Kids Relief - Homeopathic Medicine

I recently had the pleasure of attending the USA launch of HomeoLab's Kids Relief Homeopathic Medicine. I take an all natural approach to healing, as natural as possible. I tend to rely on essential oils (in case you haven't heard) as the first line of defense or preventative maintenance. This works pretty well for me. My boys have been healthier this past season than ever before. My oldest was prone to ear infections, he had six episodes last year alone and the doctors were considering putting tubes in his ears. This year he hasn't had any and I attribute it to the preventative care with essential oils.

However, there are times when germs and/or bacteria find a way and prevail. In these instances I lean more on Homeopathic Medicine before I turn to any synthetic over the counter medications, just my preference. The homeopathic route usually only includes the inactive ingredients keeping it as "natural" as possible as far as over the counter medication is concerned.

So when I heard that HomeoLab was launching their Real Relief / Kids Relief line for the whole family in the United States I was intrigued. Michele Boisvert, the President / Owner of HomeoCan / HomeoLab, and winner of the Trailblazer Award started the company in Montreal, Quebec. It was the first woman-owned business in Quebec at the time. Since 1987 they have offered more than 200 prime quality natural products in homeopathy, phytotherapy, oligotherapy and aromatherapy. All products are manufactured in strict accordance with Health Canada and FDA regulations and guidelines.

They recently opened an office right here in Boca Raton, FL for their latest USA launch of the company and its products. They started out with Kids Relief and have recently expanded into adult healthcare. Providing a plethora of different homeopathy for adults from "Calm Remedy", to PMS / Menopause assistance and Adult Arnica Gel / Cream.

They have offices right in Coconut Creek, Florida and Michele is a Palm Beach County resident. She started out as a pharmacist in Quebec with a passion for homeopathy. She eventually closed her pharmacy and opened a manufacturing plant. The United States manufacturing plant is now located in New Jersey.

The beauty in Homeopathic Medicine is that there is no fear of overdose, it doesn't work that way due to all of the inactive ingredients. I've personally experienced this when my oldest son got his hands on a handful of teething tablets. Fearing I would need to have his stomach pumped or call Poison Control I checked the label first which had instructed me to call the hotline. The gentleman on the other line assured me no harm could come from his digesting these homeopathic tablets and set this frantic mommy at ease.

Another added bonus to using Kids Relief is that it offers relief for ALL ages. The age requirements on all of their products have recently been upgraded to 0-9 years of age! Most moms know that if you have a toddler with a cough you cannot find cough medicine for children under 6 years of age. This is incredibly frustrating, especially if you are watching your child suffer. The all inclusive age limits on Kids Relief is a major selling point for me, not to mention the yummy taste. I've tasted the cold/flu remedy myself and it was pretty good! You can find the entire Relief product line at your local CVS, Walgreens or local health food store.

If you would like more information on HomeoLab's Adult / Kids Relief you can visit their website.

Essentially Yours,


Erika

Growing Back..

We've recently acquired a plot at the Boca Raton Community Garden, a spot we waited over a year for! A great place for novice gardeners like myself looking to grow their own food. In an effort to take part in a sustainable future we have secured this plot and even planted our first seeds, anxiously awaiting our harvest. We go as a family and tend to this plot, hoping to instill some value in the process of planting a seed, caring for the garden and patiently awaiting, quite literally the fruits of our labor.

Studies show that children are ten times more likely to eat vegetables they've grown themselves. Not that we really have a problem with that, our boys are thankfully excellent eaters and will grab broccoli first on a table full of assorted foods. They have never shied away from anything green and leafy, and their snacks consist of fruits and veggies not packaged crackers or yogurt pouches chock full of sugar / preservatives/ additives, etc..

We often go after a full day of Seedlings and water the garden, we end up having a mini-picnic while discussing things like what is growing, how long it will take and why we pull the weeds from our garden. I knew we would be modeling sustainability and the natural responsibility for the food we ingest, but I wasn't prepared for the pockets of sweetness we would endure in the process. Their natural wonder for the world around them makes this experience all the more delightful and fulfilling.

