My Naturally Frugal Family

The Weekend is Here

2013-05-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

Funny story last week I went strawberry picking with Andrew. When the owner of the farm started passing out plastic clamshells, to put the freshly picked berries in, Andrew and his friend gave her the lowdown on why plastics were bad and let her know that plastic released nasty chemicals into our environment. It seems that Andrew not only took in what Beth Terry and Danielle Richardet had to say 2 months ago when they were in town, but he is sharing the information with everyone he knows.

I wasn't the least bit embarrassed by his announcement, I was proud that he was sharing the information he had.

Our family has been slowly incorporating more plastic free options in our house.

For example I only buy tomato sauce that is in glass jars. No more cans because the acid from the tomatoes can leach chemicals from the cans. We don't buy food items, if we can help it, that are in plastic. Case in point all our peanut butter now comes in glass.

The flipside having all of these glass jars has made getting bulk items at the grocery store easier AND I have been packing leftovers from lunch in them handily. My son Owen actually had a plastic talk with one of his friends one day while he was heating up his lunch.

We are spreading the word!

Today I want to share a product that I was introduced to through Conscious Box and that is Bambooee. These are towels are sustainably produced from organic bamboo. They are soft in texture and can be washed over and over again.

The number of uses for them is endless. You can clean up spills, wipe messy little faces, or wash up the windows.

What I think is pretty amazing is how clean they come in the wash. My husband used one to soak some grease out of bacon. Once washed the towel looked just like new. He was super impressed and at that moment bought in to why I made the purchase.

Fun fact Bambooee gives back to the global good by planting a tree for each purchase.

To help proliferate the anti-paper towel movement I would like to give away a towel sample to 15 lucky winners.

I haven't been compensated by Bambooee in anyway to provide this review, I just did it because I really believe in their product.

To enter the giveaway please use the rafflecopter below. The winner will be announced in Wednesday morning's post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So do you have any good plans this weekend? I am taking my oldest, Owen, to his first political activist movement. We are going to participate in the March Against Monsanto on Saturday. This should be an interesting learning experience for him and will expose him to what regular citizens can do if they band together.

Hello Again

2013-05-20T16:30:00.000-04:00

I just want to say for starters I am well.

I have been busy and caught up in life and all of the fun things that go along with having 3 kids.

I got an e-mail today from one of my favorite friends and she was a little concerned about my absence. I realized I had to get on the stick and get back in the game.

I love blogging and I love reading blogs so I needed to carve out time to do that.

Well since I blogged last I've:

attended a Chikara wrestling show
hosted a birthday party for both my 6 and 4 year old
my baby girl turned 4
I went strawberry picking
went on a girls weekend for Mother's Day

The week of Andrew's 6th birthday we were lucky enough to have family friendly Chikara coming to town for a wrestling show. The were kind enough to say Happy Birthday to Andrew and to let him pick the winner in a raffle contest.

We decided that in lieu of gifts we would give the kids a rocking good birthday party. So we got a bounce house. Do know how much fun 4-6 year olds have inside a bounce house? They almost didn't want to come out for cupcakes...they were serious about their bouncing.

For Mother's Day this year all I wanted was to go to Virginia and hang out with 6 of my girls from college. We had a blast eating, shopping, playing putt putt, shopping, and then hanging out until late into the evening.

(here are a few of my besties)

Having my baby girl turned 4 just seems a little unreal. In fact I really just don't know where the time has gone. She is so much fun and enjoys life so very much that it is hard to not just laugh when you are around her.

Case in point, when my aunt sent her a singing birthday card it was cause for a dance party (and I was lucky enough to be allowed to film it).

I think that might be it for now. I know this post was kind of all over the place, but it was things I wanted to share with you all.

I have a BUNCH of blog reading to catch up on. I hope you all are having a fabulous Monday and I look forward to any and all comments.

So what have you all been up to lately?

Way Behind

2013-05-02T10:05:00.000-04:00

I intended to post on Monday.

Then I thought I would post on Tuesday.

Before I knew it Thursday is here.

Where did the time go?

I realize that this information is less relevant do to it's age, but I did want to share some stuff from this past weekend.

We went to the beach and I ran a 5k "Run Like a Diva" in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Those are some volunteers waiting with roses and champagne for you at the finish line. Yeah champagne is a pretty awesome way to finish running.

I took a post race pic, and I don't think I look too rough (it was early and I had not had breakfast yet...at least that is my defense).

We continued with the family fun later in the day by stopping in EVERY golf store so that my husband could look at the shoes, clubs, etc. My daughter found an older man she wanted to call her "boyfriend" (never mind that he is a headless mannequin).

We kept with the golf theme and went to play mini-golf. SO much fun and between the 5 of us we had 4 hole-in-ones (even Caroline got one).

