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Stuff I am Reviewing…

Nature Box – This is another one of those monthly box deals and it is all about healthy snacks. We enjoyed our box and would have enjoyed it much more prior to going paleo since a couple of snacks were grain based. The dried cherries were phenomenal though, yum! My husband also really liked the dried veggie crisps and my kids did enjoy some non paleo snacking for a time. My kiddos never had a fig newton before trying the ones in this box, LOL. That kind of blew me away.

This concept is really awesome if you have a hard time sticking to your guns when it comes to healthy snacks. I don’t think they are organic but they are pretty natural and without artificial sweeteners, HFCS, food dyes, and other nasty stuff. The promo code HEALTHY may be used for 25% off your first month of subscription, if you care to give them a try.

Full Circle Fresh Air Kitchen Compost Collector - We got this shortly before Earth Day and I gave it a try. I didn’t realize at the time that it relies on bio plastic baggies to collect the kitchen scraps and I am not a fan of that but it it is still a good kitchen option for those who are not composting. It sits on your counter and you just drop the scraps in as you collect them. Every 3 to 4 days you are supposed to remove them but we typically went longer than that. There was no smell, which is a bonus, but it did attract fruit flies. I will be donating or freecycling mine as I just don’t like having to use plastic bags.

A Hadaki Cosmopolitan Tote bag – They consider it an eco-friendly option because their products are AZO free, contain no Phthalates / DEHP or DBP. I think we differ somewhat in our definition of eco friendly but I do not mind plastic based tote bags so much because they are durable and reusable. This particular bag is quite awesome in size and I can see myself taking it to the farmer’s market, the local pool, and to BlogHer12 in New York City (only 3 months away!) to carry all my goodies.

Astroglide Natural - Got some of this last week. I am not going to go into how I personally like it since that’s none of your business. :) I do however like that so many of the companies that make these personal lubricants are removing the toxic ingredients! Astroglide has no glycerin, fragrance, parabens, or alcohol. I also ran the ingredients list through the Skin Deep database and all scored a 1 or 2. Pretty good.

Books I am Reading…

The Other Baby Book: A Natural Approach to Baby’s First Year was one of my recent reads. I am not expecting nor will I ever be again, or that’s the plan at least, but I still enjoyed reading this book. I think it would have been much more beneficial to read a book like this when I was newly pregnant instead of the standard What to Expect books. It challenges many of the conventional ideas on birthing and baby care and it is so refreshing! It really takes a look all aspects of bringing a life into this world and caring it, and re-frames normal. I liked that it strongly advocates for attachment parenting and using your intuition as a guide, keeping birth interventions to a minimum, breastfeeding on demand, co-sleeping, and elimination communication among many other things. The tone was also very upbeat and encouraging, not scary. A+

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think - Just finishing this book. It basically addresses the fact that we all have 168 hours a week to work with and that most of are not actually crunched for time we are just not using that 168 hours wisely and in ways that make sense for our dreams and goals. If we make sure to fill those hours only with things that deserve to be there, we build the lives we want. I really enjoyed this book.

Fifty Shades of Grey - Had to read it after all the media buzz and I was kind of surprised to find that I was not the least bit shocked by this book. I adored it actually and ordered the next two pronto. The author has been quoted as saying it is like the grown up version of Twilight (but with BDSM instead of vampires?) and I agree.

Other Link Worthy Stuff…

Love this Kickstarter Project for an iPad Sustainability story.

Hoping to make and eat soon… these Raw Lemon Pie Bars and these grain free Cake Batter Balls.

This Climate Change Carnival at Big Green Purse has many awesome links including one of my own articles. Check it out when you get the chance.

BlogHer Green also featured my stinky towels post.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Just had to share this amazing Eversave deal. You pay $20 for $40 to use at Abe’s Market. They sell lots of natural and organic foods as well as all kinds of natural green products from beauty items to toys. It is very much like a Whole Foods store and I have shopped there several times. When I saw this deal I immediately bought it up and knew exactly what I would buy. I got two bags of my fave grain free cereal Nutcase Crunch, and since they are $19 a bag (yeah pricey!) I ended up getting one free with this deal. Woot! I also had $2 extra cash to spare so I got one of their sample packages that cost exactly $2. Awesome!

Visit Eversave for the deal, while they last any way…

I updated facebook fans recently about my progress with magnesium supplementation. This update came roughly one month after I wrote the original post about my deficiency. I woke up one morning to find that my monthly visitor had arrived with nary a symptom. No PMS at all. No backaches, minimal bloating, no fatigue whatsoever, and no chocolate cravings. My skin also gets a bit oily and I may get a tiny pimple or two this time of month. I had none of that this time. In fact last month I told the kids I was sick and spent two days in bed, dog tired. This month I could literally do cartwheels in the backyard. I am totally sold on magnesium at this point.

What did I do exactly? I started taking a 500mg pill every single day and eating more magnesium rich foods. I sprayed myself with magensium oil almost daily about 20 minutes before my shower because it is more easily absorbed via the skin. After strenuous CrossFit workouts I would soak in magnesium flakes and also drink dark chocolate coconut water or Natural Vitality energy drink products. It was pretty effortless to make these small changes but the benefit has been amazing!

Also, since I mentioned CrossFit I have to share how amazing that as been lately too. In the past few weeks I have gotten bloody knuckles flipping 200 pound tractor tires, I have done handstands like when I was a kid, and just yesterday I did my personal best for pushups… 46! Every day that I go, I learn something new about what my body can do and the experience has just been out of this world. I actually feel a little bit like and athlete and I haven’t felt that way since my school days. It reminds me of this movie quote too:

Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. - Legally Blonde

Not that my husband has anything to be afraid of but exercise really, really, really does make you happy. It is unfortunate I spent most of my adult life not understanding that fact.

Books I am Reading: 

Small Space Gardening – We definitely have a small space to work with at our house. Really it is just one raised bed and whatever can go in pots on our deck. This book though is full of ideas on where you can plant, in what, and how you can get the most bang for your buck (or space rather). I like all the advice and tips for vertical gardening, because that is really the direction many people have to go, up rather than out.