Walking past all the plots and discussing what other gardeners are growing, I've learned that they can identify between parsley and basil. They can recognize when a radish is ready to be picked, and they can even tell when pests have gotten to some greens. It amazes me how quickly, when given the opportunity, children will immerse themselves so deeply, so presently in their natural surroundings that they instinctively learn and grow. I suppose it falls under our belief in immersion play, process art and natural evolution. It's one thing to read the research, feel the call to change your lifestyle, but to watch it unfold before your eyes is a glorious feeling. Akin to the feeling you get when you first saw this young life enter the world and take their first breath. Bearing witness to the unfolding of their personalities and the developing of their curiosity is  nothing short of miraculous. 

The Boca Raton Community Gardeners donate a portion of their harvest to the Boca Helping Hands, a community based organization dedicated to making a difference. They provide meals for those in need and work closely with the Boca Raton Community Garden throughout the seasons. Join us in volunteering our hearts and our time for Family Cooking Night at Boca Helping Hands, Thursday December 11th! We will be there!

"The seeds we sow today determine the kind of fruit we'll bear tomorrow."

-Unknown

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Everybody Loves A Good Yard Sale!!!

I'm a self-professed #ThriftyMom, if there's a deal within fifty feet I can find it!

The Boca Raton Children's Museum is hosting it's yearly community Yard Sale and yours truly will be there talking oils! 

Come support this wonderful local museum and bring the kids along for some fun!

Pssst... There may or may not be a free giveaway!

Hope to see you there!

Essentially Yours,

Erika

"It's My Party & I'll Plan If I Want To"

It's September! Yaaaaaaaay... Can you smell the sarcasm?

September was never one of my favorite months living in South Florida. First of all, the rest of the country is enjoying Indian Summer or Autumn and in some places even fall weather. Not here though.

September in South Florida is about as disappointing as December. Don't even get me started on my "You call this Christmas?" rant. September is just another summer month in South Florida! The same exact weather it seems as July and August. Unforgiving heat, relentless humidity. The only time of year you can take a shower just before leaving and sweat by the time you walk to your car. Every year I complain to anyone willing to listen about how THIS will be my last summer in Florida, and argue with anyone who is interested about why it would be better living ANYWHERE else (specifically the Northeast). A walk to the mailbox is a chore, not to mention resulting in what can only be described as a "drive-by" of mosquito attacks (I once counted 32 bites in under ten minutes outside!).

It wasn't until 2009 when I actually looked forward to this month, I was pregnant and due the end of September! Even though I had to spend my ENTIRE third trimester in July, August and September I managed to remain in good spirits. Once our not so little guys first birthday rolled around I was in crafty heaven! You mean I get to plan parties every year??? I first rekindled my childhood love of crafting during the planning of my wedding. Getting married at a young age and paying for everything yourself apparently awakens the crafter's spirit. So off I went, as my husband likes to put it "hot gluing myself to everything under the sun". Boy did I go off! I went with a circus "motif" seeing as how our local park had an incredible vintage-style carousel.

One of the most enjoyable parts about planning are all the fun and personalized details you can add. I would go nuts adding specific little details to every facet of the party! From photo booths, to directional signs and even face painters. Goody bags were my specialty!

Staying true to the theme I would incorporate specific food or drinks, the possibilities are endless! Don't get me wrong I LOVE this stuff, I practically LIVED for it. It's yet another way for me to be creative and create wonderful experiences and memories to share. Invitations had to be perfect and foreshadow all of the fun to be had! I would put all my heart and soul into making everyone feel special, I spent most of the time running around making sure everything was "just right" so that everyone else was having a good time. OR that everything looked "just right" so that the pictures and memories would be wonderful.

But there is one other aspect of it that rarely gets discussed, I was also EXHAUSTED! When you are exhausted you cannot be your best self, or the best mom. I would stay up all hours of the night stapling myself to something or spilling paint from sheer exhaustion. At some points it felt like work, with two toddlers under the age of two it definitely took its toll. Especially the weeks leading up to the party, I could just see me now up until 1am sticking Elmo eyes and noses onto red paper plates for the Sesame Street party.

Then something happened...

