Tribute to Heather

Once, in a heated tone, Heather told me not to underestimate her. I have kept this advice close. Heather is my elder by 3 years. When we were younger she was “in charge.” She was a self declared president, vice president, secretary, cashier, detective, librarian etc. We often played games she invented and she was the leader. I was her devoted playmate and follower. Somewhere in the midst of our growing up, I became my own and occasionally even led her. Helping Heather have a natural birth was one of the rare and special times that I was able to lead and assist Heather in her own story.

Heather was quite reserved about her choice to have Claire (her 4^th baby) un-medicated. She had great experiences with her previous births. But little sister Stacie is a huge empowered birth advocate and wouldn’t stop talking about birth options, showing video clips, and encouraging Heather to go natural. *empowered birth: women choosing how they want to give birth and being supported by care providers- not necessarily natural birth.

I wasn’t sure what Heather would choose to do, but I knew that I was going to support her and slightly push for a natural birth J She did go past her estimated due date and was feeling more than ready. So Mother’s Day 2011 she got induced. I got to the hospital to find Heather smiling and relaxing on the bed. Her very nice and experienced nurse was ever so accommodating. She supported Heather to have intermittent monitoring and pretty well left the laboring up to us with little interference. Brandon was there. He had a nervous excited energy. He didn’t know what to expect as their previous kids were born with Heather lying in bed with an epidural. It’s always entertaining to observe husbands while mom is laboring.

I came in and took charge. I felt more confident than ever before. I started with some essential oils on acupressure points to encourage regular contractions. The effect was almost immediate. Heather and I went walking around the halls of the hospital. We circled a few times then came back around for some monitoring then walked some more etc. I remember walking near this area of big windows with natural light, chairs, and waiting room toys. Heather asked if we could stop here and rest through her next contraction. We had to stop and she had about 2 or 3 contractions in this beautiful sacred space. I knew right away that we must hurry back to the hospital room because she was entering into transition, but I didn’t want to alarm her so I kept this to myself.

On the walk back we stopped several times. Heather would lean on me while I was leaning on the wall. After holding her for several minutes, several different times I said a specific prayer asking for angels to hold me up while I held Heather up. As I kept calm, I noted Heather’s poise. She was totally calm. She visualized her way through several rainbow mediation techniques. She’s a natural mediator, but she doesn’t know it J There was a specific contraction when we both knew that there would be no more walking. While in the hallway, the thought crossed my mind that Heather could have this baby in here and now, but she didn’t. I helped her into the room and onto the bed then basically ran to get the nurse.

It seemed like minutes. The doctor came and Heather pushed. While pushing Heather would go back in these awesome birth warrior trances. She was so concentrated. My voice was her grounding tool. I told her to relax her forehead and her pelvic floor and to breathe. She obeyed. I don’t know that her eyes were open until her beautiful Claire was out of her body. Claire’s shoulder got stuck and this can be quite painful but Heather handled it perfectly. When Claire came out we were all so surprised. Heather birthed an almost 10 lb baby! Claire was huge. Claire brought with her a special joy.

Since her arrival, Claire has always been joyful and beautiful. I feel like Claire is an expert telepath. She is great at communicating. She is the light of everyone’s life. I can’t put into words how much I love Claire.

This birth was one of the most cherished births that I’ve attended. There is a special bond and trust between sisters. Heather was so vulnerable and put so much trust and faith in her body. She totally opened up to me in a way that has never before happened. She owned her body and this birth. Thank you Heather for sharing this day with me and for teaching me once again to never underestimate you!

The love and experiences we share are eternal. The link of sharing birth experiences with women is unmatched by any other joy in my life. Thank you to all of the wonderful women who invite me to support them in their beautiful birth experiences. 

Family Tree Haunted?

 The Travel Channel came to little Santaquin (my home town) to get the run down on Santaquin's most famous establishment, The Family Tree. Here is the link to some clips and pictures.

