My Future Trim Healthy Mama Pregnancy And More (For a HG Mom)

This morning I woke up with my first menses since about 28-29 months ago. That's being pregnant and nursing our last child. A month ago or so I stopped night time nursing. I needed my sleep back desperately, and I knew once I stopped it would be only a matter of weeks until I started ovulating again. So here I am!

Fertile. Fertile.

What does this mean to an "HG mom"? (Hyperemesis Gravidarum to those who do not know is Extreme pregnancy sickness) It means that it's time to stop slacking in numerous ways and start putting my armor and arsenal on. It all comes down to health, basically. Nutritious foods, good habits, sleep in the bank, etc.

What are some changes that I need to start like, YESTERDAY? Let me map it out for you, but also I'm mapping this our for myself as a reminder.

Diet

Don't do's

• No sugar. I have to be aware of and avoid hidden sugars. 
• No unsprouted wheat, and very little sprouted ones.
• No white rice or white potatoes.
• No caffeine, coffee, and consume very little home made Skinny Chocolate. I just packed away my "Keurig"... sigh*
• No heated oils. Using the good oils as salad dressings etc.
• No processed foods. No junk!

Do do's (ha ha!)

• Increase fermented foods, sauerkraut, pickles, ACV, probiotics, kefir, kombucha tea, etc
• Increase vegetables, especially leafy greens. Last pregnancy I was able to juice vegetables more than I could eat them, and it helped me a lot. 
• Keep hydrated. I know I love me GGMS', but I need to start loving plain old water as well. I've heard that natural spring water makes a bigger difference than filtered water. I gotta check this claim out.
• Eat according to the Trim Healthy Mama plan. You can find more about it HERE
• Supplementation. I am seeing a Naturapathic Dr, getting tested for everything to see where my body is at, and we will be supplementing on what needs addressing. Exciting times, indeed! I've never been so thoroughly checked!
• We will be investing in organic and ethical foods, when possible. $$$!! I know.

Surroundings

• We need to empty our home from like...everything, basically! This is the time to either give away or box-up most of it. Let's put on our "stage the house" mode, and pretend we need to depersonalize the home for selling. There will be no time to do this while (Lord willing I am not!) under the nausea of HG. 
• Simplify homeschool to nearly a complete self-led study. We will be signing the kids up for mathseeds.com and ixl.com, raz-kids.com, brainpop and brainpopjr.com. Hubby will be prepared to take over some of the schooling, especially in the beginning.
• Now or never is the time to focus on "attitude" with the children. They do their chores, but when I am out of action- they need to do these without being asked. Rewards system, ready-set-go! A wall chart will help them keep their progress and goals visual.
• Getting a pair of "walkie-talkies", check! The best purchase EVER. No more struggled whimper yells. "Purple leader calling for red-leader. Over."
• Cooking 20-30 freezer meals for my family. Stocking up the freezer and pantry with portioned healthy snacks and ready P&J, and cheese&deli sandwiches. I need to get my thinking cap on...menu planning, here I come!
• Letting go of commitments. All the "extras" that my family and I can live without.
• For me, a mini fridge next to my bed is a must. 
• Create  "A Family Binder". Gather all the information of everything you or your family -or babysitter, aunt, friend, should have and put it in a binder. Make it accessible, pretty and simple. Telephone numbers, links, chores and menu list, manuals, recipes, instructions etc. Whatever you feel is important for the possible times that you are out of action.
• Stocking up on good quality protein powder and collagen. 

Habits etc

• Start taking daily epsom salt baths.
• Praying as a couple for my womb and for my pregnancy.
• Meditate on scripture and prayer.
• Going to bed on time. If I get into bed by 9 p.m, it gives my thoughts and body time to settle into sleep mode. I can spend my time in bed reading or making love to my husband. Both which affect sleep in a positive way. 
• Habits include diet.
• Taking care of my appearance and more. A healthy well-kept body is a "strength" to any level of nausea. It made a big difference in my last pregnancy. So what does this mean exactly? For me, it is about getting groomed (waxed, haircut, eyebrows plucked, pedicure etc), visiting a pelvic floor physio -getting my core and pelvic floor into where it should be, working on my cardio and muscle strength at home or at the gym, and over all complexion.  
• I will be budgeting for a cleaner weekly, if possible. 
• Same goes for a regular babysitter. Some may think of this as a waste of money, but this is paying for services that I need and will make our lives that little bit manageable/easier. We don't need to go out of the house for a "date" when we hire a babysitter. Doing simply nothing, is bliss. 
• Going over remedies that worked for me in my previous pregnancies and accumulating doTERRA essential oils that will be on my "go to" cupboard. More information on doTERRA HERE
• This one is pricey- but if possible, I will be going to regular high dose vitamin and mineral IV treatments given by my Naturapathic Dr. I can only see this being a positive impact on my future (lord willing) pregnancy. More information HERE

My dear "blogger friend" is pretty much going through what I am as we speak, preparing for a possible future HG pregnancy. She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes down to this all, and it was through her blog that I got most of my knowledge and support through my horrifically sick pregnancies. You can find her blog HERE

So what else can I share? I have my last pregnancy's blog still up there and running. I will most likely continue writing in it, when and if we're blessed with another "peanut". I'm quite excited to find out! You can have a look and read all about how I coped with our previous pregnancy HERE. 