A beach trip would not be complete without some playtime on the beach itself...no worries we spent time there as well:

The fun didn't end with the beach trip...no we are partying all week long. See my middle child, Andrew, turned six yesterday (I have no idea where the time went).

He got to spend the day being Head of School (note they both sported AWESOME bow ties):

He also took a walk around the sun (to illustrate the number of times he has orbited the sun):

After that we headed to a lunch location of his choosing...Chick Fil A. I tried to persuade him to other locations, but in the end I let him have his pick and enjoy his special day the way he wanted to do it.

It has been a wonderful week. The fun isn't over yet we have a joint birthday party this weekend (Andrew and Caroline are in the same class we didn't want to have two birthday parties inviting the same kids).

I hope you all are having a wonderful week and I look forward to catching up on my blog reading, as I am sorely behind.

The Weekend is Here...almost

2013-04-26T10:12:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday to one and all!

We have made it through another week and the weekend is almost upon us.

To say I am excited about this is an understatement.

This weekend I am running in a fun event

I am doing my third 5k in a months time and this one is...wait for it...

AT THE BEACH!

You really can't beat having a weekend vacation to the beach and pairing it with a fun event like this.

At the finish line you get boas and a tiara to "diva" up your running attire:

I am pretty certain my daughter Caroline is going to want my swag...but I am a sucker for that girl so I will probably give it to her.

I mean after all could you say no to this face? Yeah me neither.

I am going to take a page out of Laura's book and pack as much of our food as possible. That way I know we will be eating healthy and won't have to resort to eating at restaurants that might not be on the "approved" list.

I got some of my prep work done last night be making a loaf of banana bread and sandwich bread (it all just tastes better homemade). I need to pick out snacks and pack the suitcases and then we should be ready.

What sort of fun do you have planned this weekend?

Does it involve any exercise? If you are looking for a fun exercise challenge I am participating in a squat challenge without about 100 of my co-workers.

Here is the chart if you would like to give it a try:

What I Love

2013-04-24T15:40:00.000-04:00

I am totally stealing this from Shauna (I hope she doesn't mind) and sharing with you something that I love.

What I love....the library.

Since slowly adapting my family to a "consume less" lifestyle we have found a large love of the library.

I have read more books in the last month then I have in the last 5 years (that's a little embarrassing to admit).

Now part of that is I have found more time for reading and have found ways to work it into my schedule.

My kids have enjoyed playing together more and have needed me less.

Now while that was a little disheartening it also has been a pleasure. I can let them play outside and I can enjoy some sunshine on the deck while being immersed in Alice Steinbach's travels around Europe.

My daughter has really shown a love for our weekend jaunts to the library. She looks at it almost like shopping. I allow her to pick out whatever she wants (and as many as she wants for that matter).

Who knew there could be such unbridled passion for picking out books? She then picks out a new book each night for the next two weeks to read before bed.

I love that my kids enjoy reading more and that they get upset if we can't go to the library (I don't like to make them upset but you get the point).

Anywho the library we go to is beautiful. It is set in a park and there are walking trails (which we haven't explored yet) and a butterfly meadow.

The entry has a beautifully painted ceiling

The beauty of it really brings the whole package together. So how about you? Do you enjoy the library? Marie, if you read this I know the answer is a resounding "YES" as you had Christmas pictures taken at the library (they were SUPER cute by the way).

Well I hope if you don't visit your local library that maybe this will spur you into visiting. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.

Weekend Send Off

2013-04-12T13:55:00.000-04:00

Well it's Friday...WOOHOO!

You can't tell me that you aren't just jumping with joy for the weekend to be here already (I really would hate to think I am alone in the jumping).

This weekend holds lots of outdoor activities for my family.

Slowly we have been making more and more vegetable/fruit/flower beds around our yard. One day we will cease to have grass and no longer have to worry about it being mowed.

Because what we don't have covered in dirt, we hope to have covered in clover.

Yes you read that right clover.

Did you know that clover, yes that little weed so many try to kill, is beneficial for your yard?

Source: browse.deviantart.com via Jessie on Pinterest

Here are 6 of top benefits:

Nitrogen fixating--it takes nitrogen from the air and deposits it in the ground as absorbable fertilizer
Drought tolerant
Resists pet urine (won't turn brown like grass does)
Grows in bad soil--since it brings nitrogen to the ground it can heal the ground it grows in
Grows year round--a perpetual green lawn, how nice
Fertilizes surrounding plants

I thought this was just some food for thought as you go into your weekend. Think twice before killing those weeds. I am pretty sure the chemicals in the weed killer is way more harmful than the weeds themselves.

Hopefully wherever you are there will be beautiful weather. Here in Carolina the temps have been anywhere from 90 to 72, just the way I like it nice and warm.

So what will you do with your weekend?

