What am I supposed to do now

I can't sleep and I am thinking

2009-04-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about a board presentation I plan to give in May. I am thinking about sponsorship letters that need to go out for an event that is in Sept. I am thinking about driving my MIL to BWI in the morning. I am thinking that Chris and I will never agree on a new house to buy. I am thinking about how I volunteered to serve on the board of my Moms Club but am afraid it is going to be more work than I bargined for. I am thinking that I wish I was sleeping instead of typing on my blog. I am thinking that I miss my friend Heather and my friend Kim. I am thinking it is way too hard to make time to exercise.

... I am thinking that I am pretty lucky to be awake and to be thinking about such trivial things. How truly blessed am I to be thinking about being able to give back to my community, to get to stay home with my children, share time with my childrens' grandparents, and to have such wonderful friends that I care so much about...and to have my health and to be able to exercise. I am thinking how grateful I am!

-- Post From My iPhone

Argh! What a week!

2009-03-26T19:12:00.001-07:00

13.1 miles and son with an emergency appendix surgery... Dirty house and pure exhaustion!

-- Post From My iPhone

My husband fixed my phone

2009-03-18T20:41:00.001-07:00

Again!

-- Post From My iPhone

Quality vs. Quantity

2009-03-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

So spring is almost upon us here in the Mid-Atlantic. Damn it better be. I am ready for just a little warmth. Not a ton. I am not missing 90 degree days in FL right now that is for sure.
The kids seem to have adjusted nicely to the change in venue. Chandler still longs to spend lazy days playing with his Grandma in FL and we will continue to try and make that happen as often as possible. I think he just really doesn't want to grow up. It is hard for him. He is so dreamy by nature. So going to school any school and being a "big" boy is always going to be hard. He doesn't do change well but neither does Chris. Chris is trying to adjust but he is having a hard time with the new job which makes him more of a major player at work. More of a mover and a shaker. Which neither he would ever volunteer to be. While the change Chandler is going through I worry somewhat about the change Chris is experiencing I embrace. He needed to be out of his comfort zone for a while. It is currently causing him stress which in turn causes me stress but in a good way. And he sees that this move is for the best. I know he worries that the kids won't grow up right next to their grand parents and that he is travelling may keep him away from them too much...But I think we should focus on Quality over Quantity. I didn't grow up right next to my Grandparents but I have the fondest memories of both of them. My Dad travelled for work too when I was a kid but We went a long for the trip. I may not have had perfect attendance at school but I went on some great family trips.
It would be disappointing if I didn't post about Gavin and Fiona since it has been so long since my lost real post.
Gava-rooney is doing great. We have decided to send him to preschool for another year instead of pushing him ahead like I originally had planned. I was going to have him tested so basically he would go to Kindergarten a year early but I have changed my mind and I am going to go along with the crowd. Send when his birthday and the state say he should go. If he is too smart or bored once he gets to Kindergarten in the fall of 2010 (eeee GADS 2010) then I will push him up but why stress him out now unnecessarily and just b/c I buck the system why should I make my children have to...
Fiona is doing wonderfully she doesn't miss Florida cuz basically she doesn't remember it. She is taking gymnastic once a week and the gym as asked to take 2 days a week in the fall. It is like a real gym for like real gymnasts. The only way she will last is if she gets my height and not Chris'. But if she ends up tall like Daddy...Watch out Make me a Supermodel 2024 She is the one to watch!
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
love,
Francie

Do you ever wonder if it is you?

2009-03-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Like have you ever had a day where of seems like regardless of what you say someone is always pissy. Do you wonder if it is you? But other people are nice to you so it can't be you. But maybe it is you it always seems to be you.

-- Post From My iPhone

Love that I can do this now from my touch...

2009-03-12T20:29:00.001-07:00

Oh technology is great when it works. Let's see if I can get this to work.

-- Post From My iPhone

Snow Days

2009-01-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

Ahhh! Time to sleep in, eat a full breakfast, and play. But It seems like I do a lot of entertaining on these days. I think that goes along with the fact that my children's school days are so schedule normally. The boys started in Waldorf school which is known for lack of better wording free time. They get to chose what they want to do when they want to do it especially when they are little like in preschool. So now I am so not used to them not entertaining themselves. I truly believe they don't have any free time at school at all- No time to day dream, no time to color freely or just be bored. From here to there all day long- So much on the agenda. Alternative Education may still be in our future. OH no!

Now this boss isn't looking to make any friends

2009-01-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

Obama's first Day on the job- Check out what he did today?

Belt-Tightening 2:06 p.m. Welcome to the White House. Did I tell you there won’t be any pay raises?
That was essentially the message President Obama delivered to senior members of his administration who were sworn into their new jobs on Wednesday afternoon.
During a ceremony in Room 450 of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Mr. Obama signed the first executive order of his presidency, a measure intended to fulfill a campaign promise by closing the what he called the “revolving door” of people who immediately segue from government to lobbying.
“Public service is a privilege. It’s not about advantaging yourself. It’s not about advancing your friends or your corporate clients,” Mr. Obama said. “It’s not about advancing an ideological agenda or the special interests of any organization. Public service is simply and absolutely about advancing the interests of Americans.”
The rule would freeze salaries at their current levels for the White House employees who earn more than $100,000 a year. About 100 staffers fall into that category, if the salaries are in line with what positions paid during the last administration.
“Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington,” Mr. Obama said.
The lobbying rules would attempt to keep advisers from having an influence over the administration after leaving the White House. New employees who came from the lobbying world, he said, cannot work on subjects for which they lobbied.
All White House personnel are required to take an ethics class similar to one that he said he attended last week.

I would love to learn more about the ethics class. I am proud of him. This is a big step.

Facebook seems to way more love than the blog...Check it out :)

2009-01-19T07:13:00.001-08:00

I just love when people have time on their hands

2008-12-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65I0HNvTDH4

Snow

2008-11-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

HEHEHEH! it snowed a little last night big flakes with nothing sticking and it is flurring now while I sit in the computer watching out the window. I love it! I am in kind of a funk and not sure why but as soon as I saw the flurries my mood lifted. I am looking forward to the snow! Lots at least this year. And then it can slow down. I think we are prepared with woolies, gloves, hats, scarves, boots and big winter coats that the kids hate. But need to have :) It is too bulky too itchy too scratchy too everything and very warm!
I am seeing more flakes!! Yiippee!

I think we are going to do this...

2008-11-07T04:02:00.001-08:00

how could I not post something political this week of all weeks?

2008-08-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

If by a “liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “liberal.”

President John F. Kennedy

BTW, we still dont have cable here at out house on PRESIDENT GEORGE Washington Street . Not a big bother except my friend Kim gets to see the probably one of the greatest speeches of all times when this country actually may elect some one other than an old white guy to lead us....speech up close with her 75,000 closest friends in DENVER and I won't even get to see it on the cable news highlight reels. oh bother!

some more fodder....

2008-07-02T01:37:00.000-07:00

here is an excerpt from something else I was reading...
I likey... a la Carrie Bradshaw...

....‘Ad creators are increasingly able to focus on children,’ write Rowe and Ruskin. The more I think about it, the more I’m tempted to write a letter of complaint to absentee parents. Parents need to raise their children themselves, and not shove the imparting of norms and values onto the babysitter, school or television. Those who leave it to ‘the culture’ to educate children about what we consider important, shouldn’t be surprised if that culture sends kids to the shopping mall. And those who consider earning money more important than raising children, shouldn’t become indignant if those children fill up the emptiness with spending money.

