Chamomile Teething Tincture

I'm not sure about your house, but over here teething gets a lot uglier than this ---->

My son was getting three teeth at once and I had had no teething remedies in the house. What was I thinking? 

I wasn't!

Luckily he is a very sweet tempered baby, or I might have more gray hair. (did I just admit that?!)

I looked up herbal remedies for teething and found different tinctures were recommended. Have you ever bought one? They are expensive! So I took a leap and ventured to make my own, it's a LOT easier than it seems. Here's the recipe:

Chamomile Teething Tincture

1 oz. dried Chamomile. 

5 oz. Brandy

Mix together in a jar - let it sit for 3 weeks. Strain the chamomile through a thin cloth or cheesecloth.

Put it in an old container and pat your baby's gums with it when necessary. And there you have it, you made a tincture!

Wondering what the heck Chamomile is? I have to say it is one of my favorite herbs. After a long day there is nothing better than chamomile tea.

Chamomile has calming, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. You can tell after you've had a cup of tea. It's wonderful. I fall asleep faster, relax easier and simply LOVE the taste. 

Another cool thing? According to this book, it was recommended in 900 BC by Asclepiades, a physician skilled in using herbs. So long ago!


What else helps a teething baby or upset toddler?

Kids Rescue Remedy!

I held off for so long buying this because it really IS expensive...but I have to say it works. Now I just need to remind myself to give some to my toddler when she gets upset, and MYSELF when I get upset! It's a homeopathic remedy that uses herbs to calm the nerves. it's wonderful. 

I am simply amazed at God's goodness and divine providence. He has and always will provide all that need.  Thank you Lord. 

For further reading:

Hildegard's Healing Plants: From Her Medieval Classic Physica 

Growing 101 Herbs That Heal

Country Herbal - Lesly Gordon

Where to find Chamomile?

Most specialty stores should carry it or you can purchase some at Mountain Rose Herbs. They carry very tasty chamomile, I love it!

"Father, you told me, I have committed many errors, I have made so many mistakes.
I know, I replied. But God Our Lord, who also knows all that and has taken it into account, only asks you to be humble enough to admit it and asks that you struggle to make amends, so as to serve him better each day with more interior life, with continual prayer and with piety, and making use of the proper means to sanctify your work." - St. Josemaria Escriva

GIVEAWAY Winner

I entered the amount of entries in random.org and the lucky winner is comment number four!

Congratulations, Clare!

Clare, said "Hey! I gave a shout out to your blog and the giveaway on my fb page :)" 

 You will recieve your soap shortly. Thanks for participating in my first giveaway!

"Praise be to the Trinity,
who is sound and life
and creator of the very life that animates all things,
and who is praised by the angelic host,
and who radiates the marvel of secrets
that are unknown to men,
and who in all things is the life" 

- St. Hildegard of Bingen

7 Quick Takes Friday

Linked up over here!

---- 1 ----

I was shocked when I read the Supreme Court's decision,  Were you? Definitely a wake up call for me. Shows we can't pray enough!

---- 2 ----

On a happy note, have you read this incredible story? Chiara is a woman who sacrificed her life for her unborn baby. At least read what her husband said about her, it's incredible. Also, Fulton Sheen was declared a venerable! Yay!

---- 3 ----

Blogging is so much fun. I enjoy it so much that I will ignore the fact that I smell like baby vomit and dinner needs to be made, right now. Is there ever enough time to do what you love?

---- 4 ----

Last day to enter the GIVEAWAY for soap. There are only a few entries so you have a good chance of winning!

---- 5 ----

Check out the updated section on Saint Hildegard of Bingen. It's amazing how relatively obscure she has been for the past 800 years, her stuff is mind blowing! If her music interest you read this and listen to this:

---- 6 ----

Here is a clip from the movie, Finding Fatima. It's the story of the 8 Jesuit priest who survived the attack at Hiroshima, it's awesome!

---- 7 ----

What do you do when it rains all JUNE?!!?? We are tired of the rain and we get bored! 

------

God bless your day!

found here

Blood Sugar Woes. . .

Do you have blood sugar problems? I sure do. If I don't eat some protein or healthy fat every few hours I am exhausted, grumpy, impatient and jittery. I lose all patience for my children and start to blame my problems on the world around me. When in reality I simply need to eat some food!

Ever feel like this?

 I then get on this cycle: blood sugar dips, eat a quick snack, blood sugar rises, feel great, blood sugar dips, eat food and lose patience, blood sugar rises, feel great and happy, blood sugar dips,and that's it. At that point I am too exhausted to deal with every day life.

