Comparison is a Thief.

"Comparison is the thief of JOY." ~Theodore Roosevelt

And yet, I do it. Every day. 

Even though I know it gets me nowhere. NO. WHERE. Well, it gets me somewhere. Just not where I want to be. 
And I don't just do it with material things. Like comparing my house with a bigger one. I compare my mothering with other mothers. My acts of service with others' acts of service. My child with another child. I compare my entire day with a snapshot I see of another mom's day on Instagram. It's never-ending. 
And it robs me of my Joy. My daily successes. My favorite bits of the day. The tiny moments of life meant just for me. It comes silently and rips them from my grip until all I see are my failures. My not so great bits of the day. And a cloud settles over me. It takes my joy and leaves me riddled with guilt and self-pity and "if I'd only." 
But. I have found that comparison sneaks in ONLY when I am seeking the approval of man rather than God. Galatians 1:10 says, "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." How can I serve Christ if I'm constantly comparing my life with someone else's? 
I can't. 
If I continue to compare myself with others, I'll never measure up. Because there's no end to comparison. It goes on and on and on until it completely sucks the joy right out of life. Until there is nothing left, but envy and anxiety and dissatisfaction and resentment.
So I have a choice. I can choose to compare (which is basically like telling God, "hey! This life you gave me? Yeah, it's not good enough so....") and continue to feel empty with each comparison I make. Or I can choose to seek the approval of God and focus on what He wants for me. 
I choose the latter and the happiness and contentment that comes with it. Is it gonna go perfectly? Nope. Probably not. But I'm sure gonna try. 
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50 Travel Tips & Activities

Summer is here and with it vacations! And while vacations are AWESOME, they involve a whole buncha planning and that daunting thing that gets you where you're going...TRAVEL.

In April I made a 12-hour (each way) road trip alone with both kiddos and survived! So how do we make it through our trips? With a whole lot of activities, snacks, books and a little something called patience. 

I gathered some great tips and activities from some of my favorite bloggers, threw in a few of our ideas and compiled a list of 50 Travel Tips and Activities.

Most of my tips are geared toward toddlers and preschool-aged children while road trippin'.

Snacks
1. Pack your child's favorite snacks. Now is not the time to try something new! (unless it's a fancy new snack you're sure your child will love)

2. Make a snack together for the trip. We love making Happy Trails Trail Mix for our trips and it's a fun way to connect. It's also fun to talk about how it's a special snack just for the trip.

3. Save up coupons for 100 calorie packs, which are the perfect size for little hands and mama hands! from Adventures in Mommydom.

4. Pack snacks in a fun new container like a reusable baggy from SewEco or a fun little water bottle/snack combo like this one.

5. Easy to eat and mess-free snacks are best, especially if you're traveling alone with your kids. Here are a few of our favorite travel snacks:

• Boxed raisins
• Trader Joe's fruit bars
• Puffed corn
• Chopped or whole apples
• String cheese
• Trail mix
• Baby food pouches: such as Plum Organics, Happy Baby or Ella's Organics (I know I said mess-free, but these are too great to pass up)

Toys
6. Scour Michael's, Dollar Tree, Target's 1Spot and other $1 areas for fun new toys for the trip.

7. Wrap up new (and rarely played with) toys for toddlers (this could work for older kids too, but they are pretty good at opening presents by age 3!). Unwrapping the toys takes time and also makes a great sensory activity! When she was younger, Sweet P usually ended up playing with the wrapping instead of the toy! Toddler Approved recommends this for airplane travel as well!

8. Give your child a box with a latch or a backpack to fill with her favorite toys for the trip. If you are flying, remind your child that she is responsible for the backpack. This can help her decide whether to pack several light items or 2-3 heavier items.

9. Remember to pack any favorite toys or lovies! These can both calm your child during the trip and help him to fall asleep in a new place during your vacation.

Games
10. Play I Spy. This is a great game for any child who knows her colors and can be played in the car, in an airport, or while waiting in line for the restroom.

11. Count semis, cars, train cars or trucks or have your child choose a color for you to look for while driving. from Hands on: As we grow

12. 20 Questions or try "I'm thinking of something that starts with C", continue to give hints until they guess what it is.

