Finally, Some Good News!

From a letter my husband sent to me today from American Family Association...

Great news! Because of AFA supporters like you, McDonald’s has told AFA they will remain neutral in the culture war regarding homosexual marriage. AFA is ending the boycott of McDonald’s. As you know, AFA called for the boycott in May after McDonald’s joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).

McDonald’s said McDonald’s Vice President Richard Ellis has resigned his position on the board of NGLCC and that his seat on the board will not be replaced. McDonald’s also said that the company has no plans to renew their membership in NGLCC when it expires in December.

In an e-mail to McDonald’s franchised owners the company said, “It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald’s remains neutral on same sex marriage or any ‘homosexual agenda’ as defined by the American Family Association.”

We appreciate the decision by McDonald’s to no longer support political activity by homosexual activist organizations. You might want to thank your local McDonald’s manager.

After a 3 month complete boycott of McDonald's, I'll be going in tomorrow to let the manager know why our family is going to be patronizing their restaurant again. And then I'll buy a Big Mac.

Vanity

Below is an excerpt of a review with the author of a recently published book titled My Beautiful Mommy written to help parents discuss plastic surgery with their young children.

"Many parents don't explain to their kids what's going on," said the father of four, with his fifth child on the way. "Children are very perceptive. You can't hide a major surgery from them. When mom goes down for two weeks after a tummy tuck it affects them."



Illustrations show a crook-nosed mom with loose tummy skin under her half shirt picking up her young daughter early from school one day and taking her to a strapping and handsome "Dr. Michael."

Mom explains she's going to have operations on her nose and tummy and may have to take it easy for a week or so. The girl asks if the operations will hurt, and mom replies, "Maybe a little," warning she'll look different after the bandages come off.

The girl asks: "Why are you going to look different?"

Mom responds: "Not just different, my dear — prettier!"

This type of children's book was inevitable with the choice for elective plastic surgery increasing by almost 500% in the past ten years. However, this book was written by a plastic surgeon, not by a child psychologist. I think there is a clear conflict of interest here. Mothers (and fathers for that matter) are going to see this book as confirmation that there is nothing wrong with having lipo to help her "loose those last 15 baby pounds". The doctor who wrote this book has one agenda, to further his practice by making parents think it's ok to hand a book to a child and expect the surgery to fix all their woes.

2 Peter 2:18-19

18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

Christian parents don't need to purchase this book or undergo elective plastic surgery when the Bible speaks directly to the issue of vanity.

I Timothy 2:9-10

9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

I'm concerned that daughters who look to their mothers for guidance about body image are getting a dangerous message from this book, that something is wrong with you on the outside and getting surgery will help you feel better on the inside. It's possible this author/doctor is prepping his next generation of clients by enlisting their parents help to give children this book.

Titus 2:3-5

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Chinese Contamination

At the time of my post about melamine contamination in China sickening 50,000 infants and leading to the death of six, there had not been any detection of the milk contamination in the U.S. The following is a recall by the FDA for foods imported from China to the U.S. that are contaminated with melamine:

FDA Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement
October 6, 2008

FDA Detects Melamine Contamination in Flavored Drink
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has increased inspections and product testing efforts in response to the melamine contamination problem which originated in Chinese dairy products. As a result of the FDA’s on-going testing program, the agency has detected melamine contamination in Blue Cat Flavor Drinks. The distributor of the product, Tristar Food Wholesale Co. Inc., initiated a recall of several flavors of Blue Cat Flavor Drink, based on the FDA’s findings. The FDA advises the public not to consume this product and recommends that retailers and food service operators remove the product from sale or service.

Other Recalls
On September 26, the FDA issued an alert to consumers that seven Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products were being recalled by the Taiwanese company, King Car Food Industrial Co. Ltd., due to possible contamination with melamine. King Car Food Industrial Co. used a non-dairy creamer manufactured by Shandong Duqing Inc., China, which was found to be contaminated with melamine. The recalled products are:

Mr. Brown Mandheling Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Arabica Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Blue Mountain Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Caramel Macchiato Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown French Vanilla Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Mandhling Blend instant Coffee (2-in-1)
Mr. Brown Milk Tea (3-in-1)
The FDA recommends that consumers not consume any of the above Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products. The FDA also recommends that retailers and foodservice operators remove the products from sale or service.

