Copy-Kids - A mommy must have -

Whether your child is a "good" eater or not, there are times when eating vegetables becomes a chore for kids. Here in my house, it seems to be on just about any given day - it could be because the kids are too busy, it could be because they're in the mood for something else, or it could be because they don't "like" something.

I really believe that we need to introduce vegetables to children early on. We did baby led weaning for the most part and this helped introduce our kids early on, but it doesn't mean our kids say yes to every fruit or vegetable every day!

We were lucky enough to receive a copy of Copy-Kids: Eat your Fruits and Vegetables DVD earlier this year and even months later, we pull this movie out to watch. Sometimes the kiddos even ask for it... and then it means they HAVE to eat the bell pepper like an apple like one of the kiddos on the dvd. I guess sometimes positive peer pressure is just worth while. Visit my previous review here.

Buy the Copy-Kids DVD here!

This is part of the Mommy Must Have Review and Giveaway series. Find out more here! You may just win a copy for yourself!



Copy Kids Info
Copy-Kids has won another children's excellence award:
Parent Tested, Parent Approved

Copy-Kids is approved by the USDA and added to their Education and Training Materials Database for pre-school nutrition:


Find out more about Copy-Kids on
Facebook

Twitter:

Pinterest:

YouTube:

Proposition 37 - Right to know - label GMOs - Vote YES

California residents have the ability to help the public know their foods. Proposition 37 would require that GMOs be labeled. It doesn't BAN GMOs, it merely allows for people to know what they're eating.

Please, if you live in California, know someone from California, have heard of California, share this information. There's an icon above - tweet, facebook share, BLOG it...

If you don't care about GMOs, you can still vote yes, because it won't change anything except allow those who are concerned to know.

If, say, Monsanto were so proud of their products, why wouldn't they want to label them? Hmm....

Obesity in the US, Dr. Fuhrman on Dr. Oz show and diet for health

What are your thoughts on eating to live? How does food affect health?

I definitely am not helping the statistics, but the latest study says " 39 states to pass the 50 percent obesity rate by 2030"

What does this mean for our children? What does this mean for us? What does this mean we need to do as parents?
Joel Fuhrman, M.D., was on Dr. Oz Tuesday, Sept 18, 2012, and is a board-certified family physician who specializes in nutrition-based treatments for obesity and chronic disease.  

When my daughter was young (because, you know, she's old at 4 and a half), I read Dr. Fuhrman's "Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right and am happy to see his latest book, "Super Immunity" on the best seller list and is getting on my reading list.

There's so much to say about nutritionally dense diets. Most Americans have enough to eat, but not enough nutrients in their diets. Vegetables are mostly starches and kids are tricked early on to believe their cereal is fruit! So many drinks aren't juices and even "real" juices lack necessary fiber. In the end, we do better when we know better - which is why I want to know better.

Read more: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/health/study-39-states-including-florida-to-pass-the-50-percent-obesity-rate-by-2030#ixzz26wEhpeG0 

Who's who in the GMO fight? Not all organics companies are created equal

California's Proposition 37 would require that genetically modified foods are labeled. The old question to Monsanto (and others) - if you're so proud of your "creations" why not label it - doesn't bode well - afterall, they try to claim (and get government officials to support these far-fetched claims) that there is no difference between traditional and modified foods.

But, research shows our body knows the difference.

We see food allergies because our body knows the difference.

Rather than stopping GMOs or even labelling them, there is a push for the public to unknowingly consume products they do not wish to eat.

Again, if the companies are so proud of their modified foods... then let them label it that way!

So California would love to be able to vote for truth in labeling, but some big companies who have organic brands are spending money to prevent this from happening.

We all know, if California requires labeling this helps all of us in the US. Few companies will make separate boxes or containers for just their California customers and others states could follow with these requirements.

