World Breastfeeding Week: Part 1

On Sunday I was sitting in the foyer of our church building watching Little E and over heard a conversation between a woman in her early 20s and a middle aged man with a new baby. The conversation went something like this:

Woman: Where's your wife? Is she here today?

Man: She's pumping some milk for the baby.

Woman: Gross! Don't tell me that.

Man: What's gross?

Woman: I don't want to know what your wife does with her boobs.

Man: But, that's what you'll be doing one day if you have kids.

Woman: Maybe, but I won't talk about it.

That got me thinking about how much work there is to educate people about breastfeeding.

In our congregation women leave the worship service or class and go into a little room if they have to breastfeed. Many pump milk or bring formula if they want to stay in the meetings. I when I was breastfeeding I often chose to wear a cover-up or blanket and stay in the meeting while Little E ate. But I was one of the very few women who did so.

While I can see why some people, especially in a conservative Latter-day Saint area wouldn't want to see women exposing themselves all the time, it seems a little excessive to have to "hide" a normal function of life.

A Clean Oven Chemical Free!

I think I'm going to blame this on the nesting instinct, but I keep getting these strange cleaning urges. The other day I felt compelled to clean my oven. I have never cleaned out an oven in my life. Mine wasn't super nasty, it just needed a little cleaning.

I didn't want to go out to the store and buy an oven cleaner because I'm cheap and I know there are a lot of scary chemicals in that stuff. After a little research (I love the internet) I found a super easy solution.

Sprinkle baking soda on the surface:

Spray with until damp and let sit. I waited for about an hour while I cleaned something else.

Spray with vinegar:

And wipe it up! Yes, wipe, not scrub! I was a skeptical, but it really worked. Now I have a nice, sparkly clean oven and can move on to other cleaning projects.

For other natural cleaning recipes you can visit:

VinegarTips.com

Natural Healthy Home Cleaning

The New Homemaker

So Much to Blog, So Little Time

There is so much I want to blog about right now! I have so many ideas rattling around in my head, but they're going to have to wait for a while because I'm going to see my husband! Yea! I'm so excited ... but even though I leave in 2 hours I'm still not packed! So, this will be a short post. And I probably won't be posting very much for the next two weeks, but don't worry, I'll be back!

In the meantime I am super excited to tell you that one of the websites I featured in a previous post, Bella Luna Toys, is offering all my readers 10% off their products! Cool, huh?

"As thanks, I'd like to offer you and your readers a 10% discount off your next order. Just use the code BLOG10 at checkout! Also, be sure to check out my new blog "Moon Child" where I discuss the importance of play and the value of natural toys.http://www.blog.bellalunatoys.com."

I've been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off this week, so I haven't had a chance to check out the blog, but I will be doing that soon! Hmmmm ... what should I get Ethan for his birthday? Anyone have any ideas for developmentally appropriate toys for a one year old?

I'm thinking about this wooden train, but I'm thinking he won't appreciate it yet. It might be better for when he's two.

Favorite Things Installment #2: Soap Nuts

Soap Nuts? A plant that acts as laundry detergent?

So I have to admit, that when I first heard about these I thought it was some scam to take advantage of the current going green craze. Then I found out that one of my very cool friends, Meridth, used them and she gave me some to try. You put 2-4 of these things in the washing machine with your clothes and viola!

What in the heck is a soap nut, you might ask? It really does come from a plant, but it isn't a nut, it's a berry/fruit. According to the website Green Virgin Products (where I buy my soap nuts): "The soap nut contains a natural soap called saponin. Saponin has cleaning abilities equal to toxic chemical detergents. Soap Nuts are extremely hypo-allergenic and can be used by people who are allergic to all other detergents. They are completely green and don't pollute our planet."

The great thing is, they actually work! And, not only do they replace detergent, but you don't have to use dryer sheets either. You get soft, clean, fresh smelling (there are no perfumes) laundry for a fraction of what you would spend on regular products.

I highly recommend trying these out, especially if you have sensitive skin or are trying to reduce the chemicals in your home!

Play Amongst Lovely Things

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things" - Plato

Dan and I feel very strongly about plastic toys. For several reasons, we don't like them and we don't want our children to have them. The idea of my sweet little baby playing with unnatural objects just doesn't sit right with me. That said, Ethan has plastic toys, most of which were given to us. In an ideal world, we would be rich enough to buy a few beautiful wooden and cloth toys. (We also feel strongly about kids having too much stuff) As I look forward to that day, here are some beautifully crafted toys from one of the most delightful websites, Bella Luna Toys.

Tea for Beauty?

Last week while visiting our local ritzy supermarket, (Cleverly named "The Store") I found a line of red teas boasting different health properties. Now, I love tea. I especially love Rooibos (Red Tea) which is from South Africa, is naturally caffeine, and full of antioxidants. Plus, the cool cans these teas come in totally win me over. I am a sucker for slick packaging.

Anyway, I picked this tea, "Get Gorgeous," which boasts to help improve your skin's appearance by virtue of the antioxidants. After I bought it I went on line and looked up some reviews on this amazing tea blog, The Tea Scoop. The author didn't like the taste because it was too fruity (good for me, that's the way I like my tea!), but there were multiple comments posted that verified the company's claims. So, I am looking forward to this little experiment and I'll let you know how it goes. So far I think this is a delicious tea that I would drink even if it does nothing for my poor skin.

The company that makes this, The Republic of Tea, is truly amazing with a vast array of different flavors. You should check them out!