Tag Archives: health

Let’s talk Baby Food: Part 1

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Nope, the baby didn’t come early, I’m still pregnant and not thinking about homemade purees or food mess or starting this little one on solids for a loooong time… but I’ve loved the interest many of you have shown on this pregnancy journey with Pure Beginnings and a number of questions have come up around babies starting solids. So, let’s chat about it!

While I’ve done this twice before (and have my own opinions and thoughts on it), I’m no expert, and back when my kids were 6 months I went with the guidance of my local health nurse, fellow moms’ advice, a couple books and a (little) bit of (sleep deprived) initiative.

So I contacted my friend Deidre Lindeque, who is a Nutripaeds Dietitian and Lactation Consultant, (check them out on Facebook here). I really do trust what Deidre has to say and I must say, I read with glee the info she sent me, as it falls very much in line with what I did with our boys, and what I wholeheartedly agree with. Relief!

baby food green puree

Let’s dive right in:

WHEN TO START FEEDING BUBS SOLIDS:

Deidre agrees that between 4 and 6 months is a good time to start. I started both of my boys at 6 months (or slightly later). I was travelling New Zealand at the time my youngest was 6 months and was not planning to puree home grown organic veggies en route. The boob would suffice. It can be tricky to know when to start if your baby was a preemie for eg, so here are some things to look out for:

  • Baby’s ability to hold up his head,
  • His ability to sit well with support,
  • Seeming dissatisfied after milk feeds,
  • Showing an increased interest in YOUR food at family mealtimes,
  • Absence of the ‘tongue thrust reflex’ – i.e. pushing everything that is put in his mouth back out!
  • (Do bear in mind, though, that some preemies may have developmental delays that mean they may not display ALL these signs).

WHAT TO START WITH: (ahhhh… this is a controversial one)

‘Scientists tell us that genetic programming and nutritional habits are formed within the first 1000 days of life. That is from conception until two years of age. This period of life lays down many foundations and most importantly the blue print and map for your health. As parents there is so much we can do to assist our children in laying down a positive health blue print. One aspect is monitoring the amount of sugars that go into our children’s diet. We can do this from before birth, and definitely when we wean onto a solid diet. Breastmilk is always the gold standard so if we just take a moment to look at breastmilk and what is actually in breastmilk. Mature milk is mostly water with fats (55%), carbohydrates (37%), proteins (8%), and various elements such as minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. So if this is the case why do we wean babies onto 78% carbohydrates and 12% fat and 10% protein – which is a make up of most BABY CEREALS. We totally switch the body’s source of energy’. (Nutripaeds) AMEN! I’ve ALWAYS been anti baby cereals. I’m crying with happiness here.

*Disclaimer: While breast is best, I know of many moms personally who have had a very tough time breastfeeding and have had no other choice but to switch to formula. If this is you, please please please don’t feel judged. Every mom has her own experience and her own story. We love you.*

Deidre suggests weaning onto less processed man made foods like vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. Combos such as avocado with mashed paw paw, or gem squash and blended olives. Maybe some sweet potato and macadamia nut butter. All these options present a nutritional profile more similar to breastmilk than a traditional weaning cereal. (I’ve always stuck to less sugary veggies and introduced fruits later as once those virgin taste buds know the taste of a grape or an orange, it’s hard to convince them marrow and asparagus is the flavour of the day.)

baby food 3

‘Healthy unprocessed grains like millet, spelt, oats, rice and quinoa can definitely be included in your baby’s diet down the line but no need to rush these introductions in the first few weeks of weaning’.

‘Thanks to the latest allergy research, feeding protein foods or high risk allergen foods early on into solid introduction is not only safe but may also be protective against the child developing an allergy to a specific protein food. Protein foods include fish, egg, nut butters, chicken, fish, beef and lamb’. 

