What Has Kept Me Away?

I know, I know- I haven't written in far too long.  I could list a hundred excuses as to why, but none of them would really matter.  Actually, not being able to "find time" to write goes hand in hand with what I will be sharing today!

One of the things I have been doing since I've been gone is a yoga challenge!  Holy Cow, my yoga studio on James Island, has an annual yoga challenge every year that involves taking 25 classes in 30 days.  Upon completion you get your next month free (honestly, that's what pulled me in).  I knew that it would be a little difficult... I was not in the habit of going to yoga everyday.  Throughout the challenge I got stronger- going to class became easier.  I discovered things about my body I had never noticed before (like the space in between my toes and shoulder blades, and the pads on my fingers).  I even got a little better at focusing on my breathing instead of the grocery list, to-do list, and a million other things that would run through my mind during class.

Okay, that's all fine and good- but of course all of that would happen doing yoga so much, right?- Yes.  There was one thing I learned that I wasn't expecting... just how difficult it is to make one hour for myself a day.  Once I got use to going to class everyday, getting myself to go wasn't the problem.  The problem was, and really always has been, being able to put all of the other things that tend to take priority down for one measly hour.

I began to think about how many days have come and gone that were completely dedicated to tasks, responsibilities, and chores.... too many.  So I ask you, when do you put everything down, turn off the TV, turn off the cell phone, and have one hour of interrupted time just for your?  When are you going to make YOU a priority?  I'm starting now...

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." -Buddha

Clean Eating and Clean Living

Happy Thursday all!

As we approach Easter this weekend, my days have been filled with pastel colors, too many jelly beans, and, of course, Easter eggs!  At the beginning of this colorful season I didn't think too much about the usual traditions I was anxiously waiting to take part in.  Like every other Easter, we went to the store and bought the necessities, candy and Paas Classic Easter Egg Decorating Kit.  As I walked to the register I couldn't help but smile as I looked at my decorating kit.  I envisioned all of my pretty decorated eggs is colors of purple, green, and blue.  My excitement was quickly dulled, however, when I got home and looked at the back of the box:

Ingredients:  Sodium Bicarbonate, maltodextrin, FD&C Yellow #5, modified cellulose gum, FD&C Red #3, FD&C Blue #2, FD&C Red #40, magnesium stearate, FD&C Yellow #6, zinc stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate, silicon dioxide

Anyone have an idea of what those things are?  Me either.  So I began thinking, what am I taking into my body every day?  What other "mystery ingredients" are in my food, my drinks, my air, my cleaning products....

I must admit, Brian and I haven't been much on "clean eating."  I never really understood the importance of it, as ignorant as that may be.  I suppose some of us need a little kick to jump on board.  Easter egg dye was mine, so why not have that be my first move in the right direction?  So here's what I did...

Instead of using the egg coloring from the box, I went to the local market and bought three yellow onions, red cabbage, and carrots (probably wouldn't use carrots again) for natural color.  I also bought two .99 cent panty hose and vinegar.  When we got home we chopped up the veggies and got out three pots (a larger one for the cabbage, etc).  I placed an egg in the pot and filled water at least one inch above the egg, removed the egg and added the vegetable of choice.  I placed a lid on it and boiled for 30 minutes.  This allowed the natural color to come out of the veggie.  I then strained the veggies out and left the colored water on medium heat.  I added some vinegar (I used 4 tablespoons for the larger pan and 3 for the smaller pans) and let it sit for a bit.
While all of this boiling was taking place we went outside and collected leaves and flowers.  I placed the plants on the eggs and wrapped them in a piece of the pantyhose and tied it up.  The purpose of this whole process was to leave plant outlines on the eggs, kind of like the stickers you get in the colored egg packages.
I then gently put the eggs in the pots on a gentle boil for 30 minutes.  I removed the pots from the heat and let them sit for 2 to 3 hours until they were the right color.  I then rinsed them with cold water, unwrapped them from their pantyhose cocoon and peeled off the plant parts.

