Wellness
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New Year’s Reflection: Your Soul and Ritual
Image courtesy of Flickr The year that I spent living on the coast of Oregon has come back to me in the last several days, and seems an appropriate reflection for the start of 2014. It was fall when I moved there, and near Christmastime when I met a wise woman at church whom I befriended simply because she happened to be there each time I went, seeking solace because I was so far away from home. She was twice my age, literally, and in January that year invited me to join her and a group of other women who fellowshipped together once a month. I was clearly a…
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Recipes :: Fabulous Birthday Party Treats
It seems like birthdays come in bunches. Over the summer we had a ton of birthday parties to attend and over the next two weeks we have no less than five (including my own, which will forever be my 28th – even when I am 80). There must be something in the water to get all these summer and winter babies! We joke in our neighborhood because all the kids are either July or August babies! There are so many fun ways to decorate your child’s birthday party and you can find a ton of ideas on Pinterest! I highly recommend you check Pinterest out after finding out what theme they want. …
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Wellness :: The Many Benefits of Alkaline Water
I’m a French Native who grew up in France in a very “organic” lifestyle: Vegetables and fruits from our garden, meat from the local farms, etc…. My Mom never used any cleaning chemicals, she’s been using biodegradable products since the 60’s. In brief, I grew up in a very healthy environment, and my goal in life is to raise my 3 boys the same way. I have to say I encountered challenges when I arrive in the US in the early 90’s, but there are many options here if we really look for them. California in particular, is a state where organic options are abundant, but my best discovery…
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5 New Year’s Resolutions I’m Making for My Kids
Image courtesy of Flickr The last few months I’ve been consumed by work as the contributing author for a Los Angeles relocation guide. Chunks of time throughout the day and night have been spent writing a book, driving around Los Angeles taking photos of neighborhoods, and updating contact information and weblinks. In the process, my kids have seen some parts of LA that we may not have explored otherwise. But they’ve also spent a lot of time in the car, and a lot of time playing second fiddle to this project. I’m looking forward to getting back to a more family-focused lifestyle, and to do that, I’ve chosen 5…
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Out of Town Without a Doctor: Treating Sick Kids on Vacation
Hardworking parents can save all year, looking forward to the week when they can spend time with their family and take a vacation. Once on the road, few things strike fear in this parent’s heart more than the plaintive whining of, “I don’t feel good!” One out of every five children have a prescription filled for them in any given month, so it’s likely you’ll have at least one sick kid on vacation during your lifetime. It’s rarely a reason to cancel your vacation plans for the whole family, though, and how you treat the illness can make a difference in everyone’s vacation enjoyment. Assess the Situation Look at…
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Recipes :: Celebrate New Year’s with some “Lucky” Foods
While living in Japan years ago, I remember that we ate rice bean cakes around the new years in the hopes of bringing good fortune for that coming year. The osechi-ryori, a group of symbolic dishes eaten during the first three days of the new year, includes sweet black beans called kuro-mame. I didn’t mind as those sweet bean cakes were some of my favorite treats to eat and I still daydream about them! That and the yummy eel that was abundant in the city I lived in. In many cultures around the world, January 1st offers an opportunity to increase your good fortune by eating a variety of…
