A Word From EWG

What is it?Phthalates are a common industrial chemical used in PVC plastics, solvents, and synthetic fragrances. They've been around since the 1930's, and now they're pretty ubiquitous; when they tested 289 people in 2000, the CDC found phthalates in all of the subjects' blood at surprisingly high levels. They're often referred to as a plasticizer, which we think sounds rather like a kind of exercise to be done on the living-room floor in front of videos hosted by Jane Fonda. But we digress.
What are the possible health effects?Phthalates are endocrine disruptors linked to problems of the reproductive system, including decreased sperm motility and concentration in men and genital abnormalities in baby boys. (Oh, and did you know that average sperm counts have decreased significantly since the 1940's?) More recently they've also been linked to asthma and allergies.
How can I minimize my exposure?Avoid these, and you'll also be avoiding phthalates:
Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.
Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don't give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!
Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.
Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the "fragrance" in some products. Since DEP won't be listed separately, you're better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don't have the word "fragrance" on the ingredients list.
Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you're making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That "new shower curtain" smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.
Air Fresheners: Just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/05/cheatsheet-phthalates.htm
Kid-Safe Chemicals Act: It's Time for Change
You deserve to know your family's products are safe. The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which was introduced last week in Congress, will protect your family and force chemical companies to prove chemicals are safe before they use them.
Seems like a no-brainer, right? But current law is so deficient that the Environmental Protection Agency couldn't use it to ban carcinogenic asbestos. In the past 30 years, EPA has evaluated the safety of just 200 out of 80,000 chemicals, and banned only five.
Pollution in people is associated with serious diseases like childhood cancer, autism, and ADHD, but right now the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals.
At EWG, we've worked hard to get Kid-Safe introduced and we're dedicated to passing it. Look for more campaign information soon and click here to learn more. http://www.ewg.org/kidsafe
What is it?Bisphenol A is a toxic plastics chemical found in polycarbonate plastic and the resinous lining of food cans.
What are the possible health effects?In April of 2008, the National Toxicology Program raised concerns that exposure to BPA during pregnancy and childhood could impact the developing breast and prostate, hasten puberty, and affect behavior in American children.
How do I minimize my exposure?
Limit canned foods. BPA leaches into canned food from the lining. When possible, and especially when pregnant or breastfeeding, limit the amount of canned food your family eats. Particularly avoid canned soup, pasta, and infant formula.
Avoid polycarbonate plastic. Hard, translucent plastic marked #7 is probably polycarbonate, which leaches BPA, especially when heated. Ditch your polycarbonate water bottles in favor of a stainless steel bottle. Don't microwave plastic -- use ceramic or glass instead.
If you're formula feeding your infant, consider using powdered formulas packaged in non-steel cans. Also, choose baby bottles made from glass or specially-marked plastics that don't leach BPA (like polypropylene or polyethylene).
Where can I learn more?http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/04/cheatsheet-bisphenol-a-bpa.htm

More Quotes and Random updates

First of all here are some pics from our memorial day weekend. We had Mitch's parent's over for a cookout saturday. The weather actually shaped up really pretty for the evening. We went on a walk on sidewalk behind our house and walked by the field with the horses, always fun. Isabelle is usually way ahead on her Dora trike. We'll now go from funny kid things to thought provoking. First the kid things. I kept meaning to post one of the most disgusting kid stories I have. So here goes, last Saturday my kids had come down with a NASTY cold, we spent the day outside and they had snot all OVER their faces (and not for lack of me wiping it either) dirt stuck to that, Isabelle's hair stuck to her face, just nasty. We brought them in early for bathes, just filthy. I set them in the tub and am throwing away Christian's diaper, I had not started the water yet. He stands there and pees, bends down, rubs his hands in it...(just when it coudn't get grosser) then procedes to lick his hands!!!!! Mitch couldn't believe it and started cracking up saying he couldn't have been anymore disgusting unless he would've pooped and wallered sp?? around in it. Other kid updates... I tend to have more about CHristian since he's still at the milestoning age. I asked him the other day if he pooped in his pants and he responded simply, " I did" He'll give me hugs and say "sooo much" and he hugged me the other night and said " I love you" He can officially sing all of Jesus loves me now...you'd think I was being a stage mom or something and making him practice everynight or something lol. Isabelle got to talk to her friend Logan ( my good friend Katie's oldest 4.5years) and that was cute to listen to, they were making plans to get together. SHe invited him to her birthday, which is over. :) She said she loves Logan. Also Christian last week was walking up and down the hall with the phone saying " Hello?? HI!!! Hi Grandma. Hi Hannah" ( He learned that from Isabelle who loves her cousin Hannah from KS and she likes to pretend she is talking on the phone with her) He also kept wanting to talk to Logan last week but I knew that would be confusing for Logan since once Christian really does get to talk to someone, he just listens and smiles.

