Seventh Generation - Second Wave - Hestia House

I had a fantastic opportunity this week to visit a place I have never been to before. Hestia House in Saint John, NB, Canada is an unassuming place. I've driven by it many times and never knew it was there. I knew of it's existence, but not the location. The location is purposefully hidden. Hestia House is a safe place, a shelter and support for women and children in crisis. This year marks 30 years of Hestia House. It's a bittersweet marker. I'm glad it's there, but I'm saddened that it is needed.
The purpose of Hestia house is to provide safe housing for women and children who need to leave an abusive home environment. They are looking for a way out and looking to plan for a better future. It accommodates 24 women and children, complete with a playroom and a secure backyard. The home is staffed around the clock. They provide counseling, referrals to appropriate agencies and support groups for emotional, medical, legal, employment and housing needs. There is a 24 hour hotline as well. Though it mostly serves women in the Saint John area, any woman is welcome there who needs the support.
As I learned more about what Hestia House does, I was really impressed with a partnership program that they have. The Animal Rescue League of Saint John offers a temporary home for pets of the women who turn to Hestia House. It is just one more way to encourage women to leave an abusive situation. As you can well imagine, it takes a lot of courage for these women to leave their situations and turn to a place like Hestia House for help. It's not an easy decision to make and often they leave with just the clothes on their back. That's why Hestia House welcomes donations of all sorts. People can help out with monetary gifts, gift cards, or practical items such as toiletries, clothing and toys. During my visit to Hestia House I was able to donate a box of diapers for them to use whenever they are needed in the future. The diapers are part of Seventh Generation's Second Wave Diaper Donation Program. During this past month, many Mom bloggers around the country were approached by Seventh Generation and Mom Central Canada to take part in this campaign. Their aim was aiming to reach their goal of giving away up to 240,000 diapers to 40 shelters in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Additionally, they asked Mom bloggers to donate diapers to a charity of their choice. Hestia House was the organization that jumped out to me as a place that needed to be blessed in this way. And it was a very moving experience for me. I can only imagine the stories that lie in those walls.
There are ways that you can be involved in this great act of love yourself. You can "Buy One Give One" - Seventh Generation Diapers to an organization you know could use them. To learn more about Seventh Generation and the shelters that they have supported this fall check out http://ca.seventhgeneration.com/community_ca.
To learn more about Hestia House, visit http://www.hestiahouse.ca/index.html.
If you or someone you know is living in distress, please call (506)-634-7570.
To make a donation to Hestia House contact: Hestia House Inc. P.O. Box 22080 57 Landsdowne Ave Saint John, NB E2K 4T7
Disclosure – I am participating in the Seventh Generation program by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Do Something Little, Help Something Big

I have a mom admission to make.  I turn the radio down when the news comes on and my kids are with me in the car.  It's not to pretend these things don't happen, it's just to filter them from it for a while.  I don't want them to become jaded, where the headlines that should shock and horrify just become part of their every day life.  And that really is what has happened to us.  The headlines roll off our backs, and set into the background while we get on with our day.  We shrug things off and think, well what can we possibly do about it?  Exactly, what can we do?

Maybe it isn't something big, maybe it's something little.  There is so much negativity in our world that it seems incurable.  So why not start small?

Remember that old commercial, if I tell 10 friends, and they tell 10 friends and so on and so on.  Well, that's how I'm thinking these days.  If I show some kindness to our world and teach my kids to do the same, how will that impact their lives?  How can that little ripple effect our world?

We have a couple of story books that show that idea off to our kids quite well, the first is The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards and the second is Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud .  

I think they are great starters to get your kids thinking about how what we do and how our attitudes can have an effect not just on themselves but on others.

The other way I can teach my kids this concept is by living it out myself.  That's why I was excited to be asked to join the Energizer Blog tour "Do Something Little, Help Something Big".  They are pledging to donate $100 000 to Evergreen to make cities more liveable.  For each person that visits their site and makes a pledge of what they will do to help this world out in any sort of act of kindness, they will donate a dollar.  As I write this the pledge counter stands at 35 808 - so there is a ways to go yet.  I'd love to see them max out.

For my part, I am pledging 5 things.  5 simple acts of Kindness.

1. Donate what I'm not using - clothing, outgrown toys, books on pregnancy/babies - all of that can go to someone who currently needs it.

