Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise: The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
Diane Flynn Keith: Carschooling
Carol Topp: Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out
~Fall Pumpkin Harvest~
Aug. 26, 2009
A Special 6th Birthday Party
Aug. 21, 2009
SIGG Water Bottles : The Shameful Truth...They Knew They Contained BPA
Posted in Family
Okay, so I had a nice warm and fuzzy post all ready to be typed up about our week and my chocolate zucchini cake recipe but I had to set it aside momentarily to share some shocking news about SIGG water bottles and the fact that they had been using BPA (Bisphenol A) a hormone disrupting chemical in the liner of their bottles!
When BPA first became big headlines alerting everyone to the unsafe amounts of it that were leaching into our children's plastic baby bottles, water cups and more I went on a quest to find a safer alternative to the regular plastic drink cups for all three of my children.
The Swiss company SIGG was one of the front runners as a safe choice for children's drink bottles so of course I bought one. I was concerned that they were made of aluminum but was assured that they were completely safe as they had a protective coating which would keep the liquids from coming in contact with the aluminum and it was BPA FREE.
It now turns out that all of those SIGG water bottles that we all snapped up prior to August 2008 did in fact contain a water‐based epoxy liner which contained BPA!!
But that's not the real kicker...
Why have they been sitting on this knowledge since August 2008 which was when Sigg quietly changed the formulation last year to their new "next generation 'EcoCare' liner," which is "100% free of BPA, phthalates, BADGE, BFDGE, and NOGE"? Shouldn't this have been made public knowledge right away so that we could have stopped purchasing the older bottles that were still being sold with the BPA liners or at least made an informed descision as to which liner we really wanted to trust our children's beverages to be served in?? I sure think it should have been!
If you're not sure what bottle liner your SIGG bottle has there is a really handy photo over at Z-Recommends illustrating the older liner that is shiny and brassy looking versus the new EcoCare liner that is a creamy color. Unfortunately ours is definitely an older model :( You can also read more of the nitty gritty details behind all of this contraversy there.
Now to be fair SIGG claims that these liners have been tested and that they do not actually leach any BPA but if you were buying new bottles to avoid BPA entirely why in the world would you take a chance and purchase anything with it?!
Sorry SIGG....
Fool me once, shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me. I just don't think I can trust you anymore.
Jul. 30, 2009
A Visit To Daddy's Tug
Posted in Family
Well it's another scorcher of a day here and I don't know if I can make it another week at these temperatures!! We checked the thermometer outside a moment ago and it's 35 degrees in the shade. YIKES! We are so not used to this weather here :( It's normally around 23 degrees so this is a bit of a body shock LOL.
I had to make a trip to the post office this morning so we decided to make good use of the cooler morning air and loaded into the car nice and early, and since Hubby was heading down to his tug to finish his tow plan and fax in log sheets we thought we'd tag along with him to :)
The kids just love going onto the tug and as soon as we hit the deck they were scrambling into the wheel house! You might have thought they would be interested in checking out the radios, watching other boats or spinning the giant ship's wheel.... nope, the first place they went to was the snack cupboard! LOL
It was so funny. There was M & L with their heads nearly right inside the cupboard looking for something good to eat :)
We weren't there very long before it started to get noticeably warmer and it was time to head home again. As L was making the trek up the steep ramp from the docks I noticed that she was wearing rubber boots!! Crazy kid. Here she's trying to dress cool and then she sticks hot boots on her feet :)
How about you, how are you beating the heat today? We love to eat frozen grapes & blueberries and tons of icy fruit smoothies. As I type this I think I'm going to head off and make one now *grin*.