My home town Santaquin (Utah) has quite a history. I just learned a few new pieces of the rich history tonight at The Family Tree. I went there and got a whole tour and all of the details. Our waitress was very accommodating. It did help that I went with another Santaquin native and she knew the waitress :)

So here's the 411: The land that The Family Tree sits on is cursed Indian land. Bad juju already. On top of that, the building used to be a bar with illegal activities going on in the basement such as gambling and who knows what else. Bad juju again. Apparently the main haunter is a man called Henry who loved the bar and wants it to be a bar again.

Several of the workers have had weird experiences there. One waitress recently quit because a vacuum turned on on it's own without being plugged in. My waitress has heard several voices and some of them say her name. She's also seen a girl and an old man. Chairs have been tipped over randomly and her hair has been pulled.  

Because I had a connection, I got to take a tour of the restaurant. It was creepy to say the least. When our waitress opened the latch to the basement, I had an overwhelming feeling in the pit of my stomach. During the tour, we all got cold chills at exactly the same time. I never saw any ghosts, but I felt things for sure. 

I am more interested in the Native American curse than the bar and Henry. But it seems that this Henry fellow is all the talk. Come to Santaquin to eat a scone at the one and only HAUNTED Family Tree. They are giving tours for $20. If you like a good scare, you'll like it.

Internet Bashing

I saw this photo on pinterest yesterday. This is the caption They all weigh 150lbs. It's not just about weight, do you know your BMI? I was pretty amazed because I don't equate health with a number.  A number doesn't tell me how my organs are functioning, if my joints are flexible, what's my blood pressure, how strong is my immune system etc. But that's for another controversy. What attracted me to this photo was the number of comments. So I started reading them. The first or second comment was from a girl, Jayne. She said something like "150 is huge. I would kill myself if I weighed that much. Just go vegan and you won't be fat." Again this is roughly quoting her. People started knocking her down and tearing apart her comments. And... she would comment again. NEVER backing down. She was a fighter. So I check it today and there is no Jayne. What happened to Jayne the relentless fighter? Then I kept reading the comments. And I would have deleted myself too.

It comes down to a few things for me: How can I speak my truth without tearing people down? I don't have to feel threatened by someone else's opinions. I don't even have to defend my own opinion. That is EGO.  The differences in people are exciting. Celebrate diversity. Also, (and more importantly) remember that we are one. I cannot see another without seeing myself reflected back. Instead of finding things to separate myself from others, focus on the things that unite us. Deepak Chopra says, "today I will bond with others knowing the Other is myself in disguise."

Here is the link to the picture. If you want, waste some time reading all of the comments hating on Jayne.

Happy Birthday To ME!!!

I am 27 today. Late 20's. Whoa!! I can accept it. Here's some life lessons, from yours truly. Warning this is probably going to be a long post.

I feel like a woman. It sounds weird.  But I've really embraced my spirituality, sexuality, personality, and all other "alities."  I've learned to not only accept myself but EMBRACE myself. People are so harsh on themselves. Learning to silence (or at least turn down) my inner critic has been key to self exploration. I've been able to do so many things because I've learned to not be afraid of myself, if that makes sense.

Learning to quiet the chatter in my head has introduced a whole new aspect of my life, spirituality. I've tapped into the spirit and my intuition. Originally, I had to learn to stay present to get through an hour of massage. It was so hard at first. I remember focusing on the time,the massage, or the conversation, but now I hardly talk to people and the hour goes by so fast. My hands know just where to go and I don't get in their way. Staying present during massage allowed me to bring that practice to other areas of my life. This has lead me to meditation. And meditation has changed my life. I meditate everyday (with the rare exception that I wake up late-I don't have to wake up very often). I love reading spirituality books- I'm pretty up on that scene :)  It's so nice to hear and read positive words that open my mind to new ideas and concepts. I've found the more I search, the less I know, but it's quite calming.

Talking about sexuality now...oooh taboo. Really though, I remember the days (not too long ago) when I couldn't even say the word 'sex' out loud. I would say "sess." I remember freezing when a make-out scene came on the t.v. if I was watching it with someone else. Not that this is bad, because it's not. I just feel comfortable now. And maybe that's because I talk about vaginas in midwifery class. or Maybe it's because I tell couples to have sex and both orgasm to induce labor. I don't know. I can't pin the time or event, but suddenly I am really comfortable with being a woman, having a body, and talking about it. Ladies, I've recently purchased a Diva Cup and am thrilled with it. And if you ever get the chance to go see The Vagina Monologues, do.

