dkMommy Spot

Notice anything different?  dkMommy Spot got a bit of a facelift over the weekend.  Something I’ve wanted to do for quite awhile now, but I wasn’t finding the right template.  I’m sure things will shift and change here for a little while as I settle in, but everything should still be right here where you need it.  If you find something has gone missing, please let me know!  Also feel free to leave me a comment letting me know what you think of the new look too.

And another blog?  Yes, I’ve started yet one more.  This one is all about having some fun - Totally 80’s Music.  This blog is getting filled up with ’80s videos and bits of info on the bands.  My suggestion is to subscribe to it by email and make sure to use your work email address!  Every morning, Monday to Friday (and some especially productive weekends), some way cool and totally awesome music will land in your inbox to help you start your day.  Can you imagine starting a dull, boring Monday morning dancing with your coworkers to Come on Eileen???  If you’re like me and you’re at home, you can dance with the child of your choice.  A lovely way to start your day, and I guarantee you’ll get things rocking with a smile. If nothing else, you can annoy your kids with talk of “I used to do my hair just like that!”

Check out Totally 80’s Music and leave me a comment!  (It’s so new you’ll be one of the first!)

September 22nd, 2008 | Tags: totally 80s music blog | Category: Great Blogs, Mishmash | Leave a comment

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You know what your mom always said: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Then why are you scarfing down cold coffee and a stale bagel?  Us moms need our energy to raise our brilliant little prodigies, kiss boo boos, and change the world by 5:00.  Let me offer you a little help.  Today we’re preparing to give away one bag of my favorite flavor, Mango Agave, from Bear Naked’s new Native Granola line.  I practically inhaled this bag of granola.  While you could easily eat it straight from the bag while driving the kids to school, I’m a cereal freak and ate most of it swimming in my homemade soy milk.  Just like the Blueberry Walnut granola, all the fruit in the bag was fresh and moist, and the granola itself tasted fresh as well.  

Mango Agave Almond has a blend of whole grain oats, agave glazed almonds and dried mangos, with hints of coconut, honey and cinnamon.  But the best part may be what it doesn’t have!  No preservatives, artificial flavors, trans fats, cholesterol, hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup.  This is a perfect morning granola - very energy giving, thanks to the almonds and fruit. Heck, you may just change the world by 3:00. 

Want to try a bag?  Bear Naked has one for a lucky dkMommy Spot reader!  

3 Ways to Enter: 

1.) Just tell me what you usually eat for breakfast - be honest!  And then tell me what you’d like to improve about your breakfast. Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry - I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

Feel free to do all three, and you have three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, September 22, 2008, to enter.

Check here for other current giveaways at dkMommy Spot.

September 19th, 2008 | Tags: bear naked granola, giveaways | Category: Contest, Product Review, Uncategorized | Comments (215)

Click here for Giveaways, Coupon Codes and more!

Herbs are effective and safe alternative medicines when used properly.  For the most part, they’re inexpensive compared to the average pharmaceutical, and with internet shopping becoming more common, there’s almost nothing that isn’t available to the home herbalist.  But what you may not realize is that simply plunking a tea bag in a mug of hot water might not be the best way to take advantage of an herb’s medicinal values.  

To prepare a dried herb, it’s best to make sure it’s ground to a coarse powder.  We have a spare coffee grinder here just for herbs and spices. (If you clean it well after every use, you won’t have to worry about flavors from the last batch getting into your latest grinding.)  Fresh herbs can be cut into thin slices for roots, cut into small pieces or simply bruised for leaves and flowers.  

The water you use should be purified, soft, or distilled.  Some people even collect rainwater, which sounds quite lovely to me although I’ve not yet tried it myself.  Water should be heated to almost boiling and 1 pint (500 ml) should be placed in a glass, earthenware, or porcelain container.  There are infusion pots which work best for preparing herb teas by suspending the herb towards the top of the hot water, but you can also wing it if you don’t have an infusion pot. I use a tea ball which I hang towards the top of the water by holding the tea ball chain in place with the lid of the pot. (Always make sure you cover the tea with a lid.) By keeping the herb towards the top of the teapot, you are causing the water molecules to drag the herb’s properties to the bottom of the pot. More “empty” water molecules rise to the top, taking more herbal properties back to the bottom. It’s all a matter of gravity, and it will pull the most out of your herb.