From Organic Consumers Association:

In recent weeks, several public interest groups, including the Organic Consumers Association, Cornucopia Institute, Mercola.com, and Natural News, have pointed out the gross hypocrisy and greed of large food and beverage corporations which profit from the sale of billions of dollars of their proprietary organic and "natural" food brands while at the same time funneling large sums of money to the Monsanto-led campaign to defeat the November 6th GMO labeling ballot initiative (Proposition 37) in Califor nia. These organic and "natural" traitor companies and brands include: Kellogg's (Kashi, Bear Naked, Morningstar Farms); General Mills (Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Larabar); Dean Foods (Horizon, Silk, White Wave); Smucker's (R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz Organic); Coca-Cola (Honest Tea, Odwalla); Safeway ("O" Organics); Kraft (Boca Burgers and Back to Nature); Con-Agra (Orville Redenbacher's Organic, Hunt's Organic, Lightlife); and PepsiCo (Naked Juice, Tostito's Organic, Tropicana Organic). 

Know what you're buying and what they support. This will change a few things I currently buy (namely Horizon and "O" organics.

Check out the charts on which companies/organizations are funding to prevent and which are funding to support truth in labeling.

The list of those supporting Prop 37:

Mercola.Com Health Resources Llc
Organic Consumers Fund*
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps 
All-One-God-Faith Inc.
Nature's Path Foods U.S.A. Inc. 
Fine Natural Food Products
Wehah Farm, Inc., Dba Lundberg Family Farms
Cropp Cooperative Inc. 
Organic Valley
Michael S. Funk
Nutiva, Inc.
Organic Consumers Association
Amy's Kitchen
Michelle Lerach
Presence Marketing Inc.
Eden Foods, Inc.
Ski Valley Foods
Traditional Medicinals
Edward & Sons Trading Co

Solids Starved baby - Waiting until 6 months at least for solids

Here is something I wrote back when our now 4 (and a half) year old was 4 months old.

Smily 4 month old, starved of early introduction of solids

It seems as though the idea of "getting older, younger" is more common. We want our kids to grow up, but at the same time we miss their newborn stage. V is almost 4 months old and so I am now getting two questions quite often: are you still breastfeeding? (why yes I am and no, I don't plan to wean her soon, probably not until she wants to, hopefully after age 2) and have you given her rice cereal yet? (no, and we plan to delay solids for quite a while.)

There are two main reasons: developmentally, a child doesn't needs solids as a baby, and in fact it may be harmful, and it may help prevent some food allergies. My nephew is allergic to dairy and eggs - he's suffered many illnesses and he was just diagnosed in the past few months. We must wonder whether or not some of the illnesses, colds, surgeries(!!) could have been prevented had the allergies been found earlier. I don't want to judge but also had he been delayed solids or breastfed. Anyway,

This question on when to introduce solids came up on one of the message boards I am on. Here was my response (slightly changed for clarity and this venue):

In regard to introducing solids to your not yet 4 month old, my opinion is that unless the baby isn't thriving or gaining weight then it is best to delay. Babies are born with an immature gastrointestinal track. I've seen research that indicates that most babies, even at 6 months, do not have a fully developed track, so instroducing more foods doesn't seem like it would be best. I would assume that since formula is hard to digest for an immature intestine, it would be even more havocful for the intestine.

The gastrointestinal system of a newborn baby is not yet mature. It is still permeable, allowing bacteria, viruses and toxins to pass through. This intestinal permeability decreases more slowly in formula-fed babies. According to Dr. Jack Newman "...certain hormones in milk (such as cortisol) and smaller proteins (including epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, insulin-like growth factor and somatomedin C) act to close up the leaky mucosal lining of the newborn, making it relatively impermeable to unwanted pathogens and other potentially harmful agents. Indeed, animal studies have demonstrated that postnatal development of the intestine occurs faster in animals fed their mother's milk. And animals that also receive colostrum, containing the highest concentrations of epidermal growth factor, mature even more rapidly."

According to Dr. William Sears, MD, cow's milk should not be given as a beverage to infants under one year of age. "Cow's milk can irritate the lining of your infant's intestines, causing tiny losses of iron. This can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia."

