I have you confused with the title don't I? Snowing? Smoothies? Utah? The Moon? What happened after my trip to Blissdom last month? I teased you with it a few weeks ago but (as time always does) time slipped away from me. When I boarded my flight from Dallas, instead of heading home to Tampa I flew to Utah! My husband and the kids were boarding a plane around the same time to meet me out there for our Spring Break. (Read all the way to the bottom to find out how to win some Stonyfield Smoothies!) I know, normal people go to the beach for Spring Break! We've always wanted to take the kids to see snow. My son last saw snow at the age of 1 when we were still living in Georgia and our daughter has never seen snow. Both my husband and I were raised in Georgia and only saw the occasional dusting and ice storm. So we finally packed the kids and set out on our very first family snow skiing adventure. Here's a quick glimpse at some of our favorite moments in the ... [ Read More ]
Do You Have an Eco-Princess?
Lil' B is almost 4 now and everyday I see her trying to be more like me. She loves putting on her "lipstick" (it's actually a tube of chapstick) and is always asking me to put makeup on her while I'm getting ready in the morning. I'm not ready for my toddler to wear makeup!! I refuse to buy her the play makeup kits that you can find in the toy departments because they are probably laced with toxic chemicals. I've read several places that 60% of what we put on our skins is actually absorbed into our bodies; how scary is that? You can imagine how excited I was when I heard about Eco Princess Organics' line of all natural and organic play makeup. From the Eco Princess website: Created by a mom who got fed up with all the highly toxic kid's makeup sets. Eco princess is a line of all natural and organic mineral makeup designed just for kids. Each kit contains: two eye shadows 3 g each, one blush 3 g, pink shimmer lip balm, water based nail polish and two applicators. Purses ... [ Read More ]
Green Gift Guide: For the Tropics
Do you have someone on your holiday list that lives in a warm climate? Did you know that you can give them eco-friendly gifts that they can enjoy in the warm weather? My top green tropical gifts include: del sol hat by The Andean Collection is made from natural materials and handwoven in Ecuador. A must-have item for anyone in the tropics. Eco Swim by Aqua Green is an eco-friendly swimwear line that is made in the US using locally sourced and recycled fibers. Fashion forward and eco-friendly swimwear is the perfect gift for anyone beach bum. Even their packaging is made of recycled content. SUN! Natural Sunscreen by Balm! Baby is not just for babies. This organic, natural and vegan sunscreen is made in Hawaii. Packaged in an attractive (and eco-friendly) glass jar to reduce your environmental impact. SPF 30 and safe for babies and adults. Bundle all of these pieces together for one extreme tropical gift set for your green beach bum. What other items ... [ Read More ]
A Glance at Thanksgiving Week
I'm full of emotions this week as we lead up to Thanksgiving. I'm usually really excited about Thanksgiving because it means spending time with family and friends - and Black Friday shopping. Over the past few years we've started some new traditions in our family. We have spent Thanksgiving Day with family (either mine or my husbands - we try to alternate each year) then we'll leave the kids with the Grandparents in the morning as we go watch all the craziness of Black Friday shopping. We don't usually go out looking for bargains but more for people watching. We normally end up eating a late breakfast or early lunch before we head home to nap. This year our traditions are changing a bit due to our schedules. My husband is working on Thanksgiving Day so we won't be going to visit family - and the family isn't coming to us either. With my new job I'm scheduled to work off-and-on over the Thanksgiving weekend since Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of our biggest sale days ... [ Read More ]
Featured Product – madii & dyl Teenii Tot Latex Pillow
madii & dyl is a company from Australia that specializes in eco-friendly and hypoallergenic pillows for babies, toddlers, and children. If you have a sensitive child or a child with breathing problems such as asthma you know how difficult it is to find bedding that doesn't harbor dust mites. From the madii & dyl website: Made from 100% certified organic latex our pillows contain no chemicals, are hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to dust mites, mildew and bacteria. Designed for comfort, its softness, support and innovative design makes it the superior choice in children's bedding. All pillows come with polyester pillow protector and pure cotton pillow case. When I read the statement I was curious - what is "certified organic latex?" Is that a good thing? It sounds like it would be good because it's organic, right? Actually, I've learned that natural latex foam is made from the milk of a rubber tree. If it were synthetic latex it would be made with crude oil. ... [ Read More ]
Why Does Organic Cost More?