.....We also discovered what we called the ‘Ikea effect’. That became a family expression. We noticed that we always ended up in a bad mood after walking around a department store, no matter how happily we had started the excursion. Again and again, we went in full of expectation and excitement… only to leave a little while later in a combative mood. We analysed it and reached a conclusion: Ikea deludes you. So do all the other alluring department stores with their unrealistic promises: ‘Everything you always wanted is right here, and it will make you happy’. But even if I entered with money in my pocket and in a generous mood, that promise was never fulfilled. This is because what your heart’s desires cannot be bought, it’s as simple as that. Warmth, relaxation, pleasure, mutual understanding and fellowship are not things you can simply pay for and wrap up. So every actual purchase comes with a little disappointment. At first you might think that having yet another desirable object will fulfil that promise. But no, it doesn’t. Finally, disappointment creeps in and with it, irritation and friction.
When we recognised and labelled the Ikea effect, it lost its power over us. And with that the store – not coincidentally – lost a lot of its appeal.
I think a consciousness of abundance means that every time you want something you ask yourself if you really need it. And I mean ‘need’ in a broad sense. You may need it for your body or for your soul. An ice cream, for example, can be a very wise purchase. (I’ve even noticed that at times, ice cream can even heal children’s tummy aches.) But eating ice cream all day long won’t make a child happy. Girls around age seven sometimes also need a princess costume: a shiny satiny dress with so many frills and bows that I could never make one as nice. But constantly buying clothes won’t make you a princess. It is often a question of finding the middle ground.

loved this too and it was a good excuse to post a photo of Sissy

2008-07-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

We don't need no supervision
Kids may find it harder to grow up if adults over-regulate their lives.Tim Gill January/February 2008 issue
There’s a widespread belief that children grow up faster today. In fact, though they may adopt adult cultures and attitudes, their daily lives are far more controlled and overseen than a couple of decades ago. Consider these UK statistics: In 1971, the average 7-year-old went to school on his own; by 1990, children had to wait until they were 10 before being given this “right.” The trend appears to be continuing. In a survey in 2007, nearly half of adults said children should not be allowed to go out with their friends unsupervised until the children were 14 years old.
Why have the horizons of childhood shrunk so much? While parents set the limits, their actions are just the beginning of the story. Many social and cultural trends—traffic growth, longer working hours, more fragment- ed communities, greater fear of crime and a pervasive climate of anxiety—all reinforce the logic of containment.
Perhaps parents’ greatest worry is the fear of child abduction or murder. These are among the rarest of crimes. In the UK, where I live, some five to seven children are killed by strangers every year. Of these, around two are in primary school. That is absolutely terrible for them and their families. Yet the figures are no higher than they were when I was a child 35 years ago. However, many believe the threat is serious and growing, a predictable result of emotive media coverage.
Whatever the reasons, we now have a norm of parenting that equates being a good parent with being a controlling parent. We do not just ferry children everywhere, we also supervise nearly every move they make.
The over-regulation of children’s lives has a big downside. Many experiences children used to enjoy—boisterous physical play, street play, verbal jousting, even climbing trees—are now seen as deeply troubling. The parents who allow those activities are labelled irresponsible. But children need everyday challenges and adventures if they are to learn how to manage their own safety and sort out their problems for themselves. Today, many pre-adolescent children don’t get those opportunities. How will they develop the skills they need to deal with the wider world?
I don’t think parents are solely to blame. Most are well aware they should be preparing their offspring for life as autonomous adults. I speak as a parent myself. We do not need more experts telling us what to do. One thing I have found helpful is simply to share views with other parents, looking back on our own childhoods to remind ourselves of the value of tasting freedom. While we cannot recreate our childhoods, we can reject the culture of overprotection and come up with practical steps to give our children more responsibility. This could be walking to school once a week with an older child on the street, or trying to sort out minor spats for themselves or simply climbing trees in the park.
This is not a job parents can do by themselves. Parents, teachers, child-carers and providers of organized activities all need to accept that children do not need adults watching their every move. As a society, we need to move from a philosophy of protection to a philosophy of resilience. The role of adults in childhood is not just to protect, but to help children build their coping mechanisms and take on more responsibility for their everyday lives.
This will not be easy. I believe government leadership is needed to reverse this trend. Alongside new policies in schools and services, politicians should be making the creation of more child-friendly communities a high priority. By these I mean neighbourhoods that are safe, supportive, welcoming and tolerant as children gradually extend their lives beyond home and school.
Ultimately, this is a question of balance. Of course we need to protect children from serious threats, but we also need to give them the freedom to learn how to get to grips with the world for themselves.

Tim Gill is the author of No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society, which can be downloaded free from gulbenkian.org.uk. His website is rethinkingchildhood.com

Living mindfully isn’t always convenient.

2008-07-02T01:22:00.001-07:00

Living mindfully isn’t always convenient.

Posted using ShareThis

Bush disavows EPA report on Clean Air Act

2008-07-02T01:17:00.001-07:00

Bush disavows EPA report on Clean Air Act

Posted using ShareThis

MOVING SALE

2008-05-13T16:15:00.001-07:00

AS the day of the BIG PACK is coming- I am going to post things on here that we are going to slim down in our home....

items that we are going to get rid of include but are not limited to:

Books

Cloth Diapers

A BRAND NEW Medula Pump in Style Back Pack Breast Pump

Numerous Childbirth Education Supplies

CDs (My husband has about 400)

DVDs (children's and adult)

If you know you are looking for something specific just email me- I may have it.

Francie@chris-wood.com

WE are MOVING!!

2008-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

SO everyone finally knows....So I can tell the rest of the world. The Chris and Francie Wood family is moving from Jacksonville FL. The way things look now 1/7th of the Chris and Francie Wood family will be living in NJ and working there. The other 6/7ths of the Chris and Francie Wood family will be living near family in MD. And while we will miss the help and silliness of the other 1/7th while he is at work during the week, we think it is best for the other 6/7ths of us to be surrounded by friends and family in a place we are comfortable and happy.

Oh by the way if you are wondering who the other 2/7ths are- NO WE ARE NOT PREGNANT. even though that was the rumor on our street on why we have a for sale sign in our yard that we needed a bigger house.

It is Andre' and Daisy, of course.

Both who will suffer severe trauma with this move b/c Andre' hates the car. It will be about 14 hour drive with the kids from here to MD. And Daisy will probably stop eating and be depressed b/c she won't be living full time with (her boyfriend I mean) Chris.

So six months since I posted-

2008-04-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Things are good here- Weather in warming or should I say hotting...Sissy turned 1 March 23rd. We had her a birthday party while we were in MD for Easter and to see MAM MA and PAPPY's new cabin. The weather was great up home. I sure do miss it- I will post a few photos of every one here- The top one is the kids at Grandma's being silly, the second one at the Zoo for a preschool field trip with our friend Grace- She is a wonderful little girl. (her dad is an assistant coach for the Jags...but she has no clue really what that means :)) The third one is also at the Zoo for the field trip- it is Chandler and all his girlfriends :)

And the last one is of course Pappy and sweet Fiona. Poor girl, she really loves him- she has no clue yet either :)

I promise to be more forth coming with posts as I news may be changing-

By the way- I love me some Jason Castro on American Idol this year-

Parent Job Description

2007-10-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

my MIL sent me this a while ago and I have been meaning to post it- I think it relates to my posts about needing a day off....

