Raising California

Maclaren Strollers Amputate Fingers

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:35:00 +0000

People mistakenly believe that if something costs more, it is better and safer. WRONG! Maclaren has proven to us that is a fallacy and has recalled one million strollers sold at Babies R Us and Target since 1999. The problem? Their strollers have a tendency to amputate the fingers of babies and toddlers. It is nice to know that they waited 10 YEARS to announce a recall. The recall affects the following models: Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno, and Easy Traveller.

The stroller pictured above is a Maclaren Quest Mod that sells for $245 at Target. Maclaren has put out the statement that consumers can contact Maclaren at 877-688-2326 or visit www.maclaren.us/recall to receive a free repair kit. If I spent $245 on a stroller, I would expect the manufacturer to refund my money or replace my stroller NOT to give me a toll free number to ask for a repair kit so my kids fingers don't get cut off. What is wrong with them???

Raising Boys Who Cook

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:40:00 +0000

I can't believe that I even NEED to post about the importance of teaching boys how to cook in the year 2009. The truth is that the old gender based stereotypes still exist that girls cook and boys get waited on hand and foot. Wake up world...boys need to learn how to cook and let's throw in housework while we are at it.

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching an episode of John Edward Crossing Over. There was a man lamenting over the passing of his wife. He described her as an "amazing woman". Then he went on to say, she did everything...she cooked and cleaned and made everything perfect. "I miss her so much because now I have to do all of these things by myself and I don't know how I am going to get by." WHAT??? First of all, I was struck by the disbelief that his own fear of having to take care of himself superseded his grief of losing his wife and the mother of his child. Unbelievable.

My boys want to learn to cook. They think it is fun. They love helping me with the more complex recipes and love to cook all by themselves also. Tennessee (age 10) makes his own grilled cheese and cheese quesadillas. He also uses the microwave to make his oatmeal in the morning. He also makes many things that don't require the stove on his own. He serves himself his own cereal, makes PB & J sandwiches and PB & Honey sandwiches. He helps with baking cookies, muffins, cake etc. California (age 4) loves to cook also. He also helps with the more complex recipes and baking.

Below are some photos of Tennessee and California in the kitchen:

Making Pumpkin Bread

Making Scrambled Eggs & Making Pumpkin Pie

Tennessee and California are vegetarians. If your children are vegetarians, you might want to start them out cooking with this cookbook-----> Kids Can Cook: Vegetarian Recipes

More pictures of raising boys who cook coming soon...

FDA Panel Backs First Non-Drug Asthma Treatment - Allergy

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Watch the video below to understand how doctors plan to use heat to treat asthma.

Read the article below:

FDA Panel Backs First Non-Drug Asthma Treatment - Allergy & Asthma - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

Swine Flu Vaccine Side Effects?

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:32:00 +0000

Photo above: California with his Tweety Bird band-aid covering his Swine Flu vaccination boo boo

California received the H1N1 vaccine Friday morning. So far, he has had no side effects and/or noticeable reaction to the vaccine. However, he did have a reaction to the preservative free seasonal flu vaccine, which he got on Wednesday of this week. His eyes became sore and red. He also ran a fever for a brief moment. Other than that, he had no serious reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine. I will post an update if anything changes, but so far so good :)

Zyrtec is Evil

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Now, I am sure that Zyrtec works well for SOME kids, but let me tell you about our experience with Zyrtec. The last time (which makes the 4th time) that California was in the hospital with pneumonia (click here to read about his last hospitalization), he was prescribed Zyrtec to be taken on a daily basis for so so called "allergies".

He was prescribed one teaspoon daily, which I quickly noted was too much for his age and weight, so I gave him 1/2 teaspoon as prescribed on the label of Zyrtec. Everything seemed to be fine. I did notice that he began to have nightmares twice a week. These nightmares started to increase in frequency and severity until he began having them EVERY night; 5 or 6 times a night. He was inconsolable and was unable to wake from his nightmares. They were very aggressive nightmares that seemed to border on hallucinations. During the day, his behavior changed. He was extremely hyper, seemed to be manic at times, angry and aggressive.