Also, there is some indication that delaying solids until at least 6 months can help ward off/prevent some food allergies. "The WHO, Unicef, the US Department of Health & Human Services, the AAP, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Dietetic Association, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and Canada all recommend that babies not be given solids until they are six months of age. As Dr. Jim Sears said on the Dr. Phil show, ""The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that no foods are given before 6 months. And that's very, very important. Many of the books out there still say the old recommendations 4 to 6 months. Now it's nothing before 6 months." Those old numbers are outdated; six months is the new guideline."

I know some people who put rice cereal in formula bottles at or before 3 months -- I'm sorry but I really couldn't support this. If your baby really isn't thriving at this point, and isn't under the direct care of a doctor, I'd have to say that there's probably something more that needs to be looked in to. I am no doctor, but I haven't seen any research which indicates that a baby that young needs the more calories. Of course, if you're doing it so your child will sleep longer, perhaps you need to reconsider why you had that baby...  We'll leave that for another topic... on another day, when I'm not so tired :)

Resources

• Catassi et al "Intestinal permeability changes coloring the first month; effect of natural versus artificial feeding." J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1995; 21: 383-386
• Newman, J, MD, FRCPC "How Breast milk Protects Newborns" http://www.promom.org/bf_info/sci_am.htm 
• Sears, W. & Sears, M (2003) The Baby Book - Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two, RN, Little, Brown &  Co.
• Shulman et al "Early feeding, feeding tolerance and lactase activity in preterm infants." J Pediatr 1998; 133:645-649

Now over 4 years later, I know more, I've experienced more but I still believe in no early introduction of solids for young infants. Breast milk is perfect for growing babies. The calcium is more readily absorbed than that of cow's milk or formula, which is why BF baby poop is sooo much easier to deal with than a formula-fed baby or a baby who has had solids introduced! If you don't believe me, just smell the different diapers!  Research also shows that adding rice cereal to a bottle does not "coat" the stomach and in general babies do not sleep better/longer. I've also read comments of moms adding MORE cereal because baby is crying more and much want more of it... Maybe they're stomach is uncomfortable from the "food"?  

School lunches - what's in them?

Time Heartland posted an article regarding possible removal of dairy milk from school lunches.

What's the goal with the removal? I mean, they point out many facts that I've seen from posts from my vegan friends and are definitely supported by many, but is cow's milk the least of nutritional worries in school lunches?

If potatoes, which are starchy, are classified as vegetables just as much as asparagus and zucchini, I say leave milk on the menu and work instead on say removing french fries as one of the vegetables offered.

June 25, 2012 Product Recalls

It is product recall round up time. I plan to move this update to Mondays beginning today. Start the week off "right" :)

June 22, 2012 - Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling 1,077 cases of bagged salads. The products being recalled are Kroger Fresh Selections Greener Supreme coded N158 211B 1613 KR04 with Use-by date of June 19 and UPC 11110 91039, Kroger Fresh Selections Leafy Romaine coded N158 111B KR11 with Use-by date of June 19 and UPC 11110 91046 and Wal Mart Marketside Leafy Romaine coded N158111B with Use-by date of June19 and UPC code 81131 02781 due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes. Dole Fresh Vegetables is coordinating closely with regulatory officials. No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall.

The Product Code and Use-by date are in the upper right-hand corner of the package; the UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode. The salads were distributed in six U.S. states (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia).

Square-H Brands, Inc., a Los Angeles establishment, is recalling approximately 1,350 pounds of a ground smoked bacon product that may contain pieces of cardboard and plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. 

The following product is subject to recall: 

• 25-lb. cases of "Coarse Ground Smoked Bacon Ends and Pieces"

The ground smoked bacon was packaged on April 25, 2012 and was distributed to a separate federally inspected establishment in Hawaii for further distribution and use in other products. The cases can be identified by establishment number "EST. 748" inside the USDA mark of inspection and the case code "1410070" located in the top right corner of the label. 

