Long Time, No Sea

I’ve decided to collect the funny things my kids say and post them here. Unfortunately it’s pretty frequent and I dont always have time to write them down inbetween fits of laughter, but I will try!

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“An education is somewhere you have fun like a vacation”
-Danny

Whats a testament?
“It’s the rules if an old man dies they do a testament after an old man dies.”
-Abbie

“when someone helps another person”
- Jacob

Whats a testimony?
“When someone rides a horse?” -Jacob

And that is the very cake that my daughter, Eva Bella, who is turning four tomorrow- wanted for her birthday.

She has been bugging me all year to have a crocodile cake for her birthday. Last year we dropped $50 on a frog cake that was cute- but unappetizing. The kids barely touched it and we ended up cutting it up into peices and freezing it… because we couldnt stand to throw it away.

So this year I decided to try my hand at making Eva’s cake. My last extravigant cake I made one of my friends named the Melted decapitated dragon cake. The story behind it was that it was Jacob’s 2nd birthday and he wanted a snake cake. It was getting late and he had fallen asleep, so I hurridly took the cake out of the oven and started to assmble it and decorate it before it was fully cooled not wanting to miss his birthday. It was a wonderful cake at first. It had cool green icing, tiny m&m eyes and a licorice string tongue. I woke up Jacob to come to the table for his cake and he was crankily rubbing his eyes not really feeling like having cake yet.

We sang happy birthday as the frosting melted the face of the snake into a distorted demonic figure. I cut the head off (the most desireable peice- right? It had all the candy on it!) and put it on a plate in front of Jacob. He took one look at it and started crying. Yeah, brithday cake disaster.

So I researched what it would take to make a proper fondant cake and got to it. It took me about 8+ hours today, but I got it done!

This was my first experience with fondant. I was set on making something nice and took time to add details, studying a dozen or so pictures of crocodiles and trying to figure out ways of achieving similar effects.

When the kids got home, it was a hit! Everyone loves it.

Here is the process my cake went through:

fondant before and after

Larger cake of 3 with anotomical parts cut

Cake assembled but not sculpted yet

After frosting, starting the fondant cover

Fondant covered and front legs on

Finished product

I have so much to do today! First of all, the sun is shining through the window. This is a HUGE booster because Oregon is so dull, rainy and dreary… I live in a den for weeks out of the year, it seems.

I have a shelf we got and some organizers that I have to find a home for. We really don’t have much wall space, it seems. Lots of odd angles and low windows and molding that makes it tough to really have many organizational units. I really need to find a way to build UP and less out.

I also need to call on this middle school for my daughter. I have never had to apply to a school before for my kids- so this is all new. We are looking at a magnet school which would be perfect for her. Lots to do…

It’s really easy, nowdays, to get caught up in what the world ‘thinks’ you need to be like. I think one of the hardest things we have to face is believing that what people say about us does not define who we are, in our lives. We continuousely try to impress,  defend, and alter ourselves- even if it’s against our moral grain.

This is the time, in these days of questionable morals, to fortify your foundation with your maker. I turn on the TV, or computer and it seems as if the whole world is wandering around aimlessly- lost in themselves. People come up with their own backwards reasoning for things and literally build their world around it. Of course, as reality hits everything comes crashing down.

On a side note, something that I really enjoy is seeing the fruits of my labor from instilling good habits and manners in my children from the start. I took the kids out for breakfast yesterday, who were off of school for Vetran’s Day. We went to a local diner that is a tad small. At first glance, seeing a mother with 6 kids in tow could certainly be overwhelming. People go out to eat to relax and enjoy a meal- not to have to compete with the rowdiness and noise level of little kids.

But as we ate and finished up, our hostess came up to us and said, “I just wanted to let you know, I have been approached by three separate parties about how well behaved your kids are…”

What a joy it is to hear this! We aren’t perfect and I certainly dont expect them to be. But concentrating on respecting other people’s visual, auditory, and physical space while enjoying ourselves is a big must to me. I still struggle with feeling like we have achieved that, completely, when we go out. Im on a heightened sense of awareness of our noise level and manners- but the fact people comment on it is a big sign of success.

-Jyn

So I went to Border’s books today with Gracie and found this book that interested me. It was $15 but I got it and Im going to see what it says. I’ve bene having issues with Danny and school and supposedly it addresses a lot of the issues we have been having with him and the school.

Ill let you know how it goes!

-Jyn

Im coming apart at the seams today.

I have 4 1/2 weeks left before Im due and the kids have spent 15 minutes making a DISASTEROUS mess that is taking 5 hours to clean.
I have no energy or patience for it… and I can’t believe the disregard Ive experienced today.

I just feel like I have so much to do and I don’t want to have to pin any of it on Jay to do when he gets home from work.

I need to sleep…

So, me being MAJORLY ADHD and disorganized- I havent made the jump to homeschool yet. Im seriously considering it though, as my kids get into the upper grades quickly.

I struggle a lot because my husband works funny hours (he’s a creative in advertising) and acedemics never was my forte. Were a smart bunch, but I struggled in school throughout the whole of my adolescent years.

The thing Im really struggling with is what they find is appropriate teaching curriculum 4th grade+ and the things my kids are subjected to in public school.

I’m not so worried about them being subjected to people of other denominations because that is part of what our world is about. There will always be someone else who doesn’t believe what we do, and the important thing is to arm ourself with the word and look to it for our answers so that we may be a beacon.

Im more worried about the families who feel that showing Austin Powers and Scary Movie 2 to a bunch of 10 year olds at a birthday party is acceptable… having my 9 yr old hear second hand from an YOUNGER child about what sex ‘is’…. and the naive mindframe of schools that we need to “get real” with young people who are bombarded with sexual images, that our only hope is to teach them how to curb disease and pregnancy through condom use, that they need to embrace, rather than control, these new feelings that come with puberty.

I’m feeling pretty low at the moment for the society and how things are affecting my kids. I want to move away to a farmhouse- away from prying neighbors eyes and the discrimination that conservative large families get with each passing year.

Lord help us in these times. *sigh*

So I had written in my old accidently deleted blog, about my no poo diet. I started it almost 2 weeks ago and so far everything is going beautifully! I havent used ANY shampoo on my hair in 2 weeks (I need to take an after shot).

But here is the before picture.
I have been having issues with not only oily hair but also dry hair and itchy scalp and hair loss. I know that hormones play a huge part in this, as does stress- but I can also attribute my SHAMPOOS to it.
Im an aromaholic- so if it smells good, Ill get it and use it. I loved the salon shampoos that make my hair smell like a billion bucks, but Ive been finding that it dries my hair out and gives me an itchy scalp. Abigail who is 10 today, also suffers from an unballanced hair situation. Her hair gets stringy and greasy really easily- but then after using shampoo alone, she gets dandruff and her scalp is itchy. So I have been using it on her also.

So I started this no-poo (no shampoo) diet where we use more natural minimal items. They say to use baking soda, vinegar, water and lemon juice… and then there are other natural herbs to use also.

So I took some white vinegar and water and put it in this old tanquerey bottle with 1/2 a squeezed lemon. Then I sprinkled some baking soda in making sure it didnt bubble over. I then added some lavender water in and it smelled so good. This mixture only barely lasts a week if not refrigerated. One of the wonderful things about not using preservatives. You have to be careful about how much lemon you use also, because it can lighten your hair if you dont wash it all out.

Thayers Witch Hazel Rose Thayer 11.5 oz

But I would use this tonic on our hair once every other day if need to to every 3 days. My hair smelled wonderful, felt light and soft and wonderful. Over the past week though, I have been using this alcohol free Thayers Witch Hazel Rose Thayer. It containins witch hazel, aloe vera, rose water, vitamin E, and grapefruit seed extract which, is especially beneficial for sensitive skin. It has been very refreshing for my scalp and also, I havent been able to find anywhere that it hurts your hair in any way as long as it doesnt have alcohol.

One of the reasons I am avoiding shampoo is because of the overuse of the sulfates in them and other preservatives and additives. These dry out your hair and scalp and are gnereally not good for you, yet were taught to just trust the shampoo companies because everyone else uses them right? The following are some clinical studies on the shampoo ingredients and toxicology.

In its final report on the safety of sodium lauryl sulfate, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that the ingredient sodium lauyl sulfate has a “degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties.” What’s more, the journal adds, “high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration.”
The publication expressed additional concerns:

Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the manufacturing of sodium lauryl sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient.

• Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.
• Still other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.
• Although sodium lauryl sulfate is not carcinogenic in experimental studies, it has been shown that it causes severe epidermal changes in the area it is applied, indicating a need for tumor-enhancing assays.
• Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to

the hair follicle could result from such deposition.

Substitution of Gentler Detergents Poses Additional Risks Unfortunately, many of the gentler detergents that may be substituted for sodium lauryl sulfate pose their own health hazards. For example, many companies have begun to use ethoxylated detergents such as sodium laureth sulfate, cocamide DEA or lauramide DEA because they tend to be less irritating.

Consumers can recognize shampoo ingredients containing ethoxylated detergents and related ingredients by looking for the prefix, word, or syllable PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, eth (as in sodium laureth sulfate), or oxynol.

Both our own commissioned independent laboratory testing and that of the federal government have documented ethoxylated alcohol compounds are frequently contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which is carcinogenic and is listed by the federal government as a probable human carcinogen.

Also, according to a 1998 report from the federal National Toxicology Program, two DEA-based compounds‹cocamide DEA and lauramide DEA‹have been demonstrated to be cancer-causing in at least in one species of animal.

The Doctors’ Prescription for Healthy Living/ Safe Shopper’s Bible Recommendation

According experts on the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel (established by the Cosmetic Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, a cosmetic industry trade association), both sodium lauryl sulfate and its close chemical cousin ammonium lauryl sulfate “appear to be safe in formulations designed for discontinuous, brief use followed by thorough rinsing from the surface of the skin.”

It should be recognized that shampoos represent such brief, discontinuous use products that are thoroughly rinsed, thus clearly minimizing the risk from sodium lauryl sulfate. It should also be recognized that many people shampoo daily, and we really do not know whether a lot of little exposures to sodium lauryl sulfate are dangerous or not.

Given the lack of adequate research and suggestive evidence, however, we believe it might be wise for health-conscious consumers to seek products without sodium lauryl sulfate, especially with regard to young children. Indeed, consumers have the power to choose safe and perhaps even better products without sodium lauryl sulfate.

This may be a very wise choice for another reason. We have found very often the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate in a shampoo formulation is a “marker” for the use of other undesirable ingredients, including formaldehyde-containing preservatives (e.g., imidazolidinyl urea); possible cancer-causing wetting agents (e.g., cocamide DEA); and nitrosamine-forming agents (e.g., triethanolamine). Also, it should be mentioned that in Germany, where there is a concerted effort underway now to label cosmetics and personal care products as certified natural, formulations containing sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate cannot be so certified, reports Michael Wrightson, president of Logona Kosmetik.

References “Bioassay of 1,4-Dioxane for possible carcinogenicity (CAS No. 123-91-1).” National Toxicology Program, TR-80.

Bouillon, C. “Shampoos and hair conditioners.” Clinics in Dermatology, 1988; 6(3): 83-92.

Conry, T. Consumer’s Guide to Cosmetics. Garden City, NY: Ancor Press / Doubleday, 1980, p. 74.

“Final report on the safety assessment of sodium lauryl sulfate.” Journal of the American College of Toxicology; 1983; 2(7).

Sixth Annual Report on Carcinogens, 1991. Summary. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1991, pp. 192-195.

“Sodium lauryl sulfate ammonium lauryl sulfate.”1996 CIR Compendium. Washington, D.C.: Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 1996, pp. 134-135.

“Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of coconut oil acid diethanolamine condensate (CAS NO. 68603-42-9) in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice (dermal studies).” National Toxicology Program, TR-479.

“Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of lauric acid diethanolamine condensate (CAS NO. 120-40-1) in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice (dermal studies).” National Toxicology Program, TR-480.