Earthquakes. They're what's for lunch.

I was just going about my business, making a salad (organic romaine lettuce, condo grown organic tomatoes, organic red onions from YUMMY.COM and organic Avocados...with low fat Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing)...I had just told Tennessee to take his library books upstairs. California was climbing up the outside of the banister/railing(as usual)...see pic below:



Tennessee reached the landing at the top of the staircase and dropped his load of books then suddenly the condo started shaking...

I said "Did you do that?" then with more intensity, "Are you doing that???"

He said "What? NO! That isn't because of my books."

I thought the shaking had stopped and it was just construction or something but then it started again. It kept going and going and going. The staircase was shaking and rattling. I could hear metal and parts of the condo rattling. I quickly noticed that the staircase was only anchored in two places and envisioned the heavy glass block wall crumbling down and said "It's an earthquake." with unmistakable urgency. I told Tennessee to get down right now...grabbed California off the ledge and waited for the shaking to stop.

I looked at the clock. It was 11:42am. The shaking lasted for about 15 - 20 seconds. Maybe more. We immediately looked on the USGS Earthquake website and found out that we had just experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake (it was later downgraded to a 5.4). We noticed the chandelier swaying again at 11:48. We later found out that was an aftershock measuring at 3.8.

We had at least 30 aftershocks...but we only felt two.

To be honest, I wasn't that surprised. Sure it caught me off guard and I did freak out a little, but I have been expecting this for a while. After all, we live in EARTHQUAKE COUNTRY and WE PREPARE for things like this; right?

The cell phones weren't working but the landlines were.

Later in the day, we had a blackout...we still haven't discovered what caused this as it happened hours after the earthquake.

Click HERE for disaster preparedness information (if you didn't click on WE PREPARE above).

Tell us your earthquake story. What are you going to do to prepare for the next one?

Mini Me?

It isn't very often that I hear that either of my sons look like me. I admit that Tennessee is a clone of Daddio, but California has many of my physical traits. He has my eyes (not the color but the shape), my nose and my smile. I decided to put my convictions to the test by submitting our pictures to a face recognition analysis program by using this family picture taken of us this month (July 2008).



Here are the results:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Tennessee resembles Daddio by 64%...I think that percentage should be like 95%...

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family tree template - Genology

...and California resembles me by 55%. I think the percentage should be more like 75%. Considering the fact that Tennessee truly does look like Daddio in real life, I would say that any percentage given by this program is a conservative estimate.

Click HERE to try it for yourself. Don't worry, it is free.

Can You Hear Me NOW?

As mentioned in a previous POST, the state of California has made it ILLEGAL to drive while holding a cell phone to your ear (you can text though...but that is a whole different story). So, why do I CONTINUE to see so many of you STILL holding your phones up to your head? Don't you know that will land you a $50 fine and quite possibly, a BRAIN TUMOR???

Maybe some of you don't know about the options that are out there to facilitate a hands free existence...well - you are IN LUCK because I have some information that will assist you in your journey. Kristen, from Motorola, hooked me up with some incredible BLUETOOTH devices to try out on my trip to Missouri to visit family. We have tried the H680 Bluetooth Headset and the T305 - Bluetooth Car Kit. Both of these devices are so easy to use! The headset is very comfortable and crystal clear. The car kit device is very compact and easy to use. I just keep it on my visor and it works like a charm.

Motorola has put together an extremely thorough informational website that explains the new cellphone law in California as well as for other states. The website also features many Motorola Bluetooth devices that can help you facilitate a HANDS FREE call. Click HERE to learn more.

After doing a smidgen of research, I came across some information that seems to suggest that using the speaker set is probably the safest option of all the bluetooth devices (see the links below for more information). PLEASE only allow a child to use a cellphone or Bluetooth during emergency situations.

Read these links to learn more about cell phones and cancer:

New York Times - June 2008

American Cancer Society

ABC News - July 2008

Cell Phone Use by Pregnant Mothers Tied to Childhood Behavior Problems

Dr. Mercola

Not a Morning Person?

Does this look familiar to you? If so, then your child probably isn't a morning person. How can you tell? Does your child wake up crying, cranky and grumpy on a daily basis? Then he/she isn't a morning person. As a mother who is "not a morning person" and the mother of a child who is "not a morning person"(California gets it from me), this is often a challenging dichotomy.

I have a few soul centered tips to help mornings go more smoothly:

1. CUDDLE: Instead of going straight to the table to eat breakfast, get a blanket and cuddle on the couch with your "not a morning person" child.

