I know, I know, I’m on a major kick lately with the all natural products.  I can’t seem to help myself!

When it comes to cleaning products, choosing all natural is good for the health of your family, your budget and the environment.  This list of websites shows that common household products can be used to clean even the toughest household grime.

1.  Store bought weed killers can be effective, but they can also be harmful to your kids, your pets and the environment.  This site has instructions for creating weed killers with ingredients that you probably already have at home.
2.  We still have carpet in our basement and we end up with all kinds of spills.  The key to preventing permanent stains seems to be to act quickly and specifically target the type of stain.  This site offers a variety of natural solutions for different kinds of carpet stains, so you don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals or toxic fumes.
3.  Does your child have an inner Picasso? Do they use the wall, the floor or even their own clothes as a canvas?  Crayon art, especially, can be really hard to remove.  Check out these simple and effective ways to clean crayon markings without having to repaint or re-tile.
4.  Tiles are both practical and decorative, but where there is tile, there is grout.  While it may be tempting to resort to commercial cleaners to deal with stubborn grout stains, try these natural solutions first.
5.  All my kitchen appliances are stainless steel and when they were new, they looked so cool and shiny.  Of course, over time, they have started to look dull and streaky.  This site, using an unusual combination of ingredients, has a way to make stainless steel look shiny and new.
6.  Stoves can be one of the hardest things to clean in your kitchen because they combine food and heat, which can lead to really stubborn stains.  This site proves that natural, household ingredients can be used to clean even the toughest stains.
7.  Food and heat can also combine to create difficult stains on your pots and pans.  This website has a really interesting list of household items that can be used to clean containers made of different materials (glass, cast iron, aluminum etc).
8.  In a busy household, clogged drains are inevitable.  Try this recipe for a drain cleaner that is safe for you and the environment.
9.  Here is something new to try in the quest to find a safe, non-streaky window cleaner.  This website has several recipes for window cleaners.  Test them out and see which works best for you.
10.  Getting jewelry professionally cleaned can be quite expensive.  This website provides clear instructions for safely cleaning gold, silver and gemstones.  It is easier than you might think.
11.  In addition to cleaning, you may also want to disinfect your household items (especially if you have kids).  Instead of using harsh disinfectants, which may contain dangerous chemicals, consider tea tree oil.  A wonderful, natural disinfectant with all kinds of applications.  I absolutely love it.

Today we met a group of friends at our local art gallery and after enjoying the art on display (well the moms enjoyed it – the kids enjoyed the long ramps which they were running up and down) we went next door to a park to create our own masterpieces. The medium we chose was PAINT. Messy, yes. But oh so fun!

Today we just gave the kids long sheets of paper off a big roll and let them do whatever they wanted. But in the past I have done some fun painting crafts that I thought might be perfect “un-bore your kids” summer activities:

• Have the child lay down on a large piece of paper and trace around him/her.  Then get out the paints and have fun creating a lifesize portrait.

• Add lots of fun things to the paint such as sand for texture and glitter to add a sparkle.  This makes painting extra special fun and allows the kids to create some very interesting effects.

• Put different colored drops of paint on the paper and then use a straw to blow them around to create unique patterns.

• Spread out a rectangle of playdough or modelling clay the size of an 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper. Carve out an interesting picture in it. Then roller paint over the entire surface and press down a piece of paper to create a print from the carving.

• Think of different objects that you can paint with and test them out to see what effects you can create.  Try running toy cars through paint and then on to your paper, cut open vegetables such as potatoes and green peppers to make interesting stamps, use bird feathers and toothbrushes to add texture to the paint.

Hope you have lots of fun and make lots of messes (after all, that’s what being a kid is all about!)

My paranoia about the chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis has gone in to overddrive lately because I realized just how much sunscreen I use on two toddlers in a day and that the stuff I bought from the drugstore is full of nothing but chemicals I cannot pronounce.

So in an effort to drive my husband to divorce me make a healthier choice for my family, I got online and researched sunscreens. For a couple of hours. (Who me, obsessive? Nooooooo!)

The most helpful site I found was the Environmental Working Group’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide. They clearly explain the ingredients you should be looking for and the ones to avoid. Yes the recommended brands are more expensive than their drugstore counterparts, but personally I think it’s a small price to pay. (I justified it to my husband by pointing out that we breastfed and cloth diapered our children so we saved enough money from that to be able to afford the best sunscreen.)

