5 Reasons I Plan to Be Honest With My Kids About Santa

First of all, I realize this is a controversial topic and many people will say I'm a Grinch or Scrooge for having this opinion, but that's okay.  My goal isn't to make anyone feel bad for their Christmas traditions.  I simply want to throw out some ideas you may not have previously considered.

I do not have kids yet, but when they come along, I plan on telling them the truth about Santa.  I don't want them to believe in someone who isn't real, not because I'm trying to prevent them from having fun, but because I want to give them the respect and honesty they deserve.  I will encourage them to pretend if they want and of course to not say anything to other kids, but in our home, they will know the truth.  Below are the main reasons my children will know Santa isn't real.  

1. It Takes the Focus Off What's Important About Christmas

When I was growing up, it was all about the presents.  I was a selfish child and all I cared about was what I got.  I don't want that same mentality for my children.  I want them to know the true meaning of Christmas.  I want them to look forward to spending quality time with family and understand that we celebrate the birth of our savior on this day (even though Jesus' birthday isn't really Christmas).  We don't need to focus on a fictional character bringing us gifts.  Instead, I want it to be a celebration of love, joy, and togetherness.

2. Confusion and Disappointment are Inevitable When Kids Discover the Truth

Of course disappointment is a normal part of life, and I'd even say it's a necessary aspect of a healthy childhood.  But why create unnecessary confusion and disappointment?  I remember when I found my teeth in the kitchen cupboard when I was about six years old.  I brought them to my mom and asked her why they were still here.  "Why didn't the Tooth Fairy take them?"  It was then that she told me the truth about all the holiday characters.  I was okay with it after a while, but I was confused as to why I was lied to all those years, which leads me to my next point.

3. It Teaches Them Dishonesty Is Okay

When kids find out their parents have been lying to them all this time, they might start to question what else they've lied about.  Can they even trust their own parents?  This usually doesn't ruin relationships, but I don't think it's a risk worth taking.  I want my kids to be able to trust me with anything and that can only happen if they can rely on me and my husband to tell them the truth.  I want to strive to be a strong role model for my kids and a major aspect of that will be honesty.  

4. Santa Isn't a Good Role Model

In my home, my husband and I plan to give our kids unconditional love.  Even when they make mistakes, we will love them because our foundation is in Jesus.  Jesus loves everyone with an unconditional love we can't even fathom.  He is who I want my kids to focus on all year long.  I also plan on teaching my children healthy eating habits.  One of the main problems I have with Santa is his "naughty and nice list", which tells kids they better be good or they'll get coal in their stockings.  This depicts conditional love, which I feel is unhealthy.  Santa is also overweight and his eating habits are no where near what I'd consider healthy.  He also represents commercialism, which feels out of control these days.

5. Someone Who Doesn't Exist Gets Credit for Gifts

I admit, I'm not a big fan of gifts.  According to the love language test, gift receiving is second to last on my list.  I'm also a minimalist, so I don't want my home filled with clutter.  But I will get my kids presents, I just want them to know they're from me and their father.  Why would I want to give the credit to a fictional character?  I remember enjoying opening presents at home a lot more once I knew they were given with love from my parents.

Of course there are those of you reading this thinking I should just let all of this go and let my kids be kids and enjoy Santa.  But I want them to have a foundation of truth.  They can still use their imaginations and pretend if they want to, but they will have that choice.  I'm thankful my husband and I agree about all the points above and we plan to give our kids awesome Christmas memories.  They may not be super traditional, but we're not really traditional people for the most part, so that's okay.  Hopefully, this didn't upset anyone and maybe I've given you something to think about as we get closer to the long awaited Christmas day.

The Importance of Reading Food Labels

Reading food labels has become a natural habit for me ever since I became cognizant of everything I put into my body.  I've been striving to live a healthier lifestyle for years and I'm constantly fine tuning this process.  Today I want to highlight something I believe many people neglect when they're shopping for food.

If you go to any regular grocery store, pick an aisle, and randomly select a product, there is an extremely high probability you will find some horrifying ingredients on the package.  Processed foods are littered with vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and many other unnecessary artificial ingredients.  These ingredients end up in our bodies and wreak havoc on our systems, stripping us of our youth, beauty, and vitality.

I get so frustrated with the general population just accepting these foods.  This is a main reason heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are killing us.  Weight problems, acne, low energy, and wrinkles are also side effects of consuming these foods.

I have a very strong personal connection to this topic because of my body's reactions to processed foods.  You can read all about my struggle with artificial sweeteners in My Aspartame Horror Story.  I also broke out in a rash from eating a regular tortilla.  

We need to stop giving in to what is easy and really start taking a deeper look at how we grocery shop.  The science behind these dangerous foods is clear.  They are highly addictive though, and the companies behind them don't want you to get healthy because you will stop contributing to them making a ton of money.

I'm also horrified when I hear stories from friends and family about things their doctors have recommended.  Gatorade was recommended for replenishing electorates, but do you know what's actually in this popular drink?  It's basically artificial chemicals and sugar!  This is one of the worst things you could put into your body.  The doctor could have suggested coconut water, which is healthy and full of electorates.  I heard another doctor was recommending someone should eat donuts and any junk food they want in order to gain weight.  That is absolutely absurd.  There are so many healthy ways to put on weight, like protein smoothies, almond butter, tempeh, beans, avocado, etc.

Practical Tips For Grocery Shopping:

1. If you're shopping in a normal grocery store, try to avoid the central food sections if possible.  The outer areas are where the fresh produce is usually kept and all the processed foods are in the middle of the store.

2. Look for foods that have simple ingredients.  For example, I buy organic gluten-free pasta and the only ingredients are brown rice, rice bran, and water.  I get it at Native Sun but you can also buy it online from Vitacost.

3. Avoid packages that say "Naturally and Artificially Flavored".  These products will be full of chemicals.  Just look at the picture above.  The ingredients for these protein bars are not going to help anyone with their health goals.

4. Avoid packages with a long list of ingredients, especially if you can't pronounce many of them.  These foods are full of preservatives and there are most likely easy alternatives you can make yourself.

For example, the other day I saw a package for commercial taco seasoning.  It had vegetable oil in with the spices.  If you are not familiar with how damaging vegetable oils are to your health, please check out this article, Why You Should Never Eat Vegetable Oil or Margarine.  Taco seasoning is so easy to make yourself.  All you need are few spices you probably already have in your pantry and you can customize it to your tastes.  You'll have a clean taco seasoning without all the extra crap that's harmful to your body.  Here is an example of a delicious taco seasoning I've made:

Check out the full recipe on Gimme Some Oven.

There are so many different ways you can use easy and healthy alternatives to processed foods.  You will feel so much better after meals and avoid all the yucky side effects of artificial ingredients.  If you're looking for a great source for healthy ideas, check out Pinterest.  You can find delicious new recipes there every day!

Why You Should Switch to Soy Or Beeswax Candles

One of my favorite home decor items is candles.  I have them in almost every room of my home and love to burn them, especially now in the winter months.  As many of my readers know, I'm always discovering new ways to improve on my healthy lifestyle.  Sometimes it feels like nothing is safe anymore, because chemicals are in everything!  Unfortunately, candles are no exception.  

A few years ago, I had a candle from Wal-Mart burning in my apartment.  I rarely shop there so this was my first experience with a candle from this store.  Everything seemed fine at first, but after a few days, I noticed there was a black soot film throughout my apartment.  I realized it was from the candle!  When I cleaned that week, I found even more of the black film.  By then, the candle was almost burned out so I threw it away.

This inspired me to look into candles and what they are actually made of.  It turns out, they are full of chemicals.  Every time we burn commercial candles, those chemicals are being released into the air of our homes and we're breathing them in.  This is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle.  

In my research, I found a helpful article called Toxins in Candles: Sad, But True.  I'd encourage you to read it for yourself.  The author, Stephanie Langford, explains that "Paraffin is the major ingredient in most conventional candles and is a sludge waste product from the petroleum industry."  She goes on to say that some of the ingredients may cause cancer and affect the nervous system.  For me personally, the convenience of buying cheap candles is not worth putting myself and my family at risk.

Thankfully, there are healthy alternatives.  Soy and beeswax candles are made with clean ingredients that will not pollute the air in your home.  Yes, they can be more expensive, but it's worth it to not have to clean up soot and breathe in toxins.

Every time I go to Urban Outfitters I check out the apartment section and look at their new candles.  They always have a great selection of soy wax candles that always smell amazing.  Here are a few I've personally used.

Buy it here.

Buy it here.

Soy and beeswax candles are easy to find, you just have to look at the labels.  You can also find them online.  Do yourself and your family a favor, and switch to soy or beeswax today!

Foreshadowing of True Love

I've already shared the story of How I Married My 5th Grade Crush.  Today I want to share something that happened when Brian and I were first dating.  It was 2011 and we were falling more in love every day.  One night, I was babysitting alone and the kids were asleep.  I was watching a show on my phone and there was a party scene.  Suddenly, a memory I hadn't thought about in 11 years was triggered.
  
I was 10 years old at my 5th grade dance.  I was wearing a pink dress and my mom had let me shave my legs for the first time.  I cautiously approached the dance floor of the small Elementary school gymnasium.  I had sat out all the dancing up to this point, but decided to take advantage of the last song of the night.  All the kids were crowded around the center of the room close to the DJ on stage.  There were no couples dancing, just a large group of kids dancing together to some 90's hit.  I stood next to a few friends, trying to not stand out.

This is me, my mom, and my teacher, Miss Holley, at the 5th grade dance.

Brian and Miss Holley

  Across the crowd, I saw my crush surrounded by the popular boys from our class.  We had only spoken a few times the whole school year and he had always been nice to me, but he was more interested in hanging out with his friends.

In that moment, our eyes locked for what felt like a long time.  We stared at each other intensely, and then the moment was gone.  I remember feeling like that was a significant event, especially since this was around the end of Elementary school and big changes were happening.  As the years went on, I forgot all about this moment.  

Now, 15 years later, we are happily married.  Looking back on that memory always reminds me that God created us for each other.  I can't help but reflect on it, thinking about all we've been through, and knowing I was staring at my future that night.

My Easy Weekly Cleaning Routine

Something I feel is highly important and underrated is maintaining a clean home.  I've written several blogs about organization, but that is only half of the picture.  Once you have all your personal items organized, keeping your home clean is the other way to maintain a healthy and welcoming living space.

Having a bucket like this is helpful for storing all your cleaning supplies.

Today I'd like to share with you my easy cleaning routine.  I do this every Monday and I actually look forward to this day because it's when everything is fresh again.  You can use this as a loose guide and customize it to your own needs.  Maybe you can't dedicate an entire day to these tasks and that's okay.  You could do one every day until you finish.  Also, if you're someone who dreads cleaning, check out my blog, 5 Tips For Making Cleaning More Enjoyable.

Step One: Prepare the Spaces for Cleaning

The first thing we need to do is prepare each room for cleaning.  I usually remove all the towels hanging in the bathrooms and kitchen, move the rugs, and move anything else off the hard floors to prepare for vacuuming and mopping.  

Step Two: Start the Laundry

I do laundry about twice a week.  I do a dark load and a white load on Mondays and usually on Thursdays I'll have enough to do another dark load.  On Mondays I start with the dark load and make sure I wash all the dirty towels.  I'll also throw in blankets, pillow cases, and anything else I know needs a wash.  Laundry is an easy thing you can start early and work on other things while it's washing and drying.

Step Three: Tackle the Kitchen

At this point I will usually do any cooking I need to do for the week.  I'll make my breakfast smoothies, lunch, desserts, or snacks.  That way when I actually start cleaning, I can wipe up messes from the cooking I just did.  I use Young Living Thieves household cleaner to wipe down my kitchen counter tops.  It kills germs and smells amazing.  I wipe out the microwave, toaster, and anything else that looks like it needs to be cleaned.  All the crumbs land on the floor waiting to be vacuumed up later.  I also organize the pantry and refrigerator, throwing away any old food from the previous week.





Step Four:  Dust and Clean Glass Surfaces or Mirrors

I always dust each room with Endust next because once again, everything will fall to the floor and then it can be vacuumed up.  I also use Sprayway glass cleaner on any glass surfaces or mirrors, especially in the bathrooms where splashing may occur.

Step Five: Scrub the Bathrooms

I use rubber gloves for this step because I'm using products that contain bleach.  I scrub the bathroom sinks, toilets, and showers with an old white wash rag.  I use a toilet wand to scrub inside the toilets.  Make sure you move your toothbrushes and other items out of the way so they don't get sprayed with bleach.

Step Six: Check the Laundry

At this point I usually switch the dark load to the dryer and put the white load in with my bed sheets.  I think it's very important to wash your sheets every week because of all the sweat and dirt that accumulates.  I don't start the whites until I'm done with wiping down the kitchen counters, dusting, and scrubbing the bathrooms because I throw the cleaning rags in there as well.

