Let the journey begin…

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Debbie Pregnancy Journey

It feels as if my name has been called, I’ve walked onto a stage and I’ve been crowned – a Pure Beginnings Pregnancy Ambassador! And as the music plays, (natural) bath bubbles fall from the sky and Ruby the Rhino, Max & Minky (the Monkeys) and Ollie the Owl have joined me. (To me, this is WAY more exciting than any other pageant).

I am thrilled to partner with Pure Beginnings, one of my favorite organic and eco-certified South African brands, to document the journey of this, our 3rd pregnancy and the birth and newborn life that follows. I can’t imagine a better brand to walk this road with.

Let’s recap…

It was in January that this little life made itself known, and from the minute I saw those two pink lines, I knew this one would be different (least of which, was that it would be a she and not a he, which came as a HUGE surprise after 2 boys!). Waaa… what do I do with a girl?

It was roughly 3 minutes and 47 seconds after seeing those lines that the indescribable, inhumane, unlike-anything-ever-known-to-man exhaustion hit. If you’ve been pregnant, I’m sure you know the feeling. It’s not fun, especially with 2 boys in the house. Wow.

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Having had both our boys in Vancouver, I was not new to pregnancy but somehow this pregnancy seemed new to me. Which prenatal vitamins and supplements should I take? Who would my midwife be? How would I find a doula? Where would I birth? How would I birth? It all seemed so different. My immediate thought was to run back to Canada, but alas, that wasn’t a viable option.

clay and ryler at midwives

Over the years in which I have been thinking, researching and getting my hands really dirty (more like oily) in the ‘natural world’, and as I’ve blogged my findings, I’ve become more and more aware (and at times terrified) of how much is going on around us or within us that we simply don’t know or question. Slowly, and (more importantly) consistently, my choice of skincare has changed. While I could be better in the eating department (my month of strict Paleo starts soon – it’s birthday season and the cake is out of control), there are some new(ish) non-negotiables in our house regarding skincare. Having read an alarming article on the horrific number of chemicals found in a baby’s umbilical cord compared to generations ago, I now have a fresh start, and during this pregnancy I want to expose myself (and my helpless unborn) to as little nonsense as possible. Studies have shown that the average woman directly applies more than 200 chemicals to her skin via personal care products every day. Ermmm… that is terrifying… because we have no idea what these chemicals are or what they do.

So what does this change look like? Well regarding pregnancy, my prenatals don’t need to be coated in sugar, coloured pink and look like over-sized smarties. I’ve done enough research to know to take folate over folic acid and I’m upping my number of magnesium baths and probiotics (to avoid GBS). I won’t be bringing aluminium anywhere near my ever-growing breasts (did you know your off-the-counter deo most likely contains aluminium) and the nasties such as parabens, SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (ALS) and other hard-to-pronounce, no-one-really-knows-what-they-are ingredients won’t be coming near my skin (as much as I can control).

Pregnancy is a beautiful gift. I’ve always thought of it as carrying the most incredible responsibility with the least amount of control. I cannot control the growth of this little life, the amount of amniotic fluid I have, my baby’s sex, eye colour or the number of chambers in its heart. What I can control, is what I expose myself to, what I consume and what I smear on my skin. I can read, research and learn, and with that, make better choices for myself and this little life. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m trying.

I’d love for you to join me in this conversation, and on this journey!

xxx

*WIN* a Pure Beginnings Organic Baby Gift Set! Enter on our Facebook page by commenting on what your fave PB product is and tag a friend for an extra entry! Compo is nationwide and closes on Monday 23 May, 2016.

Baby-Gift-Pack-large-510x600Good Luck!

Oh, to be loved

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My little bub, Ryler Cael, turned 2 today.

“And so on April 29th 2014, just before 7am, after a beautifully real and intense labour (another significant space between), and water birth, Ryler Cael became Ryler Cael – We are : We become in the space between. We are, because YOU are.

And so to our dear Ryler – may you become an inspirer, a community builder, an intentionally relational being, an arm-lifter of the weak.

And as his daddy said to him on the day he was born, ‘the love is in the space between us; you’ll always be safe there’.” (read full post about his name here).

And besides the ‘oh my goodness, I had the most incredible birth’ feelings (which were COMPLETELY overwhelming last year – wow!), or the ‘how can you be 2, you should still be 8 weeks old’ feelings, or the adoration we feel when he tries to copy our words (which is simply the cutest thing everrrr) or the excitement we see in his pure delight while screaming ‘boooooons’ (balloons) or ‘birrrrdayyyy’ (birthday), or ‘hoooooorayyy’ at the end of his own birthday sing-a-long or answering ‘me me me’ to the question of ‘whose birthday is it today???’… this year I’ve been struck by the raw and real response he gives to simply being loved.