Sunny Maid Corp. Monterey Park, Calif., who is an importer and distributor of Mr. Brown Instant Coffee products, is recalling the products in the United States.

The FDA is working with regulatory agencies in the United States as well as with other countries. The California Department of Public Health and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority reported that its testing of White Rabbit Creamy Candies has shown melamine contamination at high levels. In light of the widespread contamination of milk and milk-based products in China and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s finding, the FDA continues to recommend that consumers not eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy and that retailers and foodservice operations remove the product from sale or service.

A recall by QFCO Inc., Burlingame, Calif., of the White Rabbit Creamy Candies, is underway in the United States.

The FDA is closely monitoring these recalls and will continue to perform follow up activities of other recalls that may develop.

Although the products listed above appear to have only been sold in Asian import stores, those stores ARE IN America. Please, please, please read labels carefully to be sure products you buy for your family DO NOT have China listed as the country of origin. If you are unsure where the product was manufactured, DO NOT purchase the product, find a substitute.

In order to try to combat the influx of harmful products, I will be reading labels much more closely to avoid purchasing products from China. The Chinese government had claimed the melamine contamination had been contained and was not a concern for the public at large. Unfortunately, they were wrong and the danger of illness from Chinese imports is not limited only to consumables since lead-based paint has been an issue with products imported from China for some time.

Couscous with Asparagus

Bountiful Baskets co-op this week had LOTS of tomatoes (I think I had 8) and fresh asparagus. Here's the recipe for the lunch I made yesterday to use up the last of my tomatoes:

2T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1c chicken broth
1 package Near East toasted pinenut couscous
2 roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
10 spears asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet and saute garlic about 2 minutes. Add broth and couscous seasonings. Bring to boil and stir in asparagus. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 minute. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

I've loved being in the co-op for the past month. I've been motivated to try recipes I never would have attempted without the addition of the fresh produce we've received. If you haven't done so yet (and you live in Phoenix), please check it out. You won't be disappointed!

Here's A Thought...

A commentary by Joseph Farah from WorldNet Daily. I wish I'd thought of this:



My bailout plan
Posted: September 29, 2008, 1:00 am Eastern

Congress is beginning debate on a $700 billion plan for U.S. taxpayers to bail out banks, mortgage companies and investment firms that made bad loans to unqualified consumers, including illegal aliens, and became insolvent as a result.

Officials say this plan is designed to protect us from further harm and to prop up the teetering economic system the government has created.

I have a better idea.

Let's not put more money into the hands of those who created the problem. Let's put the money into the hands of the people who were victimized. Why should the victims pay twice and the victimizers get off scot-free?

Here's my plan:

1. Those who bled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dry by lying about the government-created mortgage companies' real worth so they could secure billions in personal bonuses should make restitution. They should be forbidden from ever holding any government job or position in the financial world for the rest of their lives.

2. Anyone who made more than $1 million a year in the other failed banks and institutions should be forced to contribute all their income in excess of $1 million a year to my bailout program.

3. The chairmen of the Senate and House banking oversight committees should be forced to resign in disgrace from their positions.

4. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who literally started the first bank run in California with his irresponsible public statements, should be forced to resign from the Senate.

5. All candidates for federal political office who received contributions from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or any executives of those institutions, or the other failed banking, mortgage and investment firms, should be required to give the money to the bailout fund.

6. Since the Bush administration is trying to sell the idea that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac actually hold assets of greater value than the cost of their proposed bailout, I suggest they auction those institutions off to the highest private bidders.

7. Instead of paying $700 billion to prop up the institutions that created the mess, I propose $700 billion be paid directly to those victimized by the scandal – the American people – in the form of a tax cut. This would stimulate the economy and help the country grow its way out of this crisis.

I'm sure this plan has a few holes in it. That's because I made it up in about 15 minutes.

But I'm also certain it is far better than any official plan being floated in Washington today.

So, I'm asking you to get on board. Make amendments if you like. But tell those scoundrels in Washington stop picking your pocket and your children's pockets with this bailout of the banking class.

If my business goes belly up because of bad decisions I make in running it, no one is going to bail me out. I fail to see why businesses thousands of times bigger than mine should face no risk and, in effect, be insured against mistakes and bad judgment by the taxpayers of the United States.

This is not the way the free market works.