Refusal of dental treatment and "weighing" the risks

I want to preface this brief-ish post with the fact that I understand the need for good dental treatment and proper brushing. We started brushing our kid's teeth before teeth erupted, using a finger brush and xylitol. Attached parents do care about their children's health and wellness - they just often have to look a bit deeper to find a provider who talks and listens and willing to work with the needs of the child and entire family. Attachment parenting friendly dentists and doctors are sometimes hard to come by.

Early  tooth decay at around 21 months old.

When our now 4 year old was just 15 months old, we discovered that, in spite of brushing and no juice/soda, etc, her teeth were not staying bright and white :( So at 21 months, we called for a dental appointment with a highly advertised children's dentist who was also recommended by our pediatrician. This dentist had a child our age and was expecting as well (so was I at the time). When we first called for an appointment they said they wouldn't see her yet but then when we indicated she already had decay, they agreed to see her - she was around 22 months old.

My daughter is a light-weight - from her daddy, not me, that's for sure, though breastfeeding and not giving her junk food probably helps, the fact remains that she wasn't even 20 pounds and the treatment recommended included the need for her to be put under. The dentists's office had three anesthesiologists whom they worked with, but only one was willing to do it due to her weight.

After weighing the risks, costs and potential benefits, we decided against doing the treatment at the time and instead figured we would have it done on our next trip to India since the cost would be cheaper and they would be more likely to allow me in the room during treatment. So, this past year we were able to get her teeth cleaned and capped in India. The caps didn't stay, but for a while it was helpful and reassuring.

Fast forward to this year, I called to get an appointment for her to get a check up, cleaning, etc. and wasn't able to make one. I got a call back today indicating their office, after review with the dentist was refusing to keep her on as a patient because we didn't do the treatment when she was not even 2 year old, when even some of the anesthesiologists wouldn't take on the risk.

 We really liked the physical office of that pediatric dental office. For our family, we had to look at the risks/benefits and also find some place we were comfortable having service done. I did not like that for her treatment at that office I would not be able to see her throughout. In today's day of patient abuse, I'm sure most parents want to at least physically see that their child is okay, if not be with the child. I do understand that many parents may interrupt what is happening, but being able to physically see what is happening gives parents reassurance.

In the end, since I wasn't able to make an appointment right now, I called around. I wanted us to see a holistic ADA dentist who didn't use fluoride and instead uses oxygen treatments, but being out of network and the increased cost, I decided that the best bet would be a non-children's dentist.

We were happy with the cleaning we had done with a "regular" dentist last week at Stetson Village Family Dentistry. They are a new office, with a single "empty nest" dentist who moved down from small town Iowa to be more than a snowbird. The dentist's demeanor was reassuringly upbeat, his office staff nice, and he was not at all pushy. He was gentle with my daughter, allowed her to be brushed in my lap and explained everything to her so that she was comfortable. Even with her decay, he didn't chastise me. He asked how we brush and when and affirmed our belief that we are doing our best... and that we should save our nickles and dimes for potential braces later. He asked that we continue to watch that her front teeth don't begin to show signs of abscess or infection in her upper front teeth that have decay, and check around her lip tie (aka maxillary labial frenulum) and to come back if we see any signs... but if not, just to come back in 6 months for another cleaning. How reassuring!

Note: This post is not at all endorsed by any dentist group, etc. Just an FYI on our situation and view.

Did your senator vote for GMO labeling?

Thank you to the following senators who listen to their constituents and not to Monsanto. Again, if Monsanto loved their products so much, why don't they want to allow labels on them? This wouldn't require labeling but allow states to require the labeling. WHAT THE?

XMLU.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 112th Congress - 2nd Session as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate Vote Summary Question: On the Amendment (Sanders Amdt. No. 2310 ) Vote Number: 161 Vote Date: June 21, 2012, 12:36 PM Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Amendment Rejected Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 2310 to S. 3240 (Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012) Statement of Purpose: To permit States to require that any food, beverage, or other edible product offered for sale have a label on indicating that the food, beverage, or other edible product contains a genetically engineered ingredient.

