A Tale of (Weight) Loss

So.  Once upon a time there was a loverly princess who...  No, wait.  Wrong audience.  Here is how it really goes.

I have never been a thin person.  My family told me that food = love after my parents divorced but they just didn't know any different, I think.  Fall down and hurt?  Have a cookie.  Cry over lost relationship?  Oh, have some cake.  Mom taking you tell you that she is divorcing dad?  Here, let's hit McDonald's. 

I've worked fairly hard to not teach that to my children.  After several long talks with my two oldest girls and some serious "mom's past" issues, I have found that they think food = love is stupid.  Thank you, Father in heaven.

So.  I got married.  Had a baby within 9 months and told myself that whole pregnancy that after the baby came I would lose weight and be healthier.  We were unable to have another baby when we wanted and started on Clomid.  Baby girl #2 was born and I still promised myself to be healthier.  I look at pictures of myself at this time and just cringe.

Whew.  No more babies for a while, honey.  Surprise!  Here comes baby girl #3  just 26 months after #2, which was 26 months after #1.  Plus, I was working a temporary job at a fast food place when I discovered I was expecting #3 (while I hated their food and still do, something caused me to WANT to eat there) and that didn't help the food issues. 

After #3 was born I had serious post partum depression and that REALLY skinny-ed me down.  I was THIN!  But unhealthy, not eating, not doing anything but needing to sleep, to be in bed, to be in the blackness alone.  I missed those first three months of baby 3's life.  My mother in law, God bless her, rescued me.  After I began to heal, I worked harder on exercise.


I tried the Atkins diet of low carb high protein and it worked fairly well for me.  I just didn't have the willpower I needed to stick to it so strictly.  Hubbers is an in-line skating fanatic and doesn't have weight issues for himself or in his family, so I was kind of alone.

Then comes baby #4, a beautiful boy, three years later.  After he is born and I am nursing, I didn't do squat because he was born via emergency C-Section.  Heavier than ever now.  I did, however, find a friend.  Missy, I will forever be grateful for when you took me to Curves for the first time.  She was my exercise buddy!!  I stuck to the Curves routine for three years!  I built a lot of muscle and really enjoyed myself.  Missy didn't go as often as I did and I made new friends at the club, so it was all good. 

When I found myself pregnant with baby #5, four years after #4 was born, I exercised through the entire pregnancy.  That labor and delivery was so easy!  Baby 5 was born and though I was nursing, I still tried to make it to Curves.  When 5 was about a year old, we moved 20+ miles away from my favorite exercise outlet.  I couldn't justify the cost of the club that I was no longer attending when I had three acres to run and play on, garden and landscape upon.  I dropped my Curves membership.

I started on that hCG diet and it worked wonders!  I lost 40+ pounds and it was great!  My chest was bigger than my waist!  My wardrobe needed replacing with SMALLER items.  And then... Hello baby #6. 

BabyJoy arrived this January and I haven't lost any weight from her pregnancy, even though it's been three months.  So when I got a call from Jeannie at Curves telling me it was the annual food drive and if I brought in a bag of food then I would pay no $199 service fee, a spark was lit. 

I signed up again on Wednesday.  I go back for my second workout today at 3pm.  The machines, the stretches, it was like I never left.  My body remembered what I was meant to do.  I feel some strain in the sore parts of my body - my hip where I fell down the stairs a month ago is sore - but I feel GOOD! 

The only bad thing is the 30 minute drive to the facility and the 3 month old baby that must have a watcher while I go in.  Thankfully I have a 14 year old and 12 year old that are my great helpers.

My initial goal is small.  But I will get there and my body will be healthier and thank me for it.  The Curves food drive lasts until the end of the month of April.  Check it out!

Walking Through Fire

A Twitter friend wrote this article and I just enjoyed reading so very much.  There is so much truth inside her words that I just couldn't NOT share it with you.  There is so much running away from the hard things in life, especially in marriage.  One out of every 2 marriages ends in divorce.  How sad is that?

True.  I have never had a divorce of my own.  But also true, my mother has been through two, so I have been through two.  My parents divorced when I was in the fifth grade.  Can you imagine what trauma that was to an on-the-cusp preteen who was already dissatisfied with her self image?  Not to mention that on top of the divorce, my mom went out and started dating immediately and eventually brought home the biggest loser of all: my physically and verbally abuse to children, unfaithful to her, first step-father.

