Freecycling

After 4 months of still receiving e-mails from my Freecycle group in England, and deleting them constantly, I have finally joined the local Freecycle group.  Yay!  Better than that is the fact that I have already collected a treadmill off there, a much needed item with all the rain we've had.

Freecycle is a Yahoo group which allows people to offer and receive goods for free.  It not only keeps usable items out of the landfill, it helps reduce the amount of resources used in the world by recycling items with plenty of use left in them.  I am a huge fan, both with its reason for being and the fact I get great things for free.

I'm a big believer of using things for as long as possible.  I would create a bag out of an old pair of jeans, doll's clothes out of ripped items or even create a patchwork quilt before things are deemed ready for the dump.  That's why I love Freecycle, and second hand shops, so much.  Just looking for funky items and bargains, things that I can use to make something is great fun and much more enjoyable than shopping for new items.

Check out your local Freecycle or create a group of your own.  You never know what is out there! http://www.freecycle.org/search

Body Beautiful

Found this in Good, issue 12, page 45.  'Kate's top ten tips for natural beauty'.

1  Moisturize
2. Exfoliate
3 Cleanse your skin daily
4. Exercise daily
5. Get enough water
6. Go easy on alcohol and coffee
7. Use face masks
8. Use natural products
9. Smile
10. Eat for beauty

Zero waste?

In the UK, with a greater population and more competition, organic food was easily accessible and reasonably priced.  We were able to have 90 % organic products in our cupboards while still maintaining the monthly budget.  My ideal is to become at least 90% organic again however our budget is tight at the moment with saving for a house and the price of organic goods in NZ is high.  I have decided then to focus on another plan - try and create a little less waste in our lives and at the same time a little more money. 

Rubbish bags in our area are expensive and small.  At the moment, even with recycling, composting and cloth nappies, we still manage to fill a bag a week.  Most of this is packaging and other non-compostable food scraps.  The foods scraps will have to wait till we get some chickens, the packaging on the other hand is in my line of fire. I have two steps in mind at the moment. My first step is to start making muesli bars for himself and ourselves, this will reduce between 6-12 plastic wrappers from the rubbish.  The second is to buy some more cloth nappies so that I have enough for the week, currently we are 5 days on and 2 off due to shortages and drying times. 

I'm hoping that these two steps will make a big difference both to the amount of waste we create and to the amount of money we are forking out for bags every 5 weeks.  Every little bit helps in the end.

Life Coaching

When I first chose to complete a Life Coaching course it was as an easy option that would earn me a bit of money while continuing with my 'real' study.  How wrong I was to think that all Life Coaching entailed was to tell other what to do with their lives!

Life Coaching is like being a personal trainer where you assist your client to create the life they want through their own hard work.  A Life Coach helps get your thinking into shape, making it more positive, enabling you to cope with whatever life brings you. Life Coaching aims to move you forward to a point where you are confident and happy to 'go it alone'. It is not intended as a never ending appointment which leaves you with a never ending expense.

A Life Coach is someone who helps you to achieve all those goals and dreams you have. They specialize in bringing out the power and skills already inside you so that you are more focused and proactive.  Through good questioning and SMART goal setting clients can achieve the life they dreamed of or at least move a bit further towards it.

I've only just started to try out all the techniques and skills I have learnt through having a few free clients.  It is a very empowering process which I am enjoying practicing on myself too.  It isn't always as easy as it seems and then again it isn't half as hard as having no direction or goal at all.

Planting out

I've never really been a keen or good gardener,  I create desert effects very well though!!  I really enjoy doing clearing gardening, where you can see instant results of the effort you've put in and not so hot on the day to day maintenance kind.  However as age increases so does my interest in creating my own garden. Part of it is probably just having my own garden to tend rather than helping Mum with hers, a chore that I had to partake in, and part is wanting to have an edible garden with natives to have native birds around. 

Today I took the biggest step forward in my gardening career - I actually planted some seeds!!  This is the first time I have tried to propagate my own plants, grass head men excluded, and it felt wonderful.  The kids and I collected some Kowhai seeds from around our house for growing and planting in our new home, where ever and when ever that may be.  After a little research on how to do it we now have 12 seeds planted in an old egg carton - recycling at work - with some homemade compost and a small collection on wet paper sheets.  Making an experiment out of how the two groups go will keep me focused on actually checking them and caring for them.  I have also placed them in a prominent spot so that they are not forgotten.

