CindyO, Catholic Mommy

Contraception Changes the Marital Act by Fr. John Flader

2011-06-03T12:21:00.002-04:00

Here is a short, concise, and clear explanation of the difference between NFP and contraception

Fr John Flader: contraception changes the marital act

Thursday, 02 June 2011

Q: I know that the Church forbids the use of contraception in marriage, but if a couple are trying to avoid having a child, what is the difference between using contraception and using natural family planning? First of all, it is important to be aware that there can be justifiable reasons for avoiding having another child, whether for the time being or even permanently.
Pope Paul VI said this in his encyclical Humanae Vitae (1968): “In relation to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised, either by the deliberate and generous decision to raise a numerous family, or by the decision, made for grave motives and with due respect for the moral law, to avoid for the time being, or even for an indetermined period a new birth” (n. 10).
That is, conditions such as the grave physical or psychological illness of either spouse, great economic hardship, etc., can justify spacing out births or even avoiding having another child altogether.
Returning to your question, if a couple have a sufficient reason to avoid having another child, what difference does it make whether they use natural family planning or contraception? It makes a great difference.
God’s plan in giving human beings the sexual power was that this power be used as an intimate expression of love in marriage – the unitive aspect – always open to the transmission of life – the procreative aspect.
In Humanae Vitae Pope Paul explained that the reason why contraception is always immoral is “the inseparable connection, willed by God and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meanings of the conjugal act: the unitive meaning and the procreative meaning… By safeguarding both these essential aspects, the unitive and the procreative, the conjugal act preserves in its fullness the sense of true mutual love and its ordination towards man’s most high calling to parenthood” (n. 12).
When spouses practise natural family planning, they choose to have marital relations only during the infertile periods of the woman’s cycle. They do not close off their fertility and capacity to bring forth new life, but simply observe a cycle created by God himself.
They are always free to engage in sexual relations or not, so if they choose not to engage in these relations for some days each month, they do nothing immoral.
Moreover, their marital relations are acts of true love, of total, mutual self-giving. The couple reflect God’s total self-giving to man by giving themselves completely to each other, including their fertility, holding nothing back. Implied in their choice is the loving acceptance of any child God may send them.
In using contraception, on the contrary, the couple do not give themselves totally to one another. They give their bodies but withhold their fertility by using a physical or chemical barrier to avoid offspring, thus altering the very nature of the act. Not only is this contrary to God’s plan for the use of sexuality, it is not true love.
Pope John Paul II explains in his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (1981) that “the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality” (n. 32).
An act of marital union using contraception is an act of sex, but not of love. Couples who have been using contraception and later give themselves completely to one another without any barriers appreciate the difference keenly.
Moreover, couples who practise natural family planning for good reasons often find that their love for each other actually grows. In abstaining from marital acts for some days each month by mutual agreement, they grow in respect for each other and in self-mastery.

Why we are not on WIC

2011-06-02T16:50:00.001-04:00

Dan tells me that he got into several debates at work today explaining to people that although we could qualify for WIC, we do not use the system. We can afford to put food on the table, and keep a roof over head, and we're paying off our debts (mortgage, car loan, and my school loans - and that's it). We pay our credit cards off immediately. Why drain the system for personal comfort? Sure, I would love to have the extra cash on hand to buy a deep freezer for our garage so I can subscribe to a CSA, buy half a cow, a milk share, and all organic foods. But I don't think it's going to leave that much money in my pockets!

It's already a broken system. Perhaps one family cannot fix the system but, what if other families join us and do the same? I bet they're out there! Are you one of them? Perhaps we are the "silent majority."

Besides, I don't want to stand in line for public assistance. My schedule is full as it is. Why add that burden to my life with a curious toddler and a fussy newborn? I think we're doing alright.

What are your thoughts?

The importance of fathers in a daughter's development & Facts on precocious puberty

2011-06-01T13:59:00.002-04:00

Father-daughter relationship crucial to when girls enter puberty, Vanderbilt researchers say
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A young girl's relationship with her family, especially with her father, may influence at what age she enters puberty, according to Vanderbilt University researchers.
Girls with close, supportive relationships with their parents tend to develop later, while girls with cold or distant relationships with their parents develop at an earlier age.
The research is published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The research was conducted by Bruce Ellis, a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt (now at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand); Stephen McFadyen-Ketchum, adjunct assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt; Kenneth Dodge, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt (now at Duke University); Gregory Pettit of Auburn University; and John E. Bates of Indiana University.
The study looked at 173 girls and their families from Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn. and Bloomington, Ind. from the time the girls were in pre-kindergarten until they were in the seventh grade.
Girls who had close, positive relationships with their parents during the first five years of life tended to experience relatively late puberty, compared to girls who had more distant relationships with their parents. More specifically, the researchers found that the quality of fathers' involvement with daughters was the most important feature of the early family environment in relation to the timing of the daughters' puberty.
Girls who enter puberty later generally had fathers who were active participants in care-giving; had fathers who were supportive to the girls' mothers; and had positive relationships with their mothers. But it's the fathers' involvement, rather than the mothers', which seems to be paramount to the age of the girls' development. The researchers believe that girls have evolved to experience early socialization, with their "antennae" tuned to the fathers' role in the family (both in terms of father-daughter and father-mother relationships) and that girls may unconsciously adjust their timing of puberty based on their fathers' behavior.
The researchers found that girls raised in father-absent homes or dysfunctional father-present homes experienced relatively early pubertal timing.
They present several theories as to why this occurs. One biological explanation is that girls whose fathers are not present in the home may be exposed to other adult males—stepfathers or their mothers' boyfriends—and that exposure to pheromones produced by unrelated adult males accelerates female pubertal development. The flip side of that theory is that girls who live with their biological fathers in a positive environment are exposed to his pheromones and are inhibited from puberty, perhaps as a natural incest avoidance mechanism.
Girls who live with their fathers but have a cold or distant relationship with them would not be exposed to their fathers' pheromones as much as girls who have more interaction with their fathers, therefore causing the girls in the distant relationship to reach puberty earlier, the researchers hypothesize.
Perhaps most notable, the researchers say, is the important role fathers seem to play in their daughters' development, given that the quality of mothering is generally more closely associated with how children turn out than is the quality of fathering.
The research was funded by National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Development.

Facts on Precocious Puberty

The mean age for a girl's first period is 12.75 years.

Precocious puberty is defined as the onset of true puberty before 8 years of age in girls or 9 years of age in boys. (Boepple, et al.Endocrinology, Surgery, and Technology, Vol 1, 1996)

Isolated breast development that doesn't progress to the rest of puberty is called premature thelarche, and is a different, benign condition.

Precocious puberty is 10 times more common in girls than in boys. Sexual development may begin at any age. Pregnancy has been reported as early as 5 1/2 years old.

The Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society recommends evaluating for an underlying medical condition in Caucasian-American girls who have development of breast and/or pubic hair before age seven and in African-American girls before age six (Kaplowitz and Oberfield, Pediatrics 1999 Oct;104(4 Pt 1):936-41). These medical conditions include tumors, cysts, thyroid problems, McCune-Albright syndrome, or external sources of estrogen. Doing studies to look into these possible causes is especially important in girls younger than 6, and in all boys.

The earlier before age 12 a girl starts her period, the higher her lifetime risk for breast cancer (probably from the prolonged estrogen exposure). The highest average risk for breast cancer is in non-Hispanic white women, where it is 1 in 8, or 12.5%. In all girls who start their periods before the age of 12, taken together, the risk is 16.25%.

As a girl reaches maturity, she needs to be made aware of controllable risk factors for breast cancer, such as use of estrogen-containing birth control pills (10 years of use would raise her risk to about 22%), first pregnancy after age 30 (if she did this also, it would raise the risk to about 35%), high-fat diet, alcohol use, fertility drugs,pesticides, and radiation exposure. Each of these factors multiplies her accumulated risk.

Touching on Hydration for breastfed babies and Nutrition

2011-06-01T12:04:00.000-04:00

Guidelines for offering water to breastfed babies

Breastfed babies do not need water - keep in mind that breastmilk is 88% water. Even in the first few days after birth, before mom's milk has "come in", colostrum is all that is needed to keep baby well hydrated (assuming baby is nursing effectively). Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Supplements (water, glucose water, formula, and other fluids) should not be given to breastfeeding newborn infants unless ordered by a physician when a medical indication exists... During the first 6 months of age, even in hot climates, water and juice are unnecessary for breastfed infants and may introduce contaminants or allergens."

In addition, breastfed babies do not require water when it is very hot outside, assuming baby is allowed to nurse as needed. Baby can get all the liquids needed via breastmilk. A number of studies have determined that an exclusively breastfed baby does not need extra water - these studies have been done in various locations (both humid and dry) at temperatures ranging from 22-41°C (71.6-105.8°F) and 9-96% relative humidity [see references below].

Note: Formula fed babies do not routinely need extra water. Some sources do suggest offering water to a formula fed baby when it is very hot outside (though baby may prefer to get extra water from more frequent feeding), or when baby is sick with a fever (consult baby's doctor for guidelines).

For newborns (especially under 4-5 weeks), water supplements can be risky

Babies under two months should not be given supplemental water.
Water supplements are associated with increased bilirubin levels in jaundiced newborns.
Too much water can lead to a serious condition called oral water intoxication.
Water supplements fill baby up without adding calories, so water supplements can result in weight loss (or insufficient weight gain) for the baby.
Babies who get water supplements are less interested in nursing. If baby is not nursing as often as he should, it will take longer for mom's milk to come in and can delay or prevent mom from establishing an optimum milk supply.

For babies past the newborn stage

Too much water can interfere with breastfeeding because it fills baby up so that he nurses less. Babies need the nutrition and calories in breastmilk to grow - water has none of these.
Breastmilk has all the water your baby needs, even in very hot weather.
When your 4-6 month old baby is learning to use a cup, giving him a few sips of water a couple of times a day (no more than 2 ounces per 24 hours) is fine and fun.
Once baby starts solids, you might want to give him a few sips of expressed milk or water with his solids - some babies need this to prevent constipation.

The 7 Worst “Healthy Food” Imposters…

Posted Monday, May. 23rd, 2011from Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, also known as The Rogue Nutritionist, a nationally known expert on weight loss and nutrition.

Everywhere you turn, someone is telling you that this is good for you orthat will improve your health. We have orange juice that supposedly lowers cholesterol, flavored waters that boost immune health, and even cookies that help you lose weight!

While most of us are already skeptical of these types of claims, there are foods out there that fly under the radar. They masquerade as healthy, simply lying in wait in to sabotage your health.

Here are seven of the worst healthy food imposters:

#1: Farm-Raised Salmon

There’s no comparison between farm-raised salmon and the wild variety. Farm-raised salmon have up to eight times the level of carcinogenic PCBs as wild salmon, and they’re lower in omega-3 fats. Plus, these penned salmon are fed grain and fishmeal, not to mention a ton of antibiotics, and they don’t have nearly as high nutritional value as their wild relatives.

In addition, wild salmon get their red color from astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that comes from their natural food source, krill. Farmed salmon get their color artificially from a color wheel.

#2: Supermarket Cereals

With few exceptions, most supermarket cereals are fiber lightweights. The overwhelming majority are loaded with sugar. Most have a very high glycemic impact, meaning they raise blood sugar quickly, contributing to mood swings and energy dips. Whole grains are better, but only marginally, and people who are sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations will still need to be careful.

The best cereals are old-fashioned oatmeal, and a few grocery store standouts, such as Fiber One and All-Bran. Most of the others? Not so good. Look for those that pass the “5 and 5” rule: less than 5 grams of sugar, more than 5 grams of fiber.

#3: Bars

Whether you call them energy bars, protein bars, granola bars, or breakfast, most are simply chewy versions of candy bars. They usually have very little fiber, lots of processed carbs, and a ton of sugar.

You’re better off “rolling your own” out of raw oats, chopped almonds, coconut flakes, raisins, and a dollop of raw organic honey.

#4: Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is a prime example of marketing triumphing over good sense. The only thing frozen yogurt has in common with real yogurt is that they’re both white.

Real yogurt—one of the healthiest foods on earth—is loaded with live cultures that support your digestive health. The live culture content of frozen yogurt is precisely zero.

What’s more, frozen yogurt is usually filled with chemicals and artificial sweeteners, which can cause cravings just like sugar. You’re better off with real, creamy, organic ice cream. Just don’t eat too much.

#5: Canola Oil

Sounds sacrilegious, but canola oil isn’t such a health bargain. Conventional canola oil is processed with high-temperature, mechanical pressing. It goes through caustic refining, bleaching, and de-gumming.

The high temperatures needed to extract the oil from the rapeseed plant make it’s highly touted omega-3’s rancid and foul smelling, requiring them to be deodorized, a process that can create trans fats. Unless it’s cold-pressed and organic, stay away.

#6: Egg-White Omelets

While these aren’t exactly unhealthy, they are utterly unnecessary. The whole concept of egg white omelets is left over from the 80’s obsession with low fatanything. And when it comes to eggs, it’s a huge mistake.

