Cleaning, a non-toxic way

Cleaning in a non-Toxic sort of way

Today I am having fun with my Clean House Green House products. Fullcirclehome.com

I found recipes for home made soaps on Pinterest.
Here is one that I'm quite excited to try:
The complete photo guide to making your own homemade laundry detergent

So when I went to the store loaded up with my list of things to buy for all sorts of home made cleaners I found the Full Circle Home Products.  I will be using more of those recipes than the others that I found, although I will of course use those others too. But now I need to add to my list of things to get: Tea Tree Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Liquid Castle Soap, and eventually beeswax & and parafin to make a furniture wax.

I already have the Costco size Baking Soda, it's not pictured.

So I was telling my friend at lunch about this trip, and I was excited.  My other co-workers, older gentlemen were less than enthused.  They would rather go to the dollar store and buy cheap things there.  Non-toxic, Environmentally friendly, these are distasteful words in their mouths.  How many of us begin adventures excited only to have nay-Sayers and people who are unwilling to change get all bent out of shape over what you have chosen to do.  They really were starting to get all worked up over my choice of cleaning products.  let's be clear, neither of them will ever have invites to my house. I do not go to their houses, I was not telling them how to live or clean, I was only sharing with my friend what I was doing.  Really, all worked up over soap?  I think that's not the real issue though, change is. 

Change is scary, it's different, and some times it takes work and effort.  I think change is good though.  I may not be able to do everything all at once to keep my life perfectly healthy with PCOS. I fight with sugar and sleep more often than I care to admit, but I'm still fighting.  The point is not giving up.

I think Spring is the perfect time to clean more than just your home.  We've already had the New Years Resolutions fade a bit, now it's time to spring clean up your life.  Change the things that need to be, and clean up the things that might have gotten forgotten.  Do not let negative people steal your joy, enthusiasm, or your determination.  

Books, Denial and Grief

I've been reading Wicked....

It's not your child's fairy tale.  It's the Grimm's version, and it's not light reading either.  Let me explain, if you had a difficult time seeing the symbolism in the movie Pleasantville then this movie is not for you. If you had trouble seeing the symbolism in the Old Man in the Sea, this book is probably not for you.  The play evidently is lighthearted, and fun I've never seen it so I can't say for any certainty how it is portrayed, but the book is not like the play.  It's the dark version of Sleeping Beauty, the one that has Sleeping Beauty raped while asleep, and not the lighter Grimm's version which was even altered more in the Disney version.
This book is good though, even with all the more mature themes going on, but I would suggest you reading it before suggesting it your young teens. 

This book and the readers thoughts on it have made me think about our expectations in general.  Lately my expectations have been challenged significantly.  Not in the way that I thought I would marry a prince and live happily ever after. But in that I still thought youth meant you still had a fair amount of health, clearly not the case.  I've know this, in my head, for ever.  I've seen children born sick, but now to many things have hit home for me to hang onto any form of happy delusion any longer.  Silent sicknesses have struck out family, babies have been born sick, and friends have died young. Others have been given horrible news, and we are now just praying for a miracle of healing.

This story is not like reading about pretty sparkly vampires, it's the dirty side of Oz. Gritty grimy and less dreamlike, and sing songy. 
Today, I think that's what I need.  Something out of this world, but still enough like it for me to relate to.

InCyst has begun to write blogs about the grief process in relation to PCOS.  This seems to have hit me at the right time, as i am headed back through the grief cycle once more. Although today it's about the denial stage.


So here's my little thought of the day.  Look up, find your faith, and see the beauty.  Life is not a fairy tale, but God is good, and life is short.  Enjoy the moment.

Looking up

Tower of Power - as seen on Pinterest

My re-pin: Tower of Power


It looked to good not to try. We had the ingredients on hand, and little else so this was dinner. I had two servings, and my hubby had oatmeal on the side. It would make a great breakfast, but we did need some more for dinner. This was my first time poaching eggs, I need more practice.

Low Carb vegetable Replacement for Eggs Benedict

Today is a dreary and rainy day, and this meal is a reminder of sunshine. This winter is not quite rainy and drissly like normal, but I have been tankful for not having puddles of mud for my puppies to roll around in.  This week at work we are learning the important skill of forgiveness.  It is a skill, it does not come naturally and you only get better with practice.  One of my co-workers and I have devised a plan to help in this process moving along faster for another co-worker.  It would take the form of kind and gentle reminders, but thankfully our plan was not needed today.

If you are angry, take a step back and ask yourself why.  Why are you so hurt, why is it so important, who is being hurt by your anger, is it leading to unforgiveness?

Then remind yourself that you are the only one that is hurt by not forgiving someone, and that the mercy we give out to others is the mercy that will be dealt to us. I personally want as much mercy as possible.

Spear Throwing and dodging

A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards, to be clear this is not a book review.  This is more of a thought, or a memory coming back to help me get through this latest of battles.  Maybe battles is to strong, maybe not...today is not the day to debate that.

I'm tired today. I've been tired.  We have been getting documents together, okay for get we, it's been me.  Lots and lots of documents. I've been sick, so I am now catching up at work, and then just recently my computer got a virus.  I've been spending a week getting that thing removed.  We all have rough times, I get it.  But today I skipped lunch which was a big mistake. As it happened my co-worker left some for me to eat, and I did.  The problem is that this is greasy fast food stuff that makes my stomach sick. I'm trying to be healthy here people, and skipping lunch was the wrong move because it left me hungry and willing to eat stuff I normally would never touch.  How does all of this relate to a book I read a long time ago from Master's? I'm glad you asked, I do get side tracked at times. Today another co-worker and I had a conversation regarding our expectations when we were first hired and what has happened since.  I had expected less stress, they did not expect to feel so old etc.  The conversation got me to thinking about leadership, and what my role is in that relationship.  There was no direct talk against our boss, but my heart was there.  I've been mulling on it since.  This is not how I want to be, I want to be able to dodge the spear and arrows tossed by a crazy king and keep my sanity and respect for the throne.  I've tried to squash blame hunts, and not cast blame onto others. I'm not sure if it will work well in the latest fiasco, but he was really unprepared for witch hunts and finding where the fault lies for every client gripe.  Let's be honest, there are some people who are just not going to be happy, they complain.  Those people cause chaos in our office.  I'm getting off track here. 

