Author: Agnieszka

Coffee Grounds Body Scrub

Agnieszka shares her beauty secrets and explains how to save hundreds of dollars, while treating yourself to a SPA-like experience.

What can you do with used coffee grounds besides using them in your garden as a fertilizer? You can also use it as a scrub for your body. Here is what you need:

  • used coffee grounds
  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil or coconut oil
  • a bowl

Combine all the ingredients and massage your body under the shower after you washed yourself with soap. Finish your shower with cold water. This will additionally tighten your skin leaving it smooth and plump. Then dry your skin with a towel and moisturize. Repeat every week and you will notice the results very quickly. It is a bit messy but well worth it. It is also very cheap, in fact it is free. Caffeine is widely used in cosmetology due to its positive effects on skin. Coffee grounds scrub has been used for ages in Indonesia then introduced in western countries where you have to pay big bucks for it at SPA’s.

I have been doing it for years back at home but now on the road it came in even more handy since the space in our van is very limited:-)

The Benefits of Oregano Oil

Agnieszka unravels the secrets of an ancient old natural antibiotic that helps us stay healthy in the most difficult situations.

I have already mentioned oregano oil in previous post but my recent experience prompted me to dedicate it a separate one.

I recently advised my friend to take some oregano oil for her cold. She was really upset because her and her husband were coming down with a cold, while in the process of scheduling a surgary for their son. Difficult situation since if they got him sick, the surgery would have to be called off …again. She took my advice and bought probably a year worth of supply:-) They took it religiously and got better pretty quickly.

Oregano oil is very powerful natural antibiotic that can be used internally and externally. The best thing about is that it is natural and you can not develop immunity to it. It has to be diluted because it is very strong!!!!! I use a teaspoon of olive oil and two drops of oregano oil for me and only one drop for my kids. Make sure you have a piece of fruit ready to eat right after you drink the oils because the taste is nasty and very strong.

So try it! It might be worth it!

Playground Fitness Routine

If you have small kids, chances are you spend quite considerable time on playgrounds. You can either read a book, run after your kids or… do some exercise! Agnieszka explains how she turns every playing field into a membership free jungle gym.

If you have kids most probably you spend 3 or even more times a week at a playground. I simply have to, or my children would destroy the house. It is good, I do not complain at all. When they were little, I had to be there with them every step of the way to help, show and hold, but now they are pretty much independent. I still have to be there of course just in case, keep an eye and make sure everyone is fine. Sometimes I had a book to read or a magazine but most of the time I just sat there for hours …until my butt hurt.

I came up with this routine because as a mom I hardly get any time for myself and I am no exception. I am used to doing fifteen things at the same time, why not fit in a workout while my kids play at the playground, right?!? It is a free gym afterall, no memberhip required!!!

Here is what I do:

  1. Jogg around the playground 15 times, you can do fast walk if you prefer. The goal is to raise your heart rate up.
  2. Chair dips on a bench. Start with 2 sets of 5 and when you build your strengh up add more. Soon you will be amazed with your tricepts, I promise:-)
  3. Pushups on a bench. I know they are hard at first but worth every second of your time. Remember, quality over quantity so do less but good ones. I started with 2 sets of 5 and then increased later on. This excercise is very powerfull because it makes your boobs bigger working all the muscles underneah, your tummy gets tighter and toned, your arms get beautiful and strong and your overall posture improves. This is a POWER excercise that everyone should do.
  4. Pullups on the monkeybars. This is the most challenging excercise for me. I mean it is hard, it is a killer. I remember my first attempts where I kept thinking I was never going to be able to pull myself up!?!?!?! I kept trying for months. Sometimes I managed to do 3 sometimes it was just one but I did not give up. Now I can do 3 sets of five. Start with just hanging on the bar and gradually try to pull yourself up. Try doing reverse grip first since you get to use your bicepts and they are going to help a lot. It might take a while but you will get there, trust me, I know. Pullups are crucial in maintaining our healh and getting our upper body strength. This POWER excercise works your whole body, your back, arms, tummy, legs, your butt…all. It is THE great multitasker!!!!
14-Feb-2012 17:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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14-Feb-2012 17:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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14-Feb-2012 17:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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14-Feb-2012 17:36, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 64
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14-Feb-2012 17:42, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
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14-Feb-2012 17:54, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. u850SW,S850SW , 3.5, 6.7mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 64
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This whole routine should take you no more then 20 minutes, that is all. Not much considering the outcome that you are going to see very soon doing it 3 times a week. I love this routine because you get the most in very little time. It has been a lifesaver for me on the road since playgrounds are everywhere! The last but not least is the example that I set for my kids showing that fitness is important at every stage of you life.

