For Our Children

For most of us, there is nothing we wouldn't do for our children if we could and if it was in their very best interest.  My parents sacrificed and worked and tried to give us the world.  And I think the majority of us are the same way for our kids.  But what if we were unknowingly destroying everything we were working so hard to protect and give them?  Would you tell me if you knew I was hurting my family unknowingly?  Then you understand why I am writing this.  To tell you what I know could help so many families, including yours.  Please read this post and know that I know you want the very best for your family.  I know I do.

The E.P.A reports the nation's worst pollution is inside our homes. A number of homes tested have toxic chemical levels 70 times higher inside the home than outside.

The President's Toxic Substances Strategy Committee warns 90% of all CANCERS are triggered by toxic chemicals in our environment.

---> Is it worth it to your family or even yourself to see what other products out are there other than Tide, Dawn, Cascade, and Tilex? I mean seriously people. Kids are the most precious thing we have on this Earth. We owe it to them.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission connects 150 MAN MADE CHEMICALS IN OUR HOME CARE PRODUCTS to Allergies, Birth Defects, Cancer, And Psychological Abnormalities. 

What are your favorite home care products?

1.Dove Beauty Bar contains- 

Quaternium 15 (AKA Formaldehyde) which is a known carcinogen and causes dermatitis.

2. Johnsons Baby Conditioning Shampoo and Body Wash-

Quaternium 15 and FDC RED 40 which is also a known carcinogen.  Not supposed carcinogen, KNOWN carcinogen.

3. Tide and Cheer-

Sodium Silicate- Corrosive, can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin. 

Sodium Sulfate- Corrosive, severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant and a known cause of asthma attacks.

Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate- known Carcinogen

4. Clorox-

Sodium Hypochlorite-Corrosive.  Sensitizer:  Can Be fatal if swallowed.  Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant.  ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEART CONDITIONS OR ASTHMA.

5. Fantastik- 

Butyl cellosolve; Neurtoxic.  Skin and eye irritant.  Damages central nervous system.  Damages blood and body's ability to make blood.  Damages kidneys and liver.  Ready absorbed through the skin.

6. Windex- 

Butyl cellosolve and isobutane which are both neurotoxins

7. LYSOL-

Dioxin- a carcinogen 500,000 times more deadly than DDT.

So, let me ask you.  Are you willing to look at something that is not poisoning your children or yourself?  Would you use something different if it were safer for your family and was higher quality than these "favorites" for the same price and cheaper?  I urge you to do so.  There are too many people suffering and not knowing the cause.  Mainly our children.  

This Week- Venting Space

This has been a rough week all the way around.  Between work and potentially getting fired (which has to be the devil working because Lord knows I do my best, even though I'm not perfect), issues with my husband, feeling sick, worrying about a friend, working three jobs, having anxiety out the butt, and so on, I just need a break.  I feel like no one hears me, or cares to really stop and think how Im feeling when I say that I'm struggling.  I tell my husband that I'm out of whack because of them switching my antidepressant and he takes it personally and says Im neglecting him.  So now on top of feeling crazy and sad for no reason, I'm neglecting HIM!  But I won't get started on him.  That could last days right now.  I'm exhausted.  I just want things to be ok and the stress to calm down.  Thats all I want.

New Venture

Ok.  So, the Hubs and I are doing Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover.  If you are not doing this, you should!  Go over your finances together with your spouse every night or every other night and plan every dollar!  It will turn your life upside down!

Other Exciting News...

I'm going to be an aunt!!!!  Well, not biologically, but as close as possible to biological!  My best friend and sister in Christ has a little peanut and is due June 11!
     note to Peanut:  I will love you forever and will be here for anything you may ever need.
            PS- Aunties are cooler than moms, remember that when you get older...lol j/k

I am now a Preferred Member of Melaleuca!  It is a non-toxic, green company that sells the best of natural and science combined products for your household, body care, supplemental, etc needs.  I'm super excited about these products and how great the company is!!  If you don't know anything about them, check them out.  No...SERIOUSLY!  You try one thing and I promise you will be satisfied.  I have never met someone who has tried even one of the products and not liked it.  Im so excited about it that I wish I could order everyone one thing...of course...Dave says I can't do that and Mike says keep my head out of the clouds...but if I could...I would.  Best bang for your buck (saving you because it is all concentrate) and it won't expose you to toxins like formaldahyde and bleach and aluminum.  I better stop while I'm ahead, because I can go on FOREVER!  I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!!

melaleuca.com/products     It will change your life!

Oh, and jewelry party this Saturday at 2pm at my house.  PLEASE MAKE IT!!!  Its going to be a BLAST!  I'll make some snacks......Just sayin....

A Toute A L'heure!!

Recent Projects

Its probably been about a week since the last post.  Since then, I've stayed pretty busy!  I have been researching online how to make products at home that are safer for me and my family (because I LOVE them so much) that are safer on our bodies and on the environment.

I truly believe that changing these simple things can have a huge impact on our lives.  Half the time we have no clue what we are putting on and in our bodies and how it is cycling through our waters just for us to consume again.  For example, liquid fabric softener contains high levels of carcinogens.  We cycle it through our washing machines and back into the water system, just to use/consume it later.  Fabric softeners are smothered in fragrances to cover up the chemicals and release over time, especially in heat.  I don't know about you, but when I get sweaty from going running, the last thing I want is to come home and know that the heat from my body is causing my clothes to release toxic chemicals onto my porous skin!  I would site a website that I am getting this info from, but I would like to challenge you to research it yourself so that you can see for yourself and don't have to quote someone's blog that says they researched it before posting "information" on the subject.

I have also started making my own laundry detergent, deodorant, hand soap, and disinfectant spray.  And yes, they all work!  And work just as well as the crap on the shelves!  Its nice to know that I don't have to worry about putting known cancer causing agents in my armpits, an inch away from my breast tissue, or that I can safely clean the kitchen after cooking with raw meats and eggs without my kids inhaling toxins from the crap sprays.

I challenge you to look at what you are using on a regular basis and decide if its right for your family.  Research it, understand it.  I will gladly help you in any way.  I'll even make the products for you!  Just tell me what you need and I'll excitedly (and cheaply) make it just for you!

Happy Researching!

A Tout A L'heure!

Healthy skin!

I have been fighting my skin since a very early age and have been on everything short of Accutane.  Nothing has given me that smooth feeling AND look.  Talk about embarrassing and frustrating.  I mean who wants to walk up to a teller window or interview someone who looks like they havn't washed their face for week?!  That is how I felt, talk about some self esteem issues stemming way back!

Well, thanks to an old friend posting faithfully on her blog about how to improve your quality of life safely and naturally, I have really been meddling in all of the natural ways to improve my skin.  I originally started off with Baking soda wash and ACV for toner, but was missing the moisturizer.  Then I purchased Coconut oil.  I added coconut oil as the moisturizer.  I think that was a great intro into the natural side.  I wasn't too abrasive and it weaned my skin off of the nasty SLS filled "acne washes" (oxymoron right?!) and nasty chemically lotions and acne creams that have NEVER worked even a tiny bit on my skin.

Last night I decided I would try, with what I have at home because my husband will kill me if I go buy everything i want to try unless its in the grocery budget lol, the Oil Cleansing Method.  I suggest looking it up online and trying it.  It involves Castor Oil and EVOO.  The castor oil pulls the dirt out of the pores and the EVOO is full of vitamins and is a great moisturizer.  I'll make sure when I try the full cleanse that I will post and let ya know how it works and what I think of it.

What I ended up doing instead, was washing with Baking soda, then rubbing a little bit of EVOO on my face and placing a hot wet rag over my face for a minute and letting the steam open my pores and moisturize away.  Then I wiped off the oil with the wet rag and applied a tiny bit of Tea Tree Oil to a cotton round and rubbed all over my face.  Tea tree oil is a great antibacterial and antifungal and it smells cool too!  I woke up this morning with the softest skin!  I'm so pleased!  And my skin is VISIBLY clearer!  I was shocked!  Something so simple that has been in my house the whole time and I'm just now figuring it out!  Of course, this is the first day, so I'll get back with you in a couple days and let ya know, but I can't imagine not seeing amazing results in a couple days if I am seeing such amazing results in just one night.  I urge you to try it.  Its wonderful.  Plus that self esteem goes up just a notch... :)

A toute a l'heure!

Orzo Explosion and Naan-chos!

Tonight, I decided it was time for a change up.  I've been rotating the same ingredients and making the same meals night after night.  My husband was less than thrilled lol.  So, after changing up the grocery list and converting it to more healthy options and more organic options, I came up with a couple good recipes myself!

Orzo and bean explosion!

Ingredients:
1 cup organic Orzo
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Onion
Cut up, and cooked, chicken breast (best if you the same seasoning on the chicken while being cooked :))
1 can 365 brand organic black beans drained
1/3 cup chopped spinach
EVOO
Rosemary, Thyme, Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Parsley to taste

How To:
1. In a sauce pan, fill 1/3 to half full water, boil 1 cup Orzo about 9 minutes.  It is a similar to both rice and pasta so check for tenderness but not mushy-ness.  (BTW, there is about 6g protein for only 1/3 cup! Not bad!)
2.  In a skillet, cook cubed chicken breast, green peppers, onions, black beans, spinach and seasonings on EVOO until onions and green peppers are a little soft but not brown, and chicken and beans are very warm.
3.  Drain Orzo when it is finished cooking, add a little seasoning, and combine the two groupings into one bowl.

You can eat this just in a bowl as I like to, or you can put it in a wrap like my husband!  Other suggestions would be to add tomatoes or other veggies you think would be good!

Secondly...

Chicky Naan-chos!!

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Tandoori Naan, cut into triangles

EVOO

1/2 cooked, cut, seasoned chicken breast

Organic Italian mix cheese, Mozz, Parmesan, etc to taste

1/4 cut chopped spinach

Rosemary, Thyme, pepper, garlic to taste

How to:  

1.  Cut Naan into triangles, and brush a light layer of EVOO on top.  I use EVOO cooking spray in the pan to prevent sticking but just plain EVOO would probably work.

2.  Bake triangles for about 3 minutes and pull out to put toppings on it.  

3.  Place a couple pieces of cubed chicken , then a little spinach, and then a little cheese on top.  Then add seasonings.

4.  Bake for about 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Side note:  Naan is a traditional Indian flatbread.  It can be used for Pizzas, as a crouton alternative after being toasted for salads or soups, or wraps.  It has 5g of fiber, and 7g protein in each one.  It also has 115g potassium in each one.  It also has 26g of whole grain in each.  It is a little high in sodium, 420mg, but in moderation is an excellent substitution for conventional bread.  I recommend Whole Food's 365 brand.  It is a great price and the quality is excellent!  

If you are wanting to try these, let me know how it goes!  I'm always up for questions and suggestions!  

A Tout A L'heure!!

I'm slightly goofy...

So... I decided I would like to try and soften my hair up.  Its been unmanageable and sticky and gooky and tangley with all the experimenting.  So... I thought a deep conditioning coconut oil treatment would help.  I must say, after 24 hours and 6 washes (with 4 different shampoos), my hair is rather soft (!!!!).  I apparently used way too much, go figure, and ended up with a greasy lookin head!  I knew that I had to have an actual shampoo and conditioner.  So, while grocery shopping at my favorite place ever, Whole Foods, I picked up Kiss my Faceshampoo and conditioner!  I was up and scrubbing away around 6:15 this morning!  My hair hasn't smelled this fresh or felt so soft in two weeks!  AMAZING!  Now I know not to listen to all the websites saying that it is ok to drench your hair in coconut oil and that you will only need to wash once or twice to have great supermodel soft shiny hair.  Trust me, if you want that, use a TINY bit and you'll be fine.  One of my fellow bloggers suggested only using a tiny bit on the ends.  I will def keep that in mind for next time.  LOL

We also bought, while at WF, Shea butter everyday body wash.  I used it for the first time this morning as well and its really nice!  Its not that squeaky kind of clean, its a soft clean.  And I got unscented, but it still smells clean!  And feels great! 

We are getting two of the girls today for the weekend and I'm super excited!  They are so precious!  I'll post again later! 

If you have any questions or advice or info of any kind, please leave me a message!!! 

A tout a l'heure!!