All of this seemed to peak after he had been taking Zyrtec for about 5 or 6 weeks. I felt so badly for him. It didn't seem like he was the same child. Then I realized that it was the Zyrtec. I stopped giving it to him and he immediately went from having 5 or 6 nightmares each night to have two or three. He has been off of it for over a week now, and he is sleeping soundly through the night. His behavior has greatly improved during the day as well. He is the sweet little boy that I always knew.

This was written to alert other parents to the side effects of Zyrtec (and maybe other allergy meds also). If your child has been having nightmares, lacks focus, seems hyper or manic, angry, depressed, aggressive etc - please consider that his/her allergy medication might be causing these problems, especially those of you using Zyrtec. It is so incredibly sad to know that Califiornia was suffering through all of these side effects and behaving in ways that he couldn't help for 5 or 6 weeks. I was in tears many nights, but I am glad that I finally figured it out.

Go to askapatient.com to read about the horror thousands of other parents and children have experienced while taking Zyrtec: link ---> Ask A Patient

Raising Cali Boys

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:27:00 +0000

Above picture taken at Underwood Family Farms

in Moorpark, CA.

Raising boys in California is a multi-faceted journey that requires a clever trick of the hand. When I appear to be "absent" from this blog, I am busy homeschooling, researching and publishing other blogs that directly relate to our California way of life. I also read. I read a lot. I usually read three or four books at a time. I am not sure if this is adult ADD or if this is merely the need to multi-task, since I seem to pile so much on my plate.

The books that I am reading right now are:
Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School

Discipline Without Distress: 135 tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment or bribery

The Highly Intuitive Child: A Guide to Understanding and Parenting Unusually Sensitive and Empathic Children

Heaven on Earth: A Handbook for Parents of Young Children

I have also been diligently working on my other blogs and websites recently. Some of them have had complete makeovers and a new one has cropped up that is a new project for me.

Check out the other blogs/websites that I have been working on:
The Souls of Boys
Raising California Homeschool
The Childhood Asthma Gazette (new)

Happy Birthday, Gandhi!

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Here are some of our favorite Gandhi quotes:

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

"Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

"The good man is the friend of all living things."

"An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children."

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

Click here to pick your favorite quotes -> Gandhi Quotes

To learn more about Gandhi, read his biography by clicking here - > Gandhi is Awesome!

If you live in the Los Angeles area, or plan to visit, you can pay your respects to Gandhi at the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple. A portion of Gandhi's ashes are enshrined at the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial.

Go to the Lake Shrine Temple site for more information. Click here - > Lake Shrine Temple

Growing Beans, Squash & Pumpkins in Southern California

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Here are some updated pics of the bush bean, squash and pumpkin seeds that we planted on August 11th. These pictures were taken a couple of days ago and reflect the growth of our seeds at day 50. They still have a long way to go, as you can see.

Bush Beans. These beans are supposed to be yellow, so we are waiting for them to change color a bit before harvesting them. The seed packet says that they will be ready to harvest in 60 days, so we're almost there.

Squash. The seed packet says 53 days to harvest. We don't even have gourds growing yet to harvest at 50 days, so we'll wait patiently and see what happens.

Baby Mini Jack Pumpkins. We have some big, beautiful flowers that will be pumpkins some day. The seed packet said 90 days to harvest, so we hope to have some pumpkins in November.

Santa Monica to Ban Declawing of Cats

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:49:00 +0000

My Beloved Solomon, I miss you. Go to MyCatStoppedEating.com to find out why Solomon died.

The City of Santa Monica is moving quickly to ban declawing of cats by January 1st, 2010. This practice has already been banned in West Hollywood and is on the table to be banned for the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Why the sudden urgency?: Effective January 1st, 2010, Arnold (the Governator) will be signing into law to make it illegal for cities and municipalities within California to ban medical procedures.

Click Here -> WE LOVE CATS for the news story

While we agree that declawing a cat is inhumane, we also can't deny the mistreatment that cats have to endure by certain types of individuals because of their claws is also inhumane. If an owner dumps a cat out on the street because it claws the furniture, then that cat will face dire circumstances. If an owner abuses a cat because it claws the furniture, then that is more of an inhumane living condition than the INDOOR ONLY cat being declawed. Finally, what if an owner euthanizes a cat because of "mis-use" of claws???

