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New Mexico: There are alot more mountains and red clay soil here. There are also lots of green bushes and trees. Some of the trees look like Palo Verde (Green Stick) which is the state tree of Arizona so I was surprised to see them but of course a tree doesn’t have to be exclusive to one state to be the state tree.

Unfortunately there was a lot of construction on I-40 through here so I was mildly annoyed for much of the drive. The kids also started getting restless. We stopped in Moriarty, 3o minutes from Albuquerque for the night. I had to buy Parker a new car seat because had an accident in his and we had no way of washing the cover. He was also due for a bigger one so we upgraded while we were here.

Arizona: Back in the Grand Canyon state! I lost my notes for this state…must have accidentally given that paper to the kids to draw on Ooops!

About 3 hours after getting back to my house in Phoenix I realize that the air conditioning is not working. The temp outside is 114 degrees! So I spend two nights in a hotel in Anthem. Once the AC is fixed I move back in and try to organize. Just after leaving Arizona I had the carpet redone and it is now a bright white. The kids now have to adjust to new rules which include absolutely no food or drink outside the kitchen. So now I have the monumental job of unpacking. I also had to stock an empty kitchen. I have spent $530.00 at Whole Foods and Sprouts within the last 2 days. Yikes! That was with about $18.00 in coupons.

But the place is starting to feel like home again

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I just came across a very interesting idea that takes on the idea of a CSA and mixes it up a bit. It is called Your Backyard Farmer. Apparently the owner, Donna, got a degree in horticulture so that she could operate her own CSA farm (community supported agriculture) and be a part of the sustainability movement. The skyrocketing price of land though, made that dream difficult to realize. BUT still determined, she developed a business model that overcomes the land issue and is now providing organically raised fruits and vegetables to numerous families through the business she calls “Your Backyard Farmer”. She and a partner install mini-“farms” right in people’s yards, plants and nurtures the crops on weekly basis and leaves a harvest basket on the back porch. The annual cost is similar to a share with a CSA and eliminates the need to transport the food. And how can you eat fresher, and more local then that?! Brilliant!

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Oklahoma: Lots of hay and lots of cows here. The references to Will Rogers are also plentiful. The kids have a lot of fun looking for cows and the occasional herd of horses. Our route takes us through Tulsa and Oklahoma City. We stopped for the night in Tulsa and swam in the hotel pool again. All in all, I like Oklahoma a lot. I think I wouldn’t mind living in Oklahoma or Missouri.

I loved the fact that I saw so many free-range, grass fed cows. I am sure the beef is much better then that obtained in factory farms, something I strongly oppose. I am not much of a meat eater but when I DO eat beef on rare occasions I opt for free range, grass fed beef.

Texas: It is amazing how barren and flat Texas is compared to Oklahoma. We passed through the northwestern corner, under the Oklahoma panhandle, and straight through Amarillo. We saw that eatery called The Big Texan that offers a 72 ounce steak for free if you can manage to eat it all and all the trimming that comes with it. I also saw many of the sprawling ranches that Texas is famous for.

The kids and I tried to sing as many songs about Texas as we could remember. They also looked out the window for any sign of Sandy from Bikini Bottom, who is originally from Texas (if y’all watch Spongebob then you will know who that critter is).

My oldest son was elated to finally see some cactus, which he loves. I could hardly get excited about Cholla though. They are my least favorite species of cacti. Compared to the state we traveled prior, Texas is significantly more dry…no lush greenery here. But it is still beautiful.

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The contest, Fashion Entrée was hosted by Capers Community Market in vancouver. The mandatory ingredient was natural, sustainable materials. The goal was to create a wearable piece of clothing inspired by or incorporating organic foods.

Corrina Suveges took first place with her Salad Dress. Reminiscent of a celery stalk, this body-hugging evening gown is made of organic-cotton sateen. The bikinilike bust emulates two leaves of radicchio, and the mermaid hemline has layers of wild-greens–shaped panels made from hand-felted, hand-dyed Merino wool and organic-cotton batting.

This dress is absolutely gorgeous!

