wipe solution

first, kendal is watching dora - and interacting with it. funny funny.

second, i've been using cloth diapers at home every other day and cloth wipes (at home) all the time so long as it isn't a poopy diaper for about a month now.  it has worked out great, we've saved a lot of money on diapers and wipes.

i finally came up with a wipe solution that worked for my children (and me).  i used several websites that had wipe solutions posted, but i think i modified several to come up with one i liked the most.  this one may be on there somewhere, but i can't remember.  (i.e. without claiming to invent the wheel, this is the wipe solution that i use - i don't know who came up with it (except that i did eventually).)


i pour it into a spray bottle so that i can spray-wet my cloth wipes.  i found it wasteful to pour the solution in the container with them.  spraying is enough, and it lasts longer/goes further that way.

1 - 16 ounce bottle of water
2 tsp dr. bronners baby soap
2 tsp grapeseed oil (you can find this on the shelf near the essential oils)
4-5 drops organic lavender oil
4-5 drops organic tea tree oil

i use one of the old huggies containers to hold my wipes when they are wet - i just spray one side, fold in half, and put in the container.  it holds enough for about one day.  when it is empty, i just leave the container open to air dry.  i haven't had any musty smells or anything.  i wash the wipes with the diapers (presoak and all) and hang them outside to dry also.

that much solution lasts 1 to 2 weeks.  it hasn't bothered either kendal or holly (rash,etc.) and recently when holly did have a rash (from eating too much cantaloupe) it didn't burn her either.  i've used it on myself (to make sure it was ok) and it was cooling.  i also only shower every other day and i use it on a washcloth to "sponge bathe" on the "other" day.  i love the way it smells and it makes me feel clean and refreshed.  i do not use it on my face, though, just because my skin is so sensitive.  i do use it on their face and it hasn't bothered them.

so, maybe someone else can try it too! cloth wipes are great!  (these are the wipes i have, i got 2 packs of them and they are enough for 2 days of diapers/wipes if we are home.)

produce priority?

i've been thinking about this a lot lately.  you know, one of those seemingly important things when i wake up at 3am and can't go back to sleep.  first, for the past couple of months i've gone to great lengths to convert our home into an organic one.  as in, i've bought probably 90% organic foods and earth friendly products (laundry detergents, house cleaners, dish soaps, etc.) and now that the spring and summer months are here - i can almost smell the farmers market. (eh, maybe i just smell the fresh dirt in dad's garden and the california strawberries in the grocery store - which, by the way, are the kind you can smell before you see and let me assure you they taste just as good as they smell!)

BUT, i've created a crisis in my own mind.  what is more important:  supporting local farmers or buying organic?  my dad is NOT an organic farmer.  he uses pesticides (and herbicides?) and non-"home grown" fertilizer.  he also shoots the animals that try to take his crops rather than building animal friendly deterrents.  (well, in all honesty his garden is too big for a fence and other deterrents haven't helped..., he has tried!  yeah, i'm not sure what the scarecrow is for except maybe crows.  i do not have issues with shooting animals.)  he get so many vegetables out of his garden and they are all free.  home grown and free.  nothing better, right? 

except organic - maybe.  i just know how many chemical he puts out on, lets just use green beans for an example.  if he doesn't, they get eaten to pieces with bugs.  and then they are basically useless for eating.  he has to use the pesticides.  and washing them - well i can wash the beans, but aren't those chemicals, at that point, a PART of the bean? 

well i'm open for advice here, except for the obvious point of "they are free" because i know that.  i'm just a little new at this organic vs. locally grown thing.  just ignore the fact the local is family.

(P.S. i'm not trying to "look a gift horse in the mouth" so to speak.  my gut tells me that "local" is more important than "organic" - even if i was shopping at the farmers market for something he didn't grow, i still think that i would prefer local-grown-in-nc-and-not-organic to organic-and-grown-in-oregon.  even if they were the same price.)

