Think: "You think you can, You think you can, You think you can" & one day say: "You thought you could, You said you could, You knew you could" & thus, at least: you thought you did.

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EarthQuaker Knowledge

EarthQuaker Knowledge Mission Statement

(cont. 2020-2021 mission)
EarthQuaker Knowledge (our registered and accredited home-school) uses loosely-based principles of The Montessori Method of Education, (“a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children”) and encouragement of children to become self-driven autodidacts with a passion for learning & discovering subjects that interest and affect each of them, individually and specifically;
Our ongoing goals include fostering desires to strive for: 
functioning well as an individual in community with others, despite any brokenness of the systems of society that surround them;
problem-solving/finding solutions that contribute to the betterment of themselves, their own future, and the future of those around them;
and a drive toward self-motivation that leads them to be both students and teachers of life.

Most importantly, we pray that above all, these Earthquakers have faith that cannot be broken, and because of that strong foundation of personal relationship with the One and Only true God, will develop a love for others, themselves, and the value of knowledge & wisdom put to practical use, all while bringing glory to God and sharing His light in all aspects of their lives.” ~ Mommy Belle

Double Talk Quote: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Attributed to Mark Twain
Bible Verse: Proverbs 2 (Says in part),  “…if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver … then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, … every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, … who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil …”
Word That Has Lost Its Meaning: “Education” has been exchanged with “indoctrination” (usually subliminally). 
Relatable Lyrics: “Brick in the Wall” ~ Pink Floyd
“Wrong, Do it again!”
Children sing: “‘We don’t need no education; We don’t need no thought control; No dark sarcasm in the classroom’ Hey [Big Brother]: leave them kids alone!”
“This Roman Meal bakery thought you’d like to know.
I don’t need no arms around me, And I don’t need no drugs to calm me.
I have seen the writing on the wall. Don’t think I need anything at all.
No! Don’t think I’ll need anything at all. All in all it was all just bricks in the wall. All in all you were all just bricks in the wall.” 

Proverbs 2 (in full) esv: 
The Value of Wisdom
2:1 My son, if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
    and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
    and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
    and who are devious in their ways.

16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden[a] woman,
    from the adulteress[b] with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
    and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths to the departed;[c]
19 none who go to her come back,
    nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 So you will walk in the way of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it,
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

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Instructions Included

The Great Debate

An eggcellent eggzample of the art & skill of a great debate

A professional “debate” has rules. It is NOT like a bar fight, it more like a court room. There is a subject, representatives of ideas and moderator. The moderator asks a question and chooses a debate participant to respond. The respondent has a set amount of time to present his/her position on the subject, addressing the moderator &/or audience. Then the opponent is given time for rebuttal. Sometimes, the original respondent may be granted time for a short rebuttal of his/her respondent’s answer, particularly if a new subject was brought up in the context of the rebuttal. Traditionally, opponents DO NOT address nor interrupt one another. It would be rude and shameful conduct and considered “a low blow” thus weakening any argument in the eyes of the audience.
Example: Imagine you are debating “Are Eggs Healthy for you?” Your position is “yes”. Your opponent’s position is “no”. You MUST try to “win” this debate by following the rules of debate. You never “win” a debate by proving your point, you “win” by presenting the information and gaining majority audience approval. So in this example, the Moderator starts off by asking you “According the official dietary guidelines, eating eggs contributes to heart disease and obesity. Why then, do you believe that people should still eat eggs?” You then have 2 minutes to respond. (Your opponent may be taking notes for his/her rebuttal – but must not interrupt). There are many debate tactics you could use, but for example’s sake you address the following: (1) people from all cultures from all over the world have eaten eggs since the dawn of time and it has never been shown to be harmful in any other time or place in history…. (2) The human brain is made of fat, in particular cholesterol (3) official dietary guidelines were issued relatively recently in the history of mankind (the 1970’s) and since then to the present, heart disease and obesity rates have skyrocketed from relatively rare diseases, reserved mainly for the elderly or vulnerable, to our nation’s top causes of death and chronic illness, striking people as young as their 30’s and 40’s. [A timer indicates your time is over, and the moderator may or may not allow you to finish your breath if you don’t wrap it up in the allotted time.) Then your opponent gets a chance to offer a rebuttal. He might say something like, “We learned long ago that, according to established scientific studies completed, there IS a correlation…. ” When his time ends, you may offer a short rebuttal and that will end the round of that particular question. In your brief rebuttal, you might say “The studies my opponent cites were done by the same researchers who were called out by other scientists as having omitted data and cherry-picked information that skewed the conclusions. Furthermore those studies were funded in part by the sugar industry, who had financial interests in replacing eggs with sugary cereals and such studies could not be replicated by independent researchers. A current scientific consensus does not exists. Some studies shows a possible correlation but certainly not causation. Other studies actually indicate that eggs help prevent heart attack. stroke, obesity, and cancer and certainty do not cause the epidemic of these modern-day lifestyle diseases.” Ding. your turn ends and the Moderator asks your opponent a question and follows the same format.
The purpose of debate is exchanging information and trying to convince a majority to believe the way you believe or at least consider a different stance on whatever the topic may be. In a civil debate, you greet your opponent at the beginning with a smile and you shake hands, not fists, at the end. In between, you attack ideas – NEVER a person presenting ideas. THAT is both the art & skill of “the great debate”.