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I went for my first oncology appointment yesterday. I really like Dr. Halepota and his office is right inside the cancer center which is more like a fancy resort then a medical center. It has serenity fountains, reflection courtyards, upscale boutiques that sell wigs, scarves, knitted hats, clothing, etc. It is amazing. The part that was a little upsetting was the fact that all of the other patients I saw looked SO sick! Seeing all the bald heads, pale faces, and bodies with huge red ulcers and sores was a little it much for me. And of course everyone commented that no way should a 28 year have colon cancer. Dr. Halepota said his average colon cancer patent was 70 years old!

The Dr. outlined what he wants to do:

1. Six months of Chemotherapy (once every 2 weeks via 48 hour infusion)
2. Genetic testing
3. A Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. It is a medical imaging technique that can search for cancer anywhere in your body.
4. Blood tests every month.

I am in agrreement with his plan so away we go. I am scheduled on Wednesday for outpatient surgery to have a Port-a-Cath put in my neck which is a device for intravenous access in patients who require frequent or continuous administration of intravenous substances, like Chemotherapy drugs. I have included a picture below. Then I have an appointment the next day for chemo training. All aspects of my chemo will be discussed at length. I will have more to tell after that appointment I am sure.

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Indiana: Looks very similar to Ohio but somehow seems a bit more wild and rugged. We pass a wildlife area that looks very much like a swamp. The highway is bordered by white wildflowers that I did not see in Ohio but behind the flowers are the all familiar rows of corn and beans. I have learned to recognize the sign that labels certain crops as GMOs.

So far my favorite thing to look for as far as scenery is the occasional grand farmstead. Just once I would like to see a billboard for a farmer’s market or a natural foods store instead of Steak N’ shake or IHOP.

Illinois: While driving here it was too dark to look at much scenery. We stopped here for the night…not too far from the Missouri line. We stayed in a suite at a local hotel with an indoor pool and free WiFi access. It also had a massive hot tub in the room, which the kids loved. Parker (6 months) got to swim for the first time and he loved it. I was amazed at how relaxed he was in the water…a true water baby like his surfing, water skiing, diving, fishing father. All three kids cried when they had to get out of the pool.

Missouri: After crossing over to Missouri we pretty much immediately ended up in St. Louis. This is one bustling city! We saw the arch!

Then we went on towards the Meramec Caverns, a Jesse James hideout and historic landmark. Oh, how I wish we could stop and explore there but we all have reasons why we need to get to Arizona by Sunday.

Missouri is one beautiful state. Its wilderness is still untamed, straight out of Tom Sawyer’s adventures. I really must make plans to come back.

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So what was I doing when I wasn’t looking out the window or entertaining the kids on my road trip? I was listening to audio recordings on various business topics courtesy of my I-Pod and I-Dream speaker pillow.

Almost all of the recordings were done by my treasured associates at Mom Masterminds. If I never mentioned Mom Masterminds before let me just say now that joining this private mentoring program is the best business decision I have ever made. I was a bit apprehensive about joining because it “seemed” that most of the members I knew and the mentors had very different business models and different target markets. I actually clicked through to sign up maybe 3-4 times before I actually did it. But once I had been through their 7 day trial membership there was no way I was going to leave!

That being said, Mom Masterminds has really helped me focus my business and increase the profitability of my web sites. I have about 4-5 more web sites then I originally started with too, learning how to build a virtual real estate empire (VRE). I have also met many amazing mom members and much to my delight a nice percentage of those moms are involved in some aspect of natural family living, natural parenting, natural health and wellness. I joined a group blog not long ago called Naturally WAHMs and all eight participating women are also members of Mom Masterminds. It has been amazing to network and create joint venture opportunities with so many talented “natural” WAHMs. There are so many businesses represented…content sites, Internet marketers, service providers, stores with physical products, MLMs, and Direct Sales. The list goes on but they all have one thing in common. They all think joining Mom Masterminds was the best decision they ever made.

