Fresh Ideas

Life is

just a

And you should eat some before you go to bed. And if you are reading this at 11:00 pm you should really go to bed! Cherries are a pretty good source of melatonin- the sleep hormone! How many cherries will one little person eat before actually saying, "I don't want any more cherries today, Mommy."

Quite a few.


"One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast."
~William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Ever have one of those kinda days? Well, for me, yesterday was it. Nothing really bad happened. I wasn't really tired. I was just, well, lazy, unmotivated, and basically cranky.

Food was served. Boo-boos were handled. Toads were given new homes on the back steps. Games were played.

But I just wasn't all there. I yelled at my baby (so sure he was the one deserving it right?); I threatened vague things to little people who didn't want to eat sweet potatoes; I declined invitations to play in the back yard. And when they had faded off to dreamland, I laid down and cried. And prayed. And looked back at the day.

I resisted the temptation to scold myself for every personal parenting rule I'd broken in the last 14 hours. Instead, I asked myself *why* all those things happened. Where were the wrong turns?

And they all came back to joy. Joy, to me, is what makes a day real. Joy is the difference between going through the motions and connecting with the world around me, just how it is today and not how I wish it would be.

Happiness comes from life's 'big picture' being right. I am happy. Joy is different. Joy is the choice to let grace and laughter and a little magic permeate the day. It's worrying a little less about feeding the body and a little more about feeding the spirit. It's disciplining with a laugh intead of a tirade... entering the game instead of vegetating on the couch... sitting on the edge of the tub and massaging little scalps instead of folding laundry during bathtime.

But you can't always be on!

And I'm not, believe me. But mothering can fill my tank, not deplete it, when I take the time to relax and experience joy with my children. Besides my relationship with my husband and with God, the table where my *soul* gets fed is the little one in the playroom where pretend feasts abound, foreign royalty is always visiting, and the bookshelf is always within arm's reach. "Mommy, don't we have a story about...."

Today I still wasn't 'on top of my game,' so to speak. I'm still distracted by decisions I need to make, people I need to talk to, purchases I need to make... my mind was distracted, but my heart was in the right place. And that makes all the difference to three little people. Who deserve a gentle voice, a gracious space to grow, peaceful mealtimes, and restful nights.

Joy is the difference between connection and just going through the motions.

Sleep, my babies, in the arms of angels. Tomorrow is another day.



"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." ~Frederick Douglass

New Look

On the blog. This should make the text easier on your eyes. Hope you like it! Let me know if you don't....


"Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination."
~Robert Fulghum

A Slithery Sort of Nature Walk

Isaiah wanted to narrate our recent nature walk in Topeka's Lake Shawnee Park. It was, definitely, a slithery day.

"Well, when we got there, we were excited because Daddy hadn't told us that there was going to be a lake in the park. So we headed down to the water while Daddy went to his meeting.

"We skipped lots of rocks and sniffed lots of wildflowers. We wanted to go fishing, but we didn't bring any fishing stuff.

"Then Mommy said, 'Look at that stick in the water! Doesn't it look like a snake?' Then she turned around to take care of Johnny. I yelled, 'Mommy! Mommy, it IS a snake!' Because it turned toward us and started slithering. When my Mom saw it, she said it looked like a copperhead. We couldn't get a good picture of it.

"It kept right at us so we decided to go over to the swings. I was really freaked out. At the swings, I went into the woods to pee, and while I was peeing, I thought, what's that? And it was another snake! This one was black with a red stripe, a yellow stripe, and a grey stripe. It was coiled up on the leaves. I ran away from it because I didn't know what kind of snake it was.

"Later in the morning, I saw another 2 snakes while I was playing with my friends and Rosie. I've never seen so many wild snakes in one day."

And this fellow

just wouldn't leave us alone when we went to the bathroom.

A good dinner:

to end a good day.


"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
~George Washington Carver

Cranberry Scones

Tomorrow is Pentecost

and for lunch we will be having Cranberry Scones.

Here is the recipe, sans pictures because I'm not making them till tomorrow! (Pic added.) And the last time I made them there was no blog and therefore no need for photos of lunch. But I will come back and put some up soon after, I hope.

Variable Scones

2c whole wheat flour (use wh wh pastry flour or hard white wh wh for a white-looking scone)
1/2 t salt
1t cream of tartar
1/2t baking soda
6T oil (raw coconut, canola, softened butter, etc.)
1 egg, beaten
2/3c milk of choice, or water
3/4c fresh cranberries, halved (1/2c dried, but fresh or frozen is much tastier)

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in oil till crumbly. Add cranberries. Add liquids and stir JUST TILL MOISTENED. Overmixing toughens the scones.
Drop by large spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, till lightly browned. Serve warm with butter, jam, pureed fruit, or honey.
(Editing to add that I used a bit of stevia and a dash of vanilla, and they came out so good no one asked for a slathering of anything on them- just inhaled 'em plain.)


