Ahava & Amara Life Foundation

Embracing Motherhood

2015-02-19T15:03:00.000-05:00

As a child growing up, I always liked to play house and be the mother. I enjoyed the feeling of nurturing and caring for my small little dolls. Little did I know how much more rewarding it actually was until I became a mother. When I became pregnant for the first time it was so surreal. I couldn't believe it! I was so happy; I thought "Now I have the chance to be the best parent I could be." I remember making mistakes in my parenting choices. I was not perfect and I still am not but continue to strive for betterness everyday.

me during an all night 'no sleep' session

There are many women in the world who feel inadequate because of their personal choices and decisions when paired against mothers who choose totally different lifestyle or parenting choices. We are all unique individuals who share some space on this massive planet we call home, compartmentalized by continents, countries, cities, towns, streets, neighborhoods, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, religions, beliefs systems, cultures, tribes, etc.

No matter if we became pregnant through sexual intercourse or via in vitro fertilization, whether we gave birth at home, at the hospital, or at a birth center; whether we breastfeed or formula feed, whether we send our children to public school, private school or homeschool, etc.

The bottom line is we are all mothers, connected by the fact that for the most part we are women who sacrifice so much for the sake of those we love. We strive for the best for our children and families, we hope to bring about loving and caring, responsible adults that will do better for their children and communities in the future.

Motherhood gets a bad rap sometimes. I did a google search on the term motherhood and the first definition that came up said:

'Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families.'

It is true that we oftentimes forget ourselves in the caring for of others, however, this does not have to be the case. We can embrace motherhood wholly while also embracing our personhood, womanhood and livelihood without losing ourselves. We can still be beautiful and maintain that beauty, we can still be healthy and maintain and upkeep our health, we can still be creative and work on an enhance our creative abilities.

Motherhood can be our springboard and motivation to continue to love and nurture ourselves while doing the same for our families and others, cultivating a domino effect of goodness throughout our communities. We can do this by continuing to learn and grow from our mistakes, continuing to educate ourselves outside of school, reaching out and learning from elders from other communities. Develop a love for books and research. Your quest has just begun!

wearing my baby; he was fussy, he wasn't wet or hungry he just wanted me.

Yes, we may endure many sleepless nights but in the end it is all so worth it because our children will reward us over and over again in many different ways. Some ways that we can't even imagine. All the frustrations we experience throughout parenting; the ever so demanding newborns that need our attentions at every moment for everything, the oh so energetic toddler that gets into everything, the toddler that takes forever learning to potty train, the preschooler who is very inquisitive and no longer takes naps, the elementary aged child that no longer takes your word and continuously challenges you, the preteen who has become quite rebellious, etc. are all opportunities for us to reflect on what we see in ourselves coming forth through our children. These are all opportunities for growth. We shall embrace it all...motherhood.

Kiss those babies, hug them, squeeze them tight, tell them you love them, talk o them, listen to them, watch them, read to them, play with them, sing with them, dance with them, create with them, get healthy with them, exercise with them, cook with them clean with them.

Appreciate it all, smile a lot, record it all, make memories, because one day, all of a sudden you will still be a mother but your children will no longer be young and under your care and in your home they will be out there own their own using all that you'e taught them, and showed them through your actions for themselves and hopefully they will carry on all that was good for their families and the world.

#NormalizeBreastfeeding

2014-06-10T20:27:00.002-04:00

Social media is on fire! For the last few days over the topic of breastfeeding in public.

I truly hope that none of my friends or family think that breastfeeding a baby in public is inappropriate, nasty, disgusting, stupid, equal to urinating or any other foolish, uninformed and uneducated thoughts such as these.

I am amazed at the comments that I have been reading on several social media sites that are engaged in discussion that started over a picture of a young black woman that had just graduated from college breastfeeding her baby. It is sad and shows how deep societal conditioning is.

Breastfeeding is what a baby is supposed to do by its mother for natural nourishment and nurturing. If anyone does have these negative thoughts about breastfeeding you really need to stop and think why you do. Why do you think that it is normal to feed a baby formula in a bottle and breastfeeding not? Ask yourself why your grandmother and great grandmother did not breastfeed. It is deeper than what you may think.

Do some research on the history of breastfeeding and find out when, why and how black women stopped breastfeeding our babies the way nature intended. Then maybe you'll understand why it is important for it to be normalized amongst black women. Although a lot more of us are breastfeeding our statistics are still low.

#NormalizeBreastfeeding

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

2014-06-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

I would like to share with you this simple, yet delicious recipe that my 11 year old daughter found and baked. She has been cooking and baking for the past 3 1/2 years and hasn't stopped yet. She is a very good cook and baker. Her brother, my 10 year old son is good at cooking and baking as well. I'll share a recipe that he has tried in another post soon. Teaching children to cook is very rewarding. It teaches responsibility, important life skills, and it reinforces independence.

Ok, now back to the recipe. Gather all of your ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 packet instant yeast
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup Earth balance (vegan butter)
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat the almond milk and 3 Tbsp Earth Balance until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees, or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.

2. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle on yeast. Let activate for 10 minutes, then add 1 Tbsp sugar and the salt and stir.

3. Next add in flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until it forms a loose ball. Rinse your mixing bowl out, coat it with oil, and add your dough ball back in. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with 3 Tbsp melted Earth Balance and top with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 - 1Tbsp cinnamon.

5. Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. Then with a serrated knife, cut the dough into 1.5 - 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 8x8 square or comparable sized round pan (you should have about 10 rolls). Brush with remaining 2 Tbsp Earth Balance (melted) and cover with plastic wrap. Set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve immediately.

7. Optional: Frost with dairy free cream cheese frosting or a simple mixture of powdered sugar and almond milk.

I hope you enjoy this vegan deliciousness as much as we did. Enjoy! ;)

Snow Days!

2014-03-25T22:39:00.002-04:00

Snow, snow, snow, snow! Here in the DC/MD/VA area we have had a snowy winter season. As I type this post, it is snowing. We are in the beginning of the spring season and we still have to keep the heavy coats, boots, scarves and gloves on standby.

We are not used to this much snow during our winters here, so it is a pretty nice occasion when it happens. When the weather calls for snow, I quietly hope for it to stick and accumulate. I love the quiet beauty of what a fresh blanket of snow provides.

