A Conversation With My Brother

Olivia: So we've decided to try to eat more local, organic food in 2009.
Lance: Really, did we decide that or did you decide that and Chris is going along with it?
Olivia: Well I guess I suggested it and he said yes. *smiles*
Lance: That's what I thought. That didn't sound like a we idea. *grins*
Olivia: *grins* Yeah, so I've switched to organic milk and butter. And organic coffee.
Lance: Oh man! You're one of THOSE people, aren't you!

Lance: You're totally going to buy a goat.
Olivia: No I'm not!

Olivia: (to herself) Hmmm...buy a goat...

Fair Trade 101

Starting in 2009, I've switched from buying my usual Millstone Breakfast Blend Coffee to Wild Harvest Organic and Fair Trade Breakfast Blend. The Wild Harvest is $1.00 cheaper than the Millstone.

Here's info on what Fair Trade means (from Wikipedia):
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach to empowering developing country producers and promoting sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit and flowers.


From the Wild Harvest website:
why we only select fair trade certified coffees
* Better for you
* Better for the environment
* Better for our fellow man

Wild Harvest coffee beans are grown free of chemicals under the natural forest canopy, and benefit from a natural processing system practiced for centuries. When you drink it, you know you're making life better for farming families around the world.

Oatmeal

I bought, for the first time, Wild Harvest's Organic Instant Oatmeal in Maple flavoring. It is sweet enough that it tastes good and is easy to make. It was on sale for 2 for $5, which was cheaper than Quaker Oats instant oatmeal. It's super white, so there is no artificial coloring going on in the dish. The taste is delicious and the only downfall I see is that you gotta eat this fast. After about 5 minutes it gets sorta gluey.

For a quick breakfast on the go, or a good office breakfast, I would recommend this oatmeal.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Spoons

The Cost of Eating Healthy

One of the hardest things I have to weigh, when opting to buy organic food versus non-organic, is how much more things cost when they're grown organically. In the summer months this usually isn't a problem because the food at the farmer's market is usually well priced. I remember this past summer buying $4 for a pint of blueberries from a local farmer and then walking into the grocery store that day to find blueberries were on sale for $3.99 a pint. So really, it cost the same to support my local farmers and to eat the produce without all those chemicals.

But milk is definitely more expensive. A gallon of regular milk usually runs about $2.99. My organic milk is $6.49. But since my gasoline bill has gone down so much, I can handle the extra expense.

But I'll admit, it is hard. I'm a single woman, living on her own and sometimes the healthier option is also the pricier option. But I figure if I eat healthy now, hopefully I'll need to spend less on myself in the future (medical bills and such).

If only I had a backyard, I could grow my own vegetable garden for dirt cheap!

New Year: New Topic

I just got back from a week in the Bahamas. It was a wonderful, relaxing vacation filled with lots of fishing, card games and great food.

I spent a lot of the weekend reading a book I just picked up, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. With every chapter I read, I brainstormed ways I could eat more local foods, more organic, more nutritious, etc. I love cooking and food and over the past couple of years my 'interest' has become my 'passion' and with every new recipe or discovered vegetable, my passion burns stronger.

A couple of years ago I decided to join my friend's CSA program. I didn't join because I wanted to buy organic food, or because I loved gardening, I joined to support my friend. Clear and simple. And in the past two years I have become an advocate of local, organic eating. Barbara Kingsolver named 'my kind' as a Locavore. I like the sound of that.

So in 2009, my blog is going to take on the topic of food. I'm going to write out some favorite recipes and ask you to email me any of your favorites, so I can post and share to my readers. I'm going to write about my journey in becoming a more dedicated Locavore. I'll post the frustrations, the burnt dinners, the celebrations and every thing in between. But before I begin, I'll give you a bit of my foodie history.

I have spent the past two summers as a member of my friend Mike's CSA program, picking up a bushel of vegetables and fruits every other weekend. For 2009 I opted not to join the CSA, because it's hard to eat that bushel before it goes bad (I have 4 days, at best) and then I spend the next week and a half hungry for veggies. So instead, this summer I'm going to go to the market every weekend to pick up my week's goods.

Last May, Chris and I joined a meat program with a nearby farm. Jody and Beth (husband and wife) are local farmers who bring us a month's worth of meat on the third Sunday of the month. We usually get varied cuts of beef, chicken and pork along with a couple dozen eggs. Jody and Beth have kindly answered my naive questions, like "is this egg rotten or should the yolk really be neon yellow?". My next question will be "do your chickens lay eggs in the winter, or only during warm months?" There is so much more to learn from them and luckily they encourage my inquisitive mind.

