Lucky Daughter

My parents visited for a few days this week.  I was almost giddy before they came because Mom and Dad, who are approaching 70, are aaaammmmmaaazing.  Finally in my forties I have learned to truly appreciate them.  Besides the fact that my father usually falls asleep on the couch before 8pm, newspaper in hand (which I think is kind of cute), they can usually run circles around me.

They come to spend time with their grandchildren and to help our family out with things that we can of course do but our busy working schedules don’t always allow the time for.  So stuff happens like every bit of laundry is done, socks sorted, and light fixtures cleaned.  They replace burnt out bulbs, bake homemade bread, and stock my pantry with home-grown canned tomatoes and other jars of yummy foods.  At night they help my kids with homework and usually reward them with a game of cards before bed. 

At one point we did have a chance to take them out for dinner and I reflected on the wisdom they have shared throughout my years.  The two values that I grew up with and appreciated even at a young age were the importance of health and education.  As a child I could have any book I wanted and they encouraged me to take art and music classes for fun.  My father was a runner and a yogi and my mother grew an acre of gardens every summer, canning and freezing for the cold months.  Our vacations were centered around places with good bike or ski trails or sometimes around one of my Dad’s marathon destinations.

But Mom said something this weekend that really made me think more than usual.  She wasn’t trying to be wise or even teach a lesson.  I had commented on the new birds at my feeders and she stated that she believed that people experience real fulfillment when they connect with nature.  She went on to say that the younger generation is so technology focused that they don’t take time to connect with the beauty of being outside in her opinion, leading to much inner discontent. (Meanwhile, my children are milling around the kitchen with a set of new headphones plugged into an iPhone and I’m feeling a little sheepish).  At the same time that message must have seeped into my brain at some point in my life because I know I am at my best when I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors.

As summer approaches, I take solace in the fact that our family will experience that connect with nature every single day on Madeline Island.  This mild but somewhat dreary winter will mean our summer will be that much sweeter. When my parents visit we will take them to our favorite trails, bike routes, and kayaking the sea caves.  My father will golf and my mother will tell me how if I move certain flowers and plants I will have better luck with my gardens (on this one I will dutifully listen but know that I did not inherit the gardening gene).    And they will probably drop some more valuable tidbits of knowledge into my lap reminding me again of how lucky I am to have them.

Perspective

Today was supposed to be family fun day and from the moment I woke up I was feeling anything but fun.  It seems a head cold has set its sights on me and despite the fact that I was very busy all week I was still behind.  However, we went out to enjoy lunch with the family and then a quick trip to the bookstore so that my husband could pick out a new book for Tess’s classroom. (He is the mystery reader in two weeks – shhhhhhhh).

The bookstore trip turned out to be more than quick as my husband ordered up a tray full of bookstore lounging style beverages, biscotti, and several magazines to peruse. He also found a head scratcher that somewhat resembles an egg scrambler and decided that our family needed one of those, maybe even two.  So while everyone was kicking back, perusing, and marveling at the tingly feeling one received from said head scratcher I was getting that tight breath that occurs when you start to worry about everything that has to be done.    

Yes, we bought it. 

An older lady was smiling at the kids and she and Ted started up a conversation.  She decided the head scratcher was a very worthwhile concept and had Grace find her one for her head too.  Everyone decided that the scratchers were really great and that everyone should have one.  They even had the potential to double as hats.

I was getting very crabby.

Finally, I mustered up enough umpf to put a smile on my face and said to the older woman, “I’m sorry but I’m going to have to drag these joksters away as we have wasted enough time and I have so much to do.  She smiled the sweetest smile ever and said to me, “but time is never wasted if you are enjoying it with your family”.

Yep.  Life schooled again.