Whenever it does snow, I get this nostalgic feeling of my childhood, remembering the days of snow fun. I was happy when it snowed for the first time this winter because it gave my younger children a chance to go out, play and experience that icy, cold, sparkling, fluffy, white magnificence.

As much as I love the benefits of the snow, I am very much looking forward to warmer weather. My maternal grandfather used to tell us how the snow is purifying to our environment. He said that when it snowed it cleansed the pollutants from the atmosphere. He also taught us how to make ice cream from the snow but we had to be sure that it wasn't from the first snow of the season because of the cleansing that takes place. We haven't made snow cream with the children and I'm not sure if we will but that was one of the many fond memories I have of my snow days.

Goodbye old man Winter...

Spring has sprung!

Joyful Mama, Joyful Baba, Joyful Baby, Joyful Birthday!

2013-08-28T18:05:00.000-04:00

One year ago, August 27th 2012 we had our 7th child, 2nd son and 1st planned UC (unassisted childbirth) at home in our bathtub filled with warm and calming water. This was my most empowering birth of them all so far. A few years ago, I wouldn't dare think of having an unassisted birth but things changed. They changed when I lived my life with an open mind while fundamentally learning on a daily basis and not limiting myself in any way.

Being a birth advocate, I couldn't ever condemn a mama for her choice of when and where to give birth. Education is key in all things and if a person is informed about their options then that is true empowerment. I became truly empowered by doing the required reading, researching and studying in preparation for the unassisted home water birth.

I have given birth 6 times to 7 children; 1 set of twins, 3 hospital births, 2 birth center births and 1 unassisted home water birth. All healthy, natural term pregnancies (except the twins who were born 6 weeks early). No inductions, no cesareans, no epidurals.

We were well prepared to exercise our right to accept the responsibilty of my personal health and the health of our unborn child during labor and delivery. I have a track record of having healthy pregnancies with no complications as well as having an average of 4 hour labors, so my husband was in full agreement with the decision.

Was I concerned that things weren't going to go as planned? Of course, that is reality. In the real world things don't always go as planned. Things can go wrong whether giving birth in a hospital, birth center, or giving birth with an OB or midwife present. We took this into consideration and we knew that if an emergency occurred that we had a back up plan and were smart enough to know when and if I needed to go to the hospital.

I didn't have an unassisted pregnancy, I had prenatal care with midwives at a birth center throughout the pregnancy. I could have done my own prenatal care but decided not to. Oh how I love the freedom of choice. I had the freedom to pick and choose how I would manage my pregnancy and birth. How wonderful is that?

If you are looking to have an unassisted birth I would suggest that you do your research as well as be honest with yourself. Everything is not for everybody, some people just cannot do it by themselves and have no desire to do so, and that's okay.

Here is a list of the things I did to prepare for my UC:

joined UC groups on FB and Yahoo

read stories from other mamas whom had UC births

ordered a birth kit

ordered a herbal remedy birth kit

drank Pregnancy Tea throughout

made postpartum peri pads

prepared an info sheet for what to do during labor for hubby

maintained a positive mental and spiritual attitude

The birth:

I had been experiencing prodormal labor for a couple weeks. I tried not to feel too anxious about it and opted to just relax and let nature take its course. Two years before I had experienced this and was overly anxious and wanted the pregnancy to be over. I told myself I would not let this extended labor get to me the next time around.

My mother had come over for the weekend and was planning on leaving that Monday morning to attend an appointment. Well, that morning between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. I started experiencing contractions again but somehow this time I knew that the baby would be born that day. I tried to sleep through them and around 6 a.m. I woke my husband and mother and told them that we should start getting the home prepared for the birth.

We took out all the supplies, sanitized the bathtub once again and filled it with warm water. I tested positive for GBS and would not be getting antibiotics which is commonplace in a hospital and birth center setting. A friend of mine sent me a GBS protocol that was successful for her. I followed that protocol as well as washed the perineum with Hibiclens every 2-3 hours.

After laboring in the tub for a couple hours, I got dressed and took a walk around the neighborhood with my mother to get things going again. It seemed that the water had relaxed me a bit too much. After stopping and breathing through the contractions about 3 times, it was enough and I returned to the tub. An hour later I took a nap, I really hadn't gotten any sleep since 2 a.m. that morning. Throughout the nap the contractions were pretty strong and occurring regularly.

I knew that the time was very near. Into the tub I went once again and what a relief from pressure after the bag of waters broke! With the next contraction, out came my son into the water without barely a push. I grabbed him and went to put him onto my chest but realized that couldn't be done so easily. Looking down and wondering if he had a short cord... instead the cord was wrapped around his body like a pretzel. This too was another first for me! After quickly unwrapping him and placing him on my chest I started looking all over him to make sure everything was fine.

He was so cute and resembled his older brother a lot. He was a little peanut compared to what I expected him to be. I thought he would be bigger. He was 5 pounds and 14 ounces of pure sweetness. We stayed in the bathtub for awhile and he was kept semi submerged in the warm water then we covered him with a couple receiving blankets while his father checked to see if the umbilical cord was still pulsing before cutting it. Throughout the labor my older children were present and were there to welcome their new little brother.

My 10 year old daughter brought me the Motherwort Tincture and my husband placed 10 drops under my tongue. This tincture was for general calming, and hemorrhage prevention as well as a uterine tonic. The baby had no problem locating the breast and latching on for his first meal after the birth. Once the umbilical cord stopped pulsing and was completely limp my husband cut it after our newborn son got 100 percent of his cord blood. He was handed to my mother so that I could focus on birthing the placenta.

I got out of the tub and sat on the toilet which helped to better facilitate the expulsion of the placenta. I pushed it out into my hands then checked it to make sure that everything looked normal. Then placed it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer where it still is. We read up on lotus birth and appreciated the benefits but decided not to go that route. We still have the placenta in case I want to encapsulate it in the future.

After the placenta was birthed I showered and joined my new baby in the bed to rest, relax and bond. I felt great afterward. I was on an Intense High off of love. Love of my baby, my husband and my family.

