If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. You can subscribe via RSS reader or email (right). Thanks for visiting!

TGIF! Have an awesome weekend everyone!

I am super excited! Halloween is tonight and all my kiddos are geared up and ready. And for the first time in years hubby is actually home on Halloween so we actually get to go Trick or Treating as a family. Which is good because I am abandoning him and the kids for the better part of the next two days. I will be attending a rally in my hometown on Saturday to see Joe and Jill Biden. Then on Sunday I head into the city to hear Barack Obama speak. I am suuuuuper excited. Oh and I voted this week…it was a fun experience…especially getting to “school” some election boards workers who were fraudulently telling people they had to have a driver’s license or photo ID to vote.

Homeschooling is going great. My son has been making strides with his reading and for the first time has reading related goals, woot! Yesterday we benefited from the nearby public schools as they arranged for a NYC children’s playhouse group to perform story book musicals at a nearby historic theatre. It was so much fun…the kids LOVED it. We got to sit in the balcony, which was a first. The group turned some of our favorite books into musical productions…If You Give a Pig a Pancake, How I Became a Pirate, and The Paper Bag Princess, to name a few. Surprisingly both kids liked The Paper Bag Princess Best and it is a REALLY good story with a princess who journeys to save the prince instead of the other way around, outwitting a scary dragon,  and then kicks the prince to the curb when he criticizes her appearance after the rescue, LOL. It was a great time but pretty noisy being there with 1500 public school kids!

Sooo…on to some cool weekend links:

Check out my post on 5 Minutes for Going Green: A Very Merry Green Christmas.

This WikiHow page on Dumpster Diving is really fun and informative. I am uhm…becoming interested in Freeganism and dumpster diving so I thought this page was pretty cool. I have a story to tell you about this issue so look for that coming soon! ;)

Another seemingly bizarre idea I have had lately is building a home made out of old shipping containers. Just look at some of these amazing homes made from garbage.

For the crafty I saw this tutorial for a pocket tissue holder that rocks and some gorgeous quilted coasters.

Have a Happy Halloween and a great weekend!

We are headed into cold and flu season so I thought I would link to some of the articles I have already written about this. No need to reinvent the wheel.

This article about flu shots is timely and I have had several readers ask if I get them or my kids get them. The easy answer is HECK NO! Check out my article: Flu Shots - Helpful or Dangerous?

I just wrote about an alternative to over the counter flu and cold medications called Sinupret. This is a great, natural product for congestion and coughing. There are some links on that page to natural remedies too.

For sore throats we drink slippery elm tea. It really coats the throat with a slimy feeling substance and takes the soreness away pronto but I did want to give a shout out to a new product, Bees M.D. Organic Honey Throat Drops. Created with honey as the main ingredient, this product is certified organic, created to naturally soothe sore throats and is ideal for the whole family. What’s more, the company has pledged a portion of the proceeds towards the research & protection of bees. I welcome you to check out their cute site when you get a moment. We have some on hand for the season….they taste yummy.

And while I don’t think any of my readers have to worry about the Bird Flu…the book Escape the Bird Flu is a great read for learning about how to prevent illness and take care of yourself. I also like Never Get Another Cold.

Of course my fave resource for staying healthy is a guy named Dr. Ian Shillington, a Doctor of Naturopathy. On his web site you can order a free lecture on CD and it is a wealth of information. I have been a fan of his for over 3 years now.

Here is to your health!

Sure there are lots of really cool green lunchboxes on the market but you sometimes you just want a no muss, no fuss lunch sack…but you don’t want paper. Enter the EcoBags Lunch Tote. I am a big fan of fancy bento lunches for me and for my kids but simplicity is divine too and I really like this lunch sack. It is just a tad bigger than a paper lunch sack and it is made of recycled unbleached 10 oz. cotton canvas and it has a Velcro closure at the top. It is recycled because scraps are collected and woven into new canvas material to make the bags. Taking care of it is easy too…just machine wash on cold and hang to dry. I hand wash mine in the kitchen sink and hang to dry or throw it in the wash with a load of clothes. It is both kid & grown up friendly and oh so perfect for travel and day trips. You can even get creative and personalize them with colorfast fabric markers and paints, or sew on some patches. And at only $5.50 a bag they are a steal.

You may want to consider these for Christmas gifts. An Ecobags lunch tote, a Wrap-N-Mat, and Klean Kanteen combo would be a great gift!