Step Seven: Vacuum and Mop

For this step I vacuum all the hard floors first and then mop them.  That way, when I'm waiting for the floors to dry, I can vacuum the carpet and not worry about stepping on the wet floors.  The best mopping equipment in my opinion is a Libman mop and white vinegar.  Don't waste your money on expensive cleaning products because they really don't work as well as cheap white vinegar.  I got a gallon jug for less than $2 and you only need to pour a small amount into the kitchen sink with a little bit of warm water.  It disinfects your floors and dries super fast!  Just make sure to disinfect the sink with bleach when you're done, or just use a bucket.

Step Eight: Finish the Laundry and Put Everything Back in it's Place

I can usually fold and put away the darks at this time and switch the whites to the dryer.  I put all the rugs back and clean towels in the bathrooms.  Once the whites are dry, I fold them and make the bed with fresh sheets.  

Step Nine: Take Out the Trash

I make taking out the trash the last step because I usually have garbage from cooking, lint from the dryer, emptying the vacuum cleaner, and so on.  It feels good to put a fresh trash bag in at the end of the cleaning day.

If you make this a weekly habit your home will be easier to clean.  You'll maintain that level of cleanliness.  I thoroughly enjoy cleaning days so I tend to take my time and enjoy it.  But if I really needed to do it quickly, I could do this whole routine in about two hours.  That's not that much time per week to spend on making sure your home is spotless!

Rude Victoria's Secret Lady!

I decided to share this story because I'm curious if this has ever happened to anyone else.  This occurred several years ago, but it still baffles me that a sales lady would act this way.  

Before I get into the story, I just want to say I love Victoria's Secret and I don't think this reflects their company.  This was just one rude lady who was having a bad day for all I know.  I still shop there and love their merchandise.

Several years ago, my husband and I went to the Victoria's Secret at our local mall.  I had a free underwear coupon and wanted to look at sleep shorts.  We walked into the store and were greeted my a middle aged blonde woman who was fairly pleasant and asked if she could help us with anything.  I showed her the coupon and she directed us towards the display of free panties.  Normally the sales people will give you space to decide, but since it wasn't very busy she stayed and asked me what my size was.  I told her medium and she handed me the underwear.

My husband and I browsed a little in that same area and came across some sleep shorts I liked.  I was looking for an X-small because that's the size I always wear in their clothing.  There were no X-smalls except on the mannequin.  The lady who helped us before was in close proximity and came over.  I asked her if I could try on the shorts that were on the display mannequin because there were no other X-smalls out.  

She gave me the weirdest look and said in a snobby voice "Our sizes all run the same.  I just gave you a medium.  Why do you need an X-small?"  I was shocked.  For all she knew I was getting the underwear for a friend and the shorts for me.  But either way, who cares if I want to buy two different sizes?  She was supposed to assist us so we would buy from her store, but now she was acting like I was doing something wrong.  

Thinking back, maybe she just didn't want to take the shorts off the mannequin, but she still didn't have to be so rude.  I didn't know what to say so my husband spoke up and said "Those are the sizes she's always been.  What's the problem?"  He's very protective of me.

She looked at us like we were crazy and continued to talk about how it makes no sense I would wear both of those sizes.  There was an awkward silence and I just wanted to get the hell out of there.  I said, "Okay, never mind, I just want to look around."  She walked away and I told my husband I wanted to leave.  I put the underwear back and when we left the store we were both upset and confused.  He tried to cheer me up and said "Let's just go to the Victoria's Secret at the Town Center."

We ended up going there and getting help from a very nice sales associate who did not question why I wanted two different sizes.  Maybe my body is just weird or I like things to fit differently than most people, but to this day, those are still the sizes I wear at Victoria's Secret.  

I never saw that lady again, and I wonder if she acted that way to a different customer and they complained, resulting in her getting fired.  It wouldn't surprise me.  Please leave me a comment if you've ever had a similar experience with rude people like this!

Why You Should Always Close the Lid Before Flushing the Toilet

My family is constantly making fun of me for being a germophobe.  I always have to wash my hands immediately after taking out the trash or handling money.  I freak out around raw meat and I'll admit I'm overly cautious about washing everything it has touched.  I would clean the air around raw meat if I could.  But today's tip is common sense and you don't have to be a germophobe to see the benefits. 