Leatha, a friend of mine who is Indian was raised very traditionally (Hindu). She was taught how to be sensual AND modest. This concept is mind blowing. I didn't know you could marry the two. Women are naturally sensual and there's nothing to be ashamed of and to combine that with modesty is an incredible combination. Let's teach this to our daughters. Please!

In addition to feeling comfortable with who I am sexually, I have been able to feel freer with my personality. It's okay if I want to wear red lip stick and/or flashy earrings. And it's okay if I think something irreverent is funny. And it's okay if I want to paint and listen to sappy music. I'm not afraid to do the things that scared me before. I've had so much fun finding my authentic self. I am more honest with people. I can ask for what I want. Communication is so much more efficient. I've had a great time working with and attracting the right clientele. Lately, I've been so blessed to work with people who appreciate my work and that makes my job so easy! I accredit this to being more authentic.

So to sum up all of this non-sense: I am really proud to be me. And I'm not trying to beat my own drum.  I  never imagined my life being how it is now and being okay with it. When I was 22 I thought women my age were flawed if they were single and that is insane. I have a fantastic and super fulfilling life and career. I have learned so many lesson and I don't think I could have learned these lessons any other route.  I am freaking 27 and single and oozing satisfaction. Happy Birthday to me.

Massage Apprenticeship Opportunity

Years ago, I apprenticed to get my massage license. It was one of those cosmic moments where the stars aligned and I was intuitive enough to be in the right place at the right time. Massage therapy has totally changed my life to the core and I am so grateful. I have met the most interesting people and had opportunities I couldn't have dreamed of having. 

Since apprenticing, I have always wanted to give back and apprentice some students of my own. The time has come when I have acquired enough hours as a therapist to begin teaching students. I am excited to be in a position to teach. I can apprentice two at a time, which is ideal for teaching. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a massage therapist please refer them my way.

An apprenticeship program is a fraction of the cost of Utah College of Massage Therapy, it's a one-on-one learning environment, and apprentices can work while learning. In fact, I quit my 9-5 when I was an apprentice because I was making more money massaging half day than I was working all day. 

The perfect candidate for an apprenticeship program would be committed to putting in 15 hours a week to learning and working, is interested in health and wellness, and is self motivated. I got my massage therapist license in one year. There is now an extended option of two years, but honestly it's worth it to get it done in a year. 

I have a slew on information and resources to share. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Truly, massage is one of the best things I have ever done for myself and it's an opportunity to serve someone everyday. It's rare to make a living doing something that you love and that everyone else loves too. 

Fooled

I played an April Fool's Day joke on my dad. This story may not be that funny if you don't know him, but maybe it will... :)

My mom gave everyone a bag of Easter candy for conference watching. My dad ate all of his allotted candy and was begging me for my candy. I gave him some chocolate eggs and also a carefully sculpted piece of putty (thank you Heather) that looked like a chocolate egg. I had to leave the room because I was laughing so hard. So, no, I didn't see him eat it. We heard nothing. We were expecting some sort of reaction. But he played it cool. Heather went in and asked him how his eggs were. He said, "what you think I didn't know." Um, obviously not, because we found the piece of putty in the garbage can with chocolate teeth marks in it. I have rarely laughed so hard.

Increasing Gratitude

Lately, I have felt a genuine increase of gratitude in my life. Usually, I have to force myself into gratitude. This feeling, however, is totally organic. And to think, during winter? WHaaa!?! I have started doing a few things that I feel are major contributors: The Artist's Way, midwifery school, and new make-up.

The Artist's Way is a book. This book was recommended to me by a client. This client works at a university in NYC as the director of the whole arts program. So, no big deal. :) She said this book changed her life and led her career path. I found it whilst thrifting. Thank you, thrift stores. Anyway, this book is a 12 week program. Essentially, every morning I wake up and write 3 pages of nonsense. The goal is to clear all of the chatter out of my head. Also, every week I spend time with my self/inner artist. We draw, take walks, go to museums etc. The most important thing is that you are by yourself. You are trying to get to know yourself better and nourish the relationship of you and your inner artist. Also, I read a chapter a week and follow any written homework exercises (which I hardly do the exercises). This book is for everyone. I can see the changes in myself and am astonished that something so simple can be so profound. Recommending it to every person alive. Something profound the author points out is that in order to access your creator you need to be creative. So true. Amen.

