The Season of Giving

I absolutely love this time of year!!  Everything about it gets me feeling giddy... the lights, the food, the traditions, and even the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping! I grew up in a home where Christmas was filled with many wonderful memories of baking for others and making homemade candy. Fondu and breaking the homemade pinata was always the highlight of Christmas Eve. I have carried these traditions on to my family. I suggested one year that we change things up a bit and not do fondu. It warmed my heart when my son responded by saying, "No way mom....we can't have Christmas without it"!  He loves that tradition of my childhood.My heart is full tonight as I reflect on what a great example my mother and father were in giving so much to others this time of year.
It is in that spirit that I write this post about an experience I had that has forever changed my view on the giving of Christmas.

Three years ago was my first Christmas as a single mom. I found myself in a situation where I had gone from being the wife of a doctor where money was no issue, to not being able to afford
Christmas presents for my kids for the first time ever. I was heartbroken and worried what my son would think as a teenager where "things" are pretty important....where everyone goes to school after and brags about the latest and greatest gadgets and electronics that had been left for them under the tree. I sat my kids down to let them know that this Christmas was going to be different. It was my intent to tell my kids, especially my son, how sorry I was and how I had felt like a failure and that somehow I was going to make this right even if I had to go sell my blood for money!! The tears began to flow (as usual) as I told my kids and asked them to tell me how they felt and maybe we could make a plan. My son gave me a hug and reminded me in his humble way that Christmas isnt about getting a bunch of gifts. I honestly dont know why I was worried to begin with because Darin has always been very grateful for the things he has been given no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. We came up with a plan that instead of giving gifts to each other, we would do an act of service every day through the month of December.  Suddenly, all of the guilt and sadness left our home and it was replaced with excitement and planning and LOTS of baking!!! We shoveled peoples drives, left goodies on doorsteps, babysat so friends could shop without their kids for Christmas and various other things. There was not a shortage of people to help as we really opened our eyes to what was going on around us. We spent the evenings together as a family watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate instead of fighting the crowds at the stores. I was relaxed, not stressed about getting everything on my list. It was truly the most amazing Christmas as the blessing was returned to us by a giving family that made sure my kids received gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.

I have often thought of this experience and what a peaceful loving feeling was in our home that season. I have wondered how it would affect the world around us if we all went into the Christmas season with the idea of doing service each day of the season along with a few gifts under the tree. I can't think of a better way to honor the most influential man that has every walked this earth, our Savior. He has done more for man than any single person and still continues to do so this day.  So, my challenge to anyone who is reading this post is to take some time this season to TRULY honor the person whose birth we celebrate by giving of your heart to those around you. Take some time to listen for those who are in need and give of your time this season to make someones life a bit brighter. Merry Christmas to all of you. May your homes be filled with love and the spirit of giving this holiday season.

Elf on the Shelf Jesus Style

I love this time of year. I have the most wonderful memories of the house filling up with the smell of homemade candy, looking through the catalogs to make my Christmas list to send to Santa, watching Christmas Vacation with dad and hearing his infectious laugh, and gathering around as a family to learn about the birth of our Savior. When I was younger, we didn't have an elf that would visit our house to watch our every move then return to the North Pole at night to report our behavior to Santa. All we had was my mothers look, that only a mother can give, that put the fear of death into us letting us know we were out of line. I am positive that my mother would have gone nuts if she had to come up with a creative way to pose the elf each night as she had enough on her plate with us 5 (and sometimes 6) kids. I have to admit that I have dove into the Elf on the Shelf idea for Emma. Last year was the first year that our elf came from the North Pole to watch Em as she went about her day. It was so much fun for Darin and I trying to figure out new funny ideas and it seems that our Elf was getting into more trouble than Emma was. We would wake up to find him fishing in the toilet, Putting a puzzle together with Baby Alive, and the Elf standing at the top of the stairs rolling toys and toilet paper down each step. We even found him sitting in Darin's airplane hanging from the ceiling fan as it was spinning around. We have a lively elf!