*Chicken Scones: add 1 1/2c shredded cooked chicken to dry ingredients. Omit berries. Sprinkle with pepper or lemon pepper before baking.


"Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners."
-William Shakespeare

This Moment

{this moment}
A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

My links are still messed up, so just so ya know, this new tradition for me is from Soule Mama's blog.

Food For Thought Friday: Sugar, nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh, O Honey, Honey...

Pentecost is one of the 2 greatest feasts for Christians. The other is Easter. Christmas is, surprise, a distant third. I'm not going to discuss the theology behind that, though you may want to google it and read about why, as it is very interesting.

No, I'm here to talk about food and celebrations. Christmas and Easter, of course, are part of our national consciousness, for better or worse. But Pentecost is not, so I've been planning a day of celebration for the children to help them get the picture of the specialness of the feast called "The Birthday of the Church."

I received an email link today to a food craft for Pentecost. The link was to a Catholic blog that might as well be called "How to Become a Diabetic Using your Faith as an Excuse." It's a recipe blog drowning in marshmallows and choking on chocolate. I know I will sound harsh saying this. I know. But I'm saying it because I love you. Really, I do. And you, and you, and you, and all your CHILDREN.

What message do we send our children when we use any day of joy as an excuse to cram our bodies with harmful substances? Sure, it's easy to wow kids with sugary foods, doused in chemical-laden Hershey's Syrups. It tastes good. It looks pretty. It's easy for me as a mom to do. And it makes the day feel special.

But the underlying message there is 'junk food is special,' 'joy requires indulgence,' and 'every feast day is an excuse for gluttony.' And the idea that junk-food is an American birthright. (See this article: .)

Why do we, as adults, as mothers, feel that the only way to celebrate is to glut ourselves with things that hurt our bodies, and thereby, in the long run, our souls? St. Paul says "Grace builds upon nature." That is, God works easiest and best in him who accepts and nurtures his own true 'natural' nature. But by filling our bodies with substances that harm them, in the name of "special occasions", over time we weaken the body and make the spiritual life more difficult.

Ever had a hangover? Was it easy to practise virtue the next morning? Ever been on a sugar binge? Is it easy to focus on tasks at hand when all you can think about is how much you need- fill in the blank: chocolate, coffee, licorice, any other junkfood that you can't get out of your head because you've been indulging too much too frequently. Or worse, because your head is so fuzzy you just can't think, period, till you get your blood sugar up with that sugar or caffeine fix?

The FDA sets a daily MAXIMUM sugar intake of 40 grams. (As of now, that's for adults on a 2,000 calorie diet. Most kids don't eat 2,000 calories and if they actually eat 40 grams of sugar, well... you get the picture.)

That's 10 teaspoons. Of added sugar: white sugar, maple syrup, honey (ya, even honey), high fructose corn syrup (shudder), regular corn syrup, get it? SUGAR, people. Fruit isn't counted in that 40 grams, nor are the natural starch sugars in potatoes, rice, bread, etc.

In my opinion, it's still high. But let's face it, most folks do double or triple that. A single can of Pepsi has 103% your daily max of sugar. A Yoplait yogurt? 70%. And don't think diet stuff puts you in the clear.

The problem with sugar is the blood sugar swings it causes. It's hard on your pancreas and liver. Guess what? Diet sweeteners, even without the sugar grams, cause the same blood sugar swings so hard on your organs. They do it with chemicals, not sugar grams. Gee, great. NOT.

The above mentioned food craft, I conservatively estimate at about 200% of an ADULT'S maximum sugar intake. I realize that to children who eat 'fruit' snacks, Little Debbies, and Lunchables as daily fare, it takes a lot to make a day seem special. But that's another post, right?

How does a person celebrate responsibly. Sigh.

Well, this Sunday is Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to the
Church. The colors are red (for fire) and white (for the dove who usually represents the Holy Spirit). So while, sure, strawberry syrup on grocery store vanilla ice cream fits the bill, I beg you, dear reader, resist.

