Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the day with your family! My kids can't wait for the parade!

Whip it up Wednesday: Furniture

Just in case you are madly cleaning your house this evening at midnight for all the company you need to impress when suddenly you realize that you don't have any furniture polish, here is a great, quick recipe!

Furniture Polish Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

Trust me, it will impress your mother in-law! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Things I love

I have to assume that most people by now have heard of, and love, etsy.
I love all things hand made. I seriously avoid etsy some days, because we would be broke if I didn't.
I consider a lot of things on etsy "green". So many of the artists use found objects and recycle what they can. To be sure what you are getting on etsy is green, go through EcoEtsy first.
Most of the artists re-use for their art or use environmentally friendly items. Plus, they all have pledged to recycle and reuse packaging (and do it attractively!) EcoEsty is a small little corner of etsy, but I hope many other etsy members follow suit- though many already are and just aren't members!
Ahh etsy, does anyone have a reason not to love it and the artists?

Gimme more Monday

Monday, the big holiday week has arrived. Be safe with your travels, eat well, and most importantly, enjoy the time spent with your loved ones (and the one black sheep of the family!) Before you go, enter some great green giveaways.


The Soft Landing is a great place to go when you want to be assure what you are buying is safe. BPA free is a big one! KatydidandKid are giving away 2 feeding dishes this week!

Have you noticed yourself going from cold to cold, and that stupid sore throat just WON'T go away. Win a pack of Bee MD Organic Honey Throat Drops from TryingToBeGreener and get some relief!!

I certainly hope you have entered MY giveaway!

Have you heard of Gaiam yet? They are an online store centered on green living, fitness, and organic products. Win a $50 gift card for signing up for their newsletter here!

Want a Lexus Hybrid? I do, but I don't know about the taxes I'd have to pay if I won...Enter here!


Posts may be slow this week as I am cooking sweet potatoes for an army and so many of us are taking off early this week to be with family. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

For some reason I volunteered to bring my "famous" twice baked sweet potatoes to my in-laws Thanksgiving. I usually make them for my smaller family, so it is not a huge operation, but with my in-laws comes 25+ people. I think I'll start baking them this weekend! I found organic sweet potatoes at Costco and am very excited to use them! So...
Are you going "green" this Thanksgiving?
GreenDaily has a great little article on easy things you can do to go green! Read it here.

Save the world...Bank online

Awhile ago I wrote about ways to save money by going green. One of those ways was skip the receipt at the ATM. But as you say no to the receipt, does your bank share the same ideals as you or are you bombarded with paper statements and advertisements from your bank?
I recently discovered ShoreBank-I think what they are doing is revolutionary, and I hope more banks follow.

Mission and Values

Since its inception in 1973, ShoreBank has been a pioneer in demonstrating that a regulated bank could be instrumental in revitalizing those communities that had been avoided by other financial institutions. We have since expanded our focus to include environmental issues, as it is our belief that environmental well-being is an essential component of any community’s prosperity. ShoreBank's unique purpose is evident in our mission statement, corporate values, and in the stories of our customers.

MISSION
ShoreBank invests in people and their communities to create economic equity and a healthy environment.

CORPORATE VALUES
All of ShoreBank's leaders and employees are expected to demonstrate the following values in their daily activities and decision-making:

Integrity and Excellence

• We deliver on our promises.
• We are honest in everything we do.
• We provide superior execution and exceptional customer service.

Respect and Inclusion

• Our leadership, workforce and decision-making reflect and respect the diversity of customers and communities we serve.
• We value all employees, investing in their personal and professional growth.
• We encourage employees to express themselves and be active partners in making ShoreBank an outstanding organization that creates social and environmental change.

Collaborative and Local

• We integrate services and share knowledge across affiliates to provide maximum benefit to the customers and communities we serve.
• We value and rely on partnerships with others who share our goals.
• We make decisions close to the customer, based upon deep understanding of customers and local markets.

