The Hippie Mommy With Kaleidoscope Eyes

Wordless Wednesday!

2010-07-28T10:39:00.000-04:00

Sibling Photography

2010-07-25T19:45:00.000-04:00

That is an accurate portrayal of my attempts of getting pictures of both kids -- at the same time.
Usually they are both running in opposite directions or one is crying because the other one is sitting on the chair (stool, bench, etc)

Not the best, but still cute.

It would have been better if Brye's eyes would have been opened more.

I feel that pictures like these better capture their personalities.

Last Christmas, I tried to take some family pictures.
A photo is worth a thousand words, right?

To see more family photos (or see more of my work), visit my photography website, mck photography.

Shrinking Days of Summer: Finale!

2010-07-22T22:22:00.000-04:00

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 168.0 lbs
This week: 167.3 lbs
Change: down .7 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 11.5 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 96.7

The challenge is over, and I reached my goal of losing 10 lbs in the last 8 weeks.
It doesn't feel like it.
I *might* have lost an inch from my hips, but nothing nowhere else. That means I really need to get my butt in gear and start working out.
I have been playing my dancing game and eating 95% of the way clean.

I am thinking of going back to the gym and seeing if I can convince anyone to do a 5k with me. There are two coming up this fall, but guess who is too much of a chicken to do it herself. One of them is 4 days after my 27th birthday. I really want to do that one, for me.

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week #7

2010-07-17T13:19:00.000-04:00

Better late than never right?
I was sick most of the past week.

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 170.2 lbs
This week: 168.0 lbs
Change: down 2.2 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 10.8 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 96

Being sick, I didn't exercise.
I bought "Just Dance" for the Wii last night. I love it! I danced through all the songs, even though I bombed some of the songs. It was fun, and even though I wasn't getting the points for it, I was still moving. I even played it again this morning and got Freedom to dance with me. Brye spent the night with my inlaws, I know he will have a ball!

Speaking of Brye, he gave me some good advice yesterday.
He wanted me to "extersize". I asked him why I needed to exercise and he said "because your body needs it". I asked him what he meant, expecting a "cause you're fat" explanation. He told me that "your body needs exercise to be healthy and grow" and "everyone needs it, even me and Freedom". I used this opportunity to tell him other things that makes people healthy. Things like eating the right foods, running and playing, making sure you're always take a bath and that you clean your room. Yes, being a mom I had to throw in the hints that he needed to clean his room.

One more week, and I hope that I stay in the 160's this time.

GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce Review

2010-07-13T19:54:00.003-04:00

My family recently had the opportunity to review GoGo SqueeZ.
GoGo SqueeZ is an all natural, no spoon, no mess squeezable on the go apple sauce. Being a busy family, this sounded like it was right up our alley!

They are 100% fruit, have no added sugar and one pouch is one serving of fruit. They also have a built in straw with a resealable cap.

I have to say that they were a huge hit!
My husband instantly claimed the AppleBanana flavor. He had the whole box gone that evening. Brye (my insanely picker eater) even tried it since it looked cool. Freedom ... let me just say that I am thankful for the mess free design.

We even shared a couple with Brye's friends, the children that my Mother-in-Law babysits. They loved them too! I've always thought these kids had odd eating habits. One of them doesn't eat mashed potatoes. I've never before met a person who didn't eat them.

Before learning about them online at The Product Review Place, I had never heard of GoGo SqueeZ. Its's probably due to the fact that I live in a small rural town. After looking on their website, I found that they carry them about 40 minutes away from me. One of the places happens to be Whole Foods. We try to make it down there about once every two months. I'm still surprised that I've not seen them. You can also buy them online from amazon.com and mybrands.com.

Disclosure:
I was given the opportunity to review this product because of my membership at The Product Review Place. GoGo SqueeZ provided me with the product, for free, to review. I didn't receive any money or other type of compensation for this review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Home Made Recycled Crayons

2010-07-12T16:51:00.000-04:00

Last Christmas we bought Brye one of those Crayola boxes that holds many boxes of crayons.
Freedom decided that it was hers.
What happens when a two year old plays with crayons?
You get an original piece of artwork on your walls and doors ... and a bunch of broken crayons.

