The Wise Mom, December 2011

Copyright ©2011 holistic moms network

wise: (adj) informed, aware

© The Wise Mom, Holistic Moms Network. Issue 7, December 2011.

thewisemomDoes The Santa LegendEndanger Trust?

Happenstance Volunteeringhits The Right Holiday Note

living Simply inThe New Year

http://www.holisticmoms.org

http://www.holisticmoms.org/

Copyright ©2011 holistic moms network2

thewisemom4 From the Editor

6 News & Announcements

8 Give Green and Healthy This Year!

10 Does the Santa Legend Endanger Trust?

12 Simplify This Holiday Season

14 Happenstance Volunteering Hits the Right Holiday Note

16 Eco-Friendly Bird Feeder Recipe

18 Volunteer Profile

22 The Trials and Tribulations of Navigating Public Restrooms with Children

24 Cooking for the Hoidays

28 Enjoy a Stress Free Holiday with Flower Remedies

30 Pinecone Wreath Project

32 Simple Winter Decorating

34 One Mom’s Take on Toys

36 Bath Bomb’s Tutorial

38 Member Profile

40 Green Christmas Down Under

42 Chapter Profile

44 Live Simply in the New Year



Copyright ©2011 holistic moms network 3

thewisemomEDITOR

Aimee Wood

DESIGN/LAYOUT

Emma Catarino

HMN DIRECTOR

Nancy Massotto

The Wise Mom is a quarterly publication of the Holistic

Moms Network (HMN), a national 501(c)(3) non-profit

organization for parents interested in holistic health and

green living. The Wise Mom is the voice of the members

of the Holistic Moms Network as well as an informative

publication offering views, perspectives, and wisdom from

our parents, wellness practitioners, and experts in the

broad field of holistic living and parenting.

The information provided in The Wise Mom is not intended

to replace professional advice from a qualified healthcare

professional and is not intended as medical advice. The

articles and information presented in these pages

is intended as a sharing of knowledge, information, and

experiences. We encourage all of our readers to become

informed about the many healthcare and parenting

decisions they may face and to make the choice that works

best for their unique family.

The Wise Mom is a publication of the Holistic Moms

Network and supports the mission and purpose of our

non-profit organization.

SPONSORS

For more information about Sponsorship, please e-mail us at

[email protected] or call us at 877-HOL-MOMS.

CIRCULATION

The Wise Mom is published four times per year and is

distributed electronically to members of the Holistic Moms

Network. For information about membership, please visit

us at www.holisticmoms.org.

SUBMISSIONS

Interested in writing for The Wise Mom? We look for a

variety of submissions, from personal stories and

experiences from members to informative research articles

based upon our issue theme each quarter. Want to share

your photos with us? By submitting a photo to The Wise

Mom, you agree that you have the right to distribute the

image and maintain that all people depicted agree to have

their image published.

Email [email protected] for details on

submitting articles or photos for an upcoming issue.

© The Wise Mom, Holistic Moms Network. Issue 7, December 2011.

Nancy Massotto

Executive Director

mailto:[email protected]

www.holisticmoms.org








Green and Eco-friendly Holidays.

Does that seem like an oxymoron to you? In the average household think of all the plastic toys, the wrapping paper,

and packaging. Visions of cluttered corners fill my mind. Now, imagine our landfills. According to the EPA, Ameri-

cans throw away one million tons of waste from Thanksgiving to New Years. Our trash increases 25%! Egads. To me

that’s appalling and we can and should do better.

This issue is an impetus for you to think about changing things up this holiday season. Imagine the impact it would have if we all did just

one thing. Perhaps we forgo buying plastic decorations and use nature instead. Maybe we don’t use wrapping paper? Could we par down

the number of gifts we give and instead give the gift of time? These are just some examples. This issue is a great inspiration.

I look forward to hearing what you will do to green your holiday. Write to me at: [email protected] and tell me about it.

Enjoy the simple pleasures this holiday season!

Sincerely,

Aimee K. Wood

PS: If you are a writer, contact me for guidelines. Our spring issue has a deadline of 2/15/12.

editorsnote



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news&announcementsWelcome New HMN Sponsors!

Our National Sponsorship Community continues to grow! We are excited to partner with companies and

organizations who share our mission and purpose and to connect our members with these amazing Sponsors and

their visions!

Here at Holistic Moms we have many members for whom holistic living has become such a great passion that they

have changed their career path and pursued a new field of study or work based upon their interest in natural living.

Whether you would like a career change or just want to learn more about holistic health, the Centre for Homeopathic

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to new HMN Sponsor Frontier Natural Products Co-Op, thousands of cooperative groups are buying organic foods

and products at wholesale prices. HMN has teamed up with Frontier to help build buying clubs through our local

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while supporting and promoting social and environmental responsibility. For more information, visit Frontier’s

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Being part of a community is powerful.

It can hold you up in difficult times,

inspire you to make positive chang-

es, or simply provide you with the

knowledge that you are not alone.

How has Holistic Moms impacted

your life? We want to hear your story!

Grab your WebCam, smart phone, or

Flip and tell us! We’re adding member

stories to our website – stories from

real members about real connections.

Click here to see HMN Member

Dawn’s story!

This year we were proud to kick off our first ever Holistic Living Month! We celebrated

holistic living all month long with our annual Natural Living Conference, special

Twitter Parties, a webinar, Facebook chat, and loads of great prizes. Two winners (one

from our Conference and another from our Nationwide Open House) were thrilled to

win Organic Milk and Gluten-Free Cookies for a year! Plus, our Online Auction was a

great success and we thank everyone for participating in all the fun. We look forward

to making Holistic Living Month an annual event and welcome your ideas and input!

New Chapters Forming!HMN continues to grow! We have had several new Chapters kick off since our last issue

of The Wise Mom, including our new Greater Derry Area, NH; Grand Rapids,

MI; Morgan Hill, CA; North County Coastal San Diego Chapter and Tri-City, CA

Chapters! New Chapters are already slated for 2012 kick-offs, including communities

now forming in Ann Arbor, MI; Eastern Suffolk County, NY; and New London County, CT.

Don’t have a local Holistic Moms Chapter? Get one started – we’ll guide you, provide

you with resources and materials, and help make it a success. Click here.

WHat Does HMN MeaN to You?

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give green & healthy this year!

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From creative, sustainable products and services, to little indulgences just for you, you can celebrate the whole season naturally! Support companies who share your values and, in turn, give the gift of a healthier future!

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by Jan Hunt

Does the Santa Legend Endanger Trust?

A close friend and I had an interesting discussion recently about the Santa

Question. Is it OK to tell a child that Santa Claus is real? Is this a harmless

“white lie”, an innocent and loving attempt to give a child the pleasure of

make-believe, and the reassurance of fitting into our culture, or is it essentially

and inescapably a lie that can affect the child’s critical capacity to trust?




Although my son Jason was taught to believe in Santa, I wor-

ried about the eventual outcome this might have, as I had

not been told the Santa story in my own childhood.When

he asked the “Santa question” at age eight, I learned that my

fears had been correct. I can still remember his look of dismay,

confusion, and sadness as I admitted as gently as I could that

Santa was, in fact, a myth. Although I then told Jason the true

story of Saint Nicholas of Patara, this did little to comfort him.

