Photo by Melissa Bachman Photography.
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I’m a stay-at-home mom to two sweet daughters, the personal servant to three felines, and a free-lance graphic designer with an English degree. I live out in the countryside in southwestern Pennsylvania and have had an organic garden for the past 10 years. I’ve also been married to my best friend for 20 years. We have struggled through infertility and adoption (twice!) and our meandering path to parenthood is what helped both of us to become passionate about clean eating and natural living.
In 2005, a year and a half after my husband and I started trying to conceive, I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis (basically, it means that parts of my uterine lining have decided to get up close and personal with several of my internal organs, causing massive scarring, a lot of pain and infertility). Following several surgeries to help with the scar tissue, I started researching natural ways to cope with the endometriosis.
Thank Goodness for Unanswered Prayers
The end goal was always to be able to alleviate the disease enough that I could get pregnant. That never happened, but I did learn a ton about natural living. Thank goodness for unanswered prayers! Because, otherwise, I wouldn’t have my two precious daughters. The adoption process wasn’t simple. It wasn’t easy. And even though we worked with an amazing agency and fantastic attorneys, it was still the single most nerve-wracking thing I have ever done. To this day, I am amazed that my husband and I had the courage to do this not once, but twice. But, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing. Having my girls is well worth all the effort.
Love and Protect
When each of my girls was placed in my arms for the first time, I made a vow that I would love and protect them with every breath I took. In one form or another, I think every parent the world over makes this same promise. But in my mind, part of that promise was protecting my girls from as many environmental and food toxins as I could; in other words, raising them as naturally as possible. Essentially, I wanted to raise them with kisses and carrots.
Practical and Natural
As my girls grow, I’ve found that raising them as naturally as possible isn’t always as easy as it was when they were babies. Cloth diapering, co-sleeping, and baby wearing were a lot easier for me than navigating school lunches, classroom treats and common core math. So, I’ve had to get both more creative and more practical. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what this blog is all about: I’d like to share some of the practical tips for natural family living that have worked for me and my family. I’d like to help you put a healthy, easy dinner on the table every night, find or make non-toxic products for your home and family, and save you some time and money while doing so.