MamAnomolie

I Am Not Cool

2012-01-07T20:16:00.001-05:00

I know she is not yet even two, but from the very beginning Sophie has been what I can only call athletic. She turned over early, walked early, and moved on to running without looking back. She's known in our group as "the runner." I know that I'm not exactly an unbiased source, but she's really strong.

She recently had to spend a few days in the hospital. Everything is fine - I didn't share that fact to worry anybody, but rather to relate this. We spent every moment she was in the hospital right by her side, except for the spinal tap. The doctor told us that, as a mother herself, she recommends that parents not be present for the procedure. We waited anxiously in the next room, and when it was done were told that it took three full-grown men to hold her still for the procedure (and they were all singing the ABC's because we had told them that this would help calm her). My point? The girl is athletic...and this baffles Jonathan and me.

I'm not going to speak for Jonathan, but I am not an athlete. I was recently told by a mom that I met that she assumed I ran because I just seemed athletic. I'm outdoorsy. I played sports in high school. I have a scar on my knee from a college lacrosse injury. I've even biked a century, but don't let any of that fool you. I am not athletic. I'm about to reveal more than I should about just how uncool I really am.

I did play sports in high school - field hockey and lacrosse. Why field hockey and lacrosse? Because those are the sports you can start in high school having never played before and actually have a fighting chance. I was not good. I worked really hard, and that got me by...barely. In fact, I can remember my dad telling me he was proud of me because I had absolutely no genetic help on my side. Plus there was the fact that I couldn't see. I didn't have contacts yet, and I wouldn't wear glasses because they would fog up, so basically I was running around with a stick and a ball and I couldn't see. Picture that for a moment.

I did tear my ACL playing lacrosse in college. Duke had just started their women's team...I was not on it. I played club lacrosse...for about 40 minutes. I managed to injure myself the first game of the spring season. Now, to give myself a little bit of credit, there had been a fall season, and I did play then as well. There usually weren't enough players to field all of the positions, and I remember the goalie often being drunk. I'm not sure of the details because, as I think you're catching on to, I was not one of the cool kids.

I'll admit it - when that mom said that I just seemed athletic, I wanted to hug her. But no matter how much I run or bike or hike, the natural, graceful athleticism that you see in some people is just not in me. You know who I mean. They are the people that you see running in your neighborhood that just seem to glide, as though they are exerting no effort as their long muscles flex beneath their lycra. As opposed to the people like me, who you see running in your neighborhood and you just want to jump out of your car and cheer them on, because you can see how hard they are trying, and you know genetics are not on their side.

Again, I know Sophie is not even two yet. And please don't get the idea that I'm going to push her to do sports and be one of those moms. It's just amazing to see this little person mastering control of her body. While it does make some playdates difficult, I love that she is "the runner." I'm baffled by how someone who just learned to walk can have such good balance, how someone so small can be so strong, and how this little athletic dynamo came out of me.

Top photo by Karen Suttles.

All or Nothing: My Quest for Volume Control

2012-01-04T20:20:00.001-05:00

My sister is a cookie splitter. For me, it's a whole cookie or nothing. Let me explain...

My mom is known for making an assortment of delicious dessert bars over Thanksgiving. Every year she swaps a few of her standards for new recipes, and every year we say that we miss whatever bar was replaced. Pumpkin cheesecake bars, mixed nut bars, pecan pie bars and lemon bars. We love them, and could all eat ridiculously large numbers of them at all hours of the day. But we try and control ourselves.

My sister will cut a bar in half. That way she can have one bar total, but enjoy two different kinds. My thought process is completely different. I either want a full bar or no bar at all. There is no middle ground for me. I am all or nothing, and not just where cookies are concerned. I have heard people say that this can be a good trait. If I do something, I go all out. I am thorough and dedicated in my tasks. I've been thinking about this trait a lot lately, though, and overall, it's not so good.

If I have something wrong with me, my initial reaction is that I don't have time to deal with it. It will go away on it's own. Surely it's nothing. This is my mode of thinking, until suddenly it isn't. That pain in my side is no longer nothing, but a cancerous tumor that is about to take over my body. In a split second after weeks of the same problem it inexplicably goes from one to the other. All or nothing.

When I exercise, I have to do it every day, because once I skip a day, well then I may as well just sit on the couch and eat bonbons all day. It's like I have an on/off switch but no volume control. There is no glass half empty or half full. There is no half anything.

I think this has become more of a problem since I became a mother. All mothers are busy and slightly distracted. A wonderful little person is getting most of your attention, so other things cannot get as much focus as they used to. I used to wait to call friends back until I had a dedicated chunk of time when I could focus on talking to them. I would wait to clean out the pantry until I had the time and space to take every single thing out and scrub, toss, repackage, and arrange in order of fiber content. But now my all or nothing mentality combined with motherhood has made it so that the calls to friends and pantry organization doesn't happen at all.

So, with the new year, I am striving for balance. And a balanced kind of balance. See, I have even jumped into balance with a ridiculous fervor in the past. And militantly balanced just doesn't work. In fact, it kind of defeats the whole purpose. I am searching for some space between the "on" and the "off."

Photos courtesy of flickr. Top photo: walter.keller. Bottom photo:bibliogrrl.

Yay, PRESENTS!!!!...Ahem, I Mean, Presents

2011-11-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when another one of my anomolous tendencies reveals itself. Let me explain. I love the idea of simplicity parenting. All of us, myself included, have too much stuff. Jonathan and I joked before we even had kids when we saw how many toys some of our friend's kids had that we were going to send ours outside with a stick to play all day. Less stuff around promotes kids using their imagination. This is how I truly feel. AND I LOVE PRESENTS!!!! OK, there, I've said it.

Seriously, I love presents, specifically the opening of presents. This year, when Jonathan and I were deciding on our budget for Sophie's Chanukah and Christmas gifts, it sounded less like a conversation and more like two people negotiating a deal. I was the one trying to drive the price up, if you haven't already guessed.

My family has the rather unusual custom of celebrating Chanukah while we're all together for Thanksgiving. Every year we have to figure out, based on everyone's schedules, what night we open the gifts. If it's going to be later in the visit they always say, "Rachel? Is that alright with you? Can you wait that long?"

Let me point out here that I have nieces, 5-years-old and 10-years-old, who aren't as excited as I am. Let me also point out that recently the adults have all decided that we are only getting gifts for the kids. This in no way diminishes my enthusiasm. I love giving gifts. I love watching other people open gifts.

Right now Sophie is still too young to be able to anticipate and be excited about holidays and presents, but I know next year that will no longer be the case. I want to instill in her a thankfulness for family and the non-material things in life. I also want her to be empathetic towards others who are not as fortunate. But she's a sharp cookie, and I don't hide my feelings well...she's going to know how excited I am when we all open presents.

Crazy In the Rain

2011-11-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

We had been prepping Sophie for Halloween for about a month. She knew that she was going to be a bee, and that bees say "buzz," and she tried her best at saying "trick-or-treat," which came out more like "teet teet." It got to the point once we reached late October that I could ask just about anything and her first answer would be, "A bee!" So, our plan was to go trick-or-treating at a few houses in the neighborhood and have her answer the door with us when trick-or-treaters came to our house. We also had a Halloween playdate planned in the afternoon. There was one thing we had not planned on...rain. This wasn't just a light drizzle, either. Halloween afternoon arrived along with a downpour.

If Sophie were older, she likely would have been upset that bad weather was threatening her Halloween experience. Sophie, however, did not mind the rain. In fact, the rain was by far Sophie's favorite part of Halloween (tasting chocolate for the first time later in the evening was a close second). A friend of mine had planned the afternoon playdate at the park, luckily one with a large shelter. There were activity stations, yummy Halloween goodies, and lots of other kids. Sophie was not interested in any of that. She wanted to play in the rain. For the first half of the get-together, we were the only ones not under the shelter. By the end of the afternoon, Sophie had found two fellow nature-lovers with brave mothers.

Recently I was writing in Sophie's journal and trying to describe how much she likes to explore and spend time outdoors. I didn't feel like my words were quite expressing the wonderful energy that is Sophie. I think these photos from our second Halloween illustrate it much better. I hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween and that if you didn't have good weather, you at least enjoyed the bad weather like we did!

Hitting the Chanukah Bullseye

2011-10-31T13:24:00.000-04:00

I have lamented in years past about the lack of Chanukah items at Target. Aisle after aisle in the holiday section are devoted to Christmas wrapping, cards, decorations... anything you could want, but when I asked for the Chanukah paper, I was directed to a sparse endcap in the party section with low quality blue wrapping paper and a few gift tags. I know, I am not really a practicing Jew, yet I'm still offended when Chanukah is given such little attention.

This year, however, I was surprised and pleased by the Chanukah display I saw at Target this year. Yes, it's insane that today is Halloween and the display is already up, but the point is that we were given a whole endcap and half an aisle of Chankukah stuff! That is major compared to years past. It's not low quality, ugly stuff either. There was a cute wooden Noah's ark with wooden "lit" candles that would be great for allowing a small child to get into the experience. There was nice Chanukah wrapping paper, stickers and greeting cards.

There was even an Elmo's Little Dreidel book that I made the mistake of handing to Sophie. We almost had to add Chanukah goods to our last minute Halloween candy run. So, I just wanted to say thank you, Target! At least one person has noticed the change and appreciates it very much! Oh, and in case anybody is wondering, Chanukah is December 20-28 this year.

