Happy Valentines

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(Photos Courtesy of Martha Stewart and Jupiter Images)

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Valentines Day is tomorrow - I know this because I just spent all last evening helping three grade-school aged children fill out 70 something valentines cards to exchange today. Whew!!

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Happy Friday and Happy Valentines Day!! I hope it is filled with romance, flowers, and lots of candy!!

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Michelle On The Cover Of Vogue

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Photographer Annie Leibovitz took the cover photo and several other shots - I can't wait to pick up a copy of the March 2009 issue!! Much of the eight-page feature is devoted to Michelle Obama's self-described role as "mom in chief" (love that!) to 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha.

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Good Sponge Etiquette

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Did you know that a scourge exists in your kitchen, but it can easily be destroyed by a modern space age appliance?

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It is your kitchen sponge!

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Yes, this sponge bears thousands of pores which are the perfect breeding ground for countless numbers of bacteria. What to do? The answer is simple use your microwave oven and ZAP it each morning. Place your dampened sponge in the microwave and cook it for 1 minute. No more, no less. The water molecules within the sponge boil and kills the bacteria. So go microwave your sponge right now!!

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Bath Time

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As I've mentioned before - I love long, bubbly baths!! I sometimes watch a movie on the laptop while tubbing or listen to music while sipping something refreshing!! I love to light candles and customize scents depending on my mood. Adding about 10 drops of essential oils like eucalyptus and mint (if I'm not feeling well), jasmine or linden (if I'm feeling happy) or lavender (when the world seems overwhelming).

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Here are a few wonderful resources for the perfect tubbing experience!!

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L'OCCITANE

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Eden Botanicals

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White Lotus Aromatics

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Happy 200th Birthday!!

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Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.

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Abraham Lincoln ~

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I know, I know, his actual birthday is on the 12th of February, but in honor of him, my kids are out of school today - so we are celebrating early!!

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Friday's Photos - Farewell to domino

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As most everyone has heard by now domino magazine is no more. March 09 will be the last month it will be available. It was my absolute favorite magazine, and I will miss it very much. I always had a copy with me where ever I went, and even though some of the styles were different from my own, I always appreciated the creativity, and beauty found within it's pages.

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Here is one such spread - a house tour of J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons is a study in unexpected contrasts that bring a new definition to elegance!!

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"Go Red" On February 6th!!

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I just wanted to pass along that tomorrow - Friday, February 6th - is National Wear Red Day. Wear red to support the fight against heart disease - the #1 killer of women. It's a simple, powerful way to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke. Join with millions of women, as well as companies, organizations and cities across America. By wearing red you'll help the American Heart Association in their effort to raise awareness. Thanks!

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For more information check out "Go Red For Women".

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Medical Appointments

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I am off to my yearly mammogram and gyn appointments. I am even having my hormone levels checked - for the first time. I don't have any signs of perimenopause yet, but I know it's right around the corner. I've decided to move myself up higher on my list of priorities this year. Why is this so difficult to do? Such is the life of all women.

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Some information all women (my age especially) should know.

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Typical Perimenopausal Symptoms:

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Around age 40, women’s bodies begin perimenopause, the transition leading to menopause. Many women sail through “the change” without any symptoms at all. Others experience a wide range of symptoms, all of which have physical, emotional, and psychological aspects. During the years before menopause levels of progesterone typically decline, while estrogen levels remain stable or even increase. This is the most significant issue for the majority of women; many of the early symptoms that women feel are due to progesterone levels that are too low, in relation to their levels of estrogen. This state of a low progesterone-to-estrogen ratio is also referred to as “estrogen dominance.” Some of the symptoms that women suffer when progesterone declines include:

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Breast swelling and tenderness

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Mood swings

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“Fuzzy thinking”

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Irritability

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Trouble sleeping

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Water retention

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PMS

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Weight gain

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(Information Courtesy of The Christiane Northrup, M.D. Website)

Aptera Rolls Into Town

Electric Cars - The Aptera and Peapod

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Aptera


Peapod

I live in a city where electric cars can be seen around town daily. Here in Sonoma County our county government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gases by 2015 to at least 25 percent below 1990 levels. Electric cars are one way to work towards this lofty goal.

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Currently the City of Santa Rosa's fleet exceeds 1,000 vehicles, including heavy-duty construction equipment. Twenty six are hybrid vehicles and 12 are all-electric. Santa Rosa also boasts hybrid electric-powered buses that can be seen all over town. These numbers will be increased soon and hundreds of employees of Sonoma County and its nine cities could be driving electric cars by 2010. Love it!!

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While some electric cars on the market look so cool and futuristic, others just look like any car you might see currently on the street. I would love to own an electric car but it would have to be practical, affordable and safe. Maybe someday soon - electric cars will sit in driveways across America.

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P.S. Don't the cars above somehow remind you of the one used in Woody Allen's film "The Sleeper" from 1973?

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