We live in community (on the same property) with my parents, and so in true keeping-with-Stephenson (my maiden name) style, we like to DO birthdays. Spoils, excitement, boooons, getting up early and singing, presents and cake. This is 100% unnecessary (in trying to continue a minimalist approach), but it is fun, and I really enjoy doing it – so that won’t change quickly. Our little now-toddler doesn’t need all this stuff, I know, but we love giving it to him. And I certainly kept it simple with gifts this year – which was a nice, guilt-free change.

But the love, oh the LOVE. The way his eyes light up when he sees mommy or daddy coming to get him from his crib in the morning and the big cuddles and morning exchanges that then ensue. The delight he feels in the love from his ‘sham’ (gran) and ‘papa’ (grampa) as they join in adoringly. We know we’re blessed. There is just so much love.

pooh love 2

Yesterday my almost-4yr-old spent his whole morning baking a cake for Ryler with my mom. Literally, the whole morning. And he decorated it too. And he nibbled off a few gummy bears and stole a couple m&m’s, and it was a little less than perfect but it WAS perfect because he had a ball and he was SO proud of his efforts. All for his younger brothers birthday… (sure, the sharing – or not – of Ryler’s presents this morning was not as adorable a task), but the LOVE.


This morning Ryler soaked.it.all.up. The balloons, the singing, the cake (oh the cake), the presents, the toys, the books and jelly beans. His face expressed it and his body exuded it. He knew he was loved. And actually, it didn’t matter, the ‘stuff’. Had it just been us, beaming with pride as we squeezed our little man full of birthday-ness, he would have known it full well, and just as well.

And so this morning, his unashamed and unreserved delight made me think deeper into what it means, and what a huge, huge blessing it is to BE loved. Feeling loved, and knowing one is loved is important (life changing really), but being loved. And we ARE loved. At the risk of getting all spiritual for those who do not follow the same faith we do… know, that you ARE loved.

he first loved us

And oh, if it is This Love that allows me to continue loving, then bring it on. Let us love: deep, wide, high, low, in joy, in sorrow, in confidence, in doubt.

Let us just LOVE.

Happy Birthday Ryler Cael. You are loved.

Going Eco with Earthsap

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Surely you’ve seen these guys around?

earthsap logo

Earthsap has been a manufacturer of earth-friendly toiletries and cleaning products for more than 20 years, working continuously to improve their earth-friendly formulas, giving you a completely safe and toxin-free alternative to conventional cleaners and cosmetics. The proudly South African products from Earthsap have been formulated with the help of skilled microbiologists and are made using pure plant oils and other natural ingredients. Only pure essential oils are used, and no synthetic fragrances (which can be made up of over 200 different chemicals and often cause skin irritations and allergies – my experience!).

In the cleaning range, you can find a wonderful easy-to-use household products including all purpose cleaners, to laundry powders (which I’ve tried and quite like – it leaves my clothes smelling nicely lavender-y), fabric softeners, dishwashing liquid (which I reviewed here), toilet bowl cleaners and window and floor cleaners (among others) at very reasonable prices (R32 – R120).

Earthsap Laundry Powder

The cosmetic/body range includes shampoos and conditioners, hand and body lotions, face and hand washes, toothpaste, deodorant and more… (also ranging from R34 – R47).

I recently tried the laundry powder, the tea tree wash and their natures jelly (YAY for pregnancy: a petroleum-free, synthetic fragrance free, stretch-mark reducer!), and I was pleasantly surprised. The Earthsap branding is not particularly eye catching to me (I’m a marketer’s dream – I do love the cute, attractive, bright, ‘happy’ type branding), but their formulas seem neat, clean, they have a WIDE range of products and they care about the simple stuff – non toxic, safe for your family and with no nasties. Which I appreciate. AND it’s affordable green-ness.

Earthsap Natures Jelly

The Earthsap products are also completely biodegradable (WIN!). They do not harm aquatic life or affect marine plant growth – so for you animal lovers out there… you can smile big when looking at these guys!

It is easy to buy better with Earthsap.

Earthsap is available in Wellness Warehouse, Pick ‘n Pay, some Spars and online eco stores.

