Safe and effective sunscreens

As summer approaches (in Houston, it is already here), it's time to purchase sunscreen. I never paid much attention to what brand I purchased until my kids were born.
When they were really young, I used to just keep them out of the sun. Then, I started buying "baby" sunscreen. A couple of years ago, I came across an article (I think in the Washington Post) on the best sunscreens. It quoted research from the environmental working group.
Probably no surprise to many people, a lot of ingredients found in popular sunscreens contain harmful ingredients. A lot of common ingredients just aren't very effective. And those baby sunscreens? Most of them aren't as harmless as they appear, just packaged for advertising.
What I like about the EWG's site is that it has a good list of effective sunscreens as well as a function that you can use to search for sunscreens, including store brands. Basically, when looking for a sunscreen look for zinc, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone as the active ingredient. Avoid sunscreens With oxybenzone or vitamin A. Also avoid the two in one products that have sunscreen and bug repellent. You need to reapply sunscreen every so often, and it is not safe to be exposing skin to all that repellent. For people that want to be extra careful, avoid spray-ons as well.
I really liked the Blue Lizard brand, but it has become quite difficult to find. I noticed Aveeno has one that is a top pick this year on the list, The baby natural mineral block face stick. One other point to keep in mind is to make sure you double check the active ingredients. Many brands, like Aveeno and Blue Lizard, have sunscreens with different ingrediants.
I highly recommend the EWG sunscreen website. It has a lot of useful information. They also have a smartphone app, but I have not used it.

ipad2 let me count the ways i love thee

Considering how my last post was a bit anti-materialism, I feel strange writing about my new Ipad. I got one last week, and I love it!
I love how easy it is to use and how useful it is. So far, I have stuck to mostly downloading free apps. One that I recently started using is Cozi. It's an organizer, and you can put events on a calendar, make to-do lists, as well as shopping lists. I like how one can add notes to events on a calendar. So if I put a party on there, I can add a note to double check the location. You can also specify which family member has to do what or if it is an event for the entire family.
My 4year old likes the PBS kids app. I personally wish it was more like the website with games. It only has videos, but my daughter doesn't mind.
I'll try to keep my Ipad praises to a minimum so as not to sound like the Apple store employees, but

Taking one day at a time

I started this blog last year to talk about small improvements to make my life and the life of my family better. Everyday, we are inundated by images in the media of the perfect lifestyle. Whether it's home decorating, cooking, or raising kids.
I'm currently pregnant with my third child, and even there, media tells us how to have the perfect pregnancy. The cute pregnancy clothes, decorating nurseries, cooking healthy food, etc.
Of course, all of this is meant to spur consumerism. Someone wants us to buy stuff, whether it is the cute maternity clothes, books, or furniture. We need to realize that having these things don't mean we'll have the ideal delivery or baby. More importantly, it won't mean that we'll be happy.
I have to remind myself this. When I was pregnant with my first and second, our family financial situation was very different. Single incomes, starting new jobs, and grad school. This time, with God's blessing, we are in a different financial situation. But at the end of the day, I just want to eat mac-and-cheese and sleep. In my mind, I want to be the perfect mother, engaging my kids throughout the day all while with all my make-up done, perfect nails, and cute maternity clothes. Most days, after homework, I let them watch t.v. while I sleep on the couch and then letting them play outside when the weather cools down. As far as dress, I wear loose workout clothes.
I feel guilty about it.I feel like I should be doing something more, but yesterday at the Y, something made me change my mind.
I'm taking prenatal fitness classes there (which I highly recommend to anyone). After yoga, we have a discussion. This discussion was on emotions, and the speaker talked about how it's okay during our pregnancy to just sleep and rest. The statement gave me an aha moment. I know, it seems obvious, but in a society where we always are encouraged to be productive and redoing our house, it was a nice reminder.
So, I'm reassessing my situation and trying to focus on being content. Yesterday, I was up and on the go, running 100 errands,. Today, I dropped the kids off at school and took a long nap. After my daughter's preschool ended, we went to the gym and I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes, followed by story-time at the library. Now dinner is simmering on the stove (lamb tagine), homework done and I can hear the kids playing outside. I might do some laundry tonight, but then again, I might not and that's okay.

Mother's Day: How well do the kids know me?