So, on this trip I have been listening to the business audios that are included in the membership. These are the same audios that many prestigious Internet marketing gurus offer to the public along with a hefty price tag. These recordings have really gotten my creative juices flowing and I have written pages of notes with ideas and plans. I love being a work at home mom and maintaining numerous web sites devoted to topics close to my heart. But designing the site and hoping people will visit is only half the battle. You must also find ways to monetize and promote your site(s). Doing what you love is even sweeter when you get paid to do it.

So are you interested in seeing what Mom Masterminds is all about? You should take advantage of their 7 day trial membership! Come see how you can make your own business or business idea a success.

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I have been gone for a couple weeks. As I mentioned in previous posts I was going to move to Arizona to seek treatment at the Virginia G. Piper cancer center in Scottsdale. Well my move is complete. I am back in Arizona again after nearly a year in small town Ohio. I was pretty sad to leave Ohio and my beautiful Victorian house I had JUST moved into. Oh well, got to get this cancer off my back.

I decided to write about the journey as I went along so I am going to post my notes as I wrote them then. My family in Phoenix flew back to Ohio to drive me back. Our party consisted of 2 cars and a Uhaul truck, me, my three kids, my mother and father, my brother, and two dogs (a black Lab and a Shiatsu). Now that I have given you a mental picture here we go. I will likely break up the journey into segments so I don’t have one monster post.

Ohio: Said goodbye to Ohio on a beautiful sunny day. The last thing I did was walk through my garden and wish I could be there for harvest. I am especially proud of how my beef steak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are growing. I told my next door neighbor that she is welcome to all of the bounty from the garden and she and hers sons are thrilled. I have a lot more land then she does, so she does not have enough space to garden to the extent that she would like.

I have already spotted her doing some weeding around the tomatoes. I feel good knowing that the garden will be producing food for someone’s dinner table. But I can’t help but feel sad that I won’t be going out to the garden to pick a juicy tomato to eat with organic mozzarella on a hot summer day.

As I drive out of the state I seem to look for gardens all the while thinking of the one I left behind.

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More and more we are hearing about bamboo and how it is now being used in ways that are a far cry from the conventionally available tiki torches and fishing poles. Now you can find bamboo in flooring, crown molding, clothing, bed linens, towels, paper, and even cloth baby diapers.

So why exactly is bamboo all the rage? It is a very durable material that is used to make some of the most beautiful and luxurious items around. It is also an environmentally responsible choice.

Bamboo and the Environment

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on this planet. While some think of it as a tree it is actually grass and it grows one third faster than the fastest growing tree; it reaches a harvestable size in three to five years. Some species grow as much as four feet a day. It requires no pesticides, is harvested with no impact to the environment, and is capable of complete regeneration without need to replant. Bamboo also helps mitigate water pollution due to its high nitrogen consumption. This is great news for those conscious of the environment.

Bamboo’s Amazing Durability

Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. Not only can it be harvested faster but it rivals wood in strength and durability to. It is one of the strongest building materials, with a tensile strength that rivals steel. Bamboo withstands up to 52,000 pounds of pressure {psi}. Its tensile strength is eight times that of oak or maple. In addition to its hardness rating, bamboo is also resilient. This means it “bounces back” after most impacts and doesn’t dent. These qualities make it an excellent choice for hard floors, cabinetry, and moldings.

Bamboo is Soft as Silk

Bamboo is also gaining popularity in the textile market. Its soft, silky feel, its antimicrobial quality, and its breathability are making this eco-friendly fiber a big hit. Bamboo fabric also dyes very easily making it a great choice for all sorts of colorful towels, bedding items, and clothing. It has even become popular among the manufacturers of cloth baby diapers because of its silky softness, eco-friendly status, and its ability to withstand numerous launderings while still looking like new.

Bamboo is Beautiful and Practical

The use of bamboo translates into some of the most beautiful and luxurious home items available. The beauty and majesty of this plant, its all-natural qualities and Asian origins are making this fiber a much sought after product. It has so many uses that you can bring this beautiful plant into nearly every room in your house. No other plant has as many uses and impacted so many cultures in so many ways.

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