Picky Eaters

If there is one thing I can hardly stand it is picky eaters. We can't just hang out and then be someplace and just grab a bite because they don't like Chinese, Japanese, Indian, anything healthy, Mexican (unless it's Taco Bell!!! that's not real Mexican), whatever. If it's not pizza (pepperoni only), or fast food (but not Burger King) than FORGET IT!!! OMG!!
I've never encountered 2 people (a mom, 32 and her 13 y/o daughter) in my entire life. Don't even get me started on what veggies they won't eat... here... the list of will eat is easier. Green beans, Tomatos (mom only), Salad (normal lettuce only DROWNED in Ranch), corn, carrots, MASHED potatos. We have other friends where the kid (boy who we've know for 6 years) is so picky I can't stand it. If it's pork, beef, or chicken it MUST be DROWNED in BBQ sauce, and if it's a fish... you guessed it... DROWNED in tarter sauce (store bought... don't try to fool him and do home-made). Same veggie problem, just different veggies.
What is up with this. Seriously we have so many friends who are really picky. We can't just invite them over for dinner. I mean... I don't like olives, chicken gizzards, slimy stuff (like raw oysters), but that's 3-5 things... not entire food groups!
This has really started to become an issue. Seriously if they come over and it's around dinner time it's really a pain in the butt! Oh, because if we just make a sandwich... we don't have white bread in our house. Holy crap... does it ever end. Our peanut butter is weird (because it's natural and doesn't have tons of sugar), the mac n cheese has whole wheat noodles, on and on and on.
Whatever happened to people just eat what is put in front of them, no it might not be your favorite thing, but just be polite, try it, you might like it. Maybe pick out one thing you don't like such as the brussel sprouts in the veggie medely, but come on!! At Christmas for example... she ate only the Ham... that's it... ham. No sweet potato bake... it had nuts... She could have just picked them out. No green bean casserole, no stuffing, no anything else but ham. Let me tell you... my 80 year old dad... Pissed off. Thought that had to be so rude he couldn't stand it. Once we tried to make her try some of everything... her mom was going along with this idea, that was the most horrible thing. Chewed as slowly as possible, made faces, etc.
Is it me or is this like totally infuriating?
Ok... feeling a bit better... feel free to comment.

Cat = Night Demons

So I've been up since 4 something this morning. Usual had to go to the bathroom, but that is just enough to get the night demons aroused. From then on non-stop annoying noise! The cats must have found every loose scrap piece of paper ever dropped... and then batted it around the floor til I'd get up an take it. So I took away their fun so now it's time to get in the trash in the office or bathroom! Great! I'll just get up 4 or so more times. Then they moved on to the dresser. I thought I'd removed anything little an interesting off of it... but no... evidently a perfume bottle needs to be knocked over and pushed off. Not 5 min. later, a large set of keys (they've never bothered that in the week it's been sitting there). Dosing off... what is that now? A stampede down the hall! Great! On and on and on it goes. Oh, did I forget having to mess with the blinds so they could see out the window in the bedroom. There are plenty of other windows with the blinds partly open for them to look out of, but nooooo, has to be the bedroom or the room next to it so I can hear it really good! Finally had to get up to take the trash out anyway. Now that I'm up they look like they are ready to sleep. Think I'll go bug them. Two in particular need bothering... Tux and Idgy. Is there something more demonish about black and white cats? No idea... just want to go back to sleep.

Dragons, dragons, everywhere

As some of you know we have Bearded Dragons. These are a lizard native to the Australian desert. Our female, Tang, is a really pretty orange lizard. And her "boyfriend" Romeo is a pale salmon/sand color with some really interesting striping on him. She laid eggs and between November 15-20 they hatched. OMG... they were so cute and little. Even then these guys had color, which everyone tells us is pretty unheard of unless they are going to be nicely colored when older. They get more color each time they shed.
Well now it's time for our babies to find new homes!!! We will be at the Reptile Show at the Holiday Inn on 87th and 69 Highway in Overland Park this Sunday, Jan 18, from 10-4. We have 13 babies needing homes. Already sold one to our awesome pet-sitter, Natalie.
These guys & gals are eating really well, and are anywhere from ok to great being handled. Range from 5.5 inches to almost 9 inches long! We are running through 1000 or more crickets a WEEK! Some of them really love the mealworms. They are getting veggies and some fruit. Really like the weird different greens.
We'd love to hear from anyone interested in a baby.
If you have questions about care, go here http://wheredragonsdwell.com/caresheet.html or here: http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/GeneralCare.html then ask us questions. You'll need heat pad, heat light, UVB light, (we use a mercury vapor bulb to accomplish both), a 20 gal. tank (realize you'll end up having to get a 40 or larger later), calcium & vitamin dust to "dust" the crickets, and a few other things like substrate, branches & rocks.
The pics are of the babies except the second picture with the flower behind the dragon. That is Tang, the mom. The lighting isn't the best... but they still look pretty good.

New Vitamin Store Super Sale KC & Review

We found a new vitamin store in the Kansas City area. It is called The Vitamin Shoppe in Overland Park, KS.
They are having a "Grand Opening Sale" where just about everything in the store is 40% off. Their own brand of products are buy one get one 50% off. Great sale!!
40% off is a crazy good sale, and it's for the whole month of January!

REVIEW:
The store is very shiny clean and new. The entire right hand wall, and part of the back wall and one aisle are Sports Nutrition products. Lots of brands, not just their house brand. The rest of the store is a very complete mix of vitamins, herbs, and specialized condition products. They do have a larger section for Immune/Sinus problems than Whole Foods. They also have a health and beauty section. Small selection of teas. They did have some products I have not ever seen at a health food store on the shelves... glandular and "quick clean detox" drinks. They do not have any foods however, but that is more than made up for in selection of other products.
The staff was very nice, especially a guy named Dan. It looks as though they hire from the local personal trainer school. They are knowledgeable about sports nutrition, but Whole Foods tends to know more about the other type of products, such as the herbs or homeopathy. I will be interested to see what training the staff gets on non-sports products.
They have a "frequent shopper" card where you accumulate points for a reward certificate, and also get notifications of special and regular sales. It is free to join. I always dislike the ones you have to pay to join... either someone wants my extra business or not.
Overall, we will be back, especially this month!

Glad to see Whole Foods getting some competition... now we just need to get a Sprouts grocery store. They have the same market as Whole Foods.

Flu season survival

Has anyone else noticed that this year it seems like the colds & flu are a bit different. They seem to really linger. Just about everyone we know has had a voice hoarseness or outright laryngitis with it. Not a lot of congestion in the chest either, but just enough. Also seems like some stomach issues, with loss of appetite. If you are suffering or think you are coming down with this crud here is what we have been doing...

Anyway we are all doing pretty well overall thanks to some natural products that can be found at most health food stores.
Here are several things to help get over the virus, and continue to keep it in check...

Elderberry, also called Sambucol or Sambuco.
Allibiotic by NOW. This is amazing stuff... an oregano oil blend that is great for digestive issues and immunity overall.
Yin Chiao, a Chinese herbal formula.
Guaifenesin, use this if you have mucus or congestion, but make sure to drink a lot of water. Also called Mucinex.
L-lysine.
Sinus irrigation... I know, sounds bad. I personally like the "positive pressure" style... NeilMed is one. Don't forget the salt packet. Can put some eucalyptus or Grapefruit seed extract or a Tiny bid of Alkalol in it (not alcohol... Alkalol).
Run a steam humidifier, you can put Eucalyptus in it also.

Hope this helps anyone else make it through the season.
What do you all use?

Intro to General Blog

I have another blog... souljourney-deckstudy.blogspot.com but decided I'd write a separate one for stuff other than my tarot/oracle reading interests.

FYI... we will be selling our bearded dragons we have breed at a local reptile show on Jan 18th. They are much more orange than the usual ones. Super cute too.
Just hoping the people who buy them are responsible. Can't stand people who buy pets, especially for their kids, and think the animal is disposable if kid gets tired of it. Had a neighbor who let her son kill his pet bird because he didn't feed it, and she was going to make him responsible and not do it herself. What a B****!! How can someone do that!?!
With lizards you have to get special lighting and make sure at some point the little guy gets a bigger cage when he becomes bigger. Plus beardies need it hot and dry. Gotta feed them every day with greens/veggies and bugs.

Well enough for the moment... off to do litter scooping chores...