The San Francisco Society for Prevention and Cruelty to Animals shares our concerns as well in their statement:
"The San Francisco SPCA does not support efforts to prohibit feline onychectomy. Our mission is to save animals’ lives and we understand that, in some instances, this procedure may be the only way to prevent abandonment, relinquishment, or euthanasia. We are cognizant of the fact that, unlike The SF/SPCA, a number of animal welfare agencies do not have the resources to address behavioral problems in shelter cats and the cat-owning public, thus making euthanasia an unavoidable option. This is an outcome that we always seek to avoid."
link -> SF/SPCA Declaw Ban

Click this link -> Declawing is inhumane
Read why declawing is inhumane. Educate yourself, your family and your friends. Make sure that you (and your family and friends) are ready to become RESPONSIBLE pet owners before deciding to adopt a cat.

We are animal lovers. We don't want animals to suffer. We hope that cats won't endure a more painful existence because of this ban :(

Feed Your Head

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:49:00 +0000

With the commencement of school and homeschool for many children across, the U.S., I thought that it would be beneficial to outline the TOP TEN foods that increase brain power, memory and cognition. These foods are just as essential for adults as they are children, so read up and feed your head!

# 1 Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. They are rich in antioxidants which help to prevent free radical damage to brain cells. Some studies suggest that antioxidants help conditions like Alzheimer's and ADHD.

# 2 Coffee and Tea (YAY for ME!!). Studies have shown that three cups of coffee per day increased memory function. Caffeinated coffee has more effect than decaf. A healthy dose of coffee would be two six ounce cups per day. Tea is great for your brain because of the antioxidants it contains (as noted in #1).

#3 Fish. Fish contains essential fatty acids needed for proper brain function. It is full of DHA and EPA, which have been linked to improvements for conditions like dyslexia, learning and behavior problems and degenerative brain disorders. If you are a vegetarian like we are, you can obtain the same essential fatty acids by using a plant based (algae) DHA/EPA supplement. They taste good too!

#4 Nuts. All nuts will help with brain function, but walnuts have the highest amount of Omega - 3 (brain food) and almonds are rich in Vitamin E and Selenium which have neuroprotective qualities. Some studies suggest that almonds help prevent Alzheimer's. Extra almonds for me please.

#5 Omega-3 Eggs. Omega - 3 helps your brain function properly. Hens fed a completely vegetarian diet that is rich in flax seed, that are allowed to roam free and are not given antibiotics and growth hormones produce the best eggs for brain function.

#6 Seeds. Flax seed, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed are perfect additions to salads, yogurt, trail mix or just eating by the handful. They are loaded with Omega - 6 fatty acids called GLA.

#7 Spinach. Spinach is rich in vitamin C and folic acid which are excellent nutrients for mood and memory. Frozen spinach is just as potent as fresh spinach.

#8 Sweet Potato. There is a certain type of sweet potato that has purple flesh that is supposed to be the best for brain function. As a matter of fact, recent studies say that this variety has the capability to repair damage to cognition and/or memory.

#9 Tumeric. This spice is yellow-orange and has been noted to also have properties that actually repair cognitive brain damage. It has been shown to reduce inflammation that is associataed with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. As with many of the other brain foods listed, tumeric and many other spices are loaded with antioxidants, which are not only great for brain function but for the body as a whole.

#10 Whole Grains. Unprocessed whole grains are excellent sources of selenium and all of the B vitamins. B vitamins are necessary for a sharp memory and a longer attention span.

Vegetarian Meal for Kids and Adults

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Many people wonder what vegetarian kids eat for dinner. Here is a sample menu of what Tennessee and California ate for dinner last night.

