Making Myself A Healthier Life

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

 So yeah, it's 4 am and I'm sitting here eating a brownie and thinking about healthier living. Yeah, a bit counter productive. Not feeling very good though. I've really cut back a lot lately though and I'm proud of me. My ultimate goal will be to cut out all processed foods and make everything I possibly can. I am well aware this is a daunting task, especially being a single mom who will likely soon be working full time. (Finding a job I can take the kiddo with!) But hey, why couldn't I do it? It's only our health.

 Starting next week I'm going to be blogging about adding in healthier practices to my life. I'm going to be adding in even more healthy personal care to my routine.

I already-

• Use baking soda in place of shampoo
• Use apple cider vinegar in place of conditioner
• Use coconut oil in place of hair styling products
• Clean my face with coconut oil/grapeseed extract/orange eo mix
• Use cloth pads for my period

I will be adding in homemade, healthier-

• Mouthwash
• Toothpaste
• Body wash
• Deodorant
• Hand soap

And I will also be oil pulling with coconut oil.

In the future I plan to add-

• Dishwasher soap
• Laundry soap
• Un-paper towels
• Cloth toilet paper
• Cloth napkins
• Cloth tissues

I think the most "weird" of all these for people is the cloth toilet paper. For me, I use cloth pads and used cloth diapers with Emmy so it's really not that much of a farfetched idea. I will be using a peri bottle (like you come home with after a vaginal birth) in conjunction with the cloths. They will go in a special lidded bin beside the toilet. I will also have actual toilet *paper* for visitors who wish to use it.  

I'm looking into a Y membership. I'm going to see how much assistance I can get for Emmy and I towards the membership because I think it would be a great benefit to us both. 

So yeah. I'll get there. I AM getting there. It's a work in progress, not an overnight change. Wish me luck!!

Yes, I am crazy.... Making a sweet heart bodice pattern

So I volunteered to make my 13 year old cousin a dress for her upcoming dance. She and her mom sent me several pictures and then we went to the store and chose McCall's pattern M6893.

The next weekend we went to Joann's. She decided she wanted the dress with the 3/4 length sleeved lace overlay and without the ruffles on the skirt. We searched through fabric for two hours until she decided she wanted it in navy kind of like this.

When we got home I decided to go ahead and test out the bodice pattern. The results about made me want to puke almost. What had I gotten myself into? She was so tiny the pattern didn't fit at ALLLLLLLL.

So I jumped online looking for ways to shrink the pattern. Of course there is nothing so I realize I must make my own pattern. I'm going to try to go over how I made it, mostly so I can remember if I ever need it again and maybe it will help someone else.

How I made a sweetheart bodice pattern:

What you will need-

• Normal sewing stuffs (Sewing machine, scissors, coordinating thread)
• Lots of cheap fabric to test your pattern with. A yard or two will work. Maybe you will be luckier and not need as much as I did. Cotton is easiest to sew. Do NOT use your dress fabric.
• Hem gauge
• Some kind of paper to draw your patterns on. I use freezer paper so you can iron the wax side onto the fabric and don't need to pin it. (You're welcome for that tip!)
• Pencil. Don't use a pen like I did.
• The bra you will be wearing with your finished dress.

I'm not going to really tell you how to make a finished garment, this is just how I made my pattern. You can use this pattern to make whatever you like, maybe even a corset.

I found this nifty post on Anny Clark's blog. I put in all the measurements it asks for (make sure to click away from the input box after each entry) and started drawing it out. Your bra needs to be on for these measurements.

After a bit I decided I didn't barely understand a thing with this without pictures to go off of. I started to go searching for a YouTube video. I found this one. I used it in conjunction with the measurements from the spreadsheet. 

Somehow it worked mostly... The front I got on the first try, just about. The sides I had to redo a few times. Just added a little here and there, holding it up against her and looking. I made about 3 samples of the sides before I got it right.

I actually ended up using part of the back from the original pattern to make the back of my pattern. This is one way you can do it. Sew the front and sides together from your pattern that you have made. Measure from the top corner of the side to the middle of you/her back on the top. That's your top measurement. Then, measure from the bottom corner of your side piece. Finally, measure from the top measurement to the bottom. Take your side piece edge measurements and make it your blue measurement. Now you should have an odd shaped rectangle.