 

This morning I was looking on Facebook and came across the idea of Elf on the Shelf Jesus style from the blog www.crayonmarksandtigerstripes.com. So tonight for family night, our Elf is going to arrive with the first letter from Santa. It is going to say:

Dear Emma,
I know you are excited about the Christmas season.  I am too!!  My elves are working hard to prepare for Christmas Day.  
Speaking of elves, I have sent one of my dearest friends to help you prepare for Christmas.  It is a lot of fun to look at Christmas lights, sing Christmas songs, set up the Christmas tree, go shopping and get gifts. 
But there are some very important things that I want you to remember about Christmas.

• It is better to give than to receive.
• God loves you so much!
• You can help others because you have Jesus in your heart.
• We have Christmas to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus.

Your elf friend will help you to learn and remember these very important things about Christmas.  Together, you can show others Jesus’ love by singing songs about Him, giving to others in need that don’t have as much as you, and being nice to others.
It is our job to show God’s love to others through our gifts, nice words and loving actions.
Every night your elf friend will come visit me and I will send him back with a new activity that you can do together to help you learn and remember the true meaning behind Christmas.   Each morning, look for your new friend.  He will be in your home waiting for you to find him so you can do the activity together!
Please take care of my friend and together, you will learn about our awesome Savior, Jesus Christ.  You will learn about how God sent his only Son to live with us, and in us.
Have a blessed Christmas season!
With much love,
Santa

 As part of our advent activities, we will be using Elf on the Shelf to teach about Jesus.  We will be talking about what our daily lives look like when we have Jesus in our heart.  Each morning, our elf will be found doing something that will teach our little one what it looks like to have Jesus in our heart.  One day, the elf will be reading the bible to some of his stuffed animal friends.  Another morning, he will be found praying.  Another day, he will have a task from Santa to take food to a local food bank.  We have alot of fun activities planned for this advent season and I know Emma is going to love it.

When I read about this idea on the blog, it took me back to a few years ago when I had just gotten divorced and for the first time ever, I couldn't buy gifts for my kids. I was heartbroken as I love to spoil my kids rotten with gifts. I sat Darin and Emma down and with tears streaming down my face I talked to them about what was happening. I thought I would be dealing with disappointed kids. Instead, Darin was comforting ME and together we came up with a plan that instead of buying gifts, we would start on December 1st and do some kind of service project each day for someone in our community. We threw a few ideas out there to get us started. The first week we made homemade goodies like banana bread or cookies and took them to a family each night of the week. This continued on until Christmas eve. Let me tell you what this did to our Christmas spirit that year. I can't begin to tell you how much this brought the love of Christ into our home. Instead of frantically shopping like a mad woman, I was blessed with peace. Instead of worrying about not being able to buy gifts, or feeling sorry for our situation, we had love in our home. As I watched and listened to how my friends and family were scurrying around trying to fill their wish list, I became so grateful and blessed. We spoke kinder to each other. We were more mindful of those around us that were in need as we were actually seeking them out. We prayed as a family about who we could help and bless.  It was truly the most memorable Christmas that we have ever had. In return, we were blessed also by being on the receiving end  of another families act of service toward us. So, tonight for family night our elf is going to appear at our home with the letter from Santa. We are going to bring back the true meaning of Christmas by serving others each and every day.  This is truly what Christmas should be about. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with gifts but I think there is more "room in the inn" for Christ in our homes during this time of the year.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and will always remember to make room for Christ and to bless the lives of those around you who are in need.

JOIN THE RANKS OF THE LOSERS!!

My good friend Christy Dreiling posted a great post a while back on Facebook. It was a reminder to keep on going even when we are feeling like there is just no hope or when others are telling us we are not good enough or smart enough or not knowledgeable enough when pursuing what we want. Many have been told these things but pushed on. They took these negative comments and used it as fuel to keep going in life. So to this I say, join the ranks of these "Losers"

Jimi Hendrix and his band opened for the Monkeys once and got booed off of stage. They were consequently dropped from the tour. Can you imagine?

Emily Dickinson gave her poems to Thomas Wentworth Higginson to review, and while he was impressed, he advised against publishing them because they were too peculiar. She was totally enamored of him anyway and replied to his criticisms by saying that she had "few pleasures so deep as your opinion, and if I tried to thank you, my tears would block my tongue."

Winston Churchill failed the Royal Military entrance exams twice.

Colonel Sanders : The founder of KFC. He started his dream at 65 years old! He got a social security check for only $105 and was mad. Instead of complaining he did something about it.He thought restaurant owners would love his fried chicken recipe, use it, sales would increase, and he’d get a percentage of it. He drove around the country knocking on doors, sleeping in his car, wearing his white suit.Do you know how many times people said no till he got one yes? 1009 times!

