Kid Updates

Here is an ensemble Isabelle was wearing and Christian ended up wanting to try it on himself. He's been saying very funny things lately. Words like, delicious, excellent, beautiful, phrases like, again... DO IT! and SHARE ME!!! stay in bed!! and mommy's favorite " I love you". He says words so well it's crazy, he pronounces all the sounds. Isabelle entertains us in her singing songs. We listen to Taylor Swift in the van a lot and I was singing part of a song " I bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about.." then I hear her finish it, "she's got everything that I've had to live without" so cute. She is a helper, she does a decent job of folding her pants and washcloths. She likes putting the dishtowels and hand towels away. But it's like pulling teeth to get her to clean up her room and make her bed anymore. Only the "new" chores are fun. I'm sure she will be "helping" lots in the yard when flower planting time comes.

Christian's 2 year birthday is April 8th so we are having his party this Saturday. That should be fun and crazy!

On a side note, I haven't had an anxiety attack for almost 2 weeks and I am so so thankful for that. The longer I can go the more I think I won't find it necessary to go on medication for them.

An OCD makeup moment.

For the 4 of you that have expressed interest in my beauty blogging, this is for you, ha! Ok after noticing that in one of the pictures from Easter that my face looked darker than my neck, the king of all makeup offenses, I went back to my clinique training days, got out both of my sheer miracle powders and did the stripe thing on the jaw line, took a mirror the front window and let the analyzing begin. I did about six stripes on different parts of my face and analyzed how they blended etc; I thought the lighter of the two shades, the light warm, seemed to disappear and blend the best. So even though the shade I thought was my shade, the medium light neutral which is their most popular shade is a smidge too dark. Another thing I figured out today is that the foundation works as good as their yellow concealer at, well, concealing. I got out my 2$ shadow brush from walmart that I use for the concealer and it worked great. So the great news is, before I purchased the big size, I figured out my color, that only took 3 months...:) and now I can just use the foundation as the concealer so I saved money not having to buy the concealer. I'll probably just use the darker in case, yeah right, my face gets darker in the summer...Also, I have barely put a dent in my little samples! I wear makeup about twice a week but really that's awesome I think! I am planning on ordering the foundation, Sienna Rose Mineral Blush, Copper Shadow.

From the Guy that does the Clear Eyes commericals

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/

The Best of Times in the Worst of Times

I know some of you have been praying for me in my recent bought with anxiety attacks. They started last summer and the first time it happened, I felt the whole range of symptoms, chills, shakiness, dizziness, stomach upset, chest pain, pounding and racing heart, major random thought mind racings. I was up all night the first time wondering what was up and if I was having a heart attack, I seriously debated on waking up Mitch to go the emergency room. They started happening about once a month and would vary in severity. After talking to Mom and coming to the crappy realization that I could be having what my Mom had dealt with for years, I thought " I DON'T WANT THIS" I had just started to feel like myself again after treating my Grave's and life was just starting to feel normal again. I never understood "anxiety" attacks. I thought it must be for weak people that can't handle things, worry, work themselves up and have these attacks. I admit, the past couple years I did dwell more on things, stress about details, was it residual effects on the brain chemical shake up that the Grave's disease had done? Who knows. Eventually I quit worrying when I would get the attacks, most of the time they hit me in the evening or right before falling asleep or they wake me out of sleep. It's like something gets triggered in my brain and sets it off out of the blue. I can have an attack and yet not worry at all. I think they should be renamed for some cases "brain chemical attacks" :) I went to the dr yesterday because they have been happening more frequently and I have a had couple recently that make me feel sick for a couple days afterward. We are going to wait and see what my thyroid tests say and what my endocrinologist says April 16 and go from there. I had to remind myself, God knows exactly to the detail what's going on the cells of my body, the neurons in my brain, He IS science, it's His, and no one knows it better. I forget that. So that's the update there, but what is the real update?

What God has been teaching me through this.
I had always had a very firm grasp on God's sovereignty, it was so easy for me to leave everything to Him. But what He is showing me lately is His faithfulness, His goodness, His compassion and love for me. I know He will give me His strength to get through what is before me and it makes every little good thing and times of relief that much more precious. I think sometimes as Christians we think " I want to serve God... THIS way" Your sort of have preconceived notions about what serving God means. The Lord sometimes has other ideas, He wants us to serve Him right where He has us, he wants us to be thankful and content and respond Christlike to our everyday aggravations. I think serving the Lord starts there. At least for me right now, being faithful in my thoughts and outlook. I was reading on one of my facebook friends favorite quotes by John Piper something to the effect of, Sin is what we do when we are not satisfied with God. That was very convicting for me. Everything little sinful attitude, unthankfulness, whatever, is telling God, you're just not enough, your way is not enough. Another thing that really struck me was from The Excellent Wife book. In regards to idols, that something is an idol if you have to sin to get it or you sin if you don't get it. That book has been hitting me all over the place! Talking about anger, bitterness, loving your husband self sacrificially, mutual sanctification in the husband and wife and loving your husband enough to hold him accountable, receiving reproof with a godly attitude, being THANKFUL. Others have and are going through so much worse than I am and there is so much to be thankful for. I have so much I would love to keep writing and scriptures but I fear rabbit trailing and breaking some longest blog entry record or something! The scripture that says, when I am weak then I am strong, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness rings so true for me. When I'm reduced to a helpless lump He gives grace that is sufficient and HE IS FAITHFUL, there for us to draw His strength from. 1cor 10:13. Rom 8:28, phil 1:6

phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice!