Ever wondered why organic produce costs more than its chemical-laden counterparts? If growing organic means less pesticides, less growth-enhancing fertilizers, and less technological interventions, then why do we pay more at the check-out line? The reasons for this sad fact come by the bushel. First off, because the farmers do not use synthetic insecticides, organic crops produce a lower yield. Labor costs rise as farmers must manually tend to their crops by weeding and using organic pest control. Without these chemicals, the crops also experience a shorter (albeit more natural) growing season. Without the use of chemical fertilizers, organic farmers use more traditional farming methods such as animal manure and compost to fertilize their crops. These natural methods are unfortunately bulkier and cost more to transport. Organic farmers also typically rotate their crops to promote soil health and sustainability. While this is advantageous to the health of the consumer ... [ Read More ]
Square One (Pumpkin) Mac-n-Cheese Recipe
A few weeks ago I shared a recipe that I spiked with Square One frozen organic baby food, Healthier for you Potato and Ham Soup. Wednesday nights at our house (OK - every night) is hectic with trying to figure out what's for dinner. Each Wednesday we attend a small life-group at our local church but it starts at dinner time. The adults do potluck style and eat together but we normally feed the kids before we come. Anyways - that leaves me finding something QUICK to fix the kids before we leave. If your pantry looks like mine I'm sure you have those 'emergency' boxes of mac-n-cheese for busy nights like tonight. I've really been trying harder this year to make an effort to make dinner more healthy for all of us but especially for the kids. Want to know how I made a box of mac-n-cheese healthier with baby food? My recipe for Vegged Up Mac-N-Cheese: 1. Take one box of your favorite mac-n-cheese (can be organic, whole wheat, Kraft, or store brand - whatever you purchase) ... [ Read More ]
America Recycles Day with Recycle Kyle
Monday is America Recycles Day - an annual event organized by Keep America Beautiful. Each year I organize an event for my company to recognize America Recycles Day for our employees. It's not until later in the week that I can actually teach my children about the outreach efforts. Fortunately my sons school organizes a Great American Teach In later in the week to allow parents to visit the classrooms and teach the kids about a hobby or profession. I always choose recycling in support of America Recycles Day. This year I have a new friend to help me talk to the kids - Recycle Kyle and the Global Green Pals. Kyle and his friends are a line of eco-friendly stuffed toys that can serve as eco-ambassadors for our children. Each pal has a story to tell - Recycle Kyle of course recycles everything! Kids can visit the Global Green Pals website to learn more about their favorite eco-ambassador. For instance, did you know that Kyle is from Seattle where he likes to get around on his ... [ Read More ]
You Are What You Eat
This post is going to be hard for me to write because it's one area in my life where I'm still learning - eating green. What does it mean to eat GREEN? Does it mean eating locally? Does it mean to eat organic? Does it mean that I have to be a vegetarian? Do I have to shop at a natural food store? Do I have to eat raw food? Do I have to eat only fresh food? Eating green is actually all of those things - and you may incorporate some or all of the aspects of eating green - I don't believe that there is a right or wrong way to eat green. My history- I come from a family who likes food, a lot! I can remember many family reunions with everyone huddled in the kitchen cooking for hours, making more food then we could eat in a week. My fraternal grandmother was a tiny frail lady who knew how to cook - she didn't have a choice with 5 hungry kids and a husband. My favorite family memories as a child involve turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, gravy, gravy, and ... [ Read More ]
Get a Kick Out of BabyKicks NEW Bumboo Pocket Diaper
Giveaway alert! One lucky reader will win a BabyKicks Bumboo Pocket Diaper and a Premium Duz-it-All. Details following post. Closed! Eco-ngratulations to DebbieLG @MSU_MOM_TO_2 you are the winner! Despite how lame I know this is going to sound...I got a total KICK out of BabyKicks newest diaper, the Bumboo pocket. I mean seriously, look how adorable it is when it arrives in the mail. BabyKicks is a small family owned business that hand makes about 90% of their products in Maryland. In addition to their new Bumboo pocket diaper they also sell fitted diapers, pre-folds, nursing pads, burp pads, and blankets. When the Bumboo first arrived I was in love with the softness of the inside and the interesting leg gussets. The Bumboo is a one-sized diaper that fits babies from 7lbs to 30lbs (comparable to most one-sized diapers). As you can tell from the picture above it has snaps but they are side snapping. Side snapping simply means you don't snap the diaper by pulling the side tabs ... [ Read More ]