The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

Jackie Ritz

Wool Dryer Balls

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Not too pretty but they work!

I haven’t used dryer sheets or fabric softener in years. I use my homemade wool dryer balls! They are awesome! Don’t mind the battle wounds in the picture, these balls can handle the heat! But, seriously, I love my dryer balls. I have 8 of them. One is missing in the picture because they get lost in the clean clothes sometimes and the dogs enjoy playing with them. Wool absorbs liquid, so that’s what makes them so handy in the dryer. I keep them in the dryer and throw in a load of wet, clean clothes. The wool absorbs the liquid from the wet clothes and cuts my drying time in (almost) half! I also love the sound of the “clunk, clunk, clunk” of the balls going round-and-round in the dryer!

Not only do they cut drying time in half, but they also help reduce static…not sure how, but they do! They, also, fluff up the clothes nicely! So, no need for chemical-laden dryer sheets.

How to Make Wool Dryer Balls

Items needed:

Step 1) Save the money and go buy a few wool sweaters from Goodwill. Then go to your nearby craft store and get a big roll of wool yarn or order this nice autumn one.

Step 2) Cut the wool sweaters up in scrap pieces and ball them up in your hand. *If you are adding essential oils, pour a few drops onto the wool scraps. Then take the wool yarn and start wrapping it around the scrap wool until you have a large softball-size bundle of yarn. Some people make them the size of tennis balls but I say go BIG! I also think you need 5-8 of them to really notice a difference. So, make a bunch!

Step 3) Then when you’re done rolling them into balls, tie a knot, then throw the ball in a knee-high nylon, or in a sock. Tie off the end with a rubber band (a hair rubber band) and run them through a hot wash cycle and then a hot dry cycle. This makes the wool come together.

Step 4) Then take them out and you’re done!

*The essential oils added to the wool scraps give your clothes a nice smell in the dryer.

Happy ball-making!

PlanetBox Lunchbox!

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Cherry tomatoes with oil and vinegar dip, Medjool dates, pistachios, sliced yellow bell peppers, strawberries, and Sunbutter & jam on flourless bread!

I have never been this excited about making lunches for my 3-year-old! I usually dread having to wake up a few minutes early to pack her lunch. But with my new PlanetBox I am actually so excited about it that I make it the night before! I had another bento box that I was using but it wasn’t really practical for us. I love that the PlanetBox has smaller compartments! It forces me to be diverse in choosing the foods to put in the lunchbox.

My daughter also loves it. She was so excited today to take it to school. The first thing she said to her teacher, “Look at my new lunchbox!”.

Some great things about the lunchbox is that its stainless steel, so it will last forever and there is no harsh chemicals used in the process of making it. I would recommend anyone to get one of these cool boxes! I ordered direct from them at www.planetbox.com !

Raw Feeding Paleo Dogs

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Don’t they look fierce?

I have stepped into a new world of raw feeding my dogs. It’s something that I have been interested in for months. In fact, I have almost felt convicted when it comes to my dogs. My family eats so clean and Paleo, but twice a day I find myself pouring kibble out of a bag down for my dogs. I started to feel guilty in a way. I didn’t even think there was another way that I can afford. Since our children were born, we have had to discontinue the use of $50 bags of high-end dog food. I thought since it was expensive, then it must be good. Well, not so much.

Samson’s first taste of real food

Dogs are carnivores. If out in the wild, they would live on a diet high in raw meat. It’s only when we started to socialize dogs with humans that processed “dog-food” came about. And even if you were to look at the ingredients of a bag of dog-food, you would find that it would be mostly grains and veggies…with some meat fillers. Poor doggies! So, that’s how my quest for finding the proper nutrition for my dogs began. I’ve heard of raw-feeding but I thought I could never do that. I have no idea why, but all I needed was the “push” to get me started on this path.