Jul. 26, 2009
A Devine Wedding
Posted in Family
On Friday my mom and I traveled to the Sunshine Coast to attend my cousin's wedding :) I was really excited to go because she is so very special to me. We used to spend our summer's together when we were little either at her house or mine which were an absolute riot, and there were oh so many family get togethers! Over the years though as we grew older, graduated school and moved onto adulthood our visits began to grow more sparse and we hadn't actually seen each other in quite some time but I was thrilled to hear that she had met someone really special :)
While she was living in Korea with friends teaching English as a second language she met Mr. Devine. Yes, that really is his last name *grin*, and I guess the rest is history! It was the nicest ceremony that I have ever been to. The pastor that married them was a long time family friend and he made it extra personal and touching as he spoke to them and letting them know what special gifts from the Lord that they were to each other :) Both of the mothers read from the bible to them, the bride even sang a song as the groom played the guitar and they had written special vows to read to each other with the groom ending his by saying he'd lay down his life for her. Awww... how romantic :)
Her dad had surprised her with a vintage car that would take them along with the rest of the bridal party for their photos. It was so cute to see them all in it cruising slowly down the street with their parasols up *grin*.
When they returned from all of the photo taking there was a small gathering with all of their closest friends and family for lunch, speeches & toasts, fun trivia games and even some Irish dancing as the groom is Irish :) They couldn't have asked for a lovlier day as it was all held in her mom and dad's backyard which made a lovely backdrop for the celebration.
The following quote was shared at the wedding and it was so perfect that I wanted to share it with all of you as well :)
Love....
Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling… Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last; but feelings come and go… But, of course, ceasing to be “in love” need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense — love as distinct from “being in love” — is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask, and receive, from God… “Being in love” first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.
-CS Lewis
Joined as one.... God's special gift to one another. How beautiful :)
Jul. 2, 2009
Happy Canada Day!
Jun. 24, 2009
Camping at Miracle Beach
Mar. 3, 2009
I'm Still Here!
Posted in Family
Life seems to have run away with my days! LOL.
I actually didn't mean to have that long of a bloggy break *grin*. Dh came home from work just after Baby M's birthday and has been here ever since and that usually means that my computer time is limited at best, but I'm back!
Things have been busy around home. Dh loves to woodwork so we have made a couple of trips into town for lumber and right now he is building M's first 'big boy' bed since he has mastered the art of escaping from his crib and it doesn't seem to matter anymore if he has side rails or not :) Dh is getting really creative with it as well and has monogrammed the headboard with M's initial. It is sooo cute and he is beyond excitement waiting for it. Every time daddy comes into the house he asks if his bed is ready.
I've been tackling some of the sping cleaning issues that need to be taken care of. Yesterday I braved L's room and spent nearly 3 hours going through every nook and cranny, collecting old toys, illfitting clothing, trash and laundry that seemed to have found some very interesting hiding places *grin*. It is so nice to see the floor again! We've put in an order for gyprock as well and hopefully in the next couple of months will have her room all drywalled. The poor girl still has faux bricks on one wall and wallboard that has been covered with wallpaper and is now peeling on the others, so she is definitely due for a room makeover!
Blessings,
Feb. 22, 2009
M's 3rd Birthday Party
Jan. 13, 2009
Earth ~ Chia Style
Jan. 13, 2009
Ch..Ch..Ch..Chia
Posted in Family
Yesterday the kids got belated Christmas presents from some of their cousins and L got a Chia Planet Earth globe. So cool!! I remember as a kid those great commercials of the Chia's growing their grassy hair on super speed *grin* and I always wanted one. Never got one then, but now I have a second chance! Er.... I mean L has a chance, yes L has a Chia, not me. LOL.
We thought that we were going to get it all started but the only step we could do was soak the seeds. So L poured in the water and stirred it up until it formed a thick jelly. Now we wait until tomorrow morning. It says you have to wait 24 hours and then you can spread them on the globe, so I'll share more pics tomorrow :)
Ch..Ch..Ch..Chia *grin*
Jan. 3, 2009
Trip to Gold River
Dec. 30, 2008
Christmas Celebrations
Dec. 24, 2008
Gingerbread House
Dec. 18, 2008
A Tree Hunting We Will Go
Dec. 16, 2008
Productive Day
Posted in Family
I'm happy to say that we had a very productive day today and didn't just watch Christmas movies all day *grin*. We got our oranges sliced and dried in the oven, they just need their ribbons attached so they can be hung on the tree, and my experiment with homemade graham crackers for our gingerbread house worked out perfectly! They're all baked and ready to be iced and decorated :)
Later tonight I'm hoping to get some sewing done. I found some great material at Walmart the other day nice and cheap, just the way I like it! LOL. I'm going to whip it up into some fabric shopping bags for my mom for Christmas. I might even get some wrapping done if I'm lucky :) The big day is drawing close and I'm reminded every morning when the kids do the big countdown on the calendar *grin*. That's not putting any pressure on me.... nope none at all!
