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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Organic, Natural Beauty and Rich Hippies!!!



The old Liz is back! After a weird and uncertain period of experimenting with mainstream beauty products I have decided to go back to natural and organic products! Maybe it was just me rebelling against the incredibly environmental population of Arcata, CA... but whatever it was I have realized again that products that I put on my skin, hair, teeth, face, etc, that contain parabens, sulfates, and other harsh and nasty chemicals are not for me! Now with that said....I am not a waster!....mainly because Mike and I are poor....but I will not be simply throwing out all of my mainstream chemically enhanced products. Instead, I will use what we have until it is gone while slowly replacing those products with natural and organic ones. I hope this process of changing over doesn't take me more than a few months because I have an itch to try some new organic beauty products and I have it right now! I am not a very patient person...something I am going to start praying for in my life. Although I love my beauty products, I hate to have a lot of them.... meaning I don't buy cuticle creme and foot creme, and elbow and knee creme (ok I hope they don't really make that!), but I do buy the essentials for me to look pretty! Here are some natural brands that I am loving now and have loved in the past... Burt's bees, Alba, YES to carrots, Tom's (except they were bought out by crest...lame), Avalon organics, Kiss my face, and my most recent OBSESSION....LUSH!!!!!! A few Christmas's back Mike and I got lush solid shampoo bars (shampoo in a solid bar form that you rub on your head) and fell in love with them! After moving and packing and kitties and puppies we must have just forgot about them. But recently I re-discovered these bars under my bathroom sink and have been loving them again! They do expire...which explains why mine was a slightly dull puke color... but it still smelled good. But remember that if a product expires...and rather quickly after you buy it all it means is that it contains very natural ingredients. The deal with LUSH is that they make all their products with natural and organic ingredients...and very little packaging. Although they still contain some parabens and sulfates, the amounts are very very low, and the products are incredibly environmentally friendly....and handmade!!! Now, LUSH is NOT cheap...but for what you get...it's worth it. I asked Mike if we can take a trip to LUSH in SF for my birthday this year...I'm really just excited to try some organic and handmade shampoo's, lotions, face cleansers, and all things pretty! I hope I run out of my deathly chemical cocktail beauty products before we go, or I might be less inclined to spend money on something we don't need just yet. I am so very excited to alter what we use and make our cleaning/beautifying routines healthier, safer, and better for my beloved little planet. Mike of course is all for it too....although it took a while for him to like natural toothpaste and I don't blame him...pasty!!!! This is our new endeavor...one product at a time....hopefully soon we will move onto foods! Let me know if you want any suggestions for good products, or if you have any suggestions for me! I am anticipating myself becoming a LUSH junkie...and I'm okay with that. The goal that I am trying to obtain here is not buy buy buy, but instead buy sensible, good-for-you good-for-me products that will last. Mike asked me....who do you want to be and I answered...a rich hippie! Now don't take that the wrong way....I don't mean I need to be a money hungry person....my definition of a rich hippie is someone who can afford to buy local, organic, natural, and healthy products without worrying if it will make a huge dent in their wallets. I want to be able to purchase a car that will save us gas but might be expensive, or a kayak that will give us years of fun on the river. When I say rich hippie I mean a woman who is wealthy enough to shop at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and REI....but conscious enough about the planet to only buy what she needs. Sensible yet environmentally aware! I've rambled enough for today, hope you all enjoy! Loves!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

For the Love of Labs











Meet Eva.... She is our lab




As a proud owner of a black lab puppy, I have learned to be tolerant of dirt and mud paw prints, slobber, nips, sharp claws, holes in the backyard that are 2 feet deep, rampant orbiting through our tiny one bedroom apartment, the death of not one but two left flip flops, and stolen bits of dinner from the counters.

Overall, here are the little joy Mike and I have experienced from out little labby girl Eva.

1)Barking....because she doesn't want to be left alone in the backyard anymore than you do!
2)Stolen chocolate kisses from the counter...as well as spinach, apples, granola bars...
3)Chasing the cat....and being chased by the cat...through out small apartment that was designed for one person, not two people, a fat cat and a 70 pound puppy
4)Guard dog howling in the middle of the night.... normally this type of guardianship would be a good thing, except that if we ever had an intruder or burglar....Eva would simply lick them to death
5)Chewing on my shoes, my rug, my coffee table, my hand!
6)Digging, digging, digging, filling holes, digging them up again, throwing balls ver the neighbors yard, digging them out of the neighbors yard
7)Poop...yes poop...on our jogs....smelly poop in a bag
8)Pulling on the leash when another dog comes in sight
9)Pee for a while...in the house..thank God that's over with
10)$$$ on everything doggy under the sun....collars, leashes, training collar, dog food, brushes that she is deathly afraid of, toys, blankets, dog dens, beds that she hates so she chews them up and leaves all the little pieces all over the backyard for me to pick up one by one....
11)Energy that comes with a 7 month old puppy....immense energy...
12)Whines, howls, and sobs when she wants to play but it's bed time...

I'm sure there is more....too many to even consider writing down


I have also got to experience extreme loyalty, love, admiration, and joy. All it takes for Eva to be happy is a pat on the head and a little bit of attention. When I say the words "walk" or "treat" she acts like I just told her she won the lottery. Here are some of the benefits of owning a lab....or as the movie Marley and Me states.... labradoodle....

1)Affection...a lick...bump....nudge....or look
2)Warmth of a puppy laying next to you on the couch
3)Admiration....Especially when she looks at you like you are the best thing in the entire world
4)Exercise buddy- running around the neighborhood or in the backyard with this massive beast
5)Protection....or at least the appearance of protection....she looks pretty intimidating even though she is a chicken
6)Laughter....especially when she is laying on her back....head to the side arms ad legs in the air...completely asleep
7)Adorable-ness.....when she is letting out little puppy yelps or running in her sleep
8)Excitement... any raised tone to your voice or sign that you want her near you brings her...and me....joy and excitement
9)Wagging tails....and the best part is....she can't fake the excitement...as soon as you say her name the tail gives it away
10)Training...there is nothing better in the world than putting time and effort into training your lab and having her actually respond and obey your commands....sit, sit pretty, down, leave-it...
11)Speaking of leave-it... putting a treat on your puppy's hand and having her ignore it until you say she can have it must be tough for her....but extremely rewarding to me...
12)There is nothing better in the world than a 70 pound puppy licking you on the cheek, sitting in your lap, and wagging her tail.... happiness <3

Yes, they are a lot of work....but if you don't have a dog....or a cat...you are missing out.

p.s. Our cat Lucy is a joy too, she loves to sleep on my head...whack at the dogs tail....and play ninja warrior to Eva as she runs down the hall....