Heart for Haiti

**also posted at Smells Like Awesome (Val's family blog)

Here in Houston we have an amazing Christian radio station, KSBJ (89.3 FM). Today they are doing an all day fundraiser called Heart for Haiti. This fundraiser is "KSBJ's initiative to support the organizations that are currently providing relief on the ground in Haiti." The funds they raise today will be distributed to four reputable ministry organizations including:

World Vision

Living Water International

Samaritan's Purse

Compassion International

The goal of today's fundraiser was $50,000 and praise Jesus it already up to $66734.90!

Please consider donating to this fundraiser even if it is just a few dollars. Every little bit helps!

How's Your New Year's Resolution Doing?

Six months of 2009 have come and gone! Can you believe it? This year is flying by faster than I can keep up with! How about you? Earlier in the year I did something that I had forgotten about and it crept up and hit me with the strength and speed of lightening. I wrote myself a note months ago re-capping what my goals for 2009 were and where I should be (or in proximity of) by July if I had been sticking to the plan. It was my friendly reminder from me, who knows me so well, and knew that reminder would not only be due but also very necessary! Not surprisingly I found myself feeling a little guilty, a little convicted, and a whole lot ineffective!

I must say however that 2009 has been more productive in comparison to previous years (esp, for a non-child bearing year)! I owe that greatly to the fact that I had some set goals and a plan to begin with! I've heard dozens of times that writing down your goals and expectations are the real key to success and not just in business but in life. I used to shrug my shoulders and say "eh, when I have time"...or "I don't even know what I want!" Sound familiar? As a mom it is easy for our very being to become distorted and discombobulated. We get so wrapped up in all the things we have to do for our kids, hubbies, homes, etc that our own goals get pushed back, left behind, or forgotten altogether.

If you are reading this and thinking to yourself "those new year's resolutions went out the door Jan 2nd" I want you to stop, regroup, and start over! Write down your goals for the next six months and then (if you are like me) write yourself a reminder and put it in your calendar a few months down the road.

For me, I think I will be a work in progress until the day the Lord calls me home! I recently read a quote by C.S. Lewis that I loved. "The longest way round is the shortest way home." For someone who always takes the long way round, this is a comforting statement!

There is hope for us head cases after all!

Donate to the OCRF at Val's Lemonade Stand

This summer anyone and everyone can help raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF)!

I received this in an email...

Kelly Ripa, one of our favorite celebrity moms, is teaming up with Electrolux to kick off a virtual lemonade stand campaign to help support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, a cause close to Kelly and to women everywhere. This summer, exclusively at electroluxappliances.com, you can design and open your own virtual lemonade stands and even pick the flavors of lemonade you want to feature. For every lemonade stand opened at www.electroluxappliances.com, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF. In addition, you can help the cause even more by selling virtual glasses of lemonade to your friends and family; 100 percent of the proceeds will go to OCRF. And to help spread the word, Electrolux is giving away an elegant new French Door Refrigerator with Perfect Temp™ Drawer

I went to the Electrolux website, drooled over their appliances (I love their turquoise sky washer and dryer...mine are plain white and over ten years old...but I digress), and set up my lemonade stand! Please head over to donate towards greatly needed research for ovarian cancer and have a virtual lemonade!

Needing Gently Used Baby Blankets

I was contacted by a friend who has a friend that is a nurse going on a mission trip to Guatemala in two weeks. She said that they are desperately in need of baby blankets as several newborn and post surgery babies are wrapped in burlap sacks.

If you have any gently used baby blankets that you would like to donate, please contact me!

You can still donate...

You can still donate to March of Dimes from the Team Stroller Strides Houston page! The walk is a significant part of their fundraising, but these funds are needed all year long!

Our team raised (so far) $3475 and I would love to see that number still go up!

Visit our team page at http://marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?seid=630661.

Thank you to everyone who supported our team!

March for Babies

This morning all five of us were up and out the door before 8 am to join our Stroller Strides team at March for Babies! Our team was one of the largest Stroller Strides teams in the country and we also kicked butt in fundraising with a grand total of $3475!

The course was either 4 or 5 miles! We were told by the March of Dimes staff that the course was 5 miles, but on the map it says 4. Either way, it was a long walk and each of our kids got in at least a mile on foot!

Yes, Riley is in a nightgown (Daniella's to be exact)! She refused to wear a shirt! She is wearing shorts underneath!

