Bible Literacy Challenge {January & February}

For the new year, my aunt challenged us to read the entire Bible in 2012. She blogs about each day's reading at the Bible Literacy Challenge. So far, my Bible Gateway reading plan has taken me through all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Matthew. I'm currently working on Numbers and Mark. 


It would take many lifetimes to fully comprehend and appreciate all that the Bible holds with its history, literature, poetry, wisdom, adventure and eternal truth. Speeding through the whole thing in just one year seems impossibly quick. This has been a great challenge and has gotten me and many others back into daily reading. I'm already looking forward to making 2013 a year of in-depth study.  


I thought I would share two passages that have really struck me and are totally stuck in my head, one from the New Testament and one from the Old.  

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Most of us know the story of Adam and Eve. God gives them all of creation and walks and talks with them daily, but they sin. As a result, they are kicked out of the garden and cursed to a lifetime of toil.  Do you remember Genesis 3:21? I didn't until I re-read it this year.  Right after God administers their punishment, He makes them clothes to wear.  This must really speak to my crafty side, knowing the love and time that goes into sewing, knitting, and otherwise making.  I just can't get this image of the Creator of the universe lovingly making coverings for Adam and Eve even though they've just seriously messed up. They wouldn't even need clothes if it weren't for their sin, but He's literally covering their sin as Jesus has done for each of us. 


I've always thought of God in the Old Testament as serious and rule-oriented and that it wasn't until the New Testament that His love and mercy were revealed. I was so wrong! There have been so many instances in reading just the first couple chapters of the Old Testament that His unchanging love and forgiveness has been revealed.  


The New Testament verses that have been replaying in my head are Matthew 25:34-40. It is part of a parable told by Jesus.  Although it is told as a story from which we are to learn a truth, it is not at all unclear what we are being called to do. 

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’   ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’   ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Since reading this I've been asking myself, how often do I personally feed the hungry, clothe the needy, care of the sick, and visit the imprisoned? Let me tell you, it's not often. These are very specific actions Jesus is asking me to take  in order to serve him. I am now praying for opportunities to implement this calling. 


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Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

I started making granola a couple years ago. I took a long break due to pregnancy and new-mom exhaustion, but now I'm back! It really is so easy. After many experiments, I think I've finally  found the perfect recipe originally based on this article.

If you are going to be crunchy you might as well live up to the name and make your own granola, right?  Even natural and organic brands of store bought cereals and granola often contain ingredients we do not want to eat.  They are just "healthy" versions of the same old processed ingredients.  Organic soy oil? Organic corn syrup? No thank you!  Why buy processed packaged cereal when you could make your own granola and know exactly what real ingredients are going into it?  

Homemade granola is a favorite at our house for breakfast and snacks.

Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe
Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. 
In a large bowl mix the following ingredients.

• 8 cups old fashioned oats  
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup milled flax seed
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnut, almond, pecan, etc)

In a small sauce pan heat the following ingredients until they come to a boil stirring constantly.

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• drizzle of real maple syrup
• 1/4 cup water

Mix the boiling mixture into the dry ingredients. Pour it all into two 9x13 pans. Bake for 45 minutes; stir once or twice.


Add 1 cup of raisins. 


That's it. See how easy that was?


What alternatives to processed foods do you like to make at home?




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Finding a Healthy Balance as a Working Mom

This is a guest post by my dear friend Danica. After having her first baby late last summer, she jumped right in and is achieving some serious health and fitness goals!  She's taken up running and recently completed her first 5 mile race. She is always giving me great time-saving tips on cooking healthy meals. I've asked her to write a guest post because she is such an inspiration to me, and I'm positive she will be to you too! 

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I’ve been married for 3 years and call myself mom to Adelyn Mae, who I fondly refer to as Addie.  I work full time as a project manager for a large telecommunications company.  Once my day is done at the office, I come home and put my “mom hat” on.  My daughter is no doubt the apple of my eye, but learning how to juggle a career and the demands of motherhood have been challenging.