I’ve regretted our original decision ever since.

But how can a parent draw the line between innocent fantasy

- so important in a child’s life - and an ultimately harmful lie

that will inevitably have to be explained later? Children thrive

on fantasy and make-believe. They love inventive stories and

fictional characters, and readily give their stuffed animals and

dolls names and unique personalities. Fantasy and play are

essential elements in a child’s life. They not only bring joy and

humor, but also enhance the ability to imagine and to think

“outside the box”. Imagination is a critical part of thinking and

problem solving. What is the difference, then, between healthy

fantasy and deception that endangers parent-child trust? Is

there a way to keep the fantasy without the lie?

I found this puzzle to be surprisingly difficult to resolve. But

after much thought I felt that there might be a middle ground.

If a child were simply told the “Santa story” about a kindly

old gentleman who leaves gifts for children in his make-believe

world, but who remains within the fictional world of the story,

there would be no need to undo the lie that he is leaving gifts

for the child in our world. Parents and children could play the

“Santa game” by leaving gifts for each other, just as Santa does

in the story. This allows the opportunity for children to learn

the pleasure of giving to their parents and siblings, as well as

gaining the knowledge and appreciation of their parents’ efforts

on their behalf - an opportunity that is completely missed in

the traditional approach.

For the Santa question, and for other stories about such figures

as fairies and elves, the central question becomes: Are the char-

acters left in their own imaginary world, or are they claimed to

be somehow magically making the transition from their world

to ours? Are they presented as fictional characters, meant to

entertain or inspire, or can they directly affect the child in

some way in the real world - leaving gifts or Easter eggs, or

exchanging teeth for coins? The movie “The Purple Rose of

Cairo” is a good illustration of a fictional character magically

leaving his world and breaking into the heroine’s real world.

But the movie was presented as an intriguing and entertaining

fiction, not as a news story.

If fictional characters are all left within their own make-believe

worlds, parents and children could still leave surprises un-

der the tree “like Santa does in the Santa story”, thus giving

the child an opportunity to give as well as receive. The child

would still know the whimsy and joy of the Santa tale, but

there would be no deception to explain or regret later, and the

child is being given authentic information about the real world.

Children need a truthful picture of their world so that they

can learn to navigate within it with confidence, knowledge

and safety. Providing such an understanding is as important

a reason to avoid the Santa myth as the need to maintain the

child’s trust. If we keep the magic fantasy, but hold it within

the borders of the world of fiction and storytelling, we can

foster imagination and delight today without worrying about

the questions we will surely be asked tomorrow.

Jan Hunt, M.Sc., offers telephone

counseling worldwide, with a focus

on parenting, unschooling, and per-

sonal matters. She is the Director of The

Natural Child Project and author of The

Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart

and A Gift for Baby.




There are many ways families today celebrate the holidays. We are blessed with a

wide variety of cultures in the United States. In my hometown of South Windsor,

CT, our children study and celebrate many religious holidays. This is something I

wish I had the chance to learn at such a young age.

Interestingly, the unity behind gift giving in different cultures is the same: To offer gifts

to family members that they will enjoy. We all would love to receive a gift that

would bring us joy, share a memory or enhance our life – keeping it green, simple

and real is possible. Here are my tips to achieve your gift giving ideals:

this holiday season simplify

By Mel Gurry

• Who’s on Your List:

To simplify the process I start with who am I purchasing the

gift for and what do they really need or like. This is what

most of us would do. Yet often when busy we run around

and buy the things that jump out at us and maybe that also

fit into our budget. Take a few moments and write down who

you really need to buy gifts for. I review this list year after

year. It’s now down to 5 gifts from about 20. If you are the

type that likes to buy for everyone and cannot really afford it,

it may be time for you to review what you can really do, let

friends know that you appreciate them but you need to cut

back this year. Many of my friends have openly done this and




it allows for no hard feelings. No one wants to take the time

to purchase a gift and find out that the other person has

suddenly taken you off the list.

• Green ideas:

My family and friends have often decided to spend time

together and not purchase more “stuff”. My sister and I took

our families on a ski trip one year. Friends and I have gone

out to lunch with small gifts from The Villages shop. I wrap

our gifts in recycled brown paper bags wrapped with

beautiful ribbons – I reuse them year after year.

• Know your budget and stick to it.

Keeping it simple means knowing what you can spend. So

many families overspend, feeling guilty if they don’t buy

enough gifts, etc. What you will feel really good about is not

stressing over bills that last throughout the year.

• Teach your children that less is more.

My kids can only ask for 5 things that cannot go over $100.

They can pool their gifts together for pricier items now that

they are 10 and 13. I have always had this rule and here’s

what I found: Kids will search out what they really want

verses a whole list of “I want”. They will learn how much

things cost which I have found goes a long way!

• Make your favorite things list.

One year I bought my sister all my favorite things. Each time

she came to my home she would comment on how much

she loved my Lavender soap. It’s my favorite green soap

– environmental, condensed soap that you put in a foam

dispenser. It lasts for months verses regular hand soap that

seems to disappear as fast as our home made cookies!

• De-stress!

Lastly, if you spend time keeping yourself healthy and

de-stressed you will most likely enjoy and be more creative

when you shop. If you are stressed and over stretched you

may over-spend and purchase things you would rather not –

especially if you haven’t planned out your time.

Mel Gurry, BElife Trainer and Specialist

for Champions of Life program for youth

– “performance beyond excellence”.

Mother of two boys born at home, ages

10 and 13.

HMN SpoNSorSlocal


http://www.smile-matters.com

http://www.GreenDiaperStore.com



Contributing to the betterment of society is one of my core

values. It’s part of my belief in respect for the interdependent

web of all things on earth and consciously volunteering seems

like a great example for our daughter. Like so many things in

life, examples are impactful. Children who see their parents

volunteer are more likely to volunteer themselves later in life.

Somehow, my belief in handing down my “do good” spirit

has come down to an annual tradition of picking up trash.

I think I can explain. I’d like to take advantage of some

group’s enthusiasm and foresight to accomplish a little extra

volunteering at this time of year. Organized efforts sound like

such a great idea, and my church makes it easy. A committee

organizes a family-friendly food packing Saturday to help out

a charity. Somehow, we cannot attend even one of the two-

hour windows. This year, swimming lessons are the conflict.

I’m careful not to overload our little preschooler, so with

swimming lessons in the morning, committing to volunteer-

ing in the afternoon won’t fly.

But picking up trash in an area forgotten by the professional

or volunteer clean-up crews--that, we can do. And we do it

whenever it feels right, whenever it works out. One of my

presents to myself is not stressing about when or where we’ll

accomplish our cleanup.

The first year of the tradition, I was pushing a stroller to the

park when I noticed all the garbage which isn’t as obvious

when we’re zooming past at 35 miles per hour. I happened to

have an extra plastic bag in the stroller’s basket and began to

pick up the trash with my already-gloved hands.

