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Replacement Sweeteners

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Did you know many replacement sweeteners are not healthy or even safe for long term use? Did you know that many websites including the Mayo Clinic say that artificial sweeteners are generally safe, even for pregnant women? Personally, we have stayed away from artificial sweeteners. Aspartame always left a weird, icky taste in my mouth and so even before I knew of the dangers of it I never liked it. We also try hard to stay away from High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as well. We use organic cane sugar, raw honey, molasses and maple syrup for the most part.

I participated in a Twitter party last week for #Switch2Swerve – Swerve Sweetener (granular) – and these are some facts I learned about refined sugar and artificial sweeteners:

1. Artificial sweetener Aspartame is genetically modified, toxic to brain cells and makes you to put it bluntly…fat. (I hate that word!)
2. Americans ingest 200 calories of high fructose corn syrup daily and 130 lbs per year.
3. Some high fructose corn syrup is laced with mercury which is a metal linked to heart disease and autism.
4. Sorbitol & erythritol can have a laxative effective if you consume too much. Family members with diabetes consuming products with artificial sweeteners have have found this to be true, but I don’t know which artificial sweeteners.
5. Someone went to a maple syrup farm, and was told 90% of store maple syrup really has none in it at all!
6. Sucralose (Spenda) is passing through our bodies found in waste water treatment plants. It has potential to harm food supply.
7. 21.4 teaspoons of sugar equals about 16-25% of total caloric intake. Currently only 5% of sugar is recommended.
8. Safe sweeteners include: Swerve, Stevia, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, raw honey, blackstrap molasses, & maple syrup
9. It is important to note that naturally occurring sugar in fruits, veggies etc. are all acceptable and should not be avoided.

Dr. Mercola has issues with store bought honey, not raw honey, and agave. He has a great article on sugar substitutes. Discovery Health even has an article on artificial sweeteners. So I won’t go into any more risks of using artificial sweeteners because you can do your own research and find out a ton of information instead of taking my word for it.

Enter Swerve, a product I just learned about and tried recently.

Swerve

I like the fact that Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors! It is non-GMO and has no calories. Swerve is non-glycemic and is actually good for your gut by helping you grow beneficial bacteria. You can learn more facts when you visit Swerve Sweetener (granular)

I have only tried Swerve in my tea so far but it tasted good. Not too sweet at all. We received an 8 oz. canister of Swerve Sweetner and I want to try it in one of our holiday recipes to see how it makes dessert taste. Swerve has lots of recipe ideas that look delicious. I am especially looking forward to trying their blueberry muffin, fudge and pumpkin pie recipes.

3 Swerve Sample Packets are available for just $1.00, plus you get a $2.00 coupon for your next order, if you are interested in trying it. Right now they also have a sale going on for aCanister 4pk for $20 + Free Shipping.

For more information on Swerve Sweetener visit them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (more recipe ideas).


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Week #4 Saturday Top Five Laughs – Join the Blog Hop!

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I think I did better writing down funny things as they happened this week so it is officially time to laugh with the Goulds again! We have joined The Mommyhood Chronicles for Week #3 – for us – in the Saturday Top Five Laughs of the week.

5. We were discussing what to do with the eggs from the day and probably throughout the week since the little ones haven’t been good at being thorough in their egg gathering! I suggested we not wash the eggs so they’d last longer and keep them for us. My husband proceeded to tell our daughter to put a “U” on a piece of paper and put the paper on the egg cartons in the fridge. My daughter went, “Huh? A “U”?” My husband and I said at the same time, “Yes, for us/unwashed.” She goes, “Why not WW for us unwashed?” Baffled we said, “WW?” and laughed. Then she clued in, laughed and put her head on the table!

4. I was working on photos for a blog post, the rest of the family was playing RISK and my little guy was in my chair with me singing in my ear and giving me kisses. I have no idea what he was singing but it was cute…until he took my glasses off my face and covered my eyes with his hand!

3. This week my little guy has been asking me, “You my mommy?” I always respond, “Yes, I’m your mommy” then he gives me a hug and kiss. After a few times I started asking him, “Are you my baby boy?” and he responds with, “Yep!” Sweet times! :)

2. My second oldest, “B” and I stayed up a couple nights and played with the kittens. We just laughed at their antics as they chased anything that moved. Boy are their nails sharp!

1. I was sitting on the computer writing this blog post eating a bowl of blueberries and my third daughter was sitting next to me. Then she says, “Mommy I think I flicked boogers in your blueberries.” I was like, “What!?” Then she laughed. Mean. Mean. Mean girl. She just read this and laughed again. Evil I tell you!


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Tmart MP3/MP4 Review

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My husband and I both have MP player products from another company and my

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daughter always wants to use them.  Well, the cost if they break is not one we can absorb at the moment. I’m sure there are other households with a similar issue. Tmart has a much less expensive alternative. For a fraction of the cost you can purchase a 4GB 2″ LCD Screen MP3/MP4 Player with FM/Camera Function. 

This MP3/MP4 player is about 4 inches long about 1 ½ inches wide, super light also. It has several functions including, music, video, photo, and FM radio. Included in the box was ear buds and USB cable. It takes pretty good pictures and videos. The sound quality is acceptable also.

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Tmart’s MP3/MP4 player comes in 9 colors, the one I received is purple. I was surprised by this inexpensive device for one that it has a camera & video and it autoflips.

I do wish it came with more instructions, not just a single quick start guide and a plug to charge it via an outlet. I think this is a good stocking stuffer for new music lovers in the house.

You can order Tmart MP4 players today, currently it’s only $19.99!!


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Melissa & Doug Terrific 25 List and Giveaway

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Enter Melissa & Doug’s “Terrific 25 Gifts” giveaway!  They are giving away one item everyday (started November 5th), then on “Black Friday” one lucky person will all 25 gifts!

Here are just 1 of the prizes you could win!  It’s the Turn & Tell Wooden Clock 

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Head over to Melissa & Doug’s Facebook Page today, here is the link!  www.Facebook.com/MelissaAndDoug .  GOOD LUCK!  Let us know if you win!


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Sick Chickens – Wordless Wednesday

This summer our egg business really took off. We could not keep up with the demand for our eggs, even at $5 and $6 a dozen. We allow our poultry to free range as well as feed them certified organic feed making our eggs a “premium” product. To accommodate the growth in our egg business we bought a couple of batches of 6 month old pullets from two other farms. Bad choice. We knew the risks but wanted our egg business to keep growing and not drop off. Our intentions were good but the result was fatal to our egg business, as well as our entire flock of poultry.

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Our laying flock was healthy. There was nothing wrong with them. Then we started to notice sick chickens. The ones that were sick stopped laying. They showed signs of being lethargic, sleeping a lot, coughing, wheezing and like they had a cold in the eye. The pullets we bought obviously brought an illness to our healthy flock because this illness showed up within two weeks of bringing home the second flock of pullets. :( We were very concerned for the safety of our customers, our broilers and our turkeys. No vets in the area deal with chickens so we had to go to a university veterinary lab. The closest one to us is the University of Wisconsin. Two hours away – one way. We took the vets two live birds to help them make a diagnosis. Live birds allowed for fresh tissue analysis and a more accurate diagnosis. My husband made the trip on a Friday in September.

Within a few days we had our answer. Upper respiratory infection. Sometimes fatal, especially to broilers who have a smaller trachea (or esophagus) than laying hens. Good news? This infection is not harmful to humans. The eggs and meat could still be sold. Bad news? Even when the birds recover from the infection, they remain carriers of the infection and can spread it to any new birds we brought onto our farm. Results? We have to cull (kill) our whole flock of laying hens and turkeys. Even our breeding turkeys. Our turkeys never exhibited any signs of the infection but since they were exposed, they are carriers too.

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We had sick chickens for about a month. The infection went through our flock quickly and usually lasted a few days. It was basically a “chicken cold”. Who would have thought, right? There was nothing we could do for them….other than separate the ones who were getting picked on. The vet told about an antibiotic but didn’t actually recommend it since the birds were now carriers.

This “chicken cold” has been devastating. Our egg business was to the point of buying all the feed for our animals, except our horse, dog and cats. We are hoping all our customers come back in the spring.

Our plan? We plan to start fresh with baby chicks in December and have eggs available in the spring.

We will buy more turkeys in the spring and choose some to keep for breeding purposes.

We will never, ever buy chickens from unknown farms again. And may this be a lesson for anyone considering purchasing chickens from another farm to add to your current flock…DON’T.


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Piggy Paint Review

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I, like most Moms, am always looking for healthier options for my daughter.  I always thought there wouldn’t be a replacement for “regular” nail polish.  Well, I’m happy to share Piggy Paint with you!  This is a Non-toxic, almost odorless, hypoallergenic, and eco & kid friendly. 

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Piggy Paint is water-based, dries quickly and is safe to use during pregnancy! Piggy Paint suggests using a blow drier on your nails for about a minute for maximum chip resistance.

Let’s talk colors! Piggy Paint has over 30 colors!  They also have their own specially formulated nail polish remover and nail stickers!  They have great sets for holiday or any occasion!  Piggy Paint even has nail polish for your favorite pup!  

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My daughter and I had a great time with Piggy Paint. She was happy to be a big girl and I was happy it was safe for her! 

Piggy Paint is great for Birthday gifts and don’t forget the Holidays are coming!!

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Click here for your stocking stuffers or stop by your local Walmart!!  Don’t forget to visit Piggy Paint on Facebook, they sometimes have giveaways! 


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Fall Inspired Recipes with Squash

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Thanksgiving is only a little over a couple of weeks away and I have been looking for fall inspired recipes for squash. I found a couple new ones I want to try. To facilitate this post I shopped at Mariano’s for the ingredients for our traditional recipe.

FFR #MyMarianos Squash Display

I really enjoy shopping at Mariano’s. I love that they carry a good selection of organic food. The employees make it a pleasant experience. Each time I have gone, one has helped direct me to a faster checkout. It’s very helpful. Mariano’s also has a reward card shoppers can use to earn 1% cash back on every $50 purchased from November 7 thru February 8, 2014. How’s that for a bit of holiday shopping incentive?

FFR #MyMariano's Squash ingredients

For my very simple recipe I purchased four organic squash, but only used two. Organic parsley, organic butter and ground cinnamon.

FFR #MyMariano's Cooking Squash

Those of you who have never cooked a squash, you wash the squash and cut it into halves lengthwise. Then put it face down inside a 9×12 dish.

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Once cut, scoop out the seeds and pulp from the ball of the squash.

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The squash seeds may be saved, dried and used to plant in your garden next spring (especially if they are organic, non-hybrid seeds!). Or the seeds may be roasted and eaten as a super nutritious snack.

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All four halves would not fit in my pan so I wrapped the last half in foil and baked it along side the pan.

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After the squash is baked, it is scooped out of it’s skin and put into a bowl.

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Then I mash it to make sure all the clumps are pretty much out before adding the butter, cinnamon and parsley. And that’s all there is to it. Very simple, inexpensive and yummy!

FFR #MyMariano's Fall Squash Recipe

Fall Inspired Recipes with Squash

Simple Squash Recipe

Serves 8-10
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Total time 1 hour, 10 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Side Dish
Misc Child Friendly, Serve Hot
Occasion Barbecue, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving
Region Canadian
This simple squash recipe is a tasty side dish for the holiday season.

Ingredients

  • 2 Organic Butternut Squash
  • 1 sprig Organic Parsely ((I used curly parsley, there is also flat leaf))
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons Organic Butter

Directions

Step 1
Wash squash of in warm water.
Step 2
Cut squash in half lengthwise.
Step 3
Place face down in a 9x12 baking dish. I had an extra so I wrapped it in foil because it would not fit in my pan.
Step 4
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 -60 minutes or until soft when poked with a fork.
Step 5
Spoon out squash into a bowl.
Step 6
Mash out lumps.
Step 7
Add butter and cinnamon. Cinnamon can be to taste with more or less.
Step 8
Sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top and add a few leaves of parsley for garnish.
Step 9
Enjoy!

Shopping at Mariano’s

You can learn more about Mariano’s and get new ideas on a weekly basis on Mariano’s website. Consider liking #MyMariano’s on Facebook and following them on Twitter.


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Just in Time for Christmas….RUUM Kids

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Christmas is just around the corner and I am still working on my Christmas shopping list. This past week my youngest daughter and I went shopping at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. It’s been a long time since we’ve gone to the mall. We had a lot of fun! We were clothes shopping for Blondie since she needs a few more pants for winter and we had a gift card to RUUM Kids (pronounced “Room” and formerly 77Kids).

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RUUM Kids had a 40% off sale going on so we took advantage of those savings.

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Blondie is seven and she is a girly-girl, which is amazing since she is smack dab in the middle of four boys! Her taste in clothing steered her towards this sparkly holiday dress:

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Gotta love her style! It’s beautiful but I had to tell her no because she has plenty of dresses and this dress though it was 30% off was a bit out of our budget right now. We were shopping for winter pants.

That led us to the 40% off rack. We ended up getting two pairs of sparkly pants. I thought it was a nice compromise for her. She got her sparkle and glitter and I got her warm clothes!

