Flower Garden Seeds

Happy weekend, my friends. In case you didn't know, it's now officially SPRING! I've heard it's supposed to get a little colder again here, but lately it's been feeling much warmer and a little more like spring time. The grass is even starting to turn green! 

With the nice weather outside, we're slowly but surely starting to get into outdoor project mode. Pretty soon we'll be starting to clean up the yard, then till the garden, and finally plant our seeds. About a week ago we picked up some flower seeds and bulbs to start the garden. It will probably be another few weeks before we can start planting them, but I thought I'd pick some out so we can get started and get an idea of everything we're going to have.

I just picked them up at Wal-Mart in the garden section. If you don't know by now, we're going the more untraditional route and growing a lot of our own flowers for centerpieces at our wedding reception in August. I've gathered some tidbits here and there about flower gardening and have started planning out what kinds of flowers to look for.

I ended up getting about $30 worth of seeds and bulbs to start. I've never really planted flowers from seeds before, so I have no idea how many I will need. But I thought we'd start with this, and see how it goes from there. I got a pretty good mix of big, fuller flowers, and then the smaller fillers. I made sure to read the information on the packets to assure that they were mostly full sun, and bloomed in summer or late summer. I think all of these fit that description!

The seed packets I picked up were for the following flowers: Baby's Breath, Marigold "French Vanilla Hybrids", Marigold "Climax Hybrid Mix", Zinnias "Pink and Purple Mix", Zinnias "Envy", and Alyssum. Most were in the $1.50 - $2 range.

Then I also picked up a few bulbs - some Dahlias and Hollyhocks. These are a little pricier than the seed packets. The dahlias are actually called "tubers," like potatoes. I have no idea how far these packs of "3 bulbs" and "2 bulbs" will go - or how many flowers will bloom. I guess we'll see! I know that the dahlias will have to get in the ground soon, after the last frost (who knows when that will be or how I find that out!)...I've heard they take a long time to grow to maturity.

I'm really excited to start our "wedding flower garden". It will definitely be an adventure! Especially since we're kind of just starting with this flower gardening thing. Hope it all works out... ;)

Testing Our Water

Have you ever tested your drinking water? We don't normally think about whether the water we're drinking is healthy. We diet and try to eat healthy foods, but what if you found out that the water you're drinking is causing you and your family health issues without even realizing it?

Trent and I have been trying to be extra healthy lately, not only to get ready for the wedding, but since Trent recently discovered that he has gallstones, we've both been trying to watch what we're eating and start a "detox" by introducing more fresh and healthy foods, so we can make it a habit. Researching healthy foods online led me to pH's of foods and liquids (whether they're acidic or alkaline), which led me to water pH.

I found a few videos online that showed how different bottled waters you buy in the store have different pH's - and some are surprisingly very acidic! So you may think you're doing something good and healthy by drinking water, but it may actually not be as healthy as you think. Just by doing a little research online I learned that you actually want water to be neutral or a little more alkaline, as opposed to acidic. Your body naturally balances out your pH, and a pH of around 7 or a little higher is ideal.

So, this week we decided to do a little at home science experiment and test our water. We picked up this at-home water testing kit. You can get them at home improvement stores. We got this one at Menards:

It came with 2 of each test: pH, Alkalinity, Chlorine, Hardness, Iron, Copper, Nitrates, and Nitrites. Then there was a description of each, along with directions for each test, and what measurements are ideal, poor, etc.

Then you have all the little packets with the test strips inside, which change color based on the level in your water.

One thing about our water that I hate and have always noticed, is that it smells and has a bad taste. So we already know that something's weird with it. And we normally don't drink water straight from the faucet for that reason. Instead we have a Brita filter pitcher that we use for all of our drinking water. 

It has a carbon filter inside and it's supposed to make the smell and taste go away. And the water does smell and taste better after going through the filter. So it has to do something, right?

We decided to use the two sets of strips to test the water straight from the faucet, and then the water from the filter pitcher.

Here's my whole set up for our little science experiment:

We did one test at a time - Trent tested the tap water, and I tested the filtered tap water. After each test, I recorded the result.

Here were the results from the first test - The first strip showed that both the tap water and filtered tap water were the exact same. The pH was "safe" at 7.5. The alkaline level was ideal at 80 and the hardness was ideal at 50, but the chlorine level was in the "danger" category at 10.

The total chlorine, as you can see is definitely dark blue! The darkest you can possibly have. This explains the bad smell and taste. And what's odd is that even the filtered water has the exact same chlorine content.

