Jul 26, 2010 Posted in Getting to know me | View Comments

McKLinky Monday: My idea of a favorite vacation

The ladies of the RHOK are NOT playing. They ask, “what is my idea of a favorite vacation? “

I have so many places in mind!

I LOVE vacationing as a family.

I dig vacationing with just my husband.

A FAVORITE though?

That is the easy part.

If I were to narrow it down, I think I would say– time somewhere, anywhere, where we can relax and enjoy one another, but also be on the go.  To me, vacationing is more about spending time with the people I love, not necessarily about what we see, though we do get to see some awesome places. The special part is seeing TB’s smile, and watching Kevin help him see things.

What’s your idea of a favorite vacation?

Jul 23, 2010 Posted in Friday Feature | View Comments

Friday Feature: 100% Pure

First off, I think from my beauty routine (in parts I and II) it is easy to tell I have really minimized the products in my life, and I rarely wear makeup. Like almost never. That being said, there are special occasions where I’d like a little cover, mascara, lip gloss, etc, but I have very sensitive skin and most products cause me to break out and/or have very itchy skin.

I had been on the lookout for a while when I stumbled across 100% Pure Cosmetics.  The downside is that the products are not in the EWG database (except the mascara), so I had to go digging based on ingredients. (Did you know you can do that?) The ingredients turned out to be mostly 0s and 1s, though the Foundation Powder contains some chemicals rated moderate (3-5) in its sunscreen ingredients.  None of the products are tested on animals, the brushes are mostly vegan, and they pre-cycle packing materials. (Check out a more complete list of their environment and animal stances here and here.)

After considering the company and the ingredients, I ended up ordering the 8-piece Fruit Pigment Color Collection, Healthy Flawless Skin Foundation Powder SPF15 and  a Pink-Berry Lip Gloss to see if I would like their products. Normally, I would have shied away from the face powder, but I am having problems finding any that are rated low hazard.

I found all of their products to work for me. The powder went on smoothly without looking heavy, as did the eyeshadow and mascara, though if you are used to a very bold in one coat eye makeup, you might night like these products. The blush looked natural, and the lip-gloss was shiny and smooth without being super sticky. Most importantly for me though, the products did not irritate my face!  Overall, I thought my face looked enhanced (versus painted).

Liking this product won’t encourage me to wear makeup more often, but I certainly won’t cringe about it either. I have not used any of their other products, but if you do, please share in the comments!

And now the fun part…

If you clicked the links, you will notice that I accidentally ordered the same Pinkberry lip gloss that comes in the 8-piece fruit pigment color collection. My error is someone else’s benefit! Leave me a comment, any comment on any post, between now and next Thursday at 5 p.m. (Central time zone) to be entered for a chance to win the lipgloss. Earn multiple entries by commenting multiple times and/or on multiple posts. Good luck!

(As always, I purchased the prize myself and no one is paying me to say, write, or do anything related to this product!)

Jul 21, 2010 Posted in Environment, Health | View Comments

More on Beauty Products

Way back in May, I answered a question about “eco-friendly” beauty products and how I look at them. Admittedly, not everyone is going to go through the research and look at products the way I do, especially if someone is looking to start out in making changes. I have long advocated and admitted on this blog that change is gradual. Where I am now is not where I was last year or where I will be next year. One of my 2010 goals is to buy more fair trade products, which is why looking more deeply in to the background of companies is important to me. By sticking with it for a year, I hope to make this an ingrained habit!

That being said, if you are looking to make any change, it is important to do a little researching, as greenwashing is becoming a big money maker for seemingly, but not really, green brands. Here are a few tips for starting out:

• Always check the EWG’s Skin Deep Database. They now have a handy sunscreen buyers guide application for iphone too.
• Pick one or two changes to make at a time. Manageable bites will help you to stick with the change!
• Decide what is most important to you and evaluate products based on those priorities.
• Don’t be afraid to change your priorities as new information become available to you.