Freedom thought that since they were broken, they needed to be thrown away.
During one of her naps, I decided to melt the crayons down into new crayons.

With the oven preheated to 350, I started to peel the crayons.
I broke some of the crayons and grated the rest.
The last time I bought cupcake liners, I bought the kind that had the foil outsides. I kept them for some type of art project. They came in handy!

I left them in the oven just long enough to melt the crayons.

A few things that I learned.

Don't use "cheap" crayons. They don't seem to mark as well as the Crayola brand crayons.
Don't grate the crayons. I wanted chunky colours. The grated crayons mixed. While pretty, not the effect I wanted.
The foil liners that I used made little ridges that had to be knocked off before I could use them.
That it's really hard to draw with circular crayons.

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week #6

2010-07-07T21:53:00.001-04:00

I've not had much motivation lately.
I did happen to get a glimpse into the 160's over the last weekend.

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 173.8 lbs
This week: 170.2 lbs
Change: down 3.6 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 8.6 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 93.8

I decided to exercise or workout each day this month.
It was cool over the weekend so I started C25K. Well it's back to being almost 100 degrees so I've put that back on hold.

July:
1: Yoga Melt down (about 1/2 of it)
2: Belly Dancing Video
3: W1D1 C25K
4: Walking for 3 hours with Freedom on my back
5: Lots of walking and shopping with Freedom on my back.
6: 30 Day Shred (One Circuit, Level 1)
7: Yoga Melt down (about 1/2 of it) and walking downtown with Freedom on my back.

It's hard to do the yoga with a two year old.
Imagine the Downward Dog pose. Now envision it being a human jungle gym.
In the Warrior poses, Freedom would get in between my legs, push me up and say "I help you Mommy"! Cute... but not that helpful.

I know that some of my gain comes from the hot dogs for Independence Day, finishing off the Ketchup Chips my Mom brought me from Canada and the darn Chinese Buffet.

My goal was to lose 10 lbs during this challenge.
I'm only 1.4 lbs from that goal.

Clean eating?
Doing a bit better. I've added more fruits and veggies into my diet.
Other than the foods mentioned above, I'm still working on

OhYeah! Protein Shakes
Supreme Protein Bars
Organic Stone-ground Wheat and Flax Crackers
Sara Lee 80 Calorie Wheat Buns
Diet Pop. I have cut back, I really have!

I think until I reach my goal I'm going to keep up the protein.
When I get there, I will re-evaluate my diet ... heck after all this protein I might just go vegetarian.
A big problem is that I am a picky eater. I like things simple and plain. So no fancy recipes for me.

I have

Started taking an "active vitapak" from GNC daily. I had slacked there for a while.
Taking my Triple Strength Fish Oil Daily.
Taking Digestive Enzymes after my bigger meals.
Resumed drinking my "craploads" of water daily.
Started reading fitness magazines.

I've been struggling a bit with trying to determine exactly what a healthy weight for me is.
I know I want to be in the healthy/normal BMI range, and I am already in a healthy/average Body Fat range.
Do I get myself to the normal BMI range then shift my goals towards fitness?
Do I go ahead and focus on fitness and toning and take the weight loss as it comes?

If you read all of this, thanks.
If you have any tips or suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Where is my Milk From?

2010-07-02T11:10:00.000-04:00

A cow. Duh!

No, seriously.
There is a neat website that I stumbled across. Someone had posted it on Facebook. It's called "Where is my milk from?" On the left hand side, disguised as a carton of milk, you enter the code from your milk. It will then show you on a map where your milk is from.

According to the codes on my carton; my 1/2 gallon of Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk is from Elma New York. Depending on which way you go, that could be a 9.5 to an 11 hour drive! It's around 600 miles away from me.

That's a long way to get milk!

So now I ask you... Where is your milk from?

Head on over to whereismymilkfrom.com to find out and comment with your results.

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week 5

2010-06-30T21:09:00.000-04:00

Yep. I missed last week due to being on vacation.
I was scared to death to weigh when I got back. I had actually contemplated taking my scale with me.