Seed Saving & Starting – Another timely book as we are pretty much exclusively using heirloom seeds and I want to harvest from what we grow rather than keep buying seeds each year. It also has ideas on cross-breeding and making hybrids but that really doesn’t interest me as much as savings our seeds each year. The info on transplanting, thinning, and hardening off though is very helpful.

Other Links: 

I wrote an article on another blog that I barely ever write on anymore about how to make a decent living as a blogger if that is something interests you.

I like this article from The Greatist about 45 Healthy Foods to Make and Never Buy Again. Very interesting to see the price breakdowns like that.

This article on Get Rich Slowly about Budget Travel In Your Own Town is wonderful. Not only can you save money by being a tourist in your own place of residence it is also really green too!

I am not a big tea drinker and only ever drink hot tea but if you like all kinds of tea you may appreciate Anna’s article about Honest Tea and why they are an ethical choice for tea drinkers.

Also helpful is Deanna’s article about how to keep your Diva Cup looking clean and sparkly. Truthfully mine is looking pretty dang dingy so I need to try some of these tips!

Okay, it has been a couple months since I reviewed the Conscious Box. Sadly, I was not in love with their Valentines Box and it prevented me from purchasing the following month. Don’t get me wrong, the non-toxic, earth friendly romance “enhancement” products were awesome. I have been … enjoying them.

But all of the edible products in it were inedible for my family. The oats we can’t eat because we are grain free. I can forgive that because they had NutCase Crunch in one of their earlier boxes and I love that stuff. That’s cool. But two products had soy in it and I am not down with that, at all. I don’t think any food touting itself as healthy should have soy. I was disappointed.

The April “Earth Day” box has made me swoon again though. I love getting to try all the goodies!

First up is Oogie’s Original Kettle Corn – Goodness gracious this stuff is good! Yes I know I am paleo and shouldn’t have it but screw that. If you send me Kettle Corn I am going to eat it! I hail from Marion, Ohio, home of The Popcorn Festival. I simply must eat Kettle Corn on occasion. This is non GMO corn BTW that scores them some bonus points.

SeedBallz - Another product to absolutely adore. The package came with 3 seed bombs or balls with wildflower or herb seeds in them. They are hand rolled in the US by adults with developmental disabilities. You just stick them 1/3 in the ground in full sun and keep them watered until they bloom. Love! Can’t wait to try them and will do a follow up on what grows.

GLOB Berry Blue Paint – We have been using these plant based paints for years and love them. We can always use more, always.

Parsley Plus All Surface Cleaner - Oh Parsley Plus, where have you been all my life??? I love the fresh earthy smell of this cleaner and I love it’s cleaning ability too. I will definitely buy more of this.

Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid - So far so good. I usually use Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint but this was a nice change of pace. I am thinking I am happy with what I have though.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive – I will be reviewing some Juice Beauty stuff in depth soon but I like this little product. I am not usually much for “beauty” stuff but I will hit the big 3-5 this summer so I have been thinking about aging more. Nuff said I think.

Sparklehearts Rainbow Soft Conditioner - Great ingredients plus no petroleum, parabens, or phthalates. This also worked well on my daughter’s long hair.

ColourFusion Lip Glaze from Natural Joy Beauty – This came in a teeny tiny sample box but after applying it once I immediately decided this was good stuff. First off I noticed how subdued and non clownish the color was. I have a serious lipstick aversion because I think I look ridiculous in it but I did not mind this glaze at all. Secondly I noticed that it doesn’t have that horrible lipstick taste or smell. Score! The whole store is full of natural cosmetics and I think I need to stock up before BlogHer.

Himalayan Crystal Salt – Have been a big fan of this stuff for years though we never purchased it from here.

Raw Chocolate from Cloud 9 Raw Chocolate – Good stuff, but not my fave. Any Conscious Box with chocolate gets gold stars though.

Banana Bar with Milk Chocolate – More chocolate! I was not a fan of this because of the banana. My bananas have to be green and barely sweet, unless they are disguised in a smoothie. I gave this to my 11 year son and he loved it.

Climb On Intensive Skin Repair – This is a healing salve or balm so we will definitely get to use it around here. Last week I bloodied my knuckles all up flipping tractor tires at my CrossFit box. Could have used it then for sure!

Lavender Bare Body Organic Soap – Smells divine and lathers well. I just wish the sample size were bigger. Those folks are such a tease!

GenerationMe laundry detergent – I haven’t tried this yet but I love that there are so many smaller companies representing in this box this month.

Lastly the box had a bunch of coupons and this Worry Doll from My Groovy Planet which looks to be monthly box deal where you get monthly delivery of theme-based, fun, educational surprise packages—or kits, for your child to learn and get excited about anything and everything fair trade, recycling, conservation, volunteering and the planet. We have some worry dolls already so this one will have friends. For those who do not know, they are very small and colorful dolls traditionally made in Guatemala. A person (usually a child) who cannot sleep due to worrying can express their worries to a doll and place it under their pillow before going to sleep. The dolls supposedly carry the worries for you. ;)

I kicked off the weekend with a good CrossFit workout… rowing, running, burpees, situps, pushups, squats, rope climbing, kettelbell swings, and hip extensions. Most of these were AMRAP or as many rounds/reps as possible. It was a tough one! I dived into my car afterwards and downed a dark chocolate coconut water. Lots of magnesium and potassium for recovery, plus it tastes like chocolate milk. Bonus! I will probably take a bath in magnesium flakes later too.

My post last Friday about my thyroid had some concerned about my carb intake. I am aware that there are a few in the WAPF blogging world who have suddenly decided that a high carb diet is best and that eating ice cream and pretzels for dinner is the way to go. First, I am not buying it, AT ALL. Second I am not low carb, nor is paleo low carb. What I am experiencing with my thyroid was due to calorie restriction. Not eating enough caused my body to be severely stressed, which made my thyroid go crazy. I upped my calories and things are improving. I can’t say everything is 100% fine now but that is because it is really darn easy to send your thyroid into a tailspin and really darn hard to work your way out of that. That is just the way it works unfortunately.