Emmy's Macaroons

2013-04-09T16:22:00.001-04:00

I was lucky enough to be allowed to sample Emmy's Organics delicious/raw/vegan macaroons.

The most difficult part of this assignment?

Deciding which flavor to try first.

I was given six delicious flavors:

Coconut Vanilla, Choco Chili, Dark Cacao

Lemon Ginger, Mint Chip, and Choco Orange

I surprised myself and started with Coconut Vanilla (I thought for sure I would tear into the chocolate).

I was kind enough to share these with my kids. My daughter thought they tasted like vanilla ice cream...just not cold.

I have to agree with her the vanilla had a nice light and pleasing flavor. A completely fantastic way to end a meal.

The only flavor I did not try was the Choco Chili...I don't like the two mixed together. So I gifted them to a friend of mine, and he thought they were wonderful.

So I mentioned that they are delicious but they are also made with a short list of ingredients (always a plus sign in my book).

The coconut vanilla are made up of seven things (all of which I can pronounce and more than likely probably have in my pantry):

organic raw shredded coconut
organic raw agave nectar
non-gmo almond flour
organic raw coconut oil
fair trade vanilla flavor (alcohol-free)
raw vanilla bean
himalayan crystal salt.

Not only does Emmy's make a delicious and well thought out product but they carry that through to their packaging. The macaroon packages can be composted. How cool is that?

I love getting behind companies that subscribe to the same types of ideals that I do.

I am happy to say I would recommend these to everyone...you just need to like coconut!

You can find Emmy's on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Nuk Fresh Foods Cook N Blend

2013-04-08T15:48:00.001-04:00

I was given the opportunity as a Mom Ambassador at Green Mom's Meet (through Kiwi Magazine) to review Nuk's Fresh Foods Cook N' Blend Baby Food Maker.

The product title may be a mouthful, but it will provide a VERY healthy mouthful for your child.

Nuk always a leader in the baby product market has come out with a baby food maker that steams AND blends the food for you.

No longer will you need to steam your fruit and vegetables in one vessel and then move them to another (such as a blender or baby food mill).

Now there is an all in one product to handle this.

While not just a pretty face the Nuk Cook N Blend has the following features:

Dual action function steams and blends food
Healthy steaming preserves vitamin and mineral content
With 32 oz bowl it can make up to 4 meals at a time
Double steamer basket separates food
Beeps and stops automatically
Two texture (smooth and chunky) options so that the product can grow with your child
Dishwasher safe
Bonus smoothie blade so the whole family can get in on the action
Free recipe book with meal ideas from Annabel Karmel
There is a $20 off coupon available here as well

As a mother of three I loved making food for my kids. For me it was my way to do all that I could to ensure they would grow up as healthy as possible.

Maybe it was the budding homesteader in me, but it was oh so satisfying to do it...plus it was so much cheaper than store bought food.

Now I used a hand powered baby food mill, like this one, but Nuk has been forward thinking enough to make a product that is useful past the toddler stage.

With that being said I think this would make for a great baby shower gift to a new mom. It is one that I would recommend to my friends and co-workers.

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinions on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Weekend Wrap Up

2013-04-02T13:43:00.000-04:00

This post is a day late, I apologize...I like to get the Wrap Up's up on Monday.

Anyway this past weekend was a long one (I love a 3 day weekend) and it included some fun activities.

On Saturday I ran in the Color Me Rad 5k.

There were about 8000 runners, which I thought was a lot of people, taking part in this fun run (it was not timed).

It was so much fun to run through the cornstarch paint and to come home looking like a tye-dyed shirt.

My oldest didn't mind giving me a hug

But my daughter didn't even want me to give her a kiss.

In fact this was as close as she was willing to get to me:

They have already announced that the race is coming back to town next year...so I will be ready when it is time to sign up. Hopefully I can convince some friends to join me.

Sunday was Easter.

We have started to not give gifts to the kids.

By that I mean they have no need of toys (we have way more than 3 children can play with).

So they woke up on Sunday to no Easter baskets but they did have some cards from family members and they each got a small bag of jelly beans.

You know what?

They were perfectly happy.

People get caught up in consume, consume, consume, and in the end you don't need everything your purchased.

Now I don't mean to go far off track here, but the reason we don't want them to be gifted with tons of stuff is so they realize they can enjoy what they have and we can make sure quality items are purchased (quite often you end up with chintzy plastic stuff that breaks so quickly).

I'll get off my soap box and show you what I did make for the kids:

These are chocolate Easter eggs filled with vegan buttercream.

My paternal grandmother made these every year and they were the highlight of the holiday (now mind you she also put a little bit of money wrapped in plastic in the middle) but they were oh so delicious.

I have such fond memories of these that I wanted to pass this love on to my kids.

Hopefully they will appreciate them.