The thought of one day telling people that the trees planted on our property are ones that we collect, planted and cared for is very exciting.  I'll keep you all posted on their progress.

Nature's First Aid

A wee while ago I decided to clear out all of the allopathic medicines from my first aid box, I hardly ever used them so thought it was a bit pointless to hold onto them.  I have slowly been building up a more natural and holistic first aid kit.  I saw an article in 'Good' magazine, issue 12, which outlined a natural first aid kit (most of which I had in mine - Yay!) which has prompted me to put it on here.

Arnica - this can be in cream or pill form and is great for decreasing bruising and pain after all those bumps and falls that kids seem to have.

Chamomilla - this is the main ingredient of teething powders. Easiest form is globules (tiny round pills).  It is great for an unsettled and grizzly baby.

Pulsatilla - another good one for teething babies or children who are weepy, clingy and whiny.  Good for conjunctivitis and colds with yellow-green discharge. 

Calendula Cream - good for cuts and grazes.  Can also be used for nappy rash.

Rescue Remedy - this is a good one to have in cream and liquid form.  For any shocks, such as a bump to the head, burns or allergic reaction it can calm instantly.

Tea Tree oil - natural antiseptic which can be used to treat cuts.  It is also good for treating head lice.

Echinacea - this is good for the start of a cold or illness.  A few drops in a small amount of water several times a day.

Dried sage leaves - this is to make into a tea for sore throats.

Honey - great for coughs and sore throats.  Can be had with raw garlic, lemon tea or just by itself.

Nux Vomica - great for curing symptoms of over indulgence of food, alcohol, coffee or tabacco. Also good for flu, colds, headaches and travel sickness.

Take time

I was reminded over the weekend just how precious time can be and how important it is to make the most of every moment, especially with the ones you love.

All too often we focus on what should be done rather than the people around us.  Taking more time to start and finish jobs than spending quality time with others, telling them how much we love them.  Life can be gone in an instance and when it is taken that's it - no more chances to give that hug, tell someone you love them or just be.

Tell people that are important to you exactly that.  Tell them how much you love them and how many great things they bring into your life.  It will only make you and them happier.

Flower Remedies

A flower remedy is a treatment that is derived from particular plant’s flowers; these plants are of a higher order and have genuine healing powers. The flower essences can be combined depending on the individual’s energy blockages and are then mixed in mineral water to be taken regularly by the person.  They are mainly used to deal with negative states of mind and can be combined with most other therapies.

The history of the Flower Remedies we use today begins with Dr Edward Bach as he discovered them over the course of many years of research; dealing with healing plants that would help bring a natural balance of energy in the system. Although in use for more than 60 years Bach’s Flower Remedies potential is just beginning to be tapped into as a safe way to heal that can be used by all.

Rescue Remedy is a combination of five key flower remedies (Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Impatiens, Cherry Plum and Clematis) which assist in dealing with trauma. It has saved many lives through its ability to restore calm, balance and confidence to both those experiencing and/or witnessing traumatic events. Whether it is metal, physical or emotional, Rescue Remedy can assist in alleviating symptoms of shock, stress and anxiety. It is a must in any first aid kit, especially for children.

‘Heal Thyself’ is the principle behind Bach’s remedies. It relates to the body’s ability to heal itself no matter what the disease or problem and also to the fact that Flower Remedies can be used by anyone willing to help themselves or others.

Free play?

It feels like the whole of early childhood is divided.  Playgroups think Playcentre is too demanding of parents, Playcentre thinks Kindergarten is too structured for kids and the ratios too high, Kindergarten thinks Steiner is too structured and Steiner feel that Montessori creates mini business tycoons.  Well that is my summation after discussions lately.

We are still finding our way since arriving back in NZ as to the best choice of groups for our kids.  As mentioned in our blogs we have decided not to continue with Playcentre as, for me, the dynamics at our centre and the lack of any structure (Free Play) just didn't fit well.  Our oldest also goes to Kindy, one day of which we've dropped due to starting our Steiner playgroup, and we all seemed really happy with it.  That is until a second incident occurred within the 10 weeks that she has been going.