When I changed jobs from Crate and Barrel to Holly Hunt, and cut my gasoline bill by 75%, I decided I would take that money and begin purchasing only organic skim milk. For 2009, I've decided to also switch to organic butter. Cows get pumped chock full of hormones, to help them overproduce milk, and those hormones end up in a glass of milk and a pat of butter on my dining table. I'll get more into the problems I've faced by ingesting those hormones in a later post, but for now just know that if it comes from a cow and is going into my body...there are no added hormones.

Which brings me to cheese. I love cheese. And I'm going to start looking into finding a local cheesemaker. I have no idea how to go about doing this so I'll be sure to keep you posted as I figure out how to get good cheese in Chicago. I'm an hour south of Wisconsin, so I don't think it will be that hard.

Also, for 2009 I'm only buying organic, fair-trade coffee. I don't know why I hadn't thought to start buying this stuff earlier, but better late than never. Luckily, there is a brand sold at my grocery store that costs the same amount of money as the brand I usually buy. So that's an easy switch.

So my priorities are: organic first, local whenever possible, respectful of the people/animal/soil that provides me with my meals.

Happy 2009!

My Advent Calendar!

Months ago I blogged about stitching an advent calendar, similar to the one my mom had when I was growing up. It's complete and I've enjoyed pinning the ornaments on every morning in anticipation for Christmas. Here's what it looks like!

All I Want For Christmas Is Four Wheel Drive

I left work early today to try and make a 5:10 dentist appt. Stepping across the snow and ice I walked the 1/2 block to my little black Nissan.

When I turned the key over, I let the car idle a bit to help warm up the engine. After about a minute (it's hard to be patient when it's -3 degrees outside) I shifted the car into reverse and spun my tires.
So I put it in drive and spun my tires.
So I put it in reverse and spun my tires. Then, with a burst of energy, I popped up on the mound of ice, landing partly on the car behind me while my two back wheels floated in the air.

Good Grief.

At first I tried waving down strangers to help give me a push but no one would stop. Finally I called Chris saying I was stuck on top of an ice mound and I couldn't move my car. He offered to call his friend and have them come meet me to help push me out.

As I waited, I saw a car down the street having trouble getting out of their parking spot. Well, I thought...better make myself useful. So I hopped out of my car and ran over and offered to give a push. The guy said he didn't need my help but noticing my car balanced beautifully on top of an iceberg, he asked if I happened to need some help.

I thankfully said yes.

And then came two other men, walking past, who stopped to try to help. We pushed my car back and forth for about 40 minutes with no avail. We borrowed a shovel from the car lot across the street to try and shovel the snow out. Well, that shovel bent when hitting the ice. THAT'S HOW HARD IT WAS. So we found another metal shovel that was able to chip away a bit of the mound.

At this point, we were all growing concerned about possible frostbite so the four of us ran into the condo building next door to try and warm up. About 5 minutes later, Chris and his friend BK showed up with rope and an SUV. They took a look at my car and their mouths fell wide open. The question on everyone's mind was 'how the heck did she get her car in that position???'

So after some brainstorming, BK and Chris thought it best we try to pick the car up and shift it to the side. It was impossible to drive and being that I was suspended on top of another car, they were afraid I would rip off both bumpers if they tried to push it. So the 5 of us crowded around my trunk and on the count of three we lifted my car off the ground and shifted it one inch.

Then we did that again.
And again.
And again.
Until both back tires were on the ground and the entire car was off the car behind it.

Then BK and Chris tied a rope from my car to BK's SUV and we pulled my car out of the snow/ice mound.

It took 90 minutes but finally my car was on solid ground.

I'm thankful for the angels that appeared in my life today. It was one of those humbling moments were you realize no matter how strong of a person you are, sometimes you need the help of others. And you have to hope that there are kind, generous folks around willing to pitch in. So this year I am thankful for the kindness of strangers. And friends. And boyfriends.

Well Played, Kate W.

Well Played Kate! She looks fantastic! Even with the odd beading on her dress which looks like it's roping in her right boob.

