Eclectic Lotus

Mother led weaning really does suck! The family drama along with social norms makes it worse. My son is two (26 months) and this is one of the hardest things to do. After my brothers ridicule me and tell me that I'm nursing him this long is because I get off on it is sad. On top of that, my husband has been somewhat supportive and even he says that it is time to end it. My mother in law keeps saying that he will never get off my breast. I even got those looks out in public. (The public nursing were the first to go!) Two weeks we removed all his night nursing sessions but one. He then has a middle of the night tantrum which I get no sleep what so ever. I remove myself from our bed and sleep on the couch while he and daddy sleep. So, I am posting this to tell you of what NOT to do to wean. 1. Make other people decide when it should be done. 2. Don't tell your kid. 3. Let that kid scream his or her head off 4. Beat your child if he or she screams for it. (I haven't done...

Due to the even more complexities of life I have not been on blogging. It is not that there have been no attempts as I created two beautifully well written blogs. Once the back button is pushed, the entry is gone. Computer shopping has begun.

My son is fascinated with leaves. I thought that out may be because he is an autumn baby but add I sit in this park while my son buries me in leaves that he collects. I also spot a baby about one who is also collecting leaves. It is the colors that draw them near. I also live doing projects with him but I am highly basic like coloring and finger painting. You can't go wrong with those. Here are my ingredients and I will post the project later but putting my ideas down for myself so I don't forget. 1. Poster Board or the blank poster paper. 2. Mod podge 3. Sponge brush applicator 4. Plastic wrap. 5. A bunch of leaves

I'm not sure if bliss is the proper wording for this month. The month began after a super blood moon lunar eclipse. The temperatures began dropping after that. While many begin their autumn decorations we await a little guy turning 2. We also have another milestone of a young man turning 40. Interesting month along with breast cancer awareness month with grandmother having a successful surgery and my sister in law being in her last limb of therapy for her cancer. Also, to my boss who has stage four cancer and refuses to stop working even with a fractured vertebra. Live marches on. October is already a month of resilience and strength. Let's finish this year up strong! HOO-RA!!

Today, my grandmother is getting a  lumpectomy. She has stage one breast cancer. In the same day, my sister in law is getting a biopsy of a tumor found in her throat. She is currently being treated for stage two breast cancer. A dark day looms forward. . .

LOnce August is over, I mentally assign a fruit or vegetable to a month. Summer is usually all about infusion water, smoothies and noon alcoholic cocktails along with fancy salads. September is all about the Apple! I remember my childhood when we had an Apple tree in the back yard and we used to play in it and snatch off the apples and eat them. But apples are gear for salads, snacking and just additions to meals.I have yet to make an Apple pie but my neighborhood does a Apple pie baking contest. I make my own applesauce more during this month. I recently went to a wedding and had a sweet potato mash with ginger and Apple. Attempting this at home is not a easy task. I think I am missing the butter and I should not have added the raisins. You live and you learn right? So, here is to September that is still warm enough to finish our watermelons yet cool enough to enjoy some autumn dishes. Enjoy!

Yesterday, my sister in law's mother in law had a wake/funeral. (I know, that is a mouthful.) You would have thought it was a funeral the way they had food and drinks. Kids were running around all over the place at various ages. Near the door were the new mommies and daddies with they beautifully dressed babies. I went with my almost two year old son who was tired on the first place, my husband of course and my mother in law. Hubby dropped us off while he parked. We walked in and sure enough my mother in law stopped dead in her tracks and said something to me in Spanish but I couldn't hear with all the people in the room talking but I understood. "Don't take him close to the body. "   I'm not sure if this is only a Mexican tradition or it is elsewhere. When my husband's uncle passed away I stayed at home while he and my mother and law paid their respects. They say that the soul can enter the baby and live on. Being a Christian, I find this hard to believe...

Family Portrait October 9, 2014 This is a picture of my son on his first birthday last year. I never sent out these pictures as I should have. They are simply beautiful. I guess I am selfish. If you notice, he is nursing. The photographer thought it would be a great idea to take pictures of his "nurseversary". So, my husband and I were completely comfortable getting pictures shot as my son was nursing in the middle of a pumpkin patch in the 70 degrees and sunny day in October. We were actually having a conversation but I can not recall the topic. My son is currently 22 months going on 23 months. I still breastfeed on demand. I have had some issues with selected friends and family even to the point where my own brother has called me "stupid". I have been told that I do it because I "get off" on him at my breast. I have been told it is disgusting. It has affected me because I am very much a softie on what people say about me this I will...

Because this is supposed to be a multicultural site I never addressed the many racial issues that have occurred this year.    The issues with Rachael Dolezal (spelling error I am sure.), the police department and comments spoken by select presidential candidates I have sat watch and let life unfold. I have watched my son grow from a stumbling toddler to one with a loud enough voice to almost make one deaf.    Why have I not addressed these issues? Because nothing will occur from it as I focus my energy on love and abundance of good things. I will vote when it comes time but I pray for an abundance to hope, help, love, tolerance, wealth for all and happiness.    Now for those who really wanted me to say something about that Rachel thing. . .hey, at least she possibly helped some blacks. She just went about a different approach. Never claim a struggle you never had to go through. I can say I love my husband and his family. They are my family. Do I ever onc...

*note, this was created July 22 of this year but many attempts have been made to publish this.* Since we are mid-summer and the days seem to blend together, I admit I like being lazy. I have done my share of cooking but I just don't feel in a rush where it matters. My son is currently a dirty mess! He is wearing the popsicle I made for him and watching loads of PBS tv. I am currently warming up dumplings I purchased a while back from H Mart. With my trusty strawberry cucumber water the day can melt away. The only issue is the missing husband but that keeps me grounded. I still must prepare his meals and get out the house to the grocery store to get fresh deli meats for his sandwiches. I am honestly not a big home maker as I let myself on to be on this blog . This weekend, we ordered pizza and not make it. My floor has not been cleaned in a week. I sat outside earlier with my son with my pajamas on , no makeup and no frills. Today, we might play with the sidewalk chalk, color or ki...

Made with my tummy in mind, this juice has all good things. Mango Two small slices of fresh cut ginger Organic spinach Orange juice Water-filtered Almond milk Chia seeds Spirulina powder One dollop of Greek yogurt Yummy! The kid and I approve. Enjoy!

My son is currently in the fussy feeding toddler stage. He eats green stuff once in a while so I have to be quite clever on him eating. He loves tortillas and bread is becoming his new fave food. I visited my suegra last week and she was in the middle of eating. She offered up her taco filled with fresh avocado. One bite and I had to offer it to my son. He didn't take it so I began thinking if I could duplicate it. I would have asked her but I felt bad interrupting her meal time with an energetic toddler. I duplicated it for the most part. He liked it! I added a little something something which didn't disappoint. -One large avocado, ripe -One half large sweet onion, chopped -Corn tortillas- I used a local distributor but milagro tortillas are good as well. -two dashes of paprika powder -one dash of garlic powder -a dollop of Greek yogurt Mash up ingredients except tortillas. Warm up tortillas. Add mash up mix to tortillas and fold tortillas. Enjoy! I know we did! :-) ...

When I mention Juneteenth, people tend to look at me like I have gone completely mad! This is declared a major holiday in Texas but I am not sure that it is major anywhere else other than Texas. It is and was a hit where I am originally from. Juneteenth is actually on June 19th. On that date in 1865, the slaves in Galveston, TX were declared free. It marked the last of the slaves that knew they had been freed. It used to be a celebration every year after that with dancing and celebration but as you know the slaves that were freed died off and the holiday was forgotten. It was revised back in 1968 after a March in Washington D.C. It became an official state holiday in Texas on January 1,1980. Now, why and when my small city of Milwaukee, WI celebrate is a mystery. Well, it is a mystery because I haven't looked into the date. I can remember festivals, parades, vendors, gospel choirs and music. There was a miss Juneteenth pageant and I wanted to be one as a child. As I got older, i...

Husband brought home a ciabatta loaf that needed a little bit of oven love for his ham sandwich. He didn't like his lunch. I didn't want to throw out the rest of the bread. 1/2 banana Organic all natural peanut butter Ciabatta bread Cut the middle of the bread and spread peanut butter on both sides. Cut banana horizontal to make wheels and place on one side of bread. It actually hit the spot and my very fickle eater had three mouthfuls before he dissected it and spread peanut butter on his toys. Toddlers. They can get distracted. Here is a picture of mine. I served it with carrots for some veggies. Hope your kids eat more than my little string bean. Enjoy!

Last week after the trip to Native Foods, I thought it would be great to make myself some macaroni and cheese. I bought Colby jack cheese and forgot about the pasta. Once home I noticed that I had only a small amount of rigatoni and another pasta that wasn't macaroni. "I can fix this!" Billing the pasta to al dente in with the cheese it went but I felt guilty about only cheese and pasta so I remembered some veggie stir fry and added it to the dish before it went bad. I then noticed some red cabbage that looked wilted in a bowl in the back. It got added to the dish. Then I remembered some broccoli that wad in the back of the freezer getting ready to freezer burn. It goes in too! I set the stove for 375° for 20 minutes. It was good! Cheesy and not to my son's liking. Every day I ate it while he slept. Memorial day can and went and half of the mess I created wad still there. "Hmmmmm, I did grill some veggies. Let's put that in!" Grabbed some to place in the...