What is at stake in this bailout scheme is not just amounts of money few of us can even imagine. What is at stake is not just massive tax increases in the future. What is at stake is not just rewarding criminals and shysters. What is at stake is whether America will protect the last vestiges of a free enterprise system for our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

No more quick fixes that, in fact, cost us far more in the long run.

No more cover-ups of wrongdoing.

No more rewarding the worst kind of fiscal irresponsibility.

Support the Farah plan.

Who's Fault Is It?

So where do we put the blame for the current crisis? It appears McCain warned about the housing crisis and the need to regulate Fannie and Freddie, but the blame for the collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the American public who greedily took advantage of the inflated prices in the housing market. The responsibility must be taken up by those who purchased homes they could not afford (and they knew it!), bought shiny new cars, new boats, new clothes, ate at fancy restaurants... all purchased on credit.

Don't be fooled, the current planned federal bail-out is only a Band-Aid slapped on the wound of American selfishness and greed. Until people suffer for their own decisions and learn to live within their means, we are doomed to see this cycle repeat in another 20 years.

Ratatouille

True to my typical ad-lib style of cooking, this "dish" has no real recipe. My inspiration for meals starts by reading recipes online to get ideas for ingredients and cooking times and temperatures. Then I do my own thing with what I have on hand and make a recipe mine. I only follow a recipe or measure quantities of ingredients if I'm making a cake. Anything else I make is seasoned to my own taste and it's always delicious, or so I've been told!

So, here's how I used up some of my super fresh veggies from the produce co-op for lunch today...

1 eggplant cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3 tomatoes cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 bell peppers chunked
4 zucchini squash chunked
garlic powder
dried basil
kosher salt
olive oil
5 sprigs fresh rosemary *I don't think the rosemary added any flavor, I just try to use it a lot because it grows like a weed in my yard

Cut and salt the eggplant and let stand for one hour. Dust off water from eggplant and place one layer in bottom of casserole dish that has been coated with olive oil. Top with zucchini, peppers and tomato. Sprinkle with garlic powder, basil and salt (to taste). Repeat layering veggies and seasonings until you don't have any left. Place rosemary on top and drizzle with olive oil. Bake covered in preheated 350 oven for 40 minuets.

Wonderful!

Bountiful Baskets

I just picked up my first produce basket from Bountiful Baskets food co-op. I have to say, I am impressed. All the produce is at or near perfect ripeness and ready to eat.

Here's what's in the picture:
6 ears of corn
1 eggplant
2 bell peppers
1 sandwich bag full of green beans
2 heads of broccoli
7 tomatoes
6 bananas
6 peaches
6 apples
5 plutos
1 basket strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1 bag of green grapes

All for $15... wow. I'll be prepping the food and menu planning today to use all the wonderful fresh fruit and veggies this week. I'm so excited! If you live anywhere in the Phoenix metro valley, I highly recommend getting on board. With quality as good as this, you won't be disappointed.

There She Stands

May we never forget the events of September 11, 2001.

May God bless George W. Bush for keeping America safe from terrorist attacks for the past seven years.

May God bless America.

Corn Is Taking Over

Years ago, I watched a documentary about US government subsidizing for corn farmers. I was aghast thinking my tax dollars were given to farmers with the specific instruction not to grow crops. The thought still makes me mad. A large portion of what is allowed to grow and be harvested is processed into high-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup solids and put in most food produced in the US. It is surprising to me corn farmers would be in favor of advertising corn products since they have been paid to sit on their land for years without having to work. Doesn't this mean a change in lifestyle from their life of ease?


(I'm not sure what point the YouTube poster was trying to make with the extra 'stuff' after the ads, I apologize for the inconvenience.)

This advertisement from the corn industry makes it sound like corn syrup is just fine and dandy (nevermind the punch she is holding probably contains a large quantity of Allura Red which has been linked to childhood hyperactivity and is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Austria... but I digress). After thinking about what I saw in the TV ad, it is obvious most American's don't know what high-fructose corn syrup is and the need to avoid massive consumption in our diet.

It is very difficult to find anything in the supermarket that doesn't have some corn in it. For my friends with corn allergies, I wish you all the best in your efforts to find foods you can tolerate!

My background in biology and chemistry comes in handy when reading and understanding biological information, but the effects of high fructose corn syrup are not complicated chemical reactions.

Here are some of the basics:
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in honey, fruits and grains such as corn. Eating fructose in it's natural state is very well processed by the body. When you eat whole fruit, the body breaks down the fructose and takes in the vitamins along with fiber and the sugar.
High-fructose corn syrup is not a naturally occurring sugar. Massive consumption of concentrated sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, has been linked to contributing to medical illnesses such as diabetes at a higher rate than even table sugar. Much of the foods we eat in America every day contain large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup.
Table sugar, whether derived from cane or beets, is also a processed chemically treated food and not a naturally occurring substance as a white crystal. In 1957 British scientist John Yudkin made a link between consuming refined sugar and coronary heart disease.

Just like exposure to plastics outside our home is beyond our control, so our exposure to processed refined sugars is difficult to limit. Since without an allergy to corn I would be uncomfortable imposing my non-corn syrup request on someone who has invited our family to dinner (like the mom in the commercial did at a party), here's how we're limiting our concentrated sugar intake in our house:

1. We do not consume fruit drinks or soda. The children and I only drink milk, water or 100% fruit juice.

2. We eat whole fruit or fruit sauce (such as applesauce) without added sugar.

3. We do not eat white bread. I have just joined a food co-op and I'm eagerly waiting for my first order of all-natural wheat sandwich bread this Saturday!

4. I will only cook with raw sugar or honey from now on (after I run out of the 5 lb bag of cane sugar I just bought!)

Although we have always done the first three points, the fourth will be a change for me, hopefully for the better!

Author's Note
I suppose it is possible the corn farming industry is looking out for the health of their customers (which is all Americans not growing our own food), even their commercial admits sugar must be consumed in moderation. The trouble is, so much of the food available for purchase in the supermarket contains high-fructose corn syrup that it is almost impossible to heed this advise.

Ouch

Only four days after the close of the Republican Convention the gloves have come off. Senator Obama has reverted to fourth-grade name calling for the critique of his opponent who, by the way, is not Governor Palin but Senator McCain. It appears Senator Obama is desperate to try to take down anyone he can reach.

Mud-slinging in the pig pen of politics has begun.

Update 9/10/08
Although Senator Obama's representatives are on damage control claiming he was using a common metaphor in his address and not comparing Governor Palin to a pig, it is clear the attending audience made the comparison.

Either the entire audience (including anyone who has watched the YouTube video) misinterpreted his intention, or Senator Obama is very naive and not very bright. Regardless, the Senator owes Governor Palin an apology and then needs medical attention to remove his foot from his mouth.

One Reason I Don't Watch Oprah

Although Oprah Winfrey has made a public statement that she is not going use her program as a platform to interview politicians, the photo above clearly shows Barack Obama making an appearance on her show.

I completely understand that it is the "Oprah" show and that Ms Winfrey is free to have anyone she wants on her show, it's her show! She has publicly made her choice for a Presidential candidate and is not open to the idea of presenting a journalistic program which would require her to give equal interviews to all Presidential candidates and their running mates.

As a mother of three children (one still at home full-time) I don't have the luxury of time to watch any other entertainment shows to balance the liberal opinions I would receive from watching Ms Winfrey's program. I have decided to skip the hour of Oprah and actually do something productive for my family (like laundry, dishes, dinner, etc... you get the point.) Her endorsement of one candidate has made it obvious to me where her values lie, I don't need to continue to watch her program to have it confirmed.

After the election I might have time to detail many of the other reasons I dislike the Oprah show, from the entitlement of "My Favorite Things" to Eckharht Tolle and his misguided total embrace of New Age religion. Then again, I don't know if I really want to open that can of worms.

On Life... Again

The issues being discussed for America in the upcoming Presidential election have prompted me to look at political morality again and measure where each candidate stands. I have tremendous respect for teen mothers who chose to carry their babies to term when the option of abortion is readily available and seems the easy way out of an embarrassing confrontation... especially if you mom is the Republican Vice Presidential nominee.

Over a year ago I wrote a post titled Life about abortion and the Biblical evidence against it. Although I was told I was completely wrong by some Christians for using Old Testament scripture, they were not able to persuade me against the clear message in God's Word that taking the life of an unborn child, whether by accident or intent, was punishable by death.

An article from Stand To Reason written in 1999 is staggering in comparing abortion supporters to Nazis but draws some very clear lines to link the two. The site Abort 73 is working to educate women about the procedure of abortion and what an aborted fetus looks like.

