Saturday, June 30, 2012




Please take 30 seconds to sign this.  Monsanto does not deserve protection...  our children are not science experiments! 

Friday, June 29, 2012

Purify Your Laundry (& Our Earth!)

From the time I was little I've had an ongoing battle with my skin.  Sensitive, itchy, dry, rashes... you name it.  So when I had Akepa and noticed that she had a mild case of Eczema, I wasn't all that surprised.  

When my grandmother told me about soap nuts, I was immediately enthralled.  A natural laundry cleaner that doesn't release chemicals and toxins into our skin and Earth.  Since then, I know 10 more people that have made the switch.  Worried about the cost?  At under $30 and 330 loads of laundry, Soap Nuts cost less than traditional laundry soap.   


REALLY dirty clothes? Try adding a couple of tablespoons of unscented castile soap to the laundry.  If you want your laundry to smell good, try a scented castile soap.  Dr. Bronner's is a good brand because they are scented with essential oils instead of cheap artificial perfumes.   

Want to brighten your whites?  Try adding the juice of half a lemon to the water.

Hard water? Add 1/4 cup of Borax, a natural mineral compound.  ($4 on the laundry aisle of the grocery store.)

Need to spot-treat a tough stain? Try Celadon Road's natural stain remover.  www.celadonroad.com



 

Monday, June 25, 2012

Institute for Responsible Technology - GMO Dangers

Here is a great article on the dangers of GMO:
Institute for Responsible Technology - GMO Dangers

I recently found this website and it has a ton of great information on GMO, why NOT to eat GM foods, scientific research backing the dangers of it, lies you're being told by "scientists", and how to get involved.

Remember: Monsanto is an evil corporation that is looking to take over the world's crops and turn them into GMO at the expense of OUR CHILDREN. Be aware and let's get active!

Also, go to this page and "like it":
http://www.facebook.com/millionsagainst

Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Problem With Most Sunscreens

Most parents don't even think twice when purchasing a sunscreen for their little ones.  They quickly grab whatever brand they "know", whatever is on sale, yada yada yada.  After all, all sunscreens are better than no sunscreen, right? Uh, no.

First off, let's remember that sun exposure is HEALTHY! In moderation, the sun provides essential vitamins for our bodies and creates an uplifting mood.  Our plants need it to live and so do we.  So before you go grab that Coppertone or Hawaiian Tropic and slather it onto your kids, take a look at the label and make the decision to purchase a healthier one.  Our babies are worth it!  

Many sunscreens on the market today contain harmful chemical ingredients such as:
  • Retinyl Palmitate- This form of Vitamin A has been found by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) to be a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) in the presence of UV light.  When in doubt, leave it out!
  • Oxybenzone- A known endocrine disruptor and chemical that mimics estrogen.  When Oxybenzone is absorbed through the skin, it then gets into your bloodstream and some of it exits through your urine, thus making it possible to measure the levels in one's body.  The women with the highest levels of Oxybenzone in their urine had the highest rates of endometriosis, endocrine problems, and cancer.  I am someone who has had thyroid problems for the last 5 years so again, when in doubt, leave it out!
  • PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid)- a reflective agent that causes cellular damage to DNA and can lead to cancer.  It only "protects" against Carcinoma, not Melanoma (the more dangerous form of skin cancer).  Many people also have allergic reactions to PABA. 
The best way to make sure you are getting a sunscreen that is healthy for your child is to get one that consists of:
  • Zinc Oxide- It's what you use on your baby's butt for diaper rash.  It's waterproof, doesn't absorb into the skin, and is totally safe.  Zinc oxide protects against all rays.  
  • Titanium Dioxide- less effective than zinc oxide at protecting against long-wave UVA rays, but definitely effective at protecting against short-wave UVA rays and UVB rays.  It's highly reflective, non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), and does not absorb into the skin.  
A few weeks ago, I took my fair-skin baby out into the Texas sun for several hours to play at the river.  I applied Earth's Best sunscreen on her and reapplied one time during the day.  Not a tint of pink the whole weekend.  Success!

www.earthsbest.com 

Another (more expensive) but totally natural one we've used:

http://www.absolutely-natural.com/collections/sun-care/products/kids-spf-25


10 Months Gone By....

It's been a crazy 10 months.  I'm so glad to be back and while I still have a long way to go, at least I'm on the road again.  

Right off the bat, I want to thank several of my friends and family members for asking about this blog and wondering when I was going to start it back up again.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I know that this is what keeps me sane and I am so happy to see that there are other people that love to read about this stuff as much as I love to blab about it.

Since my last post in September 2011, Kahi's company in Hawaii suddenly shut its doors and we were forced to make a decision: stay in Hawaii and try to ride out the storm, or move to Texas and try to start a new life in a less expensive place.  We chose Texas.  $6,000 later, thanks to my amazing and supportive grandparents, we found ourselves living in San Antonio with my loving aunt, whom we owe much gratitude.

Amongst planning a wedding, which we had on April 28, 2012, Kahi applying to every animation company in Texas, myself working, and trying to keep up with a toddler while keeping her on a stable schedule, life got CRAZY!

The storm is still not over but Kahi did get a job offer from the nicest hotel in San Antonio, JW Marriott-Hill Country Resort and Spa.  I am continuing to work and commute from a small town, just 50 minutes from San Antonio but I look forward to getting an apartment and becoming more stable over the next few months.  My social life has also suffered due to lack of funds and energy to participate.  I look forward to getting that back as well.

Akepa is great-- she is almost 2 years old now and talking like crazy.  Only partially vaccinated, day-care free, and raised on 80% organic food, she is healthy and has yet to get sick.  (Knock on wood!)  We have had no health insurance for 10 months but other than a trip to the clinic for my thyroid tests, we are all very healthy.

Enough for now.. let's talk about the good stuff!

Here's a picture from our wedding :)