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 172.4 lbs
This week: 173.8 lbs
Change: up 1.4 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 5 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 90.2

So I gained almost 2 pounds. While it kind of bums me out, it makes me happy at the same time. Sounds confusing? From the day my family arrived to the day they left I didn't follow my eating plan. I had fruit loops for breakfast, McFlurries, Frosties, french fries, alcohol, Pâté chinois ... it goes on. Being able to eat what I wanted for that long and only gaining 2 pounds made me realize that once I reach my goal weight, it will be easier to maintain it. On the down side, back to my eating plan. I want all the junk again!

I have decided that July is going to be a big change for me.
I've decided to start running again and to finally start eating clean. I will be following the Couch to 5K program again. Since I usually do that Monday, Wednesday and Friday; I plan on doing some type of strength training on Tuesday and Thursdays. I have 3 pound hand weights and resistance bands. I am sure I can find some links or videos on YouTube to figure out exactly what to do.

Winner!

2010-06-30T20:18:00.000-04:00

We have a winner for the Shushybye Giveaway!

Congratulations to Jessica, who wrote the 6th comment.
Thanks to all those who entered!

Les Poutines

2010-06-28T13:45:00.000-04:00

When I think of Quebec Cuisine, one thing jumps out at me more than anything else: Poutines!
What are they?
They're french fries, with brown gravy and cheese curds (which is hard to get here.) Most people have never heard of cheese curds. I remember buying them in the cheese section of our local grocery store. My mother said that you can buy little snack packs of cheese curds at convenience stores. I personally don't like them. Then again, I don't eat much cheese.

After the cheese curds, the other memory of eating in Quebec is the fries. They are hand cut and deep fried. Even in most smaller sit down restaurants they are done this way. They used to have "home style" fries at East Coast Wings. That was my main reason for eating there.

Back Again!

2010-06-27T16:38:00.000-04:00

I just had a great visit with my mother from Canada. Can you believe it's been over 5 years since I've last seen her? The last time I saw her, Brye was a few weeks old and I spent the afternoon with her. My parents had an ugly divorce. We had a chance to sit and talk and air things out. To make things even better, my mother and father spent a few days together with us and there was no arguing or anything. I think that's the first time in my life I remember both parents in the same room and no dirty glances.
I really hope that my family is on the road to better times and that we can all put the past behind us for the sake of the next generation.

Stay tuned for pictures from our vacation at Myrtle Beach and some great French Canadian meals.

Left: 20 some years ago.. They look sooo happy.

Right: June 19th 2010

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week 3

2010-06-16T19:31:00.000-04:00

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 173.2 lbs
This week: 172.4 lbs
Change: Down .8 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 6.4 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 91.6

Less than spectacular.
With my Mom and Sister coming in from Canada this Saturday, I've been stressing big time. I've been trying to get the house completely in order, only to have it destroyed in 5 minutes. There's been a lot of comfort eating. As usual, my weight went up close to 180 over the weekend. I guess when you factor that in, my weight loss was pretty good.

I've decided to start eating clean.
Most of my diet is already "clean" but I have a weakness for diet soda and my protein bars. I can't seem to find much out about it online without the website trying to sell me a book. My understanding is that if it's something you can grow or hunt, then it's okay to eat. That leaves me with fruit, veggies and proteins. I like everything plain and simple so it should be easy to make the final switch. I also only eat raw veggies. They joys of being a picky eater.

I'm trying to figure out how to reduce my body fat.
By my calculations, my current body fat is 26.28%. At the beginning of May it was 29.96%. Once I figure in my weight loss for the time frame, almost all it came from "fat". This is, of course, according to the results from the calculator. I can feel my boney hips, ribs and see them in a few other areas. So when I look down and see this big 'ol belly it makes me scratch my head. Not sure how much elasticity is left to my belly skin. I was overweight for a few years before I got pregnant with Brye. With both pregnancies I was H-U-G-E. I know there's still fat in there with all that skin. I think I'm going to try and focus reducing body fat.