POSITION : Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION : Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sportstournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES : The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION : None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, withoutcomplaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE : None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION : Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS : While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth,unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

** AND A FOOTNOTE "THERE IS NO RETIREMENT --EVER!!! **

I get asked this alot- So I thought I would post it here

2007-10-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

IF you can only buy certain things Organic what would it be....
This is a post from GRIST....Subscribe....

Hi Umbra!
I just recently became a stay-at-home mom. Life is bliss, except for the one-income household we now have (my husband brings home the tofu-bacon). Now that we have very limited funds I cannot afford to buy all organic food. Sometimes organic food is nearly double the price of conventional food ... yikes! I looked around and could not find a great website for foods you need to buy organic. I know that some conventional foods are not so pesticide-laden as others, but I'm not sure which. Could you please tell me this: if you could buy only some organic food, what should it be?

Tammi Bailey, Colo.

Dearest Tammi,
Apologies for not explicitly providing this basic resource to dearest readers. I've mentioned the Environmental Working Group's produce shopping guide, but that doesn't help you search the Ask Umbra archives for "best organic foods." Sorry.

The EWG guide is designed to answer the "which food" question for fresh fruits and vegetables. EWG looked at USDA food consumption data and USDA and FDA pesticide residue tests, and developed a pesticide residue ranking from worst to best for 44 types of produce. If you have specific concerns, you may wish to read more about EWG's methodologies -- for example, common habits of peeling and washing are incorporated into the tests.
The 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticide residues are peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. These are the ones to spend your money on. The 12 with the lowest residues are onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant. When short of cash, go ahead on conventionally grown versions of these.

The shopping guide gets us started on produce, but how about the rest of our diet? Consumer Reports has an interesting series of articles about prioritizing among organic products. Their top priorities include the produce chosen by EWG. They also believe meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy should be an organic priority because of risks including mad cow and the antibiotics and hormones used in conventional animal husbandry. Their third top priority is baby food, for reasons of small bodies and potential concentrated residues in processed purees.
I agree with these personal health priorities, in part because they correlate with larger environmental concerns. A link between pesticide residue and pesticide application seems likely, and large-scale meat production benefits only the financial bottom line.

The rest of the Consumer Reports list is intriguing: They say if price is no object, go ahead and buy organic grains and processed foods. However, they argue, these foods lose many nutrients and "health value" during processing, hence do not offer enough added value in their organic form to always justify the price increase. To me, making that argument from a personal-health perspective does not exempt those who can afford to buy all organic from doing so based on environmental stewardship. CR also pooh-poohs organic seafood, because no U.S. certification exists, and organic cosmetic products, based in part on another report from EWG, because they apparently are often fraudulent. Egad.
The magazine does offer a series of tips on saving money while shopping organic, including comparison shopping, comparison shopping at the farmers' market, buying directly from livestock producers, and joining a Community Supported Agriculture program. OK -- wait -- it looks like I've never written about CSA, either. Could someone please send in a question for me to answer?
Let me just briefly add other cash-saving ideas, including forming a buying club with friends to deal directly with a food distributor, buying large bulk amounts at stores that offer a discount for so doing (my local co-op gives a 10 percent discount on 25-pound bags of rice, for example), and buying fewer animal products.

fits and spurts

2007-10-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

That is how my blog writing goes...
I have thought of some worthy blog items but have then thought too much about who I would offend by posting them...
I need a secret blog that no one reads. Oh that would be a diary and who wants one of those that isn't 6. I like to share probably share too much.
Things are good here. Still fighting with Kidney issues. The kids are great. Chandler and Gavin are still not sure of school. Chandler misses his old school and I think he can sense in a way so do I. Gavin has been very social and his behavior/manners are improving. But he is almost 3. Hard to believe my BABY is growing up. Fiona is well. She just tuned 6 months and has 1 tooth.
Chris is good too- Happy I think to know we aren't expecting anymore children. Still keeping my fingers crossed for a move to MD some time before the kids are too much older....
Blessings-

Oh how I love Patagonia-

2007-08-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

I would love to work retail again just work in one of their stores-

Here is a post off the Patagonia Blog- So true my friends so true-

http://www.thecleanestline.com/2007/08/organically-uns.html

Unsustainably Organic

I made a big mistake. It involves garlic.

Buying organic is good, right? I tend to think so, especially when my guilt-free organic garlic is now only $0.25 more expensive than its non-certified shelf-mates over at the local eco-chic shop n' strut. I'm a sucker for getting my values at a bargain, so I took a glance at the price, picked up a couple of fresh heads, and was on my way. But my stinking rose has a dark side, one I didn't take the time to notice 'til I got home . . .

Behold the unwitting, guileless garlic. So innocent. So fragrant. So well-travelled.

So I'm home now, and that's when I notice something peculiar about my garlic. Like Chairman Mao, the Ming Dynasty, microwave- and oven-safe table settings, and most things plastic or electronic, I see here that my organic garlic comes from China. There it is on the label (yes, my garlic is packaged - Strike Two!). Because I'm getting ready to sauté my garlic into a sauce made from fresh, locally grown tomatoes, it throws my mistake into bold relief.

What's the big deal? To start, garlic's pretty easy to grow, even in our country's driest state. And how far is China from where I live here in Nevada? Let's ask Google maps: Hmm . . . First try, entering "Distance between Reno, NV and Nanchang, China" brings up: "ChristianRock.Net - The best Christian rock on the planet" I need to get more specific.
My garlic, it turns out, traveled along with all of its smelly friends in a no doubt incredibly confined space, approximately 6529 miles. That's 10508 kilometers. That's straight-line distance. Why Nanchang? I hear it's nice there this time of year.
But really, folks. Over 6,000 miles!? My garlic is better-traveled than most Americans. Considering this, it's quite a bargain.

So anybody want to guess the price paid for that garlic? For reference, let's plan a little trip to Nanchang. Why? Well, I hear it's nice there this time of year. And to pick our own darn garlic, dag nabbit. "Pick your own strawberry" patches are just the best first step to sipping summertime from a daiquiri glass, so why not pick our own vampire repellent? I'm ready to try a garlic daquiri, so I check YourFavoriteAnonymousOnlineTravelAgent for a one-way ticket (my garlic, after all, ain't going home). Again, any price guesses?

First, the flight: Air China's got me covered for $885. At $7.38 per mile, that's not a bad deal. Certainly cheaper than driving . . . an M1 tank. The garlic? Under $2, friends. $1.98 for two heads, to be exact. Am I alone in my problems with this math? Besides that, where'd my garlic come up with that kind of airfare?

So here's a friendly suggestion: It's summertime. There's a farmer's market somewhere and you probably don't live too far from it. Go buy your vegetables from someone who grew them. Shake the hand that pulled your sweet, beautiful food up from the earth.

And if you're looking for something to read, check these lovely new releases out:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver

The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan

Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods, by Gary Paul Nabhan
Got some other reading selections along a similar vein? Feel free to throw 'em out there in the comments section.

Happy eating. Happy reading
______________________________

Not to mention how much I love their clothing!

Oh my goodness- This guy is right on!

2007-08-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

From the Boston Globe:The folly of 1 percent policy

By Eugene Declercq and Judy Norsigian August 6, 2007

THE PHRASE that comes to mind when you hear Dick Cheney is probably not "reshaping American childbirth." Yet Vice President Cheney's "One Percent Doctrine" -- the title of Ron Suskind's 2006 book on post 9/11 national security policy -- perfectly captures an approach to decision-making in American medicine that misallocates resources and undermines primary care. By focusing maximum resources on preventing an extremely rare but potentially disastrous outcome over necessary preventive care, this model has shaped healthcare decision-making in areas ranging from hysterectomies to coronary bypasses. One shift -- the rapidly rising caesarean rate -- exemplifies this problem.