Here is my tentative menu:
Breakfast- the usual. Oatmeal, focusing on white (chopped, peeled apples) and red (a dollop of strawberry all-fruit spread)

Lunch- Cranberry Scones and Soy Yogurt Sundaes with all red-and-white topping (i.e. hemp seeds and chopped blanched almonds, chopped strawberries )

Dinner- Pork loin, sweet potatoes, brocolli, biscuits in the shape of a dove (if I get out today and buy a $1 cookie cutter at Hobby Lobby), spinach salad with strawberries, and, for dessert, a fruit salad of fresh cherries, strawberries, and peeled apples. Sometimes we slice the apples across into thin sections and cut them with our tiny cookie cutters. If I get really ambitious, I might make some cashew cream to plop on top of the fruit salad.

It's a simple, fresh menu. But to us, it's a celebration. I like to remind myself that presentation is more than half of a celebration. If the little people decorate sheets of 11x17 typing paper with red and black markers, on a red tablecloth- or sheet!- and you use the nice dishes and the wine glasses, then hey, it's a feast! Something might come up to prevent my beautiful menus from getting made just so, but it will still be a feast.

Please more yogurt sundae, Mom?

Of course, we will also read from one of our children's bibles or picture books the story of Pentecost and maybe we will do some drawing, if we don't spend all day at the pool swimming.


"Feast, n. A festival. A religious celebration usually signalized by gluttony and drunkenness, frequently in honor of some holy person distinguished for abstemiousness."
-Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

If I have time I will come back later and add the scone recipe.
OK, just see tomorrow's post!

Don't Cry

over spilt milk.

Even when it's fresh, raw cashew milk with organic maple sugar.

At least the cashews weren't organic.

Sniff.

And yes, I spilt it, not the little people.


"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another."
-James Matthew Barrie

Granola for a Summer Rhythm

Well, it's begun. And a bit earlier than usual, I might add. The days are so hot that by 11 am one can't step foot outside without every bit of energy getting instantly zapped, sapped, and evaporated by the humid heat and beating sun.

An exaggeration? I think not.

So our daily rhythms around here have been under construction. A park walk at 7 pm? No fun anymore. Afternoon nature walks? Just asking for heat stroke. Lazy evenings and late to bed- our usual fare- means we sleep late and waste the only part of the day worth being outside.

(The pool? Yes. We need to get to the pool. We've only been once this summer. It's just a bit difficult by myself with 3 little people at a pool that doesn't allow floating toys or children out of arm's reach of a parent. Yes, really. It makes it a bit complicated to enjoy the water when the husband is busy at work.)

Aaah, mornings. At heart I am a morning person. And a night owl. If only I could sleep from noon to 4 and 2 am to 6, life would be good. Haven't figured that one out yet, though.

So as exruciating as it is to turn off the hose and come inside

when the sun is still above the horizon, that's what we've been doing. A nice long bath- with lots of soap- for muddy little bodies, foot rubs, and stories (in the one bedroom with black-out curtains, heh-heh), and a happy new addition to the bedtime routine: a tape of lullabies I used to listen to as a child. I found it recently in an old box and was thrilled that it still works. The children love to drift off after 8:30 prayers with it playing on our 10-year-old dinosaur of a stereo. (I'd link to it on Amazon because it is so beautiful, but, big surprise, it is out of print- or whatever you call that for a music album. This one is similar:
)

Which has us all up by 7 or 7:30 and out the door by 8 or 8:30 to play at
the park or take a nature walk. Today we walked an extra-long way to Sleepy Hollow Park. Which used to be a lovely little haunt with a flowing brook.

Used to be. I was devastated to find it full of broken glass and trash that had been clearly just dumped there. We haven't made the trek in over 2 years. What a sad surprise.

We talked a bit about pollution and littering, but I couldn't bring myself to photograph it.

The children did get to see jumping fish, wild strawberries, and these beautiful, feathery trees,

whose name I don't know.

Everyone begged for a slide pic.

We arrived home at 10:20

dead tired.

Snacks, water, read-alouds. A good morning.

Later on we made granola. Well, I made it. The other people who live here were out in the yard under the hose. All four of them! Plus some neighbors, even.

Granola takes practise. I like mine very crispy and crunchy. I don't like it at all chewy or soft. And there's a fine line between crunchy and rock hard- or just straight burnt. I've been working on my granola for a solid 7 years.

This granola is a good substitute for our morning ritual of porridge or oatmeal with all the fixin's. It heats up the kitchen just once and SHOULD last for a week's worth of breakfasts. Should. But usualy doesn't. Store granola- even from the healthfood store- contains shocking amounts of sweetener- as in a couple or several tablespoons per cup. To me, that makes it dessert. Not breakfast!

Here's the 'recipe' I used today. My granola ingredients are generally whatever I can find in the fridge and pantry. So it rarely comes out the same twice.