Elizabeth, Brandon, and Reese from Stroller Strides Pearland

Rosa's hubby and gorgeous baby girl Sydney

Me and the family

Lining up for the walk

There were thousands there today!




Running AND pushing a double jogger! Reminds me of her mama!

Joshua could have definitely run the whole course!

Celebrate the Earth

April 22nd (today) is Earth Day and while I will not go into a whole debate on the state of the planet, I do want to mention a few things that you can do help our planet...

Recycle -
This is a big one! My biggest complaint about Houston is not the size of the city or the traffic it is that in most areas there are no recycling programs in place. We actually used to have recycling pick up in our neighborhood and it was done away with because there were too few people participating. It takes just a few seconds to throw a plastic bottle or plastic bag into a separate container. How could there be too few people participating...OK off my soapbox!

Also, look for a paper recycling depot (they look like yellow dumpsters) for your newspapers, magazines, etc. Take your cans to a recycling center. Yes they can be gross, take up space in the garage, and your payout is pretty small, but do it anyway! Every little bit helps, especially when every person is doing at least a small part!

I recently read an article about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It was astounding and heartbreaking at the same time. In case you've never heard of it, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a mass of plastic waste that covers 537,000 square miles. That is twice the size of Texas! If you think that this has no effect on aquatic life, think again!

Reduce and Reuse -
Grocery stores are now selling the reusable totes for your groceries. They are usually a dollar per bag and they don't take up a lot of space! Get a few, throw them in your car, and use them for your grocery trips. Very easy, inexpensive and can make a big difference if everyone did it!

Use compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs. The bulbs use 75% less energy (saving you money) and last up to 10 times longer.
* These bulbs you can't just throw in garbage because they contain trace amounts of mercury. Check IKEA (that's right) or this link for disposal of your bulbs.

Start a garden -
Get the kids involved! We recently started a mini garden in our backyard in planter boxes and believe it or not we've got veggies...well kind of, we have plants! The kids get to water the plants every day and hopefully soon we'll have fresh garden grown tomatoes, avocados, green beans, snow peas, and squash to feast on! Imagine that, kids excited about veggies!

Shop smart -
Now that "green" is "in" there are lots of new products being added every day for consumers that offer safer alternatives to everything from laundry detergent to paper towels. If you pick just one or two and stick with them, you can make a difference.

Being a good steward of our planet doesn't mean you have to remodel your home in bamboo and rain water. It can be done efficiently, effectively, and inexpensively. Please choose to do so for our generation and the generations to come!

Way to Go Team Stroller Strides!

Last week our team was #4 for number of walkers registered with and #3 for money raised out of all Stroller Strides teams across the nation! This week we have even more walkers and even more money raised! Talk about team work!

I am so proud of our moms! The power of moms working together is astounding and I can't wait to see all that we accomplish through Stroller Strides!

Thank you all to have signed up to walk with us and thank you all who have given your support by donating (its still not too late to walk or donate)!

You can donate to our team here or if you are in the Houston area and would like to walk with us you sign up on our team page!

24 days to go!

Nearly Half Way to Goal Mark for March for Babies

This year our fundraising goal for March for Babies is $1000 and we are close to the half way mark at $460 raised so far! We still have 45 days before walk time so we can definitely make our goal! If you would like to donate to Team Stroller Strides Houston, please visit our team page at

http://marchforbabies.org/teams/strides

Thank you to all who have donated to this very important cause!

No More Toxic Tub Report

I receive updates and newsletters from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Organization. I found several startling facts on the number of chemicals (toxic ones) that are allowed into our everyday hygiene and skin care products when I read the book Healthy Child Health World. Believe it or not there is really very little regulation on what goes into these products and there is also very little regulation on what the product says on the bottle.

I received this report today and while I wasn't surprised that the two chemicals being tested for were found, I was surprised at the products that tested positive for these chemicals. I'm not telling you to throw out all of your shampoo and lotions and substitute with baking soda and beeswax. I am just saying, do your homework. Read the labels, do a little background research, and be sure you know what you are putting on yourself and your kids everyday!


A Toxic Tub for Baby - And a Call to Action for Congress

Babies across America are sitting in bubbles tainted with cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins linked to serious health effects, according to a report released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Many of the contaminated products are advertised as "gentle," "pure" or "naturally refreshing."