I understand that things happen and you can't always be there it was just the way that all, except one, teacher reacted to it that shocked me.  In discussing it with them they basically told me to not think about it and the more I did the more my child would 'feed' me what ever story I wanted!!! Along with this was an explanation of how different Steiner and Kindergarten are and that only doing one day at Kindy would be hard on our oldest.  She wouldn't be able to settle or know names lectured one teacher while the next told me that I just had to deal with the fact that accidents happen and re-settle her.  The mixture of free play at Kindy and structure at Steiner would be confusing said one while the other re-iterated how cunning and quick to adjust to situations kids can be.

My big question is has the term 'free play' now just become an excuse for letting the kids do whatever they want whenever they want even when it disturbs or disrupts others?  Why is it that educators feel that they can talk to parents as if they are idiots while building up a wall to ensure that they are not accountable for anything? Their talk of free play just equates to lack of interest on their behalf to act as educators.

Amazing cucumbers

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2.Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long.. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams..

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

The art of story telling

I must admit that I have a tendency to be a bit lazy with my imagination.  Books are all too easy to pick up and let the pictures build up what the words don't say.  Today we went to our Steiner Playgroup for the second time and had the story of 'Billy Goats Gruff' acted out with wooden toys and pieces of fabric while the teacher gave the oral version.  It wasn't a version full of detail by any means however all the children sat memorized by the fact that a story and the toys were in action together.  Coming from a country which has a strong oral tradition is was great to finally encounter story telling without a book in sight.

When talking to the teacher she explained that the reason for the storytelling is to model it for the children, encouraging them to create their own stories with the toys.  It was a big reminder to me that I need to get in there more and model play.  To my credit, modest as I am, I have actually done this once before with our oldest and some play dough.  Once is the key thing here as I never continued with it in different situations and once the youngest arrived the energy and mental ability wasn't there.  I decided today that I would put the teacher's modelling into practice.

We re-told several stories with different toys and objects from outside as well as combining nursery rhymes into stories and creating our own.  The fantastic thing was that after this our oldest was happy for a large chunk of the afternoon, having her own story time.  Often I desperately want our kids to just go and play however it never works like that!  The most successful play is when they continue on from something that I have begun or given them ideas about.

Women together

Part of living away from your home country is that feeling of not quite belonging, of being a slight outsider.  Sometimes this is a good thing and other times a horrible lonely existence.  When we were in England I managed to have the good fortune of being invited to an International Women's group. 

This group was a fantastic mix of nationalities from all over the world, including a few English.  Originally being held in a family home the group, with all the kids in tow, grew so much that it is now held in a children's centre.  It was such a great feeling to be with these women who knew what it was like to have children away from 'home', missing our of family and little things like people using the same expressions as you.  Every second week a creche was organized in one of the rooms while we shared our perspectives on a topic or had someone tell us about their country and culture in the room next door.  It was an eye opening and wonderful learning experience.

I never actually realised, until joining this group, how important it is to have that bonding with other women.  No men around just mothers and women sharing experiences and love.  Even now separated by continents and oceans I still keep in contact, actually while I am writing this, through Facebook and e-mails.  It really did have a huge positive impact on me and my kids.  It's so nice to know that regardless of race, religion or background there are common bonds that hold us all together.

Ten ways to be happier

Found this on a Yahoo lifestyle page and thought it fitted well with my Life Coaching and had some good tips.

1. BE MINDFUL
Try not to think too much about the past or worry about the future. Focusing on the here and now reduces stress.

2. ROLE MODEL
Be a good role model. If you're happy, your kids are more likely to be happy by watching you lead the way.

3. BE REALISTIC
Perfectionism is a massive happiness killer. Aiming to be ‘good enough' is healthier because it's far more realistic.

4. STAY ACTIVE
There is no doubt that exercise is the best way to ward off depression, so make sure fitness is a part of your routine.

5. KEEP FRESH
Be willing to learn. It's never too late to learn a new language, take up a hobby, or be open to another point of view.

6. OPEN UP
Life is what we make of the opportunities that come our way. If a new suggestion is made, agree to it. If a door opens, walk through it.
7. SHOW COURAGE
Be a risk-taker. Fear holds us back. You don't have to jump out of a plane, but if you don't apply for that job or ask that guy out, you'll never know.

8. TEAM SPIRIT
Humans just love the sense of belonging. If you're in a relationship, work as a team. If you live in a family unit, think as a group and always work together.

9. LAUGH IT OFF
Life can get pretty intense. Laugh, let some things slide and approach issues with a pinch of humour, and you'll feel the intensity decrease.