2. Turn out the lights when we aren't in that room - my 4 year old has really picked up on this one and has become the 'light police' in our house

3. Hold open more doors - you know what it's like when you are pushing a stroller around and the person in front of you lets the door shut just as you are getting there - so frustrating!  I'm trying to be more aware of who is around me when I'm out and about so I can help them out.

4. Smile and manners towards service people.  I honestly would hate to have their job because people can be so rude to store clerks, serving staff and cashiers.  I'm trying to put myself in their shoes, and remember that they are people doing their job.  A kind word and a smile can really make their day and their shift a little bit easier.

5.  Take charge of our recycling.  We don't have curbside pickup where we currently live so I'm making a point to drive it in to a recycling depot when I go to work.

That's it.  5 little things that can make a difference.  What 5 things do you think you can do too? 

To take part in Energizer and Evergreen's initiative visit http://nowthatspositivenergy.ca/

Disclosure – I am participating in the Energizer Canada & Evergreen “Do Something Little, Help Something Big” program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Energizer Canada & Evergreen. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Taking Care of Mama - Eating Well

We've all done it from time to time - taken bites of the kid's leftovers because we don't like wasting food, grabbing a pop from the fridge because it's an easy drink, snacked on chips because they are handy. Let's face it we are busy people. Convenience is well, convenient. It's also bringing a recipe for disaster (pardon my pun). I know that where I am at weight wise and health wise is a result of all of these little habits. Part of my plan of re-evaluating my life and working towards taking better care of myself include looking at my own eating habits and making a change for the better.
Here are some things that I've started to incorporate in my life to help me on the road to a better me.

1) Water,water, water - I don't know why turning on the tap seems like such a big deal. It's not. I've deliberately left pop off my grocery list this past month and started filling up my big water bottle. Every morning, it's part of my new morning routine. I keep my water bottle close at hand to grab throughout the day. I'm very pleased to say that I have been pop free for one month now and I feel better for it.

2) Eat your veggies - yes chips are easier. Here's how I'm making snacking on veggies easier. I keep a container of cut up veggies in my fridge. The day after my grocery shop, I take the time to chop up my favorites and toss them into the container. Makes for a quick and healthy snack.

3) Reasonably portioning out meals - I have a good sense of how much food my kids need on their plates. I also know how much is a portion for myself. By taking a few extra minutes at meal time to measure out servings I'm eating the amount I'm supposed to. I've also made it okay with myself to toss out the few bites that may remain on the kids plates. I don't need those calories.

4) Planning out our meals - this is something we started a few years back. I plan meals out for 2 weeks at a time before I grocery shop. I plan meals that are an interesting balance of good tasting and good for you food. As a result we eat out a lot less. And I mean a lot! Picking up fast food just isn't an option any more because I really like the meals we make. It's also a balance of intense and easy to prepare meals. A typical week looks something like this:
Sunday - Thai curry
Monday - chicken, sweet potato fries, veggies
Tuesday - fish, rice, veggies
Wednesday - pizza
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - steak, baked potatoes, salad
Saturday - spaghetti
Wednesday night is always pizza, Thursday is always leftovers

5) Only have in the house what is good for me. Just like keeping pop out, I don't buy potato chips, chocolate or anything else I would enjoy snacking on for the moment.

6) Popcorn - popcorn is a fantastic snack - hot air popped is low in calories, high in fibre and delicious

Sometimes it is the small changes in your life that can have the most positive effect. You'll be amazed how how amazing you feel!