When Shannon first asked me to write a guest post I was a little nervous because I don’t consider myself a “writer”.  I decided instead of thinking of it as writing I’ll think of it more as a conversation between two friends.  She asked me to share how I balance a full time career, find time to exercise, prepare nutritious meals for my family, and take care of a baby.  Here are a few of my tips:

1. Exercising:  Exercise has always been a part of my life.  I kept up a modified exercise routine throughout my entire pregnancy and I think that is one of the main reasons I had such an amazing (and fast) delivery.  After my 6 week postpartum checkup my doctor approved me to resume my exercise routine and by that time I was anxious to get back into the gym.  Our gym has an amazing nursery with great toys so on the days I go workout I take Addie with me.  She plays for an hour while I get to have some much needed “me” time.  She enjoys playing with the other kids and I enjoy doing something good for myself.
   
   I know as moms we always feel guilty when we take time for ourselves, but taking care of yourself means you end up taking better care of your family.  Take the time, whether it be 15 minutes or an hour, to do something just for you.
2. Eating nutritiously:  I’ve never been one of those women who loves to cook.  I don’t mind cooking, but I don’t love it.  I cook because it’s less expensive than eating out and I want to be able to provide my family with healthy meals.  When I was on maternity leave I discovered the most amazing website…skinnytaste.com.  If you’ve never heard of it, I encourage you to check it out.  She has the most delicious recipes that are not only easy, but also healthy.  My husband loves everything I’ve made from her website and the best thing about it….he doesn’t even know he’s eating healthy!  Some of my favorite recipes are the Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas, Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken, Crock Pot Turkey, Pumpkin, and White Bean Chili, and Spinach Baked Ziti.  I could go on forever about how much I love this website, but go check it out for yourself!
3. Making food for baby:  When Addie turned 6 months old we decided to begin introducing baby food into her diet.  It was important to me to be able to make her food, but I thought “how on earth am I going to find time in my already crazy schedule to make her food”?  The answer was easy….the crock pot.
   
   The crock pot is the busy mom’s best friend.  It’s perfect for not only making a nutritious meal for my husband and me, but also a great way to cook Addie’s fruits and vegetables.  I place them in the crock pot with a little water, set on low, and by the time I get home from work I have perfectly cooked fruits and vegetables for my sweet little girl.  All I have to do when I get home is put her food in a blender and voila!  She has organic, homemade baby food. 

The most important advice I give any new mommy is to do what’s best for your family.  My way isn’t the right way, but it works for us.

How do you balance the important things in your life?

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This post is linked up with Sorta Crunchy, Our Muddy Boots.

6 Must Have Baby Products for the First 6 Months

I can hardly believe BabyE is already six months old! He's really 6 1/2 if I'm being honest with myself, but I don't want to let him grow up too quickly! When we were preparing for his arrival, I resisted getting every baby product "they" say you "need" in part because of our small space and to minimize the environmental impact of having a baby.

BabyE enjoying a walk in his Ergo.

Despite my minimalist approach, there are simply some things that you do need with a new baby in the house.  Here's my list of must haves for the first six months of natural parenting.  (Even though I love our cloth diapers, I resisted putting them on the list because telling you babies must have diapers is just a little too obvious.)


#6 Burp Cloths

I kind of expected having a new baby would be like moving into a new house.  I remember when we got married and bought our condo.  It seemed like we were constantly making trips to the store for stuff we "needed" to set up our home.  Of course there has been a shift in our identification of our wants versus needs since then, but I was still surprised that there were very little unanticipated needs for Baby.  The one thing that I had not expected was all of the fluids that come out of a very little baby!  Our small stash of burp cloths was just not enough, so DH did an emergency run to the store to get some more. We needed a little less than two dozen to keep up. Support a small business by shopping Etsy or make some yourself. 

#5 Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper
Co-sleeping has been an integral part of our nighttime parenting routine from the beginning. In our version, Baby starts out the night in his own side-car co-sleeper.  It's been a great arrangement for us as I'm often too much of a light sleeper to have him in bed with me full time.  It allows us to stay within "arm's reach" but each with our own space when needed.


#4 Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets

This is a natural product that BabyE's doctor recommended in lieu of a chemical alternative like acetaminophen. When we first tried the tabs, I immediately dubbed them the miracle pills. After a full day of teething hysterics, Baby was feeling all better within ten minutes! 


