How I Stopped Brushing my Teeth and Healed my Cavities

     The summer I graduated from college, I went to the dentist because I was having tooth pain and suspected I had my first real cavity. Turned out, I had to get 3 fillings and a few other areas were on their way to being cavities, too. I had them filled, but couldn't keep from wondering what had really caused them after years of perfect oral health. Those that know me well know I am of the camp that issues like that are not just coincidental, but that I believe your body's way of telling you something has changed or is "off." Fast forward to my teeth post-pregnancy Hormones and morning sickness had done their damage despite being exceptionally vigilant with flossing, rinsing and brushing. I was certain I had at LEAST 3 more cavities, all my teeth were even more sensitive than usual and I could even SEE holes in a couple teeth. Even though my teeth were hurting, I couldn't stand the thought of having to get more fillings. Something wasn't right and my teeth were just the vessel my body was showing me through. Not to mention that we simply didn't have the funds for more dental work.

    So what did I do?

    I started doing what I do best- research. I came across multiple posts about using the ancient method of oil pulling to clean and detoxify one's teeth. It sounded simple & cheap so I bought a jar of organic, unrefined coconut oil and started pulling for 20 minutes after I woke up every morning. There was a noticeable difference- my mouth felt cleaner and my breath smelled better and smelled better longer than with using regular toothpaste (sorry, if that's TMI).

    But my teeth still hurt. What next?

    More research led me to discover The Weston A. Price Foundation which holds the belief, based on studying secluded, native people groups who lack modern dentistry, that cavities are the result of nutritional deficiencies. Finally. An idea in the right direction. I followed that lead to multiple blog posts about individuals and children whose teeth had been healed simply through eating grass-fed butter and taking a cod liver oil supplement daily. There are far more facets to the nutritional beliefs of the WPF, but the common link I found was the butter & oil combo. More in depth knowledge can be found in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

    I researched from the limited knowledge available on this natural healing method the particulars behind which butter and which cod liver oil were most successful. Then I had to take a step back because there was simply no way I could afford the "best." At the end of August, I purchased this cod liver oil after reading Dr. Mercola's post about balancing the vitamins A and D in the cod liver oil. I was leery about the amounts of these vitamins recommended by the WPF, but decided I would start out with the recommended dose on the bottle and go from there. I also purchased Kerrygold Irish butter about this time for the high amounts of vitamin K (Activator X) found in the butter from the animals being on rapidly growing, green grass. (I should also note that since January I had been dairy-free due to breast feeding and still currently do not consume milk).

    Every morning I take just 1 tsp of cod liver oil and eat about 1 TBS of butter with my breakfast. It's important that the two are consumed together. At this time I also stopped using conventional toothpaste to brush my teeth because it contains glycerine which prevents your teeth from remineralizing. I switched to a small bit of baking soda and sometimes just water to clean off the teeth, but continued the oil pulling, too. (Again, I should note that I also read Nourishing Traditions at this time and started baking our own bread and eventually stopped eating bread for about a month mostly because I got lazy baking it. I doubt this affected my teeth much, but the belief is that unsoaked grains can have negative effects for the teeth. I also stopped consuming caffeinated beverages).

    Today I can honestly tell you that my teeth that were hurting like they had cavities do NOT hurt in the least, my teeth which were naturally very sensitive before are no longer sensitive to hot or cold or certain foods, I even noticed that my gums which I felt were thin and receding in many areas feel thick and healthy now and even seem to have grown back inward to the teeth. A small hole that I've had in a back molar for years is growing closed and is almost completely gone! My bottom front tooth which was chipped during childhood and was too sensitive to run my tongue across has regrown where it had been chipped and no longer hurts! Last night I wore my retainers for the first time in at least 4 months because I had started teeth grinding again. I expected them not to fit well and to be extremely painful for the first day or two until my teeth moved back in to place to fit them- per usual. However that was not the case. My teeth ached minimally and nothing like I'd experienced in the past. My assumption is that this nutritional change has strengthened the periodontal tendons, too, keeping my teeth in their straighter position. It is also worth noting that both my teeth and my fingernails, which have always been longer and thick, feel thicker and stronger.

   I'm no doctor and this is not medical advice. I can't explain this phenomenon in any other way than to say for ME the reason my oral health was becoming so poor was because of an extreme deficiency in vitamins A, D and K. Considering the changes in my eating habits through college it made sense to me. I ate well, but not compared to my childhood of grass-fed beef on the farm I grew up on. I am a firm believer.  It leads me to wonder... What else could we heal through what we're eating?

5 Reasons Why Smoothies are More Awesome than you Thought

     Smoothie-making is stupid popular right now. I'm not one that typically jumps on bandwagons & so I feel guilty for even giving smoothies the time of day to post about them here. But, y'all. Hear me out.

Five Reasons Why Smoothies are More Awesome than you Thought

#1 Utensils: Ain't Nobody Got Time for That

     With a new baby in the house, smoothies have been a God-send. Even before baby, I put off lunch most days until I was desperate & would just throw together something quick like a PB&J. Mama cleans up this joint & don't wanna dirty the place cooking 3x a day. I wish I had tried smoothies sooner! You can't beat the amount of nutritive, high fiber foods packed into one small tote-able meal. With a new babe, I don't have time for flatware or utensils. Cup in hand, ready, set, drink.

#2 It's Fast (Real) Food, Y'all

     I'm a big advocate for eating real foods. I think food propels (or inhibits) every aspect of our lives & plays a part in almost all our problems in some fashion. That said, unless I spend a day prepping pre-planned meals & stocking the fridge & freezer, I will voraciously eat whatever is at hand & easy (that's also why I won't buy junk food) in order to avoid cooking. Smoothies are awesome because they can sit pre-packaged in the freezer until you're ready to grab & go & it doesn't take much time or effort. I can literally get one ready, make it & clean it up in under 5 minutes... And it also takes about that long to eat which is great since I have better things to do- like baby snuggles.

#3 Budget

     Smoothies are great if you are looking for healthy food that is also easy on the wallet. Frozen fruit & bulk bags of greens are the basics to any smoothie and both go a long way. For most smoothie recipes, you will just need a couple handfuls of both. Plus, you will stay full longer and crave less junk because your nutrition needs are being met instead of just your caloric needs or your cravings. Here's a good post about just how many smoothies you can get on a budget.

#4 They're Custom-Made

     Who doesn't like custom-made? Custom-made clothes. Custom wall art. Custom food. Food is healthier for you when it is used correctly for your body's specific needs at that time. Everybody's different. Consider your physical goals & demands when you determine what to eat. It's much easier than it sounds. Long day ahead? Make sure you pack in some quick sugars from fruit to get you going & some protein to stabilize blood sugars & keep you full longer. Ate lots of crap food over the weekend? It's all good, just do a few detox smoothies with some ginger until you feel better. Pinterest is full of recipes for different goals & demands. Try a few until you find what works for you. (P.S. I'm no doctor so you should talk to yours before implementing any dietary changes)

#5 The Mason Jar Trick

     I'll make this short & sweet. A regular Mason jar will fit onto your blender's blade attachment. Y'all. That can't get any easier. Put all your ingredients in the jar except your liquid, pop a lid on it & freeze as many as you want to grab & go when you're ready. You won't even have to clean your blender's pitcher because you can make the smoothie & eat the smoothie in the same dang jar. Y'all, come on. It's almost too easy.

So that's pretty much it. I was hesitant to get onboard, but I'm happily never looking back. & when I find something I like, I just have to share. What do y'all think? To smoothie, or not to smoothie? Have you tried any good recipes?

                                                         -BrittLeah

Because I'm Human

    As I sit here on the morning of Day 13, I can consciously feel my cautious optimism shaken. I have openly shared our journey, both the ups and the downs, here in the NICU. I have withheld sharing my selfish feelings and have chosen to focus on my daughter.

     I haven't told you how after scrubbing in for the 1,200th time that my hands are dry and cracking, or how my cuticle on one finger has been a constant sore. I haven't told you that my nail beds ache from having the dirt dug out from under them every few hours in a hopeful attempt to protect my daughter from even further distress. I haven't told you how pissed off it makes me when a visitor doesn't take this seriously and says, "I can't possibly be dirty, I just took a bath."

     I haven't shared how it feels to be able to fill 100s of bottles with breast milk, but to only know the satisfaction of filling your baby's belly a handful of times... a satisfaction that is short-lived as you hear the dreaded BERNK made by the monitor as her oxygen saturation drops into the 70s and you frantically struggle to find a way to make them go back up again.

     How it feels to finally have her eating well only to have to pull her off every 2 minutes when her saturation drops. How it feels to watch her give up, lay back down and close her eyes- more content with an empty belly than the struggle it takes to fill it.  To want to do the same so desperately, but at your core holding on to the knowledge that you can't. You simply can't.

     I haven't shared how my chest has been perpetually saturated since I was 14 weeks pregnant, or how even my iPad and my underwear have both been soaked by my body's natural abilities to produce this source of both nourishment and nightmare since our time here.

     I haven't shared how, despite daily showers, I smell like what can only be described as a mixture of sour milk and jock strap. Maybe there is something to that advertisement about stress sweat smelling worse? I have never smelled worse in my life and I grew up on a farm. With goats.

     I haven't shared how everyone here has told me how strong I am and how impressed they are with my daughter's abilities despite her gestational age. I haven't shared that there have been many days where I close the door and sob all day long. Sometimes crying makes you stronger.

     I haven't told you that my optimism and my endurance have both been pushed to their absolute thresholds. I haven't said that I have been ready to give up more times than I care to admit. I haven't shared how completely petrified I am to take her home because the only outward symptom of her distress is a beeping monitor.

     I haven't shared that I quit even putting on makeup on the occasional day because I am guaranteed to cry it all off if I do. I haven't shared how it feels to get stares from people in public when I go out for food who are considering my disheveled appearance and caring so little about their rude stares that they maintain eye contact with pursed lips as my eyes meet theirs. Can I scream at your face?

     I can count on one hand the number of things I have desperately ached for so much so that I could physically feel the longing in my soul. I can say that I've never prayed for anything so honestly and earnestly as I have my girl. I long for the days when I am exhausted by the normalcy of first time motherhood; the 2AM feedings, the pile of dirty diapers, the crying baby who will not be comforted. These things are so precious.

     I haven't admitted that in the last few days I have grown homesick for my old routines. I haven't shared how I so desperately want to wake up at 5AM and eat a bowl of cereal after making my Husband's lunch. How I want to wash a sinkful of two days worth of pots and pans and dishes. How I long to fold laundry and be late on starting dinner. How I wish I could sweep the floors only to have Klaus roll in my pile of dirt before I can get the vacuum out to suction it up. I haven't told anyone how much I want to eat my lunch on my couch with "House Hunters" on the TV while I tell our two cats how much I hate that show, like I did every day. I haven't admitted that I feel like she is my home now, or that I just couldn't leave even if I could. No matter how ill this place makes me.

     I haven't  told you that if I hear so much as a phone's dial tone buzzing after this experience I am likely to literally lose my mind, or punch the nearest person in the face. You've been warned.

     Especially, I haven't told anyone how God put it on my heart very early in this pregnancy that something wasn't going to go as planned. I prayed desperately and earnestly early in my pregnancy that I wouldn't lose this baby because of medical complications brought on by an unGodly youth. We pay for our sins in consequence. I haven't shared that I got truly baptized on November 3rd, 27 weeks pregnant with Lucy. I haven't shared enough how faithful and merciful our God has been to us. I haven't thanked our friends and family enough for their prayers and assistance through this time.

     Is this one of those weird pregnancy dreams? Is the constant buzzing I hear only my alarm clock? Can I wake up yet? ...

CoverGirl Makeup + FREE Movie Ticket in 5 Minutes

Hey y'all,

    Here are the deals I grabbed this week at CVS. I didn't do any huge hauls this week so you could literally be in and out in about 5 minutes.

Transaction #1
-Crest Pro-Health toothpaste (4- 4.2 oz.) on sale for $2.99, earn $2 ECB, limit 2
     - I used (2) $.50 off Crest Pro-Health toothpaste coupons from www.coupons.com (they just added new coupons so I'm unsure if this one is still available). I went ahead and bought two toothpastes since I knew I could use the $4 ECB I earned on my third transaction. Another option would be to purchase one toothpaste and use the $2 ECB you earn to buy the second toothpaste which would make your second toothpaste free if you use the $.50 coupon.

*Word to the wise, my store didn't have signs up stating that the Crest toothpaste was on sale. If you are ever unsure of an item's price, you can scan the barcode at the coupon kiosk and the correct price will pop up. It's always a good idea to double check if you're unsure. Being a few dollars off can ruin your deals!

Transaction #2
Deal- When you spend $20 on ANY CoverGirl product (excludes clearance), earn $7 ECB (limit 2) and get a FREE movie ticket!

     -CoverGirl Clean Whipped Crème Foundation, $9.29

     -CoverGirl Mascara, $6.29

     -CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pot Eye Shadow, $5.29

Total before coupons- $20.87

     -I used (3) coupons when I bought these items; I used a coupon for $1.00 off CG Whipped  Crème Foundation, a coupon for $1.00 off CG Mascara and a coupon for $.75 off of CG Flamed Out Shadow Pot Eye Shadow or Pencil. I printed all of these coupons from www.coupons.com.

Total after coupons- $18.12

     -Since I didn't have any additional makeup-type coupons this week, I used ECB to get my total down even further. I used a $6, $7 and $5 ECB so I paid $1.23 and when my receipt printed, I earned $7 new ECB.

Transaction #3

This is where my deals got messed up this week, but it'll all work out after I make a second trip to CVS. Here is the deal I planned-

     -CoverGirl Outlast Nail Gloss, $6.29

     -CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pot Eye Shadow, $5.29

     -CoverGirl Mascara, $8.49

Total before coupons- $20.07

     -I used (3) coupons when I bought these items; I used a $.75 off CG Outlast Nail Gloss, a coupon for $.75 CG Flamed Out Shadow Pot Eye Shadow or Pencil and a coupon for $1.00 off CG Mascara. 

Total after coupons- $17.57

     Again, i used ECB to get the price down. I used a $7, $4 and a $2.50 ECB so that my total, which is further explained below, was only $1.11! 

     Unfortunately, when I checked out, the mascara that I had planned on being $8.49 was only $4.25! That's an amazing price for mascara (especially after the $1.00 off coupon I had which made it only $3.25!), BUT it meant that my total before coupons was NOT the $20.07 that I thought it was going to be. Because my total wasn't at least $20, I didn't get the second $7 ECB (yet). Fortunately, one of the things I love the most about CVS is that you don't have to make all of your purchases for one deal in one transaction. I can go back any time this week and spend the additional amount listed at the bottom of my receipt in order to get my $7 ECB. I could have bought an additional CG product in the store that day, but I knew there were more coupons available for CG products and I like paying as little as possible. :) 

     It is important to also be aware that the mascara I bought was on clearance and did not count toward my $20 at all. Most ECB deals exclude clearance items. That said, $3.25 is the next best price to free for mascara! Scan the barcode at your store's coupon kiosk and see if your store has CG mascara on clearance. Here is the one I got on clearance- CG LashPerfection (photo-www.covergirl.com).

     To get the free movie ticket deal to go with all that new makeup this week, you DO have to spend $20 on CoverGirl in one single transaction (like I did in Transaction #2). After you purchase your items, simply snap a photo of your receipt with your phone and text or email it to CoverGirl. Within 24 hours, you will get a code for your free ticket. Huzzah! More info can be found out here.

*Random Couponing Tip- When couponing at CVS and you need to spend a certain total ($20 to get $7, for example), more often than not, you will pay less the more items you can get into your deal. The reason for this is because the more individual items you have then the more coupons you can use. You can use one store coupon/CVS coupon AND one manufacturer coupon (like the ones from coupons.com) per item. The more items = more coupons you can use! 

Happy CVS Shopping,

BrittLeah

Groupon Christmas Shopping

     As great as the deals are on Groupon, I have to admit that I've never actually bought anything from the website until today. When I was checking my email, I randomly decided to click the deal they had sent me today and lucked up on the perfect present for my Husband. By perfect, I mean that it's something awesome that he's going to enjoy, but it was also a fantastic price. I won't share exactly what I picked out for him since he's likely to read this, but I will share some other great deals that I think would make for some pretty sweet Christmas gifts.

For the Foodies-
Blacksmith's Bistro- Choose between two options- Pub Dinner (appetizer + 2 entrees) for 2 only $25 (a $49 value) or Pub Dinner for 4 (2 appetizers + 4 entrees) only $45 (a $98 value)! **As a quick aside, we visited Blacksmith's at their former location in St. Elmo and were very pleasantly surprised by the unique food combinations and laid-back atmosphere. De-lish! (VERY limited time remaining on this Groupon!)
Chato Brasserie- $40 worth of food for only $20!
Gigi's Cupcakes & Frozen Yogurt- $15 for 6 Groupons each worth $5 worth of frozen yogurt ($30 value)!

For the Sports Fan-
NCAA Blankets 84"x54" $24.99

For the Fashionista-
Bucco Venita Women's Riding Boots- $120 boots for only $39.99!
Michael Antonio Women’s Mattson and Maddy Combat Boots- $69 boots for $29!

For the Friends with Kids-
Silhouette Spa $29 for a 1 hr. Massage
Duracell 48-Pack with 24 AA and 24 AAA Alkaline Batteries- $18.99
$25 Portrait Session at JCPenny- Choose between a photo package with CD, or a 16"x20" gallery wrap. (VERY limited time left!)
Drive Through Safari & Petting Zoo- Only $9 for a great day trip! (VERY limited time left)

For the College Kids-
Single-Serve Drink Cartridge Winter Sampler- $29.99 for 35 cups for the Keurig with free shipping to the kiddos dorm rooms!
Ocoee Zipline Tour for One- Normally $79, only $35!! (VERY limited time left!)
Rock Climbing Tour- Half-day with gear, only $49, or full-day with gear $69!

Get-Aways for Couples (or groups of 4)-
Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting- Only $10 for 2, or $19 for 4! Don't forget your ID!
Mountain Vista Log Cabins- Multiple deals; split one with another couple & save even more!
Chattanooga Choo-Choo- Multiple deals; one night for 2 in the old train station for $79/night!
RG Horsemanship Lessons + Trail Ride- Only $29 for a 1 hr. lesson (a $199 value). Read the fine print for this deal.

     As a side note, if you purchase a Groupon and never get around to actually using it, many of the Groupons you can purchase will maintain the original purchase price even after expiration of the "Groupon Deal." For example, if you buy a $40 Groupon for a restaurant and you pay $20 for it through the website then you can still use the purchase price $20 at the restaurant even after the $40 Groupon expires. This made me happy because life gets crazy and I hate the thought of throwing away money simply because I got busy and forgot. After you make a Groupon account, you can view all of your Groupons purchased on your account. This is great if you've lost the copy you printed, or simply need a reminded for which Groupons you have yet to use. And if your phone is smart enough, you can go on your account and have your Groupon simply sent to your phone. Nice & easy and no printing required. :)

     Act fast! The deals are only available for a short time/amount purchased and once they're gone, they're gone! And always be sure to read the fine-print so you know the particular details for each Groupon you're purchasing. 

Happy shopping!

-BrittLeah

*Disclaimer- I am in no way compensated for reporting these deals to you; I just like to share when I find something awesome. :)

Quick & Easy CVS Deals

     Some weeks I'm lazy, or the Weekly Ad just isn't super appealing to me. I still go to CVS every week to print my scrapbook photos for Project Life so while I'm there I always try to grab the easiest deals, or that week's free item. This week, I didn't feel like putting in the extra effort because I'm saving my ExtraCare Bucks for deals coming up next week. So after I printed my photos this week, here is what I grabbed so you can grab it, too!

     Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste, 6 oz. - $3.00

     When you buy (1) Max Fresh Toothpaste, you automatically earn $2.50 in ExtraCare Bucks. That's a great deal by itself, but I combined it with a $0.75 manufacturer coupon that I printed a month or so ago. (It might still be available on www.coupons.com; that's where I print the majority of my manufacturer coupons.) Combined with the coupon, I paid $2.25 and when my receipt printed so did $2.50 in ExtraCare Bucks. If you feel so inclined, you can buy 2 toothpastes & get $5 ECB instead because the limit on this deal is 2! You can turn around and immediately use your $2.50 ECB to buy your second toothpaste and will only pay $.50! If you have a second coupon, you may even be able to get it FREE plus when your receipt prints you'll get a new $2.50 in ECB! Cool, huh?

     I planned on grabbing a Colgate Total Rinse, 1L - $5.99, but my store is out of stock until the truck arrives on Thursday. You can combine this with a $2.00 manufacturer coupon from www.coupons.com and possibly CVS coupons you've printed off your CVS.com account or at the in-store kiosk for even more savings. After coupons, when you pay, this deal will also earn you $2.50 in ECB. The limit on this deal is 2 so make sure to print 2 copies of the manufacturer coupon by Xing out the window and returning for your second print so you can earn $5 ECB instead!

     The easiest deal of all this week is FREE CVS pain reliever! Simply scan your card at the in-store coupon kiosk and a coupon for $4.99 off will instantly print! Ta-da! Free pain reliever! (Be aware: there are 3 different types available for free- capsules, tablets or fast-relief. So pick your favorite!)

     So at the end of my trip I had paid less than $5 and had bought a toothpaste, a bottle of pain reliever and my week's worth of photos. Plus, CVS paid me $2.50 in ECB which I added to my stash for next week's deals. Pretty sweet.

Happy CVS shopping!

-BrittLeah <3

   

Savvy Shopping 11/11/13

     If you know me then you know I almost never buy anything without first searching out some type of coupon, or watching and waiting for a great deal to pop up. Since November is overloaded with some great deals, I thought I would share the better ones that I find here! Shoot me an email- LBMartin27@gmail.com or find me on Facebook if you have any questions!

     First, you can get some great deals on baby products this week at CVS. I love that CVS has these baby deals pretty regularly! Check out these links to get the CVS Deals this Week & Useful Coupons to Have. You can also log into your CVS.com account and view the MyWeeklyAd and print your CVS store coupons. You can also get coupons for the Johnson's baby hygiene products that are earning ExtraBucks this week by going here and clicking each product to reveal and print the coupon. Remember- you can print TWO of each coupon per computer IP address by X-ing out the window and returning to the webpage for the second print.

     Amazon.com is also having some great deals as part of their Countdown to Black Friday Sale. If you've been eyeing a Britax B-Ready stroller, now is the time to buy! With the purchase of a B-Ready stroller, you can get a B-Safe Infant Car Seat, Bassinet, or Second Seat for FREE! Also, if you buy a Chicco Travel System, you can get the Keyfit Caddy for FREE! Other deals include 10% off ADVENT bottle bundles, 25% off Fisher Price, 20% off select Chicco items with promo code CHICCO13 & buy a Baby Jogger City Mini & get a FREE care seat adapter. Plus many other items in Amazon's baby department have been marked down up to 30% off!

Happy Shopping!

-BrittLeah

The World's Easiest (& delicious!) Chicken Stock

     I used this recipe for making homemade chicken stock earlier this year and since have had a plentiful supply of chicken stock in our freezer. I noticed last week that I was down to only 2 qt. jars in the freezer- time to stock up! When I made our monthly Costco run last week, I lucked up and found a package of two young hens for only $10.35 and while I typically like to use organic chicken when making stock, we are on a budget and this deal was too good to pass up (plus, I have always been impressed with Costco's quality).

     When I brought all the groceries in on grocery day, I cut open the package of hens and was pleasantly surprised to find they were individually wrapped after cutting away the exterior plastic wrap. I put one hen away in the freezer with the rest of our month's meat supply and the second hen in the meat drawer in our fridge. Sunday morning, in the midst of getting ready to go the church service, I unwrapped the hen I had left in the fridge, cleaned out the gizzards from the cavity and have her a good rinse. I made a simple herb paste in a small bowl using olive oil, salt, pepper, herbed poultry mix and a couple others that were close by. I separated the skin from the meat of the bird by slowly sliding my hand between the two. Go slowly, or you will tear the skin. Dip your hand into the herb-oil mixture and coat the meat under the skin of the bird. It's best to do this on the breast side, but I went ahead and did the back of the bird also. Doing this will keep the meat of the bird from becoming dry, but, more importantly, will trap the flavors close to the meat. I especially love this trick when cooking poultry in the oven. Rub any of the extra herb-oil mixture all over the outside of the bird and place it into your Crock-Pot.

     This next part is just basically add whatever vegetables you would like! I poured about a 1/2 cup of homemade chicken stock in and then added four halved-potatoes, garlic, two stalks of sliced celery, and 2 sliced onions. I topped the mixture with season salt and a little sage. Seal 'er up and go about your day for the next 6-8 hours!

     By the time we had gone to church and visited my Momma at the farm, we came home to a completely cooked lunch. However, my Husband loves chicken and rice so to finish it off I cooked some brown rice and made a mushroom cream sauce to go over it. After we had eaten, my Hubby finished separating the good meat of the bird from the bones, skin, fat and any other undesirable bits which he left with the cooking juices in the Crock-Pot. We went about the rest of our day until right before bed when my Hubby filled up the Crock-Pot with tap water leaving a little space at the top to prevent any spills (about 1/2") and he turned the cooker on low. The next morning, our kitchen was smelling wonderful! I placed my large stainless steel bowl in the sink and a fine strainer over top of it. The cooker can be quite heavy when completely filled so it may be best to let the pot completely cool before executing this next step. Using two pot holders, I poured the whole contents of the Crock-Pot into the strainer so that only the juices landed in the bowl beneath. I left the stock to cool a bit in the sink while disposing of the pot's contents and cleaning up.

     When I was finished, I came back to the stock and poured about half the bowl's contents into a plastic bowl with a spout (one of my favorite kitchen tools!), but, depending on how you choose to store your stock, you can also use a funnel. I choose to store our stock in glass canning jars because they store easily in our freezer and they are easily re-sealed from use-to-use when in the fridge. You can use any glass jars with lids that you have on hand, ice cube trays or plastic tubs in varying sizes with locking lids. I prefer to use glass whenever possible because of BPA and other horrors in plastic, but to each their own! Using my spouted bowl, I was able to fill up three wide-mouth glass canning jars and leave about an inch of space at the top for expansion once the stock freezes. I re-used the lids and rings I had on hand and put them on while the jars were still quite hot from the stock. Every time I have done this, the jars have "popped" meaning that they are sealed. I would NEVER trust this seal to store the stock in the pantry because it wasn't sealed in a hot water bath, but it makes me feel more confident for freezer storage. I leave the stock to cool to room temperature and then simply put them in the freezer door! Easy peasy!

Look how beautifully dark!

     Reasons I love this recipe & process:
1. We get a really delicious and nutrient-rich lunch and all I have to do is put the ingredients in and forget it!

2. Because it's just the two of us, the rest of the good meat that was stored away can be used throughout the week for sandwiches, salads and combined with other leftover dinners where we have eaten all the protein and all that is leftover are the sides. This makes packing lunches easy and fast (and still healthy)!

3. I can re-use the original pot to make the stock which makes me happy because it limits the number of dishes I have to put in the dishwasher and I can again load up the pot with all the goodies and forget it for 6-8 hours!

4. Minimum input and maximum output. The chicken cost me $5.17 (after separating it from its original counterpart), a few veggies which cost about $5 for the whole lot and I only used one or two from each package so I'll estimate the cost at about $1.75, plus the items I already had on hand- herbs, tap water, glass jars. From this simple combination, we get a delicious, healthy, easy-to-prepare lunch that was ready when we came home to it, 4-5 extra servings of protein for quick lunches later in the week and 3 qts. of nutrient-rich chicken stock where I was able to control the ingredients that went into it. The grand total for all of these meals and cooking ingredients is $6.92! $6.92!!! I would dare to say that you would be hard pressed to find even ONE lunch for that price and good luck if you want it to be a nutrient-rich meal!

     Give this process a try- your body, your budget and your time will all thank you! :)

    

-BrittLeah <3

I'm still here! :)

SO after about a month of being MIA, I'm back with a post on canning and to explain my absence! First of all, we have spent the last few weeks canning like crazy. We had a small harvest from our garden, but the constant torrential downpours a few months back caused our tomatoes to die out before they ever really got started. We were given a HUGE basket full of peaches though and we've easily occupied both our time and our remaining jars with those! We botched our first batch of peach jam (pectins are NOT interchangeable!) and ended up with peach syrup, but we'll still be using it since it sealed well. Otherwise, we successfully made peach jam, honey-spiced peaches, peach butter, and brandied peaches plus tons of leftover syrup!



We've been using the Ball Blue Book of Canning. Today I'm going to walk you through making their recipe for Brandied Peaches in my own words. I'm excited to get to use these around Christmastime in a cake!

Brandied Peaches

4- 4 1/2 lbs. of peaches (we bought our food scale at Wal-Mart for about $8)

4 c. sugar

3/4 c. peach brandy

First things first, wash, blanch and peel your peaches. In a large pot, add 1 qt. of water and 2c. of sugar. Stir until the sugar occasionally until dissolved. Add the peaches, one layer at a time (do not stack them in the pot). Boil gently for 5 minutes making sure the peaches are cooked throughout. They will darken, if not. **When I do this step, I set the timer for 2:30 then come in and attempt to rotate the peaches. Peaches contain a lot of air and it can be difficult to get both sides to cook well**

Scoop out the peaches and put into a deep bowl. I recommend a stainless steel cooking bowl because it can handle high heat (more on that in a minute). Boil the syrup 5 minutes more and pour over the peaches. CAUTION- this syrup is VERY VERY hot! And the container you pour it into will become extremely hot instantly. Move the bowl with care. Cover the bowl and let sit 12-18 hours.

SIDE NOTE:

When we were buying a few extra canning tools at Wal-Mart, it just so happened that they had these seven bowls for only about $5. We can always use a nice big bowl especially with a lid!

Luckily, I stopped myself before pouring the boiling lava-hot syrup into one of my new bpa-free, dishwasher safe, plastic bowls and instead pulled out one of my trusty stainless steel cooking bowls. Here is the best part, the red lid and the orange lid fit beautifully over my stainless steel bowls to keep any kitty hair and contaminants out while they sat and cooled. The lids weren't tight over them, but perfect to keep the contents clean until the syrup cooled and I transferred them to the plastic bowl overnight.

After your mixture has sat for 12-18 hours, remove the peaches from the syrup. Add the remaining 2 c. of sugar and re-heat the syrup, uncovered, to a boil in a large pot. I stir occasionally to ensure the sugar doesn't scorch. Allow to the mixture to continue at a low boil for 5 minutes. Transfer the peaches to a heat-safe bowl (I used stainless steel) cover and let stand for another 12-18 hours. **We ended up letting ours sit for 24 hours this go around since neither of us had any desire to finish the canning process at 10pm. I haven't noticed any problems with doing this, so far.**

Scoop the peaches from the syrup and re-heat the syrup in a large pot. Pack the peaches in hot jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. We used quart-size jars. Add 3-4 TBS. of peach brandy to each jar. Bring syrup to a boil and pour over peaches leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust caps and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Peaches will be ready to use in 4 weeks. Yields 3 pints.

 Leftover syrup.

Delicious peach syrup.

Now here are my notes on the outcome. Since learning to can this year, we've found that the recipe amounts can be very variable. I intentionally doubled this recipe so that we could put the peaches in wide-mouth quart jars. I thought that this would be wise since our peaches were large and it had been difficult to get them into the jars in previous recipes.

1.) As the peaches sit and soak up the syrup, they become very dense and they also shrink a great deal. It may be necessarily and useful to throw in a few extra peaches when you start the recipe to accommodate this.

2.) We had a lot of extra syrup left over, not that that is a complaint! I used some the next day on a cake! ;)

3.) As mentioned earlier, the syrup will be VERY hot. Whatever you pour it into will be VERY hot and will remain that way for at least a couple hours. It must be kept away from children and pets until it cools.

I may add more to this list as I think of others, or discover them. What are your thoughts? Do you use a different recipe? Have you been doing any canning this summer?

OH! And as to why I've been absent...

... and I'm finally in the second trimester and feeling like a normal human again! Praise, Jesus! <3



Pregnancy Mini-Albums

Since recently finding out we are expecting, I've obviously been documenting the whole process.

It's an addiction, y'all.

So far, my Mr. Incredible has been helping me snap a picture of my belly each week on both our Canon digital and my Instax Instant Camera. I haven't used any of the digital photos yet, but I've been using the Instax prints each week in our Project Life album for the year. I really love the way it has been coming together so imagine my surprise when my best friend asks me during a scrappin' session, "Have you bought any pregnancy or baby scrapbook stuff yet?"

Umm.. what?

It hadn't even crossed my mind yet. Given, I chock most of my blindness to the fact that I've been working on REDUCING my stash and re-organizing my whole system, very slowly, for about a year now. Still- I've been oogling baby-themed scrapbook products for years!

I didn't realize how much I wanted to make an album especially for my pregnancy until I stumbled across this video on the TwoPeasInABucket YouTube feed. I had to see more! I ventured over to the TwoPeas blog to this post. It's the last in the series, but Jamie graciously links EVERY other post and also the gallery of her wonderful project.

That was all I needed, y'all. The perfect inspiration to get me going through the TwoPeas online store for hours on end! Since we don't know the sex of our baby yet (and won't for MANY more weeks!), I wanted to pick a collection that would be beautiful for either a baby boy or a girl. I'm pretty dead set on this lovely new collection: Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper. I. Want. Every. Piece. :)

I'm also loving that she chose a mini-album instead of the typical 12x12 size. I used to love making minis, but I haven't made one in years! I'm planning on using an 8.5X11 size so that I will have more options using our home printer and typewriter.

I'm considering the idea of making this a hybrid album... slightly. I love the feel of real paper product in my hand. I think it's important to use my real handwriting more often than not in my projects. Here's the thing, I was just given a typewriter that I'm in love with! And chances are, I'm about to become very addicted to. I also love that using computer font gives you the opportunity to create your own journaling cards that all match and the font looks really clean.

I'll update you more as the album develops!

What about you? Did you make an album especially for your pregnancy? What did you make? I'd love to hear your comments!

Pardon Me, While I Rant

"Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that.”

It sounds like a quote from Zoolander, but in all seriousness it is a quote from Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries. And it has people talking. The loudest voice I have heard on the topic comes from those who are angry that he won't market to "fat chicks" as A&F refuses to carry anything over a size 10 in their women's department. Throwing it in America's face is rude, but it's capitalism at its finest and I'm not the only one who thinks so. 'A&F’s earnings have nonetheless increased for 52 straight quarters, excluding a one-time charge in 2004. “To me it’s the most amazing record that exists in U.S. retailing, period," says A.G. Edwards analyst Robert Buchanan.'

But don't stop reading just yet.
I don't and WON'T shop at A&F.
Here's why...

Where I grew up, individuals (or clones, rather) who wore A&F, in my opinion, were those individuals trying to buy style... and popularity. Stores like Abercrombie and Fitch kill individuality. It's a uniform for those wanting to be in with the "cool" group. It's boring. It's stereotyping. It's safe. (Did I mention crazy expensive?)
None of which I am.
Nor do I want my future children to be.

Also, crap like this-

...which is mild compared to many other advertisements they have out there. I don't think young boys should have to be exposed to these sexual time bombs on every wall or shopping bag in a store. (Don't even get me started on Victoria's not so Secret) Much less, I don't think young girls should be bombarded with the perception that this is not just okay, but this is normal.

The brand is also wayyy over sexualized. Which is fine is you're selling sexual things, I suppose, but they're selling Juniors clothes, people. This company is marketing and selling sex and idealistic beauty to kids- and these kids, and their enablers, are eating it up. Jefferies says, “That’s just so wrong!” “I think that what we represent sexually is healthy. It’s playful. It’s not dark. It’s not degrading! And it’s not gay, and it’s not straight, and it’s not black, and it’s not white. It’s not about any labels. That would be cynical, and we’re not cynical! It’s all depicting this wonderful camaraderie, friendship, and playfulness that exist in this generation and, candidly, does not exist in the older generation.”

Wait.
Could you repeat that last part for me again?
No labels? Depicting wonderful camaraderie?
But no fat chicks.

Anyway, back to my point.

As parents, why is this still allowed? What is the fear? Fear of not being loved by our children so we cave in and support a company that degrades women and over-stimulates our sons? Fear of our children not fitting in? Do we really want them to fit into this imaginary sex culture? I don't. I don't want my children to. I don't want your children to. I want this to end.

Let me share my mantra with you that is dearly close to my heart, "Own your life." As a nation, as a culture, let's get real. REALLY real. Stop photoshopping your eyes, your skin. You are beautiful. Work your assets. Stop pretending you're too busy to care about what's going on around you. Nothing is going to change until you open up your eyes and start owning who and what you are. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should stop waxing that moustache, Aunt Betty. Do what makes you feel beautiful in your own skin.

What I'm trying to stress is that I think the majority of people in America are unhappy. I think a lot of that has to do with living lives founded on media-based presumption and not doing or discovering what makes oneself truly happy. If you don't do what makes you happy, how will you get to know yourself? Do you know yourself? Do you love yourself?

Example.
Fact 1: My skin isn't perfect. The only time in my life that it has been since puberty is when I was taking a prescription medicine to make it look that way. Fact 2: I haaate the feel of foundation, concealer and most powders on my face, and yet, I started wearing them at age 11 because I felt like my face was ugly. I was told that my face was ugly. Fact 3: The day of my wedding, I quit taking the prescription and now I only wear a powder-based make up on very, very special occasions. I'd rather show the world my un-perfect skin than to perpetuate a feeling inside myself that I'm not good enough and to compound that by spackling my face.
This makes me happy.
This set me free.

At the end of the day, SOMEONE is always going to be mad, or offended, or just. not. like. you.

It won't last. And it definitely won't change until our culture changes. What is the first image that pops into your head when I say, "The Ideal Woman," or better, "The Ideal Man?" I'm not asking about the image that shows up about a half second after your conscience kicks in. Change starts at home. Own your life. And if you can't own it, change it.

 

What is your Ideal You?

 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

-BrittLeah

National Scrapbooking Day!

I was first introduced to scrapbooking through my best friend, Amy, (Who also introduced me to 4-H. Who would I BE without this girl??) and I've been scrapbooking now for 10 years... -wait- Am I that old?! ...Let's not go there... Through the years, I have very rarely been able to make the time to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day on its date. Almost always, the inspiration will hit me a few days later and I will kick myself because I didn't get to get in on the fun of all the challenges and giveaways! Well, this year, Two Peas has a wide array of challenges to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day and they are open for a full week! Hooray! That's perfect for a procrastinator like me! I've made three 12x12 layouts so far.

I even had enough time to make a card for Amy!

 

Are you participating in any crafty challenges? Were you lucky enough to win anything this year?

 

Happy Scrappin'!

-BrittLeah

Right Now...

I am getting amped up for summer.

Our little garden is in the ground and so far we have about a million little cucumber plants and not a pepper of any kind in sight... except the tabasco plants we bought 2 weeks ago. When we were out buying, we also picked up 8 tomato plants- 2 for our homemade upside-down, hanging planters and the other 6 for our raised bed. We are experimenting this year to see which kind of tomato is most compatible with our family.

Also this-

I've been eyeing the Smash* books for a while now. These are a great price and the embellishments and extras are perfect to go with the journal, but also for incorporating into other realms of scrapbooking. I finally decided I'd take the plunge and get one after thinking I needed something small to document our vacation and other summer adventures. And I'm so glad I did. I was hesitant because, like the rest of the world, I am notorious for buying something cool and never putting it to regular use. But, just let me tell you, this is EASY. The pages have the coolest pictures and quotes and the book comes with a pen that doubles as a glue stick! I love that the pages are already really nice looking, but if I want to extra embellishments I can. It also seems to be really sturdy. It's actually a spiral bound book once you open it up, but it is covered with a spine which I think looks much nicer and also protects the spiral from snags. We are planning on spending a lot of our time in the woods this summer and this size seems ideal and lightweight to carry. I've already created 2 pages since I bought my book last night!

Speaking of scrapbooking, I finally jumped on the Project Life train this year. I knew I would love Project Life the moment I saw the products, but I never would have thought how much! I am the type of scrapper that wants ever moment documented. I like to blame it on the little social anthropologist inside me. Does that make my scrapbooking MORE nerdy? haha Oh well. It's true. And I absolutely love Project Life. I was hoping that by starting PL I would have more time to catch up on old family photos and my random pictures of here and there. Now that I've started, I think I'd rather do a PL-type book for those as well. It's so fast and efficient. It can be as detailed or as minimal as you'd like. Did I mention I love it? I'll do my best to share some photos of what I've done so far on here. I continuously add to my spreads so I've been hesitant to share as I'm not sure I've considered any of them officially finished yet.

Only 4 1/2 more weeks of school left for us. Do you have any summer plans yet?

- BrittLeah