DO you KNOW what your eating?

DO you REALLY know? Lord knows I thought I did! That was until a friend of mine on facebook posted this link
http://www.naturalnews.com/022288_sodium_nitrite_processed_meat.html

And holy crap did it open my eyes!! Then I started thinking about my mom and her pancreatic cancer, and how she was diabetic ( wich greatly raised her risk of cancer anyways) but she also ingested ALOT of fake sugar, margarine ect, because well, she felt she HAD to! So I  showed my husband the article and he was as astonished as I was, we ate alot of stuff with Sodium Nitrate in it! Bacon, ham, lunch meat. I also used fake sugar in my coffee , chewed gum with saccharin in it, drank diet soda, used margarine and all that junk, I could probably say that about 40 percent of what I ate had some sort of chemical in it.......ewwww!!!!
We decided we were done with this, and we didn't want Hudson eating this crap either, so we did a little research and foudn out about foods that you should buy organic or peel, like pear, peaches, apple and carrots, and foods grown with tons of pesticides (like strawberries). I went to the market and bought mostly organic stuff, read labels like a hawk, and seeked out alternative nitrate free meats, And What I found was, I actually spent LESS ( a little) that what I did when I just buy all regular stuff! And if you live here in Ohio I found out that Heinens own brand name products, are ALL certified organic!!!

I even chucked my microwave popcorn! And made it from scratch, like in a pan with oil! And I gotta admit it tasted better and was really fun to make!

Listen, I am not one of those people who freak out about every little thing reported on health, however, with my moms death and the odd spread of cancer in recent years, I just really think that something is behind this. And My husband I just feel better knowing we are putting natural foods in our body not chemicals.....now if I could just kick my sugar habit :)

A visit with solace and sadness

On mothers day, after I picked up grandma and took her lunch, i dropped her off at home and decided to make the journey to my mothers grave site, my first since her burial in December, I knew it wouldn't be easy, I brought a pretty bouquet of flowers that reminded me of her, I pulled into the parking lot, and didn't see anyone for miles, "perfect" I thought, i wanted to be alone, for the first time I HAD to be alone, I had so much I needed to still process.

The sun was shining and lit up the entire grave yard as though it was lit from the ground up, the quiet was defining, except for the occasional sound of the warm wind that blew through the massive tree, and the birds that chirped and fluttered about.

There, third row from the front, third marker from the fence, was moms freshly grassed grave,the stone hadn't even been fully set in the ground yet, the weather around here has been too soggy.

Upon looking at the stone my eyes quickly welled up with tears, and i was caught slightly off guard by my sudden harsh sadness.

The sun warmed my back as I crouched down and talked to her, tracing her stone with my fingers,

 I noticed that a bird has pooped on the angel wing on my moms side of the stone (it's a double marker for mom and dad) I jokingly said " jeese mom, even in death you get shit on !" it was a joke and she would have laughed at it, I took out a wet wipe and wiped it away.

 What made me feel better, was the fact that the grounds were so perfectly take care of, people had left nick knacks and statues on the other graves, and they all remained in place, as when they were first put there by the family member. I told mom as soon as I could I would get a vase to stick in the ground, so that the flowers that i brought her, would stay fresher longer. I stayed and meditated for about half an hour, parking myself on the grass in front of her grave. The I got up and took a walk around the grounds to check out the other graves, " well mom" i said "I'm going to go walk around for a bit, you know me and grave yards! "( I have been fascinated with graveyards and death from an early age)

With that, I said my goodbyes and off I went. Once I got back to my car I sat and basked in the silence and warm glow of the sun. Then with a deep breath, I turned on the ignition, and made my way back home, no sooner did I leave the grave yard, and it began to pour. I miss you too mom.

10 Questions with my grandmother

On Mothers Day last weekend, I took my grandmother out to the tea house from brunch, it had been along time since it was just her and I. When my mother passed, I started coming up with all the questions that I wish I would have asked her, I decided since we were still blessed having my grandmother with us, that I would ask a few questions and perhaps gain some useful wise knowledge.

10 Questions with my grandmother

(well 9 if you don't include the one she couldn't remember)

ME: ok grandma, I am going to ask you some questions, a little interview of sorts ok?

Grandma: oh! Ok!...well......I'm ready for my close up! Where is my hairdresser?

ME:What is your advice for a long life?

Grandma: No Smoking, no drinking in excess a good attitude  and a great sense of humor.

ME:What is your advice for all mothers?

Grandma: Well did you see Dr. Phil on Friday???

ME: no I don't believe that I did lol

Grandma: Yikes! I don't want to be THAT kind of mother!

