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This is a tender moment of bonding....Here is a little excerpt about hormones from Nancy Campbell at Above Rubies 
http://aboverubies.org/articlesstories )



God is so good to the mother. He doesn’t give her a baby and say, “Here you are; now you can manage on our own.” Instead, He gives her two hormones to help her with mothering. Both oxytocin and prolactin are produced in the pregnant and nursing mother. Oxytocin is known by different names—the “love” hormone, the “cuddle” hormone and the “bonding” hormone.  I love to call it the “calming” hormone. When the mother puts the baby to the breast and the milk lets down, she experiences a calming feeling come over her. Often she will fall to sleep on the job! This is such a wonderful boon to a mother, especially when she has a number of little children. I was not a calm and relaxed person when I started on the adventure of mother—the very opposite, in fact. But as I nursed my babies over the years, constantly being calmed by this God-given hormone, my personality changed. My daughters used to call it “relaxin” instead of “oxytocin.”
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Here's a picture of Michah and Papa Bear.... I couldn't resist sharing (especially he is 'baby holder extraordinaire')

 
 
DISCIPLINE
"activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training"

(www.dictionary.com)
Below is a little footage of the boys practicing at Martial Arts class.....This is about their 6th class and the instructors had them rotate amongst 4 different partners.  I didn't get permission to publish the video from the parents of the other students they practiced shadow boxing, so I chose to only post the one with our boys:
What areas could you work on being more disciplined?   (I have quite a list...lol)
 
 
I've been checking out this mini series about raw food:  http://www.blytheraw.com  


I'm looking forward to experimenting with some of the recipes like the Kale Salad (below):

Do you have any good raw food links to share??
 
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • black olives
  • artichokes
  • tuna
  • olive oil
  • Italian parsley
  • red onions
  • garlic
  • oregano 
  • salt & pepper
Check out the video below for an alternative way to make tuna (without mayonaise): 

MEDITERRANEAN TUNA VIDEO LINK:http://allrecipes.com/video/129/mediterranean-tuna-salad/detail.aspx?e11=mediterranean%20tuna%20sandwich&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&event8=1&prop24=SR_Showcase&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results 
 
 
This is the question (?)

Our friend managed to get about 1/4 cup of milk from our Mama Goat.  She put up a little fight at first, but eventually calmed down.  I do plan to do more research about milking goats, but I welcome any tips you may share.

 
 
I was organizing my box of reference material and found some gardening notes.  The notes I pulled out were taken from a book I checked out at the library a few years ago, "The Pleasure of Herbs" (Month-to-Month Guide).

This month, my notes say:
  1.  Purchase flats, pots & soil
  2. Study books & catalogs
  3. Blend egg shells & veggie peelings to add to soil

In January, I  was supposed to plan (location, size & shape) and plot the garden.  Then next month, I should begin cultivating the soil & start my seeds.


I admit, I'm a little behind schedule, but there's still hope for a bountiful garden.  Around these parts, people say hold off on direct sowing seed until the snow melts off the mountain.   Therefore, I plan to get some seeds started indoors, then harden off gradually before putting them in the ground.

I'll keep you posted.

 
 
I'm really trying to make effort to have 50% or more "LIVE" foods for each meal.  We are also getting closer to having the "LOCAL" foods available. Our growing season here is shorter than what I was accustomed to in the south, but successful gardening can still be accomplished.

The benefits of Live & Local food is extremely valuable.  Have you calculated your percentage of Live and/or Local food lately?  If you're really trying to incorporate this into your family diet, you may consider joining a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture:  (http://www.localharvest.org/csa/)

This is where we volunteer and get our local produce:
 
 
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I don't say this often, but "THIS IS A MUST HAVE" for making healthy baby food, (great gift idea)

The Baby Bullet is a phenomenal invention.  We've had 2 Magic Bullets and  it truly makes food preparations much easier, so this baby version seemed like a great resource to pass on.

 
 
I recently went to the grocery store to buy veggies for a Mediterranean Golosh and as I picked up the squash, eggplant and peppers, I began reminiscing about the great times we had volunteering at our local nursery.  

In the next few weeks, I really want to start sowing our heirloom seeds so we can look forward to another great harvest.  I think it would be pretty depressing if don't take advantage of gardening and have to settle for the produce picked early and driven over hundreds of miles. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the market, yet I know there is MUCH I can do to prepare for harvest time.

Here's an oldie but goodie about overall conservation and health (the video includes local foods).
TRAILER "No Impact Man" (The full documentary can be found on Netflix or YouTube)
A FE W LINKS  for Reference:http://noimpactproject.org/ http://noimpactman.typepad.com/ MY NOTES FROM THE MOVIE (Original can be found under the Resource Tab)http://www.joyfuljunction.com/uploads/2/6/3/1/2631046/no_impact_man_notes.pdf  
 
 
Gotta Fever?

Try a Compress with Essential Oils.  This has come in handy for our children by quickly getting a wash cloth, warm water with a few drops of peppermint essential oil and placing on forhead and back of neck (avoid eyes)

Here's a link to the simple guide regarding essential oils:http://www.joyfuljunction.com/uploads/2/6/3/1/2631046/essential_oil_guide__peppermint.pdf 


Natural home remedies are purely essential :)