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Although it has been an exceptually mild winter, I can’t help but post one my my favorite cold-weather meals; Shepherd’s Pie. Being a vegetarian, I’m always looking for creative ways to enjoy carnivore meals sans meat. I also love cooking meals that can last through the next day’s lunch! This is a great vegetarian dinner, a twist on the classic Shepherd’s Pie. The homemade mashed potatoes on the top can’t be beat!

what it looks like pre-cooked

what it looks like after cooking

Gardner’s Pie

Ingredients:

-          4 large russet potatoes, diced

-          ½ to 1 cup low fat milk

-          4T sour cream

-          2T (salted) butter

-          2 medium yellow onions, chopped

-          2 cups mushrooms, sliced

-          15oz tomatoes, diced

-          15oz black beans, drained

-          5-6oz frozen peas

-         5-6oz frozen corn

-          1t paprika

-          Garlic powder

-          2-3T soy sauce

-          Olive Oil

-          Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Dice the potatoes and boil in salted water until mashable. Mash the potatoes using a fork, potatoes masher, food mill, or ricer. Add milk, sour cream, butter, garlic powder and salt to personal taste and consistency.
2. Add olive oil to large sauté pan and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender (about 5min). Add tomatoes, black beans, corn and peas and cook for another 3-minutes. Add paprika, soy sauce and salt and pepper and cook for a final 3-minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Put the veggie mix into a baking dish and cover the top evenly with the prepared mashed potatoes.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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I have been obsessed with secret passageways ever since I read The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, book #1) in second grade. After reading that classic and the millions of mystery/suspense/thriller books that have followed, I have been on the lookout for my own secret passageway. The closest I have come to a personal discovery is the not-so-secret-but-definitely-underexplored staircase and attic in an ancient old campus building at my alma mater. It took me 22 years to find that secret area and I thought it signified the end of my quest.

Until I found the Juno Beach Tunnel. Not to be confused with the much cooler, Beach Tunnel in Dunedin, New Zealand, the Juno Beach Tunnel is an awesome (all-be-it manmade) access road allowing beach-goers to travel safely from the parking lot to the ocean without crossing the busy street. Okay, so it’s not a secret, but it is a slightly spooky, underground passageway. I’ll take what I can get.

View of the tunnel exit…

View of the beach as you exit the tunnel…

The Coastal Living Mom & Baby about the re-enter the tunnel…

 

 

References:

The Secret of the Old Clock Picture via Amazon.com (all other pictures are mine):

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Clock-Nancy-Drew-Book/dp/0448095017

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When you live in Florida most of your life, it is inevitable that you will visit Walt Disney World once or twice. I have a long-standing relationship with Disney. It’s been a small, but constant part of my life all these years. As a child, I pretended to be a princess at Cinderella’s Castle, as an adolescent, I pretended to be too cool for Mr. M. Mouse, and as an adult, I got engaged outside the Grand Floridian at sunset.

Disney World evokes powerful feelings of excitement and wonder in children of all ages. However, as those of us who have spent any time at the parks know, a day at Disney can also be a heat-stroke inducing dance of exhaustion. Long lines, screaming kids and over-priced cuisine can make some visitors wonder, Is there any rest at The Happiest Place on Earth?

Fear not fellow travelers, for I have compiled a list of the top locations to take an air conditioned nap at Disney World! This list is taken from my personal experience at Disney and is not available in the countless Disney travel guides.

So take notes before you go (or click on the little icon on the top of your browser and print this page)!

Magic Kingdom

Winner: Splash Mountain

You thought I was going to say It’s a Small World, didn’t you? Splash Mountain is a popular flume ride at the Magic Kingdom, which offers a cute story line, charming, all-be-it slightly annoying music, and a splash ending. The reason I choose this ride over the many other snoozers at the Magic Kingdom is two-fold. One, the gentle rocking of the water during the first part of the ride is incredibly conducive to sleep. And two, the second part of the ride, which features a five-story drop complete with refreshing splash action, helps rouse you from your slumber. After standing in line in the hot sun for an hour to get on this ride, the quick nap and stimulating cool-down are just what you need to prepare yourself for more Adventureland fun.  