Our daughter was talkative two that year, and asked why I

kept pausing her ride. I explained that I was picking up trash

Happenstance volunteering hits the rightholiday note

by Jill Rothenbueler Maher




and she began to point at upcoming targets with a stick she’d

grabbed earlier in the ride.

The idea stuck, and she embraced it with enthusiasm. We

enjoy the park as often as we can in the winter, and I had to

dial down the interest when she began to grab trash herself.

You never know how many ants are lurking in somebody’s

discarded coffee cup. “No, that’s yucky!” I’d yell, then hustle

over to intervene.

The next year, we walked a Lake Michigan Beach on a mild

day and found plenty of trash to fill several plastic bags. My

little helper could pick up paper but had to ask first about

everything else. Cigarette butts and soda bottles were frequent

customers along with the oddest assortment of items the lake

gave up. We worked side-by-side until I felt a little invigorated

by our success and a little disappointed by all the discards.

This year, I know we’ll accomplish our little cleanup and I’m

not going to stress about it. Happenstance will have to be

good enough.

The author is a Milwaukee-area mother

of one. Her friends know better than to

come between her and a plate of Pad

See Ew. She cherishes those friends but

may or may not get around to mailing

them holiday cards this year.


http://www.requiredforlife.com

http://www.requiredforlife.com


eco-friendly bird feeder recipe

By Jess Hansen

I *LOVE* the Holiday Season and the feeling of giving to others. Among, those “others, ” are the gorgeous birds that visit

my backyard every winter. Each year, since I was a child, I have enjoyed making my own eco-friendly bird feeders to reach

out to my feathered friends. I even make them a special feeder with a pretty big red bow that I hang out every Christmas

morning. Plus, because it is just as easy to make several as it is to make a few, I always make lots of extra feeders to give out

to my friends and family with the other goodies I make in my kitchen.

Over the years the sense of happiness I get from sharing with the birds for the winter has transitioned to also the immense

happiness I get from sharing that love with my daughter and getting to see her eyes light up as the birds come to enjoy the

dinner we just laid out for them.

Bring the

to your Yard!Joy of the Season




This year, I thought about making feeders of different materi-

als and shapes (all with the same easy process) to decorate

one of our backyard trees for Christmas. Perhaps with a little

extra “prettiness” with a popcorn string!

The recipe for this project is super simple leaving only your

imagination to limit your possibilities!

For the form you can use any of the following:

• Bagels (cut in half with a string to tie them up)

• Toilet Paper/Paper Towel Rolls (with a string running

through the middle)

• Egg Carton Pieces (Cut out the individual egg holders and

run a string through them to resemble bells)

• Paper Plates (use a hole punch to make holes for your

string)

• Pine Cones (tie string around long enough to also tie to a

branch)

Possible Ingredients for the snacks:

• Bird seed of any mixture

• Cheerios

• Air Popped Popcorn

The “Glue”

• Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)

• Honey or Maple Syrup can also be used if you (or your

child) have a peanut allergy

Other Supplies:

• Box/Tray

• Twine or String

• Scissors

My personal favorite and easy-go-to feeder is collected natural

(free!) pine cones, bird seed from the store, peanut butter

(whatever is cheapest at the time), and some natural string.

You can certainly use any combination of forms, snacks and

sticky glue to make whatever makes you and your family the

happiest. The best part is experimenting and spending family

time!

This is the basic process:

1. Put some newspaper on the table or counter.

2. Pour the bird seed into a cardboard carton/box or tray

(even a lasagna pan could work).

3. Spread the peanut butter all over your form (do be slightly

careful with pine cones if little hands are working with you,

as some of them have pointy edges that can prick soft

skin).

4. Roll the form around in the seed/cheerios/popcorn - be

sure to cover as much of the form as you can for the

prettiest feeder.

5. Use some natural twine/string or I’ve even used floral wire

to create a point to attach it to a tree branch or deck banister.

6. Add a little red ribbon bow if you so desire.

7. If using right away - hang outside for your birds’ eating

pleasure.

8. If saving for a later date or giving as a gift - put it into a

brown lunch bag that you could also have your child

decorate before putting the feeder inside and tie the bag

closed.

Jess is a single mother to a wonderful 3

year old daughter and lives in Clayton,

Delaware. She loves to be creative and

crafty and share that ‘out of the box’

thinking with her little girl.




Tell us a little about yourself:

I‘m 36 years old and I live near Madison, Wisconsin

with my wonderful husband Jeremy and our four

year old son Stephen. I was born in Quincy, Illinois

and grew up all over the world as the daughter of

an Air Force member.

Prior to staying home with my son, I worked full-

time as a computer software engineer in Iowa City

and then later in Madison.

Since before Stephen was born, we knew we want-

ed to homeschool him. We’re easing him into that

now. Fortunately, Wisconsin has very homeschooling-

friendly laws and there are numerous support

groups in the Madison area which will make this

schooling choice easier for all of us.

My journey into the holistic world began in 2006

when I was pregnant with Stephen. It grew

immeasurably after I joined HMN when he was

18 months old. In our home, we focus on eating

healthy, unprocessed foods and drink daily green

smoothies. Jeremy and I abide by simplicity

parenting philosophies and compassionate parenting.

Our favorite compassionate parenting expert is Dr.

Laura Markham.

Starting the Madison, Wisconsin Chapter of HMN

in March 2011 has become such a blessing in my

life. I have amazing co-leaders who are dedicated

to spreading the mission of HMN. From the

beginning, the enthusiasm for our chapter has

been breathtaking. Our members are so thankful

for HMN and they show it by being very involved

and volunteering in the chapter. From the bottom

of my heart–thank you ladies!

How do you live a green and eco-friendly life? .

We choose to follow the environmental working

group guidelines for dirty/clean food. We buy the

dirty foods organic and the rest conventional. We

also follow the rule that if we peel it, we buy it

conventional.

Denise Lund

December 2011

volunteerprofile

Madison, Wisconsin Chapter




Going all organic is not yet an option for our family.

We do buy organic meat and milk and hormone

free non-organic cheese. I’ve made my own laundry

soap for many years and I make most of our cleaning

products out of ingredients such as vinegar, baking

soda, and Dr. Bronner’s tea tree oil soap. We recycle

as much as we can.

We signed up for our first CSA this year and put in

an organic plot at our local community garden. We

decided that next year we will do farmer’s markets

instead of joining a CSA and putting in a garden.

Is there a holistic tradition or green living practice

you or your family do during the holiday season?

Way back in the early 1990s, while I was still in

high school, my parents became fed up with

the annual pressure cooker of a commercialized

Christmas and they instituted a $50-limit gift

exchange between the four of us (my sister, my

parents, and I). We drew one name from a hat and

bought just for that person. It really took the

pressure off and we all enjoyed the holidays more

after that.

Since my sister and I both played flutes back then,

we four, plus many friends began Christmas

caroling at several retirement centers along the

Gulf Coast. It was exhausting, but uplifting and

heartwarming at the same time. We would sing for

hours until we were nearly hoarse. Then we went

back to our home for a Christmas party. I think we

made some lasting memories for our teenage friends

who found out it really was more fun to give of

yourself than to receive. I know it did for me.