The Benefits of Grounding (no, I don’t mean your kids)

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We’ve just come back from Wilderness. Let’s not get into it, sob sob, it was so absolutely amazing, I’m still sad it’s over. We joined old friends from a pre-Vancouver season and it was as if nothing had ever changed (barring the 4 kids we had produced between us in the time gone by)…

In the back of my mind, I was secretly stoked with all the grounding that was going on. No, not the ‘naughty child type’, but the the ‘touching the ground for the sake of your health’ type. Otherwise known as earthing.

kids sitting on beach

I first learnt about grounding from my guru Wellness Mama. She explains it like this:

‘The theory is that our bodies are meant to come into contact with the Earth (a “grounding” force) on a regular basis. Positive electrons in the form of free radicals (ever heard of those guys?) can build up in our bodies and direct contact with the ground balances this out as it is a negative grounding charge.

Our bodies and cells have electrical energy, and especially with the high prevalence of electromagnetic waves, Wi-Fi and mobile phone waves, many of us have a high amount of positive electrons built up in our bodies’.

And the truth is, we’ve never needed grounding as much as we do right now. I used to be all proud of my attempts at getting my kids ‘grounded’ by sending them to school barefoot, and watching them run on the grass, but that had a lot to do with not finding shoes in time for school and the school being pretty blasé about it. Win-win.

wilderness view from top of stairs

According to emerging research, grounding/earthing can be beneficial in:

  • Reducing inflammation by defusing excess positive electrons
  • Reducing chronic pain
  • Improving sleep
  • Increasing energy
  • Lowering stress and promoting calmness by reducing stress hormones.
  • Normalizing biological rhythms including circadian rhythm
  • Improving blood pressure and blood flow
  • Relieving muscle tension and headache
  • Lessens menstrual and female hormone symptoms
  • Speeds healing – used in some places to prevent bed sores
  • Can eliminate jet lag
  • Protecting the body from EMFs
  • Shortens recovery time from injury or athletic activity
  • Reducing or eliminating snoring
  • Helping support adrenal health

You see, it used to happen naturally:

‘Throughout history, humans have spent time outdoors much more than we do in modern time and have been in direct contact with the soil. From walking on the ground barefoot, to gardening or tilling the soil, humans have always touched the earth… until recently.

Now, we live in houses, wear rubber shoes, are exposed to EMFs daily and don’t often come into direct contact with the ground.

Have you ever noticed that you sleep better on a beach vacation after walking in the sand or being in the ocean? The sand and ocean water and both naturally conductive materials and both help ground the body and remove excess positive electrons. For the same basic reason that we ground electrical outlets to avoid the build up of excess positive charge, our bodies need the same ground effect‘.

the effect of grounding

(These two slept like a dream on holiday…)

Think about it…

And so here’s how you go about being intentional about grounding.

‘To work, you must be barefoot and in contact with rock, dirt or water. The beach/ocean is possibly the best place as not only are sand and salt water extremely conductive, but salt water is also very high in magnesium. Perhaps this is why many people seem to sleep better on vacation at the beach!’

There are fancy pants things such as grounding/earthing mats (some that you can sleep on), but I’m yet to see these available here in South Africa. And with the prevalence of beautiful beaches to stroll, mountains to climb, trails to walk, fresh grass to run on – nature all around us – we have no excuse to not be more proactive about getting our feet.on.the.earth.

kids standing on beach

Have you tried grounding and ever noticed the benefits?

I’m BAAAAAACK! And there is more of me…

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I’ve been quiet. Sorry about that. While I previously would have been blogging and trying new recipes, and learning life lessons, going on more adventures with the kids, making new DIY thingy-majigs, finding new ipad apps (our old ones are not longer cuttting it), and sourcing new eco products… I’ve been napping, and going for scans, having serious food aversions, napping some more, overdosing on kauai smoothies, doing more napping, and peeing. A lot.

Yep, I’m pregnant, with number 3. While it was still under cover, I read this blog post by blogger Cindy Alfino (from 3 kids, 2 dogs and 1 old house). It made me laugh HARD, especially the bit about closing your eyes when paying school fees. Truth. Thanks for the laugh Cindy.

debbie shocked pregnant

Back to it! Sooo… we’re pregnant. Again. Fortunately, besides the exhaustion of managing two small boystrous boys (covered in noise and dirt, constantly) it’s been fairly okay. I’ve experienced food aversion in a big way – and afternoon exhaustion at its peak – but into the 2nd tri I’ve got my Superwoman cape on and I’m even taking both boys to the aquarium (DURING the school holidays mind you, pushing a HEAVY double stroller with NO air in its tyres surrounded by thousands of holidayers). You should see my speed and agility when the kids run in opposite directions. It’s award winning. I bought myself a mcflurry after to reward myself for my efforts. I deserved it.