Awesome, Nutritious Pancakes

A recipe for some yummy (and very healthy) pancakes.

If you’re looking for a more nutritious pancake recipe, try this one!!!! It is delicious, easy and literally takes minutes to prepare. It has every nutrient that you need to start your day, not just insulin spiking, processed carbohydrates and sugar that regular pancakes are famous for.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 1 ½ cup of kefir, natural flavor
  • teaspoon of coconut oil
  • 2 mushed bananas
  • ½ cup of shredded coconut unsweetend

Put top four ingredients into the blender and blend well.Pour mixture over bananas /coconut and mix well. If you would like them sweeter add a tablespoon of honey and mix it in. Fry on a frying pan in coconut oil. I make them the size of hash brown or latke. This recipe will make 6 or 7 pancakes.

I made different variations. I used milk or buttermilk instead of kefir. I also used shreded apples instead of bananas and coconut flower instead of regular. They all taste great. We eat them with honey, marmolade or nut butters. Whatever we have on hand. They also freeze well so make sure you make double batch for all those busy mornings! Very healthy and nutritious.

Stay Healthy on the Road

We’ve been traveling for almost 7 months now. In that time we had only one case of a mild fever and two ticks. Agnieszka explains what we do to stay healthy on the road.

Since we’ve made the decision to wander around the world for a while, my biggest concern has been our health and well being. How were we going to deal with sickness on the road? Where were we going to find a good doctor in a new place? What if we had an emergency… Where are we to go? All these questions were spinning through my head until I got dizzy.

There was not much left to do, but to get ready. I got on my favorite websites, visited my naturopath, doctor Evelyn Asher and realized that prevention is the best way to go. I knew that most common diseases start in your gut, so healthy intestines are key in fighting off all kinds of bacteria and viruses. Evelyn assured me that maintaining a healthy, whole, real, made from scratch foods diet was crucial.

At home, it was easy to get all the unprocessed, raw, locally grown, mostly organic foods. But on the road, it was a whole new ball game. Many times we walked out of a store with empty hands, because everything was processed, chemically altered, genetically modified and out of a box. However, thanks to Robert’s love of back roads, we were able to find products at small food stands in the country. It was mostly produce, but also locally grown meats, honey, and raw dairy products.

Along the way, we have been on a constant lookout for “edible” foods, feeling like modern day hunters in the overly processed and plastic world. When we found a good store, I would buy more to keep us going for the next day or so, but not more, since all we had was a portable cooler.

In addition, all of us went on probiotics and fish oil supplements. Not just any. There are a lot of expensive and worthless products, but there are a few good and inexpensive ones too (we use Primal Defense and Nordic Naturals). I put it in smoothies for my children and they never know the difference.

We also packed some essential oils, like oregano and eucalyptus. The first one is a natural antibiotic that you can not develop resistance to, and the second is a great natural and DEET free bug repellent.

You may say, that it is expensive, too much hustle, time consuming… Yes, it is all of those things, but the rewards are tangible. If it was not for the ticks that bit Nadia or a recent 2 day fever for Alex, my kids would have made a year without any kind of health issue. How is that for a saving on copay’s at the doctors offices! Yes a year… That is a great result for a travelling child, sleeping in different places, eating new foods, being exposed to all kinds of germs and regularly going to school in Mexico.

Writing this post, I have probably jinks-ted myself and now we are all going to get sick, 😉 but here it is, I’ve said it. To me it is worth every penny and every minute, it is my long term commitment to let food be my medicine so cheers and let’s raise our glasses… Mine is filled with jugo verde! 🙂

Things I Hate About Mexico

Mexico is a wonderful country, but despite it’s unquestionable qualities, there are a few things we’d love to see changed.

You did not really think there were any, did you?!?!?!Yes, the time came to write about things that I am not too fond of. There really are not that many, but we all are aware that paradise does not exist. There always has to be a balance. Night and day, black and white, hot and cold, fire and water, yin and yang, good and bad…..you get the idea.

First thing that bothers me the most is that Mexicans do not put the trash in its place. Trash is everywhere, especially noticable in the mornings, on our way to school, before anyone had a chance to clean it up. Lack of garbage bins does not help, but still it is no excuse to drop it on the ground wherever. Waste management system works pretty strange here. The truck comes 3 times a week and rings the bell. This is a signal to take out your trash and bring it to the truck. Unfortunately, people who are on a tight schedule leave their trash bags unatended earlier in the morning, or even the night before, which then becomes a dining area to endless hordes of street dogs. Now, that makes me nervous! Just a little bit… enough to make my kids wash their hands a million times a day and make sure they religiously eat their probiotics.

