Living in Gratitude

I am so very truly blessed with my life.  I see that now and immerse myself in the gratitude that comes with it. 

I am grateful our water problems were not as worse as others this past weekend/week

I am grateful for a very pleasant weekend with both my boys at home

I am grateful for the ability to buy good food for my family, clean, and prep it to make it even easier to choose to eat

I am grateful for friends joining the cause

I am grateful for only four more days of school

I am grateful I truly survived, moderately successfully, this school year on my own managing 4 different ensembles and 2 general music classes.  More greatness planned for next year.

I am grateful for said survival and the ability to look at what I can, should, and need to change

I am grateful for a gorgeous day.

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Find your own gratitude on facebook: Living In Gratitude

My Affirmation Challenge

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with our family naturopath for a "medical intuitive" session.  I had absolutely NO idea what this would entail.  What she told me and what we talked about has definitely made me think about a lot of things and turn inward more, listening intently to my inner peace.

My sister and I have also spoken, on numerous occasions, about the Laws of Attraction (think positively), and through my 8-to-Great training (choose thoughts that feel good), I have come to really believe in this.

So when this floated through my FB feed,

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/03/10-powerful-affirmations-can-change-life.html

I decided to make a challenge to myself.  One affirmation per week for 10 weeks.  Repeated daily whenever needed but always first thing in the morning.  It's amazing, 2 affirmations in, to notice how I can affect my mood by simply saying these words to myself.

My goal is simple.  To say the affirmation daily for the week and to note how I feel and what, if anything, has changed.  So here is my account of Affirmation #1, "Today I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy".

I began my challenge with this statement because it's the end of the school year and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE at my school is beyond exhausted.  It's been a challenging and eye opening and experience FULL year for me.  One that I know has truly changed me, my teaching, and my views on what I do.  Yet I'm tired.  So very tired.  I spent so long in high school and elementary that I never had the blessings FULL experience of working with middle schoolers.  I've heard folks say it's the most challenging age to teach, and true to form I didn't fully believe it till I experienced it myself. 

So in light of the remaining couple days *cough 9 cough*, I focused on this one to help boost my energy and mood.  And you know what????

It worked.

I had more energy last week than I've had in a while.  I said the affirmation first thing in the morning, become more and more still with each repetition.  I practiced a heart searching yoga practice each morning and arrived at school calm and ready to tackle the day when a few short weeks ago it was with trepidation and exhaustion over what the day would hold.  I found myself repeating it through the day when challenging situations or students presented themselves and felt a shift through me that made me feel like it'll be okay and I can tackle anything.

I'm also following the advice given to me in my session to shut off my third eye completely at night by placing something cold on my forehead and listening to a meditation.  I started the recommended melatonin and bought some chakra oils I've had my eye on for a while for the 3 chakra's I need to work on.  It has been a pleasant experience so far.

This week I am working with "my body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil", and in the midst of cleaning up the water in our basement after last night's storms, it has placed a calm on me and made me realize how this situation is only temporary.  Many people we know, including my parents, best friend, and other friends have struggled and continue to battle water in their basementa.  Their houses still stand. They are still able to enjoy life.  It's only temporary.

So I leave you with those thoughts of "what if I said these words to myself? How would my life change?" Take the opportunity...change your life.

Thank you

On my birthday, I simply want to say Thank you. 

Thank you to life for the lessons I've learned. 

Thank you to my friends who have been there through my good times and not so good.

Thank you to the opportunities that present themselves daily to me that give me the chance to shift my mind.

Thank you to my parents who have given and continue to give so much in love and support to not just me but my family as well.

Thank you to my sisters who provide a lens to look through that is colored with their wisdom and experience, and for the love they provide.

Thank you to my teachers past, present, and future who have challenged me, supported me, and helped mold me into this 37 year old version of myself.

Thank you to my bestest friend of 22+ years.  Without her friendship I wouldn't be half the woman I am today.

Thank you to breast cancer for touching my life and showing me what's really important.

Thank you to my husband whose love, support, and grumpiness truly make my world whole.  Without him I would most definitely not be who I am or have what I do, today.

Thank you to my most precious son, JP.  Everyone says it and you never believe it till it happens but he truly is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Thank you for opening up my awareness to life around me and for showing me what true, palpable, unconditional love is.

Thank you to all my students, past, present, and future. The lessons you all teach and have taught me on a daily basis outnumber those I teach and have taught you.  Thank you for molding me into the teacher I am today.  I look forward to how you will change me moving forward.

Thank you to Aubrey for the medical intuitive session a few weeks ago.  I look at my picture and read my notes daily to discover ways to change and release my yoke so the true change may occur.

Thank you to our creator and all divine spirits that reside above for instilling in me a sense of peace and clarity that can only come through knowing you.

And finally, thank you to me.  Thank you having the grace to age confidently and the knowledge to change when necessary. 

