The Dirty Work...

More reasons to eat Raw Food.

2009-09-24T13:37:00.001-05:00

While this article didn't shock me, it did serve as a reminder that simple is usually better...

Read on about Sand in your Chili and Fertilizer in you Bread...

Yes Men!

2009-09-21T13:06:00.001-05:00

Bananas!

2009-08-17T15:14:00.004-05:00

So, we all know bananas aren't in the dirty dozen, but here is a reason you might want to include them in your "buy organic" list.

Dole is now suing the filmmakers. You can make your own choice.

Organic food, Not healthier???!!

2009-08-05T13:11:00.004-05:00

I've been so bummed out since I've read this article ORGANIC FOOD IS NO HEALTHIER, STUDY FINDS.

Because, on the surface people who buy organic foods, who are not completely educated as to why they do it, might just stop. Plain and simple, plants get their nutrients from the soil. Organic farmers maintain their soil’s nutrient level by adding compost and manure and by rotating crops, whereas most non organic farmers maintain their crop yields by adding synthetic chemical fertilizers to their soil. Every time I hear the word synthetic I cringe. To me a natural environment and something synthetic don't blend.

I don't buy organic foods because I think it has a higher concentration of vitamins. I don't think it is healthier than its chemically sprayed identical twin.

I buy organic because it is more sustainable for our environment. I know my produce is not full of pesticide residue, and I do not worry about health problems related to pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers because mine have been grown without..

If you have an hour, this video is fantastic.

Green Irene

2009-07-30T13:24:00.005-05:00

Don't you wish you could have someone come in and just make your house green for you? Well, you can with Green Irene. Grene Irene offers a green home makeover for just $99. A local consultant will come in and help you become more environmentally friendly and save money. Now you can win a chance for a FREE makeover!! WOW!

Go here to enter!

A simple reminder

2009-07-27T14:32:00.003-05:00

Slowly getting the computer situation taken care of. In other words, for now, my husband and I are learning to share.

It is a lot harder than it looks and I give my kids a big pat on the back for being such good sharers, most of the time!

But for now I'm going out to the garden. The green beans are out, as is the green onions and new potatoes. Corn will be coming soon along with the edamame. Yum! Our final harvest will be leeks. I can't wait.

Whip it up Wednesday: A Refresher

2009-07-23T13:16:00.002-05:00

With all the wonderful fresh fruit and veggies at the farmers markets (and if you're lucky, your backyard!) remember the Dirty Dozen! Ask the farmer your buying from how the veggies are grown, where the farm is, and avoid these 12 if they are not grown with organic practices or organically.

DIRTY DOZEN
(Buy These Organic)

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes
10. Pears
11. Spinach
12. Potatoes

CLEANEST 12
(Lowest in Pesticides)

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn (frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Eggplant

Ruby Pinwheel summer sale

2009-07-21T14:31:00.002-05:00

Ruby Pinwheels-I love this store. A small little online boutique that uses real moms to test their products. And, of course, all their products are natural, organic, and hip!
They are currently having their summer sale. 20-50% off regular price. This might be the cutest and truest onesie in the world! I think I might stock up for all the baby showers coming up!

Bummer...

2009-07-16T14:28:00.003-05:00

We've been busy harvesting this last week, and will be busy for weeks to come-so I've been preparing with a lot of pre-typed blog posts. Something I tend to stay away from, but I didn't want to completely abandon my little space. Well, last night my laptop gave me the spinning wheel of death. We're pretty sure everything is lost. Pictures, addresses, links, and prepared blog posts...
Today I found out that my weekend plans are shot. Instead of a relaxing weekend with the kids in the water and sun I now am scrambling to find babysitters- and I haven't even told the kids the trip is off. Since they've been looking forward to it for over a week, this is not going to be fun. I hate breaking their little hearts.
I'm waiting for the 3rd thing to happen- they say bad things come in threes. (I'm praying for a broken nail to get this slump over with...)
Yikes.

Whip it up Wednesday: Laundry

2009-07-08T14:23:00.002-05:00

Making your own laundry soap is a lot of work. I don't do it. I usually buy Seventh Generation or Restore (There is a great little eco-shop near me call The Nest, I can bring in my Restore bottle and they will refill it for less than half the price of buying a new bottle! LOVE IT!)
If your like me and don't have the time to make your own but want to get rid of the chemical bomb going off in your washing machine, here are a few reviews of great green laundry detergents!

Green Daily-Getting Your Laundry Clean and Green

Grist-Its a wash
If you have stained clothing I highly recommend rubbing the stain with dish soap (I use Method) to pre-treat the stain.

Associated Content- Eco-friendly Laundry Detergents that you will Love

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-03T13:14:00.000-05:00

Be safe, have fun, and enjoy the weekend! I will be out till Tuesday.