 

Runner Up: Mickey’s PhilharMagic

I’m pretty sure that the Disney cast members work on commission directly related to this attraction. The last time I was at the park, I couldn’t walk three steps in Fantasyland without a cast member approaching me and strongly encouraging me to check out this movie. Basically, Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a 12-minute 3D movie on what Disney calls, “one of the largest seamless screens in the world.” Overall, this show is a cute 3D homage to Fantasia and a whole plethora of classic Disney characters. Now, if it were me, I’d rather watch the newest Twilight movie on this screen… If your nap on Splash Mountain just didn’t cut it, I suggest forgoing the 3D glasses and adding a few more z-z-z-z’s during this production. Just don’t let the cast members catch you!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Winner: Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey

This was the first attraction I went on the last time I was at Hollywood Studios. And I wish I had saved it for after my two and a half hour wait to ride the Toy Story Mania! attraction. Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey is a 12-minute audio show that promises a movie production via state-of-the-art headphones with crystal-clear sound through the use of biaural audio technology in a darkened soundstage-like theater. My experience? A low quality movie projection with headphones no better than my earbuds. However, if you plan your day right, this cool, dark theater is the perfect location for restful nap in the mid-afternoon.

Runner Up: Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Disney princesses. But the Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage performance provides little more than it’s cartoon movie counterpart and in my opinion is better suited for mommy and daddy’s nap time then as the live-action, 25-minute, Broadway-style musical that Disney promotes it as. My suggestion? If you don’t need more sleep, skip Beauty and the Beast and head to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular; it’s amazing!

Animal Kingdom

 

Winner: Finding Nemo – The Musical

Finding Nemo – The Musical (or as I call it, “the snoozical”) is supposed to “capture the heart, humor, characters and story” from the movie Finding Nemo. Well, you are talking to someone who *gasp!* does not enjoy Finding Nemo, so perhaps my opinion is biased. Regardless, this attraction is a 30-minute Broadway-style musical stage show featuring many of the cute musical numbers from the film, including, “Just Keep Swimming” and “Go with the Flow.” If I were you, I would “go with the flow” right on into dreamland in preparation for Expedition Everest.

Runner Up: Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade

Okay, this one is not air conditioned, but Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade a supposedly 15-minute, “high-energy,” afternoon parade that loops throughout the various areas at the Animal Kingdom. It features popular Disney Characters in a The Lion King meets modern-day safari dancing production. The reason I list this as a good nap attraction, is because the parade lasts W. A. Y. longer than 15-minutes and blocks off the entire street, all the way around the park. Also during this time, the snack concession stands close down and you are left food-less (unless you plan in advance) and sitting on the side of the road waiting for the dancing to die down. Not a bad time for a quick cat nap…

Epcot

Park-Wide Winner: Ellen’s Energy Adventure

Ellen’s Energy Adventure is a 40-minute multimedia attraction starring comedian Ellen DeGeneres as she learns about energy via Bill Nye the Science Guy to help her win a game of Jeopardy! against her arch rival, “Smart Judy.” Why this ride wins the title of “Ultimate Park-Wide Top Nap Location?”

1)      It is 40-minutes long – that’s half the amount of time you have to wait in line to ride Sorin’ unless you got a FastPass.

2)      It is in a dark, cool theater

3)      It is a relatively quiet attraction that does not require 3D glasses or headphones

4)      You “ride” in comfortable movie theater-style seats.  

5)      The auditorium is huge so you’re not stuck sitting next to a crying baby

6)      You already learnt about energy in 8^th grade, so the content isn’t important and therefore worth missing.

 

Runner Up: Circle of Life

Finally, the Circle of Life movie is a 20-minute environmental film featuring Simba, Timon and Pumbaa from Disney’s The Lion King. This ain’t The Lorax; believe me. It’s an incredibly simplistic and boring film that makes even the critical topic of eco-friendliness sound dull. I recommend using this as a rest break for after lunch. There’s nothing like a nice, heavy meal from France to induce a Thanksgiving Day-like coma.

All joking aside, I LOVE Disney World! The Coastal Living Dad and I are eagerly looking forward to the day we can bring our little boy there for the first time.

References:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/

All pictures are from the Walt Disney World Website:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/

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Recently, The Coastal Living Family had the opportunity to spend some family time hiking in the Florida coastal dunes preserves. What a unique ecosystem! These dunes are scattered around various seaside locations in the state. For those of you who are use to traditional forest or tropical nature settings, the scrub bush is a fascinating viewing experience. These paths are typically “paved” with sugar sand and the foliage ranges from pine trees to palm trees. One word of warning for those traveling with small children; sugar sand is not stroller-friendly! I can’t advise you on foot attire. I prefer sneakers or hiking boots for trails, but the sand finds a way to sneak in and is quite annoying. Flip-flops don’t seem to fair any better. A couple cool things about the specific dune preserve depicted above is that it includes a boardwalk, look-out tower, picnic benches and one path that even leads to the intracoastal! Nature walks are a great way to spend time together as a family. Exercise promotes a healthy lifestyle, fresh air oxygenates the brain, vitamin D comes from the sunshine, and you get the opportunity to teach your kids about plants and animals. Young kids always love spending time with their parents and choosing to dedicate time to them now will pay off in the long run since you have fostered a strong bond from the get-go. I can’t think of a better use of my time!

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They say a dog is a man’s best friend. And although many report that a certain sparkly gemstone is a girl’s best friend; I disagree. A woman’s best friend should be a cat.

Meet Kayla.

She has been my best (animal) friend since 2008. Sometime after completing graduate school and living without roommates for the first time (in a city known for the occasional household rat) I decided to embark on the journey to owning my very first pet. Other than some short-lived fish, I had never had a pet growing up and thought I should break myself into the experience by starting with a cat. Other reasons for this pet choice included the fact that I did actually have a bit of a rat problem that my building manager seemed less than concerned about and was working long hours at the hospital, limiting my time to provide walks and potty break

My second decision after deciding to get a cat was my decision to adopt, or rescue a cat from a shelter. I knew that shelters are over-crowded with animals needing to be loved and cared for and I wanted to be a part of that solution. I filled out an application with my local shelter that made my process into graduate school look simple. I waited. And finally, I was approved! As I happily went down to the shelter to pick out my pet, I didn’t have in my head what I was looking for. Small, big, young, old, long hair, short hair, it was all up in the air for me. I was waiting for a connection. When I arrived, the staff let me into the cat holding area. I looked around. Right away, a tiny black cat pressed her face to the cage door and “Meowed” loudly. She kept meowing until I picked her up and held her in my arms. And then she was silent. She rubbed her head against my shoulder and I was in love. I didn’t even continue to look at the other cats. I couldn’t. This one was mine. In fact, it seemed as though she had picked me.

Fast forward to today. Kayla and I have braved a cross-country move, a plane ride full of cat-haters, several dogs, another cat, three different homes, a marriage and a baby. And through it all, she has remained resilient, patient, adaptable and kind. She cheers me up. And now, she cheers my little boy up too!

I don’t know what month is “adopt-a-pet” month (I’m sure there is one), but I adopted Kayla in February many years ago, so I’m writing this to you now. The adoption need for stray or shelter cats is so great and the number of people willing to help so few. Approximately 70% of the 3-4 million cats that that are abandoned to nationwide shelters are euthanized (http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics.aspx). And tragically, seven out of ten shelter cats are euthanized because no one adopts them (http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics.aspx). When I was trying to find a home for a stray cat I found last year, I called every city and county shelter in a 200-mile radius of where I live and was told time and time again that they could not accept anymore cats into their shelter due to overcrowding. And not only that, but the shelters were receiving reports that due to economic difficulties, individuals where simply releasing their pet cats to the street.

For those people who think that they can just leave a cat outdoors to return to the feral cat population; it doesn’t work that way. Most cats cannot relearn street survival skills after residing as an indoor pet. The outcome for almost every stray is a violent end or a slow, painful death. Many abandoned cats die outdoors from starvation, disease, abuse, or as the food of a predator (http://www.feralcat.com/).

Fortunately, I did end up finding a good home for my stray, but it wasn’t easy and really brought to light for me the great need of this population.