Therefore we do not lose heart. Thou outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary afflictions are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 cor. 4:16-18

For whom the Lord loves He disciplines ...Now no discipline seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:6 &10 And I'll end on some scripture featured at the end of the Excellent Wife that is so precious to me now!

Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold . those who are far from Thee will perish; Thou hast destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works. Psalm 73:25-28

Jump for Joy More Beauty Blogging

Ok I just ordered more products. I felt justified since I hadn't colored my hair since Oct and the grays, yes GRAYS are really starting to show. I get those gray "wings" like my Dad. Here is what I ordered.
Aubrey Organics, Vegecol with Aloe, Moisturizing Cream, 2 fl oz (59 ml) low hazard, lightweight moisturizer, I've read also good for those with rosacea.
Beauty Without Cruelty, Facial Cleanser, 3% Alpha Hydroxy Complex, 8.5 fl oz (250 ml) this rates 3 I believe which is moderate hazard, BUT, they have it listed containing parabens on the database which is not correct and often if the database doesn't carry the info on the exact brand I'm looking for, I look up all the ingredients and average the individual scores together to see what it rates. So this would rate low in my opinion.
Aubrey Organics, Color Me Natural, 100% Natural Permanent Hair Color, Dark Brown, 4 oz (115 g) Not in the database, but did the my own averaging, so should also be low hazard. I would've gone with the Light Mountain brand but they have been out of stock.
Aubrey Organics, Honeysuckle Rose, Moisturizng Shampoo, Dry Brittle, 11 fl oz (325 ml) Got this for the kids, low hazard, got good reviews. Since whatever shampoo you buy at walmart for babies is not low hazard. If I'm paying shipping already may as well throw that in. I in the meantime will be using up my biolage (which is moderate hazard).
I should also add there are some products at walmart that do rate low hazard.
Dove, hypoallergenic, unscented bar soap
Aquaphor diaper rash ointment
vaseline
triplepaste
colgate regular toothpaste cavity protection
aquafresh kids flouride toothpaste with triple protection dr suess
Aveeno fragrance free baby lotion
Fragrance Free is essential, if something says fragrance in the ingredients, not good.
Back to online shopping...
Should you decide to ever buy from iherb or sheer miracle. Here are some codes. iherb's :REY681 ( 5$ off first order) Sheer Miracle : trial1107 gives 20% off first order. I didn'tk now about this till AFTER I ordered that. Tip: if you're online shopping, always google coupon codes for the site and see what comes up.
Well I was going to blog about something with eternal value today but I ended up with this and now it's off to make supper!

Brown Grass Never Looked So Good

After a week of days in the 40's and 50's we are finally seeing the snow recede. I'm trying to think of any random update news here... Christian has been singing his ABC's for a while, it's not all perfect of course! Mitch taught Isabelle to play Mario Kart a couple weeks ago and she went from getting stuck in corners getting frustrated to now she actually finish races and even placed 7th instead of 8th once. A pretty big deal for her. We colored eggs this afternoon and Isabelle's main concern was eating them afterwards. For some reason both my children really like boiled eggs. Christian screamed because he was not allowed at the table for coloring part of it because he said he wanted to "drink" the dye in the cups. I think he thought once they were colored they became great big pieces of candy.

if you want to see all the pics I messed up when I orginally posted and if the pics didn't work and you want to give it another try, this should work!

This is for you, Bethany :)

Here is a post for the sake of posting since I had a request lol.
It's snowing as I type and we have gotten 59.1 inches so far. The record which was the season of 1959-60 was 62.4 inches so we are on the way to possibly breaking that at this rate...

In other updates.. for those of you interested, I have ordered some "safe, low hazard" skincare online. I spent lots of time and energy and mind racing, looking for best prices, good rated by users and above all safe products. My favorite thing I have gotten is Reviva Labs Glycolic Acid Renaissance Cream 10% -- 1.5 oz. It rates low hazard on the skindeep database but is very effective! I love it, I could tell a difference right away. I purchased through vitacost, the website has mixed customer reviews ( the website itself) http://www.iherb.com/ has it as well and I may start going through them since they also have low hazard henna haircolor I want to try.(iherb had better overall customer reviews) I didn't have any troubles with vitacost other than things they said would ship in 24 hrs some of them were really out of stock and my whole order was waiting on them. http://www.vitacost.com/Reviva-Labs-Glycolic-Acid-Renaissance-Cream-10 if you want more info on the cream. My review is on the product too, you'll be able to tell which one is me if you read it.

Other low hazard products I have found and have yet to try:
Aubrey's organics, vegecol moisturizer great reviews
Light Mountain Henna Haircolor
Ecco Bella Mascara
Jason Natural Chemical free sunblock
Burts Bee's Super Shiny Shampoo and conditioner, great reviews
Burt's Bees Rosewater & Glycerin Toner, great reviews

Things I have tryed and like, low hazard
Reviva labs glycolic moisturizer
Aubrey organics lumessence eye cream
Aubrey organics sea buckthorn skin care bar
Jason REd elements exfoliating scrub, this rated a 3 on the hazard scale, which is the first number in moderate. But it's better than my st ives I was using which was a 7 or8 high hazard.
So if any of my blood, sweat and tears can help save someone else time, it's worth it.
If you're interested in buying anything, don't go directly to the manufacturer's site, vitacost and iherb and other places have them at more of a wholesale price. If any of you actually trys anything or gives a rip, you'll have to let me know!

Between vitacost and iherb you should be able to find all the products. Shipping rates, iherb 4.00 and vitacost 4.99.