Journey through breastfeeding - Part 2

2013-07-24T16:09:00.000-04:00

Greetings! I will be doing a series of breastfeeding and birth posts related to my ongoing journey. This is Part 2. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

So, the journey continues with my 2nd born child and 1st born son on November 12, 2003. My contractions started around 5 am and each hour after got closer and closer and stronger and stronger. The contractions were getting so strong that I had my husband to call 911.

No ambulances were available so they sent a fire squad and they did absolutely nothing but watch me and ask me stupid questions like "How long were you in labor with your first child?" like that has anything to do with it. So I say "Only 4 hours" and he replies by saying "Oh you have plenty of time." And I'm just thinking please hurry and send an ambulance because I do not want to have my baby here with these guys. The ambulance finally arrived.

So when we get to the hospital there are no labor & delivery rooms available. He was born in a small triage room because on the day that he decided to be born a lot of other babies decided to be born and there were no labor and delivery rooms available for me. When I get into the triage room, the nurse tells me to put on a hospital gown and I tell her "I think I need to make a bowel movement." She said "No, get on the bed and let me check you first." As soon as I position myself, she automatically went from calm to excited. She said "The baby's right there!" I replied "The baby right there?" She ran out of the room to get a doctor then she came back and mumbled "They better hurry up, I'm not trying to deliver this baby by myself."

A doctor strolls in and says casually "Hi, what's going on in here?" The nurse says yet again "The baby's right there!" The Doctor looks and says "Yeah the baby's right there!" Then things started going very quickly before you know it there were so many people in that small triage room that everything started to blur. I pushed a few times and out comes my son, 6 lbs. 3 oz. As soon as he was born they took him out of the room. I asked if I can at least see him first but they said they didn't have a warmer in the room so they had to warm him right away.

And just like that everyone is gone and I'm in this room all by myself thinking "Wow nothing like I expected at all. Oh well, I give thanks for a healthy baby." A few minutes later a nurse came in with the baby. I just keep looking at him and thinking how cute he is. I have a son now!

My husband was not able to be there with me, he couldn't ride in the ambulance because he had our 16 month old daughter. He thought that he would make it to the hospital in time but all of our plans changed, our son had plans of his own. He did not latch on right away due to him being given a bottle of formula without my knowledge or consent. They said due to his temperature being very low they had to give it to him and he had to stay in NICU for 24 hours. I went to the NICU that first night to nurse him and it maybe took me an hour of trying but I kept at it until he latched and once his cute and tiny mouth latched that was it. He was a nursing champ for the next 15 months.

Loving to Nurse, Nursing to Love

2013-03-29T00:37:00.000-04:00

I am so proud of the progression that has been made in educating women and men on the importance of breastfeeding. Although we still have a long way to go, seeing the message spread like wildfire across social media in the way that it has over the past few years is awesome!

The many benefits of breastfeeding still hasn't been completely dissected. Research is coming up with more and more ways that breastfeeding both benefits mamas and babies all the time.

This is my 7th breastfeeding relationship and I absolutely love it! Not only because:

I am giving my baby the best healthy start
I am giving my child all the nutrients he needs for growth
I am protecting him from illnesses through antibodies in my milk
I am helping to aid in appropriate development of jaw, teeth, and speech
I am avoiding breast and ovarian cancer
I am not waking up in the middle of the night to warm bottles
I am preventing my child from developing childhood obesity

Yet, we are still not completely aware of all the benefits breastfeeding affords.

The absolute #1 reason I LOVE breastfeeding is because I love my baby and each and every time he nurses I fall in love with him more and more all over again.

When I gaze down into the eyes of my child while nursing, the look between us shows nothing but pure love for each other. This free flow of oxytocin helps me to do everything I can to ensure his well being and it helps him to know that he can trust me to take care of his needs. It will strengthen a bond that can not ever be broken.

I am a busy homeschooling mama and sometimes I tend to get caught up in the day and nursing can become so much like a mindless task that sometimes I have to just give in to the natural feeling of relaxing and slowing down. This is good for me as I get a quick break in between it all and it's good for baby because he gets my full undivided attention while being nourished.

I Love to Nurse and I Nurse to Love!

Vegan Red Delicious Apple Pie, Oh My!

2013-03-17T22:54:00.000-04:00

So, I've been in a baking kind of mood lately. My 1o year old daughter, 9 year old son and I had been baking cakes, cookies, biscuits and muffins. It was time to bake an apple pie.

We love Red Delicious apples over here so we had lots on deck. They say that Red Delicious are not the best apples for pie, Granny Smith are supposed to be better suited for this. Well, I decided to try my hand.

We were all quite elated when the apple pie came out oh, so delicious. It was perfect! So much so that I am excited to share the recipe. If you like apple pie then you will love this one.

Ingredients for apple pie base:

4-5 Red Delicious apples
1/3 cup vegan margarine, softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Ingredients for pie crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 tbsp orange juice or ricemilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Press crust mixture evenly on the bottom of a 9 inch pan.
In a large bowl mix apples and ingredients very well.
Place into pan and pat remaining crust mixture evenly on top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy!

The family and I had homemade chocolate ice cream alongside our slice of apple pie.

Pure deliciousness! A nice treat your family would enjoy. :)

Journey through Birthing & Breastfeeding - Part 1

2013-03-03T20:18:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I will be doing a series of breastfeeding and birth posts related to my ongoing journey. This is Part 1. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

The Adventure Begins

My journey to breastfeeding started on July 8th 2002 when my first born daughter arrived. Now that I look back,I was a slightly inexperienced and excited 21 year old mama. My husband and I were so in LOVE with this baby, and we still are! Oh, how beautiful and sweet she was to us and she still is.

I always knew that when I had children that they would be breastfed. There wasn't exactly a lot of examples of breastfeeding mamas around me, but there was an innate desire. All I knew was that breastfeeding was natural and normal.

About 5 months pregnant

When I learned of my pregnancy I almost immediately went to the library and checked out all kinds of books on pregnancy and breastfeeding that could be found. Plus I used to watch a lot of programs on pregnancy and birth. This information made me feel very much informed and confident that once the baby came that everything would go very well with breastfeeding and giving birth naturally.