Here’s the part most people don’t realize: Tea used for medicinal purposes are best left to steep for 20 - 30 minutes, not the usual 3 - 5 minutes as one would for a beverage tea. After your wait is up, remove the herb, squish out all the water, and add more water to the pot to make sure it still equals about 1 pint (500 ml.) It’s okay and even beneficial if there are bits of herb floating in your tea, so don’t strain it unless you’re really bothered by drinking tea with floaties.

The average adult dosage for most herbal teas is one cup three times daily, but the different teas do vary, so check with an herbalist to be certain. You can keep your unused tea for about 24 hours if stored in the fridge, but I wouldn’t go beyond that or you’ll start losing the benefits. (For more information on dosages and safe herbs for babies and children, listen to my recent podcast interview with Herbal Ed.)

September 18th, 2008 | Tags: alternative medicine, herbal teas, Herbalism | Category: Herbalism, Remedies | Comments (2)

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So you’ve thought you’d like to try some vegan cooking, but what in heaven’s name do those people use in place of milk and eggs?  Or maybe you are a vegan already, and you want some new recipes to shake things up in the kitchen.  No matter your reason for searching out a vegan cookbook, The Complete Idiot’s Guide series has a book loaded with great vegan recipes that’s sure to get your culinary imagination humming.  It’s called The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking. 

My family isn’t vegan; I guess you’d call us weekday vegetarians.  We eat a little meat on the weekends, and if there’s a special event we’ll often eat some then too.  But to be perfectly honest, we all feel much better without the meat.  So I’m always on the lookout for fresh new vegan and vegetarian recipes.  The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking has been a real pleasure to use.  The recipes cover everything from soups to breads to main courses to a delicious selection of desserts.  I’ve been having a great time picking things out to cook, and my family is enjoying the recipe testing process.  The recipes are easy to follow, and as with all of The Complete Idiot’s Guide series, it’s filled with great tips and information that will only enhance the cooking and eating experience.  Another plus any cook can relate to:  The book stays open while you cook.  (Don’t you hate cookbooks that flop shut while you’re trying to read them?)

So if you’re ready to try baking an Orange Cranberry Loaf or Mushroom and Veggie Fajitas, or if your stomach’s been grumbling for some healthy desserts like Coconut-Almond Macaroons or Hot Fudge Pudding Cake, I’ve got great news!  You can enter to win a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking right here! 

3 Ways to Enter: 

1.) Just tell me what your experiences are in vegan or vegetarian cooking.  Do you ever make meatless meals? Vegan cuisine? Or are you a newbie ready to give it a try? Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry - I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

Feel free to do all three, and you have three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Saturday, September 20, 2008, to enter.

Check here for other current giveaways at dkMommy Spot.

September 17th, 2008 | Tags: book giveaways, complete idiot's guide books, vegan cooking | Category: Books, Cooking, Product Review, Uncategorized | Comments (165)

Many times on this site I’ve written about Herb Pharm and Herbal Ed.  I’ve given away their Super Echinacea, I’ve talked about the Herbal Ed podcasts, and I’ve recommended their products many times when readers have written asking what they should use.  So I’m very enthusiastic about the latest dkMommy Spot podcast with Herbal Ed himself.  I recently spoke to Ed Smith who was in Thailand at the time of the call.  I guarantee you’ll learn something valuable from listening to this podcast, so get out a pen and a paper.  You’re gonna want it handy!

HerbalEd.org

Herb Pharm

September 16th, 2008 | Tags: ed smith, herb pharm, herbal ed, Herbalism, herbs, Podcasts | Category: Herbalism, Podcasts | Comments (3)

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And don’t forget to check the newest podcast!

Ever heard of a Diaper Cake?  I sure hadn’t until I was introduced to the GrowInStyle Diaper Cakes.  I interviewed GrowInStyle to learn more about their adorable items.  These are the perfect gift for the new mommy who loves going organic.  Want to win your own Diaper Cake?  Then read on!

dk:   Your Organic Diaper Cakes are darling!  Why don’t you tell us exactly what one is?

GIS: Thanks! A Diaper Cake is a clever arrangement of disposable diapers made to resemble a cake. Diaper Cakes make unique and impressive baby shower gifts, and are perfect for every new or expectant parent.  There are two variations of a Diaper Cake, one type contains rolled diapers and the other is made from wrapped diapers. Regardless of the type of Diaper Cake you choose, there can be hidden baby products on the inside, and some display them on the outside. We believe that natural and 100% organic baby products are the only kind that children should encounter and we carefully select the best baby products for the rapidly developing infant. Our Diaper Cakes include organic and natural products such as Organic onesies, Organic stroller blankets and receiving blankets, natural and BPA free teethers, natural rubber pacifiers, organic toys and natural baby creams. GrowInStyle Diaper Cakes are constructed with the purest and safest ingredients available today.  GrowInStyle Diaper Cakes are perfect to bring along with you to the hospital when visiting a new parent, sending one as a corporate gift to an expectant parent and displaying as a baby shower centerpiece. No matter how you choose to give this gift, a Diaper Cake makes the most memorable and practical gift a parent can receive.   

dk:  I see you have Organic Diaper Cupcakes too.  What are those?

GIS: It is easy to mistake our organic cupcakes for a scrumptious and delightful dessert.  GrowInStyle Cupcakes are made with 5-10 Eco Friendly Diapers of your choice (Seventh Generation or Baby NatureCare) and make a great gift on their own,  in a set of three, or when accompanying a matching pound cake.

dk: What kind of Gift Boxes do you offer?

GIS: GrowInStyle.com carries a variety of Natural and Organic Baby Gift Sets that are perfect for gift giving. Made from 100% natural and organic ingredients, all of our baby gift boxes are pure and safe for baby. All gift sets come in beautiful boxes which are made from recycled materials, a gift on its own, and are perfect as a new baby gift, baby shower gift and more. Our Gift boxes include products such as Organic baby outfits, Natural BPA Free Teethers, Natursutten Pacifier, Weleda Baby Cream Gift Sets, Organic Baby Blankets, Born Free Baby Bottle, and baby books.  Give one of our sets to an eco friendly mom and she will love and appreciate the green baby gift.

dk: And what other sorts of products do you carry?

GIS: GrowInStyle.com carries BPA free teethers, Organic Toys, Natursutten Pacifiers and  handmade hair clips which make beautiful hair accessories for little girls. All of our products are baby tested and mother approved for safety and purity.  We are searching for new organic baby products everyday so check back with us to see our new additions. 

Now for a chance to win your own Organic Two Tier Green Polka Dot Diaper Cake! (retail $59)

4 Ways to Enter: 

1.) Just visit the GrowInStyle site and take a look around.  Then come back here and tell me what you liked or learned there.  There’s lots to enjoy, so don’t forget to come back to dkMommy Spot! Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry - I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) It is NOT required to enter, but if you purchase something from GrowInStyle, come back and let me know.  I will throw your name in the hat again.

Feel free to do all four, and you have four entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Friday, September 19, 2008, to enter.

Check here for other current giveaways at dkMommy Spot.   

September 16th, 2008 | Tags: diaper cakes, giveaways, organic product reviews | Category: Contest, Product Review, Uncategorized | Comments (165)

Click here for Giveaways, Coupon Codes and more!

It’s a granola.  No, no, it’s a cereal.  Well, actually it’s both, and no matter what way you look at it, it’s Bear Naked.  That’s because this granola has no funky unwanted ingredients.  Everything in Bear Naked is so natural they’re able to brag about their ingredients label. 

Recently I tried out the Blueberry Walnut flavor (the last bits of it will be my breakfast - I blog before I eat.  Don’t tell.) and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Oftentimes a packaged granola is chewy or stale, but not so for Beark Naked.  It was fresh all the way through the bag, and the dried blueberries were soft and flavorful.  Drooling?  No problem.  Bear Naked wants to give one of you a bag of their granola too!

3 Ways to Enter: 

1.) Just visit the Bear Naked site and come back here to tell me which flavor looks best to you.  Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry - I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

Feel free to do all three, and you have three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, September 18, 2008, to enter.

Check here for other current giveaways at dkMommy Spot. 

September 15th, 2008 | Tags: bear naked granola, giveaways | Category: Contest, Product Review | Comments (237)

Note:  Keep in mind I’m not a health professional.  The information I provide to you here is meant to be a stepping stone.  For more thorough information, please always search for a trusted doctor, qualified herbalist, or other health professional.

Not everything goes smoothly in life, but when you hit a personal bump in the road like anxiety disorder, it can all but derail you.  Everyone has periods of anxiousness or experiences raw nerves and sleepless nights from time to time, but for some of us anxiety hangs on, seemingly without any rational cause. Are there any herbs that can relieve anxiety?

