Mommy Musings

This post is a perfect example about why I should blog about things as soon as I think about them/do them. A few weeks ago I came across Heather's blog post about how she made laundry detergent.  It was the first one I'd seen that was simple and straight forward.  I'd never really thought about making my own laundry detergent before, but after reading how easy it was for Heather, I had to give it a try {and yes her container is WAY cuter than mine, so follow her lead instead!} I told Skip about my plan, and after him laughing at me for 10 minutes and muttering things about us not being pioneers, Charlie and I headed out to the store. {of course I had pictures of each item and the whole process, but my phone died the day after I took them and I lost all those pictures, so you'll have to deal with the one I've got!} Ingredients 1. One bar of Fels Naptha {or any laundry soap will do} 2. One box of Borax 3. One box of Arm&Hammer Washing soda {I don't know what ...

I have been having a little trouble regulated my skin post-two babies these days.  I don't know if it's hormones, the lack of sleep, or not always enough time to wash my face.  Regardless, when Sibu Beauty contacted me about reviewing a facial cleanser I was totally on board.  Anything to help me stop looking like a pre-pubescent teen! The Sibu Beauty Product Line is all based around the sea buckthorn .  What is the sea buckthorn you might ask?  Here is a description from the Sibu Beauty website: For healthy and beautiful hair, skin and nails High in the Tibetan Himalayas (12,000 feet above sea level) grows a tiny but resilient fruit that resists the harsh weather conditions and high altitudes. The sea buckthorn berry fortifies itself against the elements by producing an array of powerful nutrients. With over 190 bioactive compounds, sea buckthorn is an unsurpassed source of Omegas 3, 6, and 9. And it's a rich source of the elusive essential fatty acid, Omega-7,...

I am always on the lookout for new cleaning products.  I am most interested in their effectiveness and price.  And while it isn't a priority for me, a product that is good for the environment is always a bonus! That's why I jumped at the opportunity when a representative from Shaklee contacted me about reviewing their Basic H2  – a concentrated, organic cleaner.  It's non-toxic, organic, doubly concentrated, natural, and biodegradable.  This product can be used on any washable surface: walls, windows, mirrors, counter tops, floors, appliances, stoves, sealed woodwork, pots, pans, and furniture. The tiny vial is enough for 2-16oz bottles of cleaner..I just had to mix it with water!  The directions were "First, mix 2 drops into 16 oz of water in a spray bottle for cleaning windows and mirrors.  Then mix 1/4 tsp. into 16 oz of water for all purpose cleaning."  I didn't mind the extra step of mixing it myself, because then I knew I wasn't p...

As the weather get warmer, we all begin to shed our coats and head outside.  There is nothing I love more than grilling with friends and relaxing outside well into the night.  However the one thing I don't love is all the bugs, bees, spiders, and other insects that also come out to play.  However, with a young daughter and two dogs I am weary to use harsh chemicals to get rid of the more annoying pests.  That's where EcoSMART  comes in.  According to their website: "EcoSMART Technologies, the world leader in safe pesticide solutions, is a venture-backed company with patented technology and a world-class management team. Our mission is to create the world’s safest, most effective pesticides based on natural ingredients. We have 15 years of scientific research and a wealth of patents behind us. We make the only 100% safe insecticide that is proven to work. We offer the only complete line of EPA exempt pesticides sold in the US." EcoSMART has tons of great pr...

I am constantly on the lookout for beauty products you can make with ingredients in your own home. It's so much cheaper and I like having less 'stuff' around the house. Tonight I was giving myself a pedicure and thought I would try a scrub I had read about somewhere {but I really can't remember where to give credit to it!} I combined some regular white sugar with enough olive oil to bind it all together. Let me tell you...it was amazing!! My feet are so smooth and super soft. I plan on using it in the shower later as a whole-body scrub. I have a lot left over so I am just going to store it in an old container I have. I'm sure adding some kind of essential oil would bring it to a whole new level. Go try it out tonight!

I would never describe myself as the most eco-friendly person ever...I drive {and love} and SUV, I clean with the harshest chemicals I can find, and I will never ever clothe diaper {I have absolutely nothing against anyone that does, it's just not for me}. But don't think that I totally hate the planet or anything...I recycle everything I can, I buy in bulk which uses less packaging, and I am constantly trying to repurpose things around the house so I don't have to buy new. Now that I have Little M, I am rethinking the way I do things in other ways as well. Recently I've noticed that I'm coughing whenever I'm cleaning. And if the chemicals are causing problems for me, I can only imagine what they are doing to Little M. So when I was contacted by ecostore USA recently to do a review of there products, I was very excited! It was as if they knew I was thinking of making the switch to greener cleaning products. They quickly sent me the Citrus Spray Cleaner and...

I'm taking a break tonight from all the reminiscing to sing the praises of my amazing husband. Last Friday we threw a surprise party for my big sister L {side note...it was an awesome party and she was totally surprised!} Anyways, I was cleaning the house Friday morning, getting ready for the party, and I brought out my Shark Steam Mop. {I got my Shark back in April of 2008. We had just moved into our house and my friend J gave it to me as a house-warming gift. I was so excited! She knows how obsessed I am with As-Seen-On- Tv products and knew I'd been lusting over it for months. And it lived up to every expectation I had! I like that I don't have to use any chemicals to clean the floor and it dries in just minutes!} Okay, so back to Friday. I took out my mop and propped it up against the wall while I filled up the little water cup. All of a sudden it slipped and crashed onto the floor, BREAKING IN HALF!!! My poor, poor mop was broken and I may or may not have st...