By mid-morning of the 8th, my water broke and I realized it was time. Almost immediately, I started feeling contractions. My husband and I set off for the hospital. I called my mom and my sister who wanted to be there to support us. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Upon arrival,my cervix was 4 centimeters dilated, I was admitted and labored for 4 hours. After 4 good pushes our 5 lb.15.5 oz bundle of joy arrived. The whole 2 days we were in the hospital nursing her was great, she latched on very well and was getting all the colostrum (Liquid Gold) she could drink.

Once we got home I just knew that everything would be peachy. My milk came in and my breasts were painfully engorged and while nursing on the right breast the left breast was leaking like a faucet and vice versa. That's one thing that wasn't happening while at the hospital and one thing that wasn't learned in all of those books checked out from the library.

Breastmilk was everywhere, but it wasn't coming out fast enough to relieve the pressure. I didn't have a breast pump, but even if I did it would have relieved some pressure but my supply would have increased meaning higher incidence of more engorgement.

There was no one to turn to for advice except for the books and by now magazines that I subscribed to that were starting to pour into my mailbox. I just nursed her as much as possible which was about every 2 hours (It was sometimes hard to latch because of the engorgment). Lukewarm showers were taken to relieve some discomfort. Then after a day or so everything was fine, no more engorgement and my husband went out and got nursing pads for the leaking.

At 3 weeks

Our newborn princess gained weight pretty quickly. She was oh so pleasantly plump! She was nursed for 10 months.,There was some protest from her, she was not ready to stop. It took about 2-3 weeks to completely wean her.

The weaning process:

-----> No nursing in the daytime only breastmilk from a sippy cup along with mashed fruits and veggies

-----> Nursing at night for continued bonding and nourishment

-----> Cold tofu (for those who eat meat; cold turkey) ;-) that meant a lot of crying at night and I gave in a lot at night so that everyone could get some rest, so it was a long process.

I would have nursed her longer had I not have gotten pregnant with our 2nd child, of course you can nurse while being pregnant but my nipples were so sensitive from the pregnancy that I just couldn't take it anymore. Do you know how a person may say that they can't stand the sound of nails scratching against a chalkboard? Well, this is how I felt every time she latched on. So, instead of feeling guilty of the fact that I was weaning earlier than I expected to I just continued to bond with her in many other ways. We showed lots of affection, especially since she was so young and had a newborn sibling on the way.

At age 2

To be continued...................Be on the look out for Part 2

It's Smoothie Time!

2012-06-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

The morning breakfast ritual in our household is to drink a glass of water as the first thing to be consumed upon waking, of course after washing face and hands.

Then dad usually whips up a nutrient packed fruit smoothie which may consist of; bananas, blueberries, strawberries, elderberries, pineapple and many other fruits.

We also add to the mix ECO BODY FIX (CLTM) Life Mineral Powder (CLTM). ECO BODY FIX - Addresses–PMS, hair Loss, strengthens nails, fortifies skin, aids in bone growth, spleen, tendons, E-Coli, atherosclerosis (ASVD), arteriosclerosis (ASHD), hypertension, dermatitis, cleanses blood and teeth, it's anti-aging, cholesterol lowering, aids connective tissue, cartilage, prevents stroke, heart disease, expels methyl mercury, viruses, aluminum reduction in brain nerve cells (Alzheimer’s, Senility, Lungs, Dementia,) wards off free radicals, expels drug residues, endotoxins, proteinaceous toxins & lymph nodes, it is nature’s cancer defender.

It has 27 Trace Minerals; gold, copper, calcium, cobalt, iron, boron, tin, potassium, sodium, titanium, manganese, zicronium, phosphate, strontium, vanadium, aluminum oxide, selenium, chromium, magnesium, nickel, molybdenum, germanium, cadmium, lead, lithium, barium & beryllium.
.

After our power packed smoothie we may wait awhile, maybe an hour or so to let it digest then drink another glass of fresh water. Then we may eat a nice bowl of warm and creamy porridge. This breakfast would last us all for a few hours until lunchtime. We are all usually quite energized and ready to start our day.

Utilizing your local resources: The Library

2012-05-06T17:36:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have instilled a love of reading in our children from an early age. We both have loved reading since very young as well, it's a part of who we are today. Our personal library is overflowing with books, books, books of all genres. We have so many books that we haven't even gotten a chance to read them all and we still go to the library often to check out books.

Our children's personal library is also filled to the brim with lots and lots of books that they and I have read and re-read over and over again. My oldest daughter, 9 years old says "It feels like I am in a movie when I am reading my chapter books. It's fun!" My 8 year old son says "I feel like I am in the book and can see the pictures in my mind." I used to feel the same way when I was their age, in fact I still do, when I'm immersed in a good book what they said is exactly how I feel.

On the way to the library.

When the weather gets warm we take a 10 block walk to our local library and sometimes we sit there for hours browsing the books, doing homeschool lessons and research, doing arts and crafts projects, using the computers or enjoying a library sponsored class or an event like a local talent displaying their skills. There are many things to do at the library. Ask the librarian if they have a calendar of events and put it up on your fridge.

The twins and their big sister doing some coloring.

Big sister helping out one of the twins.

Sister and brother utilizing the computers.

Oldest daughter doing some research on African dance.

The library can be very enjoyable and educational. You can reserve rooms for co-op classes, use the printer and copier, borrow books, DVD's, audio tapes and so much more. Don't forget to utilize this free community resource and have fun doing it!

Field Trip: United States Botanic Gardens

2012-04-01T14:09:00.000-04:00

Our family had a nice time on a field trip to the United States Botanic Gardens earlier this week. We took lots of pictures of all the beautiful plants and flowers.

Since 1850, the Botanic Garden has been in operation and open to the public. They are located in Washington, D.C. adjacent to the U.S. Capitol and are open daily from 10am-5pm. No admission fee, free of charge.

The USBG currently house 60,000 plants. Some of these plants have been rescued, studied and conserved. There are many different areas to enjoy like the Garden court, Medicinal Plants,Children's Garden, Rare and Endangered Species and Jungle among others.

Of course the area that the children enjoyed the most was the Children's Garden that had a fountain, plastic gardening tools, many beautiful tulips, a chinese bamboo hideaway and a children's playhouse.

