Are you tired?
Worn out?
Burned out on religion?
Come to me.
Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
– Christ (from Matthew 11:28-30)
from a post at the Free Believers Network Facebook page
it’s my favorite time of year again. the most wonderful time.
advent. the waiting.
i’m loving this jesse tree celebration we’re going through as a family this year. it’s blowing the dust off the waiting. i love how Ann Voskamp writes. it’s how i want to celebrate the season – simply, fully.
i’m big on nostalgia. but i’m remembering this year just how revolutionary the birth of Immanuel was. said Dietrich Bonhoeffer in an advent sermon seventy years ago: “do you want to be delivered? that is the only really important and decisive question which advent poses for us. does there burn within us some lingering longing to know what deliverance really means? if not, what would advent then mean to us? a bit of sentimentality. a little lifting of the spirit within us? a little kinder mood? but if there is something in this word advent which we have not yet known, that strangely warms our heart; if we suspect that it could, once more, once more, mean a turning point in our life, a turning to God, to Christ–why then are we not simply obedient, listening and hearing in our ears the clear call: your deliverance draws nigh!”
Sleepy chatter and quiet giggles ’round the table.
Good morning to you.
there. my Summer-Of-Health is complete. i can’t believe it did it! here’s a quick rundown of what i’ve been working toward since may:
where does this leave me? i’m not giving up my morning coffee – i could, but i love the ritual. the warm cuppa, pretty thrifted mugs and yes, that friendly caffeinated jolt are comforting to me. i feel best when i start my day with micronutrients, so green smoothies or fruit will be my usual daily breakfast. raw salads, soups and wraps will be my usual lunches, but suppers will be whatever i freaking feel like. plus a raw salad. i’ve really gotten after-supper snacking down to tea or warm almond milk or wine, so i’ll try to stick to that. oh – and i’m working out in the mornings again. thank you, No Reservations for making that morning meeting with my elliptical a lot more tolerable (has food become an obsession? es posible.).
we’re also getting rid of most of our processed foods, high-fructose corn syrup (if i were Hulk, i would snap Monsanto’s neck) flouride and MSG. making better food and health choices for the family and reworking our budget to accomodate them. i’ve learned i don’t need loads of milk or soy (two very mucous-causing foods) to get our calcium or protein. almond milk is becoming more popular around here. bacon without nitrates is on the list (a life without bacon is no life for me), and Coffeemate is out, too (i never really liked it anyway), just to name a few. certain organic things are nice to add in (thank you, Costco and Trader Joe’s!), but i’m not sweating it too much (thank you, Mark Bittman!). next year my garden will be nothing but greens and tomatoes. i fell hard for heirloom tomatoes this year. michael will continue with green smoothies for breakfast and lunch – they’re easy, very healthy and convenient. he may act otherwise in front of you, but he likes them.
i’m so grateful for this season of learning, challenging myself and eating in new ways and feeling better, living more intentionally. here’s to our health going forward. now for a second cup of coffee.
finally done with my stint on the raw food detox diet…and loved it. i learned a few new things about myself, my body, gained mental & emotional clarity, feel amazing – who knew all of that was tied to my food choices? crazytown.
speaking of crazy…my man & i watched a documentary recently called Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (hat tip to Darby for the suggestion). we were both so inspired by both Joe and Phil’s transformation that we’ve decided to give a raw juice ‘fast’ (or what Joe calls a Reboot) a whirl. i think it will be life-changing for both of us. hopefully we can shed some weight, which is the main reason we were attracted to this program – hey, we reasoned, if a 430 lb. truck driver can get up the gumption to juice daily and lose nearly all his excess weight, so can we. right?
i’ve not participated in a long fast before (i’m shooting for 30 days, michael for 60…taking it a week at a time), and it recently dawned on me: i’ve never forced myself to do something i really didn’t want to (i’m an optimist/idealist – i can usually find a bright side), or had to reign in my desires much, especially regarding food choices. i like my veggies (thanks, Mom!), so the detox diet was a fun challenge for me. time to go deeper. to cleanse further. to learn the practice of fasting and to embrace real physical and mental challenge.
i started my fast this morning, and my modern, middle class, american self isn’t too happy about it already. i’ll have to dig deep to get past the cravings that are already rearing up. try hard to remember it’s just one month out of my life. cowboy up, girl.
here’s to it – i raise my glass of apple/greens/beet/carrot juice to a better version of myself. gulp.
