As Long as They Make $

http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/04/cheatsheet-bisphenol-a-bpa.htm This article is about BPA in plastics, it mentions children and pregnant women... I'm so TIRED of finding out about more CRAP, (ok I have been trying to get out of the habit of that word since my kids repeat everthing, but they can't read this), that "they" big companies put in food, plastic, lotions, everything just so they can make more MONEY. They are other alternatives and maybe if everyone quit putting crap in stuff they would have to compete for business and have affordable prices. It's no wonder more kids are autistic and what not, so much contamination everywhere. It's hard to find a balance when you're an anal all or nothing person. Should I be guilt-ridden for having frozen pizza every weak or buying hotdogs...would it have been better if I just didn't know?? I could go along ignorantly and eat my chips and hotdogs in peace, not worry about chemicals on my apple peels. Now they say this BPA lines cans, so that tomatoe sauce I thought was so healthy isn't so great after all? Baby bottles, baby formula cans, sippys...All I can do is slap myself in the face, remember the Lord Almighty still controls everything and try to do my best and be temperate. Eating healthy and CHEAP is hard. It is too bad we can't just know that if we can buy something, it's safe, but that's not the world we live in, we live in the world where the bottomline is more important than treating others as we would want ourselves or families treated. I shall now step off my soapbox and wish you all a happy rest of the week. :)
ps Lindsay, http://www.iherb.com/ has Aubrey Organics Vegecol for dry sensitive skin. I have the moisturizer, it's light enough I used it this winter but the vegecol rates good on the database. In a past post I have a 5 dollar discount code if you end up going that direction.

Random Updates

Just throwing out random updates so here goes....saturday morning, Christian looks in the oven and says " mmm, bacon, terrific!" yes I cook bacon in the oven, less mess that way and Tom recently told me I was plastifying fats when I microwave them.... I don't know how to avoid that entirely.
Christian pulled Isabelle about 5 feet across the yard in the wagon, little spurts at a time, in between which he would scream and throw himself on the ground and say, " I can't do it!!!!" May 4 Isabelle turns 4. She is excited and has had a cake picked out a walmart since Jan. Her memory is something, she STILL talks about things she did in the summer after she turned 2 and she's the one that brings them up.
I got more chemical free beauty products. Some lotion for the kids, sunscreen etc; oh yeah toothpaste, a neti pot, which Mitch loves. If anyway wants to know more details about them, leave me a comment, otherwise I'll save myself the type time. :) Everything I have gotten I really like and I still love my makeup. Oh yeah I DID try henna haircolor by Aubrey Organics. I don't feel as anal latley for all this because I saw on the Today show, THe View and Oprah, people talking about chemicals, parabens, fragrance etc; and even recommended some of the brands I have used!
In other random news, it's cold here today. :(

" His Strength is made Perfect in Our Weakness"

Just passing along a link that helps me put things in perspective, both encourages and amazes me. One thing this girl said in her blog that really struck me was when they told her baby had many problems, enlarged heart, polycystic kidneys and more, the baby's survival was impossible and one of the dr's asked her if she was ok and she was devestated but responded, my Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday.
Ephesians 3:16-21
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ dwell in your heart through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Grandpa and Grandma!

Christian had his 2 year old appointment last week and he weighed 22.1 lbs -5% and I am very proud to say...32'' and he is officially back on the growth chart at 5%. Uneventful other than that, she asked me how his talking was and I told her well this morning he said to me,' I can't do it now'. So I think she was ok with his talking progress.... he says everything, and repeats everything, for instance today, he heard Isabelle say stupid and picked up on that right away. That's music to my ears.

I went 3 weeks without an anxiety attack. It was a wonderful break and I knew it wasn't garaunteed to last but I was so thankful for the break. I am reminded that while life changes from good times to hard times that God's faithfulness does not change, nor what He requires of me to remain faithful as well. I keep reminding myself that His strength is made perfect in our weakness and His grace is all suffient. The hard times in our lives are to be a testimony of God's amazing grace sustaining us. I've read a couple blogs of christian women, losing their babies and how God gives strength upon strength and their love for Him is deepened.

I did have a bad attack last Thursday, it's so hard to know why, I think many different things can trigger them. I had coffee in the afternoon which was dumb because I can't handle caffienated coffee. I felt weird and irritable almost right away. I was up all night and usually I can get to sleep by the time Mitch leaves at 6am but I think knowing I had to get up for Christian's apt made it hard for me to settle to sleep, I've never had one not go away, I had to get up and still felt horrible. I was SO thankful my parents were here! My mom watched Isabelle and my dad asked me if I wanted him to go with me. That was so nice. I wanted to cry. I had him check my pulse and it was 108 but it would slow down then go back up, weird. Also what's weird is once the dr was leaving the room and I was getting ready to check out, I could tell it was lifting. It's so weird because two nights later it happened again and Mitch came to bed late and I asked him to pray with me and we just talked about it and he held my hand and it went away by 1 am. I don't get that. Caffiene, blood sugar, hormones, stress, I don't know. I really try not to freak out. I pray, I know what's going on. So all prayers are still welcome! It certainly does keep me running back to the Lord. I will probably know more at the end of the week what I'm going to do after my endo apt.

In other updates, my dad left Sunday morning and we had a great time. I miss my parents so much!! It's hard to not be sad even while with them thinking about how much I'll miss them when they go. Mom is here for the week and she has been a great help with the kids and cooking. And of course now instead of talking to her all day on the phone, I have her in person! She also got to go to our church and she really enjoyed it and is so happy for us to have finally found a good church! She got to meet a few people, including the pastor and his wife. Well I should probably not waste anymore time down here. Mom is up stairs cooking right now and Isabelle is asking to help her as usual! She told me that Papa Bill went back home but he will be back, but.... that makes me sad. Christian woke up today and he heard a vehicle outside and said Gandpa??

Happy Birthday To My Baby Boy

April 8th, Christian officially turns 2! Even though he's 2 he's still my baby boy. Christian came into the world at what the nurse called "just barely 37 weeks". He was 6 lbs 1.5 oz 18 3/4 inches. After having Isabelle who wouldn't even hold onto you while she was being carried, ready to get at the world, I was really hoping my next baby would be a snuggler and he was! He still is my little lovie teddy bear. He's a mama's baby but yet still has that boy in him that likes to slap and hit and "fight, do do do DO!" with forks at the table. He will say "sorry.." and pat your face after hitting you if you seem to be unamused. And of course, he loves to throw things, food, toys, dirt... He loves his sister and playing with her. Today he tattled on her saying " train train, FIRST" aka I had it first. I recently discovered when I read him books, if I stop before the last word on that page, he finishes it for me. His newest phrases are " play with it now" " share me guys" " stop it guys" He can say pretty much all his ABC's now and when it comes to colors, sometimes he gets one or two right, but when it doubt, everything is blue.

He had a great time at his Thomas the Train party. Great Grandma Mary made him a very special Thomas cake. I was so proud of him at how well he blew out his candles! One try and spit free is always great! Isabelle also did very well, letting him have his day and being happy for his " happy birthday". Here's the link to the pictures from the party.

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.