Hmmmm.....I would say, accept children as a gift from God and treat them as so.

ME: what is your advice for a good marriage?

Grandma: Honesty, communication and respect your vows.

ME: What was the happiest day of your life?

Grandma: probably the day your mother was born, she was our first and we were just so excited!

ME: What food have you never liked?

Grandma: LIMA BEANS!!!!!!!!

ME:Is there anywhere that you wish you would have traveled?

Grandma: Probably the Orient, you know China and Japan

ME: What is your favorite color?

Grandma: Red

ME: What do you think is your best feature?

Grandma: Now?? oh well......psssh.......hmmm. My legs USED to be, I always got alot of compliments on my legs. (for the record her legs are STILL awesome and she is well over 80!!!)

ME: Well thanks for answering grandma! i just have one more question

Grandma: Ok

ME: Why do your kolatchy always taste better than mine!!???

Grandma: I have no idea! The tough is very tough to mix, so maybe you just don't mix it enough.

Thanks so much grandma, for letting me pick your brain, Love you!

My recent project!

So I'm sure you have noticed that I have been patchy with my blog post, I have been working on my freelance business and also playing mommy and wife and working girl! PHEW!
But one of my most proud projects as of recent, is the Making Strides For Breast Cancer Walk on May 21st. In Honor of my mother i decided to lead a team of ladies to walk for the cause! I am really proud of my team thus far, we have raised 535 dollars! If you are interested in joining, please either click the link below or the badge to the right of the page, I would be most grateful!
Here is to kicking cancers ass!!!!

Donate here!
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY11Ohio?px=18904470&pg=personal&fr_id=28159

Things I'm loving right now....

1. The Royal Wedding
Much to my Husbands chagrin, i really enjoyed watching the Royal Wedding, and I personally love Kates Style to begin with , she always looks so pulled together! And that DRESS, well it was just a classic, understated yet elegant. I also think it looked VERY similar to Grace Kellys dress.

I also love that deisgner Allen B Schwarz is making a cheaper knock off of it for around 400-800 dollars!

And the fact that is was designed out of the house of Alexander MCQueen by Sarah Burton.

McQueen was a favorite designer of mine.

2.Issey Miyake L'Eau d 'issey Florale Purfume

I love love love this perfume, so romantic and feminine and summery,it has notes of WhiteWood, Rose and citrus in it. it is definitely

on my list of mothers days gifts :)

3. Speaking of mothers day.........

This little guy has been tugging on my heart strings constantly the past few weeks, the things this kid does, I'm telling you lol

He is is own brand of entertainment lol. I took this picture this weekend, he loves his ball, or "BAWL" as he calls it.He fell earlier that morning and bruised his head and scraped his little nose, but he is a lil tough guy and took it like a champ, nothing that kisses from mommy and daddy and some sponge bob cartoons couldn't fix!

3. Working out

I am doing a 5k walk for breast cancer on May 21st. And I have been doing what I can to physically amp up for it. My new addiction is Oxygen magazine and one of it's contributors, fitness champ and breast cancer survivor! Jamie Eason!

THAT'S what I strive for! HOT!!

And she is also so inspiring, she makes me feel like I can do anything! She is right up there with Tony Horton in my book!

4. Sex and the City

They have been replaying the series On "E!" and since I didn't have HBO when the series originally premiered, I get to watch it now when I can, ugh I just love it. I used to think I identified with Samantha, but after watching it, I know know I am a Carrie Bradshaw, I swear, when I was single I had the same thought processes as her. It's just unreal, she is me if I lived in New York, worked for myself and was single.Married, I am more like a mix of Charlotte and Miranda. Stubborn and neurotic lol. ( not that that's a bad thing!)



5. Gardening and getting my yard up to gorgeous again.

This weekend the hubby and I re-arranged practically everything in our yard this weekend, I bought a forever after Hydrangea bush and an Azaelea Bush for the front,transplanted the hostas,and the burning bush.

Hubby re-landscaped the fromt yard and now it looks super clean and gorgeous. The only thing I have left to do is plant wildflowers on the side of the house, and start my veggie plants and Mint plant. Now if it would only stop RAINING!! I could do that! I swear I feel like I live in Seattle!

6.  Messy Buns! Since my hair is starting to get real long, I am able to do all sorts of new stuff with it, i know I am going to have a hard time dealing with it when the humid weather does eventually get here. So I am searching for new pretty ways to get it off my neck.

Iammommahearmeroar posted this pretty three piece bun she made recently with Goody Spin Pins. I just love it!

Well that's about all of my obsessions for now! Off to slog around in my wellies and go to the gym, I figure I will see sunshine and dry weather soon...........I hope!