Kids Unplugged

Teddy is his favorite class,
Ecomnomics with Mr. Lud

In our home my husband and I are the perpetual managers of four very active and tech savy kids.  Despite the fact that I agonize over it; they are often plugged in.  By many family standards I have probably done OK, mindfully keeping them active in outdoor play, athletic activities, time with friends, and family connections.  But the challenge is daunting especially since the world they live in perpetuates that plugging in is appropriate.  Even in school they now sit at a desk with  computer notebooks. 

I think the biggest problem is trying to find a healthy balance.  But what is that? As a child I had one computer in our school library that I got to sign up for once a month (yes, I am dating myself).  My kids roll their eyes when I talked about those ancient days but it was not something my parents ever had to worry about.  No monitoring of cell phones, computer time, or even TV was necessary back then.  The technology in their lives never rests and taunts them with continuous updates to keep them even more tech-connected. My kids just installed fliptoast on my computer so we can get status updates from Facebook right on our desktop erasing even the slightest inconvenience of logging in. What’s next?  In their world the “next” is only days away.

And admittedly, there are times I appreciate the convenience of technology for my family.  After school texts from the older three clue me in to what they are doing for after school activities and when they need a ride. Big time saver and mind-easer for mom.   

Treasured time on the trails.

Still, there is a need for mind clearing in their lives. Some bit of simplicity.  That getting lost in the bookstore feeling, or a long hike through the woods with the dogs. I long for these opportunities myself to keep my self centered and balanced.  As products of my upbringing I can only imagine that their souls crave it too.

Lately I’ve noticed two of my daughters find their zen time in their musical instruments.  Similar to my time on a yoga mat; they can become lost either on the piano (Kiki- 14) or strumming a guitar (Grace -12).  This is literally magic to my musically untrained ears.  Last week I took some video of both of them playing.  Because I was there, camera in hand, it erased  the emotion of music that I hear when I’m listening behind their closed doors. That’s when they really allow themselves to get lost in what they love……unplugged.      

Being Present at Disneyland

Hanging with Mickey

OK, I know it sounds weird.  When we think of being present it is usually not in an arena of sensory overload like a day at Disney, right?  And the wide world of Disney is definitely a world away from my beloved and much more peaceful Madeline Island home.  I certainly didn't expect it.  But it wasn't too long into our Disney trip that I realized that I hadn't given a thought to all of the things I had to do or something that had irked me moments prior. I was completely captured  in the moment.  

Maybe because I am a Disney sucker or perhaps I could chalk it up to the magic in the pixie dust but by the end of the night I was happily exhausted and like my 6 year old thrilled that we had another day ahead.  I was taking pictures with my camera and mental pictures in my head.  And several times feeling a bit choked up by the pure glee in Tess as she would hug a mouse.

It was a day I will never forget.  Perhaps I can say that because I was truly present.



Fathers Day, a Stone Barn, and the Name Game.

Life Happens.  I think I mentioned before that the plan was to have the family moved up to Madeline Island by the first week of June. If anyone should understand how quickly life can change it should be me, a cancer survivor, right?  But I still get flustered.  And this little bit of life which happened (staff changes at my husband's business) meant I needed to help him wrap up his year end.  So here we are June 19th, still in Eau Claire, WI.

Because of the last minute schedule changes we were invited to join friends for Pizza at The Stone Barn in Nelson, Wi tonite.  I didn't know what to expect but ended up spending a lovely Father's Day evening in a beautiful outdoor venue, eating smoked salmon  and margherita pizza with some of my favorite people. Great friends, great food, and a unique outdoor venue. My kind of night.

After we all ate, my husband Ted, who is known in our circle as a gamer, collected some paper, a large bowl, and a few pens.  He had everyone write down the names of six famous people. His only rule was No Obama and No Oprah (too easy) and we all threw our names in the hat.  Then it was wives vs. husbands.  A cell phone provided the one minute timer and  our teams took turns describing the famous names in only three words. For example, after pulling Madonna's name my three words were "Like a Virgin".  Once another wife guessed correctly, I pulled the next name.  Each correct guess was a point.