So, I know you’re itching to know exactly WHAT foods are recommended: Here’s what Nutripaeds suggest:

  • Steamed (or lightly broiled) whole vegetables such as green beans, baby sweetcorn, mange-tout/ sugar-snap peas)
  • Steamed or lightly broiled florets of broccoli or cauliflower
  • Steamed, roasted or stir fried vegetable sticks such as carrot, pumpkin, butternut, potato, aubergine, sweet potato, parsnip, baby marrows,
  • Raw sticks of cucumber (great when straight from fridge to ease the gums of teething babies)
  • Thick slices of avocado (not over-ripe and they become very soft and squishy)
  • Fruit such as pear, apple, banana, peach, nectarine, halved grapes, pawpaw, mango – either whole or as sticks
  • Cheese – sticks of firm cheese e.g. Cheddar or gouda and well as cubes/triangles of full fat cream cheese
  • Dried fruits such as mango strips. Baby sweet corn and fingers of peeled cucumber and avocado are all yummy and easy finger foods.
  • Starchy foods are nice ways to incorporate energy especially into fussy eaters, some fun finger starchy include: balls made of cooked rice or quinoa and small pieces of toast fingers ,
  • Rice cakes, rusks and dry breakfast cereals such as all bran flakes and multigrain oatees.
  • Mini brown bread sandwiches cut into triangles, fingers or squares – Suitable fillings include mashed banana, hummus, grated cheese, cream cheese, mashed avocado, nut butters.
  • Falafels, Lentil balls and Mini meatballs – beef, chicken, ostrich and lamb mince variants – one can also cook it as a meatloaf and cut it into strips.
  • Cubes of firm cooked fish, fish balls made with minced fish.
  • Cubes of tofu, slices or quarters of hard boiled eggs or strips of well cooked omelette.
  • Fishcakes or fish fingers (not processed variants)

Yeeeeowzers. Too much info coming your way? Well, Nutripaeds have been ever so kind, to share with us a brief overview of a Step-by-Step (and week-by-week) Weaning Guide which you can download here: Nutripaeds Weaning Guide.

baby food puree

We have so much deeply valuable information for you – I’ve split this blog post into 2 parts – because, I’m not sure about you but my brain-of-mush cannot take much more. In the next blog post (Let’s talk Baby Food: Part 2) we’re going to talk about The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, and Baby Led Weaning compared to Normal Weaning. 

Until then,

xxx

Image credit: www.babycentre.com, www.pitterpatter.com, www.thevintagemixer.com

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

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

What I’m eating this evening

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This recipe just popped at the bottom of the latest Yuppiechef mail out and it looked so delicious I couldn’t help myself but drool over the recipe and scribble it down and pin it that minute. (Check out my alternatives to make it a little more paleo-y).

I love these, no fuss, throw it all together and pop-it-in-the-oven recipes. And this one looks goooood – too good not to share. So thank you to Yuppiechef and Lisa Grey.

Coconut and Lemongrass Chicken Bake

lemongrass-chicken-lifestyle-creative

Ingredients:

Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 45 min | Serves 4

8 free range chicken pieces, bone on (usually I don’t love chicken on the bone, but I’m making the exception here. Also, use the bones to make your own chicken stock in your Wonderbag).
250 g/1 cup coconut cream
1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, thinly sliced (go easy on the chilli if serving to your kids).
1 lime, cut into rounds
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soya sauce
Salt and black pepper to season
250 g egg noodles (go with cauliflower rice if you’re going paleo).
200 g mange tout (also known as snap peas for us less fancy)

…and a bunch of coriander. We always need coriander.

Lemongrass-Chicken-plated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c.
2. Place the chicken pieces into an oven-proof casserole dish (something similar to the Yuppiechef Rectangular Baker). Top with coconut cream, lemongrass, chilli and lime rounds. Drizzle over the honey and soya sauce and season. (I’d squeeze some extra lime in too – love lime). 

prepping-lemongrass-chicken

4. Bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
5. Five minutes before the chicken comes out of the oven, prepare the noodles and snap peas. Place the noodles into a glass bowl, pour over boiling water and set aside for 3–4 minutes. Drain. Blanch the mange tout/snap peas in salted boiling water.

lemongrass-chicken-dish

Pour yourself a glass of wine, call the family to the table and serve. (Yes please!)

lemongrass-chicken-recipe-feature

Lemongrass-Chicken-eating

Right, so I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I don’t think I can stuff it up – I’ll let you know how it goes. Who doesn’t love Asian flavours, lemongrass, coriander, coconut milk… yummmmm.

Enjoy!