That New Car Smell

2011-10-26T21:15:00.000-04:00

I wasn't this smart in my former life. Let me explain. I used to work in the natural resources/environmental health field. The people that surrounded me every day could identify wildflowers, were master composters and were well versed on the pollutants found in our groundwater.

Now I am a stay-at-home mom. The adults I am now surrounded by have come from many different fields. I hang out with former teachers, reading specialists, chemical engineers, vet techs...the list goes on. I sometimes forget that we don't all share a similar work background, and then something will happen that brings it sharply into focus. Recently, for example, I picked up a cicada at a play date and then identified a butterfly that flew past us. Everyone was impressed. I felt like a rock star.

It happened again recently at another play date when some of the moms were talking about their "new to them" cars recently purchased for their expanding families. Somebody lamented that they didn't get to enjoy that new car smell. "True," I said,"but it's not good for you, so there's another plus to buying used."

"It's not good for you?"
"What's not good for you?"
"The new car smell is bad?"

The comments sort of echoed in a circle around the room. Everyone was looking at me. Half of me felt like a rock star. The other half felt like one of those people who watches people eat something and then says, "Do you know what they put in that?"

So, here is the down low on that new car smell. I don't say this to point fingers at people (except perhaps car manufacturers), but rather as an opportunity to inform and perhaps empower ourselves as consumers. We assume that products are tested and deemed to be safe before they are offered in the marketplace, and that if they are found to be potentially harmful they would immediately be removed from the marketplace. This is, unfortunately, not the marketplace in which we live. We live in the marketplace of new car smells.

That smell comes from phthalates and PBDE's. Crazy words, lots of consonants in a row...here's what they mean. Phthalates are used to soften plastics. PBDEs (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers) are flame retardants. What you're smelling are these chemicals off-gassing from your car's interior. Phthalates can cause all sorts of health problems, but most notably are classified as reproductive toxicants and probable carciniogens. PBDEs impair learning, memory and behavior, even at low levels, in lab rats. They have been found in the breast milk of every woman who has ever been tested.

The Ecology Center, based in Ann Arbor, MI, has some great resources for learning more about the new car smell. They even give rankings for some of the best and worst cars on the market based on levels of toxic substances found in the vehicles.

I know, let's be honest, most of us have a long list of preferred features for a new car, and vehicle air quality is probably not on it. Even if you don't choose your car based on which one has the lowest level of new car smell, you can still reduce your exposure. Used cars are a great option since they have likely already offgassed. If you do get a new car, open the windows as much as you can to let fresh air circulate inside. Finally, heat tends to make the problem worse, so be sure to open the windows if your car has been sitting in the sun.

While I would love to say that the "new car smell" phenomenon is an anomaly, unfortunately, it's not. There are a lot of smells that many of us associate with good things - new car, perfume, our favorite soap - that are not good for us. Many of these smells are VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can be harmful to our health. While it's not a fun topic to think about, as a consumer, and as a mother, I would rather be informed about the products and materials in my home and environment, and try to choose as wisely as I can.

It's Not You, Barbara...It's Me

2011-10-24T10:00:00.001-04:00

If I really like a book, I tend to become quite attached to it. For me, finishing a good book is kind of like ending a relationship. That's why I'm chowing down on Halloween candy right now. I just broke up with Barbara Kingsolver. I just finished reading The Lacuna. It was the last novel of Ms. Kingsolver's that I had left to read. I basically devoured all of her fiction this summer and fall, so this breakup is particularly rough. We had a long relationship.

I started with Animal Dreams and was instantly hooked. I liked The Poisonwood Bible, devoured The Bean Trees and Pigs In Heaven, and wanted Prodigal Summer to last forever. The Lacuna was last. I have to admit, the subject matter was so out of my realm of knowledge that I was a little intimidated in the beginning. Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, post-revolutionary Mexico, Leon Trotsky...but it sucked me in, and ended up, in all places, in Asheville, NC. It was my favorite, and I'm having a hard time letting go.

I'm moving on to Ms. Kingsolver's non-fiction and maybe some of her short stories and essays, but I only fall in love with novels, so now it's kind of like we're not dating, but still friends. That never really works, does it?

Birth and Brian Regan

2011-10-20T21:49:00.000-04:00

There have been so many things that I've been wanting to write about, but this week we're in serious need of some comic relief, so I've decided to share a Brian Regan clip instead. Of course, there is a story that goes along with it.

A few things are important to know for this story. The first is that Brian Regan is one of Jonathan's and my favorite comedians. We like him so much that if we find out that you have never heard of him and we're near a computer, we consider it our moral obligation to show you clips of his standup routines. He is absolutely hysterical. Really, if you don't watch the clip I've included in this post, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Another fact that's important to know for this story is that my husband Jonathan is the most even-keeled person that I know. He manages to stay calm and level-headed in situations where I would freak out or get angry. It's a quality that I admire and hope rubs off on me.

Having spent so much time with Jonathan, I have realized that in some extremely stressful situations he'll react inappropriately. Not inappropriately in an, "I can't believe you just said that" sort of way, but just in a way that doesn't quite fit the situation. It's probably something that most people wouldn't think twice about, but because I know him so well I've picked up on it.

I first noticed this when I was in labor with Sophie. We had just arrived at the hospital. My contractions were four minutes apart. Every time I had one my legs shook uncontrollably. I had just been told that, despite all of this, I was not dilated any more than I had been a week before. The nurse asks, "On a scale of one to ten with one being no pain and ten being having your arm cut off, how would you rate your pain?"

At this point Jonathan, who has been calmly holding my hand and telling me how great I'm doing, says, "Say eight! Say eight!" He then turns to the nurse and says, "It's a Brian Regan bit."

Here's what I wanted to say: "Seriously, right now quoting comedy skits seems appropriate? I'm in agony, and this woman has no idea who Brian Regan is (seriously, she had absolutely no sense of humor) and no idea what you're talking about. Plus, I was going to say eight, but now I can't because she'll think I'm joking."

Here's what I did say (actually it was really more of a whimper): "Seven."

Sick Day

2011-10-14T14:40:00.001-04:00

No, really, it is a sick day. The thing is, sick days look completely different with kids. Sophie has the cold that has been going around, and I have some sort scaled down adult version. While I'm thankful that Sophie doesn't seem to feel that bad, that also means that I have to figure out things for us to do all day. Playdates are a no-go since we don't want to pass our germs around, but staying in the house all day makes us both bonkers. We tried a park and playground yesterday, but there were enough other kids there that I felt like half the time I was corralling her away from them. Today we went to one of our favorite spots - Historic Yates Mill County Park.

We didn't even explore very much of the park, but there was so much to experience. We enjoyed the color of the fall leaves and flowers, the texture of the lambs ear and the cattail leaves tickling our face, and the smell of rosemary and wild onion. Sophie loved feeling the wind blowing her hair and the trees all around us. We watched ants, snails, bees and butterflies. We picked up leaves, sticks, and berries. It was just what the doctor ordered for both of us!

So, How Do I Look?

2011-10-12T23:13:00.000-04:00

Tada! What do you think of the new design for MamAnomolie? It's funny, in my former life I worked on web sites, and would never have slapped something up so quickly. I used to test things out behind the scenes, look at the site in every browser available, on Macs and PCs, on every possible screen setting. Now? I'll be honest. I've done next to nothing in terms of testing this out.

I had been having some issues with the former template I was using. Text not lining up where it should be, page components floating on top of the blog text. Besides, I was ready for a change. That's when I found "Liquorice," this lovely little number from btemplates. The name alone had be hooked. I like the vintage, simple feel of it.

I am still working out some design issues. I also have some work to do adding more pages along the top navigation bar and other design elements. A HUGE thank you goes out to Freed Design Studios for help with the CSS code! You rock, Elise!

I seriously couldn't fall asleep last night thinking about all of the changes I wanted to make. I was giddy. (If my excitement about caterpillars didn't have you convinced before, surely by now you realize I'm a nerd.)

So, all of this being said, I would LOVE to get feedback. Does is look alright on your browser? Are you able to leave comments? (If not, you can send me a message telepathically or through smoke signals). Do you like it? Do you have suggestions? Are you out there? Mom?

Monarchs!

2011-10-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

In years past I have planted a butterfly garden in the backyard. The past few years, however, I've done nothing. Seriously, the only thing I've done this year is buy some parsley for the black swallowtail butterflies. The herb guy at the farmers market knew me because there was a period of time this summer when I'd run in every few days with Sophie for more plants. We had so many black swallowtail caterpillars (or "pippas," as Sophie called them) that our parsley supply was continually decimated. What can I say, I'm a sucker for pippas.

I thought we were done with butterflies for the season, so I was pleasantly surprised when Jonathan found a monarch butterfly while mowing the lawn. Unfortunately, that particular guy (yes, it was a guy) wasn't doing well. I think it had formed it's chrysalis too low and didn't have a good place to hang and pump its wings. I moved him to a better hanging spot on our window screen, and that's when I noticed the other chrysalises. It turns out the milkweed I had planted in years past had been enough to attract some monarch moms, unbeknownst to me.

So far, three more monarchs, both females, have successfully emerged. There is one more chrysalis that I'm still waiting on. It was actually hanging on our rain lily, and it was dragging on the ground a little bit. I was afraid that this butterfly would suffer the same fate as the first one that emerged, so I moved this chrysalis so that it's hanging off of a stick on our deck.