Triple Bottom Line

• We strive to meet three objectives simultaneously: building wealth for all in economically integrated communities, promoting environmental health and operating profitably.

Innovation

• We do not accept the world as it is – we recognize value where others may not. We create practical new tools that increase economic equity and produce a healthier environment.

They have a great Direct High-Yield Savings Account that you can link to other accounts.

Here are features of their savings account:

• receive a higher rate of interest than is offered by typical bank Savings Accounts;
• enjoy the liquidity provided by a Savings Account;
• manage their savings online through electronic deposits and withdrawals, e-mail inquiries, and online access to banking statements;
• deposit their money where it will be used to help strengthen communities and create a healthier environment.

Whip it up Wednesday: Mold, Germs, Bacteria

Sick kids are everywhere right now...and with all the hand washing and covering the coughs, it still seems to spread. But whenever my kids get a cold and as soon as they are over it I take my spray bottle with straight vinegar and go to work.

A straight 5% solution of vinegar (how it is sold in the stores) is completely effective and safe for ELIMINATING harmful bacteria, mold, and germs.

The Dirty Work's CHRISTMAS WISH LIST (and GIVEAWAY!)

Can you believe I've been blogging for a year? So to celebrate I am coming out with

The Dirty Work's Christmas Wish List (and GIVEAWAY!)

I hope my husband is reading...


#1. The plan in this house is to be as green as possible this Holiday season. That means stocking up on some of the fabulous basic things to make going green easier. One of my FAVORITES, the Kootsac:
Kootsacs are lightweight, yet strong, re-usable, washable and fasten with a twist tie. They will hold ANY bulk food, even flour! I want about a dozen of these in multiple sizes to fill when I visit the Co-op. Plus I just love the name.



#2. I have yet to join the digital revolution when it comes to pda's, and quite frankly I don't want to. The designs from Sarah Pinto make me NEVER want to.


The weekly planners from Sarah Pinto have amazing designs and even better, they are green! She uses high-quality recycled paper and soy-based ink. I want one of these for my purse SO BAD.



#3. This is going to sound lame, but I really need a new vacuum. With a dog and kids ours just can't keep up. I want the Electrolux Ultrasilencer Green.


It is most energy efficient cleaner on the market using 33% less energy and it is made of recycled plastic. Plus, for a vacuum, it is semi-sexy looking!



#4. I am probably one of the last people on earth who doesn't have one of these, a Klean Kanteen. They are a stainless steel water bottles so the BPA worry is gone.

They are easy to clean, and they are re-usable. Why haven't I bought myself, and the kids, one of these yet? That is why it is on the list.



#5. My husband broke my digital camera by launching it into a lake via a ceiling fan. It is not really a green item, but there are lots of reason why digital photos are more green than film. #1, No chemical development process! I want my old camera back, the Casio Exilim. It fit in my purse wonderfully.



#6. One stop kid shopping. Hazelnut Kids! The kids are really only getting a few big presents this year. My daughter is getting a doll house or a play kitchen and my son is getting a bike or train table.

But I also have 3 great nieces I get to buy for too. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be doing ALL my shopping at Hazelnut Kids. There are a lot of eco-friendly kid stores popping up, but the products and prices at Hazelnut just seem a little bit better than some of the others. So on my list is the WHOLE STORE- can I put a whole store on my list, of course!



#7. So, I have another whole store to add, Target. I want a large gift card to Target so I can buy Method baby products and California Baby for my kids and Yes to Carrot for me. Just search, Target and eco-friendly. They are really doing some great things for a "big box" store.



#8. Biking is one of the most eco-friendly thing you can do. During the summer the kids and I are out all the time, and I never wear a helmet. If I got a YAKKAY helmet, I just might live in it.
Isn't it fabulous! I'd love to do a triathlon in one of these!