13. The ABC game: a great game for preschoolers learning their letters. Find letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order starting with A. Moms and dads can help with tougher letters.

14. Find A...train, yellow truck, red car, motorcycle rider wearing a helmet, billboard. A great game while driving through large cities.

Music
15. I want you to stay sane on this trip, but sometimes kids music is the way to go with kids in the car. Find the CDs or fill the MP3 player with songs you all know well. Play them and belt them out at the top of your lungs! Encourage your kids to clap, dance or wave their arms to the music.

16. Check out children's CDs from your local library. from Creative Connections with Kids

17. Music from musicals like Annie and The Music Man are also fun tunes to teach your kids while driving.

Books
18. Lift-the-flap books are hours (or at least 10 minutes) of fun. Our favorites are Fisher Price Little People lift-the-flap play books. They have about 40 flaps per book and colorful pages for kids.

19. Books that play music. We reserve these for road trips and while they may get annoying after the 100th push of the elephant sound, they keep kids busy and happy.

20. Interactive books like this Elmo ActivePoint book. A friend let us borrow an Elmo and Thomas the Train ActivePoint book for our last road trip. I suggest covering the speaker with masking tape as it doesn't have volume control and is very loud.

21. Check out or bring along books on CD. from Creative Family Fun

22. Buy, borrow or check out Seek and Find books like Where's Waldo, First Look and Find book and I Spy books.

Activity Preparation
23. Put activities in a 3-ring binder for easy access for your child. Place washable markers in a zippered bag inside the binder. Paper, stickers and other flat activities will fit well inside the binder. from Creative Connections for Kids

24. Bring along a cookie sheet as a tray for activities. It give kids a place to write, draw, drive cars and eat snacks. I buy mine at Dollar Tree and they can be drawn on with a dry-erase marker and easily erased with a tissue.

25. Magnetize activities if you can. If you're using a cookie sheet as a tray this helps your child keep the activity on the tray and minimizes lost pieces.

26. Create your own or bring along a felt board for felt activities. For a DIY version check out this simple (and GENIUS!) version from MamaSmiles.

Activities
27. Stickers! Whether you buy a sticker book or just bring along a few of the 100's you have at home (you know you do), stickers are a hit in the car. Make your own sticker book or bring along a cheap notebook for sticker placement. from Creative Family Fun

28. Make a Miniature Mailbox for tiny hands. At Home With Ali made this adorable one for her toddler to play with on their trip.

29. Toy cars for racing, driving, crashing and cruising. The cookie sheet makes a great road for all kinds of cars.

30. Busy or Activity books. Make your own or purchase one from Etsy. These are sure to be a hit with any toddler or preschooler. Find examples at Inspiration Laboratories and Teach Preschool

31. Felt Dolls. You can find several templates online for simple felt dolls. Sweet P LOVED (and still loves) her felt dolls during the trip. Use a felt board to help keep felt dolls and their clothes organized. I love this version from MamaSmiles and we used this template from Smile and Wave.

32. Lacing cards. Ours fit in our 3-ring binder with the laces in a plastic baggy.

33. Usborne Books Sticker Dressing books. We have the "Fancy Dress" book and it was hands down Sweet P's favorite activity on the drive. It's also a great church activity. Sweet P got it as a Christmas gift this year and we'd never played with it so it was new to her. Usborne's sticker books are awesome and reusable, we also have the Soccer version.

34. Our Making Face Magnets were a big hit on our drive as well. These are super simple and cost almost nothing if you have magnets on hand. Don't want to make them? Check out Melissa and Doug's Make-A-Face Sticker pads or other make-a-face stickers. Also a favorite and it's hilarious to see where your toddler/preschooler puts the magnets/stickers.

35. Fill a bag with baby toys and keep it in the front seat with you. As your baby throws or drops toys, hand him a new one. When the bag is empty, it's time for a pit stop. Refill the bag and start over! This worked well for Baby Blue for most of the drive.

36. File folder games. We used Confessions of a Homeschooler's Paint Brush matching printables and our folder fit snugly in our 3-ring binder.

37. Mustache Match game or other magnetic match games or puzzles. Again, magnetizing the games makes them easy to play without dropping pieces in hard to reach spots in the car.

38. Empty notebooks or coloring books for coloring, writing or drawing.

39. Pipe cleaner creations. These bendable craft supplies can be used to make just about anything, including houses, glasses and people. from Let Kids Create

40. Clothes pin activities. I made Sweet P a clothes pin/paint chip color matching game, but there are several other clothes pin activities like this clothes pin number match from Confessions of a Homeschooler.

41. I Spy or sensory bottles or bags. A great activity for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Make your own for simple fun for your kiddos.

Organization
42. Put items you need for pit stops in a separate bag (diapers, wipes, diaper pad, wallet, etc). from Dirt and Boogers

43. Use a simple organizer for things you need easy access to while driving: wipes, sippy cup, activity binder, snacks, etc. from Creative Connections for Kids

Pit Stops
44. If you have a potty-training or recently potty-trained child, bring along a portable potty on a road trip just in case. You never know when a fear of public potties, automatic flushers or dirty bathrooms will arise.

45. Bring post-its or stickers for automatic flushers. Stick the post-it over the sensor to keep the toilet from flushing while little ones take care of business. Forgot the stickers? Put a wet piece of toilet paper over the sensor.

46. Pack a lunch and stop at a playground or park you've scouted ahead of time.

47. If you're traveling through lunch and dinner, stop at a nice restaurant (not McDonald's) for one of the meals. Call ahead of time to place your order so the food is ready when you get there. A tasty meal without the long wait. Brilliant idea from my friend Beth.

Don't Forget
48. Blankets and pillows. These are great in the car, in hotels and while bunking with family or friends. And if you're like my child, you won't sleep well without blankie.

49. An extra change of clothes and underwear for EVERY family member in a carry-on or easily accessible bag because you NEVER know.

50. To relax. Road tripping or flying with kids doesn't have to be stressful. Remember to have fun, play games and sing along!

For more travel tips, activities and ideas visit my Travel Tips/Ideas Pinterest Board.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mamas out there, especially my own! 

12 things I love about being a mother:
1. Kisses that taste like strawberries.
2. 2 kiddos in the backseat laughing hysterically at each other.
3. Rocking Sweet P while singing You Are My Sunshine.
4. Baby Blue's 2-toothed grin.
5. "Thank you, mama."
6. Impromptu visits to the playground that put a smile on everyone's face.
7. Watching my kids with the Farmer.
8. Snuggling together to read books.
9. Homemade gifts.
10. Making up silly songs like, Tickle Bug's Gonna Getcha. (to the tune of Rhythm is Gonna Getcha)
11. The smiles on their faces when I get them out of bed each morning.
12. Laughing with and learning from my kids.

What do you love about being a mom?

The Best Mom I Can Be

Mom Guilt.
Who doesn't have it, right? (and if you don't, I don't want to hear it)

I feel guilty for so many things on a daily basis. And I can't tell you how many times I think to myself, "I'm a bad mom." But the more I think about it, the more I realize, I'm not and Jesus wouldn't want me talking to myself like that.

Now, can I strive to be a better mom? Of course. Does that mean I need to throw myself under the bus and use negative self-talk in the process. No! So I'm throwing negative self-talk out the window in regards to my abilities as a mom.

Things I've got to realize:

There will always be moms who have it "more together" than I do

There will always be moms who are craftier than I am

There will always be moms who clean better than I do

There will always be moms who are better teachers than I am

There will always be moms more motivated than I am
There will always be moms who are more fashionable than I am 

There will always be moms who cook better than I do

There will always be moms who sing, play and dance better than I do

But I can tell you one thing:

There will never be a mom who loves my children more than me. My children think I have it all together, and that I'm a fashionable, crafty, motivated teacher, a cleaning machine and a gourmet cook who can sing, play and dance like nobody's business. And if I'm being the best mom I can be, THAT should be enough for me.

I posted this a year and a half ago, but it still rings true so I wanted to post it again. Mostly so that I can read it over and over and remember it. 

Quilted Numbers

I discovered this project when my friend Red made it as a new baby gift for our friend Jess. (Red is an amazing seamstress. She's currently on vacation from Etsy, but check back to see the awesome things she does!). She made the whole alphabet, but I was a bit nervous about taking on so many letters when I really didn't have a clue what I was doing! I did end up figuring it out and these were born:

I found the templates for the numbers at Oh So Happy Together and printed them out. I bought green fabric with white polka dots and white flannel as the filler. There are 2 pieces of white flannel on the inside because I wanted them to be a little stiffer. Then I followed the directions on Oh So Happy Together.

I cut them out on our trip to Colorado and they sat pinned together waiting to be sewn for 3 weeks while I tried to use up the brown thread on the bobbin in my sewing machine. Alas, it wouldn't run out so I ended up taking it off to thread white onto the bobbin. They took about an hour to sew. I think it would have gone faster, but I'm an amateur sewer and (ahem) am not so good at sewing a curved line (so there was a lot of seam ripping and redoing and ripping and redoing). And if you haven't noticed, numbers have a lot of curves in them. Have you seen the number 8 lately?

Once they were sewn together I threw them in the wash. I dried them and when they came out they were all curled into a ball so I ironed them to flatten them out.

My lines may not be perfect, but I love the finished product and I really hope Sweet P does, too. I think they'll be a great learning tool. When I get home I plan to make a + and - sign for them as well.

Quilted Alphabet up next? Let's wait and see how these go over first!

Linking up:

Mom Guilt

Who doesn't have it, right? (and if you don't, I don't want to hear it)

I feel guilty for so many things on a daily basis. And I can't tell you how many times I think to myself, "I'm a bad mom." But the more I think about it, the more I realize, I'm not and Jesus wouldn't want me talking to myself like that.

Now, can I strive to be a better mom? Of course. Does that mean I need to throw myself under the bus and use negative self-talk in the process. No! So I'm throwing out negative self-talk in regards to my abilities as a mom.

Things I've got to realize:

There will always be moms who have it "more together" than me

There will always be moms who are more fashionable than me (I can hear Auntie Rosita snickering)

There will always be moms more craftier than me

There will always be moms who clean better than me

There will always be moms who are better teachers than me

There will always be moms more motivated than me

There will always be moms who cook better than me

There will always be moms who sing, play and dance better than me

But I can tell you one thing:

There will never be a mom who loves my child more than me. And my child thinks I have it all together, and that I'm a fashionable, crafty, motivated teacher, cleaning machine and gourmet cook who can sing, play and dance like nobody's business. And THAT should be enough for me.

Back to school

I love to scroll through the blogs I follow during the fall because most of them are headed "back to school." Homeschooling, that is. And I love hearing all of the fabulous things they are doing in their home classrooms. Truly, I can't wait to do this with Sweet P (ok, I can wait, because that would mean she'd be older and I just want to freeze her at this age).

I have a couple of questions for you veteran homeschooling mamas out there (for us "newbies" to homeschooling).

1) How long do you typically spend on school work each day? (or does it depend on the day)?

2) Do you use one curriculum for your entire family or dabble in different curriculums for different children?

3) What do you do on days when you lack motivation to teach/school?

4) Do your children ever ask about "going" to school?

5) And last, do you have any ideas for a child who has a hard time doing what you ask of him/her?

I'd love to hear some answers from you mamas out there! If you'd like to share your thoughts with me, please leave your answers in the comments section.

AFTER THOUGHTS: Thank you to those who have responded! You have great ideas and suggestions! The Farmer and I have enjoyed reading your thoughts and responses. Keep em coming!

World Breastfeeding Week

Yesterday, I learned from my friend Holly that it's World Breastfeeding Week!

Celebrate yourself and your baby this week! And get out and help educate new moms (and old ones) about the benefits and wonders of breastfeeding. So many times women turn to formula because of complications and problems because they are unaware of the resources out there.

It's ignorant of us to say "They should just know breast is best." I've known several women who didn't breastfeed because a loved one encouraged them not to! As breastfeeding mamas, I think it's important that we help educate those who may not be supported by others when choosing how to feed their child. Support those mamas and encourage them to breastfeed (or keep at it!). Tell them about lactation consultants, La Leche League meetings, hospital classes and other resources in your area that can help them learn about and stick with breastfeeding for at least the first year.

Let me be honest here and tell you that breastfeeding was very easy for Sweet P and me. Our biggest problem was overproduction and I don't think many people would consider that a problem. But it may not always be that way. Continually educating myself on things to do should problems arise helps prepare me for breastfeeding my future children. I met a mother of 3 who said the first 2 times were a breeze, her 3rd was having a VERY hard time. But she didn't give up.

Share your successes/trials with other moms to let them know they are NOT alone! Sometimes knowing they have support or someone to turn to is all a mama needs to keep trying. And remember that educating doesn't mean scolding. Letting a mama know the benefits of breastfeeding doesn't mean telling her she's a terrible mother if she chooses not to.

Do you have a story to share? Please post it in the comment section to share your success/trial story with other mamas. Do you have questions about breastfeeding? Please post them in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them or find someone who can!

Mama Mia

I got to thinking the other night about the kind of mom I wanted to be and how I could be a better mom (I wonder that a lot). And starting thinking about my mom (Gammie). And I suddenly realized that there was one thing I never want Sweet P to question. Because I, myself, have never questioned it.

I look back and look and look and look some more, nope. I never once questioned it. Not through all the fights or guilt-trips or chores or "I told you so's". And knowing that, never having to question it makes me understand why I know I can go to my mom no matter what. I can call her at 3am and she'd answer (no questions asked). I know that even though she threatened to throw us out on the street if we did XYZ, that she wouldn't (mainly because we did XYZ and she still talks to us and we've never been thrown out on the street).

In 30 years, I hope Sweet P looks back and realizes she never questioned it, either. She just knew. Through all our trials and tribulations, I never once questioned whether my mom loved me. I just knew.

Thanks, mom.

Health Challenge Tip #3

The Health Challenge logo is, of course, courtesy of Auntie Rosita. Don't you love those pigtails!?

#3: Ditch Fast Food

First of all, gag. That's what I have to say when I think about fast food, how it's prepared and what's in it! It's not good for you OR your kids! (or your wallet for that matter, no matter how cheap it is!).

Upon knowing that we'd be raising Sweet P as a vegetarian, my mom once said, "Oh sad, she'll never get a happy meal." My first thought? Phew!

Ditching this habit is a bit easier as a vegetarian since most fast food joints don't serve much (unless you want to eat fries and a milkshake...on second thought...kidding). Subway and Quizno's are our options and while Subway might serve healthier options, it's still not an ideal meal. And don't go pretending that Quizno's sandwich is healthy (because they have some of the worst!).

Want to talk about what's in those fast food meals? Probably not, but let's do it anyway. Chicken McNuggets are made out of 38 ingredients. Yep. 13 of those ingredients? Corn. Corn-starch, corn-fed chicken, yellow corn flour, partially hydrogenated corn oil, etc. 56% of it is corn! It should be a Corn McNugget, but it still wouldn't be good for you. You probably don't want to know the rest of those ingredients. And just because it says no trans-fat doesn't make it good for you.

Ok, so let's talk convenience here. Really, what needs to happen is planning. If you know you're going to be out and about and might pass meal time, plan ahead and pack a lunch. Trust me, your kiddos will love a packed lunch as much as they do a happy meal (they usually just crave the toy inside anyway..and really? do they need another happy meal toy? I thought not.). So pack your kids and yourself a lunch. If your kids help, it'll be a fun activity for them and they see what's going in so no complaining later ("you packed it!").

Same thing goes for traveling. Pick up a small (or large cooler depending on the size of your family) and pack it full of healthy snacks and small meals for your drive. If you're flying, opt for things that don't need to stay cold like apples, bananas, sandwiches and other items. (More on travel foods in another post).

And for pete's sake, don't get fast food and bring it home for dinner! Throw on some whole wheat pasta and serve it with olive oil and spices. It's just as easy as the drive thru and costs less (I promise).

Again, if this is an every day habit for you, start by leaving one day behind at a time.

Simplicity

The Farmer came upon this article today in Relevant Magazine online.

I can honestly say that the Farmer and I enjoy our jobs. We have time to spend with one another and our family. The opportunity to travel and enjoy our hobbies is at our fingertips. Sure, a simple life seems easy enough, but it's not always that simple.