Yes.  She apologizes left and right for this mistake.  And she is now married to the very best man around, other than my own dad.  But imagine what this taught my vulnerable self?  Marriage was temporary at best and not something to stay committed to for long.  And any old guy to hop in the sack with was okay: the kids and their feelings sure didn't matter.

I'm not saying stay married for the kids' sake, especially if the marriage is abusive.  But God doesn't want us to divorce, be abusive or make the wrong choices.  My religion tells me that no man can dissolve what He has united in marriage.

So read this article in its fullness.  Please take the time to read and ponder upon it. Pray about it.  Pray for those who feel that divorce is the easiest (and only) answer.  May God with them and you.  It starts out like this:

If ever there was a romance that started off with a bang it was ours. It was love at first sight—the kind of love affair that many have trouble believing exists until they find themselves swept up in one of their own. We fell, rolled head over heels, and saw stars. It was cliché, yes, but also extraordinary.

Continue reading Refined by Fire

Another great read by a Twitter "tweep": Hooking Up, Shacking Up & Other Marriage Busters


image courtesy MorgueFile

Excuse This House

Some houses try to hide the fact
That children shelter there,
Ours boasts it quite openly,
The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges are on the doors
I should apologize, I guess
For toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with my child
And we played and laughed and read
And if the doorbell doesn’t shine,
His eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I’m forced to choose
The one job or the other,
I’d like to cook and clean and scrub,
But first I’ll be a mother.

~ Author Unknown

I Am A Mom...

I am large in my skin
I make no apology

This belly grew a baby
Why should it be flat?
It curves with the memory of the womb.

These breasts fed a baby
Why should they be pert?
They swell with the memory of milk.

These hips carried a child
Why should they be slim?
They are full with the memory of life.

My bones are secret under flesh
My skin plump and white and fine

Mine is the face of Botticelli
Mine is the water of the Nile
Mine is the shape of things forbidden
Daughter of Gaia, grown beautiful and wild.

~ Lorri Barrier

Peace

May He support us all the day long,

Till the shades lengthen,

And the evening comes,

And the busy world is hushed,

And the fever of life is over,

And our work is done!

Then in His mercy,

May He give us a safe lodging

And a holy rest,

And peace at the last!

-John Henry Newman

And oh, yes.  12 weeks baby, heard the heartbeat last week for the first time.

Woot! Award! Woot!

Hey! Lookie what Mommy D's Kitchen gave ME?!!  I am stunned.  I recently started reading her blog(s) through her Paranormal side.  Ghosts, ghoulies, unexplained things just intrigue me.  Anyway, she's an awesome read, a great new friend, and a Twitter bud par excellence.  You simply must find her on the web, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

So here's the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself that others may not know.

3. Pay it forward. Pass this award along to 15 bloggers whom you have recently discovered.

Everyone likes to talk about themselves, so you must know this is the EASY part...

1. I love Ghost Hunters. I Netflix all the disks of the show that I can and watch them on SYFY Rewind.  That's how I found Mommy D.

2. I hate mopping the floor more than I hate scrubbing the toilet.  True story: If I perceive that Hubbers is mad at me, I will hie my hiney to the restroom and clean until it shines.  Nothing like a clean potty.

3. I am a book-a-holic.  If I could keep every book I ever read, I would.  When we moved last year, I had to get rid of BOXES of books.   Just too much to move, too heavy, too much space, and no where to put them in our new house.

4. It's been almost a year since we moved and I just hung up some family photos for the first time two weeks ago.  I guess I've been so busy with homeschooling, kids, new house, and our home biz that I just didn't make time.

5. Uh. Now what.

6. I love my blog, even though I have neglected it pretty badly since Baby D was born.  I used to get comments on every post.  Now, I'm lucky to get one comment a week.  It is sad, but such is the way of life.

7. Here's the big one.  I just found out 1 week ago that we are expecting a new baby.  Yup, a new "Files Baby" will be making an appearance in January 2011, if all goes well.  Right now I'm about 8 weeks along.  Remember how things went with our baby angel Michael.  Pray for me, for baby7, and His gracious peace, please.

Now the HARD part.  15 bloggers I recently discovered.  I guess since Mommy D just found me, I can't find her again, huh?  I'm kind of combining my fav new blogs with some of my fav new Twitter pals.  So, here it goes:

1. Neat-o-rama
2. Cake Wrecks
3. Proverbs Wife
4. Raising Olives
5. Raising Arrows
6. Jeff Yeager
7. Karen Katherine
8. Hurried Homemaker
9. Crochet Spot
10. The Pioneer Woman
11. Weird Al Yankovic
12. Toxel
13. Wild Mother Arts
14. Chris Brady
15. Orrin Woodward

Ok, so those last two are personal leadership mentors for Hubbers and I - not really new reads, but way worth the while.

