Just Pure Lovely

An Open Email to Our Oldest Two Kids

B and b,

Thank you for loving each other. 

It's the greatest gift you could give me.

I love you both.

All the way to the moon.

And back.

~ Mama

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How to Have Healthy Kids (or, How We're Doing It)

Raising healthy kids is the Topic of the Day every day lately, isn't it? 

When our oldest two were little tykes they were So Often ill.  Around ages 6 and 4, sometime in the year 2000, they became healthy.   I know, it could be that their immune systems finally became strong, but get this:  Our younger two, born in 2000 and 2003,  have never had a sickness even worthy of a doctor visit.  And our older two have never needed to see a doctor since 2000, either, except for a broken bone and poison ivy up the nose (sorry). 

While they do catch the occasional virus that floats around, these kids rebound within a day or two, without medicine. 

So...why are these kids so healthy now? 

I wish I could put my finger smack on the One Reason so I could help other parents out.  I'd probably become a millionaire in the process, helping my hard-working man out. 

So although I can't tell you the One Thing that worked, I'll give you a list of things that changed around 2000, when the kids became Super Duper Healthy.  Pick one, if you can, or all, and see if your crew starts fighting mean piggy and non-piggy viruses, too:

• we quit buying soft drinks at home (they'd still - and do - get one at a party or while eating out sometimes, but the consumption went way down by cutting it out at home)
• increased our water drinking - by a huge amount!  They can have only one glass of milk and one of juice each day.  For the rest of the day, water is it.
• the kids get a lot of outdoor time - sunshine and fresh air and dirt.  They may not go out every day, but it adds up to several hours each week.  Sunshine = Vitamin D.  Dirt = microbes that keep your gut healthy (sorry, that's kind of gross)
• we started homeschooling the kids.  They still share classes, go on field trips, take lessons, so there is no lack of contact with other children, but their contact is never in a small classroom indoors with a couple dozen kids the same age.
• we switched to mostly natural, sometimes organic products.  We are Not  Rich, so we are not purists in this(or any) area.  We can't always justify the extra cost of organic apples or a cow from the local pasture, but we do at least stay away from:
• • hydrogenated oils
  • weird words on labels that we can't pronounce
  • high fructose corn syrup (Halloween candy excluded.  You know.)
  • high-sugar foods.  No more Little Debbie snacks in the house, no more sugary cereal (one box for the birthday kid, though!), no more junkier-than-not snacks
• when they don't feel well, these things have cured them above any medicine we used to pump into their little bodies:
• • water
  • rest
  • sunshine/fresh air
  • herbal salves or essential oils (I really should blog about this someday - it's just some hocus-pocus stuff I make that is as simple, honestly, as making a pitcher of sweet tea)
  • occasionally, we'll use something all-natural (homeopathic) that we purchase (I'm looking forward to trying out Boiron - there's a $1 off coupon, here)
• we stopped going to the doctor as much (in 9 years, they've gone for one broken elbow and 2 poison ivy cases that were so bad they were threatening breathing - yes, I think that kid finally learned not to touch it!)
• we stopped taking medicine from a bottle. We would, if we needed to, but haven't actually had a need for it, since essential oils work so well (I really should blog about this)
• we don't buy chemical cleaners.  In the bathroom (sink, toilet), I wipe daily with antibacterial wipes.  I guess those might be "chemical," but they don't spray chemicals around, making us breathe that (cancer-causing?) stuff.  On the floors, I've tried essential oils + water or Clorox's natural products + water.  I also went through a bleach phase, but that was smelly.  So was the vinegar phase. On the windows, I just use water and one of those micro fiber terry cloths.  In the bathtub and shower, I'll use essential oils + water or Clorox's natural brand + water and scrub it good with a scrunchie.  It's amazing how clean a house can be with just plain old water, really.  Or, water and a little soap.
• we get a lot of rest.  We don't overschedule our days.  We don't set the alarm clocks daily.  And if anyone feels sluggish or gets a tickle in the throat, that person is encouraged to go take a nap.  

That's what's working for us, but I'd love to hear from you, too...

Do you have healthy kids, too?  Please share what you do.

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My Shadows

 

It's captured moments like this one that make the effort of raising her for a dozen years - and her for half a dozen - absolutely worth it. 

When they, and their brothers, were younger and I was the one tying shoelaces for all four, I often quoted Shadows to myself...

Shadows

I saw a young mother
With eyes full of laughter
And two little shadows
Came following after.

Wherever she moved,
They were always right there
Holding onto her skirts,
Hanging onto her chair.
Before her, behind her-
An adhesive pair.

"Don't you ever get weary
As, day after day,
Your two little tagalongs
Get in your way?

She smiled as she shook
Her pretty young head,
And I'll always remember
The words that she said

"It's good to have shadows
That run when you run,
That laugh when you're happy
And hum when you hum -
For you only have shadows
When your life's filled with sun."

~Author Unknown 

My life is filled with sun.

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I saw a young mother
With eyes full of laughter
And two little shadows
Came following after.

Wherever she moved,
They were always right there
Holding onto her skirts,
Hanging onto her chair.
Before her, behind her-
An adhesive pair.

"Don't you ever get weary
As, day after day,
Your two little tagalongs
Get in your way?

