Big Helper

Emma was excited to come home from school this afternoon, to find out some of our seeds have sprouted! Since we all slept in this morning, we only had enough time to rush around and head out the door to take Emma to school. After dropping her off, I came home - checked on our progress and was happy to see 1 Zinnia and 2 marigolds! I knew Emma would be excited! She didn't disappoint me either. :) Just a few hours later, we have about 4 more marigolds and 3 more zinnia's plus a broccoli! Amazing how these little sprouts are growing right before our eyes. If you look in the 2nd picture, in the upper right hand corner you can see a marigold sprout. This morning you could BARELY see it sprouting from the dirt and now the leaves are up already! I LOVE this time of year.. when I plant my seeds and watch them grow. This year will be even more exciting since my girls are older and can share in this excitement. As you can see from the picture, Emma is already tending her little garden. :)

P.S. Yes, my kids do dress themselves. *grin

Sun - or No Sun?

I personally know someone that avoids the sun like the plague for fear of getting skin cancer. They lather their skin with sunscreen before venturing out in the SHADE. They have mentioned to me more than once that I should put sunscreen on my kids, which I never do. Well - I have but only on the upper shoulder and nose area where they are prone to burn when playing in the sun for a length of time, such as swimming. And that is ONLY so that they don't burn and suffer later. NOT to keep them from getting skin cancer and such hype.

Almost always, (unless I am blogging) when I am on the computer I am reading about natural remedies. I ran across this article and confirmed everything I have ever thought about the sun and sunscreen! It is a lenghty article but I thought it was worth reading/posting. As kids, we played in the sun ALL the time, ALL day long - and this was HOT Alabama SUN - and we grew up with healthy pretty skin.


Anyways, enough of my ramblings of what I "think", here is the article:

The Amazing Truth About The Sun And Your Health

by David Eifrig Jr., M.D.

I have just returned from an island off the coast of Georgia. The island is the easternmost piece of land in the state of Georgia. Luckily, we stayed just down the street from a great breakfast dive called "The Breakfast Club." This is a famous place and unique in many ways including the hours. When the chef (can you really call a short order cook that?) decides to close he closes. Today he closed at 12:30. Yesterday, he stayed open until 2:00. If you've ever spent much time on an island in the semi-tropics you'll find nooks and crannies with people like this..."living on island time."

As this summer comes to an end and the sunsets arrive earlier and earlier, I am reminded about those living either on an island or near a beach, and I truly begin to wonder about the sun and whether it is good for us. While walking the beach this week, I contemplated the hype about sunburns and skin cancer. How much SPF was I supposed to put on? How often? Should I really stay completely out of the sun at noon? When I realize how little of it makes sense, I know its time do some more research and then share my thoughts with you.

If you think about it, the sun and sunlight HAS TO BE HEALTHY for us. As it turns out, our bodies actually use the sunlight to produce chemicals that are highly critical in our body's function and our mental well-being. The sun's ultraviolet radiation, UV for short, comes in several different wavelengths of light. UV-B rays, the ones thought to burn, are the ones that trigger the production of the major chemical so critical to our health. The chemical is Vitamin D and it is critical in our kidney function, bone formation, blood pressure, immune system function, etc...

In actuality, it is not truly a vitamin since it can be made by human skin and thus need not be added to our diet. In fact, almost every cell in our body has a receptor for Vitamin D. More importantly, this vitamin is chemically a steroid called cholecalciferol, (aka Vitamin D3). It is produced in the skin and then converted to a long-lived molecule in the liver, and then finally into a short-lived active molecule 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. The chemical is fat-soluble and, as such, could be consumed and stored in the body in excessive amounts if too much is taken in supplement form. One of its critical roles is in controlling the balance between calcium, phosphorous, and bone "remodeling." Some people think the reason fractures are so common in the elderly is due to decreased sunlight inside nursing homes and the hospital. I actually agree with this idea.

But back to the issues surrounding the sun. The hype surrounding sun and skin cancer is remarkable. Several high profile websites propagate the hype with phrases such as:

1. "90% of skin cancers are preventable"

2. "Skin cancer is at epidemic proportions in the U.S."

3. "Well-known behaviors can reduce the risk"

Shamefully, they don't tell you how good the sun is for you or how harmful the chemicals are they recommend using to "prevent cancer." In fact, sunscreen does not even protect you from the form of skin cancer called melanoma -- the deadly skin cancer but also the least common. (Genetics play a huge role in this form of cancer and paradoxically the sun may help prevent it!)

Some of the chemicals in sunscreen include:

1. Titanium dioxide -- absorbed into the skin --"a potential occupational carcinogen."

2. Octyl methoxycinnamate -- kills mouse cells in much lower concentrations than those found in sunscreen.

3. Benzophenone -- used in industrial processes to initiate chemical reactions -- a prolific producer of free-radicals.

4. 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC) --causes estrogen-like effects and developmental effects in animals.