Sometime I'll need to share some quick and easy ways to raise local caterpillars. It's really amazing to watch the whole process, for kids and adults! For now, however, I just wanted to share these photos from our backyard butterfly nursery. No matter how many times I see a monarch chrysalis, it just amazes me. It looks like a little jade and gold jewel!

Family Photos

2011-10-07T21:16:00.000-04:00

Jonathan and I are not portrait people. As much as I want to capture moments of Sophie's life on film, I feel like having her sit for a portrait would not at all capture the essence of Sophie. Plus there is the fact that Sophie doesn't sit.

The photos I love of myself and loved ones are those that aren't so staged. We may be aware of the camera, but there is a sense of ease and playfulness that is hard to describe but easy to see. Karen Davis Suttles was able to capture our essence as a family beautifully on film, and for that I am so grateful.

Karen is Jonathan's first cousin. I know, how lucky are we to have such a great photographer in the family?! Last week while we were visiting Marion, NC, she offered to come take some pictures. Here is some of Karen's work. It was hard not to post them all on here. Thank you, Karen!

Like a Mother Offering a Blanket

2011-10-06T13:00:00.002-04:00

Here is one of those topics that is so big to me that I don't even know where to begin...

I am a landowner.

This past May, Jonathan and I bought about 27 acres in western North Carolina. I'm sure this will be the first of many posts about "the land." Our intent is to eventually build a house and move there. We don't have a timeline for this plan yet, but regardless of the actual timing, in my head it seems far away. I think it's because the idea of even owning as much land as we do is something I can't quite wrap my head around.

I grew up in the suburbs. The biggest expanse of land that I ever had any claim to was our home from when I was born to age seven. It was about a quarter of an acre, but as a little kid in the suburbs, the backyard seemed huge. Since then I've lived on smaller and smaller parcels. Looking out any window, the most prominent feature has always been another house. In Virginia, where I lived from age ten until college, there were woods near our home with paved paths. My friends and I would go off the trails and try and get lost, but we inevitably would emerge from the woods on a path, surprised that we had actually traversed very little ground and knew exactly where we were. Always pavement and fences and houses.

So the scale of this property is something completely outside of my frame of reference. And when we have a window to look out of, the most prominent feature will not be another house. It will be mountains. Fields, forests, creek, green lushness, and, above it all, mountains.

I am currently reading "The Lacuna," by Barbara Kingsolver. (Her work will surely be the topic of future blogging as I have been devouring it all this summer and fall.) It takes place largely in Mexico, but later in the novel in Asheville, NC, which is about thirty miles from our land. Kingsolver, through her main character Harrison Shepherd, describes western North Carolina this way.

"It is a good place, Carolina, build of mountains and river valleys. Did you receive the postcard? The tall buildings you see in it are full of banks and bakeries, the usual things. But look carefully at the background of the picture: mountains. They stand behind every view, like a mother offering a blanket in which to wrap everyday life and shelter it from useless dreads"

I love that idea, of those mountains like a blanket. Jonathan, Sophie and I paid a visit to our blanketed land this week. We crossed the creek into the five acre field which is currently being tended by a local vegetable farmer. Tomatoes are on most of the field, with eggplants growing on the rest. Eggplants in shapes and colors I never even knew existed. Above the field is forest. So much to explore. So much to know. These photos show only the beginning of what will be a lifelong exploration for all three of us.

Thank You Purple Prairie Botanicals!

2011-10-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

If you've read much of this blog or know me very well, you also know that I can be quite...what's the word? Interested? Concerned? Obsessed! That's it! I can be quite obsessed with the ingredients that are found in personal care products. I look at the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database religiously when looking for a new product.

That being said, I also want the product to work well besides being safe to slather on my hair or skin or, more importantly, Sophie's. I have found myself inching higher and higher on the ratings scale trying to find a shampoo and conditioner that will tame my mane. No luck on that yet.

When it comes to products for Sophie, especially sunscreen that will be applied liberally all over her, I've been pretty picky. I had been using California Baby, which is safe and works, but you know that scene in Twilight when Edward reveals what happens to him in sunlight and he's all pale and shimmery? Seriously, that is what Sophie looked like. It worked for Robert Pattinson. Not so much for my daughter.

So, when SafeMama gave Purple Prairie Sun Stuff their Best Overall Sunscreen Award and mentioned that it "doesn't leave you looking ghostly," I knew I had to try it. After cross referencing the Cosmetic Safety Database, of course. It checked out. I've been using it on Sophie all summer and LOVE it!

Purple Prairie Sun Stuff does indeed rub into Sophie's skin! It is more expensive than what you could grab at the store, but costs less than California Baby. For about $20 you get 2.9 ounces of the California Baby lotion versus 9.5 ounces of Purple Prairie Sun Stuff. My only complaint is that it is so thick it can be kind of hard to squeeze out of the bottle. But that also means I can hand Sophie the bottle to distract her and I know that she won't get it everywhere.

I highly recommend Purple Prairie Sun Stuff from Purple Prairie Botanicals! You know, unless you're into the vampire thing.

How Time Does Pass

2011-10-02T21:22:00.000-04:00

Since I took another break with the blog, I was looking back at some of my previous posts and found that I had one saved as a draft. It was titled "Making Stuff to Pass the Time," and was written on March 27, 2010, two days before Sophie was born. It ends rather abruptly. I'm sure I had intended on getting back to it later that day or the next, but my contractions began later that night. When I returned to the blog, I never returned to the post...until now. Here is what I had written back then.

"So, I'm now one day past my due date. I have been trying to keep myself busy in order to not get anxious or impatient. A book that I recently got has been great in helping me to do that - Simple Sewing for Baby by Lotta Jansdotter. It's great! I like to sew, but I'm not too great at it and require very detailed instructions. Jansdotter provides them, and the book is full of really cute projects. So, baby girl now has a tag blanket and a giraffe rattle..."

That time seems so long ago. I remember going to the fabric store several times the week before Sophie was born, waiting for people to ask me when I was due so I could excitedly tell them. Besides the tag blanket and giraffe rattle, I also made a travel diaper changing pad and matching pouches. What's funny is that one of Sophie's favorite books is Lotta Jansdotter's "Simple Sewing for Baby." It has lots of photos of babies as well as drawings of balloons and dogs. She'll sit and "read" it longer than any other book she has!

The New Face for Fox Tots Organic!

2011-09-30T12:56:00.001-04:00

Sophie just had her first modeling gig! Before you worry that I'm on my way to appearing on the next episode of Dance Moms, let me explain.

My friend Carla is starting a sewing business, Flying Fox Studio, making kid clothes, hats, pet accessories, bags and pillows from organic, upcylced, and locally sourced materials. She needed to get some photos for the organic kids line she's working on, called Fox Tots Organic. Carla wanted pictures of her handiwork on someone, and that someone was Sophie.

I know Carla back from my working days. She is a writer/editor who I got to know during several different projects. Her attention to detail and desire to get things just right were apparent (and appreciated!) in her work as an editor. These qualities are also evident in her new endeavor. She isn't using a little bit of organic fabric here and there as a marketing gimmick. She is thinking about the entire textile production process, researching different options (like kapok instead of fiber fill, who knew?), and aiming for complete transparency in her marketing.

We were discussing some of the difficulties of finding organic textiles, especially from the U.S., at prices artists and consumers can afford when Carla said, "I'm starting to think I want to change the old phrase to 'think locally, think globally, act locally, act globally.' That's certainly not daunting, is it?" No, not at all, Carla. Hey, at least I have a cute model to lend to the cause!

Of course I had to post some adorable photos of Sophie on here, but I also wanted to showcase Carla's other work. How great are these purses?! And that wrist wallet? A ridiculous amount of cuteness going on there! Well, I'm off...now that Sophie is a model she has become quite demanding of attention!

Take a Child Outside Week

2011-09-26T14:46:00.010-04:00

In honor of Take a Child Outside Week, I have decided to sit inside at my computer and resume blogging. No, really!

Before I was a stay-at-home mom, I worked in the field of environmental education. Not just casually, as a seasonal thing, either. I was in it full throttle. My Master's degree is in environmental education, and I worked for the state Office of Environmental Education. Previously, in preparation for the annual, national Take a Child Outside Week I would be feverishly adding events to the online calendar, attending meetings about how to hype it up and spread the word, and editing the office's website so that it was featured on every page.

So, that is why I found it wonderfully ironic that on September 24th, the first official day of Take a Child Outside Week, it was my husband who said, "Hey, it's Take a Child Outside Week." "Really?" I replied. "Yeah, it says so right here." We were at Historic Yates Mill County Park, taking a walk with Sophie.

So, I could tell you that in honor of Take a Child Outside Week we took Sophie to the park, but the truth is that Sophie and I are outside all the time. We don't need a special week to enjoy picking up sticks, looking at bugs, and collecting leaves, and for that I am grateful.

This has definitely been my favorite Take a Child Outside Week to date!

Ice Ice Baby

2010-11-02T14:55:00.007-04:00

I just wanted to say what a big fan I am of the Fresh Baby food trays that I bought to make baby food! They are BPA- and phthalate-free and made in the USA. Not only that, but they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. The lids actually do stay on (which seems to be an issue with some of the baby food freezing dishes), and they stack easily in the freezer.

