Happy Halloween

I am off with my Monkey and Banana to a Halloween parade and then to the Zoo for trick or treating!
Enjoy your holiday! Be safe and be green!

Whip it up Wednesday: Rust

We have very hard water here, and unfortunately get rust stains, urgh. But this is by far one of the FUNNEST cleaners I've used yet.

Rust Remover
Put SALT on Rust stain, squeeze a lime over the salt, let sit 2-3 hours. Use the leftover lime rind as a handy scrubber. Rust is gone!

Makes me crave a margarita.

Bloggy Carnival Giveaway! EcoBrain

Fall makes me crave two things; a good wine and a good book. I can hibernate in my room for hours reading. (Ok, I dream of doing that, but after the kids go to bed it is kind of possible!) I rarely buy new books. I almost always borrow from my mom or the library. But, I can't imagine reading a 1000 page fiction book on my computer...
However, when I am doing research for my blog and need sound advice, running to my outdated library isn't really an option and just trusting one internet site isn't always a good idea. Buying "green books" whether they are on recycled paper or not just seems wasteful, so let me tell you how EXCITED I was to learn about ecoBrain.
ecoBrain has a fantastic line of mainly environmentally focused books in an e-format. Why is this so wonderful you ask? The books download fast and easily in a PDF format and contain links within the books to outside sources. Perfect for when doing research. I remember researching in college and having post-its all over the pages for websites to check and alternate research to look at. ecoBrain makes it easy to break away for a minute, not loose your place, and check out more information!

Here is their list of subjects:
The Environment
Sustainable Living
Renewable Energy
Climate Change
Business & Professional
Environmental Science
Health
Academic
Fiction
Memoirs
Outdoor Activities
Religious
Nature
Cooking
Green Building
Gardening and Agriculture
EcoBrain Kids

The best part is, you can try out a book. Every week they offer a new free book available to download on their main page. Just sign up and you can download it!

"Reading eBooks saves trees and reduces pollution. We all know that when we buy a book, it comes from a tree. It is no secret that many trees come from ancient forests. Forests are a place of majesty. Forests are dynamic habitats where soil can regenerate, birds can sing, bears can thrive, and the air is purified. But global paper consumption has increased by a factor of 20 this century and more than tripled in the past 30 years (World Resources 1998-1999 and can be accessed at www.earthtrends.wri.org). According to Conservatree, a ton of (non-recycled) printing and office paper uses 24 trees; based on a mix of softwood and hardwood trees 40 feet tall and 6-8 inches in diameter. Research shows that eBooks are on par with reusable water bottles and grocery bags in terms of their ability to give consumers affordable, green buying alternatives. Paper manufacturing practices are among the 3rd largest polluters of air, land and water. Many of the books read today were printed overseas, shipped to the US and other countries by boat, trucked to distribution centers and then trucked to the local bookstore. Based on research from the Palo Alto Research Center it takes about the equivelent 60 watt-hours of energy to produce one piece of paper. One sheet. This number does not even include the printing or shipping. Because eBooks bypass all of these processes, many of them are sold at 30% below retail, making them an excellent choice for budget conscious consumers.

According to the AAP (Association of American Publishers), eBooks sales are up over 50%. However, the total number of titles sold are still relatively low. While the trend to purchasing eBooks is increasing the trend could be increasing much faster if more people were aware of the vast content available as well as the positive impact one can make by choosing an eBook over a printed book. While many publishers are making positive strides to produce recycled books, the bottom line is that there is still a huge environmental cost.

The library is a sound option as are book swaps. There are many ways we can help reduce the pollution that results from pulp and paper production. But for those titles you would like to own, eBooks are an excellent green choice. Their portability, ease of use, and instant download are other qualities that make them popular to existing users."

ecoBrain has kindly offered to give one of my readers a free book, Radical Simplicity.

It looks like a great read. Look at this and I think you'll agree!

Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much is enough to leave for your neighbors behind you - not just the six billion people, but the wildlife, and the as-yet-unborn?