Here are a few examples of why checking out products and companies is important.

Let’s say you are looking to buy sunscreen at your local Target/Walgreens/etc for a child (or yourself!).  You might look at Coppertone, Aveno, Burt’s Bees, California Baby and Johnson&Johnson.  Johnson&Johnson and Aveeno are owned by the same parent company, so it is easy to make a direct comparison. You might think you are choosing the “greener” version by selecting Aveeno, but the truth is, Aveeno is rated at a 7 on the EWG database, where as J&J is a 2! In essence, Aveeno sunscreen is greenwashing. If the parent company makes a difference to you, California Baby (rated 1 by EWG) would rise to the top.

Another example: let’s say you are looking at lip balm and deciding between Chapstick brand (regular) and Burt’s Bees. Chapstick is rated a 3; Burt’s Bees a 2.  Their rating is nearly the same, but I would say to pick the Burt’s Bees.  On the other hand, Burt’s Bees hand cream (anti-aging) contains “fragrance,” which I would avoid as they are no better than their more main stream counterparts.

As you can see, it’s not easy to reduce the chemical burden in ones life, and making decisions about personal care products is hard.  No product is perfect, but making informed decisions is important. Most importantly, keep trying!

Jul 19, 2010 Posted in Getting to know me | View Comments

Most at home in the kitchen

Well, The RHOK decided today is quiz day for McKLinky Monday, so I did the quiz, and according to the quiz, I am most at home in the kitchen, which is TOTALLY TRUE! I love to cook and bake…obviously…or why would I have Meals with Maria? I also enjoy entertaining.

You Are Most at Home in the Kitchen

You’re the type of person who finds a lot of comfort in your home. You love to take care of yourself and others. Your home is welcoming and open to all. You love entertaining guests and making them feel a part of the family. There’s nothing like spending an afternoon in the kitchen, whipping up treats for you and your loved ones. You believe that the simple things in life can be the most enjoyable. You like give your time and love to people.

Jul 17, 2010 Posted in Getting to know me | View Comments

Reading your blog from the outside looking in?

Have you ever thought of what it would be like to read your blog as an outsider?

As I was looking over my family blog post from the weekend, I thought, “I wonder what a stranger would think?”  The post was nothing special– what we’d been up to and our plans for the upcoming week.

I looked at what I wrote about myself specifically, and I know what I would think if I didn’t know me and had read only that one post– this woman is crazy!

No, not really.

I would think, is this woman living in the 60s? Talking about picking up canning supplies (ok, in the same sentence as new running shorts), dehydrating fruits, cooking…

After that thought I moved on to…

This woman must have a lot of time and definitely is a full-time-stay-at-home mom. No one else would do those things.

If you have made it this far, you are probably wondering what the point of this post is. Well, my point is that things are not always as they seem, AND I definitely am not normal. I look at the posts and I see much of the following.

I am passionate for God.

I take care of my family’s home and my career.

I preserve food.

I cook (from scratch).

I bake and not from a box.

I mow the lawn.

I fix things that need fixing.

I write.

I take pictures.

I am active in my son’s life.

I am active in my husband’s life.

I am active in my friends’ lives.

I do not fit in a box well at all, so please, don’t put me in one.

I play hard.

I work hard.

I work purposefully.

At the same time, I am happy to let my house get messy in order to pitch a ball to TB or have a date with my husband.

It is not a burden; it is done out of love.

I enjoy serving and blessing others.

I also see very little mention of the job for which I earn money on any of my blogs. It’s not that I am not passionate about my work. I am. It is yet another opportunity to help those in need. But in the big picture, my work is a microscopic portion of my life.

When you ask how I do it, and I say “I don’t know; I just do” it is not because I am being flippant. I really don’t know. I get up each day and go to work doing what needs to be done.  I wish I had a better answer.

And so…I’ve gotten off topic and in to explaining instead of observing.

What do you see when you read your blog(s) from the outside looking in?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Cor 10:31

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24