I bought two of them to begin with (they come two to a pack) and have since gotten four more. I will be honest, I was worried about making Sophie's food. I don't like to cook. I want to like to cook. I like the idea of cooking. I even like the idea of finding fresh and local produce to cook my meals, but the sad truth is that right now (I'm not giving up on the dream) I don't like to cook. So, I was worried that making Sophie's food would be something that I wanted to do and liked the idea of doing but wouldn't actually happen.

I am proud to say that I have been making most of Sophie's food, and it has been going really well. I'm finally getting some good use out of the food processor we were given for our wedding, and the Fresh Baby food cube trays make it easy to make a lot of food at once and have it ready for later. So far I've made sweet potatoes, bananas, butternut squash, prunes, carrots, mangoes, avocado, pear and peaches - all organic. I've also used the trays to freeze yogurt and tofu that would have otherwise spoiled. It's been great, and all but the avocado has proved palatable.

Safe Baby Product Cheat Sheets from SafeMama

2010-09-06T19:38:00.005-04:00

We all want to use the safest products for our wee ones, but who has the time to research all of the products out there and find out which ones are free of BPA, PVC, and other potentially harmful chemicals? Thanks to the hard work of the folks over at SafeMama, now you don't have to!

in 2007, Kathy Scoleri was a mom like the rest of us who was totally overwhelmed by having to research safety issues for the products she was purchasing. Not only did she do her research, but she also decided to start SafeMama to help other parents who were also in search of the safest options out there. Kathy, from one mother to another, let me just say THANK YOU!

My favorite part of the SafeMama web site is the cheat sheets. They make it so easy to find all of the information you need in one place on a single topic. I wanted to get some teethers for Sophie, but didn't want her putting things in her mouth that were full of BPA or phthalates. I went to SafeMama's BPA-Free Pacifiers and Teethers Cheat Sheet and immediately had a list of available options from a source that I trust. Over the past few days, I've been checking out the cheat sheet covering dishes and utensils in preparation for Sophie beginning solid foods.

There are more than 20 cheat sheets on the SafeMama site. This is a resource, like the Cosmetic Safety Database, that I will keep going back to. You rock, SafeMama! Now, if you could just create a cheat sheet on putting babies down for a nap, all will be right with the world.

The Great Plastic Bag Migration

2010-08-24T16:44:00.004-04:00

Often times it is the wildlife that is all around us that we know the least about. Take a look into the amazing life of the plastic bag. Join these bags in their journey from asphalt jungle to Pacific Ocean. A warning to the squeamish - there is one scene in which one plastic bag meets a grizzly end at the hands of one of its natural predators, a park maintenance staff member. Your heart will soar, however, as you watch a bag join its brethren in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, uniting with friends and family members.

Clean Dreams

2010-08-23T13:18:00.009-04:00

There are some blogs that I follow simply to be inspired. Clean is one of those blogs. How can you not be inspired by what is described by the author as "your (crafty, organic, bubble-filled) happy place?" Clean is the blog from LuSa Organics, makers of baby, mama and body care products in Viroqua, Wisconsin and is written by Rachel Wolf.

Be forewarned - Rachel, like Beth Terry over at Fake Plastic Fish which I mentioned in my last post - lives a green lifestyle to the nth degree. Maybe everyone else out there is not like me and doesn't start comparing themselves and their efforts to other people, but just in case you are like me, don't compare yourself to Rachel. It will only leave you feeling uncrafty, bubbleless and sad. Instead, learn to do what I have done, and use her amazing work for your own inspiration.

Clean follows Rachel and her family on their everyday adventures. Now, "everyday adventures" could really mean anything, but these people really have adventures every day. Rachel shares her lessons as she homeschools her two children, invites us into her kitchen as she cooks, provides countless ideas and tutorials for sewing, knitting and other crafty projects, lets us tag along as she explores nature as well as her small town community. She has a way of describing her days that allow you to feel the connectedness and presentness that she fosters in her life. To be honest, the photographs that she takes and uses in her blog are reason enough to visit!

As I settle into motherhood, I am learning not to compare myself to others so much, to focus on the present and to enjoy the inspiration and joy that is all around. The Clean blog is definitely an inspirational source. I even dreamed the other night that we went to visit Viroqua and really tag along on a few adventures. In my dream we rescued baby owls, had to climb into Rachel's home through tree roots and, once inside, I was so impressed by her kitchen which had craft activities ready to go hanging on the pegboard walls. All of these things were creations of my own subconscious imagination, but Clean is full of stories and adventures with just as much whimsy, passion and charm. Check it out here!

5 Guidelines for Smarter Consumer Choices: Rules #3-#5

2010-08-22T16:23:00.003-04:00

Well, I have learned my lesson - never do my blog in installments. I end up partway through and decide that I'd rather blog about something else. And does sharing consumer guidelines that I made up make me sound preachy? I hope not. And while I ponder all of this I miss my window of opportunity while my daughter is asleep to post anything at all. So, today, you'll get not-meant-to-be-preachy guidelines #3-5 all in one wallop!

#3 - Look at the Big Picture
This is actually the guideline I was thinking of when I started writing this blog in response to the story about people who chose to not serve their kids fruits and vegetables if organic options were not available. While I think most people would agree that conventionally grown produce is better than no produce at all, many times the benefits of looking at the big picture are not so obvious. We humans tend to focus on one thing, one topic, one piece of information - it's easier that way. The truth is, though, that this is not the way the world works. You may be very passionate about organic produce, which is great, but if the only option for a certain organic fruit is to get it from halfway around the world, a non-organic local option might be better. It's easier to choose between organic vs. conventional, but chances are you can make a better decision if you take a step back and take a look at all of the options.

#4 - Don't Get Overwhelmed!
This might be the most difficult guideline to follow. It often is for me. On several occasions I have been scanning product after product in the store aisle, whether it be for BPA-free teethers or paraben-free lotion, and I'm ready to throw up my hands and give up. There are so many ingredients of concern and issues surrounding products that it's easy to get overwhelmed. And there are amazing people out there who seem to be able to do it all. Have you checked out Fake Plastic Fish before? That woman manages to live with so little plastic it's unreal! I applaud people who are taking on such challenges, but most of us won't get very far if we try and compare our efforts to what some of these folks are doing. I urge people and myself to be informed, make connections, look at the big picture...and then make the choices that are right for you that you can do right now. A friend of mine sent me a quote that I love - "don't let the perfect get in the way of the good." I'm not sure who it should be attributed to - let me know if you know the source - but I think it totally applies here. Do what you can - something is better than nothing!

#5 - Know That You Can Make a Difference
While you are standing in the cosmetics aisle at your local Target, searching for paraben-free lotion, wondering whether you should even be shopping at Target anymore and feeling a little crazy as loads of people have come and gotten what they needed and are already at the register but you're now inspecting bottle #18, it's easy to feel like your efforts may not matter at all. Why even bother - you're only one person after all. It's important to know that you can make a difference. Look at BPA, for example. Nalgene didn't get rid of the BPA in their water bottles because the government told them they had to. They did it because enough consumers were voicing their concern over it and searching for other options that it was in Nalgene's best interest. Individual consumers, who probably felt small and as though they were not making a difference, but who together got things changed. Hooray! Keep that in mind when you feel like all of your effort might not be worth it.

So, there are the rest of the five consumer guidelines. I hope they didn't sound preachy, and I hope they can be useful to you. If you have any ideas or guidelines that you use to consumer more thoughtfully I would love to hear them!

5 Guidelines for Smarter Consumer Choices - Rule #2: Make Connections

2010-07-07T20:34:00.003-04:00

My second guideline for making informed consumer choices is to make connections. By this I mean to think beyond the product in front of you and ask yourself how it got there. What were the raw materials that went into making it? How were these raw materials obtained? Where was it made? What were the working conditions of the people who made it?

It can be difficult to make these connections, but I think they are important. If there was a picture on every package of the working conditions of the people who made the product, my guess is that many of our buying habits would change. It is the job of marketers and advertisers to make a product look as good as possible, so it's up to us to ask questions and dig deeper into company policies and practices.

5 Guidelines for Smarter Consumer Choices - Rule #1: Be Informed

2010-06-25T16:32:00.005-04:00

This recent post from the Healthy Child Healthy World blog (a fabulous blog which I highly recommend, by the way) reminded me of my guidelines for more responsible consumption. Basically, the post mentioned a recent study linking pesticides on produce to ADHD. Janelle Sorensen, the blog's author, went on to explain that some people were so concerned about the study results that they were not feeding their kids fresh produce at all. Sorensen shares her opinion that issues like this cannot be dealt with in a black and white only manner. Sure, if you can feed your family organic produce, that's great, but if not, feeding them fresh fruits and veggies is still great and better than no fruits and veggies at all. Use your heads, people! Sorensen was much more polite than me in her plea to parents.

It's true that all of the issues you hear about surrounding our choices as consumers can be overwhelming. It can be difficult to know what to believe and where to begin. A few years ago I came up with 5 guidelines that I think are helpful in making choices about what to buy and use. They are all pretty simple, but I still think they can be helpful, especially if you're just starting to look more critically at your own consumption habits.

So, Rule #1 is to Be Informed! I told you, these are pretty simple. Being informed means getting information, not from marketers, but from independent, science-based resources. It also is a reminder that you have the right to be informed. If you can't get an ingredient list, why not? Also, think critically about the information that you receive, and beware of greenwashing. We all feel warm and fuzzy when we see that something is labeled as "all natural." Well, arsenic is all natural. That doesn't mean it's good for you.