The Struggle Is Real (Part 2)

In my previous post HERE, I went over some issues that are bothering me in my home, that I believe are hindering us as a family to live a "happy" home life. On this post, I am going to point out a few factors that I think may be the "culprits", the hindering factors.

• We get upset with our kids when they create a tornado in every room they pass through. "Pick that up, see you left this, that...do you have to touch everything?!" In some ways, I believe that we as parents are to blame. First of all, if we didn't have "all of that stuff" in the home in the first place, then our curious little children would not be leaving a trail of stuff while they lived in our home. If we had less stuff, working on chores and keeping up with bits wouldn't be so overwhelming to them, and we would yell less. Did that make any sense at all?? We are the ones who bring endless stuff -games, toys and books, crafts, clothes, and bits and bobs into our homes, the kids don't. We do. We allow the kids to. Who's in charge? It's only the natural curious nature of our kids who explore everything and anything around them. What is our home supposed to be like for us, and for them? Secondly, accumulation of things and stuff isn't coded in us, it's learnt. Tell me if I'm wrong (I know, genetics...)? Does accumulation happen through social pressure, in the society we live in? "Everything must be tried, and experienced!", "Taste THIS, craft THAT, sleep on THIS!" We must do EVERYTHING. We become secret hoarders. Always wanting more, because it is an endless sea of possibilities and upgrades. One thing I read somewhere that hit home was this, "You can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING" If only, we could apply it to everything in our lives. We cannot keep up. 
• (This may be a small factor of stuff in your home, but it's still a factor) I have a cupboard full of supplements. What could be wrong with that? It's healthy! Oh yes, yes they are, BUT! Firstly, what if we spent that $$$ on organic nutrient dense foods instead, -or at least half of it? It's starting to make sense to me. I have bottles upon bottles of pills, that are very much good for me, yet I would sometimes second guess on purchasing organic eggs, vegetables, and beef! Yet I would still spend $$ on vitamins. We wouldn't need supplementation if I was focusing on nutrient dense foods.  Secondly, I carry stress over remembering to eat my pills, so I can be healthy, I'll be doomed if I don't. Right? "So many pills to swallow, at these times of the day, with these meals. After my workout" "Oh shoot! I shouldn't take these now, they'll keep me up all night!" 

It's not meant to be a prison of anxiety of healthy living. Healthy living should be liberating, not the opposite wherein we become so fixated on what goes into our body. I tend to lean towards stressing more about my physical health than I do about my spiritual well being, unfortunately. You see? This is only one example of the things around us, in our homes that we imprison ourselves with. Let me list a few things that imprison me. 

• Family "heirlooms".
• Unfinished craft projects, albums.
• Potential craft projects. (Good ones!)
• Books.
• Potential school books. (Where do I find the time, to teach it all?!)
• Games, puzzles etc. (The fun family fun nights, coming up?!)
• China. (Other kitchen stuff that I can't seem to choose what to part with)
• Baby related blankets, linen. 
• Stuffies. (Every stuffy has a story, to each child, how can I get rid of?)
• Furniture. (What if we need these pieces later?)

My list goes on and on and on.

The truth is, I will never have enough time to enjoy them all as frequently as they should be, in my mind. Are they worth the space? Are they worth the visual noise, the guilt ("I still haven't played that game with my kids", "One day, bla bla bla with these"), the reminder that you are incapable of delivering? Incapable of making things happen, incapable of following through with regimes, unwritten rules, potential hobbies and then the images you've created in your mind with all of the stuff that's in your home. No, this has to stop. We can do ANYTHING, but not EVERYTHING. Now is the time to figure out what that "anything" is, and what the rest are that can be let go of. Are you following what I'm trying to put into words?

The Struggle Is Real -2016

I know that women in developing countries have serious struggles of their own, but can you imagine what our struggles might look like in their eyes?

• Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it!
• You can't find your shoes, where are your socks??!
• I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going!
• The sink is overflowing of dishes, again.
• This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard!
• The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:(
• Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!?
• It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.

I could go on and on with our "struggles" but the more I think about it, the more ashamed I am. Oh the guilt! So, I'm turning my shame into motivation to seriously purge my home.

I feel like I'm always purging my home. Is it just me or does anyone else seem to be donating boxes or bags of stuff after a huge purging episode?? I swear, the enemy knows my weaknesses. After 8 bags of purging, feeling that much lighter and free, someone brings me boxes of hand me downs of stuff. The hoarder within me, says "yeah, sure I'll have a look!" and guess what, EVERYTHING has potential. I should learn. If I can't see it, I won't miss it and even if I see it, I probably will not miss it. A fact.

How then do I de-itemize my home for good and is "for good" even a realistic expectation? Looking up at those struggles listed, could I swap those struggles for things that matter eternally? Let me break them down for us.