After a glorious experience of eating meat and all things bad I have decided to take my freedom back and go back to being a vegetarian. It has been quite difficult with living with a meat eating hubby and a son who is not much different from dad. So right now I am at one of my favorite spots when I was veggie only.    Native Foods is based in California but has restaurants here on Chicago. Talk about great vegetarian food! Their fries are amazing but probably great only in moderation. So, my transition to vegetarian is happening. Wish me luck! Here is a recipe from the restaurant itself.

In my introduction, I write about how I am shocked about how I have a lot of energy. Here is my secret- chia seeds and veggies. If I stay off the white stuff meaning sugar and hit the fruits, veggies and chia seeds I am okay. I made an attempt at chia protein balls but I used tahini instead of sesame paste. Smh not good. Waste of product. Below is my smoothie treat-  1/2 cup of orange juice 1 ripe banana Plain Greek yogurt-1 cup Two stalks of kale 1 tablespoon chia seeds

How did I ever become that? Just today I was at our local library and there was a nice older lady who told me to carry my son because it was windy out. I did get slightly offended but caught myself. Mind you, it was windy and instead of wearing my son or carrying him he walked alongside me holding my hand. Nothing bad, just a mommy and her little man. Two weeks before that I saw a mother give her son her phone with a mind numbing abc song so he would be occupied. I shook my head and then caught myself. I love to tell myself, "We are as different as our fingerprints." This judgement coming from a mother who breastfeeds her 18 month old. This is judgement coming from a mother who cloth diapers her baby. So, daily I have to give myself a small mantra on being open minded in the mommy sisterhood. "We are all different in how we raise our children. Embrace in it and support others." Enjoy being a parent!

Another ingredient that I must get every time I head to the grocery store is vinegar. Mama don't care which one! Give me vinegar or give me death. White vinegar is usually the most purchased. I use it for cleaning. My mother-in-law gave me the idea of using it to clean windows do why not use it for mirrors. For windows and other glass I use water, white vinegar and eucalyptus oil for a pleasant scent. If my lemons are going bad they get thrown in for a great multi purpose cleanser. Apple cider vinegar is my beauty go to. If I have styled my hair like mad the night before Apple cider vinegar gets the hair very clean. I also use it in marinades and a health drink after a heavy meal if I can't get to my kombucha drink. Oh my! I think Apple cider vinegar may be my fave vinegar. I know my grandma loves it to bits! Red wine vinegar is great for salad dressings and also marinades. Not sure why I don't use it in cleaning but you probably can. Use in a rub with your beef dishes. ...

* Note: contains graphic photos* I have been a week and a half after my little mandolin slicer incident. I am back to full speed at home but not so much at work. Trying to make sweet potato chips and slicing the side of my thumb really does make you panic and question your physician skills. I immediately ran my thumb under cold water for twenty minutes. The bleeding didn't stop. Hubby got bandaids and two were put on while we searched for the missing piece of skin.    The next day the band aids were removed and cleaned out with water and tea tree oil. Light gauze and tape were applied and switched out allowing the wound to breathe. A very light layer of antibiotic cream was applied once the wound dried.   I still have pain at times but when pressure is applied to the thumb it hurts a little. One blogger wrote it took three weeks for the pain to go away but I think it might be less for me. This could be due to the location of the cut. The pictures below are from the da...

2015 is a climax of change. Every year is a change but the true tilt of positive is this year. This month is the shamrock shuffle here in Chicago and I am no where near ready to run almost five miles. I was ready to detox but didn't take into consideration that doing that may not be the best while breastfeeding. Goals: 1. More vegetables 2. More good grains, less bad grains 3. Daily juices and smoothies 4. Running daily at 6am 5. Schedule efficiently Here is day one: Cococure 1-2 stalks of green kale 1 zucchini 1 tablespoon of chia seeds 1 cup watermelon Add ingredients to nutri bullet and fill container with coconut water. Start up nutri bullet. Enjoy! God bless!

As of 2/22, an injury occurred to my hand. No new posts will occur until I am better. Thank you for understanding.

Natural secret number one: GREEK YOGURT I love yogurt. God bless the Greeks for their straining system. I use it in smoothies, hair products and in cooking. Hair conditioner using all natural products are pricey. Want to get beautiful soft hair? Apply Greek yogurt to hair: 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup of honey Mix together with a spoon. It softens, adds moisture and strips hair of impurities. Add the mixture to hair and leave in for ten minutes. Voila! You will be able to feel the difference. Get some super food in you! I have a thing for berries as many people do. I also have a sweet spot for chia seeds. Chia seeds are high in omega 3's which is highly lacking in the standard American diet. For a sweet, simple snack try this recipe: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 3 cups unsweetened almond milk 1 cups blueberries Blend in blender, nutri bullet or etc. Enjoy! Beauty inside and out! Enjoy and God bless!