The other tests also came back the same between the filtered and non-filtered. The iron content was low, but everything else was normal, safe or ideal.

So when we found out the chlorine levels were high, we looked closer at the Brita filter box to see just what exactly this is supposed to filter out. Apparently, copper, mercury, and cadmium are the biggies - which this water test did not test for. But then it also says that the filter will reduce Chlorine (taste and odor) and Zinc (metallic taste).

So...does the filter actually remove the Chlorine, or just the taste and odor of it? We're a little confused now. The "dangerous" chlorine levels were exactly the same, yet the filtered water smells and tastes better. It looks to me that the filter only removes the taste and odor of chlorine, but not the actual substance. I don't know how that works, or how it's possible, but that's what Brita states anyway according to the box.

So now that we know our water is extremely high in Chlorine, what does this mean? Well, you can read it for yourself:

Based on the information in the kit and the scale provided, we tested at least 10 parts per million of chlorine in our water, which is a dangerous level and can lead to health problems and irritate skin and eyes. Water companies use chlorine to disinfect water systems, and we get our water from the town water company. It's a little scary, because we did a little research about what exactly chlorine can lead to health-wise, and this article, for example, says that it's been linked to bladder, rectal and breast cancers. 

So what can we do? Carbon-based filters (like the one we have) are supposed to take chlorine out - but it seems like our filter pitcher isn't working so well. Trent read somewhere that lemon can take the chlorine out, so we've been adding a little lemon to the water in the pitcher. We also received a survey from the water company a while back, so Trent filled that out and added some comments about the high chlorine levels. Maybe they'll see it and want to do something about it... or maybe they don't have a choice but to use chlorine! I read that some cities like Las Vegas have been using ozone, which is harmless, instead of chlorine to disinfect the municipal water. Maybe more cities will catch on to this... In the meantime, I guess we'll have to live with some harmful chlorine in our drinking water! So, have you tested your water lately?

Our Non-St. Patrick's Day

So sad. This year, Trent and I never got to officially celebrate St. Patrick's Day. This is maybe the first year that we didn't go out and celebrate. No green beer, no Bloody Mary's or Guinness, no corn beef and cabbage. And no parade. We usually celebrate the Saturday before, but this year I had a work conference, so we didn't do anything over the weekend. And we both had to work all day today. So this year, St. Patrick's Day doesn't feel quite the same!

Last year we went out to the local restaurant Me & Billy, and then had a drink or two at Brady Street Pub, which was our version of the Cheers bar (where everyone knows your name).

Sadly, Ryan, the owner, recently shut it down and is thinking about opening a different bar at a different location. So there will be no more BSP. Insert another sad face. Hopefully Ryan and his lovely wife June will find another awesome place to create a nice local hangout.

2013 was also a nice little celebration - we watched the St. Patrick's Day parade, then afterward, headed to...where else - Brady Street Pub.

Then there were years' past, when we never failed to take a photo together with our drinks in hand. It was a St. Patty's day tradition! See this post for more on that....

Looking back on all those years, it makes me sad we had to miss it this year. But, there's always next year. And I am wearing my green, can't forget about that. Have fun all you lucky Irish fools who get to celebrate this holiday!

First Time Grilling This Year

It was so nice out today that Trent broke out the grill for the first time this year. We've been spoiled lately here in Illinois. I love it. It's supposed to get a little colder in the next week or so, but it was in the 70's today, and we changed into t-shirts and shorts when we got home. I even broke out the flip-flops for the first time. I think all the snow is pretty much melted here. Still a little too muddy to work in the yard, but it won't be too long now.

Trent cooked some salmon, cabbage, and asparagus on the grill.

Since I'm not much of an adventurous eater, I didn't try the salmon or the cabbage. But, I did have some asparagus which was pretty tasty. It was cooked in balsamic vinegar and a little garlic, so it had lots of flavor.

We have asparagus in our yard that comes up every year. We usually don't pick much of it, but with our recent healthy eating kick, we might just have to make sure we harvest as much as we can this year!

Getting excited for all of the nice weather ahead...and many more grilling nights!!

Young Living Essential Oils, eBay and a Healthy Eating Update

It's another nice day! This week has been the first week it's really felt like spring everyday. And with the time change, it stays lighter outside longer, too. It's been getting us really excited to start spending more time outside and working on outdoor projects. Who else is with me??

In the mean time though - yesterday I spent the day in Bloomington, Illinois for another work conference. This one was more informational than anything. A selection of holistic veterinarians gave presentations about holistic health and Young Living Essential Oils. I haven't had any experience with essential oils before, but I learned a lot about them at the conference.