Yesterday, a natural group that I am in on Facebook started talking about raw-feeding. My mind couldn’t grasp it because it seemed too easy. I mean, seriously, you just throw a piece of raw chicken (bone-in) down for the dogs to eat? What about the bones splintering? What about the bacteria? What about them becoming blood-thirsty and possibly devouring my leg in my sleep?

Whatever, I’m doing it. I threw a chicken leg down for my fawn colored pug and a chicken thigh down for my black pug. They spent the next 30 minutes eating it, enjoying it, savoring it. It was the first real food they had EVER had. I almost cried. I saw the pleasure and delight in their eyes. You know when you bite into a savory, perfectly-cooked steak? The “oh-my-goodness-this-is-the-best-thing-I-have-ever-ate” feeling that you get? I actually feel like they love me more now. Last night my fawn pug, Samson, became more lively than I have ever seen him. He is my dog that hates eating. I would put kibble in his bowl in the morning and he would finally eat it at 8pm that night when his stomach became so fiercly hungry. I just figured he didn’t need much food. When I gave him the chicken leg it actually took him like 20 minutes to figure out how to hold the leg with his paws so he could tear away the meat! In less than 24 hours I have noticed a huge difference in him.

I’m not sure on all the proper methods of raw-feeding, but I plan on following the Prey Model diet for dogs. This is 5-10% organs, 10-15% edible bones, and 80-85% edible meat. The models and resembles, as closely as possible, what carnivorous canines have been eating for thousands of years.

Raw-feeding also seems like it’s going to be cheaper than feeding packaged dog-food. Yesterday I bought 10lbs of chicken, 2lbs of chicken organs, 3lbs of pork necks, and 3lbs of chicken backs (with meat) for under $15. This should last them a little over 3 weeks. I also plan on giving them some kefir every morning to help assist with the digestion of this new diet. Today as I was portioning the organs they got a few chicken hearts and split a big can of sardines! Needless to say, I am their hero!

More info on raw feeding:

The Science Behind Raw Feeding

Raw Dog Food: Make it Easy for You and Your Dogs

The Barf Diet

 

Meat for the month!

Barefoot Boy’s Birth Story

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Frankie, Jr. born beautifully into Mommy’s arms.

On Thursday morning, the day before he was born, I was getting very anxious for him to be here. I felt like the time was approaching so I took a little castor oil to give my body the “push” that it needed. I was hesitant to do this because of all the varying opinions about it and because my main desire was to have a waterbirth with the Barefoot Boy. Some people believe that meconium is most often passed in the womb when the mother drinks castor oil. I figured if midwives around the world recommend it, then I was gonna try it. I had tried everything else to get contractions moving along but nothing was working. I know he just wasn’t ready!

I had decided before Barefoot Boy was even conceived that I wanted a very different birthing experience with him. I wanted everything to be natural, with no pitocin and no epidural. I didn’t want to be hooked up to machines or forced to sit flat on my back. I wanted to be able to move around during labor in varying positions with my husband supporting me through it.

Anyways, I went to bed on Thursday night after the castor oil had definitely cleaned me out and woke up at 2am with some contractions. I got out of bed because I couldn’t sleep through them. For the next few hours I did stuff around the house and let my husband sleep. When he woke up at 5am, I told him what was going on and he called into work and said that he wasn’t going to make it in. I went for a walk at 5:30am to keep the contractions coming. When I got home we both agreed that I should rest, just in case this was “it”. I went to sleep and can’t remember having any contractions. I woke up an hour later to my daughter giving me hugs. I told my husband that I think the contractions had stopped so we thought it would be good if w got out of the house and walked around the mall. We both were very unsure if this was actual labor. The contractions I had with my daughter were “pitocin contractions” which were much stronger and way more painful, so that is the only thing I had to compare them to.

We got to the mall around 10am and headed to a coffeeshop to get some coffee! A friend from church owns the place and I popped in to say hi and get our morning Joe. I told her I was pretty sure I was in labor and we were walking the mall to get things moving. She grabbed my hands and prayed for me. It was one of many times throughout this birthing experience that  I just felt the Spirit of God giving me peace and strength for the day ahead. We drank our coffee and walked the mall for hours. Hubs was timing my contractions and they started at 15 minutes apart and then by the end of our walk they were about 7-9 minutes apart. We didn’t know if we should go home or keep walking and I suggested we go home and rest a little bit. My feet were quite sore from all the walking!

Once home, things picked up very quickly. Contractions were coming about 5 minutes apart but they were still so tolerable and not too painful (compared to my contractions with Arianna). Hubby was my support through each one of them. I hugged him face-to-face through them while he rubbed my back. I had back labor because Barefoot Boy’s head was on my pubic bone. Still nothing like the pain I had with The Daydreamer, so I still was unsure if I was in labor. I told him to call the Birth Center and see what I should do. They said to come on in so they could do a pelvic check to see how far dilated I was. I grunted to my husband because I didn’t think I was making much progress and didn’t want to waste my time going in. We took our time getting moving and called our friend who was going to take care of the Daydreamer.

We arrived at the Birth Center at 3pm on July 22 with goosebumps on my skin and tears in my eyes because I, once again, felt the presence of God so strong and with me. They put me in a room to check to see how far I was. I still didn’t think I was in labor at this point and was getting myself prepared to be sent home. She checked my cervix and announced that I was 9 centimeters dilated!!! I looked at her confused and she said, “get up and lets get you in a room to deliver this baby.” I walked down the hall without my pants on to the Beach room. They remember I was GBS+ and would have to have 2 doses of antibiotics 4 hours apart. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. I was able to get one dose in while going through transition in my labor and while they were filling the tub up. The contractions were coming pretty fast and close. Once the dose of antibotics was in me, Nancy broke my water so I could push the baby out in the tub. I got in and the water felt so amazing. I leaned over the tub as a flood of contractions came over me. My hubby got in to and supported me from behind. I leaned into his arms and they wrapped around me and I knew I could do this. I asked when I could push and Nancy said to push whenever I felt like it, but to wait for a contraction. I started pushing and I felt his body move into my pelvis in a way that is indescribible. I pushed with each contraction and had terrible back pain with each one. Frankie’s head was on my pubic bone cause he was turned a little sideways. Nancy reached in and readjusted him and the back pain immediately went away. I kept pushing with the contractions and had a moment of self-doubt. My husband reminded me how much I wanted this and Nancy told me I was going to do this. It was the words I needed to hear. I prayed for God to give me strength for this moment. I reached down and felt his head right there. With the next contraction he crowned and his head was out. I can’t explain it but my body took over and pushed the rest of him out. Nancy put him on my chest and he looked so beautiful. Our little boy that we had waited for was here! Once his cord stopped pulsating, Hubs cut it and I got out of the tub and onto the bed to deliver the placenta which came about 15 minutes later. Me, Hubs, and Barefoot Boy spent the next hour together on the bed. He latched on a nursed with ease. We praised God for this amazing life He had given to us.

I ended up pushing for only 18 minutes and Barefoot Boy was delivered at 4:28pm, 1.5 hrs after we arrived. He would have came quicker but the antibiotic drip had to be administered.

Nancy came in to weigh him and he turned out to be 9lb 4oz and 21.5 inches long!!! He is a chunk! Nearly 2lbs heavier than Daydreamer was. Another hour of bonding and nursing passed and Nancy came in to check to see if I tore or not. I ended up having a tiny tear that required 4 stitches. Not bad for such a big boy! God designed the female bodies so incredible! We were able to go home shortly after and the Daydreamer got to meet her baby brother.

I could not think of a better way for Barefoot Boy to come into this world. The birth’s of both my children were amazing, but being able to have Barefoot Boy naturally without any medication really made this experience empowering and something that has forever changed my life as a woman and mother.

Thank you Jesus for a perfectly healthy little boy!

“Good broth resurrects the dead.”

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Chicken stock simmering away in my crock pot!

