Big Bad Blog Disclaimer

I've felt it on my heart lately to write a disclaimer. I would hope that all reading this blog would understand that it my intent to only inform you of what I come across myself. I love to research and share what I've learned, but I also write on different topics to clarify them in my own mind, remember them in my mind (writing it helps sort it) but also to help understand things that may be confusing. It helps me to remember the funny things my kids say, although sometimes I forget what they say 5 minutes later. It helps me to look back and see where I've overcome struggles.

I guess mainly I hope that this blog would encourage you in life, uplift you in your God given roles, and to possibly convict you through the Holy Spirit to lead a more Godly life. (if you are already saved; if not, I pray that God would give you faith to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ and give you eternal life which is the only hope worth having in this world)

In a book I read recently, the author said that she has found that most people want truth, but few are willing to do what it takes to find TRUTH. They would rather take a doctor's (or other professional) word for something rather than find out answers for themselves. They trust someones opinion without doubt more often than they should. I guess I'm a skeptic from way back. I don't trust anyone, but do value many opinions (when backed with Scripture or substantial evidence). I like to find out things for myself, and then judge what works best in my life.

One of my bigger frustrations is in the health care field. Many people trust their doctors, without question, but then are not happy with their care or treatments. When you offer alternative solutions, they are quickly dismissed as 'quackery', etc. Or the other extreme is people who only will use home treatments, when they have a problem which requires medical intervention. Why not use both? You get the best of both worlds, and you end up with better health in the end. Why not work together? Both have their legitimate uses, and benefits.

Anyways, there's my disclaimer. I never intend to accuse, be a know-it-all, or act like I'm the final authority on anything. I have alot of opinions which are based on my life experiences, the people who come into my life, and the books I've read. I love to learn new things, so if any information I share can be improved upon or proven wrong, I'd love to know. But, after all...it is MY blog, and if you don't want to read it...you don't have to! ;0)

The Joy of Being Poor

Greg pulled out a book of Robert Service poems, recalled this one (one of my favorites). Enjoy! (I put my favorite verses in italics)

The Joy of Being Poor
by Robert W. Service
1957

I

Let others sing of gold and gear, the joy of being rich;
But oh, the days when I was poor, a vagrant in a ditch!
When every dawn was like a gem, so radiant and rare,
And I had but a single coat, and not a single care;
When I would feast right royally on bacon, bread and beer,
And dig into a stack of hay and doze like any peer;
When I would wash beside a brook my solitary shirt,
And though it dried upon my back I never took a hurt;
When I went romping down the road contemptuous of care,
And slapped Adventure on the back - by Gad! we were a pair;
When, though my pockets lacked a coin, and though my coat was old,
The largess of the stars was mine, and all the sunset gold;
When time was only made for fools, and free as air was I,
And hard I hit and hard I lived beneath the open sky;
When all the roads were one to me, and each had its allure . . .
Ye Gods! these were the happy days, the days when I was poor.

II

Or else, again, old pal of mine, do you recall the times
You struggled with your storyettes, I wrestled with my rhymes;
Oh, we were happy, were we not? - we used to live so "high"
(A little bit of broken roof between us and the sky);
Upon the forge of art we toiled with hammer and with tongs;
You told me all your rippling yarns, I sang to you my songs.
Our hats were frayed, our jackets patched, our boots were down at heel,
But oh, the happy men were we, although we lacked a meal.
And if I sold a bit of rhyme, or if you placed a tale,
What feasts we had of tenderloins and apple-tarts and ale!
And yet how often we would dine as cheerful as you please,
Beside our little friendly fire on coffee, bread and cheese.
We lived upon the ragged edge, and grub was never sure,
But oh, these were the happy days, the days when we were poor.

