modishmonkeys

All-Purpose Flour Blend

2012-01-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here is my recipe for Cybele Pascal's All purpose allergen free flour blend... has never let me down!

4 cups superfine brown rice flour

1 1/3 cups potato Starch (NOT potato flour)

2/3 cup tapioca flour (confusingly enough it is also referred to as tapioca starch...lol)

Mix together an voila you have a marvelously balanced not hockey puck creating flour blend ready to be used in substitution for many of your favorite creations.

Can be found in my baking "bible"lol.

The allergen-free bakers handbook by Cybele Pascal

Have not been disappointed by any recipe in the book and trust me it is used every few days. You can purchase it at Chapters/Indigo books and online.

Double Dutch Chocolate Cookies - yummy healthy style.

2012-01-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

(free of Casien,Gluten, nuts, refined sugar, and eggs)

1 cup Coconut oil,softened

1/3 cup of Raw orDemerara Sugar

½ cup of Maple syrupor agave nectar

2tbsp egg replacermixed with ½ cup of rice milk or water

1 tsp pure vanilla orvanilla extract

1 cup quinoa flour

1 cup all- purposeflour (see below for mix)

¾ cups Raw Cocoa

1 tsp organic bakingsoda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup hemp hearts

½ cup organic darkchocolate chunks or chips

(allergen free option - enjoy life brand chocolate chunk)

Preheat oven to 350f (180c)

Cream the coconut oil and sugar/syrup in a bowl. Add the mixed egg replacer and vanilla andstir until the mix (might be a little lumpy and runny, that is ok, it mixes upgreat with the dry ingredients!

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, hemp hearts,baking soda and salt.

Add the flour mixture to wet mixture and blend well. Stir inthe chocolate chips. Roll into 1 ¼ inche balls. (If the dough is too soft to roll, place in the freezer for about 20minutes.)

Cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper (that way youdon’t have to grease the cookie sheet… less calories). If you don’t haveparchment paper just rub some of your coconut oil or butter on the pan… Makesure you never tell me you own a can of that chemical greasing spray…lol.

Place the balls 2 inches apart on your cookie sheet andflatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake on the center oven rack for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies will be puffy and soft whenremoved from the oven but will flatten when cool. Allow cookies to set for at least 5 minuteson the baking sheet before removing to cool on a rack. Store in a sealed container for up to a weekin the fridge (keeps more fresh and not crumbly) or freeze for up to amonth. You can also freeze rolledunbaked cookies in a sealed container or plastic bag until needed; simply thawbefore baking.

Careful, thesecookies are truly Scrumptous!

Recipe taken from Quinoa,the everyday superfood 365 and slightlytweeked by yours truly for those who are a little nutritionally challenged…such as my family. Lol

Hope you Enjoy!!!

Cooking is my Art.

2012-01-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Well it has been some time since I have posted a blog, andlet me tell you, there have been many changes; aha moments, tears, and purejoy. Since moving we have been throughsome… well, changes wouldn’t even describe what we have been through. Lol.

The transformation since moving to thecountry has been so easy and COMPLETELY natural, this is truly where we weremeant to be. It has taken us 8 months tolearn to live in the moment, each moment, conscious of our choices anddecisions. This truly came to lightafter watching an inspiring episode of Oprah’s life class (amazing how we needto see it through someone else’s life to recognize it in our own) one night,followed by physically injuring myself continuously over a week. I then finallyopened my eyes to what was actually happening… My eyes had been completelyclosed to the moment and constantly focused on the future and the past.

Well today I am focused on learning to be conscious in eachmoment, truly conscious and aware of all that is going on around me, mychildren, and inside of me. I amlearning to accept the things I cannot change, and grow with the things Ican.

I had an aha moment while cooking lunch today (recipebelow). I struggle daily with finding enoughme time to do the thing’s which make my heart sing, which truly feed me. Especially amongst daily domestic life,studying for my holistic nutrition, homeschooling, and friends & family. Iwas just making lunch and doing up my flour blend to whip up some cookies forthe week. I was thinking about the factit is Sunday and how much I would love to be creating in the craft room notdoing the same thing I do every other day. I realized my problem is the fact that I look at cooking as a chore, aHUGE chore some days… If you know me well you know that a GREAT deal of my dayis in the kitchen making EVERYTHING from scratch due to our dietary limitations.It hit me today…

Cooking IS part of my art, an artof creating health in those I love.

It is amazing, when Isaid it to myself the “CHORE” feeling disappeared and it felt so much better! Thelunch we had was simply delicious and fresh, full of flavor and my secretingredient… Vitamin L, the Love vitamin.Seriously, never would have believed it but it is a medically recognizedvitamin! Hope you enjoy the recipe.

Perogies a la YUMMY

Organic Potato and Saukraut Perogies

- Don’t think I need to tell you how to cookperogies, lol.

2tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ cup Red Onion

½ cup. Chopped fresh parsley

½ cup. Chopped Orange Pepper

½ cup chopped swiss chard

Splash of Vitamin L ;~)

- Put onions and oilin a pan and fry over medium high heat until tender

(always make sureyour oil is in the pan when it is cold and slowly heats, never add oil to a hotskillet!)

-Add the rest of theingredients and fry until tender; sea salt and pepper.

- Put the boiledperogies in the pan with the veggies and fry on medium for just a few moments…mmmm. Can you smell the juiciness…SOOOOgood.

- I put a dollop ofTofutti sour cream on top

- Finished with 2tbsp of our home made Beet Relish (email me for the recipe for the relish)

Not even kidding when I say eating it was almost a religiousexperience! Lol.

I have seriously and intentionally ignored the company andblog for the past 6 months for a reason, to reorganize and allow myself thetime and space to refocus and figure out the role everything is going to play.

As most of you know I am in school full time right now formy “official” designation in Holistic Nutrition. I have a burning desire to help empowerothers to find true health, in whatever that may mean for you personallythrough nutrition. I am homeschoolingthe kids now (something I truly swore I would NEVER do… lol) and am TRULYLOVING IT! And am learning to embrace the true juicy, delightfully lovable me. To express and feed myself through creativity and nutrition. All of it together embodies Modish Monkeys, ashealth is more than just identifying your possible allergens or health issues,Modish Monkeys is about empowering you and giving you moms the tools you need tobring YOU and your family to true health. Aswell to give you moms a big hug and permission to be you in all that means toyou! We support you.

I am going to be reappearing every now and again (cantpromise it will be consistent) on the blog, doing nutrition articles for Talk of the Town, as well as watch for Modish Monkeys Classes coming this summer and fall2012. You will find all the upcoming information on our website as we havedates lined up. You will find the blogto contain bits and pieces on nutrition, ways to educate your children onhealthy eating with regards to their nutritional requirements or limitations,as well as encouragement from a mom whose family is allergic to everything butair (lol) to preserve in life your true self, and encouragement in the kitchen helping toheal your families Modish Monkeys.

Much love!

Renee

Here is to a new year, here is to exciting adventure.