The Children's Play

Sunday morning was our church's first ever children's nativity play. This is the first year we've had a children's ministry and it was wonderful to see over 20 kids dressed up and participating.
We even had a live baby lamb.
But the cutest part of the entire play was the little 2 year old girl, dressed as a baby lamb, and her squeals of delight and she darted towards the real lamb and then back to her mom, and then towards the lamb, and back to her mom, and.....
:)
Even Jesus had to have been smiling down on that moment and perhaps giggling to himself.

Advent Party

Saturday night was our church's Advent Party at Pastor Trey's place. His apartment is amazing and ginormous! And about 30 people spent a couple hours snacking on food, sipping hot apple cider and then we crammed ourselves into his living room to sing christmas carols. It was lovely.

Santa's Little Elf

When she's not watching the snowflakes fall, she keeps an eye out for Santa's sleigh.

Sinus Rinse/ Netti Pot

I caught a cold a couple of days ago and last night, in the middle of the night, I woke to severe sinus pressure. All day today my ears have been plugged up, my nose is stuffed then runny then stuffed, and I'm sneezing constantly.

So I decided to do a sinus rinse, which my doctor recommended to me and which I've heard so much about. It's a little uncomfortable but not painful. And surprisingly, it really works! I can breathe thru both nostrils after I perform the rinse.

Basically, you pour warm salt water into one nostril, it flows through your sinuses and out the other nostril. If you're really stuffed up, it may come out your mouth. It sounds disgusting, but really isn't that bad. It just cleans you out. I've done it twice and am surprised and how good I feel after doing the rinse.

For those of you who haven't heard of this, here's a video:

Advent Conspiracy

Fugly

JT has seen better days.

Dress Rehearsal

I realized I hadn't posted photos from Sarah's dress rehearsal.
Sarah and Paddy met at a Halloween party and every year my friends love to get dressed up for Halloween. So their dress rehearsal, which fell on Halloween night, was a costume party!
Sarah went as a Bridezilla. Paddy went as Bob from What About Bob? Chris went as the Dread Pirate Roberts. I went in masquerade. It was so much fun!!

Soup

I can not get enough of the new Campbell's Select Soups! The label is printed with soy ink on recycled paper. There's no MSG or crazy additives. A full serving a veggies in every can and only 200 calories! My favorite is the Tomato Basil.

Mmm...mmm...good....

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

We got our first snowfall last night. I woke up this morning and everything had a 2 inch layer of white resting on top. I pulled my ice scraper out of the trunk of the car, where it retires to during warmer months, and chipped the ice off my windshield.

All the while, my feet were soooo warm in my Ugg boots! These things are amazing!

Can you believe it's December already? I know, I can't! I'm looking forward to the trip to the Bahamas at the end of this month. But I've got a million things to do between now and then...watch all my favorite Christmas movies, holiday baking this coming weekend with Chris' sister Jenn, caroling with my church, and just enjoying the festive season.

:)
'Tis the season, readers.

Economic Crisis

Last Friday my company laid 10% of our workers off. Michi's company also let people go last Friday. And we both know that we were lucky that it wasn't one of us that got laid off. Michi and I are both new to our companies and some companies are letting their newest associates go.

For the first time, this economic crisis is hitting my home...my friends...

I actually started planning for what I would do if I were to lose my job in the coming months. I work in design, in retail...no one's job is safe in my field of work.

Let's all pray that this gets better soon. And let's pray for those people who just lost their job. May they find work soon....

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Friday night, Chris and I saw Zack and Miri Make a Porno. It was HILARIOUS! Seth Rogan cracks me up and I love Elizabeth Banks' laugh. Afterwards we grabbed a pint at a new pub near Chris' home and while instead enjoying our tasty beverages, some punk egged Chris' car.

On a street packed with cars, a lone egg was thrown at Chris' windshield. It froze almost instantly. Boo....

YMCA

Michi and I joined the local YMCA last night. We joined so we can start swimming laps a few times a week. We did a 30 minute lap swim last night, which felt great! I love the water!
The Y is only 5 blocks from my apartment, so not even a 10 minute walk, which makes it super convenient. The lanes get a bit crowded, but Michi and I just share a lane so it's not too bad.

Twilight

In a span of 2 weeks I had 3 friends recommend this book to me. So I picked it up last weekend and COULD NOT put it down. I read all 500 pages in 3 days. I went ahead and picked up the sequel and started reading it last night.

If you're looking for an easy and fun book to read, I recommend Twilight.

I Made Pink Is The New Blog!

Holy Cow!!

Chicago is a New City

Thanks Michi for sending me this picture. All these signs are up around downtown Chicago.

Yes We Can!!!