The Contract

Nervous, she ponders in gaze to the ceiling as she stands with her hands resting on each hip, elbows bent, head tilted back. She lets out a long sigh, held in by scrambled thoughts being organized in her head. She looks to the floor for only a second, turns to the table and takes a seat in the cold yet welcoming chair already pulled out awaiting her acceptance. She rests her chin on a pile of papers, folded hands hang beneath the table dangling between her knees. Her mind is quiet now, the newly found position at the table seems to be relaxing for the moment. Sitting up, she pulls the chair in while bending one leg up to be cradled under the other leaving it to hang, barely touching the floor. Taking the stack of papers that lay in front of her she straightens them by bouncing them on the table, breaking the silence of the room. Her legs now repositioned and crossed she properly sits up, no slouching. Still holding the papers she reaches for the pen that lays next to her right hand... anxieties tremble... her heart starts to pound... excitement grows with each breath... her throat begins to tighten as she feels numbing tingles over take her body... her hands become clammy. One last deep breath helps her to lay them down, she turns to the last page containing the sign here stick tab, pen in hand she signs her name... she applies the date... then stares at her accomplished work.

Slowly placing the signed document into the return envelope, sealing it with a prayer she stands only to find her legs are now weak. Pure anticipation begins to overtake her control. She screams out "LOOK! LOOK!" laughter rings out bouncing off the walls of her home she jumps around in dance, holding the beginnings of her greatest accomplishment "The Secret Within - DAY ONE"

... LOL!!! Okay, I had to do that I thought it to be funny :-) I have written a book and just signed the contract today and yes I am soooo excited!! My publisher gave me an estimate of 7 months before the first copy will hit store shelves... I am scared and nervous... most of all in disbelief!! WOW! Anyway... just had to share :-)

God Bless!

This Is The Stuff - Francesca Battistelli | With Lyrics

Its a journey, a choice, a domino... how does yours start?

Funny how people can be to each other.. sometimes it is truly sad, but we have the ability to leave behind cherished memories... then again, we can also leave scornful thoughts of who and what we were at that given moment. Each step of our lives, we are given choices, it is what we do with them that adds to our journey.

Some can be so self centered they miss the most important things that have been given. Some filled with so much anger, they too bypass the opportunity of happiness. Some are scared of what could be, letting it pass them by, has become a security in daily life.

The leaf blows through the wind with no regards to where it may land... from there its' journey may end, or may have only began. What would happen if we let the wind float us through life... no worries as to where we may land, only to start again... or rest? What would happen if more of us forgot our own selfish ways so our eyes could focus on the stranger next to us? What would the world be like if the carried anger was set free allowing laughter?

They say it takes only one to make a difference... so what if the one making the difference, touched another... that one then touched another... like the dominoes that fall one after the other.
Have you ever gave a perfect stranger a smile followed with a "Hello" not because you were at work and it is part of your job to greet... but, just because?

So, I started thinkin... what is a domino I can tip? Then one day at the McDonalds drive-thru I paid mine with cash, and handed my card to the cashier for it to be used for the person behind me. At first I got a weird look, and she said "Oookay?" I then asked her for their receipt, and without explaining my actions I wrote these words - Every payday, I pay for the person behind me and today that person is YOU!! May God Bless You!! - I handed the receipt back and ask that it be delivered. It isn't just the paid meal, but the joy of sharing with a stranger, and watching the dominoes fall!

If we could just stop for a moment, and think of the person we have never met, send a prayer, a blessing, anything... what domino would that start?

Try this for a month... pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru... start the Domino! If you do... please share you experience, I would love to hear about it!!

With my company... just being a PREFERED CUSTOMER gives you MONEY BACK!

Yes, I work with a group of moms.. dads... families from my home, in a virtual office... but not everyone wants that right? No problem... you like the products, but don't want to work from home... then be a customer :-)

What we offer to our customers, is more than any other store coupon you will ever find... and it doesn't stop there! With what shall I start??? HHmmm... savings... nah, that's a given... health benefits... yes... you read that right HEALTH BENIFITS... and savings from over 650 retail partners from everywhere! JCPenny, Target, Barnes&Noble, Zales, Best Buy, Old Navy FTD... and sooooo many more... get this there is even Identity Theft Protection!! JUST FOR BEING A CUSTOMER... can you get THAT from your local department store? I think not ;-) (btw there is more!!)

Don't forget, not only do you receive many different benefits, but you are also providing a safe place for your family to enjoy!

To learn more about the EchoSense products Melaleuca provides, click on one of the following links, provide us the information needed to send you an introduction video filled with information on the many products and money saving ways with Melaleuca!

Meet my team leader Donna Morgan: www.ceomomsonline.com/KristyRussell

Get Details here: http://www.internetceomoms.com/KristyRussell?gmi?

About me: http://www.internetceomoms.com/KristyRussell?aboutme?

If you have any questions, feel free to email me kristyr@cableone.net

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!! :-)



Running home for Safety... or Running home to Danger?

-There is no place like home, There is no place like home-

Everyone... well most everyone knows this is from the classic "Wizard of Oz" movie spoken by the character Dorothy. And ya know... she was right! There IS no place like home!! Where is it you find yourself wanting to go after a long trip, at the end of the day, no matter what you might be doing, where you might have been -THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME-

So, whats the first thing YOU do once you enter your safe haven? Me, I get comfortable!! Of course, it depends on the day... but for the most part I may end up on the couch... laying on my back on the floor... sitting at the table... really who knows just as long as I can relax in my home...

Then there was this one day I got to thinking... I soon realized my home isn't as clean as I thought, my kids aren't coming home to a clean and safe environment! I started reading the make up of my cleaners... and researching these words so I could try and find out WHAT it is was cause WOW! Who puts the letters together for half of those words anyway? Mostly, who is the one that gets to pronounce it HA! After finding out what the words truly were, made me feel horrible! I was buying hazardous chemicals and bringing them into my home thinking I was doing my family good. So I did some more searching to find products that are safe and I found MELALEUCA!!

Melaleuca is an oil derived from East Indian and Australian trees and shrubs. Melaleuca is also a company that has taken this oil and created a line of products SAFE for your home. Everything to clean your home to weight loss products and not a one needs safety caps. There are no harsh chemicals, PROVING there are ways to clean WITHOUT the toxins!! OH!! And if you think safe = weak... LOL! Think again my friend... Melaleuca's EcoSense products are proven to work. I love they way they leave my home smelling and even feeling (yes feeling) clean. I can actually feel the difference when I handle my dishes... sounds wierd I am sure, but true. :-) Not only that, they clean sooo much better than the so-called "green-cleaners" you may have tried in the past! 

Let's look at some examples...

- Melaleuca's Sol-U-Gaurd Botanical Disinfectant - Citric Acid and Thyme Oil... versus Lysol All Pupose Disinfectant which contains Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride... WHAT?? Alkydimeth.... okay I can't even say that !!

- Melaleuca's Diamond Brite - Naturally Derived Enzymes (this btw is dish washing detergent and I love it!!) versus Cascade .. containing Chlorine Bleach... Okay so Chlorine Bleach is suppose to be safe right? Read my post about Chlorine Bleach and you may think twice next time you go to use this to wash your dishes, and clean your home.

-Melaleuca's Tub & Tile - Citric Acid ... versus Lime-A-Way using Sulfamic Acid... Oh don't you just want to sit your kids in the tub after using that...  

This is only a few items... Melaleuca has everything you need plus more and more each day! What is awesome, these items are concentrated!! You not only are truly cleaning your home, but saving money too!! And yes, I also work for them from home and it is wonderful! They have so many benefits... so if you are ready to make the switch, and truly clean your home, to finally relax knowing your family is safe... then visit the following link, meet my team leader and watch our presentation, you will be happy you did and I can't wait to help you transform your home!

http://www.ceomomsonline.com/KristyRussell

Okay... so WHAT is this Bleach/Clorox REALLY??

           

NO matter the brand, it is still... bleach.
There is no reason to be using Clorox since the development of SoluGuard Botanical that has an EPA number as a disinfectant. There is also no reason to be using Clorox Beach or Cascade because MelaBrite Whitener and Diamond Brite automatic dish washing cleaner are safer and more effective. - Dr Micheal McCullough 

______________________________

WHO of us hasn't used Bleach / Clorox  to Clean in our home?

I mean it MUST be SAFE, RIGHT?  And we HAVE to have it for our WHITES in the laundry .... don't we?

 OR DO WE?  