2011-04-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the Silence…

As most of you already know, we have bought our own little slice of heaven and have moved. We have been in the new house for a week today. It is beautiful, peaceful and inspiring. I have been woken up by roosters this week, been scared half to death coming face to face with a moose out my bedroom window, have watched horses feed as I drink my morning matcha. I have had my new neighbors bring me fresh farm eggs, and homemade cookies (didn’t have the heart to tell them we are allergic). This has been a pretty drastic life change for us as a family, one we have dreamed of and worked towards the past few years. For us it brings the freedom to grow our food, raise chickens… and yes possibly even adding a few sheep or goats to the family to assist in the mowing of our vast lawn.

This new adventure has been exciting, terrifying, and has taken me in particular completely out of my “comfort” zone. We made the decision to not have cable or satellite. To be far enough from shops that I can’t just make a quick jaunt in for a coffee or a pack of diapers… okay, really we are only 7 minutes from town… but to me it feels like we have moved to the boon docks… ha ha. It is forcing me to be quiet and be okay without the luxuries and conveniences of town.

The downfall with being quiet is that you must listen to your own thoughts and feelings. You must face the fears that you have suppressed for so long through chaos. Well, I have still had a fair amount of chaos with the move, my fear of the dark, and helping my kids adjust to the MAJOR changes in our life and all this with a husband 1000 km’s away. This has been an insanely challenging month, which for the most part I took in stride with only one major crash… and that was I. Thank goodness for supportive family and friends who jumped in to help when that happened.

I have so many thoughts and visions for what this change will bring, for what our property and home will allow us to do for other families going through the same health struggles we face. I have had so many quiet moments to see what I want the property to do.

Everything in the last month happened so synchronistically that one couldn’t help but feel possibly it was all meant to be. When we first saw the property it was almost as if someone had taken everything we had every thought we might want put a bow on it! It all happened so perfectly and quickly that as I sit here writing this it feels as if I am in a dream and am going to wake up and realize that it is still outside my hands grasp. The house has inspired so many creative juices to start bubbling in me.

The changes we have gone through this past month have inspired me to look at my own health. Moms, to often we forget about us. We are naturally wired to put all others first and hence forget that if we aren’t healthy the whole system crumbles. We are the glue that holds the family together and need to honor ourselves now more than ever!

So for today, I choose to sit in my silence, enjoy every new moments experience. Face my fears and inhibitions. Focus on my whole health… Mind, body, and spirit. To be a little selfish and make the changes necessary to be whole, to feel truly balanced internally and externally. My hope today is that my journey inspires you to remember you in all the chaos of being mother, friend, wife, and daughter.

Our children and husbands will truly be inspired by our authenticity and in such will be leading by example. Together we can walk the walk. For no one has the ability to change lives through example as through a mother! For the smallest changes make the biggest difference.

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

One lamp - thy mother's love - amid the stars Shall lift its pure flame changeless, and before The throne of God, burn through eternity - Holy - as it was lit and lent thee here. ~Nathaniel Parker Willis

Happy Mothers Day!

Sending all of you beautiful ladies so much love. Thank you for inspiring me, for letting me walk with you through the amazing journey of Motherhood!

Modish Monkeys is going through a Metamorphosis...

2011-03-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

“We learn the most about ourselves when we do the thing we never thought we could do. We unearth our potential. Our limits. Our hearts distance. The whispers get nurtured and our spirits soar.”

Kelly Rae Roberts

I have been down a road I never thought would be mine to choose. I have experienced happiness, fear, resentment, and faith. I have found true friends whom have shown me so much joy. I have grown so much in more ways than I can explain.

I haven’t been able to put together a blog in quite some time. I have been walking in circles trying to decide what is best for the company, for me, for my family, for the families we strive to help walk the road of childhood health issues. What I have come to realize the past few months was the person I was not honoring was me. I love what I do, I feel so passionate about the company and our focus. I know this is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing. What I didn’t truly realize was the creative side of me was suffocating.

I have been spending a lot of time the past few months reading books on letting my creative spirit soar, studying for my holistic nutrition program, being a mom, being overwhelmed by corporate paperwork, being a wife, trying to plan meetings, promote the business, meeting with like minded people, finding time to be a wife, friend, daughter, granddaughter, and still “live”. Well needless to say I am overwhelmed.

I have been dabbling in art for the past, well… a very long time. I have always had so much fear around creating, well more around anyone seeing it. Art holds a part of my heart… my soul that I truly can’t explain. I have felt so disconnected from the authentic me for a very long time. When I became a mom it was almost as though I fell so in love with my little man and my new role that I lost a large part of who I am. Along came the health issues, which have truly changed our lives for the better and opened my eyes to many different issues we as a society face. I had my daughter and she opened a door in my heart that I didn’t know was even there. I felt a twinge in me that softened me and opened my eyes to more. Unfortunately expressing myself through words, and art was pushed even further into the closet to be explored at a later date.

I see my kids sit down with their environmentally and allergen friendly paints and start to create not what other people might see as appealing but what they were feeling. Free from inhibitions. I almost get a pang of jealousy, why am I doing dishes or folding laundry or planning meetings. Why can’t I just sit down with them and paint my story. Well, I did. It felt so good to do something with them that made my heart sing. Needless to say I have a crazy stocked beautiful craft room in the basement and a stain glass set up in the garage that have actually never been used. Where is the balance.

I have been struggling with all of this for a while. I have been trying to find the perfect balance between “life”.

I am so passionate about helping other families, our monthly meetings, the products and company. I love taking my Nutrition Designation and what that will do for our family’s health and for all the families we want to help.

I was almost flooded with requests for consultations with families newly diagnosed with allergies, and childhood health issues while we were away on holidays. I was overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed! I want to help everyone, and I think the best way that I can do that is by stepping back and finishing my designation. I will actually have the tools and information that will allow me to walk with you down the journey you are taking with your kids.

I am going to be changing up the website to provide parents with the steps that we have taken to get to where we are now. I will be doing consultations 1 day a month to free up my time and energy to focus on my studies, kids and creating. I am not going to be holding the monthly meetings, however will be using the blog for monthly support topics. I would also like to invite you to contribute to our blog. I will be putting up a word related to our children’s health, motherhood, etc for you to send me to post what that word means to you. Be it a picture, collage, scrapbook page, poem or your story, or baking. I would love to hear your feedback and have you all involved. I get pretty lonely here in blog world when I don’t get any comments. Lol. I will also be putting together some workshops for parents on the topic of allergies, as well as for the kids as it is all about them!

Our Modish Monkeys products have actually been picked up by a National distributor, as well as we have another company selling them to practitioners across North America starting in April. You will still find some of our remaining skin care products through Urban Grasslands.

I truly never dreamt this would have been my path. I was a busy Commercial Realtor until 3 years ago and just let my license laps this year, a big decision for me. For every door that closes another one opens. I truly could not be happier doing what I am doing.

As I walked down the street of life, the road I was on wasn’t clearly marked. I drove in a different direction than planned. I have never turned around to try and find my way back to the main route, I am staying on that path with faith and joy, and so much fulfillment. I don’t plan on ever leaving it! I am not who I thought I would ever be, I am SO much more! It is only through my children that I have found this new direction and love for food, awareness, lifestyle, The Modern Child’s Health, helping others, loving, and creating.

