We love our rabbit food!

Tuesday is food co-op day and we love that day! Little Buddy and I excitedly get to pick up our bin of fresh, organic fruits and veggies. As summer approaches we are finally starting to get some really exciting foods in our bin and cabbage is one of them.

We make Brussels sprouts a lot around here too, and I have a go-to recipe my sister passed along. This recipe is awesome made with sprouts. I love the bitter, sour, salty and nutty taste combination. I thought it might work just as well for cabbage and it did. We love it so much I wanted to share it with you.

Now, bare with me, as I don't use many recipes while cooking and I often tend to throw ingredients together at random and pray it turns out edible. I've altered the recipe to our liking so here you go!

1/2 head of shredded cabbage
1-2 T. coconut oil
1/2 c. pecans
Juice from one lemon
3 T. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
S & P to taste

Saute cabbage and pecans in coconut oil. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper and cook until just still slightly crunchy. Turn off heat and add cheese and cover until melted. Serve warm. Enjoy!

(Oh, and hey, if you are nursing a wee one, go ahead and skip the cabbage for a while. It can make for some pretty bad gas!)

My toddler loves his "mi-mi"

I must say, I had no expectations of what breastfeeding was going to be like. I only knew that I was going to do it. My mother nursed all five of her own children and I didn't really know any other way.

One evening when I was pregnant, my husband and I were discussing how long to breastfeed. He came to the conclusion that once the baby was old enough to ask for it, that should be the cut off point. He thinks a bit differently now, as that would have been last summer!

As I push my cart down the grocery aisle and tote my nearly 22 month old to the park and other public places, it is apparent that we are quite through yet. I gently pull his hand out from my shirt and tell him we will have "mi-mi" when we get home. Sometimes we sit off in a quiet corner together nursing in public, as I don't mind taking the time if we have it. I guess that is a perk of being the firstborn and only child thus far. I've nursed him in some pretty creative spaces.

Yes, we have gotten some wayward glares and noses pointed up at us occasionally. I am not quite sure what the lady was thinking as she passed us in the back aisle at the fabric store, as I sat nursing on a step ladder. But, it doesn't matter. I am not nursing a toddler to prove any points. I am not nursing in public so that you have to watch me and be subjected to all my my attachment parenting ways. I am tending to my child for HIS benefit, not for my own.

Nursing a toddler has its challenges for sure. For me, it's been his acrobatic moves and constant squirminess to get comfy and settled into the perfect position. Wowzers, those teeth can be rough!

(oh, hold on, I need to go nurse.)

Ok, where was I? Oh, yes, the challenges. Did I mention It was anytime and anywhere? But, you know what they say...no child ever leaves home in diapers. I think that applies to nursing too. 

But, there are some awesome benefits to nursing a toddler too! Relish the time while you can mommies. It will be long over way too soon.

The very best part of all (and the thing that keeps me going) is the times when he just finishes nursing, looks right at me and exclaims "mmmmm, gooood mimi!" It doesn't get much better than that.

I am not sure how long I will nurse. I have no plans. We are working that out one day at a time.

Happy Breastfeeding Mommies!

Responsibility and Passion

My parents always instilled in us kids the importance of taking responsibility for ourselves. My first job was working for my dad when I was 12. He owned an office supply store and my family went down once a week after hours to clean. I worked in the office during the summers until I was 14 and could drive, then I got a weekend job at a clothing store that was owned by a family friend in the next town over. I still can't believe my parent let me start driving 11 miles to work on a two lane highway at 14 years old! Granted, it was a rural Kansas, but still kind of freaky thinking back on it. I worked all through high school and college. I didn't really have much of a choice if I wanted to go to college out of state. I was envious of my fellow college friends who didn't have school work and a job to contend with every day. It seemed like such an easy life for them.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up a little differently. He was one of "them". He never had a job in high school. He played sports. It wasn't until he was nearly 20 that he had his first job. But, then he went on to college on a full basketball scholarship when he was 23. Between playing ball and school work he had to time or energy for a job.

We got married a semester before he graduated college. It never once crossed my mind that he would have trouble finding a job when he graduated. I had watched him play basketball for the past five years. He was so driven and dedicated to the sport. When his team got a long-shot bid to the NAIA National Basketball tournament in 2006, I asked him if he thought they had a chance of winning or even making it to the 2nd round. His solemn and absolute response was "we are going to win the entire thing." I loved that guy. To me, he was hard-working, motivated, and focused. And, wouldn't you know it, they did win the entire National tournament that year.

I had no reason to believe that he wouldn't be that intense in his career. But, things didn't quite go that way. His kinesiology degree proved to be less than sufficient when applying for jobs to support a family. I began to realize that playing the game of basketball and building a career are two different animals. He had the drive to pursue his passions, but not his responsibilities. Had he been done a huge disservice growing up by not being required to take responsibility and have a job? I have pondered this question a lot over the past six years.

Not long ago, we went through a life coaching program called Living in Your Zone. My husband found exactly what he wants to do with his life and can't wait to start. I am eager to share all of it with you, but taht is for another post.

As we are having our own children, I desire for them to grow up with a sense of responsibility in life and take pride in their work. I know you can't save your children from every heartache, but my hope and prayer is to guide them by the mistakes we have made and teach them from what we have learned.

So we're starting with chores!

At 21 months old, I love that my son has a great passion for basketball like his daddy. I will always encourage my children to follow their dreams and passions in life. But, I will also expect responsibility and discipline as well. My son is learning responsibility by helping unload the dishwasher, loading the dryer and pushing start, and taking out the recycling. Balance seems to be the key. It's a small start to what I hope to be a big learning experience for his future.

E.R. visit numero uno

"What would you do if E swallowed a penny?"

Last week I stood in the kitchen reading the above text from a friend and I just had to laugh - not because he had already "been there done that" several months ago, but ironically we had been to the hospital just that day for a different kind of swallowing incident.

I called my friend to tell her that if the penny had made it to her daughter's belly that there wasn't much they could do. It would pass it, not to worry. I was giving her the same advice the doctor had given us just that morning after my son swallowed an earring. Yes, and earring!

It all unfolded right before my eyes. I had just been giving my toddler a rundown of our day and what we were about to have for breakfast when he picked up the small hoop earring off my nightstand and popped it back like candy. It all happened in slow motion. As he was choking it down I tried for a moment to retrieve it and then let it go. I didn't want to choke him and it seemed to be going down okay.

I had a split second of panic, followed by a good lecture to him on why we don't eat objects, and then realized I should probably call the doctor. It was a "U" shaped earring and all I could think was that the pointy end was going to get lodged into his colon. The pediatrician recommended we go to the ER. I hung up the phone, gave my son another good lecture and then called my husband home from work to go with me.

My son is a climber. I always thought if we ended up in the ER it would be for stitches. But, hey, this was more thrilling and no crying or blood! Luckily we live near a children's hospital. Turns out that the hospital sees some pretty weird things.  Two hours, one x-ray, and two scratch and sniff stickers later they sent us on our way saying the earring should pass within 48 hours.

It did. Exactly 25 hours after the incident, it came on through. I snapped a quick picture of it so I can embarrass him when he gets older and then I chunked it in the trash.

That was about enough excitement for me for a while.

We're having a no t.v. life

Did you ever have "no t.v. week" as a kid?

Seems like every summer we had at least one week where we weren't allowed to watch any t.v. Something about my mom not liking our sassy attitudes when we had been sitting in front of the television for hours on end or something totally ridiculous like that! Then I became a grown up and realized once again that my mother was r.i.g.h.t. But, instead of no t.v. week, we are having a no t.v. life right now. That's right....NO T.V. at all. Six weeks ago I had the cable shut off and I don't regret it one single bit!

Now, when television broadcasting first came to the US in the late 1930's, I am sure families gathered around in the evenings and watched a short t.v. program together. Back then, it was unheard of to have more than one t.v. (if you even had one at all) and there was no need for censoring. Television was good, clean family fun. These days, there is a t.v. in every room of the house. Commercials advertise not missing a single second of your favorite show because you can even watch it in the bathroom if you want to! There are a million channels to choose from for every age and every family member. Why not have a t.v. for everyone in the house, right?!

We have two t.v.'s at our house. It made it very convenient for my husband to watch sports in one room and for me to watch Food Network and HGTV in the other. Why spend time together when you can spend time watching t.v., separate and alone? Even if we watched a show together, our communication with one another was quick bursts between commercials. Nobody is forced to have a conversation if you are zoned out in front of the tube.

I was becoming very aware that our little family of three was disconnecting. Our attitudes were bad. (Ugh, my mother really was right!) Night after night the t.v. would come on at dinner time and go off at bedtime. What was happening to my family?

One morning this past winter I had the t.v. on for background noise while I was mindlessly doing housework. My then 18 month old pointed to the t.v. and said "bra!" I realized he had just seen a lingerie commercial. Violence and sex sell television and we are watching it, even in commercials! On daytime television we are seeing half naked women. As a mom, I knew I needed to initiate the change. My son, at his tender, sweet age, does not need to be subjected to television shows that promote these things. He deserves a connected family that takes genuine interest in each other. And, my husband does not need to see anybody half naked but ME!

It sounds so cliché to say that nixing our t.v. has been life changing, but it has.

Thankfully, my toddler was never that much into television to begin with, so the change didn't bother him. In fact, he is quite happy that we gather around his basketball goal and shoot hoops all night instead of watch t.v. these days. My husband (Mr. Sports Fanatic) even seems a lot more involved in our lives and less zoned out after a long day at work. He catches up with sports on the internet when he needs to. And as for me, well, I am less tense and find that I get a lot more done around the house these days.

So, what do we do instead of watch t.v.?

Quality time! It's my love language anyway. I have never used television as a means of entertainment or babysitting for my child. And, yes, I do get things done around the house. My toddler is very much involved in helping me out. I could give you hundreds of ideas of things to do instead, but I am sure you have a book that's been calling your name or a garden that you have been meaning to plant for five years just like I have. Now is the time to do it!

Who knows, perhaps one day I will have the cable reconnected. But, for now, I am enjoying the peaceful bliss and family togetherness time.

Birth Boot Camp...what?!

I've been MIA for a few months, sorry. Perhaps you will understand once you read this post. I am so excited to share some great news! My mother had five natural births. I was her firstborn. I think the minute I found out that I was born frank breech with the use of forceps and no pain medication, I knew she had done something very special for me and for herself. From that moment on, I knew if she could have natural births, then by golly, so could I! As I grew older, I also realized that not only was my body made to birth babies, but that drugs in America are grossly overused, especially in the matter of childbirth.