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Family time: How you can give your family or for time this Christmas

I said if there was a very simple way you can spend more time with your family this Christmas? I told about it would cost you a cent? What if I told you it was an easy way to get up to four extra hours each day with your loved ones? Would your family to benefit from this extra time?

All you have to do is get rid of your TV.

"WOAH!Wait a minute! I CAN'T POSSIBLY give UP MY TV! " call. NOT MY SOAP!NOT FOOTBALL! NOT DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES! NOT ... "

Well, I am not saying that you would not have to sacrifice a little; But at the end of this article, you'll see that the benefits of giving up your TV far outweigh the costs, It may seem a difficult task, but it's not really. It only takes a little discipline and creativity to fill the time.

Join the many other families who have given up on TV

Many families have given up on TV. My family did Madonna's family made it; I felt so strongly about my decision, I created a site about it; it is also why I reach out to you now. So you and your family can experience the benefits. Believe me, your family can function without a TV and be happier and healthier home.

Would you rather Miss time with your family or time watching TV?

I realize that this still can be a daunting prospect for many. The average person look after four hours a day and the average family has TV over seven hours a day. It can be a significant change. But think what you give with your family when you spend this much time in TELEVISION. Think about what your family's life can be like without TV to get a better picture of what you and your family are missing.

Breakfast TV

When all are in a hurry to get to school or work, get the morning very hectic. I know. TV only to distraction. If there is no TELEVISION blaring, children are more likely to cooperate in preparing. There may also be time for an old-fashioned family breakfast. At least your family will have more time for nice good-byes when everyone starts his day.

After school without TV

Rather than send school cartoons, which are often filled with violence, kids outside to play; children must play. They are so much happier when they have a chance to run and burn energy. And parents need to play too.Join your child in a game of football and basketball.Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Go family bike ride.The possibilities are endless. enjoy fresh air and sunshine; you can also drag a few friends from their TV, gameboys, and computers and play together.All that exercise, you and your family should build up quite an appetite, don't you think?

Dinner without TV

After so much fun and exercise will your family be ready for a healthy dinner.Remember that they have not been watching television advertising of crunchy delicious POPs and other junk food.So, don't ruin this time by turning on THE TELEVISION that over half of all families.Eat together and talk about your day.Connect with each other and discuss any problems or issues that may have been during the day, When you know what problems your child you can nip them in the bud. Then, you can plan everything fun activities your family will make the next weekend.

Chores without TV

Let's say your family finishing dinner and cleaning up together, OK, I realize chores not is the most popular and fun family activities; And do you not mention chores when you sell this "Family time" plan for the rest of your family.But just imagine how much easier it is to get all the points when THE TV is turned off.

Prime Time without TV

After a good dinner and chores are a "prime time" for families to connect with some fun activities.Depending on your family, this time either back out or exciting.You can play board games, puzzles, read, or cuddle a more back in the evening, Or you can dance, pillow fights, or even ticklefests for gaming and excitement.You can also go for an evening walk and look at all the weird glow coming from other houses where families staring at their TV as well as zombies.

Late in the evening without TV

When the children are in bed, may you and your spouse, a perfect opportunity to connect, I do not think that I'm going to paint a picture of what that time might look like, you can use your own imagination. But after go this far without watching TV, I hope you do not activate it here!

Then of course will be after this great, fun day you be ready and have time for a full night's sleep.

Your family without TV

Now do you think your family may be happier with the routine above? that they can grow healthier over time? every family is different; The routine in your family settle on will probably be a little different. my family routine quite not with the above, in particular in the case of chores, but we have much more time to connect, and the children are playing outside often.

Use your imagination to develop a routine that is customized for your family, Then you will be ready to give your family the gift of quality family time this Christmas; Next Chrismas you will wonder how families find the time to watch TV.

Katherine Westphal is the founder of a new website for daring Recycle your TV!, which makes it fun and easy for people to gain control of their TV set; are you addicted to TV? Take our TV Addiction Quiz and find out!

All is Well

Those were the words I read most days in a signature on the unassisted childbirth forum. They started to sink in then I realised they came from Abraham (a group of spiritual beings who are channeled by Esther Hicks). I bought a book called Ask and it is Given several years ago I didn't read it all as it seemed far fetched and how could all be well. I just thought it was a load of twaddle. But this time I thought what if, what if they are right and the law of attraction does work, what if we ARE supposed to be happy joyous beings. I have written before that I think that if we all  got ourselves sorted out then we'd spend far less of our lives worrying about other people and things that we can not change.

So, I have taken onboard the idea that all is well, what has happened has happened. I can't change that, I can appreciate the good things and let go of the past. All desires are registered by the universe and when we are ready to increase our vibrations to joyous and to allow the desire to manifest then it will.

In the past I have felt my vibrations and mood lift sky high on a raw food diet then got unnerved about the height and fallen hard. This time I am not eating raw all the time but my mood and vibrations are lifting. I am consiously thinking positive thoughts, trying to let go and have fun and trying out singing. I was told I sang flat as a child and have always done so. Now I have let go and started singing anyway. It uplifts my spirits and I just know that singing flat will soon be all in the past.

Tiny Homes

I bought a magazine about eco-housing this week and it had an article about small cheap housing. I really think the tiny house looks excellent. It uses less stuff to build, heat etc. You have less space so are obliged to have less stuff. The idea that it is cheaper also means less time working to pay off loans. Some of them have lots of glass which makes them feel spacious. A tiny house combined with a covered area outside and a greenhouse would be the ultimate in green living. I have been drawing plans, it would be great to build one in the garden. That said we already have more building than we use, we don't always think we have enough space! We had been talking about expanding over the stable so Flo could have her own room, maybe we just need to look at things in a new light and start some serious clutter clearing.

I found a blog about tiny homes which shows lots of great examples.

 http://tinyhouseblog.com/gallery/

 

My Garden

Things are growing really well, the nettle forest is enormous and I hope we will leave them long enough to collect the seeds; We ate loads of young ones cooked. Today I made a flat bread of sunflower seeds and nettle but that is still in the dehydrator. The nettle kraut got really stinky and I threw it out. It tasted odd, not off but not really very appetising. I'm sure I'll try again one of these days.
My website now has loads of pictures and detail of what is going on in the garden at the momment so please check it out.
http://wildgreencuisine.com

Red Slug Syrup

The childrens coughs went on and on in fact they are still coughing occasionally so I cracked and made some red slug syrup and recommended by a neighbour and by Dr Vogel in The Nature Doctor. There is a recipe and pictures here http://suzplace.com/slug.html

Corsica

We had a lovely week in Corsica in April staying with some friends who a have a smallholding. http://www.corsicaincompany.com

I've put some pictures here http://suzplace.com/corsica.html

 

Web Site

I have started my website about wild food, green food, growing food, fermenting food etc. It is an on going project so please keep coming back for more.

www.wildgreencuisine.com

 

Frustration, Canser and Bugs

All my kids are coughing, Flo and Eben the most. Flo missed two days of school and Eben is still home. They eat well and I've tried homeopathy, vitamins etc. I was appalled to find aspartame in the Vit C tabs I bought, not a good idea for the kids. Part of me is saying that I need to up the defensive, force the green smoothies down them etc, part just says 'you've failed, put it in the hands of the doctors'. I just want their bodies to be able to fight this off not going to doctor for drugs which might  fight the bugs but not help them in the long term.

I don't think the fact that my Mum has canser (I'll spell this the same way as Kris Carr does on her CrazySexyCancerBlog ) helps, she has bowel canser and has had a week of chemo and radiation, and is now on a third week of radiation. To me the treatment is nearly as frightening as the idea of canser itself. She is fighting tho and my brother is staying with her and has embraced the raw food concept so I know she is eating well.

I just feel helpless against bugs at the momment. I'm stepping up my lacto fermenting efforts in a bid to out bug the badbugs with goodbugs.

Dandelions

Dandelions are popping up all over the place at the momment. Most people collect the blanched ones in mole hills but I pick the green bitter ones now. Sometimes I make a dressing for them with honey in or at others I cut them up fine and add to another salad. Last night I mixed them with spring cabbage, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and ginger. It was a tasty mix. I also made sunflower seed paté which I served with tomato, cucumber and celery. It not the season for tomatoes and cucumber yet but I just fancied something different.

Nettle Juice!!!!!

There are fresh young nettles shooting out all over the place.

I have juiced them for the first time. Read more on my wild green blog.

www.wildgreencuisine.blogspot.com

Uk Trip

We are off to the UK for 10 days tomorrow. There are lots of people for me to show off my darling daughter to!

I like to see my friends but would really much rather stay here at home. The weather is great and I just want to get on with the garden. I still have time to plant more fruit trees and bushes and then I can start with greening up the ground with all ediable plants. Should be fun. See you soon.