Read the new report, "No More Toxic Tub," for all the details, but this is the quick and dirty version:

The Campaign sent unopened bubble bath, baby lotion and other products intended for babies and children, purchased in cities across the U.S., to an independent lab to be tested for 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde. Both chemicals are contaminants that do not appear on product labels, and both are carcinogenic; formaldehyde can also trigger rashes in those with sensitive skin.

The lab tested 48 kids' products for 1,4-dioxane and found it in 67 percent of the products. Of the 28 products tested for formaldehyde, 82 percent were positive. Seventeen products were contaminated with both 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde.

Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea baby wash, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out Shower Gel, and even the iconic Johnson's Baby Shampoo were among the products that contained both of these toxic contaminants.

We know that cosmetics can be made without hazardous ingredients and contaminants. So what's going on? How is it legal for companies to sell baby and kids' skincare products that contain toxic chemicals used in embalming fluid, fumigants and automotive coolant? Worse yet, these chemicals aren't even on the label, so even the most ingredient-conscious parents wouldn't know whether the product is safe.

Take action right now: Ask your legislators to clean up cosmetics.

Some industry representatives say that a little bit of formaldehyde or 1,4-dioxane isn't going to harm anyone. But these bath products are regularly used on children in combination with numerous other products. Because our air, water and food can contain harmful chemicals, too, our total daily exposure to toxic chemicals can be significant and can add up to harm.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, several factors contribute to children's special vulnerability to the harmful effects of chemicals:

• A child's chemical exposures are greater pound-for-pound than those of an adult.
• Children are less able than adults to detoxify and excrete chemicals.
• Children's developing organ systems are more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposures.
• Children have more years of future life in which to develop disease triggered by early exposure.

The widespread presence of contaminants and other harmful ingredients in children's bath products is just one symptom of a self-regulated cosmetics industry badly in need of reform. We deserve better!
What Can You Do?

Ask your legislators to give the FDA the authority it needs to ensure that all cosmetics, from baby shampoo to lipstick to body lotion, are truly safe.

Spread the word to friends and family.

Download the report, check the list of products we tested and find safer alternatives at www.safecosmetics.org/toxictub.


**I must note that I have no way of validating this the report or its data. For questions and concerns on the products you are currently using, contact the manufacturers via the numbers listed on the packaging.

Moms With a Mission

The LUNA Moms topic for this week's Moms With a Mission is the early onset of puberty resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals.

Phthalates have been linked to breast cancer, early puberty in girls, reduced testosterone levels, lower sperm counts, genital defects in baby boys, and testicular cancer. These chemicals are also found in products marketed to children. Support legislation that would ban phthalates in children's toys like BCF-sponsored Toxic Toys Bill in California.

Also check out Environment California's Report on Toxic Bottles that identifies which baby bottles contain Bisphenol A.

For more information on environmental causes of these diseases and other health issues check

The Breast Cancer Fund and

The Healthy Child Healthy World Organization

Moms with a Mission - Pure Prevention Tip

My apologies for the drop in blog posts! It has been a week of the flu here :( Yuck!

Here is this week's Moms with a Mission tip...

Get Outside www.pureprevention.org/act_getoutside.php

We know that exercise can help protect against breast cancer and many other negative health outcomes. Physical activity reduces your exposures to certain ovarian hormones. Exercise with weights helps build muscle and reduce body fat, lowering your level of circulating estrogen. Lower levels of ovarian hormones and circulating estrogen both decrease your breast cancer risk. Through annual outdoor physical challenges, the Breast Cancer Fund enables breast cancer survivors and supporters to find strength through adversity and make strides to eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer. Each year, a courageous group of women take part in an amazing experience called Climb Against the Odds with fundraising proceeds going to Breast Cancer Fund programs. For more information on this once in a lifetime experience go to Climb Against the Odds at www.breastcancerfund.org/climb.

March for Babies

I received an email yesterday from our local March for Babies chapter for our Stroller Strides leaders to lead a family warm-up before the walk! I was so excited and honored that they asked us to do this! We did the walk last year with a small Stroller Strides team as we were still pretty new here. Our small team raised $650 for March for Babies that will be used for research to study and prevent premature births.

While I am all for any charity that helps children, this one is especially close to my heart as one of my three was a preemie. My son Joshua was a little over three pounds at birth and while he was small, he was one of the biggest ones in the NICU. We brought him home just two weeks later and as I was elated to have him home, my heart broke for the many that were to stay for much much longer.

Last year's walk was immensely eye opening at how many lives are affected by premature birth. We saw thousands of NICU graduates proudly riding in their wagons and strollers and we saw thousands that were a memory pictured on t-shirts and posters. I made it through last year's walk without breaking down (and believe me I wanted to), but I wasn't in my car for more than a few seconds before I could no longer hold back the tears. I was so grateful that we had a healthy preemie, small but strong and I was so heartbroken for the families who could not say the same.

This year we will be walking again and I am looking forward to our bigger team and an even more successful fundraising campaign!

I know that money is tight these days but every donation helps, even if it is as low as $5. Please donate if you can to well needed research by clicking on the March for Babies widget in the sidebar.

If you would like more information about March for Babies or would like to sign up for your local walk, go to marchforbabies.org.

Thank you all for your support.

-Valerie

Joshua 11-28-04

Joshua 4 years old

First Quarter Moms with a Mission

For the first quarter of 2009 our Moms with a Mission focus is for breast cancer awareness and research.

Our topic for this week is The Role of the Environment - Environmental and Preventable Causes of Breast Cancer

Fewer than 10 percent of breast cancers occur in woman with a genetic predisposition to the disease. Even when all traditional risk factors-including genetic predisposition, reproductive history, diet, exercise, and alcohol-are aggregated, more than half of the U.S. breast cancers remain unexplained. The Breast Cancer Fund (BCF) belives that environmental exposures to toxic chemicals and radiation are increasing breast cancer risk. We need to get people talking about breast cancer prevention and reducing these environmental exposures.

About the Breast Cancer Fund- In response to the public health crisis of breast cancer, the Breast Cancer Fund identifies - and advocates for elimination of - the environmental and other preventable causes from the disease. Founded in 1992, the Breast Cancer Fund works from the knowledge that breast cancer is not simply a personal tragedy, but ab public health priority that demands action from all.

web: http://www.breastcancerfund.org

blog: http://breastcancerfund.typepad.com/

**source of article from Luna (Clifbar).

Weekly Luna Tip

Calcium
Pregnancy and breast feeding put demands on your calcium needs. You don't need more calcium when you are pregnant or breast feeding but it is much easier to become deficient during these times. If you aren't getting the 1000 mg RDA of calcium a day, your body will take what it needs from your bones to provide for your baby. Consume 3-4 calcium containing foods each day such as cottage cheese, milk (or the chocolate version if you prefer!), yogurt, cheese, calcium fortified orange juice or a LUNA bar.

Moms with a Mission

I am supposed to be posting these helpful tips given to us by Stroller Strides and Luna as a part of Moms with a Mission, but I haven't exactly been on the ball with that so I am starting early on my New Year's resolution of posting each weekly Moms with a Mission blurb!

For December Moms with a Mission is focusing on nutrition and fitness for women and children. Here ya go...


Choose Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Some organic foods may provide a nutrition boost. A research review of 41 studies conducted by the University of California at Davis found that, on average, organic produce contains as much as 27 percent more vitamin C, 21 percent more iron, and 29 percent more magnesium compared with traditionally grown foods. The kinds of packaged organic foods that now fuel the category's growth, such as cookies, baked goods, and boxed meals, also benefit from a similar perception of healthfulness.

Consuming fewer pesticides is better for you & your baby. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables each day, on average, exposes you to 20 pesticides each day - if you eat the 12 least contaminated (organic) it translates to 2 pesticides per day - according to the Environmental Working Group. By choosing organic food whenever possible, you are supporting sustainable agricultural methods that result in less pollution, nutrient rich soil, increase biodiversity, and animal habitat protection.

You're at the market trying to decide which apples to buy, if those apples were required to label the residues of all the pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, and fertilizers in there, which would you choose for you, your baby, and your family?

Highest in Pesticides: These 12 popular fresh fruits and vegetables are consistently the most contaminated with pesticides - buy these organic whenever possible.
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes (imported)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries

Lowest in Pesticides: These 12 popular fresh fruits and vegetables consistently have the lowest levels of pesticides.
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Corn (sweet)
Kiwi
Mangos
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Peas (sweet)

Americans are well aware of the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables, but most people need to double the amount they currently consume in order to meet the latest dietary guidelines for Americans. All forms of fruits and veggies count - fresh, frozen, 100% juice, canned & dried.

Fitness Tip: Involve your children in your physical activities (such as Stroller Strides class). When children see mom & dad exercising and enjoying it, they'll realize that exercise is fun, and will want to join in.