wild child

some days are bad ones.  today was one of those days.  lately i've been trying to figure out what triggers them.  i suppose it was after i read about the migraine triggers and doing the food elimination diet for myself though i haven't done it yet.  i need to do a food log.  how many times have i said that?  so the last time we had a bad day was the monday after mom and dad left for kentucky.  that weekend, kendal had several PB&J sandwiches since they hadn't been to the grocery store. he probably ate one a weekend prior to that, and had at least one bad day a week.  that past monday, though, i stood in the bathroom door as he screamed at the top of his lungs and started considering what he had eaten. in our house, he eats generally the same things over and over.  that is all he'll eat.  picky boy.  i do try to encourage him to try new things but in general, he rejects it (i accept the rejection when he gags when he eats it.  i feel like he's too young to use gagging as manipulation at this point).  so anyway, the only thing "new" or different he'd eaten that weekend was PB - and a lot of it.  so there he was, screaming.  angry, hysterical.  everything was wrong, nothing was right.  time outs didn't work, spanking didn't work, going back to bed didn't work, screaming back didn't work - hugging didn't work - i'd exhausted everything.  he was still screaming.  (oh, and ignoring didn't work either.  he'd been screaming for hours at this point.)  so i hypothesized at that moment that he had a food sensitivity - and that it was peanut butter.

all kids have bad days.  sometimes he has rough ones that are unexplainable.  but, not like that.  and, not like i experienced this afternoon.

fast forward to today.  we met nathaniel for lunch at north hills.  i ordered kendal and holly both a PB&J sandwich.  today i was testing my theory. after we left, we went to target and that is where his misbehavior began.  usually he is a great shopper.  he listens and stays with me.  we were getting holly a new pair of sandals (since the ones i got her before were too small) and in the shoe section, he #1 touched everything, #2 whined, #3 pushed the cart, and #4 did not listen.  out the door, he whined about "where is daddy" (again, that isn't out of the ordinary but since we just hugged him bye, i should have known this was the start of what was to come...)  getting in the car, he started screaming.  screaming to the point that i'm surprised the mall cops didn't come make sure i wasn't hurting him (which i wasn't, i wasn't even reacting to it because i knew what was happening).  he and holly both zonked out on the beltline (we were en route to whole foods).   at whole foods, he did ok - though in the restroom, he decided that standing in one spot was out of the question (which is not normal for him).  he didn't listen to me while we were in the store and kept pushing the cart around - away from me.  he'd also walk away from me OR not walk with me (just stand there as i walked away).  like he was in another world.  he was somewhat whiney - and again, he screamed when we got in the car.  of coarse, he zonked out again before we were on the beltline and slept the whole way home (including going through the pharmacy drive thorugh).   when we got home, he screamed for about an hour at which point i made him go back to bed.  (he and holly both, have to be fair...)  he laid there and calmed down, never shutting his eyes - and when he got up about 20 minutes later, he was much better.  of coarse, later in the evening, he decided that the couch was a place to stand and he fell off the arm onto the floor and knocked his head on a toy and the floor in front of the fireplace.  it looked like he broke his back and neck.  he had/has two horrible spots on his head, it looked so bad that nathaniel *almost* cried (who am i kidding - he did cry!)  yes, it bled too.  kendal was off his rocker this afternoon and i feel like i can most certainly blame it on a reaction with our handy dandy friend mr. peanut.  i need to take a picture of it.  it is by far his worst "scar."

so, from this point forward, no more peanut for kendal.
and, from this point forward, i'm keeping a food log. 
and, from this point forward, i'm gonna figure what else triggers him "wild child"...

few pictures from today

trying to figure out my focus - and also the tricks to lighting.  today was a sunny day so that made it tough.  bring sun = dark shadows.

thank goodness for adobe!  :)

just look at the light in those eyes.