 _____________________________________________________

Naturally Speaking

 Speaking About the Dangers of Chlorine Bleach

Most of us have grown up with the idea that whiter whites (and brighter colors) mean cleaner clothes. We continue to use chlorine products with abandon to whiten and to disinfect. We write on white paper and bathe in and drink chlorinated water. After all, who wants bacteria- infested water? In our society, chlorine is ubiquitous-and so are its side effects. In fact, the long-term residual effects from chlorine are becoming such a health hazard that the American Public Health Association is urging the American paper industry to stop using chlorine. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found dioxin (a toxic byproduct of chlorine) to be 300,000 times more potent as a carcinogen than DDT

Healthy & Natural speaks with Stephen Ashkin, director of product development and environmental affairs at Seventh Generation, a manufacturer of green, non-toxic cleaning products. Although he has a degree in chemistry, Ashkin gained most of his practical knowledge and experience through direct contact in the chemical industry. He literally grew up in the laboratory of his parent's cleaning products manufacturing company. Ashkin chaired the American Society for Testing and Materials' task force that wrote the national cleaning standard for commercial and institutional buildings. He has also chaired President Clinton's Green Chemistry Challenge Task Force. Ashkin is acting advisor for a number of EPA programs including the Indoor Environment Division. He has published numerous articles on environmentally preferable products and is a very popular conference speaker.

Q: Does chlorine occur naturally?

Typically chlorine does not normally occur in the environment except as a yellow gas on rare occasions. It's a manufactured substance produced through an industrial process. An electrical current is passed through salt water producing chlorine and caustic soda.

Q: Is chlorine very toxic?

This is where this topic gets very interesting. Many people argue that chlorine is basically safe-that it breaks down into harmless salt and water. Well, that's true-in a laboratory test tube under very controlled conditions. The real issue is not just how toxic chlorine itself is but how the unintended byproducts of chlorine (organochlorines and dioxins) remain in the environment. They are persistent in the environment; they do not break down readily and therefore bio-accumulate.

Q: Is there a chlorine pollution problem?

One of the largest uses of chlorine is in the paper industry. Chlorine is first used to break down the lignan that holds the wood fibers together. Then chlorine is used to bleach the paper to make it white. The effluent or wastewater containing dioxins and other organochlorines are then dumped into streams and waterways. These ingredients are highly toxic and carcinogenic. Once in the waste stream, they come into contact with other organic materials and surfactants and combine to form a host of extremely toxic organic chemicals.

A chain of events occurs: The water becomes polluted; the fish become contaminated; animals eat the fish and people eat the contaminated animals and fish. This can create a very serious health problem; the dioxins and other toxic chemicals, when consumed, accumulate in the fatty tissues. These contaminants are also hormone disrupters because they mimic estrogen. The EPA has observed and documented hormonal imbalance, suppressed immune systems, reproductive infertility and alterations in fetal development of animals. In viewing the big picture, these factors are perhaps the most

frightening results from the widespread use of chlorine.

Q: How widespread is chlorine contamination?

It is so widespread that it would be difficult to find any human being who does not have detectable levels of dioxin in his/her blood.

While we know that chlorine is a substantial environmental problem caused by the paper industry, household bleach and cleaners containing chlorine also pose a serious health risk. For instance, in 1997, 217,989 calls to the Poison Control Center concerned household cleaners. Of those calls, 54,453 were about chlorine bleach and 7,570 were for chlorine disinfectants. So, that means that 28.4 percent of all calls were related to poisonings by chlorine products. What's even more important, most of those calls were about children under 6 years old.

Q: What can happen if these chemicals get into our bodies?

Our bodies are very good at metabolizing many things. Through special enzymes, our bodies are able to rid themselves of many environmental toxic substances that we come into contact with daily. However, dioxins (and other organochlorine compounds) aren't included. Even if we are exposed to very low levels, dioxins remain in the body and accumulate.

The EPA is now saying that this is soon to become a major health risk problem. The cumulative effects of dioxin in humans have been linked to birth defects, cancer, reproductive disorders and immune system breakdown.

Q: Should chlorine be used in our public water supply?

The alternative question would be, should we drink contaminated water? The answer, of course, would be no. It's very important that our water is sanitized. Years ago, there were very few alternatives. However, today, while chlorine is a very effective (and cheap) sanitizer, many scientists are recognizing some serious side effects from chlorine. Today, our technology is getting to the point where, I hope, we will look into a better means of sanitizing our drinking water. This will not be easy because one of the biggest advantages (and ultimately the biggest disadvantage) of using chlorine is the fact that chlorine doesn't break down. Water can be treated with chlorine at the filtration plant and 10 miles away the chlorine is persistent enough to remain in the water and pipes when it reaches the home. There exist many other ingredients that are good sanitizers, but they break down quickly, and the water would become contaminated by the time it reaches someones home.

We may have a problem if we need to sanitize via a chemical additive. It becomes a sort of oxymoron: chemicals that are persistent also tend to be toxic. The ultimate solution may be to have home-based water filtration/sanitizing systems. This would eliminate the problem of trying to prevent hundreds of miles of pipes, installed a hundred years ago, from contaminating the water.

