Indiana: Looks very similar to Ohio but somehow seems a bit more wild and rugged. We pass a wildlife area that looks very much like a swamp. The highway is bordered by white wildflowers that I did not see in Ohio but behind the flowers are the all familiar rows of corn and beans. I have learned to recognize the sign that labels certain crops as GMOs.

So far my favorite thing to look for as far as scenery is the occasional grand farmstead. Just once I would like to see a billboard for a farmer’s market or a natural foods store instead of Steak N’ shake or IHOP.

Illinois: While driving here it was too dark to look at much scenery. We stopped here for the night…not too far from the Missouri line. We stayed in a suite at a local hotel with an indoor pool and free WiFi access. It also had a massive hot tub in the room, which the kids loved. Parker (6 months) got to swim for the first time and he loved it. I was amazed at how relaxed he was in the water…a true water baby like his surfing, water skiing, diving, fishing father. All three kids cried when they had to get out of the pool. :(

Missouri: After crossing over to Missouri we pretty much immediately ended up in St. Louis. This is one bustling city! We saw the arch!

Then we went on towards the Meramec Caverns, a Jesse James hideout and historic landmark. Oh, how I wish we could stop and explore there but we all have reasons why we need to get to Arizona by Sunday.

Missouri is one beautiful state. Its wilderness is still untamed, straight out of Tom Sawyer’s adventures. I really must make plans to come back.

So what was I doing when I wasn’t looking out the window or entertaining the kids on my road trip? I was listening to audio recordings on various business topics courtesy of my I-Pod and I-Dream speaker pillow.

Almost all of the recordings were done by my treasured associates at Mom Masterminds. If I never mentioned Mom Masterminds before let me just say now that joining this private mentoring program is the best business decision I have ever made. I was a bit apprehensive about joining because it “seemed” that most of the members I knew and the mentors had very different business models and different target markets. I actually clicked through to sign up maybe 3-4 times before I actually did it. But once I had been through their 7 day trial membership there was no way I was going to leave!

That being said, Mom Masterminds has really helped me focus my business and increase the profitability of my web sites. I have about 4-5 more web sites then I originally started with too, learning how to build a virtual real estate empire (VRE). I have also met many amazing mom members and much to my delight a nice percentage of those moms are involved in some aspect of natural family living, natural parenting, natural health and wellness. I joined a group blog not long ago called Naturally WAHMs and all eight participating women are also members of Mom Masterminds. It has been amazing to network and create joint venture opportunities with so many talented “natural” WAHMs. There are so many businesses represented…content sites, Internet marketers, service providers, stores with physical products, MLMs, and Direct Sales. The list goes on but they all have one thing in common. They all think joining Mom Masterminds was the best decision they ever made.

So, on this trip I have been listening to the business audios that are included in the membership. These are the same audios that many prestigious Internet marketing gurus offer to the public along with a hefty price tag. These recordings have really gotten my creative juices flowing and I have written pages of notes with ideas and plans. I love being a work at home mom and maintaining numerous web sites devoted to topics close to my heart. But designing the site and hoping people will visit is only half the battle. You must also find ways to monetize and promote your site(s). Doing what you love is even sweeter when you get paid to do it.

So are you interested in seeing what Mom Masterminds is all about? You should take advantage of their 7 day trial membership! Come see how you can make your own business or business idea a success.

I have been gone for a couple weeks. As I mentioned in previous posts I was going to move to Arizona to seek treatment at the Virginia G. Piper cancer center in Scottsdale. Well my move is complete. I am back in Arizona again after nearly a year in small town Ohio. I was pretty sad to leave Ohio and my beautiful Victorian house I had JUST moved into. Oh well, got to get this cancer off my back.

I decided to write about the journey as I went along so I am going to post my notes as I wrote them then. My family in Phoenix flew back to Ohio to drive me back. Our party consisted of 2 cars and a Uhaul truck, me, my three kids, my mother and father, my brother, and two dogs (a black Lab and a Shiatsu). Now that I have given you a mental picture here we go. I will likely break up the journey into segments so I don’t have one monster post.

Ohio: Said goodbye to Ohio on a beautiful sunny day. The last thing I did was walk through my garden and wish I could be there for harvest. I am especially proud of how my beef steak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are growing. I told my next door neighbor that she is welcome to all of the bounty from the garden and she and hers sons are thrilled. I have a lot more land then she does, so she does not have enough space to garden to the extent that she would like.

I have already spotted her doing some weeding around the tomatoes. I feel good knowing that the garden will be producing food for someone’s dinner table. But I can’t help but feel sad that I won’t be going out to the garden to pick a juicy tomato to eat with organic mozzarella on a hot summer day.

As I drive out of the state I seem to look for gardens all the while thinking of the one I left behind.