With the birth of Stephen and his cousin, there are

grandchildren in the family now. So after Stephen

was born in 2007, our family unanimously decided

to end the $50 gift exchange and not give any gifts

at all among the adults. None of us adults need

anything anyway, so only the little children receive

gifts now. We make no judgments on how others

approach the Holidays, but for us this tradition

continues to keep the pressure off Christmas and

saves all of us a lot of money, gas, and time now

better spent other ways than shopping. From a

green viewpoint, this also saves natural resources for

everybody.

For every toy that my son receives he must choose

one toy he has to give away to children in need.

So far he has done this willingly though there are

a few toys I doubt he’ll ever part with. We also

contribute to our church’s Advent Conspiracy

(http://www.adventconspiracy.org/) fund raising

efforts to create clean water wells in third world

countries.

Finally, we make Christmas cookies to give away to

family. We love spending the whole day together

as a family making the cookies with love. Stephen

absolutely loves helping and I really think it’s our

favorite day of the year!

http://www.adventconspiracy.org/





http://www.smarterpaint.com



http://www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org

http://www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org

http://www.emagazine.com


The Trials and Tribulations of Navigating Public Restrooms with Children

Mommy…I Gotta Go!

The average restroom visit for any parent of young children is quality comedy

sketch material. You know the drill. Your child is doing the pee-pee dance,

crossing their legs, hopping back and forth. “Do you have to go?” you ask. A

nod of the head. Ok, let’s do this.




You herd them into to the first available, clean-ish stall,

perhaps dragging shopping bags or luggage with you into

this spacious domain. Now it’s time to play beat the clock

and get them into position before it all lets loose. Maybe

you wrestle a seat cover into place, which is so much fun, or

maybe you simply dangle them over the seat, testing those

arm muscles, not to mention getting a killer leg workout

as you squat to get them into position. Hopefully you

remembered that spare set of waist down clothes because

there’s 50/50 chance you’re going to need them.

Once they’re done, you help

them wipe, detach the seat

cover, then either skillfully

balance on one foot to flush

or brace yourself for the heart

attack inducing automatic

flush toilet. That scene with

Will Ferrell testing for faulty

Jack-In-The-Boxes in the movie

Elf comes to mind. My startle

reflex works just fine thank you.

No testing required. Keeping curious fingers out of tempting

trash bins, you back out of the stall and head to the sink to

wash up. If they are blessedly wiping themselves, hitting the

washbasin is top priority, as no doubt those little hands have

not emerged from the toilet unscathed. Approaching the

sink, you locate the soap, which is full if you’re lucky, and

then wave your hands in front of the all-seeing eye that’s

supposed to turn the water on, moving from sink to sink

until you get a response. You scrub both your hands and

theirs, putting your back through the ringer while propping

your child up because they can’t reach the sink.

With the suds and water complete, it’s time to consider the

hand drying options. Usually there are two choices, unless

you were wise enough to B.Y.O.Towel. Option one is paper

towels, though you may find yourself somewhat painfully

digging inside the dispenser to gain access to one. If it’s fold-

ed sheets, I hereby challenge you to pull out one at a time.

After using two sheets (you’ve got skills) or maybe six (you’re

pretty average) you guiltily seek out the overflowing trash been

and add your refuse to the thousands already there. Did

you know people use 3000 paper towels on average a year in

public restrooms? That’s a LOT of trees straight to the trash

bin, not to mention the water used to make them. Option

two is an encounter with the drying monster, a.k.a. electric

hand dryer. While they don’t create solid waste, they’re

loud as hell, bringing some kiddos to tears, and let’s face it;

your hands likely won’t be dry

with just one round of gale force

winds from the little silver box,

calling for a repeat performance.

Once dry, it’s time to escape the

confines of the restroom with

your germ free status intact, so

you pull your sleeve down to

open the exit, or push it open

with a foot or hip. Ah. Mission

accomplished…until about an

hour from now when you get to repeat the drill all over again.

It’s a good thing kids are cute, right?

Share your public restroom adventures with PeopleTowels,

the funnier the better. Send to comments@peopletowels.

com. We’ll choose our favorite three and send you a 2-Day

supply of PeopleTowels, a compact, portable, sustainable

hand drying solution to make that next trip to a public

restroom with the kids a little easier.

Aysia lives in West Linn, OR with her husband

and two children, ages 9 and 11. Environ-

mental advocacy has long been second

nature to Aysia. She provides communica-

tions, PR and marketing services for innova-

tive, environmentally and socially responsible

businesses.




We’ve created a dinner plan for you! Recipes can be found in either of the cookbooks,

“Growing Healthy Families” and “Many Paths, One Journey to Health”. These

cookbooks make great gifts anytime of the year! Click here to purchase.

CookingHOLIDAYS

for the

with HMN

CROCkPOT WASSAiL8 c. apple juice2 c. cranberry juice3/4 c. sugar1 tsp. allspice2 cinnamon sticks1 orange 25-30 whole cloves

Turn the crockpot on high and pour

in the apple and cranberry juices. Stir

in the sugar and allspice, then add

the cinnamon sticks. Stud the orange

with the cloves and toss it in. Cover

the crock pot and cook on high for

1 hour. Change the setting to low

and allow to simmer for 3 more hours.

Serve.

Dina Chirico, Warren/Western Morris, NJ Chapter

GREEN ONiON POTATO CASSEROLE6 medium potatoes1 tsp. salt1 c. sour cream7 green onions chopped1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese1/3 c. melted butter

Peel, quarter, and boil potatoes until barely tender. Drain and cool potatoes, then grate or slice on the large side of grater. Place in a large bowl. Gently mix in all other ingredients, except butter. Place mixture into greased shallow pan. Top with melted butter. Bake until golden at 400 degrees. Cook for 30 minutes.

Note: From Mama Bern. Goes well with asparagus. Enjoy!

Lindsay Ricci, Rochester, NY Chapter





LENTiL ROAST1 1/2 c. brown or green lentils2 Tbsp. olive oil2 medium onions chopped3 slices of whole wheat bread1 egg beaten1 c. finely grated cheddar cheese1 clove garlic, minced1/2 c. vegetable stock1 tsp. dried herbs 1 large carrot, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the len-

tils in water until tender. While the lentils are

cooking, sauté the onion in the oil until soft.

Take the crust off the bread, cut the slices

into small cubes, and add to the onions.

Continue to cook until bread is crisp. When

the lentils are ready, drain and rinse them.

Add them to the onions and bread. Then

add the remaining ingredients, mixing thor-

oughly. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan,

and bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

Celeste Lane, Cobb County, GA Chapter

SALMON LEEk QUiCHEPie Crust:2 c. flour

1/2 c. butter

1 egg

Salt

Combine all ingredients and roll into a pie crust. Place prepared crust in pie pan. Let sit in fridge for 1 hour minimum.

