Luke and Chloe’s 3rd Birthday

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Carmen

Chloe and Luke 1 week old

It is amazing how fast the kids grow up. It seems like yesterday that I was holding 2 little 5 pound babies in my arms and now they have just turned 3! Running, talking, and bouncing with personalities all their own. So much more aware of life, what’s going on and getting so big.

Both Luke and Chloe were very excited for their birthday this year. They ‘got’ what was happening and that it was their day. They knew that they would get presents and started asking for things for their birthday. Luke asked for a police car and his own Playmobil set, while Chloe wanted some jewelry and pretty dresses. They had decided what they wanted for birthday cakes before Christmas – Chloe asking for a kitty cat and Luke a train (which turned into Thomas the Tank Engine specifically).

They enjoyed the balloons and the streamers and knew that when everyone came over it was for their birthday and their party. Chloe dressed up in a pretty dress and Luke in a nice shirt and pants. They looked dapper for their big day!

Even though they were twins, when they were born I decided that it was important for them to be treated as individuals, so their own gifts (though sometimes they get joint ones depending on what it is), their own cards, their own cakes. Which in theory sounds like a lovely idea, except when it is 1 in the morning and Mom is still decorating the cakes!

The cakes themselves were not hard to make, I had made one chocolate, one vanilla; as over the last couple of years I found some good recipes that accommodate our no sugar and no dairy needs. Plus I was able to rent a shape pan from Stir Crazy Fun Center here in Calgary to make Thomas (only $5 to rent it and definitely worth it! I had never used a shape pan before and it is the cat’s meow let me tell you 🙂 It was the decorating that took the longest and this was because of the icing I was using. I have tried a couple of white sugar free icing recipes, which I can then color for decorating. I had found a great replacement for icing sugar, but the icing recipe itself I have not had much luck with. The icings I have found, though they taste great are not easy to work with as far as spreading or pumping through icing bags.

Chloe's 3rd Birthday

In the past I had made a coconut buttercream frosting but found that after a bit of time it got too hard and was extremely hard to work with. It was difficult to spread right from the beginning and only got worse. So this year I decided to try the Wilton icing recipe which uses shortening, butter, icing sugar and a bit of milk – all of which I had replacements for – but I found this icing also extremely hard to work with. Difficult to spread and very hard to pump through the icing bags. Also after time, it got greasy and hard in the icing bags, no longer mixed together. I found the whole experience very frustrating and though I managed to finish the cakes and they looked great I am sure that with the right icing I could cut my time in half and not be up til 1 in the morning decorating!

Luke's 3rd Birthday

Chloe’s cake, bless her, took me 20-30 minutes to cut out and decorate. This was because it was a simple design and I was able to use my sugar free chocolate icing, which is very easy to spread. Thomas was not so easy and it was not the detail it was the icing!

So I am on the search for a great sugar and dairy free, easy to work with, spreadable white icing recipe that I can color to decorate character cakes. I will keep looking and when I find a good one I will share it! In the meantime I will use what I have and see if I can modify them in some way.

If you know of or have any great sugar and dairy free white icing recipes please share them by commenting below.

Natural Remedies for Colds and Flu

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Carmen

One of the things that I have decided to do in our house is reduce the amount of over the counter and unnatural remedies for colds and flu. The more I read about some of these remedies and what’s in them, the more I feel that there are better more natural ways to combat the flu season and naturally boost our immune systems.

I have become more conscious of what we put in our bodies and what it does to us. Some of these over the counter remedies, though they may provide relief actually suppress our immune systems and it then takes us longer to return to health. In my journey to find more natural ways to heal our bodies and even prevent us from getting sick I have discovered a number of natural remedies and preventions that work.

Oscillococcinum – I believe in prevention first and foremost so one of the things I do before about 6-8 weeks prior to flu season is give the kids and I a homeopathic protocol using oscillococcinum or ‘flu buster’. This was suggested by our homeopathic doctor; we take half a tube (1/4 tube for the little ones under 6) once a week for six weeks. This helps the body’s immune system to ‘boost up’ and prepares it for the cold/ flu season that is coming. As a result we usually don’t get colds/ flu at all and if we do it is a very mild and short case. And if we do get it, then we take a whole tube to kick it out!

Ginger tea – drinking ginger tea on a regular basis is also a great form of prevention but works well if you do get a cold/ flu. It is easy to make using fresh ginger root and water. As soon as I start to feel a cold coming on I make a batch of tea right away. Ginger tea is also great for nausea.

Honey and cinnamon – are great combinations for a number of diseases and ailments. Different proportions target different ailments. For colds it is 1 tbsp. honey to 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon

Homeopathic remedies – the great thing about homeopathic remedies is that they work with your body to help boost your immune system as well as heal the ailment. It not only relieves your symptoms but helps your body to move through it faster. There are a number of homeopathic remedies to aid colds and flu. Oscillococcinum, as mentionned above, is great for prevention as well as when you have it. Aconite is great when you first start feeling the cold coming on, take it right away, as well as other homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies work best when you can match your symptoms to the remedy so it is best to either consult with your homeopathic doctor or have a book on remedies for self diagnosis. The great thing about homeopathy is if you choose the wrong remedy it will not cause you any harm, it simply won’t help you get better and you’ll have to try a different homeopathic remedy.

Rum, honey, cinnamon, lemon in hot tea – this is an amazing remedy. Recently I had a cold that just would not go away and continued to get worse and worse each day instead of better. All I wanted to do was crawl into my bed and pull the covers over my head, but my aunt who was visiting at the time suggested and made this remedy for me. It cleared my head like that! and though I still had a bit of a cough, I felt like I could function and enjoy life again 🙂 You can use any kind of hot tea that you like and then add the rest into the drink.

Essential Oils – there are a number of essential oils that support our immune system. Oils such as Frankincense and Copaiba support a number of our body systems including immunity. doTERRA’s On Guard essential oil blend is our go to for supporting immunity. It is a blend of Wild Orange, Clove Bud, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary. It can used preventatively by applying topically on the bottoms of the feet or taking one drop internally daily. Diffuse when you feel something coming on, as it not only protects you but everyone in the household.

Vitamin C, D, & B12 – boost these vitamins during cold and flu season. They all help boost your body’s immune system and vitamin B12 helps you to cope with stress.

Sleep – sleep is one of the best healers and immune boosters. Get adequate sleep on a regular basis for prevention but when you feel your cold coming on make sure you get to bed early and get lots of rest.

No Sugar – sugar weakens the immune system very quickly, so if you have sugar in your diet, avoiding and eliminating it when you are sick will help strengthen your immune system and recover faster.

Garlic Lemon and Honey Syrup – this remedy comes from a book called A Kids Book of Herbs, is very easy to make and kicks your cold super fast!

Eat more of these foods – ginger, garlic, onions, licorice root, honey – these all strengthen the immune system and support healing.

A lot of these remedies you can use apply on a regular basis in your diet/ day to help prevent the colds and flu from even coming on, but they all work great if you or your family do get sick. I believe too that one remedy will work better for one person than another so to find the one that works best for you. I also believe that anything we do to help our body naturally boost our immune systems is not only going to be better for us in the long run but will also help prevent us from getting as sick or sick at all in the future. Many of these remedies too are ones that kids will easily take without fuss, and is easy to incorporate into their diets and routines.

Do you have a favorite natural remedy that works? Comment and share below.

Wordless Wednesday

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Carmen

I am branching out today and am participating in Wordless Wednesday, an event hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom, to help promote and connect with other bloggers. You simply put up a picture on your blog and link it to their site. Then you go and visit/ check out other people’s photos.

This is a great opportunity to check out new blogs, meet new people and expand your connections in the blogosphere! It also helps new people find your site in a fun and interesting way.

So here is my photo for this week. Share your thoughts on this photo by commenting below and be sure to go check out the other pictures as well. Enjoy and Happy Wednesday!

A Preschool for Luke and Chloe

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Carmen

I can hardly believe that the twins are going to be 3 next week! Walking, talking, running and playing they are truly little people now with their own distinct personalities! Luke is very sensitive, quiet and observant, while Chloe is more robust, energetic and fiesty! They are both cute as buttons of course and are very good kids.