Ok and NOW onto Audrey's current book quotes. :) I'm reading Anxious For Nothing, John MacArthur and Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman. My Mom picked that out for me for Mother's day and I knew it was probably good also for the reason that our pastor's wife likes that book. So let's start with that book's quotes, woo hoo, hold onto your seats, I know you can all hardly wait....

God does have an important job for me, and it does require much skill. It is my calling, my priority, my struggle, and my goal....Moms, we need to be reminded of the awesome responsibility that God has given us. When we respond to the high calling of motherhoood with passion, the rewards are far greater than we could ever gain outside of that calling. The joys of motherhood are rare and beautiful treasures that an be easily missed if we don't seize the opportunity to grab them. Being a mom is moer than being cook, chauffuer, maid, counselor, doctor, referee, disciplinarian, etc. It's about molding character, building confidence, nurturing, training and guiding. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE INFLUENCE THAT A MOTHER HAS ON HER CHILD. A mother's influence has enormous potential to shape the person a child becomes, for good or ill....Because God is concerned wither the issues of the heart, biblical discipline involves much more than outward behavior. Biblicial discipline gets to the heart of the problem. After all, if you can reach the heart, the behavior with take care of itself. In order for us to reach the hearts of our children we must realize that there is far more the parenting than getting ou children to ACT right. We have to get them to think right right and to be motivated out of a love of virtue rather than a fear of punishment. We do this by training them in righteousness. Righteous training can only come from the Word of God.

JC Ryle quoted

Train with this thought continually before your eyes: The soul of your child is the first thing to be considered. In every step that you take about them, in every plan and scheme and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question. How will this affect their souls?

As always, the books I'm reading are showing me my mistakes, done in action and wrong thinking. The book also quotes the Gumnazo Principle. About how training should be likened to apprenticeship. You're constantly teaching, showing, over and over. Not just, don't do that again, but do THIS instead. I am convicted that if I am to have anything eternal to impart to my children, I need to be in God's word and confessing and aware of my own sin so that out of the overflow of my own walk I can have something to draw from for them. A Liz George book once talked about filling yourself so that it could spill out onto your husband, children etc; and if you're neglecting your own spiritual life, then you have nothing to draw from. Something like that I think. Another thing I like in the parenting book is that she reminds us we can't change our child's heart, only God can do that. I can't believe I didn't take more notice of this fact, in Eph 6:4 it say to bring them in the discipline AND instruction of the Lord. Why is it you think, beat those booties and they'll get the hint. Ok I thought that at least. It is daunting and I pray all the time, don't let me screw them up Lord, don't let me misrepresent Your truthes. So I just didn't say much, I felt so inadequate. So now I pray, try and give them the truth, screw up everywhere in between and hope that God will use His Word that doesn't return void to truly touch their hearts in spite of me. Ok way too much typing and talking Audrey...