Sleeping in the big bed

I certainly hope my sweet little boy begins a turn around here soon. This waking up in the middle of the night yelling for me and needing water,  juice, or a hug is fatiguing this already exhausted mama.

Part of me says to just plop him in our bed from the start because he does the best there and will sleep all night long but the other part says this is just a phase that soon will end and that I need to stick to the routine of shower time and jammies with daddy then rocker time and stories with mommy followed by snuggles and transfer into his bed 

Or maybe it's time to turn his bed into a toddler bed so we just start there and I can slip out instead of jostling him around from rocker to crib. I don't know. What I do know is that my energy levels are in the pits and this can't continue much longer without me breaking in some way.

Which won't be good for anyone.

So here's hoping the three, 2 hour naps I received last night are enough to power me through my day.

My no - poop king. Is cows milk to blame?

My poor punkin. I've had enough. I can't watch him go through the misery of passing boulder sized poops anymore all for the sake of the comfort and security of cows milk whenever he wants. So I'm trying a new line of attack. Below is the post I just put up on my "Living a toxic free life" page on Facebook. I'm crossing everything that the choice I made Friday night will turn my little boys issue into a distant memory.  It does help that I read this article today...

http://kriscarr.com/blog-video/dairy-free-diet-recipes/

And it helped quell my panic that the world is not ending. It's just changing into something I already know is healthier for us and in the end may result in sneaky ninja poops from my toddler which would be a welcome respite.

So. Enjoy all I have here. Want to join my group? Go find it on Facebook and request admittance. It's still developing but I pass along lots of great information that everyone should know.

https://www.healthyhomecompany.com/product?ProductId=29296

This week I'll be focusing on a product I'm hoping will help my JP, for lack of a better way to say it, poop easier. You see, ever since we switched him over to cows milk at a year old he's had pooping issues on the constipation side. It does seem that when we limit his consumption of cows milk he does much much better. However, he can still get backed up and experience episodes that involve much screaming, bearing down to where he almost pukes, complete with crying screaming and sweating.

It's not a pretty picture and certainly not a happy time. I feel so badly for my little boy and am determined to get to the bottom of this.  After the episode on Friday that resulted in some dry boulders (yeah make that a nice visual in your head), and a scary time for Nama, I've done some reading and have decided the first step is eliminating cows milk entirely.

The next step is looking for a product such as OneBode Flo, linked above, that will help him break down food and digest it better and give him a probiotic boost.

I will tell you I haven't purchased it yet as I am awaiting a response from its creator, Tylene A Loomer and healthy home partner to see if this is right for our boy...however from what I have read and others who have suggested it, it seems to be a good shot idea in addition to eliminating the cows milk.

Happy reading!!

Take a stand! This is NOT okay!!

Unless you've been living under a rock tucked back in the furthest corner of the deepest cave, you know the battle that is waging against GMO's right now; but in case you are completely unaware, let me enlighten you a smidge.

GMO's are bad.  Bad, bad, BAD.  In a nutshell, these pesticides are the reasons why our children are hitting puberty at such young ages.  They're the reasons for the scarily dramatic increase in not only childhood cancer but chronic health issues in general (asthma, skin disorders, autism, Cardiovascular disease, the list goes on and on).  GMO's are the reason, in my opinion, this nation is going to hell in a hand basket because they're affecting our brain chemistry as well and turning us all bsc (bat sh!t crazy).

PLEASE. Watch this: http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/new-gmo-pesticide-doctors-are-warning-against

And this: https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7X22zEKet-g&h=9AQFlJytQ

And sign this: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/demand-president-step-oppose-epa’s-approval-new-24-d-resistant-genetically-engineered-crops/sy38Vm0s

We can NOT continue to be the government's guinea pigs. We must take a stand and tell them NO MORE!  Please. Do it. Join the cause.

Toddlers and Tantrums, oh my!

We have officially entered into the world of "Toddler Tantrum Olympics" and boy howdy is it swell.  He is so full of emotion and language just busting to get out that he gets frustrated so easily and I must remind myself to guide him gently through this turbulent world of toddler-dom as he rails against the boundaries set for him by life and mom.

It's amazing watching this little baby grow into this munchkin midgie that stands now, in front of me. His blond hair and brown eyes; infectious grin and carefree laugh.  The words tumbling out of his mouth so excited is he to tell me what he has to say. I so wish that I spoke his language right now, but I will wait and be patient (as I ask him so often to do) until he learns mine.

He is officially calling his blanket by its given name. Dex. It's quite possibly the cutest thing I've seen yet. Every day, sometimes every second, new words tumble out or old words in a new combination come to life and he looks so proud as he hands me the fruit snack he has been holding onto for an hour that is now sticky and covered in dog hair, and says "You. Momma."  How can you not take it?

I love it. I love him. I love it all. The tantrums, the squeals, the love, the tears, the snuggles...The exhaustion of chasing someone around who has more energy than I've known in a looong time.  I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow...