Taking charge

I have become fed-up with my incredibly sensitive teeth. Fed-up with dentists treating me like I don't care for my teeth properly or know about proper nutrition. I always had "good teeth" growing up. I didn't get my first cavity until I was 20 or so, even though I ate a lot of junk back then. But after my first pregnancy I started getting cavities more often, and began brushing away the enamel on my teeth. My dentist made me feel like I was a lost cause and that there was nothing I could do about it. I allowed myself to feel defeated for quite a long time and tried to accept that no matter how healthy I ate or how good my oral hygiene was, I was just destined to have painful teeth. Then I started seeing posts pop up online about the ingredients in toothpaste and how they hinder our mouth's natural healing capabilities as well as promote decay. Rachel actually just posted one the other day. This information gave me the strength and determination I needed to fight this. I decided it's high time I take charge of my oral health.

I found this recipe online for making my own sensitive teeth remineralizing toothpaste and it even uses some of the oils from my kit. I made it on Friday and I won't lie, the saltiness of the trace minerals is an acquired taste. That said, my teeth felt incredible after I used it - my gums too! I plan on making a different version for my children to use as well. My plan is to keep it up and then schedule a dentist visit after a month to see if it has made a difference they can see (and pray for no more remarks about my supposed junk food habits and bad oral hygiene.) I will keep all of you posted!

It's rather ironic but we really focused on homesteading while living in Virginia and then when we moved to Portland - the urban homesteading capital of the world, I stopped. I have been pondering this strange turn of events and all that I can come up with is that we were so busy with our incredible community while living there, we just didn't find the time to continue our homesteading dreams. Now that we are in the middle of nowhere, far away from any other homesteaders, I find myself being called back to that dream. Kevin has been, too.

Re-inspired by that dream, my family and I spent the day preparing a small patch of earth for a garden this spring. It's a lot of work and we are only half way through, but oh what hope it brings! It has been far, far too long since I last gardened (Virginia, 5 years ago to be exact). I mean really gardened. Not just a few plants here and there like I had in Oregon. So in my gardening lapse I have forgotten quite a bit. Should I be planting my cover crop (crimson clover) now before the frost hits or in the spring? Also should I move my plants (such as peppermint) out of their pots and into the soil we are preparing or keep them in their pots until spring? I told you, I have lost all my gardening knowledge!

I posted over on FB about a curried apple soup last week. It sounded really good yet some what odd at the same time. I mean, a soup made from apples?! When I showed the recipe to K she counted our apples and asked that we make it for dinner. So we did. Oh me oh my, it was heavenly and the broth cooking on the stovetop made my home smell incredible for hours afterwards. I am already thinking that this should be our traditional Michaelmas soup from now on. We just needed to use some of our homemade soy yogurt in place of the cow's milk yogurt and coconut oil in place of butter in the recipe - easy-peasy. I need to look in this cookbook more often.

Oh and those photos of Nara - I have been waiting seven years for that moment, to see my girl in pink! I have been begging Kevin, pretty much since we got her, to dress her in pink but he has always preferred a more neutral look. Then today she showed up in pink booties and a pink collar for her run. Thank you, Kevin. You made my day! 

Taking charge