When the Farmer and I first got married, I had a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that we wouldn't be able to buy whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. Sound juvenile? It probably was. I spent a lot of time coveting what others had and wishing we had more money (sound familiar?). Until one day I realized that a simple life with simple things is much easier than an overwhelming life with overwhelming things. And that God didn't care if I had new clothes, a new car or a big house. I wanted to be able to stay home with Sweet P and that meant sacrificing things. On our first wedding anniversary on our way to dinner (while Auntie Rosita babysat 6-week old Sweet P who wouldn't take a bottle), I said this:

"I can work and give Sweet P whatever she wants or I can stay home and give her me."

Not a day goes by that I wish I was still working. Being Sweet P's mom is the best (and rarely simple) job there is. We try each day to make our life simpler, from getting rid of clutter or things we don't need to resisting a purchase just because we "want" it.

What do you do to make your life simpler?

Making Do

So I have said before that Auntie Rosita received most of the creativity in our family, but eeeevery once in awhile I come up with something that just makes me shine with excitement when it's complete. Let me list the few things that have made me do just that: my own homemade t-shirt quilt, my homemade hooter hider and my sister's t-shirt quilt that I made her for Christmas (which she loved...or at least said she did). That is the extent of my sewing projects! So when I come up with one and it actually works, I am nothing less than thrilled to the bone.

So what is it this time? I thought you'd never ask.

When we moved into our house we quickly realized that something was going to need to happen with the window in the bathtub/shower. Yep. A real, honest to goodness see-it-all-while-you're-naked-showering window. Because our move was so quick (closed on April 26th, in by May 1st) we didn't have time to think of many options before we moved in. As embarrassing as it is, we showered with a trash bag over the window for um, a few weeks. We originally purchased blinds for that window (along with all the rest of them), but learned pretty quick that wooden blinds weren't going to hack it in the shower. We also learned that we needed to get something in there to save the window from the water (who puts a window in a shower?!@#). I wanted a curtain, but couldn't find a vinyl, shower curtain-type curtain. So while at Target with Auntie K one day, I saw a shower curtain that matched our color scheme for only $9.99 and bought it hoping I could do something with it.

With the encouragement of the aunties and the Farmer, I decided I would make the curtain! So I cut the shower curtain ever so carefully. After doing a test with the sewing machine and butchering the leftovers, I moved on to seeing what would happen with the iron. I thought maybe I could heat seal a seam to hang it from. Uh. No.

I finally decided I would hand stitch and even though it took awhile, I am pleased with the result. And voila! we have a window curtain for our bathroom and no longer live with a trash bag on our window.

I might just be a farmer's wife after all.

Our Cloth Diaper Adventure

Here are the cute cover pictures as promised! The other one I have is white so I didn't feel the need to take a picture of it. I got it so it would look good under light colored clothes. It drives me crazy that you can see the patterns of diapers through so many baby clothes. But the Blackbird pattern was too cute to pass up. I'm a sucker for trees and bird prints.

Our adventure is still going strong. I bought a small trash can with a lid for her diapers and have noticed a TERRIBLE smell from some of the pee diapers, but it can't possibly be the liners. They've only been washed twice so I don't know what the deal is. I'll have to figure it out.

I've only been using them for about 3 diaper changes a day since I don't have very many, yet. I like the Thirsties covers and thought the inserts did a good job, but they are now waiting to be washed so I am using prefolds. They do okay, but I think I need to buy ones with more ply. She hasn't slept in one overnight yet, because she's a night pooper. And let's be honest, I'm down right scared. So maybe I'll buy in AIO to try at night since I'm afraid the insert in a cover won't do the job she needs!

Please feel free to leave suggestions on what cloth diapers work best for you!

Feeding Kids

Let's talk for a minute about feeding kids. We'll start with the very first time you put a spoon in their mouth. Before that moment all they have ever tasted is breastmilk or formula. They don't know that oatmeal tastes better with sugar or that avocado tastes better with salt. And if they aren't exposed to it, they'll stay in the dark for a long time. Here's where the problem comes in.

Somewhere around 15 months, they start to realize that if you aren't feeding them what you are eating...they are eating something different. And they start to wonder why. And to want what you have. Or what anyone else around them has. (This personally has not yet happened to me, she just turned 1 remember?). So yesterday, the Farmer and I decided that as she begins to realize we are eating something different we are going to have problems. Especially if we tell her she can't have what we have. How do you solve that problem? You may not like this answer.

But if you want your kids to eat healthy or healthier than you do, you have to eat healthy, too. Sorry. That's just the way it is. And while the Farmer and I eat pretty darn healthy, we both have a heckuva sweet tooth (I used to joke that I was a health nut with a sweet tooth problem). So in the coming months, the Farmer family will be saying goodbye to any sugary, processed food this Farmer's wife sometimes brings home from the store (I'm only human! that time of the month really does a number on me). Don't get me wrong, if you went to our pantry, you wouldn't see boxes of crap every where. Sometimes we buy candy or ice cream, but I'd like those things to be a rarity for my children. So that means, OUT they go!

Join us on our challenge to start eating more raw, fresh foods and less sugary foods. This is a great time to start because it's Farmer's Market season and farm season (for our own veggies!). And remember, healthy eating starts with you. (Geez, do I sound like an after school special or what?). I look forward to sharing our canning experiences with you!

How long are you breastfeeding?

I'll be honest. I kinda hate that question. Mostly because I get a number of responses when I tell them my goal.

"Good for you." (I like that one.)

"Oh wow, I don't know how you do it." (Not bad.)

"You're not going to go until she can talk are you?" (Define talk.)

"Once they can ask for it, that's just weird."

Let's talk about that last one for a minute. I hear that line a lot. And I have said that line a lot. Until last week. Someone said it to me and as I drove home that day I mulled it over in my head and came up with this.

Why is it so weird that a child would ask to breastfeed? We teach them time and time again to use their words, to ask for a sippy cup, to tell us if they want more food, to let us know if they want a snack and then we start giving them choices. Why then, if we teach them to ask for things is it so odd for them to ask for the one thing they've known since birth? Is it weird for them to ask for a glass of milk? a cup of juice? a bottle?

The only thing I could come up with is that it gets to a point where a mom could potentially feel embarrassed by a child who asks to nurse, which brings me to my next issue. Why is breastfeeding embarrassing!? Oh dear sweet Western society, what you have done to make breastfeeding so absolutely taboo? For some reason people tend to forget that before formula and bottles, those things were the only option we had. And honestly, I can't for the life of me figure out why a woman would be offended by a breastfeeding mother. It drives me nuts that society has turned breasts into insanely sexual objects.

Now, I am not a "let it all hang out" breastfeeder (unless I'm among friends and even then I try to be discreet). I know it makes people uncomfortable and I'm really not that excited about people staring as I feed my child. However, those people and I feel that way because of the way our culture has shaped breastfeeding.

Did you know that WHO (The World Health Organization) reports that the world average for breastfeeding is 4.2 years? 4.2 YEARS!?!? With that knowledge, I rest assured that it's not that "weird" to be breastfeeding past a year. Things are still going well for us and I see no reason why stopping to give her whole cow's milk would be more beneficial.

So for now, we'll keep on keepin' on and keep answering the question with "My goal is 2 years."

Going Green Tip of the Day: DIY Baby Food

Going Green Tip of the Day: DIY Baby Food

I know it might seem like a daunting task to make your own baby food, but it's really not! Think of the money, resources and plastic bags (from grocery shopping) you'll save by making it yourself. Not only will you know exactly what is going into your baby's food, you'll also get to regulate the packaging as well.

While it does save money and resources, it does take time. But you don't have to spend your life making food for your baby. Simply buy the same vegetables that you would purchase in baby food form. These vegetables can then be steamed, boiled, pureed, chopped...you name it! If you are overwhelmed by doing it every day, carve out a time each week that you can devote to making food for baby. Most homemade baby food can then be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze it in ice cube trays or chopped and put into containers (make sure they are freezer safe).

Try it, your baby will like it.

Going Green Tip of the Day: Cool It

Going Green Tip of the Day: Cool It

Have you ever wondered if washing your clothes in hot water really mattered? I can tell you, unless you have heavily soiled clothing, it doesn't. The Farmer and I wash almost all of our clothing on the cold setting and still have clean clothes. Your cold water setting and the power of your detergent will do the work helping you save money and energy.

