Happy Mother's Day!

My son asked me why today was Mother's Day. I started by explaining to him that today is the one special day that Mama's are supposed to get some extra special care and love.

As I continued, I mentioned how I wasn't always a Mama. I was Elizabeth and had a very different life.  That Mother's day is very special to me  because it reminds me of a time in my life when everything changed. The day he was born. And that this change will connect us both forever, no matter how far away he may be or how big he may grow. 

Which of course prompted another question, "Why is it special?" I told him " Mother's day is special for me and I imagine many other mother's because they go from being just a woman taking care of themselves to bringing new life into the world or choosing a special child to be a mama to. It's a very big responsibility but we chose it because we have so much love inside that we need to share it or we might burst."

His response, "Mama, you are just like Tarzan's Mama Gorilla." followed by a cuddly hug by my son.

To all the mom's out there, hope you all had a great day and that you were lucky enough to get a cuddly gorilla hug like I did. 

P.S. - This conversation took nearly an hour. #Wouldnotchangeathing 

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Allergy season is upon us

AAHCHOOOOO!!

Well, it is that time of year where some of us start sniffling a bit more, sneezing a lot more and going through boxes of tissues like wild fire through trees. Many of us may feel as if we are trapped in a field of pollen, waking each morning tour cars coated with a sheath of glowing green pollen. Or for some,  it's like digging your face in cats tummy. AAHCHOOOOO!

So what are we to do? There are so many options out there, which do we chose, right. Here are some of the things we use in my house to reduce the affects of allergens.

Keep a dust free home - This is easier said then done but with some work daily on it, we can limit the amount of dust floating around. Also, we changed the air filter to our central air system and continue to clean it regularly for cleaner air in house.

Steam - I can't say enough about this. At night, I take a mist/steam shower with some of my J.R. Watkins Eucalyptus spray to clear out my air ways. Has really helped a great deal. I sleep better at  night for sure.

Local Honey/ Bee Pollen - The kids and I have been consuming more of the local honey in our smoothies and I have seen a difference in the amount of runny noses. I am a big believer in this. The key is using local honey so you build immunity to the local plants/pollen.

NOTE: If you are allergic to honey, I would skip this for sure. 

Echinacea tea - Drink this tea daily or when your feeling a bit under the weather to speed things along. I drink it at least once a week for maintenance and I haven't fallen sick yet. The brands I prefer are Traditional Medicinal or Yogi teas.

Over the counter medicines - Normally I don't go this route but I have moments when it calls for it. At least with the kids for sure. Zarbee's Naturals Cold or Mucus reducer is a brand I use for the kids. If they do catch a cold with cough, I still use it. However, I use Zarbee's Natural Mucus reducer Nighttime for when my 4 year old has difficulty getting to sleep.

NOTE: I like the fact that he can get to sleep with their nighttime relief but it seems to give him vivid dreams. So be aware that this may happen. 

As for the adults, my husband he uses Claritan D and Flonase. But his allergies were so bad this year that he had to seek further help. And since he refuses to eat the bee pollen or honey on a regular, I believe that is why he is worse off.

For me, I am just figuring out what it is I am actually allergic to since when I lived up North I never experienced allergies like this. All I have ever been allergic to before is Latex and Chocolate. Yes, I know. Valentine's day is lost on me.

See your Allergist - The best thing you can do is see an allergist and get tested to find out what it is that is making you feel so awful. If you are okay taking medications, they can help you with that for sure. Or at the least, let you know what it is you are allergic to in order to help you avoid those allergens. Example: If you know that you are allergic to grass and someone is cutting their lawn outside, don't go outside for a few hours, if you can avoid it. Or if the weather person reports that Dogwood is in high bloom, take your medications before heading out or don't go out. Simple right.

Lastly, when its really bad. We just don't go out. Keep windows closed and hang in doors. But that's not always possible. People have to works, kids have to go to school and so on. Life must go on even when your eyes are itching, nose running and throat aching.

Overall, you have many options out there to help you relieve symptoms of allergies. From simple home remedies to prescriptive medications. Be smart and educate yourself on your health. Talk to your doctor about possible natural remedies you can try before jumping in to prescriptive drugs. Maybe that's just me but I like to avoid pharmaceuticals whenever possible.

Hope this helps you. Let me know if you have a home remedy that helps you through allergy season or if you have tried any of the above with positive or negative outcomes. I would love to hear from you.

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

FOR YOUR SAFETY ALWAYS SPEAK TO A DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS OR PRESCRIPTIONS.

My Healthy Orange Chicken

Healthy Orange Chicken my way.

When I was pregnant with the twins, I was craving all things citrus. My poor father went out one night searching for orange creams pops, came back with strawberry and I was so sad. Remember, pregnant = emotional. 

Anyways, my parents introduced me to Orange Chicken from the local Chinese place they order from. I knew of it but never ordered it because well I always thought it was gross. However, pregnant, willing to eat anything and craving citrus, I tried it. From then on, I have been hooked.

Now the thing about this yummy dish is that it's not a food I would feed my family. It's super fattening.  I try to avoid battered and fried when I can. I'm human, I like stuff that's bad for me but I pick my evils. So I looked to The Pioneer Woman, as I so often do for a "Reecipe" (did you catch that?)  and to my surprise she had one but it was breaded and fried. Bummer! So I was about to hit the breaks on that "Reecipe" when I said "What if I use her sauce and just stir fry the chicken and veggies?" 

I started by gathering all my ingredients and prepping them. I started with Ree's sauce recipe. (Yes, I am calling The Pioneer Woman by her first name now. I told you she is my pretend friend. We tight!) I let that simmer for 5 minutes then I turned heat off. I moved on to the chicken. 

This is where Ree and I split ways. (Only for a few minutes.) Dicing chicken into bit size pieces and using a tablespoon of sesame oil in a non stick enamel pan, pepper flakes to taste, tablespoon garlic in pan, I browned chicken. Once browned,  I added frozen edamame, peas and carrots. Covered to cook vegetables for a few minutes.  Lastly, I poor the chicken and veggies into Ree's sauce. (See, I told you we wouldn't be apart that long.) Three tosses in the pan and I am super happy with results. Tangy and sweet with just a little kick from pepper flakes.

Everything was super fast to make and just great tasting with very little food guilt. Not that I have this often but when I can find a healthier alternative I go with it.

Thanks to Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman for inspiring yet another meal in my home, even if it wasn't a complete "Reecipe" (I just love saying "Reecipe.") It was still yum.

F.Y.I. - Sauce freezes well so if you double up the recipe you only have to worry about chicken next time or freeze the chicken browned with sauce for easy microwave reheat meal. Great idea for lunch at work.


For Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman's recipe Click HERE Hope you enjoy either of the recipes but I do hope you will try both and see for yourself. Both are good.


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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!