The yolk contains the superstars of eye nutrition, lutein and xeazanthin, which need fat to be absorbed properly. Egg yolks are also an important sourcephosphatidylcholine, an important nutrient for brain health.

And you can forget the fat issue. Half the fat in the yolk isn’t even saturated to begin with and the saturated part is good for you!

#7: Apple Juice

Apples, good. Apple juice? Not so much.

One cup of apple juice has zero fiber, 117 calories, and 29 grams of carbs, 27 of which are sugar (and your typical serving is a lot more than a cup). Sorry, but that’s not a health drink. It’s sugar water with apple flavoring.

The implications of giving our kids 8 cups a day of this stuff is just now beginning to be understood. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but apple juice just may necessitate a few house calls in the future.

Stick With the Basics…

When it comes to selecting healthy foods, follow the rule of KISS and keep it seriously simple. Choose whole foods, not short cuts. That means less bars, juices, and cereals and more whole fruits, eggs, and oatmeal.

Also, up your label IQ. Check for sugar, fiber, and ingredients. If there are words you don’t know, move on.

Finally, when in doubt, go wild, pasture-raised, free-range, and organic.

Tonight's Magnificat...

2011-05-26T23:42:00.000-04:00

I LOVE the psalm for tonight:
Psalm 127
"Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways."

The reflection before the psalm is nice too!
"At God's bidding and with God's help, Saint Philip Neri founded a religious house, a community, and peopled it with many spiritual sons. What gifts do you want to make to future generations through the life you are living now?"

The Cloth Diaper Journey - and other things in my life...

2011-05-26T14:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I began cloth diapering our newborn. Our newborn who is breastfed and at the breast so often he has gained 7 lbs since we left the hospital! I weighed him at 4 weeks and 2 days - he weighed a low of 7lbs 14 oz when we left the hospital (when he was born he was 8lbs 6oz) and the other day, he weighed 14lbs 13oz!!!

So, I'm constantly changing diapers and decided to finally give our stash of cloth diapers a try for DS2 even though DS1 breaks out in terrible diaper rash from just a few hours in cloth diapers (with frequent changes). I just purchased a bag of Rockin' Green in Lavender Mint scent, along with 6 BumGenius pocket diapers with snaps. Mom's Milk boutique is having a special until the end of the month where if you buy 5 BumGenius 4.0 diapers, you get one free. I can't wait for my order to arrive in the mail! After I strip all of my current diapers with RLR, I will try the diapers again on my 2 yr old and see if it's a detergent issue. DS2 has been in cloth diapers for over 24 hours today and is tolerating them very well.

Today I also got myself motivated to go to daily Mass with the newbie. I hadn't been to daily Mass in MONTHS. We missed the opening hymn, but got there just as the priest was beginning the opening blessings. I was nervous we wouldn't make it due to feeding DS2, but thankfully he fell asleep and I was able to get on the SleepyWrap and him in the wrap so we could walk to Mass. It was really great going to Mass. My day has been going much more smoothly, compared to other days. Granted, DS1 is spending the week with his grandparents on both sides in Pennsylvania, so it is a bit easier without a 2 yr old to contest with. But I've been much more productive today, thanks to God's graces!

Last night I opened up to my husband about the crises of faith that I've been experiencing lately. I think it helped sift things out in my mind so I can rationally deal with some of my irrational thoughts. I recently read that one can ward off or deal with any baby blues or postpartum depression when you verbalize what's going on in your head. I was having a very difficult time two nights ago. I know I'm very lucky to have such an understanding and supportive husband. I love him so much!

more to come later...

Dilly-Dali Art: No Mess Color Mixing

2011-05-03T08:09:00.000-04:00

Dilly-Dali Art: No Mess Color Mixing: "We used paint and contact paper to make a mess free color mixing activity Just squeeze some paint onto the sticky side of a sheet of contac..."

Dilly-Dali Art: Coffee Filter Tree

2011-05-03T08:06:00.000-04:00

Dilly-Dali Art: Coffee Filter Tree: "We made these colorful leaves out of coffee filters Here's how we did it! We had made these colorful coffee filters weeks earlier not knowi..."

Dilly-Dali Art: Gelatin Sun Catchers

2011-05-03T08:05:00.000-04:00

Dilly-Dali Art: Gelatin Sun Catchers: "Did you know that gelatin can be used for more than just eating? You can also use it to make a plastic like material that is perfect for mak..."

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2011-04-17T16:34:00.000-04:00

Today as I was in the process of making tacos, I realized I didn't have the typical taco seasoning packet on hand that I usually have in my cupboard. So I searched the interweb for taco seasoning recipes, and modified this recipe - it turned out rather well!

Taco Seasoning:

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Brown meat, drain fat, use 3 Tbsp per pound of meat, add 1/4 C water, mix well over med-low heat, reduce to lo heat.
Store remainder of seasoning in air tight container.

I doubled the recipe for my 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef and still have a little left over.

Struggling

2011-04-05T16:23:00.001-04:00

So, this pregnancy is TOTALLY different than my first.

My faith has really taken a hit. I go from apathetic, to a little enthused, back to apathetic, and sometimes even questioning. I haven't given up. I still pray at every meal with Tommy and at bedtime, and I try to make a point to make it to the Mother's Rosary Group. Plus, I really enjoy the Harry Potter series, and I've had someone who I really respect tell me that it's really not in my best interest to like Harry Potter - and I guess I've been struggling with all the different arguments for and against it. But with DS1's pregnancy, I really got involved in my faith and tried getting involved in the community. Now, I feel more like retreating from the world and just staying home.

Perhaps it was because my grandfather died early in DS1's pregnancy that brought me back to the faith with increased vigor. Death has that effect on me. But DS1 always seemed to be most active when I was going to Mass - especially once I went on maternity leave and started going to daily Mass. It's still amazing how Mass enchants him. He walks around with books over his head singing his version of Alleluia and Holy! He has even simulated distribution of the Eucharist with oyster crackers at a restaurant (he's not even 2!).

DS1's pregnancy was EASY. I had one, maybe 2 weeks of nausea. The beginning of the pregnancy started out rough. Nauseated most of the time, exhausted, I could hardly function around the house, at one point, I was so hungry, but couldn't open my eyes to even look at food - I actually had my husband feed me while I was laying on the couch with my eyes closed, for fear of vomiting. But I couldn't vomit, I only dry heaved. Yuck.

Half way through my second trimester I started getting pubic symphasis pain. It was so bad at times it felt like my hips were going to break into two. I think his head was just down far and his shoulders were causing all the discomfort.

The pain actually stopped a few weeks ago - I think baby boy grew big enough that his shoulders are now out of the hips and no longer causing the pain...but I don't know if that was the issue in the first place, just my speculation. He's now just about engaged and it feels like I'm sitting on his head most of the time. And there's just a bunch of discomfort getting up and moving around. But that's to be expected. Although I really didn't have all these issues with DS1 until I hit my due date.

I guess there also seemed to be a LOT more friends of mine who have been pregnant and due around the same time as me - and they've ALL gone early, and I know the odds are in my favor of going past my due date...so far past that I'll be induced again.

I've been considering getting my membranes swept at my 40wk appt, I've been taking 5-W (glandular support, recommended by my midwives, to help tone my uterus) 3 times a day daily since I turned 35wks, I've been taking Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) 3x/day and since I turned 39wks, as a vag suppository at night, along with a tampon soaked in castor oil to keep the prostaglandins up by my cervix...all to help with cervical ripening. I really don't want to get induced again, like I was with DS1.

DS1 got very stressed during induction, and meconium was present after he was delivered - the cord was clamped and cut right away, DH wasn't even given the opportunity to cut the cord. He was briefly placed on my chest, and then whisked away and I didn't get to see him for 2 hrs, when I got to see him, he was under the oxi-hood for another hour, and then I was finally able to hold him about 2 hrs after that - he was weaned off the oxi-hood within an hour of me coming to see him. He ended up being fine. I never received an actual/official report of what they thought was wrong or was going on. I can only postulate what was wrong...my mom says that I just know too much with my background as a nurse - perhaps, but I do wish to be well informed.

I have hired an experienced doula this time around. And I'm going back to the same facility. Not only is it the closest hospital to my house, it has the second lowest C-section rate in Hampton Roads (24%), and I'm going to try to stay on the midwifery side this time, which has a c/s rate of 6%!!! I also received a free Pregnancy Fit Kit during DH's deployment, which included an exercise ball - and I will be using that as a birthing ball. I hope all these efforts I have been making will not go un-noticed in the event of DS2's birth. But with birth, one never knows.

Please readers, I ask for your prayers for an increase and strengthening of my faith, a healthy baby boy, and an uncomplicated delivery. Thank you!

Planned Parenthood Lie: Mamograms

2011-04-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

Planned Parenthood cheats taxpayers with imaginary mammograms

De-Clutter Reflection

2011-02-17T09:34:00.003-05:00

I just received the book "small steps for catholic moms" by Danielle Bean & Elizabeth Foss - Feb 13 and yesterday's, Feb 16,"Think," "Pray," and "Act" reflections reminded me of a dear friend who is really into de-cluttering. I think this is something we can all use to remind ourselves of what's important in our lives!

February 13

Think
"don't forget it: he has much who needs least. Don't create necessitites for yourself." - St. Josemaria Escriva

Pray
Give me a simple heart, Lord. I want only to love.

Act
"Give your children the gift of open space. Go through their toy boxes today. Give away, throw away, and put away as many items as possible.

February 16

Think
"Become more and more a soul who is simple and confident in our good Savior. Confide everything to him; bring everything to him, and he will give you all that is necessary." - St. Frances de Sales Aviat

Pray
Remind me, Lord, whenever I am tempted to acquire more "stuff," that nothing I can buy will truly satisfy my heart.

Act
We tend to gather things that we think will make us happy, but often it's those things that crowd peace out of our lives. Conquer some clutter today. Begin in just one room and eliminate anything there is that doesn't truly bring you peace of heat. Simplicity in your environment will support simplicity in your soul.

Love their husbands and children...

2011-01-22T06:37:00.001-05:00

This post is taken from "Habits for a Happy Home" and I thought I'd share it with you!
Here's the link to the source: http://habitsforahappyhome.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/love-their-husbands-and-children/

love their husbands and children…

I thought about trying to come up with something meaningful to say about the Scripture below, but really, It doesn’t need my help.

So, believers let us…

Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around. Titus 2: 2-6, The Message

To love their husbands;
to help and assist them all they can; to seek their honour and interest; to endeavour to please them in all things; to secure peace, harmony, and union; to carry it affectionately to them, and sympathize with them in all afflictions and distresses.
To love their children;
not with a fond, foolish, loose, and ungoverned affection; but so as to seek their real good, and not only their temporal, but spiritual and eternal welfare; to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and to use and keep proper discipline and government over them; for otherwise, amidst all the fondness of natural affection, a parent may be said to hate a child. (Proverbs 13:24)
John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
What about you are you doing a good job and loving your husband and loving you children? Are these areas of your life an example to other believers?

Water vs. Coke and Chocolate Milk vs. Gatorade

2011-01-20T14:42:00.005-05:00

I just enrolled my DS in our dental plan and set up an appointment with a pediatric dentist. As I was browsing their site I came across some great articles! Check them out:

WATER vs. COKE
Water
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pains for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U. Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicated that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back & joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, & difficulty focusing on computer screens or the printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45% , plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer
Coke
1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of coke with them to remove blood from the highway after an accident.
2. You can put a T-Bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet, pour a can of coke into the bowl & let the real thing sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in coke removes stains from vitreous china.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers, rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds wrap foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals, pour a can over the terminals to bubble away corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham, empty a can of coke into the baking pan. Mix with the drippings for a sumptuous brown gravy.
8. To remove grease from clothes, empty a can of coke into the washer along with the detergent.
It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Information:
1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leeches calcium from bones and is the major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coke syrup, the trucker must use hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years.

Moo-ve Over, Gatorade
Chocolate milk fuels better athletic performance
   Serious athletes who train more than once a day can get the recovery assistance they need to improve performance from a convenient product that’s been around far longer than commercial sports drinks: chocolate milk.
   Joel Stager, PhD’80, professor of kinesiology and director of the Counsilman Center at IU’s School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, decided to test the chocolate-milk theory after reading an article about a product that promised to improve athletic performance. The ingredients sounded familiar, and Stager strolled through the grocery store until he found that chocolate milk contained pretty much the same thing as the synthetic product.
   A swimming coach at a Bloomington high school, Stager had his swimmers bring chocolate milk to practice. The results, he says, were fantastic. The swimmers did better in their second workout of the day. Stager took the milk to the human-performance lab at IU, did a study on cyclists, and got similar results.
   “Recovery is critical to improving performance,” Stager says. “The bottom line is, chocolate milk is a convenient product that will aid in the recovery process.”
   Unflavored milk doesn’t do as well, he says. The chocolate milk has a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of about 4-to-1. Carbs, Stager says, are the key to giving the athlete the fuel to recover quickly enough to do another workout the same day. The chocolate milk should be consumed within 30 to 45 minutes after the first workout, he says.
   Popular sports drinks are not a substitute, he adds.
   “Water works as well as sports drinks as a rehydration product,” Stager says. “But when you talk about extreme athletics, now you’re starting to talk about something beyond rehydration.”