Filling:1 leek

1 Tbsp. canola oil

4 eggs

1 c. milk

1/4 c. heavy cream

2/3 c. grated Swiss cheese

2/3 c. cooked salmon

Pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Precook pie crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Wash and finely chop the leek. Sauté in pan with canola oil. Let cook on low setting with lid on for 15 minutes. In a bowl, beat the eggs with milk and heavy cream, add pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese and salmon. Mix in the leek. Pour into the crust and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Alexandra Le Ny, Tri-Valley, CA Chapter

MiNT iCE CREAM 1 1/4 c. raw cashews (soaked 4 hours)

1/2 c. agave syrup

2 c. water

1/4 c. fresh mint leaves

Put ingredients into blender. Blend until

smooth. Pour into ice cream maker and pro-

cess. Store in freezer.

Jenny Steichen, Rockland County, NY Chapter





http://www.brainchildmag.com

http://www.brainchildmag.com



http://www.boiron.com/

http://www.boiron.com/


By Amy D. Cohen, BFRP

Winter holidays are truly the

most beautifuly time of the year:

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah,

and the New Year. All celebrations,

family get togethers, and school

vacations involve stories happiness,

great food - for most of us!

But the beauty of the holidays are also

fraught with anxiety, stress, money

issues, melancholy, fears and for many

- terrible sadness. It does not have to

be this way!

enjoy astress free holidayusingflower remedies



For many families that enjoy the holidays, yet still feel the

stress, there are flower remedies that will reverse that

overwhelming feeling, or the stress and the anxiety. It is

truly an easy fix. Go to your health food store and pick up

flower essences. Although there are many to choose from,

health food stores in the U.S. sell Bach Flower Essences. Get

yourself Elm, if you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Pick up Rescue for general nervousness and overwhelm.

Bach Flower remedies are beautiful mixtures to keep you

calm and happy during the holidays. Use them for your-

self, your children, your animals. Spray around your home,

your kids, the car! This will bring calm to you and your

household!

For those of you dealing with sadness - there are many

beautiful remedies to choose from. You can also go to your

health food store and purchase Mustard from Bach Flower

Essences. This is for a sadness that comes and goes. If your

sadness goes deeper, contact me. This can be helped, I

promise! The beauty of the flower remedies is that they are

non-toxic, safe with medication, you cannot overdose and

will feel better almost immediately! You put a few drops

under your tongue or in any drinking liquid to feel better.

They are easy to take, easy to use!

There are many beautiful essences from all over the world

that I have been using with great results. If you or your

children feel more trauma, or fears, or rage, or if your child

has symptoms of autism regarding communication, crowds

and socializing - reach for flower essences to help reverse

these negative feelings and behaviors. The right remedies will

help to remove trauma, fears and rage, and help children to

better communicate and be around people, with the ability

to look someone in the eyes. It will help to reverse the

negative issues that do not serve us!

If you are a soldier dealing with PTSD (post traumatic stress

disorder) - flower remedies can be instrumental in helping

you to get through the trauma and move on with your life.

You will see results quickly and move towards living a happy

and healthy life again!

At a time when the economy is failing us, where many of us

are losing jobs and want to change careers, it will be an

extremely difficult year to enjoy the holidays. Use the

remedies to help reach inside yourself, bring back your

balance, help get you on your path for your next career. It’s

all inside you and it will come out!

The time for exploration of flower remedies is here. Use

them to help you, to heal you, to reverse any emotional issue

you wish you did not have. It is so easy, yet so powerful!

So make sure you reach for that “Rescue Remedy”, or

“Emergency Essence” to keep you smiling during the

upcoming months. This can be your best holiday year ever!!

I fell into the remedies through a personal trauma. They have

changed my life! Know that they can change yours and your

children’s as well!

Amy D. Cohen, BFRP, is a Flower Rem-

edies Practitioner and Teacher focusing

on emotional healing specializing in

autism, PTSD and women’s issues. She is

an accredited teacher for Australian Bush

Flower Essences and received certifica-

tion from Bach Flower Education in NY,

affiliated with Bach Centre in England.

She studied homeopathy for three years with NY School of Home-

opathy affiliated with School of Homeopathy in England. She is

one of six Registered Practitioners in the State of New Jersey. She

maintains a consulting practice in New Jersey and does telephone

consultations worldwide. She can be reached at 800-474-1667 or

www.strongestminds.com.




Project: Pinecones

Crisp. That’s how I’d describe the weather that day, the first that made us feel like

summer was gone and a blustery, windy fall was on her way. My toddler, Finn, leaned

forward in his stroller, enamored of the leaves spinning down the street in a fairy cir-

cle. Cameron, my three-year old, peddled his bike along the curb, bravely extending

his left arm out to his side. I knew he was imagining it was an airplane wing, and that

he was waiting for a stiff breeze to help him take flight.

Without warning, Cam slammed his pedals in reverse. The training wheels kept him from toppling onto the street

as the bike came to an abrupt halt. He was into the neighbor’s yard like a loose puppy in seconds. I barely had time

to issue a warning about picking someone else’s mums before he found what he was after. He trotted back to me

and Finn, offering his trophy with a wide smile.

“This, by far, is the most perfect pinecone ever collected,” I assured him.

Heartened, he set off again, rooting through the grass and low-hanging tree limbs, seeking more pinecones. Like a

sponge diver, he’d surface with an enormous smile and his prize held aloft for inspection.

Each passed my critique with flying colors.

by Trish Johnston




Soon, we’d amassed enough pinecones to fill the stroll-

er’s storage basket, cup holder and snack tray (much to

Finn’s delight). Each was perfect in our eyes – even the

ones that had clearly found themselves at the business

end of the neighbor’s lawnmower, sometime earlier in

the season.

When we returned home, we spread them out on the

porch and discussed what to do with our cache.

Cam suggested that – like most high-value items he

collects – we mail them to Grammy. While tempting,

I said perhaps we could make them into a wreath. He

agreed.

This is the project we worked on together:

You’ll need –

1 wire hanger, stretched into a circle

a spool of kitchen twine

3 dozen or so pinecones

brown marker

Interesting branches, berries or flowers you find along

the way (I used some of Cameron’s construction paper

doodles, cut into leaf shapes.)

Step 1: Attach your Pinecones

Double a length of kitchen twine about 10 feet long so

that you have two five-foot long lengths. Use them to tie

a knot around the center of a pinecone, connecting it to

the wire hanger. Have your helper snuggle your second

pinecone against the first, and secure it to the hanger,

as well. Don’t worry if they turn at crazy angles as you

tighten the knot.

Ask your child to smoosh the third pinecone up against

the second, wrapping the twine around the midsection

of the pinecone, as you did the first.

Don’t aim for this to be tidy or symmetrical. It’s a

lost cause.

Step 2: Secure to your wreath form

Connecting the pinecones to the wire hanger is one

thing – getting them to stay in place is another. Have

your helper hold the hanger by the hook. Using six-inch

lengths of kitchen twine, tie the pinecones securely to

the hanger, so they don’t slide off. If you think the white

color of the kitchen twine is distracting, have our helper

color the twine with a brown marker.