If you have a rescue cat, congrats and thank you. If you do not have a rescue cat, please consider adopting one. You’ll be surprised how much joy they bring into your life.

I know my life has been brighter as a result of adding Kayla to it.

And finally, for those of you who do own a cat, here are a few tips for ways to help keep your cat safer:

• Keep your cat away from dangerous Traffic
• Keep your can up-to-date on its vaccine’s to reduce Diseases.
• Keep your cat safe from household or yard (such as chemically treated lawns) Poisons.
• Keep your cat Flea-free by maintaining their medication.
• Keep your cat safe from Other Animals that pose a threat as a predator.
• Keep your cat away from Cruel People who may want to inflict harm.
• Keep your cat from “Loss of Home” by providing him/her with a microchip.

The following are some websites you can visit to learn more about cats, animal adoption, animal shelters, homeless or unwanted animals, spaying/neutering, and pet overpopulation:

http://www.aspca.org

http://kittycitynm.com

http://www.catshelter.org

http://catadoptionteam.org

http://www.avma.org

http://www.alleycat.org

http://www.feralcat.com

http://www.petpopulation.org

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Lighting the Unity Candle

Today The Coastal Living Dad and I celebrated our third Valentine’s Day. We are one of the “More Marriages” Match.com is preaching on their TV commercials. It really is true that more people are finding themselves in relationships that started online. My grad school roommate, my coworker, and my extended family have all found themselves getting married to a partner they met online. Times are constantly changing for how we interact with the world. The internet, and in particular, social media has opened up, not just a door, but a massive gate into an uncharted realm of networking, relationships and beyond. It has changed how we met people, how we read books, and how we share our lives.

But one thing that has not, and cannot be, changed by the internet, is how challenging it is to be married.

My husband and I both came from two-parent homes. Homes where presumably we were taught by example what it means to stick it out through better or worse.

Examples don’t directly translate into actions.

And why is this? Why do so many of my young friends struggle in their relationships? Can we blame feminism and how it’s shaped the role of women both in and outside of the home? Can we blame men for taking a passive stance on leading their family? Can we blame a troubled economy that makes surviving as an educated, upper-middle class family next to impossible? Can we blame Obama?

I know I’d like to blame someone other than myself for the difficult times. Cast fault with a myriad of external circumstances sure to explain why two people rarely see eye-to-eye.

But deep down, I know it’s not Obama’s fault and it’s not my feminism tendencies that cause us to stumble, it’s me. It’s selfishness. And pride. And maybe even greed that keeps my husband and me from being all that we can be together. Maybe it’s the same for you.

A little over two years ago, my husband and I stood before each other, God, our family and our friends and lit a Unity Candle. The unity candle symbolizes the joining of two individuals whose lives have merged into one. As my husband often says, “We’re One Team.”

One unit cannot have differing needs or goals. When one benefits, the other does as well. It’s so easy to forget that in a moment of want.

The “secret” of marriage really is simple: to place your partner’s needs above your own. I understand that simple knowledge is far different than implementation.

My challenge to myself, and to my readers, is this: try to find one way each week to put your partner’s needs ahead of your own. When that becomes easy, try to do it once a day.

I caution you though, do not do this if your goal is to obtain selfless acts from you partner. You can never change another person’s behavior, only the way in which you respond to their behavior. If you waste time spinning your wheels trying to manipulate outcomes instead of enjoying the pleasure of yourself in the moment, you will never be satisfied.

Finally, I want to end by offering you all a poem written by author John Piper for his son on his wedding day. Although this poem is written from the perspective of how a man should love his wife, it goes both ways. Women should love their husbands like this as well.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

“Love Her More and Love Her Less”

by John Piper

 

If you now aim your wife to bless,
Then love her more and love her less.

If in the coming years, by some
Strange providence of God, you come
To have the riches of this age,
And, painless, stride across the stage
Beside your wife, be sure in health
To love her, love her more than wealth.

And if your life is woven in
A hundred friendships, and you spin
A festal fabric out of all
Your sweet affections, great and small,
Be sure, no matter how it rends,
To love her, love her more than friends.

And if there comes a point when you
Are tired, and pity whispers, “Do
Yourself a favor. Come, be free;
Embrace the comforts here with me.”
Know this! Your wife surpasses these:
So love her, love her, more than ease.