So that was my weekend in a nutshell, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend what sort of things did you get into?

Weekend Wrap Up

2013-03-25T11:42:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you but when someone asks would you like the good news or the bad news, I always go with bad news first.

Something about getting it over with and ending things on a positive note.

This past weekend was no different.

I started off with pain and ended with a sweet time.

Saturday my friend Amy and I ran in the St. Patty's Day Revenge Obstacle Course.

There were 21 obstacles for us to go through and before we kicked off Amy and I were looking pretty cheery (although chilly):

Her husband captured photos of our fine form (nothing like going across a soccer field doing lunges):

And you know sometimes when you are called upon to do WAY more push-ups then you anticipated you just have to get down in child's post to give your arms a break:

I have been sore for two days, but it is a good sore. I look forward to running this event next year...hopefully we can get more than the two of us on a team.

On Sunday was the sweet. I attended the Mad Hatter Tea at the O'Henry Hotel with my daughter and mom.

sporting our lovely paper hats

the delicious plate of goodies

sometimes things taste better when you don't use hands

Caroline and her best friend posing on a toadstool

The event was put on with great pageantry and detail. The girls got to eat a plate full of treats, make crafts, and play a few games.

It was the perfect exposure to a "fancy" outing for these 3 and 4 year olds.

The hotel holds 3 of these themed teas a year. We are looking forward to October when they host The Wizard of Oz.

It was a fantastic weekend with friends and family.

I hope you all enjoyed your time. Did you do anything fun?

Weekend Wrap Up

2013-03-18T10:10:00.001-04:00

Well this weekend wrapped up No Impact Week here in Greensboro.

To commemorate the week I finished by reading No Impact Man by Colin Beavan.

A good book indeed and it gave more in-depth information than could obviously be included in the movie.

I do have to say, and I in no way receive any sort of compensation for doing so, that the book is well done and the real jewel of the book is the list of resources in the back. You can get website information about how to volunteer with a local environmental group or how to find a clothing swap in your area. There are also numerous book suggestions (many of which have gone on my list to pick up at my local library).

To further apply our no impact philosophy, and to do something useful with a plastic item, my son Andrew and I made a watering can from a large white vinegar bottle.

To make it was super simple. He drilled (yes he got a little power tool exposure) one hole in the cap and then several holes in the bottom of the bottle.

To make it work

Fill a bucket with water (preferably with water from your rain barrel).
Push the bottle down in the water so that it can fill up (keep your thumb off the top hole)
Put your thumb over the hole on the cap and lift from bucket

The water is trapped and you can just remove your thumb from the hole once you are at the flower bed.

I was really impressed with how easy this was and that it worked.

Once the recycling project was finished we were on to another project...chocolate making.

I am so very lucky to have a friend like Sharon, Bit of the Good Stuff. She sent me this fantastic raw chocolate making kit.

I put my fear aside and got out the kitchen scale.

I put WAY to much thought into how hard this was going to be...because in the end it was SO easy.

It took all of about 10 minutes (and then another 90 while I waited for it to set up in the fridge).

My result...well take a look for yourself:

They are in a four leaf clover pattern for St. Patrick's Day

I put a goji berry on each one and waited. I didn't want to get too fancy or stray from the original recipe as I wanted to make sure I got it just right.

My kids will tell you they love them, but are mad that I didn't let them eat more than one a piece.

They are indeed delicious and I highly recommend raw chocolate making to anyone who can do a little measuring.

Other than that that was about it for my weekend...OH well there was a little matter of Georges St Pierre retaining his welterweight title (in a fantastic fight against Nick Diaz).

Yeah for GSP!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and are ready to kick off a fantastic Monday.

Remember today is the last day to enter my Plastic Free by Beth Terry giveaway (check it out here).

Cool Stuff to Share

2013-03-14T09:52:00.000-04:00

Plastics

Am I the only one or do you also think of The Graduate when you hear people talk about plastics?

This past Saturday I went to one of our local libraries and heard Beth Terry, author of Plastic Free, and Danielle Richardet, It Starts With Me, speak.

Beth spoke about how she has moved to creating almost no plastic trash (except for some of the unavoidables like prescription refill bottles) after reading the article "Our Oceans Are Turning to Plastic...Are We?"

She showed us the ugly, British trash exported to China:

But she also showed us the good, products that can make for more eco-friendly living:

Glass Dharma glass straws

Chico reusable bags that come with a pouch (so you can always keep one on you)

RePEat bamboo utensil set that you can keep in your purse

Danielle also read the same article on water pollution and became driven to bring down her plastic consumption.

She not only uses reusable bags at the store but she brings jars everywhere with her. She has them for her bulk bin items at her local co-op but also for leftovers at restaurants.

I have never thought about bringing my own container to a restaurant. But it is rather wasteful to bring home the one time use container when I could plan ahead and bring something with me.