In the face of looming ecological disaster, many people feel the need to change their own lifestyles as a tangible way of transforming our unsustainable culture. Radical Simplicity is the first book that guides the reader to a personal sustainability goal, then offers a process to monitor progress to a lifestyle that is equitable amongst all people, species, and generations. It employs three tools to help readers begin their customized journey to simplicity:

• It builds on steps from Your Money or Your Life so readers can design their own personal economics to save money, get free of debt, and align their work with their values.
• It uses refined tools from Our Ecological Footprint so readers can measure how much nature is needed to supply all they consume and absorb their waste.
• And by advocating time alone in wild nature, it opens readers to another reality with humanity as one species among many on a complex and inter-related planet.

Combining lyrical narrative, compassionate advocacy and absorbing science, Radical Simplicity is a practical, personal answer to 21st century challenges that will appeal as much to Cultural Creatives and students as to spiritual seekers, policy makers and sustainability professionals.

Jim Merkel quit his job as a military engineer following the Exxon Valdez disaster, and has since worked to develop tools for personal and societal sustainability. He founded the Global Living Project to further this work, and conducts workshops around North America on this topic.

So you want to win it?
Just enter a comment here telling me one reason why you like e-books!

You have till Monday November 3 at 11:59pm (CT) to enter. The winner will be picked using Random.org and announced Tuesday! Everyone is welcome to enter but please make sure you leave an email address if your blogger id is private. And of course, all email address are kept private. I will not sell, use, or do anything with it, unless of course you win, then I will contact you with it!!
Good luck!

And check out more giveaways at bloggygiveaways.com! FUN!

Bloggy Carnival Giveaway! Stewart & Brown

Yes, it is here. The week where I abandon everything and cross my fingers that I have LOTS OF LUCK!
And of course I have a fabulous giveaway for all my readers, one I wish I could win-



Last carnival I offered a $50.00 Gift Card to Stewart and Brown, well I'm doing it again!!
Some info on Stewart and Brown-
The Roots In 2002 Karen Stewart and Howard Brown, partners in life and work, realized their destiny; They gave birth to a baby girl named Hazel Stewart Brown and a baby brand named Stewart+Brown. Design for Karen and Howard is a passion and a way of life. Their professional journey stems from a union of creativity and purpose. Karen, a trained painter and New York native, and Howard, a graphic artist and Montana native, oversee every aspect of the product and brand themselves. Each Stewart+Brown collection, at an elemental level, is a fusion of experiences and insights filtered through their creative core and rendered into their own unique and personal aesthetic. While finding inspiration in all aspects of life, their collaborations are primarily influenced by art, design, culture, travel, and nature.
Our Mission Stewart+Brown believes in optimizing their designs and lives to attain the highest standards of quality and functional style while extracting the bare minimum from Earth's precious capital.
Aspire to Inspire Stewart+Brown practices and promotes a symbiotic and harmonious relationship between business, community, and nature. They aspire to apply the wisdom of sustainability to everything they do while inspiring others, just as they have been inspired, to do the same.
Giving Back Stewart+Brown donates a minimum of 1% all sales to non-profit, non-governmental environmental and social welfare organizations.

I am so loving their fall line. I'm pretty sure I could live in this dress:


Or these two, drool:



They also have some fantastic coats!

Yes, some of their prices are a little high, but their quality is amazing. And check out their sale selection, HUGE discounts!

So you want to win! Here's how!!
LEAVE A COMMENT HERE telling me one way you are raising your children to be more environmentally conscious. Simple, yes!

Make sure you have a blogger ID or leave your email
(You can leave it like email (at) here (dot) com if you're worried about spam.)
As always, this contest is open to EVERYONE worldwide. Comments are accepted until 11:59 CT October 31. A randomly drawn winner will be selected using Random.org. And of course your email is kept private. I will not sell it, collect it, or use it in anyway, unless of course you win, then I'll contact you with it! The winner has 48 hours to respond, then a new winner is drawn.)

Want an extra chance to win. If you're a returning subscriber or you subscribe to my blog today leave a new comment let me know! You'll get a second entry!

It's here! Again!

Thats right, starting Monday morning, it is here...
And you bet I have some GREAT giveaways lined up!
Clear your schedule and hire a babysitter, time to waste a week away!

It's Fall, where's my wine...

Does that make me sound like an alcoholic?
But really, as soon as the days don't reach above 50' and I have to cuddle up on the couch with a blanket at night, I CRAVE a good glass of rich red wine.

We have some really great wine stores where I live, but unfortunately they don't stock many organic wines, and the employees are not yet versed on it. Urgh. My husband I and used to make our own wine, but because our vineyard is pretty wild we haven't had a good crop of grapes in a while. Double urgh. (Put it on the list for next spring, clean out vineyard and take care of it!)

So, when I found TheOrganicWineCompany online I was pretty excited! The prices are fair and the wines look delicious. They have a Wine Club that looks great. 3 wines a month for $49! That less than $17 a bottle!! Yum. Plus after 3 months, you get a month free! Double yum!
I am totally ordering a few bottles from them and I will be happy to let you know what I think!
I'm not a wine snob, so as longs as they warm me up a little and are tasty, I'll be happy!

Whip it up Wednesday: Walls

We painted our walls all white when we built it, as in "Pure White" is the name of the paint. Yikes. I'll add color someday, but for now I just deal with it! But with kids and dirty hands, you should see some of the marks on the wall. Well this is about the easiest cleaner and it is safe on paint and wall-paper and it works!

Wall Cleaner
1 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
6 drops of your favorite citrus essential oil (optional)

Easy, yes. Just mix in a bucket and wash!

Plastic wishes come true!

Ever since I was little, helping my mom recycle, I never understood why certain plastics could be recycled and others had to be thrown away. I'm older now and understand that plastics are different and what recycling centers can handle, but it still kills me that where I live I can only recycle plastic #1 and #2. I try to avoid #3, #6, and #7 at all costs so I am rarely worrying about them, but that still leaves plastic #5. Ever look at the bottom of your yogurt container, probably #5, sour cream, again #5.
I usually save the containers with lids and reuse them for my kids to eat snacks out of in the car. But I wish I had another option besides throwing them away when we are done.
WELL, this weekend my wish was granted!!

Read this and SMILE!

We now three bins under our sink. One for garbage, one for recyclables, and one for plastic #5 to be mailed away, turned into BPA-free toothbrushes, mixing bowls, and cutting boards!!

I am hoping Stoneyfield Farms Yogurts start to advertise this program on the side on their containers to really get to word out.

Thanks again to Trying To Be Greener!!
So go, read all about how to recycle your plastic #5 FOR FREE!

Gimme more Monday

I shot a wedding this weekend, something I generally try to avoid unless it is friends of friends. For some reason weddings always make me cry. It is no fun trying to focus with tears in your eyes...Why am I telling you this...because it is Monday. No better excuse than to tell random stories!

Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing has a gift bag full of Method baby products to giveaway. I love Method...I remember when they made just a few sprays! (My husband did work on an ad campaign for them in college. They had maybe 5 different cleaners then!)

To protect your plants next spring you can win some eco-friendly animal and insect repellent from SomethingSnappee!

Here's a dumb question...Are you planning on sending out holiday cards? Do it eco-friendly! Blessings Abound has a $50 gift card to Paper Shouts, and eco-friendly card company!

Still looking for a BPA free water bottle. My Family Loves It is giving away a Bilt Stainless steel one. I love having more options!!

We have a ladybug infestation in our house and my husband really wants a light weight hand-held vacuum. He and I want this Dyson so bad I can hardly breathe. Win and I'll come steal if from you! Chic Shopper Chick has a PINK one up for grabs! That would make it all the better...seeing my husband vacuuming ladybugs up with a PINK vacuum!!!

MommieDaze is giving away a $25 gift certificate to Bright and Bold. Get your EnviroSac or EarthLust bottles here, and then some! I LOVE this store!! Enter here!

SafeMama is givingaway $140 worth of John Masters organic beauty products. "Sea Mist Sea Salt Spray with Lavender, Lavender & Avocado Intensive Conditioner, Green Tea & Rose Hydrating Face Serum, Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Wash, Lavender Rosemary Shampoo for Normal Hair, Sweet Orange & Silk Protein Styling Gel, Rose Foaming Face Wash and Lip Calm in a canvas reusable grocery tote." -Doesn't that sound like a DREAM!!