At the end of the night I can't tell you which team won.  But it was fun and relaxing and I remember thinking how this would not have happened if everything had gone as planned.

Speaking of famous people, I came across this quote while writing this post, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans" - John Lennon.

Hope all your unplanned summer days turn out happy too.
Namaste!

Say No Way to BPA

I've been aware of BPA since 2008 when Consumer Reports released an article regarding the use of this dangerous toxin in plastic bottles.  Bisphenol-A is a plastic and resin ingredient used to line metal food and drink cans, and it's a main building block for polycarbonate (PC) plastics. Basically it makes the plastic harder. The danger presents itself when BPA leeks into the food or water providing a contaminant to what you have purchased.  At that time the potential danger spoke to me as a mother of four kids participating in athletics and carrying plastic bottles around on a daily basis.  I specifically remember rummaging through a drawer (and small fortune) of Nalgene plastic bottles and tossing them in the trash.

Recently I have been reintroduced to this issue when I read about the high amounts of BPA in canned foods.  Specifically the following statement released by The Organics Consumer Association, took my breath away, "  BPA mimics the effect of estrogen in the body. In animal studies, small amounts of the chemical, as little as 25 parts per billion, have been linked to conditions such as early puberty and cancer." (In the 1930s, BPA was used as a synthetic substitute for the female hormone estrogen.) At one point this may have been a sentence I would have skimmed over.  But after a diagnosis of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer in 2009, (age 40, no risk factors) the idea that a can of tomatoes was the potential culprit really hit home.

Here's the craziest part.  After years of buying organic cans of foods at a significantly higher cost I make the discovery that most of them are packaged in BPA lined cans. I can't think of a better time to write it. WTF?!? So the many years of serving enough vegetables to my family believing that canned foods provided extra vitamins (many can manufacturers spin the value of canned foods even exceeds fresh because the vegetables are picked at their height of freshness and then sealed in) is now overridden by the idea that I was plateing a nice little helping of a chemical toxins too.

So I wrote to two of the companies I frequently buy canned goods from, Muier Glen Organics and Trader Joes inquiring on their use of using BPA lined cans and their plans for alternatives. Here are their responses:

From Muier Glen:

Most metal cans in the food industry utilize BPA in the can lining or can lid. Some of our products do, and many competitors′ products do as well.

Muir Glen continues to believe BPA is safe. However, we know that some of our consumers have wanted us to pursue alternatives. We have been working with our can suppliers and can manufacturers to develop and test alternative linings that do not use BPA for some time.

From Trader Joes: Please know that this is an industry-wide issue for manufacturers of
food-grade cans and canned foods. Work is being done within the industry to develop alternative, BPA-free linings for canned products. The cannedfood industry has relied on this method for many years and is scrambling to come up with solutions that do not trade one perceived problem for a
degradation in food safety.

All of our products and packaging are within food safety guidelines and regulations.

(Editors note: A call to Trader Joes public relations revealed that canned corn, canned beans, canned fish, canned poultry, and canned beef at Trader Joe's are all packaged in BPA free cans.)

Most companies, including organics, are using BPA in the name of food safety.  One exception is Eden Foods, a natural and organic food company based in Michigan which sells most of its canned food, except the highly acidic tomato products, in BPA-free cans. Eden's president, Micheal Potter, (a pioneer on the non-GMO project as well as a leader in using BPA free cans)  states that most canned-good manufacturers should have no trouble following his company's lead, given that a 15-ounce BPA-free can costs only 2.2 cents more.

