Why should you care about pesticides?

Eating healthy is all about fruits and vegetables as we know.  CLICK HERE    to go to a site with a printable guide to use when you are at the market.  Times are tough and all of us need to watch our pennies.  Not all veggies have to be organic (it usually costs more to have the same fruit ot vegetable with out the pesticide, although I never understood why buying something with less cost more?  I am sure it has to do with subsidized farmers...another discussion for later.)  Use the guide when you are at the store.  

     Strawberries are coming into season (check out South Coast Farms for the best, yummy and organic ones!) they are my number one to always buy organic.  There are over seven types of pesticides used on these yummy fruits, topical and systemic.  Carrots, apples, lettuce (anything green leafy), cherries, grapes, stone fruits, heck I do try and buy everything organic.  Just use the guide to make you choice if you want to buy the non organic ones.  Happy shopping!

DID YOU KNOW?

Check out this video..don't forget to turn off the play listat the bottom of my blog as this has music in the back round.

PMP...Pink Monster Party

Malia turned ONE! We had a great Pink Monster Party here at Gramy's house. She came all dressed in pink with a special shirt made by the monster's mommy, Mrs. Jones. Monster Pita sandwhiches, Monster Punch, you get the idea! It was a beautiful sunny California day but a bit chilly. On with the sweaters and we were outside in Gramy's yard! CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ALBUM

Great TJ'S video!

CLICK HERE

My friend's journey/ my patients journey

Make a Smilebox photobook

Don't forget to turn off the music on the blog prior to opening this because there is great music on this creation as well.
This is what I do at work!

Lunch with Karen and Susan!

WOW! That is all I have to say, WOW! To see Karen walking over to the group at the "Center" was a joy that can not be described. Karen was in the hospital at Mission with a brain aneurysm. Watching her get to this point has reminded me that what the doctors, nurses, resp. therapy, and the whole team at Mission Hospital do for these kind of patients. The smile on Karen's face, her great "one liners" are such a joy to see and hear. Susan has been there for her through it all. What a great friend and companion. We all should have someone like that in out lives. I sat there listening to Karen and Susan's friends talk about Karen's journey as people who work at the Center walked by and came over to say hello. How cool that I get to be in their lives. OK, it's gardening with Laurie and Karen next!

Dinner at Tom's

Just a few pictures from a night over at Tom's house. Susie is in town and we had dinner, chicken noodle soup (without the noodles), pasta, bread and salad. A few (ok a bunch) of bite size cupcakes too! Look closely at Helen, she is smiling. She really does smile, it is just hard to capture that in a photo. Happy Feb.
Oh, the eye, that is Matrte, she had a little mishap. She is fine, just a bit bruised!

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

We just returned from BC, Canada.  Staying with Willi and Jackson as always, was perfect.  What yummy breakfasts and dinners we had courtesy of Willi.  Mark and I headed up to Whistler with Jackson for some good 'ol Canadian skiing.  The B&B in Pemberton was, as always, perfect as well.  Margit outdid herself with lots of food for breakfast and dinner (something new she is doing at her B&B).  We went to our usual 'night out' at Wildwood and had a great time listening to stories and just hanging out!  The weather cooperated and we had sunny days for our skiing!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PICS!  All photos by Mark Roberts

Here are some pictures from the Gala I attended for work in December. It was a great dinner and the band they had was like a broadway production with props! We all had a great time.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PICS

Well, it is the Chinese New Year of the OX. I looked up my horoscope for this year of the Ox, for me, born in the year of the rat. The RAT!!! I can't escape this rat thing! I am still keeping my eye on everything in the garage and NO rats have returned. It is all clear but I still have nightmares and still trying to get all the "stuff" I took out of it's place in the loft, put away. It is a long drawn out job.
My outlook for 2009 looks good, so maybe this rat thing is a good thing after all. I will have to avoid over-committing, something that I do have to work on, so good advice. So, for the persistent and conscientious rat, the rewards of the year can prove substantial!

In My Daughter's Eyes/ For my little girls! (Turn off the music on the blog site,on the playlist gadget below, to listen to the video)

Hanging out in January, temps in the 70-80's

What a fun day last week when we all went to the Santa Ana Zoo.  The zoo has changed since I went last and I think that Gabe really enjoyed himself.

We saw a lot of monkeys and rode a train and merry-go-round.  I didn't get a picture but we saw two of the biggest pigs I have ever seen.  I later learned from a lady at the Corner Bakery where we had lunch in Tustin that the two pigs are smaller than they were, they have been on a diet.  We sat next to a couple and the man was the director of the Santa Ana Zoo!

      Then on Monday, very last minute for me.  Tanner ( the little guy I babysit) and I headed to Disneyland to meet the Jones and Haddad families.    CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS

New Year and a trip to Big Bear!

We are back from a trip to the "cabin in the woods." (a place where the gnomes live)  We have some friends who always make us feel welcome at their cabin in the woods.  We had a lot of fun "hanging out", eating and taking long morning walks, as well as some extreme sledding at nearby Bow Canyon.  Enjoy the pics! CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS