Brookie-Lee

<< 1 2 3 >>

Vaccination Laws in Kansas City

Posted on September 11, 2012 by bleeglaser

Below are the immunization laws for Missouri and Kansas along with the religious exemption forms or procedures for school aged children, who go to school. As a homeschooling parent I don’t see how this applies to our family at all now. Our children aren’t in child care and don’t attend public or private school so if I understand correctly they aren’t required, by law, to be immunized. I had a mama ask me about the laws and forms today and thought I would post this in case anyone would like the information. Initially my husband and I were going to do a delayed schedule of vaccinations starting when my son’s immune system was established at age 3 and then spread them out so his system wouldn’t be inundated. That was also going to give us more time to study the diseases to see which ones we thought were worth getting the vaccine for. My son is seven and so far we have not vaccinated any of our children.

Missouri Immunization Law Review

“Immunization of the person seeking to attend school may not be required prior to attendance at the school, if a notarized affidavit on a prescribed form stating that immunization is contrary to the religious tenets and practices of the signer is submitted to the school administrator. A child in a day care program shall be exempt from immunization requirements if the child’s parent or guardian files a written objection to immunization with the day care administrator. Exemptions shall be accepted by the day care administrator when the necessary information as determined by the department of health and senior services is filed with the day care administrator by the parent or guardian. Exemption forms shall be provided by the department of health and senior services. Medical exemptions are also allowed.” Source

Chapter 167
Pupils and Special Services
Section 167.181 link

1. The department of health and senior services, after consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education, shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the immunization against poliomyelitis, rubella, rubeola, mumps, tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria, and hepatitis B, to be required of children attending public, private, parochial or parish schools. Such rules and regulations may modify the immunizations that are required of children in this subsection. The immunizations required and the manner and frequency of their administration shall conform to recognized standards of medical practice. The department of health and senior services shall supervise and secure the enforcement of the required immunization program.

2. It is unlawful for any student to attend school unless he has been immunized as required under the rules and regulations of the department of health and senior services, and can provide satisfactory evidence of such immunization; except that if he produces satisfactory evidence of having begun the process of immunization, he may continue to attend school as long as the immunization process is being accomplished in the prescribed manner. It is unlawful for any parent or guardian to refuse or neglect to have his child immunized as required by this section, unless the child is properly exempted.

3. This section shall not apply to any child if one parent or guardian objects in writing to his school administrator against the immunization of the child, because of religious beliefs or medical contraindications. In cases where any such objection is for reasons of medical contraindications, a statement from a duly licensed physician must also be provided to the school administrator.

Missouri Immunization Exemption Forms

Kansas Immunization Law Review

“Submit a written statement signed by a parent that the parent is an adherent of a religious denomination whose teachings are opposed to immunizations. Medical exemptions are also allowed. ” Source

Chapter 72
Health Programs
Section 9.72-5209 link

(a) In each school year, every pupil enrolling or enrolled in any school for the first time in this state, and each child enrolling or enrolled for the first time in a preschool or day care program operated by a school, and such other pupils as may be designated by the secretary, prior to admission to and attendance at school, shall present to the appropriate school board certification from a physician or local health department that the pupil has received such tests and inoculations as are deemed necessary by the secretary by such means as are approved by the secretary. Pupils who have not completed the required inoculations may enroll or remain enrolled while completing the required inoculations if a physician or local health department certifies that the pupil has received the most recent appropriate inoculations in all required series. Failure to timely complete all required series shall be deemed non-compliance.

(b) As an alternative to the certification required under subsection (a), a pupil shall present:

(1) An annual written statement signed by a licensed physician stating the physical condition of the child to be such that the tests or inoculations would seriously endanger the life or health of the child, or

(2) a written statement signed by one parent or guardian that the child is an adherent of a religious denomination whose religious teachings are opposed to such tests or inoculations.

The religious exemption may be signed by the parent/legal guardian on the Kansas Certificate of Immunization (KCI).

More forms and details of the laws can be found on the Vaccination Liberation website for Kansas and Missouri.

If you want to learn more about vaccinations and why people are using exemption forms there is a great vaccinations series on Modern Alternative Mama. Check it out. She has a lot of great tips and information.

Biblical reasons not to vaccinate are listed on this website.

Dr. Alyssa Rae Zonarich does a vaccination talk locally every few months. Here is the August 2012 registration form to give you details. Like her facebook page to hear when the next talk is. Very informative and always booked. A great way to be informed on vaccines and diseases.

Amber Teething Necklace-Giveaway! (Closed)

Posted on August 2, 2012 by bleeglaser

What is an Amber Teething Necklace?

Amber has been a natural source for traditional healing that has been passed on through the generations. This alternative medicine has proven health benefits and amazing properties that offer a drug-free alternative for relief of teething pain for infants. This homeopathic product has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that benefit children and adults alike.

Amber is a fossilized resin from trees from thousands of years ago. Resin is a natural antibiotic for trees, protecting it from infection or injury. Amber has been worn for centuries as a natural remedy for pain relief, it promotes fast healing and boosts the immune system. Amber is worn on the skin, and once warmed by the skin releases tiny amounts of healing oils which are adsorbed into the bloodstream. In war times doctors were known to slap tree resin on a wound as a disinfectant and saved lives that way. Scientists have also shown that amber produces organic, purely natural energy and is electromagnetically alive. It protects from negative influences of electrical equipment like computers, televisions, mobile phones and microwave ovens.