It has recently come to my husband and I attention that particular clues can tell us the nature of our almost 16 month old. My son has always shown a sense of independence since he was first born. There is something in my being that speaks to me on what he needs decreasing his toddler outbreaks. 1. "I am hungry" recently, we leave his space saver high chair on the floor. He sits in it when he is hungry and ready to eat. We have somewhat of a schedule for him with meals but if we are not aware of time he reminds us with this gesture. 2. "I took a poopie" He will go in a corner and have a look on his face. This also means it is just about time to instill potty training. Also, he will walk into his bedroom with you so he can get his diaper changed. Ask him in either Spanish or English and he got you! 3. "Play with me" This kid has become do cognizant of what irritates us that he will mess with things so we will play with him. 4. "I am tired but I do...

Since finances have run tight, since last year I have made promises to myself to not waste as much food. Today's lunch was made with that idea in mind. Veggie pinto scramble 1/2 avocado 1 clove garlic (or garlic powder) Mixed veggie puree Two eggs 1/2 can pinto beans 2 tablespoons chopped frozen spinach One cup rice (I used basmati rice with cumin seeds added) Teaspoon smoked paprika One teaspoon garam masala One tablespoon coconut oil Throw rice in rice cooker. Add coconut oil in small skillet. Add diced clove of garlic and frozen spinach. After a minute, add eggs and scramble them. (I either scramble before adding to skillet or after adding.) Add spices before adding puree and beans. Beans should be added last. Let cook for one more minute. Grab avocado and cut in half. Cut into "pretty" slices and serve with scramble and rice. My food looks messy but I know that it will look messy on him and I am ok with that. I also eat it so we can have our little lunch ...

I love pinterest! Great ideas I would but have thought of concentrated into its own online cork board just for me! I got this idea from there although I wish I could give you the exact website but I am sure it is www.quirkymamma.com or something like that. Edible sand! I tried it out and my son loved it! Cream of wheat hot cereal is the sand. He put his cars in there, stuck his face in the sand and poured it just about everywhere! I think he liked the texture of it all. I made sure to put sand in a huge bowl. I forgot to put our trick or treat bowl back into storage so I used that and one of his big receiving blankets placed underneath. He got twenty good minutes of play time in. Eclectic approves! Enjoy play time with your toddler!

If you have yet to discover I have shortened many of my posts simply because life is wild, fast, as well as an exhilarating adventure. Soak and bask in all of life! Recently, there has been a massive cold epidemic in our home. So, I gave this *free* information to a few of my patients and I thought it would be a great idea to post it on here as well. Ginger is amazing!!! I must note that I really, really, REALLY LOVE GINGER! (Note the capitals and the exclamation points.) It is sweet and spicy which I adore together. Zingiber officinalis is the scientific name for it. Ginger is also warming and an anti inflammatory which is a great antibiotic. I won't go into specifics on the mechanism but if you would like just send me a comment below and I will try to answer it as rapidly as possible. (Within a few days is my going rate.) In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) ginger is a warming herb so I buy it more in bulk during the cold winter and drink it in tea. How I make my tea...

Not really a good reason for its name, it does give a good energy boost. Ingredients 1/2 navel orange 4 strawberries 2 stalks of kale 1/2 a banana 1 cup of kefir 1 cup of filtered water 1 teaspoon spirulina powder 1 tablespoon chia seeds Enjoy!

I like doing juices and smoothies! I never thought I would but last year I really hit it hard! Some were amazing and some were okay but one thing is for sure, I may need a new nutra bullet. Today, I used it for the first time this year and I am sharing my recipe. " Green Collective" Ingredients 2 stalks of green kale 1/2 a navel orange (remove from peel) 8 green grapes 2 tablespoons of applesauce (I made my own) 1/4 avocado 1 cup of plain unsweetened kefir 2 cups of filtered water 1 tablespoon spirulina powder Place all ingredients in nutra bullet or your device of destruction and blend for almost a minute. I stopped it and took it out and shook it and placed it back in and blended it again. Enjoy!

I am a huge fan of oatmeal. I wanted that to be my first sentence because this blog is about one recipe that my 14 month old son adores and I want to share it. I have always loved oatmeal and when I discovered that there is two different preparation styles my mouth dropped. Currently, steel cut oats are my favorite between the two main styles. There are times where I will use old fashioned rolled oats but only due to the texture. This recipe which I have no name for but I am sure it is something like banana oatmeal creme Ingredients 1 1/4 cup of water 1/4 steel cut oats 2 tsp of cinnamon 1 ripe banana 1 1/2 Tbsp Plain Unsweetened Greek Yogurt 1. Boil water in pot  2. Slowly add oats when water is at a mild boil. Stir while adding 3. Stir and cook for five minutes under medium heat 4. While simmering for thirty minutes add cinnamon 5. When thickened, remove from heat and add to bowl 6. Cut up and mush ripe banana 7. Add banana and stir into oats...