Imagine what it would have been like if the master craftsman had simply explained the procedure one time, and when the apprentice made his first mistake, the master said " Wrong! No dinner for you tonight, you'd better improve tomorrow" "That would be cruel, unmericful and a violation of education" you say. Yet that is the way many Christian's "discipline" their children. Biblical discipline invovles correcting wrong behavior by practicing right behavior, with the right attitude, for the right reason, until the right behavior becomes habitual -gumnazo principle

Thomas Watson quoted in A.F.N

Peace flows from sanctification, but they being unregenerate, have nothing to do with peace...They may have a truce, but no peace. God may forebear the wicked a while, and stop the roaring of his cannon; but though there be truce, yet there is no peace. The wicked may have something which looks like peace but it is not. They may be fearless and stupid; but there is a great difference between a stupidfied conscience and a pacified conscience.... This is the devil's peace; he rocks men in the cradle of security, he cries, Peace, peace, when men are on the precipice of hell. The seeming peace a sinner has, is not from the knowledge of his happiness, but with the ignorance of his danger.

Job 5

Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He inflicts pain, and gives relief. He wounds, and His hands also heal.

Paul in 2 Cor 12

And (the Lord) has said to me , " My grace is suffiicient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" Most gladly, therfore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulities, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Congrats Tom and Mara!!

Tom and Mara got engaged yesterday on Tom's birthday! A pretty great birthday I would say!! I will say this week went especially slow, knowing the big day was coming. It's been hard acting dumb for the past few weeks during our conversations, since I tend to be an information vomitter but it was really important to Tom that it be a surprise and it was! My brothers are so special to me and I'm thrilled Mara is officially now destined to be a part of our family. After the first time we met her Christmas of 2006 and her and Tom left, I told Mom " I miss Mara" she said she did too. She was so sweet, real, funny, very open to talking about things of the Lord. She just fit. So I could go on and on but I'll stop for now. Needless to say we are thrilled, blessed, and praising the Lord for giving my dear brother a woman who truly loves Christ more than anything, thus truly loving my brother and it shows.

I know I know I should stop talking!

Someone once asked me as a child why I had to talk so much. My response, I have so much in my mind I have to get out. Obviously that hasn't gotten any better!! There was one quote I had to share with you from Dietrick Bondhoeffer. He's quoted in John MacArthur's book that I'm currently reading Anxious for Nothing. Enjoy. :) :)

Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disatrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown, It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession the light of the Gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart. The sin must be brought into the light. The unexpressed must be openly spoken and acknowledged. All that is secret and hidden is made manifest. It is a hard struggle until the sin is openly admitted. But God breaks the gates of brass and bars of iron.

I was reading a little in Mitch's book The Godly Man's Picture of puritan writings and that stuff is so deep, well beyond the feel good, emotional fluff many Christian books are today. It gets down deep to the real issues of the heart. The book talks about the "darling sin" the sin that makes you angry and defensive when confronted with it. The ones you just won't let go. Jesus says, as a man thinks in his heart so he is. That is so scary! When I think about how I think and have thought through the years pretty much most of those thoughts have been self-serving, prideful, if not downright evil motives. I feel very convicted lately in certain areas I just let myself have this bad attitude here or there. Hey, that's just me, being Audrey, deal with it. I am a perfectionist, anal, critical, vain, control freak!! One thing I have to keep telling myself is that, what's required of me is clear, obey the Lord, and leave the rest to Him. Sounds so duh, easy but I have to tell myself this a lot! My heart's tangled with sin and it's easy to justify it's sinful ways. The fleshs wars with spirit and vice versa, Ok I'll shut up for now, since probably the only person still reading and enduring my rants is my Dear Mommy. :)

...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such a hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Hebrews 12:1-3

May Updates

Here are some MORE pics I took of our beloved lilac bush. :) And of the kids in their stylin' new sunglasses.