Suskind reports that in debates over national security policy following 9/11, Cheney repeatedly invoked the principle that if there's even a 1 percent chance of a terrorist attack, we must prepare as if it were a certainty. This extreme position invariably gave Cheney the moral high ground in debates, where he could appear more willing to protect American interests than others with a broader focus. Of course, in winning the immediate argument, Cheney also ignored myriad longer-term complications involving problems not solved while the "emergency" is addressed.In healthcare, caesarean sections represent the most recent example of this doctrine, as births are increasingly treated as potential emergencies requiring expensive, high-tech interventions. The caesarean rate in the United States has increased from 20 percent in 1996 to a record high of more than 30 percent in 2005, trailing only Italy (37 percent) and South Korea (35 percent) among industrialized countries. Obstetricians are more skilled at performing caesareans than ever before and caesareans are safer than ever. But they are not without negative consequences. When they are performed as elective surgery on mothers with little or no medical risk, these harms outweigh the benefits.Yet caesareans are advocated as necessary to avert potential disasters that might occur.

At a 2006 meeting sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, one doctor captured the 1 percent (or in this case 1/30th of 1 percent) doctrine when he described rare conditions and noted the benefits of a 100 percent caesarean rate (you read that right) in avoiding these outcomes in 3 in 10,000 cases.Likewise, a 2006 position statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that "Labor and delivery is a physiologic process that most women experience without complications," but then goes on to emphasize the 1 percent doctrine: ". . . serious intrapartum complications may arise with little or no warning, even in low risk pregnancies." The statement and the doctor's claim are true, of course -- anything can occur -- but does that mean that society benefits when every birth is handled as a disaster (or worse yet a lawsuit) waiting to happen?No one wishes a health problem on any mother or child, but the "1 percent" advocates of higher caesarean section rates assert they care more about infant outcomes than those who oppose them. However, the consequences of universal caesarean sections on a largely healthy population are profound in both the short run (longer recovery, greater postpartum pain, higher maternal rehospitalization rates for surgical complications, higher costs) and long run (higher rates of subsequent stillbirths, greater risk of future uterine rupture, longer stays requiring more hospital space).

The 1 percent doctrine cares little about such consequences since its focus is on winning the current argument.Creating a crisis atmosphere is essential to the 1 percent doctrine and its ability to override all obstacles -- be they constitutional restrictions on national security measures or concerns about the United States ranking last among industrialized countries on infant mortality. Such an atmosphere encourages more centralized decision-making and stifles debate. The fact that most of these crises never occur and that countless resources are expended to prevent something that was unlikely to happen anyway is lost in the relief of the immediate positive outcome (a healthy baby or no terrorist attack). In the long run, however, we've wasted time and money, created new problems, and ignored systematically documented, if less emotional, evidence.

A version of the 1 percent doctrine has been invoked for decades in steering the US healthcare system away from an emphasis on preventive care for the whole population to an obsession with treating rare events. As a debating strategy, the 1 percent doctrine is extremely persuasive. As a policy guideline, it makes no sense in either politics or healthcare.

Eugene Declercq is a professor of maternal and child health at the Boston University School of Public Health. Judy Norsigian is executive director of Our Bodies Ourselves.

So I have kidney stone again...

2007-07-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

8 mm to be exact- They are going to try and remove on Friday. Sorry I have MIA for a while. I will keep you posted. If you pray please do so now- I hate Drs., procedures and hospitals- ALL which I am getting ready to hang out with-
Blessings-

The Islands are calling me...

2007-07-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

I feel the need for a slow day by the beach, with a fruity drink, and an island breeze. Jimmy Buffett was recently in TIME magazine and he started me itching...I haven't seen a Jimmy show in about 5 years- I used to make both shows every summer up in DC but Jacksonville FL isn't a big tour destination for Mr. Buffett or many other artists either but that is another post...(see wanting to move :))
I am not even opposed to taking my children- I want them to learn to love the beach, the sun and the surf as much as I do-
I know you all are thinking hey lady don't you live in FL but FL and the islands are completely different. And living here isn't much like island life at all-- I would give all this up and move to waitress tables and live in a small shack on the beach in some small island if I could...

I bet Voldermort shops at WALMART

2007-07-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

HARRY POTTER TAKES ON WALDEMART

OCA's "Breaking the Chains" campaign has dedicated itself to reminding consumers of how Wal-Mart destroys local independent businesses, exploits workers, and undermines organic food and farming. This week, we are happy to share with you a humorous video that will appeal to all ages.. In a few weeks, the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter book series will be released, and Wal-Mart stands to sell millions of copies. But in order to drive customers into their stores, Wal-Mart is selling the books dirt cheap -- 50% below the suggested retail price. This typical Wal-Mart move to destroy its competition will likely have a devastating effect on already struggling independent book stores across the country. Watch this humorous web video and don't forget to boycott Wal-Mart and the chains. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5987.cfm

Solar Powered Ronald McDonald House

2007-07-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Ronald Mc Donald House has gotten some bad press lately for not allowing mother's to breast feeding in the common area- But I couldn't let this article go by with out sharing it with you- I wonder if they have ever thought about Solar Powering a Mc Donald's.... This post is from GreenerBuildings.com

Construction Begins on First Solar-Powered Ronald McDonald House

AUSTIN, TEXAS, June 29, 2007 -- The installation of a solar array began Thursday on what will become the country's first solar-powered Ronald McDonald House. Green Mountain Energy Co. plans to fund and install the 10.8 kilowatt (kW) solar panels that will power up to half of the house's 30 rooms used to accommodate the families of ill or injured children being treated in Austin area hospitals. "We are proud to be the first Ronald McDonald House in the United States to incorporate photovoltaic solar panels into our design and to set the standard for innovative ways to incorporate cleaner, renewable technologies," said Kent Burress, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas. The solar array will help offset more than 30,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually, or the equivalent of driving some 33,000 miles, according to Green Mountain Energy Co. The company teamed with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas for the project, to be located adjacent to the Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas. It will be funded by Green Mountain Energy's Big Texas Sun Club, which allows customers to support solar energy installations with a $5 supplement to their energy bills. The Ronald McDonald House represents Green Mountain's 10th related solar installation. Construction of the Ronald McDonald house began in November 2006. It will open in November with an educational kiosk explaining how its 54 photovoltaic panels work. The Ronald McDonald House will be one of two buildings in Austin designated as a LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Platinum building.

I like my SPICES together--

2007-07-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

You have got to be kidding- Please don't go to the concert! This post came from the daily GRIST! read and weep on behalf of the environment :(

Tell Us What You Flaunt, What You Really Really Flaunt

Spice Girls reunion tour will be -- gasp -- carbon-intensive We've been looking for an excuse to mention the Spice Girls reunion since it was announced two weeks ago, and we've finally got one. It seems that -- brace yourself -- the group's world tour will not be eco-friendly. In fact, each Girl will get a private Lear jet for the 11-show tour, which starts in December and covers ground from Los Angeles to Madrid to Buenos Aires. According to Alex Lambie, who runs a London-based website that helps consumers compare energy options, the combined flights will churn out nearly 10,500 tons of carbon dioxide. "It's everyone's responsibility to limit the damage we're doing to our planet," he says. "But clearly, some celebrities feel they don't count." An Australian paper sniped, "Clearly, Girl Power does not come in green." And one disillusioned fan said, "When you have concerts like Live Earth encouraging us all to be green, you get the Spice Girls pulling a stunt like this. Just who do they think they are?" Um, they're PoshSportyScaryBabyGinger. Zigazig ah!

straight to the source: The Times of India, 12 Jul 2007
straight to the source: The Daily Telegraph, 12 Jul 2007
straight to the source: BBC News, 28 Jun 2007

passion...what are you passionate about?