halfway through our second week of our raw food detox. no turning back to a Standard American Diet (SAD – in so many ways) now – i feel absolutely amazing!
of note this week:
this week, I picked up Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (at the library! thanks, OPL.). it’s a much easier program to follow for women, and i’m starting to implement this 4-week detox immediately. i have to admit – i really didn’t believe her many claims, but the further i progress, the more i see them coming to pass. she’s onto something. except for that blasted raw vegetable juice! i hate it! i’m trying, Natalia, i really am. but the vomit-inducing factor is still too high. maybe someday…hopefully someday. 🙂
i tap my fingers a lot. i wish i had a piano. that is all.
i started a raw food (read: gentle) detox this week. i read all about how ‘transformative’, ‘energizing’, eye-opening, addiction-breaking, fabulous, slimming, beautifying it is. blah, blah, blah. i hate hype.
i want to learn how to eat better. how to nourish my body, my family, better. and if i lose a few el-bees in the process, great. i’m a girl who likes her veggies (thanks, Mom!), and with summer on the way, fresh produce is cheaper and more readily available on the prairie. so i checked out The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose. learned a lot, raised my eyebrows at a few things (i am so not getting a colonic, i don’t care how lively you feel afterward), but decided it’s worth a shot.
everything they say is true. and it’s only been a few days so far. i have incredible energy (and i’m still eating a ‘cooked’ supper – with meat!), don’t even need coffee (after three days of mild headaches), and am not spending hours in the bathroom. i’m not hungry, am sleeping better, am slightly more focused, my crater-sizes pores are shrinking, my hair is shinier, and i look a little better when i don’t have makeup on. 🙂 did i mention my stomach is flattening by the day? a girl could get used to this!
i should revise the above statement to say: everything they say is true except for this: green lemonade is not tasty to me. i can’t stomach it. in the proportions recommended, the taste of chlorophyll is strong and nauseating. and, according to my ‘detox level’, i’m supposed to be drinking 40 ounces of this a day. forget it. i’m working on modifying the recipe to something i can stand (apples/lemons/cucumbers) and drinking a glass of V-8 instead (not raw, but come on). also, this way of eating would be even easier if ya lived in Californ-eye-ay. i have to be creative about not blowing our grocery budget. it isn’t easy for us, but it’s doable for the summer, at least. (%#$@ rising food prices!)
so. i raise my daily quart of green smoothie to a healthier me. here’s hoping a few months of this really makes a difference and banishes this baby weight once and for all. spare tires aren’t cute unless you’re the Michelin man. and even then, he just looks like a fat mummy.
mornings like this inspire me…crystal clear azure sky, lime-green new leaves, warm on the cement, cool in the shady grass, the minis poking around the yard, me poking around the garden, every bird seems to sing, traffic hums in the distance. we have nowhere to be.
always a longing, though, with mornings like these…wish my man were sitting on the grass, here, reading, chatting, pouring coffee. he misses out on these moments more than i’d like. his absence, though, reminds me to be grateful to have them. i’ll plan an evening stroll.
a favorite summer song.
I know what you’re thinking…this post is about seven years too late and a pretty worn-out topic. Right? I completely agree. But I’m still gonna post this because I think it bears repeating, especially in times of tighter budgets and a modern urge to return to simpler times. I also admit I’m writing this down partly so I’ll have a reference for myself (my own notes keep getting thrown away…hmm), and for friends who’ve asked how I’ve made this-or-that. So for those friends, eat your heart out. Here’s Helpy-Helperton at her finest. 🙂
Back in 2006 I was lucky enough to meet Sara Janssen via Des Moines’ Freecycle and got hooked on her blog. I suppose I could credit her for jogging my memory back to when my mom shopped at No-Name Nutrition and subjected us to all manner of natural/homeopathic/homemade remedies, foods, etc. (For awhile there I wondered if my mom’s medicinal philosophy was “if it tastes like sewage, it’s good for you.” I still gag remembering the daily doses of yeast-in-juice and later, the powdered-barley-green-in-water she made us drink. At least the Frookies and hot carob milk were good. See, Mom? Not all bad.)
