200 Posts

Hello everyone! How has God been blessing your life? Me, well I will start by sharing the great news that I have nanny job! It starts on Monday and I am sooo excited! See I have been praying for a job for months and I must admit that at times, I doubted I would find one; but God showed me HIS TIMING IS PERFECT!
Now that I will have a job, I can start seriously looking for a car too! And this year, I get to vote! Before I decide who to vote for, I must do some real research to be sure I vote for the right person. You know, someone with conservative values, pro-life, good experience, and those kinds of things.

I know I should apologize for not posting in sooooo long! I can't believe this is my 200th post! I probably would have reached it much sooner if I hadn't taken so many breaks but hey, God has been blessing us with BEAUTIFUL weather the last week (except the severe thunderstorms the other day) but all in all, my summer has been really laid back. I wish I had been to the beach or gone swimming more, or just had a small party but no, nothin fun like that happened. I actually haven't seen any of my friends in a while...
Well anyways, I hope God is blessing you all abundantly and that you are growing closer to Him everyday!

Have a lovely day,
Butterfly <3

Healthy Guide to Life: Snacks

Everyone knows that snacking is something nearly everyone does! Every afternoon, between lunch and dinner, I find myself craving something sweet but I want to eat healthy so I will share my fave snacks with you all!

If you are a salt lover, look no further than this fabulously salty list:
1. Sun Chips! I have always enjoyed a nice bag of sun chips and I love love love the Multigrain Sun Chips! They are the best! Pair your chips with salsa, french onion dip (no more than 1/6 cup), or any other healthy dip and you have a snack that satisfies!

2. Peanuts! Not only are peanuts fun to pop in your mouth; they are a great snack! But beware, too much can be to fatty. Only consume 1/4 cup per serving 2-3 times a week!

3. Multigrain Pretzels! This may sound funky but boy is it good! You can dip your pretzels in yogurt, peanut/almond butter, salsa, fruit dips, or whatever sounds good and healthy to you!

4. Popcorn! Not only is popcorn fun for movies but a great snack! You can buy the mini bags at any grocery store and I must say look at the ingredients! Avoid Partially/Fully Hydrogenated oils, Mono sodium Glutamate (MSG) or any other words you can't pronounce because they are all dangerous to your body! If the ingredients list for popcorn is less than 6 ingredients long you know its going to be better than any other!

Now for you sweet tooth's out there! I know what its like to sooo badly want a sweet fix so here is a list special for you:
1. Dark Chocolate! Did you know that consuming 1-2 ounces of dark chocolate a day is good for your heart and skin complexion; so go for it! Pair your dark chocolate with a fresh fruit like strawberries and you have a delicious snack that is healthy and satisfying!

2. A fruit salad! Now you may be saying, OK that is refreshing but not sweet! Well here is my solution, drizzle dark chocolate or honey on top and then its deliciously savory and sweet! And if you want to award yourself after a great workout; put some whipped cream on top that fruit and enjoy your reward!

3. Juice Pops! Take your favorite juice (grape and pomegranate juice are both filled with a great source of vitamins and antioxidants!) and pour it into a 5 oz cup, cover the top with aluminum foil or cling wrap, put a small hole in the middle and place a popsicle stick inside. Freeze for 3-4 hours and ta-da! You have a sweet (and healthy) snack!

4. Fruit Leather! You are probably wondering what on earth fruit leather is right? Well allow me enlighten you; fruit leather is basically the same thing as those disgusting fruit roll ups but its made from real fruit with no or little added sugar. They are ate many grocery stores and they may cost more than fruit roll ups but they are way better for you!

5. Chocolate and Peanut butter dipped apples! This is making me hungry already!
Take a medium sized apple and cut into 5-7 slices. Melt dark chocolate (either in fondue pot or small kettle) and dip apple slices 3/4 of the way into chocolate. Let cool in fridge on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or wax paper til chocolate is hard. Pull out of fridge and dip in your peanut butter! This is really fun and easy to make! You get your dark chocolate and a fruit all in one great snack! This also makes a fantastic party snack!

6. Fresh Fruit Pizza! Here is what you need:
2 (8 to 9-inch) tortillas, preferably whole wheat
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup mascarpone or cream cheese
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh Chilean fruit including nectarines, plums, kiwi and blueberries
1/4 cup apricot jam, melted *Optional
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Sprinkle tortillas with sugar and cinnamon; place on baking sheet and bake until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool.
Spread with cheese, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
Arrange fruit on the cheese.
Brush with jam to create a glossy finish. *Optional
To serve, use a large knife to cut pizzas into quarters and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

Now for those of you who suffer from TMS, The Munchy Syndrome, I have some healthy stuff that is great for you to get munching on:
1. Carrots and Ranch dip. Simple and fun for munching!

2. Celery topped with peanut butter or cream cheese! I really enjoy this snack when I want something crisp and refreshing!

3. Nuts! Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, any nuts! All are great to munch on! But only have 1-2 ounces of your fave nut every day because nuts can be fatty!

4. Chicken/Turkey and cheese roll ups! This is great for meat and cheese lovers like my brother!

5. Fiber Bars! Dr. Weil, Odwalla, Luna, and Cliff are all great brands that make amazingly delicious and filling snack bars! Dr. Weil's Chai Razz bars are sooo sweet and delicious; Odwalla makes nuts fun in their bars; Luna makes fantastic energy bars for women; and Cliff makes great adult and kid bars in fun flavors like smore's, chocolate chip, honey graham, and chocolate brownie!

6. Scones! I have a great recipe for healthy scones! If you are interested, comment on this post to let me know you would like my recipe!

I hope this will help you all enjoy snacking without the guilt! Have an amazing day!

Blessings,
Butterfly

P.S. I am not sure if I will be doing a Healthy Guide to Life on dinner only because mom's may be upset that their kids are trying to take over the dinner plans! Just be sure to eat a big salad sometime in your day and that you have a couple veggies with your dinner and everything else is up to your mom! = )

Healthy Guide to Life: Lunch

I would like to start by saying how pleased I was to hear that my series has already helped someone! Jillian, I was sooo excited to hear that you were looking for this kind of article!
So here comes the second most important meal of the day: Lunch!