10. BE EMPATHIC
Empathy means imagining what it's like for someone else given their situation and personality, which will lead you to closer relationships.

Swimming Fun

We were all guns blazing when we arrived back in New Zealand to get down the pools, get the kids swimming, confident in the water and be regular about it.  We've been home 13 weeks now and today was only the second time the pools have been frequented and the first time in ages that the kids have even seen their togs!

Swimming here is so accessible that it is easy to take for granted what a fantastic facility we have.  Most kiwis know how to swim and have been doing so for a long time unlike many Irish or English.  Swimming lessons or just visiting the pools in the UK was expensive hence we never went.  Seeing our oldest so keen to put on her armbands and 'swim' ( I use the word loosely at this point) was a complete thrill for me.  I have great memories of swimming albeit mainly about getting a chocolate fish or teddy afterwards and really want our kids to have that same love and confidence in water.

My big challenge now is to put some of my teacher training to use in order to save us a bit of dosh and to move the kids forward.  BIG CHALLENGE!  I've been scanning a great blog on swimming for all sorts of hints, the best being 18 pages of songs altered for swimming.  I don't even pretend that I can replace a 'real' coach just to get them to a point of enjoying jumping in, submerging themselves and splashing around independently.  That way when they go to lessons it will be for something a parent can't pass on.

Fairtrade Fortnight

Even though it is near the end of Fair Trade Fortnight (1 - 16 May 2010) it's always a good time to check out what it is about and support Fair Trade.  This year's Fair Trade Fortnight Trade Aid is highlighting the positive impact fair trade has on women working in developing countries with the theme for the fortnight being “'Just Women - justice for women by women”.


During Fair Trade Fortnight Trade Aid shops around the country will be:

•running in-store celebrations—product sampling, coffee mornings and more...

•holding community events and talks (request a speaker from your local shop during The Fortnight)

•hosting our Nepalese trading partner, Meera Bhattarai - a leader of the fair trade movement in Nepal, as she tours New Zealand.



Check the activities and events that are happening here: (more events will be added throughout April so check back or talk to your local Trade Aid shop about getting involved). http://www.tradeaid.org.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/78

Loss of a friend

Having given up Play centre today I also had to give up the guitar that I was borrowing from them and strangely enough that felt like a huge loss!!

I've been teaching myself to play guitar for around 13 years now, never seeming to get much better as I have moments of non-stop playing followed by periods of complete silence.  I've had to sell a few of my beloved cheapies in the process of moving countries and homes, none of those separations have had such an impact as today though.  Maybe it is because I had finally got to the point of having a repertoire of songs - kids ones that is - that I was able to play by memory.  Having singing and dance sessions with the kids is a great and smile filled experience that can often make a mental day a little more sane.

I've been searching trade me for a good deal to no avail.  Today as I said good-bye to Play centre I suddenly thought 'hey why don't I just buy this guitar'.  So now I've got my fingers crossed that at the Play centre meeting next week they can agree to sell me the guitar and that it is at a price I can afford.

A step in the right direction

We have a Rudolf Steiner school in our area with a playgroup and ever since we arrived I've been meaning to get there.  Everyone I spoke to assured me that there was a huge waiting list and I'd have to put my name down, even so I thought I'd ring and try to organise something.  Obviously it was our lucky break and someone was looking after us as without any waiting list we were able to go along to a session today.

What a breathe of fresh air!!!  I was  a little worried about taking the kids to yet another place where they had to make new friends.  This was taken care of though as we meet two other Mum's whose children we knew as we arrived.  Our oldest happily went off to play with her new 'old' friend that she hadn't seen in a while and the youngest was more than happy to plod after them.  The session starts with making bread along with some songs, followed by a mat session with songs - something that we do at home but have not had in groups.  It was so nice to see our oldest singing along straight away.  The session was such a great mix of structure and free play without the masses of toys which usually haunt the other groups we go to.  The youngest was mesmerized as the teacher told a story with toys at the end which for me was confirmation that it was a great success.

This was my right decision for the day to move me towards the life I want to live.  For the first time we were with like minded people who raised their kids with similar values to us.  Our aim is to surround ourselves with positive people and today certainly achieved that.

Slight adjustments

For the last few weeks we have been keeping our oldest off dairy in a bid to get her eczema under control.  She has had eczema in varying spots and varying degrees ever since she began on solids and while test show that she is not allergic to anything different foods have a huge effect on her. 