Baltic amber contains anywhere from 3-8% of succinic acid, a scientifically examined medical substance used in contemporary medicine. The highest content of the acid is found in the amber cortex – the external layer of the stone. Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch (1886), the pioneer of modern bacteriology, proved that succinic acid has a very positive influence on the human body. In the 1930’s and 40’s, European biochemists discovered that succinic acid is an amino acid created naturally in every cell of the body capable of aerobic respiration, participating in the citric acid – or Krebs cycle. This is how carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are metabolized into energy.

Amber teething necklaces are sold in pharmacies in many countries including Switzerland, Germany and Austria where amber has been respected for its medicinal qualities for centuries. These necklaces are knotted by hand in between each and every bead, so that if the necklace breaks (which it should if necessary), the beads won’t scatter. It fastens with a breakaway screw clasp that will break if too much pressure is applied to prevent choking. Amber teething necklaces and bracelets are made to wear but not to chew! Teething necklaces and bracelets should be removed when child is sleeping or unattended!

Brookie-Lee’s Review

We LOVE our amber! We didn’t know about the wonderful amber necklaces with our first child and we all suffered through teething. His poor swollen gums kept us up many a night and the drool was insane. We would change outfits because the drool would have him sopping wet. And occasionally we would try something like oral gel with no relief and baby Tylenol for temporary relief. And just so you know I am NOT a fan of using Tylenol for children, but he was miserable and we were desperate.

When I discovered amber teething necklaces my second child was 1 year old. We put it on him and didn’t notice a radical change. He still wanted to chew on everything and would whine a little here and there. I took it off a few days later to give him a bath and forgot to put the necklace back on him. The next morning I had a super drooly, extremely fussy, little terror on my hands. He was a totally different child from the day before and I was at a loss. What changed overnight? Why was my child so completely changed? I wanted my cheerful child back! I walked through our day and diet and discovered the only thing different was that I had taken the necklace off. I put the necklace back on and I never took it off again. My third and fourth children received their necklaces on their birth days and wear them until they take them off themselves(around age 3). We have never had a recap of teething like with my first son. Molars and canines with my second, third, and fourth child have been a breeze in comparison.

The Giveaway!

I love this product and I believe so strongly in it’s effectiveness. I’ve been recommending it to customers and giving it away as baby shower gifts for years. Each of my children has one, as do my husband and I. They are amazing and I highly recommend them for teething and other chronic pain in children and adults alike. It’s amazing, all natural, and safe.

I am giving away an amber teething necklace! This natural teething pain reliever is the best natural solution on the market. It is genuine Baltic amber jewelry using only AAA class, jewelry grade, raw amber material. These can also be purchased online and in Lee’s Summit, MO from Happybottomus for only $18.95(which is the most affordable I’ve ever seen it).

Share with us your teething pain stories and what you do to give relief to enter to win! A winner will be picked at random and announced September 1st. Thank you for participating and sharing with our community!

Also subscribe(top right on website) to receive emails when there is a new post on brookie-lee.com to enter to win another amber teething necklace in the month of August!

9/1/12 And the random winner of the amber teething necklace is… Jill! Thank you to everyone who contributed by sharing with us!

Also this month’s random subscriber winner is… Rodney! Congrats and thank you for subscribing to my blog!

Cut out Aluminum

Posted on July 25, 2012 by bleeglaser

So there has been some controversy over aluminum in different products that we use on a regular basis. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s, attention deficit disorder, bone degeneration, kidney dysfunction, and even Parkinson’s disease. Most of these aluminum containing household products that we use have toxic levels of aluminum.

Deodorant/Antiperspirant

For my husband and I, we switched our deodorant to aluminum free over a decade ago. We spent years trying different natural deodorants and as a result we spent years being stinky by the end of the day or sooner if we had a good sweat. Then I heard some mama friends of mine

talking about the different recipes they use to make their own deodorant. Recipes and processes similar to this one. While the recipes sounded wonderful, I wasn’t interested in something time consuming. So looking at the ingredients I just cut the recipe down to one ingredient. Baking Soda! My husband and I LOVE how well it works. After we shower we will wet our fingers and get powder on the tips of our fingers and we will rub it into our armpits. It lasts all day and night, and sometimes into the next day. We no longer stink and it’s the shortest ingredient list we’ve ever tried! We have not had any burning but some people may have more sensitive skin. We use Arm & Hammer baking soda which does not have aluminum in it.

Baking Powder

Baking powder is called for in lots of recipes and one of the ingredients has been aluminum! Instead of spending extra money on the “natural” version of baking powder I decided to make my own. I make a decent amount at a time and it takes a minute.

Baking Powder

Recipe type: Ingredient

Prep time: 2 mins

Total time: 2 mins

Ingredients

1 part baking soda
2 parts cream of tartar
2 parts arrowroot powder (or potato starch, or tapioca starch)

Instructions

Mix together in storage container.

We have arrowroot powder on hand in place of cornstarch because we avoid GMO corn products. Arrowroot powder is all natural and works great in all recipes that call for cornstarch! And this baking powder recipe has worked great for us as well. I also love knowing exactly what’s in our food and keeps us on the path of a healthy lifestyle.

If you eat more prepared processed/boxed/frozen foods or eat at restaurants it’s highly likely that it contains baking powder with aluminum. Eating whole foods that you prepare yourself is the best way to protect yourself and your family from harmful ingredients and additives. Many personal care items like lotion and lip balm also contain aluminum. BUT don’t get overwhelmed. Take one step at a time as you are on this health journey. Today throw out your deodorant and put some baking soda in a container and put it in your bathroom. Next week order some arrowroot powder from Azure Standard Coop or pick some up at your health food store and mix your own baking powder. Next month try to switch out your lip balm for coconut oil. Just take it nice and steady. Don’t overwhelm yourself by changing everything in your house today. Just becoming more aware and putting it on your mental to do list is a huge step toward a healthier future.

Safely Detox with Chlorella

Posted on July 10, 2012 by bleeglaser

Earlier this year my adrenal glands were fatigued and my immune system was shot. My chiropractor was very worried and I took a urine analysis and it came back extremely toxic and very acidic. I needed to make some changes and detox my body. While my diet mainly consisted of whole foods I would still go out to eat and I had stashes of sugary snacks for my midnight cravings. I needed to detox my body, change the contents of my midnight snacks, and provide my body with the ammunition it needed to protect itself. So I’ve been on a road to health and discovery beyond my comfort zone.

So through different research I’ve learned of this magical supplement- Chlorella! Chlorella is a single-cell green algae that is high in protein and essential nutrients. Earlier this year I was introduced to Chlorella through Dr. Schulze’s detox programs. It’s a main ingredient in his Super Foods Plus multi-vitamin. When I researched it a little bit farther I discovered Chlorella’s ability to keep breastmilk free of toxins. Doing a bowel detox at the time, with a nursing baby, I was able to test this out first hand. I did a dose of bowel detox formula and 12 hours later I saw the results in myself as well as in my nursing baby. I had avoided detoxing for year while being pregnant or nursing but after seeing my baby get sick as often as I was I knew that my high levels of toxicity needed to change for the both of us. After that first dose my large order of supplements arrived in the mail and I did the second bowel detox dose while also taking the Chlorella in the Super Foods Plus supplement. Guess what?! I saw the same results in myself as I saw the first time, BUT no changes in my baby! Meaning her stools stayed the same! She wasn’t detoxing with me and she wasn’t getting any extra toxins in my body in the breastmilk! I was so thrilled! I found something I could take while breastfeeding and pregnancy!

So now that I’ve been taking Chlorella on a daily basis to keep my breastmilk clean of toxins and to help heal my body. I suffer from short term memory loss. Some people call it mommy brain. I call it ridiculous! I had a cavity filling when I was a child, a few vaccines as a child, and 5 shots for being Rh- as an adult(mercury content questionable). I have a feeling that I have a build up of mercury in my system that may be effecting my ability to retain information. So in my search for a heavy metal detox I again came across information on Chlorella. Below is an excerpt from Dietrich Klinghardt M.D., Ph.D.

“Chlorella

Both C. pyreneidosa (better absorption of toxins, but harder to digest) and C. vulgaris (higher CGF content – see below, easier to digest, less metal-absorbing capability) are available. Chlorella has multiple health-inducing effects:

Antiviral (especially effective against the cytomegaly virus from the herpes family)
Toxin binding (mucopolysaccharide membrane)
all known toxic metals, environmental toxins such as dioxin and others
Repairs and activates the body’s detoxification functions:
Dramatically increases reduced glutathione, Sporopollein is as effective as cholestyramin in binding neurotoxins and more effective in binding toxic metals than any other natural substance found.
Various peptides restore coeruloplasmin and metallothioneine,
Lipids (12.4 %) alpha-and gamma-linoleic acid help to balance the increased intake of fish oil during our detox program and are necessary for a multitude of functions, including formation of ther peroxisomes.
Methyl-cobolamine is food for the nervous system, restores damaged neurons and has its own detoxifying effect.
Chlorella growth factor helps the body detoxify itself in a yet not understood profound way. It appears that over millions of years chlorella has developed specific detoxifying proteins and peptides for every existing toxic metal.
The porphyrins in chlorophyll have their own strong metal-binding effect. Chlorophyll also activates the PPAR-receptor on the nucleus of the cell which is responsible for the transcription of DNA and coding the formation of the peroxisomes (see fish oil), opening of the cell wall (unknown mechanism) which is necessary for all detox procedures, normalizes insulin resistance and much more. Medical drugs that activate the PPAR receptor (such as pioglitazone) have been effective in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.
Super nutrient: 50-60% amino acid content, ideal nutrient for vegetarians, methylcobalamin – the most easily absorbed and utilized form of B12, B6, minerals, chlorophyll, beta carotene etc.
Immune system strengthening
Restores bowel flora
Digestive aid (bulking agent)
Alkalinizing agent (important for patients with malignancies)

Dosage: start with 1 gram (= 4 tabl) 3-4 times/day. This is the standard maintenance dosage for grown-ups for the 6-24 months of active detox. During the more active phase of the detox (every 2-4 weeks for 1 week), whenever cilantro is given, the dose can be increased to 3 grams 3-4 times per day (1 week on, 2-4 weeks back down to the maintenance dosage). Take 30 minutes before the main meals and at bedtime. This way chlorella is exactly in that portion of the small intestine where the bile squirts into the gut at the beginning of the meal, carrying with it toxic metals and other toxic waste. These are bound by the chlorella cell wall and carried out via the digestive tract. When amalgam fillings are removed, the higher dose should be given for 2 days before and 2-5 days after the procedure (the more fillings are removed, the longer the higher dose should be given). No cilantro should be given around the time of dental work. During this time we do not want to mobilize deeply stored metals in addition to the expected new exposure. If you take Vitamin C during your detox program, take it as far away from Chlorella as possible (best after meals).

Side effects: most side effects reflect the toxic effect of the mobilized metals which are shuttled through the organism. This problem is instantly avoided by significantly increasing the chlorella dosage, not by reducing it, which would worsen the problem (small chlorella doses mobilize more metals than are bound in the gut, large chlorella doses bind more toxins than are mobilized). Some people have problems digesting the cell membrane of chlorella. The enzyme cellulase resolves this problem. Cellulase is available in many health food stores in digestive enzyme products. Taking chlorella together with food also helps in some cases, even though it is less effective that way. C. vulgaris has a thinner cell wall and is better tolerated by people with digestive problems.” –Source

My personal experience has been very positive with Chlorella in the Super Foods Plus supplement and I also have a powder version from my local health food store that I will put in smoothies. I will be looking into purchasing more to be able to do a metal detox in the near future and will share any memory improvement with you in the future!

My Choice, My Health Care

Posted on June 28, 2012 by bleeglaser

Politics……oh what a slippery slope. Although this is controversial it’s been consuming my day. So let’s talk about health care…

I think that the mainstream health care system loves to put band-aids on diseases and treat symptoms. Mainstream health care is not invested in long term health. Quite the opposite in fact. The longer you are sick and require doctors visits and medication the more money they make. So insurance companies put their money into the health care system. They do not cover things like chiropractic, vitamins, or exercise. 3 things I find essential to good health. So I don’t see the new health care bill as being helpful to human health nor to the overwhelming financial issues our economy is currently facing.

I strongly believe in alternative care. I believe that expensive diseases like cancer can be cured with a healthy lifestyle. I know several people who have cured cancer by such means. I believe that allergies and asthma can be cured as well. By boosting the bodies immune system you can reverse these conditions. If I thought for a minute that the new government health care plan would help people long term I might reconsider it. But it won’t. Big government is wrong about what kind of health care actually helps. Now with the new law I’m being forced to pay for something I believe is detrimental to people’s health. When health insurance covers my organic veggies, chiropractic care, clean water system, vitamins, yoga classes, and a great mattress then we can talk about people getting healthy. Now I either have to spend a boat load on health insurance coverage that I don’t use, or get fined 1% of my income. Income which should go toward the vitamins that are expensive enough on their own. Big government stay out of my life and give me the freedom to make my own choices!

So the arguments that are out there on this topic have to do with people who currently are suffering and they are excited about not being denied care. I believe a healthy lifestyle will cure them and the healthcare system can’t help with a healthy lifestyle. What about catastrophes? Yes they happen. My brother got punched in the gut and it ruptured his pancreas and he almost died. It was awful. He was working for the Union and they covered him. BUT if they hadn’t I had created a facebook page and was ready to ask people for help. If my son broke his leg, we would pay out of pocket. Doctors allow payments on treatments which is so great. And catastrophe insurance wouldn’t be a bad idea but I still feel like I should have the choice to get it.

So what happens when poor people have a catastrophe and don’t pay? Well most poor people are on medicaid and actually are covered. So the middle class who make too much for medicaid but too little to afford full coverage insurance? They get a huge medical bill that they make payments on. Makes life harder BUT it was their choice not to get catastrophe insurance. And those who get overwhelmed with the bills? They file bankruptcy, which is their constitutional right. And their credit is destroyed for 5 years and their lives upset. I see cause and effect.

Many people see this as being heartless. It’s actually the opposite. I believe in the kindness of people. I believe that people will step up to help each other in need. And most of the people that think the way I do about less government also think the way I do about helping others. Government and insurance need to step back from health care. Allow practitioners who care about helping people do there jobs without the influences of pharmaceutical companies and insurance risks. The market will regulate itself and will be competitive.

So here is our 10 step health care plan. It’s been a work in progress for us since mainstream society doesn’t teach you much about alternative care. Thankfully I’ve learned a lot from friends and family. I hope I’m able to help someone learn about something new and encourage you on your natural health journey.

Our health care plan:

#1 Whole Foods- Eating foods closest to their natural state. No white sugar, white flour, or white rice. No processed dairy, we buy raw Guernsey milk straight from the farm. Free range meats, and eggs(getting a few from our backyard chickens). No high fructose corn syrup, reduced sugars, substituting with honey, or stevia, or powdered monk fruit, or palm sugar. We make our own butter, sour cream, buttermilk, kefir, and I’m working on cheese! Once I figure out how to flavor yogurt better I will make that on a regular basis too. We eat sprouted rice and use sprouted wheat in our baking. We also use homemade almond flour and coconut flour in a lot of our baking. And LOTS of fresh fruits and vegetables. I shop the KC River Market(only certain venders that I know to grow organically), and we order from Fresh Connect for our out of state fruit and spices. Natural sea salt(it should be gray and wet, all those minerals are so good for you!). Sprouts & wheat grass are so good for you too!

#2 Water- We need 8 glasses of water a day. It helps our bodies to function properly. It helps carry out toxins in your system and cleanse the body. Chlorinated, chemically polluted water doesn’t accomplish this and it is effecting may people’s quality of life without them even realizing it. Ideally having a reverse osmosis system along with a water softner would help immensely. We currently order alkalized water from Fresh Connect and bring along dLo water to sports events. When we can we will buy a whole house system.

#3 Vitamins- Reducing bloody noses, growing pains, and moodiness. Increasing concentration, energy, and health. We’ve seen some amazing results with our vitamins and we are huge believers. For example our son was having bloody noses several times a day and we gave him Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids and Rutin and they are now a rare occurrence. Recently I’ve been working on detoxing and that started with an amazing detox from Dr. Schulzes along with his Super Foods vitamin so that my nursing babe didn’t detox with me(yay for Spirulina keeping breastmilk toxin free!).

#4 Exercise!- My husband recently starting lifting weights with his good friend and cousin. He’s seen great results in his back pain and I’ve seen good results in his overall mood. I love yoga and it changes my whole outlook on my day. Everything becomes clearer and I can handle life struggles more easily. Studies show that exercise is one of the best ways to fight depression.

#5 Sunshine- Vitamin D greatly effects your body’s ability to function. Going out and getting some sunshine is essential to a healthy life. Whether it’s drinking your morning tea on the front porch or taking a walk after lunch, allowing those rays on your face means more than a cheery disposition.

#6 Sleep- Getting enough sleep doesn’t get enough credit. 8-9 hours of sleep can mean the difference between a grouchy, depressed, sluggish person and someone with the energy and spunk to make something of the day. Not to mention the years you add to your life by allowing your body to rest and heal itself while you sleep. Sleeping in complete darkness with as much silence as possible will increase the quality of your sleep and healing. Taking a nap during the day is also important and there are many countries that incorporate it into their culture.

#7 Chiropractic- from curing my son’s projectile vomiting, to helping my husband walk, and easing my pregnancy discomforts, I am a huge fan of the benefits of chiropractic care. My chiropractor was also the one to help me discover the necessity of changing our diets. I was toxic and was having adrenal gland overload. My physician didn’t say anything but my chiropractor knew I was “off” and he helped me to realize it too.

#8 Relationships- We are social creatures and creating an emotional support system has been essential for my mental health. My husband is my best friend and he’s an amazing companion. We talk and share with each other as often as we can in our day. I also reach out to women online, who live similar lives, for emotional support. Recently I’ve been connecting more in real life with friends, and my children have reaped the benefits of fabulous play time with friends! And I can’t say enough about having a strong family network when you need to talk about your problems and just have that person listen and love you.

#9 Check Ups- When we need to we will go in and make sure that everything is good. Well woman checks specifically. If the kids are really struggling with something I will call our practitioner and get advice. When my daughter broke out in hives and my baby had eczema all of a sudden we did go to both our MD as well as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor. Our MD told me my daughter would grow out of it while the NMD said it was allergies and started working on her glands to eliminate the allergy. My mother and mother-in-law mentioned our change in diet and our decrease in protein at the time may be causing the issue. Between increasing protein and the NMD treatments we cleared it up within 2 weeks and haven’t had a recurrence for 6 months!

#10 Educate Yourself- Study your own condition and look for natural ways to get healthy. Blindly following an MD’s advice often leads to years of superficial treatments and life long disease. I like to find out what my MD would recommend but I take it with a grain of salt, see what the side effects are, look into it’s long term effects and make an educated decision on how to proceed. When you take an active role in your own health you will often get better results. I strongly believe that their is no illness or disease that cannot be cured through natural means. I use the following as jumping off points for further research: Dr. Feder, Dr. Schulzes, Dr. Mercola, Dr. Sears.

Taking control of your health is worth your investment. Spending your time and energy in living a healthy life will have amazing results. The government forcing me to participate in a system that has been corrupted by large pharmaceutical companies and high insurance fees is not what I consider freedom. I should have the freedom to choose my health care and I take the responsibility for the results.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! -Giveaway! (Closed)

Posted on June 1, 2012 by bleeglaser

I am not a fan of bugs in my house. They belong outside and as long as they aren’t eating my garden, landing on me, or otherwise bugging the family I’m good with them in their element. Currently we live in a historic neighborhood in Kansas City. The houses on my street are like 100 years old and the railroad workers use to live here. We purchased this little bungalow newly renovated at a good price. It’s cute, efficient, and perfect for this two year transition that we are in. It is cramped for 6 people. Thankfully 4 of those people are small and it hasn’t been too bad. But there is no room for bugs here. We’ve easily eliminated mice each year as they try to move in with the change of the seasons. We deal with the giant crickets since they are harmless. Thankfully we don’t have ants interested in this house(we had ants and termites at our last house). And after replacing the front door screen the flies are now staying outside(poor chickens). The fly strips we put up to catch the remaining indoor flies also took care of the fruit flies that were here. Unfortunately there are a lot of mosquitoes in the area. They aren’t as bad now since we got rid of the jungle that was once the yard.

Our cute little bungalow is 11 feet from each neighbor. We share fence lines and the neighbor to the West has a large dog. We’re pretty sure their dog has fleas. Cause the fleas jumped the fence, invaded our animals, and entered our back door. They took up residence in our laundry room. Thankfully we have a full size door in the kitchen that we could close to contain them. While a few did enter the rest of the house it hasn’t been too bad. Fleas!!! Yuck!!! My husband got the worst of it. The day he discovered them he was doing laundry and the fleas attacked his legs(I think they liked the hair on his legs).

On Saturday my husband ran to get Diatomaceous Earth from Well’s Family Farm at the Brookside farmers market. Kim Wells sent him home with some essential oils bug spray too and we spread the DE in the laundry room, and all over the backyard. The fleas seemed to be fewer but they were still there. We did some research and fleas can lay up to 5000 eggs in their lifetime which can be several years. The info on wikipedia just totally icked us out. The fact that flea eggs could be in our home waiting to hatch for several months is just gross. So what are the options for getting rid of them?

Water & Light– fleas are attracted to warmth and a trick that helped until our cedar oil arrived was to use our heat lamp(for chicks) over a cookie sheet full of soapy water. The fleas jumped right into the soapy water and drowned. It was a rewarding trap because it worked really well. They were no longer jumping on us in the laundry room.

Flea Bombs/Fogger– are used to kill cockroaches, fleas, and flying insects by filling an area with insecticide. The insecticide is dangerous to people and pets and extreme measures have to be taken when using. Including washing all bedding, dishes, surfaces after a bomb has been used in a space.

Diatomaceous Earth– consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects’ exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. It can be used to help control and eventually eliminate cockroach and flea infestations, but this method may take weeks to work. Wikipedia

Pest Control– calling to have pest control service your house and use insecticides to eliminate infestation.

Cedar Oil– No chemicals, just food grade aromatic Red Cedar Oil and melted Quartz Rock. A genuine BIO based insect control agent. Not only does it command INSTANT DEATH to its arthropod recipients, it can be used on humans as a repellent for Mosquitoes, Chiggers, No-See-Um’s, Flies and a array of other biting and flying pests. There is a version for inside a home and another for the yard. Cedarcide

So my husband fogged our home with cedar oil and it smells like a cedar chest in here. Not a bad smell. I was just not okay with using insecticide in my home with a baby that puts every.thing.she.can.find. in her mouth. It was too risky. Even if we did a superb job of cleaning after a flea bomb I couldn’t be sure that I didn’t miss a spot. It wasn’t worth the risk to us. Cedar oil is potent for pests, but safe for humans. It has fantastic reviews and makes sense. Although a little pricey it’s cheaper than calling the pest control company to come out. And since we will be moving to a farm we plan to use it a lot in the future. If anyone wants to use ours just let us know! We also used the PCO on our yard to kill the fleas out there and it has the added benefit to deter flies and mosquitoes!

Bugging The Kids

Barbeque and Baseball season has begun! Which means time outside in the grass and lots of chiggers! The two most susceptible of my kids to chiggers both have a panty line of bites. They’ve been miserable. I’ve been spraying Diaper Defense Spray on the bites to help soothe. A mama on my parenting board shared a great link that can help fight chiggers! Check it out: MDC Chiggers Article. We will be implementing more showers and a brush down after activities to help combat these pesky bugs! We will also be using Bug Stopper Spray from a local KC mom business- Natural Newborn, and Badger Balm’s Anti-Bug Balm & Spray.

The Giveaway!

In honor of summer and the insane amount of bugs invading this year I am giving away bug spray! It’s all natural, safe for our kids, and made by a local Kansas City mama! She will be featured on KMBC news about her participation in the upcoming KC Mama Market on Saturday June 2nd, 9am to noon, at The New Birth Company in Overland Park, KS.

Bug Stopper: All-Natural bug and insect repellent for those summer months. Uses essential oils that naturally deter insects, just shake well and spray on. It doesn’t leave your skin greasy or sticky. This stuff really works, but should be reapplied periodically for the best protection.

Share with us your pesky bug stories and what you do to avoid bites to enter to win! A winner will be picked at random and announced July 1st. Thank you for participating and sharing with our community!

Our house before we bought it:

[Show picture list]

7/8/12 And the random winner of the Natural Newborn Bug Stopper is… Jenn T.! Thank you to everyone who contributed by sharing with us!

Keeping a Home in the 21st Century

Posted on April 26, 2012 by bleeglaser

The newest generation of mothers spent their formative years out of the house 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. More so if they were involved in Girl Scouts, dance class, and/or sports, etc. They learned to wait in line, raise their hand to speak, and ask permission to use the restroom. If they fancied they may have taken a home economics class where they learned to make crepes and pajama pants. If they were ahead of the curve they took a finance class. In college they were taught to embrace the working world and to compete in all areas of the job market. Society said a successful career makes you a successful person.

At no point did society prepare these young women to care for a household. There were no classes on how to balance the unending tasks of being mother, wife, and homemaker. Regardless of occupation, these tasks and duties are still theirs. Many women have found themselves in a dark place of stress, fatigue, and depression. Drowning under pressure from work, laundry, and screaming children. No one is happy. Even if a mother leaves the workplace and comes home full time she has never been taught how to run her household. Selfish habits, feminism, and a lackadaisical attitude are ingrained into them. They are lacking the virtues and self-discipline that the fore-mothers possessed.

The United States was created “…one nation under God…” asking “God bless America”. Media has morphed society over time and now we are seeing these Christian foundations being shaken. Children have grown up in these public factories without the skills to teach values, morals, or even faith to their children. So what is the future for this dependent generation of workers? Only time will tell….

Some people have caught a glimpse of the forest. They see through the trees to what is happening in American schools today. And guess what? They want no part of it. They’ve taken matters into their own hands. Parents have access to more information online than ever before. They are teaching themselves the lost knowledge that built this country. The number of homeschooling families increased 74% from 1999 to 2007. Parents are taking back their children and teaching them good character and ethics. They are insuring their children’s future as independent, capable, free-thinkers.

So how are these women who have grown up in the public school system going to accomplish the goal of raising the next generation of brilliant minds? By going back to classical education and reinforcing biblical virtues. Using the internet to source curriculum and to connect with like-minded women. Reading books on homeschooling, homemaking, and their religion. Starting from scratch with helpful guidelines shared by the pioneers in the movement to raise a moral & just nation.

Books that I have found helpful in my personal journey to raise a happy, healthy, and wise family are: Birth- The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth, The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth; Children’s Health- Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, Natural Baby & Childcare, The Parent’s Concise Guide to Vaccinations; Education- The Underground History of American Education, The Well Trained Mind; Religion- Family Bible Study series, Discover the Scriptures; Homemaking- Nourishing Traditions, Large Family Logistics; Parenting- Strong Fathers Strong Daughters, Boys Should Be Boys, Raising Real Men, Large Family Logistics; Motherhood- 10 Habits of Happy Mothers, Large Family Logistics.

I’m currently reading Large Family Logistics by Kim Brennenman. It’s the how to guide to manage a household. Regardless of family size this is a great book. It’s foundation is in the Bible and it refers back to the Scriptures constantly to reinforce topics. It explains daily and weekly chores, meal planning, homeschooling, and so much more. It’s a complete how to guide on creating your own home management book for your household. I’m so thrilled with it. It has been very inspiring for me. It’s the training that I missed out on while I was in public school. I highly recommend it to the Christian mother struggling to balance homeschool, keeping house, happy children, and a happy mother.

Today I created this schedule and chore chart using the guidelines in the book. It’s customized to our family but a great example for others reading the book. I’m thrilled with it and excited to implement it tomorrow!

Large Family Logistics Chore Chart & Schedule- free download/copy:
Free Font Zip Download
Background Teal

Background Magenta

Background Black

Background White

Raw Milk

Posted on April 11, 2012 by bleeglaser

Our family has been drinking raw milk since 2006. Personally I never realized the effect pasteurized milk had on my system until my second pregnancy. With my first pregnancy I had horrible acid reflux and I puked a LOT in my third trimester. I chalked it up to pregnancy hormones and that was just my lot in life. It was during my third trimester of my second pregnancy that I was able to correlate the puking with pasteurized dairy. We were only drinking raw milk at that time and I wasn’t puking. But whenever I consumed pasteurized dairy products like ice cream I would throw it up within 30 minutes.

We’ve gotten our raw milk locally near Kansas City from a variety of different farmers over the past 6 years. We prefer raw A2 milk from Guernsey or Jersey cows but supply isn’t the easiest to find. When we can’t find A2 milk we will get raw milk from a Holstein farmer south of Lee’s Summit. A1 raw milk is still 100 times better than pasteurized milk.

I feel confident that my children are getting the wholesome milk that their bodies need to grow. I also love that our family can make butter, yogurt, cheese, kefir, and other yummy foods from scratch with no added ingredients. Kevin and I hope to have a farm someday and raise A2 milk cows to sell their wonderful milk. Below is more information on the risks of pasteurized milk and the benefits of raw milk.

Some truths about milk:

“DANGERS OF PASTEURIZED MILK: Many studies have linked consumption of pasteurized milk with lactose intolerance, allergies, asthma, frequent ear infections, gastro-Intestinal problems, diabetes, auto-Immune disease, attention deficit disorder and constipation. During a period of rapid population growth, the market for fluid pasteurized milk has declined at 1% per year for the past 20 years. Fewer and fewer consumers can tolerate pasteurized (and ultrapasteurized) milk (Don’t Drink Your Milk, Frank Oski, MD, 1983).

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE: In a survey of raw milk drinkers in the state of Michigan, over 80 percent of those advised by a healthcare professional that they were lactose intolerant were able to consume raw milk without problem. (LactoseIntoleranceSurvey.doc).

PROTECTIVE COMPONENTS: Raw milk contains numerous components that assist in:

Killing pathogens in the milk (lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, leukocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, antibodies, medium chain fatty acids, lysozyme, B12 binding protein, bifidus factor, beneficial bacteria);
Preventing pathogen absorption across the intestinal wall (polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, mucins, fibronectin, glycomacropeptides, bifidus factor, beneficial bacteria);
Strengthening the Immune System (lymphocytes, immunoglobulins, antibodies, hormones and growth factors) (Scientific American, December 1995; British J of Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S75-S80, S81-S89).

FORTY-YEAR-OLD SCIENCE AND ANCIENT HISTORY: Claims that raw milk is unsafe are based on 40-year-old science and century-old experiences from distillery dairy “factory farms” in rapidly urbanizing nineteenth century America.” Realmilk.com

The type of cow your milk comes from is just as important:

“All proteins are long chains of amino acids. Beta casein is a chain 229 amino acids in length. Cows who produce this protein in their milk with a proline at number 67 are called A2 cows, and are the older breeds of cows (e.g. Jerseys, Asian and African cows). But some 5,000 years ago, a mutation occurred in this proline amino acid, converting it to histidine. Cows that have this mutated beta casein are called A1 cows, and include breeds like Holstein.

Proline has a strong bond to a small protein called BCM 7, which helps keep it from getting into the milk, so that essentially no BCM 7 is found in the urine, blood or GI tract of old-fashioned A2 cows. On the other hand, histidine, the mutated protein, only weakly holds on to BCM 7, so it is liberated in the GI tract of animals and humans who drink A1 cow milk.

BCM 7 has been shown to cause neurological impairment in animals and people exposed to it, especially autistic and schizophrenic changes. BCM 7 interferes with the immune response, and injecting BCM 7 in animal models has been shown to provoke type 1 diabetes. Dr. Woodford’s book presents research showing a direct correlation between a population’s exposure to A1 cow’s milk and incidence of autoimmune disease, heart disease, type 1 diabetes, autism, and schizophrenia.” Mercola

So where can you buy raw milk?:

A list of farmers in the US who sell raw milk can be found at RealMilk.com

“CURRENT SITUATION FOR RAW MILK SALES IN USA

Retail sales are legal in 10 states
On-farm sales are legal in 15 states
Herd shares are legal in 4 states
There is no law on herd shares in 6 states
Pet food sales are legal in 4 states, implying that human consumption is feasible
Raw milk sales are illegal in 11 states and the District of Columbia

SITUATION IN EUROPE: Raw milk sales legal in England, Wales and most of Europe; sold in vending machines in several European countries.” realmilk.com

Below is one of my favorite videos of a couple using a raw milk vending machine in Slovenia. There is a built in UV ray to prevent bacteria contamination. I want one of these on my farm someday.

A friend sent me this link after I posted the above information. All dairy cows in Missouri have to be hormone free and the cow must be rested if antibiotics are used. So if you are getting local Missouri milk you don’t have to worry about those. Grassfed vs organic grain fed vs. conventional grain fed information is also something to look into from the farmer. A good article with more information about milk and all the options can be found at this blog.

Urban Farming Part 1 of 3

Posted on April 11, 2012 by bleeglaser

Kevin and I have been working on our backyard this spring. Moving a ton of dirt so that we can level off the yard to be useful. We built a retaining wall/raised bed, we are cornering off the 3 chickens, and we are fencing off the dog. We were able to setup the trampoline which has been SO great for my boys who are literally climbing the walls in our little 100 year old bungalow in Historic NE KC. Now we are waiting for the weather to decide to really be spring before we plant our seedlings. The retaining wall will be full of yummy food including strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, and so much more. The chickens keep us in eggs and are super easy to care for. They also supply us with great fertilizer!

We have a fire pit and we love to sit back there roasting brats and singing songs together. The backyard project is very exciting for us. The kids can’t wait until we get the sandbox installed under the trampoline(shade for the summer). We have a front yard project that we will be doing too but….we have to wait for the funds to do it. A little at a time. 😀 I will be posting more pictures once the seedlings are planted, the chicken fence is up, and the grass fills in. And then another post in the late summer when the food is plentiful!

Play Prev|Next

Our backyard.

Our backyard.

The side yard.

The chicken corner.

Piences of the trampoline that have been there for a year.

The wall is finished, just got to move all the dirt.

The ancient retaining wall holds up the alley behind our house. Neighbors peak into our yard.

Jaxon helping dad hold down the plastic.

Spreading the chicken compost on the raised bed!

The retaining wall filled with dirt and compost!

Chickens eating all the yummy bugs from the upturned dirt.

Diesel- our guard dog that sleeps with the chickens.

Burrying cinder blocks to keep the dog in.

Trampoline is up! Takes up half the backyard but it's worth it!

Kids love the trampoline!

Singing at the campfire after a hard days work. The kids are all jumping on the trampoline in the dark.

We replaced the crumbly back stoop and burried some stepping stones.

Kevin finished the side gate and we laid the stepping stones.

Side yard- gravel removed, dirt leveled, stepping stones laid out.

Homemade Butter

Posted on April 11, 2012 by bleeglaser

Making homemade butter has never been easier with great appliances like a KitchenAid Mixer. A gift from my dad 8 years ago my KitchenAid gets daily use at our house. Below is a gallery of images of the process of making butter from local raw milk cream. It’s super easy and I know exactly what’s in it. Cream! You can also add herbs and salt as desired.

Skim the cream off the top of your raw milk. Put the cream in your mixer. Mix on medium/high until whipped cream starts to solidify and then turn speed slower so the buttermilk doesn’t splash out. Once the butter clumps onto your whisk remove butter from bowl and whisk. Fill a bowl with ice cold water. Massage butter into clear water to remove any excess buttermilk(it will keep longer with the uncultured buttermilk removed). Refresh water and massage butter until water remains clear. Then place butter on wax paper and you can add salt(will make it last longer) and herbs to taste. Then shape butter and wrap in wax paper and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Or store in butter dish for daily use.

Play Prev|Next