So here is a basic list of what you body needs about 1/3 of the way through your day;

• Greens! I can't express how crucial natural greens are for you body! And there are so many fun ways to eat them every day!
• Veggies! I will list some veggies that not only contain a great source of fiber but also some extremely beneficial nutrients for your inner and outer self!
• Power fruits! Fruit isn't just great at breakfast! For a list of power fruits, check out my last post (Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast).
• Whole Wheats! If you didn't have a breakfast that contained your whole wheats, lunch is the best time to make up for it!
• Essential Fatty Acids and Omega-3's! You may be saying "What on earth are those!" Don't worry, I will explain!

Now that you know what you need to eat, I will break down different ways for you to enjoy these foods in simple and healthy ways!

• Lets start with greens. So if you have ever read a health magazine or had a conversation with a health nut like me, you will know that greens are a term for, well, green vegetables! Greens can be any veggie that is green and the reason why they are so important is that greens are one of the healthiest veggies for you and you can get them in so many ways! The easiest way is a big bowl of salad! Now don't you dare grab that ceasar salad bag mix! That stuff is not what I am talking about! I mean the deep dark greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, cucumbers, broccoli, uncooked green beans, snap peas, etc... If you are going to eat a salad, you want it to have as many health benefits as possible! Here is my recipe for one of the most simple and healthy salads ever:

What you'll need is:

1. Romain Lettuce (the greenest you can find in your local grocery store)
2. Uncooked Spinach (you can get this in a bag if you like)
3. Cucumbers *Note: Cucumbers lose their nutrients in a matter of hours after being cut into! So try to use the whole cucumber in two days!)*
4. Uncooked snap peas or green beans.
5. Berries: You can use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or any other berry you enjoy! All make your salad have an extra sweet tangy flavor!
6. Essential Fatty Acids! You are probably thinking that I made this term up but here is one essential fatty acid that everyone will recognize: Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Adding one tablespoon to a meal every day is great for your skins moisture and for your hair! Not to mention its great benefit in preventing heart disease!
7. Omega-3's are found in walnuts!
8. Antioxidants (look at the list of high antioxidant foods a few paragraphs down).

Now you know how to make an extremely healthy salad that contains everything you should eat at lunch! If you are still hungry after eating this salad (which is more likely if you are a growing guy) then make yourself a great whole wheat sandwich with some lean meats like chicken or turkey! Here is my fave sandwich:

1. Whole Wheat high fiber bread
2. Chicken or Turkey lunch meat (sometimes ham if its Boar's Head Meats)
3. Mucky Duck Mustard (soooo yummy!!!!)
4. Two leaves of Romaine Lettuce
5. One Slice of monterey jack or colby jack cheese

This sandwich will keep you full and happy throughout the afternoon and when you eat my fave salad and sandwich, you will be filled with joy and health knowing you ate an incredibly healthy lunch!

Now if you don't have much time at lunch, here is a quick little meal you can throw together in a matter of two minutes:

1. 1 cup of carrots
2. 2 ounces of almonds
3. 1 medium sized apple (health benefits are in my last post Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast)
4. 1/2 -1 cup Sun Chips, healthy Potato Chips, or Sweet Potato Chips (if you have none of these in your pantry, grab some next time your at the grocers because they are great snack items!)
5. 1-2 leaves of romaine lettuce or 1 cup of spinach with honey mustard or ranch dressing
6. 1 cup of lunch meat

This is easy to throw together into lunch baggies for a healthy and fun lunch that is full of nutrition! You can take this with you to a picnic, a car ride, or to eat at home!

Now for antioxidants!

Best Sources of High Antioxidants Foods:

1. Fruits: Berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit.
2. Vegetables: Kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, brussel sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets.
3. Dry Fruits high in antioxidants: Apricots, prunes, dates.
4. Legumes: beans, pinto beans, soybeans.
5. Nuts and seeds: Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, ground nut, sunflower seeds.
6. Cereals: Barley, millet, oats, corn.
7. Spices: cloves, cinnamon, oregano

Another great way to get your antioxidants is by drinking them! Green Tea is not only delicious but also high in antioxidants! I drink a 1-3 cups of green tea at least 2-3 times a week! Try drinking green tea with flavors like honey, berry, or if you have a green tea that is strong, add 1 tbsp of natural honey.

Well I can't wait to hear from you all! The next post in this series is Healthy Guide to Life: Snacking!

See you all soon,

Butterfly

Healthy Guide to Life: Breakfast

So I think the title explains rather well my subject for this post. I will be sharing some incredibly healthy ways to start your day (and no, McDonald's breakfast burrito is NOT on the list!)!

Here are some key things to include in your breakfast that will give your body a great start to the day:

• At least 8 grams of fiber (I try to get 10-12)
• 2 Fruits
• Protein
• A healthy glass of lemon water (at least 8 oz.)

Now I will explain the simple ways to have this eating diet incorporated into your life! Doesn't it sound great!

I think the hardest thing to get your daily value of is fiber. So few foods contain the much needed fiber for our body's metabolism and digestion. Fiber helps you feel fit because it fills you up and keeps you going; helps you feel fuller longer so you reduce snacking; and fiber boosts your metabolism so its a great tool to help you keep your happy place on your weight scale! My scale happy place is between 105-108 lbs and it hasn't changed in the last few years so that is proof that this lifestyle does work! Now I do tend to have a higher metabolism but what you eat plays a big role in the area of your weight!

So here is the best way to get your fiber in the morning:

1. High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread. It doesn't cost much more than any other loaf of bread but the nutrients and fiber you need in the morning is in there! You want each individual slice of bread to have AT THE VERY LEAST 3 grams of FIBER! I prefer 5 grams of fiber in each slice and I normally top my toast with a natural jelly, peanut/almond butter, or my fave option is natural honey (no preservative filled junk) with cinnamon sprinkled on top!
2. If you don't want toast in the morning, reach for a box of high fiber cereal! Tons of your favorite cereals have a OK amount of fiber but the really good stuff is going to have at least 6 grams of fiber in 1 cup of cereal
3. Bran cereal; 1 cup = 19 grams of fiber (on average)
   
4. Natural Oats, rolled dry; 1 cup = 12 grams of fiber (on average)

Here is a list of great fruits that not only have vitamin nutrients but also have a great natural source of fiber:

• 1 medium apple with skin usually contains 5 grams of fiber!
• 1 normal sized banana contains 3-4 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber (and is also a great source of antioxidants!)
• 1 cup of cantaloupe contains approximately 2 grams of fiber
• 1/2 of a medium grapefruit = 5-6 grams of fiber
• a medium sized orange = 3-4 grams of fiber
• 1 medium pear = 5 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of raspberries = 8-9 grams of fiber!!!
• 1 cup of strawberries = 3.5-4 grams of fiber

So as you can see, eating two of these fruits could add up to as much as 14 grams of fiber! Your daily intake from all three meals should be at least 24 for ages 16 and under and at least 30 for ages 18 and older.