#3 Jumper
Baby started using his jumper at just shy of four months old. This has been the perfect activity for our very active little boy.  This is one of those baby products that little ones use for a short time and quickly outgrow, so it's a great thing to borrow or find recycled on Craigslist. 







#2 Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator

As the name implies, you are essentially sucking the snot out of your baby's nose.  Once I got past that uncomfortable fact, I realized what a great product this is. The idea of a traditional bulb nasal aspirator grosses me out because there is no way to thoroughly clean it out. With the Snotsucker, it all comes apart and can be cleaned and sterilized. Of course, there is a filter and two tubes between you and the snot, so it never actually comes close to your mouth. This doesn't even come close to the ick factor of mothering some days. 

#1 Baby Carriers
We started out using the Moby Wrap.  I loved how I could leave it on without thinking about it or it getting in the way.  It probably wasn't the most stylish accessory, but it allowed me to put baby in and out of it quickly all day long. When my Baby Hercules neared twenty pounds, the Moby could no longer contain his back diving ways. We then moved to the Ergo Baby Carrier.  It is the ultimate in baby carriers with super cushioned shoulder straps.  It amazes me how I can hardly feel the weight as I carry him in the Ergo.  The best part of it is that it's so easy to use, all members of the family can easily get Baby strapped in and enjoy bonding time. 

(Just wanted to let you know, some of the links above are affiliate links. If you click on them and buy any products on Amazon, I get a small percentage of the sale. You can also use the link on the sidebar anytime. Thanks for helping to support GrowingSlower!)

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Brita Water Filter Recycling

Every time I see those commercials promoting Brita water filters as an earth-friendly product, my skeptical side wonders, is it all just a bunch of green washing?  Sure drinking filtered water instead of bottled could potentially remove millions of plastic containers from the waste stream, but what about the filters? Can you recycle them? 

As it turns out, you can! The Preserve Gimme 5 program collects #5 type plastics including Brita water filters, rigid food containers, and other containers stamped with the #5 recycling symbol.  Preserve then turns them into new plastic products like toothbrushes and razor handles. 

Visit the Preserve website to find a drop off location near you. Many of the drop off locations are at Whole Foods stores.  There is also a mail-in option if you can't find a location in your area.  Be sure to shake the excess water from the filter, let dry for three days, and wrap it in a plastic grocery sack before recycling. 

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No Spend Month {Wrap Up}

January is No Spend Month at our house this year. We are doing it to bring our current spending more in line with our new one-income status and as a detox after the consumer-centric holiday season.  Of course, buying less stuff will help us be more green and more resourceful as well. We usually spend about $500 on groceries each month. Instead, this month we will be budgeting to spend only $500 on all non-bill expenses including groceries, gas, household items, dining, entertainment, and yes coffee! 

Introducing No Spend Month
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four

What We Spent

I won't make you read any further before I tell you, we didn't exactly meet our goal.  In the last couple days of January, we spent a total of $59.   We spent $41 at Whole Foods.  $18 was for gas. As you may remember from the last post, we only had $35 available if we were to meet our budget. So close!  Just $24 short. The combination of a snow storm and illness caused unexpected parking expenses during the month. I'm not sure where we could have made up the difference in the end. We just weren't willing to eat beans every night. 


How We Did It
Here are some of my favorite affordable recipes I made this month.  For a complete list, check out my What's for Dinner? board on Pinterest.  I'm adding more all the time.

Source: allrecipes.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Source: skinnytaste.com via Shannon on Pinterest

What We Learned

Doing this little experiment called No Spend Month was a good exercise for us.  Sometimes it seemed so easy, it made us wonder where that extra $600 a month usually goes.  Based on what we learned about our spending habits, we have set a long term budget for the year. It is not as strict as the one for No Spend Month, but now we know we can pretty easily spend less than we used to.  We also learned we need to have at least some discretionary funds that are set aside each month for fun outings together and with friends. That way we plan ahead for spending, we don't have to feel bad about doing it, but at the same time we don't go overboard.   No Spend Month was fun in its own way, but I'm thankful February is here!

Thanks for following along in our journey! 