As for being me being low carb or paleo being low carb…. nah. This morning I had a cup of greek yogurt mixed with 4 Tablespoons of Linwoods Ground Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries and Blueberries. I also had the coconut water. By 8:00 a.m. I already had over 60 grams of carbs and 50 or lower is generally considered low carb. I will end the day somewhere around 100-130ish grams. So no, not low carb. If you eat dairy like I do or have lots of fruits and veggies I am not sure how you can go low carb. I prefer to concentrate on getting good quality carbs instead of relying on junk carbs (like grains) and sometimes that is harder but oh well. My health is worth it. Love this satire article posted by Lea of Nourishing Treasures about all the reasons why going high carb is good for you. Losing weight from amputation?? I really shouldn’t laugh but I can’t help it.

Okay on to other stuff.

On My Bookshelf…

Reading Before They Are Gone right now. It is about a Dad who is uniquely positioned to see how climate change is affecting our National Parks and he decides his kids need to see them before they are forever changed. Thus he takes them on a year long journey to visit these endangered places. So far, very good.

Just finished Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women. It is an amazing book and I highly recommend it. Kettlebells are what you see in the photo at the top of this post and I have fallen deeply in love with them. Yes, I even wear a miniature size kettlebell necklace daily. This book demonstrates why they are so awesome and superior to dumbbells. I can testify to what the book says about how they manage to work deep muscles, down in your core, that dumbbells are ineffective with. My first workout with kettlebells I was sore for days and I had been working out 3-4 times a week with dumbbells for over a year and never got all the deep muscles that the kettlebells did. I was also used to heavier circuit machines weights… think 100+ pounds. After using Kettlebells once I could barely get on and off the toilet and had to get assistance taking my clothes off. I knew from there that these were miracle devices. Just one move, the Kettlebell Swing, works 9 different muscle groups. It would take 9 different dumbbell exercises and their corresponding reps to get the same results. The author also talks about how she was a workout junkie and had to workout 2 hours a day to keep her physique. Now she works less than half that, thanks to kettlebells.

On the docket is All the Money in the World which is supposed to be a good book about changing your perspective where money is concerned, to view it as a tool instead of a resource.

Also plan to read Pandemonium, the sequel to Delirium, which I loved. It takes place in a world similar to the one in the movie Equilibrium (which rocks BTW!) where everyone has decided that emotion is the source of all strife and so they medicate it out of you. In this book series they surgically alter the brains of their citizens to make love and deep emotion impossible. Why it is that I love dystopian novels so much cannot be explained. I think maybe it has to do with the inner strength required to stand up to the establishment.

Link Love for the Week…

My lovely friend Stephanie at Good Girl Gone Green is giving away some organic and natural hair conditioner that she uses in conjunction with no poo to combat dryness. Make sure to stop by and check that out.

The aforementioned friend also alerted me to this article written by Annie Leonard of Story of Stuff fame. It is about consumer guilt surrounding Apple products.  It was timely for me because this month or next I plan to get the iPad 3 and it is a source of guilt for me. It will be my first iPad and the only other Apple products I have are my iPod and Shuffle which I bought 8 years ago and still use to this day. I think I am doing pretty good not buying things I don’t need or upgrading just because a newer, better model is out. Maybe I can ease up with the guilt.

Mark Sisson at Mark’s Daily Apple wrote a great article on Why Eating Meat is Ethical in response to the NY Times Essay contest. He is limited as to what he can bring into his argument because there is a word count and also a request not to mention issues like sustainability, factory versus pastured, local , etc. That is just plain ridiculous but his article is good. It might be said that in many ways he avoids the question by highlighting why we shouldn’t even question the ethics of meat because we aren’t questioning the ethics of plant based diets, which is also riddled with environmental problems and death to animal life. It is not a cop-out IMO, it is a valid point.

Fellow CrossFitter and green mom blogger Paige wrote about why she is doing CrossFit and is not going to go paleo. For those not familiar, CrossFit and paleo go together like peas and carrots. She quoted me in her article as well as fellow paleo gal Deanna Duke of Crunchy Chicken.

Spotted this article, The Toxic Truth About Gluten-Free Food and Celiac Disease, this week and enjoyed it as well. I too am not down with the gluten free trend I see. Gluten free junk is still junk no?

This HuffPo article, More Americans Went Without Medicine Last Year, made me appreciate how deal sites like Groupon are making it easier to get medical services you might need or want. I support these sites/deals because I want to see more of them. I get chiropractic care, acupuncture treatments, and just recently bought lab work of all things. The lab works includes a complete Thyroid profile, lipids testing, Vitamin D 25-hydroxy test, Iron profile, blood-count, C-reactive protein test, glucose, and Potassium. It’s good to have all this info so you can see where you are with nutrients and adjust your diet where necessary. You may think your diet is healthy and meeting all your requirements but what does your blood say? I hope to see naturopathic services on these sites soon. I think that so much of our healthcare problem in this country can be fixed with diet and exercise instead of medication but we still need a way to access cheaper services directly and deal sites are filling this need for many.

Also wanted to share that Abe’s Market is now offering sample products of many of their natural, green products and food. You pick the 3 samples you want, pay $2.00 for shipping, and you get to cheaply test some great products. They sent me a sample box and I really like their idea/concept. They also happened to send me some NutCase Crunch (a paleo cereal) which is a big favorite of mine. How did they know??! I also got a vegan soap with Yerba Mate leaves and an organic Cocoa Calendula Balm for irritated skin. All of it was great and I see some other stuff I would like to try as well. Can’t beat the price either. Check it out when you get a chance.

