I get to meet my namesake! | #family #heritage

Were you named after someone?  I was.  I've never met her before, and next Sunday (God willing) I'll never be able to say that again! I received a call, last week, from my Grandmother who said that she wants the whole family to gather for dinner to get together with a family member who we've never met!  Daddy named me after her (event though my middle name came out of a book!). Lisa is my grandmother's sister's daughter.  That would make her my dad's cousin, if I've followed that correctly, and all I really know is that her name is…
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Embracing Homeschool Series | #homeschool

In efforts to add homeschooling content to my blog, I have asked my dear friend, Lourdes, if she would like to share her homeschool experiences with her high school sun as well as the new homeschool adventure she's starting with her preschooler! The new series will be called "Embracing Homeschool", and it will not only chronicle her family's past experiences, but she will also provide resources for preschool families. Lourdes has mentioned to me, before, that it was difficult finding things online that pertained to high school homeschooling because everything is geared toward younger children, so she hopes to help…
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Making the Switch: 5 Green Baby Needs | #ecofriendly #green

Whether you're a seasoned child rearing veteran or a new parent, you quickly realize that babies are a demanding group. Not only do baby needs get costly, they also can create excessive unsustainable waste. Try opting for these five environmentally friendly options. You'll feel good knowing you're not introducing harmful chemicals to your new baby, while also taking care of the environment. Cloth or Biodegradable Wipes Image via Flickr Andromedae Baby wipes can sit in landfills without degrading for several hundred years. It is estimated that parents use about 5,000 wipes per baby. If you're not ready to make the switch to…
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Aura Cacia Choose Calm Geranium Review | #essentialoils

For most of us, the summer vacation month are coming to an end.  This doesn't really mean that the end of the unbearable heat and stressful days are in our near future, though! Aura Cacia is a Aromatherapy and Natural Personal Care company that uses pure essential oils to promote health and healing.  Their CHOOSE CALM campign is a great way to spread the word about how to relieve relieve stress and worries from traveling and the heat, naturally. As a labor doula, I work with many different essential oils (including Aura Cacia), and although I've never worked with geranium…
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So you want to be a doula? #doula

So, you've decided you want to be a doula?  That's great!  Now what?  You ask. What is a doula? A doula is a professional, experienced, and trained non-medical assistant who provides physical, emotional and informed choice support in prenatal care and support, during childbirth and during the postpartum period. A birth doula offers continuous care for labor in many settings, to include homebirth, birth center and hospital birth. Ask yourself why? Did you go to your sister's birth and decided, "Oh this I want to do this!"  Is your friend a doula, and you want to join the cool kids,…
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Big Latch on Houston was a SUCCESS! #latchonhouston13

We did it!  We set a record for the most babies latched on in the WORLD and we had a great turn out for the Big Latch On Houston 2013! This year, the new Big Latch On World Record has a whopping number of 14,536 babies latched on over a span of two days! The largest Houston location had 104 babies latched on (this included three tandem nursers!), and we had over 300 people in and our of our 20 vendor Natural Parenting Expo throughout the day! Then, came in handy during our Houston visit for finding the best places…
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Ways to Ensure Your College Student’s Safety Away From Home

Looking back, it seems like minutes and not years since you drove your children to their first days of school. Now, they're high school graduates and off to pursue their own goals and dreams. Your children may not be under your roof each night, but there are still ways to keep them safe without intruding on their privacy. Have Honest Discussions Image via Flickr by neeraj_sharma685 Some parents steer clear of sensitive topics like drugs, sex, alcohol, and other dangerous behaviors. Be open and honest with your children, and let them know you're aware of what they face today. Arm them…
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Top 5 Most Creative Childrens’ Bedrooms

Every child dreams and many parents are turning their kids' dreams into reality by giving their children a themed room to bring their dreams to life. Whether they dream of becoming a princess, killing dragons, or simply escaping into nature, the following creative children's bedrooms help spark imagination in every child. 5. Princess Paradise Practically every little girl dreams of a princess bedroom, but the bedroom by the children's furniture company Posh Tots blows the roof off of every other fantasy room in the country. The center piece of all of this is a Fantasy Coach bed, modeled after a…
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Add DulcoEase® Pink™ to your PostPartum Toolkit! #DulcoEasePink

As a birth doula, one of the most common questions I run into after a mom has her baby is, "How hard is it going to be for me you GO to the bathroom?" I either provide my clients with, or give them a list of items that I recommend for their postpartum period! Along with Mother's Milk Tea, frozen peri pads, and sitz bath for new moms, I recommend adding DulcoEase® Pink™ for their new mom's toolkit! In the hospital (and often in birth centers or at home if needed), new moms are usually given some type of stool…
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