2. TALK IS CHEAP: TV is not a substitute for meaningful conversation, but "not a morning person" children and/or parents don't feel very chatty when they wake up. As a matter of fact, we'd rather NOT talk or be talked TO; it irritates us and gets on our nerves which causes "not a morning person" children to become more agitated. My advice is to turn on the TV while you CUDDLE with your child and watch a wholesome, soul centered age appropriate television show. Our favorites are "Little Bear", "Max and Ruby", "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and "Classical Baby". Avoid loud and garish programs at this time...Yo Gabba Gabba is definitely a no no.

3. BREAKFAST FOR THE SOUL: Try to have something special for your "not a morning person" child to eat after he/she decides that cuddle time is over. The one thing that always puts a smile on my little grouchy boy's face is a "heartcake". Click HERE to see a heartcake. Another big smile maker is "sunshine toast"...check back soon for this recipe. Pair imaginative breakfast items with organic Strawberries and Blueberries and you'll be on your way to a happy day!

4. SLOW DOWN: If you can afford the time in the morning...take it slow and easy. Allow the morning to flow naturally instead of rushing things along. This is easy for me to say since I stay at home with my kids and we homeschool...

5. BE FLEXIBLE: Things don't have to go the way you planned...expect the unexpected. Prepare for meltdowns. They will happen with your "not a morning person" child so get used to it :) The more flexible and relaxed you are as a parent, the less stress and negative energy your "not a morning person" child will feel so just go with the flow.

If none of these things work, your little grouch might need to go back to bed for a while to rest and regroup. It might only take five minutes of alone time to wake up on the right side of the bed. Good luck!

Target Goes Green!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Target to pick up some necessary items for an upcoming trip. I also needed diapers and cleaning products, so my quick shopping trip turned into somewhat of a shopping spree (doesn't this happen to everyone who shops at Target???). Here is a list of some of the GREEN GOODIES that I discovered:

NATURE BABYCARE DIAPERS
These diapers are just heavenly! They are just as absorbent as regular diapers without using chemicals and they are made completely of corn. YES...you read that correctly - CORN! A Swedish mother invented these diapers as an evironmentally friendly solution to disposable diapers. They are the only 100% biodegradable diapers on the market. AND GUESS WHAT!!!! They are cheaper than Huggies. Being green no longer means paying more. Nature Babycare Diapers are $9.54 whereas Huggies were $9.99. Click HERE to learn more about these diapers and the fabulous Mom who had a dream and made it come true. Click HERE to see a list of other green/non-toxic diapers.

J.R. WATKINS CLEANING PRODUCTS
There were THREE choices for cleaning products that were completely safe for the environment AND non toxic.
1. Method
2. Mrs. Meyers (which I adore and usually buy at Whole Foods. Cleaning with these products is fun because you get an aromatherpy session as you clean. I love the Lavender All Purpose Cleaner and the Baby Blossom Laundry Detergent)
3. J.R. Watkins
I bought two bottles of J.R. Watkins to try out since I had already tried the other two brands. They perform amazingly well and have been around since 1886.






















MUNCHKIN BPA FREE SIPPY CUPS
I was also able to pick up some sippy cups by a brand named Munchkin that were BPA free! Click HERE and HERE and HERE to educate yourself about the dangers of BPA. Please consider writing to your legislature to ban BPA in the United States. Canada has banned BPA - read the news article HERE. Believe it or not, Wal-Mart has banned BPA in their stores...read about it HERE!





















Last, but not least. I found this shirt at Target. I love the message it sends and the beautiful leafy design. I wish it were organic though. Manufacturing a shirt that says "Go Green" with pesticide ridden cotton and chemical additives is like manufacturing a Hummer with the message "Save Gas" printed on side. After careful deliberation, I bought the shirt anyway because you have to start somewhere. Buying a shirt that says "Go Green" from Target as well as the other above green products sends a message about what consumers think is important!

I will be writing the manufacturers of this cute little tank top a letter and sending them a link to this blog. Check back for their reply.

Flex Alert Issued for California

FLEX ALERT has been declared for Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 thru Thursday, July 10th, 2008.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), charged with managing the electricity grid in California, has issued a Flex Alert for Tuesday, July 8th 7:00 AM through Thursday, July 10th 7:00 PM.

Due to the CURRENT HOT WEATHER, electricity conservation is necessary. As a result, state officials have called a Flex Alert.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

In order to prevent power outages and rolling blackouts do the following things:

Turn off all lights that don't need to be used.

If the AC needs to be on, set the thermostat to 78 degrees.

Postpone using major appliances until after 7:00pm.

Click HERE to receive your own Flex Alert notifications!

Click HERE for more energy saving tips!