Scary Food

I don't mean Halloween style. I mean the crap around us that frightens me and the others that gross me out.
GMO, why does our food need to be genetically altered? Why does this not worry Americans like it does the rest of the world?
High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sucralose, Stevia, Aspartame etc. come on sugar is fine, why go crazy?
Food coloring. Causes all sorts of reactions for some people, is it really needed? I'll take my fruit and veggies dyes over bright colors!
Gelatin, yeah um gross. Food can be thickened other ways.
Remnant, like gelatin it grosses me out and I think it is only used to be cheap.
Hot dogs and lunch meat. Maybe that isn't fair because I don't like meat, but these really disgust me. Steak, Chicken at least those are real meat from one part of the animal.
Petro Chemicals. They go by all sorts if names and WTF are they doing in our food?!! So when I shop certain places or buy only certain foods it isn't that I like spending all that money on groceries, it is because I'm pretty frightened about what we eat and what is out there to eat. This isn't how it is supposed to be.

Update: Monsanto is evil and they are taking over the food world, if you didn't already know this, be scared and try to avoid them - here is a brief list in what they have their hands in. http://theczech.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/monsanto.jpg?w=490&h=692

Emotional Roller Coaster

We've made a decision and we're slowly revealing it to family first, at least until we have a proper contract in hand and then can think through more logistics. So even knowing the plan, I go from excited to so sad. I didn't expect to be in our little house for 8 years, to become so invested in our neighborhood and professional committees and to love my job. That last one may be the hardest. I probably won't work for the next two years and I am ok with that, but I do worry about what happens after that. If we ever have to fall back on my career I need to stay involved and up to date on codes and computer programs and new products and materials. I'll have to decided if I get my license in another state.

So if you read this and you haven't talked to me in a while, give me a call, send me an email. I'm happy to fill you in, in a more personalized way. Then you can join me on this wild ride.

17 months

Violet is 17 months today. Crazy. She is definitely a toddler and looks more like a little girl than a baby. She eats what we eat and tries to say what we say.The cutest thing is either saying Lulu or making her animal noises. One day I'll figure out how to load a video here (from my phone). I'm trying to prepare myself for tantrums and we need to talk discipline. I've read 'Parenting with Love and Logic' but I need a refresher. She is gaining new skills and an independence that is fun to see and I'm sure she'll continue to wow us daily.

My home

I love it. From the squeaking floors to the pellet stove, from the attic skylights to the cracked plaster walls, from the tiny garage to the apple trees and raspberries. No matter where we end up you are my dream home, I just didn't know it.

Selection Monday

For I don't know how long, it has been Selection Sunday ( march madness begins, teams announced and the brackets are filled). This year for NCAA basketball it will be the same (Sunday the 17) but for my little family of 3+Lulu, it is the 11th. My blog is private, but I now ask those of you who read it to not mention this outside of here unless in a private conversation. Now that he is finished with his PhD, Bob has a couple options floating out there and they are announced on the 11, with a deadline of the 15. It will be a long week. Then again when we heard of these options in January, March 15 felt like a lifetime away and it is now less than 2 weeks. We'll do a small reveal until we decide to go public. Thanks for all your support getting to this point.