I am sure you have heard the buzz recently about over the counter medicines for kids. I have avoided them like the plague for several years but it seems more and more doctors, drug companies, and family groups are getting hip to this danger and they are urging the FDA to ban over the counter medicines for kids 4-6 and under…some groups want it to be 12 and under. My personal opinion is that these medications are just chemical cocktails that suppress symptoms or mask them. They have no healing values whatsoever. They “may” help to ease the symptoms of illness that make us uncomfortable but that does not outweigh the dangers in giving our kids nasty chemicals at a time when they are already weak and sick. I think these pharma medicines are just bad news and need to go away.

On the flip side there are numerous natural remedies that can help our little ones feel better when they are sick. I wrote about some of these here and here. I swear by Sambucol too.

Now there is a new option for parents…Sinupret Natural Sinus, Respiratory and Immune Support from Bionorica. It is a special blend of European Elder, Common Sorrel, Cowslip, European Vervain and Gentian that been used in European countries for decades and is just now becoming available to moms in the US. It has been the #1 most widely recommended, scientifically tested nasal and sinus support formula in Germany for children for more than 70 years. It provides sinus support and immune support as well. Incredibly they claim that there has never been one serious side effect reported from Sinupret for Kids and it’s efficacy is so well-documented that it is the most prescribed product by pediatricians in Europe. Our own Dr. Bob Sears recommends it and gives it to his own kids.

It is made with natural and safe ingredients, it has no stimulants, caffeine, ephedra or pseudoephedrine, and no history of dangerous side effects. It is recommended for children ages 2 and older and it is also available in adult strength as Sinupret Plus.

I recently got some of both to try but haven’t gotten to yet. I don’t think any of my kids have been sick in over a year. Perhaps this winter we will have the opportunity to check them out. I got the children’s formula and the adult formula in an adorable canvas, zippered bag that came with a coloring book and children’s binoculars. And thanks to the lovely people behind Sinupret I have some to give away! I have 10 super nice canvas bags with one sample size of Sinupret for Kids, one for adults, a coloring book and kids binoculars.

According to random.org the winners are:

10     84
57     53
12     31
38     92
6       39

Congrats!!!

One of my all time favorite things to do is hike and unfortunately I have not done any hiking since moving to Ohio. I used to hike every day in Arizona because the mountain was literally just outside my door. Check out this pic taken just 6 feet from my bedroom patio. My best friend and I used to go hiking on South Mountain in Northern Phoenix about once a week as well. A couple days ago I was going through some books to see if I could donate any and I came across my large collection of hiking and camping books and it really gave me the itch to get hiking again. There is just no greater adventure in my mind. A mountain or trail reveals itself to you with every step and tells a story you can’t see from a car window. It awakens something earthy and primal in you and makes you acutely aware of how special every moment is.

Some of my all time best memories of my 20+ years in Arizona are on the trail. I remember sliding down the mountain at slide rock, trekking across all the springs at Seven Springs, jumping off a bridge into the cool water below, traveling down into the Grand Canyon, fishing at Bartlet, and my boyfriend (now husband) taking a 30 fall off of Squaw Peak. Okay maybe that memory wasn’t so nice at the time but now it is pretty funny since everything turned out okay…save a few scars. In the mountains surrounding my home I remember the exhilaration of finding two abandoned homes and exploring them, a couple abandoned mines, seeing mountain lion tracks and spotting a few rattlers and stray cattle. Oh yes, it is time to dig out the backpacking equipment and go out to see what adventures Ohio has to offer.

My only problem is that there is nowhere to hike or backpack where I live for at least 35 miles so daily hikes are out until we move into the city which has several awesome parks with hiking and camping. I am already plotting out several day hikes and some overnight backpacking trips. We have to start getting the kids used to this sort of adventuring because I have recently revived my dream to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine…it takes six months to do. What could be better than spending six months camping and hiking with your favorite people on the planet?

For anyone interested in hiking and camping with their kids I suggest you read Trailside Guide: Hiking and Backpacking by Karen Berger. It is an awesome book with info on what you need to hike, what to wear, what to eat, what to do about blisters, injuries, and bad weather. Basically everything you need to know. My guide is waterproof even so I can take it with me. Also check out Camping and Backpacking With Children. And another good book that will inspire you is A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson who hiked the The Appalachian Trail I mentioned above.

I just picked up 50 Hikes in Ohio. Let the adventures begin! Any other hiking and backpacking enthusiasts out there? Comment and share your stories or your fears about hiking and camping with kids if that is the case.

