brain overload

Edited again to show another link on BPA at the end
Edited to fix the link on bottles!

So, on our little getaway this weekend (see below) we talked about wanting to change some eating habits, and we're going to try for the month of March to eat only real or "whole" foods. Meaning, no processed food, and possibly more organic ingredients. So, I've set out on the world wide web, to check things out. WHOA. My brain aches.

I went window shopping at Trader Joes (love that place), which has fairly reasonable prices, but a limited selection. Then I went to Wild Oats, which I loved, but...seriously, 1.99 per lb for "organic" head of iceberg lettuce! Ouch.
The more I learn about foods and products, the more I want to go organic and green. My couponing self and my tree huggin self are in conflict.

So, a few major things I've learned this week:

Most baby bottles and many sippy cups (and...ugh, Nalgenes)are made from polycarbonate plastic (playtex,avent, most of the big brand ones). In that plastic is an ingredient called BPA (Bisphenol-A)can act like estrogen, and has been linked to a variety of things like early onset of puberty, childhood obesity, others and possibly prostate/breast cancer (in lab animals). Ok, Ok, I won't go crazy trying to describe it here, since I wont' do it justice. If you want more info go here to zrecs, I found a great blog that was really helpful. I am not freaking out, thinking I've poisoned my kids, but I am getting rid of my bottles with this stuff in them, and I'll be buying these kind next time.

If you want to learn about what ingredients are in your costmetics, oral care, nail care and baby care items and what ingredients are important to avoid, go here to the cosmetics database. Warning: it can be a little disturbing to learn about the junk in things we put on our skin everyday (and our babies behinds!)

On a happy note, since last week at moms, there has been a chain reaction of cloth diapering tree huggers! Yahoo! I'm not really turning into a freak, you guys, but I am super happy to see my friends saving $$ and putting less junk into the local landfills!(Props Mere!)

Ok, now I'm getting off my soapbox and going to watch american idol.Good Night!

Link on what BPA is

romantic getaway...

We left sunday right after church and headed for the coast. I couldn't believe my eyes, when my husband told me we had to stay here...what a dump!

Then, our friend who owns this shack, took us out to lunch, and then said, "Hey, why don't you drive this while you're here?"






So we did. And it was reeeeeally fun. The weather was awesome! It was almost 60 and so sunny! I'll admit, it was a little chilly for a ride with the top down, but we couldn't resist!We went for a drive (we had to get our first dose of vacation coffee). Then, we went for a walk on the beach. It was SOOOO nice. We talked, we laughed, I cried some. (like I always do when we have heart to hearts. It was lovely.





Then we watched the sunset.




Then we did something else that I did not take pictures of, nor will I describe for you (use your imagination, it was us, a lovely beach house, and no kids...you figure it out!)

Then we went to bed, and slept. All night long....nobody waking me up to pee, nobody cryiing...just us, sleeping!

Then we woke up, got our first dose of coffee, and went for a drive down hwy 101...beeutiful!




Then we stopped by the site of our first unofficial date. Hug Pointe, how cute is that? It actually sounds like some hot makeout site, which we did not (then or now). (we actually didn't kiss for the first month we dated!On purpose!)





Then we sat and watched this for awhile.






Then we got back in our cute little ride and went back to here for round 2 and breakfast...baked goods, YUM.



We putzed around town, went home the long way and stopped for lunch in Astoria for some Yummy fish and chips and Husband had an awesome burger.


Then, back to reality!


ps, I finished "The Shack" and it was soooo good! I loved it!

tagged

Okay. Here's my tag from my friend Annette.Find the nearest book of 123 pages or more. Turn to pg 123 and read the first 5 sentences. Post the next 3 sentences.

Heres' mine from Prayers for New Mothers by Angela Thomas.

(a prayer to God)
"To live a pure life means I cannot be swayed from my purpose-to glorify you- in my home and in my choices-no matter what happens. Whatever the world throws at me, no matter how persuasive or alluring it might be, I will hold on for dear life to the biblical principles that Jesus calls me to exemplify.

Pure mothering means I won't always be popular." Ain't that last statement the truth!



There you go. You're supposed to tag 5 people. I tag, Molly, Rachel, Kelly, Dawnette and Heidi.

Stuff I did today...

It was a good day. I was busy. Don't you hate it though, when you're out to find something specific at Target (like really cute red valentine plates, on sale) and they are sold out? Then you go to another Target, and another...finally, Victory was mine! Found my plates, 3 targets later at 7:30pm...the preschooler was asleep in my cart (we were on a date).

Anyhow, my day started like this...the Toddler found his yellow rubber ducky boots, or "Booooo" as he calls them. He walks so funny in them...he just kept pointing at them saying "boooo". So cute!






Then, from Beckie's tip, I made my own foaming hand soap!It's a snap. 1 part regular handsoap to 6 parts water. (example, 1/2 cup soap to 3 cups water). I made mine in a liter plastic bottle, filled up my empty pump, and saved the rest for a refill. As beckie says, it's highway robbery that soap companies literally dilute the product ans charge you double! At least one good thing came from my multiple target stops.



And, last but not least...My new treads. Now, prepare yourself...I went running. Shocking, I know. I have not run, regularly, for about 14 years. I used to run a 6:15 mile back in the day...those days are loooong gone. I started this program called Couch to 5K.(it should be called, Laundry Room to 5K in my case). 9 weeks from now, I'll be running 5K! I bought myself a good pair of shoes, an even better sports bra (a necessity), and hit the road. I actually enjoyed myself. I think it's a great program to wean you slowly onto running, so, in my case, you don't kill yourself.


Throw in some laundry, vacuuming, grocery shopping, and I'll call it a day.

Luke's big day!

Hey friends! Most of you, my faithful readers, know of our dear friends, the Jensens. Luke Jensen's bone marrow transplant is one Wednesday!! This is a big deal day for the Jensen's...please pray for them. Especially, Luke and Jake (luke's brother and bone marrow donor) as they undergo the transplant tomorrow. Luke has been battling AML Leukemia for several months now, (and doing it like a champ, I might add!)and after completeing several rounds of chemo, tomorrow is the big day.

He still has a LOT of recovery time ahead, so keep on praying!

growing out my hair...

So, I'm trying to grow out my hair, I think. I used to have long hair, and liked it. But for about the last 10 years, I have had med/short hair and can never make it through this "ugly" phase before losing my patience and cutting it off again.

SO, today, I found one of those makeover sites and tried on a few long hair styles to see how I'd look. What do you think? BE HONEST.

ps, I feel very odd posting about something as unimportant as my hair...but, it's what's on my mind today. (lame, huh?)

here's me with no bangs and long hair...


And here's me with bangs and long hair

i *heart* french toast

Seriously, I do. Everytime I go out to breakfast, it's what I order. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. When I've been pregnant both times and in the throws of morning sickness...it always sounds so good to me (and no, I'm not pregnant). I love it at Elmers, I love it at IHOP, I love it at home, I love it fancy (and HELLO! THEEE most amazing french toast EVER is at the restaurant in the heathman lodge. It's made from slices of delicious bread pudding, drizzled with raspberry sauce and candied pears...OH.MY.GOODNESS. amazing....and surprisingly no more expensive than IHOP and waaaay better.)

So, I've been wanting to try the Deceptively Delicious French Toast recipe. I made it with Sweet Potoatoes (you're thinking, ew, gross, sweet potatoes in my french toast). But it's only like 2 tablespoons, and it IS SWEET, so you can't even taste it under your syrup. My boys gobbled it up and asked for more...it was gooo-ood.

On Sunday morning, I made it again, only this time with pureed pineapple and sprinkled with toasted coconut. deeelish!

Now, go ahead...sneek some veggies in your kids french toast! It really was good. (and honestly, you could just add a few tablespoons of pureed sweet potato, pineapple, banana, applesauce, butternut (or any other kind) squash to your regular run of the mill french toast batter and nix the milk...

It's coming!!

For the sake of protectecting my identity and my kiddos...I'm going to be making my blog a little more anonymous. I'm going to change the name (the www.blogspot.com address)of my blog pretty soon, so it's won't include my name anymore. I don't like googling myself and it coming right to my blog...

I'll try to stop by your blogs and comment when that happens. Just so you know, in case you try to come visit, and can't find my blog (I know, it would be devastating for you!)

It's way past my bed time, but I became obsessed with making a new header for my bloggedy blog. With my name change, I'm giving my blog a little makeover. I could no longer handle the pepto pink...time to simplify.