The first clue came when as a baby she would projectile vomit after a breast feed.  Everyone assured us that is was not anything that I was eating and it was perfectly normal - that was until they saw her in action!  It was only after an observant friend noticed the correlation of me scoffing chocolate and baby power chucking that we realised what the problem was.  I stopped chocolate - my life source for the previous 3 months - and hey presto she stopped vomiting much to our relief.

We've gone through stages of cutting everything out.  Stages of leaving everything in and like now isolating one thing.  The trouble before is that I don't think I ever really gave it enough time or was strict enough with things.  Now it has been a strict 3 weeks dairy-free and we are starting to see an improvement.  The itchy is still occurring - the next mystery - however the patches behind legs and on arms look much better.  They are no longer red and angry looking, just dry and a bit uncomfortable.  Yay!!!! I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere with putting my knowledge into practice. 

We have been eagerly changing recipes, substituting milk for rice milk, butter for margarine (not my favourite choice and one that I'm still unsure about) and oil or cheese for tofu - not really a go'er.  Today with a chocolate cake at Play centre to avoid we tried out a chocolate brownie recipe which I really was impressed with.  So without further ado I'll share it with you:

Dairy Free Chocolate Brownies
Mix together 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 1tsp vanilla essence and 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Whisk well with fork and add 1 cup of flour, 1tsp baking powder and 1/4 cup cocoa (make sure this is pure without milk powder added).  Bake for 10 min on fan bake (20mins in regular oven) in a baking paper lined tin.  Leave for 5 min after cooking before turning out. Cut into square and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Setting an example

Part of setting up a natural health business is that I want to lead by example and be a walking advertisement for what I am 'selling'.  All the information is at my finger tips and I know what I should be doing, where to make improvements or how to achieve my goals however the reality is often quite different.

I'm a great one for those night before declarations - you know the ones "Tomorrow I'll ..... - and then promptly forgetting them until the after I've reneged on them!  With two small kids I often run on auto pilot rather than making conscious choices to go against my promises, which a source of great frustration.  The great thing is that the time between 'relapses' into overeating, eating the wrong food, lack of exercise and general slackness is becoming less and less.  I have become a lot more aware of my behaviour and the possible causes.  I recognize my need to eat when ever the kids are 'doing my head in ' and the feeling of anger that can erupt if I leave things too long, way earlier and often before a crisis point hits.  It feels great to have some control over my actions and therefore be able to control the direction of my life.  It also feels like a huge amount of work!

I try and remind myself that it is all the little decisions I make which end up being my reality, unfortunately I quite often forget this too.  So today I decided to write a reminder on a piece of card and put in eye's view so that I can have a little prompt when I need it.  It reads 'The decisions you make each day become the future you live out.  Take care to make the right decisions to deliver what you want."  From now on I intend to be far more diligent with all those little decisions.

What ever happened to Mummy

I've always been one for using first names.  Even as a child I remember finding it odd if I had to call a friend's parent Mrs something-or-other.  It seemed so impersonal, like I don't know them or care to.  When we were in England himself and I really noticed this cultural difference as it is the norm there to only address people by their title and surname until formally introduced and being given permission to use their given name.  Feels just plain wrong to me!

When I was teaching I was the odd one out in the school, for various reasons, the main one being that I allowed the kids to use my first name.  Many of my colleagues argued that it was a respect issue and that it was like the final frontier had been won if you got all friendly and were on a  first name basis with your class.  Ultimately though my belief that the use of my first or surname made no difference in the respect my class held for me or I held for them and so they called me by my given name.

With Mother's day knocking on the door I thought it was a good time to write about the new name calling in our house.  In the past our oldest as called me by my first name, especially after friends were over, as part of the natural trial of language.  It's never bothered me as I know that she knows I'm Mummy too.  However lately this has all changed as I'm being driven mad by the constant first name calling.  Somehow a repetitive 'Mummy' didn't phase me, a repetitive "Yossarian" does!!  Maybe it's a case of feeling like I'm being nagged at by my mum or maybe that Yossarian said 600 times a day ends up sounding hard and cold where as Mummy brings thoughts of soft and cuddly things, reminding I have little ones. 

We have now got to the point where I'm lucky if I get a "Mummy" once a day and that is usually in the middle of the night.  When I don't respond fast enough I get my full 3 names called out!!  Himself finds it hilarious, probably because he is still "Daddy", and keeps telling me it will stop soon.  I just want to know when, when will I be 'Mummy' again?

