I Moved!

Hello everyone~

My adventures in blogging are just underway, and I have been chatting with several other bloggers and the consensus is.... I should be on wordpress.  For all of you that are here on Blogger, it was nice being neighbors, but I'm going to continue the journey as a wordpresser.

Here's my new blog, WordPress style....

http://bemelivefree.wordpress.com

Thanks everyone~
Margo

My Summer Garden

This past year has been one of reinvention for me.... career, mindset, and most certainly diet!  I have always tried to eat healthy, but this year I have placed a moratorium on processed, artificial, GMO, HFCS, and non-organic food.  Many people are much further along in their health journeys than I am, but for me, these were major changes.... and super effective ones.... not to mention FUN!

One day, my oldest son spent the night at his best buddy's house... in the morning, his mom offered him cereal for breakfast.... he asked her, "Are these ORGANIC Frosted Flakes???"  He wanted to be sure he was eating healthy food.  LOL.... (Sorry my friend, my kid has caught the bug).   Yes, we even found an Organic knock-off of Frosted Flakes at HEB (read:  inexpensive local grocery store).  Yahoo!  Kids are happy, I'm happy.... we'll work on sugar and gluten reduction later!

I decided we HAD to start an organic home garden this year.  A friend of mine suggested a SFG.  (Don't feel bad if you have no idea what this acronym means... I didn't either!)  A Square Foot Garden is a raised bed gardening method developed by Mel Bartholomew and for someone who lives in my part of Texas.... where you hit rock about 1/2" deep, a raised bed garden sounded fantastic!

My hubby put his woodworking skills to work (he loves hand tools and looks for virtually any excuse to make a mortise and tenon joint.... I feel another blog coming on), and I had three SFGardens (two 4x2s and one 2x2).  The boys helped plant them all, then we (not so) patiently watered and waited for good things to happen.

The first thing to grow was this plant.... our "Red Bell Pepper"..... yes, yes, I realize it's a cucumber plant.  When I wrote down what the boys put in each section, I guess I wasn't paying attention!  Gardening is full of surprises.  I have to say these are the tiniest little pickle-sized cucumbers.  I realize all big cucumbers must have been small cucumbers at one time, and since this is all part of the experiment, I'm letting them grow to see what they will become (but should they be this bumpy??)

Here's another one I'm particularly excited about... the zucchini.  We don't get a ton of rain here in Austin, but the last few weeks, we've gotten a bunch and this baby took off!  It is huge and has lots of flowers and this one baby zucchini.  I can't wait to grill it up... yum yum!

And, who knows what this is???  I bought an organic sweet potato at the store and sprouted it in a jar before planting it.... I thought I didn't wait long enough, but apparently potatoes are forgiving because she still grew.  I looked up when you are supposed to dig these up, and it seems we have several weeks to go, but I'll be waiting impatiently!  (theme!)

Oh and did you see that great vine growing on the trellis above the kids' heads in the first shot?  Those beautiful green peas???  Well, this is what not watering, or is it watering too much(?) does to my garden.... whoops!

That's ok, time to find more seeds and try something new.  What grows in June/July/August in Texas?  I will let you know!
~Margo

Cute mama taking care of her belly babies with good nutrition.

24 weeks (and a giveaway!)

JUNE 11, 2013

I have SO missed sharing updates about my two little beans. At 24 weeks, I hit viability on Saturday! Viability is the ability for a fetus to survive outside of the womb. Of course if the babies were born now, there is a good chance for a lot of health complications and a LOT of hospital time (or not even surviving – only a percentage of babies born this early survive), but it’s good to know my little girls have hit this particular milestone!

Read the whole post here.

Do you need to Unplug?

Most of the time when you hear someone saying that they have "unplugged", what do you picture?  No phones, no internet, no tv.... quiet bliss!  Right?  Perhaps a beach or mountain retreat comes to mind?

In my house, this happens when you "unplug":

Because the plug is the Pacifier.... or as my little guy calls it, a Ba-Ba.  Where he got that, I have no clue.  It has been a paci, binky, pink, and now ba or ba-ba.  I digress....

So, this sweet child is WAY too old for a pacifier, according to current parenting ideals, and certainly all dentists/orthodontists we know.... but it is filling some sort of void for the poor kid.  In my house, we plug IN for peace.

I have to keep telling myself he won't go to college with a ba-ba.... I hope!  

~Margo

Margos Rule!

Little known fact about me.... I am a bit enamored by other people named "Margo".  It is so rare that I cross paths with another Margo that I go out of my way to point out that we share the moniker.  There are a handful of Margos who register with particular glory in my memory....

• Margo the CPA - my mom's boss at the time - I worked there during tax seasons as a pre-teen and the staff would refer to us as "Big Margo" and "Little Margo".... Big Margo was very annoyed by this title, as any woman in her 40's would be!
• The Camp Glen Arden Margos - when I was growing up, I attended a FANTASTIC summer camp in the glorious Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.  At this girls' camp, there was the the requisite smattering of Jennifers, Amys, Elizabeths, etc.... but never a Margo.  Then in the summer of 1990 a rare event occurred - BAM - there were 5 of us!  (Margos, Margot, and even a Margaux)... Margot was even one of my sweet campers.  Two Margos in a cabin was mind-boggling for me.  I felt like an Amy!
• Starbucks Margo - my barista - ok, she's actually the manager, but isn't "barista" more fun to say?    Each time I order my "Venti soy extra-foamy no-water chai latte" they comment, "Our new manager's name is Margo."  Oh, I know, my friend.  I know!
• Client Margo - a super, fantastic, dog mama at the clinic where I consult.  She was equally joyful about finding a kindred Margo.
• Today, I ran across Margo Donohue online.  She is a fitness blogger (among other health related endeavors) and seems to be a really cool person....  So check out her blog, and tell her Margo sent you!
• And, of course, who could forget Margot Kidder!  Did you know she has a blog?  

Austin, Texas - The Allergy Capital of the World 

Do you or your pet have pollen, food, or contact allergies?  In my veterinary practice, I have seen many dogs and cats resolve long-standing allergy issues permanently.  And with only a few treatments.  Cost is less than the traditional allergy testing and desensitization as well.  Only a few clinics in the US treat people and pets using this method since it is an alternative therapy and insurance won't cover it.... but, if you need something beyond what traditional medicine has provided, take a look!  You can find an AAT specialist near you here.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR THE RELIEF OF SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH ALLERGIES AND SENSITIVITIES

Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT) offers a unique and highly effective approach in treating the many symptoms associated with allergies and sensitivities. AAT is a precision-based therapy that treats the organ systems involved in an overreaction.  AAT does not treat the immune system; instead, the therapy focuses on inappropriate reactions to a harmless substance in relation to the organs systems to produce rapid, long-term results for the relief of associated symptoms.  AAT merges 21st century science with 3,000-year-old traditional acupuncture principles in offering an effective alternative in the treatment of symptoms associated with allergies and sensitivities.
Non-invasive
No needles
No herbal remedies
No supplements
                                                No avoidance

The Peaceful Parent

"One generation full of deeply loving parents would change the brain of the next generation, and with that, the world." - Charles Raison

What does it mean to be a Peaceful Parent?

*We take responsibility for regulating our own emotions, so we can stay as calm as possible with our children.

*We set limits with empathy.

*We reflect before we react, looking for the reason behind our child's behavior.

*We connect before we correct.

Read the rest of the article here.

Gluten - is it as bad as they say?

You might be surprised to learn how many people & pet conditions can be linked to gut health.  One of the biggest issues relates to Gluten Intolerance.  Removing gluten from your diet can improve the ratio of good-to-bad bacteria in your gut, improve the barriers to "bad" things from ever being absorbed into your system.  My nutritional system makes going gluten-free very easy and simple.

Gluten-Free Recipes for People
Gluten-Free Options For Dogs and Cats | Delight Gluten Free Magazine

Enjoy a less bloated, less toxic you!!  And let your pets enjoy that benefit too.
~Margo

5 Things to Teach Your Kids This Summer

Are you looking for a few ideas to keep your kids entertained (and yourself!) this summer?  Check out what All Pro Dad suggests....
5 Things to Teach Your Kids This Summer

Greetings!

Every new adventure requires tweaks and edits before you truly feel like you're on the journey, don't you think?  For me, this blogging adventure is no different.  It started with a similar post but a different URL.  You see, my other URL was low-hanging fruit.... The name was borrowed from my website; it was easy; it was available, but it was such a small facet of my life that I wanted to switch things up before I get too far down the path and disorient everyone by switching url's then.  

You might think, "wow, 'margohunt.blogspot.com', that's so original MargoHunt."  And that is a valid point.  It's not a stretch of the imagination, but it is a leap in putting it out there... Breaking down the walls and owning this blog.  This is me.... Small ideas, big thoughts, daily struggles, occasional contradictions.  I am a work in progress, as are we all.

Oh, and to explain the title "A Glimpse of ME".... ME are my initials from childhood (Margaret Elaine)... And ME & Emmy have long been a journal signatures for me, without consciously choosing between the two, my pen has found the truth within me.  One of those little things that has meaning for me and no one else in the world.  Sharing that makes it no less true.

In case we haven't met, I'm Margo and my life consists of 3 small kids, a husband, friends (don't worry friends, I won't blog about you unless it's something awesome and you're ok with it in advance!!), being a part-time traveling vet, and starting a new business in health & wellness.  I have no idea what topic will grab me for a given day, so anything goes!  Who knows, I ultimately may settle into a flow and have a continued stream of one kind.... or another.... 

Thanks for reading my maiden voyage blog post... and I hope you enjoy the journey!


Cheers~
Margo