Next on the list of important things to eat with breakfast is protein! The best source of protein in the morning is eggs! Scrambled, fried, hard boiled; however you like them, try to eat 1-2 eggs at least every other day.

Finally, lemon water! I can't express how healthy it is for you to consume a tall glass of lemon water every morning. It isn't expensive either! Lemons are rich in cleansing properties so when you have a 8-12 oz glass of water in the morning, you are starting the day by cleaning out any impurities that may be inside your digestive track and its proven that lemon water can keep you healthier and less likely to catch colds and the flu! I drink lemon water nearly every morning and it is so easy. You simply take a glass of filtered water, cut a medium sized lemon in half, and squeeze the half lemon into your glass (yes, you use the whole half inside one glass of water!). It averages out to about 20-25 cents a day per person (if you purchase the half dozen bag for $3).

I hope my Healthy Guide to Breakfast will help you have a great jump start to every morning and that you will remember that you are what you eat! lol I know it sounds cheesy but it is so true!

I will be continuing my Healthy Guide to Life series with Lunch in a couple days!

Bless and be Blessed,

Butterfly

Prayer Request

Dear friends,
I have a very important prayer request for you all. My mom's sister's husband's brother(my uncle's brother) is in the hospital slowly passing away. He had a serious liver problem and is currently on life support. Last night they almost lost him in a last minute surgery (which sadly didn't work)and he is slowly bleeding to death. His heart won't except the blood they are putting in him so his heartbeat is very low and the doctors plan to take him off life support very soon because they know he won't get through this. This will be so hard on my dear uncle because his brother was extremely close to him. I have only met my uncle's brother a few times but he has such a fun personality and he was so full of life and joy. I am unsure whether or not he was saved but from what I have heard; I believe he is. If you could pray that God will bring an amazing peace on my uncle and his family, that would be great. I can't imagine losing someone so close to me and I know it will be really hard for the family to get through this.

Thanks for your prayers,
Butterfly

Today is....*drumroll*

............MY 18TH BIRTHDAY! I can't believe how fast the year has gone by.
I will legally be an adult in less than an hour (the exact time I was born) and its unbelievable how many blessings I have received this year!
God has been so good to me and I know that as my relationship grows with my Savior, my blessings will become all the more precious to me!

I just want to say thanks for everything to my dearly loved family, my amazing friends (you know who ya'll are!), and my sweet neighbor friends, you all have played a role in my childhood and upbringing.
I have been so blessed to be surrounded constantly by people who love me, know me, and accept me as I am, a child of God! Life couldn't be more sweet (unless more chocolate gifts were given!)! lol
Always remember to count your blessings but be forewarned; it could take a while!

Blessings,
Butterfly <3

Important Prayer Request

Dear friends,
If you could all pray for me that if it is God's will, I will get the job I am applying for and if not, that something better will come my way that would be awesome!

See I am kinda nervous because when I applied for this job, it said part-time but their definition of part-time isn't three to four days a week for a few hours.
It is 8:30am-5pm Monday thru Friday from June to August!

That is my whole summer vacation from school so I really don't know what to do so I am taking it all to God's throne and putting it at His feet.
The job is a clerical position so I would be working with computer software like Microsoft excel/word and filing papers every day! I don't know if I want to spend my whole summer behind a desk because I look at it as my last summer to kinda be more free since I will have my license and a car to visit my friends I don't get to see often and a regular part-time job wouldn't interfere with that as much as this job.
But then I think what a great opportunity to experience a real desk job and make decent pay (its $7.73 an hour which I think is minimum wage).
There are so many "I don't know" questions and I am praying for answers.
If you could pray for me that would be great!
With finishing high school, planning my Graduation, my ACT test prep, driver's prep, and a search for a car have kept me really busy so I am sorry if I have been neglecting my blogging but bear with me!
God will make a way and that is something I will always believe!

Prayers,
Butterfly

SURPRISE!!!!

Today I was a joyous victim of a surprise birthday party! I cannot express the joy, love, happiness, and utter shock that I felt! So if you feel out of the loop, I will explain what happened;
For a while I had been hinting that I would like to have a surpise party and I usually said "sometime in the future" hopeing I would have one for my 18th birthday! Well It finally came true! Today at about 10ish my neighbor (Miss Naomi) called to ask if I could babysitt for an hour in the basement to keep an eye on her daughter Emily and Emily's friend Anna at 11:30. I thought nothing of the fact that she normally doesn't call me to babysitt in the morning so had no suspicions whatsoever and of course agreed to care for the girls without a second thought.
Well little did I know that as I was in her basement for that hour with those two precious girls that my friends and family were parking down the street and sneaking into my house to surprise me!
So after an hour had passed, Miss Naomi walked me home because she said she wanted to give my mom a bag of clothes her girls had outgrown (which actually was a small white lie so she could see my face when I was surprised) so I walked right in (who really rings the doorbell to their own home when they know the door is unlocked?) and was looking down taking off my shoes and noticed that there were about 10 pairs of teen girls shoes that definitely were not mine when I heard "SURPRISE!" shouted from my dear family and amazing friends! I was in a shocked stupor for an hour and couldn't get over the fact that my surprise party was real! lol
I had so much fun and received some great gifts that I love!
Here is some of what I received:

From my friend Katelyn ~ A ton of scrapbook paper (3 lbs to be exact) and some Ferrero Rocher chocolates!
From my friend Nicole ~ A Sonic gift card for $10 and a Tide-to-go pen (its a long store that I'll share later)
From my friend Shannon ~ A super cute black and white dress that I will post a picture of in the near future!
From my friends Hannah & Lindsay (they're sisters) ~ A $10 gift card to Panera! YUMMY!
From my friend Olivia ~ A polka dot storage bin with a super soft blanket inside
From my friend Michelle ~ Dove chocolates and chapstick
From my friends Kelsey, Brenna, and their family ~ A cute bag, Ferrero Rocher chocolates and a compact hairbrush (perfect because I needed a new one)!
From my Mom and Dad ~ A Lia Sophia necklace that I have wanted so much! I loooove it! (i will get some more gifts from my parents on my actual birthday)
From my Aunt and Uncle ~ A $50 check
From my wonderful grandparents ~ A $100 check!