1. Having to endlessly pick up after our kids around the house, I can't take it! Our homes in westernized countries are so full of stufffffff. We think we need it, we hoard it, we save it, stack it, storage it and we keep accumulating more stuff. I cannot even wrap my head around the sum of $$ we would save, if we were not so easily swept away with things. The things we buy, we end up purging anyway sooner or later. The things we own, end up binding us, they end up owning us in one way or another. We lose precious time for instance, we become around the clock cleaners, maintainers, and hunters (hunts for the missing {insert here}!).. It robs us from time for ourselves, as mothers. Our kids go to bed and you have so much to prep for in order to survive the next day, and then you're done for the day. Would you not want to curl up and read your favourite book? Read those blog posts that you bookmarked for a quiet moment? Could this be your quiet moment, where you work on a project you've been thinking about for months? Does motherhood and you time have to be a balancing act? Can it not just be the journey you are on and there is no seperation of the two? How would it be, if instead of STRIVING, we could be THRIVING in the coming days? Would the shouts and arguments over toys scattered around the home be swapped into talks and cuddles and outdoor walks? What steps must we take, in today's society and the areas we live in to make this a reality? 
2. You can't find your shoes, where are your socks!? How many pairs of shoes does one child, never mind woman have? YES, there can be too many shoes. This is a nuisance in my home. My kids never seem to find their shoes, always one shoe missing. I see them trying to leave the house with sandals in the middle of winter, and it drives me bonkers! "Where are your shoes?!" How many pairs do kids need, as they are growing up fast anyway, and don't get a chance to enjoy them long enough? A few "shoe cultures" I admire are the Finnish and Koreans. Finns never walk inside the home with their shoes on and leave them beside the front door. Koreans always seem to take their shoes off in the most respectful way possible. Say what? Yes, have you ever seen anyone place their shoes away in such a symmetrical manner, I have! Koreans :) If I had the shoes I need, (which I actually have fewer than I "need"), my kids would live by example. If they had just the right amount of shoes for designated weather, they would be lost or mistreated, especially when you have multiple kids! I can't help but think of Little House On The Prairie, when the girls would cherish everything they had as it was gold. Their corn husk dolls, special laced up shoes.. polished, ready for school. Could we adapt that mentality? How can we, when we live in this society. how can we fight the strong winds of today's capitalism and pass that onto our children? I'm talking about shoes, but this goes for every piece of clothing.
3. I'm having to trip over stuff to get to where I am going! What would your life look like if you were not swayed by Walmart or Pinterest? Would you walk into a temple instead of a westernized, asthma risk house? Would our homes be a place of rest and worship? Would you be aware of your surroundings, instead of being drowned in visual noise? Picture this for a moment...What would your home look like? I have purged so much, yet I still have too much stuff I have a hard time parting with. I guess I don't have the answer for that, yet. Yet.
4. The sink is overflowing of dishes, again. Well, how many dishes do we need? Most of us have a dishwasher, how crazy is that. We tend to talk about how back in the day, they had house servants, and how we have to do everything by ourselves. Well, we have house servants too! We got a dishwasher, laundry machines, most of us have a coffee maker, fridge, the endless kitchen appliances - list yours! We even have a vacuum cleaner! How cool is that! A machine that sucks up dust and bits and good Lord, is that not a praise worthy privilege? Not to forget, the toilet! We have running water, electricity.. it's just mind blowing when I think of the stuff we have, yet we moan about our "load". Can you picture that the developing world mothers face, when she sees your list of "servants"? Embarrassing! Turning my shame into motivation-turning my shame into inspiration! What can we do, to own less dishes. Every dish has a story, a potential- how can we minimize our cupboards? Keep on purging, I know I'll get there! And, so will you!
5. This (food) is out of date, ugh!  my life is so hard! I read this thing on the "time-wasting-book" page once, "When I buy a lettuce, I usually bin it right away. Saves me doing it in a weeks time".. I chuckled, but it's so true! Not only do we have this gadget in the kitchen that keeps our food fresh, we forget about our food. We take the food for granted in some way or form. Take the time to look at this video below. I'm on a mission. I would like to go back to basics with 'food'. Simplify the ingredients and the source of food, so that it gets the respect it deserves. Genesis 1:29 and 2:9 and much much more... Read the THM Plan book!! HERE is my aff'link, check it out! (For those who do not know, this is the reason for my cleared up complexion! read about it HERE) 
6. The laundry just keeps on piling, I can't keep up with it..:( So my girlfriend and I were daydreaming about what our laundry piles would look like if all of our kids and us, had 2-4 sets of clothes. The loads would be smaller, and it would be a small load to carry (ha ha pun intended!). The kids wouldn't get bored, they're growing kids! The turn over would still happen, correct? And, we would always have something to wear! No longer would we have mismatch items, speaking gibberish to us. It would all make sense.
7. Who left all of the books strewn all over the floor, -pick them up!!? Sometimes I catch my kids using the books in their plays, as chairs or whatever. They're on the floor instead of where they belong. I hate the fact that the baby gets a book and manages to rip out a page or two. A lot of book mending going on in my home, it sorrows me. I love books. Books used to be irreplaceable. Now we get most of our information online. I would like to keep this art very much alive in my home. The smell of pages when you open the book, I love it! How can we, in today's tech savvy world, pass on these things to our kids? Put them behind locked doors, watch over them as they read -not in my house hold. Is this just a lazy-mother syndrome, or do you see where I am going with this? I cannot stand over them and watch them put away each book. Is there another way to pass on the value of books on to my kids?
8. It's been nonstop all day for me, I just need to take a bath.  What if we didn't have all the stuffff to do everyday that having a moment to yourself that gets interrupted, wasn't such a big deal after all? Get what I am saying?

