Keeper of the Home

One Mom’s Guide to Avoiding Swine Flu Naturally

2009-11-08T06:34:29Z

I say one mom's, because we're all different. We each have different ideas of what natural prevention even looks like. I'm not trying to tell you that I totally understand everything about swine flu and that I know exactly what you should do to prevent it. I don't. What I do know is that I've been looking into it for the sake of my own family, wanting to make sure that we all stay healthy, especially with a new baby and young ones in the house. These are just my own ideas and suggestions, and I pray that they will be useful or at least offer a starting place to those of you who are also concerned and wish to prevent your family from catching the flu, in the most natural way possible!

Am I concerned about Swine Flu/H1N1?

You bet.

Am I hysterical, freaked out, anxious or ready to drag my kids off to get their shots asap? Nope, not in the slightest.

Last year when the H1N1 started to rear it's ugly head, I'll confess, I was pretty nonplussed about the whole thing. I believed that it was being thrown entirely out of proportion, that it's risks were being exaggerated by the government and those who stood to gain from public fear and that it did not pose much of a threat to the average person. Half a year later, I still believe some of those things to a degree, but I have also seen the flu begin to spread among my own community (knowing some people personally who have contracted it) and I know that it is at the very least a nasty flu that is spreading more rapidly than I expected.

Do I still believe that there is exaggeration in the claims being made about it's pandemic status, about the number of cases and deaths, about the need to receive (and the safety of) the swine flu shot? Yes. I don't think that we are being told the whole truth.

I don't believe that the numbers coming out are accurate, mainly because many, many people reporting flu symptoms are not actually being tested for which stain of the flu that they have (keep in mind that it is flu season in general, whether the swine flu is going around or not). Not every person with the flu has H1N1. Many places have stopped specifically testing for specific flu strains and have begun to assume that every case in indeed H1N1, which is creating more of a fear and panic than is necessary or realistic. I certainly believe that there are those who would like to (and will) gain from the sense of public fear, namely pharmaceutical companies who are creating and pushing vaccines, and whomever is on the payroll of the large corporations (ie. those who are further promoting a sense of fear).

Whatever the ultimate truth of the swine flu is, these things I know to be certain:

God is sovereign. He alone knows what is truly happening, and in His goodness and wisdom (which we do not always understand) He is in control of the situation. We need not fear.
Even though we have no need to fear, we have every reason to choose to act with caution and purposefulness, and to do our best to keep our families healthy this winter.

So what can we do to prevent ourselves and our family from catching it?

The best defense is a good offense. If we want to avoid catching the flu, even though chances are high that we will be exposed to it at some (or several) points throughout the season, then we must ensure that we have a strong immune system, capable of fighting off this virus and not allowing it to set up camp in our bodies.

Dried elderberry image from Wild Food Larder

Here are some ways that we can boost our own immune systems, as well as the immune systems of our husband and children:

Elderberry- A berry that is particularly helpful in preventing the flu virus from infecting cells. Donielle has a great recipe for elderberry syrup that I plan to try making! It can also be bought at health food stores, in both adult and child-friendly forms.
Echinacea- The popular immune-boosting herb, for good reason. It's best taken as a preventative, though it can also be taken once you've come down with the flu to help increase your body's ability to fight off the virus. Sometimes you can find great Elderberry/Echinacea combos at a health food store. Or you can purchase your own bulk herbs and makes teas, syrups, etc.
Vitamin D- In recent years, this important fat-soluble vitamin has been shown to really impact immunity. We get some from exposure to sunlight but most people don't get enough, especially in the winter months. You can find it in Cod Liver Oil (which I recommend that everyone take year-round but especially in the wintertime), as well as organ meats (like liver), oily fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, etc.), and egg yolks (particularly pastured/free-run eggs).
Vitamin C- This is one of the easiest of all. This water-soluble vitamin (which means you need to consume it frequently as it gets flushed out of your system daily) is found in many fruits and vegetables: parsley, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, leafy greens, cauliflower, among others. You can also take it in a high quality supplement if necessary (though food sources are usually preferable). One very kid-friendly way to take it is Emer'Gen-Cdrinks (mamas like it, too!).
Take probiotics- These improve digestive health (and will help you digest more of the good nutrients you're loading up on), but they also have their own positive impact on immunity. You can also achieve this by eating more fermented foods!
Homeopathics- This year my mother-in-law discovered some homeopathic remedies intended to be both a preventative and a treatment for the regular flu and the swine flu. We are purchasing a bottle of each and all of us will be taking both of them throughout the winter.
Staying well hydrated- When your mucus membranes are moist enough, there is less chance of germs being able to really set in and create an infection.
Getting enough rest- A tired body is not effective at fighting off anything. Ever noticed how when you let yourself get really run down, you almost inevitably get sick? Making sure that you go to bed at a decent hour (I'm preaching to myself, here!) and resting adequately is a really important aspect of a strong immune response.
Garlic- With strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities, this is a food that you should be consuming more this winter! It's most potent when taken raw, which I know can be hard to swallow for some (pardon the pun). When I was sick a few weeks back, my husband and I discovered that it's pretty easy to take like this: Make a piece of toast and butter it. Put a clove (or several cloves for a real kick!) in a garlic press and then spread it on top of the toast. Eat, enjoy and give some to your hubby so he'll still kiss you (because at least you'll both have crazy garlic breath!).
Oil of Oregano- Oregano also has similar anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and is excellent to take both preventatively and as soon as you feel something coming on. It seems really pricey (usualy about $20 or so for a very small bottle) but it lasts a long time. You only take a drop or two for prevention, and then more like 2-6 drops several times a day when you're actually sick or fighting something. We buy this every year and we truly notice that it makes a difference. We don't give this to the kids as it's quite strong, but my husband and I both take it.