They turned out great!  And natural!  I'm not afraid of what I may be putting in my body when I eat these.  I think this will be the beginning of living a bit more clean...

What to Do: Help! My Baby Won't Eat!

Yes, this is another baby post.  Can't help it, babies on the mind.
I came across a family today who was desperate for help and advice on an ever-so-common issue: Babies that refuse a bottle while their mother is away.
Way back when, this wasn't such a problem.  Women spent a majority of their time pregnant and barefoot.  When babies were hungry, they nursed.  When their husbands wanted a sandwich, they made one.  Thankfully, it's 2012 now and women are actually encouraged to leave the house.  Phew, I probably wouldn't do so well "way back when."  Anyway, back to the point.  Women who nurse sometimes discover a problem when it's time for them to go back to work or have a day/night away from their child...  their baby won't take a bottle!  Even women who alternate between nursing and bottle feeding are finding themselves in this predicament.
The family I mentioned is having an awful time.  The mother has been home for the past 3 months with the child, mostly nursing but sometimes bottle feeding when necessary without any problem at all.  Now that it is time for her to go back to work her husband is responsible for feeding the child while she's away... and the little one won't eat!  What is a parent/ caregiver to do?!  Here are a few tips:

1.  Be sure that you are still using breast milk.  A change from breast milk to formula plus changing to a bottle may be too much of an adjustment.
2.  Try different bottles and nipples.  The biggest thing that seems to help is using latex nipples instead of silicone.  Flow control tips are important too, making it feel more natural for the child.  Dr. Brown and Playtex brands come with high regard.
3.  While feeding, put your pinky in the child's mouth with the nipple.
4.  Ween the child while mommy is around.  Bottle feed one time a day and nurse the rest, getting the child use to the bottle.
5.  Don't try to bottle feed when the child is already upset.  Don't wait until the child is so hungry they are crying.  When the child is calm it will be a little bit easier to get the child to eat.
6.  Be sure the milk is very warm... just as it would be while nursing.

Whatever you do, don't get frustrated or upset.  That will only work your baby up more, making it more difficult to feed.  Part of what babies enjoy about nursing is feeling snug, secure, and safe.  Hold your baby close and tight; show love and happiness- even if you scream and cry by yourself later :)  Be patient and don't give up.

Stick a Paci In It

There seem to be a lot of babies around.  Am I the only one who has noticed?  Maybe it's because I'm getting the age where everyone I know seems to be getting married or knocked up.  Or maybe because it's because I get to spend many-a-days with a beautiful 6 month year old little girl.  Either way, I think about babies often... which, as any parent or care-taken knows, leads to endless thoughts about "what if?" and "what's best."  With all of the information floating around out there, how do you know what to believe and what to blow off?
Pacifiers seem to be a hot topic in the world of parenting and child care.  I recently read a pretty good, and fair, article about the pros and cons:

http://www.fitpregnancy.com/baby/baby-care/pacifier-pros-and-cons

All in all, the article talks about benefits and risk, but it also talks briefly about what I think is the whole point:  WHY do parents resort to a pacifier?
Now, I must come clean about my opinion on these cry stopping tools up front: I'm not a fan.  It's not because of the dental risks, or the many recalls on pacifiers, or breast feeding cessation although those are valid points.  Babies cry.  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  By 6 weeks babies spend an average of 3 hours crying everyday!  Makes you want stick a paci in it, huh?!  Well hold on a minute.  According to Rowena Bennett, RN, RM, RPN, CHN there are 13 main reasons babies cry:

1.  Hunger or thirst
2.  Discomfort
3.  Temperament
4.  Feeding Problems
5.  Over-stimulation
6.  Over-tiredness
7.  Boredom
8.  Colic
9.  Separation Anxiety
10.  Loneliness
11.  Teething
12.  Stress
13.  Illness

Notice something interesting?  None of these reasons are due to a need for a pacifier.  Babies cry for a reason.  When a baby cries there are many things that parents and caregivers can do to help.  Nurse, swaddle, diaper changes... But of course their are reasons that are out of our control, like colic and temperament.  So use a pacifier then, right?  Not necessarily.  It is important that babies learn to self-sooth, and the earlier the better.
Bottom line... whatever you choose, choose wisely.  It is easy to run to the pacifier early on, but remember breaking that habit probably won't be so simple.