I guess as I get closer to my goal that everything is going to start slowing down.
That stinks.

Freedom's (failed) Rainbow Care Bear Cake

2010-06-13T22:54:00.001-04:00

I'm just now getting around to transferring the pictures from Freedom's birthday to the computer.
I made Freedom a "Rainbow Care Bear Cousin Cake". It's very, very far from what I had first planned on. I was wanting to make a cake in the shape of the monkey. I realized to do that, it would be almost as big as my kitchen table. I guess I could have made it smaller, but I'm not that skilled.

Might just be my lack of awesome cake skills, but it looked more like a tie dye cake. I can handle that though. I cheated. I used a box mix. It was the Funfetti type, the only cake mix permitted in this house! Brye, the pickiest boy alive, will only eat plain Funfetti cupcakes. I tried a cake once, un-iced, but it was NOT a cup cake. Shame on me for thinking it was the same.

I made the cake according to the directions on the box.
I took the batter, and split it into several bowls. I used three for one layer and four for the second one. To have made the cake more of a rainbow, I should have made more colours and used the same number.

Plop the batter in.
Plop the other colours on top, right in the middle.
Don't worry, it will spread out!

Now here is where I think I messed up.
The cake pan was very big, like 13-15". I had a hard time flipping it out of the pan. It broke a bit and I thought I could cover in the "holes" with icing.

This is the only picture I have of the finished uncut cake.
I took it with my cellphone right after I was finished, that's why you can see my lovely mess.

I had planned on making the monkey outline with chocolate and then filling it in with the coloured sugar stuff.
The chocolate broke. The store only had red sugar stuff. I cut out a copy of the monkey and tried to trace it with a tooth pick. Icing is sticky. I learned the hard way. I barely had a line to follow. It was late and I didn't want to head back out to the store in hopes of finding a small tube of yellow or black icing to trace it in. I thought I would be smart and use the only yellow icing that I could find after work... the cupcake stuff in a can. HA! It was horrible. Mostly due to the fact that I had to freehand most of the monkey with a chunky can. I didn't have black icing, so I thought I would outline it with the only colour that was dark... blue. Feel free to laugh.

So there it is, the awesomeness that could have been.

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week 2

2010-06-09T18:23:00.001-04:00

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8 lbs
Last week: 176.2 lbs
This week: 173.2 lbs
Change: Down 3 lbs
Loss For Challenge: Down 5.6 lbs
Total Pounds Gone: 90.2

Woot!
I can officially say that I've lost 90 pounds!
Before last weekend, I was down to 173 lbs. I expected to be able to update today being at least I gained a few extra thanks to Chinese food, ice cream, Doritos and some Smirnoff. It was good. The crappy feeling afterwords kind of sucked though.

There was a water challenge last week. I rocked it!
A few weeks ago, I won a water bottle from the "1 Lb at a Time" challenge. I also had another 32 oz BPA Free water bottle. I drink at least 100 oz of water a day. I aim for 3 bottles of water from either of these bottles. Today, I drank 64 oz of water during my 3.5 hour shift.

The mini-challenge for this week is to get in 13.1 miles since some of the girls completed a 1/2 marathon. Congrats on the by the way! As far as me getting in that much. heheh. I wore my pedometer today at work. It's telling me that I walked 7 miles. NO WAY! I can see maybe one.

If you caught my confessions post, I mentioned that I talked the kids into watching cartoons so I could use that as an excuse not to do any work out DVDs. Bad Mom, I know. Today when Brye got home from school I scrounged up enough batteries for the Wii Balance Board. While not as strenuous as The 30 Day Shred, the kids played along too. It was cute to see Brye and Freedom laying beside me as I was attempting Jack Knifes. I let Brye pick out some of the activities. I got 43 minutes, and according to Wii Fit Plus, I burned 156 calories. Brye's been playing it for the last 30 minutes. He loves to run and golf. Yoga is "oh so hard". It is hard, when you have a two year old who wants to jump on the board and hug your legs.