These two are so excited!

Summer sale!

2009-07-02T07:53:00.000-05:00

Two of my favorite online stores are having great sales right now!

Stewart and Brown is offering and extra 30% off all Sale Items! (Just enter salesale at checkout)

VivaTerra just started their semi-annual clearance sale. New items just added all at great prices!
Check out this ruler table! Wow!
(I'm frantically searching for the perfect corner now!)

Whip it up Wednesday: 4th of July

2009-07-01T13:28:00.003-05:00

I'll be honest- 4th of July is probably our least green holiday around here. We ALL drive north to the cabin, grill over charcoal, take the boat out multiple times, and much to my chagrin, my husband, brother-in law, and others buy and light off fireworks. (Ok, I kind of like it too!)
My husband and I consider the 4th of July as an anniversary of us so we tend to go overboard in celebrating. Plus it is just a great excuse to get together with family and enjoy a few days by the lake.
However, this year, for all our bad I'm going to try to do some good too-
Here's how you can celebrate a more green 4th of July.

If you must use paper plates. Look for compostable, biodegradable ones made from sugar, corn, or recycled paper. (I've noticed that Costco is carrying biodegradable plates and recyclable cups.)
Otherwise GreenPartyGoods is my good to favorite!

Did you know that Disney uses Sekon biodegradable fireworks. (Gunpowder-free “air launch” technology). Hey, maybe you can convince your city to convert next year.

RECYCLE all those pop and beer cans!

Choose local, organic foods. We are able to stop at a fish and farmers market on the way up. It is a never miss opportunity and I love meeting the farmers who grow the food. Plus they have a great home made ice cream stand that the kids love.

Well, how will you go green this 4th?

Moms Meet

2009-06-25T13:35:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited to be a Moms Meet ambassador and meet moms in my area face to face and discuss topics near and dear to us!
I'll be posting more information in the near future about how you can find a Moms Meet group near you-and fill you in on what the heck a Moms Meet group is! (And if you happen to live in Minnesota, email me!)

Whip it up Wednesday: Sleep!

2009-06-24T14:43:00.002-05:00

How to get three kids to sleep...
Take them to the park
Let them run around like crazy 1-2 hours, rain or shine. Provide ample drinking water.
Order pizza, have a picnic inside (too much rain).
Enjoy a small scoop of ice cream with sprinkles.
Run around 10 more minutes.
Read a fantastic book- We are loving Fancy Nancy right now.
Tuck in tight. Add a touch of water.
Enjoy!

I have a house of three tired, sleeping kids. I think I'm going to do the same now too!

I'll be announcing winners of the first two giveaways shortly. Don't forget you can still enter to win a $50 Aveda gift card and a National Parks pass!

Summer fun!

2009-06-23T13:08:00.003-05:00

Kiwi Magazine recently posted 50 fun and inexpensive summer activities. You can read the full list here. But listed below are some of my favorites and some of my own!

-Make a fort, inside or out, it doesn’t matter!

-Make mudpies after a rainstorm.

-Hang an old sheet on a clotheslines, then fill spray bottles with a mixture of tempera paint and water. Spray away for a unique, colorful masterpiece!

-Bring the paints outside. Let them go crazy. Clean them with a hose!

-Get out the instruments and make a marching band.

-Learn how to skip rocks.

-AMC movie theaters started their summer movie camp. Every Wednesday at 10 they show a kids movie for $1.00!

-See how many new parks you can find in the neighborhood.

-Stop and pick the wildflowers. Bring along a guidebook to learn their names.

-Have an outdoor dance party.

What is your favorite summer activity with the kids?

My favorite things GIVEAWAY! Camping

2009-06-19T14:25:00.005-05:00

I love camping, in a tent. I love not being able to sleep the first night because of all the new noises. I love waking up early before the tent heats up from the sun, and I love crashing the second night from all the fresh air! While I love camping in the backyard or at the local campsite, there is NOTHING more spectacular than camping at a National Park. My husband and I spent our honeymoon camping in different National Parks in the west. And we'd done many other road/National Park camping trips prior.
With kids it has gotten a little trickier. They are young and I get nightmares just thinking about some of the hikes I did before I had kids. (Really, I just leaned over that cliff 4500ft. above the ground??!!) My knees are buckling already!
In honor of my love for camping and National Parks (need any good recommendations, talk to me- I kept vivid journals throughout all our travels!) I am giving away a National Parks Annual Pass! An $80 value!