Organic whole wheat penne pasta with grated Parmesan Sprinkles
Organic corn on the cob
Organic peas
Fresh organic fruit salad with oranges, strawberries, nectarines, apples and red grapes
A cup of organic skim milk

L.A. Mama and Daddio had Vegetarian Lasagna (see pic below)

I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com, but changed it a little bit. Here is the recipe that I used with the substitutions and addins that I used instead written next to it:

SKILLET LASAGNA

42 oz canned crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp sugar I omitted the sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
1 cup cremini mushrooms sliced
3 whole med carrots small diced I used red peppers instead.
3 whole stalks celery small diced I used zucchini instead.
9 cloves garlic minced
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste I used ground cayenne pepper instead.
1 tbsp thyme dried
1 tbsp oregeno dried
6 lasagna noodles uncooked
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
6 or more slices of fresh mozzarella cheese(enough to cover surface) I used shredded Mozzerella instead (to be able to control the fat grams better)
fresh basil leaves torn to garnish..about 6

Use a large skillet with a lid or a stock pot with a lid
-pour the tomatoes with their juice into bowl
-add water, salt and sugar
-heat oil in your skillet med high

I added an undetermined amount of Boca Veggie crumbles to the pot with the onions, red peppers and zucchini.

-add carrot, celery and onion ,pinch salt
-cover and cook 5 min
-add mushrooms,then garlic & red peppers
-add herbs
-break pasta into 2 inch pcs and add to veg..don't stir
-stir tomato paste into tomato mix and add to pot...don't stir
-bring to simmer and cover to cook 20 min or until pasta is tender
-stir occasionally
-taste and correct seasonings
lay mozzarella slices over the pasta mix..don't stir
cover and let melt..5 min.
-sprinkle basil on top and serve

Here is the link to the original recipe -> Skillet Lasagna

9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The Anatomy of a Moderate to Severe Persistent Uncontrolled Asthma Attack

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:32:00 +0000

The youngest member of the Raising California family, who is four years old, has asthma. His first attack ocurred at 18 months of age which led to being hospitalized for three days with severe respiratory distress/pneumonia/lung infections.

Below is a picture of him in the hospital at UCLA Santa Monica with pneumonia at 18 months.

Since then, he has had numerous attacks which have resulted in three additional hospitalizations with severe respiratory distress/pneumonia/lung infections with the longest hospitalization lasting for 4 days. That's right, he is only 4 years old and has already been hospitalized with pneumonia four times. He has been diagnosed with Moderate to Severe Persistent Uncontrolled Asthma. Sounds scary, doesn't it? Well, it is. In order to explain how severe Asthma can be, I have decided to chronicle his last attack and hospitalization to demonstrate the extreme nature of Moderate to Severe Persistent Uncontrolled Asthma. We hope that we can help others by telling our story.

FYI

According to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, moderate to severe Asthma has the following criteria:

Moderate Persistent. At this level, asthma is starting to interfere more with daily living. Symptoms are cropping up every single day, and you need to use a quick-relief inhaler daily (if you have one). Asthma attacks are occurring at least twice a week and often interfere with activity. They may last for days at a time. You are probably also waking up 1 or more times a week with symptoms. Peak flow rate varies by more than 30 percent.

Severe Persistent. This is the most severe form of asthma and at this level, symptoms are basically continuous. Activity is severely limited and asthma attacks and night symptoms are frequent. Peak flow varies by more than 30 percent.

(Click here to read the four classifications of Asthma, including mild intermittent and mild persistent Asthma)

The Timeline

We were gone on a trip to St. Louis to visit family.

8.26.09
On Wednesday we decided to visit the St. Louis Children's Museum also known as The Magic House. This is a very hands on, experiential museum designed to delight the senses as well as educated children of all ages. We had a wonderful time.

8.28.09
Everything seemed fine until our youngest son woke up at 10 pm Friday night
with a severe sore thoat which kept him awake all night.

8.29.09
The next day on Saturday, he said his throat felt better, but began to have a runny nose. I gave him an Albutertal treatment at 8pm Saturday night as a precaution. (Albuteral has been prescribed as needed when he appears to have contracted a virus that might trigger an asthma attack). Around midnight Saturday night, he began to cough. I gave him a treatment at midnight.

8.30.09
He needed another at 3am, 6am, 8am and then again at 9am on Sunday morning. This is when I paged his doctor in L.A. and made preparations to take him to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and hospitalized for two days.

Here is a picture of him struggling to breathe while on oxygen and IV antibiotics:

So, as you can see, he went from being perfectly healthy with no symptoms of a virus or asthma to fighting for his life in a matter of hours. After back to back Albuteral treatments in the ER didn't help, he was admitted to the hospital where he was placed on oxygen, received Albutertal treatments every two hours, had two different types of antibiotics administered through an IV and recieved oral doses of Prednisone. He also recieved Qvar via inhaler. His oxygen saturation hovered at 88 for the first 24 hours (dipping down to 86 on several occasions) then slowly inched it's way up to 93 the day that he was released.

To learn more about Asthma, Asthma medications, Asthma triggers, Asthma Action Plans, Treatment and to understand what an Asthma attack feels like, go to FamilyDoctor.org to see videos and to print an Asthma Action Plan. Click HERE now!

Click here to read about how toxic mold started this nightmare. There is also additional information HERE.

Los Angeles Wildfires August 2009

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:04:00 +0000

* Evacuations have been ordered for parts of La Canada, La Crescenta, Glendale, Altadena, Pasadena, Sunland/Tujunga and Big Tujunga Canyon. I am still searching for more specific information regarding evacuations, street closures, school closures and shelter locations. More information will be forthcoming.

A Smoke Filled Sky Surrounding Downtown L.A.

We are away on a trip to see family in Missouri, but are closely monitoring the wildfire situation in and around Los Angeles. Believe it or not, these wildfires affect the entire Los Angeles area. People (especially children) with Asthma (and other lung conditions) are severely affected by the smoke in the air that seems to seep into everyone's homes through the vents and cracks under the doors...miles and miles away from the fires themselves. There is an ominous sky looming above the entire L.A. area that seems to create a sense of impending doom.

Zero Visibility: A pic taken by a friend of mine today (8.29.09) as she was flying back home to L.A.

(photo taken by Amanda Moore)

We love you, L.A.

Click here to see a slideshow of images of the Los Angeles wildfires.

Click here to see up to date hourly air quality readings for the Los Angeles area.

Click here to see a map of where the fires are located.

How to Fly Painlessly with Children

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:08:00 +0000

As mentioned in our "Who Are We Anyway?" section, L.A. Mama and Daddio are from Missouri. We have embarked on our journey to Missouri to visit L.A. Mama's family and Daddio's family. Let's start with the plane trip to Missouri. The first couple of times that we flew with two children, it was a bit chaotic and somewhat distressing. This time around, it was a breeze! Here are my TOP TEN tips for flying painlessly with children.

#1 Encourage the whole family to wear slip-on shoes or flip flips so that going through security it is quick and easy. Also, tell little ones beforehand that they will need to take their shoes off. Kids get very upset when they have to take their shoes off without warning...

#2. Be ready to put all laptops, cellphones, keys, watches, shoes into a bin to pass through security.

#3 HERE is a BIGGIE: Get your baby/toddler out of their stroller, fold it up and put it through security as soon as you can. If it goes through first, then your little guy or girl is right back in it and ready to get his/her shoes on.

#4 Bring snacks, but no liquids. They will not let you take liquids on the plane. You can buy them after you get through security.

#5 Bring lovies like their favorite blanket and stuffed animal (see California with his giraffe below).

#6 Load up your iPhone/iTouch will cool apps (see below), bring art supplies, books and favorite toys aboard the plane in your carry-on luggage.

#7 If your baby/toddler/preschooler still uses a carseat in the car, bring it on the plane! It will keep them from fidgeting, getting out of their seat and they will be more comfortable and more likely to take a nap and chill out as shown below. It helps out tremendously to schedule the flight during his/her normal naptime as well.

#8 Bring your credit card. As of June 1st, American Airlines stopped taking cash for meals, snacks, beverages and headphones. I gave them my debit card with a Visa logo and it worked just fine. Buy a cookie for your little one and tell him/her that she can have it when the plane starts to descend if he/she makes good decisions (of course, you need to outline what these good decisions are).

#9 Expect the unexpected. Pack an extra change of clothing (especially underwear and pants) in your carry-on. Pack baby wipes and antibacterial wipes even if you don't have babies.