the interview

i had an interview today.  not just any interview, this was one for a job i actually want.  you know, unemployment requires you to apply for 2 jobs per week - that means that sometimes i have to apply for some i'd never want.  sometimes i even have to interview for them, knowing full well that if i was offered the job, i'd have to accept.  to receive unemployment, you can't turn down work.  and this by no means that i haven't been serious at any of my prior interviews - because let's face it.  you just never know when you'll see folks again.  i remember when i was looking for a job back in the early 2000s, i think i interviewed with everyone in the washington regional office.  when willie finally hired me, our admin assistant was introducing me to the entire regional office and i was stunned at how many people i'd already met.  they'd say "haven't we met before?" and i'd just smile and say "yes, you interviewed me a while back."  i understand that i wasn't the right person for the job.  but in the case in which i was hired by willie, i was the right person for it.  and thankfully, he saw that.  i don't really interview well because i haven't an ego and even if i did, i wouldn't know how to "stroke it" as they say.  i'm just humble, i guess, and i think that my success in prior jobs is just as much the people with whom i worked as my own responsibility.  sort of that "i was a part of a family" feeling.  even with ed it was like that.  so in an interview, i suppose i always make that clear. most of my interviews since last july have been rather empty - only during one did i feel like they were listening to me and were interested in my answers.  this interview today, well i felt like they were listening.  that is always a good feeling.  it is never good to leave an interview knowing that someone else already had the job.  it is also sad that an interviewer does such a poor job at interviewing that they let you know that like when they tell you "keep looking, we post jobs all the time" as you are walking out the door. that is never a good sign.  these two men, however, they did not give me that feeling.  maybe it was because they were good  interviewers, maybe it was just because they hadn't yet selected their next employee thus giving me a chance.  regardless, i felt as though i gave this one 110% (well, without the ego boosting since i'm not good at that).  i was just as honest as i could be about assessing my capability for the job.  this position would be in the same field but from a different perspective as ones i've had before.  i'd definitely have to learn a lot but i feel like i'm ready for that.  i'm really happy about my interview, whether or not i get the job, because i know i gave it my all.  and well, if i didn't get it, it was because there was someone better suited for it.  and in this case, i just know that i did all i could.  all i can do now is hold my babies tight as i can and leave it up to God. unemployment is running out soon.  conveniently, this is a great job and in my opinion - perfect for me.  now, did i convince them of that?

fake colors

i'm sure you are wondering what a fake color is.  all colors are real, right?  not to me.  what i'm talking about is the colors you eat that aren't made from natural things (i.e. red = beet juice, purple = blue berries, etc.).  food dyes.  i read recently about how one of the yellows can be migraine trigger and so today i was browsing and came across THIS blog that went into detail about each of the colors, what they are made from, and possible side effects.

i haven't done it yet, but i'm going to go through my pantry (uh, after saturday) and see what dyes are hidden among the food we regularaly eat.  i've suspected kendal has a peanut intolerance as of lately (finally put PB sandwiches together with behavior issues) but maybe it is something else.  anyway, i still think my only answer is a food log which i have yet to start.

so, what is hidden in YOUR food?  MSG?  DYES?  come on, tell me!  (melissa, good thing you avoid the green m&ms!  just now you need to check everything else - even marshmallows which have one of the blues in it!)

here is the text from the blog linked above, i urge you to go to her blog, though, she had some interesting comments!

Seven Major Food Color Additives

Today, because of chemical advances, not only are more vibrant and often superfluous colors available, but the usage of these chemicals is far more widespread. Often on a list of ingredients, one can find "for color" rather easily. However, until the Food and Drug Act of 1906, regulation for coloring was not in place for the United States of America. The current regulations allow for seven main dyeing agents.

Blue No. 1

First among the accepted list is Blue No. 1, or Brilliant Blue FCF, which creates -- as you might have guessed -- a medium blue shade. This coloring was actually banned in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, but has since been let back into most of the countries under the European Union. Blue No. 1 can be found in some dairy products, sweets, and drinks. Blue No. 1 uses coal tar as one of its components. Because of the use of coal tar, many organizations and circles are speaking out and boycotting products using colors with coal tar because it is a carcinogenic in large quantities, known to cause tumors in lab rats.

It is also feared because only 50% of coal tar's components have been identified. One thing that Blue No. 1 does not cause is hyperactivity, which was disproved after testing. Only 95% of the coloring is absorbed by the body's gastro-intestinal lining.

Blue No. 2

Second is Blue No. 2, which is commonly added to tablets and capsules, but is also used in ice cream, sweets, baked goods, confectionery, and cookies. Also known as Indigotine, the color was extracted originally from several species of plant as well as one of the two famous Phoenician sea snails or from woad, but nearly all indigo dye produced today for food or textile is synthetic. It is possible to have an allergic to Blue No. 2.

Green No. 3

Green No. 3, or Fast Green FCF, can be used for tinned green peas and other vegetables, jellies, sauces, fish, desserts, and dry bakery mixes at level of up to 100 mg/kg. Fast Green FCF produces a sea green. Green No. 3 is poorly absorbed by the intestines.