And when your marriage bed is pure,
And there is not the slightest lure
Of lust for any but your wife,
And all is ecstasy in life,
A secret all of this protects:
Go love her, love her, more than sex.

And if your taste becomes refined,
And you are moved by what the mind
Of man can make, and dazzled by
His craft, remember that the “why”
Of all this work is in the heart;
So love her, love her more than art.

And if your own should someday be
The craft that critics all agree
Is worthy of a great esteem,
And sales exceed your wildest dream,
Beware the dangers of a name.
And love her, love her more than fame.

And if, to your surprise, not mine,
God calls you by some strange design
To risk your life for some great cause,
Let neither fear nor love give pause,
And when you face the gate of death,
Then love her, love her more than breath.

Yes, love her, love her, more than life;
O, love the woman called your wife.
Go love her as your earthly best.

Beyond this venture not. But, lest
Your love become a fool’s facade,
Be sure to love her less than God.

It is not wise or kind to call
An idol by sweet names, and fall,
As in humility, before
A likeness of your God. Adore
Above your best beloved on earth
The God alone who gives her worth.
And she will know in second place
That your great love is also grace,
And that your high affections now
Are flowing freely from a vow
Beneath these promises, first made
To you by God. Nor will they fade
For being rooted by the stream
Of Heaven’s Joy, which you esteem
And cherish more than breath and life,
That you may give it to your wife.

The greatest gift you give your wife
Is loving God above her life.
And thus I bid you now to bless:
Go love her more by loving less.

 

References:

     http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/poems/love-her-more-and-love-her-less

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It’s been a rainy week on this coast. *smile* I like rainy days. The soft sound, the greener grass, the clouds. It’s good to enjoy all seasons since you can’t control them in the first place!

Today’s post is for a delicious smoothie recipe I made up last month. I’m actually having this everyday with my lunch. It. Is. So. Good. And, best of all, good for you! Blueberries and goji berries are known superfoods. And cranberries help reduce the risk of UTIs.

Purple Superfood Smoothie

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4c frozen blueberries
- 1 1/4c cranberry juice (make sure it’s 100% fruit juice, not sugar water)
- 1tsp goji berry powder (sold freeze-dried at Whole Foods)
- 4 ice cubes

Directions:
Put all ingredients into a blender and purée until desired consistency. Add water or ice cubes as needed to make beverage either more liquid or closer to sorbet. Enjoy!

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What I’m loving right now… Buoys!

Now that my seven part series on green living is over, I wanted to write about another topic that is near and dear to The Coastal Living Mom; coastal decor!

This post will touch on one unique way to add the spice of the coast to your yard. One way love to add a rustic touch of coastal beauty to my home is through buoys.

A buoy is a foating device that serves many coastal purposes. The images below are of sailing/fishing buoys that have washed-up on the shore and been collected by my husband’s family.

One of the cool things about using buoys for decoration is that they come in sorts of color combinations. It’s easy to mix and match to have them fit into the theme of any room.

While the pictures below feature examples if ways to use buoys as yard decorations, it’s just as simple to throw a few well-placed buoys around the interior of a home. I love how a few brightly colored buoys look scattered throughout a tall shelf as bookends.

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(Part Seven in a Seven-part series on the products I use to “Green-Up” my life.)

This is my newest find from California Baby!

I was at Target today buying books and shampoo when I saw this stuff. Living by the water there are so many bugs outside. I worry about what to do with my infant. DEET doesn’t seem safe, but neither does a plethora of bug bites. So when I found this bug spray from California Baby, I was thrilled. It is DEET free, and uses citronella, lemongrass and cedar…

I might use this for myself as well!

Disclaimer (sorry to end with a downer, but hey, you can’t recommend things these days without being a little careful): I am not paid by, or given free products from any of the companies I have written about or will be writing about in the future for this series. I am not a physician and do not claim to be one. Please consult your own physician/pediatrician before using any of the products discussed on this blog. I am not responsible for what anyone does as a result of this post. The purpose of this post is to provide information about products that I have found helpful in my life, which does not necessarily mean they will work well in your life. Please use common sense!

