Another Book

After reading The Thrifty Oreganic post on Bieler Broth and the book recommendation therein, I ordered the book from the library and received it in lightening speed time. The book is called "Food Is Your Best Medicine" written by Henry G. Bieler, M.D. originally published in 1966.
I've just read the section inside the front cover titled "To the Reader" and I cannot wait to really get into this book! Here is what it says....

To the Reader:
As a practicing physician for over fifty years, I have reached three basic conclusions as to the cause and cure of disease. This book is about those conclusions.
The first is that the primary cause of disease is not germs. Rather, I believe that disease is caused by a toxemia which results in cellular impairment and breakdown, thus paving the way for the multiplication and onslaught of germs.
My second conclusion is that in almost all cases the use of drugs in treating paitiens is harmful. Drugs often cause serious side effects, and sometimes even create new diseases. The dubious benefits they afford the patient are at best temporary. Yet the number of drugs on the market increases geometrically every year as each chemical firm develops its own variation of the compounds. The physician is indeed rare who can be completely aware of the potential danger from the side effects of all these drugs.
My third conclusion is that disease can be cured through the proper use of correct foods. This statement may sound deceptively simple, but I have arrived at it only after intensive study of highly complex subject: colloid and endocrine chemistry.
My conclusions are based on experimental and observational results, gathered through years of successfully treating patients. Occasionally I have resorted to the use of drugs in emergency situations, but those times have been rare. Instead, I have sought to prescribe for my patients' illnesses antidotes which Nature has placed at their disposal.
This book deals with what I consider to be the best food and the best medicine.

Thank you, Carrie, for the introduction.

Reason # 1....

...for keeping a somewhat tidy house AND for getting dressed by 9AM (at least out of the stained barn clothes that were randomly put on at 4:50AM). We side-tracked home-executives need to have these reasons presented to us every once in awhile.

1. DD might accidentally call 911, scream into the phone and hang up. The operator then might call back and not believe that everything truly is alright and he just might send the law enforcement to check on you. This very friendly law enforcement agent just might insist on searching your house to make sure that there is truly no danger lurking about.


If you have experienced first hand a good reason for "keeping a somewhat tidy home and getting dressed by 9AM", please share with me (either here or in your blog-let me know you did). Because as I said above, we side-tracked home-executives need to have these reasons presented to us from time to time. It really inspires one to persevere in their vocation. :)

Any ideas or resources?

I'm looking to do character studies/education with my kids. Hands on, in depth (as in depth as you can get with young children), character unit studies, maybe with an Orthodox understanding.
Does anyone have any ideas or resources for such things? Orthodox or not?

I'm really looking for some good hands-on, daily application and positive reinforcement ideas. Role-playing, maybe.

Thank you!

Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Troparion - Tone 4

Emulating the Lord's self-abasement on the earth,
You gave up royal mansions to serve the poor and disdained,
Overflowing with compassion for the suffering.
And taking up a martyr's cross,
In your meekness
You perfected the Saviour's image within yourself,
Therefore, with Barbara, entreat Him to save us all, O wise Elizabeth.



Oh most Holy, St. Elizabeth, Please pray unto God for me.

Vote for this video.

My mom made this video and it is in a contest at Birds and Bloom. If you like it go here to rate it and help her win!

Our 5 Month Science Project

In March we collected a bucket full of frog eggs from our pond. I cannot find my pictures of this bucket full of frog eggs anywhere! In Feb/Mar we had computer die and used one temporarily and then got a new one so I have no idea where they are. Anyway, you can see a picture here of what our frog eggs looked like as they started transforming. When we collected them it was a big glob of small, perfectly round dots. Then they started transforming into what you see in that picture. They seemed to change so slowly.
The eggs began to hatch ever so slowly into what we learned to be pollywogs.
One day in April or May the girls pulled out the old aquarium and set up a wonderful environment for them. They transfered a couple dozen tadpoles into the tank. This gave them a more natural environment.
Over the last couple weeks we've excitedly watched the tadpoles change shape and slowly grow their jumping legs. And Sunday afternoon we excitedly found our first full frog with no tail left. We now have 5 frogs and more to come. Here are several pictures that show the various stages of tadpoles and frogs we have in our tank.