** Note that I'm not specifying what is okay to take when pregnant or breastfeeding, for different ages of children, for those with specific illnesses or disorders, etc. but instead I have just given general ideas of what to take. Please make sure that you look into whatever you choose to take and ensure that it is safe for you or your loved ones to be taking. Though I make my suggestions based on my own research, I'm not a doctor, naturopath or certified 'anything', so take responsibility for your own health and use discretion in what you take or give to your family!

Lastly (but very importantly!), lay off the sugar. One of the very best ways to deplete and depress a good immune system is to eat sugar, especially refined sugars like white or brown, corn syrup, etc. But even natural, wholesome sweeteners (ie. Rapadura/Sucanat, honey, palm sugar, dried fruits, molasses, etc.) still contain sugar that will depress the immune system (though to a lesser degree). White flours (or other processed grains) also have the ability to do this. Keep your sweet treats to more of a minimum during flu season to help keep that immunity at it's peak!

Other Ways to Lower Your Risk

Wash your hands and face thoroughly, with soap and warm water, after being out in public (and do the same for each of your children). I'm usually not into hand sanitizer (because I don't like to use things that kill all bacteria, and it has both alcohol content and several chemical preservatives that I wish to avoid). However, we are using it this year if there is nowhere to wash our hands. I have been in the hospital and doctor's office (along with my children) several times so far this season and those places are germ hotbeds! Definitely wash or sanitize well in those situations and even consider taking a shower and changing/washing your clothes as well.
Gargle once or twice a day with salt water and especially after you've been out in public or if you're concerned that you may have been exposed. This gets rid of bacteria or germs in the throat and helps them to not spread further into your body.
Avoid those who've been sick or exposed. I know that this can sound mean (or lonely) but sometimes it's wisest just to avoid contact when necessary.
Keep your time in public, crowded places minimal. This might be the year to attend less big holiday events, or try to do your grocery shopping at non-peak hours. You might even consider doing your Christmas shopping online this year. I've been using Swagbucks to buy gifts from Amazon using the gift certificates I earn!
If anyone in your family gets sick or you know that you've been recently exposed, please use common courtesy and avoid contact with others. Even if it means skipping out on a social or family event, or missing out on a church service. Protecting others when you or your family might be contagious is a loving and considerate thing to do!

To Vaccinate or Not?

I choose not. I wrote a post last year on the flu vaccine and why my family doesn't get it, so I won't get into the whole issue all over again (but definitely read the post if you're interested in my reasons). My reasons for not choosing the H1N1 vaccine this year are similar. One particular reason why we especially won't try out this new vaccine is because the risks are really quite unknown. I don't believe that the threat of the virus is bigger than the unknown risks of using the vaccine. Some may disagree with me, and that's quite alright.

Simple Dinners: Making Meals that Work Together

2009-11-06T00:35:35Z

I am all about simplicity in the kitchen. If there is a way that I can make my meals work together and save myself time, effort and dishes, I am all over it!

One of my favorite ways to do this lately has been to coordinate the meals within my weekly meal plan. By this, I mean that I try to think of dishes that will work together to create leftovers and/or other elements that will lend themselves to different dishes that same week. The easiest way to accomplish this is to choose a protein type (eg. beef, chicken, fish, vegetarian) and then come up with a combination of meals all using that same protein.

Here are some examples of how I do it:

Beef

Start with a roast in the crockpot and eat it with potatoes, veggies and gravy. The next night the leftover beef turns into fajitas, with added onions, peppers, sour cream and guacamole. A day or two later, the extra gravy/juices from the crockpot are added to the last bits of (now diced) beef with some beef bone broth, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and potatoes and become a delicious crockpot stew.

Chicken

Roast a whole chicken in the crockpot in the morning. That afternoon, remove all chicken from the bones, dice it and put it into meal sized portions. Put the bones back into crockpot for another day, along with water, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and veggies to make broth. That first night, use some of the chicken along with broth, veggies and your topping of choice to make a savory potpie. The next night that chicken can be tossed with pasta, along with some olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, or whatever strikes your fancy. Later that week, the remaining chicken gets added the lovely bone broth you've made and becomes your favorite type of chicken soup (chicken noodle, chicken rice, gumbo, spicy Thai, etc.).

Fish

Bake a whole salmon, with some lemon slices, butter and dill. Eat it that first night with a side of brown rice and steamed broccoli. A couple nights later you can use some of the leftover salmon and make a spinach and salmon quiche. For lunch the next day, finish off the fish by serving up some salmon melts with raw veggies or a green salad on the side.