Next, midwifery school is incredible. I go to school every week with awesome women. Age ranges between 24-71. We solve all of life's issues with empowered birth lessons. Birth can effect the world, the community, and an individual all at the same time. Ina May Gaskin, midwife pioneer, says that a midwife is as essential to a community as a farmer. And I totally agree. More and more women are standing up for themselves and taking charge of their bodies. Watch out world! We are transforming at an alarming rate and I am so proud to be apart of it. I am getting more and more passionate about people feeling supported, trusted, and intuitive. We all shine brighter if we feel validated. Midwifery school has done this for me. Not to mention, I have a whole new community. I love these women and our lessons are beautiful.

On a vane level, I really love Sunset Bronze. It makes me feel like I have a pretty suntan. Love in a jar for $16. I was hesitant because it has an orange/red tint and I am already orange enough, but it is lovely.

Gratitude is everything. However, if it's not genuine then it feels like nothing. I have been there several times. You look around and say 'okay I have a job, house, food, and family/friends. Why am I not grateful?'. If gratitude is not genuine for you right now, wait. Soon you will be swept away with it. Mine came about from a book, a new community, and a bronzer. Life's little blessings sometimes have the most profound shifts. Thank you anyone who read this and bless you.

Merry Christmas

This year has been sparse with blog posts. I love to write and so it's a shame for me not to keep my blog up-to-date.

Merry Christmas to all (except those that don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays to them). How did that whole debate begin anyway? Can't we all just stop getting offended?

As much as I enjoy sweet, cute, wonderful, family photo Christmas postcards, I really miss out when people don't give a little letter of cheer. So here is my not so little letter of cheer:

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. 2011 has been a wonderful year. I have done a bit traveling, working, jewelry making, book reading, and a lot of growing, learning, and enjoying life.

Early in the year I participated in a music recital. Yes, me. My awe inspiring piano teacher, Esther Vasefi somehow talked me into playing a duet with her. Our piece was the Sleeping Beauty Waltz. To brag, my piece was the most complicated of all the piano pieces. To take away from my brag, all the other piano students were under age 7. I was so shy to perform that I didn't invite any friends or family. In retrospect, I wish I had shared this with my loved ones. This experience really shaped my life forever. I was nervous, I messed up, but I did it. And in the doing, I felt so proud of myself and confident. I loved getting applauded and I loved feeling the performer's high.

In the birth world, I have many exciting advances. I attended only a few births. The most memorable birth was my beautiful niece, Claire. Heather invited me along, only this time as her doula. She opted for a natural birth experience and by golly she did it! Claire was a hefty 9lb something high-ounces baby. I am so proud of Heather. She knew she could do it all along and totally down played it. When the laboring and delivery came along she showed her true colors of woman lioness power. She was calm, composed (mostly), and very strong.

My eldest sister Shelley had a baby girl Shaliese about a month before Heather had Claire. I didn't attend her birth. Lorilyn my second eldest sister did attend. I love it. Women supporting women in labor. I went to Boise in the late of summer and visited the cuteness, Shaliese. It was a mini family vacation. Mom, Dad, Lorilyn and myself all drove up to Idaho to visit Shelley's family. We had a beautiful time. I don't get to see Shelley and her family near enough.

Big time news on the birth front: I'm attending Midwifery school. I started this month. The opportunity just fell into my lap and I said yes. The class is very small. The approach is brand new and very holistic. The program teaches about body, mind, spirit connection and how that affects fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth. I am learning so much and it's only been three weeks of classes! I am loving it immensely.

I got a bit creative this year with my jewelry making. I started making feather earrings. Real feathers! They are lovely. I am in love with all of the earrings. Unfortunately, the selling hasn't been going well. One boutique opted out last minute and the other doesn't really have much feather earring traffic. So...it leaves me with many feather earrings and no return on creativity/investment. But I am so pleased with the product that I could care less about sales.