III

Alas! old man, we're wealthy now, it's sad beyond a doubt;
We cannot dodge prosperity, success has found us out.
Your eye is very dull and drear, my brow is creased with care,
We realize how hard it is to be a millionaire.
The burden's heavy on our backs - you're thinking of your rents,
I'm worrying if I'll invest in five or six per cents.
We've limousines, and marble halls, and flunkeys by the score,
We play the part . . . but say, old chap, oh, isn't it a bore?
We work like slaves, we eat too much, we put on evening dress;
We've everything a man can want, I think . . . but happiness.
Come, let us sneak away, old chum; forget that we are rich,
And earn an honest appetite, and scratch an honest itch.
Let's be two jolly garreteers, up seven flights of stairs,
And wear old clothes and just pretend we aren't millionaires;
And wonder how we'll pay the rent, and scribble ream on ream,
And sup on sausages and tea, and laugh and loaf and dream.

And when we're tired of that, my friend, oh, you will come with me;
And we will seek the sunlit roads that lie beside the sea.
We'll know the joy the gipsy knows, the freedom nothing mars,
The golden treasure-gates of dawn, the mintage of the stars.
We'll smoke our pipes and watch the pot, and feed the crackling fire,
And sing like two old jolly boys, and dance to heart's desire;
We'll climb the hill and ford the brook and camp upon the moor . . .
Old chap, let's haste, I'm mad to taste the Joy of Being Poor.

Am I the Queen or what?

One of my areas of interest since becoming a mom, has been researching home remedies. Taking sick kids to the doctor is an extremely unpleasant experience, and if I can avoid it, I will. So, for every thing that comes up in this house, I research to see what I can do at home to solve the problem. So far, my first doctors visit for sick kids, was this spring. And I could have avoided even that, had I been a little more perceptive. Somehow my tiredness overrode my perception feelers.

Do you wonder what makes me the Queen? A few weeks ago I was feeding the kids some applesauce (the boys wanted some because baby was eating some), and Luke comments, "Wow Mom, applesauce sure is good without other stuff mixed in!" Ouch, that was embarrassingly true. Whenever they are coming down with something, I use applesauce as the medium to make the treatment more palatable.

But, it's saved me numerous trips to the doctor, and as the recent ear infection ran us $160 for less than a 5 minute visit, I think I'll stick to home remedies in the future. Not to mention the hassle of dragging 3 kids into the doctor, having them undress, get weighed and measured, poked and prodded. What fun for a sick kid is that? I know I'd hate it. I'd rather just take something at home and cuddle up with my Mom. And the fun I've had dealing with insurance companies is about enough to nauseate even the strongest of stomachs. Not fun!!

Pass the garlic, please.

Saving the World, One Ruffle at a Time...

It seems like our lives are a series of dilemmas that require solving. Whether it be what to cook for dinner, or where to buy the cheapest gas; decisions abound. I love it when things come together easily without too much effort or exertion, since my surplus of energy seems to be better spent in other ways (if I can even admit to having a surplus). Today it was ruffles....

While we were in Arizona, my sister-in-law A graciously gave me a whole bunch of hand-me-downs for Elise. When I got them home and was going through them, I discovered many very cute dresses, most of which were made of cotton. This poses a problem for me, because I hate ironing. So, I could either pass them all on and stick with knit fabric (bor-ring) or I could find an ironing solution. When I asked her what she did with all the little cute dresses, she said she ironed the ones for Sunday, and didn't worry about the rest. That seemed like a very good decision, but I could not even picture myself exerting that much effort. In washing some of the dresses, I found that if I shook them when they came out of the washer, that got a good amount of wrinkles out, and if I hung them to dry, that solved my problem completely. (after I had grudgingly ironed quite a few of those teesny little ruffles on quite a few of those teensy little dresses) So, today was laundry day, and I tried it again. All the cotton dresses got a good shake and hung to dry, (and I quickly straightened the bunched up ruffles) and voila! my problem is solved. No more ironing, and no more wrinkles. Yay! (any other girl-related labor saving ideas are fully welcome, since I'm pretty new in this aspect so far!)

I will share my boys shirt ironing secret too since the topic is ironing. Iron their collars and fronts with your curling iron. It works wonders on Sunday morning when your curling iron is already hot and time is limited. I've never fully ironed a shirt since discovering that trick one rushed Sunday morning. My ironing goal is to only have to pull it out for sewing, since sewing without ironing is just bad news. I've tried to cut corners there, but my fabric ends up not meeting where it should, and the finished product is usually crooked in some very obvious place.

If you haven't seen the Brian Regan Ironing Board reenactment, check it out. It makes me laugh every time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtHXKZEcNVM

Proper Terminology, Proper Soul Food

I define these words in the context I will be using them, as it seems in our day and age, many words' definitions have been muddied by misuse. I use the Webster's 1828 Dictionary meaning, because it implies the spiritual aspect of the meaning, not just the secular. (especially since these are "spiritual" words) Our dictionaries now-a-days have been made generic, in that the spiritual definitions have been excluded. If interested, you can look up words online by searching the title. Kind of fun to see the old meanings ;0)

SER'MON, n.

1. A discourse delivered in public by a licensed clergymen for the purpose of religious instruction, and usually grounded on some text or passage of Scripture. Sermons are extemporary addresses or written discourses.

MES'SAGE, n. [L. missus, mitto, to send.]

1. Any notice, word or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another. We send a servant with a verbal or written message.

DOCTRINE, n. [L., to teach.]

1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion.

REPENT'ANCE, n.

1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct.

2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.

3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.

REMIS'SION

Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matt. 26. Heb. 9.


On our trip, we were in southern California and drove by a building which was called Such-and-Such Soul Factory. We wondered what it was, so handily searched the internet on the Blackberry and found out it was a church (of all things!). I think they maybe should have titled it "Soul Healing Factory" or "Soul Saving Factory", but that is just my opinion. It got me to thinking about sermons and what makes for a "good" one or a "bad" one. I've been listening to different ones intently over the last year or so, and have come to a few conclusions which I'll share (which is the actual point of this post today).

Luke 24:47 says that "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name (Jesus) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." To me, that is the sum and total of what a sermon should be. To save sinners. The inside of ones soul must be cleansed, by the blood of Jesus, not just polished from the outside. But the problem comes that people don't want to hear that. It hurts our pride and pricks our consciences. So many pastors are resorting to "user-friendly" sermons that instead tell us what we can do to make our lives better here on this earth. You hear alot on tithing, giving to the poor, relationship psychology, etc., but rarely do you hear about sin and what to do about it. The verse in Acts 26:14 comes to mind when Jesus says, "Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus who thou persecutest...(v.18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Following Jesus is not easy on our flesh. It requires dying to self each day, but the rewards He offers are so much more than we could ever fathom.

The interesting thing though, is that if your conscience is clean, hearing about sin has no sting. It's reassuring to hear that your sins (yes, YOURS) have been forgiven. If you have sin on your conscience, hearing about it prompts you to take care of it in the proper fashion. In my listening lately, I've found that every text in the Bible can be used for preaching the repentance and remission of sins. The way of salvation is interspersed throughout the whole sermon, while learning the many other truths of God's Word.

Last year I prayed that God would show me the difference between what I was hearing at church, and what I was hearing on the radio. To the untrained ear, preaching may all sound the same. In church it came to me loud and clear one Sunday. What I was hearing fed my soul. It filled a need that no practical message could fill. And that is why it's so hard to explain the difference. It doesn't matter how eloquent the pastor is, or how intellectually deep the sermon is, but if he preaches the repentance and remission of sins in Jesus' name, it's food for a hungry soul!

So what are we to do now? I would ask yourself these questions. These are questions I've been asking whenever I hear a sermon.
1) Does it feed my soul or my flesh (as in things I can do to make me a better person)?
2) Does it tell me what to do with my sin? (and others who may not be yet Christians)
3) Does it reassure me that I am God's child and that Jesus died for me?
4) Does it prompt me to read my Bible more, seek His will more, listen to my conscience more, and stand up for the truths of Scripture that are continually being attacked by the world?
5) Learn the difference between tradition and doctrine. Often they are lumped together, when they are very distinctly different. Some doctrine is tradition for good reason (such as the way of salvation), but tradition is not doctrine! The only way to know doctrine is to study and learn it from the Bible and theologically sound books. The Bible will determine false doctrine from sound doctrine.

