Vitacost is one of my favorite sources for supplements, natural hygiene products, and organic grocery items. I've been ordering from them for several years on a regular basis. The product that got us started with them was Nature's Plus Animal Parade vitamins. They have them for up to 30% less than our local health food stores. When you have multiple children taking them, one bottle doesn't last very long, so that can be a considerable savings!

My Favorite Vitacost Products

• Deep Steep Tangerine Melon organic bubble bath (for the hobbits)
• Organic Grooming Dusk cologne (for the big guys)
• Seventh Generation chlorine-free personal hygiene products
• Aura Cacia essential oils
• Carlson's for Kids Cod Liver Oil (in lemon)
• Natural Factors Vitamin D3 Drops (adults & kids)
• Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds
• Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Organic Raw Honey (my guys eat it off a spoon like candy)
• Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk (when it's on sale)
• Farmer's Market Organic Canned Pumpkin (when it's on sale)

If you are looking for good service, you'll find it with Vitacost. I am always impressed with how well my orders are packed - cardboard divider inserts, each fragile product wrapped in bubble wrap, and liquids in plastic bags. I've never had a leak or damaged product.

How It Works

If you have never ordered from Vitacost before, you can save $10 off of your first order by clicking through my referral link and placing a minimum $30 order. Not only do you get a $10 credit, so do I. Win-win! Orders over $49 automatically get free shipping also. While you are there, be sure to click on the Deals tab at the top right. They always have great sales going on.

Bonus!

Save a little more by getting to Vitacost via Ebates.com. By using Ebates, you can get a certain percentage of your purchase back in a quarterly rebate, either as a check or Amazon gift code. If you have never used Ebates before, you can click on this referral link to get started. (Again, I receive compensation for referrals.)


This post contains affiliate links.

Broken

This tiny sling is still a little big.

It was bound to happen. I'm surprised we made it this long. Five boys in almost 18 years. Sure, we have experienced other mishaps that required stitches, staples, support braces, and x-rays.

But M2, at 26 months, has broken the first bone.

Last Sunday evening, right before bed, a certain five year old boy opened the door to the stairs and allowed M2 to go upstairs. M2 can navigate the stairs well, but we don't normally let him do it alone. I was busy in another room and unaware...until I heard him fall down several steps. I knew immediately what had happened and when I got to him, he was at the bottom, laying on the wood floor, crying.

Any momma knows how hard it is to not snatch your child up to hold him close and comfort him, but I resisted, especially because of the way he was laying on his left side. After looking him over, I gently scooped him up and called Papa Bear.

Papa Bear came home and checked him out, determining that he may have bruised or briefly popped his shoulder out of place, since he didn't appear to have any broken bones. Little did we know. We made the choice to stay home due to the time of night and not wanting to traumatize a tired toddler, since he didn't seem to need urgent care. The next day, he seemed a little better, so we decided to watch and wait. Even though M2 was using his left arm regularly without complaint, he continued to hold it folded close to his body when he walked or ran. I had a nagging feeling all week that he may have broken his collar bone, so as I was trying to feel around on his shoulder again this afternoon, I thought I felt a knot. Papa Bear agreed and I took M2 to the Convenient Care.

Have you ever tried to hold a scared, uncooperative toddler with a broken bone flat and still for an x-ray? Fortunately, they were able to get it in two takes. The nurses tried to gently get him into a figure-eight brace, but the smallest size wasn't small enough for him. The only other option was an arm sling. Let's just say that he was not too fond of either option. By the time we got home, he had quit trying to get it off because he figured out how to push his arm out so he could use it. There is not really any way to reason with a two year old. I have to call an orthopedic doctor Monday.

By the way, after some mommy-toddler conversation, I discovered and confirmed with LJ that he and M2 had been sliding down the stairs on their bottoms that day. I wonder if any lessons will be retained from this experience.

Did you know that the collar bone is the bone most often fractured during childhood? And that the collar bone does not completely harden until adulthood? Learn more about childhood clavicle fractures here.

Finding Answers to My Teen's Ear Problem

Back in March, I told you about the problems M1 has had with ear infections and ruptures. Our family doctor referred us to an ENT and after two rescheduled appointments, we finally went yesterday. As we walked in the fairly new, beautifully decorated building, I couldn't help thinking that it takes a LOT of surgeries to pay for that kind of fancy. Once we were inside, I wondered if any of the parents who watched their children play in the big, colorful play room knew about the likelihood of food allergies being involved in their child's infection cycle. M1 and I talked and laughed with each other while we waited. It was a rare occasion to be alone with my oldest son, without even M2, so I soaked it up.