Yesterday, my son brought home a Mother's Day project. It was very sweet and in it, he talked about how much he loved me, etc. Very sweet.
There was one section where he had to write my favorite things to do. He wrote: napping, followed by cooking. I can understand the napping; being pregnant, I've been taking opportunities to nap. But cooking? I cook for my kids because I don't want them eating out, but it's actually not one of my favorite things to do. I can understand why he would think so. After all, everyday after school he sees me getting dinner ready.
The project made me think of the perceptions we have about our parents and how accurate they really are. I know my mom pretty well. We talk almost every evening and she's open about her likes and dislikes. But I'm sure there are things our parents don't tell us. Dreams differed. At a young age, they probably didn't give us much insight into our their personal thoughts because we were too young to understand or in some cases to protect us. But as adults, I'm sure we're the ones that are too busy to sit down and ask.
As Mother's Day creeps up tomorrow, we inundated by images of the mother-child relationship, touted as the closest bond someone can have. As adults, these relationships are often complicated, but perhaps this year, when we take our moms out to brunch, we should have a heart to heart and really get to know the person we call mom.

Home sweet home

For the past couple of weeks, my house has had contractors coming in and out. Frankly, it's driving me crazy. About a month ago, we discovered a water leak in the kitchen sink (we discovered it when we noticed wood in the LIVING ROOM peeling). We had to fix the leak, dry the walls and cabinet and rip up and replace all the flooring downstairs. The result has been two weeks of dust, dirt, bugs, chemical smells, and a constant stream of people coming in and out. Being pregnant doesn't help.
What's worse is my husband hasn't been able to take any time off of work. So he'll send me the occasional text asking if I'm okay, which angers me more than makes me feel better. I'm frustrated because I can't function normally but life has to go on. I still have to help my kids with homework, I still have to feed them. Last week we ate out because our kitchen was under wraps while they were finishing up the flooring. My son finally cried on Friday and asked if I could please just cook dinner one night. We can finally cook in the kitchen, but today we ate in the porch while the painters painted.
As I was showering this evening, fuming about my situation, I was reminded of a story about the Alabama tornado victims I heard on NPR that morning. The story focused on the effort to find housing for the victims. When I heard it that morning, I was rushing to drop my kids off at school. But now, when I had time to reflect on my day, I was reminded of a powerful quote I heard. One lady interviewed mentioned how people had given them so many donations, but how without a home it was meaningless. She had no place to put them.
"We need a place to sleep," she said. "We need a room we can lock a door and be safe...Take a bath, be clean. Be able to sit and be still and be peaceful for a minute."
The inconvenience I face is nothing to the hardship faced by victims of natural disasters. But it did help me empathize. Not having the ability to function normally in my own home has really taken an emotional toll on me, I can imagine how it would feel not to have your own home at all. Being in a shelter might protect you from the elements, but it does not replace a home.

Trader Joe's..in Houston?

The Austin American Statesman reported today that the company Trader Joe's is looking to expand in Texas. I wasn't able to find a press release on the company website, but if a store does open in Houston, it would make me so happy.
It's hard to explain a store like Trader Joe's to people who are not familiar with it. The article in the paper calls it a Whole Foods competitor, but it really isn't. For one, it's not a one stop grocery store. The shops are pretty small and only carry the Trader Joe brand. By selling everything under its own brand name, the are able to carry gourmet food at a lower cost than at other grocery stores.
The stores are also ideal for people in urban areas who might not have a big kitchen. They are known for their prepped veggies (already cut up butternut squash is my personal favorite). Their frozen food section is awesome for parties. We used to always get finger foods from their when we hosted parties while living in the east coast.
My friends who have been exposed to this store in other cities love it, but I do have to wonder how successful it would be in Houston. I suspect in Houston, it would do well near the Heights or Post Oak, where their is a critical mass of young professionals that such a store would appeal to. Of course, that would be a far drive for me, (I used to live within walking distance from a Trader Joe's and Whole Foods), but I'd still make the drive.

My first crop of plants

Today, I picked my firth handful of homegrown cherry tomatoes. I've been experimenting a bit with gardening throughout the years. Lack of time and Houston's harsh weather prevent me from taking a more aggressive approach to gardening. So over the years, I've stuck to potted plants, whether prim roses on the doorstep, houseplants, or hanging baskets of ivy on the porch. On the ground, I've stuck to hearty native plants that require little maintenance.
An then there's the annual pot of herbs. I'm no expert but there's something satisfying about growing plants. In fact, it's one of the things, I feel make a house a home.
I think a lot of people feel intimidated by gardening. It's not surprising if all your inspiration comes from the the fabulous gardens featured on home and garden magazines. Those types of gardens are often expensive and difficult to maintain. But take it from someone who neither has the time nor money to take on such a task but loves nature. You can get the same joy from projects on a much smaller scale. Stratigically placed plants, carefully selected for their color, texture and hardiness, and of course a pot of herbs will bring you and your family joy.