These oils are derived from natural herbs, and they can assist in numerous health issues. They work both physically and psychologically. Some can have calming properties, some can give you energy, some can give you confidence. Others (peppermint, for example) have heating and cooling properties, and can assist if you're having a fever. Most are so potent, all you need is one drop.

Young Living is the best on the market by far, for essential oils, or so I'm told. Everyone I talked to said that there weren't really any other brands out there that compared. YL's oils are the purest of their kind, and they're selected from the best sources all over the world.

Since Trent and I have started kind of a detox for the past week, I decided to get a couple of oils and try them out. When I got back from the conference I bought a couple of bottles on eBay for cheaper than you can get on the website, so I can't wait to get them and try them out. I decided to try the Lavender and Peppermint to start. Lavender is one of the most versatile oils, and can have different effects depending on where you apply it on the body. It can be calming and relaxing, or it can give you energy. Plus, it smells good! 

Left: Lavender - from here                Right: Peppermint - from here

Peppermint can improve concentration and digestion, and it's very potent, so one drop is definitely all you'd need. I also bought a little sample 1 ml bottle of Valor, and a bottle of Thieves hand soap. They had this soap in the bathroom at the conference, and it smelled so good! The next thing I want to buy is the Thieves household cleaner. I just love that scent. Thieves is a blend of herbs with healing properties, so there are a bunch of hygiene and cleaning products available with this scent. Valor is strengthening and empowering. I'm getting a small sample of this, since I've never smelled it before, but thought it'd be cool to try. 

So crazy to think that these smells can literally change your mood and have an effect on you psychologically. I've never really been into aromatherapy before, but these vets swear by the oils and use them in their practices. They're not only for human use, but can be used for animals, too. I thought about Saleen during some of the talks, and how we can even use the oils to enhance her health and mood. Young Living actually has a whole line of products for pets, which is pretty cool. I'm excited to get my oils in the mail and start using them! 

Speaking of getting things on eBay, I'm continuing to sell old clothes, wallets, etc. on eBay. I've netted about $115 during March alone, but of course with shipping costs, I've only profited about half of that. That's not bad though, considering that's around 20 items that I've sold this month, and if I would have put them in a yard sale, I maybe would've made only 25 cents to $1 for each item. So, it may take a little more work to get each item to the end destination, but I'm also making a few more bucks for each item, too. And I'm slowly but surely cleaning out my closet! And what doesn't sell, we might have a yard sale in the summer, then I'll probably take what's left to Goodwill. I still have yet to sell anything on Threadflip, so I will probably discontinue trying on there and just stick to eBay, which has been 1,000 times more successful for me!

And a little update about our healthy eating cleanse - as you may know, last weekend Trent and I picked up a bunch of healthy foods to start adding to our diets. We've been trying to detox a little, stay away from processed foods a little more and eat more natural and fresh food. Trent has gallstones, but hasn't gone to the doctor yet, and is trying to see what he can do for it naturally and by changing his eating habits first. He has been doing a lot better just by changing his diet, and he feels a lot better, too. I'm proud of him for changing his diet so fast, and we're trying to make it a habit and continue the healthy eating.

Yesterday, Trent sent me these photos during lunch time:

Those are shrimp bites, but it could be worse. It's a lot better than bacon, or those horrible Chef Boyardee cans or frozen burritos he used to eat. Mixed with Bell peppers, avacado, and "veganaise". Ha. It looks like a lot of food to me, but hey, at least it's healthy.

We've both been drinking tea, and Trent hasn't drank any beer in a week. We'll see how it goes with the healthy eating I guess, before seeing a doctor about the gallstones. If they get worse at all, he will have to go to a doctor, but he says that they're a lot better than they were a week ago. Apparently, Trent's sister and mom had both had gallstones, and had to get their gall bladders removed. But they hadn't done anything about it or changed their diets, and Trent's sister even had them for two years before getting something done about it. So, I guess we'll play it by ear! I'm not sure how long they normally last, but I'm hoping he doesn't have any issues by the time the wedding rolls around... 

My Birthday Weekend: More Wedding Stuff, and Other Random Adventures

It's been a few days, I know. The last couple of nights our internet was acting up, and then there was the Bachelor finale on Monday that had me glued to the TV for 3 hours....Yay Whitney! Was rooting for her the whole time..wonder why ;) haha.

