Links I Loved in December

I hope your Christmas was as marvelous as ours! We spent a very intimate Christmas Day with my mother, sister, and grandparents. Each year, my grandparents write clues on the gift tags, and the recipient tries to guess what’s inside. My grandparents have been married over 50 years, and my grandfather still writes clues like, “To: The Girl With the Lovely Hair; From: Her Admirer” and gives gift certificates that say, “This certificate entitles the bearer to one dinner at the place of her choice with the gentleman of her choice. (Pick me!)”

My sister gave my mother a most thoughtful gift: a reuseable smoothie cup that she be-dazzled with rhinestones that spelled out her name. She took the time to spell my mother’s name in a hundred miniature rhinestones, using tweezers to place each one on. Amazing.

My grandmother gifted us with Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract made with Tahitian vanilla beans. So fancy!

And my lovely mother gave us saffron and Himalayan pink salt. Even though the gifts were simple, they were so thoughtful, that they warmed my heart.

I’m no good at gifts. (It’s the least of my love languages, if it even counts at all!) I’m no good at thinking of gifts for people or even thinking of gifts for myself. What do I really need? And am I really going to ask someone for an Excaliber 3900 (no timer) for Christmas? No.

So these sweet gifts from my family really blew me away. This was definitely one of my favorite Christmas’s to date. : )

In other news…

Frank got accepted to Life University! He also made A’s in all his classes this past semester! I’m so proud of him! He is so smart! : )

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Links I shared on social media this month…

Great Reads

Oh, It’s Not Going to Kill Them from Real Food Freaks
Christmas Magic from And Here We Are
How Rice Cereal Changed My Life by Whistle Pig Hollow
I Left Civilization for Raw Milk from HandPicked Nation
Organic: Food Justice for the 99% by The Cornucopia Institute
Hannah’s Story: 2 Years on GAPS Diet Reverses Autism by Cara from Health, Home, & Happiness
Managing Diabetes with Real Food from Agriculture Society
The Animal Lover’s Dilemma by Elizabeth Vandeventer of Davis Creek Farm
Is Organic Milk Healthy? 4 Myths about Organic Milk by Homemade Mommy
Canola oil versus butter: Which is more natural? by Mother Nature Network
Photos My Kid Took by Jason Good
Can Organic Farming Feed the World? by Small Footprint Family
How I kicked my Autoimmune Disease into Remission from Real Sustenance
The Closing of a Farm from HandPicked Nation
Edible Education 103: “Farming as Dance, The Choreography of Polyculture” by Joel Salatin
Government Data Proves Raw Milk Safe by Food Renegade
Why we eat meat & the morality involved. by The Elliott Homestead

Food

Latvian Piparkukas (Gingerbread Cookies) by A Crafty Gourmet
Cream of Mushroom Soup by Pickle Me Too
How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken from Learning and Yearning
Tom Kha Gai by Food Renegade
Coconut Battered Shrimp by Ditch the Wheat
Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by Frisky Lemon
Classic Meatloaf from Oh Lardy!
All About Avocados by Healthy Living How To
Nutrient-Dense Foods I Don’t Buy Local by Agriculture Society
Venison Swiss Steak from Learning and Yearning
Grain-free, Sugar-free Gingerbread Men from Nourished Kitchen
Celeriac Latkes from Real Food Forager
Warming Coconut Chicken Curry from And Here We Are
Homemade Golden Grahams from Homemade Dutch Apple Pie
Apple Rosemary Chicken Broth by Real Food Freaks
Pork Butt, Lentil & Kale Soup. by The Elliott Homestead

Birth, Babies, and Fertility

Want a natural childbirth? Be sure to include these 10 essentials. from Mama Natural
Why I Choose Natural Family Planning/Fertility Awareness by Whole Natural Life
Nutritional Remedy for Heavy Periods by The Healthy Home Economist

Practical Information

10 Great Uses for Beeswax from Learning and Yearning
Cardiologist: Lowfat Diet “Scientifically and Morally Indefensible” by The Healthy Home Economist
5 Ways to Get More Fat in Your Diet by Food Renegade
Just Say No To UHT Milk by Food Renegade
GAPS As a Temporary Diet and Other GAPS Questions Health, Home, & Happiness
7 Christmas Gifts for the Unspoiled Child by Weed ’em and Reap
5 Reasons Butter Is Good For You from Whole Green Love
3 Ways to Reduce Your Child’s Exposure to Pesticides from Food Renegade
Is Pressure Cooking Healthy? from Food Renegade
What to Tell Vegetarians Who Say Eating Meat is Immoral from Hartke is Online
5 Reasons Why Calories Don’t Count by Empowered Sustenance
7 Secrets that Cured My Acne without Chemicals by Empowered Sustenance

Do It Yourself

Homemade Cough Drops from Nourishing Joy
Homemade Real Food Christmas Ornaments by CHEESESLAVE