Erin Sluka - Parenting Healthy

Shop FossilEra for high quality fossils, collectable minerals and crystals

Maybe I can just show you all of the photos I took of my order from FossilEra because they are so much fun. I was blown away at the quality that arrived in my order. I was browsing their website looking at stones, crystals and even shark teeth. I saw that there were some fossil plates and I love to entertain so I was intrigued. I ordered the 11.1″ Tropical Hardwood Petrified Wood Dish from Indonesia. Wow! It is gorgeous and heavy.

I decided I want to find a place in the bar area and have visions of placing a few wrapped candies or mints to make it useful if entertaining. I love all the imperfections I would expect from a real piece of petrified wood. FossilEra really impressed on the way it was packaged. It was wrapped very securely.

They even included a free gift. I found this cut and polished Agatized Ammonite Fossil. My teen claimed it right away for his nightstand. Every item comes with an identifier card so you have all of the descriptions on your piece.

I also ordered a few Worry Stones. I chose Black Obsidian from Mexico and the Red Jasper is from an unknown region, but my son loves fidgeting with these and wanted a ‘red’ stone. I ordered a few extra because they are fun to add to gifts.

FossilEra is located in Monroe, Wa near my town. They are a trusted source of all your fossils and collectable minerals and crystals. Shop FossilEra today!

Parenting

The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Live-In Nanny — Is It Worth It?

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 Erin Sluka

An astounding 69% of parents say that good babysitters are hard to find. However, for some families, hiring a live-in nanny can present a constant and worthy option without having to continually search for a babysitter — though the notion doesn’t come without a few drawbacks. From the convenience and flexibility that a live-in nanny can offer to the negatives worth considering and the importance of keeping your childcare goals in mind along the way, here’s what you need to know.

The undeniable benefits involved

For families looking to hire a live-in nanny, there are a myriad of benefits to be aware of. For starters, a live-in nanny can present a convenient and trusted caretaker for parents who have varying and/or busy schedules. Not only that, but a live-in nanny will also allow for your child to have a familiar face looking after them, which will allow for them to bond with and become a part of the family since a live-in nanny will be committed to working for your family. With a singular nanny looking after your child as opposed to a rotating schedule of babysitters, you can rest assured that your child will get individualized attention while under their care. In turn, this will allow you to have more parental control over things like activities, diet, and overall schedules.

Potential downfalls to consider

While live-in nannies can be a fantastic option for many families, there are some potential downfalls to take into consideration before actually hiring someone. In addition to the cost, another thing to consider is the fact that you’ll be sharing a home with the nanny, which will likely require setting boundaries early on in terms of when the nanny can have time off, what rooms are off limits, etc. in order to prevent any conflict later on. However, there are additional things to consider should you go another route.

If you’ve been looking for the perfect live-in nanny and can’t seem to find one to meet your needs, looking outside the United States is a great solution in broadening your choices. However, while a nanny from another country can be great for introducing your child to a new culture and even in learning a new language, obtaining a work visa for nanny may be required, with one way being to sponsor them for an H-2B nonimmigrant visa, which will allow the nanny to work in your home for a specific period of time. However, while this can be seen as a downfall due to the paperwork involved (such as applying for temporary labor certification, etc.), the end result will allow you to have a nanny that fits your childcare needs perfectly.

Considering your childcare needs and goals

When deciding whether or not hiring a live-in nanny is right for your family, keeping your childcare needs and goals at the forefront of your mind is imperative in making the right choice. For example, if your child needs more individualized attention, or your schedule requires great flexibility in terms of childcare due to a busy work schedule, a live-in nanny could certainly be the right fit, and can allow you to cater to additional goals such as helping your child learn a new language should you sponsor someone from another country. However, if you’re reluctant to share your home with your nanny or don’t need childcare as frequently, perhaps a babysitter would present a better, more cost-effective option.

Should you not mind sharing your home, a live-in nanny can present a wonderful childcare solution for your family, especially if you have a hectic schedule and would like your child to receive more individualized attention. However, this might not be for everyone, as visa considerations and sharing your home can be potential downfalls.

Natural Foods

Walden Farms Announces Salad Dressings with Improved Natural Ingredients

July 15, 2021July 14, 2021 Erin Sluka

I love that brands are finally putting our health over their convenience and profits. Many brands still have some work to do to put consumers health at the top, but Walden Farms® has made the turn. They just announced their new re-branding of salad dressings now made with natural ingredients and no dyes or artificial flavors. They will soon follow up with better ingredients in their other products, but the dressings are available now.

Just tonight I made salads so I can use up some veggies and chicken I had and we used Walden Farms Ranch Dressing. The dressings are a blend of herbs and spices and natural sweeteners. They are labeled as keto-friendly with 0g net carbs, sugar free and calorie free. Also, the Walden Farms dressings are gluten-free, kosher, and have no high fructose corn syrup, and most are vegan, dairy-free, and cholesterol-free.

Walden Farms did not just change to better ingredients in their dressings, but changed their website to a cleaner and recipe-filled site you can go for videos and delicious meal ideas. Visit Walden Farms to learn more.

Healthy Living

Advantages of Organic Eating

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021 Erin Sluka

Lifestyle changes are required to promote a healthy body, which entails exercise and healthy food choices. Putting organic ingredients in your diet will help in boosting your immune system. The items aid your body in cleansing itself to prevent any buildup of toxic substances. The advantages of having organic ingredients in your diet include healthy hair and skin. The foods are high in vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes.

A great number of people believe that organic food offers several health benefits. This is evident as organic food items entail 50 % more vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. Most people think that organic foods are vegetables and fruits only: it is correct. There are, however, other organic items used to expand the supply of food considered organic that contain the same health advantages.

The ingredients are helpful and have several advantages, such as promoting a quality healthy life. It is vital to understand the benefits of organic ingredients in your diet to know how to spend your finances wisely to lead a quality and healthy life. Organic eating should be a habit to promote good health in your daily serving. Below are some benefits of organic ingredients in your meals:

Improved health

Before the increase in commercial and junk food ingredients, people in the past lived for many years. The primary reason is that the ingredients used to prepare meals were traditionally refined and produced naturally, without adding artificial chemicals. Farmers are good at taking care of organic foodstuffs. Using organic ingredients in your diet minimizes the chances of getting cancer and other serious ailments.

For instance, vegetables and fruits have many nutrients as well as a high percentage of antioxidants. Examples of nutrients found in organic food products include beta-carotene and ascorbic acids, common in preventing cancer.

Better taste and eco-friendly

Organic food items have sugar and mineral structures that make your meals tasty, since the crops take time to mature and develop. The application of eco-friendly and natural agricultural techniques in crop production promotes a good taste in organic foods. A lot of farmers avoid the use of chemicals during planting. The use of chemicals alters the taste of food and pollutes the environment.

Organic farming helps eliminate pollution making the environment a safer place to live. You can enhance the efforts to maintain a good and safe environment by issuing organic food ingredients gift baskets. This helps advertise the advantages of eating organic foods. If you are looking for a special way to gift someone on occasions like thanksgiving, birthdays amongst others, organic food gift baskets are an ideal option for you. It is an amazing gift.

The content of antioxidants

Several scientific researchers on organic ingredients have determined the positive impacts of antioxidants on general health. This results from the items being free from chemicals that usually react with organic compounds, minerals, and vitamins, hence reducing the vital positive effect of antioxidants on food items. Incorporating organic ingredients in your diet enhances the intake of nutritionally beneficial antioxidants and more exposure to heavy metals. Antioxidants help in preventing visual problems, cognitive malfunction, cancer, premature aging, and heart disease.

Before the organic ingredients get to the grocery store and your home, the seed is put in a file or garden and handled with a lot of care. The foodstuffs grow rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. During harvesting, the arrival of the food items is eagerly awaited. The ingredients have to be cleaned, repackaged, and prepared for buying. Preparing organic foods does not take a lot of time. Identify the best ingredients to prepare the best meals and also know how much money you need to spend.