#9. I can't forget the dog. Annie's Sweatshop has some of the cutest dog collars.
Trash (yes, that is our dog's name, but it comes with a very cute story) needs that one. Annie uses a fabric of your choice sewn onto renewable and strong cotton webbing and a re-purposed, black plastic, side-release buckle. You can send her your old dog collar, she'll reuse what she can AND you get a discount!



#10. Ok, I want one or the other. Either A goat, (I've always had a thing for goats, just ask my husband. Plus I want to be able to make my own goats milk soap, so maybe I need a whole bunch of goats!)

or a push reel mower.


#11. And now I get to dream. Every year I tell my husband I want a trip to the spa and he has yet to deliver. He tells me to go, but I won't unless I have a physical gift card or he actually TAKES me. However this year I am upping the anty. I want a trip to Sentry Mountain Lodge in Canada and I want to stay at the Sentry Lodge for a 12 day vacation in August.

While getting there isn't exactly eco-friendly (you have to fly in via helicopter) everything else is completely green. It features an environmentally friendly micro-hydro electric generating system. Indoor amenities like odorless composting toilets plus showers make Sentry feel just like home. Plus the chef flies in fresh organic food and she was trained in France. I first saw a show on Sentry on PBS and have been dreaming ever since. Hiking, good meals, beautiful location, wonderful people...what more could you ask for!

And now for the giveaway!- A GOAT! kidding...

It wouldn't be fair for me to just to gush on how much I want this stuff without actually letting you GET the stuff! Here is what is up for grabs to make your holidays a little more fun!

A set of 3 Medium Bags from Kootsac
A weekly planner of YOUR choice from Sarah Pinto
A $50 gift certificate to Target
A $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com

(I'll try to include the trip next year!)

Here is how is works. There will be 4 winners all randomly drawn from random.org. 1st drawn wins will win the Kootsac, 2nd, a weekly planner from Sarah Pinto, 3rd drawn gets the Target gift cards and 4th drawn gets the Amazon gift card. Easy enough!

How to enter. I need you to check out each of the four giveaway sponsors listed above and let me know what your favorite product is at each site. What planner would you choose from Sarah Pinto? What's your favorite color bag at Kootsac? Or what would you put in them? What have you always wanted for yourself at Target and Amazon.com but never splurge for? Now is your chance!

Want and extra entry, there are TWO WAYS.
-Subscribe to my blog or if you're already a subscriber, leave a new comment letting me know! You'll get a second entry.
-Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link to the giveaway and leave me a comment with your blog link, bingo, another entry!


If you don't have a blogger account make sure to leave your email address at the bottom of your comment. Entries without an email will be delete. This giveaway until Thanksgiving. You have till Thursday November 27th at 11:59 pm (CST) to get your comments in!

(This giveaway is open to all residents in the US and Canada. The 4 winners 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 and the product reps will contact you with it!)

Gimme more Monday

I have yet to perfect homemade laundry soap, but Ashley of Crunch Clean has! And you can even add your own scent! Give it a try and win it here at MySentimentExactlee.


Winter is coming and with it, dry skin. Win some vegan lotion from Green and Chic from SheScribes.


KatydidAndKid is giving away a Tea Bath set of your choice. Sounds fabulous, and did you see the packaging, gorgeous!


Green and Clean Mom just came out with her Green Holiday Guide. It is a keeper!
Display her button, let her know, and you are entered to win $100 towards the items on the list!

Digital photos. Totally green. Don't forget to back them up! You can win a 1TB (that is huge people) SeagateFreeAgent Xtreme External Hard Drive from TheDirtyShirt. (Love the name!)

Sick kids.

Yesterday my little girl laid on my bed grabbing her ears yelling "owie". She also does this freaky thing where she pretty much turns white whenever she gets sick, the first time it happened was the worst feeling I've ever had. Of course they didn't find an ear infection, but they did find a few other things concerning her adenoids and why she is going so pale.
However, she was up all night last night, and I am tired and probably going to be going back to the Dr. to see if there is anything they can give to help her. I hate seeing them in pain. So I'm taking the day OFF.
However, DON'T forget to come back Monday morning for the launch of the
The Dirty Works Green Christmas Wish List-and giveaway!
We should all be healthy by then!