All I have to say is that I am so terribly blessed and love my family and friends so dearly words cannot begin to express the happiness of this day! I will scrapbook, blog, journal, and tell of this day for many years to come and never forget the love and thought that went into my surprise party! Thank you all for everything! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Love,
Me <3

"You only get to turn 18 once!" ~ My Auntie <3

Prayer Request

Dear blogging readers,

My mom and I have spent a lot of time in prayer lately about doing a Purity Study for the girls in our church and we received a call from the youth director just minutes ago saying that she had prayed about it and felt God saying it would be a good idea! Thank you, Lord!

So here is where we need the extra prayers; we need the books. We are doing I Kissed Dating Goodbye (the book) and the I Kissed Dating Goodbye Study Guide so now we need prayer that the Church will be able to provide the books. Second, we need prayer about where we can hold the study at. We are hoping the church will be able to open a room for us. Last, we are praying that God will give my mother and I the words to speak and that I will set a good example for these young teen girls. I must admit I am kinda nervous but at the same time thrilled with the idea of sharing purity with these girls! I have shared my belief in God and reasons for my purity before so I am sure it will be fun and a rewarding experience! I can't wait to start! It will probably get going around late March or early April!

Blessings and Joy,

Socialbutterfly

This morning for our Bible study we were reading about how when we first dedicate our lives to Christ we live a life more for others than ourselves, but after a while we become like the world and begin to hide our light under a bush. It is true that sometimes I am no different than the world. I can buy clothes rather then send money to the poor and hungry, I can watch a television program I enjoy rather than read my Bible, I can listen to secular music rather than Christian. We all have our times when we make a decision to be worldly but rather than beat yourself up and become frustrated, just do your best to change into a more disciplined person.
I have cut out a lot of television from my life because idle time cannot glorify the Lord. I used to watch 2-3 hours of TV a day and I try to watch only 1 or 2 a day instead and spend more time reading. I thought carefully about it and realized that I was spending 16-20 hours a week watching TV! That is almost a day! Now its more like 5-12 hours a week which I still think if more than I should (working on cutting it down more).
I am a girl and it seems that girls have one severe weakness..... SHOPPING! I don't know why it is but we always enjoy buying new shoes, a bag to match our dress, or a complete new outfit but I have also cut down my shopping. I used to go to clothing stores about once or twice a week which probably sounds like nothing but while I was there I would spend the babysitting money I had earned that week rather than saving it towards college or a car.
For guys it may be computer/video games. I have a teen brother and he enjoys playing his games on our PS2 or his Gameboy advance and he can easily pass 3-4 hours playing but he is learning that he should spend only 30-60 minutes a day at most and read a good book or play outside with our sister and brother instead.

Please know I am not saying that shopping, video games, or watching TV is bad but don't go crazy with it. Limits can be a good thing (just like with eating or exercise). God wants us to spend our time wisely. So to all my blogger friends, be wise and live a life of love (I added the love thing because love is important too)!

Blessings,
Butterfly

Contest

So there is a girl with a fun blog who is celebrating her blogoversary with a super fun contest! Here blog url is http://insidecassiesmind.blogspot.com/2010/02/100-followers-giveaway.html and she is having a giveaway for a ipod case (can be used for a cell phone too). All the rules and instructions are on her website! Check it out!

~Butterfly

For those who love their skin!

So last night I was up late trying to catch up on my blog list (all the blogs I read) when I came across a post talking about a three step routine for cleaning your face! I thought to myself that it would be fun to share my routine and what products I use.

Now if you know me personally, you know that I am very careful about my sugar intake and I try to eat healthy just because I know that my body is God's temple and I shouldn't overload myself with junk food.

I am not saying that you can't have fun with food because I splurge once or twice a week with a cookie, cake, or ice cream and daily desserts for me are a small piece of chocolate or a small sweet of some sort so you don't have to kill your normal eating habits but to reduce sugar intake is a great help in controlling your acne and keeping your body more healthy and upbeat!


OK so I am kinda getting off track. I am not talking about food but facial care! lol


So just in case, I will tell you the three important routine steps for facial cleansing and follow each step with my favorite product:

1. Cleanse! You need to clean out your pores at least once every other day to keep it clean, refreshed, and glowing. A WONDERFUL product that is 97.0% Natural is Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream! I realllllly love this cleanser! "The Natural Soap Bark deeply penetrates and cleanses, removing dirt, makeup, and excess oil for clean healthy skin. Chamomile and Aloe gently soothe and soften skin. Rosemary and Echinacea extracts reduce inflammation, tighten pores" (yes I said it! It tightens pores! It really works too!), "and increase cell renewal. " {The portion in quotation marks is what is written on the back of the squeeze tube.}


2. Toner! It may not be necessary for you to use toner when you are younger but as you get a bit older (like your later teen years) you may want to start using toner. I apply Jason's Ester-C Super-C Toner because I like Natural and Organic products (can you tell?)! lol I love Jason's because it has a fantastic fruity smell (doesn't last long, only about 4-5 minutes) and it has pH balancing and Antioxidants! Here is what the description says on the back of the spray bottle, "Natural botanicals minimize pores (again! mini making product here!!!) and balances skin pH to prepare it for moisturizing. Powerful antioxidants help prevent free radical damage and reduce visible signs of aging. Witch Hazel gently refreshes and tones the skin." How awesome does that sound!
3. Moisturize! Everyone should use a moisturizer that is good for their skin type. For those you have oily skin, find a light cream moisturizer, for those who have dry skin, use a thicker cream and for those who have combination skin, buy both and use where necessary! lol Actually for combo skin, that is basically what you have to do. Or you could always use the moisturizer only on your dry spots. Well anyways, I like to use Burt's Bees Royal Jelly Body Lotion. Its kinda in between think and light, not really creamy, but not weightless either. I love how it slowly absorbs into my skin and the next day I can see my skin is glowing! Loooove it! :)

So you are probably wondering, where can I buy this stuff! Well the best place is Vitacost.com because they have everything at amazingly discounted prices! Not only do they carry skin care products but also hair care, vitamins, and health food! You can buy as much stuff as you want and shipping is always only $5 too!

Another thing I want to tell you all is I found this amazing blemish treatment by Desert Essence! It is simply called Desert Essence Blemish Touch Stick. I am a testimony to how well this stuff works! Two days ago I saw that I had a white head coming and I wasn't excited about it. I did my cleanser, then my toner and finished with my blemish stick on the white head and it tingled a bit (that means its working!) and then I went about my school work and chores. I checked up on it that night and saw it was still there and was a bit worried that I would have to pop the nasty little thing but I just applied a bit more of my blemish stick and went to bed. Then yesterday morning I checked up on it and it was less than 1/2 the size it had been the day before! I was so excited! I applied a tad bit more and that evening it was practically gone! This morning it is the smallest bump and I am sure it will be completely gone by morning! This has to be the best spot treatment ever known to man and its only $8 in stores. I highly recommend this product to anyone with the slightest bit of blemishes. Even if you only get blemishes 2-7 times a month like me its worth it (yes its very rare that I get white heads but now I am prepared for whenever I do!).

Really quickly I want to share with you what hair care product I use. Nature's Gate Jojoba Oil Shampoo is amazing! It is great for your hair to revitalize and give it that extra boost of vitamins and it also leaves your scalp itch free! It smells great and feels great. I also buy this from Vitacost.com and each bottle lasts me about 3-4 months (I wash my hair every other day). For those of you with shorter hair, I will probably last you 5-6 months and for you girls with really long hair 1-2 months. Guys can use this shampoo too because its not a for women only product. And for guys this bottle would last about 8-9 months since you guys have such short hair! ;)

Well that's all for now! Tell me what you think!

Post again soon,

Butterfly

Dear blog readers,

I had a great topic to write about running through my mind the other day and now for the life of me I can't remember what on earth it was! Do you know how frustrating that is?!? lol Well when it comes back to mind I will post!

TTYL,
Butterfly

Genesis: The book of the beginning

Today for our morning devotional, we read The Genesis Solution by Ken Ham and discussed the reasons why we believe that God did NOT use evolution to create the earth and its inhabitants. I will list some of the reasons below (the content in quotation marks is from the book The Genesis Solution by Ken Ham):

1. "Evolutionists claim that gradual changes in the earth and its inhabitants have gone on for millions of years and that the fossils are remnants of these lost and long-ago ages. But those millions of fossils are clear evidence of death-bloodshed on a massive scale. If these animals died before Adam, the foundation of the gospel is cut at its roots (Adam sinned and corrupted paradise/Death is the penalty for that sin/As a result, sin, death, and suffering came upon not only Adam, but also the world he ruled/Christ came to save man and conquer death/Ultimately he will restore paradise). Directly denying God's Word, Evolutionism says that death is part of life, that death and struggle have always existed and actually led to man's existence! (Note: There is much Biblical and scientific evidence that most of the fossils were actually formed as a result of Noah's Flood.)" (Taken from page 65)
2. If everything is supposedly getting better on earth because its "evolving" upward, what was the purpose of God's curse? If evolution were true, death and weeds and pain are nothing special, but just a normal everyday part of our lives! Most evolutionists deny the existence of Adam and Eve but if they are right, our world's miserable condition did not result from a literal sin/Fall/curse. But then were is the reason/cause?
3. The whole purpose of Christ's life and death was based on Adam's sin. Jesus came into the world to save man from eternal death because Jesus was the one true sacrifice used to save ALL of mankind! But if the evolutionists are right about Adam never existing and therefore never sinning, what would be the purpose of Christ's coming if we had never "fallen away" in the first place? Who would need to be saved?
4. If God used an evolutionary process to make mankind and create the animal kingdom, how can He be described as the all-loving and all-good God he is? Evolutionists say that the earth is billions of years old and that is has always experienced earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, sickness, everything under the sun that is not good. The Evolution theory suggests millions of years of harsh struggle, death, survival of the fittest, and extinction of the weak! Could a God of love put man and animals through such torment and horrid conditions for millions upon millions of years? Why would God use such a cruel way to "create" animals and mankind? Our Creator's true nature is 100%, absolutely, without a doubt incompatible with evolution! God said, "Blessed are the meek", not death to the weak! Also in Genesis 1:31, God looked at his creation and said it was "very good" and that means God's creation was finished!!!
5. Since our Creator is omniscient and all-powerful, He could have created the whole earth with its inhabitants in the blink of an eye! Why would he use such a long and harsh process? While Jesus was on earth, he often proved the great power of his words. When he spoke, the storms were stilled in an instant, the blind could see in a moment, the ill were cured at the sound of his voice! Christ has demonstrated his immediate ability to do miraculous things in a split second with complete results!
6. The evolutionary theory denies the existence of an original paradise in which Adam and Eve were created. Evolutionism says that life started in chaos and is gradually changing toward greater perfection. On the other hand, the Bible says the world started with perfection and excellence but has since slowly fallen into a degenerating process of sin and corruption.
7. If Evolution were true, what kind of world can Christians look forward to in the restoration? A world of survival of the fittest? Killing, death, and illness? To the contrary, Creation will be restored to its original perfection like in the Garden of Eden!
8. "If the Bible is God's Word (as it repeatedly claims), and if Evolution is true, then God's Word isn't deceptive. For thousands of years, a literal and common-sense reading of Genesis and the rest of Scriptures has led millions of intelligent Christians to believe that:

(a) The universe was created in six literal days.

(b) The earth is only thousands of years old, not millions. Scripture supplies a genealogy from Adam to Christ, including great detail on ages and life spans. This surely gives some general idea of the time passed. Certainly there is no way that periods of millions of years could reasonably fit between the generations.

(c) Adam was formed directly out of dust, not from an "apeman".

Those that question that accuracy of Genesis are also questioning the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Jesus quoted from Genesis on various occasions. He accepted Genesis as historical truth. He built doctrines like marriage on the literal events of Genesis (Matthew 19 4-6). Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He would not tell us something that was not true. Christians should believe Genesis is literally true because Jesus did! God is not a God of deception!"

9. Genesis provides a record of all significant judgments by God on sin. Here are some:

(a) The Fall and God's curse (Genesis 3).

(b) The curse on Cain for committing murder (Gen. 4: 1-15).

(c) The Tower of Babel judgement (Gen. 11: 1-9).

(d)The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19).