She smiled as she shook
Her pretty young head,
And I'll always remember
The words that she said

"It's good to have shadows
That run when you run,
That laugh when you're happy
And hum when you hum -
For you only have shadows
When your life's filled with sun."

~Author Unknown 

My life is filled with sun.

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My Little Corner is (sometimes) Debate-Free

My man and I were listening to the endless debate-and-argument-fest on the cable news channel tonight when I said something about it being endless and debating and argumentative.  My man said, "Yeah, it's not very...you know, just, pure, lovely. 'Whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, think on these things.'" (quoting Philippians 4:8)

That made me sort of snicker, that he'd say it like that, but it's true - the news, when it's not really helping us out, isn't the best thing we could be doing with our time.  I know, it's good to keep up. But we can catch up with the news in about 5 minutes each day by reading a favorite source online.  And then, with the other 23 hours and 55 minutes of the day, we can listen to the children endlessly debate and argue instead of the news panelists.

When I turn off the news, I notice my little corner of the world.  Here is what my corner looked like last week when the children and I went on a boat tour with 20-something other kids and 2 biologists:

In this bay, we saw 7 wild dolphins.  7. Wild. Dolphins.  I cannot describe to you how beautiful that was, nor could I get a photo of them.  They wouldn't hold still.

Unlike the dolphins, these little things did hold still for a photo, and so did that water! 

Notice: no bickering.  Learn from the little kids, news people.

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A Fun Crowd

There are something like this many kids in our house this weekend...

Okay, maybe a few less than that.  We have 8 children in the house  - ages 14, 12, 9, 6, 6, 4, 2, and 7 months.  And 4 of us adults, too.  It  has been a passel of fun for the past couple of days, with that much more fun to go through Labor Day.

Happy Labor Day to you, too!

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The Chicks

~ Spring 2008 ~ 

~ Spring 2009 ~

Grow slowly, Baby Girl.

xo,

Mama

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The Four

Here's our crew!  I took this on Easter Sunday, just a few days ago (just thought I'd mention that so you'll know our little gal doesn't wear her new dress every day -- just every other day, mind you).  Our older kids had already shed their "church best" clothes for their normal wear, by the time I gathered them for a photo. 

Our little guy is 9, our ballerina is 11, our big fella is 13 (and 6'2"!), and our little gal is 6, but only barely 6 (it still bothers me to admit that).

And, again, because we can never get enough of these kids, you know...

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Easter Sunday

Yesterday, Easter, was such a happy day for all of us.  Since the holiday arrived unexpectedly - I must be incredibly near-sighted; the stores have been practically shouting about its arrival for the past two months! - I wasn't prepared well, but sometimes the simplest holidays are the best. 

The day was especially exciting for our little gal, who began the day with losing something.  Can you guess what?

She is of the age (6) that adores a beautiful new Spring dress, hunting candy-filled plastic eggs, and enjoying a morning of worship, remembering that this day is not so much about "Easter", and certainly not about the bunny, but about God's gift to all of us.

Okay, so she's still grasping that last part.

Even though I was a bit sad to see our littlest one lose her first tooth, it was easy to cheer up in the midst of her enthusiasm.  The photos below were taken as I followed her around the yard (whew) while she hunted the eggs our big fella (13) hid.

Yes, there's actually something to find there, in the river.  Oops.  One of the eggs rolled in. I wonder what a seagull downstream will think of a big bright blue plastic egg floating by?

Finally, we're done with the egg hunt.  Mama can put down the camera and rest until the sugar rush kicks in.  About 30 seconds, yes.

I hope you had a Happy Easter, too, and a beautiful Ressurrection Day!

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The Eight Mile Walk

I was looking through photos tonight and realized I didn't post any of our long walk.  It really should be documented, because it's not something we do every day (er, year)...

On my birthday, a couple months ago, I was (self-) crowned Queen of the Day and thus got to declare to my subjects (they call themselves "family") what I wanted us to do together.  I chose to go for a walk...

We walked eight miles!  I didn't know we would walk so far or I might have chosen something a bit more leisurely.  Goodness, my legs aren't used to such abuse healthiness!  Yes, I did try to hitch a ride on my man's back, like our Little Gal did, but he wouldn't allow it.  Harrumph!  It's my birthday, you know, Subject.

After such a long walk, we came home to that fantastic birthday cake I told you about back then.  We totally earned it.

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Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Mardi Gras isn't 99% smut, you know.  I know the reputation of Mardi Gras has been smeared by some conscience-free souls who party a bit too hard in the Big Easy.  But, here, and all along the Gulf Coast, it's mostly a fun family time of community gathering for parade after parade, Moon Pies, and lots and lots of throws (throws: what is thrown from the floats - usually Moon Pies, candy, little toys or trinkets, stuffed animals, and mostly beads). 

Mardi Gras lasts about 3 weeks sometime in the Winter.  Last night was the final parade in our little town, and today is Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Day when the schools and even the town library are closed for the day.   How's that for beating the mid-winter doldrums?

That's our kids, loaded up with beads.  Our little gal is pouting about something, but I can't remember what, because...honestly, it was totally unimportant and not pout-worthy.   Seriously, who can pout at Mardi Gras when your neck is covered in beads and your bag is full of throws?

Certainly not me...

But I can, apparently, look like a tired librarian.

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