After education on true abortion procedure and the sale of aborted fetuses, Christians must not keep quiet any longer. We need to educate all women on these practices. Then we have to be ready to step up and offer viable options to killing millions of people before (and sometimes after) their first breath.

Please pray for ways you can make a difference in the life of a woman facing this decision with the love of Jesus Christ. The precious life God created should be left in His hand.

Matthew 19:13-14

13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Update 9/3/08
Here's an excellent article titled Legislating Morality from apologist and educator Frank Turek, outlining the urgent need for Christians to become involved in current politics.

You Are What You Eat

There is documented evidence on the detriment discarded plastic has on our environment. While I am not anti-plastic, I use some sort of plastic product every day, I have a love/hate relationship with plastic. I love the convenience that plastic affords busy moms and the many advances in modern medicine that would not have been accomplished without the use of plastic. What I hate about plastic is that I don't get to choose which plastics I expose to myself and my family and I have little control over what way those plastics come into our home.

In my college education to become a Biologist, I took almost 3 years of Chemistry, Biology, Zoology and Botany. Additionally, I worked seven years for B Braun Medical, a medical supply company that manufactures IV drugs and delivery systems. B Braun products are known in the medical field as superior for Intra-Veinous (IV) drug and blood delivery systems mainly because B Braun IV products do not contain plasticizers like DEHP in the PVC from which the IV products are made. PVC is mostly encountered in its rigid state as white tubes that plumbers use to get water into your house from the street. PVC is perfectly safe for water use in this hardened state. What most people don't know is that IV products are made from PVC then a plasticizer is added to make it flexible. The more pliable the plastic, the more plasticizers it contains. The problem health care providers have with using plastic containing DEHP for IV fluid containers and delivery systems is that plasticizers have been proven to leach into whatever product is contained in the plastic.

The medical industry has accepted the seriousness of exposure to plasticizers for patients in a compromised state of health (such as dialysis, surgery, ICU, etc) so they are willing to purchase a more expensive plastic product to ensure harmful plasticizers are not transfered to patients. But what about the massive amounts found in the every day lives of the "healthy" public? What about the exposure to small children whose bodies are not fully developed? What about the elderly or those in poor health?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in the plastic lining of cans containing soups, beans and soft drinks (organics too), reusable plastic water bottles and plastic baby bottles. Plastic manufacturers do not deny that BPA leaches into canned foods and beverages and is routinely ingested by humans. BPA is controversial because in the bodies of tested laboratory animals it mimics estrogen and thus induces hormonal responses. This means BPA is an estrogen receptor agonist and can act like the body's own hormones leading to similar physiological effects on the body such as weight gain, breast growth, possibly cancer in both male and female subjects. Studies by the CDC found BPA in the urine of 95% of adults sampled in 1988-1994 and in 93% of children and adults tested in 2003-04. Almost all exposure is through diet, and infants fed with liquid formula are among the most exposed through the plastic bottles used to feed babies the formula.

DEHP is used in medical IV supplies (with the exception of B Braun Medical products) as well as food packaging materials and some plastic children's toys like teething rings. DEHP has been shown to cause liver tumors in both rats and mice receiving DEHP in their diet throughout their entire life span. Based on the results of these cancer studies, the National Toxicology Program has classified DEHP as a substance that may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen.

It may seem and impossible task to completely remove plastic from your every day life if you live in a typical American home. As the person who brings all the food and drink into the house from the market, I have a huge responsibility to my family for the safety of these products. Here are some ways I've been able to lessen my dependance on plastic in our home.

1. We use glass containers for storage of leftovers. Most people have something already in their fridge or pantry in a glass jar. Just wash well it when you're done (sterilizing is a good idea) and put that leftover spaghetti in there! Almost all food in the supermarkets are packaged in plastic, so some contact is unavoidable but there are ways to protect yourself from the most harmful of plastics. Plastic items are marked with a recycling identification code (the number surrounded by chasing arrows), which stands for:

1—polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2—high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3—vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4—low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5—polypropylene (PP)
6—polystyrene (PS)
7—other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)

If you must use plastic for food storage (and purchases) be sure to choose 1, 2, 4 and 5. Learn to recognize and then avoid numbers 3 and 7 for food usage as they could be BPA leaching plastics. Beware of plastic lids for your glass containers... if they are coded 7, be sure the lid does not come in contact with the food.