(d) The Genesis Flood-the single greatest of all evidences that the Creator continues to have awesome power over this earth and that he sees and punishes man's sins (Gen. 6-9).

Here is Biblical evidence for a worldwide flood:

"(a) The ark was truly necessary for saving Noah's family. Otherwise, Noah and his family could have migrated to a safer place before the flood took place.

(b) All mankind was killed! That's right everyone, we are all descendants of Noah's family!

(c) The ark was necessary to prevent mass extinction of animals (see Gen. 6:19-20)

(d) The whole earth was devastated. God said, "I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth" (Gen. 6:13, 9:11)

(e)All the mountains were covered! "...all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.... to a depth of more than twenty feet" (Gen. 7:19-20)

(f) Noah was in the ark for over a year, not just forty days. The waters covered the high mountains for five months! (Gen. 7:4, 11-12, 24)

(g) God promised to never again send such a flood (Gen. 8:21)"

10. "The whole idea of Evolution is based on natural processes, as distinguished from the supernatural (God, angels, miracles, divine intervention, etc...). Sir Julian Huxley, an ardent evolutionist, said: "In the evolutionary system of thought, there is no longer need nor room for the supernatural." Evolution is the most common reason people give for why they have rejected the Bible and/or God. It has been the cause for millions of people becoming agnostics or atheists!

Did God use Evolution then? The biblical answer is clearly a resounding NO. Combining Evolutionism with Christianity has solve nothing scientifically; it has only helped Satan undermine the church." Stable, long-term faith in Christianity can't be built in a life that is contaminated by acceptance of evolutionary theory. It is the false foundation. The True Christian faith can flourish in peace only on the foundation of Creation!

If you have ever tried to marry evolutionism and Creationism together, I pray that this bit of information and Scripture will help you realize you were sadly mistaken. Pray about it and read it for yourself and then decide which is easier to believe, the God is all-powerful and perfect or that God used a cruel and unjust way to create the earth. For me, the answer is clear. God created the earth in six literal days and He is all-powerful, all-knowing, omniscient, and omnipotent.

Blessings,

Butterfly

Feeling lonely???

Today I have something I would like to share with you all that I found uncanny!

I received a comment from a sweet girl named Jen and she has a blog called Love Unawakened (love that name btw) and she posted a few days ago about feeling alone when staying pure (because you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend).
I agree with her post because I feel the same way sometimes.

On Valentine's day, I was watching a cute hallmark movie (i can't remember the name right now) and seeing the couple's together and getting engaged kinda made me feel like "oh it would be so cute to have someone to share valentines day with" but I immediately caught myself because I was having a "oh woe is me" pity party!
I then thought of my "someone" who I will meet someday and I prayed for him that God will fill his heart with love and help him stay strong and pure and wait for me! I felt better after that prayer and I wrote about it in my prayer journal that night.

Whenever you start to feel lonely or think about your life of purity or any decisions you have to make, remember your "someone" is out there experiencing those same kinds of struggles and pray for him/her!

I pray for my someday "someone" every time I think of my future because I know he needs prayers to keep him strong in his fight for purity just as much as I do.

Another thing I did a few months ago is I wrote a letter (three actually) to my future husband. I know it sounds kinda silly but think of how much that letter will mean to him; to know that I was thinking of and praying for him before I even knew him! How wonderful it will be to share those letters with him someday! :)

I remember when I was at my best friend's house a couple years ago, looking through Brio Magazines and I saw an article of a letter written by a young man. I was curious what he had written about so I started to read it and I realized that this letter I was reading was a letter to his someday "someone"!
It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever read and I knew right then and there that I wanted to marry someone like the anonymous guy who had written that letter.

Nothing is wrong with you if you feel lonely because God created us to have this longing to be loved (look at the story of Adam and Eve) but during your single years, let God fill you with the love you need because nothing is greater than his unconditional love! God wants you to not be distracted with thoughts of wedding bells but rather thoughts of how you can use your single years to serve Him and fulfill His plans for your life. Embrace your single years and use them wisely because once you marry, they are gone for good! ;)

So next time you start to feel lonely or are going through a teen/young adult struggle; think of your someone and pray for both of you, that God will fill you with His love and show you what other plans He has for you before you marry.

Love and prayers,
Butterfly

A much needed update on the crazy life of a teen girl who is about to graduate in three months!!!!!

So I have been so bad about posting lately! I meant to post two weeks ago but it never happened because of a number of reasons (one of which is my lack of remembering to post skills)! I apologize for my long absence. I know you all must have missed me incredibly right!?! :)



Well I am going to try to sum up the last month in just a couple paragraphs because I don't have much time (isn't that a problem for everyone?)!
Anyways, I will start with what I can remember... which sadly isn't as much as i wish it would be. lol Lets see... oh well on the 2nd, my family celebrated my brother's birthday and he requested that I take him to see Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief (which will be later in the post) for his birthday gift from me. I got a haircut (post pics below) and had almost 3 inches taken off in length to rid my hair of split ends and whatnot. My mom and I had Bible Study that night so we weren't able to spend the whole night celebrating his b-day but when we came home, we watched White Collar (a mystery/suspense show on USA network that is most times family ok) and then a very tired family went to bed at about 11:30ish (it had been a long day).







On February 3, I did a good 5-6 hours of schoolwork and then went to the movies with my dear grandmother to see When In Rome. All in all, it was a pretty clean cute movie but I would definitely not approve this movie to any kids under age 16-17 to see this movie due to some suggestive dialogue unless their parents say otherwise.

On the 5th, I babysat and had a great time with those darling little girls! I miss them so much! I haven't seen them since the 5th and won't see them again until the 26th! They are the cutest little girls ever (ages 1, 3 almost 4, and 5).

On the 6th, I helped with our homeschool spelling bee. I was the dictionary girl in case anyone asked for a definition or pronunciation but not a single child did so! Oh well, at least I had my hair curled all cute and looked amazing! lol jk

That evening was my friends sweet 16 party! It was so fun! We played Scene It, I have never ever (which I won!), Mafia (a card game), guess the skittles in the jar (which amazingly I won too), and then we had cake and other fun snacks.



On the 1st, (i forgot to mention this before) my brother and I had rifle class (yes I can shoot a rifle and I am rather good at it too) and I got my Sharpshooter badge (I already have Marksman and Pro-Marksman).