At first I just thought it was my problem, being grumpy and all. My cross in life. Well, yes and no. I can choose to "offer" it all up and still complain about how hard life is and how tired I am or I can offer it up and do something about it. 

I need to work on uniting my sufferings with Christ' sufferings, but I also need the humility to realize that I can and should do something for my blood sugar problems. This is taking care of myself.

What helps most with blood sugar regulation?

Healthy fats, healthy fats and healthy fats. I can't say it enough. Healthy fats are released slower into your body during digestion, therefore causing your insulin to regulate. If you eat enough with all of your meals your blood sugar will not dip. 

What are my favorite healthy fats? 

Coconut Oil - a super great fat but not everyone likes coconut oil. I understand!

Butter - yes, it's a healthy fat! Full of vitamin A. We eat lots of butter with our veggies. If you disagree, read this article. I used to eat margarine and avoid butter like the plague. It didn't do me any good!

Lard - yup, good 'ol pig fat! Turns out that it's full of vitamin D. We buy ours from a local pig farmer, it's very inexpensive and taste great! Read more about it here.

Nuts, cheese, avocado, extra virgin olive oil - these are the more obvious ones, I have to carry nuts in my purse. Because of that my kids love them!

I havn't always eaten heatlhy fats, in fact I avoided them for so long. Much to the detriment of my health. We had thousands of dollars in health bills those few years! I feel great when I eat better and my energy levels are amazing. Once I jump back on the vicious cycle of insulin rushes I get so down and grumpy, it's no fun! It takes a bit to recover and gain the extra motivation to eat more healthy fats. 

What does our typical day look like?

Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, butter and cream. Eggs with LOTS of butter and cheese, bacon, homemade sausages, sauteed spinach in butter.

Snack: Cheese, nuts, avocado, muffin loaded with butter.

Lunch: Leftover meat, some veggies fried in lard or butter,  raw milk.

Snack: Nuts, carrots and hummus, cheese, tomatos in olive oil, raw milk, fruit, full fat yogurt.

Dinner: Meat with all the fat, veggies and tons of butter or lard, rice with butter, potatoes cooked in lard. Beans with sour cream or cheese.

Snack: Popcorn with coconut oil or butter, celery and peanut butter, full fat yogurt and honey, fruit.

Every day is different but what is not different is the amount of fat I need for my blood sugar. Anytime I stray from eating this much fat I can tell a huge difference in my energy level and mood. On another note, butter is so tasty I don't mind eating so much! Just ask Julia Child, she will tell you all about butter!

For further reading:

Stomp The Weight Loss Accelerator Using Coconut Oil - Healthy Home Economist

Good Fats, Bad Fats, and Why I eat plenty of Butter - Keeper of the Home

Why You Need to Eat More Lard - Rodale

Books on the topic:

The Coconut Oil Miracle - Bruce Fife

Eat Fat, Lose Fat: - Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

Let me know your tips on how to deal with Blood Sugar problems! 

Real Food Cart

Curious as to what's happening in the Real Food World?

Make sure to check out these post:

Gluten Free Carrot Cake - The Healthy Home Economist

GAPS Grilling! Barbecued Ribs - The Well Fed Homestead

Top 10 Reasons I'm Not Paleo - Cheeseslave

Easy Fajita Chicken - Wellness Mama

Cucumber Mint Water - Food Renegade

Strawberry Fool (Strawberry Whipped Cream) - The Nourishing Gourmet

Our Morning Vegetable Juice in the Blender - Passionate Homemaking

Easy, Blended Lemonade - Cool, refreshing and GAPS Friendly - Health, Home and Happiness

Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Butter Cream Sauce - The Unrefined Kitchen

Why We should all be connected to the Earth - Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Pesto Time - The Nourishing Cook
Fat Tuesday - Real Food Forager 

I will be featuring the "Real Food Cart" once a week. If you would like your real food article featured, please contact me. Thank you and God bless your day!

"Eat in faith from the body of God, who is the true medicine, drink in hope from the wine which is the cup of salvation, and be inebraited with love for Our Lord." - St. Hildegard 

 From Saint Hildegard's Kitchen: Foods of Health, Foods of Joy

Welcome back, VHS!

We can't afford cable.

We got tired of paying $17 a month for Netflix.

Redbox' selection is poor and their prices are going up.

And frankly, we would rather use our television to watch movies instead renting from amazon!

Our solution?

Hello VHS!!

Our thrift store has hundreds of quality VHS's. Why not go this route?

Cost breakdown:

VHS player: $7

Videos above: $5 total
Quality entertainment: $12

It's the way to go! 

Do you watch all the extra features that come with a DVD anyways? Most of us don't have time, we simply watch the movie!

I will see you later because I am going to watch Thomasina with my daughter. Talk about good quality entertainment!  

The Family

I am so proud of my family, I can't contain it. My parent's sacrificed and sacrificed to make ends meet, and yet they were always open to life. What a witness. Thank you Mom and Dad. 

Click on the picture to read a bit about my wonderful parents and siblings:

"Happy is the man who has
his quiver full of them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

 - Psalm 127:5

Make sure to enter in the GIVEAWAY for RootsSoapCo Soaps!

Herb Spot: Lemon Balm

If you want to start an herb garden, start with Lemon Balm. You can basically neglect it and it will still grow! It will grow in the shade, sun, in a pot and even with the weeds!

My first experience with Lemon Balm was when a friend brought me her handcrafted, backyard tea. It makes the best tea!! Since then I have been in love and planted my own.

After a little research, I found that Lemon Balm is a great stress reliever. YAY! Not only does it taste great, it helps soothe the mind.  It's beneficial for winter illnesses, children's overall health, the digestive tract and a boost for the immune system. ALL in one plant! It's like God telling us, "I got this, just use what I give you!" hehe.

You can buy a plant at almost any nursery or you can buy the dried herb from a wonderful herb company.

Amazon also carries Lemon Balm tea! I have not tried this brand, but I'm sure it's wonderful.

Want to know who else has something to say about Lemon Balm?? 

St. Hildegard of Bingen!

I found the recipe below in the book, Saint Hildegard's Kitchen. I have yet to try it, so if you do let me know how it taste!

Lemon Balm Soother

Take 1 part lemon balm to 3 parts fennel leaves, boil together in water, strain out the plants, and drink the remaining liquid. This is an elixir used to combat mental confusion. Lemon balm reduces the effects of harmful humors and prevents them from gaining the upper hand, says Hildegard. The juice from the fennel plant puts the person in a proper, cheerful mood!

If you haven't already, enter to win 4 bars of handmade soap, they are lovely!

“Prayer is the best weapon we possess, the key that opens the heart of God.”

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Roots Soap Co Sponsor

One of my dearest friends is a soap maker. She uses her mother's recipes to create the best  soap you'll ever use. They lather well, last forever and smell heavenly!

She makes all of the soap in her own little kitchen with two little one's running around. (and one in the oven!)

Make sure to check out her etsy shop and her facebook page. It really helps support this wonderful, Catholic family. If you are getting married make sure to look at the wedding favors, they are beautiful! 

She is always so gracious in giving away soap when someone is interested or simply because! During the Christmas season RootsSoapCo donates heavily to local families in need. Anna has the biggest heart and refuses her love to no one!  (and I know she will cringe when she reads this, she's also very humble!)   

Can you tell I love bragging about my friends? I love her business and I love her. In fact, Darren and Anna are my son's Godparents, they are that awesome. :)

Selling soap together at a street fair last summer

Pouring the oils into the mix

Biking down to the post office to deliver the packages of soap. These are her two beautiful children.

They smell as good as they look!

On another note, come join me over here at GAPS legal Thursdays. Have a good day! 

When I am weak . . .

Does your kitchen look like this? 

 . . . because this is my kitchen!!!

I can make all these wonderful post about what I do in my perfect little kitchen but it wouldn't be real. This is what my kitchen looks like most of the time.

I am always weak and I always need help in the kitchen.

Underneath the little picture of St. Gianna (above) says, "One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving." -St. Gianna. 

It's so true! Suffering can also include the dishes and the dreaded laundry. In fact, those are my sufferings. I dream of being a missionary and going back to the days of doing pro-life work. But for now, this is my suffering and boy does it stink.

It's the silent suffering that only God knows about. It's this vocation of motherhood that I have chosen, and it is really hard.

I  have realized that it's OK to ask for help when I am weak.

My mom was just talking to me about being a supermom. She said the idea that we have to be a supermom is worldly and ridiculous. We are not supermoms, and neither should we strive to be one. We are weak and need help from those around us. Being a wife and mother is hard and it's absolutely necessary to ask for help.

 What do I need when I am weak?

 I need strength to make better choices regarding what I eat and feed my family. 

I need help in the kitchen to make better foods for my family.

How do I get this help?

 I have to ask for it. I can't expect my husband (or children) to read my mind.

I have to be specific. If I need the dishes done, I can't assume my husband knows that, I have to say it!

I need courage to say no to foods that make me tired and grumpy. For me this is sugar and gluten. 

I need humility to realize that I have to take care of my health. I have different food needs and I cannot ignore or pretend that things are different.

How do I get all these things that I need?  

I pray. 

In fact,

I cannot afford not to pray. I have to make those dishes and laundry a prayer and a sacrifice. It's what gives me the strength to get through.

"With God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26

Linking up at Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, and Real Food Wednesdays

Saving Lives . . . ONE sacrifice at a time . . .

I had to share this video. The inspiration almost brought me to tears! My husband and I met walking across the country with Crossroads - the grassroots organization that spreads the Gospel message of life. This is a video of the walkers on the Northern walk.

(read all about it here)

This video adds a lot of humor to the walk . . . mostly because it's the hardest thing you'll ever do! (and you need humor to get you through all the blisters and pain!) 

If you feel inspired, say a prayer for these guys. If you feel really inspired, share the video, get on your knees and pray the rosary for women in crisis pregnancies, they need you!

God bless your day!

 

{this moment} 

 

. . . . . . .

 A weekly ritual. A single photo -  capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . 

Nana is here to visit and she is helping me plant a vegetable garden! I am richly blessed with the most wonderful mother! She comes to visit from 3000 miles away to serve. I love her!

{this moment} was inspired by a wonderful mama blogger.

If you feel inspired to do the same please leave a comment! 

Have you seen "For Greater Glory?" I hear it's all the rage! My sister wrote a review on it, make it an excuse to go on a date!

"Go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift."

- Matthew 5:20-26

Comfrey for Broken Bones

My first post on healing herbs! Stay tuned for many more.

Last night my only Grandmother got in a car accident. It was a scare for sure! She is just fine but landed herself a broken hand and stitches on her elbow. Thank the Lord the is ok!

So what can we do about a broken hand? 

...

Hello, Comfrey!

isn't she beautiful? :)

My mother happens to be visiting her this week and called me to look up this healing herb. God is so incredibly thoughtful when he provided these herbs for us. Not only are they beautiful, they will help our bodies heal themselves. Perfect and VERY intelligently designed. Thank you Lord.

Comfrey can be used topically for inflammation, pain and wound healing. It has been considered to help the knitting together of bones in cases of fractures.

If you have the flower in your yard, awesome. If you don't - you can purchase it in a tincture and apply it to your broken bone. Call your local health food store. Most likely they will carry it. 

It can also be taken internally for gastrointestinal, respiratory and gynaecological concerns.

Does this make you wonder at the glory of God? It sure makes me stand in awe. Because of Comfrey, my Grandmother Ruth will heal faster and be comforted by God's divine providence. 

"Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;
the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
Tremble, and sin not;
reflect, upon your beds, in silence."

- Psalm 4 

(this is not medical advice, simply sharing) 

Coconut Lemon Meltaways

My dear sister wrote out this recipe and mailed it to me. Don't you love getting snail mail? Such a simple joy in life! She LOVES these cookies and I am going to make them for a friend's baby shower. Let me know if you try them too! (She said they literally melt in your mouth)

Coconut Lemon Meltaways

Makes 22-24 cookies

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 c. Almond Flour

1 1/2 c. Dried Shredded Coconut

1/3 c. Coconut Flour

2 big pinches of sea salt

    Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.

Wet Ingredients

6 T. Honey

4 T. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 T. Lemon Zest

Mix together with mixer or food processor. Slowly pour wet ingredients into dry mix until well incorporated.

Mix in:

1/4 c. and 1 T. melted coconut oil.

Form small balls of batter and warm the oven to 170 degrees. Bake cookies for 1 hour, then chill another hour before eating. ENJOY!!

She found the recipe  here. 

"Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm."

- Psalm 98

Happy Feast Day!

There is cause for celebrating for today is the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ!

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you - for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart...don't listen to the demon, laugh at him, and go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace and love...
...Receive Communion often, very often...there you have the sole remedy, if you want to be cured. Jesus has not put this attraction in your heart for nothing..."

- St. Therese of Lisieux

I don't even know where to being to say how grateful I am for the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Nothing good I have done in my life is from my own accord. Our Lord sustains and protects me at every moment - through the gift of Himself - the Body and Blood of Our Lord. We are SO incredibly blessed to have the privilege of receiving Him whenever we please! I get a bit overwhelmed simply thinking about that, it's such an incredible mystery of our Catholic faith. 

Enjoy this Eucharistic hymn while you browse the net on this wonderful Feast Day . . . 

Keeping to my blog theme I would like to share some thoughts by St. Hildegard:

“Therefore the same power of the Most High which produced the flesh in the womb of the virgin causes, at the words of the priest, the bread and wine offered on the alter to be changed into the sacrament of his Body and Blood. This happens in such a way that the birth, the passion, the burial, the resurrection and the ascension  of the Son of the most high Father  appears in the same sacrament as the circle of a coin reveals its Lord.”  

-          St. Hildegard of Bingen, text taken from this book.

How do you celebrate feast days such as today?