We had a nice conversation with the audiologist and she even had a couple of insights to share when I mentioned Papa Bear's hearing loss and ringing ears due to his time in Afghanistan. M1's hearing is perfect, according to her tests, and she gave him some good advice about keeping it that way and listening to his iPod. Then we went to a different room and waited some more for The Doctor. When he came in with one of those reflector headbands, I thought M1 would laugh out loud, but he contained it...until after we were out of the office. I shared my theory that perhaps all of M1's orthodontic work had rearranged the structure of his jaw and palate and created the problem. The doctor examined all of M1's head cavities while asking me questions. He had me look over his shoulder at the white streaks at the back of M1's throat and explained what adenoids are. He said that my theory was plausible but it wasn't the case this time. Adenoids can become swollen because of bacteria and there isn't anything to remedy it. Altogether, it took him about five minutes to determine and declare that Mason needed surgery to remove his adenoids. SURPRISE! M1 watched me because he knew what was coming next...

To sum it up, I told the doctor that that is what I expected we would hear, that we preferred to avoid surgery if possible, and that I would check into other alternatives first. I also told him about our experiences with dairy and ear infections when the older boys were little. He said that there may be 1000 different holistic or homeopathic remedies that might work on a small number of people but don't work for everyone. He also admitted that he is not knowledgeable about other treatments since he was trained specifically in medicine. And then he said that the ball is in my court. Yes, it is. While I appreciate the need for medical professionals, I do think that people rely on them way too much and accept what they say without questioning or researching on their own. If we cannot resolve the issue on our own, after exploring the alternatives, then we'll reconsider the doctor's advice.

As soon as I got home, I went online to see if anyone else had discovered a connection between swollen adenoids and dairy consumption. I already knew about the connection to ear infections but wanted to find out if eliminating dairy resolved the adenoid issue. Of course, I found many testimonies to support my theory. Doctors want scientific studies, I want to hear personal experiences. Due to our experiences with dairy so far, I didn't have to say much to convince M1 to eliminate dairy from his diet. To make it easier for him and to resolve any underlying issues for the rest of us, we are all going dairy-free again. Except for Papa Bear. You couldn't convince him to give up his glass of cold milk with dinner, his occasional bowl of cereal, or his weekly chocolate malts.

I'll keep you updated on our discoveries as they unfold. I would love to hear about your experiences, so please leave a comment.

Natural Candy Store

It's everywhere! It's everywhere!

As a mom who tries to feed my boys healthy, natural foods, it can be very difficult to handle the candy situation. In the past, I've tried to eliminate it, control it, demonize it, confiscate it, but candy is a HUGE part of our culture. You cannot go anywhere without finding it. Mints with your dinner bill. Candy displays at every check-out. Gumball machines near the door of every restaurant and store in town. Suckers at the doctor's office and the bank. Handfuls of candy thrown at you during parades. Kids bringing it home from school and parties. Commercialized holidays that seem to center on it. Well-meaning, but uninformed grandparents...Ahem.

So, I have taken turns being lenient about candy and all-together throwing my hands up in the air. One of my favorite things to keep around (when we can afford them) are YummyEarth organic lollipops. We all love them, every flavor, but the ones that usually go first are the blueberry and the pomegranate. Until now, other than the occasional organic chocolate or xylitol gum from the health food store, that was the only natural candy I had to offer my kids. Today, I was lucky enough to stumble upon NaturalCandyStore.com. I was so excited to find a one-stop shop that offers candy with no high-fructose corn syrup, no artificial colors or dyes, no artificial flavors, no artificial sweeteners, and no preservatives. And the selection is NOT limited to a few varieties or brands. There are chocolates, candy bars, hard candies, gummies, candy sprinkles for baking, marshmallow creme, fudge...you get the idea. 

So you can see why I was excited! Yes, it's a bit more expensive. Yes, it's still sugar. But if you have a choice, why not choose the better option? Think of how much less guilt you will have, especially during the holidays. Of course, if your child is allergic to corn or is sensitive to artificial colors, then you'll have a way to still indulge them with a sweet treat from time to time. With every order, you can choose a free sample (or four!). And when you sign up for their newsletter, you will be entered into a monthly drawing for a $50 gift certificate.

Now, I know you are just itching to click the link to see if they have your sweet tooth's your kids' favorite treat. 

Disclaimer: This post was prompted by my own excitement and I will earn a $5 gift certificate for any new order placed through the NaturalCandyStore.com links.

Is It a Mango Allergy?

Did you know that the tropical fruit, mango, is in the same family as cashews and poison ivy? About a week or two ago, my mom called to tell me that she had read something about people who are allergic to poison ivy having a similar reaction to the skin of mangoes. She thought I'd like to know because our second son, NG, is very allergic to poison ivy. We found out a few years ago, when he was playing around with his older brother and M1 grabbed a handful of red leaves and stuffed them down NG's shirt. Did you know that poison ivy leaves turn red in early autumn? Well, I didn't and, apparently, neither did M1. NG broke out in a horrible rash over his whole upper body, neck, and face. His ears swelled. His eyes swelled. He was miserable. It wasn't a case of poison ivy you could treat at home, it called for a trip to the doctor.