Trader Joe's

Every since I posted a link to a Trader Joe's cookbook giveaway on Monday it seems to be all we can talk about. Many people have many reason WHY they love Trader Joe's. Here is my list, WHY!

-Organic Produce at the SAME price or cheaper that regular produce I buy at a chain grocery store.

-The Trader Joe's staff. One day my daughter was having a FIT in the store. Two staff members came up and I thought, "oh great, someone complained and we're being kicked out". Nope. They came to cheer her up. They brought her 3, yes THREE balloons, a sucker, some juice, pointed out all the fun farm scenes around the store, and made her happy while I could grab my last few things. Wow. Talk about Wow. If I could have tipped them, they would be rich women.

-Their pre-packaged dinners are actually kind of nutritious and not full of preservatives.

-I work with a total wine snob, and admitted to him that I enjoyed 3 buck Chuck (yes, $3.00 bottles of wine). He smiled and whispered, "me too, just don't tell ANYONE!"

-If you have allergies, you can probably get your favorite foods at TJ's without the allergens that ail you in it! They have great options for all sorts of dietary restrictions.

-You get to enter to win a $25 TJ gift card if you bring your own bags.

-I was starting to get leery of TJ's when I learned that some of the organic products came from China where "organic" isn't as regulated. HOWEVER "Trader Joe’s says it will phase out single-ingredient organic foods sourced from mainland China by Jan. 1, according to an Oct. 20 Chicago Sun-Times article. The Monrovia, Calif.-based firm says, 'We feel confident that all of our products from China meet the same high quality standards that we set for all of our products. However, our customers have voiced their concerns about products from this region and we have listened. We will continue to source products from other regions until our customers feel as confident as we do about the quality and safety of Chinese products.'”


You do have to be careful though, Trader Joe's is totally an impulse shopping place. Unless you go there a lot it is hard to have a list. Research, know your prices, and set a budge the first time!

Whip it up Wednesday: Why I whip it up

My husband was watching me make a stainless steel cleaner last night and asked WHY I didn't just go out and buy something. Really, Mr., you're asking me this now, you don't get it yet?
I think it was just a lapse in his judgment but he had to listen to a 10 minute speech from me.
Here it is in a nutshell:

#1. It is WAY cheaper than buying cleaners from the store
#2. Less waste. I reuse my plastic bottles and recycle any other container I have that "make" my cleaner
#3. I control now my house smells, or doesn't smell. Really the vinegar smell hardly lasts for more than an hour and usually I don't add any oils, but if I'm having people over and want to add a little something I can put in any kind of essential oil I want!
#4. I don't ever worry about accidentally bleaching my clothes. I used to clean my toilet with a bleach cleaner and alway splashed some of the cleaner on my legs. I ruined so many pants. No more!
#5. Less harmful/NOT harmful- to the environment, my kids, my animals, myself
AND
#6. because it is not toxic or harmful to my kids they totally have to help me clean. When I mop the floor they get out their rags and spread bubbles. When I clean the bathroom, they wipe the sinks and bathtub. My son will spray the glass cleaner on the window and tables and I DON'T WORRY.

Something is coming...

Stay tuned.
An anniversary and the holidays always call for some fabulous gifts.
We're going to do it in green this year!
Coming soon...

Gimme more Monday

Back to normal? Maybe!


Looking for natural, NON-CHEMICAL, kid soaps, shampoos, and lotions? Have you tried TruKids yet? ChicShopperChick has a Healthy Habits gift pack up for grabs!

I can't even tell you how happy I am to find SO many great options for Green Christmas cards that aren't just "send an email!" Recycled paper, soy inks, smile! Win $100 towards some fabulous cards from My Good Greetings at MamaDivas.

