I'm still alive

Sorry I've not been very present in my Corner as of late, I've been extremely busy these days with a sick kiddo (again), my job search, working on the start up of Extract, quitting coffee, and all the while attempting to tackle daily household demands -- our ant problem, endless cleaning, cooking, laundry, phone calls, cloth diapers, and spending quality time with little one. Will be back posting regularly soon but for now wanted to share with you a very interesting and educating video and article on the cause of the many behavioral, developmental, and health problems of infants and children growing up in today's world and what we can do to change/help...These are both a really great view/read and def worth your time. Enjoy!

Article by Tom Shank: http://www.veanea.org/home/2023.htm

Video by Gabor Mate, MD & John Travis, MD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daPr02A7i2A

bits + pieces

New morning routine:  Waking up an hour before Landon and having coffee in bed with Chris as we read a chapter of the Bible together and talk about God. It's by far been the best way to start my day.

New spring polish: "Pure Bliss" from Fransesca's ::love::

Seriously addicted to these homemade sweet potato chips. (RECIPE)

Saving plants.

Lots of work on Extract Skincare.

Lots of experimentation in the kitch. More yummy recipes coming soon :)

These two. Seriously can't even handle their bromance sometimes.

Potty training update...We didn't leave the house for 2 days straight, hung out in superhero skivvies, and about every 15-20 minutes I would put him on the pot and he would go, and I was a very proud mama bird. However, without me putting him on the toilet, he wouldn't go in the toilet by himself, and without being able to tell me when he needs to go, this process was a little taxing. SO he's now back in dipes and we will be returning to superhero skivvies at some point in the near future when he's better able to communicate.

Nutella Coconut Cookies :)

Just did some fat kid experimentation in the kitch and came up with this awesome recipe for chocolate cookies. Except they're not made with chocolate, they're made with Nutella. I actually consider these lil guys pretty healthy because there's no added sugar or salt, they're made with whole wheat flour, and instead of butter, shortening, or vegetable oil, I used coconut oil. The prep time to make these was faster than anything I've ever baked from scratch before, and I also like how this recipe doesn't end up making 3 dozen cookies -- it ends up making about 10-12 or so.

What You'll Need:

(not pictured: egg, baking powder, + baking soda)

- Approx. 1 Cup Nutella (I know this stuff is tough to measure out. I basically scooped out 3 big dollops)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp flour. (Whole wheat or regular).
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil. (I had to heat this up in the oven beforehand to liquify).
- 1 egg or egg substitute
- 1 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, & baking soda).
3. Combine wet ingredients (egg, nutella, coconut oil), and then mix with the dry ingredients.
4. Scoop out small 1' balls of cookie batter and place onto ungreased cookie sheet; flatten down a little in the middles.
5. Bake at 350 for approximately 10-15 minutes.
6. Optional toppings: coconut shavings, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or icing.
7. Snuggle up & enjoy your new favorite, homemade chocolate fix ;)

Guest Post: Oh So Sweet Self Massage by Kayma Englund

I've got Kayma Englund back this morning with a sister post to her guided meditation she last shared with us a few weeks ago. Today she is sharing an easy guide to a self-massage. Loving all these new ways to pamper your mind and body and feel fresh and renewed without getting in your car or spending a dime. Enjoy!!

Oh So Sweet, Self Massage

Kayma Englund

Many of us have so many responsibilities in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. Which is why I created this easy self-massage that you can tap into in the comfort of your own home. Self-massage is a great way to take a break from the outside world and draw awareness to the present moment by connecting with your body, your needs and your ability to just downright feel good.

Massage has amazing effects… it improves circulation, relaxes muscles, aids digestion and speeds up the elimination of waste products (did you know your bones, limbs, fingers, toes, head and every other part of our bodies are extensions of the internal organs?) Needless to say, these direct benefits, combined with the psychological benefits, quickly produce a feeling of well-being and peace.

If you are thinking that taking time for your needs is selfish – please think again. When you take time to care for yourself and treat your body like the temple it is you are actually upping your ability to then care for others. Win win.

If you don’t have time for the full self-massage (about 15-minutes) no worries, we start from the head and work our way down so even 5-minutes will give you the sweet relief you need. Please just take a moment when you are done to bask in your body’s ability to care for itself.

**self-massage**

Enjoy!

Peace & Love

Kayma

http://www.kaymaenglund.com

little bits

Valentine's Day crafts: heart stamps from toilet paper tubes + acrylic paint

Love by Landon ©

Happy early Valentine's Day, to me, from me. Kind of hating on V Day this year, I get annoyed with the bazillion bouquets of flowers on my news feeds from significant others. And while I'm at it, going out to dinner on V Day in crowded restaurants filled with sappy couples - i'd rather pass. amiright? or being a scrooge?