Step 3: Decorate with color

Artfully, and with very little attention to pattern, tuck in

bunches of leaves or paper cut outs, securing it with a

knot in any gaps. Tie them with twine, as well, to hold

them to the hanger.

Hang on your door and enjoy this beautiful and re-

sourceful fall decor!

Trish Johnston is a wife and a

mom to two charming boys. By

day, she works as a copywriter

for an insurance company and by

night she purees gallons upon gal-

lons of homemade organic baby

food. You can read more from

Trish at www.theDishfromTrish.com/.

www.theDishfromTrish.com/




by Aimee Wood

SimpleWinterDecorating




Once the holiday decorations are put away and the gray of

winter lingers outside, often our inside spaces look bare and

lonely. Think about putting together a “nature table” which

can incorporate special elements from the outside. Waldorf

schools often put together nature tables to inspire children.

My children have had the privilege of attending a school with

a Waldorf teacher and I have been inspired by her to change

the way I decorate. The nature table can be as simple as your

creative side is or you can go out on a ledge and try new and

exciting elements. Here are some ideas:

• Choose a small table or

corner of a larger table to set

up your nature area.

• Cover the table or area with

a cloth or silk that might

reflect the time of year (i.e.:

white for winter or snow,

green for spring or summer,

tan for fall or winter, etc).

• Go on a walk with your

children in the woods or

on a nature trail and collect interesting findings. Pinecones,

pebbles, bark, small branches, nuts, and acorns are just

some ideas.

• Perhaps you would like to put a spring bulb in a glass jar

to try to force it? Early signs of spring can be exciting for

little ones.

• Little wooden or felted figures can become people in the

nature scene.

• Have children sculpt and mold with beeswax. They may

create little elements that go along lovely with your scene.

• Adorn the scene with beeswax candles. Remember, always

be aware of candles that are lit and keep them away from

very young children.

• A small mirror can be used as a pretend ice skating rink.

• Once all materials are collected, if you have children allow

them to help you create the scene on the nature table.

• Families often change their nature table with the seasons,

but depending on your creative style, you may wish to

change it more often that that.

• Ideas for other seasons

include: changing the silk

or cloth that covers the

table, adding flowers, sand,

pebbles, water, autumn

leaves, etc.

Nature tables are a fun, eco-

friendly, and economical activ-

ity. These lovely nature tables

can become a fantastic decora-

tive aspect of your home. And,

they can become a wonderful activity for you and your family.

Creating a nature table can become a ritual in your home that

everyone looks forward to creating. Also, they can become a

quiet, reflective, and sacred space.

This article was originally published on

bellaonline.com. Aimee is Editor of The

Wise Mom and Regional Chapter Mentor.

She is a mother to three children and

enjoys homeschooling. in her “spare”

time she enjoys reading about nutrition

and psychology, both are areas she has

expertise in.

www.bellaonline.com




One Mom’s Take On

By Jane Hewey




Turbo Tank, Rebel Attack Shuttle, and

Millenium Falcon. These are the first three

things on my six-year-old’s Wish List. It’s

not all Legos. Notebook and cash are

also on the list, albeit toward the bottom.

Much to my frugal, go-green self’s dismay,

this child genuinely loves brand new,

top-o-the-l ine, plastic toys. He loves

collecting them, playing with them, talking

about them, and buying them. He loves

the way they sound, smell, and taste.

Last year, he saved $100 and bought the

Legos Airplane. This child starts his Holiday

Wish List right after Halloween. A steadfast

consumer with an eye for prices, he’s

long since learned how to round up to

the nearest dollar.

We live simply in our home. We often buy clothes at

consignment stores or Goodwill outlets. We pass things back

to Goodwill when we are done; I enjoy the circle of use we

participate in. We avoid buying things packed in ridiculous

layers than eventuate in the garbage. We use durable lunch

containers that can be washed and reused every day. We

take care to turn off lights, wash full loads of laundry, and

conserve water. Last year, my then five-year-old suggested we

clean up the school yard of garbage to make the environment

cleaner and safer. I am aware how many small actions support

our environment and our home. Buying copious amounts of

new Legos simply isn’t one of those small things supporting

the environment. It does, however, support one of our family

members and certainly makes our home an honest one.

This boy has loved toys for as long as he’s been able to

express himself. When he was two years old, he insisted on

visiting the toy section of the drugstore each and every time

we were in for toothpaste or tissue. It was all I could do to

get him to leave without buying something. Many times, he

left in tears. We finally worked out a system where he could

earn his own dollars through chores and allowances. I’d

never given an allowance to my older children, nor did they

seem to have a need for one, but this little guy loves to shop,

loves to collect, and needs a means to do so. After trial and

error, lots of window shopping tears, and endless moments of

discussion over the ways a small boy can earn money; at age

three he bought his first Thomas the Tank Engine. He was

delighted and proud. He went on to collect several and still

has them all.

I was comforted a few years ago when I scanned across a

radio station where a child advocate was talking about the

different ways children feel loved. She said that receiving and

giving gifts were one of the least known ways. She confirmed

his normalcy, but I was floored. Could this really be what he

needs to feel loved?

Now that he is older, we talk about feeling loved. We talk

about the ways we feel most cared for and useful. We talk

about how we think other people might also feel cared for

and loved. This year when I asked him what his favorite part

of the holiday season is, he answered, “The feeling I get when

I give someone something and they say Thank You.” His

heart is absolutely in the right place. We just need to find a

place for all of his Legos.

Jane Hewey is a mother of three children,

ages 26, 10, and 6. Owner of Health

through Self Awareness, a Seattle based

Reiki and energy work practice, she regu-

larly assists parents and children in the life-

long process of self-empowerment. Jane

recently started a facebook page, Moma

Oma Om, designed to gather stories and anecdotes that serve to

encourage parents on a daily basis.




tutorialbath salts-bombs By Kristine Strange

SoapMama’s

Basic Bath Salts

Makes ~3 cups

In a large bowl add dry ingredients, mix well. Add oil and mix.

Add desired amount of essential oil/fragrance and food coloring.

Mix well. I have found that the bath salts usually harden up a bit so

don’t be surprised if you have to loosen them up after a day or so.

Fizzy Bath Salt

Makes ~4 cups

• ¾ cup Light Oil, such as sweet almond, canola, shredded

In a large bowl add dry ingredients, mix well. Add oil and mix.

Add desired amount of essential oil/fragrance and food coloring.

Mix well. The fizzy bath salts also harden up a bit so don’t be

surprised if you have to loosen them up after a day or so.

Bath BombsBath bombs are the same ingredients as the fizzy bath salts. The main difference is you have to add water via a spray bottle to saturate the salts in order to form into a bomb. Spritz salts with no more than 2 sprays. Put your ear close to the bowl and listen to the crackles of the baking soda and citric acid. Mix well and continue until the salts stay together when pressed between your hands.

You can use just about anything for molds, such as silicone baking dishes, plastic Easter eggs, hands, etc. I used plastic Easter eggs because that’s what I have. To do this, you fill each half more than you think you should. Press both sides together with all of your might and let set for a minute or so. Slowly take the egg part off of the bomb without twisting. Even if they break and don’t stay together, ½ egg shaped bombs are cool too.