Like mother like daughter

I've seen the signs for a while now.  You know the type - standing the same way, coming out with a familiar phrase, biting your lip exactly the same way.  It is the age old terror that haunts every person (in our family anyway) - turning into their parents!!! 

Since we've been in our rental property we've had an on going problem of ants.  Weather doesn't seem to change their constant trails inside to find anything remotely tasty and sweet.  The fact that our youngest views the floor as an extension of his plate probably doesn't help.  Anyway that aside, each morning I go on a squashing and spraying (all Eco and child friendly of course)  spree to rid the shelves of our visitors.  They target the honey and golden syrup even though they are clean and sealed properly so obviously we have X-men type ants that have a mutant sense of smell. Considering this I really did need to take drastic action as I'm not very good at letting nature co-exist indoors with me. 

While we were down staying with my Mum over Easter I had to smile when I was told to go and get the biscuits out of the microwave.  My Mum has used this appliance as a storage spot for years, mostly in an effort to find a spot where her animals couldn't get de-frosting meat.  Nowadays with the animals dwindled to 2 (that come inside that is) the microwave is still in use only now it is a spot where her visitors can't see the goodies easily!!

Today a great void was crossed as I followed a suggest by himself to store the ant's desires in a different place.  My first instinct was to put them in the fridge, the thought of rock hard honey in the morning made my quickly rethink.  Yes, you guessed it I took one look at the microwave, sitting there idle and unused, and thought perfect!! A secure, room temperature safe.  It appears that the saying really is true in this case - Like mother like daughter.

The search continues

Each weekend we have been out doing the open home circuit.  It's true it is a buyer's market and there are loads out there in our price range just none that we have been completely in love with.  Although in saying that there are a few we are keen on and one that we even put an offer in - rejected unfortunately.  We are very open to location, size of house and condition however not on the size of the section.  Ultimately the dream is to have a lifestyle block that I can run the business (http://www.bcominghealthy.com/) from.  When funds allow of course!!  For now we are searching for that iconic 'worst house on the best street' with a decent sized section.

Considering this and the prospects of shoving the kids in and out of car seats for an indefinite amount of Sundays we decided to place an advert in the local paper.  'Wanted to buy home for young family'.  We have had quite a few responses already and it is encouraging to know that people are willing to cut out the middle man.  They are all lovely houses and, it must be said, great size sections but still no clear winners.  The callers do their best to sell it, sharing all the best points and forgetting all the not so good ones like the fact it is across the road from a substation, next to a quarry or in the area of the proposed expressway.

Are we being too picky?  Perhaps, or maybe we're just playing a good game of wait and see what the market brings.  In any case there are a few contenders now and we are getting a really good feel of the true value of places.  Searching this long means that we are aware of homes that have been on the market for a while and thereby have vendors that are more likely to negotiate on price.  For now the searching, shoving and waiting will have to continue.

Cold and Flu fixes

Considering that I am now on the casualty list in this house, with a cold, I thought that I would put on some natural remedies that I find work and some that are mentioned in my course notes.  Try a few, see how they work and let me know.

1. As much rest as possible early on.
2. Plenty of fluids - non fizzy, decaffeinated that is. Herbal teas, clear soups, juices and water are all good.
3. Chopped/crushed raw garlic with a teaspoon of honey.  This is definitely one to do when you not expecting company for a while but it works a treat.
4.  Echinacea - a few drops in water during the early stages of a cold or flu can stop it in its tracks.
5. Sage tea for a sore throat and bronchitis.  This is an antiseptic and analgesic.
6. Hot Lemon and honey drink.  A few slices of lemon and a teaspoon of honey is soothing for the throat and helps eliminate toxins.
7. Honey to soothe the throat and ease coughs. You can also boil onion in it for an added expectorant.  This is taken a teaspoon at a time and stored in the fridge.
8. Grated, sliced or juiced radish for loosing catarrhal congestion.
9. Have a juice day.  Make sure that it is a day when you can lounge around as much as possible and only having juices.  It enables the body to be free of working on digestion while it still gets nutrients.
10. Cherry bark licorice tea for relief from viral infection.
11. Gingko Biloba tea for fighting viral and respiratory infections.
12. Eat spicy food to cut down congestion.
13. Propolis.  This can be taken in lozenge form.

Hope you find these useful.