5. Adimate-O -- is a nitrosamine, which are major players in stomach cancers.

6. Homosalate -- may cause aspirin (salicylate) poisoning.

7. Oxybenzone -- causes low sperm counts and liver toxicity in animals.

What no one tells you is that most of the chemicals in sunscreens are as likely if not more so to do harm to your system than the sun itself. And the shocking news is that melanoma (the deadly skin cancer) is on the rise in the countries that have been increasing their use of sunscreens.

Even more proof that sun, skin cancer, and the hype about it is wrong can be found if you look at states that have the highest amount of sunlight and the highest incidence of melanoma (or vice versa) and guess what? The states' rankings don't correlate with each other. For example, Delaware, which is #3 on the highest incidence list, gets around 100 days of sunshine per year, whereas the #46 to #50 states (low incidence of cancer) receive around 100 days per year as well. Clearly the pathophysiology of skin cancer is poorly understood.

But more importantly I want to tout the fact that the SUN IS GOOD FOR YOU... there are many studies showing that exposure to the sun:

1. Decreases the risk of melanoma (a paradox for many)

2. Decreases the risk of colon cancer

3. Decreases the risk of breast cancer

4. Decreases the risk of ovarian cancer

5. Decreases the risk of prostate cancer

6. Decreases the risk of lymphoma

7. Decreases the risk of multiple sclerosis

8. Decreases depression in the winter

9. Causes a regression of solar keratoses

Now having said all this... I can tell you that if you have more than 50 moles on your body OR the moles that you do have are unusual in shape, size or color then you are at much greater risk and getting sun on those moles can trigger their transformation to cancer. Similarly if you are lighter skinned, red, or blonde-haired... then you are at increased risk (albeit small and the risk decreased with regular exposure to the sun for short periods of time).

What do I do?

1. I try to get some sun on my body every day (my face is usually the most convenient during working hours).

2. I try to not use sunscreen unless I am going to be outside for a much longer time than normally, for example a 3-4 hour period. In those times, I will use an SPF4 or less to reduce my exposure to these toxic chemicals. (The number represents the amount of "supposed protection," the higher the number the more chemicals).

3. I also am very careful to NOT use sunscreen that has OMC (Octyl methoxycinnamate) -- I found a while ago that it causes a rash days after application and also seems to make me react to the sun with more redness than other sunscreens.

4. Prior to any winter trip to a sunnier climate, I will stimulate my melanin producing cells (the ones that darken to give us a tan) by getting sunlight on my body (see #7) several times before going on the trip -- even if this means a few tanning-booth sessions. (Tanning booths however don't have the full spectrum of the suns rays, which could be both good and bad.)

5. I am always careful to reduce the amount of sun I get during the peak burning times of 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., especially if I haven't been out much in the sun. I don't avoid this time but am just careful. For example, I usually put my convertible top up during this time.

6. I try and wear sunglasses and a cap to reduce the amount of direct light to my eyes (there is a link to cataracts and other eye diseases), although I do make sure my eyes get some of that healthy daytime light by occasionally not wearing glasses during daylight hours. The eyes are connected to a bunch of brain structures related to sleep, happiness, body rhythms, etc...

7. If it is the middle of winter and I'm feeling a little blue... in the middle of the day I try and find a nice warm brick wall, out of the wind, and just sit and get sunlight on my face and skin as much as possible...

It's such a simple thing that it doesn't seem very important. But... I look for simple, cheap, and safe things to improve the long-term quality of my life. Sunlight is one of those powerful healing sources. Don't feel guilty about the sun.

Here's to our health,
Dr. David Eifrig Jr.

There you have it! An article that makes so much sense.

Seeing thru lil' eye's

Seeing through the eye's of a 3 year old is an awesome thing! Emma has been so FULL of questions lately. Everything we talk about she wants to know "what does it look like", or "where does it live", "what color is it", "how do you do it" ect., depending on what our conversation topic is about. Something's I can't answer so I say "let's get on the computer and look it up!" So this evening, Jonathan was reading the girls an assortment of story books and among them was "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". At the end of the story it say's "Goldilocks awoke and seen the three Bears. She jumped out of bed, ran away and the Bears never saw her again".

Emma turned to her daddy and asked:

Emma: Where did Goldilocks run to?

Daddy: Well... I think she must have ran home

Emma: What does Goldilocks house look like?

Daddy: Well.. I don't know.

Emma: I know! Let's look on the computer!!