True Confessions

2010-06-08T21:52:00.000-04:00

I looked at the work out DVDs. Sat them on the shelf. Asked the kids if they wanted to watch cartoons so I would have an excuse not to do them.
Felt guilty so I push mowed our yard.
I had some alcohol over the weekend... and 3/4 of a HUGE bag of Doritoes
They were AWESOME!!
I continued to lose weight, but magically gained 3 lbs this morning.
Oh there was a Chinese Buffet this weekend.
I shared an ice cream cone with Freedom
... and had a SMALL McDonald's milkshake. I could have got a medium one.
I was so upset with my belly yesterday that I Googled Tummy Tucks to find out the cost.
The recovery pictures were gnarly and scared the crap out of me.
I feel bad for Brye. Tomorrow is his last day of school. He's already said he missed his friends.

Shushybye Book and CD : Review and Giveaway

2010-06-08T15:09:00.003-04:00

Bedtime.
Not such a fun time in our house. I assume it has a lot to do with Freedom being two. Brye on the other hand will stall as much as possible. He's five and a half.

I was given the opportunity to review Shushybye Close Your Eyes. I had not previously heard of Shushybye.

SHUSHYBYE is an interactive television show, book and music ritual for parents as they prepare their preschoolers for sleep. The books offer colorful characters and charming stories, while the accompanying catchy and spirited original SHUSHYBYE rock and pop songs help inspire children to look forward to sleep-time.

To summarize the story:
Leo and Leona are two kids who stay up past their bedtimes. Since they aren't going to sleep, they miss getting their Special Shushybye Dream Boxes. Snoozles is the Shushy who makes their dreams. He was worried because they never opened their dream boxes. He ends up visiting the kids and brings them, and their parents, back to Shushybye to visit the King and see where dreams are made. After their visit, Leo and Leona are excited to go to sleep and finally get their very own Dream Boxes.

I thought the book was creative, cute and loved the illustrations. The book seemed a bit long for Freedom. I think it's mostly due to her age. She loved turning the pages. After a few nights, I ended up summarizing the paragraphs. Brye, on the other hand loved the story. When I asked him what he thought about The Shushys making his dreams, he thought it was really cool. That night he told me that he needed to go to sleep so he could get his "super cool box of dreams". The following nights, while I was reading the book to him, Freedom took more of an interest in it. The book also came with a read along CD. I popped it into our Xbox while I read the story. Freedom was mesmerized by the voices. Brye told me it was "so cool to hear the picture's voices".

We also recieved the Shushybye & Goodnight Deluxe Edition CD to review. We're not that big on kids music at our house. So, when I put in the CD I didn't really know what to expect. I was surprised. It was catchy and (most importantly) decent.

The music is a wide range of styles - from classic rock to progressive rock/country to pop, and even jazz. The SHUSHYBYE music is the antidote to today's crop of synthesizer-drum machine-based songs that parents have to 'endure.' The music is written for parents (and children) - the lyrics are written for children (and parents).

Giveaway!
One lucky reader will win both the Shushybye: Close Your Eyes book and the Shushybye & Goodnight Deluxe Edition CD

How to enter:
Mandatory Entry

Visit The Shushybye website and tell me something neat and intersting that you find there.

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Please leave a separate comment for each entry. For the bonus entries, please leave the appropriate number of comments. The extra entries are each worth one entry unless otherwise noted.
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Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian Residents.
~~Giveaway ends June 29th at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen using Random.org notified via email and will have 72 hours to respond. If there in no response, a new winner will be chosen.~~
Winner has been chosen and has responded. Congrats to Jessica!

Disclosure:
I was given the opportunity to review this product because of my membership at The Product Review Place. Shushybye provided me with the book and CDs, for free, to review. Shushybye is responsible for prize distribution. I didn't receive any money or other type of compensation for this review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

These Are The Months of The Year!

2010-06-07T20:53:00.000-04:00

Two Years Ago ...

2010-06-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, this July 11th Brye and I witnessed something that I hope no one ever has to.

We were on our way to a playdate and I needed to get a check cashed.(Yay for small town banks that don't offer debit cards)

We walked into the bank ... as it was being robbed!

