Monday, January 31, 2011

Step One: No More Shampoo

   


     Today we took step one of changing to a more natural house hold and I gave washing my hair with baking soda and vinegar a shot.  Eventually I'll move on to washing my face with oil instead of my yummy smelling estee lauder wash, but lets not get ahead of ourselves...

     So the first step was finding two water bottles to use.  I chose one that I couldn't find the lid to, and a portable coffee cup.  These were bad choices.  I put two cups of water in the first along with two tablespoons of  baking soda. When I tried mixing it was the first time I regretting not using a bottle with a cap, but a long butter knife did the trick.  In the second container I put two cups of water and two tablespoons of vinegar. Then, off I went.

     The baking soda/water combination was not as bad as expected.  I was concerned it would just feel like water in my hair and I would have no idea if I had used enough or if I had missed anywhere, but you can definitely feel it.  It's not bubbly, but it's thick enough that you can feel something.  My big tip when filling the bottles is to use warm water.  DO NOT FORGET THIS STEP! Pouring freezing cold water on my head did not make this a pleasant or easy experience.  The vinegar I just dumped over my head, gasped, and worked through.  I soaked my ends in the cup for a few extra seconds, and let the vinegar sit for a while before rinsing it,  since split ends were a pretty big concern of mine.  I love my flat iron, my hair does not.  While I sat with the vinegar soaking into my tresses I could feel an ever-so-slight-tingling all over my scalp and momentarily became concerned that I was about to turn into a science fair volcano.  No worries, it didn't even bubble.  I was also very worried my hair would feel like it was fresh out of the ocean and turn into one big knot.  As any hair dresser I have ever seen could tell you, my hair LOVES to knot.  It does it instantly, in any condition.  While I was in the shower it felt slightly smoother than usual, but once I got out it was pretty much business as usual.  I can't complain though, no shampoo no matter how expensive has ever fixed that, so I'm not going to blame the baking soda.

Now I'm sitting here waiting for it to dry praying I don't smell terrible tomorrow or look like this in the morning.  

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I know, I know, I just posted. But this is Breath Taking!

http://starvingartistink.com/the-shape-of-a-mother/#

Some beautiful images of a mama and her baby.  Showing just how lovely every new mother is.  I love the quote she ended with

"You are beautiful, do you know that? And your imperfections make you even more perfect. -xo."

So simple, but it brought me to tears.

<3

Reinventing...what?

  My friend asked a simple question after reading the last entry "how are you reinventing yourself?"  To which my mind responded "Shit...that seems like an awfully big word for what I'm doing!"  So, I may not be reinventing, just changing.  A lot of the change, I realized, isn't even necessarily outward.  I want to change how I view the things I do, and WHY I do them.  Even if the actions remain the same, a change in motive might make a big difference.
  
    I would like to have a greener home/lifestyle but not out of guilt, I want to be doing it because I feel better that way.  I want to finally begin my Priestess training, but not because I think I have to, just because I want to and I enjoy it.  I will be going to temple, rituals, and gatherings but not because I feel like a 'bad little pagan' if I don't, but because I love the energy felt there and the lingering peace I feel after.

And the one I know I will struggle with the most, but will fight to do, is eat healthy and exercise more because my body feels better and runs better when I do, NOT to try and loose weight.  I am going to try to accept that my body is not unhealthy because of the extra few pounds I carry from having my daughter, and that I am not a failure for not 'bouncing back' in the time limit I had given myself.  I want to be healthy and active, and if the result is looking better that is great, but if that is my only motivation I think I will be eternally disappointed.  I tell so many mothers to be proud of the bodies for the amazing things it has done, to wear their stretch marks with pride, and shakes those beautiful new hips, but I have been completely incapable of doing any of this.  This will probably be my biggest struggle.  I have made this poem my background on my computer along with a beautiful painting of three women with full and gorgeous bodies.  It's a start...



I am large in my skin
I make no apology
This belly grew a baby
Why should it be flat?
It curves with the memory of the womb.
These breasts fed a baby
Why should they be pert?
They swell with the memory of milk.
These hips carried a child
Why should they be slim?
They are full with the memory of life.
My bones are secret under flesh
My skin plump and white and fine
Mine is the face of Botticelli
Mine is the water of the Nile
Mine is the shape of things forbidden
Daughter of Gaia, grown beautiful and wild.

~ Lorri Barrier


Sunday, January 23, 2011

Welcome.

I am a mother.
I am a Goddess worshipper.
I am a Pagan.
I am a Doula.
I am a lactivist.
I am an intactivist.
I am an advocate of home birth.
I am against crying it out.
I support attachment parenting.

I also believe…
Some women do not like nursing, and that is okay.
Some women have trouble breast feeding, and that is okay.
If you made the choice to circumcise, it does not make you a bad parent.
There is merit in different ways of living and parenting,
what is right for me is not right for everyone.
I am just a woman, mortal and flawed.
And...
I do not have all the answers.

 I want to teach my daughter the ways of the Goddess, and I want to teach her to be the best person she can be.  I also want to start leading a greener lifestyle.  All of this will require some growing, experimenting, stumbling, back tracking, and a most likely a good share of mistakes and cursing. This blog will be where I catalog that journey, and share some information along the way.

)0(


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