Walk for Water

Fun Fact for the Day:  The average US household uses 350 gallons of water everyday.  That's approximately 127,400 gallons every year.

Pretty amazing really.  Need a drink of water?  No big deal, walk a few feet to the sink and turn it on.  Need a shower?  Jump in!  Your lawn looking a little brown?  Use a sprinkler system.  How lucky we are.  We rarely worry about our access to water, let alone our access to clean water.

No-So-Fun Fact:  1.4 BILLION people do not have access to clean drinking water.  That's over 20% of the world's population.

Can you even imagine?  I can't.  Walking miles everyday just to have a gallon or so of water for the day.

But there is something we can do.  Something we SHOULD do.

www.watermissions,org

I will be participating in Walk for Water on March 24th here in Charleston.  The 3.5 mile trek is inspired by the women and children all over the world that have to walk daily in order to collect water for their families.  I will be carry an empty pail half way, where I will fill it and carry it to the finish.

Visit their site.  Donate if you can.  Virtually walk if you're not in Charleston.  Pass along the word.  Keep the billions of people all over the world without clean water in your thoughts.  Do what you can.  Karma is good.  Clean water is better.

Budgeting Bride

Lately, it seems as though everyone I know is getting married, including myself!  For those who have been a part of our wedding planning know that we have stuck to a tight budget and have found some unique ways to save money.  I have been questions on how exactly we did that.  Great question!  Every couple has a different vision of their wedding.  The first question we asked ourselves was what is most important to us?  Our answer:  that our guests dance, drink, and eat.  When we had to make hard decisions, we always went back to that answer; is this really necessary for our wedding vision?  Usually the answer was no.  Here is a breakdown of our wedding budget and how we managed to save:

Venue:  $0

Utilize your resources!  We are getting married in my future sister and brother-in-laws backyard.  Maybe you don't have a beautiful back yard to use as a venue, but does your sister bake?  Grandma alter dresses?  Friend of a friend a DJ?  Not only will this save you money, but also involve your friends and family in your big day!

Rental Items:  $1,797.31

Understand exactly what you're getting for your money!  If you are getting married at a more traditional venue you may assume that chairs, tables, linens, forks, etc. are included but be sure to ask!  Some venues have you pay a rental fee and you still have to rent every table and chair.  Yikes!

Catering:  $1,137.00 (including tax and gratuity)

Negotiate!  Don't be afraid to explain your situation to your vendor, especially your caterer.  We went to a tasting, ate great food, picked a few items that we HAD to have and then negotiated the price.  Our caterer worked with us to find a way to have plenty of food and stay in our budget.  There are caterers that work out of their home, bed and breakfast, etc... this means less overhead for them and less cost for you!  Best way to keep this price down?  Keep your guest list short!

Baker:  $175.00

Ask for recommendations!  Your vendors have probably done a lot of weddings, and believe it or not, your not the only one pinching pennies.  Ask your other vendors who they may know.  Our baker works out of her home... and bakes beautiful cakes!  She is probably not the most well-known baker in the area, but she's talented... and affordable.

Photography:  $850.00

Be reasonable!  Is it necessary to have engagement, bridal, and 6 hours of wedding day photos?  Maybe, but probably not.  Just because there website says that there lowest package includes a ton of extras, don't be afraid to talk to them about making the package smaller and lowering the price.  We saved $250.00 on ours by doing this.

Music:  $500.00

Take your time!  While the local DJ says he is the most affordable, best in the area, and books up quickly doesn't mean that you can't look around for others.  There are plenty of DJ's and musicians out there, many of which are really affordable.  When your out at bars, clubs, wherever you go, pay attention to the musicians... and don't be afraid to ask!  You may be surprised what you find... and how much money you save.