Just this week, I bought some mangoes because they were on sale for 2/$1. NG had been checking them each day to see if they were ripe yet. Two days ago, he found that they were ready. He scored the skin, peeled off four sections of the skin, and nibbled the little chunks that were still attached to the skin. The next day, NG had a dry, patchy rash starting around his mouth. I assumed it was from dairy because he had been drinking milk consistently for the past week. But then, today I remembered what my mom had told me and did a little research online. After reading THIS, I am certain that the mango is what has caused NG's rash. Once we thought about it, we remembered that sometime in the past year, NG had a rash just like it while he was staying at my mom's. It started around his mouth and then made two paths on each side of his nose straight up to his eyes. But we cannot remember if he had eaten any mangoes during that time. We just assumed that it was allergic eczema then also. NG was not pleased to learn that his favorite fruit was causing his skin rash. What I've read indicates that it is the skin, not the flesh, that contains the irritating oil, urushiol, so NG should be able to continue eating mangoes. Needless to say, NG will no longer be peeling them. 

Why I Love Coconut Oil

A couple of years ago, I read about the nourishing qualities of extra-virgin coconut oil and bought my first small jar from a health food store. Now I'm buying 54-ounce jars and using it for several things, from cooking and baking to skin care. Just this week, I used it to make hard lotion bars and peanut butter oatmeal cookies. It does have a slight coconut flavor, so it is best for baking, although some people use it for cooking eggs and pan-frying. We also like to add a spoonful of coconut oil to our oatmeal, along with honey and cinnamon.

As far as skin care, you can use it straight from the jar for dry skin or as a massage oil or you can mix it with other natural ingredients to make things like diaper rash cream, hair conditioner, lip balm, toothpaste, and deodorant. There is also reason to believe that it can be used to treat some medical and nutritional issues, such as yeast infections and hypothyroidism.

"One of the good fats that comprises about 50% of coconut oil, is lauric acid. Lauric acid is a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in mother’s milk that supports healthy metabolism and is now being studied for its anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial health-protecting properties." - Nutiva.com

And it's not just good for humans. It has multiple benefits for dogs also. I plan on giving Ruben, our mini doxie, a very small amount each day to see if it helps with his scratching. He had fleas last summer and, although they are gone, he has continued to scratch like his skin is dry.

Tip: You can use Amazon's Subscribe & Save to get a two-pack of 54-ounce jars of Nutiva EVCO for a great price. If you don't need that much, order with a friend.


Update 4/29/11: Get a 54 oz. jar of Nutive EVCO at Vitacost for less than $22!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert, nor do I suggest believing everything you read on the internet.  Please be responsible and do your own research. This is not a sponsored post, I just happen to use Nutiva. The links are Amazon affiliate links, though.

Fade to Black {Or My Trip to the ER}

What covers over 2/3 of the Earth and is necessary for life?

What makes up about 60% of the human body?

What should the average person consume more of while ill and feverish to avoid dehydration?

What should a breastfeeding mother consume more of to avoid dehydration?

What should a breastfeeding mother of five, who is ill and has a fever, consume copious amounts of to avoid ending up in the hospital?

Now, do you have any idea how much water that actually is? 

Well, apparently, I don't.

My upper respiratory infection developed rapidly from a sore throat on Thursday to head congestion on Friday. After a night of poor sleep, I got up early Saturday to head to the soccer field to watch the boys' first games of the season. {I hope that, one day, my boys appreciate the things that we have done for them.} NG was also not feeling well so I ended up taking him home after IB's game. By this time, I was feeling very worn out and could feel the congestion creeping down into my chest, but puttered around doing a "few more things" before I finally plopped myself down in front of the TV with my sick boys. I spent the rest of the evening there and finally developed a fever. It didn't take long before my fever climbed to 104.5. I took an acetaminophen and called Papa Bear because he likes to be informed of the goings-on at home while he is working. One of his co-workers overheard our phone conversation and offered to finish Papa Bear's shift so he could come home to take care of me. {Thanks, J!} During this time, I was drinking water fairly consistently but I hadn't been throughout the whole day. When I would get up, I felt a bit woozy and just marked it up to the congestion and high fever. Papa Bear came home about 11:00 p.m. and we went straight to bed. He monitored my temperature, made sure I had water, and walked me to the bathroom a couple of times. I passed out twice before, once while in labor but the other time I was feverish and he caught me falling  out of the shower unconscious. Right before dawn on Sunday morning, I had to pee again and I told him I would be okay...

Seconds later, this is what he heard...

{loud clunk} as I "lifted" the toilet lid

{"nnnnnnn"} in response to him asking if I was okay

This is what he did...

Needless to say, he made a dash for the bathroom just in time to catch me as I was falling into the tub and hitting my head on the faucet. He yanked me up and started slapping my face, yelling my name, and alternately, yelling for M1 or NG, who were both sound asleep upstairs with their doors closed. M2 was sleeping in our bed and Papa Bear was afraid he would wake up and fall off, so he needed help. M1 finally realized that Dad's voice wasn't just in his dream and stumbled down the stairs in a panic. M2 had already woken and slid himself off of the bed, so M1 grabbed him and watched as Dad carried his limp Mom to the bedroom. Papa Bear propped up my head and feet with pillows, checked my heart rate, and kept asking me questions, trying to bring me to full consciousness. Everyone should be so blessed to have live-in emergency personnel. He called our niece, the nurse, and then the emergency room. They both said to bring me in because something was definitely going on. Then he called my mom to come stay with the boys.