One of the best things about living in the city of Washington, D.C. is all the educational resources we have. There are embassies representing many countries, lots of museums, memorials, monuments, an aquarium, the zoo and so much more. Many people visit Washington, D.C. throughout the year, it's a great place to visit with a very diverse group of people living here to learn from and many different ethnic restaurants to eat at. You are welcome to bring your family for a visit.

Spring has Sprung!

2012-03-17T20:52:00.000-04:00

It is always so exciting to see the seasons change before our eyes. The buds begin to appear on the once bare trees and we start to smell the familiar smells of the blossoming flowers. We begin to hear the happy buzzing of the bees as they do their part in this cycle of life.

This week we will begin to till our garden and get an early start on planting. Last year we got started a little late but we still had a nice harvest. We enjoyed a fresh variety of peppers, lettuce, radish and squash. We even ate fresh out of the sunflowers seeds. Here are some pics to show just how much we enjoyed our first experience gardening as a family last year. Enjoy!

Gardening is not the only thing on our agenda for the spring but it is the most exciting. We'll be doing some spring cleaning as well, cleaning out and re-organizing some things in the home. We have a lot of filing to do, there are papers here, there and everywhere from homeschooling.

At the beginning of the school year, everything is always so neat and orderly then around this time of year everything is back out of order then there is a mad rush to finish up our curriculums in time to ease up again for the summer.

Here are some links to some springtime activities for children:

Video on Spring lapbooking
Spring lapbook on squidoo
Lots of cool Spring crafts here

5.9 RICHTER EAST COAST ROCKER!

2011-08-25T13:31:00.002-04:00

Give Thanks For Life and Give Thanks for The Giving of Thanks...

Give Thanks some more as you continue to read or listen to this note.

There "was" a possibility that we could not be here to breathe and live.

2 days ago, the 5.9 East Coast North American 4 mile deep Tremor Caused me to grab my soon to be 6 year old daughter like a JUMBO SIZE BAG of organic blue corn chips.

It seemed as I glanced back at my desk, I literally sprang forward and cleared about 6 feet in a single bound - or maybe I was traveling. Either way I did move pretty fast.

After all why not!? The rumble and shakes were fast turning into sways! (At some point in time
I distinctly felt like I was on TV)

"Where's the Twins!?," someone shouted!

"Grab the babies!... Grab Apphiah!! I hollered.

"They're in the bedroom!" everybody seemed to shout.

"The door is locked!!!," Mama screamed.

"You're gonna have to break it down!," I shouted.

All this time the Jumbo bag of organic chips was becoming like a rag doll of sorts...

Eventually, within moments its seemed the door was sprawling open and we were heading out.

All Eight of us. (Except Golden the goldfish)

I pulled up the rear with the adrenalin laced rag doll (my daughter) in my arms partially settling on my right hip.

It all subsided...there was a steady flow of people and voices by now.

I never really went all the way outside. It was interesting to say the least. Everyone seemed more surprised than more prepared.

"We usually don't have earthquakes in this side of town..." they fussed and cussed.

Well the fact of the matter is we are on EARTH so it could quake... fair enough?

By the time I returned to my desk where I now type this report...One of the heavily laden mugs filled with pens and scissors and that type of clutter "kilkaytayed" all over my workstation.

That is a true story.

But that's not why we stopped by...

Wait... we do have more good news to share on EARTHQUAKE SAFETY:

See Below:

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what is called the "triangle of life". The larger the object, the stronger, and the less it will compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings on television, count the "triangles" you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building. They are everywhere.

TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1) Most everyone who simply "ducks and covers" when buildings collapse are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling

occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.

6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different "moment of frequency" (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.

8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.

10) It was discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Spread the word to everyone YOU care about and save someone's life!

Guest post by:

Baba YHWHdah

Protecting Mother Earth

2011-07-28T17:44:00.000-04:00

Massive earthquakes, tsunami's, tornadoes, hurricanes, mudslides, dust storms. Oil spills, unexplained bird deaths, massive fish kills, nuclear plant meltdowns. Are these symptoms of the human pillage of Mother Earth? What can be done about it? What should be done about it?

Why are we so carefree when it comes to protecting our home? We hear talk of certain chemicals reacting with the environment and damaging the ozone layer, we hear talk of global warming and within recent years there has been talk of a "green" revolution.

How many people are actually taking heed to these things and reevaluating their lifestyles and putting good habits into practice for themselves and future generations?

In Bolivia on April 22, 2010, the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth adopted the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth for their country and the Bolivian government also submitted the proposal to the United Nations for consideration on a global scale. Here it is as follows:

Preamble
We, the peoples and nations of Earth:

considering that we are all part of Mother Earth, an indivisible, living community of interrelated and interdependent beings with a common destiny;

gratefully acknowledging that Mother Earth is the source of life, nourishment and learning and provides everything we need to live well;

recognizing that the capitalist system and all forms of depredation, exploitation, abuse and contamination have caused great destruction, degradation and disruption of Mother Earth, putting life as we know it today at risk through phenomena such as climate change;

convinced that in an interdependent living community it is not possible to recognize the rights of only human beings without causing an imbalance within Mother Earth;

affirming that to guarantee human rights it is necessary to recognize and defend the rights of Mother Earth and all beings in her and that there are existing cultures, practices and laws that do so;

conscious of the urgency of taking decisive, collective action to transform structures and systems that cause climate change and other threats to Mother Earth;

proclaim this Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, and call on the General Assembly of the United Nation to adopt it, as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations of the world, and to the end that every individual and institution takes responsibility for promoting through teaching, education, and consciousness raising, respect for the rights recognized in this Declaration and ensure through prompt and progressive measures and mechanisms, national and international, their universal and effective recognition and observance among all peoples and States in the world.