So what is the hold up? My husband asked me if it wasn't safe, why wasn't the FDA all over it.  I'm sure that is what most consumers think.  And yet, I am newly distrustful of our government agencies designed to protect our safety. See: Concerns for our Food Industry and the discussion regarding deregulation of genetically engineered alfafa.  As recently as 2008, Consumer Reports reported, " the FDA pronounced the chemical safe for use in baby bottles and other food containers,  even though a 2008 report from another federal agency, the National Toxicology Program, concluded that BPA  was of “some concern for effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures.”  Consumer Reports states that  "food safety experts at Consumers Union believe federal regulatory guidelines—which are the same as those set by the European Food Safety Authority—are outdated and fail to adequately protect consumers." A year ago, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced a shift in her agency's stance on the health risks posed by BPA but as of today the agency continues to maintain that it is taking steps to evaluate the risks imposed. And as of today the USDA has missed 3 of its self-imposed deadlines on issuing consumer guidelines on the risks of BPA.

Plus, is all of these "taking steps" enough? The scientists at the Center for Disease Control found BPA in more than 90% of the urine samples representative of the U.S. population. Currently there are over 200 independent studies confirming the health concerns surrounding BPA including 92% of 163 government-funded studies finding "significant negative effects" from low-level exposure to BPA. Based on these studies, the average person might consider ways in which to lower their risk to BPA but it won't be easy. In a November 2009, New York Times article, author Nicholas Kristof claims that the "US now produces the equivalent of six pounds of BPA per person per year."

So why do food companies continue to manufacture in BPA lined cans?  The Grocery Manufacturers Association continues to maintain despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary that " Bisphenol A (BPA) has been used for more than 30 years to improve the safety and quality of food and beverages, primarily by providing protective coatings for cans. Scientists and regulatory agencies that continue to watch the latest science and have reviewed BPA have repeatedly concluded that BPA is safe for use in these products." 

The truth seems to lie somewhere in the challenges that manufacturers face switching to a safer alternative. They state concerns of potential cost constraints, lack of viable substitutions, and posing a confusion for consumers. And  continue to maintain its safety. The BPA industry itself fiercly denies any significant risk.  (Incidently, the BPA industry uses the same lobbying firm as the tobacco industry, another danger that our government agencies moved famously slow on.)

What can we do? Vote with your pocketbook.  Eden has been effectively been canning its foods in a BPA free can since 1999.  Another safe alternative are Pomi boxed tomatoes. They are delicious, available for order by the case from the manufacturer as well as amazon.com.  Four companies that are actively pursuing safe alternatives to BPA lined cans are Hain Celestial, Con Agra, HJ. Hein, and General Mills but at this time are still using BPA.

Click here for the summary scorecard of Manufacturers plans to phase out BPA.

The best we can do is spead the word about the potential dangers, be a conscious consumer, and lean towards, fresh, organic, and local foods.

My Teen's First Job

My fifteen year old son just received a letter in the mail confirming a summer job offer at the summer camp he has attended for the past five years.  He will be a member of the kitchen staff (read: dishwasher). He is ecstatic.

As his mom, I had mixed feelings about this man-child of mine receiving his first job.  This is a milestone in his life and I believe an important opportunity to establish independence and prove responsibility.  At the same time, my heart breaks with the understanding that this summer will be a small taste of what is just around the corner when he goes off to college.  It's that break from this family unit and the beginning of his own real life. (sniff, sniff).

Last night I struggled to sleep wondering how he was going to survive the summer away from the mother who has always made sure he ate balanced meals and washed his laundry.  How well of a job did I do to prepare him for a summer away from me?  Does he comprehend that he will have to actually work at the camp he has loved so much for all of the great outdoor activity?  I've vowed to up his chore list at home to include nightly kitchen cleaning and all of his own personal laundry, a concept he is currently none too happy with.

Bottom line is that this is as much of a milestone for me.  I just realized that our summers on Madeline Island were basically going to be one family member short.  I'm pleased with the son I have raised but not quite ready to accept that he is no longer all mine.

Happy Valentine's Day

We celebrated Valentine's Day one day early  at Obsession Chocolates in Eau Claire.  Funny how life simples make for a fantastic family day.  Off to do some cross country skiing on neighborhood trails.  The teens are groaning but I secretly think they like it.