Your washing machine uses most of it's energy on heating the hot water cycle. So if a regular batch of laundry (not heavily soiled) is washed in hot water, energy is actually being wasted. Using less hot water (and saving energy) can lower greenhouse gas emissions (which is what we're really after).

I can also tell you from personal experience that the less work your water heater has to do, the less you are going to pay on your energy bill. The Farmer and I learned this last year when our water heater broke and was running constantly...causing our energy bill to sky rocket (over $120 dollars more than normal). I'm not saying you have to bathe in cold water, but it wouldn't hurt to use it on your clothes.

Going Green Tip of the Day: Quit Smoking

No, I do not smoke.

If you do, you should stop. Right now. Don't wait another minute. Stop. This is actually a health tip as well as a Going Green tip. If you or someone you love smokes, please quit or help them today. Smoking is not only damaging both your and your family's health, it's also harming others around you as well as the environment.

I decided this would be my tip today when I saw the pile of cigarette butts outside my first floor neighbor's apartment. According to cigarettelitter.org (yep, a real website), 7 TRILLION (what?!) cigarette butts are tossed on the ground each year (world wide). And it's no surprise that they are the most littered item in the world. So not only are they filling our landfills, they are also piling up on our streets, beaches, parking lots and apparently door steps (my neighbor's at least). And in case you were wondering...no, they are not biodegradable. There may be an eco-friendly cigarette out there somewhere, but the environment isn't the only thing I'm worried about:

As the second major cause of death in the world, smoking is not doing you any favors. In fact, it's not doing anyone any favors. Secondhand smoke is KNOWN to cause lung cancer. So while it may seem like I'm on my soapbox here, I'm just worried about smokers and those they care about it (and the strangers breathing their exhaled smoke!).

Quit today. Save yourself, your family and the environment. For more information on how to quit visit: www.quitnet.com (the web's original and largest quit smoking site).

What's in your mouth?

Oh, the words I utter 100 times on a daily basis to my child. Also on the list:

"Keep it out of your mouth."

"Leave it out of your mouth."

"Leave that alone."

"Biting hurts mommy."

"Careful." (this one is said about 1000 times).

I try hard not to say NO to Sweet P alot because I don't want it to be her first real word. I also try reeeeally hard to keep negatives out of the statements I use when I don't (see it's hard) want her to do something. It's tough! That's why I have resorted to "leave it alone" and "keep it out of your mouth" instead of "don't put that in your mouth." I do say "Stop," so my luck "Stop" will be her first word. But that sounds a lot better to me than NO!

I read somewhere that their brains don't really process the negative part so they only hear "put that in your mouth." I've heard this before in regards to self-talk. By saying "Don't forget the grocery list," it gets put into your brain as "forget the grocery list" and then, well, we all know what happens.

So the most used phrase around here has become "What's in your mouth?" I no longer have to vacuum my house because Sweet P does it for me. She also enjoys vacuuming friends houses as well. Just call her Hoover (let me know if you need to borrow her for your house cleaning). So far I have caught her with a corn chip crumb, carpet, thread, and a vast number of pieces of lint. And a few of those things actually made it into her mouth (and the fishing out began). The kid can find and pick up something I can't even see! I guess I better start vacuuming every day!

Note: Please know that I do not use my child as a vacuum. This post is supposed to be humorous.

PS. The Sleep Challenge is going great!

Nix the Dryer

I have a big baby. 18.3 lb to be exact (and probably rising since our last appointment). Most would think my child was well into 6-9 mo clothing, with some possible 12 mo clothes as well. However, due to my amazing laundry skills (pthhh, right), my child remains in 3-6 mos (and a few 0-3 mo) right where she belongs.

So how do I do it? I don't dry ANY of her clothes. Now, for those of you with multiple children, this may not work for you. I only have one child right now and don't mind hanging up all of her tiny clothes on tiny hangers. With 3 kids and loads of laundry, I might change my mind. But for now, save money on buying the next size, by not drying baby clothes.

By not drying, you also get to keep the bright colors of the clothes. I don't know about you, but I want to get the most out of my kid's clothes and want them to be in good shape when (if) I have a another girl.

Nix the dryer, you'll be glad you did.