Thoughts??? Please do share!

Preparing For Future Pregnancies As A HG Mom

(This post is from a larger family and a homeschooling view)

As some of you know, I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) with 3/4 of my pregnancies. After each pregnancy, I'm always so determined to see how changing the way I lived would save me from another HG pregnancy. The thing is, no one knows what that changeable thing could be?! So, it's a real guessing game with a lot of homework, hit and miss kind of thing.

I cannot even begin to explain what HG is like for those who have not experienced it (but that it is severe-severe-severe x a million kind of pregnancy sickness), but if you have been the few lucky women to suffer from it, YOU KNOW!

I have a blogger friend who has dedicated her blog to helping HG women in need, creating awareness, finding more information on how to prevent HG or to just bear it minute by minute etc. She has done an amazing job and put a lot of hours into it, it seems! You can find her blog HERE

My husband and I have trusted God with our fertility, (hoping!!!!very baby-feverish!!!) so it's our job to try as hard as we can to dodge another HG pregnancy. HG pregnancy is debilitating, and with children to take care of (we home school thankfully! no driving to schools and back), with HG you are out of service. You need help. Lots of it too!

Thankfully after submitting our fertility completely to Him, read about it HERE and HERE, our 4th pregnancy was "just" a severe morning sickness kind of pregnancy. Hey! I take that as a HUGE mile stone! Beats having to be hospitalized with I.Vs stuck in you. I learned so much during this pregnancy, I think I spent a lot of time reading, mostly Whining Puker - Trust and Obey among other blogs and sites.

God has shown me so much. I was more prepared last time around. I prepared my body before conceiving and we spent time making my home more manageable for the coming days when I had my lows. I ordered my 100 remedies for pregnancy sickness book from HERE and ordered a bunch of "just in cases" and "to try outs" from Amazon. I blogged about this preparation journey HERE, and I blogged about my pregnancy HERE.

So, to make a long story short...er... Here is my advice on how to prepare your body for pregnancy, and how to make your home manageable and SAFE for when you are (hopefully aren't!) out of service.

Before Pregnancy (your body):

1. Give up black tea or any other caffeinated drinks. Give up coffee. I know this one hit home pretty darn hard for me. I love coffee. I love Dark Roast coffee..I love Italian dark roast coffee.. I'm a coffee snob. Ouch! I believe that any food types that are addicting and cause "withdrawal symptoms" when not taken habitually should be avoided. Anyone with the risk of HG or severe nausea shouldn't have to go through any excess stress factors during their pregnancy. Also, it's not a bad idea to detox the body a bit for seasons of time.
2. Increase you protein intake. Eat according to Trim Healthy Mama, but mostly S meals, S helper meals and FP meals. Keep E's to a minimum. Increase healthy fats and macro/micro nutrients. Go as organic as much as your budget allows (eliminating any bad quality foods). Go MSG, GMO and nitrate FREE! Basically, eat as many superfoods as you can and this way you give little room for the non-healthy foods and naturally eat CLEAN. Go wheat (unless it's sprouted organic whole wheat) free. Go sugar free. The Trim Healthy Mama plan has plenty of desserts to offer in their new cookbook, you won't be lacking one bit! 
3. Exercise regularly. I prefer to really focus on MUTUSYSTEM, C210K app (couch to 5/10km), and weights. Keep your core strong, heal and/or minimise the chances of diastasis recti. Keep your heart healthy, increase your stamina and strength. No brainer!
4. Take your omegas and as many vitamins as possible, especially magnesium! I like to take all my B vitamins, milk thistle, magnesium, probiotics, folate, omegas etc.
5. Take multi billion probiotics, drink apple cider vinegar, eat sauerkraut, homemade kimchi and drink kombucha teas. Make this a daily habit. Making sure you have a good gut flora is essential. It affects your whole body.
6. Have regular Epsom Salt baths. This is a good way of getting that magnesium intake and relaxes your muscles. 
7. Give up any form of alcohol. Wine lovers... I know.
8. Indulge in green juices/smoothies/Earth's milks daily.
9. Drink a lot of water. Make it a habit.
10. Purchase Casein protein powder (preferably natural) for "night time shakes". More on that a bit further on.
11. Order the ebook 100 remedies on MyMorningSickness HERE. It is a well put together book with a wide scope of tried and tested remedies and is such an encouragement for those who feel like they want to give up. I can't hype about it enough. Stock up on as many remedies as possible, so when you're feeling like poop, you have them on hand and do not have to wait for weeks to have something bought or shipped to you. 
12. Start religiously taking collagen. " It is simply gelatin broken down into smaller amino acid chains called peptides, accomplished by a nature enzyme found in pineapples. These peptides can be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and efficiently utilized by the body for improved hair, skin, bone, and joint nourishment and support. As the primary structural protein in the body’s connective tissues, collagen plays a vital role in the maintenance of the cartilage, tendons and ligaments that keep joints functioning properly. Protein based foods also take longer than carbohydrates to break down in the body, providing you with a longer-lasting energy source." -THM Order yours HERE!
13. Sleep! Don't fool  yourself with little sleep, it will eventually bite you in the behindy big time! Make sure you get a solid 8-10 hours each night. Sacrifice your favourite TV show if you have to. It is vital to get proper rest, as vital as it is for you to eat, breathe etc.
14. Pray! Pray over your body, ask your husband to pray over your body, as your support circle to keep you in their prayers. Thank God for his wonders. Pray ever so ...
15. Memorize scripture. Especially scripture that you can declare during tough times.
16. See an osteopath, to have your muscles manipulated into correct positioning. Get your body sorted, movement, good flow of blood and no muscle tensions, stress etc.

