What's FamilyNatural All About, Anyway?

How Deep Is Your Deep End? Or, How Deep Is Mine?

My Dear Husband, who knows all about marketing but has graciously allowed me to do my own thing regarding this blog without sticking more than two cents in (unless I ask, of course-which I haven't because I want to do this ALL BY MYSELF) asked me a question the other day about my blog. OK, it was a few questions. Simply complicated questions. They went something like this:

"Um...your tag line I really don't think represents your blog. (I've changed my tag line since then) What is FamilyNatural? Who is it for? I mean, you post recipes including sugar, right? Are those things what you really want to promote? What about the BPA in the linings of the canned tomatoes that we use--you promote those in your recipe for tomato sauce, right?..."

Oohh, I started getting defensive. But then I realized that I really don't have a post or an explanation about exactly what this blog is (and is not) for. So that is what I am going to share right now.

There are many great blogs and sites out there about health. The advice they give and experiences they share range anywhere from "Drinking water is better for you than drinking soda" (Shallow End) to "Don't use soap when you shower because the toxins from the soap go into your body" (Deep End). Then there's Off The Deep End. I can't think of an example for that, but let's just call it "Off The Deep End Crunchy" Crunchy, of course, meaning someone who lives a "natural" life. I know of a blog called SortaCrunchy. It's a good blog, you can visit it. I'd say that name fits me pretty well, but as you can see, it's taken.

Why mention the Deep End? Because I told my husband that Family Natural was for folks who want to raise a healthier family, more easily without going totally off the deep end "crunchy". (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

That's who I am. I'm in the middle, in my opinion. To some, I'm already in the deep end. It's all about perspective. I won't falsely portray myself as being completely and totally natural; we eat sugar (sometimes). We eat white bread (sometimes). Sometimes we drink soda&coffee. We love cheese, and chocolate....fahgetaboutit. (say this with an Italian accent for full effect)

I still use an anti-perspirant deoderant, though I know it's quite toxic. These are examples of things that we could change, and probably will change eventually. The point is that what we do do for our health is more than most people out there, and I want to encourage others to make changes, positive changes.

Here are some positive facts about what we do (not in any particular order):

1. I give birth at home
2. I breastfeed my babies
3. We don't vaccinate our children
4. We homeschool
   
5. We limit our sugar/dessert intake to 1 or 2 days each week
6. Same with dairy
7. Same with meat
   
8. We drink fresh whole fruit smoothies for breakfast almost every day
9. We buy whole grain/whole wheat bread instead of white
10. I grind wheat & make fresh bread as much as I can. Hopefully more in the future.
11. We don't have or watch television. Only purposefully selected DVD's
12. Same with computer games. Only educational games with time limits for the kids.
    
13. We rarely use any OTC drugs of any kind.
    
14. We don't use antibiotics
15. We get regular chiropractic adjustments
16. We use cloth diapers instead of disposables
    

Now, that's the "Natural" list. As far as the "Family" is concerned, I also like encouraging other Moms to join me as I figure out:

1. Meal planning and preparing
2. Keeping the Home
3. Raising happy, responsible, obedient children who love to learn
4. How to live Frugally
5. Other "Family" topics I'm not thinking of right now
   

.....All with an attitude of joy

So, that's who I am. What FamilyNatural is. I hope you'll join me and we can encourage each other.

And no, I didn't mean for this last sentence to be in italics. I just struggle with Blogger! Grr.