Red No. 40

Red No. 40 was introduced as a replacement for Red No. 2 because Red No. 2, or Amaranth, was a suspected carcinogenic. It has the appearance of a dark red powder. Red No. 40 can be found in sweets, drinks and condiments, medications, and cosmetics. Despite the popular misconception, Allura Red AC is not derived from the cochineal insect. Red AC is derived from coal tar. Carmine (or Crimson Lake, Natural Red 4), however, is the coloring extracted from dried cochineal beetles. It is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Austria. It was once feared as a carcinogenic, but this has since been disproved. It has, however, caused allergic reactions in people as well as hyperactivity in children.

Red No. 3

Also known as Erythrosine, Red No. 3 is a cherry-pink coal tar-based food dye. It is also used in printing inks, as a biological stain, a dental plaque disclosing agent and a radiopaque medium. It is used in cherries, canned fruit, custard mix, sweets, baked goods, and snack foods. It can cause sensitivity to light and learning difficulties, can increase thyroid hormone levels and lead to hyperthyroidism, and was shown to cause thyroid cancer in rats in a study in 1990.

Yellow No. 5

Yellow No. 5, or Tartrazine, is used for yellow coloring, but can also be used with Brilliant Blue FCF or Green S to produce various green shades. Use of tartrazine is banned in Norway and was banned in Austria and Germany, before European Parliament lifted the ban. Yellow No. 5 can be found in soft drinks, instant puddings, flavored chips (Doritos, etc), cake mixes, custard powder, soups, sauces, kool-aid, ice cream, ice lollies, candy, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, marmalade, mustard, horseradish, yogurt, noodles, pickles and other pickled products, certain brands of fruit squash, fruit cordial, chips, tim tams, and many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products.

Most famously is the now-termed urban legend that ingesting Yellow No. 5, or, more specifically, Mountain Dew, would lower a man's sperm count and shrink his testicles, possibly rendering him sterile. Tartrazine, however, does produce the most common allergic react, especially among those with an aspirin intolerance and ashtma. Some research has linked Yellow No. 5 to early childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and hyperactivity. It is banned in Austria and Norway.

Yellow No. 6

Also known as Sunset Yellow FCF, this dye is an orange coal tar-based food dye found in orange squash, orange jelly, marzipan, Swiss roll, apricot jam, citrus marmalade, lemon curd, fortune cookies, sweets, hot chocolate mix and packet soups, trifle mix, breadcrumbs and cheese sauce mix and soft drinks. It is the color most prominently seen in DayQuil. It is capable of causing allergic reactions such as abdominal pain, hyperactivity, hives, nasal congestion, and bronchoconstriction, as well as kidney tumours, chromosomal damage, and distaste for food.

What's a Blue Lake 1?

The difference between dyes and lakes are in their solubility. Dyes will dissolve in water, but not oil while lakes are the opposite. Lakes are ideal for coloring products containing fats and oils or items lacking sufficient moisture to dissolve dyes. Typical uses include coated tablets, cake and donut mixes, hard candies and chewing gums, lipsticks, soaps, and shampoos.

guilty as charged...

saw this on melissa's blog, at which time i went to the original blog and saw it.

10 things i am guilty of doing.

1.  i am guilty of asking someone to do something for me and immediately doing it myself because I want it done at that moment.(this came right from cinderella's blog!)
2.  i am guilty of redoing something that someone has done for me when they aren't looking (or even if they are) because they didn't do it to my standards or liking.
3.  i am guilty of holding grudges when people do not acknowledge (which implies do not apologize for) the horrible things they have done to me or my family.  i pray about this a lot, both for their forgiveness in heaven and my ability to forgive here on earth.
4.  i am guilty of pretending for the sake of my family.
5.  i am guilty of wanting to go to church but forgetting it is sunday. every sunday.
6.  i am guilty of not being able to stop with one piece of candy. 
7.  i am guilty of not having structured exercise.
8.  i am guilty of using my dresser's horizontal surface as a collection area for "things that need to go somewhere" mainly because any last-minute visitors wouldn't see it, even if they came upstairs.
9.  i am guilty of using the internet too much. too much as in too many hours a day.
10. i am guilty of REALLY liking mantracker.