One particular post on Sara’s blog discussed the wonders of making your own cleaning products. What the what? Baking soda, vinegar – and who is this Dr. Bronner? Despite my previous aversion to the smell of vinegar, I decided to give it a go. And I haven’t looked back. A peek under my kitchen sink and the only toxic thing you’ll find under there is CLR. The rest has gradually been replaced by non-toxic, eco-friendly and (very importantly for us) frugal cleaning items. In fact, that might be my favorite thing about real green cleaning – it’s ridiculously cheap!
Why do I clean this way? There are several reasons, but for me the main ones are that it’s very easy on our budget, a few readily available ‘ingredients’ clean everything, and it’s safe for the planet and my family. As a result, I’ve become more sensitive to fumes from commercial cleaning products – which, since our bodies weren’t made to inhale those things anyway, makes me think I’m doing myself a favor. 🙂
OK, down to the nitty-gritty. First, a little about the main components:
Distilled white vinegar: I cannot sing the praises of vinegar enough…it does so much around the house! Distilled white vinegar is non-toxic and made from filtered, fermented corn alcohol, with no preservatives or additives. Its high acidity makes it a natural antibacterial disinfectant. A Heinz spokesperson is cited here saying that vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of germs. Works for me. (By the way, did you know it’s not a good idea to use artificial products labeled ‘antibacterial’ because it can actually lower your body’s ability to fight bacteria? Talk about counterproductive.) I think of white vinegar as my Windex, or my ammonia, and buy it by the gallon for a buck or two. We go through a jug every couple of months. (And the smell dissipates rather quickly. After a couple of months of cleaning with it, it became my new ‘smell of clean’!)
Baking soda: Arm & Hammer’s brand has been around for over 150 years – our grandparents knew this stuff wasn’t just for baking! It’s cheap – 45 cents a box at Aldi and readily available in 12-pound bags at any warehouse club for $6 or less. One of those bags lasts me six months or more. It’s found in mineral springs and can also be mined or manufactured. Unlike Comet or other abrasives, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is alkaline and safe for your skin (I use it to exfoliate!). It doesn’t scratch surfaces, neutralizes odors and acids and is antiseptic.
Lemons/lemon juice: Naturally acidic, lemon juice is also a great disinfectant, antibacterial, bleacher and degreaser. It can work along with vinegar and helps to lessen vinegar’s pungent smell. And, come on – who doesn’t like a lemony fresh scent anyhow?
Hydrogen peroxide: I recently learned a lot about this handy-dandy, uber cheap cleaner. Not just for first-aid anymore! The 3% solution you find in any pharmacy section works wonders as a bleach alternative (it’s historically been used to bleach paper, wood pulp and bones), disinfectant and antiseptic. It’s much easier on the environment, your nose and skin than chlorine bleach. That said, a word of warning: vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are not to be mixed together. Just don’t try it. They do, however, work great for cleaning when sprayed in layers. More on that below.
Oxygen bleach: Unlike its evil stepsister (haha) chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach (like OxyClean or its generic equivalents) is 100% biodegradable, non-polluting, natural, non-toxic, fragrance-free and color-safe. It can do everything chlorine bleach can, except sting your nose and roast a few brain cells. 🙂 And it’s fairly inexpensive.
Olive oil: Good for wood conditioning (recipe below) – and my guess is that you’ve probably got it lurking around your kitchen, too. Your wood furniture probably doesn’t care about its healthy fats and antioxidant qualities, but your hands do.
Dr. Bronners’ Liquid Castille Soap: My other cleaning favorite. So versatile and effective. It’s the priciest cleaning product I buy (the best price I can find is here), but a little goes a long way (it’s uses are nearly endless, but here are a few) for people and animals and household alike!
Also in my cleaning arsenal: Stainless steel scrubbies ($2 for 2. Unlike SOS pads, they are free of detergent, don’t rust, and can be cleaned in the diswasher and reused), rags (we cut up old t-shirts, stained towels, prefold diapers, etc.), old toothbrushes, Downy balls, toilet brush and spray bottles.
There are a few products I do buy commercially because I haven’t found a DIY solution yet that’s simple, effective, cheap and green. Things I strive to avoid cleaning with include: sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, chlorine, phosphates, borax, artificial dyes and fragrances, and chemicals with long Latin names (they make me nervous…but that’s probably just personal preference. I’m no chemist. I did study Latin roots, though – nerd alert!). Two things I had to unlearn: 1) suds don’t indicate a products is ‘working’…that’s just clever marketing, and 2) you don’t need to use products with headache-inducing fumes…in fact, stay away from them.