I was at George Snow Park one day (a favorite of ours, nice and shady in the summer months), when one of the fellow Seedlings moms showed up with her three kids in tow and a whole foods bag. She proceeded to park under a tree at a picnic table, and set up shop. Linens, cutlery, a fruit and pasta platter and some vegan cupcakes. Her husband showed up with a cake and some balloons a few minutes later. She had invited a few of her daughters friends and told the rest of us park stragglers, "We're having A's birthday party here, you are all welcome to join in on the food and fun". That's it? "It's really that simple"? Of course it is I thought, some of my fondest memories as a kid were impromptu birthday parties with an Entenmann's Devils Food cake and some Cheetos! Oh the high fructose corn syrup goodness! My boys had the greatest time that day, all of the kids and parents did. There was no stress, no muss and no fuss. It didn't matter who showed up, who didn't. Whether anyone brought a gift or not, or if anyone had any criticism. There was no comparing to other parties, or any jealousy about anything. It was what parties used to represent, FUN!

I started wondering if it was also the image I wanted to portray for my boys, making an insane production for every single year of their life? Would this instill a sense of entitlement? Where would I draw the line? I was certainly happy and grateful for yet another wonderful year of having the honor of playing mommy to these two incredible human beings, and that certainly felt worthy of a celebration. But did that celebration need to be this type of a grand production? The time, the resources and the money spent in pulling off these extravagant parties... Was it all for them? If given the chance to decide, would they really care about centerpieces or photo booths? I asked my 3 year old what he wanted to do for his 4th birthday, he asked if his cake could be orange and can he have an orange balloon? That's his favorite color. It's that simple for him, and I hope he never loses that simplicity. How can I teach them to appreciate the still moments in life if I'm constantly upping the ante?

Don't get me wrong, not all of these over the top crafty parties are about status or competition. I just started to feel like some of the parties I was going to (and planning) we're more "parent centered" than "child centered". Parties in park playgrounds where parents were more concerned with serving alcohol to adults than really focusing on the kids. Feeling pressure during planning to invite someone or their plus 1 because of "what they might think". Something clicked in me that I couldn't describe, I had scaled back in so many other ways in my life on my quest for "less is more" I guess it was only a matter of time before this would follow suit. Balance is the key to all happiness they say, and in fact balance is where I find I am most at peace and connected in my life. So I made a conscious decision to scale back, and focus on what truly mattered. With decisions like these my mind always goes to an article on the Sunflower Blog I once read titled "Being vs. Buying", you can find it here: http://sunflowerblog.org/2013/07/23/being-vs-buying/. I decided I would focus all of that time and energy into creating life experiences, adventures and collect moments. We were going to "Be" instead of "Buy", or "Plan". Children know more than we ever can about being fully "present" in the moment, if only we would follow their lead a little more instead of trying to teach them about "our world" or "the real world". The swift fleeting moments that whiz by in a parents life, those ordinary Tuesday nights where you just hang out with eachother, thats where the magic happens.

I wasn't fortunate enough to have a lot of time with my Dad, he died just before my freshman year in highschool and he worked a ton when I was growing up. I don't remember any expensive gifts or lavish parties. I can't recall the sacrifices he made so that I could have the Gameboy I wanted or those new boots I had to have. I remember the handful of moments we spent alone. Just a simple drive to run an errand when he introduced me to Jazz & Blues, the day he took me to get my first pair of glasses, or the time he took me to work with him "just because". The simple banter between father and daughter are imprinted on my heart. Those are moments I treasure till this day, and I draw from these moments when faced with these opportunities in my own parenting.

Here are some of my party pictures over the years..

Doesnt my son look happy?

All this while 7 months pregnant!

Everything gets decorated, even the bump!

The devil's in the details...

More "fun" for the little guy!

"Seuss-tastic" party!

We've decided not to stop celebrating or throwing parties, but to introduce a bit more balance in the mix. I will always love party planning and making parties special for all who attend, just not Every. Single. Year. So we will party it up for the "big ones" as I like to call it. First is always a biggie, Fifth, Tenth, 18th, 21st and possibly 30th. Instead, we will fill all that in between up with all the juicy ordinary special moments that weave their way into our lives while we are just "being".

We don't have many pictures of the past couple of birthdays, we were too busy having fun!


Essentially Yours,


Erika

Sunflower Creative Arts - Remember Play? We Do!

Where do I begin?

Well, I suppose at the beginning..