Beans

Soak overnight and then cook up a big pot of beans (maybe pinto or black or a combination of 2 favorite types of beans). Simmer the beans with some taco seasoning and use them to top a fresh taco salad or as a filler for soft tacos. Next toss them into the crockpot along with diced tomatoes, other veggies, maybe some ground beef, and seasonings to make a chili served alongside soaked cornbread. Finish them off by making a batch of refried beans, perfect for using in quesadillas or burritos, or to simply eat with rice and veggies.

For a great twist on this idea, check out FishMama's excellent post on cooking once and eating three times!

For more on meal planning, see my previous posts:

Healthy Homemaking: Meal Planning Primer

Healthy and Frugal Meal Planning Help Part 1 and Part 2

How do you make your meals and menu plans work together for easier meals and greater simplicity?

The Annual Organic Gardening Carnival 2009

2009-11-07T23:34:15Z

I know of very few gardeners for whom everything comes easily. Certainly it didn't for me. Gardening, though something I've become passionate about and have learned to truly love, has required a lot of work, study, experimentation (and yes, both failure and success), and learning from others.

I don't think I'm alone in that. For most of us, we grow in our gardening skills the longer we garden, making mistakes and learning from them. Year after year, I learn a little bit more as I try new things and discuss what I am doing with those other brave souls who love to get their hands dirty as I do.

I started this carnival last year in the hopes that we could further our own learning by sharing with one another our unique experiences. We all have somewhat different (or very different) gardening situations-- climates, garden size, budget, age and number of family members, vegetable preferences, types of pests or problems, etc. No two gardens (or gardeners) are the same. And yet, the principles of gardening don't change. Love and pamper your soil. Grow what you eat. Tend to it faithfully. Rotate your crops. Enjoy the process.

I value having to write down my observations from each year. It creates a record for me of how the year went, what I was happy (and not so happy) with, when I did what, what I won't try again, what little techniques worked. I've often gone back to my post from last year, to be reminded of what I grew, or when, or what was the problem I had with such-and-such. I also highly valued being able to read the observations of others, to see photos of their gardens, to learn what they were learning.

(Sadly, last year's posts have all disappeared from the Mr. Linky for some unknown reason, otherwise I would link to it for you. This year that won't happen again as I will be adding each and every entry to this post myself)

So ladies (and hey, men if you're reading this!), let's share about this past year of gardening! I'm eager to read your posts!

How it works:

1) Write your post with an overview and/or details of your garden this past year and publish it on your blog (for more ideas on what to write about, see this post and see my post from last year- and note that yours doesn't have to be nearly so long!).

2) Come back here and leave a comment with your post url, and a very brief (1 sentence) description of what your post is about.

3) I'll go through the comments as often as I can and get your link added to this post!

4) If you're not a blogger, we would love, love, love to have your thoughts in the comment section! Please share with us anyways!

Let the carnival begin:

Reflections on Another Year of Gardening @ Keeper of the Home

How I felt about gardening while very pregnant and with a newborn, new things I tried and loved, a new method that works for me, and my overall thoughts on my 3rd year of organic gardening!

Organic Garden Carnival @ One Blessed Mama of Boys

My post is a quick what I learned this year in my garden with a few pictures.

Reflections On My Garden @ Tales of a Perfectionist

My post is the reflection and lessons learned from a first year gardener.

Organic Gardening Carnival Reflection @ Modern Alternative Mama

Experimenting with Growing Food Indoors @ Nourishing Days

My post is about my experimentations with growing food indoors this winter.

Gardening Year in Review 2009 @ Home Joys

Our seventh year of gardening was an exciting time to try new things, including a great tomato, a children's garden, and new compost pile!

Looking back at the garden @ Proverbs 31 Living

Even through neglect and cold weather, God blessed abundantly!

Garden Journal 2009 @ Joy Comes From Within

A quick look at my last 3 year of gardening. This year has proved to be the best!

You're next!!!

Reflections on Another Year of Gardening

2009-11-05T14:30:23Z

I love gardening, I really do.

This was a bit of a different year for me, though. I went into the spring already late in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy, and finished up the summer with a newborn baby (plus two other children under 5). Ambitious as I am, this proved a challenge for me!

I considered the season that I was heading into as I planned and planted my garden. I opted for 8 tomato plants instead of 12 (and only 6 really produced anyways) and very little re-planting for the fall. I chose not to stress out about filling each and every space as something in the garden finished up. I decided to be okay with the natural look (aka weeds) and focus on harvesting just to keep plants producing and doing the bare minimum of work once I hit mid-summer and started really slowing down.

My poor garden was ignored for a good, solid 6 weeks after Johanna was born August 12. All I did was walk out there to pick what needed to be picked, and walk back inside. I think I might have picked a few weeds that happened to just be in my face, but really, that was it. Even after that, I did the minimum amount of work necessary to finish up with the harvest and clear out the garden to get it ready for the winter. Currently, it still has some kale, lettuce and carrots growing. I haven't dealt with the very last plants, the tomatoes and squash which are dead but still sitting there. The rest has been tilled and had some annual rye grass planted, and the garlic has gone in. And that's all, folks!

Honestly, it was harder than I thought it would be. I did pretty well with the gardening while pregnant, though I definitely slowed down a lot in the final weeks. It was summer and the kids enjoyed being outside, as did I, and I just let myself work at a slower and easier pace. I'm glad I still did a really good spring/summer planting and we ate (and I preserved) a lot of amazing veggies before baby came along. The tough part came with a newborn, and a midwife (and husband) who kept telling me to slow down and rest. I had to choose to basically ignore the garden and that was hard for me. The reality was, I just didn't have time or energy for it (see my post on 5 Steps to Being a Lazy Gardener!).

The good thing is that gardens can be forgiving creatures. Even with the weeds taking over, almost everything kept on producing pretty decently. Yes, some things would have done better with more weeding, more fertilizing, more careful staking and tying up, and even some hand pollinating. Nonetheless, all was not lost. We still continued to eat from that garden until, well, we're still eating from it! The work I had done earlier paid off in many regards.

I've considered many times how I would do it again with a summer due date, and I think I would do it almost exactly the same. I'd plant heavily for the spring and early summer and just get everything out of it that I could. From then on, I would plant more lightly for the late summer/early fall, but I would still plant some things. I would feel free to let the garden go as I needed to, and just relish in the fact that it would still produce something and something is better than nothing! I can't tell you how many times I was so thankful that despite my neglect, I could still go outside and harvest food for dinner, to put up for the winter, and even some to give to others. Truly, my garden blessed me this year.

A New Method

I discovered a great book last winter as I was thinking about the upcoming gardening season and that book is Joy of Gardeningby Dick Raymond. It is such a clear, explanatory book. The photos are fantastic. He clearly loves gardening and his passion comes through. His aim is to help you grow the best vegetables possible, with less work. Definitely up my alley! The focus is not on organic growing, though many of his methods are definitely in line with organic methods.

One of the best things I picked up from the book was using a wide-row planting technique. The idea is that rather than making rows and little holes and planting seeds individually, you plant an entire area (usually a wide row or else a large square patch) by spreading seed as evenly as possible over the whole area (there's a bit more to it, but that's the gist of it). It means that you will have to do some thinning, but it allows you to grow a very significant amount of food in a smaller space, and the thinning will let you start eating young baby veggies just as soon as they're ready to be picked, leaving room for the others to grow more before picking. It helps to control weeds and definitely makes planting faster and easier. My only complaints were that the germination was a bit uneven and some things didn't grow as big because I didn't keep up on thinning enough, so I would rather just plant them in a purposeful grid next time (like turnips and beets).

New Foods I Grew

I definitely branched out into a few new areas this year. I tried garlic starting last fall and harvested it in July. It was far, far easier than I thought it would be and my yield was enormous- probably enough for the whole year (and to give away a bit), plus some for planting again. I also added in kale this year, a dark blue Tuscan variety which grew very slowly through the spring/summer but has really shot up through the late summer/fall.

I did my first attempt at pole beans (though I've done bush beans before) and they were really fun to grow. I made a simple teepee, which turned out to be too short so the beans attached themselves to the wild rose bush and the fence! We loved the fresh beans and also the beans I blanched and froze. I used a tri-color heirloom mix- purple, yellow and green. I also added to my squash repertoire with Delicata, a squash that I love to buy. It's smaller and grows on a bush rather than a long vine, so it's an ideal winter squash for those with less space. It was definitely less all-consuming than the pumpkins, butternut and spaghetti squash I grew last year! I didn't get a huge yield (should have hand pollinated) but what I did get is really nice.

One of my favorite things I tried this year was cauliflower. I did try a broccoli called DeCicco (an Italian heirloom) and I wasn't too impressed. It didn't seem hardy enough to handle being put out in the cool, late spring weather. Most of my seedlings didn't make it. The heads didn't get too big, though I did love that the plants continued to produce small sideshoots for weeks and weeks after. But I really loved the cauliflower! I used a variety called Purple of Sicily. It really was purple, though it turned green (looked like broccoli) once cooked. It seemed very hardy and actually perked up a bit when I brought the seedlings outside and got them planted in mid-April. All but one plant survived (out of 12) and I got a head from each of them. Some bolted too quickly because our summer warmed up quicker than I expected, but it was still great!

Lastly, I tried potatoes this year. I experimented with growing them both in the garden and in a garbage can. The ones in the garden definitely produced way more potatoes. I think this might have been because I wasn't careful enough about keeping the soil level high as the plants grew in the garbage can. I'll try both ways again next year. I grew two varieties, Blue Russian (yes, they're really blueish-purple) and Sieglinde (a yellow potato). Both were good, though we preferred the yellow. Can't wait to grow more next year! I just need to be more on the ball with hilling up the dirt as the plants grow, because I think that's what really makes a difference in the harvest that you yield.

Seed Choices (How I Love my Heirlooms!)

There's not too much different to say than last year. I've decided I don't love Monstreux de Viroflay spinach and will choose something new next year. I enjoyed the addition of Black Seeded Simpson to my lettuce patch. I'm looking for a new broccoli to try next year, because the DeCicco didn't do well for me. I still love Nantes carrots but will also add something more interesting next time. I'm bored with French Breakfast Radishes, and my hubby wants me to grow White Icicle Radishes instead. I've given up on corn altogether, because my corn utterly failed both times in 2 years, regardless of what seeds I tried. I love Bull's Blood Beets. Still haven't found the tomato that really makes me go "wow", but enjoyed trying Tigerella (small but pretty and flavorful) and Pink German (a bit firmer and deep reddy-pink), and decided that Marvel Striped might be my favorite so far (larger, yellow with orangey-pink stripes and very juicy).

Pests and Problems

I had some of the same issues with powdery mildew this year, but it was after Johanna was born, so I didn't do too much about it. Tried to cut off the leaves before they infected others, but it still spread to all my squash plants, though thankfully they still produced. I really noticed the lack of bees again this year, with poor pollination and next year I will be particularly vigilant to hand pollinate my cucumbers, squash and zucchini. Weeds were a large problem again this year, as I think I added weed seeds through some hay I used for mulching last year (oops!). I just worked with them the best I could... sigh. Hoping the annual rye grass helps with the problem at least a little.

My Apple Tree

It's not quite part of my vegetable garden, but I bought an apple tree this year. It's a potted one, as we don't own the house we're currently living in. At one point in the summer it seemed to have been shocked (by a brief cold, rainy snap I'm guessing). All the leaves blackened and fell off, and I thought it was dead. But new leaves started to grow back a few weeks later! This fall I replanted it in a bigger pot, put some manure and the placenta under it (I saved it from my birth- I know it's gross to some, but many gardeners swear by doing this for all the nutrients), pruned it well, mulched it and added a weight to one branch to help improve the tree's shape. We'll see how it does next year! We didn't get any apples off it this year, but I'm hopeful it will produce for us soon.

My Conclusions

It was a good year. Really. Pregnancy, new baby, weeds, mold, corn failure and all.

This was my 3rd year of real gardening and I definitely produced more food than ever before. I only had one crop that was a total failure and everything else produced at least something, if it didn't do really well. I was amazed at how much I could get out of my small, suburban backyard plot, and that was without pushing my garden to it's maximum capacity for the late summer and fall. I could have grown more if I tried to, and that just thrills me.

Hopefully that encourages those of you just starting out, that the longer you do this, the better you will get at it and the more that your garden will produce for you! It gets a bit easier every year (even though it's still hard work), and I learn to love it more all the time.

Want to hear from other gardeners about how their year of gardening went? Check out the Annual Organic Gardening Carnival!

The Carnival I Almost Missed and Other Important News

2009-11-04T18:05:56Z

Well, I may be able to pull off a mean baking day but I'm still forgetful at heart.

In the midst of preparing for baking day and then spending all day yesterday actually doing it, guess who completely forgot that it was supposed to be the Organic Gardening Carnival today? Oh wait, that would be me!

Because I always prefer to give everyone a heads up about an upcoming carnival the day before it actually happens (just to give you time to prepare your own post if you're participating), I decided late last night not to run the carnival today. Instead, I took this morning to sleep in (much needed!) and enjoy a sweet and leisurely family time over breakfast (fancy scrambled eggs, sprouted grain toast and OJ- yummy!).

So consider this your one day reminder that the carnival is coming up! Tomorrow, to be exact! In fact, I'll likely have it up by later tonight, for any early birds who want to get their posts up first.

Can't remember what the Organic Gardening Carnival is all about? See this post.

In other news...

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me, because not only am I running the carnival but I will be participating in the first every Real Food Twitter Party! Thursday night from 9-11 pm EST (that's 6-8 pm for us Westcoasters) you will find myself, as well as many other fabulous nourishing bloggers (Cheeseslave, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Naturally Knocked Up, Kitchen Stewardship, etc.) discussing (what else?) REAL FOOD! We'll be discussing how we all got started and why we eat the way we do. We'll definitely be taking questions and doing our best to answer them! If you're just curious about eating more traditional, nourishing foods or starting out and would like to hear more about how others do it, then definitely join us! There will even be a chance for someone to win a copy of Nourishing Traditions!

If you don't already, you can follow me on Twitter (@keeperhome). To join in the party, look for the hashtag #realfood, so that you can keep track of the conversation that's going on. See you there!

Wanna know who won some of the giveaways?

Awesome Stainless Steel Food Storage goes to: Sarah M (@ssmast)

Gorgeous Silver Jewelry goes to: MelodyJ (melodyj@)

Please email me at stephanie (at) keeperofthehome (dot) org, and if I don't hear from you I will be in touch.

Remember that you only have 2 more days to get your entry in for the incredible dehydrator giveaway, and that means my book sale only lasts 2 more days as well!

I hope that this little post is a good reminder that yet again, I do not have it all together. I get caught up in what I'm doing (and just the general chaos of life) and forget all about other important things. I get too busy and too tired. I sleep in. I'm a real mom, just like all of you!

So just to make me feel better, why don't you all share with me some of your "finer" moments where you completely forgot about something important!

Baking Day Comes to an End

2009-11-04T06:02:40Z

**Mmmm... delicious granola bars I made this afternoon!**

Phew! I am tired after a looong day in the kitchen (not to mention being up late the night before, grinding grain and getting everything soaking!).

No energy or time to post up pictures, but just wanted to share the final outcome of the day.

This was my hopeful to-do list:

2 loaves soaked, yeast bread (from Sue Gregg's grains book)

Double batch of banana-cranberry muffins

Triple batch of soaked tortillas

Double batch of granola bars

2 meals of Chicken Tetrazinni

1 big batch of meatballs (2 meals worth)

A batch of yogurt (in the oven to be ready tomorrow morning)

1 large Shepherd's Pie (enough for 2 meals)

Homemade mayonnaise

Dice several large, nitrite-free sausages I bought yesterday and split them into meal-sized portions

Cook 1 lb taco meat

If I have time:

Bake pumpkins for making pumpkin puree

Wash/freeze fresh cranberries

**More baking day goodies- meatballs, fresh bread, and 3 dozen soaked tortillas. I forgot to take a picture of the Shepherd's Pie, and the yogurt and mayo aren't done yet**

I can't believe I got almost everything done! I'm just about to put the yogurt into the oven for the night, and I will finish up the mayo in the morning. We will just take a separate day to do all the pumpkin puree, which had been my original plan anyways, so no big deal.

Someone asked me how often I do a baking/cooking day like this and the answer is, it's random. I did quite a bit of cooking like this while I was pregnant, to prepare for when the new baby arrived. But usually, I just do things like take a weekday morning here and there, or make an extra large meal for dinner and freeze the extras. If I'm going to bake, I will usually double or triple the recipes to have some for the freezer. It's not common that I go all out for a full day, just because it is both tiring and difficult with 3 kiddos under 5 years old.

That said, it's so worth it! I'm glad that I did it and would really recommend it to any mom who is just struggling to find the time to cook from scratch, but would be willing to give up one day and just give it her best shot!

And now this tired mama is signing off from baking day and getting ready to hit the hay... zzzzzz.

Baking Day: Making Progress!

2009-11-03T22:04:17Z

So far, so good! It's almost 2pm and I'm on a roll with baking day. Just taking a quick breather to nurse the baby/eat cold leftovers/blog and tweet where I'm at.

Here's my progress so far:

2 loaves soaked, yeast bread (from Sue Gregg's grains book)- in the oven as I write!

Double batch of banana-cranberry muffins

Triple batch of soaked tortillas- Soaking!

Double batch of granola bars - Soaked oats, nuts and seeds are dehydrating and almost ready to use

2 meals of Chicken Tetrazinni

1 big batch of meatballs

A batch of yogurt

1 large Shepherd's Pie- Mashed potatoes are made, meat is cooked, just picked fresh carrots from the garden.

Homemade mayonnaise

Dice several large, nitrite-free sausages I bought yesterday and split them into meal-sized portions

Cook 1 lb taco meat

If I have time:

Bake pumpkins for making pumpkin puree

Wash/freeze fresh cranberries

I'm fairly happy with what I've got done. I'm pretty sure the pumpkins won't be happening, but that's alright. I think I can finish everything else, or maybe just have 1 thing left to do tomorrow morning.

A few people have asked what I'm doing with the children while I bake/cook my brains out. Basically, I've just been finding ways to occupy/entertain them. They ate a leisurely breakfast while I started this morning. The little guy played while big sister helped me with bread kneading and muffin baking. Then they both watched a movie, and spent a bit of time on the computer playing phonics games on Starfall.com. Then we had a drawn out, really random lunchtime, where they sat at the table for close to an hour while I worked, and I would just give them various different things to nibble on, drink, etc. We chatted together and Abbie came and helped me a bit.

The baby mostly napped or was calm during the morning, but around noon she got pretty fussy so I took a break to try to calm her and eventually got her to go back down for a nap. She's up again now and I came to the computer while nursing, but she seems happy so I'll soon be back in the kitchen with her in her little chair, watching me. The older kids are having quiet time/naps, probably until 3pm. Then I'll occupy the little guy with some drawing or playdoh at the table and Abbie would like to help me press and cook tortillas.

I wish I had some method or technique to tell you for getting stuff done with little ones, but it's all random. If the baby fusses, I use the sling. If that doesn't work, I have to take a break. I work while they eat, because the table is in the kitchen. I work really, really hard while they're occupied, sleeping, happy, etc. I let this be a day where they're allowed to watch movies or play games more than I usually would. Once in a while, I think that's ok (but normally, I'm not into plunking my kids down in front of a screen). I try to give them ideas of fun things they can play with and let them get a bit creative messy if it helps them to have fun while Mommy cooks!

If any other mamas have ideas of how to get stuff like this done with little ones, I'm sure we'd all love to hear them! And if you're joining in baking day, I'd love to hear your progress!

Baking Day: Filling my Freezer with “Convenience Foods”

2009-11-03T07:36:43Z

Filling your freezer with food isn't just for having a new baby or to get by during morning sickness. It's a wonderful tool that helps real mamas make real, nutritious food during regular seasons of life, without going insane. Especially those days where there just isn't enough energy and/or time to pull anything real together.

Fish Mama and Money Saving Mom (smart ladies that they are) decided to get together and co-host a "baking day", which is just their way of saying "a day where I spend all day in the kitchen preparing food so that I have time to do other things on all those other days!". It's a great idea, and one which I have often put into practice myself. So naturally, I decided to join them! My freezer is emptied out of that glorious after-baby stash that I worked so hard to make, and yet, there are still days when I wish I could just grab something from the freezer. Now I'll be able to.

Though I'll be working like a mad-woman in my kitchen all day, I will be doing my best to live-blog and Tweet what I'm doing during my baking/cooking day. I'll keep you updated on my progress as the day goes on, and if you decide to join me (well, join us- the many, many moms who have taken up this challenge together!), you can check in on my blog or on Twitter (@keeperhome) to see where I'm at, and let me know how you're doing! You'll find us all tweeting away using the hashtag #bakingday.

And here is my ambitious list of what I'd like to accomplish...

I'm making:

2 loaves soaked, yeasted bread (from Sue Gregg's grains book)

Double batch of banana-cranberry muffins

Triple batch of soaked tortillas

Double batch of granola bars

2 meals of Chicken Tetrazinni

1 big batch of meatballs

A batch of yogurt

1 large Shepherd's Pie

Homemade mayonnaise

Dice several large, nitrite-free sausages I bought yesterday and split them into meal-sized portions

Cook 1 lb taco meat

If I have time:

Bake pumpkins for making pumpkin puree

It might be a bit much for one day, but whatever I don't get done on Tuesday I will push over to Wednedsay morning.

It sounds like fun, doesn't it? You know you want to join me!

Diary of Nursing a Low Milk Supply

2009-11-02T05:22:56Z

Struggling with a low milk supply can be tough. It's disheartening to know that you're not making enough milk to satisfy your baby and it takes real work to bring that milk supply back up to where it needs to be. The encouraging thing is that it can be done!

Since this is exactly where I've been at the past two weeks, I decided to journal my efforts and the results of those efforts. After 8 days of supplementing 2 month old Johanna while being on a round of very strong antibiotics, this is my diary of how we've gotten back to full time nursing:

Wednesday, October 21

I just took my very last dose of antibiotics. It feels good to be a free woman again, lol! I'm so grateful that Johanna has made it through all of the formula/donated breastmilk as well as she has. Praise God. I'm so eager to nurse my sweet babe but won't start again until tomorrow. This last dose should be fully out of my body within about 8-10 hours and I could feed her safely at that point, though I aim to wait more like 15 hours, which is pretty conservative but I just want to be cautious. We'll see how it goes.

I've been pumping to the best of my ability during these 8 days. It's a whole lot of extra work, pumping over an hour a day when I'm already spending more than twice as long to prepare her bottles and feed them to her. I've had the odd day where I just haven't pumped as much as I wanted, and I know that my supply is definitely down. Praying that it will return quickly to get my little girl off of this formula and back onto the best milk ever.

Thursday, October 22

So much for my ideal of 15 hours. We were out at the doctor's office at the 13 hour mark with a very hungry baby and a mommy who needed to pump. My husband made the official decision that we'd let Johanna do the pumping, right into her hungry little tummy! It felt soooo relieving to be able to nurse her again. I'd missed it so much, and I think she did, too.

No medication this morning (whohoo!), only a heaping dose of probiotics to start replacing all that lost good bacteria. I'm also taking extra doses of the nursing herbal tea that I usually take, in hopes that it will boost my supply more quickly.

We've been a happy nursing pair all afternoon and evening, but I know that my supply is pretty low. I've let her nurse completely on demand all day. Not much of a let-down at all, so I know the milk is minimal, but she's still getting something. I was grateful to receive one last batch of donated breastmilk from a friend and gave it to her this evening before bed, to ensure her tummy was truly full for the nighttime. Hopefully things pick up a bit tomorrow.

Friday, October 23

Our first full day back at it. No need to supplement so far, as Johanna seems satisfied (as I write this in the mid-afternoon). I'm feeding on both sides, rather than only one as I usually do. I'm hoping that this will ensure that she gets enough, and that the extra stimulation will help my supply to pick up again that much more quickly. Trying to make sure that I drink plenty of fluids as well. Actually had a small let-down this afternoon, which was so encouraging! Praying things continue on this trend...

Had to give a bottle in the evening. That's not too bad for first full day. Hopeful that things will improve. We'll try again tomorrow.

Saturday, October 24

Seem to have enough milk for most of the day, but by the late afternoon, I knew things were really low again. Going to have more to drink, have some nursing tea, and I'll put her to the breast again in an hour or so. Hoping to not have to supplement again tonight. We'll see...

Later in the evening- By about 7 pm, she was really hungry so I gave her a bottle again. I could be discouraged, but I'm not allowing myself to be. After 8 days of not nursing, to only have to supplement once a day is pretty minimal. Soon, the evening bottle won't be necessary. We'll just keep at it!

Sunday, October 25

Started off the day with oatmeal, a good food for increasing milk supply. Still needing to feed on both sides at most feeds, but my let-down is increasing so I know that my milk is coming back little by little. We got through the evening tonight without a bottle (whohoo!) and instead I will give her a nice big feed when I go to bed (which I don't usually do but I think she'll need it in lieu of being supplemented). The more often I feed, the more my milk supply will increase so extra feeds aren't a big deal. We'll get back on our regular schedule soon enough.

Monday, October 26

Started the day off with oats again. Tried to be conscientious of keeping well hydrated all day. Was sad that by 4pm, my supply was waning again. Gave little girl a bottle around dinner time.

It's important to keep nursing like crazy, even when you know it's a dry well. Despite the fact that I had barely any milk, I still nursed Johanna 4 times between 4-8pm. Sure, I didn't have much at each of those feeds, but my body will start to pick up on those stimulation cues, "Must... make... more... milk." Knowing this, I just keep putting her to the breast as often as I can, whether there's anything there or not.