(October 2, 2020 –  Twins & Asher age 6 years old & capable of civil argument better than presidential candidates; Mica age 12 & an eggztraordinary student of life; Hope 11 & Rain 3 never out of prayers; Ez Happy 2nd birthday & a new one on the way? The answer is within the Starz.)

Double Talk Quote: “No debate: that was a bar-fight!” ~ SuperMommy in the continual quest to clarify to little ones living in LocoLand how ‘It’s not supposed to be this way.’ (9/30/2020 2:08 AM unable to sleep and regrettably fell for Main-Stream-Media political clickbait #YouTubeRegrets)

Bible Verse: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” Mark 3:24

Term that has Lost its meaning: civil

Relatable Lyrics: Forget Elephants and Donkeys! Remember Heffalumps and Woozles? (“Winnie The Pooh & The Blustery Day”)

“…they’re in. they’re out, they’re all about! They’re far, they’re near, they’re gone, they’re here, they’re quick and slick & insincere BEWARE!!! … If [M]oney’s what you covert, you’ll find that: they love it – because they guzzle up the things you prize!”

No Elephants v. Donkeys! It’s Heffalumps & Woozles and We’re supposed to fall for this… (again)? Living in “Winnie The Pooh & The Blustery Day” dream.

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Instructions Included

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The Gerbil and The Giraffe

Twins swing Bella Brooks Gerbil Giraffe

In the great plains of the treacherous Sarifihari region of the Mofus
Mountains, during the trysoic era, there lived a multitude of animals
in need of food and shelter.  During this trying time, there was a
great drought and all the animals began urgently seeking water.  Well,
rumors of a great watering hole began to circulate and came upon the
ears of a very thirsty Gerbil.  “But how do I get to this Special
Spring?” he asked inquisitively to everyone he came across. An
elephant triumphed loudly, “Follow me!” as he boisterously ramped
through the jungle terrain.  The gerbil tried to keep up, but quickly
fell behind, as his little legs were too small to keep pace with the
elephant.  Desperate, the gerbil cried out to God, “Please Lord, help
me find the water.”

Meanwhile, news of the special spring had reached the perky ears of a
very parched giraffe.  The giraffe also seeked direction and soon
learned of the water’s location.  In his desperate pursuit, however,
the giraffe found it difficult to find his footing, as the ground was
quite uneven and littered with tiny pebbles that kept impeding his
ability to move forward.  “Why don’t you swing through the trees like
me?” asked a monkey as he flew by overhead.  The giraffe pondered the
idea but couldn’t figure out how to do that.  Desperate, the giraffe
cried out to God, “Please Lord, help me get to the water.”

As it happened, at that very moment, the gerbil just happened to be
wondering by and heard the giraffe’s prayer.  He approached the
giraffe and said, “I too, am thirsty and desperate to find the Special
Spring.”  “I know where it is, I can even see it above the trees.  I
just can’t maneuver through the forest.”  It was at that moment that
the gerbil had an epiphany.  “Let’s help each other,” he said.  “You
tell me which way to go and I’ll clear the path for you.  We’ll get
there together.”  And so they did.

Talking Points:
–       Use your unique abilities to help others
–       Connect with others who are different than you
–       Ask for directions
–       Tune out unmeaningful or irrelevant advice
–       Seek God with all your heart, tell others  so they can help you in
your journey (iron sharpens iron)
–       God uses other people to answer prayer
–       Be a blessing and be blessed
–       Work together as a team

Category:

And the moral of the story is..., Instructions Included, Life With Twins

Little Girls Are Beautiful

Beautiful Girls 3a

Why I never say anything negative about my body in front of my daughters:

 

Because society already has impossible standards that it will try to force on them.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I know that at such a young age, I am the biggest influence they have.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because kids model behavior.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because kids are innocent and impressionable.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I want my daughters to be able to accept a compliment about her appearance without negating it.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I don’t want my daughters to believe a put-down based on her looks.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I want them to be healthy and happy, not perfect.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I don’t want them to go through what I went through.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because people with high self-esteem make better life choices.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I don’t want them to feel they have to “settle” when they start dating.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I want my daughters to love and respect the body God blessed them with.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because the pressures of this world are brutal.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I want them to be empowered by “flaws” and rise above adversity.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because accepting myself teaches them to accept themselves.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because I don’t want them to learn that their self-worth is based on their looks.

And little girls are beautiful.

 

Because girls grow up to become women.

And I want my beautiful little girls to grow into beautiful, confident women

who will teach their little girls

that they are beautiful.

Double Talk Quote: “You look beautiful, Mommy!” – Mica, when I was 6 weeks postpartum

Verse: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are beautiful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

Word that has Lost its meaning: ugly

Relatable Lyrics: “This One’s For The Girls” by Martina McBride https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl7W77cYfNU

January 17, 2015 (6 months old)

Dedicated to Mica, Bella, & Hope

Princess Micaela Bella Sunday Best Princess Grace

Category:

Bipolar Mommy, Instructions Included, Psych Tips

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Ways to Increase Your Breast Milk Supply

SuperMommy

As a breastfeeding mom of twins who has experienced low milk supply and then regained it, I have put this page together as a referral for all those breastfeeding mommies in need of support. This page includes detailed information that is designed to help you be successful.

1. Breastfeed as frequently as possible:

Instructions: Let the baby stimulate your nipple even if he isn’t hungry. Do this for a few days. If your nipples are sore, try using a nipple shield and/or alternate Lanolin and cooling gels. While awake, use nipple shells.

2. Pump often:

Instructions: Get a quality pump: Quality pumps are expensive. I don’t recommend that you go out and buy the cheapest pump you find. It may not work well, or be too uncomfortable to use. This is something that is worth investing in, if you must buy out-of-pocket (the cost of formula far outweighs the cost of a good pump). There are many other ways to obtain a quality pump. If you are insured, check with your insurance company to see if they will supply you one for free. These companies know that children who are breastfed are generally healthier than those who are not and therefore have a vested interest in preventative care. If your insurance plan doesn’t cover it, you can look into renting one from the hospital. If you are uninsured and qualify, check with your local WIC agency. They may be able to help you get one for free.

Timing: Many women make the mistake of pumping too close to a feeding. If you pump too soon after your baby feeds, it can lead to discouragement when nothing or very little comes out. Waiting to pump too long can interfere with your baby’s next feeding. Here’s a pumping tip: wait 45 minutes after the baby eats. Then pump away!

How to do it: If you can, use an electric pump and pump both breasts simultaneously. Use a hands free pumping bra to hold the pump shields in place. Let the pump keep going even after it seems you have expressed all the milk. You may find that if you wait a few minutes, you can get another “let down” response.

Think about it: Breastfeeding is a very psychosomatic experience. If you are with your baby while pumping, look at your baby. Think about how much you love him or her. If you are not with your baby, look at a picture or video of your baby (use your smart phone if you have one). Listen to a recording of your baby crying, just long enough to get the “let down” response. Just thinking about your baby can help. Imagine he’s crying because he’s hungry. This stimulates your brain into sending the message to your breasts to make milk.

Why pumping works: Another mistake many mothers make is thinking they have to “save” the milk they have in their breast until the baby is ready to eat. Your brain is in control of all your bodily functions and it takes cues from what other body parts are telling it. For example, if you touch something hot, like a stove, your fingers send the signal to your brain that it is in pain. Your brain then sends the command back to the hand to move! Every time milk leaves your breasts, they send a signal to your brain that says, “This baby is eating a lot, I need to make more milk!” Your brain, in turn tells your body to make more. When milk is not expelled by way of pumping or eating, your breasts tell your brain, “Hey, I’m making plenty, so there’s no need to make more.” So your brain doesn’t send the command to make more. By feeding more or pumping, you are essentially “tricking” your brain into thinking that it needs to ‘pump’ up production.