Albert Eistein: He didn’t speak till he was four and didn’t read till seven. His parents and teachers thought he was mentally handicapped. He only turned out to win a Nobel prize and be the face of modern physics.

Thomas Edison: No list of success from failures would be complete without the man who gave us many inventions including the light bulb. He knew failure wouldn’t stop him. "If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."

Stephenie Meyer: The author of the crazy Twilight series said the inspiration from the book came from a dream. She finished it in three months but never intended to publish it until a friend suggested she should.She wrote 15 letters to literary agencies. Five didn’t reply. Nine rejected. One gave her a chance. Then eight publishers auctioned for the right to publish Twilight. She got a three book deal worth $750,000. In 2010, Forbes reported she earned $40 million.

Theodor Seuss Giesel: Dr. Seuss gave us Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. Books every child reads. At first many didn’t think he would succeed. 27 different publishers rejected Dr. Seuss’s first book To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.

Vincent Van Gogh: He only sold one painting in his lifetime! Just one to a friend. Despite that he kept painting and finished over 800 pieces. Now everyone wants to buy them and his mostexpensive painting is valued at $142.7 million.

Richard Branson: He’s a billionaire mogul of Virgin but has had his share of failures. Remember Virgin Cola or Virgin credit cards? Probably not. He’s lost hundreds of millions of dollars but has not let failure stop him. When you’re rich like him you can rent his private island for $53,000 a night.

Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind was rejected by 38 publishers before it finally got green-lighted.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw was writing for nine years before he hit it big "“ and reportedly only made $20 from his writing for those first nine years.

Lucille Ball got sent home from acting school in New York because the teachers thought she was too shy and would never make it as an actress.

Walt first tried to get MGM studios to distribute Mickey Mouse in 1927, he was told that the idea would never work because a giant mouse on the screen would terrify women.

Jerry Seinfield: the first time the young comedian walked on stage at a comedy club, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually booed off of the stage.

Fred Astaire: In his first screen test, the testing director of MGM noted that Astaire, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."

Sydney Poitier: After his first audition, Poitier, who grew up poor in the Bahamas, was told by the casting director, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?"

Three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone dropped out of Yale to write his first novel, which was later rejected by publishers. When it was finally published in 1998, the novel was not well-received and Stone moved to Vietnam to teach English

Steven Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times.He eventually attended school at another location, only to drop out to become a director before finishing.

When The Beatles were just starting out, a recording company told them no. Decca Recording studios, who had recorded 15 songs with the group, said "we don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out. They have no future in show business."

In 1973, Stephen King was working as an English teacher in Maine and selling short stories on the side to make ends meet. That same year, he accepted a $2,500 advance for his first novel "Carrie" to Doubleday but after 30 rejections, King decided to give up on the book.At the urging of his wife, King later resubmitted the manuscript and now, after having hundreds of books published, King is one of the best-selling authors of all time and "Carrie" is on its second movie re-make.As of 2011, total sales for King’s books were estimated to be between 300 and 350 million copies.

After being cut from his high school basketball team, a young Michael Jordan went home and cried in the privacy of his bedroom.But Jordan didn't let this early-in-life setback stop him from playing the game and the basketball superstar has stated, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Steve Jobs was a college dropout, a fired tech executive and an unsuccessful businessman.At 30-years-old he was left devastated after being unceremoniously removed from the company he founded.In a 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University, Jobs explained, "I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

Before he was Wolverine on "X-Men" or a Broadway star, actor Hugh Jackman got fired from his cashier job at 7-Eleven."I got fired after six weeks because the (boss) said I talked too much to the customers," Jackman explained to Us Weekly.

In 1954, Elvis was still a no-name performer, and Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."Elvis went on to become the second best-selling artists of all time

Oprah Winfrey was fired from one of her first jobs because she was "unfit for TV.

What is holding you back from getting what you want in life? Go get it!!

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!

I'm not sure who wrote this but I found it on FB and had to share. I am a Texan at heart so this one hit home!

