Sunscreen ToTry with Full Review

Grahams Natural Alternative : Sunclear spf 30+ active ingredients: 25.9% zinc, other ingredients: triglycerides, rose hip oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, shea butter, vegetable oil, vitamin e, vitamin a, coconut. www.itchy.net.au

My full review: we like CA baby for it's natural ingredients and zinc base, but it is rather white and thick, and tends to give a white sheen for a while. This is nice, pricey, but cheaper than CA baby since it holds more in the bottle. I'm really happy with the short list of ingredients! It's got a lot of oils and shea butter in it, so it feels/looks slightly greasy but also smooth like a nice oil rub or lotion and I feel like my skin is more moisturized for having it on. Since I have dry skin, and it looks like so far Mikayla tends toward dryness too it's not bad, this might not be good for more oily types. I don't really like it on my face though. Like most sunscreens it doesn't wash off easily, even the hands, which can be annoying, but necessary I suppose. Also, many new natural/zinc sunscreens are out there which are nano-ized zinc. Someone with a scientific background that I know has suggested that this could be dangerous in the long run (testing still not out for long term use of nano-ized zinc) as it is a hard metal absorbed into the skin ("we just don't know"). Both this lotion and CA baby are micro-ized zinc so the particles aren't as small and aren't absorbed into the skin... however, Grahams Natural particles must either be smaller or maybe due the oil it spreads farther because it's not white on the skin. We haven't been burned either, so it works well! What I missed about CA baby, and like about this is the smell- it smells very much like a sunscreen ought to- due to the coconut probably, it is beachy and sunscreeny. :) I missed that nice smell!

woah

Hey, check this out...

Sale!

-Just in case you're hungry.

Memories...

Today I finger painted with Rosie- it's the same as the pelican from my book only messier! It was fun. :)

I have such fond memories of finger painting when I was little! I just love it!

Dream Fun

So, a while back, about Dec/Jan or something, I had an interesting little dream about Amy's brother Rick.

It went something like this:

I was standing in the hall, having just passed through the front door of a house. Korina popped her head out of a door accross the hall from me, slightly on my right and called down the hallway something to the effect of this house being just like the one they had grown up in, but a little newer. Then Katie stuck her head out of another room a ways down the hall to my left and called out something back to Korina.

Then, in walks Rick through the front door behind me. Instead of a regular Rick, he had a huge head that was actually a helium balloon. It was enormous and really flashy and so... balloon. I was completely taken aback but no one else seemed to think it was weird at all. I started wondering if Rick was really famous and was in a band, possibly as famous as Zack from saved by the bell or something. (Because if he was that famous, he would have a balloon with his face on it)


And that's it. The weird thing is, I actually had the same dream again about a week later, this time I was standing in a kitchen telling Angie the dream, and Amy was there too. And as I'm telling them it, in walks Rick again with a huge balloon head, and again no one thought it was weird, and I was again struck by how amazing and odd it was. I had the dream again one more time, varying slightly from this one. So... I headed up to Shaug and Amy's in January and told Amy the dream. Initially I was thinking about telling Rick because I thought it was funny, then I started wondering if it meant something, possibly something about ego or whatnot, so I thought I should pray about meaning first- which so far has meant a funny time. Anyway, Amy told Rick and we all had a good laugh. A few weeks later I got an e-mail from Shuag and Amy... it goes like this:

Yeah, that's Korina, Katie, and Rick... how awesome are they? This is so hilarious, I realized it needed to be documented on my dream blog and Daru said we should put it over here too.

So today we discovered that we have a real, live badger living on our property. It was fun to watch him roll around in the sun for about an hour this afternoon. They're supposed to be very beneficial for ridding your property of gophers, ground squirrels & rattle snakes. We'll be keeping a close eye on Zoey!

Heh heh hehhhh. Curiosity... cats... :-)

mariokart!

For some reason this made us think of you guys!

scariest halloween costume ever!

I found this on amazon.com. They call this costume: Calypso Man. What the heck?!

2008 Christmas Lists (aka Greedy Lists)

put your list here, there, below, above, somewhere...whatever

Daru:

OK, a few of you have suggested that I update my list, this is for you. Perhaps this will help. My wants are pretty minimal this year, and I'm just excited about visiting with you all.

• Crafty things are cool.

• A donation to Kiva.org - I think this is an awesome & practical way to help others.
• A donation to HydrAid - Another way to make a practical difference.
• A donation to Not for Sale - Yet another area of interest.
• There are a LOT of good causes out there, so if there is one that you are particularly passionate about, feel free to donate to one of those - I'd be honored - really. =)
  

• The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen (paperback)
• Supercapitalism by Robert B. Reich (paperback)

• Smallish Cast Iron Skillet - 8 or 10 inch. A cheapo is fine.
• Those delicious mint m&m's that come out at Christmas - Yum!
• Decaf coffee, uber dark chocolate & microbrews
  

OK, now a few other items that are just being thrown out there.

