Toot-Toot! Meet the New Summer Schaefer

This post is dedicated to those who knew me in my former life. I'm talking about those who knew the me that balked at everything house-wife-ish. And those who knew me to forget the lemon in a lemon meringue pie and literally explode a pan of brownies. Literally. I'm talking about my parents who got a phone call as I went from Florida to BYU as an 18 year old saying, "I can't be here! I don't fit in with all these MORMON girls who cook and bake and sing and play piano!" And I'm talking about friends who listened to me mentally gag at the idea of nursing, but it didn't matter, because I was sure I wouldn't be getting married anyway. That is who I dedicate this post to because, boy oh boy, THINGS HAVE CHANGED!

I, of course, did get married. And now I have three wonderfully fantastic and crazy kids. In a side note, I am now very pro-nursing and even nursed my oldest until he was 3 months shy of 3 years old!

I just feel the compulsion to list some of the changes that I, Summer Schafer, have made in the last few years (hard as they are to believe).

Changes:

-First I began to enjoy cooking. AND I wasn't so bad at it. Shocking.

-Next I learned to do Foot Renewal. I went to a school to learn the art of rubbing the feet in very specific ways to spark the signals of the body for healing. Its pretty amazing. I don't do it enough, really. But I can!

-I switched full board to brown rice. Even those picky kids of mine.

-I learned to use essential oils for health benefits. Some of my favorites are Lavender oil for calming (etc...) and DoTerra's Breathe for asthma and congestion.

-I often clean with a vinegar, water, and essesntial oil mixture.

-We did a garden last year and I kinda sorta liked it. I also used to mock these people. We were too busy to garden this summer though :(

-For my family, I started GRINDING wheat AND making homemade wheat bread! WHAT??? I used to mock those people!

-Now I am learning that I need to soak wheat and other grains and legumes before cooking them for my family. This removes dangerous and nutrient blocking phytic acids (and more).

-For myself, I make a homemade sour dough wheat bread. I'm the only one who will eat it, but it's worlds ahead on the nutrition scale.

-I grow Kefir from Kefir grains and use it in smoothies, dressings, and for other milk substitutes.

-I make (almost) green smoothies. I say 'almost' b/c I haven't yet acquired the taste for veggie dominant smoothies.

-I switched to a natural soap made with veggie oil. We use Real Salt. We use actual butter (I've even made some). I occasionally put down the Pam and use liquid lecithin mixed with olive oil. I only use EVOO and coconut oil when I cook. I grind flax seed.

-I rarely use the microwave. When I do, I make sure to cook on glass or ceramic.

-I made homemade (baby) brown rice cereal and oat cereal.

-We don't have cable. We cut it mainly for financial reasons, but with other entertainment options available, we probably won't go back. Instant Netflix is easier to monitor what our kids watch and we're not subject to all those commercials. Plus, I get addicted to TV series pretty insanely fast.

-I got off my anti-anxiety medicine and have been successful off thanks to oils and nutrition. But I will concede that if I need to be on meds, then I need to be on meds, and I would in that case go back on.

-I fought Quincy's eczema with either vinegar or bleach in her bathwater and lotion mixed with essential oils. None of that steroid crap.

-I'm finally starting to lose weight after an incredibly discouraging FOUR YEAR FAIL! I tried and I tried and I tried. For me (and I do think its somewhat unique to me) I have to eat the RIGHT foods (read: whole foods) rather than cut calories to shed pounds. True story.

Now I need to list the things I WANT to do:

-I want to switch to a aluminum-free antiperspirant/deodorant. I tried. Tom's. The crystal rock thing. I STANK. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

-I want to exercise REGULARLY. This could/should soon be a reality b/c I had my leaky bladder surgically fixed and just completed the "don't exert for 3 months" requirement. So I just purchased a trial gym membership.

-I want to make cultured veggies, like saur-kraut and pickles. The raw, no vinegar, fermented kind. I need to shell out cash for the proper equipment.

-I want my children to eat healthily, rather than eating a few healthy things as side-dishes to the crap. I have a game plan. The main prob here is I'm a softie. But I figure they get enough treats at places like school, so they don't need junk from me too. Wish me luck in the fight.

-I want to eat local and organic produce and animal products. I'll get on that.

-Going green. I'm just not there. I drive my car. I don't bring my own bags to the store. I use sandwich baggies. Things like that. Someday I'll be converted I suspect.

-I want to live on a large plot of land in a modest house in almost the middle of nowhere.

-Making cheese. Someday I will. Sooner than later I think.

And finally, a list of things I can't seem to wrap my head around:

-Home School. I wish I could... I think. But pretty sure I'd suck at it. And I do see some definite benefits to public schooling. But it kinda feels like throwing my kids to the wolves. Oh well.

-Sewing. Probably a useful thing. Or I could just keep my sewing friends who love me. Yeah, I'll do that.

-Crafting. Occasionally I try against my soul-deep better judgment. And I repeatedly fail. Blech!

-Cooking only with ceramic, glass, or stainless steel. I should, I know! But I love my non-stick pans.

-Herbal Remedies. YUCKY-YUCK-YUCK! Oils do the same thing, right?

-Cloth diapers. Can't. Get. Over. The. Gross. Sorry.

-Running a self-sustaining little farm. Amazing. But I'm pretty sure I'm too lazy for that.

-Reading consistently. A good thing, I hear. But, who's got the time?

Over the years, I have learned this about myself. Never say never. Maybe someday I'll be a marathon runner or something crazy like that. Maybe I'll sell homemade blankets or bows or jewelry. Maybe I'll be a vegan. Or maybe I'll SING AND PLAY PIANO! Who knows, because life brings you to crazy places when you're ready and not a minute before.

But, as it stands, I guess I'm a hippie of sorts. WHO EVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED???!!! I want to stay working at home as long as possible, just loving on that family of mine and nurturing their bodies and souls.

Note: While I have made a lot of changes in our home, I am not 100% at anything. Nothing. And I like it that way. Flexibility in the discipline.