going green...just a little

I would like to think that I'm earth friendly but really I'm just cheap!! I have discovered an area of saving money that I hadn't discovered before and I'm addicted.

These cleaners cost pennies, smell great and are non toxic. I was originally hooked as I began to learn about the damage to our bodies that commercial cleaning products do. They are the main cause of accidental cases of poisonings of children. (when I was a kid I tipped a bottle of bleach into my mouth, fortunately it only had a few drops in it.)

An EPA report states that half of all illnesses in the US can be attributed to chemical contamination of indoor air, AND the Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined that more than 150 chemicals found in ordinary household products are directly responsible for producing cancer, allergies, birth defects, infertility, and numerous psychological disorders!!!  Seriously people, how can we NOT pay attention to this?

I have been reading lots of books (the above being one) and comparing information. When the same ingredients are mentioned in all books, then I believe it. "Green up your Clean up" is a good one I recommend "Gorgeously Green" as well.

Basic ingredients for these cleaners include vinegar, borax, and Dr. Bronner's scented liquid castile soap (available in the natural foods section of grocery stores or in the makeup area of Target.

Here is the first thing I tried and it's still my fav.  From Green up your Clean up...

 All Surface Spray

1- 16 oz spray bottle

2 tps borax

1/4 tsp Dr Bronner's castile soap (I like the peppermint the best)

hot water

Shake before each use and wipe using a microfiber cloth. This stuff smells GREAT and cleans my stove and counters better than anything I've ever used before! 

FYI - NEVER use anything with vinegar on stone counters.

Floor Cleaner

1 gallon hot water in a bucket

1 tsp baking soda

2 T. liquid soap

add soap last to prevent foaming

1 T. borax to kill mildew

.......Use a sponge mop with a rag on it. Push it around on the floor until the rag is dirty and switch to a new one.

Glass Cleaner - really important to use a natural glass cleaner because the spray gets inhaled.

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 ts Bronners liquid soap or dish soap with a few drops of essential oil

...... Once build up is gone, leave out the soap.

If you have a favorite natural cleaner please share in the comments!

Cool money saving site.

It's been awhile....

The whole family was together HERE for Christmas and New Years and we had a death in the family in January. December and January were a blur.

My new plan for this blog is that it be a saving money idea site for homemakers.  Whether it be slashing your grocery bill in half (totally do-able), or saving money through the zillions of other home management tips I have have bottled up in my head and  notebooks, I believe the time is now to really get this info out there. Right? Right!

So to start....here's an interesting website that my friend Jen S. has on her links. 

click here    

Cool Daughter!

click here  to see Melissa's interview,  the "mom-prenure."

Wise words from a Tao master

He who knows he has enough....is rich.

A bit of smart parenting advice

One of the best rules I ever came up with was "the complaining rule" When I asked any of our kids to do some regular job around the house they usually did it right away and without complaining. Amazing right? If any of them started to complain when I asked them to do a job, all I had to do was say "Are you complaining? with a big smile on my face. And I might even say, "Please complain, please" but they wouldn't and ran off to do the job. HOW did this happen you ask in amazement?? Because of the complain rule. If they complained....they had to do two jobs! It really worked. I loved it. They hated it.

Summer Sanity -part three

See part 2

Photos are of  our boys of summer.

Saving your Summer Sanity part 2

This is my husband and me on a leisurely "do anything you want" trip to Charleston in May. It was great. (I will get to a point, I'm not trying to rub in all the free time I have as an empty nester...really!) Last Saturday I sat on a shady island visiting with my good friend and almost empty nester Vickie who was having a romantic camping trip alone with her husband (until I came along.) We sat in comfy camp chairs, felt the warm breeze, ate raisinettes and did absolutely nothin' but gab for a couple of hours. We watched her soon-to-be-gone son, and my boat (which was jammed with blissfully happy sun burned young adults) speed back and forth in front of the island and reminisced about all the great summers we've had at the lake watching our boys having thrilling boy adventures as we sat on a dock or on an island or floating aimlessly and watched. Louise , Connie and their kids came by and I thought about the next generation who will be having all the fun now. 

Point? Those lazy hazy days of summer are on lakes! All a mom has to do is provide food and sunscreen. Dad provides shelter and the water provides all the fun a kid can dream up. Plus you get to have a big old bonfire at night with s'mores and more gabbing with other lake rats. Sigh! It's a bit of heaven. 

I really will give some good ideas kids can do at home...next time.