Pregnant Debbie

Having had both my kids in Vancouver, this Cape Town birth idea was a bit new to me, but at the same time, I’ve never been as intentionally green (especially with my kids) as I am now. This is exciting. I find myself being VERY aware of what I put on my skin, and what I eat, which in all honesty, on the eating part… I haven’t been all that great (besides my weekly 2 x Kauai smoothies thanks to Vitality Fitness Rewards) – but when it comes to skincare – I’ve been military style. Sounds a bit hypocritical, and maybe it is, but give a pregnant woman a break will ya?

When it comes to my prenatal supply, I’m all over it, happily sourcing some of the best products available in SA. A friend recently asked me what I’m using prenatally, and here it is… (inspired by Wellness Mama, and a 3hr stint in emergency at 11 weeks with crazy abdominal pain).

Solgar products contain no preservatives, no artificial flavouring (I’d prefer if my prenatals didn’t look like giant pink smarties), as well as being gluten free, dairy free, yeast free, wheat free, sugar free.

I’m no doctor, but I do like the Solgar and The Real Thing ranges – and felt safe taking them. Probiotics are recommended during pregnancy for overall gut health and to avoid GBS if possible (although I was GBS+ during both boys’ pregnancies), and you can’t forget your omegas.

And so that’s where we’re at. More gushy, hormone-driven, pregnant, baby info is sure to come flying your way, but I’ll leave you with this precious moment yesterday with my midwife at Birth Options – the boys listening to the sound of their baby sisters heart beat. YES, it’s a GIRL (…we think – as much as the 13 week scan can tell you)… I’ll be sure to confirm after 21 weeks.

We are BLESSED! xxx

clay and ryler at midwives

How did I do on only 10L of water a day?

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Here’s the challenge! 22 March is World Water Day.

22/03: I have 10L of water in this beautiful Giorgio Armani jerry can, to last me the.whole.day. If you look at the stats on how much water we use doing simple mindless things EVER-DAY, you’ll see why I’m panicking slightly.

Debbie Acqua for Life

  • The eco flush option on a toilet uses up to 4L, the usual flush uses about 9L.
  • The average 8 minute shower uses 65L (WHAAAT).
  • Brushing teeth uses 5L per minute (if you let the water flow).
  • Having a bath? That’s a tidy 60 -120L.
  • Washing machine uses between 40 – 170L (depending on machine and load).
  • Dishwashing machine 20 – 50L.
  • Washing your hands? Anwhere from 3 – 10L depending on how much you enjoy a good hand scrub I guess…
  • …(and this is a drop in the ocean, pun intended, when compared to any outdoor watering!)

Many stats I researched are different and it’s hard to nail down exactly what you use, but OH MAN, given a jerry can of 10L immediately puts it into perspective.

aqua for life
Here’s a brief breakdown of my day with 10L:

7am – got up and changed a groooooss nappy and washed my hands. OOPS! Where is my jerry can?? Surely that was about a 1L of water I used there – without thinking. Get in the game Debbie. The day hasn’t even started and you’re down to 9L.

(My littlie’s bed linen was dirty and so I put it next to the washing machine but didn’t dare turn it on, I was too terrified. Sure, I could have (should have) spot cleaned it, but I had to hurry off to work. Linen remained dirty.)

Mid Morning – flushing the toilet, drinking water and hand washing. And I’m on 4L left. Oh great. I couldn’t not flush for the sake of the rest of the office and I washed my hand under a drip-drip-dripping tap. Water must be drunk. I’m pregnant, as us preggies need our water.

Lunch: I bought soup from Woolies for lunch so didn’t have to cook. Fortunately I’m also not enjoying all that much coffee/tea this pregnancy and so the kettle remained empty all day. Another trip to the toilet (at home), I left un-flushed. Gross and all, but it was just a no.1 and did you see I had 4L left? Another drip-drip-drip hand wash and I’m on about 3.7L

Afternoon: Back to filling up my water jug, I’m down to 2.7L. Right, so judging by my remains, I don’t have enough to shower (definitely not bath!) and I can’t even give my lemon tree some loving. My lemon tree I’m hand raising gets regular loving. We popped over to a friends place for an Easter Egg hunt and 2 glasses of water were consumed. I’m now at 2.2L.

Evening: Another portion of Woolies soup and warm Ciabatta bread. (No water needed for the cooking process – which sounds great – but it just highlighted my privileged position of popping to the shop and buying my pre-made food). The rest of my water was used on tooth-brushing, hand washing, toilet flushing and prenatal pill popping. and voia la –  I did it!

Easy enough right? Not.in.the.slightest.

HERE’S WHAT I DIDN’T DO:

I didn’t cook, bake, boil, steam or make one hot beverage. I didn’t make kombucha, smoothies, ice lollies or juices (which usually all have some portion of water in them). I didn’t shower or bath. I didn’t wash clothes OR dishes. I didn’t always flush the toilet. I didn’t drink nearly as much as I usually do, or would have liked. I didn’t wash my face, shave my legs, or pop my feet in a spa bath. I certainly didn’t water any plants or switch the garden system on.

23/03: And so, this morning while the washing machine was on, and I was having a nice hot un-rushed and guilt-free shower, I was made to think about the millions (MILLIONS) that go without clean, easy accessible and always available water. It is a GIFT that we SO easily take for granted. I dare you to try live on 10L of water in 1 day and, boy oh boy, will it open your eyes to how unlimited water is such a normal part of our lives, and how quickly we forget its value.

charity water

What can we do? BE AWARE of your waster usage. Don’t be ignorant. Look at starting a campaign or donating a monthly amount to an organization such as Charity Water. You can also read more about Giorgio Armani’s partnership with the UNICEF Top Project here.

Go on, give the 1 day 10L challenge a try. I promise, you’ll be changed.

Oh good, more chocolate

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Right, so we all know I’m (somewhat) addicted to sugar and I’ve done my UTMOST to hide this from my children. But it’s Easter, and we all know what that means. Clay can sure recite the story of Jesus and ‘Judith’ to whoever wishes to listen but as soon as those flashy, crinkly, bright foil covered chocolate anythings come near his body, it’s tickets.

If only I had enough energy to make time in my quiet, calm, relaxing afternoons with my boys to collectively and joyfully make our own homemade chocolate in moulds with no spilling, no screaming and no one burning each other. But alas, we don’t, so, having bought possibly the most winning present EVER for the kids for Christmas last year (our ZOKU instant pop maker), I thought I would try my hand at some healthy quick pops this year for Easter and try avoid the chocolate as much as possible. My kids can sense sugar a mile away so I certainly wont be winning entirely.

I found this awesome recipe for Healthy Easter Egg Breakfast Popsicles. Check them out!

Popsicles 1
So, here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

  • 500g yoghurt*
  • handful granola/muesli
  • handful blueberries
  • handful raspberries (… any berries really…)
    (*you can use different types of store bought yoghurt (flavoured/plain/greek), or make your own homemade yoghurt using your Wonderbag).

Equipment:

  • Egg shaped silicone mould or muffin cups (I’ll use my quick pop maker I think, although these egg shaped silicone moulds are too cute!)
  • lollipop or cake pop sticks

Method:

Place a small dollop of yoghurt into each egg in your silicone mould/quick pop maker, filling each egg to about a third.  Push chunks of granola into the yoghurt, then add a few raspberries and blueberries to each egg too.

Place a lolly stick into each compartment, laying it down as flat as possible.

Fill each egg to the top with yoghurt, making sure it covers all of the fruit and the lolly stick.

Popsicles 2

Place mould in the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight, until the eggs are frozen through and solid.  Once frozen, pop out of the moulds, leave the popsicles on a plate at room temperature for a couple of minutes to soften a little then serve immediately.

Yeeeuuuum. Healthy Easter 101.

A good time or a good story

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This post is nothing other than a rambling that I started this morning while dropping my toddler off at school (and I’m posting it here for the sake of it being stored in some archive which the kids and I can read at a later stage). Can I even call our toddler a toddler? I feel like with the smart-ness of his specs and his un-be-liev-a-ble memory, I can’t actually call him that anymore.

A great life motto we picked up from a dear friend in Vancouver when something doesn’t go QUITE like we planned is this: It’s either a good time or a good story. Store that gem in your brain files.

So while dropping off my post-toddler toddler at play school this morning, our past weekend experience popped up in conversation. You know the one about the flea infestation, the buying of 4 doom foggers, the family camp out in the kitchen and the vomiting? No? Oh well – brace yourselves.

OUR GOOD STORY:

Our family was DESPERATE (read: des-per-ate for more effect) for a weekend away. There is WAY too much going on in our lives and the Bainskloof family cottage was our light at the end of the tunnel. Change of jobs (involving some shenanigans by the ex-company which we are VERY glad is an EX), on-going building renovations, constant drilling and noise, and and and… called for some very much needed time.out. The week leading up to Bainskloof started with vomiting from the youngest, then conveniently passed to eldest (post-toddler toddler) which then settled, and juuuust when we thought we’d dealt with it, nope, it came right back. Great. Then hubby started, and let’s just say the next few days were a blur of all things we dont like to admit we have. Let’s just call it gastro-esque.

I’d been in emergency at hospital that week myself at 5:45am one morning (long story, it’s all good) and so listen, with the family barely holding on by a thread, as Thursday night/Friday morning approached, we had our eyes on the prize – a weekend at Bains. Just us, no noise, only sunsets, braais, hammock sleeping, the river… bliss. Did I say no noise?

So, even with hubby and I both functioning around 50% of normal capacity, we did it. We packed the car to.the.brim. Food, clothes, nappies, camp cot, bedding, pillows, linen, swimming cossies, bikes, toys, books, balls, running stuff, mozzie repellent, fan to keep mozzies away (I HATE mozzies), sunscreen, medical aid kit, not enough warm clothes, our kitchen sink – you name it, we’d packed it. We loaded the family in the car, handed them some milk tart to stuff in their faces and off we set for the 1hr15min drive which only took us 2hr30min on a Friday leaving at 2pm. Yup. We should’ve known things were going south. But let’s stay positive.

We ARRIVE. Hallelujah. Let’s all get out the car and kiss the dusty, dry Bainskloof ground.

Here’s where I’ll speed up the weekend for the sake of you all reading the longest post ever.

Drop bags/beds/linen in cottage. Find flea on smallest child. Think nothing of it (other than I hadn’t seen one since we had a dog). Find flea on post-toddler toddler, think “that’s strange”. Find flea/s on myself. OH SH*T, the cottage is infested with FLEAS. Hubby and I look at each other in despair. Hubby frantically removes bags/beds/linen from cottage. No energy in reserve tank for this. Big undies need indeed be worn (if they’re not flea infested already). *Sigh.

What do we do? With one Doom fogger on hand we fog the place and decide to leave that night after sunset. We thought we’d hit the river, have a braai, leave after dark with sleeping kids in the car. Then we decide we don’t actually WANT to go home (besides the fact that we’ve mustered all our energy to just GET THERE). Decide to check out some chalets across the road for the night. Decide to not pay R400 to sleep for 6 hours. Neighbour offers flea-free mattresses. We gratefully accept. We camp out on the floor of the kitchen (a separate flea-free dwelling) – a family sleepover. The things kids’ dreams are made of. Kids are LOVING it. There are only about 5 things to do at Bains: braai (and eat), go throw stones and swim in the river, melt marshies, watch the sunset and sleep. We’ve done them all. Kids think we’re winning.

After another session of Doom fogging (apparently one wasn’t enough for the buggers – the greenie in me screaming inwardly at the thought) and proper ventilating, we managed to move back in the following night and enjoy the rest of our weekend, along with some projectile vomiting from both kids (ahhh good, seems we brought the bug with us) and more than our fair share of necessary nappy changes on the youngest. Gross. Both kids poopy and vomity and refusing to eat their boerewors rolls, but desperate as desperate gets for s’mores. Do your kids also not swallow over-chewed meat? Mine neither. Do you also try enforce the no dessert without dinner rule? Us too. Makes for a good time. S’mores consumed, then vomited, then time for bed. No bathing, no teeth brushing (and certainly no flossing), barely a change of clothes was had – how we roll in survival mode.

Sunday morning brought with it more joy and happiness (and less projectile anything). Lots of cuddling in the hammock, story reading and counting gum tree pip/seed things. Post-toddler toddler content as. Pancakes, milo (bad idea in retrospect) and left over marshmallows filled the morning with delight. My phone had died the Friday night (and we’d brought the wrong charger) so the entire weekend was phone free (and this post clearly photo free). Something I struggle to force myself to do, but when it’s forced upon me, it’s FAN-TASTIC.

So just when you think your day is going bad… ask yourself? Did you have a flea infestation and two vomming children with you?

TAKE AWAYS

On the bright side, let’s think about what we learnt:

– all jobs are better with a friend (such as cleaning vom or shoving the post-toddler toddler to your spouses side of the bed).
– s’mores solve a lot of things
– Bainskloof has the most incredible sunsets
– watching our kids throw stones into the river and splash about makes it so worth it
– the smell of a wood braai out in nature releases happy hormones I’m sure
– the thought of how content our kids are in silence and with no toys
– getting away from noise really does clear your head
– the EXPERIENCE is (almost) ALWAYS worth the effort.

