local butcher) and buy 1/4 or 1/2 cow or pig. This cuts the per pound price almost in half--even cheaper than regular meat! If you can find meat that has been "pasture fed", even better! When buying seafood, look for the term "wild-caught." This is generally the healthiest. In colored seafood (shrimp, salmon, lobster, crab) avoid anything that says "...added for color." It is another chemical. The good salmon is often called "COHO," and this term is often used instead of "wild-caught."
--Home-make whatever you can. Breads, pastas, rolls, cookies, cakes, etc. can all be homemade quite easily. If you can't, try to buy it organic. I don't trust most "natural" versions of these. I LOVE the website http://www.allrecipes.com/ You can find a recipe for almost anything, complete with reviews by people who have tried to make it.

I recommend that, to physically notice the difference in your health, set a goal to go as organic as possible for 2 weeks. During this time, do not eat out at a restaurant and do not grab anything at a snack area, rather eat only what you buy and make. After 2 weeks, you will likely have more energy, and may notice countless other benefits. If you decide to "cheat" you will very likely experience a stomach ache, headache, indigestion, diarrhea, or worse! Our society has become so immune to the chemicals going into our bodies, that it is actually quite interesting to experience what your body does without them, and what they do to a body that has been without them for a while.

Finally, if you are going to spend the extra money, make sure you get the nutritional benefit as much as possible. The best ways to cook most foods is to bake, steam, broil, or grill. Try to avoid microwaving, frying, or boiling, as the process destroys much of the nutrition.

Well, I think I succeeded in making myself sound like a complete fanatic. Maybe after our past health issues, I have become that. I guess we have just grown more confident in the safety of eating ingredients created by God as much as possible, rather than by man. In any case, I hope I have answered any questions, sparked some ideas and thoughts, and if nothing else, made you more conscious about what you are consuming. If you decide to experiment, let me know! I would love to hear how it goes!

The dreaded croup!!

It is almost ironic that I wrote about the blessing of an extra hour's sleep last night. JR has had the sniffles for a couple of days now, and wouldn't you know it hit full force in the middle of the night last night. I heard him coughing and start crying and went in to check on him. There was no doubt he had the croup. If you have ever had a child with the croup, you know what a pitiful sight it is. It usually hits in the middle of the night, and they literally sit there, wheezing, hacking, and trying in vain to catch their breath. Their chest heaves in and out with each breath, and they begin to panic as their airway just gets tighter. The closest thing I can relate it to is an asthma attack, only with croup, they can typically still get enough air. Bless his heart, JR was sitting there just trembling (he shakes uncontrollably when he is nervous about something), crying, and starting to panic. The first time this happened we were on vacation at Red Gate Farm and I had no idea what was happening. It scared us so bad, we immediately bundled him into the car and rushed to the hospital. I learned then that the best treatment is cool, fresh air. So last night, I took him and stood him in front of the open fridge for a while. It helped a little, so I then took him out and just held him outside in the night air, periodically checking his membranes and lips to make sure they weren't blue. After about 15 minutes, he started to relax and his breaths got easier. My other children have never dealt with this, but he seems to get it at least once a year. Humidifiers can also help, but wouldn't you know we threw our broken one out when we moved and have yet to replace it. I also realized that I have no idea where the nearest hospital is, in the event of an emergency, so I need to investigate that for future reference. Please keep us in your prayers...that JR heals quickly, and the rest of us don't catch it.

Raw milk is making a comeback!

We have taken yet another step toward our desired future self-sustaining homestead. We recently found a co-op here that hauls in raw milk. If you have never tasted raw milk, meaning milk that is taken out of the cow, immediately cooled and bottled, then shipped to the consumer, you are missing out!! Because it is unpasteurized and unhomogenized, I was a little nervous looking at my first glass, wondering about what bugs it could potentially contain and infect us with, and even what it might taste like. I mean, this is like milking a cow into a bucket and then drinking it! Nonetheless, all my research on the benefits of raw milk pushed my concerns to the side and I took my first swallow. Can you say DELICIOUS?!!! It is by far the BEST milk I have ever tasted! It was sweet, smooth, creamy, and nothing like "normal" store-bought milk. Literally, after drinking raw milk, store-bought stuff tastes like a thick water, but with an after-taste. Even the kids love it. They keep asking for "the new milk, not the old milk." I only ordered 2 gallons, but man, how I wish I had ordered more. The next delivery is several weeks away, meaning I have to go back to the pasteurized stuff we have been getting. In case you haven't heard (which is highly possible since the FDA, USDA, and large commercial milk factories don't exactly advertise this in the name of $$$$), there are countless benefits to raw milk:

--Milk has been considered a human food since creation. Remember the Bible's description of "the land of Milk and honey?"
--When treated properly, raw milk (like raw honey) does not have to be refrigerated, but can last for years in some form or another. Even today, just think of the value of "aged" cheeses (pricey ones can be 10 years old or more)
--Raw milk from organic green-pastured cows is the best immunity support around! It is full of good bacteria that help prevent or eliminate countless immunity and digestive problems such as celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, allergies, asthma, and standard cold and illness prevention. Even lactose intolerance can potentially be eliminated with raw milk. There are a lot of technical and biological explanations behind this, but it is easy to find with even a little investigation.
--Apparently, the pasteurization process in itself (the process by which milk is heated to kill off all bacteria in commercial dairy products) is responsible for actually making the milk "toxic" in a way. When it kills the bacteria, the bacterium cell bursts open, releasing it's contents, which our body cannot recognize. Not only can we not use the contents efficiently, but they can actually make us sick. In addition, typical commercial dairies fill their cows with antibiotics (to kill off bacteria), but the antibiotics come through the milk. As a result, we wind up drinking these antibiotics, killing off some of our own good gut bacteria, in turn causing digestive problems.
--A good pasture-fed organic raw milk dairy will likely have just a handful to several hundred cows, spread out over many acres of pasture, resulting in a much happier, healthier cow. To the contrary, most commercial dairies will have several thousand cows confined in a dirt pen of just a couple of acres. This is a set up that is a haven for illness and pathogens to spread.
--Interestingly, because of the health of the cows themselves, good pasture-fed, raw-milk dairies often test negative for any kind of pathogen (bad "bugs") while commercial dairies are often forced to pasteurize due to the countless numbers of pathogens found in the milk.

I could go on and on, but we are sold! I would encourage you to do your research on what you are drinking. I think, like we have, you will be amazed and shocked at the same time! I will warn you, though that there is a bit of a problem if you decide to go to raw milk. Most states have made it illegal to sell raw milk intended for human consumption. Even if it is illegal in your state, however, there are still legal ways to get good raw milk. I would be happy to help you out, just ask!