Five Little Duckies

Quantum Leap

Does anyone remember this TV show from the early 90’s? I remember watching this and thinking it was sci-fi and thinking how crazy the concept was. Jump to 2017 (pun intended). I’ve been on a journey of faith, personal development, and love for the past 5 years and of late I’m burrowing into the concept of quantum physics. If you have no idea what that is or what I’m talking about, hang onto your hat! Because your mind is about to be totally blown.

Let’s start with basics. Do you know that every single thing has a vibrational frequency? Everything. For, every. single. thing. in this universe is purely made of energy. Quantum physics is the study of this energy–the study of vibrational frequencies and energy and matter. And quantum physics explores the possibility of particles being in two states at the same time. I love how this site presents it: In 1905, Albert Einstein proved through quantum physics that energy and matter are interchangeable and interconnected. In other words, the universe and all things within it are interchangeable. Your energy, vibrational frequency, and physical self are interchangeable. We are one universal energy body manifesting itself in various forms throughout the cosmos. Boom! Mind blown.

Hard to wrap your brain around that, right? It’s ok, I’ll give you a minute. I’ll be right here when you get back (and maybe somewhere else at the same time! 😉 )

I’ve become so fascinated by this topic of quantum physics that I really TRULY feel I could write an entire book on this (and many folks have!). Without even knowing it, I’ve been dabbling in quantum physics for years. My oils. My Oola obsession. Personal development. I’ve ditched bad habits and toxic relationships. I’ve done an ENTIRE overhaul of the food we eat and the chemicals in our home environment. I’m releasing negative emotional patterns with the use of mantras and essential oils. I believe there’s something innate in all of us that KNOWS this stuff already and WANTS to be at the highest frequency we can be. There’s a MOUNTAIN of fascinating information on this topic. For instance, the scientific/medical community is now studying the use of frequencies to literally blast out cancer cells and remedy other medical conditions. I mean…seriously, how much more sci-fi can it get?! I am just seriously nerding out all over with this stuff. I look forward to the day when we all are empowered to live life to our highest frequencies and anyone who is sick can get better with light therapy, sound therapy, water therapy, essential oil therapy (which I am obligated legally to tell you–duh–does not yet exist!), or nutritional therapy. BRING. IT. ON.

So these vibrational frequencies are measured in megahertz units. A megahertz is a unit of alternating current or electromagnetic wave frequency. Yes…get out your spectacles because we are in severe NERD territory. And you know you’re loving it as much as I am!

The human body typically vibrates between 62 and 78MHz. Disease begins at 57MHz, cancer at 42MHz, and death at 25MHz. These are proven numbers, recorded over and over and over again by the scientific community to the point where they are well known standards. We now can know the vibrational frequency of ANYTHING. It’s not difficult to Google this stuff and find tons of sites that list the frequencies of the food you eat, the thoughts you have, the things you watch on TV, your emotions, your activities, your sleep, your outlook on life…the list goes on and on, my friends. Every thing you say, eat, do or think truly–TRULY–has a direct and PROFOUND impact on your health and your quality of life. Let me repeat that. Every single thing you say, eat, do, and think TRULY has a DIRECT impact on your HEALTH and your QUALITY OF LIFE. That is profound and astonishing. Sure, it’s something we hear all the time. You are what you eat. What you think about comes about. Watch what you wish for! Mind over matter. How many sayings do we have that drive this point home? And yet most of us walk around like zombies, letting life throw us around like your laundry on spin cycle. We develop negative thought patterns, negative emotional patterns, poor eating and sleeping habits, destructive relationships, self sabotaging habits…you catch my drift.

Here’s the good news: As we’ve said, everything you think, do, eat, experience, say, and feel affects your vibrational frequency…this means you have influence over your number. YOU HAVE INFLUENCE OVER YOUR NUMBER!!!! This is perhaps the best news you’ve ever heard. Trust me.

In order to raise your frequency, you need to have a grasp on what some common numbers are. I really like this chart of the vibrational frequency of emotions. This is a well known and highly used chart:

Negative thoughts lower frequency by approximately 12 MHz, but positive thoughts raise frequency by approx 10MHz. Look at love…love vibrates at around 500MHz. But guilt? Guilt vibrates at 30Mhz. You know the old notion that someone is giving you a “guilt trip” to make you feel bad about something? TRUTH! And the old saying “you are what you eat”?? YEP! You are. I really like this fellow bloggers’ article about frequencies and food. The highlight for me is this list right here: Fresh Foods 20-27 Hz, Fresh Herbs 20-27 Hz, Dried Foods 15-22 Hz, Dried Herbs 15-22 Hz, Processed/Canned Food 0 HZ. Again, processed foods…ZERO. If you want to impact your frequency greatly, start by shopping the perimeter of your grocery store and skipping all the inside isles which are loaded with processed foods!

Something else you can do…get some essential oils. Essential oils can actually assist you in supporting most of your body systems. They can make your water tastier, enabling you to drink more. They help with cravings, support normal sleep patterns, encourage you to love and be grateful, and they are amazing tools for emotional support! The frequency of therapeutic grade essential oils range between 52 and 580MHz…wow! Did you remember that love vibrates at 500MHz? Blue Spruce oil vibrates at 580MHz–a higher frequency than the emotion of love, scientifically speaking!!! Imagine how crazy good you will feel if you diffuse or apply this oil every day as part of a morning routine. Essential oils actually have the highest recorded vibrational frequency of any measured natural substance. That’s pretty boss! Next time you are feeling down or the negative thoughts are starting to overtake you, grab an oil. Smell it and apply it topically. Diffuse it all around you. Keep oils in your purse, on your kitchen counter, in your bathroom, at your bedside.

There are lots of things you can do to raise your frequency. Drink more water. Ditch sugar, alcohol, and coffee (yes, painful to hear!). Get more sleep and higher quality sleep. Exercise. Turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Love yourself. Be grateful! (Does all this sound very…Oola? If you don’t know what Oola is, do yourself a favor and check it out…you can click to above link or read my previous blog entitled Ola-la.) Take a look at the food you’re eating. What’s the last book you’ve read? What are you doing to elevate your mind? Are you meditating? Practicing prayer, worship and fellowship? Are your friendships loving and open and accepting? Do your other relationships challenge you in a healthy way?

