When natural parenting has gone too far....

If you look in my kitchen cabinets right now you will find that about 90% of my stuff is organic. Once you start learning how much our food is contaminated there is no turning back. I literally cannot bring myself to buy things that I once enjoyed eating. A lot of people think we are crazy. When I say "we" I mean all the crunchy moms of the world who would be horrified if they saw their kid eating McDonalds or a hot dog. The problem is that once you have woken up to the reality of what has happened to the food supply in this country it is easy to become fearful. Fear is never good motivation for doing anything, especially when raising your kids.

I have realized that even if you don't vaccinate your kids, feed them all organic food, cloth diaper, and breast feed, there are still many ways that they are exposed to chemicals and toxins outside of your control. It is easy to become so caught up in the natural and organic world that it becomes an unhealthy obsession. For example, if you can't go to someones house for dinner because you are worried they won't cook a healthy meal, you might have a problem. If you can't go out to dinner once in a while because all the ingredients on the menu are not certified organic, gluten, soy, and dairy free, you might have a problem. You laugh, but I actually know people like this! This is a life of fear, and while we do our absolute best at home, we are not going to let our health choices prevent us from enjoying life.

With that said, I am still astonished how willfully ignorant many people still are about nutrition. Food decides whether you are healthy or not. Disease and cancer feed off sugar, processed foods and GMOs. The science is there to prove it! 

God gave you one body. Just one. Be responsible, not fearful.

xxoo

Social media, TV, and Complaining? Take your time back!

Every day should be intentional. Every conversation should be intentional. When you wake up in the morning, you should do so with purpose. Make life happen, don't let it just happen to you.

I know we all have days that we get up and just go through the motions, but what if we paid more attention to what we spend our time doing? Over the last few weeks I have been picking apart my days to see where I put my time. I was shocked how much time I was wasting doing things that in no way improved my life or the lives of my husband or children. Instead of spending quality time with my hubby, I was busy on Facebook, instead of cleaning my house I was watching The Bachelor, or instead of speaking positive words, I was complaining. Yikes, I don't have it as together as I thought I did!

Social media isn't bad, but if it is replacing actual human interaction then you might need to cut back...Enough said.

I am not much of a TV person, but in the past my guilty pleasure was watching The Bachelor. I knew it was a waste of brain cells and time, but I did it anyway.After realizing I was wasting 2 hours a week watching something that was not adding value to my life, but was actually just filling my mind with garbage, I decided to stop watching My husband was not sad about that choice either, let me tell you. Basically, if your kids couldn't sit there and watch it with you, you probably shouldn't watch it at all. That might sound extreme, but it really isn't hard. There are lots of interesting shows that are not promoting the degradation of our society, just give it a shot.

Do you consider yourself to be a positive person? Do you see the good in people or situations or are you constantly focused on the negative? I believe negative people need to have something to complain about. They will look at people or situations and pick them apart until they can find something negative, and with enough research you can find negatives in everything. Let me just set you free right now with this challenge. Stop. Just stop. Be intentional about it. When you have conversations, don't complain. Even if you have the best reason ever, just don't. I challenge you to go a week intentionally thinking about everything you are saying. While you may be tempted to whine just a little, don't give in!! I guarantee it will change your life! I understand we all need to vent once in a while, but if you are not sincerely looking for a solution, then even venting is a waste of time. The bible constantly talks about words and how they are life and death. Speak life. Complaining is not life. Complaining is self centered. Every person on the planet has things they could complain about, it doesn't make you special. Every time you feel the need to complain or vent, speak something positive. Give a stranger a compliment, tell your kids how much you love them, encourage your husband and thank him for being such a great provider. Whatever you need to do. I promise you, these words will change your life!

As I go through my days being more intentional I am finding myself to be much more productive, and I have also cleared the way for God to do some exciting things in my life and heart. I challenge you, take control of your life and don't give back the reigns!

4 date night ideas to bring passion back into your marriage!

Dustin and I are going to celebrate 5 years married this year, I can't believe it has already been that long! Time flies when you have a sleep over with your best friend every night!

In our years together we have already seen friends and family members get married, then divorced. It is a bummer. One of the things that contributes to our marital bliss is DATE NIGHT! We love all of our children dearly, but if we don't have a solid relationship with each other, we cannot be the parents we are supposed to be. God first, then each other, then our kids.

I know some mommies and daddies who have kids, and that becomes their entire life. Don't get me wrong, I live for those littles, and I spend the majority of my time with them, but their daddy comes first. He is my other half, my kids will eventually grow up and leave me (tear) and we will be left with just each other!

Getting out and having fun without kids is key to staying connected and keeping the passion alive. Dustin and I like going out to dinner, but dinner is not always FUN, you need to have fun with your spouse. Do you remember what made you fall in love with him? One of the main things I loved about Dustin was that he liked to do stuff, not just sit around and do nothing all day. Here are some ideas to help bring the passion back into your marriage:

1. Get competitive. There is something fun and flirtatious about talking a big game to your significant other. Bring that good tension back into your marriage! We have been paint balling, bowling, putt putting, go carting, and a bunch of other competitive stuff. I destroy him in putt putt by the way, and I don't let him forget it.

2. Get out of town. Yep. Even if its just for a few hours! It is amazing what happens when you roll down the windows, turn up the music and leave all your troubles back home. One of the best nights Dustin and I had was on our anniversary this past year. We drove to the coast with hardly any money, had a couple drinks, listened to a band, walked the beach, and had the best time ever. We both left feeling refreshed and happy. A night neither of us will ever forget.

3. Try new things. Just because you might have a favorite restaurant doesn't mean you should always go there. You go on a date night to get away from routine, not to get stuck in a new one! Try new restaurants, check out new little towns, go somewhere you haven't been since you started dating. It will help you remember all the reasons you fell in love in the first place.

4. Plan it. I hate to tell you this ladies, but if you don't plan it he probably won't either. Dustin plans it out sometimes, but usually I have to tell him to get me out of this little nuthouse we have created :) The sooner you realize this, the less frustrated you will be. Men are usually not planners.

A lot of marriages could be fixed by date nights. We try to go once a week, but usually it is more realistic for us to go every other week. Make it a priority before your marriage is beyond repair. Don't you want to be one of those cute little old couples holding hands? I do!

What are some of your favorite date nights?

xxoo

Merry merry Christmas from the Schieber Tribe of Five!

So instead of posting every single Christmas picture I took on Facebook, I decided to just pick my favs and blog them with a little commentary to go with each.  This year was full of some really low lows, and some really high highs, but all the lows turned out for best, and I realize more than ever how much God has his hand in every area of our lives. Our God is faithful!

 Santa came!!! Not going to lie, our kiddies are SPOILED!

Shameless selfie with my main squeeze ;) He loves me.

Absolutely positive that he is the one made for me, and me for him! I married my best friend. This year was our best, so happy to do life with him. I could go on all day...What more could a girl ask for?

#schiebertribeoffive

Our babies with their new cousin Grady! Bre is glowing, this was her first time holding his teensy weensy self!

She lit up when we put him in her arms!

Eli was helping Daddy make a fire! He was not a good helper, but he is cute so we excuse it ;)

Eli is just enamored with his Uncle Joey, who happens to look like Jesus. 

If I could describe this little girl in one pic, this would be it! She lights up the whole house with her silly, sassy, bossy, smart, and sweet little self! I just adore her.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Looking forward to an even better 2014! God bless!

XXOO

Don't Cater to the Haters

If you are anything like Dustin and I, you probably record and watch every episode of Duck Dynasty religiously. It is literally like a little ritual for us, we put the kids to bed, grab a snack and snuggle up on the couch to enjoy every last second of that wonderful Robertson clan. The whole controversy surrounding the things Phil Robertson said in an interview really got me thinking about how this situation relates to every single person on the planet. If you are going to make a hard stand, on any given issue, you are going to have haters. What is a hater? Let me define it for you...

A hater is someone who doesn't like what you stand for, and no matter what you do, you will not please them. My message is simple, don't waste your time trying. If someone doesn't like you, or your cause, it doesn't matter what you do, it won't be good enough. Thank GOD Phil Robertson is man enough NOT to apologize for believing what the bible says. He knows you can't cater to haters.

Do you have people who hate you for what you believe, or who you are? If you have read any of my previous posts then you know I definitely do, because I take hard stands on certain topics. I have had friends get offended and tell me I should not be so harsh. You know what I say to them? Keep scrolling! If you don't like what I write, don't read it. For every offended person, I have someone who heartily agrees with me, and that is who I write for. 

This applies in every area of your life. Take a step back and look at your relationships, who are your haters? Do you find yourself constantly trying to please them and never able to make that happen? I know Dustin and I have learned a lot in this area, and have realized that you cannot ever base decisions on trying to live up to other people's standards. Find out who you are, and what you believe, and stand your ground. You will be surprised how many wonderful, like-minded people find their spot comfortably next to you. Remember, the haters only have a voice if you give them one. 

xxoo

Sample menu for toddlers!

Recently I saw a blog somebody wrote on a weeks worth of what their toddler ate. I thought it was a great subject to blog about because most littles are quite picky! Both of our girls and even the baby (so far) are really good eaters.

Statistically, 75% of children will have an ear infection by the time they are 3. Hazel is turning 3 at the end of this month and has never had one. Not only that but she has never had any sickness that would require antibiotics. Eli is 10 months and so far, same for him! I attribute their health to lots of factors, but food is one of the biggest. I like convenience just as much as any mom so you aren't going to find stuff made from scratch on this post! These are simple, everyday ideas...

I don't believe in coincidence when it comes to health, if a kid is sick a lot, it's because something is off in their body. One of the most important things you can start with is their diet... Here are some ideas:

Breakfast:

• Organic cereal with raw milk (see the amazing benefits of raw milk at http://www.realmilk.com/)
• Organic frozen waffles (I usually buy Van's) and grade B real maple syrup
• Homemade organic pancakes (you can buy organic mixture and just add organic eggs, raw milk, and coconut oil)

Lunch:

• Rolled up turkey and cheese (make sure its nitrite-free turkey if you can't find organic) with organic apple slices or clementine slices
• Organic macaroni and cheese. Annie's makes a gluten free/organic version, and I use raw milk and coconut oil for the added health benefit. Add some frozen blueberries on the side and my kids are happy (Costco sells a huge bag of organic, wild blueberries for like $11)
• Grilled Cheese. Ezekial bread (or any sprouted grain bread) is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat and it also makes a pretty darned good grilled cheese! Use some organic grass fed butter and cheese and you have a healthy and yummy lunch!

Dinner:
We don't make special stuff for the kids for dinner. They eat what we eat. I make almost all my meals organic, and non GMO. I try to stay away from gluten, but if we have it, it's organic, and preferably from sprouted grains.

Snacks:
For snacks I always keep some sort of fruit or veggie in the house as the first option. They like carrots and organic dressing, apples, berries, and oranges. Pirate's Booty, and Annie's cheddar bunnies too are popular around here too. I try to keep the yogurt and sweeter stuff for their after dinner snack.

Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for your little ones. Remember, stay away from packaged foods that are not organic, they are full of poison!

I would love to hear from YOU, what wholesome foods do your kids like?

With Thanksgiving

I don't have any fancy subject to write about at the moment, just taking a moment to be grateful.. All I can say is that this was, by far, my most favorite year ever, of my whole life. Yep. My entire life. I am so thankful. We had lots of changes this year... We had a baby... our last baby, and our little family of five is now complete. My hubby sold his business, I started working part time doing something I am passionate about, which led us to a new church that we love.Our marriage is stronger than ever and we are all healthy and happy.We have had lots of victories this year. Several different things that were meant for harm have been turned into the very things that have made our family stronger.The future is bright.. Bring it, 2014!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for?