Natural Living

I have always been of the belief that all our bodies could possibly need can be found in food.  I have never really been a big vitamin-taker.  When my pediatrician wanted me to start giving my daughter iron-fortified vitamin...

Valentine's Day is approaching and we are neck-deep in the candy-laden holidays that began way back on Halloween. While your kids might have visions of chalky conversation hearts dancing in their heads, I want to chat about a sweet...

When I was a child, I grew up smack dab in the middle of Phoenix.  We had a small backyard, a couple of dogs, and a couple of cats.  No farm animals.  Never in a million years did I...

We're so lucky in Arizona to have farmer's markets year round but it's in the spring that we can really appreciate them!  My favorite is the Uptown Market on Bethany Home Road and Central Avenue.  There are plenty all...

Today we have a simple DIY from local AZ mom + photographer Jessica Flecky of Flecky Fotography. As you can see here, Jessica offers up a easy + awesome DIY that any of us moms can do! Take the time to...

It seems like food has always had a negative effect on my body. From a young age I remember telling my parents that hot dogs gave me headaches.  My family chalked it up to me being dramatic. That is...

  I delivered my five children at four different locations. Three hospitals and then at home for my fifth. It took me awhile to come around to the idea of a home birth. But after fighting the medicalized "norms" of hospital delivery...

I honestly believe Arizona is the most beautiful home I could ever ask for. Surrounded by sunlight and warmth, I'm not sure there are many other places I'd rather raise my wildlings. We rarely spend our days inside and...

I am not asking if your food is feeling down in the dumps.  Instead, I am talking about the Standard American Diet.  The Standard American Diet is a diet that is high in overly processed, nutrient deficient ingredients.  These products...

My daughter, my first born, did not get her first tooth until she was 16 months old. As much as I adored that pink gummy smile, at some point, I was pretty certain I was going to have to...

Recently I broke free from the Arizona heat and made the trip to to the west coast to lounge on the beach. (More like stop my daughter from eating every grain of sand on the shore.) The beach can...

I know I might be the minority, but I’m pretty stoked on this whole period thing. I have two beautiful daughters and it was wonderful to grow them, knowing I was building someone with my body which was actualized when...

Dear Potential Mom Friend, I’m the mom over in the corner, not quite sure who to talk to. I don’t know how to be a mom friend. I miss my two mom friends who moved back home to be closer...

I'll be honest, when I first pondered the idea of placenta encapsulation, I was thoroughly grossed out. I mean, eating your own insides... is that really a thing?! Since I’m a registered nurse, I was bothered that there wasn’t a...

Ellie (3 years old): "Where are we going?" Me: "I told you -  the market." Ellie: "We passed it already!" Me: "Oh . . . yeah. We are going to an outdoor market. Uh. . . we are going to...

As a yoga instructor and someone who is pretty into health and fitness, I feel a bit ashamed to say that I have never included meditation in my wellness routine. The recent studies on the benefits of meditation are...

I have always enjoyed cooking, baking and homemaking so naturally when my little boy was ready to make the leap from breast milk and solids, I knew that I wanted to make his baby food. There is a lot...

Self-care is a trending topic amongst women, particularly mothers, right now. It’s common to see friends and fellow mamas post images of their spa day or shopping spree in the name of #selfcare. On occasion, we dig deeper and...

I like to consider myself a medical moderate, that's a new term, I made it up.  But let me see if I can explain.  I had a home birth, because I wanted to do everything to avoid a c-section...

A few times a year I get the urge to  "clean up" of my everyday routines. Maybe it's because I get bored, or feel like my skin/body/hair routine needs a little oomph. Maybe it's just because it's spring time...

Now that my kids are back in school and away from home most of the day, that means they are away from some great resources - Essential Oils!  This means it's time for a "backpack makeover." When my kids were...

There are so many pros to breastfeeding. "Breast is Best!" is constantly spread around in birthing classes, hospitals, doctor's offices, magazines, books and in moms groups all over the world. It's an amazing tool to set your baby up...

I never thought I would be a parent who reads parenting books. They obviously never appealed to me before I was a parent, and now I’m dropping them in my Amazon cart like they are cookbooks or kitchen tools. You...

The DivaCup may be one of those "crunchy mama" products that makes some people cringe, but to me it's been a HUGE relief! I've been using the Diva Cup for about three years now and I absolutely love it. It...

On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day. There was a saying in the 90s which I took to heart when I heard it : "Every day should be Earth Day". I totally agree. While I am certainly a work...