Q: Are there safe, effective alternatives to chlorine as a bleaching agent and disinfectant?

Absolutely! Primarily, hydrogen peroxide is available to the paper industry and to the soap industry as a bleaching agent. Another new technology uses ozone. Other non-chlorinated household cleaning products, readily available to the consumer, achieve the same bleaching and disinfecting results as chlorine but are nontoxic.

I don't understand why anyone would want to use chlorine products anyway. Chlorine is a respiratory irritant and when mixed with other common household products, it gives off a toxic gas.

Q: What can we do to make a difference?

We could request and purchase processed chlorine-free paper, not just in writing paper but in paper towels, napkins, tissues, and toilet paper. It's a vote for our environment and our health. It may seem to be a small thing, but collectively it really can make a substantial difference.

We need to realize that the technology in the chemical industry has changed as dramatically as in the computer industry. We no longer need to use harmful substances simply because they worked for our grandparents. The technology in the chemical industry is allowing us to replace many of these toxic ingredients with others that are not only nontoxic but have renewable resources and many environmental benefits.

It's a major educational process for consumers to understand that they, through their buying choices, can make a difference. Did you know that only about 20 percent of shoppers buy their household products in natural food stores? What that says to me is that while consumers recognize the importance of buying supplements and organic foods, they don't recognize the same environmental and health benefits associated with buying chlorine-free paper and other non-toxic cleaners.

Chlorine Facts

Dioxin, a chemical byproduct of the manufacturing of chlorine bleached paper, is believed to be the single most carcinogenic chemical known to science.

When you open the door of your dishwasher after washing, toxic volatized chlorine from dish detergent and tap water is released into the air.

Thanks to chlorine pollution, Americans ingest a daily amount of dioxin that is already 300 to 600 times greater than the EPA's so-called "safe" dose.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found dioxin to be 300,000 times more potent as a carcinogen than DDT.

Dioxin has been linked to endometriosis, immune system impairment, diabetes, neurotoxicity, birth defects, decreased fertility, and reproductive dysfunction in both women and men.

Studies show that 40-70 percent of the dioxin in bleached coffee filters can leach into your coffee; dioxin found in paper milk cartons also leaches into the milk you drink.

Cancer-causing chemicals like chlorine found in many household products such as coffee filters, disposable diapers, paper towels, and bathroom tissue are readily absorbed through the skin.

SCARY ISN'T IT?   

Do you like CHICKEN... POTATOES... or CORN???? Try this meal, my family LOVES it!!

Hey guys!! I just wanted to share a dinner my family loves! AND guess what ... I want to say there is a 5-10 minute prep time!! I am not all concerned with prep times.. this time, that time.. I just want to know what is quick and easy and here is one I would like to share :-) For this meal, I don't use actual measuring spoons and such, I just make it... so I hope I don't mess you up with my measuring technique...

Depending on the size of your family, my family we have 5, two of which are teenage boys. I use 8 chicken breast, but like I said it depends on the size of your family.

-Chicken breast - frozen (quantity is up to you) I use a 13x9 pan
-onion slice cut in half and place each small wedge piece on chicken breast
-favorite b-b-q sauce... smother onto chicken

place in oven at 375 for about 45 min or until chicken is done. Use the juice stuff as a dipping sauce YUMMY!

Okay, for the potatoes, you'll need a microwave safe dish and lid, I use a pie plate with a round lid to my old crock pot... works great!

-dice up your potatoes, I normally use about 5-7 depending on the size of the potato
-a couple of onion pieces placed randomly
-4 big spoons (out of the silverware drawer) of butter, kinda heaping
  placed randomly over the potatoes
-a little bit of milk and the same amount of water

cover with lid and microwave for 10minutes... salt and pepper, stir and microwave for another 10 minutes... stir and cover with 4 slices of cheese, replace lid so the heat can melt the cheese... mmmMMmmmm

NOW FOR THE CORN!!! :-)

This is something my grandma made, she passed away this last winter, and I do miss her!!

You will need a frying pan for this, your gonna make "Fried Corn"

-frozen corn
-2 big spoons of butter into frying pan (you'll want the heat on the high side I set mine on the number 7, my dial goes to number 8 and then HI)

pour frozen corn into pan, salt and pepper, now sprinkle about .. uumm if it had to be measured an 1/8 cup of sugar... fry until corn is a darker yellow.

SERVE AND ENJOY FAMILY AROUND THE TABLE!!! :-)

BTW ... If you have any questions... let me know, I will be happy to answer them...