I've mentioned several of the resources that I go to for information on this blog before, and I'll keep sharing more. Please let me know if you have any go-to resources for learning more about the products you purchase. Oh, and Rules #2-#5 will be on their way soon!

Great Product Reviews for Parents

2010-06-22T15:24:00.006-04:00

Looking for safe toys for your little one? Want super in-depth product reviews? Curious as to what happens when someone sports synthetic urine soaked diapers on her arms in order to test the potential for skin irritation? That last one really got your attention, didn't it?

All of this and more can be found at ZRecommends. It's a great site for parents who are looking for quality consumer recommendations focusing on product health and safety. And these people are truly dedicated to the cause. The diapers on the arm thing wasn't a joke. The folks over at ZRecommends are currently testing Pampers Dry Max diapers on themselves due to complaints of the diapers causing nasty rashes.

Years of reporting on potentially harmful chemicals in children's products led to the creation of the ZRecs Guide to Safer Children's Products. The guide covers BPA, phthalates, parabens, lead and more in everything from bottles to sleepwear. The database can be searched by brand or by category.

Toy safety is of great concern to me. Sophie is growing and doing more every day. I want to get her some new toys that will help in her development and be fun to play with, but of course I'm concerned about what's in those toys, especially since it will end up in her mouth. I would love to hear about toy guides you have found that cover these topics, or toy brands you have found that are safe. Please add your comments and input!

Finding a Safer Sunscreen

2010-06-21T16:02:00.006-04:00

It's the first day of summer, which means it's time to slather on the sunscreen. The problem is, some of the ingredients in those sunscreens could be unhealthy. Furthermore, many of the sunscreens on the market simply don't do a very good job of protecting your skin from the suns harmful rays.

The Food and Drug Administration began writing regulations for sunscreen in 1978....are you waiting for the rest of that sentence, because there is no more. They have yet to issue their final regulations after thirty-two years!

So, interested in which sunscreens have safe ingredients and will provide the protection you need? The Environmental Working Group has come to the rescue again with their 2010 Sunscreen Guide. Take a look at where your favorite brand ranks, and find out which sunscreens you can feel good about using on yourself and your family!

The Truth Is I Never Left You

2010-06-21T15:41:00.004-04:00

So, it's been awhile, huh? You know, I have to hand it to the mamas out there who have a baby and pretty much blog right on through. Seriously, I don't know how you do it.

My little Sophie was born at the end of March, and I am only ready to come back to the blog now...the first day of summer. I've been thinking about how I should re-enter my blog. At first I thought I needed an explanation for why I had been MIA for so long. You would think that having a baby would be explanation enough, but there are plenty of people who just keep on blogging. I am not one of those people. And I'm also not one to share all of the details of my labor or try to explain on a blog just how deeply I care about Sophie. There is nothing wrong with those kinds of blogs, in fact, I have enjoyed reading some of those blogs, but I am not one of those bloggers and this is not one of those blogs.

I simply didn't want to blog for the past three months, and if it's alright with everyone, I'm just going to continue on from here as though I were with you all along with no good explanation at all :)

Fat Albert and the Germy Truth

2010-03-16T13:02:00.008-04:00

We have been so fortunate to receive so many hand-me-down items for our soon-to-arrive baby girl. We have a closet full of clothes ready to go. I expected that some of the items we received may not be things we would have chosen, but what I didn't expect was to receive items that we couldn't even identify.

That is what happened when we pulled out a certain pink and white piece of fabric with openings and velcro that made us certain it had a specific intended use. We just had no idea what it was. Jonathan quickly decided that it was for next Halloween for which he would dress up as Dumb Donald from Fat Albert.

Take a look - the similarities are quite striking. The color is even right, and I must say, Jonathan is pretty good with his impersonations. We actually had to ask around to figure out what we had received. It turns out that it's a grocery shopping cart cover...because evidently everybody needs these because grocery carts are disgusting.

I know that everybody has their thing...I spend way too much time looking up ingredient information on personal products, which I'm sure many people just roll their eyes at. Jonathan and I are the kinds of people who think that there is such a thing as too clean and that a little bit of dirt and germs are good for kids to be exposed to. I did start to wonder, though, just how germy are grocery carts?

And just like that, my question was answered. Healthy Child Healthy World had a blog post titled Which Has More Germs - A Restaurant Tray or a Park Sandbox? Part of me was excited and a bit smug after reading it because it turns out that the shopping cart has the least amount of germs compared with every other item mentioned. Another part of me was bummed that the people in my family (who shall remain nameless) who use a paper towel to turn off the faucet in public restrooms now have some hard data to justify their actions.

I think the post is important in that it shows people that what we perceive as being germy is not necessarily as bad as we think, and vice versa. Take, for example, the fact that a toilet seat has fewer germs than a reusable cafeteria tray. The article also brings up the important, and often overlooked, fact that most germs are benign and live peacefully with us all the time. It basically comes down to the fact that germs are a normal part of life, and normal hand washing is generally enough to protect you and your little ones from any bad germs out there. So, Jonathan, you're free to be Dumb Donald for Halloween.

February Is Not the Shortest Month

2010-02-01T16:41:00.003-05:00

It is February 1st, and many of you know what that means... It's time for one of my favorite Tom Robbins quotes!

I share this quote with friends each February, and I find it to be so true year after year. I have a feeling that this particular year, sitting at 33 weeks pregnant as I greet the month, it will be even more fitting.

So, here goes...

"They say that February is the shortest month, but you know they could be wrong.

Compared, calendar page against calendar page, it looks to be the shortest, all right. Spread between January and March like lard on bread, it fails to reach the crust on either slice. In its galoshes - and you'll never catch February in stocking feet - it's a full head shorter than December, although in leap years, when it has growth spurts, it comes up to April's nose.

However more abbreviated than its cousins it may look, February feels longer than any of them. It is the meanest moon of winter, all the more cruel because it will masquerade as spring, occasionally for hours at a time, only to rip off its mask with a sadistic laugh and spit icicles into every gullible face, behavior that grows quickly old.

February is pitiless, and it is boring. That parade of red numerals on its page adds up to zero: birthdays of politicians, a holiday reserved for rodents, what kind of celebrations are those? The only bubble in the flat champagne of February is Valentine's Day. It was no accident that our ancestors pinned Valentine's Day on February's shirt: he or she lucky enough to have a lover in frigid, antsy February has cause for celebration, indeed.

Except to the extent that it 'tints the buds and swells the leaves within,' February is as useless as the extra r in its name. It behaves like an obstacle, a wedge of slush and mud and ennui, holding both progress and contentment at bay.

James Joyce was born in February, as was Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo, which goes to show that writers are poor at beginnings, although worse at knowing when to stop.

If February is the color of lard on rye, its aroma is that of wet wool trousers. As for sound, it is an abstract melody played on a squeaky violin, the petty whine of a shrew with cabin fever. O February, you may be little but you're small! Were you twice your tiresome length, few of us would survive to greet the merry month of May."

Tom Robbins - "Jitterbug Perfume"

It is only February first, and it is already so true. There is slush outside. The beautiful snow that fell the last days of January is going to be replaced with cold rain this week. I've been warned so many times to be careful on the ice since I'm pregnant that I'm now scared to step outside. I guess that makes me the "shrew with cabin fever!" Thank goodness it's not a leap year!

Non-Safe Non-Stick

2010-01-26T18:53:00.007-05:00

There are a lot of things that we know are better for the environment and for environmental health, but they are hard to do or take a lot of time. Or maybe we're not sure about the alternative products to use to replace the non-healthy, non-environmental ones. Or maybe there is a high cost associated with making the change.

Here's something you can do that is pretty straightforward - quit using non-stick cookware. Non-stick pots and pans are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE. The brand name that most people are familiar with is Teflon. The problem with non-stick coatings occur when they are heated (something you're obviously going to do to your pots and pans). The coating breaks down and emits harmful chemicals.

The question has been, "At what temperature does Teflon and other PTFEs begin to break down?" It depends on whether you ask DuPont (the makers of Teflon), or independent researchers. Now, I am a big believer in scientific research and not jumping to conclusions, but I also tend to abide by the precautionary principle - if something is suspected of causing harm, even if the exact cause and effect is not fully understood, it's best to try and avoid it. Oh, and one other thing that makes me lean toward avoiding non-stick pots and pans? People who own birds cannot cook with non-stick cookware because THEIR BIRDS WILL DIE! Yeah, kind of like the canary in the coal mine, except it's in your kitchen, which I would like to think is much safer than a coal mine.

I'd rather have a few things stick to the pan than worry about what toxic fumes my family might be breathing in.

Check out EWG's wealth of information on the toxicity of Teflon.

Who Owns Your Favorite Organic Brands?

2010-01-25T19:54:00.005-05:00

I have to admit that one of my guilty pleasures is Cadbury creme eggs. I chalk it up to the fact that, growing up in a Jewish home, I was deprived of their super sugary creamy goodness and have never fully recovered. Easter might be the one holiday when I'm not annoyed by stores decorating and selling holiday-related items months early. It just means more Cadbury creme eggs for me!

I can partially justify this guilty pleasure due to the fact that the Cadbury company is one of the only large chocolate companies that has been embracing fair trade cacao. In the Better World Shopping Guide, Cadbury is graded a B-, above Hershey's, Dove, Russell Stover and Nestle.