On the 12th, I took my brother to the 11am showing of Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief which was an awesome movie! It had great graphics and the storyline was well done too. I also like the actor who played Percy and the actress who played Annabeth did well too. After the movie, we went to a pet store with my mom and younger siblings to see the different pets like ferrets, bunnies, lizards, cats, fish, etc... My little brother (age 2) got a kick out of the different animals! Then we went to McD's for a little snack and then we were homeward bound so little one could have his nap. My mom and I then went to our local summit to work out and we had fun sitting in a 150+ degree sauna for 20 minutes to let ourselves sweat and pull toxins from our body. My face was like a ripe red tomato afterwards! lol It came back to its normal color after about 12-15 minutes though. Of course we both showered after we came home and I ended the day playing with my little brother and cooking dinner.



On the 13th, we had a b-day party for my sister (her b-day is actually Valentine's day!) and she had a few of her friends come over for a carnival themed party. They had so much fun.




On the 14th, it was obviously Valentine's day! We went to church and then came home, bundled up and went sledding! We had such a great time! I went down about 20 times by myself or with one of my brothers/sister and once with my dad and we flew down the hill so fast I didn't think we would ever stop! lol

On the 15th, I did a ton of schoolwork and nearly killed myself trying to grasp my Physics lesson! It was so much to take in but I actually aced it! Praise GOD! ;) I could never do it on my own but God gave me the will power to stick with it and do my best!




Today, my mom and I went to out at 10am to McD's for coffee drinks and then on to Kohl's for some shopping (i still had $$$ left on my gift card from x-mas, thanks Amy!) and we had so much fun trying on different clothes.



From left to right: A purple flower cowl neck dress to wear with leggings; a super cute flowy top to wear to church and fancy restaurants; a cute poplin top with a flower print for everyday; another cute everyday top that has the layered look with white sleeves; and lastly a super cute maxi dress with a floral pattern and criss-cross straps in the back! I want you all to try your best to guess the price I paid for these 4 tops and 1 dress. I will give you 5 prices to choose from but here is a hint, all were clearance items and I had a 20% off coupon too (include tax also). Good luck!

• $11
• $21
• $31
• $35
• $41
  

Whoever guesses correctly will be mentioned as the winner in my next post!

Here are closer pics of the tops/dresses:
Sorry this pic is sideways, at least I fixed the others! lol

All in all, its been a fun month and I wouldn't trade my life for a million bucks! I give God all the credit for my talents and blessings! I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day too! More posts later!

Luv,
Butterfly

4ever

Hey blog readers,

So sorry its been so long but things have been kinda crazy trying to finish my senior year of high school, studying for the ACT test, planning my graduation and getting my transcripts in order! Its been quite a roller coaster but God is helping me with every step I take.
Today I was able to practice patience to hold my tongue when someone was provoking me. I must admit it is so hard to not jump up and correct the person right then and there but I just swallowed my anger and let it roll of my shoulders. At first I was still frustrated but after a few minutes I was satisfied that I had not let myself sin in my anger. I have not always practiced this rule but recently I have been trying much harder to hold my tongue when provoked.

Anyways, some fun events have happened since the last time I posted! My sweet little brother turned 2 a little over a week ago! We just had immediate family over for a small get together but he had a lot of fun opening his gifts. He received clothes, blocks, a star wars tent, some dinosaur pajamas and some other small things like movies and such. You probably are thinking, I don't care what your little brother got for his b-day! lol ok sorry if I bored you. :)

Well I was happy because last Saturday I went to my bff's house and we played games like Bananagrams and then ate popcorn and other snacks while watching Ever After. It was so fun!

So I am thinking of how I want to celebrate my 18th birthday that is rapidly approaching.... that's right everyone! I am party planning. I do have a tight budget though since graduation parties are not free so anything economical and fun will be great. Still have a lot of thinking to put into that one! :)

Oh and I have a prayer request for you all; my little brother (the cute guy who just turned 2) has a cold and has been miserable all day! If you could pray for that God will heal his little 26.3 pound body that would be a huge blessing!

Gotta go now but I will be back later!

Butterfly

Happy New Year... three days late.... :)

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope 2009 was great and that 2010 will be amazing! Some major events I am looking forward to this year are:

1. Watching my lil baby brother turn 2!


2. Watching my other not so little brother grow taller than me (I am 5' 7 1/2" and he is now 5' 7 3/4")!


3. Seeing my sis turn into a tween (she is still shorter than me! haha! Well, she may get taller but it will be about another 2-3 years before she could ever be taller than me! hahaha!)


4. I am going to be 18!


5. I plan on getting a real summer job to save for college and car insurance


6. I plan on getting my license to drive a car


7. I plan on buying a car :)


8. I will study for CLEP tests


9. I will grow closer to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!


10. I will learn to always use my speech to uplift and bring joy and encouragement to those around me.


11. I will try my very best to shine my light as bright as ever!

I guess you could say this list is like my New Years resolution but it will be different because I will actually do it all! lol

Oh today I wrote a research paper on the benefits and reasons to drink filtered water! I will post it so you all can read it and tell me what you think!

The Many Benefits and Reasons to Drink Filtered Water

I know and understand most people today are so busy, they don’t have time to cook up healthy foods and exercise as often as they should but, they should have a few minutes spread throughout the day to drink an 8 ounce glass of water at least 3-4 times a day and receive the many health benefits of pure H2O.

Now you may be wondering, why just water. Can’t you get water from foods and other drinks? Well, although you can get water from other drinks like pop and juices, they don’t come close to the same benefits of clear pure water.
One important factor to pure water is a filter system. A friend once told me that she believed all water is good for you to drink but I beg to differ.

Below is a picture comparing sink water (on the left) that is unfiltered to kitchen fridge water (on the right) that is filtered:

Anyone can see that the unfiltered water is definitely not clear and full of things that are most certainly not pure.
There are many benefits to having purified water throughout the household.

Pure drinking water has multiple health benefits (which will be listed later)
Pure water for cooking is very important for people of all ages but more so for babies/young children and the elderly
Pure water in your shower is extremely important too. There are many reasons to have a filter on your shower head that I will also list later.