Blessings,
Dec. 14, 2008
Christmas Letters & Roses
Posted in Family
Can you believe that roses are still growing in my mom's garden?! Not after today though. It is nearly -10 outside right now. BRRR! We got a little bit more snow today but it still didn't amount to much, just enough to shuffle your feet through :)
I spent the afternoon finishing my Christmas letter. I know.... it's awful late to be still writing it but it's the thought that counts right, not how quickly it arrives. *grin* I don't know what happened to my original plan of finishing it in November and mailing them out Dec. 1st, I'm such a procrastinator! I've got a few more crafts that I still want to do with the kids to and next week is already Christmas. I better get cracking or we'll have to shelf them till next year :)
How about everyone else? Have you fit in all of the crafting or baking plans that you had planned to do this season?
Blessings,
Dec. 13, 2008
Happy 30th Birthday
Posted in Family
What's in an age? Absolutely nothing! *grin* Yesterday was my 30th birthday and I don't feel any older, or that my life is drawing closer to the end (my close friend felt that 30 might as well have been 90), but rather the opposite! I feel that I am growing wiser with age and am very happy & content with that :)
Last night I was treated to a special dinner out with my parents and my sister and her husband at a nice restaurant. I even had a babysitter come and watch the kids which believe me does not happen very often at all, so it was a real treat! Dh wasn't able to make it because he was working but I think we are going to do something special tomorrow not that he is back again. Maybe we'll get to spend the afternoon exploring one of my favorite nature walks with the kids since the weather has turned nice again and the little bit of snow we got yesterday has already melted.
What are your plans for the weekend?
Nov. 28, 2008
When It Rains It Pours
Posted in Family
That was true in more ways than one today. It has been very grey and wet here for the last couple of days and today we had planned an outing to visit with friends and participate in our homeschool groups show and tell but unfortunately we couldn't make it :(
It seems that we are having a real bout of bad luck lately when it comes to participating in our regular outings. No nature walks *sob*, and Dh has been terribly ill the last couple of days. So today he just wasn't feeling well enough after picking up his paycheck and grocery shopping to stay in town long enough for show and tell so we headed back home so he could rest. That's okay though. I would rather he was resting and on the mend than making him stay in town where it was absolutely miserable weather.
There's always next week right?
Blessings,
Nov. 26, 2008
There's Never Enough Parts
Posted in Family
Why is it that whenever a vehicle breaks down and you have to make a trip into town you never come home with enough stuff?? Dh left home early this morning to get new brake pads, drums and some other stuff that I can't remember and got home just before lunch. Not long after he was pulling everything apart he realized that he was going to have to break one of the brake lines because it was completely stripped and wasn't going to come off. Guess what? Yup, you guessed it.... no new brake line to replace it :(
Luckily my dad is in town today also and my sister was able to get a hold of him and get him to call home :) One brake line coming up! LOL.
Blessings,
Nov. 25, 2008
Pick Up in Port McNeill
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~About Me~
Hello from Canada! I am a homeschooling mom to 3 very rambunctious children ages 10, 6 & 3 years old while holding down the fort as tug boat captain 'Dad' sails the seven seas *grin*. We're located on 40 acres in a tiny rural community in beautiful British Columbia and this is my quirky journal about our homeschool journey, running my home based business 'RosyUndPosy' making 'Eco Friendly Bags 4 Green Living', and everyday life home on the farm. Hope you enjoy your visit :)
Want to have a peak at what the weather looks like here today? Here's a cam showing the lovely scenic view looking east down Johnstone Strait past Helmcken & Hardwicke Islands.
And this one is looking north across Johnstone Strait towards Hardwicke Island. Hit the refresh button on your browser to update the picture and make sure you stop by during daylight hours :)
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