2. I stopped using plastic baggies to store food. You can actually taste the plasticizers in your food if you leave it in a baggie for too long (that's scary). Use aluminum foil, wax paper, or small paper bags.

3. I NEVER microwave food in a plastic container or cover it with plastic wrap. The waves that heat food can knock DEHA plastic molecules from the container into your food. Put the food on a plate and then put a paper towel over it before microwaving your lunch.
Authors disclaimer: That's not my microwave in the picture!

4. We will stop purchasing bottled water. I've committed to invest in stainless steel bottles for our family to reuse for water bottles from now on. Plastic water bottles as well as yogurt, whipped topping, and margarine tub containers are not designed for reuse. Cleaning disposable plastics at high temperatures (like in the dishwasher) degrades the plastic which becomes unstable and more likely to leach plasticizers into your food from the container. Please be sure to always recycle disposable plastics responsibly.

Update 5/23/08 Here is another article from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy about harmful plastics and safer alternatives.

Our New Kitty

After a lengthy search, we are pleased to announce the newest member of our family has arrived... Kindoa! I spent several weeks doing research on the web for a pet adoption agency. After the experience of having to find a home for our previous cat because she could not interact with our family after the children arrived, we were looking for an adult cat that would already be used to having kids around and love being part of a family.

Well, to make a long story somewhat short we adopted a four month old brown tabby kitten this week! She is so cute and loves us as much as we love her. She lets the kids pick her up and play with her, but when she's had enough she just goes under a chair or bed and lays low for a while. The kids love her and we're so happy she found a loving home.

If you are looking for a pet, (and you live in Phoenix) I recommend HALO pet rescue. Our agent, Nita, interviewed me on the phone to get specifically which cat would be the best fit for us and she was completely professional. When she met in person with our entire family, she had already found the perfect kitten just for us. We just had to meet the kitty to see if the chemistry was there!

We will love having Kindoa for a long time... thank you Nita!

8 Random Things About My Kitchen

I've been tagged. I haven't done one of these in a while, but this one is a little different and might be fun to see how long it takes me to think these up...

1. Our kitchen in our new house is eerily similar to our kitchen in California. I must have really liked the layout because is just like our other house, right down to the peninsula over the sink! The only differences between the two kitchens are the placement of the fridge and range/oven are switched and we now have a pass through door into the entry which makes the floor space here a little bigger. Other than that, they are almost exactly the same. Same angles, same cabinet placement, same pantry... weird.

2. I have three sets of dishes. I have formal Noritake China that was received as a wedding gift (it has only been used once), Mikasa dinner ware that I use for company, and our everyday dishes are a set of vintage mustard colored earthenware that belonged to Dan's grandparents in Zimbabwe. The mark on the dishes is Willsgrove Ware Pottery Made in Rhodesia. Based on the color, I would guess it's at least 40 years old. I cried when I broke one of the bowls.

3. I have an under-mount kitchen sink which I absolutely LOVE! I do most of my food prep on the counter next to the sink so I can just wipe the crumbs and mess right off and wash it away. It was way more expensive to install than it should have been, but I think it's a great invention and I would recommend it.

4. We have an eat-in kitchen. (That's just the fancy new way to say we have a breakfast nook.)

5. I almost always have fresh flowers on my kitchen counter. They make me happy.

6. I have a can of salmon in my pantry that we moved here from California in 2005. I don't eat fish, so I haven't felt the need to open it. Ever. I suppose I should toss it out, but it's really difficult for me to throw canned goods away. However, since I wouldn't eat it after storing it for this long and I won't feed it to anyone else, I think it's time to just let go.

7. We eat our big meal of the day at lunch. Dan has always preferred to have a big lunch and a very small dinner, so when he started working from home I changed the meals to fit his schedule. I make traditional dinners for lunch on weekdays (stroganoff with rice, meat-loaf with baked potatoes, chicken enchiladas, etc.), small dinners (chicken and biscuits, quesadillas, grilled cheese, etc.) and then we eat leftovers on Saturday.

8. I post the menu for the week on the inside of the pantry door so when it's time to start meal prep, I always know what I'm making for each meal that day. (I make my shopping list on the other side, so I have it with me at the store to see what ingredients I need to buy... it works really well for me!)


I tag Jesica, Davina and Amber... have fun! I finished this in just under an hour, how'd I do Sara?