All pics and recipe: www.yuppiechef.com

A little love for Oh-lief

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My journey to a green(er) lifestyle came in 2012 when my oldest responded incredibly well to a natural skin product (after trying many medical alternatives). So I could completely relate to sisters Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan who had the same conviction when it came to Christine’s pregnancy and her little boys birth. We felt like kindred spirits.

After arriving back in SA in 2014, this brand was one of the few I noticed popping up all over the place. And one I was excited to see was locally and hand made in South Africa (Cape Town!), with love.

Their Story

Growing up in a household where green and organic were valued principles, Christine found herself in a predicament while pregnant with Liam, her first baby boy. In her quest to find a skin care range to use during her pregnancy, Christine was dissatisfied with the conventional body products on the market. Not satisfied with using, harmful products, Christine and Louiza set out to develop a new range of natural baby and body products, based on old family recipes.

The result was Oh-lief’s complete range of Natural Body products, made from 100% natural and organic, raw ingredients, sourced locally.

Their Philosophy

“We believe in safe products for babies, toddlers and families, which is why none of our products are harmful to sensitive skin or the environment.”

100 % Natural. 100% Good.

Founded in 2010 by sisters Christine and Louiza, Oh-lief was born out of their love for nature and the desire to use products that would not harm their skin or the environment. (The perfect green combination – rethinking what is truly healthy as well as being environmentally aware).

Oh-lief = REAL Organic Products, Made with Love.

Their name references olive oil, which is the main ingredient found in all their products, as well as their love for all things natural. Their products do not contain any harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, petroleum, parabens, artificial colours or nut oils. They use a base of organic olive oil and beeswax, which is combined with the natural properties of a number of other organic ingredients to form a complete range of products that is ideal for all skin types. Voila. Fantastic.Oh lief

Overseas I started making a number of my own baby and skin products, based on Wellness Mama’s Baby Care recipes, and so for me the colours, smells and textures of the oh-lief range felt incredibly familiar. Based with olive oil and beeswax (as are mine and many of Wellness Mama’s), the products last a long time. Really, you need such a small amount – it goes far!

So recently I tried two of their Body Range products, The Natural Olive Hand Wax and the Grapefruit & Sweet Orange Natural Body Wash. I love a good body wash and I’m becoming more and more aware of my skin as an organ and what I put onto it, becoming what sinks into it. The body wash has a gentle citrus scent, but is not overpowering. I also love a pump bottle (portion control and all). The hand wax is perfect for dry skin and a very effective moisturizer. The beeswax is also great for strengthening your nails, and the tin is a super addition to your handbag.

Hand-wax-300x271

Psssst: The family sunscreen goes with me everywhere, as does the insect balm. Mozzies drive me insane. 

Personally, as a mom (and as a doula), I feel like this is another one of those great (local) brands, doing great things while using minimal and quality ingredients. If you’re a label watcher – you’ll love these guys.

For more info you can contact them on their website, facebook, twitter or email them on info@ohlief.com.

Images: www.ohlief.com

Gratitude Jar

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The Gratitude Jar. Every year I say I’m going to make one, and every year I don’t. Alright, in fairness, I only saw this idea on Pinterest a couple years ago but I’m choosing this year to be intentional about gratitude and so, here goes.

The idea is to get (make/decorate) a jar, try and write down something that you’re grateful for each day, put it in there, and read through them at the end of the year (New Years Eve). So before the happy thought or moment slips past, grab a post-it and pen, scribble it down (a memory, a thought, an emotion related to something, a moment you wish to hold onto) and pop it in the jar.

Gratitude Jar - just peachy blog

(Or you could get something a little more fancy like this – read more here).

Cliche ahead – but isn’t life made up of the small stuff? The chilli poppers your hubby bought on the way home from work, the smell of fresh clean linen, that extra long coffee and laugh-till-you-cry with a close friend, a song that inspires you, a surprise delivery of your favourite flowers, or when your toddler potty trains himself… (WHAT am I talking about? That’s NO small thing!!).

We are so so busy nowadays that it is easy to forget about the beauty and depth in these seemingly small things. Sure, jot down your trip to Thailand or your new convertible, but I think reading back, it’s going to be the new puppy who was added to the family, the look in your kids’ eyes at Christmas, your fave new recipe or the all-nighter spent playing Monopoly Deal with your besties that will bring the smile to your face on Dec 31.

Homemade Gratitude Jar

If you like reading some science behind it all, an article written by the Huffington Post concluded that regarding gratitude research, this is what has been found…

– A daily gratitude intervention (self-guided exercises) with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison.

– In an experimental comparison, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

– Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions.

– Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.

Interesting huh? And so let’s hold onto these memories a little longer. The benefit of gratitude to the human spirit/soul is invaluable. Let’s live with thankful hearts and flex our gratitude muscle this year…

Gratitude

In the midst of less

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Two days ago, a friend of mine was robbed. Badly. Her house completely cleared out by criminals. I wanted to vomit listening to her talk about how quickly, silently and professionally it happened. Poof. Gone.

And now she has the tedious task of trying to itemise everything that was stolen and claim from insurance. Please, I can barely remember what I have in my handbag and I stare into it everyday – how on EARTH are you supposed to remember what was in that bag in the back cupboard. Spare linen, towels, Christmas decorations, that old tennis racquet?

Yes, she recognises that it is only stuff and that her family is safe. Yes, she is feeling the overwhelming emotions of how invasive and personally uncomfortable this kind of intrusion is, and yes, she has cried about the loss of her grandmothers wedding ring and her exceptionally sentimental items which are now probably on the black market. And yes, this is NOT okay.

We are privileged to own these things. Most of the world is much poorer than we are. And so, how can one not understand that there are less fortunate people everywhere desperate to steal and sell something to provide for his/her family, or replace their contents that were destroyed in a shack fire. I’m not using this post to open the ‘white privilege’ can – just to acknowledge the other stories so often not heard. This still does NOT make it okay. (It just raises lots of questions which I’m not going to ask here or now).

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And so to avoid further (and very real) fear of trying to protect every THING we own with exorbitant insurance costs, anxiously double checking locked doors, paranoid we are being watched and targeted, feeling obsessive-compulsive about a strange noise in the night or whether we pulled our phone from its car charger when we left the car, how can we distance ourselves from this often very real way of thinking and living in South Africa.

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I remember in Vancouver, feeling like everything was temporary. It was a great way to live. We drove an old 1997 Honda Accord called Seymour (see-more) because all we wanted it for, was to get from A-B and that is what it did. And if I scraped the wheel rim on the pavement – well whahh – no big deal. We swapped clothes and baby paraphernalia between friends and while we like nice stuff (and bought nice stuff) we didn’t need to accumulate because we couldn’t keep it forever. We value respecting each others things (ask my kids how I shout at them when they throw books) and know full well the result of buying cheap, buying twice. So we are not necessarily regulars at the Chinese shops, nor Woolworths, and yes, we do have some very lovely things I would be very upset if they were ever stolen. But we were able to fit all of our early contents into 14 boxes that sailed from Vancouver to SA, and this made life (and certain decisions) much simpler and happier. There’s something very healthy about living with little. And my minimalist friend Joshua Becker hits the nail on the head for me OFTEN.

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In no way am I saying that my friend is materialistic or a hoarder. In fact I think she is one of the few who are not. This incident has simply made me think about my own life, and my own stuff and the importance I place on them, the value I expect them to add to my life and whether that is right or not. Also, it’s making me wonder how much less worry-filled my life can be, by intentionally owning fewer things. And I’m inspired and deeply challenged by this thought.

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I’ve read about those people who buy nothing but food and regular household needs for a year. No new clothes, no coffees out, no spontaneous splurging. They challenge themselves to not go out and spend (and appreciate what they have and make the best of it). While I’m not one of those, I’m intrigued by them and cannot deny that they must experience an unbelievably extraordinary year.

Besides, stuff creates dust and mess. And nobody needs more of that.

Read more by Joshua Becker here.

The Imperfect

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Tuesday afternoon I found myself at our ophthalmologist chatting about how if my son’s eyes don’t respond to a change in his glasses prescription, how we might find ourselves back in hospital requiring further eye surgery.

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Eye Operation – April 2015

I’m okay with this. While it’s not great news, he can see, we have medical aid (which should cover it this time!), and we have options.

I sat there thinking about the next step. I’ve realized I’m a solutions focussed person and so my mind is already calculating what needs to be done: go to optometrist to order new lenses, send other glasses back off to Vancouver, double check with our broker that all our medical aid bits and pieces are in order and book a follow up appointment for 4 months time to determine official outcome. Cool. I got it.