Here are some of the best picks from the EWG’s list (available at Amazon for less than I paid):

Badger SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen	Badger All Natural, All Season Face Stick, Sunscreen, SPF 30, Unscented .65 oz (18.4 g)	Badger SPF 30 Sunscreen For Face & Body 2.9 oz (82 g)
California Baby Basics Tote Suncare Starter Kit	California Baby SPF 30 + Sunscreen Lotion – Super Sensitive, 2.9 oz	California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick
Loving Naturals SPF 30 Sunscreen Zinc Oxide 5 Oz. UVA/UVB Vegan	Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen Spf 30+, 3-ounce	TruKid Sunny Days Sunscreen Facestick – 0.65 oz.

Like it’s not already stressful enough being a parent, add on worrying about the dangers of exposing yourself and your children to harmful chemicals and you can make yourself crazy!

Although I don’t consider myself “granola”, I do believe that the more natural you can live the better. My goal is to try and cut out as much of the bad stuff in our lives as we can without making it a hassle. Cleaning with vinegar is no different than cleaning with commercial cleaners, cloth diapering was all we were used to so it became the norm and opting for all natural ways to solve everyday health issues is easy once you get in the habit.

Check out some of my favorite all natural remedies for moms and babies.

1.   Morning sickness.  Though it is not a lot of fun, it is not necessarily a bad thing. This site explains why and provides some helpful remedies.
2.  Breast feeding, though very good for your baby, can cause some uncomfortable problems.  This site explains the causes as well as the solutions to the problems that can come with breast feeding your baby.
3.  Baby teeth are so adorable, but they can also mean a crying baby and sleepless nights.  This site provides a compilation of the 10 best natural remedies preferred by moms for teething babies.
4.  Sometimes, it can be hard to decide what products are safe to use on your baby’s delicate skin.  Here is the story of homemade baby wipes and the enormous difference they made (including curing diaper rash).
5.  Cloth diapers seem like the best solution for both babies and the environment, but what prevents most people from making the switch is the “ick” factor.  This great site, which provides instructions for washing cloth diapers, will take away the “ick” and make it easier to switch.
6.  It can be both surprising and disturbing if your baby develops infant acne.  Don’t worry, this reassuring site explains why babies develop acne and how you can naturally treat it.
7.  Good sleeping patterns are important for your baby’s health and your own.  This site will help you create a long term plan that will help your baby more easily go to sleep and stay asleep for longer.
8.  Whereas the above link is for a long term solution, this site provides lots of tips for quick ways to soothe your fussy baby.
9.  Clearly, giving birth and taking care of a baby is stressful.  This can have a negative impact on your hair, skin and even your nails.  This site will help you take care of yourself by listing good foods to eat for healthy hair, skin and nails.
10.  You already know that Omega-3 fatty acids are important for your child’s mental development, but now there is research showing that it is also important for the mental health of adults.  Check out this site to find out more.

Did you know that in 1984 Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and made the third Sunday in July National Ice Cream Day? I didn’t know that either (well, until a few days ago that is). Now that I do, I plan on celebrating in style.

For our fun activity this week the kids and I will be making our own ice cream.  There is lots of information I’ve found online about how to do this. Here are a couple of my favorite resources I wanted to share…

Homemade Ice Cream in  a Bag – This looks so easy that even little ones can participate. In only five minutes you have ice cream!  And the recipe is for a single serving which means everyone can make their own so they will love that.

Ice Cream in a Can – This one is a craft, exercise and snack all in one!  Put the ingredients in a can and kick it around until you have a pint of homemade ice cream.

Go ahead and try different flavors when you are making your ice cream. Adding chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, cocoa powder, flavor extracts (such as vanilla or lemon), chocolate chips and nuts can all produce some really awesome results.

Want to make it even more fun?  Put out all of the ingredients and have the kids each make their own flavor. When it’s ready have a taste testing and determine who created the one. The only downside is that you may never be able to recreate the flavors again! But it will be fun trying.

Hope you have a sticky, delicious ice cream day.