• a ladder (although I don't think this would count as a carry on!)
  
• DVD+-R's (single or dual layer)
• 2007 or 2008 Level I CFA Program Curriculum Volumes 2-6.

These can be expensive, but individual volumes can be bought used for less than $20. I paid $12 for the 1st volume in great condition - Ethical and Professional Standards and Quantitative Methods.

1. Ethical and Professional Standards and Quantitative Methods
2. Economics
3. Financial Statement Analysis
4. Corporate Finance and Portfolio Management
5. Equity and Fixed Income
6. Derivatives and Alternative Investments
   

• Apprenticeship at B.'s Secret Coffee Roasting Location
• Internship at O'Shaug & Shmamy Cattle Rustler Ranch
• One Free Tea Crafting Session with Brew Master Squachy
• A Hug from my Two Nephews...and my New Niece/Nephew too!
  

(more to follow later...)

Marie:
Salton Yogurt Maker
This bike helmet
A gift card for Amazon
A gift card for Shutterfly
A food press to make applesauce
Perry Mason Season 3 Vol 1 and Vol 2
More to come...

Mr. Baby:
A bike helmet
Guitar Robeez Size 12-18 months
Airplane Robeez
Flame Robeez
A gift card for Gymboree or Baby Gap
Sigg sippy cup with planes and handle
Baby drum set

B:
A pod maker for coffee
Two more wii remotes
Kung Fu Panda
A home made song book
Mighty Leaf Teas (African Nectar, Green Tea Tropical)
Shaelee's tea of extreme deliciousness

Aaron, Shaelee, Basil and Baby:
Electric Tea Kettle, stainless-steel internals
Food Dehydrator (even better help repair mine! it could just need a new fuse or plug!!!!)
Funds to help Aaron to get a Truing Stand and repair stand (talk to Phil on this one)
pea-gravel or other small rock for kids play area
This is pretty much all we need, I know that some of its not cheap, but it is sure all practical so going in on a few of them would be great!
We are also just happy to have you visit and go out for coffee and ice cream at the Buzz while your here!!!

more ideas:
Basil loves a lame wooden whistle he has, he'd totally dig this
Shaelee always needs silkies, here's some on sale, both colors great! (medium)
Harvest apron!
Magnet fun
kapo for aaron
tuning fork!


BJ:
Gift Card to the San Clemente Art Supply for fun/classes. :)
Shaelee Tea (peace blend, yum)!
An awesome kitchen knife/knife set for cooking.
Garden storage.
Media we like:
Triplets of Belleville CD and movie
Mirror Mask DVD
Ella Enchanted DVD
Peter Pan DVD

Rosie Posie: $ for art/swim classes-
(She loves Bubbles, Baths, Stickers (non-toxic!), books, dress up, finger paints/paper, I like less plasticy stuff, more natural or exploratory). Baby Sign Time videos, also Baby Sign Time Board Books!. Zoomars giftcard. A new blow-up baby pool. (guess what... ours popped!)
And: To-go commode for remote beach/long trips, Music- For the kids too (or 3), Boon Flo- bath spout.

Family stuff: Giftcards @ Amazon, Costco, Trader Joe's, we like starbucks/peets. :)
also: nice new white Bath Towels, costco has some & a bath mat
A cupcake tin, normal kind.
Daru would like a smaller cast iron skillet.
I would like a stellar BBQ, gas/charcoal combo dealio. haha
Some help organizing.

I'm w/ Shae and would love to get coffee or tea and play a game of killer uno! Oooo, I'd also love to write a kid's book w/ any takers too.

Amy:
Gift certificates to rifftrax.com
rifftrax "blockbuster pack" mp3 disc
iTunes giftcard
Window view birdhouse like this
Mini deep dish pizza pans for home made Pizookie
Art from Shaelee
flax seed neck & shoulder pillow
...thinking...thinking...to be continued


Shaug:
Rubik's Cube Icon edition
Craftsman Thumbwheel Ratchet set
Craftsman Finger Grip Socket Adapter
Irwin/Vise-Grip 8" End-Cutting Pliers & 4" End-Nippers
Gearwrench 10-100 ft-lb Torque Wrench
Wii Remotes and Nunchucks (have 2, but 2 more would be great!)
"Danger! 50,000 Volts" on DVD

couldn't resist

hot pockets

I was laughing hard when I saw this

Johnny Cash and Burl Ives

Middle song is "Eating Goober Peas"!

thoughts

Thought this was really interesting. Kinda made me think about the people around me a little more.

Fanciness

Hi guys, this just had to be shared.

Hmmm

A hummingbird in it's nest, right outside our door!

Regrets

"Hey, I don't think that's funny"

"Or do I?"

"Well, at least no one knows about the cool new eye tattoos"

"Oh No! What have I done?!!"

my faaaaaaaaaavorite

Weee!

tattoo anyone?

tattoo