Valid for one full year from month of purchase.
Provides entrance or access to pass holder and accompanying passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle at Federally operated recreation sites across the country.
Covers the pass holder and three (3) accompanying adults age 16 and older at sites where per person entrance fees are charged. No entry fee for children 15 and under.
Photo identification may be required to verify ownership.
Passes are NON-REFUNDABLE, NON-TRANSFERABLE, and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.
Fees vary widely across the thousands of Federal Recreation sites. Please contact specific sites directly for information on what is or is not covered

To enter: Leave a comment about your FAVORITE place to go camping!!
You have till Thursday June 25 at 11:59pm (cst) to leave a comment.
The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winner on my blog. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I'll pick another. Good luck!
And, as always, your email will never be sold or solicited. I will only use it to contact the winner. If you are worried about spam, please enter you email address as name (at) emailaddress (dot) com. Or something similar!
This giveaway is open to everyone, young and old, in the US and Canada.

Don't forget to enter my other Favorite Things giveaways!
$50 Gift Card to Aveda
$50 Gift Card to Viva Terra
Method Smarty Dish Dishwasher tabs!

P.S. I have not been paid to post about any of the products in this weeks "My favorite things giveaways", nor have I been given products samples. These are all genuine products I use and enjoy everyday.

AND don't forget, this weekend is the first of MANY No Fee weekends to all National Parks!

My favorite things GIVEAWAY! Aveda

2009-06-18T12:56:00.006-05:00

Yes, I love Aveda. Our house smells of it when I am finished getting ready in the morning. I don't use every Avdea product out there, but there are a few I swear by:
Dual Natural Moisturizer.

It has an SPF of 15 so it is perfect for an every day moisturizer. It is also the only sunblock I wore on my face while in Hawaii and I didn't burn at all!

I just call this my Hair Life Saver.
Their brilliant Anti-humectant pomade is perfect for my kind of frizzy, always curly, hair.
I also love that Aveda sends out little gifts if you are a Pure Privilege member. For my birthday I get a coupon for double points on my purchases! (So I always stock up this time of year!) Plus you get to make your own perfume, and they are always sending out great little cards that let you pick up samples!
So, want a chance to win a $50 gift card to Aveda and an adorable little tote?
To enter: Leave a comment about your FAVORITE beauty ritual!!
You have till Wednesday June 24 at 11:59pm (cst) to leave a comment.
The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winner on my blog. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I'll pick another. Good luck!
And, as always, your email will never be sold or solicited. I will only use it to contact the winner. If you are worried about spam, please enter you email address as name (at) emailaddress (dot) com. Or something similar!
This giveaway is open to everyone, young and old, in the US and Canada.

Don't forget to enter my other Favorite Things giveaways!
National Parks Annual Pass
$50 Gift Card to Viva Terra
Method Smarty Dish Dishwasher tabs!

P.S. I have not been paid to post about any of the products in this weeks "My favorite things giveaways", nor have I been given products samples. These are all genuine products I use and enjoy everyday.

My favorite things GIVEAWAY! Viva Terra

2009-06-17T13:44:00.011-05:00

There are few things I get completely obsessed with, Viva Terra might just top the list. When their catalog arrives I scan every page, wishing, planning, watching for sales, and hoping my husband reads this blog and sees what I am dying for!

Isn't this robe amazing! It is the perfect Saturday morning, drink your coffee, read the paper on the porch, robe. It will be mine!
I would love these stools for my living room. They double as seats if you run out of sitting room! Genius!

And these flowers would add just a touch of extra color to my garden when the day lilies aren't blooming!

So, do you want your own chance to become completely obsessed with eco-friendly home decorating and clothing? One lucky reader will win a $50.00 gift certificate to Viva Terra!!

To enter: Leave a comment about your FAVORITE thing to obsess about!!
You have till Tuesday June 23 at 11:59pm (cst) to leave a comment.
The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winner on my blog. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I'll pick another. Good luck!
And, as always, your email will never be sold or solicited. I will only use it to contact the winner. If you are worried about spam, please enter you email address as name (at) emailaddress (dot) com. Or something similar!
This giveaway is open to everyone, young and old, in the US and Canada.

Don't forget to enter my other Favorite Things giveaways!
Annual National Parks Pass
$50 Gift Card to Aveda
Method Smarty Dish Dishwasher tabs!

P.S. I have not been paid to post about any of the products in this weeks "My favorite things giveaways", nor have I been given products samples. These are all genuine products I use and enjoy everyday. (Or in this case, dream about!)

