Save Up To 60% On Organic & Non GMO Foods

Shop at The Green Polka Dot Box to take advantage of this great new Buying Collective. This is a new company that has just started activating memberships in the past couple of weeks. Read on for more information about the company.

   

Benefits of shopping with Green PolkaDot Box:

• Save up to 60% on healthy, organic foods.  
• Find a convenient source of delicious gluten-free, milk-free, nut-free, and other specialty foods.  
• Lower prices than Whole Foods® and other natural food stores.  
• Grocery shopping is much more convenient (no more driving around town to get healthy food!)  
• Resources such as healthy recipes, tips & learning sections.  

Price Benefits

The prices at Green PolkaDot Box are "true" wholesale, coming in at 10%-50% lower than regular retail price. As an example:

• One can of Amy's brand lentil soup is 49 cents cheaper at Green PolkaDot Box than at our local health food store.  
• Since buying one can of soup saves 49 cents, the price through GPDB is 82% of the health food store price. If you buy $100 worth of Amy's soup, you'd only spend $82 dollars for it!  
• Since you may not want to buy $100 worth of soup on one day, it's nice to know that you don't have to buy a lot of any one thing to take advantage of the savings. You don't need to buy bulk quantities of any one item (like you do at Costco) to take advantage of the discount.  

Convenience Benefits

Besides saving money every month on groceries, Green PolkaDot Box will substantially decrease the amount of time you spend shopping every month. If you are selective in what you eat, you know it's hard to get everything in one place, especially at reasonable prices. With Green PolkaDot Box, everything is discounted and sent right to you for free. There will be:

• Less driving to the store, parking, and lugging around a shopping cart.  
• No more juggling small children while shopping.  
• Less gasoline use (and no shipping charges).  
• More time to do things you enjoy, instead of spending your time shopping.  
• No more waiting in long checkout lines  
• No more searching for a parking space  
• You can read reviews online about products before you buy them.  
• You can plan meals at home, with your own recipes, your own pantry, and the "grocery store" all in one place.  
• Not only will you save time, but you'll save substantial amounts of money also.

Information from Rod A Smith / CEO / Founder:

  The Green PolkaDot Box is a membership organization intended to grow to become the largest, most influential "buying collective" in America. Why? So we can accomplish the following objectives:

Eliminate the "organic deserts" that exist through rural and urban America allowing everyone access to "clean" organic foods. Our ability to ship to every zip code will make healthy food accessible to all.

Make clean organic food available to all health-minded consumers at affordable prices. We accomplish this by expanding the marketplace and inviting new consumers to participate, thereby increasing distribution and sales opportunities for our vendor partners.

Using a "grass roots" approach, in cooperation with our influential institutional partners, we intend to educate the public about the links between diet and disease, motivating them to seek out healthier, clean organic alternatives. We know that, through truthful education, we can influence the buying decisions of our family members, friends and neighbors. We can reverse the ravaging effects of chronic disease that are devastating our aging population and protect our children from the debilitating consequences of processed and genetically modified foods.

What is a Buying Collective?

  

When I write about becoming the most influential "buying collective" I'm referring to building massive bargaining power. This is essential because without the purchasing might of millions of like-minded consumers we won't be able to influence food producers, growers or manufacturers to change how they currently operate.

  

Until we can unite together in collective bargaining power with one voice to insist that our foods are clean and safe we will be forced to rely on the status quo—the good will of agribusiness, government regulatory agencies, higher education systems, and the medical establishment—to make changes. With this process, things would NEVER change!

  

What is "clean" food?

  

"Clean food" means certified organic foods of all varieties that are 3rd party-verified to be free of GMO. We want to protect all consumers by insuring that food production in America is designed to exclude derivates from GMO food crops and from dairy products injected with genetically modified growth hormone. In addition, we want to exclude meat from animals fed from GMO feed. As far as meats and fish are concerned, we will only accept certified organic animal proteins or 100 percent wild caught or grass fed animals. That is our definition of clean food.

