I have one gregarious five-year-old boy who got a new baby sister last summer. I just realized that I will turn 40 before she turns four — a year and a half before she turns four.

Having long ago found healthier pastures thanks to a gluten-free, dairy-free diet and a wide variety of alternative health modalities, I’ve got pretty strong convictions about how to live to feel good.

But I also reside in a Northern Virginia suburb of Washington D.C. and have my share of contradictions when it comes to living a free-range lifestyle. One Birkenstocked foot is rooted firmly in the local health food store while the other is trying to make its way to a pedicure (if only I can find a low-toxicity spa or enough childcare time to get to the coolest one across town).

A former high school English teacher, I’m now a freelance writer; clips and background are available on my writer’s website. My graduate degrees are in English and women’s studies. Descriptions of my editing and tutoring services are available at editwritetutor.com. I also wrote as Claire Jess for DC Metro Moms Blog before the many-city collective folded. The DC Moms has just had its soft launch, and I’m editor of the Green section.

When I’m not trying to find – or to complete – work for pay, writing, cooking, going to appointments or yoga classes, or arranging childcare – or parenting! – I’m volunteering as a co-leader of the local chapter of Holistic Moms Network that I founded in early 2009.

The main page of this blog aims to reflect on life as I live it on both sides of the crunchy/mainstream divide, particularly when it comes to being a nutrition freak, attachment parenting mom, and Waldorf education enthusiast in a place where those identities are shared by many but unfamiliar to many more.

The rest of the blog will evolve as I tweak the transferred content from three previous Blogger blogs: Crunchy-Chewy Mama, Mama’s Mouth, and Inexact Science: Raising Healthy Families.

On the Healthy Eating page, I share recipes and food reviews. Musings on politics in general, feminist issues in particular, and activism (often of the birth, body, and breastfeeding variety)  appear on the Politics & Activism page. I share experiences with and information about alternative health modalities (or rants about allopathic medicine) on the Holistic Health page. The Arts page includes reflections on writing, art and photography, especially of the feminist, progressive, and/or mom-created variety. Local-related posts are on the DC Metro page. Each page has its own set of links (always in progress!)

Thanks for visiting. I look forward to hearing from you! Email me at jch (at) crunchychewymama (dot) com.

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