Mouse Mischief

About 2 weeks ago I put some washing on. The machine seemed to be working but finished quicker than I expected. I went to open the door but it was still sealed and full of water. I tried various settings on the dial to get it to empty out but nothing worked. I turned the machine off and thought I'd wait till Griff got home. Later on I was standing in the kitchen preparing dinner, Arwen was in her little car seat looking on and I suddenly heard the machine door and a woosh of water. Gwils had opened the door, turning it off had unlocked the door! I got it shut so not quite all the water came out. There was Arwen in the middle of the puddle looking like she was sailing a boat. I ran for my wet and dry vac to get the water. We have a very old tiled floor which is lain on compacted earth so great for absorbing water!

Griff checked the pump and filter and found a euro coin so we thought it might have been that, but no it still wouldn't empty. We got quite a technique of emptying part of the water into a flexy bucket and sucking the rest with the hoover! We decided it must be the pump and ordered one for 30 euros on the internet. It arrived and still didn't work. So either there was a blockage somewhere or we needed a new machine. Griff removed the drain pipe from the pump and blew up it, sure enough it was blocked. Our machines drain pipe joins to another then goes out side into fatter tubing and into the garden, great for watering in the summer. We seperated the two pipes and there it was a big lump of fluff, or so we thought, on closer inspection it was a mouse. It had come up the pipes and got stuck at the join where it narrowed. We removed the mouse and everything worked fine. Good job we didn't buy a new machine.

Today I put a wash on and the same thing happened and low and behold another mouse up the tube. Are they on some suicide mission?

2 Mes

Somedays I get really confused as to who I am. I feel like there are two of me. There is me who is relaxed and cool, at one with myself and the rest of the world, I get excited about healthy food and exercise and just love life. Then there is the me who wants to eat chips, roast meat and cream, who wants coca-cola and wine, is irritable and grumpy and shouts a lot.

I guess it is part of a process, once I was just the second person, before I discovered healthy eating and exercise and listening to the inner voice of intuition. Now I am getting closer to being the real me but the old me still hangs around frustrating me and the people around me. I don't seem to know how to say goodbye, it was nice knowing you and you have taught me lots of lessons but now it is time to pack up your bags and leave. Sometimes I really feel like I am letting go but part of me jumps in and brings the bad habits back.

Change isn't easy, not for me anyway.

Wheat Grass

In the absence of wild greens at the momment due to snow I have been juicing wheat grass. Wheat grass juice was a creation of Ann Wigmore. It contains 92 different minerals, beta carotene, vitamins B, C, E, H and K. It has 19 amino acids, lots of enzymes and is 70% chlorophyll. It is extremely good for. Taste wise its a bit strange but I think its worth it for all the good it is supposed to be doing. I use a manual juicer it works extremely well and I am very happy with the result. Once I start juicing wild greens too then I might upgrade to something like this. Champion juicer . Wheat grass and other juices can also be added to smoothies or diluted in water to make them more palatable.

Wild Green Cuisine

This is the name of my new blog and upcoming website. I'm am fascinated by all the greens and wild foods we can eat and how good they are for us.

My belief is that if we covered all the worlds cultivated lands with first fruit or nut trees then fruit shrubs or perenial tall greens and followed by greens on ground level then we would have enough food for all to live a healthy life. In the absence of interested farmers then all people with gardens could start on this and feed themselves.

www.wildgreencuisine.blogspot.com

 

 

Shopping with kids

Sometimes I love shopping with my smiley children, I see the looks of peoples faces when they are smiled at and I'm so glad I took my kids with me. Other times I am amazed by the gloom, a toddler smiles and is full of the joys of spring (summer, autumn or winter) and people say 'oh they're happy now, but just wait they'll see what life is really like!' It makes me so sad that these people just can't see it!

Day 3 raw. Whoopee!!!

Well I've managed 2 days of raw so far and am starting the third well. I've been eating fruit and loads of green salads, I've had a little raw ham and cheese to help with cravings. The cravings aren't  too bad as I am ready for this. Lots of carrot juice and rejuvelac too. I cheated with a baked potato last night as I had done them for the kids and after their salads they didn't want them, it seemed a shame to waste them! I really didn't need it though it was just piggery.

I have just read Green for Life and Wild Fermentation. Both books are very inspiring and I have tried a green smoothie, not bad, and have my first batch of saurkraute started in the kitchen.

On Monday I felt great, I now feel a little tired but am not worried about that, I'll get through!

 

Growing Grass

Why is Mummy growing grass on the windowsill when there is so much in the garden? Florence's comment about my wheatgrass! I have bought a manual juicer so plan to try it out. I'm not really sure how much I'll need for a few drops of juice but I'm going to try it in the next couple of days. Then when spring comes I'll be trying wild greens in there. Its not suprising I worry about people thinking I'm mad is it?