LOL - I was in the kicthen rolling cabbage rolls, for tomorrow's supper (YUMMY) listening to this whole conversation and just couldn't help but chuckle. *smile

Ridin' Cowgirls

Emma and Abbi love riding their horses. Emma has long named hers "Sara" and the brown one Abbi always rides she had named "Colby" - which just so happens to be her 2 best friends at school. *smile The other day Emma was telling me she "needs" cowgirl boots to go with her "horsey". I told her once I find some at a good price (was thinking more along the line of garage sales) I would get her a pair. This Saturday Jonathan, the girls and I ventured over to wal-mart. I stumbled across these cute boots for only 3.00. (clearance)Both girls were very excited about our find. In the pictures above, they are out in my "unfinished" sun room, (since last yr. - WILL be finished this year :p) horseback riding with their new boots. :) TOO sweet! :)

On a seperate note the girls and I finally planted our seeds! We are late this year! Usually the seedlings are already nice and big by now. We planted large marigolds, deep yellow and deep purple zinnia's, light purple impatients, peppers, tomato's, parsely, orgeano, rosemary, thyme, Echinacea and a host of other seeds - that I have no idea where we will plant! I just love growing them. :) I may end up giving some away of freecycle.org. The girls were so excited about planting. The best part for them was playing in the dirt, which ended up ALL over my kitchen floor. After filling the trays for me they started running around the kitchen and giggling like little girlies should and tracked dirt all over the floor. It was so much fun watching them I didn't even mind the mess, considering I stayed up until 11:30 the night before cleaning my kitchen and mopping the floor. Unfortunatly I couldn't find my camera while they were helping me so I couldn't take pictures. I finally found it this morning and was only able to take pictures of what looks like, for now, dirt! But, there are tiny little seeds, planted by tiny little hands that will sprout tiny green life in just a few days. :) We can't wait. We will now be checking for signs of life every day. Emma is already excitedly talking about planting the flowers in our flower garden and veggie garden. The vine in the upper left hand corner (the picture above) is a green bean vine that Emma had planted at school about 6 weeks ago. It started from a seed she planted and it is doing well. We are hoping to keep it alive so we can plant it out in the garden come Spring. I have many plans for the yard this year. BUT, we will see if I manage to get it all done. There are a few extra beds I would like to make, not to mention the small pond we started to dig last Summer and was unable to finish. Hopefully that will be our first project to complete once the ground thaws and the weather is nice and warm! As for now, it is cold and rainy. :-\

Hungry babies

Now that we are once again stuck inside due to "cold" weather, Abbi has once again turned her attention to her babies. The basket is supposed to be the "baby kib" and the washcloths are the "bankets". :) She said the babies were "cying" and that they are "hungy". *smile*

Pictures-

Just a few more pictures I wanted to share. Emma and Abbi riding thier bikes, and Emma giving Abbi a ride on the back of the Pedal Car. :)

Riding Princesses

The last 2 days have been absolutely gorgeous. The girls have been happy to be outside once again. Abigail has become quite the "lil' Pro" at riding her bike. Her and Emma like to race up and down the driveway thus sending Abbi to the ground a couple of times, from turning the corner too fast. When she would fall and start to cry I would say "it's o.k. Abbi - you are alright. Just get back on your bike and try again". So now, when she falls be it off her bike or anything, she say's in a loud voice to make sure everyone hears "I'm alright... I'm alright" as she get's back up. haha The next couple of days will be cool. Hopefully not too cool. Now each day Abbi asks me, "Mommy .. can I ride my bike"? How can I resist her sweet voice?

Emma is so looking forward to Summer. She can't wait to go swimming again. Yesterday she tried to tell me Summer was indeed here and it was hot enough for her to swim. :) It was warm, but not THAT warm! This morning on the way to school she said, "Mommy - I love school!" :) She never ceases to talk about her friend Sara. I am not sure how she will cope over the Summer when she won't see Sara anymore.

Abbi continue's to amaze me with the simplicity of "potty training" (if I can even call it that) her. For about a week now she has awoke from her nap with dry pull up and for the last 2 nights it's been the same. :) She hasn't had an accident in a week. This past weekend we went to the Country store to purchase more wheat and we were gone about 4 hours. Even though I offered to take her potty and she told me she needed to go, once I set her on the potty she refused to go as we were out and about. As soon as we made it home - she decided to go. It amazed me that she can hold it for so long. :)

Weekend Happenings

Abbi too, started running a fever this weekend. She picked up what Emma had. However, Abbi's wasn't as bad as Emma's was. The day Emma started running her fever, I started Abbi on the GOOT as well. Of course, she wouldn't of had it any other way. Everytime I took the GOOT out to rub on Emma's feet Abbi would say "How 'bout me mommmy?? how 'bout me??!?!" :) (She's so cute) Her fever ran from 100 to 100.5 - I just kept on rubbing the GOOT and after 24 hours her fever went away. Praise God for that!

