New Books!

Yah!!! My new books just arrived...I love new books, or better yet, used books through Amazon.com

Gluten-Free Girl, by Shauna James Ahern.

I love her story, check out her blog, gluten-free girl

And a vegetarian cookbook, need I say more?
The Vegetarian 5-ingredient Cookbook, by Nava Atlas

Sugar, Scares, and Change...

Halloween. What can I say. Every year we do it. Always glad it is over at the end of the night too. After a fun, yet somewhat stressful, evening of trying to make our rounds of trick or treating, I am done. Meaning...next year we aren't doing it. Ya, we'll still have costumes and such, the girls do have school carnivals. But I am not doing the whole "Run around and try to get as many treats as possible" bit. All these treats mean I have the job of keeping a close eye on the kids for 2 weeks, making sure they don't eat too much sugar at one time. ARG! Especially when I am trying to cut alot of our sugar intake out, not to mention all the packaging and other hoopla!

I am going to come up with some new Halloween traditions for next year. Family movie "Fright Night" and handing out candy ourselves, or something else super fun for the kids. Something that is just ours...Any ideas out there for alternative Halloween fun?

We told the girls we weren't spending any money this year on Halloween costumes. They had to come up with their own ideas from what we had. Ausha was an African Princess, an old dance costume from last year. Kaziah was a vampire, how many years has she been this? And Roxie was a ladybug. Of course, I helped her by sewing black felt circles on a dance leotard. Good job girls, I am proud of you for thinking outside the Halloween box. Hopefully they will continue to do so, as I am serious about not trick or treating next year.

Happy Halloween!

Barbie and Such...

We'll stay safer, you and me, when we avoid 6, 7 and 3!

I found another informative site about plastics, food, microwave use, and many other topics. I enjoyed how it was written, the information is easy to "digest". Please look into it, as it is important to know what we should avoid as consumers. Making a healthier, more educated choice when it comes to ourselves and our children is our responsibility.

I have removed many of the plastics in our home, starting in the kitchen. As I run a daycare in my home, you can imagine the plastic cups and plates we used. Many of these were the "safe" plastics, but I removed them just the same. The kids I have are over the age of two and I decided they were old enough to know, "This is glass" and "Take a drink, leave your glass on the counter". I most definitely did not want to run out and buy all new stuff, I am very much into reusing. A trip to the Youth Ranch (2nd hand store) was the answer. I now have many small glasses and also scored some great Pyrex containers for food storage, all for $20.65! The glasses are the same, so a little sticker to identify them to each child has become a fun game. I have other things to replace, but the plastic use in our home is getting less and less.

My husband and I have never really been a fan of commercial, plastic-y toys...Barbie Dolls and other such nonsense. Yes, my girls have had Barbie Dolls in the past. I grew up with two favorite Barbie Dolls that I still own, although the girls do not play with them. Actually, Lance put a stop to Barbie in our home a few years ago, Roxie has never had one. And you know, my kids are old enough to read the information on toxic plastic and other such things, like American waste and "How do you think that was made, is it really worth it?". They may not understand all of it, but they are beginning to make their own choices. Makes me feel I am doing my job as a parent.

There are alternatives to this plastic world of toys. One of my all-time favorite places to buy gifts is Magic Cabin. There are other options...You just have to look. Of course, I love to make gifts even more.

I really do have more to learn and explore, but that is what life is about. I figure, if the "The Man" says it is OK, I better look closer.

A photo of my "new" glasses and Pyrex, and out with the old.

New site to see:Delicious Organics

Home...

Oh, how I love this time of year...The fresh pumpkin bread, fall crafts, and evenings full of Christmas knitting. Is it so horrible of me to think, "I could take most of my Halloween stuff down today, and get a leg up on the next holiday". No, I didn't think so either. I don't think I will actually do that though. With the rain coming down outside my window, baking oatmeal cookies sounds more like it. This cozy, snuggle up feeling that comes from my favorite season can't be beat. The fact that Lance has been home for more than a month, and it doesn't look as if he will be going to WY anytime soon, helps tremendously. Knowing that I get to share "chilly outside/warm arms around me inside" evenings with my man, makes it all the more cozy...OK, I'll stop being mushy, I can only take so much of it myself!

Things on my mind: microwave use and dishwasher efficiency.
Posts to come...

Lance and the girls, Friday night wrestling...

Pumpkin De-Light '06

I have not forgotten about you, my little blog. Just been busy. Yes -even too busy to upload 2007 Halloween pictures! (I have some great ones already)
These are from last year, 2006 Pumpkin Patch and trick or treating...Roxie is the pumpkin and Ausha is the "Dead Geisha". Not pictured is Kaziah, the spider witch.

Soap Nut Update...