  

We will never knowingly offer products that contain GMO. We will inform you, however, if manufacturers' and producers' products we carry are "self-claimed" GMO free and are working towards third party verification; ideally, in qualification with the NON-GMO PROJECT. We endeavor to work with all manufacturers and growers that produce certified organic foods. At first, we will allow self-verification of NON-GMO products, but,as we grow in membership and consumer clout we will insist on third party verification.

  

Our objective pertaining to clean organic food is intended to protect not only consumers but also food providers. If we can help insure that providers produce clean food we will protect the labors and dollars they have invested to become "organic." After all, organic is only good if it is GMO Free. We want organic to mean something.

  

Perfect Performance Required

  

The largest, most influential buying collective in America will take some time to build. Before we can even attract millions of consumer, we recognize our performance must be perfect.

  

If you visit our site you may notice that some things aren’t perfect; a few products are priced the same or slightly higher on our Web site than you might find elsewhere if you look hard. Don't panic. Trust me. That is going to change very soon. I realize we aren't going to attract and retain your purchasing loyalty if our prices are higher than you can get elsewhere. My promise is that we will know more about market pricing than you, and you will grow to trust our pricing—that it IS the lowest possible pricing in the market without compromising quality.

Feijoada recipe, Eat Brazilian!

We had a friend over recently and she discovered that we had been studying Brazilian culture in our homeschool.  She started talking about feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, and how delicious it is. 

She also told me about the history behind this dish.  This recipe was brought over to Brazil by the African slaves in the 16th century and it was added to by the Portuguese.  For the pork they actually used every part of the pig: ears, nose, tongue, tail, foot (see below).  I don’t think I will be using any of those items in my dish, *shudder*.

So, I decided to look up the recipe and give it a try.  Would you like to try it with me?  Here is the traditional recipe from Copacabana.info:

Ingredients:

1 lb. black beans
1 lb. smoked ham hocks
1 of each: pork foot, ear, tail, tongue
(optional)
1 lb. Mexican "chorizo," "pepperoni" or
Brazilian "linguica"
1/2 lb. Chunk of lean Canadian bacon or
Brazilian "carne seca"
1/2 lb. Smoked pork or beef ribs
3-4 strips of smoked bacon
1/2 lb. lean pork
1/2 lb. lean beef
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt to taste
black pepper
hot sauce (optional)

How to prepare feijoada:

Soak beans overnight in large container. Next morning, cook beans for 4-5 hours at low heat. Place ham hocks, chorizo, ribs and Canadian bacon in deep pan with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Change water and bring to a new boil, repeating the procedure at least three times to tenderize cured meats and remove excess fat.

In a large frying pan sauté‚ onion and garlic using either vegetable or olive oil (smoked bacon strips optional) for two or three minutes. Toss in cubed pork and beef. Sauté‚ an additional two-three minutes.

Mash 5-l0 tablespoons of beans and add to large pot. The resulting paste will thicken sauce. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, three garlic cloves all chopped-up or mashed, along with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a teaspoon of red-hot pepper. Stir, heat over medium fire for two-three minutes, then transfer to contents of frying pan. (You may use two frying pans, if necessary)

Let simmer for l0-l5 minutes. Add contents of frying pan(s) to the beans and let boil at medium heat for 1-2 hours.

Serve over rice, with additional red-hot sauce, if desired.

Modern Conveniences

As I was sweeping my kitchen today with my new G2 Swivel Sweeper (the latest and greatest of my gadget collection) I started thinking about how I don’t like using a broom and dustpan and how grateful I am for my new sweeper.  It takes all the work out of sweeping your floors! 

Then that got me to thinking about what life would be like if I had had to make my own broom out of straw and then sweep the dirt floor of our one room 18th century cabin that we lived in (because if I had lived back then I probably would have been very poor, lol). 

I have been reading historical fiction again, sorry, but just stay with me one this…

So, I started looking around my home at all the modern conveniences that I am thankful for and would sorely miss if someone took them away!  Because, seriously, have you ever read a book about what life was like in America during the 1700’s?  Can you imagine living back then, or *gasp* being a housewife back then? 

First of all no bathrooms, just a deep hole dug into the ground in which a bench with a hole sat over it and hopefully a small outhouse built around it for privacy.  No toilet paper, you had to choose moist leaves.  And let’s not even mention “that time of the month”.  Horrors!

If you wanted a new dress your first step to obtaining a that dress would be to go out to the barn and sheer a sheep.  Then you spun wool and flax so that it could be woven into fabric, which you dyed yourself.  Then you had to cut your pattern and sew the dress yourself.  You have got to be kidding!

How about cooking?  No refrigerators or microwaves.  No ovens or stoves like we are used to.  No frozen dinners or drive thrus. You cooked stews or soups in a kettle over an open fire.  Or you roasted whatever animal you were lucky enough to kill over pits (after you skinned and cleaned the carcass).  Yuk!

I would never survive in such living conditions, I am such a woos (sp?).  I would end up as one scrawny, starving, half naked, constipated lady if I had to live like that.  I wouldn’t even know how to go about surviving in the wilderness.  You would probably find me eating leaves (not the moist leaves as mentioned before!) for dinner, or something like that.  I like my gadgets and modern conveniences way too much.

So today I pay homage to my G2 Swivel Sweeper and acknowledge that I couldn’t have lived without it today. 

How about you?  Have you ever thought about this like me?  What modern convenience were you thankful for today? 

What is Love?

I recently read an interesting blog at  Sugar Filled Emotions asking ‘What is Love?’  She had a really good definition of what she thinks love is,

My definition of love is this. Love is feeling compelled to do the little things for someone day in and day out, without complaining or being resentful.  Loving someone means that you feel compelled to lift someone up, and encourage them daily.  Love means you are patient with that person.  Even when you are angry or frustrated.  You do not belittle them, instead you use patience in dealing with them.  Love lasts.  It lasts through the good times and it lasts through the bad times.  It lasts when you feel like your loved one is not showing you the same amount of love you are showing them. Love is trusting someone with your heart, your emotions, and your mind. 

However, when I think of what love is I remember a book I read by Voddie Baucham Jr. called Family Driven Faith.  There is a chapter in this book called Learn To Love that was very eye opening to me.  I learned that love is an act of the will, it is a choice.  Radical concept, huh?  Just wait, it gets better!  If love is an act of the will then you can not just “fall out of love with someone”.  If love is truly a choice then when someone commits adultery and tries to justify it by saying “we don’t choose who we fall in love with” they are in denial of their selfishness and the pain they are causing others.

The bible commands us to love our enemies.  Well, love is not a natural emotion in that situation.  If someone is your enemy you are more likely to feel hate, dislike and/or fear…not love.  So how do you love your enemy?  You will yourself to do it.  Everyday you tell yourself that you love this person, you pray for God to grant you the ability to love this person and you pray for that person also.

Sometimes love does come naturally and you fall in love with someone or gradually develop a love for someone.  But sometimes you have to will yourself to love someone and continually work on developing that love.  And if that is the case, God bless you!

What Being a Mom Has Taught Me

I ran across a poignant blog by Lolli over at Better in Bulk about what being a mom has taught her, which was picked up by Krafty Kitten who posted on being a step-mom.  They got me to thinking about what being a mommy has taught me. 

I am a mommy to four very different boys.    Growing up and well into my twenties, I never really wanted kids.  I wasn’t one of those people who ooh-ed and awed over babies or cute little toddlers.  In fact, I didn’t want to have anything to do with them; they were gross and annoying. 

That changed when my niece was born.  I was 28 years old.  She was beautiful (and still is).  I would keep her overnight occasionally and “play mommy” imagining what it would be like to have my own beautiful little girl.

Then I got pregnant.  I just knew it would be a girl, so I was a little surprised when the ultrasound technician told me I was having a boy.  My first thought was “What am I going to do with a boy?!”  And then the idea gradually grew on me and I started looking at baby things for boys and started getting excited.  I thought “This is gonna be fun!”.

My oldest was born and I realized I was totally out of my element.  I didn’t bond with him right away.  I loved him  because I was supposed to, but I didn’t have that immediate attachment that some moms have as soon as they see their baby.  So that was shocking to me.  I was worried that I was a bad mother and that I was selfish in not falling head over heals for this beautiful little baby.  I did eventually learn that many mothers go through this and that it is only temporary.  It took a month or two before I really started bonding with my son. 

I also learned that breast feeding does NOT come naturally.  I tried nursing my son but I didn’t know what I was doing and the nurses at the hospital sent me home believing that I was doing it correctly, when in fact I was not.  He was not latching on properly and was not getting enough to eat and my milk supply plummeted very quickly.  He was very fussy all the time (obvious now, but no then).  When I took him in for his 2 week checkup he had lost weight.  The pediatrician informed me that I was not nursing him correctly.  So I gave up and started formula feeding him.

I have learned that I do not handle child birth well without an epidural.  My labor with my second son went so quickly that I was still in the registration process when I had to start pushing.  I didn’t get any drugs or anything.  IT HURTS!  I ended up in surgery with them taking the baby via c-section because he wouldn’t come out, the cord was wrapped around his neck.

I have learned not to be disappointed or to feel like a victim when someone tells you your child is autistic.  I learned to accept it and focus on the blessings of that child.  I have learned patience .  I have learned that it is ok to walk out of a store leaving a full shopping cart parked out of the way when your child has a massive meltdown.  I have also learned how to tuck said child under one arm and pick up a car seat with the other while comforting my oldest child because you are not going to be able to buy the toy he picked out that day. I learned to walk out of the store with my head up, with dignity and a apologetic smile on my face as people watched the spectacle we were making. 

I have learned that accidents are accidents.  I care more about my kid’s feelings than I do about whatever they may have broken.  I have learned to discern between accidents and non accidents.  I have learned how a kiss can heal a bo-bo and how to acknowledge my kid’s feelings.  I have learned that I am not that fond of sharing my drinks with my kids. 

There are so many things I have learned that it would take me all night to write this post and probably bore everyone to death in reading it.  But there are two more things I have learned that I want to share; 1. I have learned that I am not super mom and that’s ok, my children love me regardless; 2. And I have learned that I have so much more learning to do before it is all said and done!  Hopefully it will never end :)

Pennywiselearning.com

I get a regular newsletter from Pennywiselearning.com that I enjoy.  The newsletter is done by a homeschool mom named Kristen who has her own blog called KristensTwoCents.com, the official "mommy blog" of PennywiseLearning.com.

She has a neat giveaway happening right now that you can get in on if you are interested: the Blunders Board Game Giveaway!!!  This board game would definitely be greatly appreciated in my household (by me).  The game is supposed to make leaning manners fun. 

Well, as I have said before, I am a homeschool mommy of 4 boys, 3 of which are old enough to have developed bad manners.  Our dining table has become a den of crudeness lately. Smacking, food throwing, slurping and burping, you name it and I have to suffer through it :-~. Never heard of this game before but I am ready to try it. If I don’t win it, I may just go out and buy it!  Go check it out and decide for yourself.

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SeededBuzz

I was browsing my Facebook page when I saw an advertisement for a really great way to advertise your blog and find some really interesting new blogs.  The website is called SeededBuzz for all you bloggers out there.  I just submitted my application in the hopes that it will be accepted.  They are very picky about which blogs they are accepting.  Even though my blog is new, I hope they will accept me; I have been working very hard on my blog.

I just started my blog a couple of weeks ago, but I have BIG plans for it.  In the future you can expect posts on the education system, homeschooling, religion, crafts (kids and adults), drug addiction, health tips, food/recipes, music (kids and adults), book reviews (kids and adults), autism and special needs children, the vaccination controversy, potty training, scrapbooking, sign language, organization and many more topics later to be discovered!

I have I have done extensive research to learn how to set up a blog which has been really fun.  As my blog grows I would really enjoy some recognition (who wouldn’t, right?!) along with helping others who would benefit from my knowledge and humble (sometimes not so humble) opinions.  So let’s get busy!

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