We have had an abundance of kids birthday parties lately…and predominately raw birthday parties. They have all been amazing! Inspired by these, we organized a raw birthday party and blessing for Jeddabug last week. It was fabulous!

What was the menu?

- Basil and lime cocktails (zesty alkaline drink to wet the palette)
- Raw pizza: flaxseed and buckwheat bread base with tomato tepenade, spinach,  antipasto veges, pesto and raw cheese (see pic) (Inspired by my friend Ame from Raw and Peace)
- Raw chai seed crackers, olive tepenade, and hummus dip.
- Nona’s green salad (most greens came straight from her organic garden)
- Antipasto of eggplant, mushrooms and (marinated and slightly dehydrated so they are soft and juicy)
- Strawberries with avocado and cacao dipping sauce
- Tahini and apricot bliss balls
- Fruit salad with lime and mint puree
- Strawberries, cashew cream and chocolate moose raw birthday cake! (I’ll post the recipe tomorrow – its so good!)

The meal was a hit! Living! Green! Potent! Fresh! And the kids still found it funky enough to eat. Going raw is certainly getting easier.

Following our raw birthday feast we asked our family and friends to write a note to Jedda on some paper. ‘Who do you want to be for Jedda?’ we asked them to consider in their reflections. This blessing was reminiscent of the old African proverb ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ or as my Grandma used to say ‘It takes a village to work with the family, to raise a child and weather the storms of life’. Together with a seedling which people brought as a gift to Jedda, they planted their blessing note in our vegepatch.

So happy birthday Jedda! I feel grateful to have such a beautiful baby in my life, a family so open to celebrating her life (and ours), participating in a raw food feast (quirky and unique someone called us?) and grateful that the rain stopped long enough to plant our seedlings and rain again when they were planted.

[PICS: Jeddabug hanging in the garden; Raw pizza!; All the lively kids; Matt & Ash planting a blessing or two for Jedda]

‘Our Children will ask…What were our parents thinking? Why did they produce toxic chemicals and then allow them to get in to our bodies? Were they so arrogant to think that our bodies would not be affected?’ (Lantz, 2010)

Chemical Free Kids are coming to Melbourne! Eco-toys are hosting a ’Living Chemical Free’ seminar.

If you want to know how to raise healthy children in a toxic world you simply can’t afford to miss this workshop.

The presentation will address:

> Why babies are being born pre-polluted, the chemicals they are born with, and what makes kids particularly susceptible;
> How the chemicals found in your children’s food are hindering their development, lowering IQ scores and triggering attention and behavior disorders;
> Why Australia continues to use chemicals that are banned or restricted in other countries across the world;
> What’s really on your dinner table and in your children’s medication – vital information EVERY PARENT should know!
> How you can begin to implement health changes and practices for you and your children that help cleanse the body of chemicals.
> Solutions and strategies for raising healthy children (and adults) in a toxic world.For detailed information and to purchase tickets go to: http://ecotoyslivingchemicalfree.eventbrite.com/

Seats are limited so book now!

ABOUT ECO TOYS

At Eco Toys we believe that toys should be safe for kids to play with and also kind to our planet.

Our toys are made with respect for the the environment and its people and we believe that each and every one of us can make a difference. We only choose Australian made or ethically made toys that are crafted from natural, sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable and/or recycled materials. Our toys are safe, non-toxic, educational and encourage imaginative play. Eco Toys provides beautifully crafted organic and sustainable toys that are safe, non-toxic and kind to our planet:

http://www.ecobabystore.com.au/

Eco Toys & Baby – For everything organic and environmentally friendly for your baby – 651 Burwood rd, Hawthorn East 3123. ph: 03 9078 7500