Adopt Pets from Animal Shelters

Happy 9th Birthday to our little black cat, Astrid. We're so happy to have her in our lives. Astrid is an animal shelter rescue cat. With the large number of animals that need homes, please consider getting your next pet from your local animal shelter or rescue league or organization. We've adopted four cats from shelters over the years and we could not be more pleased.

Don't forget that even if you don't want another pet in your life, the animals can still use attention, love, and supplies. Donate your old blankets and towels to your local animal shelter. If you love animals, but don't want to own one, shelters are always looking for volunteers to help walk and pet the animals. Kids can volunteer, too!

Astrid, like many rescued animals, is microchipped. This amazing technology is a quick and painless way of helping owners keep track of their pets. The microchip is put under the animal's skin and stays there for life. If a lost animal is taken to a shelter or veterinarian, a quick and painless scan (similar to a grocery store scan) can help determine who she belongs to. Please keep your cats inside. This, more than anything, helps save their lives.

As Bob Barker likes to say, "Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered."

Vegan and Ethical Trick-or-Treating

With Halloween just over a month away, I've been having people tell me they feel sorry for my kids. They think that because we are vegan, we don't eat candy or go trick or treating. We happen to do both. :)

To have an ethical Halloween, consider what you purchase for your Halloween handouts.

• Do you really need to pass out candy?
  
• Have you considered passing out glow sticks, Play-Doh, small stuffed animals (my girls received cute little TY ghosts two Halloweens ago), stickers, little notebooks, polished rocks, hair clips, small toys (like balls or cars), or even pencils and erasers? Maybe nice bright brand-new shiny pennies, nickels, dimes, or even quarters? My girls would love this!
• Many cracker, nut, cereal, and pretzel companies make snack sized bags that would be perfect for passing out. Don't forget fruit leathers and raisins, too.
  
• If you must pass out candy, have you checked all the ingredients? Do you know what they are?
  
• Do you know where and how the candy was made? Besides the harm to your body, did you know that nearly half of the world's chocolate comes from West Africa, where children are being forced to farm it? If chocolate is a must for you (it is for us), try purchasing ethical chocolates from companies such as Dagoba, Endangered Species, and Equal Exchange. Yes, these cost more, but they are worth it. They even sell bags of mini-sized ones! I've seen these at surprising places, including Wal-Mart!
  
• Don't feel obligated into keeping your light on all night. Spend your regular alloted amount on candy, then turn your porch light off when you run out. You aren't obligated to give candy to every kid in town.
• Still aren't sure what to do? Check out this Fair Trade Trick or Treat Action Kit.
  

VegFamily Magazine wrote a great article titled "Vegan Halloween - Tricks and Treats". Be sure to check out the PETA list of Vegan Candy. This is a very thorough list that also has a short list of some of the most common candy ingredients that make candy not vegan. Be sure to read ingredients before you buy (even if the candy is on the PETA list) since companies can change their recipes (or have different ingredients depending on what country you live in; e.g. Skittles in Europe are currently vegan, they are not in the United States).

Once you go Trick-or-Treating, what can you do with all of your non-vegan loot? Here are our favorite ideas:

• Use it for gingerbread house decorating.
• Donate to a food shelter.
• Take it to work and leave it in the break room.
  

VegFamily Magazine has a fun little "Top 10 Things to do with Non-Vegan Halloween Candy" article.

Above all, enjoy this festive holiday with your children. They can only dress up and go Trick or Treating for so many years, enjoy every second of the fun. And, of course, don't forget to take photographs.

Catalogs I LOVE

I'm not a fan of receiving too many catalogs and other mail that I don't want. However, I am a huge fan of receiving catalogs in the mail that I'm going to keep around a while and reference. Be sure to check out online catalogs before you have a paper one sent to you. If you prefer to look and purchase online only, be sure to drop them an e-mail saying you don't want catalogs sent to you.

Here are catalogs that I love. They inspire me and my children. We keep them for weeks, or months, or years. We cut them up and make collages with them (then ATCs out of those), we dream about the photos, they broaden our worlds. They often intrigue us and help us have a more Zen-like life, all at the same time. And, sometimes, of course, we actually buy things out of them. :) We keep our wished for items on our vision boards for all the world to see and miraculously, we usually have our wishes come true.

Kid Stuff:
Chinaberry (books, toys, audio books)
Oriental Trading Company (they have several different catalogs)
MindWare (fun "thinking" toys)
Lego Magazine and Catalog
HearthSong (miscellaneous fun toys, lots of wood items)
Spilsbury (puzzles, etc.)
C.W.D. Kids (clothing for little kids)
Magic Cabin (similar to Hearthsong, but more Waldorf -- beautiful illustrations!)
Educational Innovations (science things, their catalog is MUCH better than their online store)
Steve Spangler Science (science fun)
Hammacher Schlemmer (fun dream toys)
Discover Channel Store (great toy and DVD source)

Household Stuff:
IKEA (everything you need to furnish an entire house)
Solutions Catalog (all kinds of interesting things)

Zen Stuff that has all kinds of things:
Isabella Catalog (the "grown-up" Chinaberry Catalog)
Signals
The Wireless Catalog
Gaiam (they have several different catalogs)
Lush (nice massage bars and bath bombs)
Dharma Trading (dyes and blanks for dyeing things -- I always keep a catalog on-hand)
Acacia (some of the neatest things I've seen for a while)

For Travel and outdoor:
Sahalie (clothing, traveling, and outdoor supplies)
TravelSmith (clothing and supplies for traveling)
Magellans

Online only:
Geeks.com (discounted fun electronics)
ThinkGeek.com (fun geeky things)
amazon.com (just about everything these days)
Kodak Gallery
Vegan Essentials
Rick Steves (excellent source for traveling supplies, best source for information about traveling in Europe)

Enjoy!

Dissection Alternatives

Dissection alternatives have never been more humane, interesting, or accurate. Remember the smell of formaldehyde in Biology class? Your children need not become familiar with it.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is giving away copies of Digital Frog2. This DVD is a fun and humane way for people to learn about anatomy without harming animals. There are also free workbook materials for those interested.

Donating Hair

If you have at least 10 inches of extra hair on your head, consider donating it to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is an organization that provides hair pieces to children that are suffering from long-term hair loss. My husband, my oldest daughter and I have all donated hair to Locks of Love. So have over half of the girls in my Girl Scout troop.

Call around to your local hair stylists. Many give complimentary hair cuts (and styles) to people donating their hair. They have to be the one to mail the hair to Locks of Love, but you can be assured that they will.

My favorite Tucson stylist is Jennifer Andrews, who is currently working at Chrome Salon. Not only would you receive a free haircut from her, but you'd be getting one of the best (if not the best) haircut of your life. I've been a regular client of Jennifer's for nearly five years now. She is the only person that has given me a great haircut every time she cuts my hair.

"I'd Unschool, but my kids would play video games all day..."

This is another unfounded "complaint" I receive when I tell other parents that we are Unschoolers. Silly complaint, since real learning comes whilst playing video games. I can't get my kids to play enough. ;) When kids are given the freedom to follow their passions, their lives become very well rounded naturally. Passionate lives thrive when seemingly unlimited time can be given to an interest. Remember the last time you had a new, exciting interest? Didn't it consume your mind? This is good - fantastic actually! This can make it temporarily look like that thing is the only thing that a person is doing, but this is not how things pan out over time. Just like a well balanced diet can best be seen over the course of a few days, a well balanced life can best be seen that way as well.

Don't forget that if your family is new to Unschooling, you'll all need time to Deschool. Please do not forget this step, as it is the most essential step there is to fully comprehending what Unschooling is all about and how it can help your entire family reach their full potential in life.

Still freaked out about video games? Check out these:

• Discover Magazine has Steven Johnson's article "Your Brain on Video Games"
• LivingJoyfully has Pam Laricchia's "Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Video Games" (Check out the references at the end, they are very interesting)
• Steven Johnson's book, Everything Bad is Good For You

Still have questions about your kid's games? Don't let them be "your kids" games. Join them! Play with them, right beside them. Read the manuals and fansites. Be involved. You, too, just might find a new passion and you'll be amazed at how much your kids are learning without being forced to. Proper Unschooling requires very hands on parenting.

My family's current favorite online sites with games:

• Webkinz (This is a wonderful online virtual pet website, buy the stuffed animal then enjoy the benefits of this amazing online world. I've checked out several imitative sites, and as of today none compare to Webkinz in quality.)

• Sand Game (This highly fun game is a perpetual favorite here. We had to try some of the combinations in real life. Check out the theme song, it's amazing!)

• Line Rider (There are many fan video clips on YouTube. There is also a really cool Line Rider Fan Site.)
• PBS Kids
• American Girl (We love the Mancala game in the Addy section.)
• Groovy Girls
  

My family's current favorite regular video games:

• Chemicus
• Physicus
• Nancy Drew
  

Still not getting along with your older child? Here are some additional parenting resources that I've gotten a lot out of. For best results, read them before your child is "older".

The Teenage Liberation Handbook
Grace Llewellyn

Guerrilla Learning
Grace Llewellyn

Parent-Teen Breakthrough
Mira Kirshenbaum

Pretend You're on Vacation

As an Unschooling family, one of the greatest pleasures we get is from pretending we are tourists in our own area. A few times a month, we pack a lunch or supper (and the camera) and get in our pretend rental car (otherwise known as our car) and head off on a new and exciting adventure for a few hours.

Eight years ago, right before a cross-country move, we discovered that there were at least a dozen places in our area that we'd always wanted to go and see, but had never found the time to go to. With the looming moving date, we were forced to go and see those places right away or never see them (to this day I'm disappointed that I never went on the gummy bear factory tour). While we did go see most of those local tourist attractions, we vowed to never miss out on happenings and places in our new locale.

Mostly, we've held to this. However, over the past eight year period we: had another baby, moved five times, and spent our time learning a gob of stuff. Basically, life started getting in the way again. Our early outings aren't remembered by either of our children, so we've decided to start being guests in our own area again. After a summer vacation, we grabbed local magazines and brochures from the airport. We've been scouring them, slowly doing all the things we haven't done before and all the things we've been wanting to do again.

Have you been bored with your area lately? Check out businesses that give tours (I've been very surprised at how many places that normally don't give tours are more than willing to let interested people have a private tour). Check the national forests in your area. Still can't find anything interesting? Pop into a local hotel and pick up all the brochures (hand them out to your friends after you are done with them). Broaden your idea of "local" to anything within a day's drive there and back. Day trips are wonderful for making you feel like you really did get away from the daily grind. Put a list of all the places you want to go on your refrigerator or vision board. Don't feel like you have to do them all in one day; try one a month.

Just don't forget to take your camera!

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Lucid dreaming? Traveling to other spaces and places? Fact or fiction? What's it all about and do I want to do it?

I've always been a vivid dreamer. My dreams often feel so very real that I used to often wake up unsure of where I was for my first few seconds of complete consciousness. There have been many times that I haven't enjoyed this process. I wanted more control so I could enjoy it more, thus I looked into ways to help this. I discovered that I wanted to be a lucid dreamer.

As a huge fan and follower of string theory and other branches of physics, I became enamored with the book Suddenly Psychic by Maureen Caudill. Caudill is a physicist, turned psychic, and non-fiction/fiction author all in one. Her background and writing gave me an interesting perspective that you, too, might find interesting.

This lead me to the Monroe Institute with their Hemi-Sync material. While seemingly bizarre, I decided to try a couple of their CDs. I found the words themselves bland and boring, yet somehow opening. My youngest daughter and I have been finding equally powerful and rewarding results. These CDs are helping her realize that her dream of levitating might not be so far fetched after all.

To be slightly non sequitur, one of my all time favorite movies is Dream A Little Dream. Great music, too. :) I'm a huge fan of speculative fiction (I'm still looking for a good publisher that feels similarly, in case anyone here happens to be one).

Empowering all people to reach their full potential in life

Mission statement of Do Life Right:
Empowering all people to reach their full potential in life

Everything I write on this site has the underlying message of the mission statement. I welcome questions and ideas from readers for future entries. Please fill out the request form on the right side of this page if you have suggestions. Subscribe to my blog, too. Thanks so much!

Freedom Now

As a huge Indigo Girls fan, I've adored the song Closer To Fine since the first time I heard it. It popped up on the radio for me the other day as I was driving and the familiar, "Got my paper, I was free" played and an old odd disturbance ran through me. It was true. I was not free in any way whatsoever in this society until I received a college degree some fourteen years ago.

There were a lot of spoken and unspoken requirements to the need for that silly piece of paper in my life. While I did enjoy parts of the college experience, I honestly do not feel that I learned very much in the classes that I took for my degree (in Mathematics, for those curious). I did the majority of my learning in the classes that I took BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE THERE and in the afterhour discussions and reading that I did on my own. I learned a lot during my years as a college student, but not because I was in college. I was shackled to the school, gathering up student loans, until society was ready to call me an adult. I needed that piece of paper to be free (even though no one has ever asked to see it). I did spend a lot of time learning how to cut through red tape...

My children (ages 11 and 7, today) are free NOW -- on this day and every day. They were born free and they've spent every day of their lives living fully in the here and now. Although often people attempt to discriminate against them due to their ages, they are never discriminated due to their Unschooling. Strangers are always impressed at our children. Since they don't have the pressures that schooled children have, they can pursue their dreams and passions on their own personal schedules. They are allowed to follow their interests and pursue them as far as they want. They ask, we help, they thrive. It really is as simple as that. Be present with your children and their whole selves will shine!

To paraphrase what a Star Trek episode reminded me recently: All I ask of my children is that they love what they do and they do their best at it, no matter what it is. I wish for their happiness and that they lead exciting lives (for them). Living a full life, a life full of passion, that is my fondest wish for my children. That is my fondest wish for everyone everywhere.

I love this Unschooling lifestyle!

What Not To Say To Children

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
--- Anonymous

Consider your words carefully, your words define who you are. What is your goal from your relationship with your children? Do you want to really know who they are? What do you want your relationship to be with them when they are grown? Consider that your words and actions when they are children will affect your relationship with them when they are grown. Make your words, actions, and relationship be great NOW, every day. The future will take care of itself when today's relationships are always taken care of every single day at every moment of today. Conscious, mindful parenting today can cure tomorrow's potential woes.

Along these thoughts, a variety of phrases have been popping up around me lately and I have discovered deep within me that when I said that I would never say certain things to my children when they were born, I meant it. I also meant that I would never say similar things, either. Listed below are some of these sad phrases (they aren't necessarily all obviously mean spirited, but they certainly are all mean spirited!).

I invite readers to e-mail me additional phrases and experiences and thoughts on these topics. Please fill out the form located at the side of this page.

• "Just wait until you have kids":
  

What, for revenge? My children are wonderful and glorious beings. Why would I want to spite my children? If anything, I look forward to being the grandmother of their children as I am certain that my children will be amazing parents.

I also don't want to force my children to grow up faster than they already are. I enjoy them; I like them here with me. They will decide to leave home soon enough without me forcing them to prematurely.

• "Farm out" as in, "I need to farm out these kids in order to get rid of them for a while and I don't care who has them so long as it's not me":

I *always* care where my children are and who my children are with. I don't leave them with just anyone, either. My children know this and trust me to not leave them with people that they would feel uncomfortable with. If need be (and often is), I don't go places where my children aren't invited. If you are feeling so tired of your children that you are feeling this way, consider getting household help while you spend MORE time really paying attention to your children. The household stuff can usually wait, children cannot.

• "Because I said so":
  

If there isn't a reason behind my actions, then I should reconsider my actions. I have said, "Please do/don't do this particular action right now and I will tell you why as soon as I can." This is completely different, it was a matter of emergency or necessity. "Because I said so" is never valid in a real relationship. I've earned my children's trust at this point and they know that if I can't give them a reason that instant, I'll happily give them a reason as soon as possible.

• "Tough Love":
  

Okay, we are not talking about a forty year old drugged out man here and his relationship with his mother. We are talking about a child. A child that is living with his parents (a child that hopefully hasn't been screwed up by his parents). If the relationship has gotten to the point that "tough love" is even thought of, then something horrible definitely went wrong a LONG time ago that started with the parents. My relationship with my children comes ahead of my relationship with anyone else, and anyone that might tell me that I need to use "tough love" has probably been a victim of "tough love" themselves...

• "I'm more stubborn than you" or "I'm going to win this one" (in an argument) or "My will is stronger than yours":
  

What!?! The parent-child relationship should not be competitive nor adversarial. Why would I want to "beat" my child in any way? I birthed these children of mine, I am on THEIR side. We are partners in this world of living together. We might not always agree with each other, but we are never adversaries.

• "You're grounded" or "You are in time out" or "Go stand in a corner":
  

When a child is behaving poorly, it should be a wake-up call to the parents (they weren't doing their job!) not a reason to punish the child. Children need their parents MORE than ever at these critical moments. They don't need an absent parent that gets rid of them for their own peace.

If you can think of nothing positive to say to your child, consider these questions: Have you been ignoring your child lately? Pushing them off to be dealt with later? Ignoring their needs?

Worse still, have you wanted to punish or hit/spank/swat? Consider using one of these 22 alternatives to punishment. If you are still feeling the need to hit, get help immediately.

A child can only be punished so many times before they either never want to be around the person that punishes them, or else they only stick around (and continue to be abused by) people that punish them and become like those people. Punishments rarely turn into less harsh actions, in fact they usually become more and more harsh in order to "show the same effects". Of course, these are just that, too: Effects of "show" rather than true personality changes. Children learn from example. If you hit your child, your child will learn that hitting people is a good thing to do when you disagree with them.

• "I love(d) you enough to make you [do this thing] ":
  

This is one of the most ludicrous excuses for child abuse that I have ever heard. I want to be my children's sanctuary. This world can be harsh. This world can be rough. This world is full of many exciting and wonderful things, too. When the world is tough on my children, I want them to know that I will be there for them. See Danielle Conger's take on this topic. My guess would be that she will always have a good relationship with her children.

• "Wait until you're 18, then you'll see"
  

Yeah, they'll discover that living without parents is heavenly! Some kids really would prefer life as a runaway to the abuse (verbal and/or physical) that they receive at home. Guilt trips don't induce love just as spankings don't induce hugs. Next time you feel like yelling at your child, hug him instead. Be careful not to force that hug though, or it could backfire.

• "If you don't shut up, I'll give you something to cry about":
  

Really, now, will ya? Wow.

• "I'm proud of being a mean Mom.":
  

Huh? Seriously, huh? I don't even comprehend this one, but I've been hearing it a lot... Interesting that the children of these parents confide in me that they don't listen to their parents and they don't like their parents. I'm proud of being a nice Mom. My kids like me. My kid's friends like me (although not all of their parents do, but that doesn't bother me). When I am tempted to do something mean to a child because they have been annoying, I turn around and do something nice. I always get positive results with this approach.

By not forcing my children to have rigid chores, I've found that they are willing to help and pitch in without having to be asked or paid. Being nice to people begets niceness in return in unexpected ways. I'm constantly amazed at the nice things my children do.

I can certainly imagine how I would feel if my husband bragged to other men that he was a "mean husband". I wouldn't be wanting to do anything nice for him for a while...

• "Just wait until your father gets home.":
  

Who's the parent here? I am.

Okay, wait, I have used this phrase. My meaning (and connotation) is: Just wait until your dad gets home to join in on the wonderful fun that we are having! Won't it be great to share our fun and happiness with him, too?

• "This thing that you love is stupid."
  

Do your kids love Webkinz or Batman or video games that you consider stupid and a waste of time? Have you considered that if you say that something that your child loves is stupid, then you are really saying that you think that your child is stupid? At least, that is what she'll hear! My kids are geniuses! My kids' friends are geniuses. They are interesting, fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking. I love everything that they love. Although I don't completely understand it all, I certainly try and they see me try. I care about what they care about and (interestingly enough) they care about everything that I care about, too.

• "I know what's best for you."
  

The implication here is obvious: child is stupid, parent is smart. My children were born knowing what was best for them. They knew when they were hungry, cold, tired, etc. They listened to their bodies and they still haven't stopped! I know many, many (thousands?) of adults who don't have a clue what is best for them because that innate knowledge was beaten out of them as children (world dependency on caffeine, alcohol, and foods proves this). I'm not about to do that damage to my own kids!

• "Go play in traffic."
  

With this phrase popping up as a phrase of choice in mainstream parenting circles, it is no wonder that the rift between parents and children is so huge these days. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Do you really want your child to go and play in traffic?

All this talk of what parents shouldn't say brings me to a list of sadly common phrases that if one of my children were to say, it would make me seriously reevaluate how I had been parenting:

1. "I hate you."
2. "You are mean."
3. "I can't wait until I don't live with you anymore."

Please don't laugh. This isn't comical. If a child of mine said one of these phrases, I would ask them first if they really meant it. If no, then I would explain how saying something like that can cause the receiver's feelings to be hurt. If yes, then I would ask a lot of questions why and what I could do to make it better! I would listen! I would change accordingly!

If you have any additional phrases that you have heard lately, please let me know. I'm here, writing on this blog, for the sole purpose to make the world a better place.

Support Local Artists

Next time you are on the market for a new painting, sculpture, or other artistic gift, check out your local artists. I keep being pleasantly surprised at the wonderful artwork that is created in and around my community. Some of my recent finds include:

• Diana Madaras -- canvases, prints, calendars, art tiles, and more (I was introduced to her work when it was auctioned off at a PCRM dinner at Tucson's vegan restaurant, Lovin' Spoonfuls, last year). We just met this artist at her signing last night; she is just as lovely in person as we imagined her to be. My oldest daughter is a huge fan! Be sure to check out her display at the Tucson airport, if you are flying through.
  

• Desert Art Works -- mobiles, windchimes, metal sculptures

My favorite artist from Iowa (where I am originally from) is:

• Isabel Bloom -- sculptures

Go check out your local galleries and galleries you find while you travel. Some amazing artwork can be found at very decent prices. I sometimes even find sculpture and furniture artists showing their wares on street corners. These people are incredibly talented! My daughters and I have fun looking at artwork wherever we go.

As a speculative fiction writer myself (another type of artist), I have found meeting with local writers to be very interesting and inspiring. I am a member of the Tucson Romance Writer's of America chapter. Their monthly meetings are always fun and educational and I have thoroughly enjoyed working my way through reading (a small portion) of the published author's writings. Check your local bookstores in the local authors section. You just might find a new favorite.

Then, of course, don't forget that you can make your own artwork! The majority of art around our house is handcrafted by my children and myself. We highly enjoy these pieces because they are beautiful and hold sentimental value. Be sure to check out local and online communities of artist's trading cards. This is a really fun way to have your own versions of other's art.

What about protein?

This is probably the most frequent question I receive when I tell people that I am vegan.

"Don't you just feel weak all the time?" the questions continue... [They are usually asked by an extremely unhealthy looking person, too. One that has just spent the previous 30 minutes talking about his/her ailments and plans to continue to talk about their ailments for the duration of our conversation.]

I'm not trying to preach to the choir here, and clearly this question is considered a real question by many, so I will answer it here:

Emphatically, NO. I really don't know how to say it more plainly. I, and countless other vegans, have never felt stronger and healthier in our lives. The idea that people need to consume animal protein in order to be strong is a sad myth. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has a lot to say about the Protein Myth. I had the opportunity to meet Neal D. Barnard, M.D. last year. He, and the other PCRM people definitely practice what they preach. They glow with health.

Think you can't be a good athlete without eating meat? Think again! There are many successful and extremely healthy topnotch vegan athletes around the world that prove their strength and agility every day.

Dr. McDougall has a lot of information on his site regarding the protein myth, also.

And, of course, I can't forget to mention The China Study again. This book by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. is the book to read if you are interested in reading real studies regarding protein in diets. His conclusions are irrefutable.

Bigger Screen, Happier Budget, More Space

Dream of a big screen television, but don't have the money or space? Have you considered a projection television? We have and we wrote up a little something. We've had a projector television for several years now and we couldn't be happier. It costs less than current alternatives and the size is significantly larger. It is perfect for movie viewing in luxury. We are on our second projector currently. The only reason why we gave up the first was because we sold it with a house.

Click here on how to find the perfect projector for your family.

Land of Enchantment

New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment for a very good reason. This huge state has desert, high mountains, lava fields, white sands, and much more. Our goal on this latest adventure was to explore space and the white sand dunes.

First, we went sledding in White Sands, using regular domed sleds. My daughter is certain that they call them "flying saucer domes" due to Roswell being such a short distance away. Perhaps the aliens needed to land in saucers so that they, too, could sled on the dunes? While the temperature was high, the sand was cool. It felt luxurious to walk in the sand barefoot.

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Next we visited the New Mexico Museum of Space History and IMAX theater. This little treat was perfect for us in our current explorations of space. We spent the entire day going between the two buildings, enjoying the exhibits and the shows. We capped off the day with a Halloween costume purchase for my little daughter. She is going as a NASA astronaut.

The next day, we made our way to Sunspot, NM, where the National Sun Observatory and the Apache Point Observatory are located. Sunspot is another hidden gem. We had the road to ourselves and the surroundings couldn't have been more beautiful. We were told that the view was of an area larger than the state of Connecticut! It did seem like we could see forever.

Then, of course, our trip wasn't complete without going back to the dunes on our way out of the area. We took the time right before our drive to sit in a zen-like state and listen to the silence. It was very refreshing.

Space, the Final Frontier

Here are my daughters at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. We are huge Star Trek fans. While we've chosen to not purchase or use a curriculum for our children's education, we've been known to joke and say that we use the Star Trek curriculum (afterall, we've been averaging viewing about one show per day over the last 2-3 years). Star Trek is connected to everything. Everything can go back to Star Trek. The book All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching Star Trek is really quite accurate!

As Unschoolers, we believe that everything is connected. Learning happens ALL the time, no matter where you are or what you are doing. The world really is our classroom. However, even that hasn't been a large enough room for us lately. We've been exploring space. The night skies have been amazing this summer. We've been tracking satellites, stars, and planets.

My children have been pondering the deep questions: Are we alone? Are there other universes? What else is out there?

They've found Science Fiction authors to be more intriguing than other authors. Fantasy and science fiction come easily to their minds and they've been creating their own worlds as well. Both they and I enjoy writing our own speculative fiction stories. String theory and alternate realities can dominate our minds and conversations for days and nights on end. We can stay up all night watching Sliders and the lunar eclipse simultaneously. We're in no hurry, no need to rush, yet the learning flow comes so quickly...