Time in the Word

I'd like to start with how we can spend more time in God's Word. It seems like I'd rather pick up a secular magazine, rather than meditate on God's Word. I've been praying lately that I would desire His Word, more than anything else, and that I could take the time to learn what I need to know for each day. These tips below are from another blog I read, and I've posted the link before, but find them fitting for this topic, so will post them again.

"Here are some practical tips on creating space to hear from the Lord:

1. First, think through the last 48 hrs. Any time-stealers come to mind? Facebook, Twitter, TV, email, Internet, phone calls, or texts? Make sure the enemy isn't robbing you of God-moments by offering a "harmless" substitute.

2. Time with the Lord takes intentional planning when you have a full, noisy, busy house. Some days, gather your kids around and read a passage to them. If you can make it interesting to listen to, you might get through several verses. Write a few verses out and leave them in the kitchen, laundry room, or car so you can contemplate as you cook, fold, or wait for your kids.
3. Place Bibles in several spots around your house so anytime you do get to sit down you can snatch a verse or two to ponder.
4. Use the first few minutes of nap time to get rest for your spirit. You probably won't be reading chapters or books at one sitting, but the Lord can use even snippets to instruct and encourage your heart. If you have kids who no longer nap, make a quiet zone where they can read or color while the little ones sleep and you get refreshed. Occasionally, this will actually work!!
5. Escape for a few minutes if you can after your husband gets home or right after dinner. I have had quiet times on picnic tables at the park, in my car at Sonic, on my driveway sitting in my car, and in my laundry room or closet.
6. Practice God's presence "in the midst" of your crazy days. He doesn't leave because your life is hectic. He can minister grace to your heart as you comfort that child or chop veggies for dinner or sort dirty socks. Christ knew what it was like to wash dirty feet. He is not absent when we are surrounded by lots of them! Remember that the Lord had many moments when He sought to draw apart to seek the Father. Sometimes that happened, sometimes He was moved with compassion and returned to the multitudes. His heart was to do the will of His Father every moment of every day, but He didn't live apart, He lived in the midst.
7. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and discernment as you discover what will work for your family. Since it is God's will for you to know Him, ask Him to enable you to creatively pursue that in this season of your life. God's Word is eternal. The lives of those who come to know Him are eternal. Houses, stuff, and even time will all pass away. We won't regret time invested in His Word and in raising our kids to love Christ."
http://www.whispersofjoy.com/1/post/2009/11/article-from-revive-our-hearts.html

I especially like #3. So easy to do, but how often I forget. A typical sermon is only from a few verses, and what a wealth we can glean from it. How much more can God speak to us, even if we only have the mental ability to retain one verse. If we can do this several times a day, how much better will our day run? I've also been having my kids hold me accountable to read the Bible to them each day. We also listen to chapters on mp3 while we do our chores in the morning. We listen to the same book over for two weeks, and that solidifies it in our minds to memory (a tip I learned from my aunt who homeschooled her son). I find certain verses repeating back to me over and over through the day, which is encouraging and helpful in many situations.

Prayerfully we can hold God's Word in our hearts, and profess His truths when the need arises. I share this information only to encourage you, because I realize how easy it is for me to get complacent and then wonder why my faith is weak and my days are more negative than joyful.

Greg and I had lots of time to visit and evaluate different aspects of our life on our "6 days on the road" trip recently, so I'll be sharing more as it comes back to mind. I recommend everyone get in the car and go for a drive, as it clears your head, and realigns balance. The drive has to be at least 2 hours long though, as thoughts usually don't start flowing before that (at least in this house!). Cell phones off too!

Who Needs Words?

This is an article from the magazine Above Rubies which I enjoy. I'll expound on it in my next blog, but will post it for you to read first.

On the Shelf or in your Heart?

"How big a place does the Bible have in your home? Although 93 percent of American homes have at least one Bible, Gallup calls the United States “a nation of Biblical illiterates.” Apparently, half of the American population can’t even name the first book of the Bible. The Bible is on the shelf but not in the heart.

Horace Greeley, founder of the New York Tribune, stated, “It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible-reading people.” Is this why most “Christians” are vulnerable to deception? The Bible is on their shelf but not in their hearts. This great freedom-loving nation of America is subtly being enslaved by the deceptive ideologies of humanism, socialism and even communism. Many are unaware it is happening. But if we don’t wake up now, it will be a different world for our children and grandchildren.

It is time for the Bible to come off the shelf. It is time to read the Bible personally. It is time to read it to our children. The Bible is our greatest constitution. It is the basis for our mindset. It is the foundation for our nation. It is the blueprint for our success. God encouraged Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

How much of the Word of God is in your heart? How much is in your children’s hearts and minds? Apart from our personal devotions, my husband reads the Bible to our household each morning and evening. I loved reading the story of the Arnold family who traveled the continent preaching the gospel together. Every day, Arnold Pent conducted family devotions with his wife and eight children. It wasn’t a ten minute devotion either. He read the Word of God to his children for one hour after breakfast, one hour after lunch and one hour after supper, whether they were at home or someone else’s home. Consequently, by the time the children were 10 years old they could all quote at least 300 verses of the Bible. The older ones could quote the entire New Testament and many passages from the Old Testament.*

This may sound impossible for your lifestyle. However, I think the least God-fearing families could do is to read the Word of God together at least once a day. This should be a greater priority than anything else in our family schedule. If every family began to do this, we would see this generation change back to our godly heritage.

John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, wrote letters to his 10 year-old son on how to effectively read through the Bible in one year. These letters were later published in a book so that other children could be inspired to read through the Bible in a year.

At our church gathering last week, not only the adults, but the children were encouraged to take a pocket New Testament with them wherever they go to read at available moments. Today, we have the added blessing of being able to download the Bible on to MP3s.

To become people of the Book, to take up the responsibility of reading the Bible daily to our children and to make it a priority in our home is not just a good idea. It is imperative for the saving of our nation. It is crucial for the preservation of future generations—our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

To live for our own materialistic pursuits and avoid this responsibility will result in the downfall of our nation. My purpose is to live, not only for today, but in a way that will affect future generations for blessing and righteousness. I cannot do this without inculcating the Word of God to my children and my children’s children.

Let’s hear from two of our early statesman…
“I know not how long a republican government can flourish among a great people who have not the Bible… But this I do know that the existing government of this country never could have had existence but for the Bible. And further, I do in my conscience believe that if at every decade of years a copy of the Bible could be found in every family in the land, its republican institutions would be perpetuated.” (William Seward, a Governor of New York)

“The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” (Noah Webster, Compiler of 1828 Webster’s Dictionary)

For the salvation and projection of our nation, may we come back to the original source of all truth, and with excitement and joy, daily read it to our families."

NANCY CAMPBELL
http://www.aboverubies.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=893:bible-in-the-home--on-the-shelf-or-in-your-heart&catid=170:bible-in-the-home&Itemid=400395

The Difference between Nisu and Pulla

One of the many things I learned on our recent AZ trip from my "new" aunt H (who came to Canada from Finland when she was 12) is the difference between nisu and pulla. You hear it called both, and no one I've met so far seems to have known the difference. I should have looked it up on Wikipedia, because they DID know the answer too! (don't they just know everything?!)

Nisu is the old Finnish word for wheat and this bread. Modern Finns call it Pulla, but those of us with Finnish ancestors, can still call it nisu.

According to Wikipedia:

"Pulla (Finnish pronunciation: ['pul-a]) is a mildly-sweet Finnish dessert bread flavored with crushed cardamom seeds and occasionally raisins or sliced almonds. Braid loaves (pitko) are formed from three or more braided strands of dough. The braids may also be formed into a ring. Other types of pulla include small round ones that resemble English scones but have a sugar and butter topping, and larger cinnamon buns called korvapuusti. The outside typically has a shiny brown glaze, formed by a coating of egg white, milk or a mixture of sugar and brewed coffee (or cream cheese frosting)."

Pulla is also common in areas in the United States and Canada which have large Finnish populations. It is also commonly known as nisu, which is the old Finnish word for the same that is still used in some regional dialects, despite originally meaning "wheat."

