OMG….The butler bag…you must have heard of it…it has been featured on Oprah, Pregnancy Magazine, US weekly….the bag of all bags…trust me.
I have one - and I love it!
READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE…NEW COLORS INTRODUCED TOO!
Date: Thursday, July 10
Where: Hopscotch Boutique Private Room
What: Girly Glam & Leading Man OR Picasso Peewee
Simply Perfect Parties is the premiere all-inclusive theme celebration provider. They offer creative and memorable kids parties for the discerning parent. All parties are designed to make a lasting impression and create a stress-free experience for mom and dad.
Written by Tracy Neely - a local mom involved in the Holistic Moms Network and local chapter in Orlando: (http://www.holisticmoms.org)
IS IT REALLY ORGANIC?
I recently had a conversation with a friend about the issue of where our organic fruits and vegetables come from. I started thinking about how I could openly talk about this issue with friends and family in a way where they would not feel offended or embarrassed at their lack of knowledge. I decided to purchase wallet size copies of the “Dirty Dozen” put out by the Environmental Working Group. This is a guide that features the 12 fruits and veggies with the most and least pesticides. I thought this would be a good way to start off a friendly conversation that would be non-threatening and at the same time, would give great information to friends, family and people that I meet in passing.
Due to the economic crisis, it is sometimes stressful to put food on our tables, but if you could purchase the following foods organically, you would be doing your family a world of good.
THE DIRTY DOZEN
Buy These Organic:
Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes (imported), Pears, Spinach, Potatoes.
Lowest in Pesticides:
Onions, Avocodos, Sweet Corn, Pinapples, Mangos, Sweet Pea, Asparagus, Kiwi, Bananas, Cabbage, Broccoli, Eggplant
Even though the business of organic produce is small in comparison to conventional produce, it is still a very big business that brought in more than $5.37 billion in annual sales as stated in The Organic Trade Association’s 2006 Manufacturer Survey. I think that is pretty amazing, but I feel so much more could be done for all of us to support organic farming. So much of the organic produce is being imported and you wonder who is watching over the suppliers to make sure organic farming standards are being met.
I think as a society, we have been conditioned over time to think that our fruits and veggies have to look perfect and blemish free for us to feel that they taste good. And nothing could be further from the truth. I have to admit when I first started buying organic produce several years ago, I would pick up produce such as an apple and if it had any type of blemishes, I would think it was rotten. What I now realize, is how much of our fruit has been grown to look perfect and void of taste.
Here are a few examples of why we should all buy organic produce when possible:
• Help Small Farmers – there are more large-scale farms raising organic produce which undermines the ability of the small farmer to compete in this organic market. It’s estimated that the U.S. has lost more than 650,000 family farms in the past decade.
• Protect Farm Workers – A Cancer Institute study, found that farm workers exposed to pesticides were six times more likely to get cancer as opposed to non-farm workers.
• No GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) – buying organic produce is a sure way to avoid eating genetically modified foods.
• Protect Our Future Generations – children are four times more likely to be exposed to harmful cancer-causing pesticides in food. If we make good food choices now, future generation will reap the benefits.
• Protect Water Quality – the Environmental Protection Agency reports that some 74 cancer-causing pesticides have been detected in our ground water in at least 38 states.
• No Synthetic Pesticides – the only sure way to keep toxic chemicals off of our plates is to buy organic produce.
Here are a few suggestions when buying organic foods:
• Support CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) – CSA’s member pay in advance for a share of the farmer’s total crop.
• Eat according to the season - Eating seasonal foods helps our body to be balanced and also provides better nutrients that our bodies can absorb.
• Support organic vendors at your local farmers markets – Most communities will offer local farmers markets where you can buy locally grown organic produce and usually at a cost lower than what you could purchase at your local supermarket.
• If shopping at your local supermarket, observe whether or not the signs say “conventional” or “organic “ produce.
Let’s all remember that foods are to be celebrated and enjoyed for the nutrients they provide and also the big bold flavors that keep us wanting more. If at all possible share whatever food you have with someone less fortunate.
Happy Eating!!
by Tracy Neely
Found this little article in Parents Magazine and thought you may like it take a break with a cup of coffee or tea and de-stress:
“Despite all the emphasis on managing stress these days, it seems that people are more stressed out than ever. In fact, a third of all U.S. adults are living with extreme stress. Some stress-busting ideas:
BREAK TASKS INTO BITE-SIZE BITS. Thinking about an entire project can be overwhelming, so divide projects into small chunks that you can take on one at a time.
TAKE VACATIONS. Easier said than done, we know. But it really does refresh you and recharge your batteries. If a long getaway isn’t feasible, take mini respites by doing things you might normally do on a vacation, such as going on a nature hike.
MAKE TIME FOR FREINDS. Having a standing phone date with a pal, e-mail friends.
GET PHYSICAL WITH YOUR FAMILY. To unwind after work and school, turn on fun music and dance around together with your kids and your partner. It’s a great way to lift everyone’s mood when your’e a little tired and cranky after a long day and to revive you for homework and other evening routines.”
I am always looking for a good book to inspire me to be a better mom and wife….a client sent me this list so I thought I would pass it along to ya’all…happy reading!
A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
Being a Great Mom Raising Great Kids by Sharon Jaynes
Love Notes in Lunchboxes by Linda J. Gilden
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen R. Covey
The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
Delight in your Child’s Design by Laurie Winslow Sargent
Baby Wise by Ezzo and Ezzo
The Mommy Book by Karen Hull
Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining and Bad Attitudes by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller
One Home at a Time by Dennis Rainey
Raising Boys by Dr. Dobson
The Strong Willed Child by Dr. Dobson
Professionalizing Motherhood by Jill Savage
Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel
Family Devotions by Josh McDowell
Breathe by Kent
A Mom After God’s Own heart by Elizabeth George
Love Languages by Chapman
How to preserve your personal space….
Excerpt from “Milk It” How to get the most of the next 9 months…
“Beign pregnant measns sharing your body with someone else. But voluntarily accommodating a baby is one thinkg; being subject to the hands-on approach of everyone you meet is quite another. For as soon as you are visibly with child, you will be touched, your belly rubbed, and your figure stared up and down. Previously pregnant women will check out your ankles (to see how swollen they are) and your bump (to see whether your’e carrying high or low). The never-been-pregnant crowd will star at your belly (because it’s just so big and round) and your boobs (likewise). Maybe people think that because you were unihibited enough to get pregnant in the first place you must have no concept of personal space. Or maybe people are just freaks.
Ofcourse, it all depends on who’s doing the touching. Close friends, your sister, even the father of your child may all be well within rights to get intimate with your person. Thses are the poeple who hug and kiss you to say hello.
The trick, then, is to create an impenetrable exlusion zone around your entire body…
* develop an unapproachable demeanor.
* wear a large handbag diagonally across your body.
* Retch slightly, as if you might be about to throw up.
* spell it out with graphic tees….”hands off”