Will he eat it???

2011-01-19T18:03:00.002-05:00

As I just got in from the grocery store, I am rushing to make dinner. I bought wild harvest drum sticks, and yes, I'm keeping the skins on! I checked out a few recipes and took from this and that to come up with my "Improved Crunchy Drumsticks" - I hope they're ready to eat before we go to evening Mass tonight!

Recipe:
Preheat oven 400F

5 chicken drumsticks

Make crumbs:
1 Tbsp flax seeds (then grind in blender)
3 C corn flakes (then grind in blender after flax seeds)
1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 C slivered almonds chopped med-fine (I used my Pampered Chef "slap chop" device)
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
a few grinds of pepper
Place in gallon sized zip top bag

to coat on a plate...
1/2 C ranch dressing
1/8 C plain yogurt
mix well

coat each piece of chicken well with ranch/yogurt mix. place chicken, one at a time, in bag and coat well in crumbs. place chicken on parchment lined baking sheet or baking pan. lightly spray with oil. bake 45-50 minutes.
-----------

Sounds good? We'll see what my little judge says!

------------
17 minutes later - I ate 3 drumsticks and DS is working on his second - saying "mmyummy!" "mmmmm"
At the rate he's eating, I think we may miss evening Mass.
Improvements? Yes, I suggest adding a Tbsp or so of a spicy mustard to the ranch/yogurt coat to give it an extra kick - or if you like spicy, throw in some Cholula Sauce/Tobasco/Texas Pete - or get creative with the spices in the crumb mix! If you try this recipe or have your own recipe, please share your comments, thoughts and recipes!

----
update - We made it to MASS!!! Yay! :)

It feels much later than it is...

2011-01-17T21:32:00.000-05:00

Well, just got my toddler to sleep in his toddler bed...it feels like it should be 10:30 rather than 9pm tonight. I'm wiped. I was at my 28 wk appt, got my rHogam shot in the butt, I passed my gtt (glucose tolerance test) with flying colors (110), and my iron is at an excellent level, something like 12.5 (if I'm remembering correctly).

I struggled with making dinner tonight, I knew what I wanted to make at 5pm, but the fish was still frozen, and my toddler was hungry and wanted to play with me. I kept searching for the right recipe, had a break-down, prayed, and then melted down, my toddler comforted me as I cried over the cold stove by hugging and patting my legs. When I finally regained my composure, I scooped up DS took him over to his chair, hugged him, he wanted to read the book "Where Do Kisses Come From." I read to him and then he we ended in an epic giggling/tickling/acting all sorts of silly finally. I then set him in front of his books to read and cars to play with while I prepped and started dinner, then he came over right as I'm putting the fish in the hot oil. I started scolding him because I didn't want him getting hurt by the hot oil, which was getting no where, and suddenly I had an epiphany ...I'm sure any other mother in her right mind would have done much earlier... which was to buckle him into his high chair, put on the tray and give him Toasted O's to munch on while he watched me cook from a safe distance. As the fish was coming out and going into the frying pan, I gave him some of the "hot" fish, tell him "it's hot, be careful" and turn around and resume cooking. I then hear "more hot," "more hot please" - he ate it! I was astounded! Floored. He ended up eating 1-1/2 fillets of flounder.

Here I am, exhausted and about to share with you this marvelous recipe that I found on mrfood.com - who would have thought with a name like that I'd actually get a good recipe, but it was sort of what I was looking for, and I had just about all the ingredients - below is the adjusted recipe I actually used, you can look up the original if you'd like!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sugar
³/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¹/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
¹/3 teaspoon salt
1 ¹/2 pounds flounder fillets (or other white fleshed fish fillets)
2 egg whites, beaten
2 cups sliced almonds
2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more as needed
¹/4 cup canola oil, plus more as needed
¹/2 cup Sambuca and Rum split (1/4 C each)

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, red pepper, and salt; mix well. Season the fillets with 1 teaspoon of the mixture, reserving the remaining mixture.
Place the egg white in a shallow dish; place the almonds in another shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the egg white then in the almonds, coating completely.
In a large skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add half of the fillets and cook for 5 minutes then turn the fillets and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork; transfer to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining fillets, adding additional butter and oil as needed.
Add the reserved sugar mixture and the alcohol mix to the skillet; reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour over the fillets and serve immediately.

Car seats and oxygen levels

2011-01-15T08:45:00.002-05:00

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/02/aap-car-seats-lower-oxygen-levels-of.html

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2010

AAP: Car Seats Lower Oxygen Levels of Newborns

This full study first appeared in the September 2009 issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Car safety seats are one of the most effective ways to protect children from injury and death in the event of a car accident during the first years of life. For the best protection in a crash, car seats require infants to be placed in an upright position. However, this posture can partially compress the chest wall and reduce airway size, resulting in lower levels of oxygen.

The study, “A Comparison of Respiratory Patterns in Healthy Term Infants Placed in Car Safety Seats and Beds,” compared oxygen levels in 200 newborns while stretched out on a safe sleeping surface, positioned in a car bed, or sitting in a car seat. The mean oxygen saturation level was significantly lower in the car seat (95.7 percent) and the car bed (96.3 percent) compared to lying on a safe sleeping surface (97.9 percent).

Previous studies have found similar effects on premature infants. This study confirms that the respiration of full-term infants is also impaired by car seats and car beds.

The study authors suggest these safety devices be used only for protection during travel, and not as replacement for safe sleeping practices or babywearing means.

In other words: leave the car seat in the car.

Wrap/sling/wear your baby when you go places. At home, feel free to wear your baby while s/he is napping (safe babywearing in upright positions does not impede oxygen flow, but has been shown to improve it). When lying your baby down, put him/her onto a safe sleeping surface, or snuggle up next to him for a snooze. Do not leave your baby to sleep in a car seat.

wearing a newborn baby while he sleeps in a Moby Wrap

Taking The Time: Share The Gift Of NFP With L.O.V.E By Erika Marie

2011-01-14T13:02:00.000-05:00

Great article -I found it here: http://catholicmom.com/2010/10/19/taking-the-time-share-the-gift-of-nfp-with-l-o-v-e-by-erika-marie/

Taking The Time: Share The Gift Of NFP With L.O.V.E By Erika Marie

Posted by Erika Marie on October 19th, 2010 in Columnists

Natural Family Planning is not “Catholic birth control”. It also cannot merely be defined as a natural method of regulating pregnancy either. Natural Family Planning is a gift. It is a gift for husbands and wives and their families and in turn for all of humanity. It is a gift that opens hearts to the greatest gift of all- LIFE. Those who have received this gift can in turn extend this gift to friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers with LOVE: Listen, Offer, Validate, and Encourage.

LISTEN: A conversion to an NFP way of life starts with a conversation and, as the old adage says, “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” When a co-worker complains about his wife’s frequent mood swings and other irritating PMS symptoms, or when a friend shares her frustrations with the side effects of her birth control, or even when a family member or neighbor announces the date for their upcoming permanent sterility procedure; listen. Say a quick prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help you listen with patience and seek to first understand. When an acquaintance casually inquires about your personal plans for future children or even when a stranger uses your children to show off their counting skills; listen.

OFFER: After listening, offer a story or experience that relates to them and their current situation. If you know someone who found a solution to their mood swings and other PMS symptoms by learning NFP, offer that to them. Offer your knowledge of how NFP is both effective and has no side effects. If time allows, offer information about the harmful long-term effects of unnecessary vasectomies, tubal ligations and hysterectomies. And to those random inquisitions and sometimes rude comments about the current and future size of your family, smile and remember the wise words of St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach constantly and if necessary, use words”.

VALIDATE: When sharing NFP, it’s important to validate a person’s concerns and consider his or her current understanding and perspective on the subject. It can be shocking at first when people share their personal and private thoughts and feelings on the topic of reproduction and family planning. But a genuine interest and desire for something better usually lurks underneath the surface. Hear them out and acknowledge their honest feelings and desires without condoning the immoral use of conventional birth control and sterility methods. In the Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reminds Christians that, “The witness of the truth does not seek to impose anything by force, neither by coercive action nor by tactics incompatible with the Gospel.”

ENCOURAGE: After listening and sharing your story and after affirming their unique situation and concerns, give them hope for something better by sharing how they too can learn about Natural Family Planning. Share an informational brochure or book, send them the website, phone number or address of the local Natural Family Planning office, or even invite them to an upcoming introductory class. By taking the time to suggest a solution and share information, you will fill them with the hope and confidence they need to choose Natural Family Planning and to invite God and his life-giving love into their marriage and lives.

Such a Sweet Sound

2011-01-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

I swell with pride every time I give my little DS something and he says in his toddler language "thank you mama!" with such enthusiasm.

The big boy and the "Berry Good Shake"

2011-01-08T08:58:00.001-05:00

DS is a big boy - in that he climbed out of his crib yesterday at nap time. DH and I were assembling our new IKEA furniture for our "entertainment space" when we heard the boom boom (I think he bounced) and the cry. We both sprinted up the stairs to find him sitting on the floor next to the crib. DH asked him how he got out and then put him back into the crib to watch. DS then preceded to show us how good his core muscles really are as he hoisted himself up on the railing and used his sticky feet to grip the rails. So, in addition to DH putting together our entertainment space, he also had the unexpected pleasure of taking off the front rail of the crib and converting it to the toddler bed with the small side rail. Today's adventure will be to shop for toddler bedding, along with supplies for my husband to take with him on his nearing deployment.

DS was all smiles when we showed him his new big boy bed - and he only took 1 1/2 hrs to finally settle down to sleep - ONLY! :) When he awoke at 3:30am he still called for us, in the last few days he's switched from calling "Mama" to now calling "Daddy!" (not sure how this change will work out with DS since DH leaves in less than a week for deployment...). Then he joined us in the family bed until 7:30 this morning (well he slept in until then - I showered at 6:30 while DH prepared for work).

This morning he didn't struggle to get in his high chair, we prayed and then he ate 2 bananas and drank 1/2 a cup of Almond Milk while I made a "Berry Good Shake." Then he ate 2 bowls of cereal - a mixture of Grape Nuts and Toasted O's with a small amount of Almond Milk. (each bowl I just coat the bottom with the Grape Nuts, and then add a layer of the O's)

Berry Good Shake
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp flax seeds - 1st to go into blender and ground up
1 large yellow banana
1/2 C rinsed frozen raspberries
1/2 C rinsed frozen blueberries
1/4 C rinsed frozen cherries
1/4 C rinsed frozen sliced strawberries
1/2 C Almond Milk
1/2 C plain yogurt
1/4 C cottage cheese
1/2 tsp wheat germ
1 Tbsp bee pollen
1 heaping dipped Tbsp raw honey
**All measurements other than the flax seed are approximated**
Instructions: Blend until smooth - scrape sides of blender and blend again until all incorporated.

DS really LOVED his shake - and this is a boy who is very picky about what he eats!

Cinnamon ornaments...

2010-12-29T13:49:00.000-05:00

My mom made these with us back when I was in Girl Scouts; my sister was just talking about making these this year for our Aunts and Uncles, and now I found them on a blog - so I thought I'd share the recipe with you! They are cheap, easy and fun - and last forever - and smell GREAT!

Taken from http://creativejuicesdecor.blogspot.com/2010/12/cinnamon-elmers-glue-ornaments.html

Cinnamon Elmers Glue Ornaments

This is one of my all time favorites. The smell of cinnamon and spices just add so much to the holiday spirit.

First, get ready for your house to smell deliciously like Christmas.

Second, turn on the Christmas music.

Ok now you are ready (-:

Ingredients: (not for eating!)

* 1 1/2 cups (8oz) ground cinnamon (can add dash of nutmeg/cloves –whatever you want!)

* 1 cup applesauce (store bought works best)

* 1/3 cup white school glue (Elmer's or other brand)

Simply mix these 3 ingredients together. (my kids went crazy with wanting to "mix" it with their hands!) After it's mixed plop it down onto wax paper and use extra cinnamon to "flour" working area. Knead the dough a little.

Roll out to 1/4" (this picture is too thin, mine should have been thicker) and use Christmas cookie cutters for your shapes.

Use a straw for poking a hole on the top.

Let them dry for about 4 days turning them over at least once a day. If you want to speed up the process you can bake for an hour at 200 F and let air dry 24 hours after that. I did one batch in the oven and the other on a cooling rack. The air drying on a cooling rack turned out looking more "professional" but if this is just a fun craft for kids who cares. Actually I just let mine cool after the hour of baking and the kids painted on them right away. What kid can wait 4 days to finish a project!

Once dry feel free to paint them using puffy paint or glitter paint. Or make it really easy on yourself and just personalize it with a Sharpie pen! (they have cool silver sharpies that would really look nice!)

Be sure and check out your local dollar store for cheap cinnamon. Usually you can find a big bottle for a dollar.

Gift tag added to my Apple/Pear butter

They make such great gifts to teachers ,friends, relatives because the kids made them. C'mon, nothing melts a grandparents heart like something hand made by their precious grandchildren!

