Tagged

Recently Krissie "tagged" me. Being somewhat new to the Blogger world I had no idea what that meant until she explained it to Avery and I discreetly overheard (of course I had to appear like I knew exactly what it meant). I can't remember everything I'm supposed to write about, but I know I'm supposed to write about what I was doing 10 years ago. It's amazing to think about it really.

Ten years ago I was nervously expecting my first child. Bret was in the Army and we had just moved to Fort Drum, New York. I was desperately trying to finish my degree, at BYU, before the arrival of the baby knowing it would be extremely difficult afterward. However, at the time of my pregnancy I was planning on staying home with my baby for the prescribed year and then returning to work. From the studies I had been reading on infant brain development, early peer interaction seemed to have positive effects on a child's social development. Daycare was in our future.

Looking back I don't know how Bret listened to me pontificate about all the perceived benefits our child would receive from daycare. He says he just hoped something would change, but that he was willing to support me if I really wanted/needed to work. Wow.

I had no idea the change that would occur almost the instant I held that baby in my arms. I guess you could call it biological, but it was more then that. I looked into the eyes of this brand new little baby and realized what I was being asked to do. I was being asked to give shelter and guidance to another of God's children for the duration of her earth life. So many of her perceptions of life and people would come from her experiences with me and the things I would teach her. I looked into her eyes and came to three conclusions: 1) I would never, willingly, go to work outside my home as long as she was living with me. 2) She would only be living with me for a short time (20 +/- years) and I had better make the most of it. 3) The hospital actually expected me to take this baby home and be in charge of her!

The changes which took place in that hospital room had a lasting effect. I have not had to go to work (thankfully). I still feel like my time is short with each of my children and I try to make the most of the time I have. And, as a result of having to actually care for that baby, and the others who followed, I have grown and matured in unexpected ways. The past 10 years have been incredible and I am truly blessed.

Thanks Kris for the opportunity to reflect!

A Trivia Lovers Dream Come True -- Google

Anyone who knows me long enough has to endure many sentences which begin with the phrase, "Did you know...?" followed by some piece of random information that my brain just sucks up like a vacuum. As a result, I love to "google." It's so great to be sitting at breakfast and have one of my kids say, "Mom, how long can your fingernails grow?" I look like I am the wisest woman EVER because I quietly excuse myself from the table, dash to the computer, google the question and, voila! the answer effortlessly appears. I return to the table and very nonchalantly answer the question. I love having all this knowledge literally at my fingertips. I think search engines were created by someone like I am for someone like I am.
Some of our recent "googles" have been:

Longest fingernails in the world

Big Bang Theory

Pictures of the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China

The Liberty Bell

Rosa Parks

What have you googled recently? Anything we should check out?

A Well-Oiled Machine?

For too long we in our wonderfully advanced western society have treated the body much like our cars instead of the incredibly advanced organism it is. And yet, sometimes we treat our cars even better than our poor bodies! Imagine how long our cars would last if we only washed the outside, used gasoline full of unnecessary additives, and acted like the on-board computer was the only thing worth tweaking. I would dare say our cars wouldn't last very long. Obviously, our bodies are much more complex and yet we have lost so much knowledge as to how to properly care for and manage them. Moreover, the sources from which we obtain food are usually questionable and so far removed from anything "healthy" it's ridiculous. Lastly, we are in such a "hurry" (myself included) that we simply don't feel justified in the taking the time to care for our inside as much as our outside. And then we're surprised when our bodies have problems.

I'm just in the beginning stages of my research into the following areas, but I wanted to share some of the things I'm learning. I have sources for all the info and will be happy to share them if wanted.

1. We are using whole wheat improperly. In our rush to become "healthy" everything is now "whole wheat" and "whole grain." What we don't understand is the body has a very difficult time breaking down the outside of wheat in order to get to the good nutrients inside. Most of the "whole wheat" we are eating never gets absorbed properly. Wheat either needs to be soaked, in liquid, overnight, before using, in order to start breaking it down, or it needs to already have started sprouting in order to receive the proper benefits.

2. Our gut has more neurotransmitters than our brain and yet we medicate our brain and continue to fill our gut destructive food. Neurotransmitters are the "feel good" chemicals. When our bodies are in a state of poor digestion we cannot absorb and produce the neurotransmitters needed for proper health. Moreover, when we cannot properly assimilate our food, what makes us think we can properly assimilate our medications? People are constantly having to "adjust" their medication because it's not working right. The reasons could be associated more with the digestive enzyme levels in your gut then the level of medicine. Having proper digestion is a must.

3. Proper digestion comes from producing enough hydrochloric acid and having the right digestive enzymes. Unfortunately most of us eat way too fast or huge amounts or way too spread out. All of this effects our hydrochloric acid production. Most digestion begins in the mouth. The simple act of chewing our food slower will aid in the digestive process greatly. Also, chewing our food slower allows our body to "catch up" with what we are doing and send signals of feeling full to our brain (thus the all important and incredibly neglected mind-body connection).

Because we live in a "pasteurized" world, most of our food lacks essential digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes our found in "raw" food such as milk, honey, butter, yogurt, and others. When we lack digestive enzymes our food cannot be properly broken down and used. In fact there is cutting-edge research on autism and adhd which suggests that these children have suffered from a lack of digestive enzymes from the beginning and then antibiotics and vaccines have almost "traumatized" their little systems. Adding enzymes into their diet is helping tremendously.