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already Tuesday and I’m just getting this week’s “un-bore your kids” feature up.  Summer is flying by.  (Oh right, it’s only July 6th. Maybe I should pace myself or I’ll be burnt out before the first of August.) This week we’re planning on being very daring at our house and trying tie-dye. My kids are (almost) 3 and (just) 4 so I don’t know if this is a good idea or not. My husband is, of course, firmly planted on the NOT side of this debate.  But I have always loved to live on the wild side so I am going for it! I did some research and there are two techniques we’ll be trying. One uses squirt bottles of dye and the other uses submersion in a bath of dye. Checkout that second link from MarthaStewart.com for different patterns to try.

To make this even more fun (and much, much messier) I have invited a couple of my friends and their preschoolers to join us.

Does anyone know how badly fabric dye stains the skin?  Will the kids be normal color again by the time school starts?  Here’s hoping!

So whataya say, are you willing to be daring with me?

I would buy everything my family eats organic if I could.  But alas, I am not rich.

So as a comprise I shop using the Dirty Dozen list of the most pesticide laden foods. These are the ones that even with scrubbing still contain 20+ different types of chemicals.

The thought of that literally keeps me up some nights!

Now there is a fun way to remember which foods to avoid with the adorably illustrated Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet. This printable sheet shows which foods to avoid on one side and on the other side has a list of foods with the least amount of contamination (so you can feel alright about not buying those foods organic).

Print our your copy now and have it handy for your next trip to the supermarket.

Enjoy!

Summer vacation is here and for many families that means a long trip with lots of  ”Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?”  Here are some ideas (other than music, movies and video games) to pass the time before you get “there”.

1.   Turn your vehicle into a pirate ship and become the Pirates of the Caravan.  This is such a great idea, especially if you make yourself the Captain whose orders must be followed!
2.  Help your kids anticipate the journey by planning a scavenger hunt of things they will see on the way.
3.  Let you kids follow their imagination and use their creativity by making finger puppets and putting on plays.  You can use the templates found here or design your own.
4.  I absolutely love this idea.  Have your kids write postcards or letters to friends, family or even themselves during a long trip.  When you finally do get home, your kids will have great souvenirs waiting in the mail.
5.  Playdough is a lot of fun, but not during trips where it can be smeared on all sorts of surfaces.  I think aluminum foil is a great alternative.  Kids can mold and sculpt to their heart’s content without needing to wash up afterwards.
6.  Another great, no mess, creative material is colourful paper clips.  Your kids can try making this bracelet or just play around and see where their creativity takes them.
7.  Kids love to unwrap presents!  Keep your kids entertained by occasionally offering them an inexpensive toy or snack to unwrap.  It doesn’t really matter what you give them, just that you are giving them them a surprise gift.  Check out these inexpensive ways to wrap presents.  Just a reminder, if you are traveling by plane, you will need to wrap the presents after you have boarded.
8.  Spend some family time together by playing some of these classic road trip games.
9.  When you need some quiet time let your children try these printable activities like cryptograms, mazes and sudoku. Cryptograms, especially, are a lot of fun and once your kids understand how they work, they can create their own.
10.  This a great craft activity that helps your child remember the trip.  Make a personalized suitcase to keep souvenirs.
11.  In my family, no trip is complete without someone getting car sick.  Here are some tips to help prevent and treat car sickness.

Do your kids love getting mail?  Mine do!  But after a few letters from Grandma and Grandpa and a failed attempt at a sticker chain letter, I’m out of ideas. I am happy to report I have found the solution! Buddy Notes is the brainchild of mom Tracy Bass. Because she has kids, Tracy knows what they like. So she has created several characters who mail your child one time or once a month for six months.

The characters focus on themes every child loves – Coloring Buddy sends coloring pages, Puzzle Buddy sends puzzles, Ben Buddy talks sports and Belle Buddy loves to cook. There are even one time mailings for kids starting school, the 4th of July, those who have lost their first tooth and many more.

Best of all, Tracy is completely flexible in what she can write in the personalized letters. Include multiple children’s names, put in a special note about an accomplishment your child will be proud everyone knows about or add a life lesson (like “share with your little sister”).

Check out Buddy Notes for lots of fun options and surprise your kids with mail addressed to them. I’ve ordered ours and am going to use this as a gift idea for my nieces and friend’s children.