FFR RUUM Kids Sparkly Pants

She also found a sparkly butterfly t-shirt and hair gold band that coordinates really well with both colors of pants she choose. Nearly all of RUUM Kids clothing coordinates well with each other.

I also found a couple of things for our younger boys that I put away for their Christmas gifts.

FFR Christmas Gifts from RUUM Kids

All and all Blondie and I really enjoyed our day out (we went grocery shopping at Mariano’s too!). Blondie loved the VIP treatment she received while shopping at RUUM Kids – choice of a candy treat (RUUM Kids employees asked me first before giving anything to her). When we checked out Blondie was asked if she wanted her own bag, which of course she did, and then employee personalized it by putting her name on it! Blondie loved it!

FFR RUUM Kids at Woodfield Mall

When we got home Blondie modeled her clothes for me. Everything fit perfectly.

FFR Blondie in RUUM Kids Purple Outfit

We were very happy with our RUUM Kids purchases.

FFR Blondie in RUUM Kids Blue Outfit

RUUM Kids has lots of gift ideas including headphone hats ($19.50) and texting gloves ($9.50) for the hard to buy for tweens, and layering pieces with coordinating accessories for all ages. RUUM sizes range from newborn to age 14. Find RUUM Kids on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to day for holiday specials. Right now they have a 25% off code for online just for this weekend only.

Do you buy your children clothes for Christmas?


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Week #3 Saturday Top Five Laughs – Join the Blog Hop!

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It’s time to laugh with the Goulds again! We have joined The Mommyhood Chronicles for Week #3 – for us – in the Saturday Top Five Laughs of the week.

5. The image below speaks for itself but by way of an explanation, I was working on my grocery list for a monthly order I place online at Azure Standard – I have forgotten to click submit for the past two months, that’s not the humorous part, that’s the sad part. The funny part is when I asked my daughter to double check to see if we needed anything else so I could check my list she handed me this:

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It cracked me up! That’s what I get for asking a child to help with the grocery list, except she’s not so much a child anymore.

4. “The SHIELD helicarrier fell on my back!” (Inside family joke from Spiderman). “The wheel of excuses!”

3. Our 13 year old daughter was laying on the floor throwing a basketball up in the air and it fell on her face. She cracked up laughing.

Yikes, I am struggling this week, even with my children’s help.

2. When we went to dig up asparagus crowns at a local organic farm, the joke was on me. For some reason I was expecting them to be small. Wrong. They are huge! Good thing we didn’t take trowels or else we would have been there all day. Not really because they did have shovels available.

1. My husband made us laugh this week by speaking in a funny accent. ;)

Whew! That was hard. Gotta work harder at keeping track of funny things as they happen or it’s chore to come up with something.

Anything funny happen at your house this week?


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2013 Stocking Stuffer Ideas

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Christmas Stockings were one of my favorite things to open on Christmas day. We did them for several years with the children and just got out of the habit because stocking stuffers were costly having 8-10 Christmas stockings to fill. My mom use to fill them with batteries, makeup, hand lotion, lip balm, maybe a nightie or something rolled up, socks, ribbon candy, shelled nuts that we had to crack ourselves, a huge apple and orange that our hometown’s grocery store only stocked at Christmas time.

Here are my 2013 Christmas Stocking Ideas, most of them personal care products:

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1.800Razors.com, especially for mom and dad. They shave really well. My husband thinks for a disposable razor it shaves the closest he’s ever experienced. I really like mine too. I like that we get to keep the razor and only buy replacement razor blade heads. The razors have lasted quite awhile too. I think we are both still on our first head and it’s been over a month since we received them.

2. Shaving cream to go with those razors!

3. Burt’s Bees lotion. Our oldest daughter has been using this for her dry skin and it helps a lot. When we use goat milk soap we do not even need any moisturizing lotion.

4. Bumble and Bee Organic lip balm. This lip balm has become one of our favorites! Not only do they have lots of flavors but it works!

Ningxia Red USB Thumb Drive

5. Flash Drive. On my wish list is this Ningxia Red USB thumb drive. I think it’s cool!

6. Toothbrush and toothpaste. I know our children would be very excited to each have their own tube of toothpaste and not share with a sibling! It’s the little stuff, right? Same goes for lip balm too.

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7. Our daughter’s handmade goat milk or cow milk soap! It comes scented or unscented and in several different molds. Not all are showing on our sales page.

FFR Kitten Stocking Stuffer Ideas

8. A kitten! An 8 week old kitten would fit perfectly in a stocking and make your child’s day! And no our kittens are not for sale. ;)

What are your top 2013 stocking stuffer ideas?


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