Change is upon us....

I have had blog block lately and I seriously haven't been able to write about anything -believe me I have tried.... With a one and a half year old tugging at my arm and pushing my shut down button. It seems hard to be inspired to write much. I am very eager to find out who our next president will be however. With less than 48 hours until we find out, I am waiting patiently. I am so ready for CHANGE. Life has been full lately and not full at all. It's hard to explain, there is something I am supposed to do right now, but I am not sure how to get there. I have this tugging in me to create and with not much time on my hands it's hard to be creative. The desire is strong and it is ever present.

I found some interesting info on BPA and wanted to share it with you....

Bisphenol-A has had its fair share of media coverage this year and things are definitely not quieting down. Just this week a scientific panel released a report charging that the FDA ignored valuable studies when it concluded last summer that BPA is a safe chemical. Many retailers and manufacturers have responded over the past year by voluntarily phasing out the suspect plastic. Despite these clear market signals, the manufacturers of BPA aren’t giving up without a fight. Here is the latest in this on-going chemical saga:

The Good

• Kudos to Canada for officially declaring BPA a toxic agent and banning the sale, import, and advertising of baby bottles containing BPA.

• Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, along with the Attorneys General from New Jersey and Delaware, sent a letter to 11 baby bottle and formula container manufacturers asking them to voluntarily stop using BPA in their products.
• San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier wants stores in the city that sell baby bottles made with BPA to pull them from the shelves -- and Safeway already has agreed to do so across its grocery stores nationally. She will also be asking hospitals to discontinue their use of these products.
• The National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program released a report on October 23rd reaffirming their 2007 findings that BPA does indeed pose a health concern. Now if they could only convince their FDA peers…

The Bad

In addition to the piles of studies that have already raised red flags, new research continues to demonstrate BPA’s potential ill effects.

• The first study on humans showed a link between BPA and heart disease and diabetes.
• In tests on breast cancer cells, researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that BPA may protect cancer cells from dying off when they are exposed to anti-cancer drugs, reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• Based on a review of 261 scientific publications, the National Toxicology Program found that BPA may alter brain development and behavior, and increase the risk of prostate cancer in children, infants and fetuses.

The Ugly

The government agency that has the authority to protect us from this chemical, the US FDA, has declared BPA safe. Since they made this declaration, many have been asking why. Investigative reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered a dirty, little secret: the FDA report claiming that BPA is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical.

The American Chemistry Council, the trade group representing chemical manufacturers, submitted their own (biased) review of BPA studies that the FDA used as the foundation for their evaluation. In addition, it recently came to light that the chair of the FDA subcommittee failed to disclose receiving a $5 million “gift” from a major BPA user. Science for sale, anyone?

"This latest revelation makes clear that no matter who is in the White House come January, he has to rebuild the FDA," said Environmental Working Group (EWG) President Ken Cook. "An agency that once epitomized independent, impartial expertise in the service of public health has degenerated to a disgraced stenographer for the chemical and plastics industry."

Make your voice heard!

Sign the petition supporting legislation (S. 2928, HR 6228) introduced this summer that bans BPA from all food and beverage products. The Consumer's Union has already gathered almost 18,000 signatures! Add yours now.

via: www.healthychild.org

Love Birds

We went to such a fun wedding last weekend and I wanted to share some of the photos with you!
The creator of SPANX, Sara Blakely married Jesse Itzler co-founder of Marquis Jets (who also used to be a rapper by the name of jesse jaymes in the 80's) - they threw some very fun parties. The entire weekend was one big smile..... Olivia Newton John showed up after the wedding to sing a few of her best hits, Doug E. Fresh rapped two nights in a row, and we went to a carnival/ Cirque du Soleil concert one night where Sara and Jesse ended up in dunk tanks at the end of the night!

faves....

decor8

My friend Jon has a great blog, that I just found out about!

One of my faves - love to read this blog it keeps me current!

Vandance

You Shine.....

Dear Van.

You bring a smile to my face every day so many times I can't even count them. You are already so comfortable in your new home and it hasn't even been a week. I know this is home and nothing feels better than being home with you living, cooking, singing, reading, brushing, tickling & giggling.

Tonight dad and I talked about how much you love us and when you go to sleep you say our names with "hi" in front.

We have been through so much in these past few months, I looked at you tonight and realized that you have grown up so much. Life got so busy and so hectic. I want to tell you that your the most important thing to dad and I and we are so happy that you have your own little space again, with your things. I realized through all of this that our home is truly in our hearts and that no matter where we are when we are together we are home. You make our hearts happy buddy.

love Mom.