Poisoned Profits

I love nonfiction books. I love finding out other people's point of view and reading about their travels, life experiences or research. The latest book I read is called Poisoned Profits: the toxic assault on our children.

Ok, so the title is a little scary, I know. You should know that most authors do not title their own books, editors do, so I'm chalking up this title to that. But you should also know how AMAZING this book is. I hope all of my blog readers go to their library or book store and check this out. This is especially interesting for any parent, soon-to-be-parent, or anyone interested in the environment or learning disabilities.

I first found out about Poisoned Profits on NPR. Diane Rehm was interviewing the authors and critics of the book. It was a very interesting - and sometimes heated- conversation.

Essentially the book is presented like a trial would be, with evidence, defense, witnesses for the defense, victims, and justice chapters. The authors are particularly interested in how chemicals affect our children, because most research, public policy and warning labels only apply to adults. Children, and children in-utero are much more susceptible to environmental factors. This book explores this point.

I used to think the placenta filtered out much of the chemicals the mother is exposed to, but this book said no, that a ton of chemicals are still found in babies umbilical cords, meaning that the placenta cannot filter out these chemicals. This book talks about which chemicals are particularly harmful, and where they can be found. (pesticides, water, food, air, etc.)

The authors are journalists, so they write very factually. As a former professional writer I appreciate this! It's annoying when the writers blatently put their bias into articles, because you don't hear the evidence, only the emotion. This book is not like that.

Some of the effects of these chemicals in animal testing have shown:
-autism like symptoms
-ADHD, ADD like symptoms
-non hodgkins lymphoma
-cancer
-tumors
-birth defects
-learning disabilities

If you're interested in learning more about what this book talks about, their website is:
http://www.poisonedprofits.com/solutions.php?page=2

The best part is the solutions page, which I have linked to. It gives a list of great websites and awareness-type information. If you read this book, let me know how you like it!

You can see the cover on my shelfari to the left. I will never be the same after reading this book.

I've got a crush

I've never been a huge James Bond fan, but I am secretly in love with Daniel Craig - the only blond James Bond. Well, now that I'm blogging about it I guess it's not so secret. Sigh. Go see Quantum of Solace Nov. 14! YEah!

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1024524313/

A picture for you

If Ava could draw you a picture, it would look like this. Her drawings have gone from scribbles, to circles, to faces, to now, people! You can find these everywhere in her little coloring area. On the table and on every piece of paper in sight. Each one has eyes, eyebrows(!), arms, legs, nose and hair. As you can see to the right I've been trying to get her to learn how to write her name. She just enjoys drawing circles and these little people too much. I draw dots to connect, but somehow they just end up circles. She can sing her ABC's, and has told me how to spell her name once, but I think it will just take time.

"I cutting my hair"

Yes, when a little girl has learn to cut and watches mommy cut daddy's hair an inevitable experiment is about to take place. Thankfully there was just a small section of hair cut, but it looks like a lot when it is on a white sheet! I think she was going for the "short on one side, long on the other side" look. So fashionable. We'll see if I can still put it up for Halloween.

Blake's Cider Mill and Orchards

Tyler's work had discount tickets to a somewhat local orchard and cider mill. This was our Saturday.
The closest thing I got to a picture of both of them. Violet was headed straight toward me so I would pick her up.
Violet
Ava's pose with a pumpkin. She's not going to be a model, I'll tell you that much. I asked her if she wanted a round one or a tall one and she said, "A big one!" So we got a big one.
Sleeping in the car with a doughnut carefully held mid-air.
Tyler carving the pumpkin.

The hill of hay. Violet didn't want to sit on this either.
Ava posing as a pig.

Looking at some farm animals.
Violet passed out for about an hour and a half until it was time to go. It was funny.
Still sucking on those fingers. Hope there wasn't any e-coli from the petting zoo or hay or anything. Oh well.

Deliberate plagerism

Tyler found this and thought it was funny. It's totally true.


> YOU MIGHT BE FROM MICHIGAN IF.......
>
> 1.You've never met any celebrities.
> (although I have .. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Cypress Hill (a looong time ago), and Oasis)

> 2."Vacation" means going to Cedar Point.
>
> 3.At least 1 member of your family disowns you
> the week of the Michigan/Michigan State game.
>
> 4.Half the change in your pocket is Canadian.....eh!
>
> 5.You drive 86 mph on the highway and pass on the
> right.
(True, true, true)
>
> 6.Your idea of a traffic jam is 40 cars waiting
> to pass an orange barrel.
>
> 7.You know how to play (and pronounce)Euchre.
>
> 8.It's easy to get VERNORS Ginger Ale, Sanders Hot
> Fudge sauce, AND Faygo Pop.
>
> 9.You know how to pronounce "Mackinac."
>
> 10.You've had to switch on the "heat" and the
> "A/C" in the same day.
>
> 11.You bake with SODA and drink a POP.
>
> 12.The movie "Escanaba in Da Moonlight" wasn't
> funny. You consider it a documentary.
>
> 13.Your little league game was snowed out.
>
> 14.The word "thumb" has geographical, rather than
> anatomical, significance.
>
> 15.You show people where you grew up by pointing
> to a spot on your left hand.
>
> 16. Traveling coast-to-coast means driving from
> Port Huron to Muskegon.
>
> 17.You measure distance in minutes.
>
> 18.When giving directions, you refer to "A Michigan
> Left."
>
> 19.You know that Kalamazoo not only exists, but
> isn't that far from Hell.
> (There really is a town called Hell, Mi)
> 20.Your year has 2 seasons: Winter and Construction.
>
> 21.Home Depot on any Saturday is busier than toy
> stores at Christmas.
>
> 22.You know when it has rained because of the smell of
> worms.
>
> 23.Owning a Japanese car was a hangin' offense in your
> hometown.
>
> 24.You believe that "down south" means Toledo.
>
> 25. You get used to see **** droppings on your car windshield from
> seagulls no matter how far from the lake the inland parking lot is.
(I'm going to change this to Canadian Goose poo ... and on the sidewalk, not car windshield)
>
> 26. Can never understand why bird lovers want to protect those pesky,
> smelly Canadian geese.
>
> 27. When an inquisitive co-worker asks you why you bought a large SUV your
> answer is: We have an over-population of deer in my town.
>
> 28. Only a Michigander can plan in mowing his lawn during the summer
> months at 10PM at night because there's still sunlight out there.
>
> 27. A good Michigander knows that no matter what...I-75 will be under
> construction somewhere.

If we had a boy

Introducing, Braxton Paxton! (jk) we would never name our poor boy Braxton.
A friend (thanks Sierra!) did this on her blog so I thought it would be fun if I did it for a boy since we already know what two genetic variations of a girl would look like. The two pictures I picked are terrible, don't look too closely. One was our Christmas picture last year and the other one I was pregnant with Violet. Who knew we'd have a red-head!!?

Our front yard

One of my favorite parts about living in Michigan is the fall. We have a large maple tree in our front yard that gets bright red leaves. This is the third fall we have lived in our house and each year I just wish the fall would last longer. All down our road and throughout the small, quaint downtown area we live in these trees line the streets and blocks. On Tuesday night we took a walk to the park and got a snack on the way home. We then raked up the leaves and the girls sat in the pile for a few short moments before getting out. Now that I think about it, I don't think Violet sat down at all. She's much too particular for that.


Chocolate face.

Brother Brag

Here's a video of a house fire my brother, Bryce, fought for 10 hours and where he experienced his first back draft. He said he cut a hole in the garage and went in with another guy, then, all of a sudden he looked down and he was on fire and a hand reached out and grabbed him and the guy next to him. He was fine; I think this is sort of a common thing in big fires. He loves it, I am so proud of him! The house was destroyed ... needless to say.

A little project

I've been working hard on knitting some leg warmers as baby presents. I'm a complete knitting novice, but for little kids and babies, I think these are really easy! For the girl ones I knit 2 pearled 2, casting on 36 stitches. I then did a criss-cross all the way down along the seam. I chose pink and brown. For the boy ones I did a plain brown, and stuck to casting on 36. I knit 2 pearled 2 for about two inches. I then knit a row then pearled a row to get the plain area. I made them approximately 12 inches long (maybe a little shorter). Babies are so small!

I think leg warmers are a cute option instead of tights or snow pants. They also pad little knees as babies start to crawl.