Some of us find ourselves in the precarious position of being lead by someone who tosses spears, or goes on witch hunts but they are still our leader and in such a position they still need to be treated with respect and not tossed off the throne as is were.  How do you handle these situations?  I'm still working on the skill of dodging and letting these things fall to the floor, but it does cause me stress. 

Did you know I'm supposed to reduce my stress?  I am.  Although this last year, and now this last week have been rather a challenge to that goal.  I think I may need to give this book another read. It covers the story of David and Kind Saul..the one who threw spears at David; and who was not over thrown by David even though others would have helped him in a rebellion.  It puts things into perspective and maybe that is what I need today.

I'm praying for my cousin whose baby will need heart surgery.  Keep her in your prayers too.  These are the things that I see as real troubles, not the petty issues that are eating at me.  But here you have it, my small issues are gnawing at me today.

Tiny French bean and sausage

Cookinglight.com Slow Cooker Recipes

This recipe is a favorite slow cooker recipe of mine, but it does require a Tbsp of thyme. If you are not used to using that much thyme make sure you have enough. I ran out much faster than I thought I would after I started making this recipe. I look for a few things when cooking now. One little are the ingredients processed, the fresher and more whole the better. Is this a hearty meal? Will is fill up my husband? This is very important. How expensive is it to put together. Beans in the dried form are not expensive, and they are filling, so it just has to taste good.

This is one of those meals that does not look all that amazing, but it tastes good. I've also started craving it every so often, it could be the hot sausage....  It's comfort food people, it's comfort food. That is all.
Here is the recipe:
Myrecipes.com recipe tiny french beans with smoked sausage
For those of you doing Weight Watchers the points value is 10 per serving.

I wish you all well. I've joined the ranks of those on Pintrest, be patient with me I'm just learning how this thing works.

Increasing Barley in my diet

Previous post regarding this recipe French Onion Soup with Beef and Barley
I've learned that it's 9 WW points.  This is why I like Cooking Light's recipes more than Weight Watchers, there is still flavor and stuff in Cooking Light.  It's good to know though, so I can be respectful of the amount that I should be eating, and just take my time enjoying it.


Today I upset myself by reading a LiveStrong article.  You know the kind of article that says eat right & exercise and that is it, if you are not loosing weight you aren't working hard enough.  Not like there are other hormonal factors to consider, or the fact that health eating can be different for different people.  Almonds in high amounts are pro-inflammatory for me, and yet when I did Medifast they encouraged the consumption of almonds as a light snack since it had less fat. There are other higher fat nuts that are better for me, not so inflammatory and yet if you have PCOS and don't have nutrition information given to you by some one who knows you can be doing things that are considered 'healthy' that might sabotage you.  Right now I can feel that I have not had enough greens lately, and since I don't have fresh right now I will need to make a big bunch or broccoli to eat with dinner tonight.  These are things I never would have thought of last year.  Making these changes for my health may seem minor to some of you, but t makes a big difference in my day. 

I read the InCyst article about picking a trainer today, it was empowering.  There are things to know about yourself, that not all exercise and diet gurus are going to know.  Work with people who can adjust for your unique self. 

Did I tell you? My dad finally read up on PCOS. I know, it's a been a while and he's in the medical field but it was not something he dealt with on a daily basis so it was not priority number one.  My husband still does not want to know or read anything about it. Let me just say, "oh, the joy".  But here is the good part, he finally asked what I could eat, and how I was doing with it all. 

I keep it simple, it helps me.  The less processed the more okay I am with it, and if it's a choice between two evils I choose the lesser.  If I must snack and there are gooey chewy bars and almonds, I'll eat some almonds.  Then there are the days I loose all will power...I have begun not to lose hope when those days happen. I just get right back on track and continue on.  This is a journey towards health, I'm doing better little by little.

I've also learned that I will never be a coupon queen.  Dried beans are my ways of saving, bulk health foods, farmers markets.  I used to try even with non-edible items but I've learned that most of the items that have coupons are things that I really should be leaving alone.  There are times when I get to use a coupon or two, but nothing like the savings you'll see on the shows. These are things that I now plan around since I know I have to have a stock pile for the winter.  I know that dried beans and rice will keep if they are in air-tight sealed containers.  Costco became the big hero again for their huge bags of dried beans and rice.  I will find more brown rice, but right now I have to mix it in the jasmine stuff anyways since my hubby cringes at the thought of brown rice. 

All this to say, I like this recipe that includes Barley, and I will keep trying new things. There is another slow cooker one with black beans that looks good, burritos filling. yummy.

I cried today...Etta James has passed away...

Etta James is one of those powerhouse voices that just resonates with her audience.  Her version of "At last" became the version that everyone knows and loves.  That song was my introduction to her musical talent, but I found so many other songs that move me. "A Sunday Kind of Love, "  "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" these are others that I have found just as haunting and beautiful.

Other bloggers and Newspapers will have their write ups and her history.  I don't need to get into all that for you, but you should know that she changed blues.  She will leave her legacy behind and we are all better for it.

 I'm sorry it took my a bit to post this.