With the approach of their third birthday it was time for me to start considering preschool for them. I know some people don’t believe in preschool -and they say why should I pay to have my kids go do crafts and games when I can do that with them. The reality is, for most of us, do we actually do the crafts and games on a regular basis? The other thing is is preschool is more than crafts and games and has a variety of benefits for your child from promoting social and emotional development, learning to share, making choices, learning how to function in a structured environment and preparing them for kindergarten. And these days there is lots of choice in what preschool you can register your child in.

When we registered Matthew in preschool I just went down to the local one closest to us, looked around, felt happy and registered him. Only now do I wish that I had looked around a bit more and learned more about the different preschools that were available as I feel that there was a better choice and fit for Matthew due to his learning ability. But hind sight is 20/20 and he was my first child etc. So this time, not only did I know when to start looking/ registering for preschool, I took my time checking out a few preschools in the area and touring them all.

I kept it reasonable and looked at 3; and after googling preschools in Calgary selected Leap n Learn, Montessori and Apple Tree to go and take a look. Luke and Chloe got to come with me each time which I feel is very valuable when selecting a preschool for your child. It is important to see how they take to the environment and if they like it there. Also children have a strong intuitive sense, so if the energy is off or negative then they would pick up on and display it right away.

Luke discovering animals

Preschools have really changed now too with many offering 3 hour classes up to 5 days a week. You now provide your own snacks for your children, where as the school used to provide this, but I believe that with the growing number of people requiring special dietary needs that this was the best way to address this. There are specialty programs such as French Immersion or a strong music component, some are more academic (believe it or not) while others are your traditional beginning learning and getting them ready for school. All have their benefits and all have their place and it all depends on the child. The best fit for one child may not be the best fit for another.

One of the things I really liked about Matthew’s preschool is that we could walk to it. I found this to be a great benefit and we walked all through the winter to and from. Being more particular this time, this was one benefit I had to give up if I truly wanted the best fit.

Leap n Learn has a great program, they offer 3 hour classes and a French Immersion option. They also have a great music component.

Montessori is a great program for children who are self motivated and individual learners. The montessori approach is a wonderful one but is not for all children. Their philosophy is that they provide a solid foundation for children as they enter kindergarten. They do not offer music per se, and only a little bit of beginner French once a week.

Apple Tree is what I would describe as a regular preschool. Though it has been voted one of the best preschools in Calgary by Calgary’s Child, I did not find that it stood out. It was just a regular preschool in what I considered a fairly stark environment actually. I don’t believe French was offered here at all. But they do have Sonata Yamaha School of Music come in to do their music component.

Chloe

Needless to say we did not go with Apple Tree, though it was the one we could walk to! For us I felt that Leap n Learn and Montessori were the best choices, and were very close, but ended up choosing Montessori. I felt that it would be a better fit for Chloe especially and that Luke could thrive there as well. I did though choose the Montessori preschool that was a little bit further from us – as there was one 5 minutes away. I caution parents if you are going to do Montessori to still check out a few Montessori schools. Though the program and philosophy is the same, with all teachers being Montessori trained, they are individually owned and run, so vary slightly. We toured the one closest to us and though outwardly there was nothing wrong with it, it was not as bright as the other one, the energy was not as good and overall something just did not feel right. So I went with my gut and we are going a little bit further (15 minute drive) to one that I like and feel better about.

Choosing a preschool is very much an individual decision and I would strongly encourage you to tour a few of them so that you can see and make an informed decision that best fits your child. In summary here are things to keep in mind when choosing a preschool:

Tour more than one school
Tour each school – make an appointment where you can go and see the rooms, talk with someone about the program and able to answer any questions you have. Make sure that the kids can come with you
Consider things like fees, monthly and registration, if there is a discount for a second child, etc.
Is it clean? Bright and with natural light. Do you get a good vibe there? do the kids like it?
What options do they have? 2 or 3 hour programs? French or other language, music
Teacher training – what are their requirements for staff/teachers

Regardless of which preschool you choose for your child it should be one that is the best fit for you and your child. Make sure they are ready, gather all the information you need to make a sound informed decision, use a little intuition and take your time. Don’t dilly dally but don’t rush into it either. You want your child to have a positive experience in a positive environment.

Are you planning on registering your child for preschool this fall? What preschool have you chosen? Please comment and share below.

Wintery Fun in Kananaskis

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Carmen

Today the kids and I spent the afternoon in Kananaskis, having been invited by our neighbors to join them for quading, a campfire, food and fun. It was a wonderful afternoon with certainly no shortage of food, laughs and friendship.

The kids got a chance to go out on the Razor, Matthew usually riding in the front passenger seat and Luke and Chloe being pulled along in the toboggan on the back. Luke, being the trooper that he is, was the first to try it out. Hopping into the toboggan with no worries, totally trusting that he would be safe and wanting to find out what it was all about. Chloe being less sure refused the first time, but was then upset when Luke set off without her.

Luke on his toboggan ride

Riding with the neighbor Mr. Koop, Luke simply enjoyed the ride, taking it all in. As they were riding Mr. Koop would ask Luke if he was having fun and Luke would just nod. He would later ask if he wanted to ride some more and Luke would nod again. That’s my boy, he just sits and observes, but it doesn’t mean that he is not having a good time, he is just quietly enjoying it.

While others in our group took their turns on the Razor/ toboggan we cozied up around a campfire in the trees, having hot chocolate, brownies and roasting hot dogs. Everyone brought something and shared, there was plenty to go around. Now for us it’s a bit challenging to share foods with our requirements of no dairy and no sugar. But I was prepared and brought our own hot chocolate, made with almond milk and sweetened with maple syrup, a little mesquite and lucuma powder; as well as cinnamon salted caramel brownies. This recipe, (sugar free, dairy free and gluten free), I discovered while shopping at Community Natural Foods earlier in the week. They are sooo good!

Chloe enjoying her hot chocolate

I managed to whip up a batch before we headed out so that the kids would have something to enjoy. Cause like I said sharing can be challenging, not for us to share with others, but for others to share with us. Everyone was fascinated by the brownies and many had a taste. Sheila commented that she would never know they had no sugar in them if I had not told her (and thought they were delicious).

Matthew was a bit frustrated by the amount of things that were there that he could not have, while the twins didn’t know the difference. But it challenged Matthew to branch out a little; he tried roasting grapes over the fire and seeing what it was like. He said they were not bad. It also demonstrated how much of our food has sugar in it – which I pointed out to Matthew. So many of our convenience foods and foods we choose to bring to gatherings contain sugar! Many of these things, like baked beans or chocolate cake I can make with natural alternatives, but they also take time and I am not always able to pull these things together if we get invited on short notice.

Roasting grapes

Overall though Matthew survived and though he felt a bit slighted and a little upset with me, he had a great afternoon. He got 3 rides on the Razor and even Chloe eventually got on. Chloe, Luke and I took a turn together in the toboggan and had a great time. We did flip over at one point and tumbled out, but we got back in and enjoyed the ride. Luke and Chloe screamed in delight and we returned to our site with rosy cheeks and covered in snow. (Now just so you know Conroy was driving very slowly with the little ones in the back but it was just the right speed for me and enjoyable and safe for the twins) Even though there were moments where Chloe was a bit concerned, if you asked her if she had fun, her eyes glowed and she nodded adamantly.

It was so great to get out for the afternoon and enjoy the winter snow. It’s amazing that we have hardly any snow in Calgary but to drive half an hour down the road into Kananaskis there is tons! It was a beautiful mild winter day with gently falling snowflakes that came off and on. We totally skipped Luke and Chloe’s afternoon nap to go and I left the house in a mess and came home to the same mess, but sometimes you have to do those things in order to enjoy life. I am a big believer in routine and rarely deter from it (in fact some people call me militant), but sometimes you need that change, that spontaneity.Yeah I had to clean up when I got home, and supper was a little late, but I was able to handle it all calmly and cooly just doing what I needed to do. And because I had that break and that socialization it did not bother me at all that I still have to clean up a little or stay up a little later (yes there are still dishes awaiting me in the sink).

We went out and connected with nature, fed our spirits and just had fun! Which my goodness sometimes we just need to do in life. Leave the laundry, dishes, cleaning and go play! Enjoy this life and the time we have on this planet cause we are only here for a short time, might as well make it excellent!

Plus we created some wonderful memories for the kids (the kind that will be “Remember when we fell out of the sleigh…”, connections with others and some great pictures. (it’s unlikely that the same can be said for the laundry) Now who can put a price on that?

What adventures did you have this weekend? Leave a comment and share below

Chocolate Dream Pie

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Carmen

Each year on Valentine’s Day I make some kind of dessert or special treat for me and the kids. It adds a little something extra to the day and something to look forward to. Usually something chocolate, I like to experiment with new recipes and new ways of doing things. Last year I made chocolate covered strawberries, dipping them in my own homemade chocolate, the year before chocolate cupcakes.

This year I made one of our new favorites Chocolate Dream Pie. This no bake, sugar free, dairy free, gluten free dessert is to die for! Made all in the blender it is delicious (and guilt free). There are a few unique ingredients, which might turn you off at first, but trust me you will not be disappointed.

Irish Moss

For instance, irish moss, which is a kind of seaweed gathered on the coast of Prince Edward Island, helps congeal and set your pie. Only a pinch is needed and depending on where you live, may be hard to find. But once you know what you are looking for you can track it down, even if you order it online. I was able to find it here locally in Calgary at the Light Cellar.

My kids love it, of course. Matthew’s eyes get big and he starts to salivate. Luke and Chloe who had their first piece, and when done, promptly asked for a second piece. I also shared it with my girlfriend today who not only asked me for the recipe, but regretted sharing it with her son (who also loved it) because she wanted more for herself 🙂

Quick and easy to make, this recipe won’t disappoint.

Chocolate Dream Pie

Crust

1 c. hazelnut mash (from making nut milk)

1 c. walnuts

3-4 tbsp. agave nectar (I like to use Ojio as it is a higher quality agave)

1/4 tsp. vanilla

Filling

3/4 oz. irish moss (soak a small pinch of irish moss in water overnight, rinse well and use in recipe)

1 1/2 c. hazelnut milk

1/4 c. agave nectar

1/4 pitted dates

1/3 c. cacao powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla powder

pinch sea salt

1 rounded tsp. non-GMO lecithin

3/4 c. coconut oil

For crust: Make the *nut milk and use the leftover mash for making the crust. Put all the ingredients into the Vitamix in order listed. Select variable 8. Quickly turn machine on and off, scraping the sides of the container with a spatula between pulses, until a damp meal is formed.

Grease a 9 inch pie plate lightly with coconut oil. Press the crust into the pie plate.

For filling: Place all ingredients in Vitamix in order listed. Select varaible 1. Turn Vitamix on slowly and increase speed to 10, then to high. Blend 30-40 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

Pour into prepared crust. Place in fridge until set (about 1 hour).

*Hazelnut milk

Place 1 cup of hazelnuts, soaked overnight and drained, with 3 cups of water in Vitamix. Selecting variable 1, turn machine on slowly increasing speed to 10 and then to high. Blend for 30 seconds.

Over top of a medium size bowl, pour contents form Vitamix into nut bag. Strain through nut bag. Use milk and mash for recipe. Store leftover milk in fridge.

Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Carmen

I love Valentine’s Day! I have no idea why really, I have yet to have the real romantic Valentine’s that I have dreamed of, but it is one of my favorite holidays.

I find the energy in the air is charged with hope and positive vibes and whether you have a sweetie or not, it is a great day.

I love doing things with the kids as they get so excited about it. I usually make a treat of some kind, whether it be chocolates, brownies or chocolate dream pie (yes there is a chocolate theme here) and I give them a little something, usually a homemade valentine, which might be as simple as a construction paper heart with a note on it.

I usually set up a little scavenger hunt for them as well, something simple but gives them chance to roam the house and explore, looking for things. They love it!

I also love the crafts as there are so many fun and easy things to make around this holiday. One of my favorites is the Toilet Paper Roll Cupid. He is very cute and fun to make. He is a little involved with a few steps that may not be suitable for younger children but they could certainly do it with some adult help.

Cardboard Cupid

I have always loved to the Stained Glass Hearts, where you use tissue and construction paper and put them up on your window. Easy, fun and full of love.

Years ago I was writing for a site call Suite 101 and created an article there which includes cupid as well as some other great crafts such as a Valentine Wreath, photo frame and another of my favorites – the Valentine Person! (I think I love that one because of his ‘accordian’ legs and arms). Go here for details on all these great crafts.

The thing I like about Valentine’s Day crafts is that you can pretty much do anything with hearts – from pictures to people to wreaths and even crystal hearts, which Matthew was making in his class at school, there is no end to the creative ideas and fun that the kids can have this Valentine’s Day!

Sugar Free Banana Bread

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Carmen

A traditional favorite in most homes, banana bread is a great way to use up those overripe bananas, turning them into something delicious! I have tried a few banana bread recipes from the one my Mom makes to one from my roommates in university and all have been delicious. But when I discovered this banana bread recipe I was in heaven! It was the most moist and the best banana bread that I had ever had. Containing no sugar, sweetened with applesauce and honey, and a boost of flaxseed, this is one healthy, but extremely yummy banana bread.

When I make it at our house, it never lasts more than a day because the kids and I gobble it up 2 or 3 pieces at a time.

I use my own *applesauce and chocolate, both homemade and of which I usually have on hand. The twins enjoy applesauce and cinnamon each morning at breakfast and I make up plain chocolate pieces that I keep in the fridge or freezer for whenever we need our chocolate fix.

Though you may have a favorite banana bread recipe, give this one a try, you won’t be disappointed!

*to make the applesauce I simply slice and core 6 apples, boil them on the stove until soft, then drain the water and blend the apples in the blender until smooth. I do not peel the apples as the skin contains lots of vitamins that you lose when you peel them and blends up so small that you don’t notice it in the sauce.

Banana Bread

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

flaxseed

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

pinch of sea salt

3 ripe mashed bananas

2 egg whites

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c. honey

1/4 c. flaxseed oil

1/3 c. chopped dark chocolate

chopped walnuts, optional

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseed and salt.

In a large bowl beat bananas until smooth. Add egg whites and mix. Gradually mix in applesauce, honey and flaxseed oil. Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture. Stir in chocolate.

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with Earth Balance Vegan spread. Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until cake tester when inserted comes out clean.

Getting Grounded

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Carmen

Luke

My son Luke loves being outside. When he gets up from a nap or we are coming home from being out he says, “Mommy I want to stay outside.” And as much as I can I say “Sure” and let him play. He’ll just putz around in the backyard, exploring, driving his trucks or digging (either snow or dirt depending on the weather). The other day he was out there for a long time filling up a bucket with snow and moving it, then filling it again, over and over.

Yesterday though when he asked to stay outside and I peeked out a few minutes later to check on him, he was lying in the dirt pile in our veggie garden, eyes closed and soaking up the sunshine. It was so cute, unfortunately I was too slow to get a picture! He looked so peaceful and content. He looked up when he heard me and I asked him if he was getting grounded; he said yes. I went back to what I was doing and then checked on him a bit later and he had gone back to lying on the ground once again.

I truly believe that he was getting grounded, lying there in the dirt (and a little bit of snow) reconnecting with the Earth. It is something that we all need to do on a daily basis. It helps keep us balanced and connected, peaceful. As children I think we naturally do this, we know what to do and when we need to do it. We also have no problems getting into the dirt or lying on the ground. We know we need to feel the warmth and comfort of Mother Earth’s embrace and root ourselves; but as adults we get busy, we tend to forget and we spend much less time outside. We lose that connection that is vital to our energy – then we feel unbalanced and unfocused and begin to wonder why!

For kids it comes I think they just get grounded naturally and do it easily because they are still so close to source and are ‘freer’ without the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning working and running a household. But as adults it is even more important for us to ensure that we are grounded and to teach our kids how to stay grounded as they grow up. The best way to ground yourself is to go outside, even if only for a few minutes, but sometimes we may not be able to do that right away. So what do you do when this may not be possible?

Here are some quick and easy tricks to getting and staying grounded even when you can’t get outside.

Drink lots of water -staying hydrated keeps us in the flow and maintains our connection to the Earth
Carry a grounding crystal – black tourmaline, smoky quartz, obsidian, hematite
Smoky Quartz
Spend a few minutes imagining your favorite place outside – close your eyes and visualize the ocean, waterfall, meadow full of flowers, whatever you like, just pick a place outside
Wear red- red is the color of your first chakra, or root chakra and is related to grounding or rooting you to the Earth
Take off your shoes – even if inside your bare feet touching the ground will ground you
Get a plant, fish or something live for your office or home – bringing in live energy inside where you are working/ living will not only brighten the environment but the routines of caring for these things will ground you
Eat root vegetables – vegetables that grow below the ground such as carrots, potatoes, turnips
Organize a desk, drawer, etc.
Go to bed early
Nuture yourself – go for a massage, take a warm bath

Of course if you can get outside do so! Some of these activities will ground you quickly and make you feel great:

Go for a short brisk walk at lunch
Put your hands in the dirt
Garden (you can also do this inside with a potted plant or start seeds)
Lie down on the ground for a few minutes
Roll down the hill (remember when you were a kid and you rolled down a grassy hill how much fun that was? I was always laughing and giggling by the time I got to the bottom)

Being grounded provides us a solid foundation and makes us feel safe. It establishes our energetic connection with Mother Earth and provides us with a feeling of being balanced. Take after your kids who just lay down in the dirt, even if only for a few minutes, it does wonders. It’s also a great way to play and connect with your children which is something we could all use more of in our lives as well!

How do you stay grounded?

The Healing Power of Reiki

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Carmen

On my continuous journey for growth and learning I recently took a Reiki Level I class. Having heard of this modality before I was not really sure what it was exactly, though I was familiar with the term and had had received some Reiki treatments before myself.

I decided to take the level I as I felt that this was the next step for me in my spiritual work, having already taken classes with Sonia Choquette, and becoming a Certified Angel Therapist® with Doreen Virtue. I also felt that for myself this was the next thing that I needed to do, as I understood that in taking the class I would continue and experience my own healing – even if I wasn’t conscious of what healing I needed.

I also took it as an opportunity to expand my spiritual circle of friends and colleagues, joining other like minded spirits in our journey. I also considered it some time for me and an opportunity to work on myself.

According to the International Training Center for Reiki, Reiki is “a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.”

Reiki treats the whole body including the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies. It is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use.

Not really sure what to expect in the class, though confident that it would be a positive experience, I learned that Reiki is a very simple technique that once you are attuned to it, passed on by a Reiki Master, it is very easy to do. It is calming, relaxing and peaceful. Reiki can never cause harm because you are channeling source energy and it will always go to and treat the area that needs it most. This does not mean that the client will experience complete relief after one treatment, depending on the ailment, but will definitely experience positive results.

The Chakras

One “side effect” of taking the course is that you go through a 21 day cleanse of the 7 chakras, one chakra a day, 3 times. Depending where you are in your life and what you have to move out, this may not be a very fun experience. In fact, though glad I have taken the course and plan to take level 2, and I know I will be better in a better place once the 21 days are completed; there are days in this cycle that I am definitely not enjoying and finding it challenging to ‘cleanse’ and still manage my everyday life. It would be nice to take a 21 day vacation after completing the course!

Reiki benefits everybody, whether you are the recipient or the practitioner, and has been shown to improve people’s lives and/ or medical conditions when used in conjunction with traditional medical practices. There is no downside to having Reiki. My suggestion is to go experience a Reiki session and see what the benefits are for you, as it is different for every individual. At the very least you will have a very relaxing and pleasant experience and I think we could all use a little more of that in our lives!

Have you ever had a Reiki session before?