A had a health hiccup recently that threw me for a loop but I was able to get things under control. Basically my thyroid went wacko and I slipped back into hypothyroid symptoms despite my medication. Once again my hair started falling out and my basal body temperature dipped to 96.2 on average. Panic started to set in and I began to doubt my diet since diet is what threw my thyroid into a tailspin in the first place. I was able to figure out though that my symptoms started right when I joined a CrossFit box. From there it was not hard to figure out that my calorie expenditure went way up and my calories going in, did not. It was accidental calorie restriction and that is well known for causing low body temperatures and thyroid problems due to bodily stress. I didn’t even think about it because I wasn’t losing any weight. In fact I gained some. But yet I know that I have gained an incredible amount of muscle since I started doing CrossFit. I am well on my way to Linda Hamilton’s Terminator arms and Tamilee Webb’s Buns of Steel. Booyah!

So I started eating 500+ calories more than usual each day and my temperatures are steadily going up. 98.3 as of yesterday! I also decided to try and vary my carbs to more greens, veggies, and fruit instead of Lara bars and yogurt. And despite eating way more, I lost a teeny bit of weight this week so I know I am not eating too much. My hair is loss is already slowing greatly too. Things are looking up!

Despite that snafu, I am so very much in love with CrossFit I can not even express it. This video kind of does it justice:

If not maybe this piece of sheer awesomeness does. I got a kettlebell necklace from Flashletics this week. Love, love, love!

I have been spending lots of time outside gardening and just sitting on my beloved Adirondack chair reading a book and earthing. I believe in the concept so much. Any time I have even the slightest ache or pain it is gone within minutes of digging my feels into the dirt. I also decided to visit a chiropractor to work on persistent back pain due to years of working at a desk and that is also improving. Once weekly I get a massage, chiro adjustment, and a session on a traction table. If only I could move my computer desk outside onto the grass I think all my problems would be solved. ;)

So far I have started radish, lettuce, and rainbow chard seeds inside my house in my little greenhouse. I also repotted a red raspberry bush into a bigger pot. It already has lots of leaves and new growth. I also have pink hydrangea starting to get growth and an indoor purple hydrangea blooming. Yay for spring! Can’t wait to get started planting inside our raised bed.

The kids and I also did some crafting outside but I probably won’t share info on that until Screen Free Week, which is from April 30th to May6th. But here is a preview:

Books I have read of late:

The 4-Hour Workweek – In general I really like the ideas and concepts presented here. It encourages you to forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan. It’s all about living your dreams now and not putting off things like world travel, especially in unpredictable economic times.

The Self Sufficient-ish Bible: An Eco-living Guide for the 21st Century - An awesome book to read on a warm spring day outside. It seeks to show you how you can live a more self sufficient, eco-concious lifestyle without drastically altering the way you live now.

Parenting Without Power Struggles: Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids While Staying Cool, Calm, and Connected - Always good to have reminders and tips.

Fever (Chemical Garden) - The sequel to Wither, which I loved. Didn’t like this one as much but still excited for the third book.

The Goddess Test - Kinda liked this book and want to continue the series. Its about a young woman who gets an offer from Hades to marry him and help him run the Underworld if she can pass seven tests.

Other Cool Links: 

Enjoyed this post by Matt Monarch of Raw Food World about his diaper free baby daughter. Really wish I had tried EC with my babes!

This morning I got a great reminder from a green blogger I admire, and that I got to meet in person a couple months ago. The lovely Shane at Environmental Booty is asking others to share what they do to to find fulfillment and make the most of each day. It is so important to be able to find your happiness and joy in little things, each and every day and yet it is so hard to do for many of us. This is an important topic for me because I tend to be one of those “someday” people. I have big dreams. I have concrete ideas of what I want my life to be and what I want to do with it. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big of course but folks like me forget to live in the moment and seek out happiness right this very second. If I am not careful I find myself drifting aimlessly and starting to get depressed that someday is still so far off.

Last year though I made a resolution to spend greater time on self care and finding happiness NOW. It worked so well that my resolution this year was to have more fun. I would like to think I am getting pretty good at making the most of every day now. It is not uncommon to find myself thinking that if this, right now, was all my life would ever come to be, then I am pretty darn lucky. When you seek joy every day, you don’t have to worry so much about someday anymore.

So what do I do to find my happiness? These days I make time for myself and I seek happiness by going to the gym several times a week. It gets the day started right and I feel good when I do. I make time to visit the library usually once a week and just meander up and down the isles looking at books. Books=happiness. I take a class or go to a workshop on the weekend, for fun and to better myself. I visit thrift stores to find good deals. I go the movies by myself. I saw John Carter yesterday and fell in love.

Sometimes I tell my husband that we simply MUST go out for ice cream (while the kids are in school) and we go to Jeni’s ice Cream together. We did this just last week in fact. It is artisan ice cream with unique and amazing flavors. They also use local grass fed cream! Does this not scream happiness?!?!

Magnolia Mochi, Mango Kiwi, Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake, and Tres Leches w/Here and There Cherries

Mmmm, I think we need to go again this week. ;)

TODAY I have found my happiness in…

Getting up early so I could throw dinner in the slow cooker AND watch a few episodes of Friday Night Lights in peace and quiet.
Cooking yummy Garlic Ginger Chicken for me and two of my men folk, for lunch.
Buying myself some flowers and putting them on my desk to enjoy all day long.

The flowers teased me at the grocery all week long and I resisted their urges until today when I read Shane’s post. Then when I went out to get butter for the aforementioned chicken, I HAD to get them. I am so happy that I did. Someone at the store sprinkled them with glitter and it just gives them a magical feel. Every time I look at them I have to smile in contentment. Finding your happiness doesn’t only have to be about the big moments in life, it can be about all the small ones too.

What do you do to make every moment count and find happiness in the small stuff? Link up below:

We had a busy, busy weekend. On Saturday the husband and I dropped the kids off to spend a day and night at Grandma’s house. Then we were off for date night… or day I guess. We started out by going to hang out with Arnold Schwarzenegger at The Arnold Sports Festival. Okay so we didn’t actually hang out with Arnie but we did see him! The festival was awesome and for the most part we hung out in the CrossFit room watching the CrossFit Games but we also checked out the Fencing, Martial Arts, Boxing, Gymnastics, Weight Lifting, Fitness Modeling, and Body Building. The expo was also fun.. if you liked being squished against muscle bound men and women. And I mean squished… the expo was so packed that you were pressed body to body with other people almost at all times. When you happened to be standing next to a bikini model you got to see her up close and personal!