I know the journey is going to be an exciting and interesting one. I am so excited to see what the future holds, to be able to nurture the creative side of me, the mom, the wife, and the future Registered Nutritionalist.

Modish Monkeys will definitely have more of an online presence than we did and will be stepping in a new direction. Hopefully to inspire all of you further along in your journey with your kids health. I am not disappearing, just reappearing more quietly. You never know maybe I will even feel safe enough with all of you to add some of our family art projects and my own.

I hope through all of this, maybe it inspires some of you to tell your story, to share your heart. We will always have a place for you, a supportive community of women bonded together by a common thread, our children’s health. The best is yet to come!

“The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself, but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine who you want to be.”

Neale Donald Walsch.

My Happiness Project

2011-01-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

I want to de-clutter and unearth the true me, I want to be and live my purpose.

As a friend said to me today, the holiday season had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Her words couldn’t have summed it up better. I am always so excited for Christmas, and amazingly just as excited to pack it all up after the last family function is done. Nothing has brought me more joy at Christmas than trying to make it as magical as possible for my kids… the way it was when I was growing up.

I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and this year my heart felt especially open, raw, and vulnerable. This has been a pretty crazy year, crazy in a good way! I have gone through so many unbelievable changes, some I couldn’t even begin to explain, and some I pray to God that I never have to relive. I have some women in my life who are true sisters by all means, an amazing mother and grandmother. As well, I have had some of the most remarkable woman brought into my life and have influenced my life, family, passions, and growth more than they will ever know. They have not held me through this journey, but have stood next to me and cheered from the sidelines. We have each taken our turns to go into hibernation and then somehow emerge at just the right time. We have been friends without expectation, I don’t even know if you could truly call us all friends as much as they are my butterflies…

I have been on a journey that I was not looking to go down. This journey has forever changed my life, and I am blessed that my husband been so accepting and understanding of the changes. My children are the inspiration behind it, and my son’s health the catalyst. Our situation has literally made me rethink EVERYTHING! And our situation in the scheme of it is not grave. It has unleashed in me something which feels like is my song, my story. A burning desire to walk along side so many others and help them down their path, a desire to educate myself on how to TRULY be healthy… mind, body, and spirit. It has drawn me to want to empower my children to truly learn who they are, to speak their story through whatever means necessary. This journey has inspired me to want to create again, to write again, to “unclutter my corner, and to unearth my song”.

I think that in order to truly be the change we have to find out who we really are. I am going on a journey to bring my own health back, mind body and spirit. I need to de-clutter myself, to detoxify my body – physically and emotionally. I need to rid myself of all the negative in my life – people and things. I need to reconnect with my family, my true, by every sense of the word, friends and myself. I need to take the time to listen to the birds sing, truly cherish my children, and the life that my husband and I have created. I need to learn to just listen, and be still.

I am starting a “HAPPINESS PROJECT”. I am not doing any New Years Resolutions as there are too many expectations behind those. I am going to start a “Project” where each month I make a few tweaks and minor adjustments to my life to bring me to where I “want” to be. I want my children to sit back and say, she did whatever she wanted us to do, and she changed whatever she wanted us to change. I want my children to know they are not going through this health battle alone, momma’s leading the way… Actions speak louder than words.

Here is my January Project

Honor Myself – Food, Exercise, and Creativity

· Start an anger jar, guilt jar, and happiness jar

· Stop worrying about how others view me, and if I fit into the box that I have been wearing until now!

· Take a photo every day that expresses what I am feeling

· Do at least 2 hours of school work a day

· Do yoga at least 3 times per week

· Work out at least 3 times per week (this is going to be the hardest one for me!)

· Stop drinking coffee and alcohol

· Eat only foods that nurture me

· Remember to take my vitamins and supplements

· Write in my Journal

· Start slowly creating

o Painting

o Writing

o Glass

I am going to be sporadically posting on my project and how it is going… I may post a picture or two or something from my gratitude jar, or it may just be how many days I have been without coffee (I am on Day 1 today). Thank you so much for letting me share my life, my journey and my story with you. Please send me an email or message and let me know what your journey or project may be.

Here are some amazing and inspiring links that you might want to check out;

Be Present, Be Here

The Happiness Project

CHANGE IS AN AMAZING THING!

2011-01-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

“Whats the big hurry? You’re not ever going to get it done, so what are you racing toward? Every single activity that you’re involved in is for one purpose only, and that is to give you a moment of joy. Lighten up. Laugh more. Appreciate more. All is well! “ ~abraham-hicks~

For the next little while this blog is going to turn into a little section of the website for me. It is going to evolve with me, it is going to become EXACTLY what it needs to be. I truly hope some of you find a smile in the writings, a hug when you need one, a kick in the butt when you need some motivation and an opportunity to learn from my learning.

You are going to find this blog very unorganized, very random, very applicable to the site and sometimes not. Some of you may on occasion be offended by my posts or relate to the naked honesty! I am not going to sugar coat, I am not going to sit in pitty of what is or isn’t… I am going on a journey, and I truly hope you come along with me. I don’t know where I am going or what its purpose is… It is what it is.

I am so excited to change up Modish Monkeys… Shake things up. For it has all become so much more than helping other parents, it has become a complete lifestyle for me and my family. Modish Monkeys is my children but also a third child (easier than another c-section, plus I CAN just shut it off when I have had enough of it).

This path we as a family have been on the past three years, has been pretty crazy, amazing, and tumultuous at times. We have changed our lives upside down for the better, but it isn’t going to stop there. It has brought an awareness to me and our family that I can’t even explain…. Just a minute I need to go hug a tree…. Okay I am back. Lol. It has helped me understand the true me! So to all of you, THANK YOU FOR THAT!

Now I am going to pull, and twist and shift the company to become an example to what we can do to correct/ reverse (whatever you want to call it) to bring our children back to health… to bring our families and communities back to health. Because it truly is a LIFESTYLE…. Just a minute, I have to talk to the bird on the deck… lmao. Okay seriously, we need to create the change for our children and their children. WE need to be the change, and walk the walk! In order for our children’s health to be as it should, we need to make changes to ourselves as well… This is not an easy fix, for the machine that is broken is huge!!! But we as moms, dads, families, communities… we can make the changes that combined, make an impact!

We do not inherent the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children!

Indian Proverb

I can’t even tell you the number of people I have heard of lately diagnosed or dealing with terminal cancer, children fighting it, so many dis-eases! Well what if we work together ~ not on the dis-eases~ but on improving our health, quality of life and happiness to PREVENT dis-ease. Together we can do that. It does start with baby steps, and trust me I/ we are a long way from the finish line, but it sure does feel good making the strides towards it.

I am up to my eyeballs in my studies for my Registered Holistic Nutritionist designation, and thoroughly enjoying being pushed to my last limit mentally! The information I am getting is amazing and life changing. I will share bits and pieces along the way.

It truly doesn’t matter if you are Christian, catholic, Muslim, or Budhist, the changes we can make and awareness we can bring to our lives, through the way we view life, the foods we eat, the life decisions we make, the way we raise our children, the way we treat our siblings, the way we love others, the way we respect the air we breath, the water we drink, the meat we eat, the supplements and minerals we take, the medications we take, the way we talk to another, and the way we love ourselves….

Modish Monkeys is about bringing the Modern Child back to the roots of pure health! It is about dealing with the whole picture, not just band-aid solutions. It is about learning to prevent dis-ease, not just fearing and treating dis-ease. It is about being a support for the parents of children dealing with the modern childhood epidemics. It is not about blaming, and trying to figure out what has caused it all. It is about the children, and making the changes necessary for them, it is about these children bringing an awareness to us that things need to change! Together we can be that change. Lets take strides together, side by side, to be the change for these children and bring them back to the roots of pure health.

Here is to an exciting 2011!!!

A Mothers Guilt

2010-10-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have been faced daily the past few months with guilt... As a mom of children who suffer from allergies, I look at the things I have done and allowed to be done to my children in the past such as vaccinations, cortisone creams, etc... I feel so much guilt. I have an afternoon I just feel like baking and letting the kids entertain themselves, I feel guilt. I go out for an evening and leave my hubby and kids at home, I feel guilt. I go to work and do what I know with all my heart I am meant to be doing, I feel guilt. As I sit here typing this blog, thinking about the paperwork I need to get caught up on and I feel more guilt as I could just be home playing with my kids. When does it end? The more guilt I feel the less I feel WORTHY of doing the things I truly want to do. This is a vicious cycle.

I have just spent some time reading on a discussion board about mom’s guilt in dealing with children with allergies.... OW I AM THERE! Rationally I know that this is not mine to hold that I deserve to take care of me as well. I know that I am doing the best I know how to do. I rationally know that we have done everything we know how to do to get our son back to pure health, but I always feel like we could be doing more.

I started up Modish Monkeys to help other parents in their daily struggles with their children and food related illnesses, to bring them sources of support, information, and resources. The other reason I think I started it was to find forgiveness in myself for my guilt in helping others through our journey. My son has inspired so much in me, but every time he experiences another flare-up or new health issue I am knocked back down and feel like I need to find my strength in walking along side all of you! We have all dealt with these feelings, I should have known, I should have trusted my gut, I should have questioned, why didn’t I try that... Why did I try that? Why does my child have to go through this?

My grandma told me of her worst guilt in life, with tears streaming down her face she told me that she still hasn’t forgiven herself. My uncle was 2 ½ years old and had been experiencing what seemed like a never ending cold which was later explained as asthma triggered by food allergies. His breathing got so laboured that she ended up taking him to the hospital where they put him in isolation in an oxygen tent and she was asked to leave when visiting hours were over. She told me that she had never experienced pain as that day when she had to walk down the hallway at the U of A toward the elevator by herself listening to her child scream in fear for his mommy! She was also asked not to come back to visit as it upset him so much that they couldn’t settle him back down. Every time she tells me this story you can almost see her go through that pain again as though it was yesterday.

Why as mothers do we carry these painful times and not forgive ourselves, most of the situations we feel guilty for were uncontrollable. My son had an asthma like attack during a major skin flare up this spring, my mom had been babysitting and told me he sounded a little wheezy (he had had a bad chest cold the week before). When he woke up from his nap I listened to his chest and thought yeah that is getting pretty bad, I told my husband I would take him in when he got home from work in 4 hours, why did I hesitate. I changed my mind about 15 minutes later and took him in to the ER, low and behold his right lung had shut down by 90%.... and I was going to wait another 4 hours to take him to get it checked out.

Sometimes as mothers we do questionable (to us) things, sometimes we hover and are over protective and over reactive about our children’s health, daily occurrences, life in general, but we love like no other can love! We give like no other can give, we trust our guts, we put our children before us, and our whole world revolves around these precious gifts. How do you find the balance of the guilt with Self worth and forgiveness! As mothers we are AMAZING at forgiving our children, Amazing! Why can’t we forgive ourselves... why do we feel guilty for putting ourselves first once in a while? Our children need us to be healthy, happy, balanced, loved by self and others, we need to escape from the intense emotions we feel be it happiness, relief, anger, frustration, etc. Most of all, our children need to see us forgiving ourselves in order for them to learn forgiveness as well. We as parents are the greatest teachers of our children and set the stage for patterns to be repeated generation after generation.

We seem to be caught in a generational battle between the guilt of being a stay at home mom, a working mom, being completely selfless, and being selfish, it feels as though we are caught between the power struggle of our grandparents in the 50’s and the mom’s from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s (feminist movements). We seem to be carrying the guilt of our mothers and grandmothers and wanting to find the balance of self worth and loving yourself in order to be the well rounded mother of NOW. We as parents today face new pressures with the distraction of technology, catastrophic rates of childhood epidemics, the pressures of just keeping up, the information overload regarding our modern lifestyle, financial stress, marital stress, and trying to make our world the best it can be for our children and maintaining a sense of self and family.

Today, I truly hope you can take a moment and feel your guilt... ALL OF IT! Cry, scream, and be with it. Process it, release it, and truly find forgiveness in knowing we all make mistakes, everything happens for a reason, learn from it and just know “it is what it is”. Release the guilt and move on. Take some time for your self and cherish you for the warrior that you are, cherish your intuition and know that you have everything you need to be the mother you were meant to be. And be okay with having days were things don’t go as planned, accept the moments you wish you could take back and genuinely cherish the love that is most important... the love of a mother and child!

I am going to make jar tonight and write down everything I have not forgiven myself for on individual pieces of paper and start to learn to truly forgive myself for them... I am going to keep that jar as a reminder of who I TRULY am and all that I have conquered, for that jar is the story of me; another chapter closed in my life!

Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends towards the formation of character.
-- Hosea Ballou

The greatest thing she'd learned over the years is that there's no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one.
-- Author Unknown

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

I sit here today, staring quietly out the window of my dining room looking at the beautiful sun shining, the snow on the ground with the green grass peaking through; exhausted as my kids have been through Pneumonia, the flu, asthma attacks, eczema flare-up in the past month and feel as though I could run away for a day... okay lets be honest... a weekend. I sit here feeling sorry for myself thinking, I should call my husband home so that I can walk away for a few hours! What is it in a mother that keeps us going even though we sometimes feel like we can’t handle even doing another load of laundry....

I received a phone call yesterday that put it all back into perspective. I have only spoken to this woman once before and it was regarding child care so I had no prior relationship with her. Somehow we got on to the topic of Modish Monkeys and what we do. That led us to her explaining her Childs health issues with me. Wow, let’s just say I am so blessed to have health, developing children! She spoke with such peace and acceptance, her son is 24 and suffers from a genetic disease which includes cleft palate, heart problems, sensitivities, and a multitude of other health issues. He is highly functioning for what he has and is at about the developing levels of a 12 year old. Please forgive me if I missed anything or have any of this wrong. I was just so touched by her story. For those of us with children with allergies, asthma, and eczema, it is so hard to forget how lucky we are. Our children’s issues can be controlled through food, supplements, vitamins, minerals, and the occasional required dose of medicine for emergency situations. Our children could possibly live with the threat of food being the end of them for the rest of their lives, is it a hindrance or blessing for bring their families to an awareness of the foods around them. Please note I am not minimizing our struggle but I am hopefully shedding some light on the fact that it could be so much worse! Sometimes I have a hard time keeping that in perspective.

You all know how the everyday battles with our Allergic children affect me, was in my last blog. Today I want to celebrate the fact that you have beautiful, healthy children, who just need a little more care than the average child. Really is there an average child or is that just a child where the parents aren’t open or even aware of possible issues they may face. Let’s celebrate the fact that these awesome kids are going to make a difference in life, Moms you are warriors raising these children to be all they can be, open and accepting of others because of their challenges. Moms celebrate the fact that your little ones can make a change and be the change, they may be small but they can still do big things!

I thank God that I have two healthy, sensitive children who have changed my life forever, and made me a better person for it. I thank them for choosing me to give them and other kids going through this struggle a voice. I thank them for loving me unconditionally, and forgiving me when I slip up. I thank them for accepting me even when dinner sucks, we are digging clean clothes out of laundry baskets, and I didn’t get their favourite cereal at the grocery store. I thank them for seeing the best in me even when I don’t think I am worthy of it. I thank them for needing me when they are sick, for opening my heart to love in ways I didn’t know was possible. I thank them for being!

So for those of you reading this who don’t have children or they are grown please know from one mothers perspective, it is not me we need to celebrate it is the relationship of a mother and her children. For the love of a mother and child could move mountains, can cross boundaries, can be felt even when you are not standing next to them. There is no love like the love of a mother and child. So this mothers day I don’t want to celebrate me, I want to celebrate the love that created my children, the love that is my children and the peace in knowing that I am great just the way I am.

Moms please know you are loved! Take a moment on Mothers Day to look into your children’s eyes and truly see the love they have for you, you are worthy of every single bit of it and celebrate that, the love of a mother and child!

Happy Mothers day! I celebrate you for having the courage to look for what is best for your child, for having the strength to fight for them, and for learning in the process to truly love you. I celebrate you, the love in being a mom.

Next week we will be discussing the diet changes I am making in our house!

A mom’s perspective on the battle with Allergies and Eczema

2010-04-23T14:02:00.001-07:00

I am so thankful everyday for my kids and what they have brought to my life. I am so blessed that my children chose me as their mother and that I have a husband who picks up where I fall. Together we would move mountains, quite literally to make sure our children have the best life that they can. Like any parent! I look at my little guy and think he has no idea that he has some health obstacles that other children do not face, however I know he suffers tremendously at times. My sole mission in life other than to help guide my children through the puzzle of life is to help other parents dealing with the same issues which we face! One would think that we would 100% have his conditions cleared up and are just sailing through the maze of allergies. Well for the most part we do, until his allergies decide to change or his body decides to add another sensitivity into the mix.

After I posted the last blog, my son broke out in eczema which is covering about 70% of his little body in sores and scab, his eyes are swollen, and he has a horrible dry cough at night... For some reason this just knocks me down and brings everything back into perspective, it makes me a mom again. There is nothing more painful than watching your child suffer and struggle to figure out what caused it! The week before that he ended up in the ER with an asthma attack.... he has never battled with this reaction! This blog may seem all over the place this week but I am just going to write too you moms who I know understand my situation and how daunting it can feel.... because I am right back in the middle of it again.

For the past 8 months my son had been completely clear of ALL reactions, I had it all figured out and knew what to avoid in his diet and triggers. Life has thrown us a curve ball! I just wish it was me that could take his reactions for him... Someone reminded me this week that obstacles are brought as lessons, as I like to say there is always a silver lining.... Let’s find that!

My niece was born with a cleft palate without the hair lip and went unnoticed until she was over 6 months old; she wasn’t gaining weight and cried all the time... So painful for them when she was FINALLY diagnosed and had to have reconstructive surgery on the roof of her mouth prior to her first birthday, and continually has to have tubes put in her ears as well (she is know 8). I am telling you this because my brother saw my little mans eczema when he was about a year old (wasn’t the worst his condition got to) for the first time and was devastated! He made a comment about how painful it is for him to see him like that... He told me my nieces condition was surgically fixed my sons could not be, that this maybe something he deals with for the rest of his life... that was a big breaking point for me. To hear someone else put into words how I felt every time I looked at him scratching and crying as a baby... it hurt beyond words! Why does he have to go through this I always wondered! Why my son....

One of the worst days of my life was just prior to my son’s second birthday, I was due with our 2nd child in 2 weeks and had watched my son cry and scratch for 2 days straight. He wouldn’t eat, barely drank anything, and was suffering beyond words! He had black circles under his eyes, he had constant open sores on very red swollen big toe that wouldn’t heal, and his body was COVERED in eczema (open sores) from his cheeks to his toes... I didn’t know what to do, but knew that I had to do something, anything! I booked him in with a Holistic dietician I found through our local health food store, she had him in within a day and within a week of following her recommendations his condition had improved by about 90%. That was the turning point for his condition and our awareness! Always remember you are the only advocate your child has, trust your gut! I have always been very luck with my husband as he has always been very supportive of whatever I want to try with regards to our children’s health. Although it still has wreaked havoc on our relationship, there is nothing worse for a parent than watching your child struggle with any health condition. It is painful for all involved! This is especially painful for men as they need to fix problems and there when there is NOTHING they can do to make it better now.... It eats them up!

When dealing with our son, we have always tried to brush his allergies off as a very casual thing so that he doesn’t feel different from other children! I want him to grow up with a strong sense of self and confidence. He now knows when something makes him feel off or not right, he knows that he can’t tolerate wheat, sugar, most skin products; he knows that these things make him feel yucky. He tells me when he needs his milk thistle and cherry juice or his zango juice. I trust what he is telling me when he brings me these things, that his body needs this to keep him balanced. Your children are more in tune with how they feel and what they need than you are, remember to honour them and listen... they may be a small little being, but they are still a person who needs nurturing.

When my son has a reaction like he is going through right now, he get mischievous, and aggressive, he name calls, and doesn’t act himself; can you blame him! If you have ever had hives, think of how you just wanted to jump out of your skin, now add on top of that stomach upset, as it usually affects their intestinal tract, their livers, and thus the intestinal tract causing neurological reactions. Now how would you react!!! I know I would feel the exact same way. I would want someone to just hold me and tell me it is all going to be okay, WE are going to get through this TOGETHER. That we have an understanding as moms that we are suffering as well watching these little beings whom our only job is to protect them go through something which is so excruciating. Please be kind to yourself; understand that you are suffering as well and accept that, it is okay... they are an extension of you!
With the past few weeks being such a struggle the one thing that I have pulled out of it is a guideline for what happens when a reaction of any kind happens;

1) Love them and be accepting of their actions and condition

2) Treat the sypmtoms – get the itching down or slow inflammation in the chest by using whatever you have to to stop it from getting worse!

3) STAY CALM, KEEP THEM CALM (I use Nervoheel on him and I, available at local health food stores)

4) Treat the lingering effects – the rash, etc

5) Keep them calm throughout the day, play quiet games, listen to music, honour them if they just want to veg out in front of a movie, etc ~ within reason of course... ha ha)

6) Let them heal, physically and emotionally

7) Look back through your journals, try to figure out what changed in their routines or diet
a. Make a list of all the changes
b. Eliminate anything you think may have been the trigger for a minimum of 6 weeks
c. Book an appointment with your Naturopath or therapist

8) Nurse the underlying health links, the intestinal tract, liver, etc

9) Love them and be accepting of their actions (yes I am repeating this)

10) Love you and take the time to cry.... it sucks more than people or you may even realize! Take the time to step away even for 10 minutes to react to what is going on, process it and move on to make the changes necessary for your little people.

11) Please remember not to identify your child as the illness they have but identify them as the beautiful person they are!

The thing I am taking from our episode the past two weeks is that we are all human, that we are constantly evolving. That we need to take the tender moments to love ourselves as mothers and fall apart when we need to. I am so blessed to have some AMAZING women in my life, who don’t pick me up when I have fallen down but stand next to me while I find the strength to pick myself up! They are my shoulder to cry on, and the ear to listen for me to heal myself from the pain my child is suffering through and to be the strength for my family to get through this one, and educate ourselves further to avoid another flare-up. My pillars of strength support me and accept me for who I am, their being in my life gives me the love that I need to pass on to my children and husband when I have none left to give. They are the reason that I am able to function through this crappy situation, the crap it can cause on your marriage and push through to the point where I even have enough strength to and passion to hopefully help you be the strongest best mother and wife you can be.

My son is blessed with wonderful little friends who accept him for who he is and love him scabs and all. They have never once asked why his legs are covered in sores, why he wears glasses or why he can’t eat the things they can eat... at 3 ½ when they are all noticing the differences in each other! My son has an amazing ability to accept people for who they are and not notice the physical differences in others. That is a gift that I wish all could have, not judging the book by its cover but recognizing integrity!

The silver lining in having a child with health issues is it opens your eyes to the fact that there are so many of us that deal with these and different circumstance, that the Modern Child is just this but sensitive being that need to be nurtured. What is the stat for a healthy, typical developing child.... well someone recently told me, ZERO! Moms NOW is your time to shine, you have the strength within you to be the advocate for your Childs health, to nurture your little ones, your partner and yourself! Be the voice these children need and don’t just settle for rub this on your little ones skin and the rash will go away, or use the ventalin 4 times a day, or let’s hope they grow out of it. You are the only one who can bring your child back to the roots of pure health.... Please listen to them, as small as they maybe... they will give you the signs to know what they need. Please please please, allow yourselves to feel angry, hurt, and sad when you are alone... this will take you another step closer to helping your child find peace with their health and acceptance of what needs to be done, and open your eyes to what they need to get healthy and function at their highest potential.

I am here to be a pillar of strength for you, not to help you up but to stand next to and help you find the strength within you to help your children and your partner.

My name is Renee, I am a mother of a child with multiple food sensitivities, environmental triggers, and eczema, and I would like to support you in your role as a mom of a Modish Monkey (Today’s Modern Child)!

Thank you to my Pillars of Strength!

Mom first

2010-04-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I have been lately I have been hearing about the need for moms to start taking care of themselves. ... hmm maybe this is a message for me. I have spent so much time, like every mom taking care of eveyone else that I forget about me. I get up get my son good for the morning, feed the dog, feed the kids, change diapers, get a load of my endless laundry in and then if I am lucky grab a quick breakfast snack. The most important thing I do for myself is my morning coffee... so much so that I named my dog after one... Java. How bad is that.
Having a child who has some special dietary issues one would think would have kicked me in the butt to change my habits. Instead I got lost in the desire to improve the health of my family and everyone around me... for goodness sakes my dog even eats organic food. Our drive as moms to make our children’s lives the best it can be sometimes leads us down a path of self destruction.... okay lets be honest it doesn’t sometimes, it does! I know most moms that I have surrounded myself with all deal with exhaustion, the feeling like they never have 5 minutes to just zone out and focus on them, like they have lost themselves in the lives they love. Why is this, does it come from our moms and grandma’s generation where there was no taking care of them, you left you at the door the day you became someone’s wife. Well I think we need to change this way of thinking... I am not talking about the feminist movement or becoming self absorbed moms who don’t think of anyone but numo uno. But hey there must be a balance!
I wake up every morning and look at my son and think my putting him first has brought him so far, and my family is so much healthier for it, but I am suffering from complete exhaustion, mind, body, and spirit. I find that I am being drawn to those who are also moms, running businesses; trying to honour their children in the small and big things they do everyday. Why is it that our grandmas and moms could do it.... well really did they? Or was there a lot of unspoken resentment, and hurt. I don’t want that for my children, I want to teach by example. Why can’t I sit down and eat the veggies and fruit I cut for the kids for a snack, why do I feel the need to be busy cleaning, organizing and getting supper on while they eat their nutritional yummy’s because it is 5 minutes that they are occupied. Wouldn’t it be better to take those 5 minutes to eat with them and talk about things you talk about with a 3 and 1 year old. Or how about take the time to be silly and make pictures on the table with the vegetables. Well that is just one small area of it.
I talk to so many parents that the feeelings are the same and not just with women. Dads are feeling so much the same way, just pulled in different directions. Okay I will stick with the mom; that is what I know! I could go on for hours about the way I put everyone else first but you know, most of you are probably already moms and feeling the exact same way as I do. I want to find the me again, and still keep my first priority my family. Mom first, me second... right. Well, I think I need to reshift me and balance my identity, me and mom being the same. I need to transition into being a child honouring mom, whose main focus is to bring my families health, mine included to the optimum of what it can be, and in that also include myself. I think I identify my family as the three of them and I on the outside trying sustain and promote their health... why haven’t I included me....
I am going to start to transition; right now I am a caterpillar needing to feed myself... mind, body, and spirit. The next step will be to build my cocoon, through getting myself to optimum health, change my eating habits, sleeping habits, shift my thought process, and help heal my body and mind. Next step will be metamorphosis.... and in my mind that will be through learning meditation, readings, maybe a weekend away by myself to regroup and feel rested.... shift my routine, and nurture my spirit. Hopefully when I wake up I will be colourful and be able to fly.
Dave and I recently took a weekend away to Vancouver Island, first trip away, alone, since we had kids. In my mind I thought this would be all I and we would need to reconnect and feel like we were functioning individuals and a unit. Well I was wrong, I came back refreshed and then after a few days of normal life with children who had spent 4 days with their grandparents (heaven knows we all know what that is like) I wanted to go away again. This is what made me think that maybe it is more than a holiday that I need to get my head together or feel like I have been nurtured, maybe I need to change my thinking and the way I function.
I remember being in the butterfly gardens in Victoria thinking wow I need to be a butterfly. I spent 20 minutes standing and watching a butterfly struggle to come out of it cocoon. Something really captivated me. Butterflies are something which keeps popping up in conversations before we went away and again after.... hmmm. You know moms go from being an individual who has no one to think of but themselves to being a person who has these little beings who completely rely on you and are a product of functional you are. All you can be is the best you you can be, but have you truly reached that prime. I know finding the time in a day to read, or meditate, or be me is almost none existent.... I think I resent everyone for robbing me of that, well maybe it is me needing to reprioritize my time and make me time. Maybe I need to get up a half our earlier and go meditate and feed me, then take care of my children. Maybe I need to take the time at night when the kids go to bed to open a book and read, or go do a stain glass piece and find happiness and myself in the moments that I have! Maybe I need to sit down with my husband a put together a plan for the year for time he can get away to reconnect with him and time for me to reconnect with me... and a week for us to fall in love with each other again.
Every day is a gift and another day that you can’t get back. Don’t leave until tomorrow what you can do today.... maybe we need to just make the time for these small things for ourselves.... the laundry will still be there! Heaven knows it unfortunately isn’t going to just jump in the machine and wash itself... but hey if I can figure out a way to make that happen I will patent it and share with all of you... ha ha.

The healthier you are the better the parent you will be....I say you as in meaning me! Baby steps... I think I am going to register in a meditation class; I am going to start taking moments for me. I am going to start taking my stain glass equipment out and set it up. I am the only one standing in my way from feeling like I am taking care of me. My addiction is taking care of everyone else... it is easier than dealing with the inner child in me. How much do you love you???
Also, tell yourself every day 3 things you love about you and your life.... you, not your family, your kids, or you hubby... in doing this you will help them and their love and respect for you! Remember put your air masks on first and your kids second, your children and partners need you to be the best you you can be! And to be healthy and alive!!!
I am going to stand in front of a mirror and try telling myself that I truly love me... I will let you know when I am successful, that will be the day I see a butterfly in the reflection.

Next weeks topic will be about siblings who don’t have allergies... what do they feel and go through.
Please email me if you want to hear my 2 cents about things.... anything.

Weekly Blogs

2010-04-13T20:50:00.001-07:00

Well I am finally going to do it. I am going to started blogging weekly, different topics, different themes, different points of view. I have been wanting to do this for quite some time but unfortunately have being trying to do too many things at once. I want this to be a blog about moms, kids with Food Sensitivities, celiac, ADHD, Autism, and the list goes on and on.

We will be covering the issue of mom first - kids second in the first blog. This is something I battle with everyday. I, as a mom of a child with special dietary needs and health challenges always put my family before me; my health and sanity suffers.
I am not what I need to be for my kids, my husband, my business and myself.

Someone said to me not long ago, when you are in an airplane do you stick your mask on first or the kids in an emergency

My first instinct is the kids

But the right answer as we all know is ours.

I will leave you with this. Please watch for our first Weekly Modish Monkeys Blog starting on Friday April 16th, 2010.

Website is up and operational again

2010-01-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well we finally have our diaries and labels on line. Some of you maybe wondering where all our products in our shop have gone.... clearance section. We have decided to refocus and go back to our main goal, helping those with Asthma, Allergies, and Eczema. Our products are also being found helpful for those with Autism, Celiac, and ADD/ADHD.

We are just waiting on our Organic PJ line to arrive, featuring some fun graphics with our sassy little monkey. We have kept the loved skin care line - GAIA on the site as we just have not yet found anything which works better. We also have a few other products in development and can be expected in late 2010! Amazing how long it takes to get from idea to product.

We are also working hard to expand the information section of our site as that is a main passion of mine. If we can help just one family than it is all worth it!

If you have any questions about our diaries or labels please feel free to contact me at renee@modishmonkeys.com or at 1.866.968.0293.

Thank you and have a blessed day!

Website will be down December 1st to 11th, 2009

2009-12-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

We are finally gone to be launching our own Modish Monkeys Products and will be reworking the site to accomodate our exciting changes. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. All products previously on the site will be in our Sales section at 30 - 60% off, check it out as quantities will not last. Perfect for the last minute gifts santa may need.

Our site will be going through some major changes over the next few months and our Modish Monkey product line will be growing and evolving. We will be concentrating completely on our own products as well as the support and information side of the site.

Please check back December 11th for our new look.

Out and About this weekend

2009-09-23T20:42:00.001-07:00

Check us out tomorrow at Home Grown Foods in Stony Plain, we are launching our Modish Monkeys Daily Diary as well as at the Little Monsters Swap at the Tri Liesure Centre in Spruce Grove on Saturday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

We will have the Daily Diary's to sample as well as the Safe & Not Safe Stickers.

Have a great weekend.

MOTHER OF A DEAL SALE

2009-09-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

September 10 - 18th ONLY!!! 30% OFF All Bedroom Products and 50% OFF EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE SITE... WOW. We are clearing out the remainder of our current inventory to make room for the launch of our new Modish Monkeys Products arriving September 20th to 25th.

We are taking a new direction with our products, moving more towards products exclusively for those whose children suffer from Eczema, Asthma, and Allergies. We have developed our own line of products to help parents in the process of living with these reactions and determining triggers. I am SO EXCITED about our new line, it has been such a labour of love and our little monkeys have truly been our inspiration.

I watched Lorenzo's Oil not long ago and found it so inspiring and so true, I mean Lorenzo's parents were trying to beat a disease which would eventually take their sons little life. We as parents of those with Allergies are not dealling with a prognosis such as that however if we can do ANYTHING big or small to help eliminate reactions, create awareness, and be a place of support it makes the stress a little easier to deal with.

I truly hope our new direction will help at least one of you who have little ones going through these reaction, that will make it all worth while.

We are also going to be donating a portion of all proceeds from our new Modish Monkeys product line to http://www.aaia.ca/ Asthma and Allergy Information Association. We will be focusing most of our donations towards their summer camp program as well we will be doing everything we can to bring more awareness to Allergies, Asthma, and Eczema!!!

Hope you enjoy the sale, please not on order forms Mother of a deal special to receive the discounted prices. Prices are off the regular marked prices.

Have a blessed day.

SALE

2009-06-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

Wow has it been busy the past week with the sale!!! I will be updating all the inventory we have and putting it on each items page, the sizes and colors I have left! Thank you all so much.

MODISH MONKEYS IS NOW ON TWITTER

2009-06-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well we have finally joined on to Twitter. I am still trying to figure out how to do anything on the site, so please send any advice you may have to make it a little easier.

Please add us to your favorites on Twitter and Facebook.

Have a great day.

SALE

2009-06-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

We have had quite a few calls the last few days regarding the sale. The sale is 50% off all website prices for the clothes and 30% for all Bumbo and Cooshie Product. Prices will be reflected on the invoice sent to you confirming your order. If we are sold out of an item you would like to order, I will still off 25% off special orders.

Our technical issues with the order forms should be completely corrected by tomorrow. You are more than welcome to email your orders to renee@modishmonkeys.com, please include your shipping information, items you would like and your email. I will process the order and send a confirmation invoice followed by a paypal request.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at renee@modishmonkeys.com or 866-968-3385.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the beautiful weather!

SALE TIME

2009-06-15T20:46:00.001-07:00

Well we are clearing out our old stock to make room for the new! AND OW THE NEW IS EXCITING!

We are offering 50% off ALL our clothing and 30% off all our Bumbo and Cooshie products!