One of my friends/clients is a well renowned author and Dr of psychology. She and I do trades. She receives massage and I receive sand tray therapy. Once a week for the past 4 months I have been receiving professional counseling and it's really fun. She works with the sub-conscious so I do most of the discovering and realizations. I love it so much that she is going to teach me the ropes! She normally teaches sand tray therapy to psychologists, social workers and alike but has offered to instruct me. In Utah sand tray therapy requires certification only (not licensing). I will be adding another tool to my box of modalities. And a modality I have experienced and feel passionate about.

Among my most memorable past times of 2011 was my trip to Arizona. I went for a whole week to visit Jeremy's family and the sunshine. We spent our days hiking, fixing cars, thrifting, and exploring Sedona. We spent our nights having Bored to Death  and True Blood marathons, eating turkey leftovers, downloading music, and laughing. Can I express how much I love hanging out with Jeremy? I doubt it. Jadin and Ava are growing like weeds. It must be all the sunshine in AZ. I love being an auntie to many babies and kids I wish were still babies. Time flies when you're watching a child grow. I love them all; related by blood or by God.

Speaking of God relations, I have many wonderful friends who are family to me. I am happy to be surrounded by accepting, loving, funny, and wonderful people. I have always had a special love for my friends.

I recognize my many blessings and easy life. I have few monetary struggles. My life is filled with an abundance of conveniences, loved ones, teachers, and growing opportunities. Thank you for being apart of my life and blessing it with your presence. May you also recognize your abundance and keep it flowing through 2012.

With Love,

Stacie

p.s. top reads of 2011: Inkheart series, Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth, and Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield

Thanksgiving Break

I am in Arizona for Thanksgiving break. I decided to make a vacation out of it, so I am staying for a week. It's nice and sunny here with occasional bouts of chilly 60 degree weather. I flew in on Thanksgiving morning. Surprisingly Thanksgiving is a really good day to fly. My flight was full, but the airport wasn't very busy.
People were generously happy and even at times, goofy. It reminded me of the nation's happier days. It seems like there has been so much chaos about the TETs (tough economic times). Thanksgiving is the holiday when people are reminded of gratitude and appreciate blessings.

The ride home from the airport was eventful. First of all, Jeremy forgot which of the 9 levels he parked his truck. Luckily we only searched two levels before finding his truck. On the drive home, there was a wreck. The traffic was moving slow as we were going uphill through a mountain range. As per usual, we had the windows down and were rocking out to some music. Our new favorite song, Pumped up Kicks is wildly over played on the radio. We listened to that song two or three times. Imagine us with the windows down, in a traffic jam, busting moves, and occasionally encouraging other drivers to sync radio stations to ours for a party. We were having fun.

Then suddenly out of nowhere his truck starts to over heat. We were on the side of the road cooling down and one of our fellow drivers pulled over and gave us some anti-freeze. Thank you local citizen. We drove to the next exit which thankfully was a rest stop. Then Lori, Amanda and the kids had to come and pick us up. It was a 40 minute drive so Jeremy and I familiarized ourselves with the rest stop. I took some photos for a group of Taiwanese tourists; we met some dogs and their senior citizen owners; spotted honeybees, cattle, and birds; and we read some AZ trivia.

By the time we got home dinner was ready. The table was beautifully set with flowers and the feast. It was somewhat weird celebrating Thanksgiving away from home. I am usually in Utah. Amanda and Lori prepared the spread while Jeremy came to the airport to pick me up. As we sat around the table, I realized that we are all adults (minus Jadin and Ava).  Here we were eating Thanksgiving dinner, creating traditions, and influencing a new generation. We struggled as a whole about what rituals were to be performed before eating. We unanimously agreed to say at least one thing we were thankful for during our feast. We were all excited to be together and to eat yummy food.