2007-07-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

I don't care what it is that makes you hot!
Just please be passionate about something-
Everyone needs a little fire in their lives....
Let it be protecting the environment,
the rights of the land, the flowers that grow,
the owls in the trees or the birds and the bees

Maybe you are passionate about children,
born or unborn
homeless or abused
but just do something,
call, write or give someone a ring

Make your voice be heard!

Maybe it is your family or your wife

Passion just needs to be apart of every one's life....

Let some thing move you!

i like me some einstein....

2007-07-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge- So I wonder if he didn't really know any of the stuff he talked about I wonder if he just imagined it all and we believed him...
Has anyone read that new biography out on him? The author was on Jon Stewart Show which Fiona and I watch almost every night. But I don't remember the authors name- I may have to add it to my list of things to read...Boy is that list growing...I like non-fiction. Mostly been reading stuff about Waldorf Education, Anthrosophy, Steiner, and parenting-
What is on your night stand?

Fun....

2007-07-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

So I was talking with a friend today and I asked when was the last time she had real fun...I truly can't remember when I can say I have had real fun. Actually, I am not even sure what I would do these days for fun. I know it wouldn't be drinking and staying up all night partying- That used to be fun. Does fun change when you have children? Are they the only sort of fun you get to have once you are old? Do people with out kids that are old have fun like we did when we are young? Has my lack of fun been caused b/c I am now old? or b/c I now have children? or BOTH?
What do you do for fun? and next time can I come too?

I am looking for a job...

2007-07-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

....that I can get a couple more tatoos, my nose pierced, wear my vegan earth shoes, hemp skirt, organic cotton tank top and my hair in a long pony tail and get paid? Does anyone know where I can find that? Oh I also need vacation time :)

Boycotting Starbucks... it is going to be hard...

2007-06-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the OCA site- Organic Consumers Association website and I hadn't heard about all the bad stuff on Starbucks before now- So let me share-
http://www.organicconsumers.org/Starbucks/leaflet.pdf

Protest Starbucks
Join OCA and take the Starbucks challenge and protest or leaflet Starbucks cafes in your neighborhood. Let's educate Starbucks' patrons about Fair Trade and rBGH.
Despite over five years of grassroots pressure, Starbucks continues to serve milk from cows that are injected with genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth hormone, also known as rBGH or rBST. Virtually every industrial country, except for the United States, has banned the sale of rBGH milk. Milk produced from cows injected with rBGH poses serious dangers to human health and the general welfare to dairy cows.
The time has come to kick rBGH off the market, once and for all. If Starbucks, a major buyer of milk, were to reject rBGH dairy products, we could effectively eliminate it from the market.
Similarly, while Starbucks has slowly bought more certified Fair Trade coffee, it represents only a very small percentage of their total coffee (about 3.7%). Starbucks rarely offers certified Fair Trade coffee as their coffee of the day, nor has it followed its own policy of brewing Fair Trade coffee, on demand.
1. Take the Starbucks Challenge! Hold Starbucks to their word. Simply visit your local Starbucks and ask: "Could I get a cup of fair trade coffee?" and let us know how it went.

And here is some infor about Fair Trade Coffee
Many coffee farmers receive prices for their harvest that can be less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt. They are often forced to sell to middlemen who pay them half the market price, generally between 30-50 per pound.
Fair trade coffee sells for a minimum of $1.26 per pound.
This money goes directly to coffee farmers, not to predatory middlemen.
Fair Trade farmers are also insured access to credit at the beginning of the harvest season so they can support themselves during the "lean months" between harvests.
A typical Fair Trade farmer cultivates less than 3 hectares (7 acres) of coffee and harvests 1,000-3,000 pounds of unroasted coffee a year
More than 500,000 farmers around the world produce and sell more than 170 million pounds of coffee each year through the Fair Trade network. Over 100 fair trade coffee brands are sold worldwide in approximately 35,000 retail outlets (7,000 in the US).
About 85% of Fair Trade Certified coffee is shade grown and organic as small farmers have never had the money to purchase chemicals.
The first fair trade coffee label was started in 1998 in Holland under the name Max Havelaar and has since been followed by many others. In 1997, Fair Trade labelers formed an international umbrella group called Fair Trade Labeling Organizations (FLO) International, which defines the criteria for each product certified under the Fair Trade system, including coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, honey, bananas and orange juice.
There are now over 50 importers and roasters in the US the largest being Equal Exchange (http://www.equalexchange.com/) who imported 1.6 million pounds of coffee last year.
... Unfortunately the supply of fair trade far outstrips the demand. Of the 170 million pounds of fair trade coffee produced globally only 35 million pounds are sold on the fair trade market. Coffee companies need to aggressively promote fair trade coffee.

"So what is in your cup?"

So my new favorite book is...

2007-06-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Lazy Environmentalist by Josh Dorfman

Here is the link to the book at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Lazy-Environmentalist-Guide-Stylish-Living/dp/1584796022/ref=sr_1_1/103-7058403-7534217?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182714124&sr=8-1

Check it out. It will make be green really really easy. And I love being green and I love it even more when it is easy...

So I am going to join the YMCA

2007-06-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Now don't get your hard hat out or your Indian costume just so fast- I am going to join the YMCA to work out- I need to do something- I am extremely unhappy with my weight and body shape.
And it doesn't help that my husband is now back down to his pre-pregnancy weight and needs to buy all new clothes to fit him... Oh and by the way, he hasn't really done much physical work to make that happen- Just yard work and house hold chores...So how the hell does that happen for men? I have always been able to eat what I want and not work out- I guess it is time realize I am in my 30s and it sucks....Damn metabolism. Where did you go? You and I were friends? I loved you- I bragged on you all the time! Please oh please come back :)

Maryland on my mind...

2007-06-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

Weather is turning hot...and I am ready to move. I really want to move...I went to MD over Memorial Day weekend and miss it and my friends and family. I loved seeing my girl friends' children. I loved the idea of their kids all growing up together. I want that for my children- Okay enough boo hoo sob story for me. Chris says in about 3 years...For me to stop spending so much money and we can move :) So I guess I just have to be patient... I WANT TO GO NOW!
Hope to be up to visit again this summer soon!

About me--- I knew I was this.....

2007-06-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

What Temperament are you? This relates to Waldorf education and how students are taught and learn... And really shows us how it takes all kinds...I knew I was Choleric...Read on and see :)

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things.Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life.You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation.
You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon.Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall.You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others.
At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults.Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion.A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

So I have post partum depression

2007-05-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

I went to my midwife at my 2 week check up and told her about it- I didn't know what to do. I didn't have any of the symptoms after the boys- But with Fiona it as been different. I have felt really overwhelmed and not very mothering at all- I am now taking Zoloft. Which I am not completely happy about but I know I needed help and it is helping. When I go back next week for my six week check up I am going to see when I can stop taking it. But I am glad I have it and glad I had the sense to get it-- Anyone read Brooke Shields' book? I will be buying it from Amazon for my trip to MD in MAY.