Another way of doing bath bombs is to do bath bomb chunks by spreading the mix in a cookie sheet. Let dry and break into chunks.

How to make bulk:Of course you can just double, triple, quadruple, etc. the recipes, but here are some quick tips to make it faster:• 2:1 ratio for citric acid to baking soda (ex: ½ cup citric acid to every 1 cup of baking soda)• 2:1 ratio for salt to baking soda• All sorts of salts can be used, such as sea salt, epsom salt, or even table salt.• ½- ¾ cup oil to every 1 cup baking soda.• Oil/butters change the smell of the salts so keep that in mind on what oils/butters you add.

Packaging:Bath salts and bombs look beautiful in most containers. Cellophane bags are a couple bucks at the local craft or party store. Most wedding sections in craft stores have a great selection of very cute jars and containers that hold roughly ¼- ½ cups of salt. Also, don’t forget the ribbons, labels, and all the other fun things to personalize the containers according to the wed-ding colors, bride and groom favors, etc.

The coolest thing about making bath salts is they’re super easy and you can make a bunch of them in a short amount of time.

You can also make them fancy, fizzy, bubbly, colored, or just plain and they’re still so fun! I’m going to explain how to make a

basic bath salt, a fizzy bath salt, and bath bombs.

Supplies:

• Large bowl

• Mixing spoon

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Epsom Salt

• 1 cup Baking Soda

• ½ cup Oil, such as sweet

almond, canola, shredded

cocoa butter, etc (optional,

but great for moisturizing)

• 10-15 drops, or desired

amount, essential oil or

fragrance (optional)

• 5-15 drops food coloring

(optional)

• Flower petals, such as rose,

lavender, etc. (optional)

Supplies:

• Large bowl

• Mixing spoon

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Epsom Salt

• 1 cup Baking Soda

• ¾ cup Citric Acid

cocoa butter, etc. (optional,

but great for moisturizing)

• 10-15 drops, or desired

amount, essential oil or

fragrance (optional)

• 5-15 drops food coloring

(optional)

• Flower petals, such as rose,

lavender, etc. (optional)

i’m a stay at home mom with many passions. This year

they are cooking, making bread, knitting and crocheting

hats, washcloths, headbands, etc..., pinstriping, etc. i love

creating things from scratch and trying new things. i am

always trying to use my skills to make a couple extra bucks

and trade with friends. it’s wonderful to hang out with

my two little men (2yrs. and 4 yrs.) all day long and figure

out fun things for them to do. Everyday is an adventure of

including them in all the things that i do.




Did you grow up holistic or did an event in your life spark

your interest?

I grew up more holistic than I thought, mainly because my

parents lived on a shoe string budget. Their motivation

was to save money. Some of the things they did: used grey

water, grew a huge produce and herb garden, made their own

chicken stock, recycled as a way of earning income, cloth

diapered and canned/preserved produce. My mom used to

make all of her own condiments, jellies, jams, salsa, tomato

sauce and so much more. I definitely learned a lot from

her. As far as holistic health choices, that came once I was

in nursing school. I did graduate with an degree in nursing,

and still work in the field although I hardly practice any of

what I preach! While I was in school I was just amazed at

how much of what we do as nurses can save lives in critical

moments, but the health and wellness portion seemed really

off. What we were told to tell people really didn’t affect their

life for the better. I was frustrated and knew there must be a

better way. This led me on a quest to find what does affect

health and implement it my life and that of my family!

What is one un-holistic thing you can’t give up?

My first response is to say coffee only because it isn’t local,

it has a large petrol cost, and it’s expensive if purchasing

organic and/or fair trade. I would also say my car. I have a

Chevy Tahoe and it really eats up the gas... but we have three

kids and I really don’t want to be a mini van mom! I know, I

know... I just can’t give it up!

How do you celebrate the holidays? Do you have any green

traditions?

With family! For us that is one of the most special parts! My

husband and I are very close to all of our family and it’s so

nice when they are all in town and can spend time together

playing games, enjoying a fire in the fireplace, and just catch-

ing up with each other. Both of us are from families of 5

kids, so it gets quite large with all the spouses and kids! We

also make it a priority to attend our Christmas Eve service

at church. It is a good way for us to remember that com-

mercialism isn’t the reason for the season. It helps us get

our minds off of ourselves and the craziness of the season.

It helps us slow down, pray, and quiet our hearts for a more

peace.

Do you have any hopes or wishes for the new year?

No. I don’t usually make a big deal about the new year. It’s

another day and another year. I feel that if I put too much

into what I’m are going to change, it usually only leads to

disappointment and an inability to change all that I wanted.

Instead we just make goals throughout the year to reach as a

family.

Bethanie Mintz

December 2011

memberprofile

Member of the Northern Virginia Chapter




Two years ago, “The Wise Mom” was nice enough to publish my article on Green Holidays. My

daughter Lily was nine months old and preparing for her second trip to Australia to visit my

husband’s family. This Christmas we are celebrating the fact that Australia is now our home. It

has been an amazing year! In the last four months, we’ve left our old home in New Jersey and

took the long way to Australia through Iceland, Europe, and Africa. Details of our trip are on our

blog at www.beatlikekerouac.com. We’ve been settled in Australia for about a month now, and

holiday planning is upon us.

A Summery Green Christmas

By Ashley Forster

DoWN UNDEr

www.beatlikekerouac.com





Certain holiday traditions are different in Australia simply

because of the season reversal. Beach barbeques replace log

cabin baking, and red and green swimsuits replace red and

green wool sweaters. Australians rarely miss an excuse to get

together with friends and family and have a good time, and

their laid-back attitude is ever-present at the holidays. The

focus is on spending time together (almost everyone gets a

week off for Christmas to New Year’s) rather than over-the-

top gift-giving or decorating. Our presents are generally

limited to a Secret Santa exchange with my husband’s large

extended family. Everyone draws a number, and when your

turn comes, you take someone else’s gift or opt for the

uncertainty of an unopened gift from “the pot.” Higher

numbers are the most coveted in this cutthroat game, but

everyone generally winds up with something if not useful, at

least humorous. Lily has just taken up watercolour painting, so

her contribution will be a framed original. In the decoration

department, the laid-back attitude persists. Because pine

trees are not native to Australia, live Christmas trees are

rare. And since a snowy pine tree would look absurd in this

climate anyway, many Australians embrace the oddity and

have reusable Christmas trees in pink, red, or blue festively

adorned with homemade glittery crafts, native flowers, or

seashells.

Australians are impressively good at supporting local farm-

ing and local business. Because of the distance imports have

to travel, the increase in cost and decrease in quality due

to transportation is more obvious to everyone. Turkeys are

small, rare and expensive, and therefore not popular, so we’ve

had to change our traditional Christmas main dish to local

leg of lamb with roast pumpkin and homemade mint sauce.

