Tuesday's soapbox

EDIT:  the part included later in this blog about shea butter- shea butter is GOOD.  it is inexpensive.  it was pointed out to me that that part might be confusing, and i reread it, and...it is.  Shea butter=good.  Mineral oil=not so good.  sorry for any confusion!  a link for you- i don't know the person who published this, but it is supportive of some of the other research i've done/training i've received http://bestchoice.itgo.com/dangers_top10.htm

Okay...it's Monday night, not Tuesday.  But I have some soapbox-y-ness.  Maybe I will take Tuesdays, along with probably other days of the week, to step up on that soapbox. Maybe Tuesday can just be the designated day.  You can get on your soapbox if you want, if you have your own blog. Whatever.

First, an update.

We are home.  Ridge is getting over RSV and seems to be doing well.  This well:

My darling husband built that redneck snowman-- the antlers, arrows, and vest were already on it when he took Sawyer out to finish the decor....shotgun shells...and....a tomato.

Fun times.  Yes, Ridge is super cute in his orange vest.  And they both rock in their camo hats that ah hem...yours truly...crafted for them.

So so ready for this road of our lives to be over and normalcy to resume!!!  But enjoying moments like these.

Which were made possible by...the ice.  Thank you, Yukon Public Schools, for calling some snow days into effect.  I know it's an inconvenience to have to make up school.  I get it, I really, truly do.  But you can't imagine how bummed I was on Thursday when Brandon didn't have to go to work at CVTC but we had to go to the hospital!  So by returning home on Sunday from the hospital, and the grace of God and the ice itself allowing us to have (so far) two more snow days- we have reclaimed our weekend.  And spent time together as a family.  I'm on my last requested knitting project (until someone requests another one- which is GREAT by me!) and I'm working on stocking my etsy store.

So it's been good. I love these snow days so far.  Brandon and I are blowing through the Prison Break series we missed a lot of when it was on actual television.  I am super pumped about the LOST premier tomorrow night....I'm missing the Bachelor currently....because I'm writing to you, bloggy friends.

So here's my soapbox for this week.  You can like it or not like it, I don't mind either way. You can stop reading here if you want, I don't care. The following has nothing  to do with MLT or Sawyer's funny-ness, or Ridge or Brandon-- not specifically anyway.  It's just me, sharing something I believe in.  I've got about 3 weeks of these topics lined up. This week, I've settled on something I think a lot more about now-- as in, like the last 2 or 3 years, than I did before.

Organics.

Naturals.

Healthy stuff.

Some of  you just signed off. That's okay.  I'm not that popular anyway, so my feelings are not hurt.  And some of you may disagree or smell conspiracy.  Go ahead.  But if you are still reading, I promise I won't be boring.  Keep on.

I've told you before, I sell Arbonne.  It isn't organic.  Some of it is vegan.  But not organic.  But it is pure, safe, and beneficial.  And it's full of products I love.  However, it is not the only company I pledge allegiance to.  I also love Method products.  I also love (most) ANY organic products.  I'm not just talkin  organic food here- because that is noteworthy as well.  Let's stick to beauty for a few minutes....

do you realize that a lot of the lotions, makeups, what nots we use contain a lot of harmful things?  I'm not gonna highlight all of them.  But a big one- mineral oil- is in a LOT of things.  Not just "cheap" stuff- department store brands, popular smell good brands that have their own stores in the mall or shopping center just up the road.....well...mineral oil....all it does is temporarily make you feel smooth/soft...it's basically baby oil.....but it creates a film, a barrier on your skin that blocks ability to soak in other moisturizers.  It's also known to contribute to hormone imbalances.  Shea butter is a great moisturizer and not really even expensive.  A lot of "popular" lotions that smell soooo awesome smell that way because the oils in them are derived from crude oil, and in their natural state, they stink like no tomorrow.  I don't know. That's sick to me.  Why would I want to use something that is so awful in it's natural state that it has to be covered up for me to use it?  Of course Arbonne is great here, but if you can't afford something like that, there are plenty of brands at WalMarts and Targets across the world that sell MUCH better products.  You don't have to head to Macy's or Dillard's, bc their stuff, a lot of it, is just as full of "bad" things like this.  I'm just sayin....

Makeups...ick.  Naturals all the way here, I think.  Or at least know what you are using.  Soooo many makeups/face cleaners/etc. have weirdo ingredients, OTHER than mineral oil....some have placental ingredients, horse blood, I'm not making this up.  Talc is in most powder makeups, and it's a known carcinogen (although there are studies that refute this, as well as endorse this...so think whatcha like here).  It's fibers are asbestos like, that is where the concern comes from.  I'm not trying to scare you here, I'm just saying.  I think we need to be educated on this stuff, and I  am SO not the best person to educate you, but I am SOMEONE who knows SOMETHING about this, not a ton, but some.  Why in the HECK would we use a product, even if it's cheap, even if we "love" it, if it could cause us cancer?  Really?  REALLY?  I don't get that.

Shampoos--sodium sulfates...no good. They are a skin irritant and damaging to the immune system. I love my sodium sulfate free Arbonne shampoo, but there are a LOT of companies switching to (completely) sulfate free formulas-- Organix is another one I really like, and it's at walmart AND target.  L'oreal has a sulfate free formula too- I don't know what all ELSE is in it, though. 

I just barely hit the nail on the head on that stuff.

Food...well, I just think organic is better.  But if not organic, healthy at least.  Do I never make brownies?  Do I never eat junk food? HECK YES I DO THOSE THINGS.  Brownies last night.  I'm making choc. chip cookies with Sawyer tonight.  But...when I have veggies, whole grains, lean meats, fruits in the house and not other junk, we all eat and feel better.

Cleaning supplies-- shoot. I was at target a couple weeks ago, and they of course sell Method, Seventh Generation, Clorox Green Works...but they had at least three other super good smelling organic or all natural cleaning supplies....that cost basically, if not, the same as the NON-natural ones!  And they are SO much less toxic, smell SO much better, and do as good if not better of a job.  Organic/natural cleaning supplies, food, and cosmetic/hygiene supplies are getting more and more affordable.  There isn't enough regulation on some of the products we are allowed to consume here in the states- MY OPINION- but there is research to back up the harm some of these things can cause.  I will let you be your own researcher.  I just wanted to rant a bit about this.  Because it is important to me that my husband is around as long as possible.  That I am around as long as possible.  That my kids are around as long as possible and as healthy as possible.  I don't want to be contributing, on purpose, to my health in a poor way.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, why would I want to teach my kids bad habits?  I want them to be empowered with the knowledge of healthy decisions- NOT that that is the most important thing in the world....it's not.  But it is important.  That's why rarely do we frequent McDonald's...or any fast food/frenchfry/whatever place.  That is why I rarely buy the cheap/traditional/you'd all know what I'm talking about baby soap....the trade off isn't worth it.  The nostalgic smell isn't worth it.  It isn't.  not to me.  and that's my soapbox.  for this tuesday. monday night. now...off to some baked tilapia, steamed rice, and steamed asparagus! then...chocolate chip cookies!

see:

more pics on the photoblog as well.


and ps- when i went to review my comments, there were 4.  one was concerned that my fears were unwarranted.  but when i came back to edit this post a bit, that comment wasn't there anymore.  so my apologies to whoever that was. if you want to repost it, feel free to do so.  as far as being unwarranted....i've done some research on this stuff, and been to some formal education on it as well.  i'd rather not risk it.  kinda the "better safe than sorry" philosophy, in my book.