I honed in on some good booths though. I scored some free Lara Bars and coupons at their booth and I found another Vibram shoes wearer at the theYogaToes booth. I plan to buy one their products too, the rep really sold me. I also discovered the most insanely awesome lunchbox called the Six Pack Bag and had to get one. I will review soon but it will be perfect for summer outings when we need to bring our own food… road trips, zoo trips, picnics, hiking/camping. The top shelf has room for loose snacks like dried fruit, nuts, and bars. It also has a tray for supplements so that when you travel everyone’s fish oil pills or multi-vitamins have a safe secure place. The bag is designed for weight lifters but I saw it and thought it had “family trips” written all over it. It has three trays that can be filled with a complete meal and I have 3 kids, perfect! There is also a bigger bag with 5 trays (for all of us) but I figured the smaller bag could also double as hubby’s lunchbox during the week and the big bag would be overkill for that purpose. Alongside the middle section that holds the trays are two slits for ice bags and there are two side compartments that can hold fresh fruit, yogurt cups, reusable bottles, etc. I am not sure why but I just have this lunchbox fetish and this bag just sent me over the moon.

After The Arnold we went out to eat at a sushi bar. We totally went off our paleo diets (rice) but oooh it was good. Raw fish, wasabi, and pickled ginger… does it get any better???! Then we went to see Safe House at the movies and I loved that as well. It was a wonderful psychological thriller. Date night was a success.

On Sunday I went with the kids and my parents to see The Columbus Home and Garden Show while hubby got some work done around the house. I have wanted to go for years but I think it is geared toward people with massive amounts of disposable income they can sink into marble countertops, hot tubs, and sleek patio decks. It was fun to look but even if I had the kind of money most of this stuff cost, I wouldn’t spend it that way. So, I mostly just enjoyed walking through the gardens and seeing the spring flowers. I am a pretty simple gal with simple tastes. I did get some pretty photos though! The first is my mom with my two youngest.

What did you do this weekend?

DisneyNature films are always stellar and I think this will be no exception, just like African Cats and Oceans. My youngest (6) especially would love this. He spends a fair amount of time watching Netflix animal documentaries.  The movie is a nature documentary about a young chimpanzee named Oscar who finds himself alone in the African forests until he is adopted by another chimpanzee. The film was co-produced by Disneynature and the Jane Goodall Institute. A portion of the opening week proceeds will go to the latter. Earth Day or the days immediately before would be a great time to see it for that reason alone.

View the trailer below. Oscar sure is a cutie!

In other news, I had a visit with two doctors this past week. My thyroid levels are looking good but at this time I am still on a low dose of thyroid medication. I am so conflicted because I HATE pharma meds but I feel really awesome. I need to research ways to get weaned of the meds but this doctor and another one both tell me I should expect to be on them forever… sigh. Anyway, I saw this doc just before I went paleo/primal and was shocked to hear that I had lost 20 pounds since I was there last. Whoa… it melted off like butter after giving up grains. Cool!

I also saw an orthopedist about my arm, which I injured badly at the gym in late November (after listening to some monumentally bad weight lifting advice). I got the go ahead so start weight lifting again and he gave me a bunch of stretching exercises to do so that my arm muscles stop bunching up and hurting so much after each session at the gym. If I don’t see improvement on my own he said I will need to see a physical therapist but so far, so good.

Okay… a bit of housekeeping now. The winner of the Chobani Champions yogurt case (from 2 weeks ago) is…. Tara Sabo. Congrats Tara, I am emailing you know. Enjoy your yogurt!

Also I want to know what YOU want to read about. If there is a topic that interests you and you want me to cover it, leave me a comment below.

Interesting articles for the week…

I am sure you have heard about the arsenic/brown rice fiasco. Anna at Green talk has some great articles that address the issue, explain why rice and arsenic are such a cozy pair, and what you can do in your home to reduce exposure. Part One and Part Two. I am not surprised that no one sought to fix this issue, even though it is likely they knew about it. Without public pressure these companies have no reason to change things. Money is more important than the safety issues they hope we will never find out about. At any rate I am glad that I am grain free and don’t have to worry about this particular issue.

I read an infuriating article at Cinema Blend about the new Lorax movie. A conservative panel member on Fox News actually encouraged parents to take their kids to the movie and litter all over the theater and theater property to protest the fact that “Hollywood” is trying to indoctrinate our children and turn them into something almost as bad as demon worshippers… ENVIRONMENTALISTS!! The horror! Anyway we cannot wait to see this movie. ;)

I also wanted to share this Chipotle ad just in case is you haven’t seen it yet. LOVE that this corporation sees a problem within our current food system and is doing what they can to fix it from a fast food perspective. I am a big Chipotle fan!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy Valentine’s everyone! I did my Valentine’s date last weekend with my sweetheart and it was spectacular. In fact I had so much fun that I didn’t feel like blogging much this week. Just wanted to sit on the couch with my honey and snuggle. Oh well!

We went out for an early dinner and ate one of our favorites… sushi! We had a sushi place in Phoenix that we considered “our place” and had not had much luck finding a place like that in Columbus but I think we finally did. We got a sushi boat for two, salad, miso soup (which I picked the tofu out of), and mochi ice cream. All was delicious! After dinner we went exploring in Polaris mall and ended up getting a couples massage at an Acupressure place. Then we went to a theater and saw Chronicle. My husband got to pick but luckily we have the same taste in movies. It was really good and action packed. After the movie we both noticed how close we were to Powell and there is a Jeni’s Ice Cream in Powell so well, yeah we had to go out for ice cream… again. It was so nice to spend so much time together, just the two of us!!