Yet another great family owned store giveaway! The Soft Landing is a store dedicated to healthy, non-toxic products for the whole family. With all of the conventionally available products, and especially feeding items that are made of toxic plastics, Alicia Voorhies (a former RN) decided to give parents a better alternative. You will not find products with Bisphenol-a (BPA), phthalates, and PVC. What you will find are safe baby bottles, teethers, sippy cups, feeding gear, water bottles, lunchboxes, and much more. The site is also a great resource for finding out exactly why some plastics are dangerous with all the latest research and news about the topic.

What I love the MOST about this store is that they have amazing sampler packages where you try different brands. You don’t have to buy a six pack of one brand and then find out you don’t like them, you can buy several different products in one package and then see what works and what doesn’t. This feature is a huge time and money saver for parents. 

If you want to stay up to date on the latest “safe” products and research into the not-so-safe ones, I suggest you sign up for the Soft Landing newsletter on left side of their web site. And now on to the giveaway! Alicia and her team at The Soft Landing have been gracious enough to giveaway an awesome prize pack to my readers and it is just in time for cold weather! Imagine drinking your coffee and tea in safety and style with these gorgeous Thermos containers. A $67 dollar value!! Great for you or for Christams gifts.

The Thermos Stainless Steel Coffee and Tea Prize Pack:
1 - SS 12oz Tea Tumbler w/ Infuser - Espresso $23.00
1 - SS 18oz Grande Coffee Tumbler - Espresso $26.00
1 - SS 16oz Coffee Tumbler - Metallic Blue $18.00

The winner is comment #52 Princess Momma!!!

After reading America’s Cheapest Family yesterday and reading about how they freeze much of their food purchases I got the urge to read a book that has been on my shelf for many months. I probably should have read this book before spring and the growing season but hey I am studying up for next season right? The book is Preserving Food Without Canning or Freezing -Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation.

The basic concept of the book is to show we can preserve food in MANY other ways besides freezing and canning. This is important to green/health conscious people because traditional canning sterilizes your food and kills most of the nutrients and all of the enzymes. Freezing does cause some nutrient damage but the issue there is that freezing requires constant energy. This book shows us all the ways we can preserve food without sterilizing it, hence keeping it a live food, and without using too much energy.

The first preservation method discussed is preservation in the ground through a homemade silo. It basically involves digging a hole in the ground and storing certain veggies inside it…covered with sand and then covering the mound with straw to keep them very cold in winter but not frozen. This is a common method of storing potatoes and other root vegetables. Then it goes on to discuss all the fruits and veggies you can store in cold cellars. I especially liked the info on preserving blueberries…it looked very easy and they are supposed to keep for up to a year.

Next up was preservation by drying. Fruits and veggies can be dried outside in the sun or with solar or electric dehydrators. One great benefit of drying fruits is that the sugar is concentrated so the dried fruits make great sweeteners. One very interesting method discussed was drying apples in elderberry flowers. It has instructions for drying peaches, plums, berries, persimmons, cherries, tomatoes, mushrooms, turnips, and so much more.

The lactic fermentation chapter was new and appealing to me with recipes for vegetable medleys, tomato sauce, pearl onions, and sauerkraut. The recipes for storing in oil and vinegar were also great but I was most interested in reading about preservation in salt. I have eaten fish and beef preserved this way and they were deliriously yummy. There are recipes for salt preservation of green beans, anchovies, tomatoes, and lemons.

The chapter on preserving with sugar was basically a collection of jam recipes that require cooking. They sound divine but I was a bit disappointed that there were not many options that did not involve cooking and therefore destroying much of the nutritional content. But all in all a very good book and one I will be referencing like crazy next spring and summer when I load up on fresh produce at the farmer’s market.

I spent the majority of the morning engrossed in a really awesome book entitled America’s Cheapest Family. I thought it was a timely read considering all that is going on in the world right now. On a positive note for my own family it looks like hubby’s job is safe for now (or so they say) and he has gone mute about wanting to take his old job back (which required heavy travel). I am interested in using this scare as an opportunity to evaluate our budget and see where we can whittle expenses down so we can save more. Our emergency savings needs a lot more padding than it currently has. And I fully admit that hubby and I are not very responsible with money. We have very leaky wallets and we don’t do a lot of bargain shopping. Adopting a greener lifestyle has helped oodles but that is thanks to being green not being smart about money.

