The hardest part is letting go

One of the hardest parts of parenting is letting your children blossom into whom they are meant to be. And that process of letting go is painful.

Those baby steps of watching your child not following through on something or not holding to your ideals can make you crazy. But it's worth the wait.

Case in point: As part of my daughter's Brownie troop's Household Elf badge and Wonders of Water journey (and admittedly inspired by Beth Terry's My Plastic-Free Life), we are bridging the themes into a small community service project: collecting  lids for plastic bottles to recycle at an Evansville company that specializes in it, For the next month, the girls are challenged to collect as many plastic lids as they can; the winner receiving a prize (a small water-related science kit).

But while my daughter is interested on the surface in saving plastic, the reality is it's harder to follow through. While mom dutifully washes lids to milk jugs, orange juice, and (admittedly) Diet Coke 2-liters, the lids rarely if ever make it to her collection. They languish on the kitchen table for days, until mom, frustrated, tosses them in the trash.

Does my daughter care about the environment? Absolutely. She's into gardening and composting, learning about saving electricity. But her heart is less into America's needs as it is in Haiti's, a result of her experiences in school.

The toughest lesson is that while our journeys interconnect, they are not one in the same. And my daughter's green journey, while started earlier in life, will weave the way it wants to.

Cinnamon apple smoothie

Cinnamon apple smoothie

1 cup diced apple
1 cup skim milk

1 scoop DoTERRA vanilla Trim Shake or other vanilla protein shake

1/2 cup ice or more if desired.

Blend all.


Calories according to MyFitness Pal: 365 for the entire thing. It tastes amazing and was so filling!



Disclosure: I do receive a percentage of the sales for the DoTERRA vanilla Trim Shake by following this link, however, I wouldn't use it if I didn't like it!

Fighting fever naturally

The school's number flashes on my phone and I cringe. I know what it means this time of day: Someone is sick.

Yes, my little guy wasn't feeling well, the after-school care staff reported. And after getting him home, we confirmed the worst: a temperature of 100.2.

Interestingly, he wanted nothing to do with taking Tylenol. Instead he asked me for oils: Pizza feet and peppermint oil.

The peppermint essential oil, which is cooling, especially for a fever, went on his neck and belly per his request. The "Pizza Feet" is our adaptation of what's known as a flu protocol. For my kids who are feeling "off" and on their way to the flu, rather than have them take oils internally, I will rub oregano essential oil (hence the "pizza feet") on the soles of their feet, along with doTerra OnGuard Essential Oil Blend and lemon essential oil. The great thing is they can use it as needed, rather than wait for four to six hours for them to be able to take ibuprofen again.

While I'm still working with my husband on raising his comfort level with using the oils on sick days, it just amazes me what the kids know their body needs. My son came to me first and requested what he wanted to help his body feel better.

For other tips on fighting the flu and cold naturally, visit Good Girl Gone Green's recent post.

Natural Air Freshener for our Brownie Household Elf

The Brownie Household Elf badge requires the girls to learn about ways to naturally freshen the air, whether it's to grow and care for an indoor plant or creating a natural air freshener.

Unfortunately, the book gives an example that requires boiling liquids - not something you want to do with 16 excited girls!

We found some great ideas on Pinterest, though. One was particularly easy and got rave reviews from the girls and parents alike. ("We needed it last night," one mom said!)

Natural Air Freshener

1 oz Amber Boston Round Glass Bottle with Fine Mist sprayer

water

doTERRA Wild Orange essential oil

Fill bottle with water until it begins to curve at the top. Add five drops essential oil. Cap and shake.

We designed Avery labels that the girls could label their bottles too. I'll post the template soon!

Follow Robbie @'s board Girl Scout Projects on Pinterest.

Looking for more Girl Scout ideas? Visit my new scout leader resource site, Use Resources Wisely. 

Starting fresh.

I could write about new year's resolutions. But really, this is about resolutions for living my life the way I'm supposed to.

I got a bit of surprising news from my doctor today. Let's just call it a warning shot. But a very stern warning at that.

So it's time for me to dust things off and take my life seriously again. After all, if Mom ain't healthy, she ain't happy.

Keeping it simple - and real:

• 5 fruits and veggies a day. It's easy for me to slide, so my focus is on getting 5. (And yes, that means I'm re-upping my Grean Bean Delivery schedule, regardless of my husband's wish for me to put it on hold.)
• Exercise 30 minutes a day - 4 times a week.
• Taking my diabetes a bit more seriously. That means some personal problem solving but I will get there!

How are your goals progressing for the new year?

Vanilla pear smoothie

One of my goals for 2013 is simple: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. And I admit I've easily eased into protein shakes in the morning, so adding fruit was the next step.

Here's a simple recipe for a vanilla pear smoothie recipe.

Vanilla Pear Smoothie
2 pears, cored (skins OK)
1 cup skim milk
1 scoop DoTERRA vanilla Trim Shake or other vanilla protein shake
1/2 cup ice or more if desired.

Blend all.

Calories according to MyFitness Pal: 400 for the entire thing. It tastes amazing and was so filling!

Disclosure: I do receive a percentage of the sales for the DoTERRA vanilla Trim Shake by following this link, however, I wouldn't use it if I didn't like it!