Before pregnancy (in your home etc.):

1. Share your news and plans with your family and friends and ask for help. Create yourself a support circle and make a list of things you might need help with during those awful low moments (we pray you wont have any!).
2. Take a look of this Meal Train site. You won't have to do this alone, but if you do...
3. ... then start prepping, cooking and freezing some meals! Recruit your friends. Ask them to bring their own cutting boards and sharp knives and chop away pounds and pounds of "seasoning mixes" (more on that later). Cook in batches, and bag up! I'm guessing if you have a big chest freezer, 50+ meals is ideal. Who knows how long you have to be out of kitchen duty?
4. Stock your pantry with healthy, on the go types on snacks for your family. Stock up on cereal, dried fruit, nut bars, healthy protein bars, nuts and seeds etc. You can pre-bag them beforehand so no child ends up being "over generous" to themselves, lol! Oh and, there is never too many prepared bags, they wont go to waste! It's better to have too many than too little!
5. Invest in some "Walkie-Talkies". This will be a life saver, trust me! Give one to the oldest or most responsible person in your home and keep the communication lines open. It's hard to yell over chaos sometimes, especially when whispering feels troublesome. 
6. Explain to your kids how your pregnancies are, and pray with them for a healthy pregnancy. Share with them your worries, but that you trust God and ask them to be extra helpful around the house and with little ones. 
7. De-itemize your home. I have written about de-itemizing before HERE and how essential it is to live simply and with minimalism. So when you are mapping out what you can achieve housework wise in your home while nauseated, the less you have, the better! No picking up, no chaos, no dusting, no tripping over stuff... just clean floors and decluttered plain surfaces. This way, you can be assured that your home wont end up in disaster, and disorderly (which affects the mind negatively, hey ladies!?) and you can easily assign your kids to keep the home tidy. Basically, pack away your belongings as if you were selling your house and it was on show. Trust me, you wont miss the stuff! Have your kids pack a backpack of their favourite toys and box up the rest. Be a minimalist.
8. Purchase paper plates. Buy a lot of paper plates. Who wants to do dishes?! It might feel like a waste, but recycle them. Don't buy the foamy plates, they're toxic and environmentally unfriendly.
9. Lesson plan with your husband for homeschooling. Have your kids working on mostly self lead work, and mostly on the computer. There are several homeschooling sites out there, ixl, Mathseeds, Brainpop, Raz Kids, etc. Life Pac series have great Socials and Science kits and Costco sells the Canadian Curriculum books that cover all subjects. Have your husband be more involved with homeschool during the weekends (or when he doesn't work). You know, school doesn't have to involve books or the computer. Basic life skills are always a necessity and he can teach that to your kids, just by living and leading by example. Also, be gracious to yourself. This season will not last forever, so lesson plan with grace. Make it simple. Make it manageable.
10. If possible, purchase a used mini fridge and put it next to your bed!!! Need I say more? 
11. Menu plan. Menu plan in 1-2 week cycles and create a master shopping list. Write down meals that hardly require any effort in the kitchen or can be safely handled by your children. 
12. Purchase a crushed ice maker and stock up on ice. Heavenly ice...
13. Write up a home planner with telephone numbers, guidelines for babysitters, petsitters, etc. Sometimes even talking can be overwhelming and you can communicate simply with a well labelled binder . If you need specific help around the house, your helper can simply let you rest and go to page "laundry" in your binder, if needed. Write down meal times, allergies, or any specific instructions that might come in handy for those who offer their help but don't quite yet know you on a personal level.

During pregnancy: 

