I'm proud of the GREENING of New York State education!

In an email newsletter that I subscribe to, I was happy to learn that the Child Safe Playing Fields Act has gone into effect!

This Act was signed into law last year, by then governor David Patterson, and I urge you to read it. It is a simple four page law preventing ALL K-12 schools and ALL daycare centers from using pesticides on "any playgrounds, turf, athletic or playing fields". Spokespeople for the Education Department and Environmental Protection agency have translated "turf" to mean any grass surface (including front lawns). Please make sure to discuss this with your child's school or childcare center to ensure that they're aware - and have begun to enact this law.

If there is any question in your mind about the hazards of pesticides and what dangers your child can face if exposed, please visit Organic. It's Worth It. and read up on Pesticides 101. If you don't feel like clicking yet another link - we are busy, busy, busy - I'll give you a synopsis:

What human health problems are associated with pesticide exposure?
-Lower IQs
-ADHD
-Cancer
-Developmental disorders 
-Reproductive disorders
-Parkinson’s disease 
-Autism

"Lunchables"

With the Monkey starting at Our World Montessori next month I'm on the hunt for eco-friendly, stainless steel and glass (BPA Free, of course) lunch accessories. I've stumbled upon some great sites and am now armed with more information than I think I can sqeeze into this already overflowing-with-nonsense noggin. The best compilation of information came from Simple Kids in their aricle "Head of the Class: Eco-Friendly Lunch Containers for a Smarter Planet".

Of course, if you don't know what to pack on any given day (Okay... night. Let's get real. There's just no time in the morning.) be sure to visit Made Your Lunch which has a boatload of creative lunch ideas for you to pack that are healthy, balanced, and just obscure enough to draw attention from the other moms/kids.

Easter Naturally - From "A-List Mom"

A-List Mom, Copyright Mamalista LLC, is a daily email that I SUBSCRIBE to, and you should too!

"A-List Mom" describes their service as "a free daily email that brings news of the coolest products to service babies, tykes, tots and mamas right to your inbox". I love it. Sometimes the products are way out of my price range, and they do not always showcase eco-friendly items... but other times they are right on the mark. Take, for example, this email:

This Easter, you’ve resolved to be more healthy, so nothing but natural dyes will be touching those eggs or baby fingers. But wait: Says here you need orange peels, carrot tops, celery seed, ground cumin, ground turmeric, chamomile tea, green tea...and that’s just to make yellow. Before you throw in the towel, check out the Eco-Eggs Easter Egg Coloring Kit by Eco Kids. 

The Eco-Eggs kit comes in a cute egg carton with three capsules of dye (orange, blue and purple), a chart for making six colors, decorating instructions and two soy crayons. With natural dyes made from ingredients like blueberries, sweet potato, paprika and cabbage, the Eco-Eggs kit takes the chopping, dicing and boiling frustration out of DIY dye, so all you’re left with is fun.






(I don't properly know how to credit third parties for information, as I'm new to blogging. If you can provide me with help, I'd appreciate it.)

Vacation Naturally, the WOHM way.

We are going on vacation, leaving right after work on Friday. We're headed to Myrtle Beach, SC and will be back on Easter Sunday. I've been packing for two days and am almost finished. There are a few items that I think are natural vacation staples, and wanted you to know about them:

1. For the ride down/back as well as on the beach snacking I swear by HappyTOT pouches. Okay, I always have them on stock for mornings that we're running late... and I always have one in my diaper bag, just in case. HappyTOT pouches are BPA free, USDA Certified Organic and only cost $0.89 or so (for about 4.25oz of pureed fruits/veggies). I choose them over other brands because they have added protein (Omega 3) and fiber. Plus, they are available in a variety of delicious flavors like: Sweet Potato/Apple/Cinnamon and Spinach/Mango/Pear. You can easily score these at Target, BuyBuy Baby and your local grocery store, as well as online.

2. Instead of purchasing cheap toxic chemical laden plastic beach toys made somewhere without regulations, I opted for the Phthalate & BPA free Sand PlaySet from Green Toys, Inc. All of their products are made in America (California) from 100% recycled Milk Jugs! They use minimal packaging that is, of course, completely recyclable and contains no plastic. In addition, they have no coating... and therefore, no lead paint. I read reviews on Amazon.com and people had this for 3+ years with no cracking, fading, etc. which makes the $19.99 stickers all the more appealing. Again, these are readily available at BuyBuy Baby, Barnes & Noble and oOdles of online retailers.

3. SUNSCREEN!!! I urge you to read this article before purchasing your sunscreen for the season. There are a variety of different mineral based options (zinc & titanium - which provide a physical barrier to the sun as opposed to a chemical block which is absorbed into your skin, iCk!) that are available for you at the places that you normally shop with prices to fit every budget. You have a wide selection to choose from including some from Alba Botanica, Avalon Organics, Aveeno, even Johnson & Johnson.

[I also had to pack a pair of Vegan Danskos (in Volley Blue) for all of the walking (ahem... chasing) that I'll be doing. They look super cute with jeans and cargo shorts.]

If you have natural summer staples, please share!!!

Is "the WOHM way" natural enough?

People always ask if Living Naturally is an all or nothing deal. Do they have to be avid composters, follow the slow food movement, wear only hemp and use crystal deodorant... The answer, very simply put, is NO! In order to Live Naturally - the WOHM way - you must make smart choices with the time and money that you have. You must feel comfortable with your purchases, the products that you use and the food that you consume. More importantly, you need to know what you DON'T feel comfortable with and then try to make small changes until you do. Take tonight's dinner for example:

After getting home from work, Natural Dad took the Monkey out to play in the backyard and I got started on making something to eat. I have been craving Mexican food all day, but knew that I didn't have the time to make a full meal before it was bedtime (read: before Monkey collapsed in a fit of tears). I grabbed the quickest food possible to make as healthy of a meal as possible.

1. Mexican Rice (not natural)

2. Tortillas (kind of natural)

3. Dry taco seasoning (natural)

4. Beef (really natural)



The Mexican Rice is not only made by an extremely commercial brand, but it's microwaveable (steam-in-a-bag) and I can only pronounce three or four things on the package. NOT NATURAL - but inexpensive and cooks in 60 seconds. Sometimes, sanity and a quick meal is an appropriate trade off. I'm still looking for something similar in a nontoxic version (suggestions?).

The Tortillas, while whole wheat - KIND OF NATURAL- 3g of fiber and only 170 calories, are also a big name brand and have funky stuff in the ingredients. I'm a fan of "Flatouts", but they are thick like bread (not good for tacos) and I couldn't find any at the market the last time I was there.

Shockingly, the dry taco seasoning is NATURAL. Please read the ingredients when picking up a packet of this stuff. You want, for $0.59 or less, a simplified version of mixing up your own spices for the nights that you don't have time. All you should see is pepper, salt, onion, garlic, etc. There are some choices out there that have tons of preservatives and gunk in there. Pass it up... I find that store brands are often the most natural.

The thinly sliced, top round of beef is REALLY NATURAL. Our local grocery store puts out a line of "Nature's Place" food. This is a generic label for all natural, organic food for the budget-conscious. This beef is organic, free range; has no antibiotics, no hormones, no fillers, etc. It's only $6.99/lb and cooks up super fast. Please note: for the vegetarians, I've noted that Morningstar Farms Soy Crumbles is a more than appropriate option.

I sliced up the beef, tossed it in a large skillet with some EVOO over Med/High heat until it was mostly cooked. I sprinkled the entire taco seasoning packet on top and stirred in 3/4 cup of water. That cooked for five minutes while I thinly sliced a tiny yellow onion and opened a bag of frozen diced green peppers. After adding both of those to the pan and giving it a quick stir, I popped the rice bag in the microwaved and nuked it for 60 seconds (I did say that the rice was NOT NATURAL, right?). A quick warm of the tortillas, and I plated it up. I did add a dollop of Sour Cream and some shredded cheese that I had gotten at the Farmer's Market. All in all, my sort-of-natural dinner - the WOHM way - was finished in under 15 minutes and we all loved it.

How did this happen?

I was raised by a SAHM (stay at home mom).

My husband (Natural Dad) was raised by a SAHM.

I had always planned on being a SAHM.

Things changed.

I wake up when I hear my son (Monkey) in the monitor. I can't seem to drop the habit of snoozing the alarm for over an hour - wearing mascara daily isn't more enticing than more sleep. I give him the 15 minutes of nursing he needs in order to be a functioning human (I liken it to a cup of coffee for me) and then it's time to really get up. I somehow manage to get him ready, get myself ready, get the dog ready and get out the door on time (or no more than 10 minutes late) every day. I make the drive to my son's "school", emotionally wrestle with the dropoff and race to work. After pounding away at the daily grind I make the drive to my son's "school", physically wrestle with the pickup and race home. I attempt to get everyone fed, including the dog. There needs to be adequate family/play time before bed and if I can get the little one bathed it's a successful night. After the 15 minutes of nursing he needs in order to get to sleep (I liken it to a glass of wine for me) I tuck him in for the night and then I get to work. In addition to trying to squeeze in all of the things around the house that need to be done, I'm an adult learner - I'm a matriculated student at a State University and I take online classes. I also try to socialize, leave room for hobbies, be a wife (this requires work, too) and watch some TV. Sleep is limited, but precious... hence the snoozing.

I'm a WOHM (work out of home mom).

This blog came about when I realized that I was raising my son the way that I had always intentioned, in modern fashion. I've made some adjustments so that implementing my natural living plan works for my family and my lifestyle. I call it "Living Naturally, the WOHM way". It will chronicle the compromises that I make, and the tiny steps that I take to live naturally with the time that I have. It will also touch on the choices that I've had to make that were not so natural, and I hope to get valuable advice in return. I  know that there are other moms out there that are struggling, too. I hope this speaks to you.