Keep Family Up-to-date with Photos

In order to keep our family and friends up-to-date on our lives, we like to send them photographs. We enjoy sending digital photos to Ceiva digital frames. We first gave frames to family over seven years ago. The frames have held up well and for the most part, we've been extremely happy with Ceiva and their customer support. The original frame requires a phone line, but their new frame does not. My parents currently have one of each. The frames are simple and straight-forward for the end user. The downloading is automatic, unless you force it to download immediately (always an option). These do require a subscription, but we've found the price to be well worth the ease of use and the enjoyment of the recipient.

For prints, I prefer using Kodak Gallery (previously ofoto.com). Their prints have held up well and we've been especially happy with the quality of their photo books. I like the ease of ordering online and I've had no problems with delivery or incorrect orders, unlike other places.

I purchase photo supplies, specialty camera items, and backdrops, etc. from Adorama.

For simple photo editing, I use PhotoDeluxe. I use PhotoShop for more extensive editing.

For fun e-card type photograph mailings, I prefer Smilebox.

Free Radio

Looking for new ideas on what to listen to? Check out Pandora's cool (and free) internet radio. You can type in one of your favorite artists and it'll give you recommendations, then start playing!

Eating Vegan While Traveling

My daughters and I are currently on a road trip, checking out famous (and not so famous) space exhibits and sites in New Mexico (more on this later). We knew from the get-go that eating a healthy vegan diet whilst traveling was probably going to be challenging. It is, but we've got some suggestions on how to make it easier:

1. Take as much food with you as you can manage. Many things don't have to be refrigerated, such as pb&j, Clif bars, pretzels, and misc. snack items. Things that do have to be refrigerated can often be carried for a few hours and eaten as your first trip meal.
   
2. Check happycow.net for restaurants and health food stores at your destination (and on the way to your destination). This site is an excellent resource for finding vegetarian and vegan friendly stores and eateries. Be sure to write reviews of the places you check out. I always read reviews of places I am considering going to.
   
3. If you see a health food store, go into it, even if you aren't hungry. We found our supper today by stumbling upon a health food store. While most of the items were very much not vegan, we were able to find healthy choices.
4. Don't let yourself get dehydrated! Buy bottled water if you need to, it is worth it.
5. Don't let yourself get to the point that you are so hungry you are willing to eat anything you find. Seek out food well before you are starving.
6. Find meals at grocery stores and eat at parks. You don't have to eat all your meals at restaurants and fast food joints. We've found some fun fruit and dry cereal for breakfast. If you know that fast food places are going to be your only choice, figure out what you are going to order before you go in. Many meals can be veganized if you ask the right questions and make your needs made clear (politely, of course).
   
7. Don't hesitate to eat the "wrong meals" at the "wrong times". If you have access to delicious and nutritious vegan burritos, eat them even if it is breakfast time. Ditto on cereal for supper. My daughter highly recommends spaghetti for breakfast and peaches for lunch. I'm not actually a big cereal fan, but it does make for easy and quick trip food.
8. Have fun and try new things! You just might find new favorites.
   

Amy Steinberg's New CD

Amy Steinberg's much anticipated new CD, Fall Down to Fly, is out as of yesterday. Her song Exactly is a favorite of many Unschooling families. We really relate to the lyrics and enjoy her beautiful and soulful voice. I'm extremely excited that she is playing near me this year.

Check out Amy's music on her MySpace page. You can hear Exactly there, as well as several of her new songs. She's also listed her upcoming shows. If you are lucky enough to have her playing close to you, go check her out! I've been told that she performs a show that is unforgettably fantastic.

Here's a little plug for CD Baby: they are an awesome "little online record store that sells albums by independent musicians." Very cool!

We all are "exactly where we need to be."

Fly like a SUPER HERO with Indoor Skydiving

We had a wild adventure yesterday with close friends and family (thirteen participants and one observer in all). My youngest daughter is about to turn 7. Her greatest passions are space, space travel, the sky, and dreams of flying or levitating. We are always trying to help our daughters have their dreams come true, but flying like a super hero isn't an easy feat to accomplish.

Enter Eloy's Sky Venture Arizona to the rescue to help us celebrate her birthday in style. Sky Venture offers the "ultimate indoor skydiving experience." We needed no parachutes and no experience. Since only one in our group had any skydiving experience at all, most of us didn't know what to expect (and there were surprises).

We showed up for our adventure with no special gear. Sky Venture provided everything we needed, including shoes if we didn't have tennis shoes. With a brief training session and special clothing, we were ready to go in short order. We each got the opportunity to fly for two individual 2 minute sessions. The instructors were excellent (and superb with flying tricks) and stayed right with each of us for our sessions. It was safe, simple, and we highly recommend it. In fact, we are trying to figure out when we can possibly go again. If you ever have the opportunity, don't pass it up. We even got a DVD of the whole experience. It has been fun to watch (we think we are going to add a Star Wars soundtrack).

Party favors were cool t-shirts from Sky Venture for everyone and special Webkinz for the kids. We also had an excellent vegan chocolate cake with lemon frosting from Friendly Feast.

How do I choose what to recommend?

I've been asked how I choose what I recommend.