Check it out ~ Our stock is quickly going down.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Also, we are adding a whole bunch more information regarding Eczema, Asthma, and Allergies. We are going to have it all up and running in the next month.

We have been having some technical issues with the order forms so if you have any problems please feel free to call the order in or to send us an email at info@modishmonkeys.com. Hopefully we will have the problem rectified tomorrow!

Have a fantastic day!

Little Monsters Swap

2009-04-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well I thought I would send a quick line with some Modish Monkeys updates. We should have the newsletter up and running in the next few weeks, just doing some final tweaking before we launch it. You will notice some changes to our home page, we are just working on our content for the informational pages of the home page. We will have recipes safe for kids with food allergies and intollerances, as well as some helpful information for dealing with Eczema, and Allergies. We are also adding information to make some changes in your home which has helped our kids and will hopefully help yours. Everything should be up and running by the middle of April.

We would love to hear from you whether you have feedback for us, or helpful tips to pass on to other parents.

We are going to be at the Tri Liesure Centre, in Spruce Grove for the Little Monsters Swap on Saturday, April 4th from 11:00am to 2:00pm. We will be offering all our clothing and bumbo chairs at 20% off for the day. If you are interested in ordering these products on line instead of coming down we will honour the discount for the weekend of April 3 to 5th as well.

Have a blessed day!

WOW

2009-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

Amazing how ANOTHER month has slipped by without my knowing. I have been busy compiling information to update the site and help assist more parents. As well as working on our Modish Monkey's product line, it is so exciting and so much fun! We are also in the process of registering for a bunch of trade shows, farmers markets, and just getting our name out there!

We have some products and brochures at inside and out Chriopractic Centre for the first week in March. Please check out their website www.insideoutchirocenter.com . I have heard fantastic things about them.

I am working as well on a weekly email newsletter featuring recipes for food allergies, healthy living tips, feature products, special articles, etc. We are going to be focusing on the positive in life and what these reactions can bring. Yes there can be positives!!! I promise.

Enjoy the sunlight today (and perhaps forget about the temperature)!

Motivation

2009-01-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

Well yet again this week I received another call from a friend saying that they have just been told that their child has Eczema! 4 in one week. Makes you wonder why, and what on earth is causing it all! Kids passing Kidney stones, fast food causing Asthma.... Why.

Well all this has really lit the fire under my butt again to get this site to where I want it, a one stop shop, support group, information page, for parents dealling with this.

I am going to be clearing out all my stock in the shop to make room for some new and very exciting products! VERY focused to our cause. Modish Monkeys will be at the next Little Monsters Swap Meet April 4th in Spruce Grove at the Tri Liesure centre. Let me know if you need more details. I will be running some specials on our products and be there to answer questions, etc.

I am going to be working my butt off over the next few weeks to add a ton of content to the site to help answer some of your questions as well as links to direct you to people who can truly help you as they have helped us!!!

Please keep checking back.

Have a fabulous day, and remember love helps the healing process!

New Year, New Beginnings

2009-01-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well I haven't been as good as I would have liked with keeping on the website and blog. I will blame it on the holidays and have 2 kids 2 and under! lol.

I am happy to report first that our son's eczema has been pretty much clear since we switched his diet and put him on the supplements (probiotic, milk thistle, alcabase, etc) and eliminated all Dairy and Wheat! It is amazing the results not only to his skin but also to his overall personality! He is so much less stressed and overall just always happy. His skin is clear 95% of the time, and the only reactions we see is on the tops of his hands and the odd time behind his knees. We have had NO open sores or bumps at all. It has been such a change!

Our little girl is not currently showing any signs of Eczema, our fingers are crossed that she doesn't also react to the wheat when we start introducing solids. She is however lactose intolerant, I have had to avoid Dairy while I have been feeding her. I have been drinking lactose free milk and cheese as does my son and this seems to work just fine for us.

On the website front, Laara (she is mentioned on the Links page of our website) will be putting up an article regarding Eczema, Asthma, and Allergies in the next few days. This article will open your eyes to how easy it can be to just change your lifestyle in hopes of eliminating these common reactions. If you would like more information please contact Laara directly at laara@vita-quest.com.

On the store front, We are in the process of launching a modish monkeys line of products as well as a daily diary. Please watch for these wonderful new products due out Spring 2009.

Here is to another year of bringing awareness to Eczema, Asthma, and allergies.

Everyone has a story, everyone needs advise on occasion, everyone needs a place to share, laugh, and cry. We hope that you will feel comfortable in letting our website be that place of support

Pre Holiday's Sale

2008-10-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

20% off all Inventory until November 15th.

Great opportunity to save on Christmas gifts for the little one's in your life.

WWW.MODISHMONKEYS.COM

Lets get this party started>

2008-09-25T18:41:00.001-07:00

Well our daughter was finally born and our lives are returning to normal, as will Modish Monkeys. Over the next few weeks I will be revising and updating a lot of the website, as well as offering a few promotions on some of our products.

Some good news that many of you parents out there may want to hear about, we took our son to Laara (contact info on links page) the week before we had our little girl. We took our son off Glutin and Lactose completely as well as worked with Laara to come up with a diet based on balancing his PH levels (acid and alkaline). I am happy to report that our son's condition has improved DRASTICALLY! We also have him taking a few suppliments in combination with this diet. His skin looks amazing and his mood has improved, he is not as irritated all the time... We have still had the occasional mild outbreak, I am pretty sure it has been from all the people we have had around since our daughter was born as well the stress from the arrival of his new little sister.

If you would like more information about Laara and her service please refer to the links page of our website. She is a WEALTH of information!!! Even if you don't live in Edmonton, she is definitely worth contacting to see how she can help you.

Please let me know of any successes you have had with your selves or your children in dealing with their Eczema, Asthma, and Allergies.

Modish Monkeys will be closed August 19th to 24th

2008-08-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

Modish Monkeys will be closed Tuesday August 19th to 24th due to the arrival of our second child. If you wish to place an order please fax or email it in as usual. I will be returning calls, answering emails and sending out invoices for orders on August 25th with shipping to follow. Thank you in advance and sorry for the inconvenience.

MODISH MONKEYS IS FINALLY LAUNCHED

2008-08-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

We finally were able to launch the site today! We truly hope you enjoy it and please feel free to post or email us your feedback... renee@modishmonkeys.com. Please feel free as well to start your own topics on this blog regarding eczema, asthma, and allergies.

Again Welcome to Modish Monkeys!

Renee

Website Launch Coming Soon!!!

2008-07-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

We are just finalizing the website to launch it in the next week or so. I am so excited to see it up and running! We have put a lot of heart and soul into it and hope that people find it to be a great resource for Eczema, Allergies, and Asthma. I will be doing a new blog in here soon to introduce myself and our growing family (we are due with our daughter in just a few weeks)! We will share our story with you as to why we chose to do all this. We hope you decide to join in and grow the Modish Monkeys family! Please post your experiences, products that have helped or not, really anything you would like in regards to having a child with Eczema, Allergies, and Asthma or your own experiences with it. Again Welcome to Modish Monkeys http://www.modishmonkeys.com/ .