That said….I LOVED this book. I think all money conscious families need to read it…now. It is written by a husband and wife who were dubbed the Cheapest Family in America several years ago by the talk show circuit. Their names are Steve and Annette Economides. Their last name ironically means “son of the steward” in Greek. The book shares all of the secrets to their success that allowed them to raise and homeschool 5 kids, pay off their first home in 9 years, buy cars with cash, pay for vacations in advance, save money for all possible emergencies, and feed their family for $350 a month all on a one income salary of less than 35,000 a year. They have an amazing story to tell and the advice is wonderful. The book is organized in categories like groceries, clothing, utilities, etc so that you can read it straight through or skip to sections where you need help.

The first chapter I loved was about groceries. $350 a month for a large family is incredible and one big part of their success is that they shop ONCE a month. I think we all know how expensive it is to make lots of small, frequent trips to the store to get ingredients for one or two meals or one or two missing things. Shopping like that almost always means spending more than you have to and it is basically a result of poor planning. The Economides family saved on average $1,702 per year over the average family. That is equal to a nice week long vacation for many or a slush fund for car/house repairs. Their tips on grocery savings amounts to a long chapter but basically it involves shopping once a month, doing menu planning, stocking up, shopping for sales and using coupons when they can, cooking extra portions for leftovers, and freezing quite a bit.

The advice was very good but I did find a few things that would not work for our family including the buying of lots of processed foods, the lack of more expensive whole foods being bought, and the idea of doing without FRESH fruits and veggies for the last 2 weeks or so of the month. I think families that eat lots of fresh, raw, whole foods would have a lot of adapting to do but the basic plan is a good one. I would probably feel more comfortable doing bi-monthly shopping expeditions with weekly trips to farmer’s markets for fruits and veggies. 

There is a big chapter on budgets next, which is a good read. I liked the tip they had about buying gas cards to make sure you always have your gas expenditures covered. Then there is a chapter about cars…which I loved. It has lots of great tips for buying used cars and making sure you get a good car and a good deal. The section on insurance was great too. The Economides do not believe in skimping on insurance. One tip I liked was to cancel the towing benefit on your insurance and join AAA instead. That money goes a lot further with AAA.

The housing chapter had some alarming statistics about interest rates and how they would have paid $100,000 interest on their $50,000 home over a 30 year period. Their advice is to pay off the mortgage in less than 10 years if you can but ouch that is still over $25,000 you pay in interest. Sheesh, I think it might just be better to rent and then save that interest money to buy land and a nice Yurt with cash, LOL. This chapter also has advice for saving on repairs and renovations too.

The utilities chapter has lots of great advice although not too much for cold weather climates as the family lives in Arizona. Although having lived in both areas I think the utilities expenditures are pretty much the same…we just pay high energy prices at different times of the year. In AZ I had high air conditioning bills and in OH I have high heating bills. The cell phone advice was a little dated and the book was written in 2007, LOL. I am guessing that this older couple likes their land line and the kids are the ones that use cell phones. Hubby and I pretty much only use cell phones or Skype. We do have a land line but only because we couldn’t get DSL without it…I can’t even remember the number though, that is how little we use it. We hope to move soon and get cable Internet so we can get rid of our land line altogether.

There is also a big chapter about debt. Honestly I just skimmed this chapter as we don’t have debt and we don’t have credit cards but I am sure this chapter is equally good. Their chapter on medical just kind of pissed me off…not because it wasn’t good advice but because of the way our health care and insurance is in this country. I am having a hard time not being really pissy with Republican friends right now because the biggest issue we are voting on in a couple weeks for me is health care. I think only one candidate wants to fix health care and the other has plans so stupid I am getting hot just thinking about it. Better change the subject…anyway I have had insurance my whole adult life and I still racked up over $100,000 in EXTRA charges in a ten year period, so while this book’s advice is good in theory I see some problems because the insurance people are criminals and no amount of “personal responsibility” (inert GOP talking head) will change that. If taking personal responsibility means paying 4-500 hundred dollars a month for coverage and then having to pay 100 grand out of pocket and then calling it health care…well what more can I say? The advice on staying healthy was good though and personally I think that is the only/best option for many these days.

The chapter on clothing was fabulous with lots of great ideas for clothing your whole family for cheap as was the chapter on FREE entertainment. Entertainment is a BIG expenditure here so I need that advice. The vacation info was really practical and kind of amazed me that some families do go into debt to have vacations. I am not smart with money I totally admit that, but even I would never do that. The last chapters were about raising money conscious kids and about emergencies….lots of great info. I HIGHLY recommend this book! AND you can get it new for only $10.36 on Amazon or used for around $7.