Reading is always green for kids I think. It keeps the TV off and lets them use their imagination! Punnybop is letting you choose your choice of prize from LeapFrog- The Diji Custom Gaming System, The Leapster II or the Tage Reading System! All three look great. I have my eye on the Tag! Enter here!

Sunday love

I don't normally post on Sunday's so you know it must be good.
I just wanted to make another addition to my "Why I love Baking Soda" list!

Last night we were carving pumpkins and my daughter, who is a little young for cutting, sat at our butcher block countertop drawing with pen on Halloween coloring sheets. She drew for almost an hour. We got done late, so the kids went to bed, I cleaned up the pumpkin mess on the floor and then my husband and I fell asleep.
This morning I came downstairs, moved her drawings so we could eat breakfast and what a nice little surprise I found. HALF her drawing was done on the countertop...
Now, a butcher block counter is not finished with varnish, it has a thin coat of oil on it to protect it from water. I thought my only option was to sand it off and re-coat the counter with oil.
But I did a little searching online and here is what I found:

-To remove ink from ANY wood surface sprinkle on BAKING SODA and scrub with a wet toothbrush.

It worked like a charm!! I barely had to scrub!! Didn't take off any of the oil!!

Here is one more use: I was told roaches won't cross a line of baking soda. (Thank god I don't have to worry about that) Apparently it works wonders!

Out for the day

Sorry, I'm out for the day photographing a wedding. So I will leave you with my kids favorite yoga pose...

See you Monday!

Something to feel good about!

Sometimes I feel bogged down by all the things I'm doing that aren't particularly considered "green". I'd love to have a hybrid car or be signed up to buy the Volt when it comes out, but we don't have that kind of money. I know shouldn't feel guilty, we do a lot and that counts for something!
However, when I ran my FruitaBu giveaway a LOT of you mentioned that you give your kids "Goldfish" as a snack (double YAY if it is the Whole Wheat kind)! Well, here is something to feel fantastic about.
Pepperidge Farm, makers of Goldfish crackers and Milano cookies, dedicated a new 1.2 megawatt DFC fuel cell power plant at its Bloomfield, CT bakery yesterday. The fuel cells will provide 57% of the bakery's power on their own but the best part is that heat from the fuel cell process will be harnessed for some of the baking process, making the fuel cells even more efficient. Combined with an earlier fuel cell plant built in 2006, the bakery receives 70% of its power from fuel cells. Pepperidge Farm received a grant of $3.5 million from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to help offset the cost of building the power plant. So, enjoy those Goldfish crackers knowing they come from a company that is working to do things differently. " (-Thanks GreenDaily)

Now if only they'd make an organic whole wheat kind!

Whip it up Wednesday: Why I love...

Baking Soda... Yes I buy it in bulk at Costco, and use it for way more than baking.

*Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on your carpets, let sit for 10 minutes before vacuuming. Baking Soda will deodorize and absorb odors.
*Place an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator and freezer to deodorize. Make sure to replace them very 3 months.
*Remove scuffmarks on linoleum or tile by wiping a damp sponge dipped in baking soda over the spots.
*Give old sponges a second chance; soak overnight in baking soda and water.
*Baking soda can wipe away crayon, pencil or scuff marks from your walls, rub gently over spots with a rag.
*Use it like Soft Scrub on your glass stove top or the bottom of your pans. (Mine get a little brown from time to time!)
*Baking Soda and warm water and a little vinegar will unclog your drains!
*Brush your teeth with baking soda for a whiter shine.

Got any more reasons to love baking soda?

Shoes shoes shoes

I took the kids to the zoo today when halfway through I felt my cool breeze on my heel, only to look down and notice that my heel had pulled away from the top of my shoe. Not a huge deal, but these are my LAST pair of casual tennis shoes. In the winter I am a total boot girl, but in the other three seasons I love a good pair of comfy Puma's.
I know Puma has a very small line of eco-friendly shoes, but they are also above my price range right now, so I am looking elsewhere...Plus I'd like to support a company that is "Green" through and through, which is why I am looking into Planetshoes! If I could get myself away from drooling over the boots I would also see that the clearance section has a HUGE selection of causal shoes!
If some of the prices still seem a little high, just wait till early 2009, Payless is launching a line of eco-friendly shoes and packaging, no more than $30.00.