Stationary:  $300.00

DIY!  There are a lot of options out there, and many don't include hiring a printing service.  Places like Target and Michael's sell invitation sets that include everything you would need, and all you have to do is print them on your own printer!  You can also make them yourself from scratch, just be sure you start them well in advance.

Decorations:  $100.00

Keep it simple!  Think back to the weddings that you enjoyed going to the most.  What do you remember?  The table decorations?  The veggie tray?  Probably not.  There's really no need to spend a ton decorations.  Craft stores have a large selection of fake flowers that are much more affordable that real... and they don't wilt!  Use what you already have!  Vases, mason jars, ribbon... look around and see what you don't need to buy.

Flowers:  $216.00

Don't be a snob!  We are getting our flowers at Winn Dixie.  Your local grocery store also has beautiful flowers... at half the price of your local florist.  

Dress:  $0

Start family traditions!  Okay, so my daughter will probably not wear my wedding dress one day.. but a girl can dream!  I will be wearing my future sister-in-laws wedding dress.  You'd be surprised how many people around you have dresses they are willing to let you wear... just ask (or hint)!  If you can't find a dress from someone you know... check online.  Go to a local bridal shop, try on gowns, get a feel for what you like, and then look it up on e-bay.  There are hundreds of gently used bridal dresses for sale on the internet!  Be sure you order one thats a few sizes too big... it's easier to take it in than let it out.

That brings the total cost of our wedding to:  $5,075.31

Not so bad if you ask me.  Throughout your planning remember, for every thing you choose you are giving up someone else.  And while your wedding day is a big day... it's a day- don't stress about the small stuff.  You're spouse will appreciate it.  

 

My First Post!: Gratitude

Happy Tuesday and thanks for visiting!  This is my first post, but will not be my last.  I have been wanting to get this started for a while and I'm excited that I finally did!  I have been discovering a lot recently about myself through my upcoming wedding and my rewarding job and feel as though I would be doing you all a disservice to not share :)  My biggest focus through my hectic life recently has been to stay true to myself, discover new things, appreciate more, and complain less.  I recently read an article that was about just that and wanted to share a bit of it:

This is was adapted from Robert Emmons, author of Thanks!  How Gratitude Can Make You Happier; The Psychology of Gratitude; Words of Gratitude for Mind, Body, and Soul; and The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns.  It was published in our local paper.

10 Grateful Steps to Happiness
1.  Keep a daily gratitude journal.  Take time each day to be present and recognize your blessings.
2.  Remember the bad to give mental comparison of how bad it was before and how much better it is now.
3.  Write a gratitude letter.  Think of someone who had a positive effect on your life but you haven't thanked properly.  Read the letter to them in person or over the phone.
4.  Pray, meditate or use other daily rituals to give thanks.
5.  Use your senses-use vision, touch, taste, hearing, and smell, even intuition-all the ways that allow you to experience life and be thankful for them.
6.  Use reminders-keep pleasing pictures, affirmations, a gratitude charm/key chain or other object in your pocket, purse or desk.
7.  Vow to practice gratitude on a more regular basis.  Make a commitment to appreciate your life.
8.  Pay attention to thoughts and self-talk.  Changing negative or derogatory thought patterns can dramatically affect moods.
9.  Fake it first.  Feelings follow words and actions, act grateful to become more grateful.
10.  Find unusual ways to be grateful.  Be grateful to your enemies that may be the stimulus to create a desired change in you.  Or thankful for the crisis that helped build stronger family bonds.

Great message, huh.  Be grateful.  Take time out of your day to appreciate what you have, or what you don't have.  Not grateful?  Pretend.  Give thanks through prayer.  Don't pray?  Meditate.  Don't meditate?  Try.  Changing your thinking just a little bit can make a big difference.  Today I will work to be more grateful.  Join me?