In a BIG bowl mix:
7 cups rolled oats
1 cup raw sunflower seeds (pumpkin, sesame, whatever)
2 cups raw walnuts (Note: I generally avoid whole almonds, though, because they don't crisp well. Crushed or sliced are fine.)
1 c whole wheat flour (I used pastry)
1 c raw wheat germ
1 t cinnamon
1/2-1 t salt
In a saucepan melt:
1/2 c maple sugar
1 1/2 c water
stevia to taste
1/2 c raw coconut oil (butter, even olive oil works if you use more cinnamon)
1/4 t baking soda (enhances sweetness)
vanilla- the more the better around here

Dump wet into dry and work it till it is crubly and evenly wet. If your granola is sopping, add more flour. It will take forever to crisp if it's too wet.

Spread on multiple baking sheets, casseroles, whatever you've got. If it's spread too thickly it will take a long time to bake and the clumps will stay soggy in the middle. Cooked up properly crisp, this will keep weeks in the pantry. Well, it would, if we didn't eat it all in a couple days!

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, turning and respreading the granola every 10- 15 minutes. It should be pretty dry and somewhat crisp. It will continue to crisp as it cools. If you have the patience, cook at 250 for 2.5 hours to retain better nutrition. I'm usually in a hurry, myself. You can dehydrate this, too, for maximum nutrition, if you are lucky enough to own a dehydrator. Sigh. Lucky you. Sigh. Pout. I want need a dehydrator. Ok. It's not a need. But I really, really want one.

And here you have

one awesome, awesome batch of granola for a lazy breakfast. You can put it on yogurt or douse it with milk, cover with berries or stick some in your pocket as you dash out the door. So good.


"Wherever you go, go with all your heart."
-Confucius

"I will walk with integrity in my house."
-Psalms

This Kid is Getting on My Nerves

Literally.

My babies nurse quite frequently. I've never had a baby- or a toddler- who didn't.

When this child

was a baby, life was crazy. I was on my own Sunday evening till Friday afternoon, caring for 2 energetic, high-need little people while my husband traveled for work. And Rosie was a screamer. I was very sore and my milk supply was very low (due to undetected low thyroid function) by the time she was 13 months old. I pumped to regain my milk supply, which thankfully worked, but nursing was still more or less uncomfortable during her whole second year. I had lots of painful, pebble-like lumps in my breasts which several doctors told me were normal- nothing to be concerned about. Additionally, I developed a cyst on my areola right where her upper dental arch hit. I was sad and also relieved when she weaned just after her second birthday when the milk dried up due to my third pregnancy.

I had the cyst removed during my pregnancy and prayed and hoped that nursing would be more comfortable the third time around. But my nipples were still tender.

I spent lots of time talking and emailing with doctors, lactation consultants, La Leche League Leaders, and NFP teachers trying to figure out... something. Here's what I found:

-Strict avoidance of caffeine of any type
-Supplementation with 1,000 IU natural vitamin E and several grams of flaxseed oil 10 hours away from taking my multivitamin (iron destroys vitamin E)
-Minimize sugar intake
all help with breast pain and tenderness, plus nerve sensitivity in general.

(All of these suggestions, by the way, can be found in the current addition of Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon. Mrs. Shannon was one of the experts I consulted during pregnancy and she was very helpful.)

And a little bit in the way of explanation- essential fatty acids like flax oil nourish and soothe nerve endings, like those found in the areola; vitamin E soothes inflamed tissue, like tender or lumpy breasts; caffeine robs the body of vitamins and also exacerbates inflammation; ditto for sugar. According to the healthcare professionals I consulted, so many American women experience inflamed breast tissue, especially around the time of their mentrual period, that sadly many doctors consider it to be a normal phenomenon. But nutritionally aware healthcare providers have long recommended limiting caffeine and sugar and dairy products for women with symptoms of PMS. And yes, painful breasts are a sign of PMS.

Thankfully, these strategies worked to soothe my breasts and when John Paul was born,

nursing went very smoothly.

But last month, the merry, merry month of May, I wasn't my usual disciplined self. Several things beyond my control converged to make the month vey stressful and rather sleepless. Coffee, dear? Well sure, thanks. And my vitamin E ran out; I didn't replace it because it kept slipping my mind. And suddenly I found myself wanting to run the other way screaming every time John Paul asked to nurse.

I panicked at first, worried and confused. I cut out the caffeiene 100%, which helped some. But it wasn't till I added the vitamin E back in that the pain really started decreasing. I'm back to being able to nurse normally now.

I'm sharing this story here just in case it helps someone.


"...a little child, born yesterday,
A thing on mother's milk and kisses fed..."
-"Hymn to Mercury" (one of the Homeric Hymns), translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley