Van Der Geer

The Van Der Geer family stopped in today from Holland. They were a happy laughing bunch. I wish I knew Dutch so I could understand what was so funny, but I laughed anyway. Willem, Dick, Jannie, Colinda, Bob, and Max.

Goat Bellies Are Growing

By the beginning of June kids should be arriving. I say "should" because no one can predict when they will be here. Last time Hana had her kids three weeks early and the time before we waited 2 weeks longer for the kids to arrive. The goats are lying down more and more every day as their stomachs are getting bigger and bigger.

Spring and Body Powder

Spring is here and we have been busy making new products for the 2009 season. A complete new line of products is our Nature Body Powder. We combine arrowroot powder, cornstarch, rice flour and essential oils to make 4 different scents. A lot of Body Powders have talcum in them, which is an effective absorbent, helps deodorize, and imparts a silky touch, but is not healthy to breathe because it often contains traces of asbestos.
Ours is talcum free.

Jacinthe started on her way back to Quebec. She is such a pleasant person to be around. She had a wonderful smile.

Jacinthe

Bonjour! Je suis Jacinthe, je viens du Quebec et je suis wwoofeuse chez Em depuis dimanche. Le travail ici est diversifie et vraiment interressant. C'est un bel endroit pour en apprendre plus sur la fabrication du savon et de produits pour le corps. Jusqu'a maintenant, j'ai travaille dans la "soap shop", surtout pour fabriquer des produits, et un peu d'empaquetage, etiquettage, etc, etc. Tres agreable d'y travailler parce que ca sent toujours tres tres bon! Et puis je prends aussi soin des chevres tout les jours. Je suis justement, dans la video, en train de defaire une balle ronde de foin, livree dernierement pour l'abriter dans la grange. Et puis la famille est tres gentille et les enfants adorables. Je crois bien que je vais passer deux excellentes semaines de wwoofing!

Thumbprint Bath Cookies

I walked into the Soap Shop this evening to find a table full of bath cookies. My two girls from Germany were busy all afternoon making cookies and being creative. The smell was incredible; coconut cream, vanilla spice, orange and vanilla, chocolate, lemon cream, strawberry delight, white chocolate raspberry truffle. The bath cookies are one of the new products for 2009.

Happy Day

Julia came down the stairs and in her sweet little voice said "mommy's happy day". Today I turn 46. Thirty years ago I was 16. Oh my goodness! I can remember being 16 very clearly. All my hopes and dreams at 16 are the same now. The road has taken many turns but here I'm the same person, a little more tired, a little more wiser and a little less patient but generally the same.

I'm so grateful for all I have on this day. Two wonderful responsible biological children and two adopted Chinese children with lots of laughs and energy. A loving husband that supports all my crazy ideas and dreams. Finally all the customers (you) that enjoy the soap I make and all the positive comments that I get.

Katharina and Sabrina

We have two delightful and quiet girls from Germany staying with us. They started 5 months ago in British Columbia and have volunteered across Canada. They will be heading back soon to Germany. We have been making soap, lotions and a lot of other stuff. They are two busy beavers in the soap shop. I'm very grateful they are here because I have two very busy beavers in the house right now.

David and Kristopher got back Sunday and Kristopher hit the ground running with Julia right behind him. It seems like Kristopher has always been here. They are never still enough to take any pictures. I will get some soon and post them.

First time outside

First time feeling the sun's warmth, the spring breeze and the cool grass under foot for Tulip's kids Angle and Matt. At this young age of 7 days they are not venturing to far from mom.

I don't want you to think this picture is taken today. This picture was taken June 2008. Soon it will look like summer here but for right now it is cold, and a nice layer of ice is covering the snow.

Kids in a Barrel

I do not know how this could ever have happened but it caused a big kerfluffle in the barn with kids crying and mom beside herself with worry.

Tulip's top lip is out past the bottom. She is trying to console her daughter Angel.

The joy and unpredictability of kids will soon be upon us again.

July 2008

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Rosemary and Lavender Shampoo Bars

There are many advantages to hard Shampoo Bars:

-they last much longer, at least 2 times longer then bottled shampoo

-no spillage

-the bars can go in carry-on bags on planes

-good value

-do not have to throw away a plastic bottle

Lavender and Geranium Shampoo Bars

These bars are my personal favourite. They have calendula and camomile pedals in them. Lavender and Geranium is great for a dry scalp.

Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate

If you have been to the demonstrations in our store then you know to read the labels on the products you put on your skin. Just like reading the labels on the food you consume to protect your health, you need to know what chemicals are in the products that are going on your skin. Your skin absorbs everything you put on it. That is how the patch to stop smoking works. The nicotine is aborbed though the skin at a lower dosage. Amy has been doing research for you to know what not to buy when shopping for skin care products. Here is the information below.



To quote word for word as reported in the book "Health Wars" written by investigative medical journalist Phillip Day:
"Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is a very harsh detergent found in almost all shampoos and more than a few toothpastes. Pick up a cross section of these products next time you visit the supermarket and you will find Sodium Lauryl Sulphate SLS or Sodium Lauryth Sulphate (SLES) in pride of place under the ingredients label.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate started its career as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer and then irritating and eroding the skin, leaving it rough and pitted. Studies on SLS have shown that:" (Judi Vance, Beauty To Die For, Promotion Publishing, 1998) "Shampoos with SLS could retard healing and keep children's eyes from developing properly. Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to improper eye development. (Summary of Report of Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. conference.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate can cause cataracts in adults and delays the healing of wounds in the surface of the cornea.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate has a low molecular weight and so is easily absorbed by the body. It builds up in the heart, liver and brain and can cause major problems in these areas.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes skin to flake and to separate and causes roughness on the skin.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes dysfunction of the biological systems of the skin.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is such a caustic cleanser that it actually corrodes the hair follicle and impairs the ability to grow hair.""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is routinely used in clinical studies deliberately to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested." (Study cited by the Wall St Journal, 1st November 1998)
Ethoxylation: Ethoxylation is the process that makes degreasing agents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) less abrasive and gives them enhanced foaming properties. When SLS is ethoxylated, it forms Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES), a compound used in many shampoos, toothpastes, bath gels, bubble baths, and industrial degreasants. The problem is, the extremely harmful compound 1,4-dioxane may be created during the ethoxylation process, contaminating the product. 1,4-dioxane was one of the principal components of the chemical defoliant Agent Orange... It is also an oestrogen mimic thought to increase the chances of breast cancer and endometrial cancer, stress related illnesses and lower sperm counts. Dr Samuel Epstein (Author and research Scientist) reports: "The best way to protect yourself is to recognise ingredients most likely to be contaminated with the1,4-dioxane. These include ingredients with the prefix word, or syllable PEG, Polyethylene, Polyethylene Glycol, Polyoxyethylene, eth (as in sodium laureth sulphate) or oxynol. Both polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80 may also be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. (Epstein, Dr Samuel, Safe Shoppers Bible, P.190-191)
Information from:http://www.health-report.co.uk/sodium_lauryl_sulphate.html

Power Lines

We lost power Monday afternoon. Thankfully it came back on just as it was getting dark and the house was getting cold.

We are working on new labeling for our citrus products for the newsletter.

Ice Storm

Last Monday the weather changed from snow to freezing rain. For most of the week everything was covered with ice. The weather turned warm this weekend and all the ice is off the trees.

David has been in China finalizing the adoption to bring our little boy home. They will be here Friday if all their flights are on time. We are so excited to meet the newest member of our family!