1. Do try your best to eat every 2-3h
2. Have your husband make you a casein protein shake in the middle of the night, preferably early morning between 4-6 a.m. Casein protein is the slowest digested protein there is and will keep your blood sugar leveled longer. Hopefully dodging those rough mornings. You can drink Casein protein during the day too, if you can stomach it. I find that usually half a sleep is when I stomach anything the best.
3. Start your morning with 1T of Bentonite clay, followed by a protein and nutrient filled breakfast. Green juice, egg white omelet on tortilla. With HG, the sound of this may want to make you hurl, but even a teaspoon full is good progress.
4. Roll out of bed into an Epsom salt bath. This works wonders. I was a very faithful epsom salt bather for the first 25 weeks of my last pregnancy.
5. Put ACV in your drinking water. Start with small amounts and increase little by little.
6. Keep your feet anchored at all times. Keeps you feeling less dizzy.
7. Drink plenty of water.
8. Take your vitamins. Some vitamins can make you nauseous, so time your vitamins wisely. I had to take my iron later at night, so I was asleep for most of the "icky feeling".
9. Make yourself a topical magnesium spray. Helps with waves of nausea. I sprayed my chest and neck when I felt green. 
10. Use "sea bands". I don't know if they worked, but I have used them with all of my 4 pregnancies. 
11. Stay cool. A/C, open windows, cool baths... Cool air, and ice always help!
12. Pray, pray, pray! Focus on the GOOD as hard as it sounds. I know, how hard it can be to feel miserable and wondering why this is happening to you. But do know, you are NOT alone! We're right here with you feeling the same, crying, feeling desperate at times. You are doing well, take one minute at a time.
13. Read the MyMorningSickness book over and over and over again.
14. Recite scripture you have memorized. Read scripture out loud and declare it over your body and household.
15. Hire a babysitter as much as you can. You don't have to leave the house, but cuddling in your husbands arms without distractions is a welcomed break! This way your husband can work on things around the home too, that have piled up... like laundry! LOL
16. Blog about your pregnancy. Update weekly. Try out every remedy that you can possibly try, and keep a tab. Write about your experiences. Find a forum and an online network, support that can help you during these rough moments. 
17. Enjoy (I know, I just said that!) this time where you can "rest" on the couch, and have people help you (or take the time to do the minimum), browse online through encouraging and beneficial sites and blogs, watching your favourite TV shows and movies online... enjoy what ever you can squeeze out of this hard time. Praise God that He is growing a miraculous child in you, and that He is right there with you. 

Let me know what you do to get prepared for your pregnancies and what you do during pregnancy to keep sane! :)

More on Pregnancy and Birth Posts HERE

My Top 10 - October

Dear blog readers, I'm so sorry I have been M.I.A! I can't even list the reasons why, I just haven't had the time.

However, I'm here now! And to pick up from where I left, here are My Top 10.

1. De-Itemizing to the core! I am going through some rough growing pains and have taken de-itemizing to a whole new level. For those who don't know what de-itemizing is, read HERE. Stay tunes for what has happened and what is to come!
2. Crock Pot- I can't live without these days. I am following the THM plan, mostly S's for my personal reasons (pregnancy related- and no we're not expecting -yet!) and I'm loving the recipes, and the hands free approach.
3. Talking about the 'hands free'. I am reading this book AGAIN- can't memorize it enough! I put together a group of 10 mothers, who get together weekly at my home (with tea and cookies *wink*) and discuss each chapter, how it's affecting our lives. A life changing book. Check out the BLOG
4. Sparkling water. Cans after cans... I would like a soda stream! Freedom from cans and freedom to create my own flavours. Sparkling vitamin water, anybody??
5. Be Fruitful and Multiply - Nancy Campbell - a very educating eye opening book.
6. Matthew 6:19-24 -look it up!
7. Scentsy, I can't get enough of Scentsy! My home smells ever so good, especially now during autumn... *mmmmm*
8. The Purpose of Christmas, -R.Warren. Yeah it may be early BUT, I'm reading it to my kids in the space of a month, early enough to focus on the real REASON for when Christmas does come around. I'm liking the conversations that follows after each chapter. I don't recommend reading it to kids younger than 6, however I do explain it simply as I read.
9. Developing photos and going timeless. What ever happened to the time when a picture was enough without embellishments? I love scrapbooking and I love paper crafts... but right now, I love the fact that pictures themselves are enough and are in albums right away. They can be enjoyed right away.
10. Trust and Obey -blog. Perhaps my favourite blog at the moment? Such an encouraging and information-full site for HG moms (and all moms!!) and homeschooling families walking in Christ. 

and this may be #11 but must add -Trim Healthy Mama for a complete clear complexion and more of scale and non scale victories! HERE

De-Itemize In July!

De-itemize in July is already here! 

De-ITEM-ize your life for once and for all! Remember, decluttering isn't de-itemizing! De-itemizing is a major step. It means to get rid of things that you can use, or want. It's giving away posessions to gain more time -quality time- with you and your family.

De-itemize in JULY can start NOW!

Don't know where to begin? here's a few ideas:

• Own one brush.

• Bless someone with your favourite craft supplies and books.

• Even if it's pretty to the eye, give it away, and your eyes will rest on minimalism (less visual noise) and you won't need to dust it.

• You'll do well with less clothes. Keep your absolute favourite pieces, give away the rest. Let your closets and wardrobes breathe. Wouldn't it be nice to see air flow through those places?

• Own only 2-3 sets of bed linen.

• Keep only your absolute favourite beauty products. And then half it again. You can do it.

• You don't need 2 cake pans.

• Give away 80% of your board and card games. You'll have family game nights more often. It really works.

To learn more on what de-itemizing is, read THIS!

More on Organizing your home and life HERE! ( must read )

Drop me a line, tell me how you are doing!

Mid Update - Weight Loss etc.

First of all, take your time right now to wipe down your keyboard and screen. This makes a big difference on your "screen time". Trust me, just do it! 

My Weight Loss:

Secondly, I want to share with you about what impact evening snacking has on your body. In just 3 days, as I left the evening snacking out, (read here) I dropped 3 lbs. This is no diet. This is common sense. Our bodies do not need the energy we so forcefully (I mean gladly) give it late at night. Unless, we're hitting the gym or we've just come back from a 2h hike. I say supress the habit! Which is why,

TODAY, I told my husband that we need to limit our movie nights (at home) to once a week, or even twice a month! Why? Unless I'm on a strict short term "jump start diet", my brain is just coded in a way where watching a movie and putting popcorn in my mouth go hand in hand. Unfortunately. So, to kill that unhealthy -repetitive habit, I must limit the temptations until, my brain is recoded. Makes sense? I'll keep your posted on that!