I only recommend products and services that my family and/or I have personally used. I don't randomly put up links or become affiliates with companies just to earn a dime. This is a labor of love and passion; I really want to help everyone become the best that they can be. My family feels similarly and we are always learning every day about new ideas and products and books, etc. that help us to be the best that we can be. Don't hesitate to e-mail me ideas! Everything is connected.

The links that do give me a "kickback" help pay for this site, the expenses of building the site, and having it be a legitimate company. Please keep this in mind if you plan on purchasing something that I recommend. I don't have control over the Google Ads on this page, but I find them to be generally very applicable and interesting. It is amazing what one can learn with a few clicks.

We truly do live a vegan Unschooling lifestyle. I welcome questions through the request form. I also offer counseling services via e-mail. Please fill out the form for more information. All requests must contain information that will help further the pursuit of "Actualizing all people with their full potential in life"; all requests that do not will not be answered.

Thanks for your support!

Vegan Chocolate?

Yes, vegans can eat chocolate. Yes, it is delicious and real. Pure dark chocolate is vegan. It is when dairy and sugar filtered with bone char is added that chocolate turns unhealthy and is no longer vegan.

Where can you find vegan chocolate? Just about anywhere these days! I've been pleasantly surprised at the odd places I've spotted vegan chocolate. Although, it will likely cost more than a typical candy bar at a gas station. The satisfaction of high quality chocolate is about a thousand times more. I consider this well worth the extra expense. Healthy choices always are.

Here are a few brands to check out (be sure to read the ingredient labels since most of these companies do carry non-vegan chocolate, also):
Dagoba Chocolate
Endangered Species Chocolate -- these are our favorite
Denman Island Chocolates -- we love their chocolate mint frogs

If for some reason you can't find any locally (try your local health food stores, too!), Vegan Essentials always has a wonderful selection. They even sell chocolate Santas at Christmastime and chocolate eggs and bunnies at Easter!

Trader Joe's carries an excellent vegan chocolate chip cookie (other varieties, also, but the chocolate chip is our favorite). Their cookies are similar to Uncle Eddie's. Try a variety pack of Uncle Eddie's if you can't decide which your family might like best. Trader Joe's and Safeway both carry vegan chocolate chips in their baking section, if you prefer to make your own cookies. Just be sure to read the ingredients every time you make your purchases since recipes change over time.

There's no such thing as a meat eating environmentalist

Ow, these are harsh words. But, are they true words? I didn't believe them when I first heard them, even though I was already a vegetarian at the time (now vegan). When you doubt something you hear (yet aren't willing to ignore and forget about it) what do you do? Well, I start researching to find out the truth. Truth is very important to me.

Conclusion: Yes, it is true. There is no such thing as a meat eating environmentalist. Here are just a small portion of sources that show this statement to be true (for those interested, actual studies can be found off of links on these sites):

• PETA's "Fight Global Warming by Going Vegetarian" Feature

• PETA's "Meat and the Environment" Article

• Original UN Report

• New York Times recent "Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change" Article Check out the Humane's Society ad on this page!
  

The proof is out there, don't be afraid of it. We can save this world, but only if we work together. The best thing you can do for the environment is to stop eating meat and its by-products.

Giving Artists Credit

In starting a blog, I did as many do: I googled myself and my websites. What did I find? Photos from Do Life Right scattered on various other sites around the world (more than a dozen countries, actually, so I'm quite flattered). In case anyone is interested, it is this photograph that is the most popular. I know for a fact that only I took the photograph because the saguaro in question is not in a public location, it is my front yard. Aren't I lucky? It's true, I didn't put the word copyright all over the photograph. However, credit should always be given where credit is due. When you take a photograph or other image from a website, you should always state your source. Consider this my plea as an artist to everyone out there that is tempted to "steal" other's work. I don't mind other people displaying my work, but I would like my name or website listed as the source. Thanks so much!

Best Webkinz Sources

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I read every blog on Webkinz that we could find and these are the best:
WebkinzInsider
Atomicolicious.com
Webkinz Mom

This is the best online store to purchase Webkinz:
webkinzpetstore.com

We've been enjoying our Webkinz charms and trading cards. Much to our happy surprise, we just unlocked a free virtual pet: the frog. We've named her "Mint" after the chocolate mint frogs we had at our Magic School party on Sunday. We now have four ice cream trees that we are hoping to trade with someone. We'd love to have the amethyst geode, the Egyptian bed, and the Dream-o-Meter bed.

Gokshuradi Guggulu Disolves Kidney Stones

Goat-sha-who-ga-lulu-huh? Say what? I don't know how to correctly pronounce it, but I do know this Ayurvedic Herb is a gift from the gods for anyone suffering from kidney stones.

If you've ever been in the middle of a bout of kidney stones or even a single kidney stone, then you know the pain and suffering that can ensue as one passes.

I had my first kidney stone attack slightly over 7 years ago while I was about 5 months pregnant. I thought I was in labor since there are many similar symptoms and I knew it was much too early, so I called my (homebirth) midwife and we met at the emergency room. As soon as it was evident that I was not in labor, I was quickly diagnosed with kidney stones (several nurses told me later that they knew just by the way I was holding my body that I had kidney stones). Since I was pregnant, conventional treatment was not possible. I am very thankful for this, since I've since been able to deal with my kidney issues without needing to see a doctor. I was forced to find the cause, rather than just putting a band-aid on the problem.