YEAs ---26
Akaka (D-HI) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Feinstein (D-CA) Inouye (D-HI)	Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Lieberman (ID-CT) Manchin (D-WV) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK)	Murray (D-WA) Reed (D-RI) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-NM) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)

They didn't even look at the following "farm bill" or "food" bills/amendments which, according to Organic Consumer's Association would:

• Encourage more USDA-funded research on plant and animal breeding to improve health, nutrition, farm income, and food security.
• Allow the direct sale of raw milk and raw milk products across state lines.
• Legalize the production of industrial hemp, a potential new bumper crop for U.S. farmers.
• Codify an agreement between egg producers and the Humane Society of the United States to increase the size of hen cages over the next 18 years and end the practice of depriving hens of food and water to increase egg production.

In the mean-time, India WILL be labeling Genetically Modified food! WOO! Go India!

See also: take a stance on GMO

Why Genetically Engineered Food is Dangerous - How did your senator vote?

I've posted a few times on the topic of GE food. Genetically engineered food is toted by the government as just fine. In fact all their Monsanto lobbiests as well as the former Monsanto big-wigs who sit in our current government will of course indicate that GE foods are perfectly fine for us.


But, the fact remains, we don't even know what the long-term effects are - the first GE foods were introduced less than 20 years ago. But, a new report was released that helps shed a light on what we do know.

Here are a few of the facts and a reminder to me on why I need to stop buying into the yogurts with modified starches in them and stick with organic or natural or even our home-made yogurt and add in fruit on our own.


According to the report entitled, "GMO Myths and Truths" we get proof regarding the following statements on genetically modified foods:

• Can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than their natural counterparts
• Are laboratory-made, using technology that is totally different from natural breeding methods, and pose different risks from non-GM crops
• Are not adequately regulated to ensure safety
• Do not increase yield potential
• Do not reduce pesticide use but increase it
• Create serious problems for farmers, including herbicide-tolerant “superweeds”, compromised soil quality, and increased disease susceptibility in crops
• Have mixed economic effects
• Harm soil quality, disrupt ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity
• Do not offer effective solutions to climate change 
• Are as energy-hungry as any other chemically-farmed crops
• Cannot solve the problem of world hunger but distract from its real causes – poverty, lack of  access to food and, increasingly, lack of access to land to grow it on.

My beliefs:

• Pesticides like Roundup and other chemicals cause ALS (Lou Gehrig Disease)
• Increase in food allergies are due to change in nutrition content and change in proteins in these GE crops (when we do an allergy test we test for the protein, and the GE item has a different protein)
• In the US we do not have regulations ore labeling requirements due to the lengthy list of individuals who formerly worked/served on the board of big agra companies and those company's lobbyists

Please consider calling your representative and let them know you support state's right to allow/require that GMOs be labeled. Did you know how they voted yesterday? I made my calls, but both Senator Kyl and McCain still voted against labeling of GMOs. The person who answered the phone for Senator Kyl was entirely uninvolved and seemed to have no care in the world. Every time I've called Senator McCain I've received voicemail. I thought they represented us, as in we the people and not we the Monsanto drones?

If Monsanto is so proud of their work, why don't they label it? 

Desert gardening: How's the garden doing?

Well, we've had tons of plants get growth, but we are barely getting ANY thing out of the plants. Why? Bunnies, birds and cats.

Bunnies are likely hopping through and getting some of the leaves.

Birds are flying off with any thing that is actually flowering

and our cat likes to take naps in the garden.

Well, I solved that.



Please note, while I attended an engineering school for my undergrad,

THIS is why I'm not an engineer.



And you can see we've had some clean up done... some gardeners came by and also pulled some things we had growing... life goes on.

Recall round up - June 14th- Carseats

What has been recalled recently? Not breastmilk :)

But here's the recall list.