In my mind, quantum physics isn’t just a topic of discussion or a scientific theory. To me, it’s an approach to life. Living the life that God designed for you and the life that YOU were meant to live will bring you wellness, purpose, and abundance. The key to a life of high vibrational frequency is in your hands. You can bring yourself down with poor choices, negative thoughts, and destructive habits and relationships. Or you can lift yourself up at every chance possible. For some, it will take a lot of work to dig out of certain holes. But oh, it will be so worth it. For others, it will come a lot easier. However you get there, it is YOUR journey and your journey alone…and that is the whole point! You are what you eat. What you think about comes about. Watch what you wish for! Mind over matter. So…get your habits, thoughts, actions, relationships, and words aligned with the kind of life you truly want to live…and LEAP into it (you see what I did there?). 😉

How Sweet It Is…

So…the white stuff. Oh how we all love it. I could write a novel on sugar, so I’m planning to break it into a few smaller posts. Who doesn’t love that feeling when you’ve been craving some chocolate and you finally get your hands on the dark, velvety stuff, and you pop it in your mouth and the world just feels nice for a second? (Then the kids pull at your jeans, the cupboard door hits you in the head, the doorbell rings, and the baby pees on the floor…but you had a nice second there when the sweet stuff hit your system!) Does this sound a bit like an addict talking??? That’s because it is. We can absolutely 100% be addicted to sugar–and most Americans are. Check out this article by Dr. Mark Hyman explaining why sugar addiction is a fact, not a myth. You can even take his little self evaluation to see if you may be heading to the next SEA (Sugar Eaters Anonymous) meeting (pretty sure this isn’t an actual group but if you Google that term, you can find some actual resources for support groups). You are probably sitting here reading this thinking, “Wow, that’s sad. Those poor saps are addicted to something like SUGAR?! So lame…” I have news for you, friend…you are probably one of “us”!

It is surprisingly easy to become addicted to sugar. And the food industry is not trying to stop it. In fact, the opposite is happening. They are fueling the fire as much as possible. They want each one of you to be a sugar addict..and they are your supplier. If you’ve never seen one of the many documentaries out there on this topic, may I suggest my absolute favorite, Fed Up, which features the lovely Katie Couric. Their website is a wonderful resource, so check it out. This is a truly eye-opening film. If you walk away from this film and your eating habits don’t change and you especially don’t change what you’re feeding your kids, you either have the sugar thing figured out already or you should have your pulse checked. 😉 The moment this film was over, I was raiding my cupboards, tossing all kinds of what I thought were “healthy” snacks into the trash. It totally changed how I shop, how I bake, and how I view my childrens’ bodies. And previous to viewing the film, we were definitely already a healthier household than most. We eat only organic, we don’t do many processed foods, and we are admitted food snobs when out and about. Before viewing this film, I knew sugar was bad for us and I definitely limited it with sweets and treats, but the biggest takeaway for me is how grams and grams of sugar are literally hiding in just about every food you eat. Three of the most shocking items for me were yogurt, marinara sauce, and whole milk. And that brings me back to the food industry and their agenda…

The food industry has a vested interest in you becoming a sugar addict. Because they are your supplier. Pick up something from your pantry and come back to this page…go ahead. I’ll wait.

Welcome back…now look at the sugar content. It tells you how much sugar is in the product in grams, correct? Now, do you see the percentage of daily recommended value next to the sugar content like you do for all the other nutritional values? Right. It’s ok…I’ll give you a second to pick your jaw up off the floor…it is not required for the daily percentage of sugar intake to be listed…on anything. Let me repeat that. The FDA does not require the “percentage of daily value” for sugar to be listed on nutritional labels in the US.

I felt like such a jerk when this fact was exposed in the film Fed Up. I felt stupid for never having noticed. I felt taken advantage of for this not being an FDA requirement. And I felt angry for never having been educated on this. Here’s why the sugar industry has finagled the FDA into allowing them to refrain from listing the recommended daily value percentage on food labels: because the actual recommended daily values are so low that almost every single item in the store would be far above 30 or 40 or 50 percent of the recommended daily value, and that would look bad for the sugar industry. If you try to find an answer about why the daily percentage values aren’t listed, you will find some rigamarole about how it’s too difficult to measure the sugar content of many products because there is no way to separate naturally occurring sugars from added sugars, blah, blah, blah. In my mind, it is clear to me that this argument is complete drivel. They have the means to measure the sugar content. Clearly. Because it’s already been measured and added to the label. Whether or not it’s added sugar or naturally occurring sugar or a combination of both, it still comprises the percentage present in the product. No? Seems like common sense to me. Here are some facts that will knock your socks off:

Recommended daily sugar allowance according to the American Heart Association and WHO:

Adult Male: 37.5 grams (approx. 9 teaspoons)
Adult Female: 25 grams (approx. 6 teaspoons)
Children 8 and under: 3-4 teaspoons (approx. 12-17 grams), depending on body weight
Children ages 9-18: 5-8 teaspoons (approx, 21-35 grams), depending on body weight

Seems reasonable, right? If you’re a label reader and you already have a sense of the number of grams of sugars in your food products, you may already be breathing into a paper bag. But if you’re not really a label reader: #1, these numbers may mean nothing to you and #2, I hope you will be a label reader after you’re through with this blog!

The grams seem high, but they’re not. Take a look at the teaspoons. Do you drink coffee? Do you add sugar to it? If so, how many teaspoons? Two, you say? Boom! You just used up one third of your daily allotted sugar on your FIRST cup of coffee. Does that put it into perspective? Do you ever pick up one of those yummy Starbuck’s concoctions as your first cup of coffee of the day? If so, I’d be taking a serious look at the sugar content next time you’re in line for your sugar fix. Let’s say you don’t add sugar to your coffee and you’re not a fan of “dessert coffees” as I now like to call them. What did you have for breakfast this morning? Cereal? Yogurt? Instant oatmeal? If you’re heating up Quaker Old fashioned Oats and putting nothing on them, more power to you! But chances are that’s not the case. Just as an example, Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon Flax instant oatmeal has 8 grams of sugar per serving. Kashi Heart-to-Heart Apple Cinnamon has 11 grams per serving. You want to talk about yogurt for a minute? Most plain (unflavored), greek yogurts have 5 grams or less. So if you’re eating that plain and not mixing it with a sugar-coma inducing granola or cereal, it’s not so bad alongside other low or no-sugar options. If, however, you’re reaching for Danon Activia, you’re looking at anywhere between 11 and 25 grams in that tiny little cup. You read that correctly. Most flavored yogurts–greek or not–are in the 20-32 gram range for ONE TINY CUP. It is outrageous! That exceeds your entire daily recommended intake if you’re an adult female!!!! Dry cereals and granolas are maddening, too. Raisin Bran: 18 grams in one serving. Golden Grahams: 13 “golden grams” of sugar! Lucky Charms: 13 grams. Kellogg’s low fat granola with raisins: 25.5 grams. What!? And you know I have to go through pasta sauces because this one was a shocker to me. Ragu tomato, garlic and onion: 12 grams. Barilla marinara sauce: 9 grams. Prego Heart Smart (laughable!): 10 grams. Bertolli tomato and basil: 12 grams. Check your milk, too.

Now would be a good time to go take a thorough look in your fridge and cupboards…how much sugar are you consuming BY LUNCHTIME? How much sugar are you putting into your babies before they even leave the house in the morning??? How much sugar are they getting in their school lunches? How about at their friends house? Or out of your own cupboards when you’re not there to monitor them after school? I was appalled to see that in my “healthy” household, we were reaching our sugar limit by lunchtime on most days and definitely by dinner time on all the other days. I guarantee you that most Americans hit their sugar limit before breakfast is over.

I’m not one to take the drastic approach and totally 100% ban sugar from my house–that will just make the kids want it more and develop a very bad relationship with sugar. Plus, let’s be honest…I want some sugar sometimes, too! What I can and will do is make sure my kiddos are eating as many whole foods as possible instead of processed foods. I can monitor the added sugar they are getting for meals and snacks that I provide. I can keep extremely unhealthy options out of my house. And, perhaps most importantly, I can educate them on this matter and teach them that a cookie or a cupcake once in a while or a mildly sweet snack once a day is not the problem. When it’s time for a sweet, have a sweet. I mean, I want to know when I’m eating a sweet! But when it’s time for a balanced meal or a healthy snack, I shouldn’t be getting duped into thinking I’m having something healthy when in reality it’s full of added sugars, which are throwing my body into a tailspin…more on that next time 😉 For now, I hope I’ve been able to shed some light on lurking sugars and what a healthy amount of sugar looks like for you and your family. In closing, have fun raiding your pantry!!!

Aroma…puncture?

Ok, so the name needs work. But the technique is clearly workING. Since we don’t yet have a name for this technique, let’s first describe what it is. A few brilliant–and might I add, probably “crunchy”–acupuncturists decided to add therapeutic grade essential oils to their practice. The result? Amazingly elevated results and highly enjoyable treatments for their clients. I am lucky enough to see one of these acupuncturists who has been open-minded enough to let me bring oils into my treatments (you all know by now about my love affair with essential oils!)…and WOW. The body knows what the body knows.

So let’s talk about this concept for a minute. As most of us in the holistic realm realize, not many studies with cold hard facts and statistics are being paid for so that we can see just how awesome all of our crunchy ideas are working. Enter Dr. East Haradin. This woman holds a doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and while she was obtaining that degree, she put her time and efforts into conducting one of the first documented clinical trials using essential oils in conjunction with acupuncture. But I won’t re-write her story here. I’ll let you read it in her own words here and I’ll see you back in a few minutes 😉

Now. This is exciting stuff, for sure. But naysayers will comment that one trial isn’t enough. Or that there are too many variables…ie, we don’t know which oils she used…we don’t know if these people had mental illness or any other underlying issues besides what’s presented in the study…we don’t know if purple monkeys live on the moon of distant planets…just checking to see if you’re still paying attention! 🙂 You may be shocked when I say this, but those naysayers aren’t wrong (well, hopefully about the monkeys). More trials do need to be done in this arena. And I hope more professionals will take this on (nudge, nudge to all those capable and willing out there!) so that the clients–the ones who really need these ideas to work–can reap the benefits of enhanced techniques. One note: Dr. Haradin cites three trials where oils were used with acuPRESSURE. So that’s another avenue to explore. When you go out trying to find information on marrying oils with acupuncture, be sure you are reading search results that address acupuncture and not acupressure.

This person is one of the few looking into our “aromapuncture” (surely this will not be the final name!). And I’m sure there are many other practitioners like her across the country. For instance, here’s a quick video of someone incorporating oils into her practice.You may be able to find lots of other videos like this is you spend some time using the right search words. For some words from a more credible source, this article in Acupuncture Today, written by Peter Holmes is weighty and speaks directly to professionals on the idea of adding essential oils to their practice. I love what Peter says in the last paragraph of this article when he speaks about quality of essential oils.

This part can get tricky because essential oils are not regulated by the FDA (not yet anyway) and as Mr. Holmes mentions, they certainly are NOT created equal. It is far cheaper for a producer–or a purchaser–to dilute pure oils with synthetics in order to keep costs down. This is why a bottle of rose oil is $25 in a big box store but a true, unadulterated bottle of pure rose essential oil will run you over $200 for 5ml. Sometimes the producer dilutes, the distributor dilutes, and then the final brand dilutes….how much therapeutic benefit are you getting from that oil? NONE point none. In fact, if an oil is severely diluted, it can cause adverse effects. Imagine putting alcohol or petrochemicals on your chi points and letting them seep in right before a treatment that will open up your energy sources and allow said chemicals to freely flow through your body…yikes! You have to find an essential oil company you TRUST. And you have to ask your practitioner about the oils she uses and WHY she chooses this brand. This is ok to do. A fantastic practitioner will be thrilled that you are so interested in taking charge of your health and learning more about what he/she is doing for your body, mind, and spirit!

I personally do not trust any company other than Young Living when it comes to essential oils. Young Living owns their own farms around the globe. They grow their plants at the source…has anyone ever seen a frankincense tree in Utah? Didn’t think so! That’s why we have our frankincense farm in Oman. This company has an open door policy–you can literally go visit any of their farms whenever you’d like (I’ve done it! See below pictures of me visiting the Young Living Lavender Farm last year in Mona, Utah. I was lucky enough to plant a yarrow seed by hand! This very seed will literally be bottled as an oil once the plant matures and is ready for harvest). The product does not change hands from seed to sealed bottle. It is tested by third parties for quality control. Learn more about Young Living’s Seed to Seal Guarantee and the quality of their farming practices.

Me planting a Golden Yarrow seed!

Breathing in the lavender at the Mona Lavender Farm in Utah.

Me standing in a field of Clary Sage!

For general information on essential oils or for information on ordering Young Living oils specifically, comment below. I am available and excited to answer any essential oil questions, as learning about these oils has been a passion of mine for the past two years. For acupuncture questions, you’ll have to reach out to your practitioner–or you can reach out to mine: Andrea Cohen (that forward-thinking practitioner who let me bring oils into my sessions whom I shouted out to earlier in the blog 😉 )

Now that you have the skinny on oils and how to find good quality, let’s talk about which oils may benefit you the most in your acupuncture sessions. Really, the possibilities are endless. Ideally you would be working closely with an essential oil distributor (this can be me if you need one!) and an acupuncturist (I know a great one!) and together they can come up with the best oils to compliment your treatments. Here are some oils that would work well for general and common issues:

Lavender. This oil is amazing for supporting normal sleep patterns. If your acupuncture sessions focus on sleep or any kind of issues related to stress, this oil may be the one for you. Lavender can also help support normal levels of relaxation. Remember that lavender essential oil is literally the lifeblood of the lavender plant, so if you have any allergies to lavender plants, you’ll want to find a different oil that can do the same things (there are many!).

Thieves. This is a blend unique to Young Living and it is amazing for supporting your body’s immune system. If you are having an acupuncture session because you feel a little off, this oil would be a wonderful addition to your session.

Lemon. This oil is high in limonene. The terpene limonene is amazing at breaking down petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are absorbed through all the toxins you put on or in your body and they are stored in the body because we are not designed to break them down. But limonene does just that! This is a great one to add to your treatments if you’re looking for some cleansing.

These three oils are just the tip of the iceberg. I can recommend oils that can help support your adrenal system, respiratory system, muscular system, oils that will help support normal energy and focus, oils that can support the nervous system, lymphatic system, digestive system…the list is endless! Young Living has over 200 essential oils so there is definitely one out there to compliment your treatments, whatever the focus! When starting out with essential oils, it’s important not to get overwhelmed. There is a mountain of knowledge. The best way to get started is to reach out to someone who can help you sort through the massive amounts of information associated with these amazing oils–that’s what I did. Make use of the resources offered to you! And if you really start to feel overwhelmed…grab a bottle of Young Living lavender oil and put a drop behind your ears. Ahhhh…. 😉

Happy oiling!

The Truth About Motherhood

I know…I used a crazy title to grab your attention. But this post really does discuss one of the little-talked-about truths of motherhood. Everyone goes on and on about how joyous it is to be a mother. You are celebrated throughout your entire pregnancy, all in anticipation of the little bundle coming your way. A child who will take all of your energy, cause you decades of countless sleepless nights for a plethora of reasons, a child who will test your limits and boundaries, who will make you take the closest look at yourself that you’ve ever taken…he or she will fill you with so much joy you want to burst and in the next moment make you walk the line between reality and clinical insanity. You will do breathing exercises to learn how to lower your blood pressure and stay calm without blowing a gasket. You will say and do things you’ve regretted like never before…that one night stand in college that you just couldn’t let go? Well…that’s got NOTHING on the guilt trips and regret you’ll have as a mama. This child will steal your heart, teach you about people, and show you life. He/she will make you angrier than any other human being ever has…and you’ll learn a new capacity for forgiveness that you never knew existed within you. You’ll feel happiness, joy, pride, fear, worry, sadness, stillness, craziness, love, hope, hopelessness, anger, embarrassment, confusion, faith, despair, complete fulfillment, loneliness, heartache…and grief. Yes, grief. And those last two–heartache and grief–are the two I want to talk about today.

newborn

1st birthday

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

4th birthday

Do you remember what everyone said when you were pregnant? So many people say so many silly things. I had some doozies said to me! “WOW…it must be twins! Are you SURE it’s not twins?!” (Um…yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was carrying twins but I’ll double check at my next ultrasound, thanks.) I won’t say who, but a family member once arrived at my door and as I opened it she said “Ooooo…you’re so fat!” (I’m pretty sure the PC term here is PREGNANT…but, again…I thank you.) I used to think “what is wrong with these people?!” And most of them were moms! I would say to my husband “how can they forget what all of this is like?! Do they not remember being pregnant!? She has THREE children…how can she be so out of touch?!” And then there are the things people say or the way they look at you when you’ve got toddlers…one time I firmly told my toddler he wasn’t getting a cookie and the Over 65 Knitting Club at the coffee shop nearly called the authorities on me with their ice cold glances. Never mind the fact that he threw a 25 minute tantrum over his socks that morning, screamed all the way to music class, smacked his brother when he wanted the same toy, and the only reason I’m in this coffee shop is to get that shot of caffeine I’m so desperately needing because my baby is teething and I only slept 2 hours last night.

Well, as my kiddos morph from cute little babies to even cuter toddlers to big kids….I’m starting to get it. It’s not so much that people forget or are out of touch. I truly believe that most moms are just in a constant state of heartache and grieving. I think moms choose not to forget, but to “blur” a lot of their precious memories because it is too painful to really–I mean REALLY–go back there mentally and emotionally. Some things become repressed. And others transform into memories much different than actual events and moments as a means of emotional survival. It’s heartbreaking, really. And no one ever talks about this. No one tells you this BEFORE you become a mom. I mean, who would feel comfortable saying to a newly pregnant friend or relative, “Oh! Congratulations! It’s TRULY wonderful and such a blessing…but hold onto your hat, lady, because you are about to experience loss and heartache like you didn’t even know possible.” Yeah…no one is going to say that. That’s why we’ve invented the luke-warm reply “Enjoy it! It goes by way too fast!” To that I say:

#1–yes it does.

#2–this is code for “I die a little bit inside each day that my child gets older but I’m going to go buy a nice handbag now instead of allowing all those emotions to smother me”

Sorry, mamas, but you know I’m right! No one told you that you’d cry the last time you gave a midnight breastfeed to the baby who’s been preventing you from sleeping for a year. No one said you’d have a moment when you realize your breasts will never EVER again be the same and you didn’t even get to say goodbye to them because you didn’t know they were on their way out! Same with the bikini body! No one said you would feel the loss of your “old life” and its freedoms and connections even though you are happier than ever holding your new little person. No one warned you that one day you’d weep because you realize that your cuddle bunny hasn’t asked you to snuggle in over a month. Never in your life could you imagine that you’d miss the familiar call from the potty “Mama! I’m done!” Nobody says “I remember bawling my eyes out the first time I took X to pre-school.” Mommies talk about these things, sure…but AS they’re happening. With each other. In grief. There’s absolutely zero preparation. Who knew you’d be sniffling at magazine ads and using an entire box of tissues for television commercials? How many of you give a deep sigh of relief when your toddler asks for uppy because you’re just counting down the days until he doesn’t want you like that anymore? Who squeezes those chubby, sticky little hands and prays for one more day’s worth of that closeness before the child is embarrassed by your affection? No one tells you a tiny piece of you will crumble the day your child walks into a drop-off class without you. My kids are 4, almost 3, and 1 and I sit and cry at night because I’m worried they won’t visit me once they’re married with their own families!

newborn

1st birthday

2nd birthday

It’s absolutely heart-wrenching being a mom. And it’s beautiful, too. I expected snuggles and giggles and stories and playgrounds and the sweetest hugs I’ve ever felt. I knew there’d be good days and tough days and yelling and screaming and crying and “I’m sorry” and tantrums and boo-boos. I knew I wouldn’t sleep for a decade. I knew my energy would be totally zapped for a long time. I knew it would all go by too fast…but I didn’t expect the constant stream of grieving. I grieved when I stopped breast feeding. I grieved when they went to preschool. I grieved when I got pregnant with my second and realized it would never again be just me and my first. I wondered how I would love them both with my whole heart. I grieved when my first son outgrew his baby clothes. And then when the second did…and now that the third is. I grieve a little bit every time I buy a bigger size for my oldest. I grieved when my son came home from school asking “Mama, what’s a gun?” I grieved when family members didn’t come through for my kids. I grieved when their friends made them cry. As much as I needed and wanted to sleep, I grieved when they stopped sleeping right next to me in my bed and I couldn’t feel their breath on my skin. Perhaps the deepest grief I’ve felt so far is the finality of having my third (and, presumably, final) son. I grieved for not getting my girl. I grieved for not having the birth I wanted. I grieved for it not being MY choice to be done. I grieved for all that time I lost with my baby when he was in NICU and I was home with the rest of our family. I grieved for his brothers, who didn’t get to meet him until he was 41 days old. I grieved giving away my maternity clothes and knowing I’d never wear them again. I’ve been grieving giving away his baby clothes and all his gear as he outgrows them–things that all three of my boys needed and used and loved. I remind myself daily that these are just things. But it’s still very tough. I grieve knowing that some day they won’t want to rush home and tell me how their days were. I grieve thinking about times when they’ll be locked in their rooms and I will be a stone’s throw away but they will want nothing to do with me. I grieve knowing that they will someday leave this home that we have all shared for so many years together. That I won’t be able to just walk down the hall and see them in the flesh. Or have a conversation face to face any time I want to. I grieve knowing that they will some day be too busy with school or friends to pick up the phone and check on me. I grieve these things because I know they will happen…as they always do when you allow your children to sprout wings and fly. I should know–I’m a prime example of nearly ALL of these things and now that I’m a mom, I understand what my own mother surely went through. And I’m not even past age four! So I grieve.

And I will continue to grieve…every day, every week, every month…every year. And if you are in the same boat, I just want to say IT’S OK. It sucks. It is part of the process. Of course, the happy moments far outweigh the sad ones. But this is heavy and it’s real. And it’s ok to talk about it. In a way I wish someone had warned me…but in a way I understand that this is something you have to come into on your own.

Newborn

1st Birthday

The other side of this message is that you can’t FOCUS on the grieving. It will literally kill you, in my humble opinion. It will cause you to shrivel into a shell of a person. It will overtake you and drown you. But most importantly…it will cause you to miss the happy moments of your children’s lives. And we don’t want that! For the happy moments…the ones that fill you to the top with pride, love, joy, happiness, excitement, fulfillment, contentment, hope…are the moments to savor. They’re the ones to keep in the ‘ol memory bank. They are the moments to burn into your brain and never let go of. Allow them to linger. Allow them to marinate. Allow them to soak waaaayyyy in. And when you are 45 or 55 or 65 and you see a vibrant, glowing young woman carrying her first child…you will think back on all those wonderful moments, forgetting (or blocking out) the bad ones and the ones that made you ache with grief and you will dreamily say “Awww…enjoy it! It goes by way too fast!” ❤ 🙂

Back to School Immunity Support

Ahhh…it’s time for back to school. We all love the long, hot summers with the kids, but let’s face it, a little piece of you is doing the happy dance when those crisp fall mornings roll around and it’s time to get little ones up and out in the morning for the school bus. What is NOT causing the happy dance is the plethora of yucky stuff lurking behind those school doors. The first two weeks of school are always like immunity bootcamp as kids come back together after a blissful few months of being healthy. Well get out your notebook because I’m about to hit you with an arsenal of ways to boost your and your family’s immunity for the fall and winter months!

As you all know, I love, LOVE essential oils. My first line of defense for yucky stuff is my beloved Thieves oil by Young Living. My favorite thing to do with the Thieves oil is diffuse it in the house. Using the Thieves vitality oil is a wonderful, easy way to support your immune system daily, but the added bonus here is that your home will be filled with a delicious cinnamon/clove scent that just screams autumn. We also apply Thieves oil to the soles of the feet every morning before school to ward off anything unwelcomed and if Mama starts feeling under the weather, the first thing I do is reach for my Thieves Vitality and make a nice, cozy hot tea with it. Young Living’s vitality line of oils is formulated specifically to support body systems, as they are labeled as dietary supplements. How cool is that?! Other essential oils that I absolutely NEVER go into the fall season without are RC (which stands for respiratory comfort), Eucalyptus Globulus (great for sinuses), Lemon (great for your throat), and Cinnamon oil (which according to this source and many others–but not according to me and not according to any essential oil companies out there–is said to combat viruses when diffused or ingested). Essential oils can be overwhelming. And it’s true–there’s A LOT of education out there. But that’s why I’m here 🙂 I’m happy to help anyone who has questions about these amazing oils–the lifeblood of pure plant matter–and their therapeutic benefits.

Even though I’m crazy about the oils, they aren’t the only thing I keep on hand for when school starts (though I must admit–they are by far and away the most effective and my favorite, for the record!). I also love having colloidal silver on hand. Follow the directions on the bottle and this will also help support and strengthen the immune system. One of my other go-to’s when we start to come down with something is elderberry syrup. You can pick this up at Mrs. Green’s or any other health food store but honestly, homemade is the best. Search your area for someone who makes this out of her kitchen or–better yet–make it out of your own! Here is a recipe 🙂

Ever wake up to the dreaded and panicked cry of “mom–I can’t open my eye!??!” That would be conjunctivitis! After trying lots of stuff and even using the antibacterial eye drops, I have found an extremely effective and simple protocol for pink eye. What you need to have on hand is plain (nothing added), organic green tea bags. Make a cup of hot tea, steep the tea bag for a few minutes, take it out and let it cool a bit, and then apply the warm tea bag to the eye. Bonus–you get to have a cup of green tea (add some honey for extra health benefits)! This is a win-win 😉

Immunity support is important, but there are a few other things would be remiss of me to skip over. One of my favorite back-to-school tips is to have Stress Away essential oil on hand. There is an entire list of oils I recommend for students–from supporting focus (Brain Power or Rosemary), to supporting normal sleep (Lavender), to supporting normal levels of stress (Frankincense), and even oils to help calm emotions associated with social situations (Acceptance, Peace and Calming, Gathering, Release, and so many more). But Stress Away is a favorite. My boys love it, as do I. I also recommend having Lemon Oil on hand for sticky situations–literally. One of its main constituents–limonene, which is a terpene–annihilates petrochemicals so it’s wonderful for removing glue, adhesives, honey or syrup, it even gets marker and paint off of most surfaces (from my own experience!)…and lemon oil smells lovely and uplifting when diffused. Need some of these oils? Have questions? Email me directly at fivelittleduckiesblog@gmail.com.

Well, now you have a plan for at least one aspect of back to school. If only this blog could purchase school supplies for you, get your kids new clothes, pack your lunches, sign all your consent forms, attend your teacher conferences, and play taxi for activities, you’d be all set! 😉 Happy back-to-school!

Anniversaries

I’m sitting here in my fancy dress, enjoying the peace and quiet of the rarely-witnessed double nap (my younger two) as we kill some time before heading out to a busy day of wedding festivities for my BIL’s big day. My husband and oldest son are both in the wedding so they are with the bridal party taking pictures and I’m not sure how long this little respite will last…

As my mind wanders, I look at the clock–10:32am. One year ago at this very moment, I was laying on a cold operating table, having an almost out-of-body experience as the doctors cut into me, rooted around, and pulled my baby from his warm, safe, nesting place an astonishing 10 weeks sooner than we both would have liked. As I lay there in a numb sort of trance, trying to keep my thoughts from crushing me, I heard what sounded almost like a kitten’s cry for help and I was slapped back to reality realizing this sound was coming from my baby. In a near-panic, I breathlessly asked the anesthesiologist, “Is that the baby?!” “That’s the baby,” he nearly whispered back to me. My heart almost burst knowing that he was breathing. He was whisked off where he’d meet his team of NICU doctors before he’d meet his mommy and daddy. Just then I started to fade out a little bit, trying to tell the anesthesiologist that my head felt funny. That’s when the doctors stopped talking about their weekend plans and the room got eerily quiet…again, I tried to exit my body and keep myself numb enough to get through whatever was happening and pretty soon the hush lifted, the doctors were once again discussing their after-hours plans, and I knew the baby and I were both in the clear–for the moment.

Laying in that recovery room, numb from the waste down and feeling exhausted and scared, all I could think about was the tiny baby whom I still hadn’t met, and how he was faring without me. I sent my reluctant husband away from me to go look after our son, who weighed in at just over 3 pounds–quite large for a 30-weeker, we were told. Those first 3 weeks were (pardon my French) hell as we went through the ups and down of the NICU–our son needed a pretty hefty surgery at 6 days old. He had lost a full pound with all of the issues he was experiencing. Sending your 2 pound baby into a 5-hour general-anesthesia-bathed surgery is not for the faint of heart. Barely released to face my own recovery from the emergency C-Section, I hobbled back to the hospital and sat alone at my son’s bedside (as hubby had to stay home and care for our two toddlers), waiting for them to wheel him down to surgery. I am oh-so-grateful to my pastor for unexpectedly showing up and sitting with me the ENTIRE day from the time my son went into surgery until late that night when he was out, had spent two hours in the recovery room, “woke up” (I say this lightly, because he was still very groggy when I finally got to see him but most of the anesthesia had worn off), and I was able to see him. My son spent 41 days in the NICU (but who’s counting?) and was able to come home several weeks before the initially projected date. Those 41 days were some of the most difficult I’ve ever endured. Not being near him 24/7 broke my heart but my toddlers needed me, too, and their lives couldn’t stop turning for over a month. The baby was receiving fantastic care at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital near our home. I learned to let go of the fact that I couldn’t be by his side every moment and to trust in the care of his NICU team. I focused on getting my milk supply up for his debut at home and I made the most of every single moment I was able to be with him in the NICU. We did a lot of kangaroo care and attempted to breast-feed as soon as my son learned to suck and swallow. Those precious moments alone with him in the NICU are engraved on my soul forever.

First time holding him.

Surgery Day!

First Halloween!

So…anniversaries. Sometimes they are happy. And sometimes they are sad. Sometimes your body or your mind or your subconscious will remember them before your conscious mind does. From the moment I woke up this morning, I was an emotional basket case–bursting into tears in the shower, getting emotional as I dressed my sons for the wedding, crying once hubby and oldest were out the door and the other two down for naps. In that moment when I sat down with my cup of tea and glanced at the clock (10:32am), it all hit me like a ton of bricks. Yes, there’s a wedding today (I’m not a typical wedding cryer…not even at my own), and yes, it’s my son’s first birthday today. But I knew this emotion was coming from a deeper place. The anniversary of the day my son and I will share until the end of time. An anniversary that, luckily for us, has a happy ending. But for many who have this same experience, it doesn’t. And that makes it a different kind of anniversary. On this day, I now feel that I share in the heartache with all those mamas, too. It’s a unique “club” to be in–one that certainly isn’t chosen but that chooses you.

Coming Home!

First time meeting brothers!

Proud Brothers 🙂

I count my blessings tenfold today and every day. I send out love to those mamas who don’t get to squeeze their little bundles on their first birthdays. I lift up my son in love and humble gratitude for his unwavering spirit and his infectious smile. And I embrace this anniversary as I would any other. I accept what it was at the time, what it is today, what it will be next year and what it will be every year to follow.

Photo by Little Whimsies Photography

Love ❤

Happy anniversary and happy 1st birthday to my third little light. May you always shine bright, sweet boy! ❤

Self (Cyber) Care

Today’s blog is short and sweet. Everyone is talking about self care. And with good reason. As a VERY busy mommy of three who owns two businesses, I get that self care is super important. It’s the reason I get quarterly massages at my happy place (Thann Sactuary), keep countless essential oils in my purse, on my counters, in the bathrooms and in every drawer, in the car, it’s why I diffuse them throughout my house…(you get the picture–my life is littered with essential oils!), it’s the reason I lock myself in my room for 30 minutes when my husband is home from work, it’s why I savor a good cup of coffee or tea, and the reason I take early morning walks as the sun is coming up before all the little creatures in my house are up and awake. It’s also the reason I took ten or fifteen minutes to do this next thing which turned out to be WAY more important than I ever thought it would be.

One day I was wasting seconds–maybe minutes–deleting annoying spam emails. Each and every time I do this I grumble to myself…”this is SO annoying….such a waste of time…I don’t even like half of these companies…why do I get so many of these?!” And so on and so forth. Talk about a negative attitude manifesting itself within SECONDS of me picking up my phone. I would hear my inner thoughts and think NOT GOOD. Your thoughts are extremely powerful and help to manifest everything from the way your day will go to the money that comes to you, the career you have, your relationships and beyond (and delving into this concept, which is called the “law of attraction”, is for another time!).

So back to today’s thought…this may seem too simple and too obvious but unless I’m the only one who has just never taken the time to do this, my short blog today could fill you with a sense of relief, add a few minutes to your day, or perhaps most importantly, just improve your daily attitude!

So here’s the big revelation…UNSUBSCRIBE TO EACH AND EVERY SPAM EMAIL! Yes, it takes a few extra minutes on the front end but I cannot even tell you how this tiny little act has improved my daily attitude! When I check my emails now, my inbox is full of just the things I want to see and emails from REAL people. When I pick up my phone, there aren’t 25 zero-content messages in my inbox.

Of course I missed many solicitations on the first round of purging because they don’t all come on the same day, so as they kept piling into my inbox in the days to follow, I just took a few extra seconds to click the unsubscribe button and follow through with getting those emails out of my inbox for good. So liberating! Just like cleaning out an over-stuffed closet or finally ditching those “I’ll wear these again someday” clothes at the back of your closet. It seems obvious and simple but purging can feel so liberating and like such a burden has been lifted! I have written about purging your STUFF before (check out the post on tag sales) but purging your CYBER “stuff” is equally important. Do. This. Now. Your heart will feel a little bit lighter, your mind a little less clogged, and you’ll be smiling like a kid with an ice cream cone. Trust me. Who doesn’t want to be sporting a smile like this? 😉

Road Trip!

Ahhh….road trips. An integral part of my life from the get go. I remember road-tripping it all the way from Pennsylvania to Florida on family vacations. Not to mention the frequent 3-hour trips to my grandma’s house and the other multitude of vacation trips we took by vehicle since flying wasn’t in our budget for a family of four in the 80’s. Of course, this was back when a kid could sleep on the floor of the car, stand between the front seats, climb all over the back, or even sit in the hatch! Those days are over, my friends…kids are strapped in with limited movement and I can’t blame them when they get cranky. They can’t even shift in their seats!? Imagine that…how would you feel?! That’s why I’ve composed this blog to share some of our road trip tips. (The picture below is not my family!)

Full Bellies, Quiet Ride!

