New Location!

Hi Everyone!  Meg and I decided to move our blog over to www.theinnerpeaceproject.wordpress.com
So come check us out there!  Thanks for joining us!

Thanks Blogspot for a rocking good time!

Adventures in Natural Birthing

Don't get too excited yet, neither myself (Megan) nor Ashley are pregnant.  However, I plan to be one day (of course after I marry the man of my dreams (Hi Babe!)).  Anyway, my pregnant future is imminent and being the consummate planner that I am (I am my mother's daughter after all)  I decided to start my homework.

I have always been fascinated by pregnancy and the magic surrounding the process.  As I've mentioned before, my mother gave me  Dr. Christiane Northrup's amazing book, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom a couple of years ago and the book blew my mind.  Never before had I acknowledged the extraordinary power of women's bodies nor had I equally appreciated the wisdom that we all have intrinsically.

As I've started gathering information and learning from other women's stories, I really think that an at-home water birth is for me.  I love the idea of approaching birth as the most natural event a women's body will ever encounter.  It just feels right (that's what I'm saying for now at least!).  Bloom Yoga Studio and Inner Birth here in Chicago are two invaluable companies that offer classes, workshops, and support to women at all stages of life whether you are a information seeker or looking to warm up your three year old to the idea of becoming a big sister.  Definitely check out the birthing stories on Inner Birth's website, they are truly breathtaking.

Well, that's all for now, I am so excited to keep everyone updated as this journey begins!

How Much Stess Can We Take?

You know that tingly feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you've found yourself smack dab in the middle of some major (or minor) life/work/emotional/romantic crisis?  Your palms start to sweat, your heart rate increases, and your vision blurs a bit while the adrenalin is pumping.

The physiological definition of stress (according to Webster’s Dictionary) is quite interesting:  “…a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism.” We know that stress is necessary in all of our lives; otherwise the runaway bus that is hurling down the street in our direction would be of no interest. We rely on stress to keep us out of trouble, but for many it's the stress itself that is putting us in harm's way.

About six months ago, I was experiencing constant pain throughout my shoulders, neck, and back.  Although I practice yoga and am active and healthy, I just couldn't shake the consistent soreness.  I decided to see a chiropractor for some help.  We went through the typical new patient questions, just giving him a brief synopsis of my life.  As he was checking my pulse, he looked up at my cautiously.

"Am I making you nervous?"

 I felt bad that he would think this.

 "No."  I told him.

At that moment we were talking about my job, and I was explaining the agonizing toxicity of the environment.  He then told me that my heart rate was so elevated in reaction to this conversation that as a medical professional he should admit me to the hospital.  He blatantly told me that if my heart continues to be regularly put under such duress, I will have a heart attack before I turn 30. 

Where did I go wrong?  How did I end up here?   I always thrived under stress; I felt like that was really when I had the opportunity to shine. How was I so oblivious to the fact that my life consisted of endless strands of sweat-inducing, gut flipping, nail biting melodramas?  I had to ask myself:  “Is this job really worth it?” I know that many of us deal with the same basic question whether in regards to our relationships, money, family or fears.  Needless to say, my answer was no and I immediately realized the urgency for a major life overhaul. 

I quit my job and started collecting the pieces of myself that were left in the wake of my stress-induced binge.    I discovered how dreadfully out of balance life had become for me.  I made a promise to reconnect with My Mind, My Body, and My Spirit and to never again lose touch of their enormous gravity.

I am beyond grateful to welcome this refreshing sense of peace back into my life.  I am ecstatic as a I start my next journey to intimately understand the peace we all seek.

Jackson Pollock's (Very) Early Years

Remember when Mom told us to stop playing with our food?  Scratch that!

Frigid Chicago winters present us with the opportunity to really be creative when looking for ways to engage the little ones.  I spend four days a week with a sweet eight month old who is endlessly curious and abundantly energetic-she is the perfect guinea pig for my "Make Your Own Fun Winter Challenge"!


First on my list is Edible Organic Finger Paints...


I went to the craft store and found a six foot long roll of white foam.  I decided this would be a better canvas than paper because we can wash off and reuse the foam sheets.  Also, since our young artist is still crawling, I knew she would have a blast if we just sat her in the center of the action on the floor.


I popped into Whole Foods and picked up some organic and colorful fruits and veggies.  Think sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, apples, string beans, or carrots.  I roasted the sweet potatoes before blending them into a puree by simply adding water.  

Our little one was a little apprehensive after I poured the paint out in front of her.  She looked up at me with a mild suspicion, but once I slapped my hand into the center of the mess she happily joined in the fun.  

We had a royal good time talking about the shapes, letters, and numbers we drew in the rich orange paint.  I am excited to experiment with more colors as we start to introduce even more yummy fruits and vegetables!

Send us photographs of your budding artists' masterpiece:  theinnerpeaceproject@gmail.com

Lady Gaga - Role Model?

                                                                                             courtesy of LadyGaga.com
Blood-drenched lace costumes, fierce props, eccentric wigs, exotic makeup, outrageous and theatrical describes Miss Lady Gaga.  She's the latest rage these days but has been around for quite some time, studying and performing as a young child and into her teens.


I caught her on Oprah and was quite surprised by her humbleness. Heightened humbless, I'm sure, due to the nature of the program (and exhaustion?) Nevertheless, her creativity is undeniable - her visions  extremely clear and thought provoking.  


The confidence she exudes on stage is quite impressive.  I'm sure her parents played a huge part in developing this creative "monster".  According to Gaga in an interview with MTV.com, her mother stated "Little baby girl, you can be whatever you want, and you are beautiful and you are talented and you could rule the world".  Powerful words in which Gaga took to heart.


While the formula for the recent rise in female pop stars relies heavily on looks and simple lyrics with vocals fed through processors, Lady Gaga fuses performance art with thought-provoking lyrics and has the musical chops to back it up.  As a mom of a young girl, do I think she's a role-model for women?  Yes.  In fact, I think she's an untraditional inspirational role model because she follows her heart and makes no apologies.

New Design Soon!

Hi Everyone!  Thanks for your support!  We are in the process of getting a new layout and design.  Please be patient and keep checking the site out for improvements!

PEACE.

One Small Change

Our Earth has a special place in my heart - it's our home.  That's why it's important for me to teach my  kids how to love where they live, appreciate the nature, how to reduce, reuse, recycle and how to save our natural resources as best as we can.  This is all in hopes that they will be responsible earth friendly adults.

My friend, Sarah, introduced me to a blog called Hip Mountain Mama.  The site is filled with loads of great natural products and ideas on how we can help save our planet and enjoy nature with family.   Suzy, the hip mountain mama, posted a challenge on her site - to make ONE SMALL CHANGE each month leading up to Earth Day, April 22nd. The mission - to create a community of individuals who want to make a positive green impact.  Her thought is if everyone makes 4 changes between the months of January to April, this could have a huge effect.  I couldn't agree more, which is why I decided to participate in this fantastic endeavor.

Our family partakes in recycling, reusing, and reducing by using cloth napkins, diapers, and cleaning rags as much as possible.  We use environmentally safe cleaning products. (I make my own using Castile soap and water - it works like a charm!) We also walk or ride our bikes (when weather permits) and our thermostat is as low as we can stand it - we dress in layers and wear warm slippers.

The change my family is going to make for Month 1 is in combination with one of my 2010 resolutions: to clear my home of clutter - basically get rid of anything my family does not need or that doesn't bring us joy.  I am going to donate the stuff to the local Salvation Army, freecycle it or list it on Craigslist.

I am going to start in my living room and work my way around my home.  I don't think this will be an easy task, but I am determined and will let you know my progress.

Let the GAMES BEGIN!