Sew it all together. Front, sides, back. Might want to use basting stitches (Your longest straight stitch on you machine and don't back stitch at all) because you're going to be pulling it apart a lot. Add a little here and there. Take some away. One you get it perfect, take it all apart. Trace very carefully around your pattern pieces. Then add a seam allowance. This video will help tell you how. Standard seam allowance is 1/2 in but check your specific pattern. This lady works in cm.

After this is done and you've gotten your pattern cut out you need to test your pattern once last time. Use the video to know how to sew them together.

Sew it all together and try it all on. Remember you need to have on the bra you're planning to wear with the dress this pattern is for. It should overlap about a half an inch or a little more on the back. If it all looks good, you're done! If it isn't... go tweak it just a little. You're almost there!

Congrats! You made a pattern! I hope I didn't muddle that up too much. If you have any questions you can comment and I'll do my best to answer it. I'm no magician. I'm just figuring it out as I go too.  :-)  Will post more as I get the actual dress made for my cousin.

Testing Out Colgate's New Whitening Pen!

I signed up for Influenter and shortly after was eligible for the Influenster VoxBox for the new Colgate Whitening Pen. Was super excited because I had been thinking of trying to whiten my teeth anyway. I had neglected myself a bit in the stresses of the last few years and wanted to wipe it away a bit. The claim for noticeable whitening in two days seemed a little far fetched but I was certainly willing to give it a try.

When I received my box in the mail it contained toothpaste and a toothbrush containing the whitening pen. After reading the easy instructions I brushed my teeth and applied the whitening gel to my teeth. The gel has a slightly minty flavor that's not at all unpleasant. One thing I did notice is that the whitening gel make my lips slightly numb but it didn't last long and wasn't too bad. It did make my lips super soft though!

Not too long, I noticed a big change in my teeth. My smile was whiter and I felt more confident. I had tried Crest Whitening Strips a few years previous and I still cringe at the thought of how sensitive they made my teeth. They also didn't work. I have noticed absolutely no sensitivity or pain from this toothbrush/whitening gel/toothpaste system. Love it!

I think my biggest suggestion would be to not use the whitening gel on an empty stomach. The one time I did I got slightly nauseous.

Really thankful for the chance I was given to try this! Thanks Influenster!

Society and Conceite and Self-love

Something that's really been weighing on my mind lately... That line between pride/self-loving, and being conceited. I'm reading a book about self affirmations and healing your body, mind, and spirit through them. This sparked a huge thought chain.

Our society is so focused on perfection and it is really bringing us down as a species. It is definitely true for me. Physically, a lot of this is having grown up with a mom who struggled with her weight and body image which led back to people in her life desiring perfection in her. Mentally, I find trouble due to a teacher I had in elementary school who wouldn't accept anything less than perfection either. It really pushed me to expand my boundaries, but in a more militant fashion and not a place of loving and learning through mistakes. Spiritually, I have been beat down due to the way society looks at women as a lesser to men. Almost every religion places men at the head, the one to make all final decisions, who leads with pride and chest beating and grunting. Religion has had a huge impact on society thinking.

I was in an abusive marriage to a man who was abused growing up and only saw women treated,  and was treated as a child, as he treated me. Part of the failure of our marriage was due to the cycle of abuse that has come down through his family generation after generation. Part of it is I was taught, as was he, that women are second to men. In the end I left because I have a strong family who gave me a safe way out and I didn't want this cycle to continue in my daughter's life- the cradle to the grave abuse.

That is only the background for my Journey now.

It is so hard for me to speak affirmations to myself. I find there is a pride > excitement > fear of conceitedness > doubt cycle going through my mind. Society. It's thoughts are so built into us. It's not ok by Social Standards for people to be openly proud and self-loving, at least very often, because of conceite, jealousy, and the desire for acceptance. It does not stick to the uniformity that has been built into us as human beings.

So now I find myself searching for a way to cleanse myself of Society's thoughts. I don't want anyone to tell me what I need to do to accomplish. That's more Society in this case. This is a personal Journey. I want to see myself as less of a caretaker, nurturer, one who lives to care for others. I also KNOW I am not conceited or looking for Society's acceptance. I am more, but what?

This is not about me being a better parent, sister, daughter, lover, or friend. It's about being a better human being for myself. I am aware this will have an affect on every single person around me but whether it's positive or negative is up to them. That's what needs to be focused on. Stop being better for everyone else, be better for you and that will bring better to you.

Because One Small Kindness Can Save The World...

I Have Done SomethingI looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. And I was angry.
"God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment, and then He spoke softly, "I have done something," he replied. "I created you."-- Author Unknown"Saving the life of one animal may not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one animal"

Dawn on Day 1

Last year, in February 2012, mom found Dawn. She was the beginning. There have been babies we've cared for and love for nearly my entire life who we have rescued and kept, passed on for another family to love or, on a few sad instances, helped to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Dawn was different. She challenged mom even more. She was the spark that lit her fire. Right there that day, Fighting For Dawn began.

Dawn 2.5 weeks later

Through much hard work, and much help from others too, Mom was able to make Fighting For Dawn an official animal rescue foundation at the end of last year, 2012. FFD has helped so many animals since it's very beginning with Dawn, then Martin, and on and on. At last count there were 21 directly through our family alone, about 14 in other rescues. FFD has reached out and help so many animals and opened so many hearts to the love an animal can bring- and the love my mom taught me growing up as a rescuer. I can't imagine any other upbringing.

Dawn 3 months later...

If I could count the number of animals the love my parents has helped, I'd be counting for days. I can't remember the endless number of animals we've helped- either transporting on a leg of their trip across the country; bottle feeding an orphaned baby; bandaging wounds of hit, beaten, and even shot animals; sometimes just holding them as they crossed the Rainbow Bridge (because no one should ever die alone and feeling unloved). We're going to have a serious herd of animals coming to greet us when we cross over the Rainbow Bridge. The love and compassion my parents have taught me towards life has made me a better person and a better mother.

The Queen now!

Then there are you guys. You have helped us monetarily, with food, with old blankets and bedding, with transport, with medication and vitamins, and even with your heartfelt prayers. Your words of encouragement are like gold. Without all of you there would be no Fighting For Dawn. We couldn't do this without you. Dawn is the heart and the purpose but you are the lifeblood. I've met such nice and amazing people through this dream come true. There are truly no words I can express to say how much you mean to us- to me. I know you don't see me as much, Dawn's Oldest Sister, but still... I'm forever grateful for each and every single one of you.

And now we're an official, licensed rescue. We received our license just today. So many years, tears, and lives saved and our dream has come true. Mom's biggest dream. Now we can help even more and reach out even farther. Our hearts are joyous and overflowing. What happy, fantastic, amazing day.



Love from all of us-

Denise, David, Elizabeth, Hannah, Charlie, Emmy, and, of course, Dawn.

Run, Ellie, RUN!

"Make yourself proud of yourself."

I ran today. Not far, about .6 of a mile, but enough. I also walked about 1.5 miles. All that matters is that I did my best. It'll get easier as I run. I will do this. I will do this. I WILL DO THIS.

And I know I can.

The day ended snuggled up with Elmer at mom's then going home and nursing Emmy to sleep. She looks so peaceful I think I'm going to join her. Goodnight!

Tell Me A Bob Story!

Emma GoldmanNo one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.

Once upon a time the was a boy named Bob. His best friend was Susie. He had a cat named Melody Pond. He lived in a house with his mommy.

One morning he woke up and Melody was between his pillow. She reach over and popped him on the head. He jumped up scared, he didn't know what that was! He smiled when he saw it was Melody. He scooped her up and she layed in his arms.

Emmy told me this story tonight while nursing. It was so sweet. Usually I tell the story but her's was much sweeter. These are such cherished memories.

Earlier today we also colored. That was lots of fun! She'd pick the page and color crayon and I'd color what she pointed to! Times like this are important to us both.

I love this baby girl.