 Lots of new Vegetarian eats & more of What Landon Eats HERE

Hubby's birthday night

My little love in a Tub

The start of the marketing & packaging of my facial oil cleansers, (more to come: handmade body scrub, bath salts, bath bombs, and soy candles) Visit my etsy shop HERE. This one was just a sample - working on better packaging & labeling right now - will post more on this when more developed, but something I'm very excited about :)

little workouts @ Little Gym

(little stinker vintage T: recent thrifting find (.20cents))

Working dinners. 

getting our aquatics on slash getting ready for summer. 

K, we're ready.

Homemade Sweet Potato Chips

These sweet potato chips make the perfect side dish and are a healthier alternative to regular potatoes, but also taste great by themselves to satisfy your (or your kids') chip cravings. They are much tastier and easier to make than sweet potato fries or any other potato dish. And not only are these easy to make and extremely delicious, but sweet potatoes are also generally always in season, inexpensive, and are really good for you too -- They are very high in vitamins A, B6, C, & D, iron, magnesium, & potassium. Here's to seriously guilt-free potato chips!

What You'll Need:
- sweet potatoes
- oil (olive oil or coconut oil)
- salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Slice sweet potatoes. The thinner you are able cut them the better. The "thinness" will make their texture crispier and taste more like real chips. If you cut thicker slices they will come out on the soft side and will lose the crispy "chip" texture.

3. Lay sliced sweet potatoes on baking sheet (no need to space out, they can overlap) and spray a small amount of oil over potatoes. I recommend olive oil or coconut oil. Do not overdo the oil, just a small spray is more than sufficient.

4.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over potatoes. If you want to add in other spices, feel free. Other spices & herbs that go well with sweet potatoes: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, ginger, garlic, thyme, & chili peppers.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes. Flip. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until desired texture. You'll notice some "chips" will only take the first 15 minutes to cook and some you will leave in longer. This all depends on how thin they are sliced (the thinner slices will be done faster). So you'll need to watch them and maybe taste them as you go.
6. Transfer to plate and enjoy!

Essential Oils

I've recently become obsessed with essential oils. Ever since I started making my own skincare products and cleaning agents, I've been finding all sorts of random uses for them around the house and in my everyday life. I'm absolutely obsessed with essential oils for several reasons: first, they smell absolutely amazing (favorites: lavender & rosemary), second, the oils are extracted directly from roots, wood, flowers, fruits and/or leaves and thus are 100% pure and contain absolutely no chemicals or toxins, and lastly and perhaps most incredible thing of all is that essential oils have healing properties. Each contains certain properties to help heal certain ailments as well as promote health in specific areas.
Below is a list of ways I currently use my essential oils, a few of these I have not yet tried out yet but hope to soon:

For The Home:
- Added into homemade all-purpose cleaning agents (vinegar, water, and baking soda combined in spray bottle). Favorite essential oils to mix to this are Lemongrass, Bergamot, Lime, or Orange, or a mixture of any of those.
- Soak washcloths in Lemon essential oil mixed with water to disinfect germs
- To clean and increase shelf life of fresh fruit: fill bowl with water and Lemon essential oil. Drop fruit into water and stir.
- Carpet deodorizer: Add approximately 10 drops of Lemon, Lavender, Geranium, Peppermint, or Ylang Ylang essential oil to a box of baking soda. Mix well and then sprinkle over carpets. Let set, then vacuum.
- Home aromas: Put favorite essential oil in oil diffusers that are either plugged into the wall or in designated spot or filter on humidifier. I like Lavender, Rosemary, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Cinnamon, Peppermint, and Clove.
- Add your favorite essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water to use as an air freshener.

For Your Health (Mind, & Body):
- Apply Tea Tree or Lavender to cuts, scrapes, or scratches (or combine in water bottle and spray onto cuts/scrapes).
- For colds and sinus congestion, Lavender, Eucalyptus, & Rosemary (optional to combine with 1 cup milk or cream) and pour into hot bath.
- Grapefruit essential oil promotes focus, alertness, & helps stimulate memory
- A good mood booster & fatigue fighter is the Peppermint essential oil.
- Juniper Berry, Cedarwood, Grapefruit, Lavender, Losemary, & Lemon help soften and soothe the effects of a hangover. Blend all or some of these oils in a hot bath.
- If have a fever, soak washcloth in water with Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Lavender and apply to face, head, or sponge bath.
- For headaches, massage a few drops of either Lavender or Peppermint onto temples.
- For sore joints/muscles, ass Eucalyptus, Sage, and/or Basil essential oils to Jojoba Oil and massage onto affected areas.
- For better sleep, Chamomile and/or Lavender essential oils aroma in room (plug in diffusers or added to humidifiers) or in sheets (when drying sheets, drop a few drops into a cloth and drop into dryer with them).