Baby Fiona

2007-04-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

So here is how the story ends or begins... :)

2007-03-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

I had the ecv (External Cephalic Version) (more on that in my next post)
They turned the baby at the hospital my midwife, the OB she works with and another midwife as well as Chris and my parents all made the trip to St. Luke's Hospital to basically shove and push the baby head down.... Now since I had extremely positive results (read on) I am happy I had the procedure- If something had went wrong or she would not have turned I would be very upset I went through the pain and discomfort to have this procedure.... If a natural home birth is how you truly believe birth is supposed to happen then this procedure is for you...If you are having your baby in a hospital and remotely think an epidural is something you want- don't put yourself through the pain of this procedure- Just have a c-section. Odds are you may end up with one anyway-

One intervention normally leads to another so you could possibly end up with surgery anyway- But enough on the crappy part of the post now on to the good part....

So she is now head down due March 19th :) March 19th comes and goes no baby...My water breaks we think March 21 Weds at about 10 pm...No contractions nothing really. My sweet husband puts his homebirth DAD action plan in place and gets busy with his chores. Filling the tub, putting the plastic between the sheets in the bed, getting my Emergen-C to drink, lighting candles, playing CDs...But we got nothing- No contractions at all.

We get up Thursday morning and go see the midwife- she is unsure whether my water has broken or not but does like the 30th sonogram I have had this pregnancy (BTW Sonograms not good for babies- sounds like a Jackhammer in your uterus to them- Lots of research on this)
and she sees plenty of fluid still for the baby....So we go home and pretty much don't worry about anything. By about 8 pm Thursday night I am having contractions but nothing organized or regular. I put the boys to bed and head off to bed myself....I easily fall asleep and through out the night start to have contractions while sleeping. They are becoming more serious and regular.

By 3 AM I wake up get out of bed and start timing them- They are about 7 minutes apart. I start laboring on the toliet my second favorite place to be while in labor. I wait to make sure they are going to stay like that and call my midwife around 4 AM. She stops by her office to get her appointment book in case she needs to cancel her AM appointments b/c I am labor and then is heading over. I let her know I am going to get in the tub (mostest favoritest place to be).

Once I get in the tub, the contractions get closer together and stronger. They go from about 7 minutes to about 3 minutes and then they are one on top of another and I have about 2 or 3 I feel like I can't get "on top of/control" (transition) By this time it is about 430/445 AM. I have about 4 really pushy type contractions- Then I feel her head emerge- I yell to Chris the "BABY IS HERE" He comes running into the bedroom with my mom (both who are totally surprised the baby is here and the midwife isn't) and on the next contraction I push the rest of her body out bring her up to my chest and DUDE we have ourselves a new baby! About 5 minutes later my midwife comes in :)

Fiona Frances is the most amazing thing ever- She is petite and beautiful. Her brothers were 9 pounds- She was just over 7 pounds. Dark black hair and looks great in the color pink.

Moral of the story: Any pain or discomfort she caused me during pregnancy is completely forgiven and I can't wait to share her birth story with her so that some day she will know just how powerful women are and what amazing things we can do!

We weren't going to find out and then we weren't going to tell but...

2007-03-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

Baby #3 is a GIRL! and She is stubborn and a pain just like her mother- She is breech and won't turn-
So send all your Turn Turn Turn! messages my way!
I do NOT WANT A CSECTION!
I want to have a nice peaceful birth with my first and odds are only daughter!
This pregnancy has been a rough one- I have had kidney stones, an UTI and now a breech presentation-
Breech isn't that bad if someone here in Jacksonville FL would agree to deliver her!
I am thinking still of going to "the FARM" in TN and having her deliver by Ina May-
If you want to learn more google it-- Buy Spritiual Midwifery- Read it! It is how birth is supposed to be-

So I have an addiction...

2007-02-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know everyone has them- but I have always prided myself on not having an "addictive personality." That I need no one specific thing to survive. I don't need a cup of coffee in the morning, never been a "smoker", never even really a drinker- I like wine but never had to have it- I do like to shop- but I am picky, I hate the mall and all things commercial....

But I am addicted to Health Food/Organic Grocery Stores

So here is how I know this is an addiction...I find out where they are and visit them while on vacations, if husband suggests a possible place to move someday I Google to see if they have a Wild Oats, Whole Foods, etc etc in the area or near by, when on vacation I check the phone book in the hotel and make sure we visit the "Mom and Pop" ones that I may have missed online, I make sure we visit any or all of them while on vacation (don't worry I don't take pictures in or around the store but maybe I should...:) and buy something. Sometimes I talk to the manager/owner about how great there store is. I just love them.

I love seeing the fresh vegetables, I love smelling the oils, the candles, the coffees and knowing mostly everything in the store is good for me or the earth or both. Organic standards are a concern of mine and I don't want places like WalMart weakening them. Do I wish Organics were cheaper? yes! Do I wish more people could afford them? yes! But at the cost of quality and truly helping save the earth for our children? HELL NO!

I talk with Chris about owning our own little organic grocery store some day...I think that may be my retirement job one day but somehow no one has told me how or when I get to retire from this "Mom thing"

...if you have a clue let me know :)

Blessingway by Kim

2007-02-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

I had such a lovely time on Saturday. My BFF Kim hosted a few wonderful ladies at her house for a blessingway for me and a baby shower for Wood Baby #3. The food was amazing. I mean so yummy- I could have stayed and grazed all day. Presentation exceptional. Kim was so wonderful to do this- As she continues to wait for Dewdrop Churches in China. Damn Chinese Govt. just gives us DEWDROP!
I want to thank everyone for the well wishes on what I plan to be another amazing birth experience. Things are coming together here at home for the baby's birth- I have the bucket filling up with supplies and the new clothes washed and in the drawers. Cloth diapers in small and medium are assembled- As who knows how fat baby #3 will be. I haven't gained nearly as much weight this time but I who knows how much the baby has gained. I can proudly announce I have only gained 36 pounds. Compared to the 72 and 78 I gained with Chandler and Gavin. I always tell people it is just a good thing I have a big husband- and the determination to be a size 4 again someday.

So it has been two month two very busy months

2007-02-02T12:12:00.000-08:00

Quick recap:
Well, there was Christmas- Boys got a ton of stuff and Chris got me a very cool digital camcorder. So some day will start adding videos here- maybe first I should just focus on adding regular blog updates.

Then there was New Year's- And I felt like poop so I didn't even stay up. Well, come to find out I have/had a Kidney stone. Not normally very bad in women- much worse in men but pregnant women very bad- I would say my pain level was at about an 8 for about a week. And let me tell you- not that I like pain but I can say I have a high threshold for pain. And this was painful.
So I spent a couple days in the hospital- going basically crazy b/c you just wait for this sort of thing to do its sort of thing and that is all you can do- They sent me home with some antibiotics-

Well about 10 days later back to visit the nurses at St. Luke's. Oh and by the way, I am not a good patient. I hate hospitals another reason my children are born at home. Basically everything the nurses said to do- I didn't listen. Like nothing by mouth ate a banana- thus in turn threw up a banana. I have bad veins for IVs. And nurses have a hard time with IVs. So I end up with track marks on my arms where the nurse tries and tries to put one in and then calls another nurse to try to put one. Very painful- while it is happening and later.