A year ago these appointments terrified me. When something is wrong with your little one, your heart sits FIRMLY on your sleeve and you feel EVERYTHING DEEPLY. Once we knew something was awry (I still remember clearly, the road we were walking down when I verbalizied what I had noticed with Clay to my friend Amy) we booked numerous appointments, including the BIG one with the ophthalmologist to rule out the very scary stuff. I don’t think I ate for a week before the meeting I was so anxious. But now, we’re stronger and this is what it is (which is minor in the greater scheme of things) and with chins up, we embrace the challenges with grace and love.

Recently, I’ve known of friends dealing with many, many things. Friends struggling with rejection, very real family challenges, struggles with identity, years of getting out of debt, miscarriage and even the death of a child.

I’ve also been chatting with new parents, in what seems like that gushy, mushy, amaaaazing, yet sleep deprived what-the-hell-am-I-doing stage of parenting. I chuckled to myself as I heard them talking, remembering so clearly how I tried to keep things ‘right’ with this clean slate (of a person) I had just been given. I did it too: the whole ‘wash all of the baby clothes in the natural scented, gold tinted baby laundry soap’, have way more of everything than I EVER needed, put the ‘no tears’ shampoo in my eyes before using it on the kids, and didn’t sleep much at all if my child was 0.3 degrees hotter than his regular basal body temperature (all the while the canned goods in my cupboards were lined up military style – labels facing forward).

But the reality is, in our imperfect broken world – things go wrong. Eyes weaken, bodies fail, bad decisions are made (even with the very best and most honourable intentions), families break, and hurt people hurt people.

be kind

As I sat in the ophthalmologist’s room picturing the possibility of a second eye operation, I was comforted by the fact that this is life, and we are all working through different things. We may not all wear the badges on our blazers or show the depth of the scars but to pretend this stuff is not happening and that we’re always alright is just ignorant, hurtful and even harmful. Being an idealist I might come across as one of those ignorant ones, but I’m not… I am hopeful.

brokenn crayons still colour

This quote is so great –

Vulnerable quote

I’m hopeful. I believe in a God who heals, who changes, who restores and even if not – I’m hopeful because he is God. And we’re a part of a bigger story, and what we’re struggling with now, does not define us or determine who we are.

And because he makes beautiful things, out of us (thanks Gungor).

Easy-Peasy Homemade Chicken Stock

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When we first did Paleo (Whole30) back when I was pregnant with #2, we stuck to the rules military-style, and that included no chemicals in any-thing. So we had to make our own stock. What?

Making your own stock is awesome, super rewarding and easy-peasy. And it is delicious. In fact, after we learnt about it we stopped buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts so we had extra bones to use, and by doing so, saved some money at the same time (boneless meat is often more expensive).

So here’s how you do it:

Cook a roast chicken. This is my go-to recipe and I love love love it. It’s a throw-together rustic version of a roast chicken. Invite some friends over, and enjoy your dinner with some good wine and laughter. Pick as much meat off the carcass as you can, gobble it all up or save whatever you have left over for chicken mayo toasties, salad toppings etc.

Jamie Oliver Roast Chicken

Then take the carcass and pop it in a pot and pour about 3L-4L of water over it. Now you get creative… Was there a mushy lemon in the carcass cavity? Throw that in the water. Cut up a couple carrots, an onion or two, a couple sticks of celery, salt, pepper and some herbs (bay leaves, parsley, thyme etc.) from your garden. Basically any veggies (flavours) you have lying around, chuck them in.

Bring it to the boil for around 20min. Then (my favourite bit), pop it in your Wonderbag. Overnight. At end of cooking time, open bag, check temperature immediately to be certain stock measures 60° C/140° F or higher. Strain the liquid through a sieve and throw the veggie bits in your compost. For maximum flavor use the back of large spoon to press as much liquid as possible from meat, bones and veggies. Add additional salt and pepper to taste and pop your delicious flavoursome liquid it in the freezer. Done!

(If you don’t have a Wonderbag, you can let it simmer gently for around 30min. Check on it and then turn it down and let it cook on low for another hour or so – just don’t forget about it).

Chemical, MSG, nonsense-free stock. Yum.

Picture Credit: everydaygoodthinking.com