More and more we are hearing about bamboo and how it is now being used in ways that are a far cry from the conventionally available tiki torches and fishing poles. Now you can find bamboo in flooring, crown molding, clothing, bed linens, towels, paper, and even cloth baby diapers.

So why exactly is bamboo all the rage? It is a very durable material that is used to make some of the most beautiful and luxurious items around. It is also an environmentally responsible choice.

Bamboo and the Environment

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on this planet. While some think of it as a tree it is actually grass and it grows one third faster than the fastest growing tree; it reaches a harvestable size in three to five years. Some species grow as much as four feet a day. It requires no pesticides, is harvested with no impact to the environment, and is capable of complete regeneration without need to replant. Bamboo also helps mitigate water pollution due to its high nitrogen consumption. This is great news for those conscious of the environment.

Bamboo’s Amazing Durability

Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. Not only can it be harvested faster but it rivals wood in strength and durability to. It is one of the strongest building materials, with a tensile strength that rivals steel. Bamboo withstands up to 52,000 pounds of pressure {psi}. Its tensile strength is eight times that of oak or maple. In addition to its hardness rating, bamboo is also resilient. This means it “bounces back” after most impacts and doesn’t dent. These qualities make it an excellent choice for hard floors, cabinetry, and moldings.

Bamboo is Soft as Silk

Bamboo is also gaining popularity in the textile market. Its soft, silky feel, its antimicrobial quality, and its breathability are making this eco-friendly fiber a big hit. Bamboo fabric also dyes very easily making it a great choice for all sorts of colorful towels, bedding items, and clothing. It has even become popular among the manufacturers of cloth baby diapers because of its silky softness, eco-friendly status, and its ability to withstand numerous launderings while still looking like new.

Bamboo is Beautiful and Practical

The use of bamboo translates into some of the most beautiful and luxurious home items available. The beauty and majesty of this plant, its all-natural qualities and Asian origins are making this fiber a much sought after product. It has so many uses that you can bring this beautiful plant into nearly every room in your house. No other plant has as many uses and impacted so many cultures in so many ways.

I wish I could say that this is a new Federal law but it IS progress!

Thimerosal banned from kids’ vaccines

By Dorsey Griffith
SACRAMENTO BEE
SACRAMENTO – Vaccines containing a mercury-based preservative are now largely off-limits to children younger than 3 and pregnant women in California.

The only exception to the new state law, which took effect Saturday, is the vaccine against Japanese encephalitis virus, a deadly mosquito-borne illness endemic to certain parts of Asia.

The new law, sponsored by Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, was aimed at reducing the risk of neurodevelopmental problems such as autism, which many parents believe can be traced to exposure to thimerosal, a substance used as a preservative in many vaccines.

Several large federal studies have shown no link between childhood vaccines and autism, but additional research is ongoing.

The U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1999 began to advocate the elimination of thimerosal from vaccines because some infants who received them were exposed to mercury at levels that exceeded Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Except for trace amounts allowable under the new law, thimerosal has been removed childhood vaccines.

The flu vaccine had been an exception. But concerns about its safety re-emerged in 2004, after the federal government recommended babies between 6 months and 2 years be added to the list of those who should get annual flu shots.

Aventis Pasteur, the company that manufactures the lion’s share of flu vaccine, has increased the supplies of its thimerosal-free version in response to demand.

“Based on what we know, we anticipate there will be an adequate supply of thimerosal-free flu vaccine for pregnant women and children under three,” said Department of Health Services spokesman Ken August.

The state has ordered 684,480 doses of flu vaccine to be distributed to counties for the upcoming season. The total includes 50,000 doses of thimerosal-free vaccine for children ages 1-3 and 15,000 doses for pregnant women. In addition, the state ordered 10,000 doses of FluMist, also thimerosal-free, for use in healthy people ages 5-49.

Aventis had opposed the Pavley bill, citing in a statement concerns that the ban could “undermine public confidence in immunization and ultimately deprive children of access to needed influenza vaccine.”

In response to industry worries and related concerns cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the legislation ultimately was amended to give the industry more time to stock up on thimerosal-free flu vaccine.

The new law also allows for exceptions when no other alternatives are available or during public health emergencies.

August said Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe issued an exception for the Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine.

“Given the absence of a mercury-free vaccine against Japanese encephalitis virus, and because the risk of fatal disease or brain injury far exceed any risk of mercury in the vaccine, the secretary is exercising her authority and temporarily exempting the vaccine from the provision of the law for a 12-month period.”

About 50,000 cases of the disease are reported annually in Asia. There is no cure, and up to 25 percent of those infected die from the disease.

August said that California distributes about 32,000 doses of the three-dose vaccine in annually. Last year, 19,000 went to the military and the rest to people traveling to certain parts of Asia. It is unknown how many of those doses went to very young children or pregnant women.

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