I’m not complaining. I have become a fan of the Jarrahdale,

or Australian blue pumpkin. Sickly gray on the outside but

gloriously orange on the inside, its taste is similar to butternut

squash. But the best part is that these pumpkins are so hardy

they can not only grow easily in a backyard garden, but can

be picked and stored outside for up to six months! The long

growing season in a climate like this also means more fresh

produce is in season for longer, and having the Christmas

holidays in mid-summer means that seasonal summery

fruits and veggies are aplenty, as are good local wine and

cheese. Other dishes on the Christmas table include fresh

corn on the cob, strawberry and goat cheese salad, and

broccoli coleslaw.

Letting go of the snowy Christmas so often seen on postcards

has been easier than I originally thought it might be. Rather

than just a tropical Christmas vacation, our holiday will be a

celebration of being near our family permanently for the first

time. The kids can go swimming while we enjoy fresh food,

good wine, and relaxed company while watching the sun set

behind our pink Christmas tree.

My name is Ashley Forster

and until June i was a

member and unofficial co-

leader at the Warren County

chapter of HMN in New

Jersey. in June my daughter

Lily (2 1/2), husband Marcus

and i embarked on our

big adventure enroute to

moving to his native Australia.

We visited iceland, England, Barcelona, Rome, the Greek islands,

Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Swaziland, and Malaysia before arriving

in Australia, our new home, in October. it’s wonderful to have had such

an experience as a family, and we remind Lily of it in various ways each

day, so even though she may not remember the details, she’ll always

know she’s done it. Our travel blog is www.beatlikekerouac.com.

We are now living just outside of Melbourne, Victoria with my

husband’s family and hope to stay in the area. We are enjoying

living in a climate with a year-round garden-growing season, and i

hope to get out soon and find a mom’s group as close to HMN as i

can get.

www.beatlikekerouac.com.



The Southside, VA chapter has enjoyed many activities

this past year. In June the chapter enjoyed an introduction

to the Holistic Moms Network and began a journey to

wellness. Together they raised their Hands to Health.

Marilyn MacClellan, licensed acupuncturist and

clinical thermographer, was on hand educating about

breast health and the benefits of thermography. Virginians

for Health Freedoms, Virginia Independent Consumers

and Farmers Association, the National Center of

Homeopathy, Certified Natural Health Professionals,

The Woodland, the Youth Empowerment Center and

BirthMatters, along with others, shared information.

There were health booths on working with the breath,

meditation, Qijong, Reflexology and Jin Shin Jyutsu, the

ancient Japanese Art of harmonizing the energies of the

body. In the young family realm there were knowledge-

able sources on the advantages of doula services and

cloth diapering. Community Chiropractic offered mini-

massages in their traveling chairs.

The evening of June 9th, they held their first meeting

with reflexologist Mary Clem, RN, CMT. She spoke to

the gathering of 8 individuals on the history, aims and

practical applications of simply pressing on certain areas

of our hands and the feet of others. The ‘hands’ on

portion of the discussion focused on easing heartburn/

indigestion, sinus issues and shoulder, neck and back

pain. A mother in attendance asked advice for children’s

Southside, VALeader: Allison Crews

December 2011

chapterprofile




constipation and with a demonstration on the feet of

her infant relief was achieved on site, to the amazement

of all. As Mary has learned and shared that evening ,

‘the feet don’t lie’.

From Chapter Leader Allison Crews...

June and July we sponsored 2 Red Cross babysitter

trainings - 16 kids were trained - it was great!

September we talked about food preservation on all

levels - our local resource the cannery, home canning

and our food rights were on the menu... a great evening.

October we celebrated Holistic Living Month by

sponsoring an outdoor open mic night in our community

- it was wonderful! We also celebrated the first FOOD

DAY - we’re putting the Farm back in Farmville.

In November, Dr. Matthew Schrier shares Insights on

Health with HMNSVA Father of three, son of parents

with a health food store in 1952, Masters in Nutrition, Dr.

Schrier advocates a self-care reform for our health. It is our

‘choice’ to be healthy he reminded those gathered

for the November HMNSVA Monthly Meeting. A confessed

hybrid of old school and new school chiropractics, Dr.

Schrier communicated that when you “wake up the nervous

system, things start to happen” in a good way. Pain is a

messenger that we have something interfering with “the

ability of the body to heal itself.” Another way to heal ourselves

includes helping others, he reminded the audience.

What is your chapter doing this holiday season?

We are joining forces with the Farmville Area Kiwanis

and the Town of Farmville to host the lighting of a

community tree...very excited about that!!!

What are some things you are looking forward to in

2012?

In the New Year we’ll have a new location and new

evening of the month to meet.

We are working on a movie and book club, that should

take off in January.




The holidays came fast and furious and the rush will be over in a

few short weeks. At the end of December before the New Year, I

like to take stock of the year reflecting on lessons learned. Every

experience you have as an individual, whether good or bad,

provides an invaluable lesson. What seems like a tremendous

challenge today may very well be looked back on as something

that changed your life for the better.

Many of us will be taking stock of how to downsize and simplify

our lives for the coming year. The economy has nudged many

of us into simplifying. However, it may seem overwhelming

and stressful to change our lives. Take it one step at a time and

promise yourself to just choose one change a month. It is helpful

to assess what is important to change. While you sit down and

reflect on the past year, keep these ideas in mind!

• Okay, so you have written down what is important to you in

downsizing, now you need to ask what is important to other

family members. Realizing that you are on the same page when

simplification occurs in your family is very important. There

is nothing more frustrating than finding your children are not

recycling when you have put that on your top ten list. Make sure

everyone is on the same page.

• Promise yourself to change just one thing a month. They say

it takes three weeks to change a habit, so do not rush and try to

by Aimee Wood

Live Simply in the

New Year




simplify in every way all at once. The changes will be more

likely to stick if you take it slow.

• What areas of your life are in need of simplification? Is it

health, romance, family, work, money, etc? Make a list of

what you do each day. What provides you with the most

satisfaction? What causes you undue stress? Look at those

stressful parts of your life and brainstorm on how to change

them. If it is working overtime every week and that adds

stress to your family life, you may want to decide whether

that extra work is really important to you.

• Does your house need simplification? I often find that

spring cleaning comes early, that is, in January. I like to start

each year fresh and invigorated. When my family has a few

weeks off at the end of the year, I like to declutter, get rid of

old clothes and junk, and make room for the new positive

energy that will enter my life. Cleaning the house top to bot-

tom with some essential oils also gets the air smelling and

feeling good.

• Create a vision board. One of the most uplifting and joyful

things is to create a vision board for what I would like to see

enter my life in the New Year. Do a group vision board with

your family and one for just yourself. Realizing each others

dreams and goals can go a long way in bonding. Grab some

magazines, a cork board, some glue, and fun markers and

decorations and get to work! This is a fun activity that will

get you feeling great and ready for a simple New Year!

This article was originally published on

bellaonline.com. Aimee is Editor of The Wise

Mom and Regional Chapter Mentor. She is a

mother to three children and enjoys home-

schooling. in her “spare” time she enjoys

reading about nutrition and psychology, both

are areas she has expertise in.

www.bellaonline.com





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The Wise Mom, December 2011