So, I was disheartened to hear that Kraft Foods will be buying Cadbury. Based on their overall social and environmental record, Kraft is rated by the Better World Shopping Guide as the #2 worst company on the planet. Ouch. I can't say that I have no Kraft products in my home, but I do keep a list with me when I shop of the worst companies and the not-so-bad companies and avoid the worst when I can. Kraft has not shown any interest in fair trade before, so it is still unclear what will happen to Cadbury's commitment to fair trade chocolate.

All of this brings up an interesting question - who owns your favorite organic brands? What about your vegetarian products? Much of the pacakging of natural foods, vegetarian items and organic products make us think that the companies behind them are small, family-owned businesses. The fact of the matter is that most of these brands are owned by huge food processors like Kraft, Coca-Cola, etc. Many family-owned brands that once had a recognizable face behind them have been bought out by large companies. Toms of Maine is now owned by Colgate Palmolive, and Burts Bees was purchased by Clorox. Take a look at The Good Human's post about this issue to learn more about who owns what, or look at Philip Howard's graphics of the organic food industry to get a better picture of the issue.

This is just another example of the need to step back and look at the big picture. Buying organic is great, but it's important to know what company those dollars are supporting. Boca and Morningstar provide similar veggie options, but they are not owned by similar companies. Do a little digging and you'll be able to shop smarter and more in line with your values. Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do come Easter.

Pregnancy Tips Galore

2010-01-19T18:16:00.003-05:00

When you are pregnant, you'll find that friends, acquaintances and even complete strangers will offer you advice on pregnancy and parenting. People seem to feel comfortable saying things that they would not normally think is appropriate. Like when a woman who works in my building told me that I was becoming "S-shaped."

As for the advice, a good friend of mine and mother of a one-year-old told me that it's best to just say, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," even if you vehemently disagree. I have found this to be a very useful phrase, and have even used it on her from time to time. Overall, I have been enjoying hearing people's perspectives and ideas.

So, for you pregnant ladies out there, although I know you're being bombarded with advice, I thought I would share a few resources that I found recently and thought were helpful. The first is from the folks at the Environmental Working Group. They actually sent it to me in a comment to one of my previous blogs about their work. I was (a) flabbergasted that someone else was reading this and (b) impressed that they took the time to write and share more resources. I thought their 10 Healthy Pregnancy Tips were great. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the number of things you have to worry about when you're pregnant, but this list seemed manageable. It also provided a lot of resources to help you act should you so choose. Thanks, EWG!

The second resource comes from Rachel Wolf of LuSa Organics and her blog, Clean. I met Rachel once a LONG time ago when I was in graduate school in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She is one of those amazing people who live a life that I admire but know I could never emulate. I love reading her blog, and figure if I can take away just a smidgen of the organic, handmade, non-consumeristic vibe and apply it to my own life I'm doing well.

A friend of mine who introduced me to her blog told me about the New Baby Checklist that had been posted and said it had a good list of what newborns and new mamas really needed. I must admit, the first thing out of my mouth was, "It doesn't tell me to grow and collect almonds to grind into my own homemade postpartum belly paste, does it?" She promised that it did not. I checked out the checklist, and I suggest all you pregnant people out there check it out as well. It was created for a wide audience. It may lack some things that you think are must-haves, but when you are overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that is out there for new babies and new parents, it's great to see a scaled down list of what you really need. It's worth taking a look, and the Clean blog is definitely a great source of inspiration for anyone!

Guide to Greener Electronics

2010-01-12T10:00:00.001-05:00

Greenpeace has released their most recent Guide to Greener Electronics. It ranks companies on whether they are eliminating hazardous substances from their products, whether they take back their products for recycling and how well they are reducing the climate impacts of their operations and products. In this, their 14th edition of the guide, they have also taken into account whether companies are lobbying for industry-wide rules that would prevent the use of environmentally damaging materials.

The great thing about this guide is that, because it gets updated so frequently (14 editions since August 2006), it allows the consumer to see not only where companies rank, but also whether they are improving or sliding back. Take a look for yourself at the latest ratings!

Toxic Substances You Don't Know About

2010-01-10T20:46:00.003-05:00

What if fashion was updated as infrequently as the Toxic Substances Control Act? That's right, check out those bell bottoms!

Unfortunately, the law put in place to protect consumers from harmful chemicals is from 1976. It would be one thing if it was an effective law to begin with, but it wasn't, and things have only gotten worse.

The amazing folks at the Environmental Working Group just released a report entitled Off the Books: Industry's Secret Chemicals. The report explains how, buy simply claiming that certain information is a "trade secret," the chemical industry does not allow the public to access information about 17,000 of the more than 83,000 chemicals used in products. From 1990 to 2005, the number of confidential chemicals has more than quadrupled. It's not just small amounts of these chemicals being produced, either, but hundreds of thousands of tons.

Click here for more information on our major lack of information. Thanks, EWG!

Make Your Own Dish Soap

2010-01-07T20:10:00.004-05:00

I have had varying degrees of success with making my own cleaning products, but I want to share a super easy recipe that I found for dish soap that works great. I credit the lovely (and also pregnant) Sayward at Bonzai Aphrodite for this recipe. It's so easy, and even better, it looks pretty to keep your dish soap in an oil dispenser. Here's the recipe:
- 1 cup of liquid castille soap (I used Dr. Bronners)
- 3 tablespoons water
- A few drops of essential oil (I used eucalyptus - it's an antibacterial)
Combine ingredients in any container and mix...that's all!

I have a bunch of essential oils from making personal care products, but if you don't have them and want your dish cleaner scented, you can always get Dr. Bronners castille soap that comes with a scent. Most natural food stores sell essential oils, and a tiny bottle goes a long way. We had lots of dishes to do this evening after my wonderful husband made venison spaghetti, and the new dish soap did the job. It's a little less viscous than most store-bought dish soap, so be careful pouring, but a little goes a long way. Give it a try - you can be clean and crafty all at once!

Ecological Intelligence - A Great Read!

2009-12-31T18:34:00.006-05:00

Over the holidays I finished up Daniel Goleman's book, Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything. I highly, highly, highly recommend it! (That was three highlys, in case you weren't paying attention.) Goleman's premise in the book is that if consumers had all of the facts about a product in front of them, something he calls "radical transparency," then they would be making smarter choices for their health, the health of the environment and the well being of others.

It all sounds so simple, but Goleman isn't talking about knowing the recycled content of a product. In fact, he considers most green claims, even those that are one hundred percent true, to be a form of greenwashing. Take an organic cotton t-shirt. Sure, removing pesticides from the cotton-growing process can have major impacts on the level of pesticides ending up in the environment. However, what about the amount of water necessary for growing the cotton used in the t-shirt? What about the dye that was used to imbue it a lovely blue? How much of that dye ended up in local waterways? What about the carcinogenic ingredients that make up many commonly-used dyes?

Goleman's point is not to squash people's hopes of making consumer choices that can improve the environment. He does, however, encourage a broader look at items. A Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of an item allows people to consider all of the parts and processes necessary for creating that item and measure its impact on nature from production through disposal. Having this kind of information for any item easily available to everyone is what Goleman means when he writes about radical transparency.

What's even better is that Ecological Intelligence isn't one of those books that leaves you depressed about how many issues surround our daily consumption. Goleman actually sees radical transparency as something that we're getting closer to. He brings up great resources that work using this model, like the GoodGuide and the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database. He sees a future in which people have all of the information they need, and their response to this information urges companies to continually improve their products and their processes. He sees a future where profit and public welfare will not pull in opposite directions, but rather work together towards safer products, healthier workers and environmental sustainabilty.

All About PVC

2009-12-30T17:52:00.004-05:00

Greetings! I managed to come down with a cold the day after Christmas. That and some major computer problems have kept me from blogging very much, but I did want to share this article from Healthy Child Healthy World. Many of us have heard that vinyl and PVC are not so good for us, but this piece gives more information as to why that's the case and whether all vinyl is made of PVC.

One easy thing that I've done in the house is get rid of the vinyl shower curtain liners. I bought cloth ones on their place. You can just stick the whole thing in the washer when it starts to get funky. I cheat and have two for each shower. That way, I don't have to stress about getting the laundry done.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and has a happy new year!!!

The Cleanup Begins

2009-12-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Now that Christmas is over, what do you do with all of the stuff? From wrapping paper to the tree, this Yahoo Green post has lots of good advice for how to clean up green after the holidays.

Handmade for the Holidays

2009-12-24T11:00:00.001-05:00

I must admit, this year I have not been nearly as crafty in my gift-giving as in holidays past. I am happy to say that I have been working on knitting a scarf for a certain someone. Of course, the scarf is not quite done yet, and I can tell it's been quite some time since I've picked up my knitting since my finger is sore. My knitter's callus had disappeared and I'm now working on building it back up.

While I do love being crafty, patience is not one of my virtues, which comes back to bite me in my efforts to be crafty. I know how to knit, but after several failed attempts at hats, I mainly stick to simple scarves made of fun yarn. I know how to sew, but I'm definitely limited in my skills in that department as well. I once made a purse that was so horrible my husband suggested turning it into an art installation piece called "I hate sewing." It can be joined by my too big hat that I unsuccessfully tried felting into a bowl that I'll call "I hate knitting" as well as my melted and blackened mini-blinds that I'll call "I hate candlemaking."

I tried to teach myself to crochet recently and ended up feeling quite the failure. I need to take some classes. I need to find more people to help me. But most of all, I think I need more patience. I hear that patience helps in child-rearing, too, so I better start working on that now!