Natural Health

For us the best decision was not to immunize our children, for now. This decision wasn't taken lightly by any means, months of research (the whole pregnancy of our oldest and more) went into weighing up the pros and cons. It is however a decision that is questioned by many, including ourselves at times.

Many a doctor in Ireland and England gave me the third degree and informed me that I was basically leading our children to an early grave. These words always ring in my ears every time the kids are unwell, keeping me more vigilant than normal. Along with not immunizing we have endeavoured not to start the intervention cycle - where prescribed drugs lead to more illness and hence more drugs. We are trying to strengthen immune systems naturally thereby allowing a fever to run its course rather than mask it with Calpol, encouraging rest, good food, fluids and using natural remedies to assist the body to heal itself.

So far so good and the most we have had to give our kids is Calpol for a fever that stayed longer than I was comfortable with. We are definitely not against Allopathic medicine, often we go to the doctor's for a diagnosis and medication to have on the ready, it has after all cured and saved millions.  It's just that we feel that the human body is so amazing that given the right conditions it can heal itself perfectly, just as Hippocrates believed.  Disease is so often a  product of environmental factors, diet, and living habits that in changing these for the better you can change health for the better too.

Knead a plan

My normal plan of attack when the kids are under the weather is to stay at home having a chill out day with DVDs and books. Recently this has all gone up in smoke as himself forwarded an e-mail article proclaiming that t.v. for under 2's was unacceptable and that with every one hour of t.v. that children (any age) watched their chances of having a behavioural disorders went up 10%. ARRRRGHHH!

And so arrived Monday morning, after a rough night of waking from the oldest, with two kids not really sick just not really well. With breakfast down (some of it re-presenting), dressed and jobs out of the way by 8am the next question was how to maintain calm without the ease of DVDs?

Since we have got back into NZ I've been making my own bread in a bid to give the kids food with the least amount of additives in it. It's been my Monday morning ritual for some weeks, kneading and enjoying the preparation of a loaf. My Easter blip has seen the flour sitting on the shelf lonely for some weeks now and I thought this Monday I would get back into it - this was before I knew about the kids. No fear though, I'd try and start them off on something and then get kneading for 20 min - Ha! Life had other plans obviously and after trying to fight it for a while I eventually went with the flow.

The savages (the pet name himself has for them, which this morning was quite accurate) were instantly calmed as they took turns measuring in the ingredients. We broke the dough out into 3 bits and moved to the table to begin our kneading. I expected the 'thrill' to last about 2 seconds - low and behold however they actually sat there the whole 20 min! Working their dough carefully while watching me for tips, it really was a fantastic experience. The end result? Two beautiful little bread rolls and a lovely loaf which created a brilliant lunch. Going with the flow ay? Who'd of guessed that it would work out so well! P.S. My a... was convinced and 5km are under my belt for another day.

Run Forest Run

Last year two of my sisters completed a 10km walk to and from Wellington Stadium, in an awesome time - they are the two most competitive! This year we've decided (two of us anyway) that all four sisters will compete. Two of us - the youngest - are going to run the 10km and the older two are going to walk, hopefully not passing me in the process.

Fitting in nicely with my new year's resolutions of making more time for family I was keen as - that is until the reality of the work involved sunk in. To be fair I was doing really well running 5km three days a week with a 10km on the weekend, that is until Easter hit. Easter brought with it daylight savings and an attack of chocolate that I'm still trying to recover from. Now I realise that the race is a mere 8 weeks away and a slight panic has begun.

Being down in Christchurch for the school holidays (2 weeks of gorging other people's food) I was mighty proud of myself for continuing to run every second day not realizing that running on the flat was somewhat less effort and work than up on the hills (that's how I perceive them anyway). All that extra food only secured the fact that it was more effort to run as fast or as often. Slowly but surely I decreased how often I managed to drag myself out of bed until the three times a week runs are now down to one and the weekend run is down to 5km.

For the two weeks I've been back from holiday I've been moaning to himself that I really should stop eating so much and I really should get my a... out of bed in the morning to run. Finally last night he snapped. "Bloody do something then instead of just whinging" "Hummmp" I thought maybe, just maybe he has a point. So bright and early this morning by the light of the moon I ran a glorious 5km (yes I know it was meant to be 10 but I was so happy with even getting up that I gave myself a break). It felt great to be out again and now I just need to remember that on Monday when the alarm sounds and my a... trys to snuggle in.