This is what I remember...

As I walked the very short trip to the bathroom, I began to hear the familiar static in my ears and felt weak and woozy. I barely remember tossing the toilet lid up too hard and sitting on the toilet. Then... BLACK. I could hear Papa Bear's voice yelling at me from faraway. I wanted to respond but the words wouldn't come to me. I wanted to move my arms or legs but they were heavy and limp. Gradually, I could respond but, at first, only with muttering and then simple words. My most used word was "tired" because Papa Bear kept asking me how I felt. It took too much effort to do more. After several minutes in bed, I was able to think more clearly but was still weak. I remember the worried looks on their faces. My youngest son sleeping on my oldest son's shoulder. Papa Bear trying to maintain control despite his deep concern. Papa Bear told Mason to put a pillow and blanket in the car, start it, and set up a couple of chairs along the path to the door, in case I needed to stop and rest as we walked out to the van. 

At the E.R....

The trip was uneventful. There was only one family with a sick baby waiting when we got to the E.R. When it was my turn in the triage, I sat in the wheelchair answering the nurse's questions when I felt that familiar feeling again. He saw the look on my face and immediately started wheeling me back to a room. I could feel myself going limp in the chair and the blackness was closing in on me again. I guess being vertical was causing my blood pressure to drop. As soon as they got me in the bed, I started to return to "normal". Several nurses worked at getting me hooked up to the monitors and started an IV. After five hours, two bags of fluids, a flu swab, chest xrays, blood and urine tests, they determined I only had a virus and I was dehydrated. Or "three quarts low" as my nurse put it. Thankfully, she was cheery and the doctor was pleasant. Actually, everyone was but that may have something to do with the fact that my husband is in there all of the time when he's working and knows all of them. 

Back at home...

My lovely momma had stopped to pick up the boys favorite donuts and chocolate milk before driving 40 minutes to our house. She had washed all of my dirty dishes and was working on my mountain of laundry. She changed diapers, wiped snotty noses, and rocked the baby. M2 flung himself into my arms with relief that Momma was home. The older boys gave me unsolicited hugs. I lay down in my bed and nursed M2 and  Papa Bear took a nap because he was sick and worn out also. M2 wouldn't go to sleep or leave my side, so I hung out on the couch and in the kitchen with my mom. LJ brought me daffodils from the yard. The sun shone, the birds chirped, and the world was in living color again.

Healing Chicken Soup {Yes, we're still sick...}

Can you believe it has been three full weeks and we are still dealing with illness? Papa Bear and I have finally gotten sick, as well as Levi and Miles...again. Miles was the first one to be sick and was fully recovered until a few days ago. Tuesday, I took Levi to the doctor and they confirmed that he has bronchitis. The other three boys are getting their strength back. I was forced out of bed very early this morning with a raging sore throat, so I took advantage of being up at dawn by enjoying some hot tea and reading Lazarus Awakening. {I'll post my review soon.} Then I got started on making chicken stock so we could have chicken noodle soup for lunch {and probably dinner}. Homemade chicken soup is not only soothing and nourishing but has healing properties.

Making chicken broth is easy and not an exact thing. You just cut up some vegetables, throw in a chicken, cover with water, and let it simmer for a few hours or so. But I know that most people like their instructions a little more specific, so I'll tell you what I do. There are other ways to do it, like the method Kimi Harris uses at The Nourishing Gourmet. Do a little research and experimenting to find out what works for you.

First of all, I buy the most natural chicken available at our grocery. It may cost a few dollars more than a regular one, but is healthier and it ends up being the best deal. I pay almost $3.00 for an aseptic box of natural chicken broth at the store, which contains about four cups. When I make my own, I end up with about five times that amount of nourishing chicken stock and have enough chicken for two meals {soups or casseroles}. For a smaller family, you could probably stretch it further.

Add to large stockpot: 

One yellow onion, cut into wedges

3-4 carrots (unpeeled), cut into 1" chunks

2 stalks of celery, cut into 1" chunks

3-4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 whole chicken, rinsed (include neck and organs, if desired)

1 bay leaf

5 peppercorns

2 tsp sea salt

Cover with filtered water by 2"

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a steady simmer and cover. Let it simmer for at least two hours, preferrably longer. You'll know it's ready when the chicken falls apart when you try to lift it out. I use a large slotted spoon to remove chicken to a plate.

Pull chicken from carcass. You may freeze bones and carcass to make bone broth later.

Use slotted spoon to remove rest of vegetables, chicken skin, and parts.

After removing chicken and vegetables, you will still have tiny particles that your slotted spoon can't get. 

Do the next two steps in your kitchen sink. 

Trust me, you will probably spill some of the boiling hot liquid. Consider yourself warned.

