Am I crunchy?

I must ask you a very serious question... 

AM I CRUNCHY? 

Nearly six years ago, I embarked on a journey that I had no idea would take me to places that I could never have imagined!

“Where’s that?” You might be thinking.  No, It’s not a far away white sandy beach with a million dollar view.  (A girl can dream, though, right?)  Ok, back to my point…

I took a journey into “Crunchy-Ville!”   And I haven’t look back. It seems to have taken hold and won't let go. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the slightly derogatory of “crunchy,” it’s simply a term to describe someone who lives a lot like a hippie.  The term should make you think you heard someone crunch on granola.  Now that that is out of the way…

Let me clarify- I don’t run around with a crown of flowers around my head and I still shave my legs and underarms.  To be honestly, I don’t like the term. It seems too judgmental. I try to leave the judgement for a much higher being.  And let’s be realistic, it just doesn't fit me.

At any given time, the two kids and I are in blue jeans and boots, my long braided hair pulled back through my University of Florida baseball cap, a camouflage backpack is thrown over my shoulder.  I count my chickens to make sure none have wondered off while the cows can be heard grazing on grass across the fence as we scramble in the front screen door. 

Does anything about this seem "crunchy"? 

I have decided that I will outlaw the term crunchy and replace it with NATURAL.

Ok, I am back on track now.  

I made the decision almost six years ago to live a NATURAL life. 

Here’s how:

• We no longer use bleach or chemical cleaners in the bathroom- only vinegar and citrus essential oils.
• We no longer eat ready-to-cook meals- only all-natural, from scratch foods for us.
• We no longer fill our pantry with pre-made box meals- only ingredients to cook a meal. 
• We no longer just pick up any bottle of shampoo- only paraben, phthalate, and sulfate-free shampoos for us.
• We no longer rush to the drug store for a tummy ache, or to the doctor for prescriptions for a cold- only essential oils as soon as someone mentions an upset tummy or hurting ear.                                                       (Please know that I do not ALWAYS stick to this.  I have some sense. My family won't suffer.)
• We no longer grab the OTC meds when we feel a cold coming- only put an essential oil mix on our feet at night. 
• We no longer buy lotion and deodorant- only homemade from coconut oil, beeswax, and other naturally found ingredients.
• We no longer spend a ton of money on fresh veggies- most are grown in my garden, pesticide-free.
• We no longer buy decorative ornamental plants- only ones that serve as nutritional food while looking pretty.
  

  

  A Barbados Cherry bush that grows well in our climate

• We no longer use baby wipes- only washcloths and water with a little lavender to ease irritations.
• We no longer use steroid eczema cream- only lemon balm spritzer and homemade itch-cream
• We no longer use aerosol sprays to make the house smell yummy- only diffuse essential oils.
• We no longer fill Saturdays pointlessly watching TV- only find outdoor projects (like my newest water collection system) to do as a family. 
• We no longer buy fragrance-laden detergent- only use the kind that I make here with vinegar if it's super stinky!   
• We no longer just live conveniently- we try to live with purpose, hope, health, and love! 

Those are just a few of the ways in which I think we live a NATURAL life. Call me crunchy, call me a health-nut, call me crazy, but just know that I aim to march my family into a healthy lifestyle. 

So what do you think? Am I "crunchy" or Natural? 

Thanks for stopping by,