 

Only in Texas

Just Texas
Pep, Texas 79353
Smiley, Texas 78159
... Paradise, Texas 76073
Rainbow, Texas 76077
Sweet Home, Texas 77987
Comfort , Texas 78013
Friendship, Texas 76530

Love the sun?
Sun City, Texas 78628
Sunrise, Texas 76661
Sunset, Texas 76270
Sundown, Texas 79372
Sunray, Texas 79086
Sunny Side, Texas 77423

Want something to eat?
Bacon, Texas 76301
Noodle, Texas 79536
Oatmeal, Texas 78605
Turkey, Texas 79261
Trout, Texas 75789
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
Salty, Texas 76567
Rice, Texas 75155
Pearland, Texas 77581
Orange, Texas 77630
And top it off with:
Sweetwater , Texas 79556

Why travel to other cities? Texas has them all!
Detroit, Texas 75436
Cleveland, Texas 75436
Colorado City, Texas 79512
Denver City, Texas 79323
Klondike, Texas 75448
Pittsburg, Texas 75686
Newark, Texas 76071
Nevada, Texas 75173
Memphis, Texas 79245
Miami, Texas 79059
Boston, Texas 75570
Santa Fe, Texas 77517
Tennessee Colony, Texas 75861
Reno, Texas 75462
Pasadena, Texas 77506
Columbus, Texas 78934

Feel like traveling outside the country?
Athens, Texas 75751
Canadian, Texas 79014
China, Texas 77613
Dublin, Texas 76446
Egypt, Texas 77436
Ireland, Texas 76538
Italy, Texas 76538
Turkey, Texas 79261
London, Texas 76854
New London, Texas 75682
Paris, Texas 75460
Palestine, Texas 75801

No need to travel to Washington D.C.
Whitehouse, Texas 75791

We even have a city named after our planet!
Earth, Texas 79031

We have a city named after our state:
Texas City, Texas 77590

Exhausted?
Energy, Texas 76452

Cold?
Blanket, Texas 76432
Winters, Texas 79567

Like to read about History?
Santa Anna, Texas 76878
Goliad, Texas 77963
Alamo, Texas 78516
Gun Barrel City, Texas 75156
Robert Lee , Texas 76945

Need Office Supplies?
Staples, Texas 78670

Want to go into outer space?
Venus , Texas 76084
Mars , Texas 79062

You guessed it. It's on the state line.
Texline , Texas 79087

For the kids...
Kermit, Texas 79745
Elmo, Texas 75118
Nemo, Texas 76070
Tarzan, Texas 79783
Winnie, Texas 77665
Sylvester, Texas 79560

Other city names in Texas, to make you smile......
Frognot, Texas 75424
Bigfoot, Texas 78005
Hogeye, Texas 75423
Cactus, Texas 79013
Notrees, Texas 79759
Best, Texas 76932
Veribest, Texas 76886
Kickapoo, Texas 75763
Dime Box, Texas 77853
Old Dime Box, Texas 77853
Telephone, Texas 75488
Telegraph, Texas 76883
Whiteface, Texas 79379
Twitty, Texas 79079

And last but not least, the Anti-Al Gore City
Kilgore, Texas 75662

And our favorites...
Cut and Shoot, Texas 77303
Gun Barrel City , Texas 75147
Ding Dong, Texas
West, Texas (it's in Central Texas )
and, of course,
Muleshoe, Texas 79347

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas...

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Texas;

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas;

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas;

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas;

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas;

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas;

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas;

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Texas;

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph --you're going 80 and everybody's passing you, you may live in Texas;

If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly', you may live in Texas;

If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas .

Here are some little known, very interesting facts about Texas .

1. Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles
2. Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles
3. El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas
4. World's first rodeo was in Pecos , July 4, 1883.
5. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water. Destroyed by Hurricane Ike - 2008!
6. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full-time coach at Rice University in Houston .
7. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America .
8. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America 's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
9. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978.
10. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900, caused by a hurricane in which over 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island .
11. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was " Houston ," but the Space Center was actually in Clear Lake City (South of Houston) at the time.
12. King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island .
13. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin , TX in July of 1979.
14. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union) instead of by annexation. This allows the Texas Flag to fly at the same height as the U.S. Flag, and may divide into 5 states.
15. A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old.
16. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
17. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper.
18. Texas has had six capital cities: Washington-on-the Brazos, Harrisburg , Galveston , Velasco, West Columbia and Austin .
19. The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. , which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington , DC (by 7 feet).
20. The San Jacinto Monument is the tallest free standing monument in the world and it is taller than the Washington Monument .
21. The name ' Texas ' comes from the Hasini Indian word 'tejas' meaning friends. Tejas is not Spanish for Texas .
22. The State Mascot is the Armadillo. An interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies. They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females.
23. The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston ..

Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie , Texas :
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.
(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin'.
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.

Y'all git all that?

Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth.

Genealogy Fan Chart

Genealogy Fan Chart This is amazing!! We prited our fan out in poster size and found some interesting things about our family chart!

WE BELIEVE....DO YOU?

Beautiful Healthy You: WE BELIEVE....DO YOU?: This video is a MUST SEE if you are looking to build a business. If you become a consultant with Arbonne with a $350 order in January, your ...

WHAT IS REALLY IN YOUR HEALCARE PRODUCTS?

Your skin is the largest organ of the body and also the organ with the best abilities for defense. Its main purpose is to act as a bodyguard, protecting your insides from the outside world.  Your skin is a reflection of your internal health.  Changes on the outside may signal health problems on the inside.  Your skin makes up 16% of your body weight. It protects us from the environment around us and purifies our system by eliminating waste fluid. It regulates your body temperature and breathes. Needs to be kept pH correct

Ingredients

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – Foaming and cleansing agent and used to produce lather.  The Cosmetic Ingredient Review recognizes that SLS produces eye and skin irritation.

So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?

The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.

In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin.

Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

Parabens – Parabens are chemicals that are cheap & effective preservatives. Parabens are known to mimic estrogen.  Estrogen is necessary for a woman’s growth & development but it is important to be aware of other potential sources of this hormone

Mineral oil – Mixture of refined liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum.  Used in cosmetics and again, is cheap & inexpensive.  It is an occlusive oil, which means that when used in skincare formulations it creates a barrier or sits on the surface of the skin.  This interrupts normal skin function. In high concentrations, mineral oil may become comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores.

Propylene Glycol – A cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake fluid, hydraulic fluid, de-icer, paints and coatings, floor wax, laundry detergents, pet food, tobacco, industrial antifreeze and many more products.  Propylene glycol is also found in baby wipes and some processed foods.   On the skin & hair, propylene glycol works as a humectant which causes retention of moisture content of skin or cosmetic products by preventing the escape of moisture or water.  Strong skin irritant and can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage.  Propylene glycol is used as a preservative in flavored coffees.

Lauramide DEA –foaming agent. Linked to allergies and immunotoxicity concerns

Gluten - Many people avoid gluten in their diet or the diets of their family.  If you do not want to consume gluten, you might consider personal care products that do not contain gluten.   If you are vegan or vegetarian, give some thought to using products that are vegan certified.  

Animal Products or Animal By-products – Animal rendering plants supply the cosmetics industry.  These ingredients are in more products than you probably imagined.  Rendering plants are where dead animals are recycled into usable products.  Remains and waste from slaughterhouses are the primary contributors.  Slaughterhouses process not only euthanized animals, carcasses of dead farm, zoo & shelter animals, road kill and meats from supermarket unable to be sold.  To avoid these ingredients look for vegan skincare products; for more info go to www.rense.com/general39/animal.htm

Phthalates – Produced from oil and act as plasticizers. They are used to manufacturer things designed to be flexible and durable such as PVC. They are used in nail polish to prevent chipping and perfume to help the scent to linger.  Phthalates are hormone disruptors. 

Coal Tar color – color additive. Coal tar dyes are made from the liquid or semi-solid tar found in bituminous coal. Their safety has never been 100 percent assured.  You may remember FD&C Red # 2, which was widely used not only in cosmetics but also in many food products such as maraschino cherries and cereal before it was banned in 1976 because it was potentially carcinogenic

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)  - Plant-derived (botanical) ingredients were among the very first cosmetics and large percentages of many agricultural commodities have been genetically modified. This use of biotechnology in agriculture has occurred largely to assist farmers in the production of crops for food and other uses. In some cases, however, Genetically Modified Organisms have been developed to assist in the production of cosmetic ingredients. For example, canola has been modified to produce high levels of lauric acid, a key ingredient in soaps and detergents, at a reduced cost to consumers. Cosmetic ingredients potentially derived from Genetically Modified Organisms include ingredients such as corn oil, corn flour, soybean oil, lecithin and proteins produced by yeast. There is much controversy over GMO in personal products.

