SHE’S GONE CRUNCHY…..KINDA!

I have to admit that I am not always the “Best Mommy”.  There are days that I get frustrated and aggravated with my blessings or as we call them, our kiddos.  There are days that I don’t always do what I know I should do.  There are times that I am as far from perfect as anyone can imagine.  There are days that I am NOT the Best Mommy, but even on my worst days I do try to do what I can for my kiddos.  I do try to do what is best, even when I’m not the best.  I do try, and sometimes that means admitting what I have been doing is wrong and I need to change.

Recently my wonderful sister, who is traveling down the mothering journey and learning how to navigate life one step at a time just like me, has had to make some changes in her life for the overall health of her kiddos and family.  She has shared a lot of what she has learned with me, including using more natural organic and environmentally friendly product.  What she has shared with me has really challenged me and made me realize that I needed to make some changes for the betterment of my family too.

 In a lot of ways I have been failing my kiddos and our family.  I don’t always encourage or try to have my family make the healthiest choices.  Often I take the easy way out, purchasing items that are more convenient than healthy or easy to use over environmentally friendly.  The examples that I set as the Best Mama impact my children, their children, and the world.   I need to change and change a lot of things. 

So today, I took the first steps to making the changes that our family needs.  Today was my trip to the grocery store to stock up on cleaning supplies and snacks for the month.  I made the choice to buy some natural and environmentally friendly cleaning products, my first step in changing.  Instead of buying all Clorox bleach cleaners, I bought Seventh Generation and Methods cleaners.  I purchased new laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, bathroom and kitchen cleaners, and cleaning “wipes” for the kiddos to use.  Nothing major, but for us a big change; I love the smell of bleach but will admit that the lemongrass and lavender smells made me smile.  The wintergreen window cleaner cleaned my windows and mirrors better than the ammonia based products ever had, and the smell was awesome.  For the first time in, well forever, my kiddos weren’t complaining about the smell when they walked into the house and their bathroom. 

I also decided to not buy so much “junk” for the kids to eat.  Snacks are a much needed item in our house.  We have boys; they are never really full no matter how much food I give them.  Oftentimes I give into the kiddos and buy things that I know aren’t the greatest for them, like tons of chips, goldfish, and cookies.  Not today.  Today I bought veggies, organic yogurt, cheese, eggs, raisins, and lots of fruit.  The plan is for me to make a snack bin in the fridge, were there will be a drawer of healthy and more filling snacks.  My goal is for the kiddos to open the fridge and grab a snack bag with healthier options.  It might be carrots and broccoli and ranch dressing, raisins and the organic yogurt, or a hardboiled egg and cheese stick.  No matter what they pull out, it will be a healthy and organic snack.

I am currently in the process of researching more organic hair and skin care.  I am also researching essential oils and all of their benefits and trying to decide what will be the best to try and use for the physical and emotional health of our family.  Any advice will be appreciated, I am open to learning, growing, and changing in this area.

I am just starting out in this journey, and I am not where I want to be yet.  In spite of that, I am one step closer to being a better mama.  I am not totally crunchy.  I am not against all junk (I did buy some cookies and bleach), but I’m going a new route and purposing to make some healthy changes.  Yep, we are going kinda crunchy in our house, and in that process we are learning and growing.  Being kinda crunchy will help me to better myself, my husband, my kiddos, and the impact that we have on the world.  Being kinda crunchy brings me one step closer to being the Best Mommy, and that’s what I really want to be.