Made by my daughter for grandma.

Here are a few more ideas using your ornaments:

1.) Use them on top of your presents as a gift tag, just write with a sharpie To: and From:
2.) String them through yarn and put them around the lid of your homemade gift can goods.
3.) I have heard of people decorating a small tree using only these ornaments and when a guest leaves you give them one to take.

4.) Make a complete garland out of them.

Gift tag added to Apple Cider candle

Remember…

It doesn’t have to be Christmas for you to make these. How about hearts for Valentines Day, or flowers for Mother's Day.

Mary's Reflection: Blessed Am I Among Women

2010-12-29T07:21:00.000-05:00

A post from "peaceful parenting"

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/12/marys-reflection-blessed-am-i-among.html

Mary's Reflection: Blessed Am I Among Women

Tiny Baby asleep on my breast

You let out a little cry

Which will one day ring out from the cross.

Nuzzling close, you latch on

My Bread of Life drinks in my life milk.

He who will one day save me

Snuggles in the warmth of my protection.

Nestled on my chest our hearts beat together

The heart which will bleed for me.

He cries for His milk,

But one day I will weep for His life.

These tiny fingers will heal the leprous and blind

But for now they grasp my finger.

These eyes will pierce the darkness

But for now they gaze up at me.

These feet will walk on water

But for now I warm them in my palm.

This mouth will draw many to Him

But for now it draws comfort from my breast.

One day He will Give Life

But for now I give mine for Him.

Blessed am I among women!

~ Michelle Abernathy

Witness Talk #1

2010-12-16T14:59:00.003-05:00

Couple to Couple League Witness Talks
Do you practice NFP? Do you have a story you'd like to share?

Witness Talk #2

2010-12-16T14:59:00.002-05:00

Couple to Couple League Witness Talks
Do you practice NFP? Do you have a story you'd like to share?

Advent - How have you prepared your heart this season?

2010-12-16T11:59:00.001-05:00

As Advent is past half way over, I have realized that I haven't blogged in a while. My question goes out to my readers, how have you prepared your heart? Have you done anything in your home?

In our home, we got off to a rather late start. Someone has been sick in our household since the week before Thanksgiving. I started off with the sinus infection that had cleared the day before and has left me with the perpetually runny "pregnancy" nose - I'm just at that stage of my pregnancy. Then on Thanksgiving Day DS came down with a lower GI bug - it literally looked like chocolate milk sitting in his diaper and when it came out, you could hear it from the next room over. Thankfully for him, it was just a 24 hr bug for him. We agreed as a family it's safe to drive 6hrs home to my parents' home for the Thanksgiving weekend, since DH had to work on Thanksgiving (we celebrated on the ship with him). On the drive home, we stopped in at Hardee's - and we're blaming the rest on Hardee's, although I have a sneaking suspicion, it's from my toddler. My lunch didn't seem to be sitting well when I got home. I tried eating, but immediately had to go excuse myself - my husband said it sounded like we needed to "call an old priest and a young priest". I was "under-the-weather" for the next 10 days thanks to my body not wanting to reject that precious life growing inside me by lowering my immune system just enough to let me get the full version of any bug that's out there. DH had 24 hrs of the lower GI-fun, and so did my mom. The odd thing was that I felt really good, just had no appetite, there was a lot of gurgling in the gut, and I needed to stay close to a toilet.

My body finally recovered on the second Monday of Advent. I took DS to a playdate on Tuesday, then I headed to a craft store and bought a small wreath, 4 battery operated candles, 2 sheets of large card stock - one pink and one purple and had my very own DIY Advent wreath for $8.00! I found some prayers on-line to go with the lighting of the Advent wreath each week and wrote them on a scrap piece of card-stock. (Check out this picture from the web-cam)I also bought some craft supplies to make personal gifts for aunts/uncles and friends. There are some awesome deals out there 40% and 50% off!! Then we went to the Catholic Book store in town and I bought my very first Magnificat, as well as the Advent companion and some gifts for a shower.

The next day, DS has a clear runny nose and a bit of a cough, I think it's just a cold so we go to the library with some friends, then to Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. That night, DS wakes up at 11pm with a weird cry, (mind you, DH is in the middle of a 2 week underway fighting the land of make believe off the Treasure Coast of FL) so I go over to his room and bring him into our bed bed, he's having some strange breathing issues, but not enough to warrant a call to the pediatrician in the middle of the night, but in the morning, I get on the horn and they have him in to see the doc within 2 hrs. He gets the diagnosis of croup and a dose of a decadron (steroid) to decrease the inflammation - I take him home, he's sleeping, so I lay with him in our bed and he wakes up 2 times with some extreme difficulty in breathing - I call the doc, she tells me to take him to the ER. We sit there for 5 hrs before being discharged without any medications administered, he falls asleep in the car again, the doc at the ER said he should be over the hump and be good to sleep alone - I tried, he had more issues breathing. Well, I wasn't going to go back to the ER again for them to do NOTHING because he wasn't reacting there, just at home. So, I felt I could support him enough at home by keeping him elevated while sleeping and the steamy bathroom and outside for the cool air, but after the weekend I decided to follow up with the pediatrician again as the ER doc recommended since he was still off and on drooling, had a fever that would come and go and his breathing was still sounding like he was struggling. They had me bring him in this past Tuesday, turned out his croup turned into bronchitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, an ear infection, possible pneumonia, and maybe some R.A.D. (reactive airway disease - it's what they call "childhood asthma" now-a-days). Now that he's finally on medications (antibiotics and steroids), and getting somewhat better, both DH and I are getting congested and sore throats. UGH, when will this end? I am hoping this coming week we can get back to daily Mass! I have found that social networking through Facebook has kept me in the Advent spirit with the different groups I follow.

I hope your Advents have been much healthier and meditative. Being with-child has made the season of Advent and Christmas much more special and meaningful.

Counting our blessings...

2010-11-19T09:25:00.001-05:00

We're proud to announce God has blessed us with news that we'd love to share - we're going to have another boy! The testosterone is slowly taking over our household.
I'm happy to announce that today I am officially 20 weeks pregnant with a beautiful baby boy - the ultrasound was amazing. My mom asked before the appointment what I wanted, boy or girl, but really, I would have been thrilled if it were a girl, and I'm equally thrilled that it's a boy.
Having a girl would mean that we would have to expand the wardrobe, and find more space, but girl stuff is SO much cuter than boy stuff. Having a boy though, is much easier because we can (in the future) get bunk beds, and the boys can share a room and they will be such great pals (well, I hope). T's already all about the baby in my belly. He loves making me lay down, he pulls up my shirt and puts his head on my belly, says "baby," gives my baby belly lots of hugs, kisses, and snuggles - just SO sweet!

Now the challenge for my DH and I is to come up with a name we both agree on!

Starve a fever, spice up a cold??

2010-11-17T15:04:00.004-05:00

There's the old adage, "starve a fever, feed a cold" - and from the advice I've gotten for my latest sinus infection, I think we need to clarify what we're feeding this cold. I have had numerous people tell me to eat raw garlic, eat raw onion, increase my dosage of vitamin c to 1,000mg and my dosage of vitamin D3 to 3,000IU (only during the infection). Today I made a salsa type product (sans tomato since my son gets eczema from tomatoes, we don't keep them in the house) - using pickled jalapenos, onions, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and avocados - and no this is not a guacamole - in my Pampered Chef Food Chopper.

(Yes, this is a blatant marketing thing for my Pampered Chef business - I haven't been doing much with it, but I do have a friend who wants to place an order, and can only do so if I get a total of $150 in product sales - so if anyone wants to order, feel free to send me a message!)

Milk & Butter Baltic amber necklace

My story starts on Sunday when I started getting the scratchy, ouchy throat, and I said to my husband, remember that "Everyone Loves Raymond" episode where Raymond says he was feeling the "sick before I get sick" feeling? Well, I'm having that feeling. Monday I had the same feeling again, after I showered I put on my Baltic amber jewelry, I bought a milk & butter necklace for myself and T got a child's light mix for free - and I wear that as a bracelet since he just wants to put it in his mouth, and Tuesday the sinuses were getting full. I was feeling good in the morning and it wasn't until after I took a shower in the afternoon did I feel awful (I took off the jewelry before the shower and didn't put it back on). I did a Neil Med Sinus Rinse and not much came out in the after my shower. Within an hour I was fully congested and not able to breathe through my nose, I was in so much pain - lights bothered me, my sinuses throbbed, I took acetaminophen and felt the pain go away in an hour. I did another sinus rinse before dinner, knowing I couldn't do one before bed. Last night after my shower, I was feeling miserable. I put on my Baltic amber jewelry, my DH made a cup of Quiet Time tea for me, loaded my bedside with 3 glasses of water, I had my cooling eye gel mask on, and I took 2 Tylenol PMs (since the Tylenol is acetaminophen, and the PM is diphenhydramine - a.k.a. benadryl - both safe during pregnancy). In the morning, instead of waking up to painful sinuses and a hurting throat, there was no pain. It's now 2:30p.m. and I'm still not hurting like I was yesterday. I am amazed at how effectively the succinic acid from the Baltic amber jewelry really works! Plus, I don't have to worry about taking any medications for the pain, and my sinuses are slightly less inflamed, since I can get a little more air to travel through my nose than yesterday. Now I still have my other symptoms, my classic bronchetic cough that I get from the post-nasal drip, the extreme tired eyes feeling, the pressure in my sinuses are all there, but the pain isn't. To read more about Baltic Amber Jewelry's succinic acid and it's healing properties, check out Mom's Milk Botique - I am not getting paid to promote this, I just found that it works and I love it!!!

Now I've done some internet searching, and usually I'm not one to pray over trivial things, like a cold, but my last penance was to increase my prayer life, so today, I looked into the patron of ear, nose and throat ailments, and only came up St. Blaise. St. Blaise is known as the patron saint of throats after he healed a boy who was choking on a fish bone while he was waiting to be martyred. I will attempt to do a novena (a prayer for 9 days) - hopefully this sinus infection is cleared up before the end of the novena! Here's the link to the St. Blaise Novena.

My DH has been kindly taking care of me - and thankfully has been getting out of work early almost every day this week so far - he's been sending me to bed early, taking Tommy out to the park, making dinner, doing the laundry, and today he offered to make me lunch, well, he started, and then I took over, because that's just how I roll in my kitchen. Unless I'm completely out of the room, I need to be involved or doing it myself. He came up with an idea to make me a black bean burrito, but really meant to say a quesadilla - once I found out he was trying to make a quesadilla, I knew we didn't have enough tortillas, so I then came up with a Mexican pizza type of thing. He heated a cast iron pan (no pampered chef reference, since they don't do cast iron) on med, then we threw in a tortilla shell and lightly browned it on both sides, then he spread on the heated re-fried black beans, added a thin layer of Mexican cheese, then I put on a thin layer of sour cream, and added my chopped spicy raw mix on top, squirted on some lime juice, put a fine shake of cumin and then topped it all off with the slices of avocado and some shredded Mexican cheese. Let me say, after I blew my nose and could taste, it was a deliciously marvelous way to incorporate raw garlic, raw onion and vitamin C into my diet.

To make the spicy raw mix:
put 3 slices of jalapeño, a slice of onion, a large clove of garlic and a bunch of leaves of cilantro into the lid of the Food Chopper and "slap-chopped" it until it was finely chopped. (Yes, there were jokes referring to the "slap-chopper" made in the process)

To do some other shameless self-promotions, I LOVE my adjustable measuring spoons - I measure out all my dry ingredients first, the go to the oils, then other liquids. It makes it so easy and convenient, and there's less to get misplaced and take up room in my small kitchen. Another product I love are my stainless mixing bowl set -they nest, they have grippy bottoms AND they have thumb holes for when you need to scrape out the insides, you don't have to rest it in the crook of your arm any more and get the batter all over your clothes. Another kitchen essential are the 1-cup prep bowl sets - they're great because they have measurements on the side AND they come with lids - so if your recipe calls for only egg whites, you don't have to waste the yolk down the disposal or trash, just put it in the prep bowl, put a lid on it and refrigerate for your hollandaise sauce or home made mayonnaise or add it to your omelet in the morning! My last promo is for the whisks - both the stainless whisk and the mini-whipper. The stainless whisk whipps my egg whites so much faster than my old whisk and the mini-whipper is great for fast projects - I actually own 3 mini-whippers, two are in my counter top tool holder, and the other one T loves playing with and "helping." I will offer you an incentive to buy: if you place a product order of $60 or more and mention that you read about this in my blog, I will throw in a mini-whipper, and you get to choose one of three dessert sauces: chocolate raspberry, chocolate almond, or caramel - orders must be placed midnight, December 4th. To order, send me an e-mail including the product name, number, your name, address, telephone number and when you want me to call you so I can get your billing information (if you send an e-mail at night, I won't get back to you until the next day) - I will only take credit card payments when ordering this way - especially if you're out of state.

What better way to pamper your favorite chef (or yourself) this Christmas?

Visit: http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/shopOnline.tpc to view the catalog!