Obviously we have pasteurized food for a reason and it's not practical for us to have our own cows on our .10 acres of property. Lacto-fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, and natural yogurt, are good sources of food with the enzymes put back in. In fact, I am just beginning to discover how great kefir really is! It has all the digestive enzymes. It's a complete protein. It has all the B vitamins AND is has TRYPTOPHAN! Tryptophan is found in breast milk and turkey (it's what makes babies relax and people feel sleepy after thanksgiving). Scientists are just beginning to understand the huge benefits of tryptophan on the digestive and nervous systems. I would highly suggest incorporating some kefir into your diet. It tastes a lot like yogurt and comes in a few flavors. My kids will drink it and prefer it over their "vitamin" which probably isn't being absorbed right anyway.

There is a lot more I'm learning and I'll share as I gain more knowledge. Just wait until I talk about coconut oil and what it can do!

Wake Up and Smell the Gunpowder

On the news recently I watched a story about how one of this year's "must have" school accessories is a BULLET-PROOF backpack! Are you kidding me? Not only could I not believe what I was seeing, but I was absolutely taken aback by the number of people buying these things for their kids! Hello!!! If you have to send your child to a place where you feel they need a bullet-proof ANYTHING is it not time to rethink just where you are sending your child?

I know that many people, unfortunately, do not have a choice as to where they send their kids to school due to economic or other life circumstances. And, I believe that any education is better then no education. For those people I guess I'm glad they can purchase a product that may possibly save their kid's life as he is crouching in a corner fending off shooters with his pack. Terrific. Urban warfare 101. To the people who do have a choice, it's time to actually take five minutes to think about the implications of what is happening here. Either place your child somewhere else or get really involved with your local school and/or legislature and try and bring about the changes necessary so that you don't feel you have to send your kid to school with her own uzi in order to defend herself! Wake up!

...alright...I'll get down now.

Annual Homeschool Renewal

Practically the second your baby is born you are required to make major, life-altering decisions for your child starting with their name and continuing with almost every aspect of their lives -- where they'll live, what religion they'll participate in, etc... At age five you have to think about school. Private? Public? Charter? Homeschool? All these options have pros and cons and you have to make a decision based upon your values, the needs of your child, and the future you hope to bring about by making the decision you do. It's exhausting!

Each summer as I start receiving the "back to school" ads in the paper I begin questioning the decision to homeschool. I wonder if it's truly working? Do the kids like it? Am I doing this out of a need to control every aspect of my kids' lives or is it for more altruistic reasons? These questions play over and over as the new school year approaches and I have to fill out my affidavit for the state declaring my intentions.

July 24 those questions, and more, were shouting loudly in my head and I needed some answers before I could proceed. That night we went to my in-laws for our annual July 24th celebration and I struck up a conversation with one of my sisters-in-law about, what else, school. Her son is five and I asked her if she had decided which school option (they were considering private or charter) she had chosen? She gave me a funny look and proceeded to tell me she had decided to HOMESCHOOL! My jaw dropped. This was a girl who, while listening politely as I would talk about homeschool, said she would "never do it" and that "it wasn't for her." I was stunned but I tried to maintain a look of calm on my face so I wouldn't frighten her away. When I asked why, again very nonchalantly, she said she had attended her son's kindergarten orientation and, after listening to the presentation, knew she could not send her son to school. She then listed off all the reasons I usually give for why I homeschool reminding me why I made my decision in the first place and, once again, confirming my reasons.

Obviously nobody knows what the future holds, but I am, once more, certain of my path which, at least until next summer, is homeschooling. Thank you universe.

Just Potter the Crowd

Let's see I homeschool, have my babies in my bedroom, don't scrapbook, and generally go contrary to what the popular culture seems to be doing. However, the boy wizard is calling once more and I will enthusiastically answer. Yes, I will be at Barnes and Noble this evening, with Avery and Addison, reveling in the pre-release activities. Then, tomorrow, I will stand expectantly at my mailbox (to the embarrassment of my husband) waiting for my pre-ordered copy -- which I ordered in February -- of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows after which I, and the other 3 million people who also ordered theirs, will spend the day finding out if Harry lives or dies.
If you have only judged the Harry Potter stories by the movies, I can see why you would stay away. The movies are terrible. J.K. Rowling, while incorporating facets from many great science fiction and fantasy writers really has created a rich and fun world filled with all sorts of interesting creatures. In a time where the bad guys aren't always as easy to spot as say a dark lord and his "death eaters" it's nice to enter a world where good is good, bad is bad and a wand-wielding boy and his friends are out to fight the fight to the bitter end. Go Harry! I'm with you all the way!

Halfway to 70

June 29 was my 35th birthday! In some ways I feel older and in other ways I feel much younger. For me, at least right now, age is relative and I'm glad to be where I am and doing what I'm doing. I keep a journal specifically dedicated to my birthdays -- meaning I only write in it once a year. It's fun to turn the page and see what was happening in my life exactly one year ago or five years ago. I'm able to get a quick read on my life. For example, birthday 32 took place in Queens, New York. Sydney was just 10 months old and I thought she was my last baby! It was incredible to turn two more pages and find two more babies!!

This year I spent my birthday in Eden, Utah (never been there before) watching Avery play soccer. It was hot! Addison and Sydney and Jack ran around making new friends, getting sticky and being indulged by everyone around us. Paige was Paige and she spent the day doing what she does -- whatever that is. When a few people discovered it was my birthday they asked me what I was going to do to celebrate? I responded by telling them that I was sure a cake would show up at some point, and that my family would make it a party. Maybe I've turned some sort of corner, but at the ripe ole' age of 35 I was quite content to be sitting at the field spending time with people I love. I realize that when I'm older I'm going to have plenty of birthdays where I can spend the day at the spa or take a trip or whatever, but, how many birthdays will I have where I can just watch my little kids be little? I know when I am 70 I will read back through my birthday journal and cherish the birthdays I am having now. Why rush things?! I'll be 70 soon enough. Heck, I'm halfway there!