Butterfly Unit

We love butterfly's! 

We have been reading a ton and she watched an incredible video of the flight of the Monarch butterfly. While yes we watch very little TV I do allow documentaries very occasionally. 

Here are links to all of the books we've read...thank you for supporting my blog and homeschool! 

My, Oh My--A Butterfly!: All About Butterflies

Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead

Monarch Butterfly

Garden Friends

Butterfly Story

Monarch Butterflies: Mysterious Travelers

The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies

We also made these today...

You all know I love simple! And this craft is just that! 

Take a coffee filter...have your child draw all over it with markers....sprinkle or spray water on it...let it dry...add a pipe cleaner..

Viola!!

Butterfly!

Unit Study Worms

I asked Pip what she would like to study this summer and she said "bugs, worms, and butterflies" so we started with worms today! 

We read these three books...I like to read a mix or fiction and non fiction to her...

Yucky Worms - great story with tons of facts..love!

Inch by Inch - anything by Leo Lionni is fantastic! 

Wiggling Worms at Work - the book I bought is a bit advanced for Pip...this one seems to be much more age appropriate...yet science fact based.

We then measured our garden to see how many worms we potentially have in it..great math!

I always like to end with some type of of art so drew our favorite part of the story. 

To be continued! 

Happy Spring Schooling! 

The Littles ...another Mensa book

So we are still working our way thru our Mensa book list....we've been working on it for close to a year now.

The Littles is one of our favs now!! 

Yesterday she and I read 6 chapters,  this morning she read it from cover to cover in her bedroom, and then she and I finished it aloud!

It's an adorable book! Very sweet and innocent book.

Easy reading...short chapters...

Written in the 1960s...

About a family of small people and their adventures! 

Highly recommend! 

Outdoor curtains

I had these same type curtains last summer...but truth be known I didn't adjust the length at all so they drug the ground and by the end of the summer were moldy, black on the bottom, and disgusting!

Sooo this year I simple folded the top over about 15 inches...no sewing necessary...and clipped them onto my curtain rings. Easy breezy! 

Now you say how did I "make these" ...

Well they are made from painters drop cloths! Yep that's right...the cloths that painters use so that the floors don't get paint drips on them. 

I took these Painters drop cloth (2of them) one for each side...washed and dried them...(they were too stiff to use straight out of the package.)

Folded them down about 15-16 inches and clipped them onto my rod.

Yay no sun blaring on me and my little sweetie this summer when we do school! 

And I think they look super cute...like a ruffle/fold is on the top! 

And with all of the rain we have had and they still look exactly the same! 

Owls Sanctuary

We discovered the Owls Hill last year and had the pleasure to go again this year...we went to one of their events called Spring Fairyland.

The kids are given "money" which are sunflower seeds to spend at the Gnome Depot and then they pick their spot in the forest to build a fairy house.

The Gnome Depot had seed pods, acorns, bark, pine cones, magnolia leaves all for the kids to buy and use for their fairy houses...

 Check out the little dandelion swing. 

This was Pipiri's "Unicorn House".

I loved this one it was made from a hollowed out stump and had a little porch. 

Look closely this one had rope swing and a swing with a wood seat.

All of the owls have a story as to why they are there...one had been hit by a car, one had been shot, and one had been "imprinted" on humans and never could return to the wild. This guy was my favorite! 

It was a muddy rainy day...but the sun came out long enough for us to visit the owls...and make our unicorn house. 

Follow up to my tummy troubles - what I eat

If you missed my post on IBS read it Here...

This is what I eat now following my FOD MAPS diet...

Breakfast within 30 minutes of waking...

I still eat 3 slices of Ezekial Cinnamon Bread with Kerrygold butter, stevia, and cinnamon

(The EZ bread does not negatively affected my stomach I am assuming because it is made from sprouted grains)  Buy Ezekiel bread here...I buy mine by the case and freeze them.

Coffee - about 16 ounces with Almond milk, stevia, and cinnamon Buy Stevia Raw Sweetener here...it is the only sweetener I use!  

Mid- Morn Snack 

Banana (I dont eat organic bananas bc I feel that the peel protects what I am eating)

Bar ... I love to eat something crunchy and dense for my mid morning snack....these are gluten free and fabulous tasting! I love a nut butter bar! Buy Sunbutter bar here. 

Lunch

Some type of fish - typically tuna with a slice of organic cheese

Yogurt with blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries - a cup total of berries...organic of course! 

Mid afternoon snack before workout

Cashews, almonds, walnuts...Buy Organic cashews ...Organic walnuts...Organic almonds. I buy these in bulk...less grocery time..and always have them in hand when I'm starving! 

I might eat my smoothie at this time - depending on how I am feeling?? 

Smoothie - Almond milk - PB2- I will use the PB2 if Ive already had the nuts listed above bc of the fat intake, same berries as with yogurt about a cup full. Buy PB2 here.

Dinner

2 full eggs yep yolk too!!  With 2 cups of kale/spinach and maybe a slice of organic cheese.

OR

Fish - Wild caught Cod, Tuna, Salmon - one of these with spinach/kale as my salad

100-125 ounces of plain ole water everyday

One day a week typically Saturdays I have a "cheat meal" not cheat day....just a cheat meal. I eat whatever I want for that meal with dessert! 

For me this has to happen! It helps me to stay clean thruout the week...also makes me NOT go crazy! I have to eat something out of my element 1x per week! Have to! 

Thats it!  

This diet to me is a good way to keep my tummy troubles at bay and it is extremely nutrient rich plant based...while some my not agree with my choices its what works for me...

Fod Maps Diet

Since I was 24 years old I have had stomach issues.