This week I got my annual delivery of heritage seeds from Seed Saver’s Exchange. W got a lettuce mixture, Dragon carrots, Tennis Ball lettuce, Scarlet Globe radishes, Five Color Silverbeet swiss chard, Kale, and Red Butterhead Lettuce. This year we plan to grow our own salad bar and not grow any tomatoes, like last year. We had way too many!

I have been pinning up a storm on my Pinterest Gardening Board. I also have some good gardening posts from the past if you are interested: Getting Kids Excited About Gardening, Urban Gardening for City Farmgirls, Garden Tool Sets and Gear for Children. I am excited for spring and for gardening!

Other cool links from the blogosphere:

Think Twice Before You Buy Hershey’s Kisses for Your Valentine by Diane at Big Green Purse. She shows how being selective with what chocolate we buy can help stop forced child labor. Amen!

Since I have been cooking with cast iron so much I needed this article about how to properly season your pots and pans. Great info!

I also liked this article from a fitness blogger who took on the subject of bladder challenges after childbirth. I had my own issues after birthing three, 9-10 pound babies and then I ran across a doctor who told me that Kegels were the worst exercise you could do to tighten this region and that they actually made the issue worse! This article and interview with a biomechanical scientist says the exact same thing. Instead of kegels we should be doing squats and trying to firm up our bums and thereby our pelvic floor. All I have to say is that after almost a year of squats in the gym, I am a big time believer.

Along those same lines a good book I have been hearing about is Lose Your Mummy Tummy. It discusses the fact that the abdominal muscles separate to allow for a growing uterus when we get pregnant. For some 98% of women that split never closes up totally and you get a bulging tummy long after you have your baby/babies. The author advises that sit ups and crunches make it worse  and she highlights some exercises that will actually help. After 3 babies and 2 abdominal surgeries (not c-sections) I am wary it could help me but I will give it a shot. ;)

Chobani Champions Yogurt Giveaway!!

Lastly I have a giveaway. Chobani yogurt recently sent me some of their Chobani Champions flavors for kids to try and they were big hit here. I have mentioned before that I am something of a Chobani addict. They are my favorite brand of Greek yogurt, or any yogurt for that matter. I sometimes feel guilty that I don’t buy the organic Greek yogurt that is out there but the flavor is just not as good so I hesitate to spend $2.00 a cup on something I don’t absolutely love. Chobani is pricey enough at $1.29 a cup and often times I am stingy with it for this reason. My kids loved having their own Chobani.

The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that the yogurt they sent is non-fat. I refuse to buy the non-fat Chobani varieties because I don’t believe our food should be non-fat. I refuse to jump on the low-fat bandwagon. If the folks at Chobani read this please provide full fat and organic options in the future please!

So… I have a case of the new flavors (3 packs Orange Vanilla/ 3 packs Vanilla Choc Chunk)  to give away to two readers. To enter just leave a comment and tell me if you eat yogurt in your house and what your favorites are. For an extra entry “Like” the Chobani Champions Facebook page and leave a second comment telling me you did so. Good luck and have an awesome weekend and Valentine’s Day!!

This month the Green Moms Carnival is tackling love for the month of February but not in the usual sense. Participants were asked to share the green books and authors they love. At first I was rather anxious because I thought it was just what books we love in general and that would be, for me, like picking which grains of sand I like best. I go to the library 2-3 times a week. I have 20-30 books checked out at any given time. I always have my nose in book and have since I was a teen. Books are like oxygen to me and I love quite a few of them. But green books is a much more manageable a task to identify. Or is it?

Once I got to thinking about all the memoirs, local food books, homesteading guides, green energy/green living books, eco crafts, nature enjoyment books, etc. that I have read, I started thinking maybe it wasn’t so easy to pick just a few to highlight here. With some heavy sighs I will try to isolate some of those grains of sand…

I must start off with some of the very first green books I ever read.

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour – This was one of the first books I ever read about self sufficiency and sustainability. I had grand dreams of having a farm and growing/raising my own food. At the time my husband was so not interested in any of it. Now… 7ish years later he is the one devouring this book and others like it and insisting we take steps to become more self sufficient and responsible for our own food. This book is a true classic.

This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader - It was this book that made me see that having a big farm was not necessarily the only route to go. The author, Joan Dye Gussow, is an inspiration and she lives on a suburban lot where she grows lots of her own food. As a big city lover I found this book very inspirational.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - This book by Barbara Kingsolver was another important book in my own journey. Like me, she moved from the Southwest to the East in search of greener pastures, literally. It was her family’s mission to buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it.

EcoVillage at Ithaca: Pioneering a Sustainable Culture  – A wonderful look inside an eco village, and planning for sustainable futures as a group and community.

Some Newer Books I Love…

Girl Hunter by Georgia Pellegrini – A book that made me change my mind about something I never thought I would change my mind about. A book that most likely will have inspired me to buy my first hunting license very soon. I almost hesitate to classify it as a green book but it is very much about local food!

The Dirty Life - It follows along on the real life adventure of Kristin Kimball who was a writer working in NYC. She met a farmer while on assignment, married him, and they started an ambitious “whole diet” CSA.

Frugal Luxuries by Tracey McBride - Choosing simplicity is green and that is what this book is about. The idea behind the book is to show us how being frugal and simple in our taste is really an art form. It has nothing to do with being miserly or being a cheapskate and everything to do with living well, even luxuriously, on less. LOVE this book!

Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern – I think this is such an important book because it shows how we can create world change by being mindful about how we shop and what we buy. It doesn’t encourage senseless spending or rampant consumerism but it does address the fact that everyone is still going to spend money on the products that matter to them. If money talks then we need to be aware of what our money is saying. It is all about using the power of our purses to affect change. Read my review here: Shopping for World Change. Diane is also one of the most amazing, intelligent, and inspiring ladies you could ever meet. I feel honored to have met her last month.

A Mile in Her Boots – Women Who Work in the Wild (multiple authors) - It has essays and stories from park rangers, smokejumpers, field scientists, and other female outdoorswomen.

