Homemade, HEAVENLY tortillas!

I have to tell you about the most fabulous, delicious, warm and satisfying tortillas that we made from scratch for the first time last month. I was always bothered by the list of icky ingredients in many store-bought tortilla brands and would have to search long and hard for quality organic brands that had great taste. It wasn't always easy. As Texans, we are serious about our tortillas, and I had savored the deliciousness of homemade tortillas in the past. I knew we could do it too. So last month Aaron went online and searched for a flour tortilla recipe to complete his famous egg, black bean and chorizo breakfast tacos. Let me tell you, it was worlds different to have those tacos with fresh, hot, homemade tortillas. A transcendent experience. One we have repeated several times since then for ourselves and our guests. And everyone loves them!

Quick, Hide!

I am excited to publicly herald my favorite concealer! It's from Origins, one of my preferred cosmetics and personal care companies. The concealer is called Quick, Hide! Long-wearing concealer.

Who's Your ND?

Hello everyone and a GREAT BIG HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all you wonderful gals!

It's been a couple of weeks since I wrote, but I had good reason. 2 weeks ago I got the shingles, and then last week my baby girl Noëlle got the chickenpox. What? Yep, you read it right. Nightmare. I am a healthy 30-year-old without any chronic illness. My immune system is top-notch and I rarely get sick. In fact I don't remember the last time I had the flu or a cold, and I live, as you well know by now (wink), a healthy lifestyle of mostly organic eating, time in nature/country living, lots of exercise, no smoking/drug use, and very little alcohol except a glass of wine or two. So what's the deal? 

Food, Meet Baby. Baby, Food

Hello everyone! Today's post is especially for you mamas and mamas-to-be...and for dads too. We have started introducing solid food to my daughter, Noëlle, who is now 7 months old, and I wanted to share our experience. I exclusively nursed her for her first 6.5 months, not wanting to introduce foods before my girl was really ready. Even now that she is eating a bit, her primary food source is still breast milk. It provides her with the nutrients she needs in a form designed just for her, is easily digested and assimilated, doesn't inflame the system the way formula can and often does and may actually prevent allergies, and it delivers antibodies and probiotics to build her immune system, which keeps her healthy and protected from illness. So now, on to food!

When to Introduce Solids? Some parents introduce solid foods as early as 4.5 months. That just didn't sound right me and there is a lot of evidence suggesting it isn't best. I have even witnessed cases of doctors recommending that babies begin eating solid foods early (some at 3 or 4 months!), only to have those babies react very poorly. I was in fact one of those who did not handle solid foods well when my mom's doctor said to start me at 4 months on rice cereal and cow's milk (hard on new digestive systems!). I also know some moms wait a long time...and I do mean a long time (12+ months!). And this didn't feel right either. So when was the right time for Noëlle? I have always suspected that every baby is different and each is ready at different times, and I wanted to be absolutely sure that we did wait until she was truly ready. But how important is waiting? And how would I know when she was? I talked to my naturopathic doctor and did my own homework. And I discovered some pretty compelling stuff along the way that helped me decide...