#10 Try to get seats in the back of the plane close to the bathrooms OR near the wing. Why? a)If your kids do get loud or upset, they will be muffled by the noise of the engines, so you don't have to worry about bothering everyone on the plane. b)Being close to the bathroom cuts down on long walks down the aisle of the plane when they have to go really bad c) If you sit near the wing, it gives children a better perspective of how they are traveling, of the Earth and its landforms and of the sky and clouds - which makes for great conversations.

That's it! I would love to hear more tips from other traveling families out there...please leave a comment!

Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:20:00 +0000

California turned FOUR yesterday, so we had a party for him at our house. When we received the gifts that we had ordered from Amazon.com, we noticed that we had TONS and TONS of paper that had been used as packaging. There was literally so much paper that I could not see the living room floor (see pic below).

We decided to use this paper as gift wrapping instead of buying wrapping paper that is made from newly chopped down trees. It is very difficult to find recycled wrapping paper, but why buy it when you can recycle your own! We wrapped his gifts, then we all added our own personal art as decorations (see pic below).

Other eco-friendly party ideas that we included were:

Using California's previous drawings as decorations on the walls.
Using his newborn picture as a centerpiece on the table.
Using organic ingredients to make his cake.
Recycling and/or reusing any and all packing materials leftover from the party.

*We thought by using his own drawings and his newborn picture AND adding our own personal touches to his gifts, that this party was a true celebration of HIM and his beautiful soul.

Seedlings

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:47:00 +0000

The squash, pumpkin and bean seeds that we planted on 8.11.09 (read about it HERE) peeked out of the soil FIVE days after planting. These pictures were taken this morning, SEVEN days after planting. Aren't they so cute?!

Squash

Pumpkins

Bush Beans

Save Topanga State Park

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:38:00 +0000

As mentioned in our previous blog post titled SUMMER ISN'T OVER YET (Click HERE to read it), we have been busy living it up throughout Southern California this summer. Our adventures have continued on as we stumbled upon Topanga State Park this past weekend. We were greeted by a very warm park ranger, with long braids and an infectious smile. She was such a beautiful soul that I wanted to snap her picture, but didn't out respect for her privacy.

As we entered the parking lot, we were dismayed to see a sign that read "Save Topanga State Park". To learn more about why Topanga State Park and at least a hundred other California state parks will be closed soon...
Click here >>> SAVE TOPANGA STATE PARK
Click here to send a letter to Arnold>>>>ENVIRONMENT CALIFORNIA

Read on to find out what a truly spectacular place Topanga State Park is and why it should stay open to the public.

Just look at these trails! We want to go on the hike to Mulholland Drive someday, but we won't be able to if this state park closes.

Upon entering the main trail at Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park, we saw a deer. Then another deer, then another, then another. We counted FOUR deer that were traveling together.

They ended up crossing the trail right in front of us as shown below. We maintained our distance and stayed very quiet. They didn't seem to be afaid of humans because there were hikers coming back down the trail the opposite way. It was almost as if the deer came down to say hello.

We were able to get close enough to all of them and take this picture of one sweet deer looking straight at us. So beautiful, so innocent and pure. They boys were amazed by their beauty. This is something they will never see again if this park and hundreds more close in California.

The trees are old and magestic. They speak of days gone by. They tell the story of how the moutains meet the sea. They provide oxygen for all of us to breathe. Save Topanga State Park and save these trees.

This pic below is a view from the top of one of the mountains in Topganga State Park. On a clear day, the ocean can be seen between these moutains. On the side of the mountain to the left is Pacific Palisades.

Deer tracks

Memories
All of this might be gone forever. Save Topanga State Park.

Click here >>> SAVE TOPANGA STATE PARK
Click here to send a letter to Arnold>>>>ENVIRONMENT CALIFORNIA

Using Wii to Meditate

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:14:00 +0000

As a meditation teacher, I am always looking for new ways to teach the concepts of mindfulness and stillness. I have discovered that the Lotus Focus activity that is included with Wii Fit does an excellent job of teaching two essential skills of meditation: focused thoughts and stillness of body.

Tennessee likes to do the Lotus Focus to make his mind and body relaxed and still before bedtime. The goal of Lotus Focus is to ensure that the flame of the candle does not flicker. (see photo below)

Wii Fit Lotus Focus gives suggestions as a guide to better focused thoughts and energy. For instance, as shown in the photo below, Lotus Focus explains that "a lack of focus will cause the fire to shake. Try to keep your body still." Keeping your body still isn't as easy as it sounds. It requires a focused mind and focused breathing.