Golden Glen Creamery Issues Voluntary Recall Of Red Pepper Onion & Garlic Cheddar Because Of Potential Health Risk - Listeria

Trader Joe's Recalls Raw Stuffed Chicken Product Due To Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens 

Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Nougat Crunch Ice Cream: Sweet Cream Ice Cream with Fudge Covered Wafer Cookies  Chocolate Nougat Swirl (“Chocolate Nougat Crunch”) that are missing the allergen advisory statement, “Allergy Information: Fudge covered wafer pieces have been manufactured on shared equipment that processes peanuts and tree nuts.” 

Recall Notification Report 039-2012 (Pork Dumplings) (Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:17:36 -0400) CB Foods, Inc., an El Monte, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 55,757 pounds of pork dumpling products because it contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is not declared on the label.

NEW!! Kolcraft strollers recalled

Stroller may amputate finger 

(babywear!)

Carseat recalls Updated June 14, 2012 - last 6 months

DJG ( 12C002000 ) Dated: MAY 02, 2012 DOREL JUVENILE GROUP (DJG) IS RECALLING CERTAIN INFANT CHILD RESTRAINTS, MODELS IC124FSM (ONBOARD 35) AND IC123FSM (COMFY CARRY), PRODUCED FROM MAY 2011 THROUGH APRIL 2012

BRITAX ( 12C001000 ) Dated: JAN 25, 2012 BRITAX IS RECALLING CERTAIN CHAPERONE INFANT CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS PRODUCED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2010, THROUGH APRIL 30, 2011. THE HARNESS ADJUSTER CAN DETACH FROM THE SEAT SHELL.

The importance of healthy food for parents

We all hear the importance of good, healthy fats for young baby's brain development. We also hear about the importance of fruits and vegetables and whole grains.While many of us fail to see the importance of organics, we do often see the effects of over use of pesticides, lack of diversity in food and more.



Laws and bills aren't the best in a "free" society, but where we have laws, let them be good for families.

Food democracy is important. We will no longer have diverse fruits and vegetables, nor will we have the ability to know what we really are eating if big agra takes over.

Attachment parenting has to do with actively seeking the best for our kids and ourselves. If we aren't aware of what is going into our bodies and the effects it could have on us, then perhaps it is time we take action to have real food without toxic chemicals. Without being guinea pigs to modified food sources. We may not all be perfect all the time, but we can do our best to not be duped into thinking all food is created equal.

I urge you to visit Food Democracy Now for information on current bills before congress that could threaten organic and local farming.

My foodie blog - Creative Family Cooking

One of the big "B"s for Attachment Parenting isn't necessarily voting for my BLOG, but I am attempting healthier eating for me and a diverse menu for my kids. Feel free to follow my foodie blog, Creative Family Cooking.

I also would appreciate any (and all) votes for it, here, on Circle of Moms.

Do you mind voting for my blog, Creative Family Cooking?

It is right now it is on the second tab, "pending approval" so I'd appreciate your vote. You can vote daily if you really like it, but just once right now is appreciated.

http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/Top-25-Foodie-Moms-2012?trk=t25_Top-25-Foodie-Moms-2012

 

 Thank you!

Wordless Wednesday - Lassoon

$25 Gift Card to Whole Foods AND get your kids to eat their veggies

After a successful and enlightening giveaway for a Copy-Kids DVD, we have round 2 giveaway happening now! More kids eating their veggies is a great thing... and this giveaway includes a $25 gift card to Whole Foods! Go get those organic veggies your kids will want to eat after watching this DVD!

Cloth Diaper Hunt, owl, congratulations, congrats, found it

a Rafflecopter giveaway 



Share this on your blog, use this code "http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MmY1MmZmMGE4NWQyNzA4OTkyMTU3NjY2NmU3ZjNhOjI=/" 

Outside my window - Thursday - Desert Window - Baby bunnies

Here's what we had out in our back yard this week.

Look closely...

Do you see the baby bunnies? My kids are so happy to see them. Earlier this week, my 4 year old wanted to "feed" them and she gave them rocks. So we got to discuss how fragile the bunnies were and how we wanted to leave them alone so they won't be afraid and also so their mommy could come back and nurse them. BTW, a request for the bunnies to get my milk... definitely passed on that request. 