I have IBS...bloated belly...constipation...Sooo distended I look 7 months pregnant....yes very fun to talk about!! 

I have taken a ton of herbs...been to many doctors...tried different foods...been tested for food allergies...eliminated foods from my diet...every kind of med there is I've tried it...

And nothing really seemed to work! 

I had tests run to see if I had celiacs disease back in 2009.. And tested negative for it.

So now jump ahead to 2015...my daughter is 5... And I still was having stomach issues...

Pain...bloating...eat three bites and look pregnant....new meds...new over the counter...more yoga..relaxation...teas....still the same!! 

Sooo frustrating!! 

More food changes...nothing helped! 

Until I found this...

The FOD MAPS diet....FODMAPS...have you heard of it?? 

So I basically started to eliminate a few foods that potentially could be "triggers" for me..

It took me a few weeks to figure out exactly what was bothering me....

Here's what I "gave up" ...apples, grapes, Nature Valley Granola bars, a handful of wheat crackers I would eat at lunch, and fruit strips...so really not huge changes by any means. 

Yogurt and cheeses aka dairy were not triggers for me...meaning I had no stomach "blow up"... Aka the pregnant look. 

I did a ton of research to find natural, healthy options....took me several weeks of work...but wellllll worth it!!

I added these:

Enjoy life bars

more blackberries, blueberries, raspberries

Way Better Snacks Simply Tortilla Chips Sweet Potato when I'm wanting something crunchy

all nuts and seeds don't bother me unless I over indulge...so my  Raw Organic Cashews and Justin's Almond Butter, Vanilla Squeeze Packs are safe! 

I also added Heather's Tummy Tamers Peppermint oil, Align Probiotic Supplement, and Garden of Life RAW Enzymes Women ....which I think in conjunction with the food helped a ton!! 

And viola....NO STOMACH issues!! And it has been about 12 weeks now!! 

No pregnant belly!

No bloating!

No feeling like I just had a Thanksgiving meal! 

I encourage anyone who has been suffering with tummy troubles to try the FODMAPS...

Amazing!! 

I love Salicylic acid!! Acne beware!!

So if you haven't read my post on Glycolic acid....read...Here.

Now let's talk about salicylic acid...

I use salicylic acid on a daily basis...it helps to keep my breakouts at bay and it keep my pores clear. 

What is salicylic acid?

It is derived from the willow tree. 

It has aspirin type properties...which can help calm the skin. 

Native Americans used salycilic acid from tree bark to treat fevers. 

It is a beta hydroxy acid...and like Glycolic acid can be found naturally in unripe blackberries, blueberries, grapes, tomatoes, olives...

Salycilic acid according to my favorite Wikipedia ..."causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth." 

Basically "Saly" as I like to call it..helps your dead cells to shed more quickly...keeping your pores nice and clear. And because of the aspirin properties it's an anti inflammatory. 

It works great on mild to moderate acne....whiteheads...milia (closed comedones) and it is the absolute best hydroxy acid for those stubborn blackheads! 

So if you struggle with acne. Blackheads. Milia. Whiteheads. 

Give saly a try!

I use 

Obagi CLENZIderm ...I apply it after I have cleansed my skin in the am using a cotton ball. 
Image Salicylic toner Is also a great option! Use it the same way as above.

Glytone Acne Cleansing Toner...use this one if you have very oily skin and very stubborn acne. 

If you are super oily or have moderate acne add a cleanser to your regimen. 

Like this one Clenziderm Cleanser . Remember to use only CLEAN hands when you cleanee your skin! No washcloths...no buff puffs...nothing rough! With acne you have to be super gentle. 

If you knew someone struggling with acne please send this to them. 

I can help them! 

Acne tried to ruin my life and I don't want it to hurt anyone else! 

Glycolic Acid 101

Glycolic acid....known as a fruit acid...and yes it is found and sourced from sugar beets, pineapples, sugar cane, unripe grapes, and cantelope...but mainly it's made in a lab. Cheaper this way.

I discovered Glycolic acid peels in 1994. I had horrible acne that I'd been dealing with since I was 12 and when I discovered Glycolic acid my life began to change! Read more about my acne struggle...Here and Here. 

Glycolic acid can be used daily. 

It is put in lotions, creams, eye creams, cleansers, toners....basically any type of skin care product. 

Glycolic superficially exfoliates the top layers of skin....so that your new fresh skin can come forward....so it can be revealed. 

It helps with cellular turnover. 

It can and will dramatically change skin. 

It takes time. You have to be extremely consistent and even more patient. 

By using glycolics your skin will look more fresh, youthful, and bright.

And you must protect your skin every single day for the rest of your life with SPF or you are wasting your time and money. 

Glycolic is best for: 

sun damaged skin 

hyperpigmentation aka brown spots

visible fine lines

weathered or leathery skin 

age spots

white heads

mild acne

**it works best on oily, acneic, normal, slightly dry skin types**

It is not for people with super sensitive or super dry skin. It can be too harsh.

Here are some of my favorites!
Glytone Daily Facial Cleanser...use if you are just starting out with glycolics
Glytone Exfoliating Gel Wash..what I use once daily 
Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash...for those of you who have damaged skin or acne below the neck
Glytone Mild Gel Wash

Perricone MD Firming Facial Toner...my fav Glycolic toner ever! I use it daily! 

derma e Toner...for those of you who would like a more natural option

If just starting out with glycolics...

If your skin becomes to dry, peely, red, irritated...back off...use every other day or 3x a week. 

I've been using glycolics for almost 20 years and I truly believe it is one of the main reasons I have very few lines, hardly ever a breakout, and very little hyperpigmentation...well that and daily SPF! 

Unretouched photo!