What I'm learning about:

I am in love (don't take it too literally) with weights! I am so happy to see how my body is changing in such a short time. I'm seeing strength, muscle definition, less back pain, more energy and better nights sleep. I am amazed at the body that God has designed, and how our bodies were made to move, how they can adjust/change-given the opportunity, and how physical activity also affects us emotionally, chemically and last but NOT least, spiritually. 

The only way I know how to describe what I am going through is this image. Fully, as a family, giving to God what is God's. Ourselves.  I see myself, in some ways taken out of what I know to be "normal" or the way we should live, to another path that may be somewhat foreign but serene. I see my family fixed on His will, living to glorify Him, taking the time to hike, bike, run, roll around, jump, laugh... to eat the fruits and the vegg, and the sweets that He has given us. Share about the true love by being what He has called us to be, no more, no less. Thriving to grow in him, thriving to do our best and knowing GRACE in the midst of the good and the bad. 

What I am struggling with: 

Seeing unhealthiness in everything. I carry guilt, a lot. I know this is not from the Lord. I'm on a path. I know that wisdom and knowledge can sometimes feel like a burden. I see that in some ways "ignorance is a bliss". I'm just learning to balance it all, by His strength, according to His word. This is where Grace comes in!

When I open up a yoghurt pot for my little ones, I cannot help but read the labels and wonder what damage some of the ingredients may do to us. I don't believe I should ignore it, since once knowledge has been given to you, you should use it wisely. I'm in a little bit of limbo here. I allow my children to have sweets at times, I prepare their favorite meals at times (which aren't very "healthy"),... then I put hemp hearts and oats into their yoghurt pots to add a little more healthiness to them. I dread giving them cooked vegg, because I know that the vitamins have halved and the enzymes are no longer there. But I still do at times.... So, just if you keep me in your prayers, I know that being a mother isn't easy, and the added guilt, can be very destroying.

Letting go:

I'm still half way of de-itemizing (read all about it HERE), and I'm still motivated, determined and anxious -in a good way, what the outcome might look like. I have day dreams about the finale, the finished project. I want it to be finished already but, I know that there is a lot of personal growth that needs to ntake place before I can take the next major step. In His time.

The Big Fat Blah (Continued)

Okay, here is my previous post on "De-Itemizing". For those who have not read it yet, it's a must read!

So, here is an update on how well I have de-itemized my home.

It's been incredible! I have literally grabbed stuff that we do use and put them into black bags, bag after bag until I filled up 4 large Black bags and took them to our local thrift store. That's a lot of stuff.

This is how I did it. I walked around the house, analyzing each item and being quite brutal about it. "a brush! One of our 3... OK in the bag it goes!" / "bed sheets, rarely used, gotta go!" / "a board game, used, loved... time to move on -in it goes!" / "candle holders, pretty..but got to go"

I've taken out my coffee mugs and replaced them with my "special" tea set. I want to use beautiful cups to drink my tea/coffee from. I want my friends to enjoy them too. If we have more than 5 people visiting, I'll take out the mugs as a back up, not the other way around.

My kitchen surfaces are bare. Whatever doesn't fit into the cupboards must go. I really needed to prioritize. Some stuff is seasonal but they cannot have a temporary space in my kitchen, so some I have given away and some I have stored away-away.

We de-itemized our books as well. This is a thing, I never thought I would do. 1/3 of our books will be donated to BabyAnne's Mansion in the Philippines. This was really nice to do with the kids, they get it!

My home looks bare-ish, but we have a long way to go... I think we are half way there. It sure is liberating.

I'm feeling a lot better than this

You know, there are a lot of beautiful things in the world, a lot in your local shops, in the thrift stores...  it's okay to want them, and NOT purchase or receive them, even a fraction of them. Once owned, the beauty and excitement is not the same and it weighs upon your shoulders.

"Everyone wants to be happy; we make chasing this elusive ideal a lifelong pursuit; spending money, collecting things, and searching for new experiences. But if happiness depends on our circumstances, what happens when the toys rust, loved ones die, health deteriorates, money is stolen, and the party's over? Often happiness flees and despair sets in.

In contrast to happiness stands joy . Running deeper and stronger, joy is quiet, confident assurance of God's love and work in our life -- that He will be there no matter what! Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ." - NLT Study Bible

Some of you might think, by reading this post, that I am breaking away from excessive shopping. This is not true however, even if I have wanted to shop I couldn't  (frugal living, budget issues). My "breaking away" is from the little (compared to most homes) existing items I have in my home.

I encourage you to de-itemize your home. For those who are already thinking about it or doing it, or even done it -tell me briefly how, what, when, where...?

More of home making here

The Big Fat BLAH!!!

Blah! Ugh! SIGH

The accumulated half empty shampoo bottles that clutter your shower and bath. The  pumpkins, from last Halloween, that are rotting on your front porch and strewn all over your lawn from a little soccer moment by the kids. The garbage from "that reno", sitting in your car port for everyone to see, that still is waiting to be driven to the dump. The dead bees from last summer that died on your window ledge are still there. The tightness of your clothes that discourage you and create self loathing. The hungry kids who want food now, and your kitchen surfaces that are full of piles of random things and papers that need organizing. BLAH! UGH! AAAAAAARGH!!!! The feeling of seeing your tidy home sanctum, become a messy-crummy-bitty-mess in matter of minutes and you get a unexpected visit at that very same moment. 

I have blogged about decluttering before. Many times. Today, I'm going to blog about de-itemizing your life. I think I just came up with that word. Yes, de-itemizing.

I have decluttered my home so many times, that I am beginning to realize that the problem lies in something else. How on earth, after decluttering a zillion times, do I feel like my head is still caving in, and my anxiety is still ticking within? What's bothering me? Why can't my soul rest? Each item that I have decide to keep I can really make use of. I'm seriously not a hoarder (denial kicking in!!), so I know whether I need it or don't. Usually my mottos are, "if in doubt, throw it out" and "if I have not used it within 12 months, I won't", and "if I need one, I'll just borrow one, or buy one then" etc. So, I know (think) that the stuff I have in my home is there to serve us. Yes, true.

So what if I really can find use for them, which would impact us in a positive way or impact someone else in a positive way. I'm sure these are great things, good things and practical things. We "need" them. 

However, if our house burnt down tomorrow, I wouldn't remember 80% of the things that we have in our home. I'd probably not remember 80% of the kids books, the stack of "tape and fix" kids books, half of our seasonal candle holders, half of our clothes, 75% of the things that are in our bathroom cabinet, probably all of the sheets tucked in a cupboard... all of those wires and gadgets, craft ribbon, baskets, jewellery,  nicknacks, bits and bobs.. and so on....sigh.

But why is it so hard to give these items up? Because my brain has been coded in a certain way.

I see a potential gift. I see a good opportunity for a family activity. I see a good homeschooling class. I see visitors. I see future recipes. I see quality time. I see a great sewing project, a rejuvenated living room. I see a hand written letter. I see a picture collage, a scrapbooking event. I see hospitality, a dinner party. I see a birthday. I see time to enjoy my family. But my time is limited. I don't have the time to experience these desires and ideas. I am a mom of small kids and my time is so sparse. 

I see rotting pumpkins and dirty skirting boards because I am too busy to do anything about them. I have decluttered yes, but I have not simplified my life truly. I am not talking about the other blogs that encourage a "10 steps to a simplified life", I'm talking about a complete freedom from the grasp of the way of the world. Is it possible?

There are so many beautiful things out there. There are so many inspiring and motivating craft ideas, clothing trends, sewing projects, bathroom ideas, books-books-books, party ideas, recipes, new gadgets, and lots of incredible and intriguing things. I cannot seem to walk into Walmart without buying something "which happens to be the coolest thing that day" and another addition to my "fun things to do" list. These beautiful things are actually robbing me, they are robbing my family and the time I have with my Lord. I can't fully create, I can't fully be present for my family, and I can't fully do a thorough job at home. Even though I have not done any of the 3 previously mentioned, I feel torn between them all and I freeze. I choose nothing. I watch my house become a mess, I see the dishes pile on top of an empty dishwasher, I did the minimal in teaching science lesson today, I see the organized craft projects on the shelf that I don't know how long it'll be before I can make them (maybe years?!). I basically freeze. My mind races, my ideas accumulate, I day dream. The home gets messy, my mind gets messy, the bathroom is messy, I trip on a toy and it sets me off. I'm shouting at the kids, I am yelling at the top of my lungs "GOD HELP ME!!!! I NEED YOU NOW, I CAN'T DO IT!" I don't want to be an angry mom that just drones on. On top of that, my nick name to myself had become "Comet".. I give a 100% on every project and new idea, diets, tradition etc..and it fades away in 2 weeks or so... on to the next new thing....and again, I go up and I go down....-Comet.

On top of managing the basics of the day, and as a homeschooling mom, I really don't have much time to tackle my ideas listed above or the time do bigger (and needed) clean ups or maintenance of the home. It's either tackle that sewing project I've been planning for 2 years or make dinner. Have a conversation with my kids or read the news online. Sit down with my hubby after the kids have gone to sleep, or organize the shed. I choose poorly and then I suffer. My home suffers and I feel anxious and uneasy. Because, I live in chaos. Decluttered chaos. Organized chaos. It's chaos.

I'm on a mission. I am going to de-itemize my home. I am going to give away, throw away, or sell a LOT! I don't know how much exactly, but all I know is that I will know, when I know, it is enough :)

I am going to get rid of things I love, I like and I probably will miss. It will hurt but I am determined.

I'm looking around now, and I see things I would hate to part from, but I have already made my decision to do it. A lot of energy is tied to items. Whether they are useful or not, they burden us. 

I encourage you to join me in de-itemizing-IN-December! Letting go, beyond the decluttering, beyond the organizing and labeling, letting go of the things around you. Become less, so He can become more in our lives. Lessen the things around you, even the beautiful things around you, so He can become more beautiful in your life.

More on De-Itemizing and De-cluttering HERE and HERE

Join me, this July 2014, on a 30 day de-itemizing challenge! Please share your experiences with me, I would love to hear!!!