They had them 2 for 5$ at The Children's Place. Today Isabelle had her 4 year old check. Her stats are 39.25 inches tall and 34 lbs. Both 50%. The dr said her 5 year apt will be 3-4 shots, blood test for lead. It's going to SUCK!! The past 2 years she has thrashed enough they have to redo her flu shots. She trys to be strong up until that last second. So I don't know if anything short of a straight jacket is going to work for 3+ shots. Looks like Daddy will be along for that one. Other cute kid updates Christian has been singing Jesus loves me and today he did all this " Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, little ones to Him belong..." He can sing all the parts but usually he can't do them consecutively. And the potty training, ha ha ha YEAH gave up there for now. I kept catching him right after or right before. He says ow every time I put him on his winnie the pooh seat... if I asked him if he should go potty he said " again??.. oh boy"

We have fun things coming up this summer. Trevor (Mitch's bro) is getting married Aug 2nd and Mitch and I are going to meet Bethany ( Dan's girlfriend) in Chicago and stay at the marriot downtown for a night since she will be there for business training the week prior in June. We also get to meet her sister Kari who's husband goes to the same seminary our Pastor went to, she works there too (Al Mohler's). We'll be without the kids so that will be a fun little get away. We are looking forward to it!!!

Other random updates I keep forgetting, my thyroid was a little low in April so they upped my dose to 75 mcg. I felt like I put on a couple lbs I shouldn't have and they have finally come back off... I also had one small anxiety attack one month from when I had my last one. I felt kinda weird and less tolerant that evening but it was short lived. I'm not sure why. I held onto Mitch's arm in bed and prayed and tried to just focus and pray for my loved ones. I thought I am going to fight this!! I knew my mom could have them and they not last all night. So why it didn't last that long, I'm not sure why but I'm thankful for God's grace. Also just like last time, I was half-way through my cycle and the next day had some cramping which doesn't make sense since I'm on the pill. I also read in my book, Intended for Pleasure ( ha sorry discreet people) about pms and anxeity attacks being one of the symptoms and most women's worst pms is in their late 20's early 30's. I'm 28 so that makes sense. Anyway I am so thankful that they seem to be tapering off! It's random this verse has encouraged me lately If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself 2 Tim 2:13. It's easy to forget as time goes how much we need Him and things are going alright. Also random, last week I was thinking of the song My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholely lean on Jesus name, on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand. I know it's referring to salvation but it still means a lot to me in my daily life, a reminder of where my strength and hope to get through life's issues is supposed to come. I find myself weaning my self from close close communion with the Lord when life gets back to "normal" again. Such a natural thing to do just like another hymn says Prone to wonder Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. The Christian life is a struggle to keep our eyes where they need to be. It's so easy to get caught up and fill my life with things that will burn and won't amount to anything in the end. Anyway back to the solid rock song I was thinking on last week, well the following Sunday we sang it in church. I love those special little bonuses from the Lord.

Isabelle Audrey is 4!

My first baby turned 4 May, 4th. She was born May, 2004 at... I think 8:48 am. She was 4 days past due and weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz and was 19 inches long. We had her birthday at Grandma Linda's, we didn't know what the farming schedule would be and we thought it would be easier to have it down there and that way Grandma Irene and Grandpa Dean could come too. Her favorite present was probably her umbrella from us. She got lots of clothes, dress up stuff, light up flip flops, a Dora hot wheels thing that we have taken on walks. She is learning to write her letters and her name, but S is challenging for her. She also is learning the sounds. She loves to cook. She and Daddy planted some green beans this weekend, like I say, she is a helper. We also call her Mom Jr. since she is always mothering Christian which is convenient a lot of the time but we had to let her know she doesn't have the authority to discipline. :) At least I know when they play if something goes awry I can be sure she will let me know. She is a girlie girl, emotional, overly dramatic, and she is becoming a perfectionist and I'm trying to free her from the bonds of that!! A little is good... but you can drive yourself and people around you crazy if you don't put thing in perspective. Speaking to myself here....Here is the facebook link to the pics, don't have to have an account to view these, I messed up the first time but corrected it a few posts ago.In other random news... I haven't had an anxeity attack for... it will be 4 weeks if I can make it to the weekend, so praise God for that, it's been wonderful!!!!I don't know if I posted this already but Christian has pee peed on the potty twice in the past month, the latest, last night. Baby steps. :) I have tons of left over girl pull ups and put him in some today, it looked so wrong lol and had him try throughout the day but I seem to have him try after he goes or probably right before....we'll see how it goes this week and maybe put it off if it just doesn't seem to be happening.