More Pumpkins!!!

2010-11-12T16:43:00.000-05:00

The amount of pumpkin puree is starting to slightly dwindle in my refrigerator - I put one of the big containers in the freezer, and the other one, well, it's still over half full, even though today I made pumpkin pie AND pumpkin roll.

Here's the pumpkin pie recipe, I found it on www.cooking.com:

Famous Pumpkin Pie

Source: Thanksgiving 101

Active Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour	Makes 8 servings

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This recipe has been on the can of Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin for more than thirty years--mildly spiced, smooth, and just about perfect. Not for nothing is it truly "famous." Libby's estimates that more than fifty-five million pumpkin pies are made from their canned pumpkin every Thanksgiving. For classic results, mix the ingredients by hand in the order given.

INGREDIENTS

Perfect Piecrust 101 for a Single-Crust Pie

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

One 15-ounce can Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin (1 3/4 cups)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk or 1 1/2 cups half and half

Sweetened Whipped Cream

DIRECTIONS

Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pie dough. Flute the dough so the edge stands about 1/2 inch above the rim. (Libby's does not suggest this, but to reduce crust shrinkage, loosely cover the shell with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes.) Discard plastic wrap before filled pie.

Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and place a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In the order given, place all the remaining ingredients except the whipped cream in a large bowl and mix well. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Place on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire cake rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The pie can be baked up to 1 day ahead.) Serve chilled, with the whipped cream.

FOR DEEP-DISH PUMPKIN PIE (made with frozen crust): Substitute one 9-inch (4-cup capacity) deep-dish frozen pie shell for the homemade crust. Preheat the oven, and a baking sheet, as above, to 375 degrees F. While the oven preheats, allow the crust to thaw for 20 minutes. Recrimp the pie shell so the edge stands 1/2 inch above the rim. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the pie tests done with a knife as above, about 70 minutes. (I made this one)

FOR DOUBLE-BATCH PUMPKIN PIE (made with frozen crusts): The pumpkin mixture will fill two regular (not deep-dish) piecrusts. Let the crusts thaw slightly while you mix the filling. Preheat the oven, and a baking sheet, as above, to 375 degrees F. Pour the filling into the crusts and bake until the pies test done as above, about 45 minutes.

NOTE: The pie can be baked up to 1 day ahead.

And the Pumpkin-Pecan Cake Roll also found on www.cooking.com

Pumpkin-Pecan Cake Roll

Source:


	12 Servings

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INGREDIENTS

For the Cake Roll:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cooked or canned pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Confectioners' sugar

For the Filling:

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Line a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs for 5 minutes. Add the sugar, flour, pumpkin, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Add lemon juice. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan; sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in towel, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients; beat until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again; place seam side down on a serving platter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Special Offer: Take advantage of a special offer for Cooking.com guests and subscribe today to Taste of Home magazine! Click for details.

Nutrition Information
12 Servings - Facts Per Serving:

Guest Blogger on "Family Planning as God Intended"

2010-11-12T13:39:00.002-05:00

This post is brought to you by a guest blogger, Matt Phillips, who thought that my readers would be interested in this topic.

As you know, my husband and I use, as a means of "responsible parenthood," and teach the sympto-thermal method of Natural Family Planning (NFP) through the Couple to Couple League (CCL). We are avid advocates for the "Culture of Life."

Thank you Matt Phillips for your insight on this topic!

Family Planning as God Intended

by Matthew Phillips

Most devout Christians today agree that natural family planning is the only valid form of birth control. However, the acceptance of alternate, dangerous forms of unnatural contraception is a very real and often misunderstood threat to young couples. Many families have opted for more convenient forms of contraception to control their family size. Even worse, unmarried, young couples have also begun utilizing these forms of birth control to recklessly satisfy their physical desires. More troubling still are the countless young people engaging in sex without restraint because an assortment of modern contraceptives makes it outwardly convenient and safe.
The entire notion of unnatural birth control methods perverts the very notion of children and the family itself. The use of contraceptives is also an irresponsible act which goes against God’s will. “Children too are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward,” (Psalm 127:3 NAB) the bible states.
Indeed, couples who view sex as an acceptable activity before marriage fail to live life for the glory of God. Children, for these sexually-active, unmarried couples, become viewed as a burden. This is in direct opposition to the bible’s assertion that children are a gift to be cherished. Through the use of unnatural contraceptives that promote premarital sex, the entire bond of a relationship is corrupted, with sexual gratification replacing true forms of connection.
Mutual partner respect also becomes less important to the selfish gratification derived from premarital sex. This diminished respect is particularly prevalent towards women, who bear the burden of most premarital sex consequences and are usually blamed for unintended pregnancy. Viewing unintended pregnancy as the fault of the female, many men force full blame on their partner for an act which is by its very definition mutual. Many men use this blame to justify their partner’s use of immoral contraception.
This disrespect further manifests itself in society today as dangerous, sometimes deadly, forms of contraception are carelessly endorsed everywhere, from the media to schools. Unfortunately, the most dangerous of these birth control options, oral contraceptives, are also the most popular. Unquestionably, the temptation for sexually active, misguided young women to turn to these drugs is easily understood. These drugs require women only take a pill or affix a patch each day to engage in all the pregnancy-free sex they can want. Unfortunately, dangerous side effects are widespread.
Oral contraceptives are literally hormone-altering drugs, affecting the mental, physical and emotional states of women. Furthermore, these hormonal methods, while up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy, can falsely imply complete protection to other outcomes of casual sex, including sexually transmitted diseases. Obviously, for young women initially misguided enough to use this product, this is a legitimate concern.
Although the potential misconceptions about these drugs are disturbing, the physical consequence of these pills is additional dangerous information that many women are largely unaware of. In truth, oral contraceptives can actually lead to permanent side effects, like the possibility of infertility. Originally introduced in the 1960’s, evidence today links the growing use of these oral contraceptives with the rise of cancer seen in U.S. women. Although easily dismissed by their harmless appearance, these drugs literally upset numerous features of life including sexuality, emotional wellbeing and physical health.
The sheer number of accusations against oral contraceptive companies, exemplified by pending Yaz lawsuit, illustrates just how serious the health consequences of these pills are. Users of Yaz, currently the most popular oral contraceptive, have experienced severe side effects and even death. Heart attack, stroke, blood clots, pulmonary embolisms and gallbladder disease are just a few of the other consequences that have been linked to oral contraceptive use.
With all the destructive costs to religion, health and family, unnatural forms of birth control are obviously a flawed method of pregnancy suppression. For all those same reasons and more, natural family planning remains the obvious choice to preserve the sanctity of life. While we are all undeniably flawed and will continue to make mistakes, it’s imperative we resist settling on these dangerous forms of family planning because of their outward convenience. Fortunately, remembering that living in the manner God intended is the only worthy life will guide young couples through all the difficult decisions they must make regarding family, faith and love.

Resources for article:
Natural Family Planning, Oral Contraceptives, Yaz Lawsuit, Permanent side effects

There are many resources for learning about NFP if you don't already know about it. NFP is strongly encouraged and recommended in the Catholic Church, as well as other Christian religions. It is even being touted for it's environmentally friendliness in the secular world as well - no worries of scarring or ectopic pregnancies that lead to infertility from IUD use, no harm to the ecosystem through excess hormones in the water supplies, it's entirely organic, you don't even need to use paper with the on-line charting, and the best part is that you get to know YOUR body - even better than your health care providers!

For sympto-thermal methods (between 100% to 99.7% effective with proper training) contact the Couple-to-Couple League (http://ccli.org/), Creighton (http://www.creightonmodel.com/ - and check out NaPro on their site for couples experiencing infertility or women experiencing other gyn issues), and Natural Family Planning International, Inc. (http://www.nfpandmore.org/).

For the ovulation method contact a Billings instructor (http://www.boma-usa.org/), or check out Family of the Americas (http://www.familyplanning.net/).

Here are other resources on why you should choose NFP:
The Contraception Misconception
Natural Family Planning - the Key to Intimacy
Marital Chastity and Natural Family Planning

If you have any questions or would like to know more about NFP, please feel free to contact me or check out the links above! Let's win over the culture of death with the culture of life!

A Pumpkin Time of Year

2010-11-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

Motivated by the cool and overcast weather, I was on a mission to use the pumpkins and butternut squash my Aunt and Uncle had given me from their garden. I have made toasted Creole butternut squash seeds and toasted cinnamon and sugar pumpkin seeds. The butternut squash was made into soup and the pumpkin was pureed. The first pumpkin recipe I made was this delicious pumpkin "brownie" - found on Cooks.com

Pumpkin Brownies

Source: www.BnBFinder.com

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INGREDIENTS

1 15-ounce can of pumpkin

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 container whipped topping or cream cheese frosting (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together eggs, oil, pumpkin, and sugars. Stir in remaining ingredients until evenly mixed. Pour into a greased and floured 9-by-13 inch baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until center springs back when touched.

Top with whipped topping or cream cheese frosting! Great way to use those left over pumpkins!

~ Enjoy~

Building Your Marriage and Apple Dumpling Recipe

2010-11-07T09:02:00.005-05:00

Sure, my marriage certainly isn't "perfect" - we definitely have our moments, but on the whole, I am VERY happy with my marriage. I am head-over-heels in love with my lovingly handsome groom who I married almost 3 years ago. I am always trying to find ways to make our marriage better, and I know two things I really have to work on is the way I say things to my husband, I don't always ask him to do things in the most polite ways, and I know that I am critical of some of the things he does and the way he does it.

But we do make sure we make time for each other, when the Navy allows it. We say "I love you" a lot. I am working on showing "I love you" - like baking him apple dumplings and having them ready when he came home from work after being on the ship for over 48hrs and didn't get to sleep - and he came home to a semi-cleaned home - I had the kitchen and bathrooms spotless by Friday afternoon. We do things together, as much as we can. We definitely apologize after big blow ups, although I think my apology could have been much better this last time. Perhaps my listening skills could use some honing and we definitely need to pray more together, in fact, we both came out of confession yesterday with the same penance, to work on our prayer life - and we discussed ways we can work on it together.

Below is Danielle Bean's article on 7 Ways to Build Your Marriage and below that is my recipe for Baked Apple Dumplings - they were YUMMY!!! My hubby kept talking about his grandma's apple turnovers, but since I didn't have the ingredients for the turnovers, but the dumplings, I decided on this recipe.

7 Ways to Build Your Marriage

BY DANIELLE BEAN Friday, November 05, 2010 9:06 AM

1. Make time for each other. Busy family life and work schedules will never leave wide open spaces in which to connect with your husband or wife. You need to make spending time together a priority and then MAKE the time for it. Your married “dates” don’t all have to be fancy dinners out with paid babysitters, though. You can schedule time for coffee together in the morning, open a bottle of wine after the kids have gone to bed, or watch a movie on a lazy weekend afternoon. Just spend that time together.

2. Say “I love you.” I’ve heard some wives complain that saying “I love you” all the time when leaving each other or ending a phone call can become routine and therefore (they think) meaningless, but I think “I love you” should be routine. It can be said in more meaningful moments, too, of course, but committed love is supposed to be a routine, “given” part of your married relationship. Make it a habit! Say it often!

3. Show “I love you.” The real problem with verbal “I love you’s” comes when they aren’t backed up by loving actions. In married life, small things can go a long way toward making your spouse feel cherished. Noticing his or her preferences and needs and making small efforts toward making those things happen will make your spouse’s heart soar. What will it be? A surprise clean kitchen sink? An organized tie rack? A favorite drink or snack? Make it happen.

4. Do things together. Nothing builds a marriage like shared goals. Hopefully you and your spouse already share long-term goals like getting to heaven and the health and well-being of your children, but shorter-term goals are equally important parts of building a healthy marriage. Plan a household project together, cook a meal together, or set fitness goals you can share. Bonding is made of small stuff like this!

5. Apologize. “I’m sorry” are some of the most healing words you can ever speak in your marriage. It’s easy for couples who live together in a committed relationship to take one another for granted and hurt each other’s feelings with thoughtless words and actions. If you’ve been fighting, even if your spouse shares some of the blame, never hesitate to say “I’m sorry” and work toward reconciliation. The sooner, the better.

6. Listen. Women have a (mostly well-earned) reputation for being the “communicators” in our relationships. Men can support their wives by practicing the fine art of just listening when their wives want to vent about negative feelings, anxieties, or personal challenges. Don’t “fix” us, please. Just listen and support. A wife can support her less chatty husband by respecting a man’s quieter approach to problems and not attempting to force him to talk them through. His silence says, “I need some time to work through this right now and am not ready to talk yet.” Listen to that. Respect that.

7. Pray. Pray for your marriage alone and pray with your spouse (if he or she is willing). Ask God to shower your relationship with the graces you gained in the sacrament of matrimony. Pray to your spouse’s guardian angel, asking for protection and the grace to draw closer to Christ. Offer small sacrifices for your spouse’s intentions, especially during challenging times.

(Well look at that, it’s Friday and I made a list of seven things. Let’s go ahead and call this a 7 Quick Takes post ... See them all and post your own at ConversionDiary.com.)