Pediatric Cold Medicine

Today I found this article on children's' cold medicine very disturbing. Not so much that I went upstairs and threw out my Triaminic, but I will seriously consider every dose I give my children in the future. The most upsetting new information I found was that pediatric cold medicines have never been tested on children. That seems beyond irresponsible. It's like the FDA said, "Whoops... we forgot to make sure these products are safe for kids. They're ok for adults, so we just assumed smaller doses for children was the way to go. Sorry mom and dad." Now that the FDA has determined these medicines have no real effect on cold symptoms in children, it seems possible the pharmaceutical companies have been conducting tests all along, only it was on the public without our knowledge.

The timing of this article is not well received at our house as we are about to embark on the cold and flu season and with three kids under 8 years old, we have a lot of colds each year. It has also raised my uncertainty on flu shots again. I really disagree with giving my children live flu viruses, especially when the vaccine is based on the flu strains from last year. However, knowing that there won't be anything to alleviate their symptoms if they get the flu, I may just give in and have the family vaccinated.

Having children is an incredible responsibility and requires undivided attention. As I look at my precious babies right now, they are completely vulnerable and trust me for everything that is put in or on their bodies. I feel I may have failed them in not completely researching the over the counter medicines I've given them since birth. It's a scary thought, and one I might have to ask their forgiveness for if they suffer any adverse effects in their future.

Update:
Since reading this article (and calming down a bit) I've done some more thinking about the effectiveness of pediatric cold medicines. As a child, my brother had severe chronic sinusitis and my mom gave him Triaminic to alleviate his headaches. It worked. Fast forward about 30 years to my kids and a cold. The pediatrician recommends Triaminic as a decongestant and I remember, "Hey, my mom used that on us... I can't believe it's still around!" I went to Walmart and voila, there it was! So now I'm thinking, if some of these products have been around for decades and moms are still buying them, they must be doing something right!

Infant Swimming Resource

While doing some 'catch-up' reading the other day, I went to the blog of a friend who lives in Colorado. Since their climate doesn't lend itself often to swimming pools, she had an entry about Infant Swimming Resource but she didn't elaborate much about their services.

However, I live in Phoenix where close to 50% of homes have a pool or some kind of backyard water feature. In the summer, rarely a day goes by where there isn't a news report of a child drowning somewhere in the valley. The frequency of drownings is incredibly heart wrenching and this summer our own Pastor attended a funeral for a friend who's toddler drown.

The video link above is amazing. To see a baby fall in a pool and not panic was incredible to watch. He remained calm, so much so that I noticed the water in the pool became almost still. He called for his daddy, but stopped himself from crying when he started to get water on his face. Children are born with the intelligence they will have as adults, and they can learn the techniques necessary to prevent them from drowning if they are taught.

The service is expensive, but how can you possibly compare it to the cost of losing a child, especially now that you know they can be safe around water by taking this course.

Craft Day!

We are having a great summer. Craft day is always a big hit with the kids, although some have more patience to finish a project than others.

More summer pics coming soon!

Long Time, No Blog

Until now I didn't have anything to write that I wanted everyone in the world to read... until I tried Coppertone Continuous Spray sunscreen. It is amazing. The Shewmakers were boating with the Parker boys on Bartlett Lake in Tonto National Forest for 6 hours last Saturday and no one got even slightly pink. That's not a big deal for my kids that have Dan's ability to tan with ease. I, however, am Scotch-Irish and do NOT tan. I sprayed this sunscreen on when I arrived on the boat and didn't reapply it for 4 hours. When we got home that afternoon, I didn't even have a hint of a sunburn.

Now the bad news. It was expensive (the cheapest I have found it was $8, which is what I paid at Walmart) and the can won't last nearly as long as the lotion sunscreen you have to rub in. Also, you shouldn't spray it on your face as the alcohol in the spray that causes it to dry quickly can burn eyes. On our faces I used Coppertone Water Babies lotion SPF 50 for the kids and Hawaiian Tropic Oil Free Faces SPF 30 for myself. Those were my only "downs" to the spray sunscreen and they are heavily outweighed by the easy spray application (especially on the kids), it dries almost immediately, and best of all no one got sunburned!

So, hopefully there's some useful summer shopping advise on sunscreen from a mom who found one that is really convenient and really works.

Really.



Kate and Daddy in the water, thanks again Jeff!