When I first found out I was pregnant with my firstborn, I was elated! Shocked.... but elated! I spent the first few years of my marriage in a painful battle with severe endometriosis. After two pregnancy losses and being told by physicians that I only had one functioning ovary due to the damage of multiple laparoscopies, I was under the impression that my fertile days were numbered.

Well, one day at a spa and a birthday weekend #staycation was all it took apparently. Take that docs!

Needless to say, having two losses on my "fertility belt" did not make me a peaceful pregnant princess. And when my son was born safe and sound (after 18 hours of back labor and an emergency C-section), I had this longing desire to be sure everything was "perfect" (I know, I know...)

I did everything by the book, mommy & me classes, scheduled feeding / nap times, cloth diapering, even struggled endlessly with latch issues and severe reflux to try and breastfeed exclusively. Evan was four months old and I was looking for something else to do with my new little one, mall walks and classes were getting old. I was shopping at the Boca Raton Green Market (our Saturday morning ritual), drinking my coffee and eating a blueberry scone while picking fresh flowers for the house. I picked up a flyer from the guest table that jumped out above the rest. "Remember Play, We Do!". It was a flyer for a local children's center called Sunflower Creative Arts. So simple. Yet so profound.

I couldn't explain the intense draw this flyer had on me. When I got home I placed it on my corkboard above my desk and went on with my day.

At least once a week I would glance at this flyer and think, "I need to call that place and find out what sort of classes they offer". Time went on and I never got around to it. Although, when Evan turned 6 months old we found out we were pregnant, AGAIN! (Apparently I did have some time on my hands for other things) This bit of news hit us like a ton of bricks! We didn't think we could be more shocked than our first time around. So just like that, we were a family of four. The next year flew by as you can imagine, and "busy" was my middle name. I would still always look at my desk area and think about calling. I am not by any means a hoarder, I like to toss (recycle) any papers hanging around, so the simple fact that this flyer survived was a miracle in and of itself.

Finally, when Nate was just four months old, I picked up the card and called. I was greeted by a very friendly voice who informed me there was an affordable music class for babies on Friday mornings.
I showed up to "Circle of Song" with Nate in the Ergo and Evan on my hip, we were ready for some music! Boy did we get more.. The class was led by Susan Caruso, Founder of Sunflower Creative Arts. Susan wears many hats, one of which is being an honorary grandma to my boys (and the baby whisperer). Her warmth is electric and her authenticity is magnetic. Evan was immediately drawn to her (as was I) and participated in the music class while Nate slept.

Afterwards, she welcomed me as a newcomer and told me about a group of moms that meet every Friday after Circle of Song at Woodlands Park just across the parking lot from Sunflower Creative Arts. It was called "Share and Learn", I went right into Type A mommy brain thinking about whether it would "interfere" with Evans scheduled nap. I decided to go anyway, and boy am I glad that I did. Susan's warm and accepting presence (I've never met anyone more present than she) drew me in, I sat and listened as this group of women shared experiences and difficulties they were going through. Their stories were met with soft empathetic glances (not with judgment), and their struggles were greeted with acknowledgment and gentle guidance (not comparison). I found my tribe! Just before this music class I think I was looking for something different to do because I now realize I was probably in the throws of an emotional breakdown. With two babies under the age of two (one barely walking and the other constantly in arms), and virtually no help at all, this "control freak" was falling apart at the seams. I now know I needed to lose control in order to wake up and realize I was totally missing some of the journey.

(My Tribe... A few are missing)

There couldn't have been a better place to fall apart. The loving ears and arms of these women is where I found my strength and courage as a mom. Its where I found my "voice" and realized that "family" is truly a group experience of love and support. I went on to discover other programs Sunflower had to offer and enrolled Evan into Little Sprouts, a nature based art and play mommy and me program that introduces children and their parents to the basics of early cooperative play and problem solving skills. This class is where I met some really amazing women who I'm proud to call my support team. As time went on, Evan grew and was ready to make the natural progression from a Sprout to a Seedling. The Seedlings program is a parent / child co-operative program from ages 2-6 that focuses on the whole child. What really struck me about this program is that they really focus on embracing the whole child, their days aren't filled with endless preschool type fodder. They focus more on life skills, as opposed to teaching the children to memorize colors, shapes, letters and numbers.