Baked Apple Dumplings
Serves 8
Modified from Cook's Country Oct/Nov 2009
"Apple dumplings are a home-spun combination of warm pastry, concentrated apple flavor, raisins, butter, and cinnamon. In the 19th century, every homemaker could toss off a biscuit or pie dough and deftly wrap it 'round the stuffed apples. They tied up the dumplings in cheesecloth, boiled or steamed them, and served them with sauce; latter-day cooks prefer to bake them. The dumplings were so loved that in the animated 1937 classic film, Snow White's ability to make them persuaded the Seven Dwarfs to let her stay. Somehow they've fallen off our collective radar screen, but we [Cook's Country] say if a Disney cartoon character could make apple dumplings, surely the modern American cook can." - by Diane Unger

Dough:

Pilsbury Pie crusts
[note: Cook's Country has their own biscuit recipe, but we, Dan and I, didn't find the issues Cook's Country had with the store bought pie crusts...]

Apple Dumplings:

6 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

3 Tbsp raisins, chopped

4 med Golden Delicious apples

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. Make Dough. Using both pie crusts in package, follow directions on package on when to unroll dough - depending on if it was frozen or refrigerated. Cut both crusts into the largest square you can - and then cut that square into 4 squares, set aside, and keep scraps in case a hole appears. Refrigerate while preparing the next step.

2. Prep Apples. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. In second bowl, combine butter, raisins, and 3 Tbsp cinnamon sugar mixture. Peel apples and halve through equator. Remove core and seeds by using a melon baller, taking care not to pierce the bottom of the apple halves. Divide the butter/sugar mixture among the apple halves, filling the hallows.

3. Assemble Dumplings. On lightly floured surface, roll out squares into 6" x 6" squares. Working one at a time, lightly brush edges of dough square with egg white and place apple, cut-side up, in center of each square. Fold the corners of dough up to enclose the apple halves, overlapping and crimping to seal. Using a paring knife, cut vent hole in top of each dumpling.

4. Finish Apples. Line rimmed baking sheet (or two pie pans, as I used) with parchment paper (important - I learned from my bread baking not to substitute wax paper when it calls for parchment !!!). Arrange dumplings on baking sheet. Brush tops with egg white and sprinkled with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until dough is glden brown and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes. Serve with Cider Sauce.

Cider Sauce
Makes approx 1 1/2 Cups
1 Cup apple cider

1 Cup water

1 Cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring cider, water, sugar and cinnamon to simmer in saucepan and cook over med-hi heat until thickened. and reduced to 1 1/2 C, abt 15 min. Off heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice. Drizzle over dumplings to serve.

*Note because you are keeping the stem and blossom ends intact, be sure to tell your loved ones/guests to be careful when they get to the middle bottom of their apple! :) If it bothers you to keep the ends intact, when you're coring the apples, plug the bottom of the holes with apple slivers.

~Enjoy~

Komen for the Cure Donated $730K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2009

2010-10-19T21:21:00.000-04:00

This is why I don't buy any "pink" Komen products. This is sickening!

Komen for the Cure Donated $730K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz in 2009

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 12, 2010

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- October is the month for breast cancer awareness, but it's difficult for pro-life advocates to lend their support to one of the primary organizations involved in the fight against breast cancer because it has provided contributions to the Planned parenthood abortion business.

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has long denied that abortion plays any role in elevating the risk for women of contracting the deadly disease.

That's despite a wealth of research over decades showing an average increased risk of about 40 percent for women having abortions compared to those who carry their pregnancy to term.

But the contributions Komen affiliates make to Planned Parenthood, which does more than 25 percent of all abortions in the United States and aggressively promotes abortion abroad, provide another sources of frustration for pro-life people who otherwise would support the group.

In a new interview with the Daily Caller, Komen spokesman John Hammarley provided the latest figures showing the link between the two groups.

He confirmed 20 of Komen’s 122 affiliates have made donations to Planned Parenthood and, last year, those contributions totaled $731,303 -- which confirms earlier pro-life analysis of Komen's figures on its web site LifeNews.com reported earlier this year.

The Komen spokesman also confirmed Komen affiliates contributed about $3.3 million to the abortion business from 2004-2009.

Hammarley sought to play down the funding by saying it's a small percentage of Komen's income or expenses.

“That $731,303 is less than one percent of the entire amount of community grant funding that affiliates around the country contribute,” Hammarley said.

He also told the Daily Caller that the funding is closely monitored to ensure the money does not go to pay for abortions directly, but breast cancer screening projects Planned Parenthood sponsors. But, for pro-life advocates, how Planned Parenthood uses the money is less important than the fact that the abortion business receives the funds and doesn't have to use money it makes from abortions to pay for the screenings.

“No matter whether they are giving $500,000 a year to Planned Parenthood, or $5, people who respect the dignity of human life and are trying to save people with disease don't want any part of their money going to an organization that is subsidizing an abortion provider,” Bioethics Defense Fund attorney Dorinda Bordlee told the news web site.

Another problem for pro-life advocates is the fact that Planned Parenthood is reducing the number of breast cancer screenings while increasing its abortions.

According to the 2008 Annual Report from Planned Parenthood, breast cancer services decreased by 4% and abortion procedures increased by 6%.

The longtime ties between Komen and Planned Parenthood may have resulted in some backlash from the pro-life community. The Komen annual report reveals Komen brought in almost $22 million less, or 6% less, in 2009 than it made in 2008. That could be a result of the difficult economic times or may also come as a result of pro-life advocates increasingly boycotting Komen.

Meanwhile, the newest research on the link between abortion and breast cancer reveals abortion certainly plays a role in increasing the breast cancer risk.

A January 2010 study called abortion a "known risk factor" for breast cancer and cited a study conducted by the prestigious Janet Daling group of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Daling and her colleagues showed between a 20 and 50 percent increased breast cancer risk for women having abortions compare to those who carried their pregnancies to term.

And microbiologist Dr. Gerard Nadal, who has a PhD in Molecular Microbiology from St John's University in New York, has spent 16 years teaching science, most recently at Manhattan College, has been profiling more than 100 studies on his blog showing abortion's link to breast cancer.

And you think PP does good by offering adoption and prenatal services?? Look at the numbers in this article:

Must-see graphic: Planned Parenthood’s Abortions vs. Adoptions

by Thomas Peters
39 days ago

RSS

Planned Parenthood continually tries to downplay how much of their total “business” per year is performing abortions. One of the ways they try to accomplish this is by mentioning how many adoptions and prenatal services they provide. I think this graphic helps put their claims into context (2008 is the most recent year they’ve reported the number of abortions, adoptions and prenatal services performed):

The number of abortions provide by Planned Parenthood has increased from 305,310 in 2007 to 324,008 in 2008 while adoption referrals are down to 2,405 in 2008 from 4,912 in 2007. Their factsheet also reveals that the number of prenatal clients dropped from 10,914 in 2007 to 9,433 in 2008.

Here is a pie chart to show what PP has done in the most recent year (2008):

In other words, 96.3% of Planned Parenthood’s services to women in 2008 were abortions, and the other 3.7% were adoptions and prenatal care (I’m not a math major so someone is welcome to review my calculations).

Keep these charts in mind the next time someone tries to tell you that Planned Parenthood clinics also promote adoption and provide prenatal services.

ERGObaby carrier giveaway!

2010-10-05T07:01:00.000-04:00

I love baby wearing. I borrowed my friend's ERGO carrier last year to try it out and fell in love, and got a cheaper knock-off for Christmas and I'm not as impressed as I was with the ERGO. Mom's Milk Boutique is having an ERGObaby Carrier giveaway, find out more about it at this link. Below is from their web page:

We LOVE Babywearing! Plus want to thank you all for being our fans by giving away one of our favorite products – an ERGObaby Carrier in your choice of Black, Camel or Cranberry!

ERGObaby Carrier

WHY CHOOSE ERGO?

The ERGO Baby Carrier’s ergonomic design supports a correct sitting position for the baby’s hip, pelvis and spine growth. It disperses most of the baby’s weight between the hips and thighs, which helps to eliminate compression of the spine when hanging by the crotch which most other designs require. The ERGO also balances the baby’s weight to parents’ hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.

HOW TO ENTER:

In order to enter you must complete all 5 steps. Please comment on at least one of the steps with your email address in this format – “name at host dot com” to avoid spam, but make our ability to contact/find you easier! Please comment only one time per step. You may use the EXTRA ENTRY comment as many times as you qualify.

Like us on Facebook and comment that you are a fan.
Use Google Friend Connect and follow us on the blog (lower right hand side “Natural Mama”) and comment that you are a follower.
Like ERGObaby Carriers on Facebook.
Comment and tell us your favorite ERGObaby Carrier color/style.
Share this blog giveaway link in two different places – a blog, forum, Twitter or Facebook are all acceptable, but must do two different places (cannot do both on FB or both on Twitter, etc.) then comment with two links to where you left them. Use the hashtag #babywearing.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

ANY orders you make at Mom’s Milk Boutique between 10.4.10 thru 10.15.10 comment with your order #.
Start a thread or comment about this ERGObaby giveaway on any chat room! Post the url of your comment.
Start a new discussion or respond to a current discussion on our Facebook Discussions tab.
Become a fan of TheBabyWearer.com on Facebook.
Become a fan of the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance on Facebook.

Entries much be completed by 11:59 pm EST on October 15, 2010. Winner will be selected randomly and must have completed all 5 steps. If all 5 steps were not completed, another winner will be chosen. Winner will be announced that weekend! Contest open to residents of USA. Contest void where prohibited by law.

Faith & Family : Features : Crazy, But True

2010-09-14T09:58:00.000-04:00

I saw people commenting on the "Eat, Pray, Love" book and movie...but I had an inkling that it was a book filled with hedonistic secular humanism. And after reading this review, I am glad I didn't entertain the notion. (here's the link to the article on Faith & Family - http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/features/crazy_but_true)

Crazy, But True

An at-home mom examines Eat, Pray, Love

by Marion Fernandez-Cueto in Reviews on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 6:00 AM

Eat, Pray, Love is yesterday’s news, I know. Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling travelogue, along with the subsequent chick flick released last month, has been celebrated, excoriated, emulated and otherwise dissected ad nauseum.

I’m late to the party, but my appetite’s unspoiled.

You see, that book—and the international fixation it spawned—still gets me. I saw the movie last week in an irritated attempt to rout my own fixation for good, and though I was relieved to find myself yawning (twice!), there’s something about Eat, Pray, Love I can’t quite shake. Like a familiar old temptation, it still appeals and repulses and frustrates.

The appealing part needs little explanation: for the uninitiated, it involves abandoning a dreary suburban existence for the mouthwatering smorgasbords of sun-dappled Italy (eat); soothing meditation in an Indian ashram (pray); and romance with an oh-so-attentive Brazilian hunk under the swaying palms of Bali (love). If that doesn’t entice you at least a bit, either I’m describing it wrong, or you can stop reading now.

The repulsive part—that Gilbert dumped her husband and their family plans at the start of the saga, had a wild fling on the rebound, secured a book advance before her “search for meaning” even commenced, and then eloquently navel-gazed her way around the world to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars—is also self-evident.

A Gorgeous Lie

It’s the frustrating aspect of Eat, Pray, Love that’s harder to pin down.

Catholics more grounded than I have been able to roll their eyes at the book’s self-indulgence (“I mean, c’mon—Oprah recommended it!” one friend sniffed) and redirect their attention without one backward glance.

Not me. Because while the self-fulfillment celebrated in Eat, Pray, Love is essentially a lie—100-proof narcissism, straight up—it’s a gorgeous, top-shelf lie, with a narrow twist of truth to it, and it goes down easy.

It’s that gorgeous, truth-twisting part that keeps frustrating me: all that beauty … wrapped up in a lie.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof,” says the Psalm, and the “fullness” described by Gilbert—the entrancing beauty of South Sea sunsets and gelato on the piazza, of delightful new friends in exotic cities, hushed contemplation in unspoiled valleys, and the sensation of falling helplessly in love, is real. Real and true and unspeakably lovely. Beauty, in fact, is everywhere in Eat, Pray, Love, and it has God’s signature all over it.

But the ugliness is just as ubiquitous. There’s infidelity, promiscuity, selfishness and idolatry of every kind—all that St. John refers to as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of the world.” Things not of the Father, but of the father of lies.

And yet it is these things the author hails as her salvation.

Salvation Without a Savior

For me, the great tragedy of the Eat, Pray, Love phenomenon is that, like every seduction, it makes a promise it cannot fulfill: A woman overwhelmed by the awful, clawing emptiness of her life sets out on a quest for answers and meaning, and returns with counterfeit solutions: love without faithfulness or sacrifice; forgiveness without repentance; enlightenment without truth, redemption without the Cross, and salvation without a Savior.

“God” she decides in India, “exists in me, as me,” and that mantra perfectly epitomizes the problem with Eat, Pray, Love: It might sound true … but it’s crazy.