Your turn! Tell me your good story…

No, we don’t have a jungle gym

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I must be failing as a parent because I get asked (almost DAILY) why we don’t have a jungle gym, a trampoline OR a dog. My poor kids – so deprived. Dare I tell them we’ve just FILLED IN the pool allowing us to do some renovations… I think I’ll keep that to myself.

Meet Blue Route, Clayden’s first pet – a caterpillar.

So when the 3.5 year old waddles in with his “Hey mom, why don’t we have a jungle gym, a trampoline OR a dog?” I answer with “Because you have a real live construction site in your backyard. Do any of your friends have THAT?” (Truth be told, his friend Alex at school also has a construction site for a backyard but he doesn’t know that). “Also”, I often continue, “you go to school on a FARM with a ga-zillion animals and have an overwhelming array of climbing, jungle gyming, bouncing, riding, sliding, playing, messing and creative equipment. Sooooo there.”


While yes, the time will come for us to acquire such developmentally essential apparatus, now is not that time (and when that time does come I’m fairly sure hubby will come up with his own plan on how we’re going to build it ourselves – he’s like that). Our kids are not starved for these things, and so they shall wait. But it does beg the question, (as their birthdays are not far off…) the big one around… TOYS.

So I referred to Wellness Mama, my trusty role model on all things natural and thought through. Here are some of the things she has suggested (which do not include garden play equipment or live animals).

1. Basic Wooden Natural Toys

“By far my favorite toys, especially for little ones. I love finding handmade wooden toys at farmers markets or on Etsy. My boys especially love the handmade wooden swords, shields and knives from Frost Lane on Etsy.”

I love Hape, Melissa and Doug and other wooden varieties often available at Toy Kingdom. I really do try my best to buy higher quality non-plastic toys, but in reality, it’s not always that easy. 

2. Blocks

“I’m a huge fan of toys that encourage creative play. Legos are one of the only plastic toys we have, and I make the exception because they encourage hours of imaginative play.  For little kids, plain wooden blocks are a great thing to have on hand.”

For my friend Beth’s baby shower in Vancouver, hubby and I cut and sanded 52 small wooden blocks and, as an activity, had all her shower guests paint them with a letter of the alphabet, and then I varnished them with a toxic free varnish. We made 2 sets, one for her, and one for us. Heaps of fun (and nostalgia). Jenga is also a goodie as the kids get older. 

3. Dress Up

“We have a variety of play silks that the children use for dress up and imaginative play, as well as many homemade costumes. I’ve found that these encourage hours of creative play at our home. Melissa and Doug also makes a great line of dress up costumes.”

My oldest doesn’t LOVE dressing up, but we do try encourage it from time to time. The best is when he is a shepherd or king for the family nativity play at my in-laws every year and we use towels, dish clothes, rope and old pieces of this and that to get the 12 cousins dressed their part. Good memories.

4. Wooden Trains

“A huge favorite at our house. I’ve found some great wooden trains and tracks on Craigslist and at yard sales and we also have this set.”


Yes! 

5. Craft Bins

“I love having pre-made activity and craft bins that I can pull out and do with the kids. I’ve chronicled many of our favorites on this Pinterest board. We also have a wooden tabletop easel for drawing and painting.”

An easel with new drawing stuff! That’s a good present idea for this year. 

6. Musical Instruments

“This one isn’t for the feint of heart. Seriously. If you have more than one child, musical instruments can quickly turn a room of otherwise quiet children into a rock band that rivals a crowded stadium in sound levels. Instruments are, however, really fun for children.”

You can find a lovely arrange of plastic-free instruments. 

7. Bow & Arrows and Slingshots

“Such are the things boyhood is made of. Carved wooden slingshots are a favorite with my boys and they love shooting wooden bow and arrows at the trees in the backyard.”

Yikes – I’m not sure if I’m ready for bows and arrows quite yet – but I’m sure we’ll get there. Right now, all they could possibly do is cause harm and instill terror in me.

How about you? Any gems that you’ve found (that isn’t cheap plasticy nonsense)? Share share, please!

Oh my gosh – a TREE HOUSE! Now, hubby, let’s get on that!!

Homemade Fruit & Veggie Wash

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I recently read this article about how our ancestors wouldn’t recognise some of the fruit and veggies we eat nowadays because of how humans have altered them over the years and it got me thinking.

