About Me

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I am a woman of many interests, maybe too many! I love to learn about new things and enjoy sharing great finds and interesting information. My goal in life is to make a difference in other peoples' lives. This is my outlet to explore those oh-so-many avenues of interest!

Friday, December 27, 2013

My New Year's Resolutions - More is More

So I'm thinking that if I share my resolutions with the world, perhaps I'll stick to them!

1.  Write More - like for real.  I love writing.  I have a degree in it.  I would love to make a career of it.  I need to do it more.

2.  Pray more.  I want to more than just a "Sunday Catholic."  With a crazy-busy life, it seems like a bit of a pipe dream, but I'm going to make a concerted effort to attend a weekday Mass once in a while.

3.  Cook more.  I have a slight obsession of pinning amazing looking recipes, yet I almost never actually try them.  I WILL make one new fancy-schmancy meal a month.  I'm a pretty decent cook, I have a kitchen nicely stocked with great gadgets and tools - I might as well put on an apron and crack open a recipe book once in a while. Bon appetit!

4.  Exercise more.  In the last four months or so I got LAZY!  Time to get my butt in gear and get back to the gym.  With all my other new plans I need to be realistic, so I'm aiming for one trip to the gym and two home work-outs per week. Better than nothing, eh?

5.  Date more.  My husband, that is.  I think we had two dates last year.  PA-THE-TIC!    I'm aiming for six this year.

6.  Drink more. I need to make more time for my girlfriends too - six girls' nights this year also sounds pretty good.

7.  Organize more.  Accomplish four big organizational projects this year:  the photos and videos that are piled up in boxes and on CDs and hard drives; my endless stash of lose recipes; my "office" space: and my boys' playroom (though I need my husband's help with this one, since it involves installing built-in shelving).

So there it is.  I'm determined to look back a year from now and check all these goals off the list.  What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Monday, February 15, 2010

Be Fine Food Skin Care

Happy St. Valentine’s Day to all! I haven’t been able to blog as much as I would have liked, but I guess life happens! After what seems like endless weeks of someone constantly being sick in my house, all are healthy for the moment and I have a few minutes to myself.

That being said, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite skincare companies: Be Fine Food Skincare. Be Fine uses all-natural plant extracts to create their diverse line of cleaners, toners, moisturizers and special treatments. Some of my most favorite products are the almond, brown sugar and oat exfoliating cleanser, pomegranate, cardamom and arnica warming clay mask, and the chamomile and beet lip serum. The exfoliating cleanser is the most effective scrub I've ever used.  It actually might be a little too scrubby for overly-sensitive skin.  The texture is similar to a body sugar scrub.  I use it twice a week and it leaves my skin polished and smooth.  The warming clay mask was the first product in the line I tried.  You put it on dry skin and it heats on contact.  It draws the "junk" out of your pores and leaves your skin feeling clean and fresh.  The lip serum has become one of my most favorite products.  I use it each night before bed.  The chamomile and beets provide antioxidant and moisturizing benefits. Added vanilla extract give it a light and pleasant scent.  All of these products have light, natural scents and colors since they do not contain artificial fragrances and dyes. The complete line is paraben and animal protein-free.

You can find Be Fine products at Ulta, Amazon.com, and directly from Be Fine. Each product is reasonably priced and provides a good value for the money. Treat your skin to a good meal and check out Be Fine.

-NM

Warming Clay Mask 5 Ounces  Exfoliating Cleanser 4 Oz Be.Fine   

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Kefir

I’m baaaaaaaaaaack! After a week of the stomach flu wreaking havoc on my family, me being the last one to get knocked down, I am finally able to sit down and write again. During our bout of flu my cousin told me we should all drink kefir to help clean out our digestive tracks and get rid of the nasty bacteria that was causing our illness. I made a b-line to the grocery store and found Lifeway Kefir in the dairy department next to the yogurt. Unfortunately my closest grocery store didn’t have a huge selection (I understand Whole Foods carries the full line), but there were a few different varieties to chose from. I bought the Low-Fat Strawberry Banana Kefir and headed home. My kids, big yogurt smoothie fans, loved it instantly. Considering I wasn’t able to get either of them to eat more then a bite of banana in the previous days, I was really happy to see them woof down the kefir.

