Cosmetic Circles - Organic, reusable, machine washable

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Phew. It's good to be back in the blog-o-sphere. After some trouble with our card reader for the big-daddy camera, I've switched back to using my little point-and-click. There are some pretty delicious posts stored up in that big card, but for those you will have to wait.

In the mean time, I give you: Circles! lots and lots of them!

I'm not a fan of disposable items.  We have cloth shopping bags, napkins, lunch cooler bags, and use glass jars for most food storage. It felt a little disingenuous to use a fresh bleached cotton circle or ball every time I went to clean my face at night. The solution?

Reusable, machine-washable, organic cotton cosmetic circles and a lovely wash bag to keep them on their best behavior in the washer and dryer. 

The edges are hand stitched with cotton floss and the wash bag is knitted with a drawstring.

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Happy Bunny Home Theater - Peppermint Patties

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Popcorn with all kinds of fixings is one of our favorite treats. About once a week we put in a movie, make a big bowl of popcorn and snuggle 'til it's all done and gone.

We also have a standing tradition of date-nights, and to make this past Friday evening special, we had the first edition of the Happy Bunny Home Theater.

Our living room is complete with two wired-in wall lights to which I added red paper complete with bunny-shaped cutouts.

I pulled out the couch and rounded up all the pillows in the house for a family-style lounge home theater experience.

To recreate the movie theater consumables, I made peppermint patties to go with our popcorn, lamb-kielbasa, spiced pecans and punch.

I mixed creamed honey with coconut oil and added peppermint oil. Once the mix had cooled I spooned it into little portions.

When the portions have solidified even more (I put them in the fridge to speed the process) they can be formed into patty shapes.

Using a fork I carefully dipped them in melted chocolate (mix of bittersweet and unsweetened to balance the honey) and slipped them onto parchment.

Not a single one survived the evening.

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Belated deliciousness

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Between my class and Joe's new commute there seems to be ever less time for things like taking and editing photos, never mind actually actually doing the things to photograph.

Here is a belated nectarine tart.

Before:

 

And After:

It didn't last long. 

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A bit of seriousness - an update

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On Tuesday I had my appointment to go over the results of my blood work.

Thank you all for your concern and support. I'm still figuring out what the results actually mean but will try to give you the big picture.


The interesting news:

My allergy profile came out clean - makes me wonder if some of my negative reactions to certain foods have more to do with the rest of what's going on and may clear up once my system recovers.


The mediocre news:

I'm slightly hypoglycemic - this was my assumption so there's no surprise there.

I have a sub-clinical hypothyroid disorder - my thyroid isn't doing well but also isn't doing horribly.

My progesterone levels are still too low, even with the cream I've been using for the last decade or so, although some of this should clear up when my iodine levels return to normal.


The scary news:

My Vitamin D and B12 levels are dangerously low, and I have a severe adrenal deficiency. My levels are well below the levels known to cause "neuropsychiatric and hematologic abnormalities", severe depression, memory loss, etc.

In the Doctor's own words "I don't even know how you're functioning."   

What's next?

I'm on a regimen of supplements, vitamins, and other things. Some of these help support my organs, some give some of them a break so they can recover, and some replace what my body isn't making or absorbing.

We have an appointment in six weeks to check in and will do blood work again in three months.

I am trying to stay positive and look on the bright side - that there is much we can do to get my system back in order and running smoothly on it's own. All of what we're doing is temporary and will only be part of my regimen until I'm back to full strength.

I'm having a hard time with the possibility of not feeling well for some time and trying to focus on what I can do now. At the moment I've got all of the same things I've been dealing with as well as my stomach adjusting to all the new things it has to process and taking its frustrations out on me.

I'm doing my best and that is enough. Joe has been a superhero throughout all of this and I cannot even imagine what this would be like without his support and strength. I'll continue to take things slowly, do what I can and remain hopeful.

m
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Two years! (and two weeks)

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Two years (and two weeks ago) my husband and I got married.

I could not have asked for a better day, or a more incredible man.

To my dearest Joe, you are my life and my love. 

Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.   

"All that I am I give to you. I offer you my strength and my weaknesses. I promise to love you and cherish you. To honor and respect you. I promise to listen deeply when you speak. And whatever the future may hold, I commit myself to loving you, as long as we both shall live."

September 20th, 2008

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