As far as her pottying goes, I couldn't be more proud of Abbi. She has been doing s0 well. When she came down sick, and she started to lay around I thought I would have to put a diaper on her; no need. She didn't skip a beat. She still has a little accident here and there, (more laziness than anything) except for today - she was accident free! AND when she awoke from her nap, she had to spend an extra 20 minutes in her bed, as I was in the process of making soap and could not interupt the stirring. After getting her out of bed, I set her on the potty thinking surely she already went. Her diaper was dry and she went alot of "tee tee" which tells me she is a pro at holding it when she wants to! :) Like I said.. I couldn't be more proud of my baby girl! She too is so proud of herself. Saturday morning I observed her holding her puppy over her potty and saying "look puppy - I went potty!" When Aunt Brenda stopped by for a visit this evening, she was sure to tell her that she went potty as well!

So that was my weekend - taking care of my babies. They are both doing great - both fever free today! Praise the Lord for His goodness!

I also got to make another batch of soap on Saturday. It's a "energy blend" EO (sweet orange and ginger) with oatmeal for great exfoliating. I thought this would make a great Summer soap bar. Today, I made a batch of soap for my sister's twin babies. I can't wait until it cures and she can use it. :) I used a "sweet orange" EO for this batch. Smells good enough to eat!

Oh yes - another thing I have been up to. I have been "brewing" this Kombucha Tea. You can go to google and type in kombucha to learn about it's many health benefits. You can also go to the Kombuchaamerica.com website to read many testimonials on this beverage - and learn more about it. I have been drinking it for a short time and have noticed a huge increase in energy levels. I love it. Abigail loves it. Emma and Jonathan are still not too sure about it. I am confident that before long, I will have both of them drinking it down. :) It has a Apple Cider flavor with a natural fizz. It taste good and it's so easy to make! Before long I will have many "SCOBY'S" to share! Right now, I have a whole gallon brewing and I can't wait until it's done. My sister-in-law was over this evening, and after tasting the tea is one out of 3 that is waiting for a SCOBY. :)

How to stay married

The following was sent to me by my sis-in-law. I thought it was worth blogging! Enojy.

How to stay married:

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years.They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about. For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000. He asked her about the contents. 'When we were to be married,' she said, 'my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.' The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness. 'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?' Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.'

A Prayer.......

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man; Love to forgive him; And patience for his moods; Because Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat him to death. And I don't know how to crochet. Amen

UPDATE on Emma

Praise God Emma's fever broke about 3:30 this morning. All day yesterday her fever flucuated between 102.5 to 104.9 - staying mostly between 103.0 and 103.5. She layed alround all day, without eating and I had to force her to drink. She slept alot and barely talked. Needless to say, I don't know what I would have done without God. I found comfort in knowing that He was watching over her and everything WOULD be alright! She went to bed about 8:30 with a fever over 103. About 1:30 she woke up to go potty, and I went to check her temp. It was about 102.5 - she wanted to lay back down in her bed but I told her if she wanted to come to my bed, she was more than welcome to. I was hoping she would come as I felt much better with her sleeping next to me, so I could keep an eye on her. I gave her motrin, gave her kisses and hugs and reminded her she can come in our bed anytime. About 10 minutes later, here she comes. :) She was still burning with fever - about 2 hours later she started to break out in a sweat and she was acting as though she was having bad dreams, such as jumping up, crying out and grabbing on to me. She did that for quite some time all the time sweating. She finally settled down - and I could tell her fever was much lower. By 7:00 in the morning, her fever was completly gone Praise God! She still has a bad cough and her eyes look glassy, but I am trusting this will all go away as well, and SOON. She is sitting up and no longer feels the need to be laying around and sleeping. She even asked me for breakfast. :) Praise God for His healing touch!

Prayer for Emma

Please pray for my little Emma as she came down with a fever last night. I noticed she was acting funny when she awoke yesterday morning. She had a bad sounding cough but insisted that she felt fine. She acted fine, until about 5:00 yesterday evening. She started acting fussy, and laying around on the couch. When I gave her a bath she kept complaining she was cold. She didn't feel like she was running a fever, but she was acting like she wasn't feeling good. She asked to go to bed about 8:30 - this morning about 4:30 I awoke to noise in the bathroom then realized it was Emma going potty. Afterward, she came and stood next to my bed so I invited her underneath the covers. When I put my arms around her she was burning up! I went and got her some water, a thermometer and tylenol. Her temp. was 102.5. I gave her Tylenol, prayed for her and about 10 mins. later I could tell her temp. was going down. As of this morning she has been laying around with a fever of 100.5 - please keep her in prayer as she has a bad cough. It sounds as though her throat is raw. She asked for something to eat so I made her a shake with raw honey in it, hoping the honey will help coat her throat and make it less painful to swallow. I made some GOOT and will be applying it throughout the day as soon as it hardens a bit.