Hello!

[Amber]

I heard about this group thru a homeschooling yahoo group & thought I would check it out.

Could I have found my flock?

I began a more crunchier lifestyle after the birth of my daughter almost five years ago. It all began with breastfeeding & co-sleeping followed quickly by babywearing. As she grew, I began making my own baby food and started to pay more attention to the foods & ingredients we ate - now it's natural, organic & local. That was just the beginning...

I have rid our home of most chemical cleaners for both household & hygene. No parabens, SLS, chlorine... anything I can not pronouce.

Kicking & screaming all along the way, my husband has adopted these changes as well & supports my wishes. There are a few things he'll never change, but he is always willing to give a new idea a try.

As I mentioned, we homeschool, and since the birth of our son, we have ventured into cloth diapering. I'm always looking for like-minded people - parents mostly - to continue to learn more & share what I know.

[Pat]

Welcome!

In which part of the city do you live? We are in south Charlotte. Our son is 7.


Pat

[Cara Yara]

Welcome Amber!

My husband has been reluctanting following me along this crazy holistic journey too.

It's been fun coming up with new ways to shock him. Our most recent holistic change was cloth diapering too. He's on board now.

Cara

[Amber]

I'm north charlotte. DD will be five in Nov & DS was born this past July.

[Leigh Fransen]

Hi Amber,

Hope to see you around! My dd is 5.5 so I'm sure our girls would have fun together.

[Pat]

Did you check out the new "north Charlote" Group? (see the menu tabs at the top) My friend, Jenn started the group and she has a 6 year old daughter also.

Hope to see you at the MNO!


Pat

[Gina Grothoff]

Hello everyone
I guess I began this journey after my son was born almost 11 years ago. I have pulled my husband with me along the way- overall he has come willingly over time- yet we have areas to work on with parenting.
Thanks to finding LLL when he was 3 weeks old, I was introduced into a foreign world of attachment parenting, co-sleeping and extended breastfeeding. Looking back, I think my evolution has been gradual, embracing the ideas of attachment parenting overtime which were in line with my instincts. I returned to work when my son was 3 months old which was the most heart breaking thing I have done but feel my time working outside the home has helped me appreciate being home with my kids. I now get to be home with my kids- maybe working outside the home on occasion and have been pursuing work from home- as an aspiring free lance writer -and being concise is difficult for me (but I will try).

My first goal was to breastfeed my son for 6 months...funny the journey continued for 6 years, something I never would have imagined before giving birth. I am passionate about breastfeeding and became a LLL leader about 2 years ago to give back- as I found so much support and assistance from all the meetings I had attended over the years. (disclaimer- you do not need to breastfeed as long as I did to be involved in LLL- nor does LLL say anyone needs to breastfed for any length of time:)

By the time my second child was born, 4 years after my first, I planned for her to co-sleep from the start, she is now 6 years old, and yes, has weaned. I am now pregnant with baby#3, due in early January and I just laugh when people ask me how I am decorating the baby's room or which room the baby will sleep in. For the first time, I am planning a home birth. My second birth was natural with a nurse midwife- unlike my first with much medical intervention with an OB.

Our diet evolved over time, moving away from red meat and then eating only fish but later finding out we were eating way too much processed soy and so now each member of my family seams to have their own diet. After reading the Blood Type Diet books, I have added meat into my diet but choose as natural meat as possible- it would be all organic if my budget would allow.

My son chooses to be a vegetarian and recently had blood "allergy" testing for intestinal sensitivities which revealed whey and gluten as problems for him. Creating a gluten-free, dairy-free vegetarian diet that is varied is challenging. My daughter likes meat- and seams to like what he won't or can't eat and not like his favorites like fruit. Second child issues:)

We avoid food dies, high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients as much as possible. I try to eat mostly whole foods but a busy lifestyle leads us to some "convenience foods" but as healthy and organic as I can afford.


I try to buy as many natural cleaning products as possible and the only chemical we have used recently has been to treat fire ants- that seamed to overtake our yard. In the 7 years we have lived here, we have not sprayed for bugs in any other way.

I homeschool/ unschool my kids- not a fan of labels- I prefer to say we learn through living our lives and adjust our "homeschool style" as needed. Another journey I can thank members of LLL for- as I would never have imagined when I left PA 16 years ago that I would embark on a homeschooling journey.

I have moved away from medical based medicine over the years. I found an acupuncturist- chiropractor who practices traditional chinese medicine who for many years was my sole "doctor". I now go to a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in classical homeopathy, Dr. Dillon at Carolinas Natural Health in Matthews and my husband and kids see Dr. Smith there. (I wanted to go to a woman).
I have found fertility assistance through both acupuncture and homeopathy.

My son was fully vaccinated until he was 2 and my daughter has received no vaccines. I continue to educate myself on vaccines, attending PAVE meeting and events whenever I can.

Surely I have rambled on long enough for now- I am excited about this network. It is great to network with others in the area who share my same passion for natural living.

I too have started a ning site for homeschooling- keep in mind, I just started it and so have much to do- with a goal of having most things up and going on it within a month. Feel free to check it out and join: charlottehomeschooling.ning.com

Look forward to meeting more of you!
Joy, peace, love and empowerment,
Gina

[Jenn]

Hi Amber, I'm in the North Charlotte area also. (I say in the area because I'm right over the line in Mount Holly, westof the Mountain Island area)

I have three kids 2 boys 8 & 3 and my girl just turned 6 in August. We should get the girls together sometime.

Jenn

[Terri Wilson]

It is good to be around like minded people. I hope we can all grow and learn from each other.