Pour the broth through a strainer into another large container. I use my other stock pot or Dutch oven. If I'm making chicken noodle soup right away, then I start adding the ingredients for that (see below). If I am not using it immediately or have too much, I pour the broth into glass jars and store it in the fridge. I use chicken broth frequently enough that I don't freeze it, but I could.

I use a canning funnel to fill my jars. The fat floats to the top and after some time in the refrigerator, it will solidify and may be removed with a spoon, if desired. These are half-gallon jars. They hold 8 cups, but I only filled them to the 7 cup mark. So, I guess you already figured out that I made 21 cups or almost 1 1/2 gallons of chicken broth.

To make chicken noodle soup:
Simply add a cup of chopped chicken, a couple of thinly sliced carrots, a sliced stalk of celery, 1/2 onion (diced), two minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (or to taste). Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer until carrots start to soften, add egg noodles and cook until desired tenderness. Salt & pepper to taste.

One Tough Bug

{Left to right: homemade chest rub, antibiotic, homeopathic ear drops, saline nasal spray, acetaminophen, peppermint tea, vitamin C supplement. Other remedies we are using: chamomile tea, eucalyptus drops on pillow, humidifier, homemade chicken soup, and acidophilus}

This is what has been cluttering my counter for the past two weeks now. Spring always brings a nasty virus and the one going around here is a tough bug to beat. Almost everyone I've talked to has been hit by it. M2 started with it and then passed it to IB and M1. Now LJ and NG have finally gotten it a week and a half later. I started to feel it coming on but started taking Sambucol Cold & Flu Relief and the next day felt fine again. NG started taking them also but he still got it. Hopefully, it won't be as bad. The boys have shared similar symptoms and spiced it up with their own unique variations.

Fever. Congestion. Cough. Sore throat. Ear infections. Headache. Vomiting. Diarrhea. 

M2 had such a horrible cough that was causing him (and us) to lose sleep, so I took him to our doctor to make sure it wasn't turning into a secondary infection, like bronchitis or pneumonia. His lungs were clear but the PA said that his ears and throat were red. I let him know my opinion on antibiotics and ear infections and he gave me a prescription "just in case" M2 had strep and said it was my choice if I gave it to him or not. {Let me tell you that this was the beginning of my irritation with our family doctor's staff. I didn't process all of this until after I left, but if that PA had actually done a strep test, we most likely wouldn't have had to give M2 any antibiotic. And not only did he prescribe M2's first antibiotic, he wrote it for a mid-range one, Cefdinir, instead of amoxicillin and said that only about 5% of children get the diarrhea and rash with it!!  Of course, since then, I have talked to about 4 other moms whose kids took it and they said their little one got a horrible rash and one vomited.} Well, I wasn't going to give it to him but Papa Bear isn't quite of the same mind when it comes to these matters and insisted that we give it to him "just in case". Mommy doubt kicked in and I complied. Immediately, I regretted it. M2 developed diarrhea immediately and his little bottom was so red and tender that he screamed from the slightest touch. It was days before it got any better.

My normally very active son, IB, planted himself on the couch for a week, only getting up occasionally. He also had fever for about five days and looked so ill that I've been watching him closely. Of course, he broke out with several cold sores too. A curse that has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me and to at least one of my sons, so far. 

M1 developed an ear infection after a few days and within hours, his eardrum ruptured. We had been treating it with warm olive oil/garlic drops, warm compresses, and acetaminophen. Papa Bear took him to the urgent care and they gave him prescriptions for antibiotics and Claritin-D, claiming that he must have allergies. Another diagnosis without much evidence, so I'm not giving him the Claritin. This was the third ear infection and second rupture he's had in the past 6-8 months. We treated one infection at home and it went away in 48 hours. They have each occurred during a viral infection.

The very next morning, M1 woke up with an earache in the other ear and it ruptured too! I called our family doctor for a follow-up but couldn't get an appointment until two days later...with his PA! It takes a week or two to get an appointment with our doctor himself and he is also too busy for phone consultations. Then, when it was time for M1's appointment, we were running late because he was still feeling bad and moving slowly and was nervous about taking a shower with ruptured eardrums. I called them to let them know we were still five minutes away and was told that it is "office policy" to reschedule when you are more than 15 minutes late. Yes, being late was our fault but we probably would have still been in the waiting room at that point anyway. Since my kids don't get sick enough to see a doctor very often, I didn't realize what a pain it would be to actually see our family physician and not a PA. I chose our FP because he was of similar mind on some issues, like vaccinations and treating illness at home. We have been developing a relationship during wellness visits and then, when we actually need to see him, he's not available. Okay, I'm finished venting. Needless to say, we ended up at a convenient care and left with a prescription for antibiotics.