Whether you spend the holidays with family, friends, or animals the uniting and joyful denominator is love. Love is all there is. We could have been stuck at the rest stop eating vending machine food with a bunch of seniors and dogs and that would have been wonderful. But we lucky enough to be in cozy house with many beloved family members and a feast. Hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love and gratitude, I know mine was :)

Halloween Make-up

First attempt

Thanks to a little site called pinterest, I decided to have fun butterfly make-up for Halloween. My first attempt was the worst, but still awesome. I was in a rush after work to make it to a fab Halloween party. I put on the make-up at work, by a lamp lit room, trying so hard not to make a mess. In my haste, I neglected to arrange for my wings, but in hindsight the make-up was enough.


Then, on Sunday, we had a little family Halloween get-together. Heather's kids wanted to show off their costumes. I also wanted to show off my new make-up tricks. Long story short, I got so excited that I somehow managed to convince Heather to let me do her make-up as well.

Boise

Dad, Mom, Lori, and I went to Boise last week. Here are a few pictures. I edited them on picnik and I am new to that so........ENJOY!

The Almost Encounter

I used to post so much. Where have the days of blogging gone? The thing is, I didn't blog about anything exceptional. I just said whatever was on my mind. It did help that I was stuck on the computer for 8 hours at work with little work to do :) Dishonest? No, my boss was practically blogging for me. Now things are different.

For those who still check blogs, here is a chuckle, called My Almost Encounter (and it's sort of graphic):

I almost crossed a big line. Almost. So this guy came into to get a massage and it started out pretty awkward because I saw him naked. I knocked on the door and said "all set?" All set, meaning that he had undressed and was lying on the table between the sheets. He replied, "all set." What he really said was "not yet!" When I walked in, he was scrambling: bending over, trying to find something to cover, and also looking at me like get the f out. I was just so taken aback. I have NEVER walked in on a client before. *Disclaimer: before you say 'you hear what you want to hear,' I did not want to hear that. There was a speech barrier. He was Mexican (really, he was from Mexico). He'd only been in the country for a couple of years. His accent was thick.

I was really embarrassed to go back in that room. How could I? How was I going to break the ice? I was still laughing/giggling. I profusely apologized. Then, I apologized again because I had a case of the giggles. Anyone who has had the giggles knows that it takes awhile to calm down. Anyway, he was really cool about it. Unbenounced to me, he thought that I was really shy and flirting with him. In fact, he asked me if I was shy? As I was tightly securing sheet for modest draping, he said something like, "why all the modesty now, you've already seen me naked." So, that isn't okay, but again, I had the giggles- I was just trying to calm down. I remember trying to change the topic a trillion times like, "so how long have you been here?" Then pulling out the big guns, "do you have a work visa?" and "do you want to become a citizen?" Try as I might, it just kept coming back the naked encounter.

Finally the hour was over. Phew. Then, he paid and left. Then, I went to change the table over and he had left some unwanted fluid on my sheets! I was pissed. If you are going to be inappropriate at least do it on something that can be thrown away like a Kleenex. Damn the men who do that after massages on massage therapists sheets. Awhile later, I went to take the defiled sheets to my car, and low and behold he was sitting in his car out in the parking lot. I was very dismissive and rude. I left to make some copies and received a text from him. (phone number on business card- don't be getting any ideas). He was thanking me for the wonderful massage. In a moment of fury, I wrote back "I saw what you did to my sheets." Then there was abundant remorse and apologies. I didn't respond to his many texts for a few hours. When I did, the texts turned from apologizing to flirting. I just tried to wrap things up, but they kept coming. For the span of about a week, the texts kept coming. I would say really vague things and move on. In retrospect, I should have been very bold and blunt and said stop texting me rather than politely dragging him along. Admittedly it was a kick, to receive funny texts all day, until it wasn't. One night I got a close-up picture of his you-know-what. That was enough for me to stop texting back altogether. A few days later, after no response he was remorse and apologetic. Then like clockwork, it was hardcore flirting again, asking me for pictures of myself! Again?, I thought. He crossed a few lines a few times. As the adage goes, "It happens once shame on you, it happens twice shame on me." I wasn't mean, I simply said that I don't get to be treated that way. And it was over. Haven't heard anything since.

This brings up many questions: Does that work for him, sending naked close-ups of his manly parts? Do girls respond positively to that? If so, I am appalled and way out of the loop. People actually do that!?!(I do remember looking through my sister's pics on her phone and seeing some naked photos that she had of herself. I asked her- what? why? etc. She said that you never know when you are going to have to send one. So it's a good idea to have some on hand. Hmmm.)