I have learned that kefir is a yogurt-like product made from milk fermented with kefir grains. The recipe began over 2,000 years ago in Eastern Europe. Shepherds would carry milk in leather pouches while out tending their flocks. The heat of the day would sometime start to ferment the milk turning it into a effervescent beverage. They learned how to purposely make kefir by mixing milk with kefir grains and allowing it to ferment. Today it is extremely popular in Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and near-by countries.

Like yogurt, kefir contains probiotics, however kefir contains about twice the amount as yogurt. And while yogurt aids in cleaning out the digest tract and maintaining digestive health, kefir can actually colonize the digestive tract. Kefir is also a great source of minerals and essential amino acids, as well as many of the B vitamins and Vitamin K.

Though I am new to the world of kefir, I’m glad to have learned about it (thank you Rhonda!). While I still plan to eat my yogurt and granola every morning, I plan to add a serving of kefir to my daily diet, and my boys’ diet, as well.

-NM


Thursday, January 14, 2010

Stonyfield Farms:Organic Dairy Products


One of my favorite grocery store brands is Stonyfield Farms yogurts. I buy them for my boys and for myself. I am a huge fan of a daily serving of yogurt because of its probiotic advantages.

Probiotics are, in short, good bacteria, or microorganisms that encourage the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Probiotics have been known to help treat lactose intolerance, antibiotic-related diarrhea and yeast infections, urinary tract infections, H. Ppylori infections, IBS, and colitis. The use and benefits of probiotics is still undergoing research, but may also be useful in treating high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and colon cancer. All yogurts contain probiotocs, however not all yogurts are Stonyfield.

Stonyfield Farms began in 1983 as a teaching farm for sustainable and organic farming. Their mission was to help family farms stay alive and promote environmental protection. The farm made and sold yogurt locally to help fund maintenance costs. Because Stonyfield had such a great yogurt recipe, the popularity of their yogurt grew. Just five years later they became a commercial producer of organic dairy products. Today Stonyfield is responsible for supporting hundreds of family farms and keeping over 100,000 agricultural acres free from conventional farming pesticides and chemicals.

The Stonyfield family includes yogurts (including Greek yogurt), milk, ice cream, smoothies and soy products. I especially love their YoBaby line. This line is designed especially for babies and toddlers and includes whole milk yogurts with fruit and cereal, with fruits and veggies, and smoothies. My boys start each day with a yogurt smoothie and love them. When I first introduced them to yogurt (each around 9 months old), I gave them the yogurt with fruit and cereal for breakfast. They not only loved the taste, but because of the added cereal, it filled their bellies.



Also offered is the YoKids line, which provides low-fat fruit flavors each with 10% of children’s daily recommended protein and 25% less sugar that other kids yogurts. And of course, all the ingredients are organic.

I myself eat a Low Fat Vanilla yogurt cup with a handful of granola every morning to get my day started.

Recently Stonyfield started a rewards program were you can create an on-line profile and collect points by recording product codes printed on their packaging. You can redeem your points for Stonyfield products, as well as other natural and organic products. It’s a great way to sample other Stonyfield products and other brands for free.

I love Stonyfield’s products almost as much as I love their mission: “We’re committed to healthy food, healthy people, a healthy planet, and healthy business.”

-NM


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention

If you baby ever has diaper rash, eczema, chapped skin, or cradle cap, then you need to keep Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention on hand. This stuff is amazing! It was developed in the early 1970’s by a skin care specialist and cosmetic chemist to treat his own son’s diaper rash. He soon began sharing it with his neighbors and it’s popularity spread. When his son grew up he, the son, established Grandma El’s and began mass producing this incredible product.

What first attracted me to this diaper rash ointment was it’s incredible smell. It’s light and fruity, not at all medicinal smelling like every other diaper rash ointment I’ve seen. It actually reminds me of this Baby Strawberry Shortcake doll I had when I was little. When you squeezed her belly she blew the strawberry scented kisses - yum!