Pictures and recipe can be found on this link. I have a great recipe too, but don't feel like typing it out today. Maybe another day...

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/4168/finnish-nisu-aka-pulla

I was sent this in an email, thought it was worth sharing. Not sure who wrote it.

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails us. Blaming the prince of fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince."

The (Extra) Ordinary Egg

I've never really held an opinion on eggs. I've eaten them my whole life, as I'm sure everyone else has, never appreciating their goodness. I've never desired one, specifically, but I've never shunned them either. That is until now. We now have our own abundance of eggs, so that has required me to eat more than I usually would. And the more time goes by, the more I love them. Not only are they packed with nutritional goodness, they are cheap (even in the store) and can provide nutrition for next to nothing for your family. Where else can you feed your family a meal for less than $2 total. In this, I've learned to cook eggs better, learning from my husband who is a fantastic egg cooker. I had a tendency to crank the heat and then wonder why they always turned out dry and rubbery. Slow heat...that's the ticket. I also have been trying new recipes, and will share my two favorites today.

Cheesy Egg Casserole
6 large eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 t. prepared mustard (I use 1/2 t. dry mustard for more kick)
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/8 t. onion powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Beat until smooth and pour into a greased 8x8 casserole and bake 25-30 min, until eggs are set. Serves 4.

I make this often for supper, and add meat and vegetables, and it is so easy and so good. We like bacon/sausage/ham with bell peppers, green onions or tomatoes.

This next recipe is from Greg's aunt, who talked the chef at Nordstrom into giving it to her. Just plain yummy!

White Chocolate Bread Pudding
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 bag white chocolate chips
8 eggs
1 loaf brioche/challah (or nisu/pulla for us Finns)
Heat milk, sugar and cream. Take off heat and add chocolate, stirring until melted. Add eggs and mix well. Break up bread into bite size pieces and add to custard. Let cool and put in buttered 9x13 pan. Bake at 325*F for 1 hour 15 min. with foil covering. Garnish with raspberries and raspberry sauce. (and I might add, loads of whipped cream!)

High Fructose Corn Syrup Exposed

I've been wanting to do an article on HFCS for a while, but recently was having a conversation with a friend, which reminded me again to do so. She mentioned that her sister-in-law (who is a dietitian) had just taken a continuing education course on HFCS. I'll share what she taught me.

(this is off a bottle of Langer's juice, but sums up what I've read elsewhere and what she said)
"Is HFCS a major cause of obesity? Most nutritionists say yes. The body processes HFCS differently than it does sugar, altering the way the metabolism is regulated. As a result, the body is tricked into craving more while the liver releases additional fat into the bloodstream. We eat more and at the same time store more fat."

And from another source, "When HFCS is ingested, it travels straight to the liver which turns the sugary liquid into fat, and unlike other carbohydrates HFCS does not cause the pancreas to produce insulin; which acts as a hunger quenching signal to the brain. So we get stuck in a vicious cycle, eating food that gets immediately stored as fat and never feeling full."

href="http://healthmad.com/nutrition/dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/">

How can we avoid it? The 2 best ways are to read your labels and make things from scratch. It is in pretty much every processed food (restaurant food included here), so the best way to avoid it is by making food yourself. (otherwise known as a "Whole Foods Diet") Things like ketchup have it too, but usually those things aren't ingested in large quantities like sodas and other beverages are. One thing this dietitian also learned is that General Mills cereals use sugar, whereas Kellogg's uses HFCS. In the Pacific Northwest, Franz bread is switching back to using honey and sugar, although some of their breads do have it still. Read your labels!

So, that's what I've learned, in a nutshell!

OK, this boy sure makes me laugh (and wonder?!)
Me: James, where are your pants?
James: Gone
Me: Why?
James: Pooping (in the toy basket he was sitting in)
Me: What?!
James: 'Tend pooping
Luke: He's just pretend pooping, Mom. Don't worry!
Me: Well, let's play a different game.
Luke: Mom, James pretend-pooped in the basket, in our bed, in the crib, in your bed...
Me: Umm, I think it's time to wash our hands and go make some lunch...
And so the saga continues!