Check it out!

Listening to MPR's Midmorning this morning, I was excited to hear a program about a website called GoodGuide. It is precisely what I've been looking for (although I couldn't have told you this was what I wanted...)

I feel it's important to have good, healthy meals/snacks/cleaning products/everything else we use day to day, and have been trying to focus my shopping to reflect that (not always successful, but hey, we'll get there.) I have always been frustrated by how daunting it is to actually find out what goes into products, where the ingredients come from and whether the claims are accurate. For example, claims of "natural" are not regulated and don't really mean anything. Organic is much better and does have requirements, but there are different percentages of "Organicness" (technical term there) and many issues that can slip through those cracks as well. How does your average Anna-trying-to-shop-with-kids-in-the-cart know what is good, better or best?

And, now I have my answer!

http://www.goodguide.com/

It started as a university research project, and although it is no longer affiliated with a school, it is not supported by any companies who would get preferential treatment in return, or any other such thing. It gives good, easy to understand ratings based on hundreds of factors, and you can see how it does in the category most important to you (health, environment, etc.)

For me, the biggest thing is decreasing the amount of sugar/high fructose corn syrup/additive-preservative junk in foods I buy. And cleaning products. I hate cleaning products. I don't buy them. They don't make me feel clean, they make me feel high. Poo. Bring on the baking soda and vinegar. And the elbow grease.

Check it out. I've already been surprised by a few products I buy! And maybe I'll find a few cleaning products I like. My elbow grease tends to run out.


They even have plans to make a deal where you'll be able to use a cell phone, scan the bar code of the product you're looking at and it will give you the details. Nifty, eh?

That might even convince me to get a cell phone!

A gray, deary day...

With cousins over to play.

This usually makes me smile, as the group gets along pretty well. (Incidentally, these pictures are from our vacation, and have nothing to do with today...other than the pining I have for still being there. And, because my mind is stuck in today, I'll not get to sharing details of our adventures either. Some other day...)


But today....hoy-vay!

This one woke up bawling and utterly inconsolable...

This one forgot to take his brain with when he got out of bed...

Scenes like this are nonexsistant this morning.

I finally stuck on the rainboots and shuffled them all outside. A little steam needs to be burned off...and maybe I'll get a chance to finish a cup of coffee...

Ahh...

and to dream of these days.



***

Late addition:

After a few hours of threatening Oliver with removing his bedroom door if he didn't stop slamming it in his sister's face, timeouts X ???, and informing him that "I don't care if you don't want to play with Elsa, you will let her play... Give.Her.That.Toy.Back." the rest of the day went quite well, I would even hazard to call it fun:)

Message to Joan:

Hi Joan!

I just had to let you know, both Oliver and Elsa went to bed with "Baby Aila" last night...

Guess she made an impression last time we saw you!

Back to the real world

Sand...sun...

and smiles.
She's got a thing for this pose these days.

That pretty much sums up our trip (I'll try share more once I get through the pictures...) Today saw me jumping right back into the 'real world' with a 5 am alarm...made me wish I was still out of town. All in all, it was a wonderful vacation!

Oh, goodness.

I just got those punks back to sleep.

A few minutes ago Oliver was bawling in his sleep (symptom of to much fun, not enough sleep today) and wouldn't stop.

So he woke up Elsa.

And kept bawling. He eventually became coherent enough to say "I want my cookies back."

I finally picked him up and took him to our room, where he promptly stopped bawling and fell back asleep...

but when I walked out with him, Elsa wasn't going to miss out on a late night treat and started bawling "I want cookies, too!!!"

Fortunately, she was easily convinced that the only cookies around here are imaginary...

A vacation!

It's pretty much official.

We'll be headed to the UP early Thursday morn.

We like to plan way ahead on these things.

Going here....

Enjoying this...

and this.
And visiting and a lot of relaxing and enjoying each other.

For the first vacation Eric had gone on since the summer Oliver was a baby. I'd say he's about due. Here's hoping for the beautiful weather to continue!

Welcome Fall!

First of all, thanks to everyone who took the time to read and comment on the last post. Your support warms my heart. Last fall was hard, but we're in a good place around here these days. Time heals, and life is good.

***

Fall is in the air. The nights are crisp (crisp enough that some of the taller plants in the garden got their tops frosted the other night!) and some trees are changing color. I'm not sure I'm prepared to let go of this summer, it was so beautiful and the weather so wonderful! I love fall...but then comes winter. Ack!

Yesterday was a fiasco around here, but it turned out to be a productive fiasco. I started out by straightening up the porch (We built a 10x10ft porch on the back entrance of this trailer, it houses the wood furnace, washer and dryer among other things.) In this process, I knocked the hose that drains the washer out of it's drain pipe. And neglected to notice. Then started a new load of wash. Then went outside.

Then noticed the water leaking from under the wall...

And came in to about an inch of water covering the floor.

So what was a simple straightening became an all out shop-vacing, washer-moving, dark, mysterious corner cleaning afternoon.

But it's all good. The dark, scary corners were cleaned, and I came out $12 richer!

The cleaning spilled over to other areas of the house, so I ended up with a rearranged and cleaned living room as well. Wahoo!

Today list is being made as I go. I was supposed to work, but my client is in the hospital so I get to enjoy another day off. Happy fall!