Unfortunately, because of our modern meat processing techniques and our fast-food, semi-homemade society, homemade stocks and broth have become a lost art. Nourishing Traditions says (one of my favorite cookbooks ever!), “In days gone by, when the butcher sold meat on the bone rather than individual filets and whole chickens rather than boneless breasts, our thrifty ancestors made use of every part of the animal by preparing stock, broth or bouillon from the bony portions.”

When properly prepared, meat and bone stocks are extremely nutritious, containing minerals of bone, cartilage, marrow and vegetables as electrolytes. I’ve also learned that adding an acidic medium, like Bragg’s raw Apple Cider Vinegar, makes the stock even more nutritious by helping to draw out even more minerals (i.e. calcium, magnesium, and potassium).

There is magic in homemade stock that cannot be replicated with chicken or beef flavored water sold in stores. Another advantage of making homemade stock is that it’s just so dang easy. My method for making stock has become second nature.

How I Make Stock:

  1. I always plan on eating a whole chicken a week. I rinse the chicken, put the organs in the fridge for the stock, throw the chicken in the crock pot (breast-side down), add 2-4 cups of water (depending on the size of the bird), and then cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours. I know when it’s done when the legs easily fall off.
  2. I then let the chicken cool. Once cooled I take all the meat off and throw the skin, bones, and organs back into the crock pot.
  3. I cut an onion in fourths and throw it in along with , 2 whole garlic cloves, about an inch long piece of ginger, one celery stalk, one carrot, half a cup of apple cider vinegar, and a chicken foot (for added gelatin) if I have them.
  4. I then fill the rest of the crock pot up with water. I set it to low and I let it simmer for 24-48 hours.
  5. About an hour before I am ready to turn the crock pot off, I add my spices. I put in salt, pepper, and sage.
  6. I let it simmer for one more hour, let it cool, then strain the stock.

The outcome is amazing! It’s so dark and beautiful! Yes, I get excited about it! I usually plan on making some kind of a soup every week. Sometimes I freeze the stock. You can also boil the stock down and put it in ice-cube trays. It’s so easy and so frugal to make stock. When I see bones, I think of all the wonderful stocks I can make with them.

I also use my stock when I’m making baby food for my little 6 month old man. I add the stock to the vegetable purees to get them to the right consistency. I do this in my blender after I steam the veggies. Then I pour the mixture in ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen I label a ziploc and dump the frozen cubes in the baggie! When mealtime comes around, I grab a few cubes and nuke them. My son LOVES his food like this! It’s a great way to add nutrition, protein, and important minerals to a baby’s diet!

I think we need to take note of how our ancestors appreciated every bit of an animal. Not only is it highly nutritious, but it’s also extremely frugal!

Now check out the color of that stock! All from 1 chicken…you can’t find that in a box or can!

Milky Match Made in Heaven!

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If you read my blog from a few days ago (https://thepaleomama.com/2012/02/14/milksharing-and-homemade-formula/), I talked about how I lost my milk supply when I lost my younger sister. I posted a picture of my little man with some donated breast milk. I shared my story last month on Facebook and the story and picture went Facebook viral. It was shared among many breastfeeding and milksharing sites. Here is my amazing milksharing story that touched me in so many ways. It helped to heal from the loss of my sister.

Frankie with all of her milk!
I cannot express my thanks enough to the mommy who donated all this precious milk to my baby boy. We met through Human Milk 4 Human Babies. Blythe posted a few weeks ago about her baby girl who was born premature. She had pumped for her baby while she was in the NICU but at 5 weeks old her precious little one had passed away. She was left with her milk that was intended for her baby girl and wanted someone else to have it. I saw her posting and in tears I replied and explained how I had recently lost my younger sister and the trauma and grief had caused my complete milk supply to dwindle to nothing. Blythe was my perfect milky match! The death of my sister and her precious baby had brought us together and even from their death…Blythe’s milk was going to bring life and nourishment to my little baby boy! Here is a picture of all her milk. I have no idea how much! Enough to feed him for a while though! So grateful for my milky match made in heaven!