For today, I'm just happy that I'm creating at least one homemade goody for the holidays. Merry Christmas everyone!

Toxic Flame Retardant to Be Banned...Soon

2009-12-22T11:00:00.003-05:00

Three large chemical companies and the Environmental Protection Agency have struck a deal to phase out Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca), a toxic flame retardant, by December of 2012. A full-fledged ban of the substance will take place a year later. Deca is commonly used in electronics as well as furniture, and is a strong neurotoxin and suspected carcinogen. Click here for more information on the ban from the Environmental Working Group.

Reading about the banning of this substance reminded me of an encounter I had a few years ago. I was doing a presentation about informed consumer choices for a group taking part in a leadership development program. These were highly educated people who were leaders in the public, private and non-profit fields. We were playing a very competitive game of Eco-Jeopardy and had come to a question about VOCs in paints and other household materials. One of the participants stopped me in the middle of my explanation of what VOCs are and some of the concerns about them and said, "Do you mean to tell me that there is a substance that is known to cause health problems and the EPA hasn't banned it?"

I just stared at him for a moment. This was one of those instances where what I wanted to say was nowhere close to what I had to say. I was utterly taken aback that he actually believed all health impairing substances had been banned. I realized as he was staring at me just as incredulously as I was staring at him that he truly believed that someone somewhere in some government agency was taking care of all of this.

In actuality, there are agencies set up to protect us, but there are a lot of out-dated laws and untested chemicals. These agencies are underfunded and face very strong lobbying opposition. There are a lot of fingers you can point to try and pinpoint who's to blame when it comes to protecting consumers, but at least one of those fingers points right back at the consumer. Companies are making what we, the consumers, demand of them.

I am a firm believer that we as consumers need to become informed and make smart decisions for ourselves. Yes, there needs to be more transparency. Yes, the people with the money have too much clout. But I still think some of the responsibility falls on the consumer to become more educated and aware of what they are buying and the impacts these choices have on themselves, other people and the environment.

So, here's to more action being taken to protect consumers from toxic substances and to becoming better informed as we vote with our dollars. I'm going to toddle my little pregnant self down off of my soapbox now.

A Fish Story That Uncovers the Truth

2009-12-19T11:00:00.001-05:00

Whether you take fish oil supplements or not, Paul Greenberg's recent op-ed in the New York Times is worth reading. Why? Because it's a great illustration of how a seemingly tiny consumer choice can have far-reaching implications. Plus, even if you don't buy fish oil supplements, chances are you use products that contain the menhaden oil Greenberg writes about. He manages to, in a very short piece, paint a picture of how consumer choice, big business and government oversight all intermingle, and how something as tiny as purchasing fish oil supplements can have an impact on the health of our oceans and the fisheries industry. And while this story is about fish oil, if you look at just about any other product out there, you can uncover a similar story of hidden impacts and chains of cause and effect. It just really makes you think! Thank you to my friend, Kate, for passing this article along to me!

Shopping Towards a Better World

2009-12-17T11:00:00.002-05:00

All of our purchases have impacts on people, communities and the environment, but these impacts are usually far-removed from us and they can be difficult to trace. There are, however, some great resources that can help you figure out which companies have values that match best with your own.

A GREAT and easy-to-use resource is the Better World Shopping Guide. There are so many reasons that I absolutely love this guide. First, it's so easy to look up what you are interested in. It is divided by product type. It covers airlines to wines and everything in between. Buying chocolate? Flip to the chocolate page and you will see just loads of brands listed, each given a grade anywhere from A through F. How easy is that?

What else do I love about this guide? It does a great job of including LOADS of brands. Not everyone can or wants to shop at specialty stores, but most people could choose between Crest or Colgate wherever they shop, and now you can see which brand ranks higher.

What are all of these brands graded on? That's another aspect about the Better World Shopping Guide that I like. So many times when looking for information on products, resources focus on only one aspect of the product, like environmental imapct. Not this guide! Each company is ranked on their track records in the areas of human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement and social justice.

Finally, the Better World Shopping Guide is pocket-sized. It's easy to whip out of your purse when you're at the grocery store. It costs only $10, too. What a great stocking stuffer!

A Scraptastic Menorah!

2009-12-16T11:00:00.002-05:00

I could not be more proud of my oldest niece, Zoey! Over Thanksgiving, she and my dad spent hours down in the basement working on Zoey's "make your own menorah contest" entry. Zoey and her grandpa decided that they weren't going to make just any menorah, they were going to make one using only scrap materials. And look at the beautiful result!

Zoey learned how to use all of the tools that were used to create her menorah and kept track of all of them. She got to try out a hand drill, push drill, screwdriver, brace and bits, and a hand saw.

She also kept track of all of the reclaimed materials that were used to build and decorate her creation. Ingredients included the following:
- Zoey's Great Grandpa's office chair
- Spring from G.J.B. (Grandpa's Junk Box)
- Plastic crystal underlay
- Rainbow electrical wire
- Plastic ice crystals
- Stones
- Feathers
- Metal brackets
- Computer parts
- Nuts
- Bolts
- Shells

Even the decorative items were not purchased for this project. My dad does a lot of photography, and these items had already been purchased and used for some of his photography endeavors.

The best part is what Zoey wrote for her project description. "This menorah was made with only recycled items. Nothing was purchased and nothing electrical was used to make it. I used all of the tools with my Grandpa in Virginia and had a blast!!"

See, recycling, reusing and being green just runs in my family. Oh, and she won second place in her contest! You're first place by far in my book, kiddo! Congratulations Zoey on an awesome, artistic and green job well done!

Happy Chanukanomolie!

2009-12-15T11:00:00.001-05:00

During this holiday season, I'm just realizing how appropriately I have named my blog. The anomalies seem to abound this time of year.

I come from a Jewish family and my husband from a Christian one. Our personal views are very similar, but people always ask about what we do for the holidays. It actually works out very well. We go to my parents for Thanksgiving/Chanukah and to his parents for Christmas. Everyone is happy. Oh, and let me clarify that Thanksgiving/Chanukah thing. Religiously, Chanukah is not one of the more important holidays, so it has become a tradition in my family to celebrate it while everyone is home for Thanksgiving. That way my mother can claim two holidays in one, further ensuring that we will always go there for Thanksgiving.

Not only do Jonathan and I come from different religious backgrounds, but his family is from the rural south while mine is from the urban north. Our wedding was somewhat of a culture collision, and it was great. At one point my cousin asked Jonathan's dad if sparklers were a southern tradition. He replied that he had thought it must be a Jewish thing. But let's get back to the holiday anomalies!

The day after Thanksgiving, we always have a Jewish deli-style lunch. While Jonathan cannot wait to dig in to the lox, whitefish salad and egg salad, I won't go near the stuff.

Jonathan gave my mother truck antlers as a Chanukah gift this year. I'm not sure truck antlers have ever been given for Chanukah. The same can be said for the hitch hauler that is currently wrapped in Chanukah paper downstairs for Jonathan. And the Redneck Dictionary he gave my parents a few years ago.

I like to shoot mistletoe out of trees. I'm quite sure I'm the first person in my family to ever do that. I'm not too bad at it, either!

Anyway, my point is that I enjoy the irony and celebrate the diversity that our families bring. So, from our crazy family to yours, Happy Chanukah!

Cosmetic Safety Database

2009-12-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

Recently while watching television with my husband, a commercial came on for some lip gloss. "Sometimes I wish I was one of those people who could see a commercial for something like lip gloss and just go out and buy it," I said to Jonathan. I am not one of those people. Not since becoming more aware of all of the questionable ingredients that can be found in our lip gloss, shampoo, lotion - all of our personal care products.

Luckily, there is a GREAT resource out there that can help you sort through all of those ingredients and make informed decisions about what you put on yourself. It's the Cosmetic Safety Database from the Environmental Working Group. The Cosmetic Safety Database lets you look up just about any personal care product out there. Each one has been ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 based on the known and suspected hazards or each of the ingredients.

The database is incredibly thorough. One thing I really like about it is that you can look up everything from the froo froo fancy organic shampoo to the CVS brand of shampoo. But c'mon, doesn't somebody already test all of these products for safety? Nope. And while there are about 1,000 ingredients banned from personal care products in the European Union, there are only about 9 banned here in the U.S.

So, take a look at the Cosmetic Safety Database, but be warned, you may never see lip gloss commercials the same way.

Back to Basics with Borax

2009-12-13T12:30:00.002-05:00

Matt Hickman over at the Mother Nature Network has been writing a series of posts called "Back to Basics" in which he shares information on earth-friendly household cleaners that were used back in the day and are still great to use now. Check out his piece on 20 Mule Team Borax.

Personally, I use borax to scrub soap scum out of of the bathtub. It works really well, and I don't have to run out of the bathroom every two minutes because I'm about to suffocate from the cleaning fumes. Another great thing about borax? You don't have to go to a specialty store to find it. It's usually in the cleaning section of your basic grocery store.

Seafood Choices Made Easy!

2009-12-12T12:30:00.003-05:00

I previously wrote a blog as part of my job called the Eco-Smart Consumer. For those of you that kept up with it, I'm apologizing now for some repeats that you might see here, but there are some resources that are just too good not to share again on MamAnomolie.

One of these great resources is the Seafood Watch program and their handy dandy wallet cards and mobile apps!