For Your Skincare, Hair, & Beauty Needs:
- Add your favorite essential oil to oil cleansing facial mixture
- Add your favorite essential oil to homemade natural facial scrub.
- To use as a skin toner: Mix 8 oz water with a few drops Lavender, Palmarosa, & Rosewood essential oils. Shake and apply to skin with cotton ball.
- Deep oil conditioner for dry hair: Mix Rosewood, Lavender, Sandalwood, Geranium, and Jojoba oil and apply to hair in hot shower. Keep in for 10-20 minutes and then rinse out.
- Add your favorite essential oil to a carrier oil for massages (coconut oil, castor oil, jojoba oil work well)
- For a body moisturizer or lotion, add your favorite essential oil to carrier oil in spray bottle (jojoba oil and castor oil work well. For dry skin try sunflower oil, or a mixture of each of these)

**If you are interested in purchasing Essential Oils, you can buy the best pure grade essential oils here!

por favor

Okay, okay, okay....after asking you all to vote for Mumma's Corner on Top Baby Blogs (thank you for those of you who did!) I feel bad even writing up this post right now because I hate asking for votes for competitions. My blog is not here to "win" first place at something, it's a space for me to share my passions and things I love, document my growing baby > toddler > kid and all his milestones, and a sacred place for me to sit and write words from my heart.

But, I was just informed that a very kind and thoughtful reader out there nominated Mumma's Corner for Apartment Therapy's Best Family & Kids Blog and I would just be absolutely thrilled if my little Corner made a decent running. So, if you enjoy spending time here with me and would like to show your support, I would be truly, madly, deeply appreciative of it :)

It's very simple, all you need to do is click HERE, and keep scrolling down until you see Mumma's Corner, and then click the little icon that says "vote" next to my name.
Thank you. Thank you, thank you.

Guest Post: Super Easy, You Deserve It, Meditation by Kayma Englund

For the longest time now, I have been wanting to start my days off with a meditation routine. I say it all the time, but I just never get around to doing it. I practice yoga very regularly, but I know I need to do something to start my days off on a better note, with a clearer mind, and take on the day with a sense of peace and relaxation, not worry or anxiety. But my excuses have been plentiful: where do I find a good, free, meditation? How do I have time to start my days off with meditating when I have a child screaming for milk and breakfast, coffee that needs to be brewed - pronto, emails sent, beds & lunches made, etc. Well I'm putting off the excuses, and getting into a better routine this year. I'm setting my alarm an hour before Landon wakes up, meditating first thing, then making my coffee & starting my morning off just focused on me and things I need to do for myself. Kayma Englund, a certified Reiki and yoga instructor has helped me with that. She offered Mumma's Corner a guest post on the topic of meditating, as well as a free 7 minute audio meditation file for you all to listen to in the comfort of your own home. I am so excited, but more than that, I am so ready to bring this into my life each day. 

Super Easy, You Deserve It, Meditation

Kayma Englund

I am sure you all have had those moments in your day when you feel like you’re the one who needs a time out. And you know what, you probably do (we all do), and that’s ok because you deserve it! This is a super easy meditation that will take just 7-minutes out of your day and will leave you feeling more relaxed, rejuvenated and at ease to continue with your day. The best thing about meditation is that it meets you where you are. You don’t need to be in a great mood, or at your physical prime – the whole idea is that we radically accept ourselves where we are (because we are amazing individuals that change with each day) so that we can learn about ourselves and then in turn be our best selves. Our meditation practice is there to compliment however we are feeling on a given day.

I would recommend finding a quiet place in your home away from distractions and if sitting on the floor on a pillow or blanket is uncomfortable by all means you can sit in a chair or lie down – the only problem with lying down is you might fall asleep.

*** easy relax meditation ***

Excited to share more of my passion for Yoga and Meditation with you in the future ~ stay tuned!

Peace & Love,

Kayma

http://www.kaymaenglund.com

more tea for me

Definitely been feeling under the weather lately, especially after a big busy party weekend, and have been experimenting with all sorts of homemade tea concoctions. Am sipping on this tea right now for an extra vitamin C boost & loving it. 

What You'll Need:

- 1 - 2 lemon slices (or 1-2 spoonfuls freshly juiced)
- 1- 2 orange slices (or 1-2 spoonfuls freshly juiced)
- few mint sprigs
- fresh ground ginger
- honey or your choice of sweetener

1 Easy Step:
Boil hot water & stir in lemon, orange, mint leaves, & ground ginger & honey to taste.
*If you have a ladle, it'd be helpful to use and drain before drinking...but as you can see, totally not necessary

Our Weekend

We had a crazy busy party party weekend and I'm lacking time and energy so giving you a photo dump of my iphone pics from the past few days....Chris's birthday // Celebratory Mexican food + margaritas with friends // Casino night // 4 year old birthday party at the Children's Museum // Great-grandma-great-grandson coffee dates // thrifting // zucchini spaghetti // co-sleeping // Landon kisses, hands down the best thing ever.