Article 1. Mother Earth
(1) Mother Earth is a living being.
(2) Mother Earth is a unique, indivisible, self-regulating community of interrelated beings that sustains, contains and reproduces all beings.
(3) Each being is defined by its relationships as an integral part of Mother Earth.
(4) The inherent rights of Mother Earth are inalienable in that they arise from the same source as existence.
(5) Mother Earth and all beings are entitled to all the inherent rights recognized in this Declaration without distinction of any kind, such as may be made between organic and inorganic beings, species, origin, use to human beings, or any other status.
(6) Just as human beings have human rights, all other beings also have rights which are specific to their species or kind and appropriate for their role and function within the communities within which they exist.
(7) The rights of each being are limited by the rights of other beings and any conflict between their rights must be resolved in a way that maintains the integrity, balance and health of Mother Earth.
Article 2. Inherent Rights of Mother Earth
(1) Mother Earth and all beings of which she is composed have the following inherent rights:

(a) the right to life and to exist;

(b) the right to be respected;

(d) the right to maintain its identity and integrity as a distinct, self-regulating and interrelated being;

(e) the right to water as a source of life;

(f) the right to clean air;

(g) the right to integral health;

(h) the right to be free from contamination, pollution and toxic or radioactive waste;

(i) the right to not have its genetic structure modified or disrupted in a manner that threatens it integrity or vital and healthy functioning;

(j) the right to full and prompt restoration the violation of the rights recognized in this Declaration caused by human activities;

(2) Each being has the right to a place and to play its role in Mother Earth for her harmonious functioning.
(3) Every being has the right to wellbeing and to live free from torture or cruel treatment by human beings.
Article 3. Obligations of human beings to Mother Earth
(1) Every human being is responsible for respecting and living in harmony with Mother Earth.
(2) Human beings, all States, and all public and private institutions must:

(a) act in accordance with the rights and obligations recognized in this Declaration;

(b) recognize and promote the full implementation and enforcement of the rights and obligations recognized in this Declaration;

(c) promote and participate in learning, analysis, interpretation and communication about how to live in harmony with Mother Earth in accordance with this Declaration;

(d) ensure that the pursuit of human wellbeing contributes to the wellbeing of Mother Earth, now and in the future;

(e) establish and apply effective norms and laws for the defence, protection and conservation of the rights of Mother Earth;

(f) respect, protect, conserve and where necessary, restore the integrity, of the vital ecological cycles, processes and balances of Mother Earth;

(g) guarantee that the damages caused by human violations of the inherent rights recognized in this Declaration are rectified and that those responsible are held accountable for restoring the integrity and health of Mother Earth;

(h) empower human beings and institutions to defend the rights of Mother Earth and of all beings;

(i) establish precautionary and restrictive measures to prevent human activities from causing species extinction, the destruction of ecosystems or the disruption of ecological cycles;

(j) guarantee peace and eliminate nuclear, chemical and biological weapons;

(k) promote and support practices of respect for Mother Earth and all beings, in accordance with their own cultures, traditions and customs;

(l) promote economic systems that are in harmony with Mother Earth and in accordance with the rights recognized in this Declaration.

Article 4. Definitions
(1) The term “being” includes ecosystems, natural communities, species and all other natural entities which exist as part of Mother Earth.
(2) Nothing in this Declaration restricts the recognition of other inherent rights of all beings or specified beings.

5 Fun things your children can do this summer

2011-05-26T21:49:00.000-04:00

Summertime!

Our family cannot wait for the weather to change so that we can do more outside activities. When we are able to shed all of the layers of under shirts, long sleeve shirts, sweaters, coats, scarves and gloves then transition into just a light jacket, we get excited because in a few short weeks we will no longer need the jackets. We are thrilled to trade the jackets for short sleeve shirts. We are appreciative of the sights and smells of the season change. The birds, the bugs, the flowers, and the trees. Everything that signals summer.

Usually around this time, the school year is winding down, most homeschooling families are finishing up their curriculum and preparing for next school year and awaiting the much needed break from a strict schedule and gliding into a slower pace filled with more outdoor activities and field trips. As our family begins to plan our summer, I began to think of 5 things that are fun that children can do this summer that is also very educational.

Reading

Reading truly is FUN-damental! Reading is a huge part of our lives and it should be fun and enjoyable. The library is a very great, free resource. The family should try to go together at least once a week during the summer. Leading by example is a good way to get children interested in reading. Find out what your children's favorite books are and delve into an adventure or two with them. Reading a good book is just as good as a mystery or adventure movie.

Writing

Your children can practice handwriting and letter writing skills by having a pen-pal. They will also learn to build long lasting friendships and communication skills. Having a pen-pal is a very fun and engaging learning experience.

Visit local historic sites

Every city in the world has some history behind it. Do an internet search and find out some secrets of your city and do some exploring with the family. Make sure to take some tools like a camera, notepad and pencil. Take lots of pictures and plenty of notes on what you discover and have the children do a report or presentation on the activity.

Plan/attend family reunion

Planning a family reunion can be very rewarding. There are many benefits of attending one as well. One can find out a lot about their family history by being around older family members. You can ask questions, hear stories and exchange information. All of this while having fun, eating good food, fellowship, playing games and so much more. Don't forget to have a camera/camcorder handy to capture memories.

Road trip

Going from one city to another or one state to another can be an excellent and fun learning experience. Reading signs and calculating distances can strengthen reading and math skills. The family can also strengthen the family bond by all being together and having conversations in the car. Diversity can be taught by being exposed to different cultures and foods in different restaurants.

The family will most definitely do all of these things this summer and more. What are 5 things that your family will be actively engaged in this summer?

Three (3) Generations

2011-04-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

My mother, our 1st born and me.

Breastfeeding Journey Continues

2011-04-17T20:31:00.011-04:00

Welcome to the April Carnival of Breastfeeding!

I am such a big advocate for all things natural, doing things the way nature intended. This includes eating fresh fruits and vegetables and using fresh herbs for cooking and maintaining a healthy environment within your body. This provides for a healthy pregnancy that will ultimately produce a healthy baby.

Once the baby is born, continue giving them those powerful nutrients through your "Liquid gold" (colostrum) for the first few days then the carbohydrate, fat and protein rich breastmilk along with all the appropriate vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes. I recommend mamas to breastfeed for at least those first few days, or at least 6 weeks, or at least 6 months or at least a year or two. :0)

I haven't breastfed any longer than 17 months yet, although I wanted to with my older 5 children. Our firstborn daughter was breastfed until she was 10 months old, by this time I was pregnant with my son and my nipples were very sensitive and nursing with this sensitivity was worse than a bad latch. He was breastfed for 15 months then I returned to work. My 2nd daughter was nursed for 10 months, then it was back to work again. Our twin daughters continued breastfeeding for 17 months, the longest so far.