I think we surprised the "bad guys". We entered the side door less than five minutes after they opened and I remember thinking it was weird that the phones were ringing like crazy. I have the tendency to walk with my head down, so I didn't notice much until I heard a guy yelling at me. I looked up to see a guy running out of the vault with an assault riffle. I was shocked. I honestly thought with it being so early in the day that they were doing a mock robbery, like a fire drill type of thing. We were told to get on the floor as they grabbed what I was holding in my hands. Thankfully I had only walked in with the check I was going to cash and a loaner cell phone. They threw down my check but stole my phone.

At the time, Brye was only 3 and didn't really know what was going on. The only thing he really said was "Take Mommy Phone." He wasn't really talking at that point. Lately though he's been asking me if I remember it. Yes, almost two years later he has started asking "Do you remember the time we went at the bank and the bad guys took your phone. But then the cops came and you were crying?" It might make me a bad person, but in a way I had wished that he was too young to understand (and remember) what was going on.

I am still kind of bothered by it.
With my job now, I have to take the deposit once or twice a week. I still panic when I enter banks. It took me close to a year before I would enter any bank without my husband. When I go in now, I keep my phone and keys in my pocket. I never chance bringing in anything like a purse. I always check the parking lot lobby. I am aware of my surroundings.

We stopped banking at that bank shorty after.
Even with the police report, I still had to pay another $50 insurance fee to get my phone back. The loaner was obviously stolen. I paid $50 less than week before that to even get the stupid loaner phone. I got one "We're so sorry" phone call from some bank person. Thinking back, I should have told them they should pay for therapy or something.

The funniest part?
At 9:15-ish A.M. in JULY, two guys got away ON FOOT through our city with ASSAULT RIFFLES wearing COVERALLS and SKI MASKS ... in July ... in North Carolina!

Shrinking Days of Summer: Week 1

2010-06-02T22:23:00.000-04:00

I didn't post before the challenge started last week.
It's an eight week challenge, in which I hope to lose 10 lbs.

Challenge Starting Weight: 178.8
Last week: 178.8
This week: 176.2
Change: Down 2.6
Loss For Challenge: Down 2.6
Total Pounds Gone: 87.8

I am surprised that I lost any. I've just said goodbye to my pesky monthly friend. I usually gain like crazy the week before and during. Last Thursday was Freedom's birthday. Over the weekend I finished off her cake and made my way into the extra chocolate chips. I've also been stressing myself over the pictures I took for Brye's Preschool class.
To be down 2.6 pounds is amazing.

I had planned at the end of every month to do take a progress picture and measurements. I think I'm going to skip the photos for the end of May and do it every two months now. There's not really been much improvement to me. I've not lost much inch wise either. About .5-.75 inches on my waist and hips each. Starting to worry that it's the lean muscle mass that I'm losing.

So, with the challenge we're supposed to be drinking at least 64 oz of water a day. This one is so easy for me. I love my water!

Exercise?
Not really ... yet. (again)
Seems to be the recurring theme with me. I gave up on P90X for now. I did a few days of "The 30 Day Shred" but it's just so boring. That, and Freedom thinks that when I get on the floor she's supposed to climb on me. It's been so effin hot that we've not walked at all. So much for the jogging stroller I just had to have.
Excuses... Excuses...

Here's to hoping that next week I can claim that I've lost 90 pounds!

For more personal motivation, I put those two picture together. The first one is from February of 2009 weighing 264 lbs. The second is from Mother's Day, obviously May, 2010 weighing in at 181.8 lbs. A difference of 82.2 lbs. I really need to dig out that original outfit.

Preschool Graduate!

2010-06-01T22:16:00.001-04:00

Congratulations Brye!

He graduated from preschool tonight.
I wasn't one of those parents who cried when he started school, but now at the end of the year I'm a bit saddened. He will be going to a different school and will probably never see these kids again. He's made huge improvements since he started last fall. He had a really bad stuttering problem, and barely spoke. The pediatrician couldn't understand when he spoke to her. He was shy and didn't know how to interact with other children.
Now, he talks on par with kids his age. He's made many friends, and even has a few girlfriends.