A tadpole with 2 legs.

Charissa is holding a tadpole with 3 legs forming.

Here you can see the stages beautifully. On the left is a tadpole that hasn't even started forming legs yet but has eyes and the oblong body. On the right are 2 beautiful little frogs with just stubs of tails left.

These 2 pictures are my favorites. I caught the frogs resting on the leaves.

A Book

My uncle recently told my mom about a book he read and found to be extremely helpful after he was diagnosed with diabetes. She decided to read and then immediately told me about it. So I checked it out at the library and so far am very impressed. The title of the book is The Schwarzbein Principle: The Program.
I've only just started reading it but I really like it so far. I agree with it completely. For the last couple years I've been trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle and in so doing have read a great number of books and internet sites regarding food and health. I became quite convinced after reading Food Smart by Cheryl Townsend that what I ate had great impact on how I feel.
Here are some of my favorite things she has to say....

The Schwarzbein Principle: Degenerative diseases of aging are not genetic but acquired. Because the systems of the human body are interconnected, and because one imbalance creates another imbalance, poor eating and lifestyle habits, not genetics, are the major cause of degenerative disease.

The key is to embrace the concept that health is more important than weight and to understand that once you are healthy, you can and will lose weight.

I could write much more but I 'll leave it at those 2 little quotes. It really is a great book and if you are at all interested in your health I highly recommend it.

Home School

Home schooling thus far has been a learning experience for ME. I started out homeschooling Kelsey and then put her in 1st grade in November of that year. Charissa started out in public school, attending K and 1st grade. When we moved from the 'burbs we took the leap back into homeschooling and it has been interesting to say the least. It is a far more colossal job than I imagined but at the same time I know it is the best for us. We just finished our 2nd year and the girls had their annual assessment done by a certified instructor. And despite the lackadaisical schedule we kept this year they actually moved forward in their academics! Kelsey is above grade level in everything and in a couple things way above grade level. Charissa is above grade level in everything except math, which she really doesn't like. Maybe there is something to be said about a more unschooling approach.
All of that to say, I hope to spend more time sharing with you what we are doing in our home school adventures.
I'm researching some curriculum for this next year. The children LOVE history and so I am thinking about going to a history based classical approach and found a curriculum I am hoping will work well for us. I'll tell you all about soon.
Except for a little math, we are taking the next month and a half off to be outside! Lots of gardening, farming and raising frogs. :)

More on CFL's

Okay, I know James has this on his blog but maybe not everyone who reads my blog reads his.
Not long ago I wrote this about CFL's and now James came across this speech made by Congressman Ted Poe....I love it!

I got my Travel Swap package!

Back at the end of May I entered to be part of a travel swap. Today I received my wonderful package from my partner, Xenia.



Xenia mapped out a road trip for me from my house down to Arizona to visit two WONDERFUL monasteries. She put in 3 stops along the way to meet some of her family and visit some Churches. This was all on the map book she created. There were 3 smaller packages within the big one. The first is a package put together of St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Monastery memorabilia. This package included an icon card of St. Anthony and one of "The Mother of God of Arizona". There was also a package of pistachio nuts and numerous picture prints of St. Anthony's. The 2nd little package was put together of memorabilia from St. Paisius, my 2nd stop in AZ. She included the booklet Akathist to the Mother of God: Nurturer of Children!!, an icon card of St. Paisius and prints of the monastery and sisters. She also included in swap package homemade beeswax candles and a travel sewing kit!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, XENIA!
What I was so tickled pink about in this whole thing is how the package I sent her was amazingly similar. She'll tell you about soon, I'm sure.

Thank you, again!

Now, Sylvia, my daughter is BEGGING to do one of these with another child her age. What do you think? A child travel swap?