Taking Care of Yourself - Spiritually

The last post I wrote about Making Time for Mama seemed to hit a chord with other Mamas. It got me thinking about ways that we should be (I should be) taking care of ourselves. You know the things that often get pushed aside because we're just a little bit too busy for that right now. Yet it is often these things that build us up the most. As I start to work these areas back into my life, I'd like to share them with you.
I very rarely write about my spirituality on here. But it is an area of my life that I know has been suffering lately. I've been a Christian for over 11 years now. My relationship with Jesus is an extremely important part of my life, but you wouldn't know it lately by the way I spend my time. Sure, I still teach Sunday School and pray with my kids each night, but that's giving out time, not pouring in time. I've been slack on my personal Bible reading and simply spending time in worship or in a quiet place with God.
So, what am I doing about it? I started off easy. I first picked up a copy of Our Daily Bread at church. Our Daily Bread is a daily devotional published by RBC Ministries and distributed for free. It is an easy jump start to reading your bible and thinking about life with God. Having it on hand worked for me, but once the 3 months was over (it's printed in 3 month chunks) I couldn't find the next publication. I was really disappointed by this. I also knew I couldn't slack back again and use it as an excuse. On a whim I did a Google Search and sure enough Our Daily Bread can be emailed directly to you each day. So now each morning I start the day, iPhone in hand with Our Daily Bread. It links the reading to Bible Gateway which is very handy, so you don't have to be fiddling with any books or papers. I'm really happy about this one.
What's the next step? I need some time for worship. Sometimes it is as simple as putting on one song of praise and singing your heart out or dancing (no one's watching, except maybe your kids, and chances are they'll love it too).
It is also as simple as finding maybe 15 minutes in your day and being still before the Lord.
Because I teach Sunday School, I often am not in the service to hear a sermon. I've started making up for that by using OnePlace.com . One Place, if you aren't familiar with it, broadcasts most well known ministries on line. So when I'm cooking or cleaning, I can have a preacher I enjoy on on my computer. It makes for good company. I quite enjoy listening to Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah and Greg Laurie. They've got good stuff to say.
Recently Greg Laurie shared some advice that was given to Billy Sunday when he was a new Christian. Spend 15 minutes a day talking to God, 15 minutes a day listening to God and 15 minutes a day talking with someone else about God and it will change your life. I thought it was good advice. Look where it took Billy Sunday.
This is where I'm at. These are the ways that I'm looking to fill the spiritual needs in my life. How about you?

Links related to this post:
RBC Ministries (where you can sign up for Our Daily Bread)
One Place (where you can hear many different sermons)
Billy Sunday

Time for Mama

"You look relaxed" my husband declared last night. He was right. I was. Very. Relaxed.
This was a long time coming. Recently I've been feeling over-stressed and edgy and I didn't know why. I've been living as a SAHM (apologies to all who are full time SAHMs who may take this the wrong way, it's not intended that way). I figured as a SAHM I would have lots of time. Time to do housework. Time to spend with my kids. Time to spend with my husband. And time for me. What I didn't count on was my own sense of self. Self-worth and productivity were all muddled up in a very strange twisted dichotomy.
You see the first year at home, I wasn't really a SAHM. I was a woman on mat leave. I was still getting paid, but was staying home with my kids. Since February, my mat leave has run out and I'm on extended leave without pay. I figured I would be able to pick up some home daycare work. That prooved easier said than done. And I really was living as a SAHM. Just me. At home. With my kids. No income.
What I found myself doing at first was intense work. I had lists, I had things to do, I was being busy. Then all those lists and business started taking their toll. What good was it doing laundry when all you ever did was laundry (with 5 people in the house it never gets completely finished). Same with the dishes, and any sort of cleaning. I was becoming disheartened. The more I worked, the more work there seemed to be. Nothing seemed to be getting done, even though it was.
I also found myself getting edgy with my kids. Little things were driving me insane. But even my husband's suggestions of getting out of the house for an hour or two rubbed me the wrong way. How could I leave when I had to be doing something.
Therein lied the problem. Because I was no longer bringing an income in to the home, I felt that my value as wife/mother rested in me contributing. I started doing more in an unhealthy way. When my husband declared that I was contributing, I was of value, I didn't hear him. I was only hearing the little voice in my head that told me to keep going and going. And going and going I started to realize was breaking me down. I was not being the wife and mother that I should be. The night my husband sent me out of the house with orders (really suggestions) to visit Chapters and get a Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks was a turning point for me. Of course I needed some me time. I started to relax and enjoy the break instead of resenting being sent out of the house. Since that night (2 weeks ago), I've started to see me again. The me who loves my kids and plays with them. The me who does stuff around the house not because it's a chore but because I like having a clean home. The me who prepares food that is healthy and tasty. The me who takes an hour here and there to spend enjoying my husband's company. The me who walks in the sunshine to the library pushing the stroller. The me who takes a bubble bath on a Saturday night good book in hand, followed by a glass of wine and a good movie. Interestingly enough, this me gets more accomplished. This me is more pleasant to be around. This me is in fact relaxed.