Looking back, I shouldn't have giggled. I think that set it off. How do you control the giggling once it starts? Also, when a man asks you if you are shy, while you are massaging his body after recently seeing it totally naked, things are probably going in a naughty direction... It was a good learning experience, among others things. Given the right circumstances, I could've gotten into a whole lotta trouble real fast. Not to mention the legal complications, if something happened during the massage. But it's a good story. I hoped you enjoyed reading it.

Scrambled

My thoughts are scrambled. I have been in solitude for about 5 days house sitting- which has been very awesome. It has also made me realize how many rules I have for myself and how often I judge myself and how much I love food.

While house sitting, I have been cleansing and it sure is hard to cleanse. I haven't done a cleanse for about a 1.5 years so I decided to go hard core and am doing the master cleanse.

It would be really nice to be gentle on yourself 100% of the time, then again, maybe the contrast is what keeps us productive.

I have been writing an essay for my birth doula certification and I miss writing. It is more than a release for me, it is a vital part of my self expression.

I have been very into Adele's 21 album.

Also while house sitting, I have been watching movies, reading books, walking the dogs, bathing in an awesome jet tub, dancing, and gardening (well watering the garden and occasionally pulling out weeds).

Speaking of Weeds, don't start the t.v. series unless you are prepared to get totally sucked in. Luckily, like Dexter, all of the seasons aren't available on Netflix and so I have given up on them.

I am actively searching for an additional income. If anyone knows of a cool place to work, in the health and wellness world, then please let me know. I would love to exclusively be massaging and birth doula-ing but am also open to doing other work as long as it is in the same field.

I wanted to be the coolest Auntie in the world and take Jaxon to the swim park all day- so I did. However, I have paid dearly for it because I got a burn from hell. The worst burn in my life-seriously. Yes, all you nay sayers, I applied sunblock- it was even over-the-counter sunblock. Fortunately for me, my mom started making this phenomenal moisturizer- which I have been liberally applying to my skin. Heather says that mom's skin appears smoother and younger. Which brings me to a rant session about all of the crap people put on their skin in the name of beauty. Do your research people and stop buying into the poisons in your beauty must-haves. Still not done, how many people have to be medicated before we do something about our society's beliefs about beauty, health, and wellness? I am not talking about anorexia/body image beliefs either, I am talking about migraines, fibromyalgia, allergies, and depression due to over toxicity from your beauty products.

See what I mean about scrambled? It all started with a sunburn and turned into that.

Mother's Day Gift Certificates

                                           Thanks Heather for the designs!

My Hair After One Month of NO Shampooing

Leah, my grape friend, inspired me to stop shampooing my hair. After reading this blog and some additional online research, I was in both feet. For a month now I have been washing my hair with baking soda and rinsing it with either cold water or vinegar and essential oils. I do this every 2-3 days.

I have noticed that I have more body and that I spend less time encouraging the wavy locks because I have more curl. Yesterday Heather, my sister, told me that I had flakes in my hair, but I am convinced it was baking soda residue, as I don't have any flakes today.

The benefits of washing with baking soda as opposed to shampoo are as follows: Most shampoo is poisonous (fragrance, parabens, and SLS), most shampoo strips hair of it's natural oils causing hair to get oily and greasy the day after shampooing, and shampoo is packaged in plastic bottles so I am eliminating my consumption of two plastic bottles per month.

I am not really sure how to capture my hair- I got a new touch phone and every time I take a picture it's blurry. I figured this picture would be proof enough that my hair is still awesome- if not more so.  April, my hair care professional, told me that my hair looks very healthy.

This experiment has not been all sugar and sweets. I have had several days of my hair looking greasy and not cooperative to styling techniques. It takes a few weeks for your natural oils to balance. Because I was shampooing for nearly my entire life, I figured it is only reasonable that my hair might require some time to get used to baking soda and it's natural oils. If you are not willing to give your hair 2-3 weeks of adjustment time, then don't use baking soda. If, however, your patience and desire for healthier hair and less consumption are governing your overall choices, washing with baking soda is for you.