Let’s begin with reasons why you should have filters on your drinking water:
For starters, I am sure you have heard all the commercials and talk of how pure water is important but you may not know all the reasons why. Here are just a few of many huge reasons why unfiltered water can be harmful and very dangerous to the health of your body:

1. Drinking impure, contaminated water is the leading cause of epidemic disease in developing countries.
There are more than 2100 known drinking water contaminants that may be present in your tap water.
3. Many water treatment facilities cannot always control outbreaks of dangers in your tap water.
Several types of cancer can be caused from unclean tap water.
Pure water is a strong essential for physical and mental growth and development in children of all ages.
According to the EPA, lead in drinking water contributes to 480,000 cases of learning disorders in children each year in the United States alone.
It is especially important for pregnant women to drink pure water as lead in drinking water can cause severe birth defects.
The only way to ensure pure water is through a filtration system (even bottled water can be a danger to your health, but that is another story in itself).

These eight reasons alone should be a huge decision factor when considering a household filtration system.

Some people may say, “Well I don’t think I have the money or time to keep up with a filter in my house.” Well I have wonderful news for you! You only have to change your filter system once or twice a year! And they are not as expensive or difficult as some people may think. My family has had a water filter for years and we can always tell tap water from filtered water just by the taste and we all have noticed the difference in our health physical and internal.

Physical Benefits from filtered water:
I have noticed that my skin is very rarely dry (even in winter) when drinking and showering in filtered water. My skin has an even healthy glow and my face is never oily or clammy. I have clear skin (no dry patches) and I very rarely breakout with any blemishes at all. The pure water I am drinking cleanses my body inside and moisturizes my body outside.
In a normal day, I drink usually 4-6 tall glasses of water (approx. 32-48 ounces of water) a day! At first, you may think there is now way you can drink that much water and not have to urinate every 5 minutes. I will admit that for the first couple weeks, I urinated every 2-3 hours so it was a slight inconvenience but after those 2-3 weeks, my body was totally used to it and started to show drastic changes and reveal benefits I didn’t even think of.

When I started:
I began drinking more water when I was 13 years old because I had heard from health scientists and health magazines that drinking eight glasses of water a day helps prevent facial blemishes. I was all for it knowing that during puberty you tend to see teens with severe acne problems and I did not want that to happen to me so, I immediately began drinking more water.

Now I didn’t start drinking 32 ounces a day from the start. It was probably more like 24 oz. and I gradually began to drink more every week until I reached my regular 32-48 oz. a day. You don’t want to shock your body with a ton of water so slowly get yourself into a habit of drinking filtered water more consistently and remember, water at restaurants can’t count half as much because it is only tap water.

After about 2 weeks, you will notice your skin is more healthy and moisturized without having to use lotion every single day.
Your hair will start to regain its natural shine and most will notice clearer and softer skin from showering with filtered water after just a few weeks.

More water options:
If you get tired of drinking water by itself, try mixing it with lemons or limes for a fruity flavor. There are also many benefits of drinking lemon water!

Drinking lemon water has health benefits of its own that most people don’t even know about! I will list several of the more important benefits but you can read all about other benefits by searching lemon water benefits online (some of the facts below are taken from http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/lemon%20water.htm):

Drinking an 8 oz glass of water with 1 oz of lemon in the morning before breakfast and before you go to bed will help cleanse your colon and help improve your digestive system and while purifying your inner its helps clear up your skin as well from its extremely beneficial alkaline properties.

Lemons are known for being one of few foods that are known to help your body with digestive enzymes to digest foods like dairy, carb, and high fatty foods.
Drinking lemon juice isn’t the only way to receive some of its benefits. Applying a small amount of lemon juice to your whole face lets the lemon act as an organic facial cleanser for your pores and it helps restore your natural Ph and alkaline balance to your skin adding a refreshing glow.
Its magnesium, in conjunction with calcium, has an important part to play in the formation of albumen in the blood. The lemon contains potassium 48.3, calcium 29.9, phosphorus 11.1, and magnesium 4.4. Lemons are useful in treating asthma, biliousness, colds, coughs, sore throat, diphtheria, la grippe [flu or influenza], heartburn, liver complaint[s], scurvy, fevers and rheumatism.

Lemon provides a natural strengthening agent to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute.
The liver can make more enzymes out of fresh lemon juice than any other food element!
The lemon juice helps fix oxygen and calciums in the liver because it regulates blood carbohydrate levels which affect the blood oxygen levels.

10 reasons to drink filtered water (taken from http://www.allaboutwater.org/water-filters.html):
1. Water filters provide better tasting and better smelling drinking water by removing chlorine and bacterial contaminants.
2. Point-of-use water filters remove lead from drinking water immediately prior to consumption, thus preventing this harmful substance from entering the body.
3. The purchase of a counter top filter results in a source of clean, healthy water that costs much less than bottled water.
4. Water filters greatly reduce the risk of rectal cancer, colon cancer, and bladder cancer by removing chlorine and chlorine byproducts from drinking water.
5. A solid block carbon water filter can selectively remove dangerous contaminants from drinking water while retaining healthy mineral deposits that balance the pH of drinking water.
6. Drinking clean, filtered water protects the body from disease and leads to overall greater health.
7. A water filter provides clean, healthy water for cooking, as well as drinking, at the convenience of tap water.
8. Water filters reduce the risk of gastrointestinal disease by more than 33 percent by removing cryptosporidium and giardia from drinking water.
9. Drinking pure water is especially important for children. Water filters provide the healthiest water for children’s developing immune systems. 10. Water filters offer the last line of defense between the body and the over 2100 known toxins that may be present in drinking water

10 reasons to shower in filtered water (also taken from www.allaboutwater.com):
Using a shower filter is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce harmful exposure to chlorine and other chemicals.
Showering in filtered water results in greater respiratory health by reducing the risk of asthma and bronchitis from chlorine inhalation.
Showering in chlorine-free, filtered water decreases the risks of bladder and breast cancer.
Children, who are particularly at risk of the harmful effects of chlorine inhalation, benefit especially from the removal of chlorine from showering water.
As chlorine is a leading cause of fatigue, showering in filtered, chlorine-free water results in higher energy levels and overall greater health.
Removing chlorine from showering water results in better air quality throughout the house.
Without the drying effects of chlorine, skin becomes softer, healthier, and younger looking.
Removing chlorine from showering water reduces the presence of skin rashes and the appearance of wrinkles.
Because the hair is able to preserve its natural moisturizing oils, it becomes softer and healthier when chlorine is removed from showering water.
When the body is able to retain its natural moisturizers, the need for costly lotions and moisturizers is greatly reduced.

Enjoy, Butterfly