I was a teenager when I discovered the truth about toilet spray, and ever since then, I have always closed the lid before flushing.  When I still lived with my parent's, I'll never forget hearing the toilet in my bathroom flush, seeing my dad walk out, and noticing the was toilet lid still up.  I freaked out and said "You're getting pee particles all over my bathroom!"  They had fun mimicking me with that one for a while.  

But seriously, the toilet spray is pretty nasty.  Here is what webmd.com has to say about it: "According to Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology at University of Arizona in Tucson, flushing the toilet with the lid up is not wise. "Polluted water vapor erupts out of the flushing toilet bowl and it can take several hours for these particles to finally settle -- not to mention where," he says. "If you have your toothbrush too close to the toilet, you are brushing your teeth with what's in your toilet.""

As for public restrooms, the air is probably full of toilet spray so that is unavoidable.  I usually wait until I'm leaving the stall before I flush and then I hold my breath.  We can only do our best.

This may be old news to some, but many people may not be conscious of this simple way to keep your home cleaner and healthier.  It doesn't take long to close the lid and when it becomes a habit, you won't even have to think about it.

Our Wedding Day

Yesterday I wrote about my Wedding Disaster, where I discussed how the DJ ruined many aspects of my wedding.  Today I want to share the full story of my wedding because it definitely wasn't all bad.  I figured it's the perfect day to do so since today is my four year anniversary with my husband, Brian.

If you've read my love story, you know I married my 5th grade crush.  I'm writing this for anyone who is planning their wedding so you can understand how the day will probably not go as planned, and that's okay.  My wedding was beautiful, fun, frustrating, joyful, and a mess, all at the same time.  But at the end of the day, all that mattered was I was with Brian.  God brought us together at the perfect time.

At the beginning of 2012, we were trying to decide our wedding date.  We chose December 1st of that year and were happy with that choice for a while.  As the months went by, it seemed like December would never come.  We discussed whether or not to change the date, but after praying about it separately, we both agreed December 1st was the day.

Throughout the whole year of 2012, we met with our officiant and his wife for premarital counseling.  I believe it was very beneficial because it focused on what our lives would be like after the wedding and we learned a lot about each other.

If you've ever planned a wedding, you know how stressful it can be.  We had a few problems, but overall, everything came together beautifully.  I don't know what I would have done if our families hadn't been there to help with all the last minute details.

When the day of the wedding finally arrived, I was overwhelmed with a variety of emotions.  I was excited, nervous, happy, and thankful to be surrounded with friends and family who were helping create this event.  There was only supposed to be a 10 percent chance of rain, but it ended up drizzling most of that day.  The wedding was at 4 and thankfully it cleared up as guests were arriving.

The venue was at a golf course about 5 minutes from my parents house, so my bridesmaids and I got ready there.  I remember when everyone left and it was just me and my parents waiting to leave, I was trying to eat peanuts because I wasn't able to eat much lunch.  When I walked into the venue and saw Brian's mom, I lost it and started crying.  I think that was the moment it hit me that this was really happening.  They were happy tears and after freshening  up in the bathroom, my mom, Brian's mom, and some other ladies prayed with me which helped calm me down.

The ceremony was beautiful and just as we were finishing our vows, a rainbow appeared behind us.  It was another gift from God on our special day.  We got lots of pictures and went in to enjoy the ceremony and a delicious dinner.

Towards the end of the night Brian snuck me back to the tree where we got married.  The sun was down so you could really see the lights glowing in the mason jars.  He held me, kissed me, and we had a brief special moment together away from all the noise.

We left at around 8 and when we got to the car we discovered some of the guys had booby trapped it.  They wrote on the outside with car paint, put Vaseline on the steering wheel, and turned the heat on and hid the control knobs in the glove compartment.  As we drove away I realized I had to pee, so we went to my parent's house since it was so close.  I unzipped my dress so I could breathe easier and because it was so hot in there.  I'm sure we looked crazy when we pulled up to their house, which was later confirmed when we spoke to their neighbors who were lucky enough to have caught a glimpse of us.

After we got situated, I realized I forgot my purse so we had to go back to the venue.  Brian didn't even stop the car as I grabbed the purse from the best man and we were on the way to our honeymoon condo.  I'll never forget the electric energy in the car that night.  We were so full of joy and excitement.

We became one for the first time that night and words do not suffice for how amazing it was.  It was well worth the wait, but that's a whole other topic...