I've been researching every connection I can think of as to why M1 is having this problem. When he was an infant/toddler, he had ear problems but only one or two since then...until this past year. I'm trying to get him to give up dairy, but I don't think he'll stick with it. Besides allergies, other connections I've considered are his iPod {loud volume and bacteria on the ear buds} and his posture {I'm constantly reminding him to straighten up}. M1 has had orthodontic work done to correct several problems and just got his braces off a few months ago. He said that he has some jaw popping in the morning and occasional headaches. Relevant? I don't know but I'm not ruling anything out yet. I'm very concerned about the possibility of loss of hearing. I would like to be able to work with our doctor but I'm not happy with him right now. Chiropractic and an allergist are on my list to try.

Do you have any experience with their older child or adult having recurring ear infections with ruptures? I need help figuring this out. Thanks!

Challenging Opportunities for Homeschoolers

Surprise! This is not about the challenges OF homeschooling. This is about academic and physical fitness challenges for homeschoolers to participate in. You don't have to belong to a homeschool group to do any of them and your child can achieve recognition, awards, and scholarships. Not to mention that it looks great on a transcript.

If you went to public or private school in the United States, I'm sure you remember doing the President's Fitness Challenge. Sit-ups. Pull-ups. Sit and reach. One mile run. Ring any bells? As homeschoolers, your children, between the ages of 6 and 17, can participate too. You can click here or download the free educators' booklet to see what the requirements are. Your homeschool can go it alone or if you want to try for state recognition, organize other families from your homeschool group (at least 50).

Feeling left out, Mom or Dad? You can participate right along with your children with the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. You have to buy your own award certificates and patches, of course, but they are very inexpensive (starting at less than a dollar). My older boys are participating this semester with my husband leading them. They have a distinct advantage because Papa Bear used to be a drill sergeant. P.E. credit, check!

The Congressional Award is a personally challenging, non-competitive program for 14-23 year olds. It involves four areas: Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. Your student sets his/her own goals, works at their own pace, can build on their own achievements along the way, and have the opportunity for scholarships. Your child would work with a mentor of your choosing (you or a trusted friend) to help keep them accountable and motivated. This looks like an awesome opportunity for a young person who loves to be challenged and is willing to take initiative. P.E. credit, check! Community Service, check! Creatively Named Elective, check!

Looking for a contest in a specific academic area? Looking for scholarships? Homeschool Buyers Coop has a free up-to-date list of contests and scholarships available to students. Wait until you have a chunk of time to sit and go through them. It's a long list. Leave no stone unturned by checking out these unusual scholarships. Homeschooling presents its own challenges, but being excluded from exciting and rewarding opportunities isn't one of them. Sometimes, you just have to put more effort into finding them.

My Cup of Tea

A friend introduced me to the loveliness of hot tea about 12 years ago. We worked together in a cubicle in an accounting office and Sam was the type of young woman every one else envied. Always put together. Perfect manners. Confident. At ease with anyone and always knew what to say in any situation. Educated. She was working on her masters in Political Science, I believe. She had been an Army brat and had traveled the world with her family. She even kept a toothbrush kit in her purse and brushed her teeth after lunch every day. Sophisticated is the word that comes to mind when I think of Sam. And, of course, she drank herbal tea. 

While I worked there, I seemed to get sick quite often. It was in an old annex building for a hospital and I'm quite certain it (and we) suffered from "sick building syndrome". I'm sure that it didn't help that I ate out of the vending machine daily. I wasn't yet a healthy food convert. Sam kept tea bags stashed in her desk drawer along with a mug and a bottle of honey. She encouraged me to try some hot herbal tea with honey once while I was sick. It was wonderful and ever since then, I have been a tea drinker. Even my sons love hot tea now (except my oldest). Papa Bear prefers sweet iced tea and never really cared for hot tea until he spent his time in Afghanistan, where it's a daily custom and it would have been rude to refuse. They call their tea "chai", even though what Papa Bear drank was an Earl Grey blend. He even brought his little glass mug and several boxes of tea home and enjoys a cup on occasion, reminiscing.

Well, the inspiration for this post is my raging sore throat. Each winter, our family gets one really nasty bug that everyone in town seems to be sharing and we have had it the past couple of weeks. It started with NG, who had a mild case, then spread to IB, then LJ and M2 developed croup, then Papa Bear...and, now, I have it. My throat is so sore that I can barely swallow and am scared to cough even a little. My husband thinks it's a little strange that I have been scratching my neck like crazy too. Coincidentally, I had to take Levi to the minor emergency care center last New Year's Day for strep throat. The first thing I did when I got out of bed this morning was boil some water for tea. One of my favorite teas right now is Chai green tea with raw honey and a little almond milk. With the first swallow of that warm, spicy, sweet drink, my throat felt so much better. I was already thinking about my second cup before I finished the first. More Chai? Or peppermint? Or chamomile? I have considered more complex teas, such as Traditional Medicinals' Throat Coat, but they contain herbs that are not recommended during breastfeeding.*

I love a cup of hot tea. It just makes me feel calm and relaxed, even when the little tornados are whirling around the house undoing everything I just did. Well, as long as I close my eyes while drinking it. Some people prefer coffee or sodas, but not me. Coffee leaves an unpleasant aftertaste and will upset my stomach. Sodas just aren't good for you. Period. And do you know what I choose when I want something cold to drink that isn't water or juice? Sweet iced tea. 