My very first piece of advice is to seek professional help if you experience this anxiety for more than a few months.  Anxiety disorder can be very intense, and if you’ve ever experienced it, then you know.  While I do believe there are herbs that can help relieve symptoms, your best bet is to research these herbs beyond this article, then find a trusted professional (osteopathic doctors are often open to herb usage, but few MD’s are) and ask them if they think it will help.  Another wonderful option that has given many people help is neurofeedback. I highly recommend looking into that one as a chemical-free way to deal with many mental issues.  

There are several herbs that have been used through the generations to relieve the symptoms of anxiety.  Although it may sound rather simple, chamomile tea can certainly help calm an anxious person.  Taken one to three times daily, it even helps relieve allergy symptoms which have been known to exacerbate anxiety.  (Asthma is another anxiety and panic attack trigger.)  

We’ve all seen those annoying drug company commercials about how depression causes physical pain. This is actually true for many people.  Anxiety can cause physical pain as well.  But some people find a natural cure to this pain with kava, not to mention relief from anxiety and sleeplessness.  Maybe you’ve heard adverse things about kava, but these concerns are finally being put to rest.  To hear more about the issue, Herbal Ed has a great podcast that will tell you all about the benefits and safety of kava. Click the link and scroll down the page - there are three parts to the series and you’ll want to hear all of it - a fascinating podcast series.  

Another common herb for anxiety, as well as depression, is St. John’s wort.  I love this herb for many reasons and recently got the opportunity to harvest some in the wild.  A good St. John’s wort herb doesn’t smell very nice, but it is quite effective.  If you’re not prone to traipsing through the woods in search of your own herbs, St. John’s wort is readily available at health food stores.  But as with any herb, make sure you let your doctor know if you’re taking it.  If you’re already on any medications, in particular antidepressants, ask your doctor before you try any herbs.

While relieving anxiety may not always be simple, nature does provide several wonderful medicinal plants to aid us on our journey.  Learning what we can about these plants and natural remedies allows us to not only help ourselves but to pass that help onto others as well.  

September 11th, 2008 | Tags: anxiety disorder, herbal remedies, natural remedies for anxiety | Category: Herbalism, Mommy Care, Remedies | Comments (3)

Click here for Giveaways, Coupon Codes and more!

Save Your World is up to their old tricks again - making great all-natural products while saving the rainforest acres at a time!  This time, they’ve asked me to check out their new lip balm line, Save Your Lips.  They’ve introduced three varieties:  Green Tea, Grapefruit Mango, and Pure (unflavored).  All three get the dkMommy Spot seal of approval.  

As I’ve come to expect from Save Your World, the ingredient list is rather brief and includes only identifiable, natural ingredients. All of their items, including the lip balm, contain Aloe Vera and Yerba Mate which are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  And I love the flavors!  The Pure lip balm is unflavored, which has been great to have around.  I don’t always want to wear a flavored lip balm to bed, so this one has been my choice at night.  The other two are naturally flavored with pure essential oils, and both are pleasant and not the least bit overpowering.

If you happen to be a user of mineral makeups, then maybe you already know how to use them as lipstick. It requires a good lip balm applied to the lips first, then the mineral makeup color of your choosing is applied with a brush on top of the balm.  I’ve been using the Save Your Lips lip balm for just this, and it’s been working wonderfully.  And when I don’t have time or energy for color, I use the balm as a subtle lip gloss by wearing a little extra.

But the best part of Save Your Lips?  Every time you buy one little tube, you’re saving an acre of rainforest for a whole year!  Impossible you say?  Save Your World has rainforest conservation down to a science, and they go into great detail on their site to make sure you understand exactly how it works.  Every product they sell, they take a portion of those profits and put it right into an amazing program called Conservation International that maintains 200,000 acres of rainforest in Guyana.  So when you buy shampoo, soap, even lip balm, you’re really saving an acre of rainforest!  

Want to try out the Save Your Lips lip balm line?  Save Your World has sent me an extra set for one of you!

4 Ways to Enter: 

1.) Just visit the Save Your World site and take a look around.  Then come back here and tell me what you liked or learned there.  There’s lots to enjoy, so don’t forget to come back to dkMommy Spot! Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry - I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) It is NOT required to enter, but if you purchase something from Save Your World, come back and let me know.  I will throw your name in the hat again.

Feel free to do all four, and you have four entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Saturday, September 13, 2008, to enter.

Check here for other current giveaways at dkMommy Spot.   

September 10th, 2008 | Tags: giveaways, lip balm, save your world | Category: Contest, Product Review, Uncategorized | Comments (199)