Secondly, it is their impatience, hot blood or temperament. However you want to call it they just have a VERY hard time waiting their turn. It’s just like that term does not even exist in their vocabulary. You can see it mostly on the road. The Mexican way of driving is…..what can I say…..mad. The roads are not great, lots of cobblestones, potholes and topes, the speed bumps. They had to force them to slow down because they have very little regard for speed limits. Oh well, I will let Robert do the driving here:-)

Thirdly, it is the safety. Even though we have not had any problems, nor any of the people that we met were hurt, it is at the back of my mind on a daily basis. Especially arriving from a fairyland like Livonia, NY. It is and it will be in my mind because I am a parent. This will never change no matter where I go, especially in big cities and other crowded areas. I always pay attention to where my kids are and hold their hands on the streets when crowds are present.

This is it! The positives certainly outweigh negatives. I will continue to enjoy this beautiful country to the fullest. We have just came back from a tour around central Mexico, next Morelia and Ixtapa:-) I already can not wait!

Casa Azul

For many it’s just an ordinary, blue house. For others it’s the most sacred place in the heart of Mexico.

During our recent tour around central Mexico we visited the capital, Mexico City. The visit would not be complete without visiting museo Casa Azul, a house of the gratest female mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The walls of the house are painted blue, her favourite color that is why it is called Casa Azul, a Blue House. She grew up there with her 3 sisters and later lived with her husband, famous artist Diego Rivera.

What a vibrant personality she was! Starting with her image, hair styles, dresses and her unibrow.

Her life was far from perfect. She suffered polio as a child and later was nearly killed in an accident that shuttered her spine, ribs and pelvis.

She spend long weeks in a hospital, that is where she started to paint. She had to be on constant pain medications to exist. Due to this accident she could never become a mother, suffering miscarriages over and over. The story of her life touches me enormously, walking through her house with teary eyes I could not help thinking that this is the way it was meant to be. Her art would not be as meaningful or maybe there would be no art at all…?

Her paintings are her biografy, reflecting her experiences and suffering in life. Some say it is folk, some say it is surrealism, I say it is very candid and touching. She is the essence of Mexico.

Her house is filled with every day life objects, put in its place like she still lived there and just stepped out for a moment. I waited, but then everyone was ready to move on so I just whispered bye and cought the last glimpse of her on my way out.

06-Jan-2012 11:25, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 6.7, 70.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 400
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06-Jan-2012 11:25, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 9.5, 70.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
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Our Mexican Christmas

Getting ready for Christmas, Mexican style. A short update on what we’ve been busy with in the last few days and how we plan to spend the Holidays.

It is the first time we spend Christmas in warm climate. Very strange feeling but not for Mexicans who are in Christmas spirit for a month or so. The whole town is beautifully decorated and the Christmas carols are playing everywhere. The celebrations of „posada” which means „inn” or „shelter” also started few days ago. This tradition recreates Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. They are held on each of the nine nights leading up to Christmas, from Dec 16 to 24 th.

All the markets are full of beautiful decorations, lights, candles, sweets and trees of course. We, instead of getting a classic tree decided to do something different. On our way from Guanajuato we picked up a dead tree branch. On our roof top terrace we shaped it and spray painted it white. An upside down plastic red bucket serves as a stand and ……tada!!!!!! Tree was ready for decorations and these were very special this year. All were either knitted by me or made by my children. The only thing we bought were lights. It was sooooo much fun even though, I have to be honest – it is not the most beautiful thing I have ever seen:-) The kids were extremely happy and proud cutting out all the dinosaurs from color paper. We also have Spiderman, who on a daily basis is just a finger puppet but now during Christmas guards order on our funky tree.

Now all we have to do is make sauerkrout and muschroom pierogies for Christmas Eve dinner…..Feliz Navidad Everyone!!!!

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17-Dec-2011 14:16, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 5.6, 28.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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17-Dec-2011 14:16, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 4.5, 55.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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17-Dec-2011 14:16, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 4.5, 55.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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17-Dec-2011 14:16, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 4.5, 55.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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17-Dec-2011 14:16, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 4.5, 55.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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17-Dec-2011 14:17, PENTAX Corporation PENTAX K100D , 4.5, 55.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 200
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How to raise multilingual children?

Our kids are 3 and 7 years old. They both speak fluently two languages, now they’re learning a third one. This post explain our approach.

It is fairly easy. Kids are like sponges, soaking up everything without any effort or even concieus idea that they are in fact learning.

There are different scenarios:

  1. The family is moving abroad for a job.

  2. Parents are different nationalities and decide to teach their children their native languages.

  3. Parents know a foreign language very well, so they speak it to their children at home.

  4. Children are sent to school that the curriculum is in a foreign language, parents not necesarily have to speak it.

I personally know many families for every scenario. My cousin Patrycja, who lives in Poland talks to her son only in Spanish that she know very, very well. Our good friends, who lived in Toronto tough their kids Polish and French which are their mother tongues. The kids learned English outside, at school. In our case it was a job transfer to the USA where our children were born later.