Fave Authors 

I could really only think of two non-fiction authors that are on my must-buy list… as in it doesn’t matter what the book is about, I must have it. I would of course buy other books by the authors mentioned above but the two below have multiple books on the market and I have them all.

Amanda Soule of Handmade Home, The Creative Family, and The Rhythm of Family. All her books are beautiful and inspirational. The projects inside them are green and resourceful usually and the whole concept behind them is to live in simplicity and with greater mindfulness.

Any book by MaryJane Butters. She is the Martha Stewart of homesteading and farming. My fave’s are MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook : For the Farmgirl in All of Us and MaryJane’s Outpost. I get them out and re-read at least once a year.

What you think? What are your favorite green books/authors?

One of the really fun things I got to do on my trip to Detroit for the auto show (NAIAS ) was go to the Henry Ford Museum. I got to see an exhibit that has not opened to the public yet AND had a catered dinner right there among all the amazing cars. I felt kinda bad being there without my Dad though… he would have loved it! I did however, get to have dinner with some amazing green mom friends.

As a big history buff I just love museums so this was right up my alley even if cars really aren’t.

The highlights for me had to be the car Kennedy was in when he was assassinated…

The chair Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated…

And Rosa Park’s Bus.

We even got to sit inside the bus. Amazing.

My daughter thought Kennedy’s car and Lincoln’s chair were morbid when I showed her the photos. It was a very solemn experience seeing them and one I won’t soon forget. That is what I love about history, how it can reach out and grab you, and make you teary eyed even many years after the fact. It makes us think, and remember, and think some more. It makes us wonder what we would do if we were put in certain historical situations. Would we be that brave? Would we be that honorable? Would we stand for that injustice?

#FordNAIAS

** Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the 2-day Innovation and Design Fantasy Camp event, I was not compensated in any other manner for my time. Opinions posted here are my own.**

January is named after the Roman god Janus, god of doorways and thus January is the door to the year. Janus had two faces, one to see the past and one to see the future. Likewise we can reflect back on the previous year, learn from our failures and successes, and look to the future with exuberance.  This is the month we spend looking inside ourselves to set a path for the year and prepare for our journey with focus.

My goals for 2011 are still very much in effect. I will keep on hitting the gym and exercising. I will also keep carving out time for me. But I have some other goals too.

This year I resolve to…

Have More Fun

I was bemoaning the fact that I didn’t take many photos in 2011 but honestly we didn’t do much photo worthy stuff. I had grand plans but I let it all fall apart when life got busy. We had a big illness (ie cancer) within the extended family and my husband worked tons of overtime. The only thing even remotely close to a vacation for us was a day trip to the Hocking Hills. I also turned down several fun business travel opportunities because I felt my kids were still a wee bit too young for me to be away (been doing that for years). This year needs to be different. We will take a real vacation and I will make sure my family fun plans actually make it out of the planning stage. I will also travel for business and leave my kids in the reliable hands of my husband. For that to happen it would help if I…

Make More Money

I have a confession. I don’t work all that hard. I worked my arse off for several years when I was just starting my home business and ever since I hit a certain point in my income I have been happy to coast along doing the bare minimum. Yes, technically I earn more with each passing year but imagine what I could earn if I actually put some effort into it. I like to tell myself we don’t NEED more money but my husband has worked a little too much overtime for that to be true. I need to step up and earn the money I know I can make. If it turns out we don’t actually need the money, we can spend it on wants… like the aforementioned FUN. I hear DisneyWorld calling my name. Or we can send it along to our emergency savings and/or IRAs.

In order to make more money I think I need to buckle down and…

Get More Organized

I am sooo badly organized it is tragic and it has to change if I want to earn more money and remember all the fun events coming up that I want my family to take part in. I am sick of dropping the ball on opportunities because the pitches get lost in my email inbox or I just plain forget about a fun event in our hometown. I also need to spend less time on Facebook playing games and reading blog posts in my RSS feed that will not advance my goals. It would help if I knew exactly what I needed to be doing and make sure that was done BEFORE play time.

These 3 goals or resolutions are enough for now I think since my 2011 goals are still in effect… make time for me and also for exercise and fitness. To kick things off I am armed with a To-Do list that I print (on recycled household paper) each day. Each evening I brainstorm and figure out what needs done from blogging to cleaning the toilet. I keep it at no more than 15 things and I try to get everything checked off by the end of the evening. I also have a daily planner on my desk where I can write down all the fun family stuff I saw in the paper or online, even months out, so I will remember them. Above my desk I have a white board calendar with appointments, bill due dates, and work deadlines.

Also helpful are these 3 books. I hope to write more about them soon…

Organize Now!: A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life

Organize Now! 12 Month Home & Activity Planner

Organize Now! Your Money, Business & Career: A Week-by-Week Guide to Reach Your Goals

I also accepted a business travel opportunity in late 2011 and I leave in a few days. Woot! Plus I bought a ticket to BlogHer12 and reserved my hotel room in NYC for later this year. This year is going to be awesome. I just know it!

What have you resolved to do for 2012?

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – Soulemama

Around this time of year it is common to see lots of tips for how to keep kids entertained, how to make sure their getting outside to play, and generally having a fun summer. That’s all well and good but what about mom? If the start of my summer is any indication I think MOM needs to carve out fun time or relaxation time even more. So far this summer I have been feeling like an unpaid babysitter. My kids all have friends over every day that want to be entertained, fed, and generally looked after while their parents work. When I protest about the extra cooking, cleaning, and even laundry (towels for after water play) that I have to do I get rolled eyes and talk of how mean I am being. In order to keep my cool and be able to handle all this extra work and stress, and yes other people’s kids stress me out, I need to make sure I am getting some me time each day and taking it easy. Here are some of my ideas:

1. A Rockin Summer Reading List – Our public library is promoting summer reading for kids right now but instead I am making my own reading list. I am stepping away from computer work and reading something fun and entertaining every day. I love to read but usually work comes first, but for the summer I think I need to make more time to read. I recently read Divergent, a dystopian novel that I loved. Also The Iron King and The Iron Daughter which are two books in a trilogy about mythical creatures and fey. Just started reading The Iron Queen last night. I also recommend The Hunger Games trilogy and Graceling. I love that I can read wherever my kids are too.