As research proves, the majority of kidney stones are caused by eating too much protein (specifically dairy). There are two kinds of kidney stones and the calcium ones make up between 80-95% of them. The proteins in dairy wreak havoc on kidneys (and other organs in the body, too). Some great information on kidney stones can be found on the PCRM site. Don't confuse the encouragement of calcium with the encouragement of dairy. The two are not related (this is a common misconception). Sufficient calcium for good health is found in a vegan diet.

The cure I was given:

• Stop eating dairy!
• Drink LOTS of water.
• Drink some more water.
• Add lemon to your drinking water.
• Drink some more of that lemon water, even if you don't like it.
  
• Take Gokshuradi Guggulu (see your own local Ayurvedic Herb specialist for your specific requirements on dosage) -- this Indian herbal compound can be found online fairly easily for around $20 + shipping. Banyan Botanicals makes a good one.
• Don't start eating dairy again once the stone passes.

Fortunately for me, the above prescription broke down my kidney stones and left me feeling wonderful quite quickly. Unfortunately for me, I'd spent my entire life previously eating dairy and accumulating many more stones. I also, at that time, continued to form new ones due to the fact that I didn't listen to that last recommendation for a couple of years. New and already formed stones continued to regularly plague my life, bringing me to a halt for a day or two every few months for the next several years. It was only when I completely stopped eating dairy that I found a long term solution.

Over four years later, I've had two bouts of kidney stones after rigorous activities and not enough hydration (I've been told that certain sitting positions can make stones break free, too). These have been old stones that were formed during my dairy eating years. I feel good knowing that I am not creating any new ones with my lowfat vegan diet. Good ol' Gokshuradi Guggulu comes to my rescue when an old one is dislodged and causing me pain. After they're gone, I'm glad to have them out of me. I look forward to the day that they are all gone from my system and I am thankful that I am helping my children never create any.

Read The China Study and Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up for more information on how people naturally eat around the world to maintain good health. It is possible to never need remedies for maladies! Our bodies remain perfect if we treat them right.

Vegan ballet slippers?

My youngest is a ballerina. At almost 7 years old, she has been into dancing for years. With her interest in ballet steadily growing last year, we knew it was time to find a real (and good) dance studio. As difficult as that was, finding vegan ballet slippers was even more difficult! We tried all the normal routes as well as every dancewear company we could find on and offline. We finally found some that are not only vegan, but are of a far better quality than any of the non-vegan slippers we have ever seen.

Vegans do not wear or use products made from animals and animal products, as much as humanly possible. This includes leather, silk, and wool. Why? Read here.

Here is our source for beautiful, high quality, durable, vegan ballet slippers:
Cynthia King Dance Studio
1256 Prospect Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718)437-0101
www.cynthiakingdance.com
Feel free to tell them that Lisa from Do Life Right sent you.

Chocolate Blast

When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, over eleven years ago, I craved Baskin-Robbins "Chocolate Blasts". Being that I've become a much healthier person since then, I was afraid my chocolate blasts were doomed to the past (although I no longer craved them, I still enjoyed the flavor and texture of the icy chocolate drink).

I've since recreated that 800+ calorie treat into my favorite summer snack that isn't even 300 calories, yet twice the volume.

2 cups of light chocolate soymilk (your choice on brand)
1 tray of ice

Blend in a Vita-Mix, put in a HUGE cup, then enjoy for the next hour. It is a wonderfully tasty and healthy snack that is a mere 4 Weight Watchers POINTS. It fills me and gives me extra water. To make it extra special, a scoop of Ricemellow "Marshmallow" Crème (vegan marshmallow fluff) on the top is a very lovely treat.

I have to point out at this juncture that John Robbins, the heir to the Baskin-Robbins throne, states that he is a near vegan. Raw Vegan Radio interviewed Robbins in their podcast #23. As their blog states, he left the ice cream business to walk "away from his fortune to spend his life spreading the message on health, the environment, and peaceful living." Listen to this great podcast for more information or check out one of John Robbin's books. His best are Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples and Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness, and the Future of Life on Earth. Robbins also has an interesting website: healthyat100.com

What magazines do you and your family read?

We currently receive more than the following, but I'm only planning on resubscribing to these:

• New Moon -- Fun magazine for girls ages 8-15 (or so) and their families.
  
• Wired -- Interesting for the whole family, technically oriented. Through amazon.com.
• VegNews -- This magazine puts out a monthly online newsletter, too. Both have a lot of useful vegetarian and vegan information. It can also be purchased through amazon.com.
• body + soul -- I enjoy reading this magazine while taking a bath with Lush bathbombs. It is very Zen and I am always inspired to create something exciting after this experience.
  
• Live Free, Learn Free Magazine -- If you want to know more about Unschooling, but don't spend much time online, this is the magazine for you!
• Highlights -- This well known classic is amazingly a huge hit with my children and has been for several years. Through amazon.com.
• Connections -- This is an ezine on Unschooling and Mindful Parenting (two of my favorite topics.
• National Geographic Kids -- These are short, but colorful and fun. I don't enjoy all the advertising, but the content is interesting. Through amazon.com.
• PCRM's magazine -- Make a tax deductible contribution and you'll receive this amazing magazine. It is full of the latest and greatest research on curing diseases through diet.
  

Here are a few that I have enjoyed over the years, but have outgrown since my children are older now and we are seasoned Unschoolers:

• Mothering -- Wonderful information on pregnancy, birthing, vaccines, circumcision, etc.
• Life Learning Magazine -- Through amazon.com.
• The Compleat Mother