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Letters to Littles {A letter to BabyE on his Half Birthday}

Dear 6 month old BabyE, 


You speak in squeaks and squeals of pure joy and delight. Except for when you shriek! Everything is getting a little more dramatic lately. You have two teeth and two wildly swirling feathers of hair on top of your head, one on the front and one on the back. All the rest is bald and makes you look even more like your Daddy. You look more grown up now, not the gummy baby anymore. 

You smile in grins so big they fill up your whole face and reach down in a full body wiggle that gets every limb involved. You always seem to be watching me, waiting for me to look at you so you can flash that killer smile. I love being the one that can always bring a smile to your face.


You scoot in erratic patterns across the floor. Even if you scoot backwards and sideways, never forwards, you always seem to get what you're after now. You scooted over to the stereo and somehow got lucky and turned it on to your lullaby CD, at an appropriate volume even. You laid there staring and listening for ten full minutes, looking back at me every once in a while to make sure I saw the amazing miracle you had performed. The idea of staying on your quilt to play is long gone. Little spots of drool dot the carpet. I'm sure you've now eaten your share of carpet lint. It's so fun to watch you learn. You are experimenting with pushing up on your hands and knees. Will you be crawling next week? 

You practice laughing in every possible moment.  You love to laugh at anything and nothing: at Mom and Dad having a quiet conversation, at sitting up tall and steady on your blanket, at getting your diaper changed.


You are taking every DVD off the shelf, so I better go now. 


I love you darling,
Mommy

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Make Your Already Did List

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Sometimes, it seems like I'm lucky if I get one thing crossed off my To Do List in a week. Tasks get added much more often than they are completed. Why do I have all this inspiration, creativity, ambition, idealism, only to be held back by the constraints of time?!  While it feels like nothing is getting done, I need to step back and realize that I do accomplish a lot that never even makes it on my To Do List.  There are after all only 24 hours in a day. Today, instead of making a To Do List, I'm making an Already Did List.

Today I already...

• Changed 6 diapers
• Cut Baby's finger nails
• Hand-washed two baby sweaters and two wool diaper covers
• Washed two loads of laundry
• Washed one load cloth daipers
• Folded and put away five loads
• Loaded dishwasher, and remembered to run it
• Unloaded dishwasher
• Cleaned the bathroom
• Did half a yoga work out
• Made a healthy dinner
• Talked to a client
• Worked
• Took out the compost and recycling
• Made All-Purpose Cleaner
• Walked the dog

...all this while keeping Baby happy, loved, fed, clean, and nurtured, and on little bits of broken sleep. 

What's on your Already Did List today? 

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Eat Organic Produce from Local Farmers: Join a CSA

I'm so excited about all the interest in CSAs since I mentioned them during No Spend Month!  First things first, you might be asking, What is a CSA?  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  It's a way for consumers to buy fresh produce directly from local farmers.  Because of their focus on local farms and small business, there are many different variations.  There are CSAs for fruits and vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, or anything else that can be grown or produced locally. 

Fresh Local Produce      Photo Credit: aur2899

We love love our CSA!   It's one of the biggest in the country but is still a small local business.  We pay weekly for a box of organic fruits and vegetables. They have a farm near by, and they also pull produce from other local farms, so we always get a nice variety and lots of quality yummy food. In the winter, they also source a couple of things per week from either California or Mexico. Every Thursday we get the chance to review the box contents for the upcoming week and change any items or quantities that we want. Then the box gets delivered to a fitness center a couple of blocks from our house on Tuesdays, and DH picks it up on his way home from the bus stop. There is also a home delivery option.  There are all different sizes of boxes to choose from depending on how much produce you use in a week. We get the largest one.

By joining a CSA, I know that every week I will have about fifteen pounds of the freshest local organic produce available for a set price of $43.  That works out to about $2.86 per pound.  I don't have to waste time at multiple grocery stores comparing prices and picking the best looking produce. I am never tempted to buy high priced organic strawberries in the middle of winter. I usually just bypass the produce department at the grocery store completely.  


In addition to the health and budget benefits, CSAs allow us to helps small local business & agriculture thrive, so it continues to be available to all of us.  Eating locally also drastically reduces transportation distance from the field to the plate lowering carbon emissions associated with our food. 

You can search for CSAs in your area at LocalHarvest.org. 


Are you a member of a CSA? What benefits have you enjoyed?

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