Are you a tea drinker? What are your favorite varieties?

*Please do the research before taking any herbs if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have any underlying health conditions. Natural does NOT always mean safe.

Croup is in the House

Lovely name for an illness, isn't it? Croup. We have gone through it with every child so far and it is always worrisome. The tell-tale barking cough in the middle of the night. Sitting in a hot, steamy bathroom with your child trying to make it easier for him to breathe. Standing in the cold night air with your little one wrapped in a blanket to open up his tiny little airway. Listening for the stridor, that harsh, raspy sound. Looking for retractions in his little chest when he breathes. Ready to dash to the emergency room at the first sign that your baby is having difficulty breathing. Lack of sleep. For everyone.

Croup has been visiting us this week and we are ready for it to leave. The two youngest have had the croup cough for a few days now. When any of the little ones are sick, Papa Bear and I take turns sleeping near them so we will be able to hear them if they need us. Yesterday morning, I awoke to the sound of LJ's labored breathing. I roused him and asked if he was having a hard time breathing and he nodded. I scooped him up and called my oldest, who was sleeping upstairs, to come down in case the baby woke up. Then I headed to the kitchen. I had two things on my mind: get the phone to call Papa Bear, who was working a double, and get LJ outside into the cold air. On the way, LJ said he wanted a drink of water, so I gave him a small drink before heading out the door. As soon as we got outside, Papa Bear answered the phone and Levi threw up the water. Needless to say, Papa Bear was en route. We went back in, started the hot shower, and sat in the steamy bathroom until Paul got home a few minutes later. LJ was still having trouble breathing, so Papa Bear and M1 took him to the ER. Fortunately, the ER was empty and they got him right in. LJ had to have an Xray and a shot (which LJ didn't acknowledge with even the slightest flinch), then he received a breathing treatment and had to be observed for a couple of hours. He left with a prescription for a nebulizer to use at home. 

Normally, I try to avoid pharmaceuticals but there are times when they are necessary. When your precious child can't breathe, that's one of those times. We have been running the humidifier at night, staying home and running off visitors, sitting on the couch, watching a lot of TV, and since M2 also has the croup, I have been nursing A LOT. LJ has been very whiny and M2 has been clingy, which is understandable. And sleep...well, we'll sleep when they are all better.

Fever Phobia

Are you afraid of a fever? When your little ones develop a fever, do you automatically reach for the acetaminophen or ibuprofen? Have you seen a recent commercial on television that first shows a crying, feverish toddler, who then, after supposedly taking a certain fever reducer medicine, is happy and laughing? My first impression from it was that we are to see the fever as the illness and that by getting rid of it, we fix the problem. It looks normal to most parents because we have been taught that a fever is a bad thing. We can't cure a cold but we want to do whatever we can to make our children feel better so we treat what we can.

For the past week or so, my younger children have been fighting a virus that apparently has been affecting most of the community right now. Miles has had an intermittent fever since yesterday evening and the first thing that both my husband and my mother said was, "Give him some Tylenol." After all of the research that I've done, I know that a fever is not usually dangerous and is really a good thing in most cases. Although opinions vary, my own personal limit is 103 "ish", depending on how my child is acting, his age, his symptoms, and how long he's had it. Dr. Sears has a guide to fevers in children here and Dr. Greene has more to say here. You may want to print the information to have as a handy reference when you are dealing with a feverish child at 3 a.m.

Have you stopped to think about why we get fevers? Did you know that a fever is actually the body's natural defense against viruses and bacteria? So while there are conditions that warrant reducing a fever, not all situations require it. By lowering it prematurely with medicine, you may actually be making it easier for the germs to multiply and make your child sicker. Not exactly what you were shooting for, I'm sure.

Another downside to fever reducing medications is the potential for allergic reactions. NG broke out in hives after taking Motrin (ibuprofen) when he was younger. And when you take into consideration the warnings of potential liver damage from overuse of acetaminophen and the numerous recalls of Tylenol products this year, you may want to take a moment and reevaluate the need to give your child or yourself a fever reducing medicine. The AAP gives suggestions for treating a fever without medication.

Consider the fever a sign that something is brewing inside your child's body and make sure that he or she gets plenty of rest, eats healthy foods, drinks plenty of water, and stays away from others. Monitor his or her fever and symptoms and don't hesitate to contact your doctor if you notice any of the symptoms listed here.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor. My information is from books and trusted online sources, as well as from conversations with my own family doctor. Please read the links above, do your own research, and consult your physician. As always, my advice is to be informed. Don't do things a certain way just because that's the way your mom, your grandmother, or "everyone else" does it.  

Raising Healthier Kids - My Experience

Warning: This is a long post and you may not agree, but this has been our experience and we have made choices for our family based on it and extensive research and prayer. 


Hindsight is 20/20. That may sound cliche, but it is the truth. My parenting has evolved a great deal over the past 17 years, especially during the past eight. Once I opened the door to whole foods, holistic healing, and healthy, greener living, I began to see amazing changes in my family's health. I only wish I had learned it earlier so that I could have saved my two oldest sons from the ear infection/antibiotic treadmill and numerous other maladies.

With my first two sons, I accepted it as "normal" for them to experience frequent illness and ear infections. I also accepted it as "normal" to have a visit to the doctor and antibiotics with every earache. Because I was never given any advice regarding prevention {most, if not all, doctors know that dairy should, at least, be avoided during upper respiratory and/or ear infections}, both of my sons ended up on the seemingly endless cycle of infection and antibiotics during their first year. Note that I breastfed both boys past their first birthdays, so up until then they were exposed to dairy in MY diet. Eventually, M1, my oldest, "grew out of them" around 3 and NG, my second son, got tubes in his ears by his first birthday. Of course, when NG turned one, I gave him whole milk according to doctor recommendations and he began to have diarrhea and rashes. The doctor recommended soy toddler formula and I kept NG on that for a few months until the intolerance seemed to go away. Of course, it only seemed to go away because the symptoms changed. NG continued to have sensitive skin and later developed eczema.

As a young parent, I also followed doctor's orders and took my boys in for every vaccination on the schedule. Fortunately, both of them got the chickenpox before they were due to receive the (then) new chickenpox vaccine. Unfortunately, NG received two doses of the Rotashield vaccine before they recalled it due to some children developing bowel obstructions from it. He did, however, end up getting rotovirus about the time he would have had his third shot. When we moved from Indiana to Kentucky, I took the boys to get updated on their shots and was informed that Kentucky's vaccination schedule required about 2 to 3 more shots. Poor NG ended up getting FIVE shots at once! I felt horrible for him but, at that time, I didn't know I had any other choice. 

Fast forward to baby boy #3. While I was pregnant with IB, I began to learn, via the wonderful world wide web, more about natural parenting and healthy living. As a Christian homeschooler, who practiced attachment parenting and extended breastfeeding, it just made sense to switch to real, whole foods, avoid vaccines with harmful chemicals and toxins, support our immune systems naturally, avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics, and keep harmful chemicals out of our home by using natural cleaners. I didn't make all of these changes overnight; it has been a process and still is.

After IB was born, I had learned enough to know that dairy had been (and probably, still was) a problem for my children. Although the medical community, in general, is reluctant to admit a connection between food allergies/sensitivities and ear infections and other conditions, I was becoming convinced that dairy was the culprit behind M1 and NG's ear infection issues and poor immunity. I was exclusively breastfeeding IB when I decided to test my theory with an elimination diet for myself, M1, and NG. We stayed away from all dairy products for almost two weeks, then on test day, we had some sharp cheddar cheese. While I did notice behavior changes in NG, the most pronounced result was that IB developed diarrhea with a horrible bleeding rash in less than a day after MY consumption of cheese. {Fortunately, I had Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm on hand and it healed the rash completely within a couple of days. Love that stuff!} Needless to say, I discontinued dairy for all of us as much as possible. It seemed impossible at first but got easier. We have not remained dairy-free completely but do not consume it as regularly and some of us abstain from it when I notice problems or when someone is ill. For example, NG occasionally has an episode of eczema when he's been consuming dairy too frequently. I also choose organic and, primarily, cultured dairy products, like yogurt and cheese.

Another turning point after IB's birth was our thoughts on vaccinations. While I had been researching the pros/cons of vaccines prior to his birth, we were still on the fence about it. So we went ahead and started the recommended schedule, but when he had his two-month shots, I let the pediatrician know that I was considering stopping. She let me know that if I chose to not vaccinate my child than she could no longer be our doctor. As it happened, IB reacted to those vaccines with fever, vomiting, and high-pitched crying for several hours. So, two months later, we had our last appointment with her (with NO vaccinations) and I found a family physician who respected our decisions and selectively vaccinated his own children. That was the last time we allowed any of our children to receive vaccines. Unfortunately, there was a lapse in communication between the nurses at Levi's birth. He came 3 1/2 weeks early and very quickly {20 minutes after I got to the hospital}, so I didn't have time to share my birth plan with the staff. While one nurse was asking me if I wanted him to have the Hepatitis B shot, the other was giving it to him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I already gave it to him." I still wonder if that was really an accident.

In comparison to my first two sons younger years, my younger three have experienced much less illness and have only had a handful of ear infections between them all together. And even then, we avoided antibiotics by treating them with natural ear drops, warmed olive oil and garlic, and occasionally, Tylenol. It is true that most ear infections will resolve themselves within 48 hours. Our doctor rarely sees anyone in our family. What exactly has caused my children to have stronger immune systems? Avoiding dairy? No vaccines? Avoiding processed food in favor of whole foods? Less toxins in the home? Maybe one more than another, but looking back {that hindsight I was talking about}, I can see that all of the changes we have made in our parenting and lifestyle have tremendously affected our family's health for the better.