Gimme more Monday

Did I wait till Monday this time? Who can kept track of the days anyway!


Halloween seems like such a hard holiday to go green with...or is it? Peppers and Pollywogs has a green Halloween goodie bag just for you to try to make the holiday a little greener!

Emily over The Little Window Shoppe is giving away a whole bath set worth $70 from Kiss my Face. I've never heard of these, but they look great!

The Full Mommy has an amazing "eco friendly" weekly planner from Sarah Pinto (read, CUTE designs). I know I am totally a pen and paper calendar kind of girl. I've tried all the electronic kind and I always go back to an easy to carry one in my purse! I want one of these!

I think I might have found the most fun, best designed green cleaning products-The Better Life makes some great cleaner and the bottles make me want to NOT put them in the cleaning closet! Win a gift bag fun of cleaner from Food Interviews.

Green mom Finds has a HUGE gift pack from Seventh Generation including diapers, cleaners, wipes, and laundry detergent to name a few! It's worth over $140, so enter!!

Money a little tight for toys this Christmas! Comment on Nature Mom's blog for a chance to win a $100 gift card at Euphoria Baby and their new line of Plan toys!

Mommie Daze is giving away a Tees for Change t-shirt. I LOVE their tees, the saying are so simple and beautiful. Win one here!

The Dirty Work Smoothie

Well I mentioned in the last post that I put spinach into my kids smoothies and I got about 10 emails asking me how the heck I do that...or why...
Well I stole the idea from GreenSmoothieGirl but I don't take it quite to the extreme she does.
I sneak it in because:

1. Spinach contains choline and inositol, the substances that help to prevent atherosclerosis or thickening and hardening of arteries.
2. Spinach and alfalfa help stabilize blood sugar among diabetics. Make a drink by getting several handful of spinach, add 3 cups of water. Place over low heat for one hour. Then strain. Take ½ cup twice a day. Spinach and alfalfa may be served as part of the meal.
3. Spinach is loaded with flavonoid that functions as antioxidant and anti-cancer agent.
4. Spinach contains carotenoid that help fights cancer.
5. Spinach is a rich source of Vitamins C and A
6. Spinach is an anti-aging vegetable.
7. Spinach is a good source of Vitamin K, which aids in the formation of the blood substance required for clotting of blood.

So here is how I do it, aka, my recipe:

The Dirty Work Smoothie
-I put about 1/4 cup water in the blender then take two or three handfuls of spinach. Blend. (Start smaller if your kids are super picky, but you'll cover the taste, smell, and color, in a minute.
-1 cup yogurt
-1 banana
-Optional add: Milled Flax seed (very important it is milled, your body can't digest whole flax seeds) Wheat Germ
-Frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) Takes away the green color!

(If it is too thick I add milk to thin it out!) Enjoy. Seriously you CAN'T taste the spinach and you are getting 2-3 servings of veggies in each glass!

FruitaBu Winners!

Wow, you all eat a lot of peanut butter!! I had a lot of fun reading all the different snack ideas and I got some new great ideas! Here are some of the great snacks you all came up with!

-Smoothies! (YES, I bribe my kids with these!) Grab yogurt, fruit, milk, ice and blend it up! (I even put spinach in ours...shh!)

-Peanut Butter! On saltines, graham crackers, apples, celery, pretzel sticks, you name it-put peanut butter on it! (The same seems to go for melted caramel too!)

-Apples, raisins, frozen grapes...a lot of kids are snacking on fruit! Ranch and veggies also seem to be a big hit!

There were two recipes I got that sounded MORE than yummy!
This one we are making this weekend, because my whole family and I have a soft spot for Beef Jerky!

Jerky
1 1/2lbs beef round steak
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt

Trim fat and discard from meat. cut meat into 2in strips. In large bag combine all other ingredients, then add meat. Shake to coat and refridgerate overnight. Place wire racks on foil-lined baking sheet, drain marinade place strips on racks about 1/4in apart. Bake uncovered at 200 degress for about 5 hrs, until meat is dry (sometimes it only takes 3 sometimes it takes 6, keep an eye on it). Place a wooden spoon in oven to keep oven door cracked. Remove and cool completely. (You can add liquid smoke if you like it smokey or teriyaki if you like that, or even BBQ to the bag before you shake)

The second recipe was a huge hit in our family last night. I made it and the kids went nuts at their bed time treat thinking they were getting cupcakes! And that is why Nicole who said-"I make homemade carrot apple muffins on the weekends and then give them to Josie as a quick snack or breakfast when I'm in a hurry. They only take about 10 minutes to make (plus baking time) and they keep for a week or so in the fridge and freeze really well! I get the recipes off of wholesomebabyfood.com" is the winner hand picked by me!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 12-cup standard muffin tin or use muffin papers. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sug ar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, combine carrots, applesauce, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Add half the carrot mixture to the flour mixture, stir until blended then add the rest pf the carrot mixture. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.


The 4 other randomly drawn winners are:
#6- Sandy-raisins or yogurt which can be frozen for pops
#41-coriwestphal-I have 2 faves. Both a little weird. I take 2 chocolate chip cookies, spread them with peanut butter and make a cookie sandwich with them. The other, I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches. YummY! Thanks for the great contest!
#82-Reeva said-i bet these taste great. my fav snack is apples with peanut butter. Or baby carrots with peanut butter.
#86-Helen said-I air pop popcorn and top it with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, leave it in a gallon sized zip top bag overnight and the flavors mesh.

Fall and getting ready for a garden!

I know, it is Fall...Our red and yellow leaves are almost all on the ground thanks to the fall wind. The pumpkins are still sitting in the garden and the corn husks are turning brown. However I can't stop thinking about planting our garden next spring. I love getting the kids involved with growing their own food. I love having another excuse to be outside (even if it is weeding), I LOVE raw green beans more than just about anything, and even more than that I LOVE knowing where my food is coming from.
This last week the Bush Administration halted studies that determined pesticide levels in fruits and veggies. Why? 8 million was too much.
(Population of the USA: ~ 300 million. Cost of testing program: 8 million a year. So the USDA can't find 37.5 cents for each man, woman and child in the USA to help ensure their food is safe and that Big Agriculture isn't running amok with pesticides.-greenlivingtips.com)
Another big reason to go organic or grow your own. If you aren't fortunate enough to have some room to plant a garden, consider container gardens or joining a CSA. I know, it is Fall, but this gives me something to look forward to and make it through the winter!

Whip it up Wednesday: The Dishwasher

We're back to the kitchen because really, I spend about 90% of my day there! Cooking, cleaning, playing, eating, writing, you name it, it happens in the kitchen. About 3 weeks ago I ran out of our Automatic Dishwasher soap. I had an all natural soap, but honestly, I really had to "wash" the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher...grr...so I thought I would experiment and see if I could whip up something better, and yay, I think I did!


Homemade Dishwasher Soap

2 cups liquid Castile soap
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil
1/2 cup white vinegar

Put in a squirt bottle (your old soap bottle!) shake before using, squirt about 2 tbsp. per load.

(Castile soap isn't a brand but a type of soap made exclusively from vegetable oil (sometime olive oil) rather than animal fat or synthetic substances. It is super versatile- can be used to wash your dog, shave your legs, wash your hair, and degrease your dishes, to name a few! This is the one I use. But do a search on amazon, or check out Target and you'll find more!)

October=Boob love

I'm sure you have heard by now that October is Breast Cancer awareness month. If you've looked at just about any blog this month, you've noticed!
While I am grateful that no one in my family has been affected by the disease, I've had friends, their mothers, and their sisters who have all had it affect them.
I found an amazing article written by Callipe Silverspot about Breast Cancer and Environmental Hazards and her survivor story. I think it is through each individual story that we are able to piece together the whole answer.

Gimme more Monday

Before I had kids, the weekends used to last forever- what happened. I swear it just started...
Oops, looks like I put this out a day early...well good, one more day to enter!


I know that I use a lot of plastic bags for snacks with the kids. I try to reuse them, but they take forever to dry. Mammalicious has 4 reusable bags you can win! I want!