The Seafood Watch program comes from the good folks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and there are several reasons why I like this particular resource. One is that it ranks seafood choices on environmental sustainability, but also indicates which choices have health concerns due to pollutants. It's nice to have information on both issues in one place. Second, Seafood Watch breaks up their information in ways that make it easy to use. They have regional guides so you actually have the information that pertains to wherever you are purchasing your seafood. There is even a guide specifically for sushi. Finally, they make it so easy to have the information you need at your fingertips. You can choose from one of their wallet cards, or you can download the Seafood Watch app on your mobile device. You can discreetly check your phone or wallet card when out for a meal with friends without anyone ever even noticing. I've done it myself!

So, if you're interested in making sustainable seafood choices, you should definitely check out what Seafood Watch has to offer!

Check Out the Alternative Consumer

2009-12-11T12:30:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite blogs for lots of great, green information is called the Alternative Consumer. It features green news and product reviews, and the folks who work there are just plain witty. How else can I find myself laughing at an article on global climate change? With titles like, "U.N.: 2000-2009 Likely the Warmest Decade on Record - Glenn Beck says their thermometer was broken," you can't help but giggle. Whether you're interested in alternative energy or green fashion, the Alternative Consumer offers a little bit of everything in a short, to-the-point format. Take a look see for yourself!

Let Me Put My Reuben Down and Clarify This Vegetarian Thing

2009-12-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

So, in my very first post, I wrote about how I only ate meat if it was wild game. And that was true. It was true for many years...and then I got pregnant. Let me tell you, this little girl does not appear to be a vegetarian. At about week 6 the cravings began. And not just for meat in general. As my husband said, "You didn't go to grass-fed beef. You went straight to the bottom of the barrel."

It's true. I made Jonathan go to the hardware store that had the hotdog stand in front. For a 4-day period after my morning sickness had just started, the only thing that would make me feel better was Campbell's Chunky Sirloin Burger soup. That's the kind with the miniature hamburgers in it. As a kid I used to eat it and the hamburgers even had tiny black lines that were supposed to look like miniature grill markings. Thankfully they have done away with those.

I've had a reuben kick, a gyro kick and a buffalo wing kick. Before becoming pregnant, I had quite a sweet tooth. I even looked forward to being pregnant partially so that I would have an excuse to eat as much ice cream as I wanted. Alas, I have not craved ice cream at all. My only real cravings have been for pickles and crappy meat.

In the beginning I felt so sick that I just threw my hands up and resigned myself to eating whatever my body craved. I'm not sure yet what I'll do once I have the baby. I had been quite committed to my wild-game-only eating ways before I got pregnant. I would like to say that I'll go back, or at least avoid canned beef, but only time will tell.

In Search of Outdoor Kids

2009-12-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of interest and research lately on the effects of children's changing play habits. Outdoor play used to be the norm, but today's generation is mostly an indoor bunch. Much of the research shows that, while well-meaning parents are just trying to keep their kids safe, there may be negative consequences to this lack of outdoor play. Of course, this is easy for me to say right now while my baby girl is safely inside me, but the fact of the matter is that children gain a lot both physically and mentally from unstructured outdoor play.

There is an interesting aticle from BBC News called "How Stranger Danger Changed the Way Children Play." It's actually a preview to a new BBC television series, but the article itself brings up some interesting issues as to why children are not allowed to play outdoors.

This is an issue near and dear to me, so I'm sure it will come up again in MamAnomolie.

Avoiding Toxic Plastic from The Soft Landing

2009-12-08T14:30:00.001-05:00

Check out this free downloadable e-book from The Soft Landing all about how to avoid toxic plastics. It includes information on BPA, phthalates and PVC. I love the book's opener...

"You shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to choose safe eating gear and toys
for your family."

How true!

I Bring My Bottles Back...Yeah!

2009-12-07T14:00:00.000-05:00

For the third year in a row, NBC has celebrated Green Week. Whatever that entails, surely the best part of it this year was Jimmy Fallon's hilarious renditions of popular songs gone eco. Check it out for yourself!

For Jews Who Love Chickens...

2009-12-06T14:30:00.001-05:00

It can be tough being Jewish during the holiday season. Especially in North Carolina. ESPECIALLY when looking for wrapping paper. Last year I was close to making a scene at my local Target. It went something like this...

Me: "Do you have any Chanukah wrapping paper?"
Employee: "What?"
Me" (In my head) "The Festival of Lights, put on your yalmulke, c'mon, surely I'm not the only Jew who's come in the store."
(What I really say) "Wrapping paper for Chanukah?"
Employee: Doug, do we have any...um..."
Me: "Chanukah wrapping paper?"
Doug: "There's a display on an endcap at the front of the store."
Me: (In my head) "Yeah, I saw where you put your crappy plain white paper and crappy plain blue paper together in a display and called it the Chanukah section. Do you think people who aren't Christian don't care what their presents look like? We don't even have a tree to dress them up! Give us a break!"
(What I really say) "Thanks, I'll take a look."

So, with Chanukah just around the corner this year, I had to share the great paper I found through Pristine Planet. Pristine Planet features lots of eco-friendly gift wrap. They won even more points with me by featuring 'Hanukkah Chickens Gift Wrap.' It comes from the Zola Shop and is made with vegetable-based ink on 100% post-consumer, chlorine-free paper and is made in the U.S. using renewable energy. And it's Chanukah paper with chickens on it!!!

Even with lots of Chanukah wrapping to choose from, how many variations of Stars of David and menorahs can you have? This was a welcome break from the norm!

Safe Paint for the Nursery

2009-12-05T16:26:00.001-05:00

Up until today, I have been quite frustrated on my quest for no-VOC paint for the nursery. VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, off-gas from a number of different materials, including most paints. They are know to cause a number of adverse health effects, and avoiding them can greatly improve the indoor air quality of your home. The great thing is that now there are several no-VOC and low-VOC paint options out on the market.

My frustration came in finding these products. Since I knew they were available and I want to healthiest space possible for our little girl, I was set on finding a no-VOC paint. At both Lowes and a local Sherwin Williams store I had nearly identical conversations with store employees.

Me: "Do you carry any no VOC paint?
Employee" "Yes, this brand has no VOCs." (Olympic paint at Lowes and Harmony paint at Sherwin Williams)
Me: "Oh, so the tints don't have VOCs either?"
Employee: "No, the tints all have VOCs."

What I found particularly annoying was that I had to ask to get this information. Not many people shopping for paint for their house get the plain white that comes ready in the can. Of course I'm going to have it tinted, and if I'm looking for no-VOCs, I don't want it in my paint or the tint.

A few weeks ago I did go to Home Depot and found that they do have a line of no-VOC paints that comes in no-VOC colors. The brand is called Freshaire. The problem is that there aren't nearly the number of colors available as you find with other paints. That being said, I was very pleased to find that one of the big box home improvement stores has made an investment in no-VOC paint, and when I asked for no-VOC paint, that is the only paint they mentioned. They didn't try to sell me a paint that was VOC-free only before colorants were added.

So, my husband, Jonathan, and I continued our search. And it ended today at the Common Ground Green Building Center in Durham, NC. If you live anywhere near Durham and you're looking for eco-friendly, person-friendly building supplies, I highly recommend it!

Paul, one of the co-owners of the store, showed us not one, not two, but three different brands that were no-VOC AND that came in loads and loads of colors. He carried AFM SafeCoat, Yolo Colorhouse and Mythic. Not only are these paints zero-VOC, Paul explained to us, but they also don't have a lot of the other toxic ingredients found in most other paints.

We went with a lovely light, light green made by AFM Safecoat. Very appropriately, the official name of the color we chose is 'Clean.' We also picked up some Mythic trim paint. I'll include pictures once we actually start painting.

I'm just happy to know that there really are no-VOC, healthier paint options out there, that you don't have to sacrifice color choices in order to use them and that there are people out there who are knowledgeable about your green building options. Thank you Paul! Thank you Common Ground Green Building Center! Thank you Jonathan for painting the nursery...soon!

Welcome to MamAnomolie!

2009-12-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog! I'm so excited to begin this endeavor, but you, dear reader, are probably wondering what kind of endeavor this is. And what kind of a name is MamAnomolie?

Well, first the easy half of the explanation. I am about to be a new mama. I'm five months pregnant, and I've been feeling my focus shift more and more to motherhood and parenting. I am preparing to leave my job for full-time motherhood. I feel very lucky that I will be able to stay home with my little girl. Also a bit apprehensive and nervous, but mostly thankful and enthusiastic.

And why Anomolie? I feel as though I am a bit of an anomaly. For example, I don't eat meat except for wild game - a trait which offends carnivores and herbivore alike. I strive to take into account the environmental impacts of my purchases and habits, but I have a weakness for wrapping paper and Starbucks. I research personal care products and household cleaners for environmental health issues, but I won't hesitate to eat those bright orange "circus peanuts" candies that you buy at the gas station.

In the past I struggled with my anomalous tendencies, feeling like I had to pick one thing or the other, but I now realize the two sides are part of who a am. I am an anomaly, and I've embraced that. So much so that, while I am normally tyrannical in my pursuit of proper spelling and grammar, I've decided that I like the look and feel of 'anomolie' better than 'anomaly.' So there.

So, welcome to MamAnomolie. I hope you enjoy, laugh, learn, and discover new resources and inspirations on green products and lifestyles, healthy products, parenthood, arts & craftiness and whatever else this anomalous mama throws at you!

Thanks for stopping by!