If you want to teach your children (or yourself) how to meditate, I highly recommend Lotus Focus.

Growing Pumpkins, Squash & Beans

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:22:00 +0000

The boys wanted to grow an autumn harvest, so we chose mini pumpkins, squash and yellow bush beans. We are especially excited about growing pumpkins. It is a little late to start growing them, but since we live in sunny Southern California, we thought that we would take a chance. The pumpkin seeds that we bought (Botanical Gardens: Jack Be Little) take 95 days to harvest, so we will be probably be picking them in November. We are hoping that they grow faster than normal so that they are ready to pick near Halloween. For those of you who have gotten a late start like us, we found pumpkins seeds by Renee's Garden called "Baby Mini Jack" that has a harvest time of 85 days.

When planting pumpkins or any type of gourd, it is necessary to make little mounds or hills to plant the seeds in as shown above. We did also did this for the squash.

The pumpkin and squash seeds are to be planted 1 inch below the dirt. Six seeds can be placed in each hill as shown above.

Water thoroughly and regularly(as shown above).

Make sure to mark each container or area. We chose to put the seed packet with the picture inside each container.

UPDATES
Click here to view these seeds seven days after planting.

Here are some links to our favorite seeds. Click on the name to go to their websites.

Bontanical Interests
Renee's Garden
Seeds of Change

...and this is our FAVORITE gardening book. It is so inspirational!
Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children

Full Moon through the Skylight

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:37:00 +0000

I snapped this picture last night as the full moon streamed through the skylight on the third floor. Notice how it blends in perfectly with our inflatable solar system which is a part of our homeschool classroom/playroom. To see more pics of the homeschool classroom/playroom click this link: Raising California Homeschool Classroom.

We will be gearing up for a new year of homeschooling on September 23rd. We plan to add some reading cushions with a silk celestial canopy, art and other accessories to the homeschool classroom/playroom. Check back often for updates.

Making Homemade Shower Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:38:00 +0000

We recently ran out of our eco-friendly, store bought shower cleaner. I wasn't able to run to the store to buy more and noticed that the soap scum built up in a matter of a couple of days. I remembered that shower cleaner can be made at home with one part water and one part vinegar. It is so easy and non-toxic, even a ten year old can create this all-purpose solution. Tennessee kindly offered to demmonstrate the process in three easy steps.

Step 1:

Pour 1 part vinegar into a spray bottle with a funnel.

Step 2:

Fill the spray bottle with 1 part water.

Step 3 (not shown): Shake bottle to mix.

We are very excited to use our "product" on the shower and are in the process of making more homemade cleaners for our cleaning needs. They are the greenest of all the cleaners that a person can buy and are frugal during difficult economic times. Stay tuned for before and after pictures of our shower!

Notes from the Universe

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:08:00 +0000

We have just added "Notes from the Universe" to Raising California. Check back daily to get a note from the Universe. You can find "Notes from the Universe" at the top of the column to the right. Don't forget to read the "Daily OM" while you are here!

UK Organic Study is Flawed

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:37:00 +0000

When I heard about the report about organic food being no better than conventional food, I knew right away that it either had to be flawed or that it was funded by an entity that had ulterior motives. One example that I can remember to illustrate this common practice is when I read a report that stated soy consumption caused heart disease. Upon further research, I discovered that the study was funded by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Since I took basic statstics, advanced statistics and methodology in undergrad school for my Bachelor of Science in Psychology and conducted many studies and research for my Master's thesis, I knew firsthand how and why many studies can be inherently flawed, invalid and/or biased as a result of the researcher.

The following articles discuss some reasons why this study is considered to be flawed. Click Here: Organic Versus Conventional Food: UK Report Flawed

and Click Here: UK Report Misleading

and Click Here: Don't Believe Everything You Hear and Read: UK Study is Flawed

Eat organic? Pay less in L.A.

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Mama) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Click this link to read the good news about eating organic in Los Angeles: Eat organic? Pay less in L.A.

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