Who doesn't love Trader Joe's. Aisle of cheap organic yummy food. The perfect impluse shopping market! Win the Cooking with Trader Joe's cookbook at CookingWithTraderJoes.com

Heard of Boho Magazine? I haven't check out the magazine yet, but I am curious, because let me tell you, the booties about halfway down the page are SCREAMING to me. Win a years subcription at Green-Talk. And if you win, be green and pass it on to a friend when you're done!

Stubby Pencil Studio=AMAZING. Win a $50 GC from TeensyGreen.

Confused about organic shopping? Win a copy of The Organic Food Shoppers Guide from LeitesCulinaria and straighten yourself out!

I got myself a new bike last summer, and now I would love to get one for my husband. (At least that is his excuse why he can't beat me when we go biking, "My bike is too old...") Win a Schwinn here.

The Tea Party is on, and one of my favorite ladies is giving away a great Casio watch!
It’s Tea Party Week at Mom Most Traveled! Enter here for your chance to win a Baby-G watch from Casio!

Time to get crafty

Last night I sat down to read the new Kiwi that came the other day. Did anyone else see this?

We're so making on of these this weekend! I hope mine turns out pretty and doesn't just look like the pile of plastic target bags waiting to be recycled...
Directions HERE!

We'll post photos when we're done!

Elections

There is no doubt I am over-joyed about our choice for President. I could go on and on but I think most of it has been said. However, while I was celebrating Tuesday evening my heart also was broken. My children's failing school district had an operating levy put to the vote that did not pass. What does this mean for my children. It means sharing books, desks, less teachers, no more art or music classes, less transportation, less extra-curricular activities, LESS, LESS, LESS.
I am so irritated about this failing, as the cost to residents was next to nothing, but anytime anyone hears "property tax increase", especially where we live, they instantly are against it.
I won't do home school and I won't do private school, they are all faith based and that is something I think should be separate. So we have been looking into Open Enrollment. But there is no guarantee that my children will be admitted each year as it is based on size, and all the districts here are over crowded. Any what if a levy fails in that district...
Seriously, my children are just starting pre-school and I'm already overly concerned about their education. Move? Open my own school? Charter schools? Urgh.
This is a bit off the green map, but it has been weighing heavily on my heart. I can't imagine the kids not having access to all the wonderful I did while I was in school.

Whip it up Wednesday: Bleach

Want the "whitest whites", but not sure how now that you've given up Chlorine Bleach?

Add 1/2 cup Hydrogen Peroxide to the bleach compartment of your washing machine.

Beautiful, white, stain-free! But please only use in your white loads!

We have a winner! EcoBrain

Who says the first and last number never win?
Congratulations to Jennifer who said, "I agree with no late fees! I borrow a ton of books from the library. Found out the other day that it's a $.50/day fine. Which adds up if you have a few books out and forget they are due!!
This looks like a cool site, I'm going to go check it out."

Make sure you check out ecoBrain for their free book that changes every two weeks!

As if you needed to be reminded

For your children
For the environment
For the arts
For change

Then go enjoy a free cup of coffee from Starbucks while munching on your free Krispie Kreme.

And if your still undecided, this site might help...

Gimme more Monday

So last week was the Carnival. How many hours did you clock, come on be honest!
I know I'm still recovering, so no list of giveaways this Monday either, but next Monday it'll be back, promise!!

And we have a winner!

#309 Heather Elizabth who said, "What a great contest! My kids are too young to be "teaching" much too, but I buy organic foods for them, make our own baby food, and try to reuse clothes if they aren't too dirty from the first time!", is our big winner of the Stewart & Brown $50 Gift Card! Yay, have fun!!
And keep an eye on their clearance section, I know I am!!
And make sure to check back here once and again, you never know when I'll find another Gift Card to give away!!
Finally, make sure you enter my giveaway for a green E-book from ecoBrain!!