And now (drumroll, if you please)…my cleaning ‘recipes’!
Windows/glass: Straight white vinegar in a spray bottle – just spray on glass and wipe. You can dilute it with 1/2 water, too, to stretch the vinegar even further. Some use newspaper to wipe, but I just use a clean cotton rag.
Wood furniture: For dusting, a chamois or microfiber cloth works great. To polish my wood furniture, I use a mixture of half olive oil, half lemon juice. Apply to a rag and work it in. A little goes a long way! Another alternative is half olive oil/half vinegar. Shake before applying to your rag. Don’t use this on your wood floors, though – unless you’re trying to mimic this.
Bathroom: To scour the sink, I spray my all-purpose spray all over the surface and sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on top. Scrub with sponge or rag, then I rinse with hot water. Spray vinegar on the faucet and wipe off. I do the same for the bathtub. I use my all-purpose spray for the exterior of the toilet, too.
All-purpose cleaner: In a spray bottle, I throw in a generous dash of Dr. Bronner’s (I’ve used the tea-tree, peppermint, and citrus orange scents, but any will work just fine), 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar, and fill the rest up with warm water (Dr. Bronner’s can get cloudy and semi-solid when it’s cold, so the warm water helps it mix better). Shake and spray away.
Toilet bowl: I spray a layer of hydrogen peroxide around the bowl, followed by a generous sprinkle of oxygen bleach. It sits while I clean the sink and outside of the toilet, or up to half an hour, then I scrub with the toilet brush and flush. The all-purpose cleaner and a layer of baking soda also work well.
Tile/scum: Here’s where you don’t want to mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide beforehand. Spray a layer of hydrogen peroxide first and follow with a sprayed layer of vinegar. You’ll hear a fizzing sound. Scrub away! I tried this for the first time last night with good results. I also make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen bleach (just a tablespoon) and work it into the grout with a toothbrush. Let it sit for a bit and rinse off. I’ve also made a soft scrub out of baking soda and Dr. Bronner’s. Works great for scouring tile, sinks or tubs.
Kitchen sink: Baking soda sprinkled all over the sink, all-purpose cleaner sprayed on top and scrubbed, then thoroughly rinsed (same for my cooktop stove). To clean inside the drain I pour in baking soda, then vinegar. Volcano! I also have thrown my citrus peels or half a lemon and turned on the disposal. Clean and odor-free.
Kitchen counters: A lemon juice/vinegar combo is great at killing bacteria, as is the all-purpose spray. Spray and wipe. You can also rub a cut lemon onto a cutting board to kill bacteria as well. (Don’t forget to throw the used lemon in the disposal!)
Floors: Ye Olde And Oft-Mentioned All-Purpose Cleaner in hot water to mop with works great, as is a couple dashes of Dr. Bronners (castile soap or Sal Suds) in hot water. Don’t need to get fancy. I use a mop head that can be machine washed and hung to dry.
Laundry: I’ve been using Purex Free & Clear since having kids (Dreft Schmeft!), but recently started making my own laundry detergent, Duggar-style…and man, it is the bees knees. Quick, easy and uber cheap to make. Another, albeit spendier, alternative worth trying are Soap Nuts…although this blogger doesn’t recommend them for cloth diapers (love her blog!). I use the oxygen bleach as directed for stains, too. For years I’ve used no more than 1/4 c. of vinegar in a Downy ball with each load in lieu of fabric softener. Does the same job for less, kills static and is kind to fabric. And no, your clothes won’t smell like vinegar. 🙂
After eyeing wool dryer balls for months, one of my man’s coworkers sent some home with him. (A quick Etsy search yields loads at various price points, too. They’re also simple to make.) They naturally soften your laundry and truly reduce drying time. I’m in love with them…and just might make a few more.
Dishes: Just got done experimenting with different homemade concoctions, and man – not happy with any of the results. Everything left a film or water spots on the dishes if I left them to air dry (which, much to Michael’s chagrin, I often do). Back to using Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day dish soap (the lemongrass scent reminds me of the spa from our Jamaican honeymoon. Yum.). I would love to find a nice DIY recipe, but they all seem to be cost-prohibitive.
Did I forget anything? Are you actually still reading? God bless you. I’m hanging up my apron now. Here’s to a cleaner, happier home – in my family line, that counts for something. Cheers!
lions under oaks 