My favorite things GIVEAWAY! Method Smarty Dish

2009-06-16T13:15:00.005-05:00

About a week after we moved into our house my husband decided to use the dishwasher and somehow he managed to break the door for the soap right off...grr... Since getting it repaired cost almost as much as a new dishwasher I figured there had to be something out there I could use instead. I'd seen other phosphate loaded dishwasher tablets, but was hoping for something more environmentally friendly. Then I happened upon Method Smarty Dish dish tabs. I just throw one in the bottom of my dishwasher and the dishes some out clean and shiny! I cannot image not having these so I stock up like mad when they go one sale! (they just went through a repackaging-they now come in smaller bags-so I could find them on the Target clearance isles!)
Want to try them for yourself?
One lucky reader will win 3 boxes of Method Smarty Dish (20 tabs in each!)

To enter: Leave a comment about your FAVORITE thing to eat!!
You have till Monday June 22 at 11:59pm (cst) to leave a comment.
The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winner on my blog. If I don't hear back from the winner within 48 hours, I'll pick another.
And, as always, your email will never be sold or solicited. I will only use it to contact the winner. If you are worried about spam, please enter you email address as name (at) emailaddress (dot) com. Or something similar!
This giveaway is open to everyone, young and old, in the US and Canada.

Don't forget to enter my other Favorite Things Giveaways!
Annual National Parks Pass
$50 Gift Card to Aveda
$50 Gift Card to Viva Terra

P.S. I have not been paid to post about any of the products in this weeks "My favorite things giveaways", nor have I been given products samples. These are all genuine products I use and enjoy everyday.

My favorite things!

2009-06-16T12:21:00.003-05:00

Well, last week was slow and I apologize. But I have a good excuse! I was busy getting ready for a surprise 30th birthday party for my husband. Trust me, I wanted to tell you but I didn't want him to read my blog and ruin the surprise.
We had a great time playing yard games, eating BBQ, and wonderful conversations! Seriously, throwing a good party is one of my favorite things! Which leads me to this week!
My favorite things! And they are all for you! Come back for great green giveaways of ALL my favorite things! (Well not all, there is a price limit and I can't afford to buy a new Honda for one of you!)

Happy birthday!

2009-06-08T12:47:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty much taking the week off to prepare for big surprises next week! Plus this week is my anniversary/birthday week and I plan on fully enjoying it! But check back Monday morning for a Happy Belated Birthday celebration week!

Whip it up Wednesday: Dad

2009-06-03T13:47:00.002-05:00

Yes, Father's Day is coming. While I haven't decided exactly what we are going to be doing, I've got one good idea.
Every National Park (yes, more than 100 of them) are offering Free Weekends this summer and Father's Day just happens to be the first.
June 20-21
July 18-19August 15-16
Some parks are even hosting fun events, discounted tours, or giving away fun eco-friendly items.

My list of favorite parks include, Bryce Canon, Great Basin, Zion, Badlands, Yosemite, and Volcano. Oh, they are all amazing! So if you happen to be up for a weekend road trip or are lucky enough to live close to a National Park, take advantage of this great offer!

A big fan

2009-06-02T13:41:00.002-05:00

I know ceiling fans are supposed to be energy efficient. However, when it came to building our house I just couldn't put any in. I grew up in the 80's where my parents installed ugly little fans in all the rooms. Ceiling fans and their designs date a house so quickly.
Today while shopping at Ikea, my kids started scream, "Windmill, windmill!!!". "No honeys there are no windmills inside Ikea, (then I looked up) thats just, a big ass fan." And low and behold, it really was a Big Ass Fan.
Now had I seen these while building our house I would have made sure to design a room just to put one of these in! Amazing... (I could totally make one work in our kitchen.)

Whip it up Wednesday: Compost

2009-05-27T13:39:00.002-05:00

Everywhere I go I have been seeing compost bins. Big ones, little ones, indoor ones, outdoor ones. Whatever happened to just making a pile in your yard? (Ok yes, maybe a bin is a little less of an eye sore if you live in the city!)
But, if you are lucky enough to have some space, here is a simple way to make a compost pile and USE IT next year!

The trick is to make two piles. One for odd numbered years, and one for even numbers.
Build a base 6" thick of branches-or old palettes work great too!

Build it on a well drained flat area. Do not make a pile over shallow root trees. I made my piles right outside our garden gate. That way it is convenient to dump into and convenient to grab from.

Leaves are the main ingredient you'll want in your pile. Alternate grass clippings and "greens" from your household fold scraps. However NEVER ADD these items: Meat, bones, fat, oils, dairy products or processed foods to avoid odors and pests. Never add diseased plants, weeds with seeds, or cat or dog wastes.
(I keep a covered ice cream bucket under the sink to throw away banana peels, egg shells, and other fresh food scraps into. I empty it every other day and rinse it out!)

Turn or fluff your pile once a week.
It should be damp, not soaking wet, but about the consistency of a wrung out sponge.

Your pile will be ready for use next year. Then add your leaves and greens to the second pile while you pull from the first.