We were sure that we wanted to teach our kids Polish, we just did not know how. We realized pretty quickly that it was not natural for us to speak to our daughter in English (despite knowing it very well) and it did not make any sense to introduce it at home since the whole world around us spoke it.

Nadia at a very young age realized that something weird was going on. Many times she had a surprised face, asking why everyone else is speaking different then my parents and I can not understand any of it:-) It changed very quickly, playing with American children every day, she reached their language level in few months. The situation was finally clear – Polish at home, English with everyone else. Sometimes she tried to mix, but we repeatedly and consequently asked her not to.

When she went to school, we started to introduce at home writing, reading and Polish grammar.

At this point she can write, read, speak, understand both languages and she just turned 7 last month.

In the meantime, our son Alexander was born. With his language education, we applied the same approach, except it was much easier because his main teacher was… Nadia. Now, he is 3,5 years old and does pretty good in both languages.

Here in San Miguel de Allende our kids learn a third language: Spanish. We enrolled them in Spanish only curriculum school so it is complete immersion. It has been 4 weeks and they can have a simple conversation, buy groceries at a local store and order their own food at a restaurant. Pretty good as for one month of school…!!!! 🙂

Nadia often finds similarities to the languages that she already knows. That only proves that it is easier to learn another language while you already know some.

We also decided to learn Spanish and we use Rosetta Stone program along with real life practice. I have to say it is pretty good and gives me the flexibility to learn at my own schedule. Most days we learn in the morning and in the afternoon we go out and try what we learned with the Mexicans who are very, very patient. 🙂

What is your experience? Please share…..

Fitness on the go, how I stay in shape while travelling.

Agnieszka explains how she stays fit on the road. Experience based practical advice for travelling families and stay home moms alike.

Most of my adult life life I have been working out on my own. I say most, because I divide my life into two eras: „before kids” and „after kids”. „Before kids”, I am not even sure if I was an adult… maybe just on paper :-).

Anyway, belonging to a gym or taking regular classes are pretty darn tough when you have a family. Who has time for that, right!!!! Time gets a totally different meaning, you wonder how much more can you do with 5 minutes and sleeping for prescribed 8 hours is not an option anymore.

I could not get through all that if I did not excercise, I swear. Fitness to me is means of producing energy. Without it I would be sleepy, lethargic, tired and I would certainly not be able to keep up with my kids, who are NEVER EVER tired.

I was wondering, how I was going to fit it into my schedule while driving for few hours every other day, sleeping in tents and not being able to take any props with me (except for my bicycle and strech band).

Well, when you want something you can become pretty creative. Here is what I did before we got to San Miguel. I woke up an hour before the rest of the crew and went for a run or rode my bike. It was a great experience because we stayed mostely in National Parks, so I got to enjoy the beautiful sceneries and nature. My favourite was Hunting Island beach, the hard sand was perfect for both, running and cycling and the view of the endless ocean was very calming for my mind. Cardio is great but strengh is also escential. I created something that I call playground fitness. I would take my kids to the playground and instead of sitting on a bench just watching them play I would workout… not for long maybe 20 minutes. I started with jogging 5 times around the playground, then I would alternate between pullups on the mankey bars, pushups and tricept dips on a bench. I did few rounds and I was done for the day. The most challenging where pullups, but I started with one and gradually was able to do more. Old school excercises, but they make wonders for your body, mind and the strengh that you gain is unbelivable.

Now in San Miguel de Allende (SMA), I have much more freedom. Since we stay in one place and in a APPARTMENT I got to be much more creative and change it up a little.

I still run in the mornings. I walk my kids to school and then jog back home. It is pretty challenging since most roads here are cobblestones but on the other hand balancing on it sculpts your ass in a way you never thought was possible 🙂 I also have my favorite P90X on my laptop, so I do it 2 or 3 times a week. You need weights for that, so I made my own from gallon water jugs. I also jump rope on the rooftop terrace of our house when I do laundry.

Since we have been staying here for a while, I was able to take some yoga classes, but I am still searching for the perfect one. Either the time, the teacher or the style does not work for me. Today I tried kundalini yoga and I am positive it is not the right fit… too calm for my personality and I do not own an animal fur rug that they used as a mats 🙂

It all would not be possible if I was working full time. I would have to limit my workouts or get up at 4:30 am like Jen H does:-) I am very grateful to be a SaHM (stay at home mom), even on the go, take care of myself and what is even more important set an example for my children.