I'm a stay at home mom now so I definitely intended to nurse them longer, but when I became pregnant with our 5th daughter my nipples were overly sensitive and the twins pulling and tugging on me was taking a toll. I tried toughing it out for awhile, my whole 1st trimester I was so sick. I couldn't keep anything down, if I drank water it came back up, I was so dehydrated and anemic. I'm surprised my breasts still produced milk! I absolutely had no appetite and lost about 15 pounds.

The newest edition is such a healthy, happy and sweet 18 pound, 5 month old champion nurser. I have no plans to wean anytime soon, I feel like there are years ahead of me for that. Everyone's journey is different, I can't wait to tell the story of how my journey turns out and I'm glad I could share how I have fared on the journey thus far.

My advice to mamas, "You never know how your journey with breastfeeding may be but at least you can embark on the journey and embrace it, you will meet some bumps along the way but face them when you get there. There is always help around the corner. Remember you are not in this alone."

Peace & much love,

Mamapoeki from Authentic Parenting: Extended Breastfeeding?

Mama Alvina of Ahava & Amara Life Foundation: Breastfeeding Journey Continues

Elita @ Blacktating: The Last Time That Never Was

Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC: Old enough to ask for it

Karianna @ Caffeinated Catholic Mama: A Song for Mama’s Milk

Judy @ Mommy News Blog: My Favorite Moments

Tamara Reese @ Please Send Parenting Books: Extended Breastfeeding

Jenny @ Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: The Highs and Lows of Nursing a Toddler

Christina @ MFOM: Natural-Term Breastfeeding

Rebekah @ Momma’s Angel: My Sleep Breakthrough

Suzi @ Attachedattheboob: Why I love nursing a toddler

Claire @ The Adventures of Lactating Girl: My Hopes for Tandem Nursing

Elisa @ blissfulE: counter cultural: extended breastfeeding

Momma Jorje: Extended Breastfeeding, So Far!

Stephanie Precourt from Adventures in Babywearing: “Continued Breastfeeding”: straight from the mouths of babes

The Accidental Natural Mama: Nurse on, Mama

Sarah @ Reproductive Rites: Gratitude for extended breastfeeding

Nikki @ On Becoming Mommy: The Little Things

Dr. Sarah @ Good Enough Mum: Breastfeeding for longer than a year: myths, facts and what the research really shows

Amy @ WIC City: (Extended) Breastfeeding as Mothering

The Artsy Mama: Why Nurse a Toddler?

Christina @ The Milk Mama: The best thing about breastfeeding

TopHat @ the bee in your bonnet: From the Mouths of Babes

Beth @ Bethstedman.com: Extended Breastfeeding: To Wean Or Not To Wean

Callista @ Callista’s Ramblings: Pressure To Stop Breastfeeding

Amanda @ Postilius: Nursing My Toddler Keeps My Baby Close

Sheryl @ Little Snowflakes: Tandem Nursing- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Zoie @ Touchstone Z: Breastfeeding Flavors

Lauren @ Hobo Mama: Same old, same old: Extended breastfeeding

Tanya @ Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Six misconceptions about extended breastfeeding

Jona (Breastfeedingtwins.org): Breastfeeding older twins

Motherlove Herbal Company: Five reasons to love nursing a toddler

Summing it up...

2011-02-09T09:26:00.000-05:00

In briefly telling you what we do at our Charitable Foundation and what our blog is about we would say:

"The Ahava & Amara Life Foundation believes that everyone has a human right to basic needs in order to live healthy and happy. We are committed to providing solutions to achieve these ideals for all globally."

That's the short version.

The longer version would be:

"The Ahava & Amara Life Foundation aim to provide global solutions for the human right to food, clothing, shelter, health and education. We aim to fulfill this through the use of superior technology and co-operating with ones who share our ideals and focused vision."

You will benefit from our membership website very soon. It will give updates on future and present projects, news, successful fund raising, other valuable propositions and joint ventures. There will be opportunities to volunteer and or donate for specific causes such as home education, elderly health and so much more. Look forward to a new post this evening with a list of philantrophic objectives.

Finally, Stop and Think;

"Imagine if everyone could give as much as they would like to get..."

Our Little One has Arrived!

2010-10-29T14:31:00.000-04:00

Greetings everyone, I am writing this small note to let you all know that we didn't fall off the face of the (blogging) planet. We were just patiently awaiting the arrival of our 6th blessing. She was born Monday, October the 18th!

We are so delighted and happy that she's here!

Since the end of August our home school has started back full-time and also being into my last trimester, these two things had kept me pretty occupied.

I missed blogging for you all and can't wait to blog more frequently about many different topics that my brain was too fuzzy to compete with at that time.

Once I get back to normal and get my energy back, you will definitely see more action from this blog.

Until then.......definitely be on the lookout for more posts more often. ;0)

Our Human Rights

2010-08-17T10:23:00.001-04:00

A friend of ours that is a teacher recently gave us a DVD titled "Youth for Human Rights" which shows 30 public service announcements for each of the 30 rights.

Watching this DVD with my family compelled me to write this post. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created in 1948 by the United Nations.

How many of us know and study these rights regularly? How many of us teach these rights to our children regularly? We should know them and teach them to our children so that we know when we are treated or we treat others un-righteously.

Here I will list all 30 as a reminder to us all.

Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all forms.

Article 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10. Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11. (1) Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offense, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.

Article 12. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, not to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has a right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14. (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. (2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15. (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality not denied the right to change his nationality.

Article 16. (1) Men and women of full age. without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association. (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21. (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22. Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23. (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. (4)Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25. (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26. (1)Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Article 27. (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. (2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29. (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. (2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society. (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Charity begins at home

2010-08-10T17:55:00.000-04:00

Giving back has always been a big thing for me. When I met my husband I quickly realized that he had a heart for giving as well, that's one of the things that made me fall in love with him. We always knew that when we had children that we would instill this in them as well.

When I was about 4 years old, my mother and I were walking down the street, there were a few pennies in my pocket. I took them out and started throwing them on the ground. My mother realized what was being done and told me to stop throwing the pennies away. In my mind they weren't being thrown away, they were put there for other people to find. How else do all those pennies end up on the ground whenever I or anyone else finds them? My thoughts were that this was what was supposed to be done to contribute to finding those nice bronze coins, that in this day and age are considered valueless.