We had a pretty busy weekend. Of course, Friday was my 27th birthday. I worked all day, but that night we went out to eat with my parents at Thunder Bay Grille, a place I had never been before but have been wanting to try for a while. It's kind of a seafood/steakhouse restaurant. But they had a variety, and I even had a few pastas to choose from. I got the pesto pasta, and we each tried a dessert. Trent and I both got the tiramisu...which was amazing!

The night would not have been complete without some photos of us all to remember my birthday night! Not the most flattering lighting (for me anyway), but we got a couple of decent ones.

The next day Trent and I went shopping in the cities all day. We started the day out at the Antique Fair that was taking place at the Expo Center. I have been to one of these before, and everything was really nicely displayed in each individual booth, but they bring their best stuff to these shows! And you know what that means...lots and lots of variety, but everything is pretty pricey. It was no different at this one.

We saw several cake stands, but they were all more than I wanted to pay, and most were too small. These two were $68 and $58. A little more than I want to spend for a cupcake display at my wedding.

This booth got the award from me for the sparkliest...look at all that crystal! It was so shiny I didn't want to look away. So I took a picture so I wouldn't be the weird person staring at the shiny crystal all day. I can stare at it at home now. :)

This was one of the weirdest items I think I saw that day:

A cigar holder? Never heard of it. Then there was this really cool gold bull statue I told Trent he needed to have for his dresser. (He is a Taurus ya know). He disagreed, though.

One of the coolest things I saw was this blue glass poodle:

How in the heck do you make one of those?? That booth had colored glass everything.

The idea was that Trent was going to buy me something at the antique fair for my birthday, but even with all of the booths and thousands of items there, I didn't find anything I absolutely wanted or needed, so he just took me make-up shopping instead! We went to Beauty Brands, which I had never been to before, and I got some nail polish and an eye shadow palette. This one, to be exact:

(Image from here)

It's the Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette from Too Faced, and I'm loving it so far. Thanks, Trent! :) We also went shoe shopping at DSW, and I got a couple new pairs of dress shoes for work. I have another conference to go to on Saturday, and I've been wanting new dress shoes, since I hate wearing tall heels. The new shoes I got have smaller wedge heels, so they're more comfortable and most likely won't make my feet sore at the end of the night. (Gotta be all about comfort at work conferences, ladies, let me tell ya!)

We then went to the mall where we did a little more suit shopping for the wedding. I say "suit" now because Trent is fairly certain he wants to buy a suit instead of renting a tux. And...he wants a navy blue one. Which I was a little scared about at first, but seeing it on, it didn't really look that bad. Maybe with a different vest, but this one at JCPenney actually made me kind of open up to the blue suit idea....

We're still going to keep looking a little, but we tried some different tie and vest colors, etc, just to start getting some ideas. So we're starting to narrow it down some.

We ate at one of my favorite places afterward - Panera. Love it. Does anyone else pick out all the onions from their sandwiches, or am I the only weird one that does that? Just me? Ok.

Trent's been having stomach/side pains, and he thinks he has gallstones. We've done some research, and he's fairly certain. And it's not pretty. But, he refuses to go to the doctor, because he's stubborn like that. He's passing them though and has been feeling better the last couple of days. We're trying to eat healthy together before the wedding, so we're doing a detox and trying to introduce more fresh foods into our diets like fruits and veggies, and eating more organic. We got groceries Saturday night, and this was our haul:

Trent's been cooking a little with the organic apple cider vinegar, and even drinking a little mixed with apple juice and lemon juice. We've also been eating greens every night, like green beans, asparagus, and peas. We're taking multi-vitamins, Trent's trying a couple of supplements, and I've been getting more into green tea. There's some weird stuff in there, but Trent is much more adventurous food-wise than I am! Kefir and Kombucha? Don't think I'm ready to try those things yet...

In other news, I'm still selling my old clothes and stuff on eBay, and March has been pretty successful for me so far! I've sold a ton of things already, and I'm almost running out of packing and shipping material...

Oh, and I did end up finding a couple of new cake stands for the wedding at Marshall's for $12.99 each. Compared to those at the antique fair, this was a much more reasonable deal, and they have a vintage/antique look to them, too! I think the mismatched cake stands will look pretty cool with all of our cupcakes on top.

So that was my weekend-slash-week. This coming weekend is the St. Patrick's Day parade and festivities, but I will be at a another work conference in Bloomington, Illinois all day on Saturday, so this may be the first year in a while that we'll have to miss it! Trent is wanting to stay home and get some rest, too, since he hasn't been feeling the greatest lately. Another week, and more adventures! Always something new....on the bright side, it's been feeling like SPRING this week! Hallelujah, I thought it would never come.