Did you know you can bring your own jars to fill at the bulk bin section of grocery stores (places such as Whole Foods, local co-ops, and natural food stores)?

After the talk I was overwhelmed with information. Beth's advice was to just do what you can and don't try to tackle everything at once...because after all every little bit helps.

That was good advice.

Now I mentioned that Beth wrote a book, Plastic Free:

I would like to give you all an opportunity to win a signed copy of this book.

The giveaway will run through Monday March 18th and I will announce the winner on Tuesday the 19th.

To enter fill in the Rafflecopter below (I promise the winner's book will be shipped plastic free)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No Impact Greensboro

2013-03-11T12:30:00.001-04:00

I find it ironic that a little over a month ago I watched, and reviewed here, the movie No Impact Man by Colin Beavan.

And then what ho? My fair city, Greensboro, decides to participate in a No Impact Week.

I am incredibly psyched!

Starting this past Friday there are daily activities you can participate in.

On Friday my whole family went to one of our local colleges, Guilford College (who has tons of green initiatives going on there), for an art exhibit by Bonnie Monteleone titled "What Goes Around Comes Around."

This is a giant wave made out of plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean.

What struck me about this exhibit was just what sort of things end up BACK in the ocean. Things like empty bottles from motor oil and household cleaners, parts of surfboards, and tons upon tons of bottle tops.

Bonnie also had up some photographs that give a graphic example of what all of this plastic can end up doing to our animal life.

(this is a bird's carcass filled with plastics which were fed to it by its unknowing mother)

I don't show these things to make you depressed, or guilty, merely just to make you aware.

Hopefully the movement will take hold and people will start to think before they buy and put a little more thought into what they do with their plastics.

To support those who chose to participate this week the City put out an action plan so that each day you can focus reducing your footprint in a specific area.

The week is laid out like this:

Sunday: Reduce/Reuse/Repurpose/Refuse
Monday: Energy
Tuesday: Transportation
Wednesday: Food
Thursday: Water
Friday: Green Home/Green Work
Saturday: Give Back
Sunday: Eco-Sabbath

So on Sunday we made use of tofu containers, drink cups from Panera, and large yogurt containers to plant some seedlings.

Today I plan to eat by candlelight, or natural light if there is enough of it, and have a family game night instead of TV watching (hopefully my children won't revolt).

What sort of things might you do today to reduce your energy consumption? Do you have any good ideas for repurposing items?

Fabulous Friday

2013-03-08T13:22:00.001-05:00

Yes it is a wee bit chilly here in Carolina, but I consider myself lucky that I don't have any snow or power outages like they do in neighboring Virginia.

I have been completely failing when it comes to providing recipes here, and I apologize for that.

To be fair though I have been eating some delicious stuff...it just happens to be OTHER bloggers recipes.

I will start with breakfast that I made for my kids this week. I say for the kids because the jackals didn't leave any for me.

Apple and Cinnamon Monkey bread from Sharon at Bit of the Good Stuff:

Source: bitofthegoodstuff.com via My Naturally Frugal Family on Pinterest

Peanut Butter Fudge that I discovered over at Spabettie:

Source: spabettie.com via My Naturally Frugal Family on Pinterest

This is some of the most addictive fudge I've ever had. The delicious peanut butter, chocolate, and saltines all mixed together are just YUM!

As Kristina said "You Lucky Duck" if you have everything on hand to make this goodness.

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ginger soup from Grubarazzi (I am eating this tonight):

Source: grubarazzi.com via My Naturally Frugal Family on Pinterest

I love these two main ingredients and I can only imagine how delicious they will be together.

The strange, but weird, dessert that I am making tonight, comes from Leanne of Healthful Pursuit.

Vegan Lemon Pudding (as featured on SkinnyTaste):

Source: skinnytaste.com via My Naturally Frugal Family on Pinterest

At first blush this doesn't sound too weird...except the secret ingredient is TOTALLY unexpected (I won't tell I want you to check out the recipe).

So that wraps up the delicious finds for this week.

Do you have anything that you eat that was particularly noteworthy?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

And I want to say congratulations to Ju for winning my 3 month Conscious Box subscription that I gave away on Thursday.

Olay Total Effects Review

2013-03-06T16:23:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity to try out Olay's Total Effects 7 in 1 Color Control Creme.

That's a pretty long title for a creme, no?

The product comes in a cool little container and you can see the moisturizer and the tint swirled separately. Which I thought was pretty cool and it was drew me to the product.

Upon opening the product I took a little whiff (I like to smell things, not just food before trying them out). It had the familiar Oil of Olay smell that I remember from my grandmother applying her moisturizer.

Nothing like a little nostalgia to sucker you in.