Thanks again, Mommy D!

Mutha Fatha Swagger Wagon

 

Watch as the Sienna Family drops their hot new single, Swagger Wagon. This goes out to all you minivan families out there who get a Sienna SE for space but fill it with your family's swagger.
To learn more about the Sienna SE visit http://toyota.com/sienna or download the free MP3 at http://toyotaswaggerwagon.com .


Special shout-out to Black Iris Music and makers of Yoo-hoo.*

(LYRICS)


[INTRO MOM AND DAD]

Yeah

This one goes out to all you minivan families out there.
Sienna SE...in the house.
Where my mother/fathers at?
Where my kids at?

Where my kids at?
Where my kids at?
Where my kids at?
Where my kids at?
Where my kids at?

No, seriously honeywhere are the kids?
They're right there, see?
Oh, cool beans.

[VERSE DAD]
I roll hard through the streets and the cul-de-sacs,
Proud parent of an honor roll student, Jack.
I got a swing in the front, a tree house in the back,
My #1 Dad mug says, Yeah, Im the Mack.

[VERSE MOM]
I'm the world's best nurse when my kids get sick,
I make a mean gel-mold, I perfected my tricks,
Back when I used to party as a college chick.
Now I'm cruising to their playdates lookin' all slick...

[CHROUS]
In my Swagger Wagon,
Yeah, the Swagger Wagon,
It's the Swagger Wagon,
I got the pride in my ride.
In my Swagger Wagon,
Yeah, the Swagger Wagon,
It's the Swagger Wagon.

[VERSE DAD]

Check it...

I love hangin' with my daughter sippin' tea, keep my pinky up,
All the drawings on my fridge sport an A+.
I'm an awesome parent, (Right!) and it's apparent, (True!)
And in this house there's no mother/father swearin'.

[VERSE MOM]
Straight owning bake sales with my cupcake skills,
I'm better with the money, so I handle the bills,
And I always buy in bulk, ain't afraid of no spills.
Every Mother's Day proves...I'm kind of a big deal.

Daughter: Mommy, I need to go potty.

Bring the beat back, 'cause, yo, I got more to say,
You know I'm always front and center at the school play.
I kiss their boo-boos, clean doggie doo-doos,
Cut the crust off of PB&Js, chill the Yoo-hoos.

[VERSE DAD]

Singin' "Farmer in the Dell" in perfect harmony,
When I'm rollin' with my posse in the HOV.
We rock the SE, not an SUV,
And it's true, if I were you, I'd be jealous of me...

[CHORUS]

*YOO-HOO is a registered trademark of Mott's LLP. All rights reserved.

Oh Wow.

You simply must see this video.  Not a word is said.  It only lasts about a minute.  But it's presentation will change your life.  Cold chills.

No Phone Zone

I don't watch tv, much less Oprah, but I get her newsletter. And when I saw that she's advocating a No Phone Zone while driving, I was INTO that!! Since I am nothing if not caring of my fellow drivers, I'm posting the plea to join the No Phone Zone (I keep wanting to spell that with an F!) with me. Come on, you know you spell even worse when you txt and drive.

Distracted driving is a deadly past time. You can get on that Oprah site and see the stories of lives lost, children hurt, studies on what your brain actually does in these times, but please don't run the risk of hurting someone else this way. Remember that next time it could be you on the receiving end of the distracted driving accident.

I keep my teenager busy sending my txt from the passenger seat but she's not for loan. At least not today...

Great Truths of Life

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats..
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandma's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge.... mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

Business Card Holder

Check this out! A crocheted holder for your business cards. Much cuter and more handy than the $2.00 kind you buy at the office super store. Thanks to Rachel at Crochet Spot for the pattern and idea!



Also, what about a few reasons to crochet more? Here's the list of five reasons to do more on your favorite hobby. How many more can YOU add?

Scientifically proven to be healthy. The repetitive action of crocheting helps manage stress, pain, and depression. It can also strengthen the body’s immune system and decrease the chances of memory loss by 50%. You can even watch the CBS video clip for more info here: Studies Show Knitting and Crocheting is Good For Your Health

Reduces stress. This is related to the above “excuse” but needs no scientific evidence to prove. Just ask any avid crochet out there, and he or she will tell you how relaxing and stress relieving it is to crochet. It’s great to be stress free!

Makes you happy. We all know that life can be a handful. Taking time out for yourself is the best thing you can do. After all, if you are a happier person for it, I bet everyone else will be happy you did it too. (no one wants to be around a grumpy person)

Enhances your dexterity. The more you work with your hands, the better you get at it! Ever want to impress someone with how super fast you can crochet? Well, the more you practice, the better you get.

It’s for a good cause. Lot of crocheters all around the world enjoy crocheting for a cause. Whether it’s crocheting hats and scarves for the homeless or blankets for babies, you know that your work is making a difference! (check out the crochet charity page, if you would like to find a charity to donate your crochet items to)

Christmas Nursing Rhyme

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house every creature was breastfeeding even the mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care and mama’s nursing bra added a pair.


The babes were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of mom’s bosom kept them well fed. And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.


When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.


The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave a luster of midday to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, with a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew he’d been breastfed and never been sick.


More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name: “Now Hearty! Now Healthy! Now Intimate and Caring! On Easy! On Cost free! On Safety and Sharing! To the top of the choices, to first in your class! Now dash away breast milk substitutes which are ever so crass!”


As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, so up to the heights these coursers did bring breastfeeding preference and made it a thing. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.


He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back to distribute to children without colic hack. His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples - How merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, aspects all showing he’d breastfed long ago!


The sump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, but he did not smoke it, much to my relief. He had a broad face and a little round tummy like a breastfed babe fresh from his mummy. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, he never tasted substitute from a store shelf. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.


He spoke not a word but went straight to his hob and filled all the stockings for our breastfeeding mob, and laying a finger up to his lip, whispered, “Close to the heart surely is hip!”


He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But we heard him exclaim ‘ere he drove out of sight: “To breastfeed is best, to start your child right!”

A MERMAID OR A WHALE

Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said: THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE??

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, or curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales.

They have a wonderful time with dolphins, and stuff themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia.

Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids, however, don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Just look at them..... where is IT? Therefore, they don't have kids either. Besides, who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me. I want to be a whale.

P. S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a piece of chocolate with my friends.

With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So, we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think,
"Good grief, look how smart I am!"

To Compost or Not to Compost...

How to Compost
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Good composting isn't only about building a good bin and correctly mixing the compost. It's also about what you add to the compost. This article will provide a simple outline of what you can and can't compost. Follow the reduce, reuse and recycle way of life to reduce the amount of things you have to end up throwing away.

Steps

1. Choose or construct a bin for your compost. While you can compost successfully in a pile on the ground, a bin will keep the process a bit neater and help to discourage animals if you are composting food scraps. Depending on the construction of the bin, it can also help to regulate moisture and temperature. A good minimum size for a pile is at least 1 cubic yard or 1 cubic meter, though a pile can go larger than this, and smaller-scale composting can be made to work.
   
2. Fill your bin with a balanced mixture for best results:
   
   • Green stuff (high in nitrogen) to activate the heat process in your compost. Perfect heat-generating materials include: young weeds (before they develop seeds); comfrey leaves; yarrow; chicken, rabbit or pigeon manure; grass cuttings; etc. Other green items that compost well include fruit and vegetables; fruit and vegetable scraps; coffee grounds and tea leaves (including tea bags - remove the staple if you wish); vegetable plant remains; plants.
     
   • Brown stuff (high in carbon) to serve as the "fiber" for your compost. Brown stuff includes fall (autumn) leaves; dead plants and weeds; sawdust; cardboard & cardboard tubes (from foil wraps etc); old flowers (including dried floral displays, minus plastic/foam attachments); old straw and hay; and small animal bedding.
     
   • 'Other items that can be composted but you may not have thought of before: paper towels; paper bags; cotton clothing (torn up); egg shells; hair (human, dog, cat etc.) Use all these items in moderation.
     
   • Air. It is possible to compost without air (anaerobically), but the process employs different bacteria and an anaerobic compost pile will take on a sour smell like vinegar. It may also attract flies or take on a matted, slimy appearance. If you believe your compost pile needs more air, turn it, and try adding more dry or brown stuff to open up the structure.
     
   • Water. Your pile should be about as damp as a sponge that has been wrung out. Depending on your climate, you can add water directly or rely on the moisture that comes in with "green" items. A lid on the compost bin will help to keep moisture in. If a pile gets too much water in it, it might not get enough air.
     
   • Soil or starter compost. This is not strictly necessary, but a light sprinkling of garden soil or recently finished compost between layers can help to introduce the correct bacteria to start the compost cycle a little more quickly. If you are pulling weeds, the soil left on the roots may be sufficient to serve this purpose. Compost starters are available, but probably not necessary. [1]
     
   
   
3. Layer or mix the different materials in your bin so that they come into contact with one another and so that you avoid any large clumps. Especially avoid compacting large quantities of green materials together, since they can rapidly become anaerobic.
   
   • If possible, start with a layer of lightweight brown material, such as leaves, to help keep enough air near the bottom.
     
   • Try for a mixture of anywhere from 3 parts brown to 1 part green to half and half, depending on what materials you have on hand.
     
   • Sprinkle each layer lightly with water as you build the heap, if it requires additional moisture.
     
   
   
4. Turn your pile regularly, once every week or two. Clear a patch next to the pile. Then use a pitchfork and move the entire pile to the clear spot. When it is time to turn the pile again, move it back to the original spot, or back into the bin. Mixing the pile in this way helps to keep air flowing inside the pile, which encourages aerobic decomposition. Anaerobic decomposition will smell very stinky (generally sour, like vinegar) and they decompose materials more slowly than aerobic bacteria. Turning the pile helps to encourage the growth of the right kind of bacteria and makes for a nice, sweet-smelling pile that will decompose faster.
   
   • Try to move matter from inside to outside and from top to bottom. Break up anything that is clumpy or matted. Add water or wet, green materials if it seems too dry. Add dry, brown materials if the pile seems too wet. If you are still adding to the pile, take the opportunity while you turn it to introduce the new matter and mix it well with the older matter.
     
   
   
5. Decide whether to add slow rotting items such as tough branches, twigs and hedge clippings; wood ash; wood shavings and wood pruning. They can be composted, but you may want to compost them separately because they will take longer to break down, especially in a cold climate with a shorter composting season. Shred heavy materials, if you can, for faster decomposition.
   
6. Try to avoid composting bread, pasta, nuts, and cooked food. They don't break down very easily, become quite slimy, and can hold up the heating, rotting-down process. (Old nuts left in the garden will disappear quickly if you have squirrels or monkeys around!)
   
7. Never compost the following items for reasons of health, hygiene and inability to break down: meat and meat scraps; bones; fish and fish bones; plastic or synthetic fibers; oil or fat; pet or human feces (except for manure of herbivorous creatures such as rabbits and horses); weeds that have gone to seed; diseased plants; disposable diapers (nappies); glossy paper or magazines; coal and coke ash; and cat litter. Place these items in the normal garbage collection.
   
8. Harvest your compost. If all goes well, you will eventually find that you have a layer of good compost at the bottom of your bin. Remove this and spread it on or dig it into your garden beds.
   
   • You may wish to sift it through a coarse mesh screen or use your hands or pitchfork to remove any larger chunks that haven't yet broken down.
     
   • Very fresh compost can grow plants, but it can also rob the soil of nitrogen as it continues to break down. If you think you are not all the way done, either leave the compost in the bin for a while longer or spread it in your garden and let it sit there for a few weeks before planting anything in it.
     
   
   

Video

Tips

• Composting works almost magically if you begin with a cubic yard of proper materials and turn it weekly. Less than that on either point and results quickly diminish.
  
• Locate your compost bin somewhere that is easy to access, so that you and family members will be encouraged to use it.
  
• Share a composting facility if you live in an apartment complex.
  
• Have a mini compost bin indoors that you keep near your meal preparation area. It should be something that is easy to fill up, transport daily to the compost bin, and keep clean. You could consider a small plastic container (there are fun tiny garbage cans with lids) or use something as simple as a glazed terracotta plant saucer - it looks nice, is easy to clean and transports easily.
  
• To aid the decomposing, add some red worms, which can be bought online.
  
• Cut around the top of a plastic milk jug leaving it attached at the handle. Keep it under the kitchen sink to collect your compost.
  
• For faster break-down, shred leaves, clippings; and crush egg shells.
  
• Layering is very effective if possible - one layer brown stuff, one layer green stuff, one layer composting worms (as long as the temperature of your compost does not exceed 25ºC).
  