This weekend our family went to visit an elder friend. We sat and chatted with her for awhile then treated her to dinner and grocery shopping. We all enjoyed ourselves, and the children learned a valuable lesson in doing things for others out of the kindness of the heart. Everyone needs a little support.

Sometimes when we go out we see panhandlers on the road and we may not have given them any money but we gave them a kind word and let them know we couldn't help out this time. One of the children asked why we don't always help them out, as parents we let them know that we do what we can when we can, sometimes we can't help at the time. That's another reason we founded the Ahava And Amara Life Foundation, so that others can cooperate with us to help.

Every once in awhile the children go through their toy box and they place the toys that they want to keep in a pile, the toys that they want to give away to other children in another pile and the toys that are broken or useless in the trash. They love doing this, it is fun and we do it with our clothes as well. What things do you all do as a family that contributes to giving back? Leave a comment and let us swap ideas!

When you can't breastfeed

2010-08-07T19:17:00.002-04:00

Today marks the last day of World Breastfeeding Week! But advocating for breastfeeding is not over.

Over the last few days there has been excitement and celebration on the many benefits of breastfeeding. This is due largely in part of the recognition of World Breastfeeding Week. The topic that some women cannot breastfeed has come up a few times. The fact is that in some instances some women simply cannot breastfeed for various reasons.

I just want the women out there that have struggled with this know that it is absolutely great that you gave breastfeeding a try. Breastfeeding does not come easy to everyone, some women struggle so hard to try to give their baby what nature intended, it just doesn't happen sometimes.

I know of some women who have formed a group where they get several moms to store their extra pumped milk to give to their babies or they went to a milk bank. There are ways to still give your baby breastmilk even if it's not yours, some moms are willing to do this some are not, it all depends on how determined a women is to give their baby breastmilk.

Even if you are a mom that wasn't or aren't so determined to breastfeed, don't feel bad or guilty when you see and hear about the celebration of breastfeeding. To each his own. You are not a bad mother if you decided to formula feed instead of breastfeed, you are still doing what you have to do to keep your baby alive and thriving.

Join us in the celebration, it's worth it! Encourage moms you know that are expecting to do their research and learn of the excellent benefits and which ever feeding method they choose support them in it. We as women and moms all need support and encouragement. Let's be a strength unto one another.

Breastfeeding is Life!

2010-08-02T13:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Ahava & Amara Life Foundation blog. Join us often to find out more about our mission our passions and our lives.

Yesterday was the first day of World Breastfeeding Week! What a wonderful time to start our first blog post. Breastfeeding is something that is very near and dear to me, as I have given birth to five children and have breastfed every single one of them. I am excited to be on the breastfeeding journey again soon. In three more months I'll be giving birth to our sixth blessing! The health benefits of breastfeeding added with the bonding benefits of mother and child is incredible.

The natural act of breastfeeding is very selfless and so is parenting, I love both. I love being a mama and I love doing what is the best for our children's health and well-being.

When I come in contact with a relative, friend, associate or neighbor who is pregnant I may ask if they are going to breastfeed and there are lots of different answers. Some may be "Yes, but only for six weeks until I go back to work, then I'll switch to formula.", "No, I don't want the baby to get too attached.", "Yes, I heard that it hurts but I'm gonna try anyway.", "No, my boyfriend/husband doesn't want me to breastfeed, he says my breasts are for him."

I may say something like "Do you have a breast pump? You can pump and store while breastfeeding also. I can give you some info on pumping and working if you want.", "Baby's are supposed to be attached to their mothers, they can't be too attached. Breastfeeding will create a special bond between you and your child.", "Sometimes it can hurt, and if it does hurt it usually means that the baby isn't latched on properly. Once the baby comes and you have any problems just give me a call.","Does he know that the reason women even have breasts is for them to breastfeed their babies? Maybe he can use some more information on breastfeeding and its many benefits."

Some people appreciate the info and call me and some don't but I'm a breastfeeding advocate and sometimes people don't always agree with what I say.

I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that all of the many organizations, breastfeeding advocates, bloggers and individuals have put into making breastfeeding such an important subject that we now can support and celebrate World Breastfeeding Week!

World Breastfeeding Week 2010 • 1-7 August 2010

Ahava & Amara Life Foundation

Embracing Motherhood

#NormalizeBreastfeeding

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Snow Days!

*Joyful Mama*, *Joyful Baba*, *Joyful Baby*, *Joyful Birthday!*

I have given birth 6 times to 7 children; 1 set of twins, 3 hospital births, 2 birth center births and 1 unassisted home water birth. All healthy, natural term pregnancies (except the twins who were born 6 weeks early). No inductions, no cesareans, no epidurals.

If you are looking to have an unassisted birth I would suggest that you do your research as well as be honest with yourself. Everything is not for everybody, some people just cannot do it by themselves and have no desire to do so, and that's okay.

Here is a list of the things I did to prepare for my UC:

joined UC groups on FB and Yahoo

read stories from other mamas whom had UC births

ordered a birth kit

ordered a herbal remedy birth kit

drank Pregnancy Tea throughout

made postpartum peri pads

prepared an info sheet for what to do during labor for hubby

maintained a positive mental and spiritual attitude

The birth:

After the placenta was birthed I showered and joined my new baby in the bed to rest, relax and bond. I felt great afterward. I was on an Intense High off of love. Love of my baby, my husband and my family.

Journey through breastfeeding - Part 2

Loving to Nurse, Nursing to Love

Vegan Red Delicious Apple Pie, Oh My!

Journey through Birthing & Breastfeeding - Part 1

The Adventure Begins

It's Smoothie Time!

Utilizing your local resources: The Library

Field Trip: United States Botanic Gardens

Spring has Sprung!

5.9 RICHTER EAST COAST ROCKER!

Protecting Mother Earth

5 Fun things your children can do this summer

Three (3) Generations

Breastfeeding Journey Continues

Summing it up...

Our Little One has Arrived!

Our Human Rights

Charity begins at home

When you can't breastfeed

Breastfeeding is Life!

World Breastfeeding Week 2010 • 1-7 August 2010

Joyful Mama, Joyful Baba, Joyful Baby, Joyful Birthday!