The product claims to fight 7 signs of aging:

Fine lines and wrinkles
Uneven tone
Age spots
Gentle exfoliation
Dryness
Moisture barrier
Luminosity

I found after two weeks of use the only thing that it did for me was cause my skin to break out.

I didn't see any of the claims come to fruition. I don't feel like my skin tone was any more even or that I even had brighter skin.

After I applied it my face felt a little greasy and like it just wanted to be washed fresh.

Overall I have to say thumbs down to this particular product.

The one bonus that it does have is that there is SPF 15 in it and it is good to keep a sunblock on your face.

Olay Total Effects product, information, and gift pack have all been provided by Olay however the opinions are all my own.

Conscious Box GIVEAWAY

2013-03-04T09:05:00.002-05:00

Today is a VERY chilly Monday here in North Carolina, but I have just the thing to get your blood pumping....

A giveaway from Conscious Box.

This isn't just for one month either...it is a 3 month subscription (a $59 value).

Conscious Box now comes in three varieties:

Original
Vegan
Gluten Free

A box to fit any need!

There is something else exciting about this wonderful, ethical, sustainable, and green company they have launched a new website.

There you can create your profile, review products, manage your subscriptions, and even purchase some of the items that have been in your box.

You can earn points for your reviews of products, answering polls, getting a subscription, etc. The points you earn can then be applied to your purchase, and lessen the total cost of an item.

Super Cool Yes?

I think so.

I have been a big supporter of Conscious Box and have loved working with them.

So would you like to win the 3 month subscription?

That is rhetorical I KNOW you want this. So to enter please use the rafflecopter below and be sure to tell your friends (the more that know about this awesome giveaway the better).

The giveaway will run until midnight on Wednesday (March 6th). I will announce the winner in Thursday's post.

If you would like to purchase a box at a discount use the promo code GOCONSCIOUS for 50% off.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting My Frugal On

2013-02-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend my church held a consignment sale.

If you go on the second day of the sale the items are half off.

Channeling my inner Marie, Feeding Five, and Shauna, What I Love, I proceeded to buy gently used items for my kids at fantastic prices.

My kids were not willing to try everything on and model for me...so I had to splay everything out on the bed and take pics that way (I know not nearly as exciting).

For my 10 year old I picked up 3 shirts, 1 pair of shorts, and pajama pants:

For his age group the pickings were slim. I am sure it has everything to do with boys at this age being tough on their clothes.

My 5 year old racked up a few more items, although he was disappointed he couldn't find a pair of camo pants (for some reason he really wanted some):

He got 3 t-shirts, 2 shorts, 1 khaki pant, and a rain jacket. Notice the camo John Deer tee.

However the winner in all of this was my daughter. I suppose young girls take really good care of their clothes, plus they like to wear pretty dresses (which is of endless fascination for my daughter).

We were lucky enough to pick up this bounty:

1 flannel pajama set, 1 sweater, 3 skorts, 1 skirt, 1 t-shirt, 1 pair of jeans, 1 long sleeve linen shirt, and 6 dresses. I am absolutely in love with the pink dress that is front and center of the second picture.

What was the grand total for this spree? $51.50.

Yes got 27 pieces of clothing for $51.50. That averages out to $1.90 per item.

When I came home and told my husband how good the sale went and how little we spent...he was sold on buying second hand from here on out.

I have to say that "No Impact Man" has made quite on impact on us. Reusing items instead of buying new is really becoming our mindset.

Tomorrow I will have a little round up to let you know how some of our initiatives are going and to update you on the no poo.

A Little Excited

2013-02-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

I had a recipe be selected as the "Recipe of the Day."

Over at Circle of Moms they selected my Vegan Blueberry Biscuits.

I was pretty shocked to have it selected, I mean the recipe is very tasty, but it was neat to have someone else select it.

If you get a chance drop by Circle of Moms and check out the recipe.

Oh and a little side note. Did you know today is National Pistachio day? Pistachios are full of nutritional goodness, not just for your heart but they also help fight free radicals in your cells (check it out here).

Margarita Day

2013-02-22T10:21:00.002-05:00

I don't know if you are aware but today is National Margarita Day.

Yep that's right there is a holiday that encourages you to consume alcohol.

Now I am not saying that I am against this at all...I DO love a good margarita.

So in celebration I present to you some fantastic margaritas (if you are going to try them let me know so I can taste test):

Source: thehairpin.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: mythirtyspot.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Source: bites.today.com via Kaleefornia on Pinterest

Source: yummly.com via Phyllis on Pinterest

Source: pardonmycrumbs.blogspot.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: recipesrecipesrecipes.wordpress.com via Joy on Pinterest

And a post about margarita's would not be complete without putting this lovely little tune in your head (yes I am guessing just the mention of the song will have you humming it all day long):

A Good American

2013-02-21T14:11:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity, through BlogHer book club, to review the book A Good American by Alex George.

This is my first book review and honestly I am a little nervous that I won't do the book justice, but here we go.

A Good American is the story of Joseph and Jette Meisenheimer's move from Hanover, Germany to Beatrice, Missouri.

Initially the pair leave Germany because of Jette's parents (who disapprove of their relationship and unborn child). With little more than the clothes on their backs and all the money Jette could scrounge from her parents house they leave aboard a ship to America.

Alex George does a wonderful job of weaving this tale over 4 generations of this family. He takes you through events such as:

The birth of Joseph and Jette's two children (Joseph Jr and Rosa)
Joseph Sr going off to World War I
Joseph Jr's marriage
Opening of a restaurant
Birth of grandchildren
Birth of great grandchildren

You emotionally run the gamut from joy to sorrow with the events that happen to them. In one particular instance I wanted to scream at the characters "Don't do it!" because I could just feel something bad was going to happen and I became so invested in them that I honestly cared what happened to them.

Overall the book is very engrossing and I just didn't want to put it down. At the same time when it was over I felt I had been told the WHOLE story of the Meisenheimer's. I didn't feel cheated by the ending and in fact loved that George wraps up everyone's story.

I read a few reviews prior to finishing the book and was encouraged by the sheer number of positive things people had to say.

I have already loaned out my copy of the book because I felt it was such a good read, that I really just couldn't keep it to myself.

Have you read any good books like this that just kept wanting to read more and more?

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own

Happy Valentine's Day

2013-02-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

Some people will do anything for love...this though might be crossing a few lines...OUCH!

Source: thecools.com via The Cools on Pinterest

Today people will take time out of their day today to let people know they love them.

Source: Uploaded by user via Ronnie on Pinterest

I've set up e-cards to be sent to my husband every hour, on the hour, while he is at work (he doesn't read my blog...so this reveal won't ruin the surprise of receiving ~~harassing~~ loving messages).

Seriously who wouldn't want to get messages like this:

For us we don't like the mushy cards, with tons of words, quick sarcastic banter is the way we roll.

I hope whatever you are doing today that you have fun and that it is filled with love.

Remember tomorrow I will announce the winner of my Wholesome Sweeteners gift basket...you still have a chance to win, just head to the post here.

Here is a fun little tidbit I learned on the radio today. Apparently those who are good at whistling are also good kissers. What do you think?

Valentine's Day Treat

2013-02-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

We all know that Valentine's Day is a mere two days away.

Have you thought about what you will be doing for your sweetie?

Maybe something kind of sexy?

I wanted to share with you a recipe from Wholesome Sweeteners that might be enjoyable on Valentine's Day:

I do want to say a quick word about what I think is special about Wholesome Sweeteners. Their products are organic and Fair Trade (meaning farmers are paid a set premium for their crops). By doing this local farmers can compete against factory farms...and who doesn't want to support the local farmer? I think that deserves a little Valentine's Day love.

The love doesn't stop there Wholesome wants to give away to you, one of my lucky readers, the below gift basket:

That is a lot of DELICIOUS agave.

Would you like to know how you can win? Enter through the Rafflecopter below.

The giveaway will be open through Valentine's Day.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Self Sufficiency

2013-02-04T14:27:00.002-05:00

What is this you might ask?

A fair enough question.

It is my first run at greening my beauty routine.

See last week I posted some goals I had to decrease my carbon footprint.

Part of my goals was to make my own shampoo.

With that I did a bunch of reading and it was suggested that you have a period of time where you wash your hair with baking soda and then use an apple cider vinegar rinse.

So enter the baking soda (on the white plate...no it is not a controlled substance), the tinted jar of apple cider rinse, lemon peel sugar scrub, and a lemon rind as a face tonic.

Before jumping in the shower on Sunday I used the lemon rind (I grated the zest to save for a future project) to rub all over my face as a toner (gently mind you, and stay away from the eyes...it can sting a little). The lemon can help with purifying the skin cells (which helps with the signs of aging, skin problems, age spots, etc).

I got in the shower and rinsed my face and then I washed my hair with a tablespoon of baking soda. I was a little worried once I got it in my hair, as I was not sure that it would all come out and/or that I would have a big greasy mess on my head before heading to church.

To make my fears a little worse I rinsed with the vinegar, which was super cold and smelled funny. I used about half of the jar of rinse.

Things did improve when I used my sugar scrub as it smelled quite pleasant.

So how well did the items work?

Well it is probably too soon to tell if the lemon is going to make my skin look any younger, but I'll keep trying it and see what happens. I figure if it makes the cells healthier it should give me a more vibrant appearance.

The scrub gave my skin a nice softness all day and the piece de resistance....my hair.

I was so very pleased once it dried and I could see that it was cleaner now then it has ever been.