Learning to work together...

At Seedlings my children learn more about problem solving, conflict resolution, thinking for themselves and outside of a box. Skills that will continue to sustain far into their future, and help them to nurture all kinds of of relationships and foster endless possibilities. Seedlings not only prepares them for school, but for life... This is invaluable to me. Throw in the fact that they have their own community garden (they use the produce grown to cook a meal for Boca Helping Hands), and that my 3 year old has been taught all about composting and my hippie heart skips a beat!

Tending to the garden..

Composting!

If you would have asked me two years ago if I would ever feel comfortable leaving my children anywhere with strangers to care for them in my absence I would have laughed in your face. Sunflower has created a community of love and compassion, they've created a family... One that I am proud to say that I am a part of, their parent co-operative program allows all the parents and children to get to know each other in the most raw and real way you can get to know someone, through play!

My favorite quote from Plato is:

"You learn more about a person in an hour of play, than in a year of conversation."

As you can see, EVERYONE has fun at Sunflower..

I can truly say that I love each and every child I've come across at Sunflower as if they were my own. You see, those life skills that are taught on the modest playground at Sunflower aren't exclusive to the children. I too have learned a lot by being a part of this community, a part of this family.. I will forever be changed because of it. I've learned the true meaning of compassion, and have been compelled to practice the art of true love in my everyday life. This renewed outlook has re-ignited my faith in humanity and in the world, I call myself extremely fortunate to know that my children will have this as their foundation. All too often I witness parents preparing their children for a "cold & cruel" world, this truly saddens me. To see them lose their innocence, or become jaded so young, it seems can only set us up for a much colder and cruel world in the future yet to come.

At first glance, the playground at Seedlings may not look like much. Some sand, some dirt, glue, paint and opportunity! But for those lucky few that get to see the wonder in a Seedlings eyes, or the respect that is extended to these tiny trusting hands, they know that this is a place of magic and wonder. A warm and safe place to try new things, make mistakes, and feel free to be yourself. Something I feel is lacking in educational institutions across America. (Don't even get me started on that)

It's summer break right now, but I'm already excited about whats to come this year with both of my boys being a Seedling. I can't wait to see all the milestones and lessons and even mistakes they make in learning about life in this sacred space. There are no cellular devices or even outside parent conversation allowed on the playground, the very definition of "childhood unplugged". With this new year comes new possibilities and I find that I'm yearning for my Sunflower dose just as much (if not more so) than my little guys. I can't wait to take advantage of the Parent Toolbox classes offered at Sunflower that give parents the tools and skills to deal with some of the really tough challenges in parenting.

Fall classes start on August 18th, if your'e interested in learning more about Sunflower Creative Arts you can check them out at www.sunflowercreativearts.org and register for a plethora of different classes offered for children of all ages. (There are also a few free programs to check out!) You can also give them a call at (561)482-3412 or shoot them an e-mail at: contact@sunflowercreativearts.org for more info. They work in conjunction with the Jane Goodall Foundation's National Program Roots & Shoots. The Roots & Shoots Club focuses on local social service projects showing care and concern for the environment, animals and the human community. I cannot wait for my boys to take part in this!

Tribe Picnic...


Growing up in NYC you learn a lot about life pretty early on. Riding the subway alone at eleven years old to visit my grandma, or walking to and from school alone is something I couldn't imagine letting the boys do, but its general practice for NYC kids (in my day). This, and suddenly losing my father to a horrific motorcycle accident at the age of fourteen certainly contributed to a certain amount of stress and responsibility that I was not ready to take on as a young girl. Let's just say my sense of "wonder" or "play" took a hike and the "real world" kicked in. Taking on such large amounts of responsibility at such a young age and being responsible for myself and my family sort of stole a piece of my adolescence I felt I couldn't get back... Or so I thought.

I was so consumed with surviving this tragedy in my life I'd forgotten how to just have fun at times. I'd become one of those people who was obsessed with work and getting ahead in life. Until I found my tribe... Through trying to give that sense of wonder and magic (that only your childhood can give you) to my boys, did I re-gain it for myself.

"Remember Play?", I do now...

Essentially Yours,

Erika