Baffling...

Has anyone seen the new campaign for High Fructose Corn Syrup? I have seen it on TV (Food Network, I think) and in magazines like Bon Appetit and Cooking Light.

What is the most fascinating is that it doesn't deny that refined sweeteners contribute to obesity and have little nutritional value. The punch line is basically that corn syrup is equally bad for you as refined sugar, so have at it. (I'm not sure this is true, I still think HFCS is worse..it has undergone much more processing than refined sugar. Michael Pollan discussed this issue in his book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," which we discussed here awhile ago.)

Are we, as consumers, that susceptible to marketing that this type of campaign(corn syrup is just as unhealthy as sugar!) can possibly be effective?

Catholic Loves

Happy Feast of St. Valentine!

Like many of you, I am a 24/7, on-call, do-it-all mama! And day by day, my family and I are trying to make it in this crazy world and do so with grace, love, and reverence for our Church. Not an easy feat, by any means, and one that takes great patience and forbearance for any mother!

Thankfully, we've been recently taken by a few Catholic media items that have helped in a small way to smooth over the rough patches in our day and bring us to our knees more often. Couldn't we all use a little more of that? The first has been cycling on our CD player already this morning. My two cherubs love Rose Marie Rudolph's Tiny Hands Precious Feet: A Catholic Baby's First Lullabies. Thanks to Aunt Kat and Uncle ET, our T-baby's godparents, this CD made its way into our home and has been a blessing to us since. In it, Rose Marie and her 6 sons and 6 nieces and nephews sing into the hearts of their listeners with songs, prayers, and poems. It is a beautiful compilation, including Catholic favorites like "Sing of Mary", "Panis Angelicus", and "Adoro Te Devote" along with other classics like "Braham's Lullaby" and "Pachelbel's Cannon in D". It is a heartwarming work and one that my boys love hearing over and over (and over, etc.!) again. Having it play as the soundtrack to our day-to-day has been quite a blessing for our growing family.

The second of our media loves came by the way of a dear blogging friend and sister in Christ and His Church. Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers-To-Be by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle has already graced this pregnancy with insight, wisdom, and prayerful encouragement as I journey through month four and beyond. The book invites readers to experience pregnancy in prayerful meditation. Each chapter walks through one month of pregnancy, giving general information about the baby's development and then offering various St. Anne (patron saint for mothers) and St. Gerard Majella Novenas, insights from Pope John Paul II and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Rosary meditations. The chapters end with space for the mother to write out her thoughts and reflections for that month. How I long to make this journey of pregnancy through prayer... Day by day, one prayer at a time! I can already tell it will be, by far, one of my most graced-filled pregnancies yet thanks to this wonderful Catholic book.

As we journey this road together, what products do you love? What has encouraged your family toward a more Christ-filled day-to-day? Please share your insight--we are always looking to expand our inventory here in Gasperini-Ville!