Here’s the mantra you want to repeat over and over again when the going gets tough…this, too, shall pass 😉 Seriously, though, the first tip I have is the lifeline of ALL of our trips– car or airplane. It’s the breath in our daily outings, the serenity during church, it’s every calm moment during every. single. day. I’m talking about the almighty SNACK. And man do I LOAD UP for road trips. So, this is a no-brainer and I know you’re thinking “I did not log onto this blog to be told to bring snacks in the car–everyone knows this!?” True. Very true. My main tip here is really in organizing the snacks. So you can go about this a few different ways…if you have the ideology that you will portion control and distribute the snacks on intervals, then you need to have the ENTIRE snack bag in the front seat with you at your feet. I used to put the bag-o-snacks behind my seat. After twisting and turning and getting carsick for the last time while blindly digging through the snacks looking for that one specific item my toddler saw me pack and is ten seconds from blowing a gasket unless I can produce it NOW….I decided to move the snacks to the center in the back. But then my two-year-old turned three. And he could SEE and REACH the snack bag. No bueno! Now the snack bag lives with me in the front seat. Annoying for leg room? Absolutely. Buy totally worth it when I can just reach down, pull out what I need, and pass it back to the gremlins.

More tips on this very important subject…in the same bag as the actual snacks, bring bowls, napkins, spoons, plates, straws, a knife for cutting, ziplocs for leftovers, a plastic bag for garbage, and anything else you might need for your particular snacks. Learned that one the hard way! “Oh I have this lovely box of crackers…and nothing to serve them to my messy, uncoordinated toddlers in ” Let me tell you, turning around every 3 minutes to refill a sticky little hand with 4 more crackers was no less obnoxious than digging blindly behind the seat for the whole trip! And the first time I brought bananas for a snack and didn’t have anywhere to put the peels? Let’s just say the car did not smell nice when we finally remembered that I had shoved them in the side of my door

So what if you are not the snack nazi and you just can’t be bothered and it’s a total free-for-all because hey–the kids are happy and quiet (and I am SURE I will totally be this person when the kids get a little older..in fact, I’m actually planning on it!). Here’s a very cool tip: use an organizing bin to prepare snacks the night before and just give each child one and let them have at it! (Still bring back-up and refill snacks, of course!)

To Screen or Not to Screen

Ok, you’ve got the snacks covered. Another no-brainer these days is the screen. Whether you have TVs in the car or each child has an iPhone or iPad, this can also save you. We have an iPad that we put in the middle for all three kids to watch as we roll along. My tip here is that Netflix has an amazing variety and it’s a monthly subscription so you don’t have to pay for each show or movie. You do need to have streaming capabilities with your data plan, though, so be sure to check on that! One other tip here is to ask each child to list three things they’d like to watch on the way and then bring that list with you so that once you get rolling you’re not looking down scrolling through tons of items and causing fights in the back seat “I want Daniel Tiger…NOOOO, we ALWAYS watch that. I want Paw Patrol!!! It’s not faaaaiiirrrrr!!!!!” Ugh, spare me! Much easier to go by the list and you can remind them that they DID pick these shows…remember??? If you have a no-screen policy, then just skip this one.

Be Prepared

If you have toddlers I recommend having a change of clothes separate from your giant suitcase (I know you all have one!) so that if there is a spill or accident, you aren’t unloading the ENTIRE car digging through everything to find a pair of underwear (I know I packed it somewhere…!!!?!??). If you have a baby, I recommend having two changes of clothes separate from your giant suitcase…probably in the diaper bag with the diapers and wipes and what-not. Don’t bury the diaper bag when packing the car!

It Takes a Village

Here’s one new to me, as previously all my children were too young to be helpers…if you have a baby and an older sibling, make sure they are next to each other in the back–No space between them (in my car, it’s not a problem because the kids are three seats across in the back!). Here’s why: big sibling is now your helper. What I’ve found is that big sibling will relish the responsibility you are giving him and you will have a deep sigh of relief when baby actually stops crying and takes the puffers from his big brother or sister. I always bring puffers (you know, those strange baby “snacks” that disappear in the baby’s mouth before they get a chance to swallow them), a bottle of milk, a sippy cup of water, some baby toys, and plenty of wipes–and of course you know I’ve got it all in the front seat with me for easy access 😉 Here’s my big boy giving his baby brother a bottle on the way to Grammy’s house!

Look Out for Number One 😉

Next up is actually prep for mommy and daddy, for you might need snacks too! Pack a snack for yourselves, some bottled water, and tea or coffee if that’s your thing. We all know that if the baby falls asleep or the older kids aren’t complaining…you’re not stopping! So don’t neglect yourselves.

Planning ahead

Map out places to stop for meals and/or coffee BEFORE you’re on the road. Nothing is more annoying than trying to get the Maps app to work on your phone when you’re in the middle of nowhere and all you want is a meal that’s not made from leftover animal parts. We are very fussy eaters and admitted food snobs so we always map out the healthier options and the coffee spots so that when it’s time to stop, we know what’s around within a 20 minute radius. It may seem tedious but, trust me, this will save you so much frustration and may even prevent meltdowns (since kids decide they are STARVING and absolutely CANNOT WAIT FOR FOOD in a matter of 3 minutes). And if you go the same routes a lot (ie Grandma’s house, the annual trip to the beach, etc), you will only have to do it once but you’ll use the info many, many times.

Don’t Get Weighed Down

So do any of you feel like your car looks like this (lefthand picture) when you’re finally ready to head out when you intended for it to look like this (righthand pic)?

LOL. Pack your car in layers. I always put the stuff we absolutely will not need until we’ve arrived at our destination into the trunk first. Then I work backwards. If there’s anything I think we might need to access–even on an off-chance–I put it in last.

The Old Standby

Of course, do pack some good ‘ol toys and books. My kiddos do love to look at books and play with some of their favorite toys in the car. As they get older, we will be able to do more creative things like I spy, count the blue cars, license plate bingo and all that fun stuff. And if your kiddos are young, they probably still want their stuffed animal friends and their pillows. Although I’m sure older kids still want their pillows. Heck who am I kidding, even I like to have my pillow in the car on long trips! The only recommendation I have here is to make sure there are a few blankets handy. Because at least one child always drifts off to sleep and then wakes up freezing.

A New Trick

You all know me…my “new trick” for you is to have your essential oils on hand right in the front seat with you! 🙂 Some oils I love to bring on vacations include Stress Away, Bergamot, Lemon, Peace & Calming, Lavender, Peppermint, Thieves, and Purification (oh you know I bring WAAAAAYYYY more than that! But those are a good starting point if you’re more of a beginning oiler). Tips here: bring a few cotton balls. When the car gets stuffy (peppermint) or smelly (purification), or when the kids are cranky (peace & calming) or hubs is on your nerves (lavender), or you get stuck in traffic (stress away)…put a couple drops of that oil on a cotton ball and stick it in your A/C vents! You can also apply these to your wrists and temples, of course, and add some lemon to your water (in a glass bottle, not a plastic one), to make your drink a little more refreshing. Need more info on essential oils? Email me! amo4piano@yahoo.com or check out this link.

I hope these tips have been useful for you! When you’re about to pull your hair out and you can’t even hear your husband over the screaming and crying, you may not be able to communicate with him but at least you will have a plan! 😉 Happy road-tripping!

Summer Salads…yum!

Oh boy do I LOVE salads! There is truly endless possibility here but I want to talk about “summer salads” which, in my mind, tend to be a little lighter and include some more exotic items and toppings. My mouth is watering just thinking about this post!! 🙂

One of my favorite things to add to summer salads is fruit! Certain fruits pair better with certain greens and dressings. You also really can’t go wrong pairing nuts and seeds with summer salads, either. I’m going to list for you some of my favorite ingredients by categories so you can reference this post to mix and match as your taste buds guide you! I’m also going to share with you some of my favorite combinations 🙂

Greens

Arugula is my personal go-to green. I LOVE arugula. It happens to be one of my favorite foods of all time…I know, I’m weird. 😉 Other bases can include spinach, baby mixed greens, iceburg lettuce, romaine, kale, mesclun, butter lettuce (also love this one!), red leaf, and redicchio.

Fruits

For summer salads, you can’t go wrong adding fruit! In fact, don’t forget the almighty but often overlooked fruit salad. Every now and then, you just need a cool, refreshing plate of fruit! Pears, strawberries, peaches, blueberries, and grapes are some of my favorites to add to salads with greens. As far as dried fruit, I also love adding raisins, dried cherries, coconut, cranberries, or dried cherries.

Seeds and Nuts

Sunflower seeds, pepitas, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans are my favorites but obviously there is a host of other options in this category. Others I can think of off the top of my head are flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, peanuts, and pistachios.

Cheeses

Ahhh….cheese. One of my main food groups 😉 If you are vegan, leave this one out. My favorites are cheddar, feta, provolone, smoked gouda, goat cheese, parmesan, romano, robusto, and fresh mozzarella. Of course the list of cheeses is endless so I’ll let you be adventurous and Google the heck out of this category for some new ideas!

Veggies

Avocado is great for summer salads. Same for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and pretty much anything else that is growing in your garden right now! I do love going out to the garden and just freshly picking whatever is there but if you aren’t growing a garden (you should try it!), then just pick up whatever veggies look yummy at the store. Carrots, radishes, mushrooms, and sweet peas are a few more favorites of mine!

Herbs

I L-O-V-E putting fresh herbs in my salads. I’m not sure if other people do this regularly, but everyone should! 😉 My favorites are chives, dill, parsley and basil but I also add cilantro, oregano, or mint when it’s called for!

Other toppings

Well you all know I’m into sprouts right now. Did you know there are LOTS of different sprouts? Broccoli and alfalfa are my favorite but there’s also sunflower, radish, chickpea, mung bean (and various other beans), lentil, buckwheat, and the list goes on and on. And of course nothing beats a little fresh ground black pepper on top of the salad 🙂 Yum!

Dressings

I can’t even get into all the dressings out there. But I’m into low-sugar dressings for sure. And my favorite thing to do is make my own dressing. Usually with olive oil and balsamic but I’ve also looked up recipes for whatever mood I’m in when I’m ready for my salad 😉

Delicious! And here are a few of my favorite combinations (so far!).

Mix #1: Arugula, blueberries, gouda cheese, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, broccoli sprouts, dill, chives, parsley, and black pepper.

Mix #2: Mixed greens, pepitas, avocado, tomato, fresh mozzarella, onions, yellow bell peppers, fresh basil, black pepper.

Mix #3: Spinach, strawberries, cashews, feta cheese, fresh mint, black pepper.

I have so many others! But these will be a good starting point for you if you don’t have time to mix and match right off the bat because these are three very different “styles” of salads

. Just be creative and experiment. If it sounds like it’s going to be delicious…it probably will be 🙂

Meatless Mondays

I’ve been doing meatless Mondays for quite some time now. Did you know many people claim that going meatless just once a week (for the whole day–not one meal!) can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity? It will also help you do your part to heal our desperately depleting planet…you can save massive amounts of water, reduce greenhouse gasses, and reduce fuel dependence just by skipping meat one day a week. Sounds like a win-win to me! Plus, you get to be creative in your kitchen and discover new dishes you’ve probably never made before. If you want to learn more about the benefits of meatless Monday, check out this site 😉

At first “Meatless Monday” was a challenge but now I have some really reliable dinner staples that I rotate (veggie tacos, spinach quiche, roasted root veggies, pasta or ravioli, and mac and cheese with various added veggies are my go-to’s). Then there are the nights where I just kinda of play around with the ingredients I have in the house and every now and then a masterpiece is born. Which is exactly what happened this past Monday.

I had gotten some red lentils at Whole Foods. I’ve never worked with red lentils before, but I’ve used brown lentils and green lentils and my kids love them. I decided to follow the instructions on the Whole Foods label to be sure I prepared them correctly. So, I rinsed the lentils, put the water on, let it come to a boil, added the lentils and set the timer for 40 minutes.

I went to chopping my root veggies, because my goal was to make root veggies in the crock pot and serve them with the lentils. Pretty simple and basic.

Wellllll…..after 20 minutes when I got my veggies and herbs and spices in the crock pot, I opened the lid to the lentils and to my complete surprise (remember, I still had 25 minutes left on the timer), they were completely pulverized!!!! Into a soup almost! After I stood there with my jaw on the floor for a moment, I had two thoughts: #1–this would be a REALLY easy way to make lentil soup for this kids! #2–This looks a bit like curry….

Which is how my dinner was born 🙂

I decided to make this into a version of an Indian dish. Now, I have kids that won’t eat ONE FLAKE of black pepper because it’s “too spicy.” So I use spicy things extremely minimally. That doesn’t mean your food can’t have lots of flavor! I added some cumin to this, a bit of garlic salt, and a TINY bit of turmeric (don’t tell the kiddos!). Then after tasting it, instead of making the veggies the star of the dish, I knew I had to make this creation the star of the dish.

I let the veggies get nice and done in the crock pot…love the smell of a crock pot filling up a house! So I ended up serving this dish layered like this: rice on the bottom, my new “curry lentils” over the rice, and veggies on top. IT WAS A HUGE HIT! I was asked by all my duckies (including papa duck) to put this baby in the rotation. So, I have! 🙂

Happy eating, friends!

Part One: root veggies in the crock pot

Chop your root veggies…the beauty here is that you can use any veggies you want! In this recipe, I used carrots, parsnips, potatoes, purple potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and added some pepper and a pinch of garlic salt. Throw everything in the crock pot. Add some vegetable broth. Enough to help make the veggies soft, but not so much that you end up with a stew instead of perfectly cooked veggies. The broth should cover the bottom of the crock pot about one to two inches. Set the crock pot for high 4 hours or low 6 hours. You will want to check it a few times to be sure veggies are getting tender but not pulverized. (Photo is after cooking!)

Part Two: curry lentils and rice

Use red lentils. Rinse and drain them (do not soak). Follow directions on package for water-to-lentil ratio. Bring your water to a boil. Add red lentils and set timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, lentils should have formed a thick, pulverized stew-like consistency. Add cumin, turmeric, and garlic salt to taste.

Prepare a rice of your choice following directions on the package.

Part Three: plating 🙂

First plate the rice. Then ladle some of the yummy lentils on top of the rice to get it all juicy. Add veggies on top and serve hot. If you want it to look fancy, add a fresh sprig of parsley on top of the veggies. YUM!