Tuesday, October 27

Felt like my supply was great this morning. Let's hope it continues all day!

Later: Made it through the evening without a bottle!!! Gave an extra feed or two, but was just so glad that I actually had some milk in the evening.

Wednesday, October 28

She didn't sleep through the night (woke at 4 am to eat), but I expected this as she didn't have as much as usual in the evening. At least she made it through that long! Yet again, oatmeal for breakfast (as I have had every morning this past week!). Drinking tea, taking nursing herbs, etc. Still doing all that good stuff! Another day without a bottle!

Thursday, October 29

Didn't get nearly enough sleep last night, due to being out on a very late double date. I know that it affected my supply. Getting adequate rest is big for ensuring a good milk supply. With it already being somewhat low, the lack of rest was just too much. By mid-afternoon I had to supplement with a bottle to let my milk build up a bit more. Fortunately, with some extra fluids, calories, protein and rest, we finished off the night well.

Friday, October 30

Another bottle-free day! We're starting to have more good days than bad days, a very good sign that things are looking up!

The last three days have been very hectic around our home, and I haven't been eating quite as sufficiently as I should be. I can tell whenever I postpone eating or don't eat enough that my milk is a little lower. When I have a good meal, it picks back up again. Consuming enough calories really does make a difference. No skimping on food for nursing mamas, ok?

Hectic days or not, with some determination on my part to keep forcing myself to drink and eat more and to just keep nursing really frequently, we made it through all day. She might wake for a night feed, but that's just fine with me.

Saturday, October 31

Bottle-free again! It took some extra nursing and really guzzling water around dinner time and in the early evening to make sure she had enough for the night, but we made it through. Giving her an extra late-night feed helped to ensure that she slept through the night.

Sunday, November 1

As of today, I would say that we are officially back to nursing full-time. Yes, I'm still struggling with a bit of a low supply in the late afternoons and evenings. I still need to be conscientious of what I eat and drink, of how much I nurse, of getting enough rest. I'm still taking supplements to encourage a healthy milk supply. It's gratifying, though, to have made it through these last 3 weeks and know that my baby girl is getting what she needs!

For those struggling with low milk supply, here are a few resources:

Herbs for the New Mama (my own recent post, which includes info on which herbs to use for milk supply, as well as links to the specific nursing tea that I am using)

Increasing Milk Supply: Homemade Mother's Milk Tea

Building Milk Supply (a current topic in the new forum here at Keeper of the Home- this topic has some great replies and advice in it! Have you checked out the forum yet??? )

Are you struggling with a low-milk supply yourself? What are some of the ways that you have found helpful to increase your supply?

The Last Great Giveaway

2009-11-06T17:36:57Z

I've owned a cheaper dehydrator for years. It came from a thrift store and it did the job. It wasn't particularly fun or enjoyable to use, but it worked for me. This last year it started to show it's age with cracking trays and ripped mesh sheets. My husband and I discussed it and he suggested that maybe I should just buy a good one, since I use it so often. Seriously? I was stoked!

I knew exactly what I wanted. And I knew exactly why I wanted it...

To read the rest of this review and see the incredible giveaway that accompanies it, see my review page.

Please note: If your comments are being flagged as spam, I will still get them! My spam filter is currently set on high since moving to my new site, as it's just not functioning up to speed yet and I don't want you all to be seeing all the spam that it was letting through. I am thoroughly checking my spam folder and approving all legitimate comments, so please do not be alarmed if your comments don't appear at first. I will definitely get to them and you will receive each and every entry! Promise!

Keeper of the Home

One Mom’s Guide to Avoiding Swine Flu Naturally

Am I concerned about Swine Flu/H1N1?

So what can we do to prevent ourselves and our family from catching it?

Here are some ways that we can boost our own immune systems, as well as the immune systems of our husband and children:

Other Ways to Lower Your Risk

To Vaccinate or Not?

Other Resources Worth Reading:

Simple Dinners: Making Meals that Work Together

Here are some examples of how I do it:

Beef

Chicken

Fish

Beans

The Annual Organic Gardening Carnival 2009

How it works:

Let the carnival begin:

Reflections on Another Year of Gardening

A New Method

New Foods I Grew

Seed Choices (How I Love my Heirlooms!)

Pests and Problems

My Apple Tree

My Conclusions

The Carnival I Almost Missed and Other Important News

In other news...

Wanna know who won some of the giveaways?

So just to make me feel better, why don't you all share with me some of your "finer" moments where you completely forgot about something important!

Baking Day Comes to an End

This was my hopeful to-do list:

Baking Day: Making Progress!

Here's my progress so far:

Baking Day: Filling my Freezer with “Convenience Foods”

I'm making:

Diary of Nursing a Low Milk Supply

Wednesday, October 21

Thursday, October 22

Friday, October 23

Saturday, October 24

Sunday, October 25

Monday, October 26

Tuesday, October 27

Wednesday, October 28

Thursday, October 29

Friday, October 30

Saturday, October 31

Sunday, November 1

For those struggling with low milk supply, here are a few resources:

The Last Great Giveaway

This giveaway has now ended. What an incredible turnout of entries! Good luck, everyone! I'll announce the winner soon!