DEA & TEA—wetting agents that help shampoo create a richer lather.  Can react with nitrites found in some shampoo ingredients.  The reaction between these chemicals can cause a cancer causing compound know as Nitrosamines.  Avoid shampoo with an ingredient known as Bronopal.

MIT (Methylisothiazolinone)-Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found a correlation between this ingredient  found in shampoos and nervous system damage.

Formaldehyde—is considered a human carcinogen.  Was “supposed” to be banned in personal care products in 1983—especially hair dye and nail polish.  Children’s bubble bath may still contain formaldehyde as well as many other products.  Formaldehyde may be hidden in other ingredients such as DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Quaternium-15 and Bronopol.

Sodium Fluoride—a major ingredient in rat poison and toothpaste.  For more information go to http://stopgumdisease.here.us.

Products to be mindful of-baby shampoos, body washes, oils, wipes and children’s bubble bath.  Kid’s bubble bath has a warning label because the sodium lauryl sulfate eats away at the mucous lining of the skin and causes urinary tract infections.

Note:  Some products have “hidden” dangerous ingredients.  I.E. Some raw materials have been treated with chemicals such as formaldehyde or may have been exposed to pesticide residue, and these “hidden” ingredients are not required to be listed on the label.  Reputable manufacturers routinely test ingredients for carcinogens and if found, these ingredients are rejected or they are purified before being used. 

THE ARBONNE DIFFERENCE - Pure, Safe, Beneficial

Arbonne creates Swiss formulated personal care and wellness products for the entire family that are pure, safe and beneficial.

At Arbonne, we don’t add harmful ingredients to our formulas that we wouldn’t use ourselves.  We use timeless botanicals and only the finest grade ingredients in our formulas.  Arbonne products are formulated without harmful toxins and chemicals.  Arbonne products are formulated without:

* Animal products or animal by-products
* Formaldehyde-donating preservatives
* Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS)
* Petroleum-based ingredients
* Benzene
  - Mineral Oil
  - Petrolatum
  - Phthalates
  - Toluene

* Parabens , Propylene Glycol, Lauramide DEA, Gluten, Coal Tar Color, Genetically Modified Organisms

We are 100% vegan, gluten-free and much more….what we put into our products isn’t the only thing that separates us from other brands, it’s what we leave out that puts us in a league of our own!

Kerry Bradshaw,  Independent Consultant, Arbonne International

208-250-6495

Kerrybradshaw39@yahoo.com

BABY STEPS....A STEP ABOVE.

We have all been there. Standing in the Baby Care aisle with up to 20 different baby product lines staring back at you.  We feel overwhelmed and uninformed. Which is the best? Will we make the right choice for our baby? As parents we are constantly making decisions that affect our lives and our children's lives directly. For once, can't there be an easy decision? I have been introducing you to Arbonnes great skincare line and how beneficial, safe and AMAZING it is and am pleased to introduce you to Arbonnes baby care products. I have just launched my new Arbonne business and have been doing a lot of research in order to know what I am selling and I couldn't have been more pleased with Arbonnes baby care line. Here is what I found.

They are Pure Safe Beneficial - that describes Arbonne and what everyone is looking for in child care products. The products in the ABC Arbonne Baby Care line - hair/body wash (tear-free), lotion, herbal diaper cream, body oil and sunscreen – are all hypo-allergenic and are pediatrician and dermatologist tested. Unlike some of its competitors, these products are free of parabens, toxins, sulfates, mineral oil and phthalates. They are made without gluten and do not contain any products derived from animals. These are an excellent enhancement to your current baby care routine and can also be used by older children and adults with sensitive skin issues. The ABC Arbonne Baby Care line has you covered from head to toe!
After talking to several women who are using  the products themselves and getting feedback from several clients who have used the product, I can honestly say that this is a must have for children ages 0 - 10. My daughter has had some skin issues such as eczema and dry itchy skin. These issues have disappeared completely by switching over to Arbonne. My mind is also at ease that she is not being exposed to the harmful chemicals in most of the products on the shelves today! To order go to www.arbonne.com and use consultant ID# 13306363.