The first day of Kindergarten ... that may be a different story.

Disposable Hand Towels? Seriously?

2010-05-30T17:49:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while I watch a little bit of HGTV. I try not to watch it that much because I always catch something like House Hunters International or Property Virgins. It reminds me of how non-financially blessed we are. People dropping more money on a ONE room renovation than our house is worth ... it depresses me.

I hate watching people tearing up vintage bathrooms and kitchens... Taking a sledge hammer to beautiful tiles and sinks. I remember one show where they stopped someone from demolishing a sink since the designer thought she could sell it because it was vintage. I was so happy with that!

What bothered me this time is that they are advertising their "Green Home Giveaway". I don't have anything against someone winning a green home, but you might not want to run a commercial for disposable hand towels immediately after you tout the greatness and importance of being green.

From the Kleenex Website:

People in the U.S. dry their hands on cloth bathroom towels approximately 200 billion times a year. The CDC guidelines for hand washing recommends hand drying with a single-use towel. Families have not had a practical alternative to traditional cloth hand towels in their home bathrooms… until now.

And now from their FAQ page:

Does Kimberly-Clark have sustainability standards?
Kimberly-Clark has long recognized the importance of corporate responsibility and integrated the concept of sustainability in our business practices. We published our first annual sustainability report in 2004, and the reports can be reviewed at www.kimberly-clark.com. From raw materials, our manufacturing processes, even our supply chain, we're building sustainability into every facet of how we work. This includes selecting suppliers that operate in a sustainable manner. To that end, we work hard to assure that the wood fiber we purchase comes only from well-managed forestlands or from recycled sources.

Why is this product necessary? Aren't my cloth towels acceptable?
KLEENEX^® Brand Hand Towels offer a hygienic option for our consumers by providing an alternative to traditional cloth bathroom hand towels. KLEENEX^® Hand Towels-- a clean, fresh towel every time^™.

So, they assume that we leave the same grimey, germ laden hand towel out all the time?
Are we too stupid to know we're supposed to wash our hand towels?
I see the benefit of disposable hand towels or even the blowers in public restrooms... but in our own house?

Wait, what am I talking about?
Why did I expect anything different from a company who capitalizes on disposable products?
What next? Disposable bath towels.

I'll be sticking to my cloth hand towels, diapers, pads and my trusty Diva Cup.

Happy Birthday Freedom!

2010-05-27T22:34:00.002-04:00

A Few "Dead Like Me" Quesions

2010-05-24T21:48:00.001-04:00

Lately, we've been watching "Dead Like Me". It aired in 2003 and is about a girl who is hit by a falling space station toilet seat and dies. She becomes a grim reaper and must take people's souls before they die.

Whenever I watch something, I always seem to come up with the most random questions.

So what questions could I have about "Dead Like Me"?

Do people ever wonder why they're always in Der Waffle Hause?
What do the other Reapers look like to the living?
Do the living see the Reapers talking to the soul after they die?
How old is Rube?
What does Kiffany, the waitress, do with the food they order and walk out on?
Does anyone notice they take over dead people's houses?
Since they are undead, do they have to eat? What happens if they don't?
Why didn't anyone freak out when the Gravelings made a sculpture out of utensils and dishes?
Why do we see more of the Gravelings in Season 2?
Why don't the Reapers get noticed more? They seem to be out of place at times.
Do Reapers have to sleep?
Who is the cute Reaper from the opening credits? The one whose face we see.

I do realize that this is just a television series. I imagine the writers and producers don't sit back and think of all the nit-picky details. Maybe some of it is worked into the story line? As many questions as I have, it doesn't take away from the story or the show. I wish I would have known about this show when it first aired. It has a pleasant mix of sarcasm, humor and life lessons.

Something New and Different From Me!

2010-05-23T00:37:00.000-04:00

Ignore the crayon on the door behind me. I'm still trying to find something to get the rest of it off.
I am still a bit nervous to actually be on camera, so if you have any advice to offer me that would be great!
Or if you have advice on how to remove crayons while still leaving paint, that would be awesome too.