Green and Clean Mom is giving away a book I'm very curious about. Green Goes Good with Everything. It has to be a great read, Sloan Barnett is very down to earth in her advice and usually right on.

Want a super fun rug just for Halloween. Superdumb Supervillian has Scully from Flor up for grabs. (While it may not be "organic cotton" Flor has taken HUGE measure to make sure NON of their carpet ends up in landfills. Not to mention many other eco-friendly business practices.)

Did you know that Earthbound Farms has an organic cookbook out? Food to Live By is an all organic, healthy living cookbook that looks fabulous! Win it at The Full Mommy

Total shock.

Baby Carrots are a BIG snack in this house. Give my kids some ranch and they could eat a whole bag. I've always bought the "organic" kind so I thought I was being healthy...guess I was wrong.
Read about it here.
Yuck, bleach and baby carrots. From now on I am buying whole ones and cutting them up, and next spring we are growing our own.
(Remember Chlorine Bleach is a KNOWN carcinogen.)
So, are there other veggies out there that have the same thing done?

FruitaBu Giveaway!

There is NO secret about how much I love FruitaBu's. My daughter who talks in "NaNa's" and "BaBa" can say "FruitaBu"...My kids would choose them over cookies, no kidding.
My love affair started about two years ago when I was shopping at Costco. A sample lady was handing out full packages. At that time, my daughter was only a few months and Cade was just walking so I got to eat it...hahaha....Now when I was in junior high, Fruit by the Foot came out and I lived on them through high school, but the thought of letting my kids eat a Fruit by the Foot is out of the question. The ingredients go something like, fruit from concentrate, sugar, corn syrup, artifical color and flavor...SO, back to Costco. Imagine my excitement when I read the ingredients of FruitaBu's-Organic Apple Puree Concentrate, Organic Strawberry Puree Concentrate, Natural Elderberry Juice Concentrate for Color, Organic Strawberry Flavor, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate. Notice a difference? It is HUGE.
I don't think my kids will ever have any other kind of fruit snack again. FruitaBu also make Fruit Sploooshers, which are huge hits too. They are flavored apple sauce in a tube. Super easy and convenient. I can even give them to the kids in the car and they don't make a mess. (Usually!)
Unfortunately Costco doesn't carry the large box of Fruitabu's anymore...maybe a good thing, we went through them in about a week...And for awhile I couldn't find them anywhere. But, about two months ago I noticed them back on the shelves at Target. Average price, about $2.49, which is comparable to all the sugar loaded snacks around it!
Oh yeah, I am totally handing these out on Halloween (we get about 6 trick or treaters!)

Trust me, your kids will love it!
Want to try some, for FREE?
I have 5 boxes of Fruitabu Fruit twirls to giveaway to 5 separate winners!


To enter:
Leave a comment: I am always looking for healthy, easy, quick snacks for my kids (why I LOVE FruitaBu's) so give me some ideas. I will pick one winner based on my favorite snack from the comments, the other 4 will be picked at random using random.org.
Don't forget to leave an email address if your blogger profile is private...I can't read minds unfortunately (don't tell my kids). If you're worried about spam you can leave it like
mail (at) something (dot) com. I can figure that out!


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You have till Thursday, October 9 at midnight (central) time to enter!
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Whip it up Wednesday: Armpits

No, I haven't figured out an at home deodorant. Just something for when your deodorant fails. Unfortunately I have ruined about half, no ALL, my white shirts because no matter what I do, I sweat, and then I get that disgusting stain. Yuck. Instead of using toxic pre-treats and bleach, here is an easy way to get rid of the stain...tested and approved.

(Sweat) Stain remover
Place three aspirin tablets into a plastic baggie, seal, and crush.

Dump the crushed aspirin into a shallow bowl.

Pour two tablespoons of warm water into the bowl and stir to dissolve. The mixture should make a paste.

Spread the paste onto the sweat stain of your shirt and allow to sit for an hour. The salicylic acid, aspirin’s main ingredient, will seep deep into the fabric of the shirt to lift the stain.

Wash as usual.

Remember, while Aspirin is non-toxic to the environment, keep it out of reach of children, please.