My heart aches for the author, and for her countless admirers who have embarked on replicate searches for gurus and soul mates. They have all been given a stone instead of bread. Because that terrible, infinite, God-sized hole that exists in our lives can only be filled by Something equally infinite. All of the yearning God’s beautiful creation stirs up in our hearts can only find a home in Him. As Simone Weil wrote, “The longing to love the beauty of the world in a human being is essentially the longing for the Incarnation [and] the Incarnation alone can satisfy it.”

Of course, I often forget that reality, concupiscent creature that I am. As a stay-at-home mom with wistful memories of my own pre-family travels, I still struggle to accept the fact that my life may never again involve cappuccinos in Rome, baguettes in Paris, hikes in the Alps, processions in Lourdes, or resorts on Caribbean islands. I miss those things, and I miss them terribly. And yet I am tormented less and less by the suspicion that I am missing out on life by serving my family here in suburbia.

Because I have found the Bread of Life, and He alone can feed my restless hunger.

Encounter With Christ

I know now that it would be possible for me to travel to India and Bali and every other fabulous destination, explore the wonders of the world till I am glutted, and somehow return even emptier than I left. That fact hardly surprises me anymore.

What I find endlessly astonishing, and no less true, is that I can encounter the living Christ by merely making dinner for my kids, greeting a neighbor, whispering a prayer, or smiling at my husband—if only my heart is open to His presence. Because of the Incarnation, I can draw near to the meaning of the universe, indeed, the Master of the universe, right here where I am, performing the largely unglamorous routines of work and home and liturgy. And this ongoing encounter with Christ—it alone—has the capacity to become “a spring of water within, welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

To say it is enough to find God in life’s ordinary circumstances is not a smug retort to the likes of Eat, Pray, Love. It is a stunning truth. When, through grace, we unite our hearts (however fickle) and our daily activities (however mundane) to God, the source and summit of all love, truth and beauty, we are allowed to touch something of eternity, something of what it means to“know with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, [and to] be filled with all the fullness of God.”(Ephesians 3:19)

Only God is enough, as St. Teresa said—and we have Him. When we partake of the Eucharist, we eat, pray to and love the only true Savior, the One who “came that they might have life, and have it abundantly”; a God who pours Himself out in selfless love to the point of death, and shows us we can only find lasting happiness and freedom by doing the same for others.

It might sound crazy … but it’s true.

—Marion Fernandez-Cueto writes from Houston, TX. She was baptized into the Catholic Church in 2000.

12 Tips for Praying the Family Rosary daily (Attention Catholic Dads)

2010-09-14T09:42:00.000-04:00

I have to be honest, we don't pray a daily Family Rosary - yet. Nevertheless, it IS something I would really like to get into the practice of, and get all family members on board (ahem...). I came across this great article and wanted to share it with all of you, and hopefully we can slowly ease our way into praying a Family Rosary. Perhaps we can start small - a monthly rosary, then after a few months, go to every other week, and then weekly, then possibly a DAILY Family Rosary. I just read a quote yesterday, but I don't remember where I found it, but it said never worry about loving Holy Mary too much, Jesus loves her more than any of us possibly could. :)

12 Tips for Praying the Family Rosary daily (Attention Catholic Dads)

Posted by Taylor Marshall

A reader of CTales recently wrote me privately about tips for starting a daily family Rosary.

The Family Rosary is one of those bedrock devotions for the family recommended by the saints and spiritual masters. The Blessed Virgin Mary herself asked all Christians to pray the "one third {i.e. 5 decades} of the Holy Rosary daily" in her message at Fatima.

The Popes have also attached a "plenary indulgence" to those who pray 5 decades of the Rosary "as a family" (when the other usual conditions are met*). This plenary indulgence cannot be obtained by private recitation - only in the context of a "family" recitation. This stipulation demonstrates that the Catholic Church privileges praying the Rosary as a family. The reason for this is that the Rosary is the "rose garden" of sanctify for children. As the Holy Spirit teaches us: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Saint Louis de Montfort gives us another eight more reasons for praying the Rosary daily:

1. It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. It purifies our souls, washing away sin.
3. It gives us victory over all our enemies
4. It makes it easy for us to practice virtue
5. It sets us on fire with love of Our Blessed Lord
6. It enriches us with graces and merits
7. It supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellow men, and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God
8. It gives us the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the science of salvation through our meditations on His life, death, Passion and glory.

Okay, are you convinced? The family Rosary is the most powerful tool you have for edifying your family in grace.

So how do you get a bunch of children under the age of reason (or above the age of reason) to pray 5 decades of the Rosary every day? How can they sit still for 15 minutes? Is it possible?

Here are some tips on how to maintain the daily family Rosary. My wife and I have five children ages 8, 6, 6 (twins), 4, and 2. We pray five decades every night - though there are exceptions. We're not perfect, but we try.

Twelve Tips for Praying the Family Rosary Daily

Pray using alternation (The father prays first half of Our Father and everyone else prays second half - same goes for Hail Mary and Glory be).
Pray the Rosary after dinner but right before bed - this means homework needs to be finished before dinner. Homework kills the Rosary if you don't stay on top of it. You'll also need to say goodbye to watching prime time television - since this is the ideal window of praying together as a family.
Pray the Holy Rosary always at the same place at the exact same time. Devotions become strong - even invincible - by constant custom and habit.
Pray the Rosary in a special room and set up a little altar with a Bible on it, candles, a statue or image, holy water, or a relic.
Dim the lights and light the candles when you begin. If you let the little ones light the candles - they will love it. Kids love fire. Make this a "special time" different from other times. We even burn incense on our domestic altar on feast days. (You can do this easily by placing a little metal screen over a votive candle and then by placing a few grains of incense on the screen. It's fast and easy. This way you don't have use charcoal.)
Maybe begin with a hymn or Bible reading to slow things down and set the tone.
The father sets the example. I recommend that the father kneel for the whole Rosary. This communicates importance and solemnity to the Rosary. Children attach importance to what dad does, e.g. mowing lawn, going to work, driving the "dad car," etc.
Make it a rule that the child who prays all the responses and volunteers to lead a mystery (10 beads) gets to stay up 10 minutes more than everyone that night - at our house this means you get to watch baseball or have a book read to you. This may be the most important tip. Kids under 7 or 8 need this sort of incentive. If you tell a 6 year old, pray the Rosary so that you receive grace and sanctity - they don't get it. If you say, pray the Rosary so that you can stay up and read a book with me - they'll hit their knees and pray like angels.
The one who gets to stay up also gets to blow out the candle at the end. This gives another incentive to pray the prayers - especially for the younger ones. For some reason, blowing out the candle is a really big deal to younger children. (Kids love fire!!!). You'd be amazed how a four year old will attempt to stay still if he can only place a grain of incense on a flame or blow out a candle. (Did I mention that kids love fire?)
End with invoking everyone's patron saint (your children's names, confirmation names, and other patrons). E.g. "Saint Thomas: pray for us. Saint Jude: pray for us. Saint Anne: pray for us." Always finish with St Joseph and then Holy Mary Mother of God. Then say "Sacred Heart of Jesus: have mercy on us," three times. If you're shooting for the plenary indulgence, make sure to pray an Our Father and Hail Mary for the Pope.
If family Rosary is new, start with one decade for a week. Then go to three for a week. Then go to five decades on the third week. Then don't ever stop.
After the daily Rosary is established in your home, have each child announce a mystery and pray the whole decade. This gives them confidence in praying and makes it natural. Plus, they'll learn to memorize all the mysteries of the Holy Rosary - which means they will have memorized the biblical account of Christ's life, death, and glory! This is why the Rosary is called "the Bible on beads."

If you do this, then you'll be producing saints for the future. If you're an older reader of CTales and your children are grown up - please pray for all the younger parents so that they can persevere in this. It's not easy at first - and we newer parents need all the help we can get!

ad Jesum per Mariam,
Taylor

* The other usual conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence (full remission of temporal punishment - the kind remitted in purgatory) is to receive Holy Communion on that day, receive the sacrament of Penance within "about 20 days," prayer for the Pope, and full detachment from all sins.

10 Things All New Parents Should Know

2010-09-12T06:59:00.000-04:00

I love this article. I agree with my friend at BestMilk Bistro who says this article should be handed out at every baby shower - also at a birthing class, and it should be given to every new patient seen who's pregnant! I'm a bit passionate about this, it's just my thing. Enjoy the article

~ CindyO

by PHDINPARENTING on AUGUST 4, 2008

As parents, we’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all seen other parents make mistakes. In some cases, the mistakes are due to poor information and in other cases just poor judgement. The poor judgement part is, in my mind, just part of learning the art of parenting. It is something you learn through experience and by observing like-minded parents and hopefully your judgement improves with time.

But poor information is a problem. The science of parenting continues to evolve. We know better now about a lot of things and therefore do things differently than our parents did. However, a lot of people turn to their parents, their older siblings, friends with older children, and other trusted people in their lives for advice on raising their children. Or they just get given the advice, unsolicited.

With the intent of dispelling some of the misinformation out there, I put together a list of the things that I think all new parents should know (of course, I’ll check the most recent studies before giving this same advice to my kids as they embark on parenthood in a few decades time!).

10 Things Every New Parent Should Know

1. You cannot spoil a child with love: So many new parents hear well-meaning people telling them that they are spoiling their baby by holding him and responding to his needs. But you cannot spoil a child with love. You can only spoil a child by giving the child stuff as a replacement for the time and attention that you are not able to give your child. This great article discusses the issue in more detail: Am I Spoiling My Child?

2. You should be responsive to your child’s cries:Your baby does not need to exercise her lungs. She doesn’t need to learn to self-soothe. What she needs are parents that understand that a baby’s cry is her only way of communicating with you and she uses it to tell you that she needs something or that she needs you. It is important to respond to your baby’s cries both to meet her most basic needs and to give her a sense of security that she will carry through life. Excessive crying can be harmful to babies. Another part of being responsive to your child is watching for cues (crying is the last cue – once the others have been missed!) to tell you when your baby is hungry and when she is tired. You don’t need to implement a schedule for feeding and for sleep, you should watch your baby instead to determine when feeding and sleeping times should be.

3. Discipline means teach: New parents worry that they need to “discipline” their child. But often when they say discipline, they mean spanking or punishing. However, the word discipline means to teach. That is what parents need to do. They need to guide and teach their children. In the same way that we do not expect a first grader to learn calculus, it is important to understand what age appropriate behaviour is and to shape your expectations of your child and your discipline (teaching) according to what a child can reasonably be expected to understand at any given age.

4. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for 2 years or beyond: So many mothers think that they need to start weaning when their baby gets teeth. Or they need to wean when they introduce solid foods. Or they need to wean when they go back to work. This last one is the one I hear most often here in Canada where we have one year maternity leave. I hear mothers that loved breastfeeding talk about how they have to wean because they are going back to work. That is not the case. Moms can continue breastfeeding on demand when they are with the baby and just not nurse while at work during the day. They can, of course, choose to pump while at work (I still pump once per day for my daughter who is 16 months, but I stopped pumping at 1 year with my son), but they don’t have to. Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be all or nothing, it is possible to set limits or to partially wean, but still keep nursing in certain situations or at certain times of day. I think if more mothers knew this, more of them might be willing to nurse up to the WHO recommendation of 2 years or beyond. I recognize that not all mothers want to nurse for that long and that some babies do self-wean before that age. However, I think it is too bad when mothers that want to continue nursing feel that they have to stop earlier. Personally, I do everything in my power to keep my kids nursing until they are 2 years old and at that point, it is up to them to decide when they want to stop.

5. Solid food is not recommended before at least 6 months: Over the years, the recommendation on when to introduce solid foods has changed. I was given pablum at 6 weeks. But today, experts recommendexclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, followed by slow introduction of solid foods. As explained in the link, this gives babies greater protection from illness and food allergies, it gives their digestive system time to mature, helps protect from obesity, and many other benefits.

6. Your doctor is not a parenting expert and usually not a breastfeeding expert: I hear of so many new parents that feel bad after they leave their doctors office. It isn’t because their baby isn’t healthy. It is because the doctor was giving them advice on parenting issues like how and where they baby sleeps, how they deal with night wakings, how they discipline their children, and so on. Even on issues that are medical issues, listen to your doctor but do your own research too and don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. I have heard of many doctors that express concern about any baby that is not above the 50th percentile on the growth charts and start suggesting formula supplements. Hmm…50% of all babies are below the 50th percentile. Are half of our babies really at risk of starving? Also, it sometimes takes time for recommendations to trickle down to your doctor’s office. A lot of doctors still aren’t aware of the recommendation that solids only be introduced at 6 months of age. A lot of them are still using the old growthcharts for formula fed babies instead of the new charts for breastfed babies. A lot of them only had very minimal training on breastfeeding to begin with. If your doctor is raising concerns about the feeding of your baby, consider seeing an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. They are medical professionals with significant training and experience in breastfeeding.

7. You can sleep safely with your baby: There has been a lot of publicity about co-sleeping being dangerous. I addressed a lot of those myths in my post Faulty logic from the Ontario coroner regarding bed sharing. However, if you implement a few simple guidelines, then it can be safe to sleep with your baby and can even be safer than putting your baby in a crib in a separate room.

8. Obesity is going to be the biggest health problem facing our children’s generation: They say fat is the new tobacco, meaning it will have the greatest negative impact on the health of the next generation. We need to give our children a good head start by making the right choices about infant feeding to avoid obesity and then continue to feed our children healthy foods that are low in sugar and low in saturated fats.

9. Children need to connect with nature: When we were kids, we roamed the neighbourhood without our parents. We climbed trees, picked berries, played in the dirt, built forts, caught frogs, and had a great time. We learned about nature by being part of nature. Today, parents are scared to let their kids go out on their own, so that means they keep them inside. They watch TV, they play on the computer, they go to organized sports or other activities. But free outdoor play time is rarer and rarer. If parents don’t want to let their kids roam unsupervised (I know I don’t…not yet at least!), then they need to go with them and let their child take the lead. Let them play freely in nature. Let them touch nature. Let them get exercise and fresh air at the same time. Want to read more? Get Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.

10. Keep your child rear-facing in the car for as long as possible: A lot of parents ask when they can turn their child around and then turn them around as soon as they have met the minimum guidelines for height, weight and age. However, you should keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible, i.e. at least until they reach the height and weight limit of the car seat while rear facing (but possibly considering buying a new seat if that would mean turning the baby too soon). More information here: Why rear facing is safest.

Once you’ve done your research and made your decisions about how you want to parent, there are always going to be people that will try to tell you what you are doing is wrong. Some of them are well meaning, some of them are not. But none of them are you. Sometimes you may welcome advice and even seek it out. Other times you may want people to leave you alone. Regardless of whether the advice is solicited or not, you need to learn to take what works for you and leave the rest. Be confident! And if someone keeps bothering you and won’t let up, ask them to “pass the bean dip“.

5 Breastfeeding Myths You Probably Think Are True

2010-09-08T16:07:00.000-04:00

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/108659/5_breastfeeding_myths_you_probably

Posted by Christie Haskell

on September 6, 2010 at 3:15 PM

There are so many barriers and roadblocks to successful breastfeeding that make it so hard for so many women who want and do try. Medical professionals often get in the way of breastfeeding -- sometimes even lactation consultants can give bad advice.

No wonder our country's breastfeeding rates are so low, eh?

The number one weapon we have against bad information and advice is to SQUASH IT LIKE A BUG!By perpetuating myths, we only continue to make things harder for women in the future. That's why it's so important to really listen when someone tries to explain to you where someone misled you if you're discussing reasons why breastfeeding didn't work out for you -- even if it's too late for you, any time you discuss your baby's feedings, you can help quell the myths that were your downfall so maybe where you failed, someone else can succeed!

So, here we go -- reasons people didn't breastfeeding and why they're not true. Some of these I'm surprised anyone could even say with a straight face.

#1. A well-meaning but sorely misled writer at Parenting.com says, "... [Since] he was a preemie I had to supplement with special formula for six weeks so he could get the phosphates he missed in utero."

While it's true that preemies require special formula if you're not breastfeeding, it is not accurate to claim that preemies need to be formula fed instead of being breastfed. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Not only does breastmilk tailor itself to even premature babies (including making lots of extra phosphorus), but studies show that while special-formula-fed preemies may gain weight more quickly, that breastfed preemies do better in physical, cognitive and motor skills and are released from the NICU an average of two weeks sooner than formula fed counterparts, and escape the risk of deadly necrotizing enterocolitisas preemies, whereas that risk continues for formula-fed infants.

Of course, babies who are only getting IV sustenance are totally another story, and preemie moms have their own issues with making enough milk, but as long as mom is making enough -- either feeding from the breast or pumping, there is absolutely no reason to not give the breastmilk -- formula is unnecessary. For moms who are struggling with supply, breastmilk banks and milkshare programs give special priority to NICU babies, who have the most to gain from breastmilk. Call up or attend meetings of the Le Leche League as well to get the best help with upping your supply, such as an Supplemental Nursing System (SNS).

#2. "No matter how long I waited until feeding, my breasts didn't fill up."

Somewhere, people got the idea that your breasts have to feel engorged or there's no milk, and that they need time to fill before you can feed again. Thank god this one isn't true, because feeling really full can be very uncomfortable! Fortunately you only feel engorged when your milk first comes in because you body is overproducing initially (what if you had triplets to feed?) and then will begin to level off to a comfortable amount once it sees how much your baby needs. If you wait until your breasts feel full, you've waited too long and they're over-full and will signal to your body to make less milk, therefore damaging your breastmilk supply -- and resulting in a really hungry baby. After breastfeeding is established and your supply is as well (done by nursing ON DEMAND!), the only time you're likely to ever feel full is if you've missed a feeding.

An analogy from Kellymom.com: Imagine you are using a straw to drink from a glass of water. As you drink, a friend is very slowly pouring water into your glass. The emptier the glass, the faster your friend pours the water. Would you be able to drink all the water in your glass?

#3. "Unless you want to eat really healthy, your breastmilk is no better than formula."

Also extremely untrue. In fact, just like in pregnancy, malnourishment actually does more harm to youthan the baby because you're designed to reproduce and continue the species, therefore your body is made to care more about the baby than you! If you don't eat properly, your milk is still fabulous -- but it's sucking nutrients away from you that you need to be healthy instead.

The only risk to a breastfed baby from a poor diet is that the mother will not be able to produce enough milk, and that's often more linked to hydration than nutrition.

#4. "My baby was allergic to my breastmilk."

Now, before I outright say this isn't true, it can be -- but the chances of a baby having the only true allergy to human breastmilk or lactose in any form, called galactosemia, is 0.000005%. Only about 6 babies in the entire world are born with this each year... however, 150 people die annually from a falling coconut hitting them on the head. It's safe to say that this condition is insanely rare. Also, this allergy is discovered within the first couple days or at the most, the first week of life and the diet is changed immediately or the baby dies. In fact, 75% of babies with galactosemia die because their allergy isn't discovered in time. So figure only 2 babies a year survive the newborn stage with this condition.

So while this allergy really, honestly does exist and the newborn has no choice but to go immediately onto a soy or meat-based formula, the myth I'm addressing is people saying their baby was allergic to their breastmilk so they had to wean at 2 weeks, 5 weeks, etc. While it may present itself like an allergy to your milk, it's actually an allergy to a protein you are passing through your milk (almost always milk and/or soy) and you do not have to wean your baby -- you just have to take a break from eating or drinking things containing milk or soy for a bit. It's certainly not a reason to wean -- it just takes the tiniest bit of effort from the mother.

#5. "I had to supplement until my milk came in since it took five days."

Your breasts already produce colostrum before your baby is even born, and it is all you need! Here's a little lesson in the newborn's stomach, via the Le Leche League:

When mothers hear that colostrum is measurable in teaspoons rather than ounces, they often wonder if that can really be enough for their babies. The short answer is that colostrum is the only food healthy, full-term babies need. The following is an explanation:

A 1 day old baby's stomach capacity is about 5-7 ml, or about the size of a marble. Interestingly, researchers have found that the day-old newborn's stomach does not stretch to hold more. Since the walls of the newborn's stomach stays firm, extra milk is most often expelled (spit up). Your colostrum is just the right amount for your baby's first feedings!

By day 3, the newborn's stomach capacity has grown to about 0.75-1 oz, or about the size of a "shooter" marble. Small, frequent feedings assure that your baby takes in all the milk he needs.

Around day 7, the newborn's stomach capacity is now about 1.5-2 oz, or about the size of a ping-pong ball. Continued frequent feeding will assure that your baby takes in all the milk he needs, and your milk production meets his demands.

So you see, newborn babies barely need to eat anything at all and giving them more than their tiny tummies can handle only makes them vomit. As everyone knows, breastfeeding is supply and demand -- if you supplement in the first days of life, you're already telling your breasts to make less milk so when your milk DOES come in (which takes an average of 3-5 days!), you will have less because you supplemented. Trust that your body can make enough milk in the first week of life, and plan on keeping your baby on you pretty much all day and the majority of the night -- it's perfectly normal for a newborn to nurse for 12 times in one day, sometimes 40-50 minutes apart -- that is not a sign of a lack of milk.

If you received an epidural, there's some evidence that it can make initial breastfeeding a little more difficult as well, though no differences were noted even at 6 weeks... as long as the mom didn't give up or supplement.

So there we go. If any of these effected your nursing relationship, I hope you take some of the information you've now learned, do a lot more of your own research, and discuss the true facts any time you talk about how you fed your baby so that no one else falls into the trap you did. Maybe even consider presenting some of your new-found knowledge and information to whoever misled you in the first place.

After all, one of the best things about learning from your mistakes is the ability to be proactive in helping prevent others from making the same ones!

Images via kerijeanbean/CafeMom; Le Leche League International

Clay Rosary Giveaway

2010-08-27T10:41:00.000-04:00

Clay Rosary Giveaway!

Sarah, the Clay Rosary Girl, is giving away a rosary to one lucky Catholic Icing reader! Yay!

Immaculate Heart Rosary

Sarah makes each bead on her rosaries out of polymer clay, and she's very talented! Each bead has a meaning, and is a little piece of artwork.

She is a Catholic mommy just like us with 2 little ones running around at home, and a third coming in November! I got to meet Sarah a few months ago when she taught me how to make beads, and we had such a great time! These rosaries are absolutely beautiful, and one of a kind!

Sarah is also sending me one of her gorgeous lamb of God necklaces. I'm really excited! Can you believe she makes these beads herself? See the process here.

Here's the link to get to the giveaway!

Good Deed Beads....

2010-08-19T15:06:00.000-04:00

check out this link http://thelittleways.com/how-to-make-sacrifice-beads

St. Therésè, the Little Flower, as a child, used
a small string of beads in her pocket to help
her count the gifts she did to offer to God. In this
way she was able to advance in perfection daily.
You too, can grow in holiness by following the
example of the Little Flower.

Sacrifice Beads or Good Deed Beads are a
string of ten beads, which can be pulled and
remain in place. They are used to count the acts
of love or sacrifices a person makes in a day for
God. The string of beads helps a person to grow
in virtue by challenging them to be faithful in
making acts of love each day. Sacrifice Beads also
have a fixed Our Father bead on the end of them
and can double up as a rosary.

Super Salad

2010-08-11T08:58:00.002-04:00

Inspired by Trader Joe's Healthy 8 Salad, I've concocted my own "Super 9 Salad" as a way to increase the intake of fresh vegetables and fruits for my family and especially myself:

Red Cabbage
Green Cabbage
Baby Carrots
Radish
Broccoli
Cucumber
Fennel
Celery
Green Bell Pepper

What I liked about TJ's salad is they showcased it by adding apples to it and served it with their "goddess dressing" - I didn't like the dressing, but I liked the idea. I bought a bowl of their salad (that has 5 servings) along with a bottle of Champaign Pear Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola cheese dressing, and we (Dan and I) almost demolished the entire bowl in one sitting, just by adding the dressing. I was so inspired that I decided to make my own. I put about a 1/4 C of each ingredient chopped into 1/4" to 1/2" bites (next time I want to add snap peas) - and I have many plans for this salad:

sliced/diced hard boiled egg, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and ranch dressing (even put it all over romaine lettuce)
dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, crumbles of blue cheese, slices of pear, pumpkin seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing
apricots, sliced almonds, and poppyseed dressing
strawberry slices, toasted pecans, fresh basil, and poppyseed dressing
serve as a garnish to another salad (romaine, spinach, mixed greens, baby greens, endive)
toss in crunchy chow mien noodles, sunflower seeds, Asian pear chunks, fresh chives, and sesame ginger dressing
feta cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh oregano, diced and seasoned chicken breast, and Greek dressing

I'm sure you and your family can come up with your own amazing concoctions as well! Post them in the comment section!

Why housewives will save the world

2010-08-08T13:41:00.000-04:00

Eloquently stated article. I love being a housewife, college can't prepare you for this.

Why housewives will save the world

15 Promises of the Blessed Virgin Mary...

2010-08-03T13:08:00.000-04:00

FIFTEEN PROMISES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
TO CHRISTIANS WHO FAITHFULLY PRAY THE ROSARY
To all those who shall pray my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and great graces.
Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some special grace.
The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.
The rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies. It will draw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.
Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly reflecting on the mysteries, shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an unprovided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life.
Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
Those who are faithful to recite my Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces and will share in the merits of the blessed.
I will deliver promptly from purgatory souls devoted to my Rosary.
True children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in heaven.
What you shall ask through my Rosary you shall obtain.
To those who propagate my Rosary I promise aid in all their necessities.
I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have as their intercessors, in life and in death, the entire celestial court.
Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.
Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.
http://www.rosary-center.org/conprom.htm

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2010-07-15T20:53:00.000-04:00

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15 Promises of the Blessed Virgin Mary...

FIFTEEN PROMISES OF THE BLESSED VIRGINTO CHRISTIANS WHO FAITHFULLY PRAY THE ROSARY

ZENIT - Sterilized Couples Seeking to Marry

FIFTEEN PROMISES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
TO CHRISTIANS WHO FAITHFULLY PRAY THE ROSARY