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(Part Six in a Seven-part series on the products I use to “Green-Up” my life.)

Good evening! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. The Coastal Living Family has spent the weekend visiting with extended family, taking walks and grocery shopping. Yesterday was The Coastal Living Baby (TCLB)’s first time coming along to help with the grocery shopping! He was super cute and well-behaved. It was fun to have him with us.

The Coastal Living Dad and I finished off saturday with homemade mushroom-broccoli pizza, yum! That’s always a fun recipe to make together as a weekend treat. Today we visited with my brother who was in town for the weekend and I made dark chocolate covered almonds with a sprinkling of sea salt (new recipe)! Good times.

This past week I started my first mid-winter coastal views picture montage on Twitter. If you’re not already following me, take a moment to check out my tweets @TCLMom. I’d love to follow you as well! We have been having fantastic weather here in south Florida and I wanted to share the beauty. I hope this brightens the darkest wintery days for my northern followers!

In my last post, I discussed my preference for glass cups for my beverages. In this post, I would like to showcase my favorite glass baby bottles. I did a lot of research on bottles before I had TCLB. There’s so many options now a days. Bottles with drop-in inserts. Plastic, glass. Wide neck, narrow neck, angled. It can get overwhelming wading through all the choices.

After a significant amount of research I decided on Dr. Brown’s brand of bottles. I love that they are designed to combat colic. Fortunately TCLB never had significant colic/gas. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the design of these bottles, but I’m happy nonetheless. Dr. Brown’s makes primarily BPA-free plastic feeding, or in their own words, “designed to nourish” products. Since I feel strongly about using glass over plastic when possible, I was thrilled to discover that this company makes both 4oz and 8oz anti-colic glass baby bottles. These bottles come in a two pack and I bought one of each. Each package came with two tiny bottle-nipple brushes, so I didn’t need the ones I had bought. I also got the Dr. Brown’s bottle brush for cleaning the main bottle piece. It absorbs soap really well and scrubs well. I love the the glass bottles always look crisp, clear and clean. You don’t get the filmy look that plastic takes on after multiple uses. I love that I don’t have to worry about plastic potentially leaching chemicals into my baby’s beverages.

One additional essential item for a glass baby bottle is a silicone sleeve to protect it from falls and improve grip traction. The Glass Baby Bottle company (link below), is the only place I was able to find the Dr. Brown’s silicone sleeves. After reviewing their website for my purchase, I was impressed with the breath of their products and would encourage anyone interested into viewing available glass bottle options to check them out. Since TCLB is a boy, I bought the two-tone blue silicone sleeve set, but it comes “girl-colors” ad well (pink and yellow). I think the sleeves add some pop to the clear glass and make them more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Since I primarily exclusively breastfeed and only use bottles for when I am teaching or for the occasional long babysitting session, four bottles (two 4oz and two 8oz) have been plenty for my family. Check out the link below to learn more about glass baby bottle options! Enjoy!

References:
You can buy the bottles at Target (http://www.target.com/p/Dr-Brown-s-4-oz-Glass-Baby-Bottle-2-pk/-/A-11199569 for the 4oz pack and http://www.target.com/p/Dr-Brown-s-8-oz-Glass-Baby-Bottle-2-pk/-/A-11199570?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=%7C11199570&CPNG=baby&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11199570 for the 8oz pack.)

The silicone sleeves are great, and the only place I could find them was The Glass Baby Bottle, which is an online shop (http://www.theglassbabybottle.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DB-4OZCOVERBLU&Category_Code=drbrowns for the 4oz pack and http://www.theglassbabybottle.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DB-8OZCOVERBLU&Category_Code=drbrowns for the 8oz pack.)

Disclaimer (sorry to end with a downer, but hey, you can’t recommend things these days without being a little careful): I am not paid by, or given free products from any of the companies I have written about or will be writing about in the future for this series. I am not a physician and do not claim to be one. Please consult your own physician/pediatrician before using any of the products discussed on this blog. I am not responsible for what anyone does as a result of this post. The purpose of this post is to provide information about products that I have found helpful in my life, which does not necessarily mean they will work well in your life. Please use common sense!