If you have any good books to recommend let me know in the comments so I can add them to my library reserve list!

2. Catch a solo movie – In the summer the theaters open early with showtimes at 10 or 11 AM. I will often go catch the early show by myself. Sometimes I might take my oldest boy too. That way I can see Pirates, and Thor, and X-Men.. all the latest summer movies (I am a huge movie buff) and get time away from the house and my duties. I save money by going before noon (for only $5), by using a rewards card that earns you free movies, and by buying theater gift cards at Giant Eagle to pay for my tickets. Each $50 gift card I buy earns me .20 cents off up to 30 gallons of gas. We get tons of free gas by using this little trick… buying gift certificates for all the places we shop.

3. Get a pedicure – If you keep it simple and just get a basic pedicure… aka massage, buffing, nail painting ect. you can minimize exposure to chemicals and still get pampered. Most places will even let you bring your own nail polish so you can buy polish without toxic chemicals and still have pretty toes. Most places also have massage chairs so you get a whole body massage and gorgeous piggies. It is a great way to spend and hour!

4. Go to the Gym – My husband and I have become gym junkies of late and when either of us has to miss our designated time it can throw off our mood off for days. We NEED that exercise and time away. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I get up before anyone else is awake is sneak away for water aerobics, a bit of running on the treadmill, followed by strength training with weights. I come home feeling refreshed and energized. I think a big part of why so many kids in the house this week has stressed me is because I missed two workout days!

5. Cook Easy Foods – I have stopped cooking big evening meals for summer because I hate heating up the house and I don’t just don’t feel like spending so much time in the kitchen. This is the season for watermelon and green smoothies for dinner! Other ideas are finger sandwiches, fruit kabobs, veggie kabobs (grilled outside), granola cereal with almond milk, chocolate/veggie smoothies served in a bowl like ice cream, flax crackers and salsa, and lots of salad. Time to whip out the 365 salad recipe book.

6. Park Fun for Parents - If you take your kids to a public pool or water park make a deal with your spouse that you will trade off watching the kids and give each other 20-30 minutes alone a couple times throughout the day. That way Dad can watch the kids while they play in the baby pool or on the water slides and you can go get in the lazy river for awhile. Another idea might be to find a couple tweens/teens you trust and offer to buy their park admission passes in exchange for 2 hours of the day spent babysitting the kids while you and hubby enjoy the park alone.

7. Take a Walk – Sometimes a 15-20 minute walk around the block can be just what we need to get away for a moment. A few evenings ago I was getting peeved about how the neighbor kids were making a huge mess in our house so I decided to round up my kids only and take a walk. We walked about a mile away to get sno-cones at the corner store. We could have drove but I need that walk! Going it alone is also a nice way to get some alone time.

8. Get Gardening – Gardening really is therapy. I enjoy carving out time to water my garden in the evenings or early mornings and also water all my houseplants. There is something about seeing your plants thrive that makes you feel content and thriving yourself.

What do you do to relax and make time for yourself during the summer months?

When I was reading it I could not help but remember what I used to collect as a child and into my early twenties… snow globes and shot glasses. I would collect them at truck stops, museums, flea markets, amusement parks, ect. Every year for Christmas we would go to Disneyland and my parents would buy me a special Disney themed one. But as I grew older I got tired of dusting them all the time and they just didn’t appeal to me as much so I gave my favorites (like the Disney Villains one) to my kids and then sold the rest at a garage sale.

Reading this book made me want to collect something else but the minimalist in me recoiled at the thought. Then I looked upwards in contemplation and saw something shiny and beautiful. I remembered that I already collect something, I just never thought about it as a collection. I collect crystals! And I collect prisms too. Hurray, I have a collection! ;)

Here are some of my favorites.. and yes they do make me happy just looking at them.

I have an old jewelry box on a bookshelf next to my computer desk and it houses most of my crystals… adventurine, quartz, citrine, lepidolite, moonstone, agate, amethyst, jasper, etc.

If you lift the tray they sit on you see a hidden section where I keep Chakra crystals, separated by each individual Chakra… or the seven power points in the human body that circulate energy or the life force also known as prana. These are some of my faves… blue lace agate, bloodstone, carnelian, lapis lazuli, snowflake obsidian, sodalite, leopard skin jasper, blue chalcedony…

Those are tucked away quite often but I have many that are out and about. A prism is what I saw that reminded me of the collection. I have some hanging in windows and others just laying around on surfaces. How can you not be happy when they cast their rainbows all over the room?

Also on my bookshelf I have a Feng Shui tree with tumbled clear quart crystals. I just love these little trees and would like to collect more of these specifically. I will be looking for them at yard sales and auctions this summer.

Closer to my work space is a flourite wand that is used for concentration and creative expression. I will often hold it when I am working on something important, writing, or I need creativity boost.

Here is a closer pic.. it is quite pretty. That is a rose quartz crystal next to it, which is good for emotional healing.

And on a decorative shelf to the side of my desk I have a little green adventurine crystal elephant hanging out. Elephants signify health and good luck and adventurine is for wealth and abundance. Each crystal has specific metaphysical properties so when I decided to add this little guy I knew immediately I wanted an elephant and that he needed to be carved out of adventurine. The rose quart above is just a tumbled stone but many have a heart shaped rose quart to signify that it helps with emotions and matters of the heart. In addition to selecting the ones I need or want carefully I also carry one in my pocket when I need a little something… be it confidence, healing, good concentration, or the ability to attract abundance.

I am going to psychic fair and metaphysical wellness seminar tomorrow. I wonder if I will find any new treasures to add to my collection…

What do YOU collect?

Click to enlarge

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – Soulemama

Link to YOUR moment in the comments.

Happy B-Day to my little guy. He is 5!