If you go back to work: It is extremely important to pump each time your baby would eat. So even if you’re working part time, tell your employer that you need a short break to pump. (With a hands free bra, you can also eat at the same time). If you are working full time, you need several breaks. If that’s a problem, ask if you can go in a little earlier, stay a bit later or break up your lunch hour.

3. Drink tons of water

Instructions: Forget the 16 – 20 oz bottles, you need much more. Get a pitcher or gallon sized container and drink directly from that. Every time you pee, chug more. Every time you breast feed or pump, chug more. Chug, chug, chug all day long. Keep water by your bed and drink it whenever you wake up at night as well. Staying well hydrated helps your body make milk.

4. Take herbs

Instructions: There are herbs called galactogogues that help boost supply such as fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, and fennel. To get started right away, try your local health food store for these and other “lactation” supplements like teas and cookies. You can also order them online and are often less expensive and easier to find that way.

5. Eat foods that are known to help boost breast milk supply

Instructions: Carrots, oatmeal, nuts and seeds (especially sesame) have been used for centuries to increase breast milk supply. Garlic and ginger are said to help as well. I love to add Chia and ground flax seeds to my oatmeal as well.  As mentioned earlier, you can purchase prepared cookies but you could also make your own cookies or brownies. Use the secret ingredients to make them “lactation cookies” or “lactation brownies”. The secret ingredients that the manufacturers use in order to label them “lactation” are: flax seed, oats, and brewer’s yeast.

6. Make sure you are eating enough

Instructions: Sure, you are eager to lose that baby weight. But your body still needs energy from food. Eat quality calories and foods that are high in healthy fats such as Omega 3s. When you are breastfeeding, you are literally being drained of energy. If you don’t refuel, it will affect the quantity and quality of your breast milk.

7. Sleep

Instructions: This is often the one that mothers have the most problems doing. “Sleep when your baby sleeps” isn’t always possible. But try to get someone to help you do housework and other jobs that must get done. Also prioritize. What’s more important? Doing the dishes or for you to sleep? Sleeping will help you stay well physically and mentally and help you make more milk.

Why sleeping works: Ever notice that your breast milk supply seems to be at its peak in the morning? That’s because sleep helps restore the body and help it heal and function properly. Your brain doesn’t have as much external stimuli to process and can focus on internal tasks. Even when you can’t sleep, try to find ways to relax your mind. Even breathing exercises can help you make more milk.

8. If you have a medical problem that is causing your supply to be low, ask your health care provider if a prescription galactogouge is right for you.

Caution: Prescription drugs for increasing breast milk production should only be used in certain circumstances. They are not likely to be prescribed simply for the purposes of increasing production, rather, they would be prescribed in the event that you have a particular medical reason you are not producing milk. All other options should be engaged before resorting to this one and caution must be used, as these drugs can have serious side effects and may be contraindicated with other drugs or herbs you are using.

Examples: One of the most popular galactogouges that is approved for use in the United States is Reglan (caution to women who are prone to depression – this medication is known to be associated with causing or exacerbating depression). Some other drugs have the side effect of increasing lactation, for example, some atypical antipsychotic drugs have been reported to do just that.

Breast is best but…
Formula is not evil. It has gotten a bad rap but it has been a lifesaver to some babies (and probably mothers as well). In some situations supplementing or formula feeding is warranted. For example, a baby may be underweight and need some extra calories. In rare cases, a baby can have an allergic reaction to his own mother’s milk. Sometimes it’s just a personal choice. Whatever the reason, try not to feel guilty. You have not failed your baby. As long as you love your baby, and do the best you can for him or her, you are succeeding. And if you are a mother who is or has done well in the art of breastfeeding, please do not judge formula feeding mothers. Just because you did it doesn’t mean that’s the best choice for them.

Recommendations:
I am not affiliated with any products or vendors, nor do I receive any kind of incentive to advocate a product, it is simply what I recommend based on experience, cost and value.

Great Pump: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Medela-Pump-in-Style-Advanced-Breast-Pump-Backpack/15388874
Great Hands free Pumping Bra: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23487406&cp=&parentPage=search (Alternative: cut very small slits in an old spandex bra, preferably one that opens from the front)
Great health food site (free 3 day shipping on $20 orders): http://www.iherb.com

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Instructions Included

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