And our desert garden 14 weeks in. Looks like tomatoes and potatoes and possibly some eggplant. Hopefully the beans will survive.

I attempted some additional plants out of compost and some Sustainable Seed Company carrot and other seeds... Apparently when you forget to water them, plants don't like it!

We had our yard cleaned up and while they did a great job, they overdid our second garden and dug up some actual plants, including strawberries :( Looks good though and we know where to restart! Lookame, Rohan would say :)

And we got rain Thursday and our make-shift laundry line broke with the weight of the hand-made quilt. 

Attached Parents Care about the Earth

With Earth Day coming up on Sunday, many people are making a conscious effort to cut back on waste or perhaps volunteer to clean up a park. But, living with the Earth is a day-to-day activity - it IS life.

When we think of how we can change the earth, we need to actually change how we think. We need to instead think of how we can keep the earth as-is. That "as-is" condition may not be great when you're buying second hand (which, of course is GREAT for the Earth), but when we continue to modify the Earth, we have to realize there are long-term consequences.

A few thoughts:
- plant a tree that is natural to the area
- stop using Round-Up and pull weeds instead
- Plant organic and heirloom seeds in your back yard or patio
- fight against GMOs
- support local businesses and CSAs.
- take a walk at night when your child is having difficulties sleeping - fresh air is great for the lungs and MUCH better than a drive (and carseat-time for infants should be minimized)
- buy used
- buy organic
- breastfeed
- eat vegetarian more often

And just BE!

Giveaway and Review: Copy-Kids Eat your Fruits and Vegetables

Peer pressure works. We know this, the wonderful people behind Copy-Kids eat fruits and veggies have come up with a "duh why didn't I think of that" concept - kids watching kids eat veggies... cause kids to eat veggies.

I will first disclose that YES, my kids do eat veggies. But, my almost 2 year old has become more picky each day and is full of the word, "no." When I opened up the movie and saw that it was basically 12 sessions (each 7 minutes) of watching kids eat various veggies, I thought there was no way my 4 year old would last - after all, she had just requested to watch a different show. However, once I put it on, both of my kids watched the show... AND ate vegetables. Without saying anything, I put a bowl of raw carrots and broccoli in a bowl. The first session was kids eating peppers. My daughter was eating broccoli. I found a bell pepper, sliced it up, put it in the bowl... both kids went for the pepper. Soon I had to bring out another bowl for more veggies. By the second chapter, my 4 year old was fully engrossed, asking questions about the kids (mostly how old they were), and requesting various fruits and veggies to watch (and then eat). My son was also interested and ate more than his share of snack!

I'd say this was a hit. Subliminal messaging for a non-veggie eater or just fun alternative to cartoons if mom needs a few minutes to say... wipe up a mess or fold some laundry... No guilt in this, right!

Eat your: Apples – Avocado – Banana – Bell Pepper – Blueberries – Broccoli – Carrots – Cucumber – Orange – Raspberries – Strawberries – Tomato

After the kids watched 10 out of the 12, I went to the extras and was happy to see an interview with Dr. Jay Gordon, confirming what we know - kids need veggies to grow strong and not only do WE need to be role models, but we also need to start it young and be consistent.

See a trailer here and know that if you don't win the giveaway below... You can order your own with confidence!

Awards:

Dr. Toy: http://www.drtoy.com/product-view/?productid=119

MACT: http://www.award-winning-healthy-child-products.com/2012/03/19/copy-kids-wins-the-prestigious-mact-excellence-award/



Disclosure Statement: The views here are my own. While I was given a free copy of the DVD to review and one to use as a giveaway, it in no way influenced my opinion or views posted here.

Desert Garden week 10

It has been a while but here are some updated photos... First know that I did finally transplant my compost growth... yes, about time!

Hello garden! We finally have growth... we may just get some good ol' backyard goodness after all!