But I am feeling better now- actually really good. I am in a great place to be able to birth this baby. I know everything will be fine and the baby is doing great. The birth tub has been reserved, birth supplies ordered and 6 weeks and counting. ETA of baby #3 late march (thinking March 21 or 28th)

Oh only sickness now is both boys have chest colds and fevers we are taking on homeopathically. They are on the mend-

I will have much exciting news to post tomorrow afternoon- Kim is having me a blessingway at her home. I am very excited. I think I need lots of great birth vibes now!

Some updates/same/shampoo/shopping

2006-12-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

Well, we got back on Tuesday after spending the Holiday in MD with family and friends. I really miss MD. I am trying to find my husband a job back there now. Part of the reason I think I am over Jacksonville. Is I am tired of the same- Jacksonville is very same. Same weather (it was 82 yesterday and yes it was DEC. 1 but that could have had easily been May 1), most of the people you meet same, same routine, same sh**, different day.

I hate same. Anyone who knows me knows I love change...the essence of change, the excitement of change. I get bored easily. I think this is the longest time I have ever lived in the same place since becoming an adult. I used to change apartments every year when the lease was up. I guess some of the only things I have that are the same are my dear friends from home. I like that they are the same...I don't want that to change at all.

Enough on that- I don't want people here in Jacksonville to start sending hate mail or for my in-laws to think we are up and "stealing" their grand kids.

Shampoo- So the Suave is treating me good but...I still worry about all the stuff in it I can't pronounce so I for about a week I have been using Dr. Broner's all in one soap. Nothing too scary in it. And dude if you have ever read the label you can do almost everything with it and I mean everything- brush your teeth, wash cloth diapers, scrub your floor plus a whole lot more.

Shopping- Ahh! one of the joys of Christmas- So I have come to dislike shopping. I hate the MALL! Chandler says is muy MAL. His Spanish teacher would be so proud. But anyway I have really found some great stuff on line this year especially since I HATE PLASTIC TOYS THAT MAKE NOISE!!! The boys will be getting wooden trucks and cars, a hand made dolly (not hand made by me mind you ) and organic underwear. And honestly I have never been happier!

Check out http://www.greentaramama.com/ Michelle is the owner and she is wonderful.

PS Chris has been out of town W-F so he took the boys to the park so I am going to clean out more junk from the playroom now! I love purging things they don't play with and giving them to child who really need them!

2006-11-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

10 Things You Can Do to Contribute to Internal, Interpersonal and
Organizational Peace.

1. Spend some time each day quietly reflecting on how you would
like to relate to yourself and others.
2. Remember that all human beings have the same needs.
3. Check your intention to see if you are as interested in others
getting their needs met as your own.
4. When asking someone to do something, check first to see if you
are making a request or a demand.
5. Instead of saying what you DON'T want someone to do, say what
you DO want the person to do.
6. Instead of saying what you want someone to BE, say what action
you'd like the person to take that you hope will help the person be
that way.
7. Before agreeing or disagreeing with anyone's opinions, try to
tune in to what the person is feeling and needing.
8. Instead of saying No, say what need of yours prevents you from
saying Yes.
9. If you are feeling upset, think about what need of yours is not
being met, and what you could do to meet it, instead of thinking
about what's wrong with others or yourself.
10. Instead of praising someone who did something you like, express
your gratitude by telling the person what need of yours that action
met.

The Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) would like there to
be a critical mass of people using Nonviolent Communication so all
people will get their needs met and resolve their conflicts
peacefully.

© 2001 Gary Baran & CNVC The right to freely duplicate this document
is hereby granted.

Is it really possible to be over Starbucks?

2006-11-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have always favored the mom and pop coffee shop over the chain but recently with the addition of children to my life relaxing in a coffee shop and people watching has been far from possible. Most of the Starbucks in Jacksonville have a drive thru which makes dining easy with kids secure in the Britax in the back seat. But the past couple times I have been "thru"...I haven't even found anything to get excited about on the menu what is a coffee lover to do? I would never remotely balk at the price like other coffee lovers who can swear by certain gas stations $.99 cup of Joe... But come on Starbucks give me something here to work with...
While this is my favorite coffee time of the year- I love the Pumpkin Spice Latte but even that seems boring these days...Kim and I loved the Green Tea Frapps last summer but this summer they had to go an add blackberries to it...You could request it minus the blackberry whatever but really why would you have wanted that in there anyway...Yuck!

PS on a little side note...We don't eat fast food alot so my children don't really recognize McDonald's or Burger King signs while we are driving but my 2 year old can spot a Starbucks a mile away and is already asks for his own cup.... Could mean trouble is a brewing (pun intended)

Don't hate me but I have good hair- I mean really good HAIR!

2006-11-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

I say this because I am scared.

First off, I am really still shocked that I have such good hair because I have always had pretty bad skin even now I suffer from adult acne But really I can't remember the last time I have had a bad hair day. And I live in an area with about the worst water quality and most humidity possible. Not to mention I have permed, highlighted, colored, frosted, low lighted, straightened, bleached my hair pretty much since about the age of 5. I got the "Annie" perm first.

(BTW, Hair naturally a light brown color and straight!)

I say I am scared because of the recent work status change I am forced to change hair products. See I think while good hair comes from good genes (Thanks MOM!) I also believe good hair comes from expensive hair care products. For as long as I can remember I used Aveda. LOVE IT! But then about 2 years ago I switched to something all organic b/c I read some horrible stuff about Sodium Laurel Sulfates (pardon the spelling) So all organic it was- Nothing I couldn't pronounce was going on this noggin. And Oh how I loved it but this organic shampoo and condition comes with a price about $16 a bottle. And the bottle is not gallon sized.

It just so happened I ran out of the shampoo and conditioner at approximately the same time I quit my job.... GASP! What is a girl to do!
Now I know Chris wouldn't even bat an eyelash if I went out and bought "my beloved shampoo"
But I can't for the life of me do it. So Hold your breath again- I have become a SUAVE GIRL!
all of $1.92 a bottle at Target. And mind you the bottle is bigger than the organic bottle.

I have been using the suave for about a month now- and no back lash yet- We have entered a less humid time here in Jacksonville if that is possible and I am really watching what I eat b/c of baby #3 but only time will tell if the girl who has always had good hair can keep her reputation....

Gavinism...

2006-10-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I teach yoga and I have been reading lately about Eastern Religions and such. Well, recently I was talking to Chris about "chi"-- It has been described in western culture many ways as in the framework at which we look at things, ones life force, or general outlook or behavior. Well, sometimes as adults we need to "harness our chi"- regain control of our situation when it comes to dealing with our children- I try to remember this before I say something mean or hurtful to the boys that I really don't mean. We have also asked Chandler to start using it to when he gets mad at Gavin about taking his toys, knocking over a castle he just built etc etc. Tonight while we were all laying down to put the boys to sleep, they were particular hyper. After story telling and singing still no rest was coming to their little bodies- So Chris politely asked them to "Harness their Chi's" in which Brother's response was "mmm..Cheese" Needless to say we all started laughing and it took even more time for the boys to nod off.

ok SO I stole this from Kim who stole this from someone who stole it from someone

2006-10-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is a fantastic meme that I borrowed from c., a blogger who's writing style I simply admire (pwp, so I can't provide link). I've always thought it would be quite an accomplishment to write a memoir, one about my immigrant family is on my life to-do list. It took me a while to answer these, perhaps I need to know more about myself and where I come from. Maybe I focus too much on the present and immediate future to reflect backwards. I hate having to retrace my steps, literally. If you have time to answer these, let me know in your comments. I pass this along to you, I'd love to hear what you are from.
I am from _______ (specific ordinary item), from _______ (product name) and _______.
I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).
I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item), the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)
I am from _______ (family tradition) and _______ (family trait), from _______ (name of family member) and _______ (another family name) and _______ (family name).
I am from the _______ (description of family tendency) and _______ (another one).
From _______ (something you were told as a child) and _______ (another).
I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it). Further description.
I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______ (two food items representing your family).
From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the _______ (another detail, and the _______ (another detail about another family member).
I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

I am going to think about my answers and post them later this week. This is should be good.