My hair was nice, clean, and shiny. I finally realized that what I had been reading was true. You don't need the various shampoos to make you have a nice head of hair...you just need $1 to buy a box of baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar.

To make the items above:

Vinegar Rinse:
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 C water

Sugar Scrub:
peel of 1 lemon
1/2 C sugar
olive oil

I cut up the lemon peel and put it, and the sugar, in my Vita-Mix. I blended them together until they were of a fine consistency then added enough olive oil to make a paste (sorry I didn't measure how much oil I used, but I know it didn't take much).

So be sure to save your lemon peels (they can have a whole host of uses) such as:

degreaser
clean your microwave
polish chrome
deodorize your garbage disposal
clean your stainless steel sink
refresh your cutting board

What things do you do, or have you read about, that can green your beauty routine?

January Vegan Food Swap

2013-02-01T09:22:00.001-05:00

Well due to a few technical difficulties (mostly operator error) I am a day late in posting what I received as part of the Vegan Food Swap.

First things first though. The swap is coordinated by Cat over at The Verdant Life. You are asked to spend up to $20 on your recipient and include a hand written note (a lost art for sure).

This month I was paired up with Shannon of Gingery Snips and Snaps.

I opened my box and was stunned. Look at all the goodies:

Journey Bars

vegan candy bars

Vega and chocolate chip cookies

Primal strips

Vega is my go to protein powder, so I am always glad to get some of that. As for the rest of the items I have never tried them before.

I was very excited to get the Primal strips. I look at them every time I am in Whole Foods, but just haven't brought myself to try them. Shannon gifted me with teriyaki and hot & spicy.

The chocolate chip cookies were made from Mama Pea's recipe in Peas and Thank You.

I have never heard of Journey bars but I am excited to try them...just not sure if I should go with barbeque or pizza. What are your thoughts on it?

The 3 that I will save till the end are the candy bars (Jokerz, Mahalo, and Angell). When I feel like I need a treat I will break into one of these.

Shannon thank you so very much for an awesome box, it was jam packed with things I have really been wanting to try.

So after seeing this awesome box do you want to be part of the action?

There is still time to sign up for February's swap (deadline is Tuesday the 5th).

No Impact

2013-01-30T16:12:00.000-05:00

Well continuing with my trend to watch documentaries produced years ago I watched No Impact Man last night with my husband, using the wonderful Netflix to stream it.

As a side note I wouldn't recommend watching with children as they drop the "F" bomb several times.

Source: Uploaded by user via Mary on Pinterest

The movie follows Colin Beavan, his wife Michelle, and their 2 year old daughter Isabella as they spend 1 year (living in New York City) attempting to make no impact on the Earth.

For this they give up, in stages mind you (they didn't go completely cold turkey):

buying anything new
electricity
all forms of transportation that doesn't involve human power to get you there (i.e. walking, biking, etc)
toilet paper
food packaging
creating trash
air conditioning
TV

I myself would have had to draw the line at toilet paper...that would have to be my luxury item if I were to do such a project.

They made sure that they ate food grown within 250 miles of their home, which meant giving up on Starbucks but eating more from the local farmer's market.

Overall I thought the film was a little extreme, but I think his point was to see what things they could live without if they tried and giving everything up all at once gave them a clean slate to start from.

In the end I think they found they enjoyed family time more and eating local foods. It made them feel more connected to their city and more conscientious of their consumption.

I had my husband watch this with me because I thought this would appeal to him, and did it ever.

We've decided to make an action plan and see what we could do to make less of an impact.

Make our own shampoo. This "recipe" calls for essential oil...so I am going to make my own. I am currently drying out some orange peels so that they can be the scent of our shampoo.
Bake our own bread. I am selling off some surplus items from around my house so that we don't have to spend extra funds to buy this awesome bread machine.

Source: squidoo.com via Teresa on Pinterest

Increase productivity from our home garden. This weekend we are cleaning everything out and beginning our spring planting (kale, spinach, and broccoli seeds will be hitting the dirt).
Make my own bags for produce, bulk bin items, and unwrapped baked goods. I saw these bags on Pinterest and find the instructions easy to follow...I think even my meager sewing skills can make this happen (they have tags to write bulk bin item numbers on the side).

Source: frugalgranola.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Make our own cleaning supplies. You would be amazed at what white vinegar, borax, and baking soda can do for your house.
Repurpose and reuse the items we have instead of being so quick to buy new.
Making our own cola. My husband loves a soda every now and then...but he doesn't love the ingredients SO we are going to try a few recipes, starting with this one.

As these projects progress I will be sure to blog about it. Because if something is a success, or even a failure, there is bound to be something we can learn from it and by sharing with all of you who knows what you can teach me :)

What sort of suggestions for having less impact can you share?