It made me aware… again… of how quick we are to give ourselves a pat on the back or a noddy badge for bulk buying *healthy* fruits and veggies for our families but how healthy is healthy?

Yesterday I bought a punnet of seedless grapes (…hang on… how do they produce ‘seedless’ grapes I wonder) and it clearly said on the box ‘preserved with sulphur dioxide’. That doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies – not sure about you.

grapes

Apparently “sulphur dioxide is a poisonous gas which is sprayed on fruit, and acts as a preservative, enhancing its color and preventing mold.  Airborne inhalation of this chemical has lead to a rash of breathing problems, premature birth and premature death.” Source: Living Pure and Simple Blogspot.

Soooo… how’s about we try do something about this.

First prize we buy local and organic. If you can’t do both, first go local. A lot of the reason we have chemical preservatives on our food is because our food needs to travel from far away to get to our table. The whole farm-to-table idea. Having said that, it’s not always possible.

(Side thought… Micheal Pollan has written some EXCELLENT books on this matter – including The Omnivores Dilemma, In Defense of Food and a great quick read/conversation starter Food Rules. Food Rules was the catalyst for a stimulating discussion of 5 new-to-Vancouver-and-Regent friends (now close as family) on a road trip from Vancouver to San Fran and back again). 

The next step we can take is in our own kitchens. Can we wash our foods in such a way that it minimises the nonsense that has been sprayed/fed/forced onto our delicious food. Well yes, there is.

Thanks to Wellness Mama – here is what she has suggested. And no surprises here, the DIY homemade wash – includes… our old and underrated friend, white vinegar.

Wellness Mama says: “Organic or not, if I didn’t grow the produce myself or get it from family friends who are trusted farmers, I always make sure to carefully wash all produce that we eat. This is especially important with non-organic produce, but I even wash organic store-bought produce as well.” Isn’t she inspiring?

apples in buckets

Different fruits and veggies are treated differently on farms. The Clean 15, Dirty Dozen list is a good benchmark to use when thinking about what to buy organic and what you can wash at home. Screen print this baby for quick access when out shopping.

Fresh market fruits and vegetables


Store Bought Wash?

The University of Maine studied the most popular store bought fruit and vegetable wash brands (in the US) and found that not only did many of them contain chlorine (to kill bacteria on the produce), but in lab testing, they were no more effective than using distilled water. That’s distressing. 

Unfortunately, neither commercial washes or distilled vinegar completely removed waxes, pesticides, and other residue from produce.

The Solution?

Homemade fruit and vegetable washes are effective at removing residue from produce and also help preserve the fridge-life of these foods since bacteria that may cause decay is removed.

To be most effective, different vegetables call for different methods of washing, but three simple and inexpensive recipes will clean virtually every type of produce.

Here is how Wellness Mama does it (and I’m hoping to follow suit):

1. How to Wash Most Fruits and Vegetables: The simplest and least expensive natural produce cleaner is plain white vinegar. For most produce with a skin, this is all I use. I’ll place the fruits and veggies in a freshly cleaned kitchen sink (or a large bowl), fill with water,  and add 1 cup of white vinegar.

I let soak for up to an hour, scrub gently and rinse. To prevent decay, I let dry fully before returning to the fridge.

carrots

2. How to Wash Lettuces and Greens: Lettuces and greens are more delicate and more difficult to wash. They also are more likely to contain insects or other little visitors.

For greens, I dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 2 cups of water and add the juice of one lemon. I spray this on the greens, let sit for about a minute, and then add them to a sink of diluted vinegar water. I soak for about 15 minutes, rinse in cool water and dry completely (a salad spinner helps), before putting in the fridge.

Growing greens

How to Wash Berries: Berries are perhaps the most difficult to clean because they are so delicate and take on the flavor of anything they come in contact with (vinegar flavored blueberries anyone?).

I use diluted fresh lemon juice to clean berries. I mix 2 cups of water with 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and spray on the berries. I make sure the berries are well coated and then soak in fresh water for about 15 minutes. Dry completely before storing in the fridge!

berries

Shoooweeee. This does seem like a lot of work – but I guess your conviction will lead you to do what you must. Green Goods also sells Triple Oranges’ Fruit and Veg Wash (500g) for R57.00 if you would like to try the ready-made option.

Picture credit: wallpaperbeta.com, www.goodfruitandvegetables.com.au, www.vermontvacation.com, www.npr.org, www.destinyhoperose.com, www.activevegetarian.com