I met and spoke with the owner of the company and he told me the product was made of all-natural ingredients and contained no parabens, phthalates, dyes or other harmful ingredients and only uses plant-derived preservatives. This Made in the USA ointment contains Vitamin E, derived from wheat germ oil; balsam plant extract from Peru, a known healing agent; salicylic acid, derived from willow bark and wintergreen, which, when mixed with Vitamin E can promote new skin growth; yellow petrolatum, derived from naturally occurring mineral oil; and insecticide-free anhydrous lanolin, a naturally occurring, allergy-free protecting and healing agent. Grandma El’s has been pediatrician tested and approved.

Additionally, this ointment isn’t just for treating diaper rash. I’ve used it on my son’s eczema around his nose and mouth and on my own dry knees (when my oldest son started crawling I crawled around with him so much I developed dry, scaly patches on my knees, but a little dab of Grandma El’s cleared it up in no time). It’s great for chapped skin and lips too. The Grandma El’s website also states it an be used to treat cradle cap, sunburns, cold sores, stretch marks, cuts and scrapes, and razor burn.

The Grandma El’s line also includes baby shampoo and baby wash, both tear-free, gentle and as equally effective as the diaper ointment. When you use the shampoo so little is required to get a good lather that the bottle lasts forever. These products also contain a nice, light scent.

I will never consider using any other diaper ointment other than Grandma El’s. I know it’s safe, effective, and can be used to treat multiple problems. I hope you will also give it a try!

-NM

Grandma El's Diaper Ointment 3-pc. Gift Set

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Physician’s Formula Organic Wear®

Today I want to share with you a great makeup line that is organic and affordable. Physician’s Formula Organic Wear® is the first ECOCERT® Certified Organic Line of makeup in the U.S. I discovered the Physician’s Formula Organic Wear® line while searching for a cheaper alternative to my previous tinted moisturizer. I was using a great product that was also organic, but was three times the price of the Physician’s Formula. With the economy creating a need to tighten the purse strings I decided to give Physician’s Formula a try. The tinted moisturizer
Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer, Ivory To Fair Organics, 1.5-Ounces (Pack of 2) is a great product. It’s a sheer moisturizer that provides the perfect amount of tint without feeling like a heavy foundation. To boot, it contains SPF 15 protection.

After I was sold on the tinted moisturizer I tried several other products in the line, including the Natural Origin Pressed PowderPhysicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Pressed Powder, Translucent Light Organics, 0.3-Ounces
Natural Origin Blush
Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Blush, Blushing Organics, 0.19-Ounces (Pack of 2)
Concealer Stick
Organic Wear Concealer Sticks, Light .16 oz
and eye makeup remover pads. The eye makeup remover pads are the best I’ve ever used and smell great (you can get them at Ulta)! I’ve been really happy with all the products, and the prices can’t be beat.

All Organic Wear Products® are free of parabens, harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives and fragrances, genetically modified organisms, and animal cruelty. Additionally, the products are packages in eco-conscious paper packaging and use 93% less plastic than traditional makeup packaging.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear® is a really great and high quality cosmetic line with healthy ingredients, mindful products, and an extremely economical price tag. I encourage you to give it a try.

-NM

Monday, January 11, 2010

Swedish Bitters

This one goes out to my mama (too bad she doesn't use a computer!).

Swedish Bitters is a centuries-old tonic comprised of eleven specific herbs and is used to treat a verity of aliments from body aches, to scars and wounds, to hangovers. This cure-all elixir was formulated in the 16th Century Swiss Physician and made popular in modern day Europe by an Austrian herbalist named Maria Treben.

There has been a lot written about the benefits of using Swedish Bitters topically and internally. I encourage you to read a short explanation of Swedish Bitters and its many uses.

My mother swears by Swedish Bitters and uses it as her first choice to treat various aliments and injuries.

-NM

Please note that the statements made regarding Swedish Bitter have not been examined or approved by the FDA. You should always consult a physician regarding any symptoms or illnesses you may be experiencing or before starting a new vitamin or supplement.

NatureWorks Swedish Bitters 33.8 fl.ozMaria Treben Health Through God's Pharmacy (English Edition) 88 pages