Stevie Started School!

Stevie is a big Kindergartner now! He is loving it. Fortunately the school is really close to our house. His teacher is Mrs. B and she is really nice and attentive to the kids. He is a little overwhelmed at how many kids there are and the teacher is helping make friends. Tricia is walking him to and from school Monday and Tuesday when I am at work and I take him the rest of the week. He is such a big boy now :)

What is Jello Really???

Do you want to know? You will get the details and probably won't ever eat it again. So, if you are a fan, skip over this article :) http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/are-there-pig-hooves-in-my-jell-o-where-gelatin-really-comes-from.html

Exerpt from the article:

“The raw materials used in the production of gelatin are from healthy animals and include cattle bone, cattle hides and fresh, frozen pigskins. In the North American market, these raw materials are basically sourced from government-inspected meat processing facilities.”

Read: the collagen comes from animals in slaughterhouses.

If you have the curiosity (and stomach) to learn the literal process of how gelatin is produced from animals, read on.

1)      Animal carcasses arrive at the processing plant from a nearby slaughterhouse. Rotting parts are discarded; everything else is chopped up.

2)      Animal parts are washed and degreased to get rid of as much fat as possible (yah, I don’t want floating fat in my Jell-O, thanks). Pieces are then roasted to dry out.

3)      Pieces are soaked in a strong acid solution for several days to bring out all the minerals and bacteria from the pieces, and it releases the full collagen content.

4)      Pieces are then boiled again, the gelatin is extracted, and it is flash-heated for sterilization.

5)      Gelatin now passes through machines that press it into sheets, and it is dyed, colored and given any other treatments to make it look and taste like a typical boxed food product.

My goal lately is to be an informed consumer and try to keep unnatural food items out of the mouths of my family. The part that bothers me the most is #3 "soaking in a strong acid solution for several days" doesn't sound healthy to me. I appreciate the aspect of using all of the animal and not wasting though, and that may be enough for some!

~Erin

This was on Good Morning America today. Studies have shown that kids under 5 consume 8 PESTICIDES A DAY! Parents think they are helping their children by giving them fruits and vegetables but if not organic they are poisoning them. This article suggests buying certain produce organic, but the safest route is 100% organic.
Here's a link to today's piece

Organic vs. Nonorganic: What Fruits and Veggies Should You Buy?

Are your body products truly organic?

My family and I have started eating organic food in July after reading several articles about the harmful effects of pesticides and the obesogens they produce, genetically modified foods and how the non organic farming industry is harming the environment. I come across many articles across the internet and I am going to start logging them here on my blog.

This article is from Whole Foods today and it discusses how our personal care products are not regulated when they are labeled organic, so we may be tricked by fancy labeling. Whole Foods is taking it a step further. Read the article here.
~Erin

Featured on My Pinky Finger Blog

I woke up this morning to find an email from a fellow Etsy artist who featured my shops on her blog. Here is a link http://mypinkyfinger.blogspot.com/2011/02/moro-on-boro.html Thank you very much Robin for all the compliments!

You can find her Etsy shop, divinedepth, here http://www.etsy.com/shop/divinedepth?ref=top_trail It is filled with very cute and eclectic jewelry!

<3 Erin

AG Team

I was recently invited to join the Artisan Gallery team as a handmade supply member and couldn't be more excited. I am on the team as Firelily Glass Studio and am really impressed at how well organized this team is. I have been busy making treasuries to promote my team members and will start to list them here. I also provided a link to the team blog and will be featuring some of my new team members!

<3 Erin

Neglected Blog

I absolutely have to start writing down all the adorable things these kids are doing! I will regret it forever if I don't. The little ones are super cute and Adrienne is a softball superstar!

Lily and Stevie are playing on my bed right now watching "Upside Down Show" and cracking up. Their little giggles are so cute. The show is two men acting really silly and having a huge imagination.

Steve and Adrienne just got in from doing some practice drills in the front yard. Steve is always practicing with her, especially before team practice and it really shows in her performance.

More to come soon!