I could wait- Here is my response

I am from a bowl of spaghetti, from Lysol Spray and JC Penney.

I am from the all brick rancher that always had too many bedrooms and never enough people to fill them. With a basement that served as birthday party room, scout meeting room and playroom all within hours. On a street filled with friends and street lights that always seem to come on too early in the summer.

I am from an evergreen tree, the never ending idealist.

I am from talking too much and showing affection regardless, from Grandma and BaBa and Angela, Sam, & Andy and Chris, Gavin and Chandler.

I am from the lady who yelled the loudest at high school sports and the man who stood by the fence to give encouragement even if he didn’t have a kid playing.

From do what you think is best and either way, we will always love you.

I am from Catholic Parents. And believe in God and other people's right to their god who ever he or she may be.

I'm from Middletown MD, West Virginia, Ellis Island, Italy, the Czech Republic and some other places, pepperoni rolls and pigs in the blanket (made with cabbage leaves).

From the great grandmother who brought antique bedroom furniture from “the old country with her on the boat”, the grandfather who ran the best “store” in Morgantown, and the sister who I call “Mother Superior” but have learned so much.

I am from smiled filled photo albums of travel, vacations and family reunions on the coffee table, and hallways lined with framed photos of family with us and no longer.

Week One: Mission Completation

2006-10-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

So My first week home with my Angels was okay. No it was better than OK. We had a great time. We kept extremely busy.
Monday: We went to Toddler Town with Heather, Wallace and Pierce.
Tuesday: We went to Lunch at Ruby Tuesdays with Miss Kim and checked out "The Little Gym".
Wednesday: We ran errands to the consignment store to drop some stuff off, to Library Story Time and to the grocery store.
Thursday: Chandler had Preschool and Gavin and I attended for about half the time and the other half he stayed by himself. That evening we attended the Dorothy the Dinosaur Show as part of Gavin's Birthday.
Friday: Chandler had Preschool and went almost the whole time by himself and Gavin and I went to his first class at the Little Gym.
Two evenings I did some CLC work with a client have breastfeeding issues after a c-section.
So it was quite a busy week. This week we are trying something a little different- I think we might try staying home more and see what happens.
My real question is when does a SAHM get a day off? Seems like my week just blended into my weekend. Hmmm... I need to talk to management about this. If I produce a happy, healthy product by week's end shouldn't I get some sort of flex time? Say on Sat. or Sunday?

On a side note, I have thought of some other things I want to blg about but shockingly haven't had the time- SO I am going to keep a list of possible interesting blog toopics- SO when I have time--- When?! I have some interesting fodder :)
Have a good one :)

This makes me sad

2006-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

PRODUCT PLUNDER OF THE WEEK: IT'S SCARY -- HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE MADE WITH FORCED CHILD LABORThe scariest thing about Halloween this year won't be the costumes... it's the chocolate. Almost half of the world's cocoa is being produced on West African plantations where, according to the UN's International Labor Organization, 284,000 child laborers "are either involved in hazardous work, unprotected, or have been trafficked." Say no to the chocolate industry's ghoulish links to child slavery by buying Fair Trade and organic chocolate.* Help educate people about this important issue by sending a letter to the editor of your local newspaper here: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/oca/pickMedia.jsp?letter_KEY=576* Host a slavery-free Halloween house party to distribute trick-or-treat sized Fair Trade chocolate minis to your friends and neighbors. Fair Trade trick-or-treat kits: http://store.gxonlinestore.org/trickortreatkit.html* Order Fair Trade chocolate minis for your Halloween party or trick-or-treaters: http://equalexchange.stores.yahoo.net/organiccocoa.html* Help us publicize the slavery-free Halloween campaign by letting us know about your house party. Contact: alexis@organicconsumers.orgWe rely on your donations to continue our work on these important issues!Donate Now!http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm

Reply from my Sister...thought you might enjoy

2006-10-05T13:45:00.001-07:00

This is an email I got from my sister Angela. She and I have pretty much lived opposite lives. Her oldest daughter will graduate from college in May and her younger wil start next fall (2007). She put her career on hold as an attorney 20 years ago to stay at home. So I guess she knows a little about what she is talking about....

Francie,

I have to reply by email because I couldn't figure out how to reply to the blog. I hope that your days at home with the boys will bring you more satisfaction than you ever imagined possible. And I promise--if not way before they are 20 years old--you will be so thrilled that you have invested what it takes in their lives because they will be so much more fun to be around since they will have become your best friends. We can always hope that great parents will always love their kids, but it takes time and effort and a commitment of engagement to find parents who "like" their kids and would want to spend their time together rather than with someone else. Best of luck to you in your new world. I know it has all been worth it for me!!!

Love ya,Angela

PS It seems ironic to me, as you face coming home I am beginning to face returning to work and I think I am more scared than you. But I do still have at least 6 months to a year before I need to make anything real.

So I had another blog and I sucked at it...

2006-10-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

So lucky for me you can just delete these sort of things and move on. Pretty easy. But it has come to my attention basically because I am surrounded by empty boxes in my office (should be packing) that I am entering the world of the Stay at Home MOM. (And I will have more time to create a not so sucky blog.) And at first and by most accounts this excites me. I have been working since about the age 16 up to three jobs at a time. I like to spend money so you need to work to spend money. Get it! Double edged Sword.... Being able to enjoy time with my 2 sons Chandler 3 and Gavin 2 and new baby #3 due in March.

No more pantyhose and suits in the summer in Florida.

No more boring business lunches.

No more following policy and procedures for no better reason then "that is just what we do"

No more deadlines to bosses (yes I currently report to 2 Bosses not just one)

See doesn't leaving all this behind sound great.

Well, I am now currently scared.

I have always contributed.................And I know I will be contributing even more now being at home with the kids but who will do my quarterly evalution? How will I earn my Merit Increase? Who will call me up and ask for opinions of their work/idea/project? Who will tell me I look nice in my new Ann Taylor Suit? Funny, I may never own another new Ann Taylor Suit. I don't think that is suitable playgroup attire. See I kind of always thought of my self as a working girl...No not that kind of working girl (heads out of the gutter) But it has come to my attention that to be that girl you can't really be the kind of Mom I want to be.

I want to be the Mom who sends the best homemade treats into school for birthdays, I want to be the Mom who is home after school, I want to be the Mom who my kids' friends think is cool, I want to be the Mom who doesn't have to worry about deadlines, bosses, goals, and paperwork. And these two people don't exist in one person at least not in this one person.

I love what I do as a career. I have a great title. I make decent money,more than some whole households make. But I love what I hope to do as a MOM even more. End of the day someone else will come sit at this desk and do this job maybe even better than I have- But at the end of the day no one will be able to do the job of mothering my children better than me.

Guess my decision is easier than I thought.
Wish me luck on the journey.
I promise to keep you posted :)