You already know how much I love Maggie's Soap Nuts. After I had boiled the used nuts for "Nut Juice", I found there was still plenty of life left in these little nuts. The liquid hand soap didn't work as well as I had hoped, so I took it another step further. I bought some mesh fabric and made my own soap nut "sachet". There are many uses for this little "soap sachet". From washing dishes (I still use dish soap), to using as a body wash exfoliator. I love using it as a dish washing sponge. Works wonders AND I'm not purchasing a plastic sponge anymore! I used red thread to sew the top together, making it easy to find and rip out, and then replace the used nuts. Ultimate reusing! The life of a soap nut in my house: washing laundry, making a tea from the used laundry nuts (my own spray cleaner), then putting them in my new mesh "sachets". I can't tell you how much I love this little soap nut!
If you haven't yet, CHECK EM OUT!

Grocery Store Wars...

Found this clip, loved it! Leaving it with you for the weekend...enjoy.

Freak Flag...

"Let your freak flag fly!"

Our Earth Day Flag, purchased at earthflag.net

ARG!

So many thoughts bumping around in my head. They all vary too. From me needing a sewing machine "fix" to a much more important one, "How in the world am I going to stop the beef intake in our family?" Ya sure, we aren't eating beef and we drink organic milk. But to me, that isn't enough. Cheese, yogurt and butter all pose a problem. And organic isn't always the answer. How can I boycott these items and still know I am feeding my kids and husband everything we need to be healthy?

The whole reason we stopped eating beef is due to the disastrous effect they have on our public lands. Cattle grazing on OUR public lands is a HUGE problem many people are not aware of. I know I wasn't until my husband, Lance, started pointing out all the damage done to our precious streams and meadows. (Part of his job, at CSR, entails restoring these cattle grazed areas. Eye opening, to say the least) It doesn't help (meaning it does help- just not the fact that I can't fall asleep when these images are floating around in my head) that I go to bed with books like Welfare Ranching, the Subsidized Destruction of the American West . Check it out, then tell me your position. Can you really eat that burger and not feel the least bit guilty? Goes hand in hand with Dave Foreman's Rewilding Institute. Yet another book on my list. (How can you not love Dave Foreman?)

Beyond Beef is a great stop on the web. Lots of info to find and think about out there, and it is right at our finger tips. There are so many issues and topics to discuss. So many ways to change, where do we start? I think educating ourselves, not falling for the whole "We are the superior race" is a huge step.

I want a healthy family, I want my children to know why we live the way we do, I want to change the world. That is a lot of wants.....I think I need a good vegan cookbook. For another resource on vegan-ism, click into my new fav... Vegan Action

"Beef, it's whats for dinner" What a load of crap!!!

These photos, taken by Lance, clearly show what livestock grazing can do. For more on the topic of Degradation by Livestock, click here.

Fresh Ink...

Fresh ink...My brother Sam is perhaps the last person you would expect to have such body covering tattoos. Especially if you have never met him and you do so while he is in his business clothes. I never even wanted a tattoo until I saw his first one a few years ago. Then I was hooked. I have one tattoo and it covers the top of my right foot. Perhaps some day I'll show you. The tattoo above is not quite done, more black bars to come.
Oh alright, I'll show you...my foot is on the right, of course. The three cherry blossoms each represent a daughter. Sam's foot tattoo, in this picture anyway, is not complete. This tattoo actually crawls all the way to his knee.

A Day for Me...

This past weekend, we celebrated my birthday. All I hoped for was a beautiful day to spend outside. As usual, I got what I wanted! The day was Fall fresh, full of crisp leaves, the sky was blue and the horses were ready. Many thanks for such a beautiful day!

Rogue Bear...

Remember my cute little puppy? Well, he is still cute, but not too little anymore! Today marks him at 6 months. He is such a great pup, I love having him in our lives.

Something New...

After a couple years of reading craft crazy blogs, and wanting a fun way to stay connected with friends and family, I was inspired to start my own, Color Your World Pink. Being busy with our remodel and such, my sewing machine (a first love) has been neglected. I feel its pain, its dust, and stagnate energy clogging my own pores. So, in an effort to move that stagnate energy elsewhere, I am starting a little craft blog, Color your World Craft-Crazy. Go on over and check it out! No worries, I will always be here for my daily dose of blogdom. I hope those of you who love to craft will hang around and see what happens or, at the very least, be inspired to find your own love of crafting...I use the term "crafting" to include any sewing, painting, knitting and kid crafts that find their way into my/your life.

Pocket on an apron I made for a dear friend.

Metal Work...

I am sharing with you my brother, Matt. I could seriously start another blog with all the "Uncle Matt Adventures" we've had. If you have been reading my blog during its short life, you will have seen a few of them (Deer Creek, Camp Corona, The Flags, Snake River). We don't see him as much as I would like, but sometimes life does that. Families get busy and then you realize how long its been....I highly suggest you look him up for all your metal work needs...I love this old picture of Matt, probably about 15 years ago. You can't see it here, but he is standing next to his '63, 23 Window VW Bus.(featured in his above business card)