Understanding Cholesterol
Dec 14, 2009
Cholesterol is an issue that is of great interest to me. Not only am I personally affected by it but several close to me are as well. Here are two articles that get to the truth about cholesterol and what actually causes heart disease. It may not be what you think.
Myths and Truths about Cholesterol
Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease
Posted In: Nutrition/Health • Comments (2)
Merry Christmas!
Dec 13, 2009
Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 
Posted In: My Life • Comments (0)
How to make a baby wrap
Dec 13, 2009
When my latest daughter was born I knew I wanted to have a comfortable baby carrier. In the past I had used a sling (that I made) and it wasn’t at all comfortable. It made my arm feel like it was going to go out of joint! I would have such an upper back ache after using it. Some people use them though and love them so I’m not sure what went wrong with mine.
After looking into it I thought the “Moby Wrap” looked like a good choice. With this wrap the baby’s weight is distributed evenly across your back and waist so it’s very ergonomic and comfortable. Instead of buying the name-brand wrap I ended up making my own. It ended up being SUPER simple and much cheaper. It look about 10 minutes and NO sewing! It’s just one long strip of fabric that you wrap around you. I made mine with a cotton/spandex knit blend (95% cotton, 5% spandex). This allows it to breath and yet be flexible. It’s great too because the edges roll up a bit on themselves and don’t fray so you don’t have to sew them. As the baby gets much heavier you can make it with a thicker, stiffer fabric for more support. Here are the dimensions if you are interested in making one:
16 ft long (5.5 yards) - You can make it longer if you’re heavier.
Cut fabric 21” wide at widest - I folded it in half, and it’s at 21” width for 70” before tapering it down (so 140” unfolded)
4” at the very narrowest end
This made two wraps (for half the price of one commercial wrap) so I was able to give one away to a friend.
I absolutely LOVED using this wrap! It was so comfy! It was great being able to cover my daughter’s head with the fabric when she needed shade or needed to sleep. Plus, I could pull the fabric over her legs to help keep her warm when it was cold out. It may look tricky to wear this wrap but it’s actually quite easy! The only thing about it is that it’s a very long piece of fabric so parts of it will sit on the floor or ground as you’re putting it on. This didn’t bother me though. You can check out the ‘Moby Wrap’ website for instructions on how to put on the wrap.
Posted In: Parenting | Crafts • Comments (0)
Vaccine Safety Manual
Dec 13, 2009
Vaccines… are they good or bad? That’s an issue we hear debated a lot but it can be hard to get any concrete info on it. There are so many books out there on the subject and everyone seems to have their opinion. Since having another daughter my husband and I were forced to make a decision about the issue. After reading several books and websites I was leaning one way but wasn’t totally SURE about it. This all changed when I read the “Vaccine Safety Manual for Concerned Families and Health Practitioners” by Neil Z. Miller.
This book is FULL of research and statistics on vaccines. It describes each disease and how dangerous it is, explains the vaccines used and their effectiveness and gives the history of how the disease has been treated through time. This is absolutely the BEST book I have read on the issue of vaccines! It supplied all the information I was looking for and enabled me to make a well informed decision that I can feel confident about. I absolutely recommend this book to EVERY parent! This is a must read that you can’t afford to miss!
Posted In: Nutrition/Health | Parenting | Book Reviews • Comments (2)
Book Review: The Little House
Dec 13, 2009
Here is an excellent, classic book for both children and adults. Virginia Lee Burton tells the story of a cute little house who lives out in the country and is quite happy there. As the story goes, the city is built closer and closer to the little house until it is completely surrounded and falls into disrepair. The sad little house longs to be lived in again and ends up being rescued. This book is well written and the pictures engaging. I love how it portrays the different seasons and shows how the landscape changes with “progress.” Despite having read this story to my daughter several times I still tear up at the end. It’s just that good!
Posted In: Parenting | Book Reviews • Comments (0)
