Making Christmas Wreathes with the Kids

Making your own Christmas Wreath with the kids is very simple. There are a couple of ways to do it.
The first way to make your own Christmas wreath is without an armature. An armature is a wire frame. I always thought I had to go to Walmart to get one of these or the wreath would not turn out. This is not true. This means going outside and collecting your own branches from a pine, spruce or other type of evergreen tree. Collect some pine cones too. Just remember not to hurt any trees that you may be stripping of branches.
Once you have found the boughs that you want to use to all you need is some heavy duty wire. Bend the boughs into a circular shape and attach them in place with the wire. Attach some pine cones to the boughs with wire as well as some shiny red and green ribbons and you will have created the simplest wreath possible. Keep in mind too that you can also string this type of wreath with battery operated xmas lights to make it look more glamorous. The only caveat – don't let really young kids get a hold of wire cutters.
The second way to make a Christmas wreath is to buy a Styrofoam armature at a crafts store. You can then glue or pin any type of object that you want to these circular shapes to make your own wreath.
An easy wreathe to make is one made out of shiny Christmas balls. All you need to do in this case is buy some inexpensive glass balls and then pin them to the armature in a circle. The entire thing can be finished off with a bright big bow at the top.
One of the most popular homemade Christmas wreath ideas is the wreath made out of candy canes. This is a good one for kids, especially if they are good with tape. All you need is tiny candy canes that you can pin, tape or glue to the armature to makes a sunburst shape.
If your kids are older and can handle a needle and thread then make is one made out of popcorn. These look great decorated with green or red bows.
A good example of an easy and clever Christmas wreath to make is the one made by Martha Stewart that was constructed entirely out of gum drops. She simply pushed pins through gumdrops and then pushed them into the armature. The frost on the gum drops made the homemade Christmas wreath look as if it was frosted with snow.
A picture frame hook can be used to help hang any type of wreathe on the front door or a mantelpiece. Another option is to simply hang it on a nail and attach it with wire or looped fishing line. However this can ruin your door. They can also be laid flat on a table with a candle placed in the center to create an attractive holiday centerpiece. Don't place a candle in the center of this type of decoration unless you are absolutely certain that the materials are not flammable.

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Protecting You and Your Kids From Toxins

Your body is a battlefield. Your cells are defending themselves against toxins every single minute a day.
Toxins can be extreme, like poison mushrooms or snake venom. However most toxins can also exist in seemingly harmless plants, common foods, and in many of our daily household items.
They can be ingested, absorbed by the skin, inhaled, and even produced by the body. Where toxins build up, adverse reactions may occur, some of them serious. Where there is disease present, the natural cellular environment has in some way been disturbed or altered by toxins.
The physical effects of toxins can range from a simple skin rash or irritation, to inflammation, and digestive problems, to major diseases, such as cancer.
Unfortunately toxins are a fact of life. Toxins are everywhere — from pollution in the air we breathe and the water we drink, to the preservatives and environmental chemicals in foods.
Toxins also get into our bodies when we eat excessive refined sugars and animal fats, or highly processed junk foods. We also consume big amounts of toxins when we smoke, drink alcohol excessively, and take pharmaceutical drugs.
When cells become toxic they die. Cells need energy in the form of nourishment, hydration and oxygen which is supplied to them by the surrounding fluids. This fluid is mostly water.
Cells will take what they need by way of minerals and nutrients, and either transforms it into energy or store it away for future use. The rest becomes waste, which they need to expel back into the surrounding fluids to be flushed away. If there is an overabundance of toxins and acids in the fluids it can alter the cells’ ability to function. The cells get constipated and congested just as we do. This in turn manifests as sickness.
So to stay well you need to –
• Eat nutritious wholesome food that is vegetarian without dairy or meat
• Drink plenty of water but not too much so you don't dilute them minerals in your system
• Exercise to keep the fluids and lymph system moving so any energy moving through our body is free flowing
• A healthy non-toxic clean environment that does not trigger allergies or poisonings
The trick is to stay away from foods and other substances that work against us, but instead to choose foods that keep our cellular environment clean.
Humans need to keep the fluids moving through their cells through exercise. This will keep toxins from creating an environment where they can take hold and do damage to tissues.
You can eliminate alcohol, caffeine, baked goods, dairy foods, and red meat, and instead revert to lighter fare, or a vegetarian or raw diet.
Doing the above is very much part of alkalinizing your diet. Integrating the alkaline and dispensing with the acidic to the best of your ability is the best way of defending yourself against disease.

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