• Contact your local municipality if you can't compost for whatever reason, to see if they will collect garden waste for composting. Many municipalities will collect Christmas trees and chip them for compost in January.
  
• In dry weather, fill your bucket with water each time you dump in the compost pile. This will help add needed moisture.
  
• If you mow your yard, collect your grass trimmings! It's free, and it's a great way to get more compost, unless you have a mulching mower. A mulching mower will add the grass back to your yard as mulch (not thatch), which will provide your lawn with 40% of its fertilizatin needs. Also, never compost grass that's been mowed within a few days of adding chemical peticides or fertilizers.
  
• Bury food scraps under a layer of general yard waste if you wish to include them. It will help to discourage animals and flies. So will having a contained, covered bin.
  
• While it's not strictly necessary, a compost pile that's working at its fastest will heat up. If you have created a good mix, you may notice that it's very warm inside, even steaming on a cold morning. This is a good sign.
  

Warnings

• Don't add the things to the compost that are marked above as "never compost" - they will absolutely ruin the compost for one reason or another and some are downright unhealthy.
  
• While it is slowly becoming possible to compost dog feces, this must only be attempted under very special conditions in municipally sanctioned compost bins; usually these are located in local parks. Do not use this compost in or near vegetable and fruit gardens. Check with your local municipality for more information. Encourage your municipality to supply these bins in parks and on dog-walking routes.
  
• If you are going to compost weeds, dry them out before adding them to the pile. If you don't, they might start to grow.
  

Things You'll Need

• A location for your compost pile
  
• Vegetable scraps, yard waste, and other compost materials
  
• A pitchfork or other tool to turn the compost
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Build a Compost Bin
  
• How to Build a Tumbling Composter
  
• How to Find Free Compost Ingredients
  
• How to Apply Mulch
  
• How to Make Your Own Worm Compost System
  
• How to Use Your Home Built Tumble Composter to Create Rich Compost
  
• How to Make a Compost Tea
  
• How to Create Urban Rainforests
  

How to Compost
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Sources and Citations

• http://compost.your-info-station.com
  

1. ↑ http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/compost-starter.html

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Wordless Wednesday - Common Decency

Every day, just Wednesdays, or more - Wordless Wednesday for image posts to die for.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

It's No Fun

BB has thrush. And since he has thrush, so do I. We're the sharing type and breastfeeding sure does share the thrush along!

Thrush is an overgrowth of yeast in the baby's mouth and can be painful. BB doesn't seem to be in pain, but the thrush on my most sensitive areas is a bit itchy and bright red. NOT fun, to say the least.

We did the expected thing: called the doctor. As expected he called in a prescription for Nystatin to "swish and swallow" and for me to apply to the areas used for breastfeeding. He had blisters on his lips at 7 days from the thrush such that I took him in to see the doctor. I was told to continue using the solution on both of us for another week and then for two to three days after that.

It's been 10 days and the poor thing is STILL not better. I'm taking things into the realm of natural medicine. I purchased some pure grapefruit seed extract to make a spray solution for use on baby and myself. I found (through a great friend - thanks Anne!) a website about this natural treatment and wanted to share it here. I will also have to go on a yeast free diet - which will be good for my waistline but I'm so not "into" doing.

I sincerely hope you never EVER have to deal with thrush. And if you do, God speed your healing..

Breastfeeding 1-2-3 ~ Thrush - Bliss Tree
Identifying and Treating Thrush (with GSE) - Dr. Jay Gordon
Thrush Resources - Kelly Mom

Let Him In

A dog had followed his young owner to school. His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school. However, when the bell rang, the dog went inside the building and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed and shooed him outside, closing the door behind him.

The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors. Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said,



'Don't feel bad, fella'...they won't let ME in either'

Telling it Like it IS!

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate in January 1996. It seems prayer still upsets some people.

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our fore-fathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by you, to govern this great state.

Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the name of your son, the living savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen!

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one nation under God.'

If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything.

I looked for an item debunking on Snopes for this article and found nothing on numerous searches, although this prayer has been attributed to Billy Graham.

I've said it before: Please pray for our President, our country, our morals.

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible.

This is amazing and brought tears of laughter to my eyes. I wonder how often we take for granted that children understand what we are teaching?

Through the eyes of a child:

The Children's Bible in a Nutshell

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that.

Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.

Then God made the world.

He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.

Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.

One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable.


God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff.

Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore.

There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.')

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.

Jesus also had twelve opossums..

The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount.

But the Democrats and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.

Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.