The Full List | Environmental Working Group

While surfing the internet, I came across this website. (Link above.) It ranks fruits and vegetables according to the level of pesticide content (contamination!), with low scores being good and higher scores being bad. The ones with higher scores are the ones that you should buy organic (if you're concerned about pesticides). It's expensive to buy everything organic, and this way you can pick and choose. Check out the other useful info on the site too while you're there.


I've been trying to get us (me & the hubby) closer to a whole-foods diet. That means eating foods close to the source, that are not processed, altered, or manipulated. It's tough to do! I love my Oreo cookies and my Rice Crispy Treats!! (And my cookie dough ice cream, and my ice cream sandwiches, and... oops! getting sidetracked here.) We're not even close to being there yet, but as long as we're making progress I'm okay with that. We are definitely eating healthier foods! I've developed a love for - of all things - oranges!! If you've known me for any length of time, I know how ridiculous it must seem for me to be eating FRUIT. I'd much rather have cookies or crackers. But I love cold oranges. (I keep 'em in the fridge.) Eating one is like taking a big drink of cool, clear water when you're parched.


We're also learning to pay attention to portion sizes. We've both been informed by our doctors that we have high cholesterol and triglycerides. And we both need to lose weight. So we're figuring out how much we need to eat versus how much we want to eat. There's a huge difference - especially when the food is really tasty!! It's surprising how little our bodies need in order to refuel, when we eat the right foods.


OK - I'll come out and say it.... I've lost about 20 pounds! I'm not exactly sure where I started, but that's based on my best estimate. My goal is to lose another 35. That seems like a lot, but I'm taking it in 10 pound increments. My mister has lost weight too, but I'm not sure if he wants me to share any specifics. I'll leave that one alone for right now!


I think for my next post, I'll track down information on fish - which ones are safer to eat, etc. Sound good?? Let me know if there's something else you want me to look into!


Ciao for now ;-)

First, let me tell you a little bit about me. I was in the mortgage business for what seemed like a lifetime, until the entire industry turned in on itself and finally collapsed. At last, I was free of the monstrous clutches of the mortgage biz! Don't get me wrong, it was really good to me and I learned a TON - about life, myself, and oh yeah, business. But somewhere along the way I'd become a "lifer."

After the dust settled, I found myself with the opportunity to become a full-time student. I had been going to school part-time in the evenings, but now I had the chance to speed up the process and -the best part- go to classes whatever time and day it suited ME. I have to give my husband an extra special thank you for supporting me, both financially and emotionally. Lord knows, he deserves to be rewarded for the torture I put him through! (Love you honey!)

I now find myself freshly "gradumatated" with a bachelor's degree in business and trying to figure out what's next. I am quite fearful of the sea of cubicles that's threatening to take over the rest of my life. I don't want to be a rat!! I can't - I won't! Talk about torturing my husband... I don't think either one of us would make it out alive!

Now is the "fun" part of figuring out what will make me happy and fulfilled while still paying the bills. I feel some kind of creativity welling up in me, but I'm not sure how it's going to manifest itself. I always wanted to be artistic, but I thought that since I couldn't draw, that was the end of it. Nope, not creative. But really, it's much more than that. Sooo much more.

So keep your fingers crossed for me that I will find my passion in life and live up to it.


Ciao for now. ;-)

Welcome to my brand-spanking-new blog! I'm so excited you are reading my post! I will be blogging about anything and everything that comes through my brain, and hopefully you will find some of it helpful, entertaining, or inspirational. Or any combination/permutation of the three. Wheeeee.... here we go.....