I just saw this article on household cleaners and wanted to share as a follow up to my Turn Spring Cleaning into Green Cleaning.
All-purpose home cleanersTime for spring-cleaning? Using common household cleaners may expose you to potentially harmful chemicals. Ammonia and chlorine bleach can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. And some cleaners contain phthalates, some of which are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with normal hormone activity, says EWG senior scientist Becky Sutton, PhD.
Although there’s no definitive proof that phthalates cause problems in humans, "the greatest concern is how early-life exposure will affect male [reproductive] development," Dr. Carpenter says. There’s weaker evidence, he adds, that phthalates affect the nervous and immune systems. Go natural with the cleaner you use the most frequently and in the most places, such as kitchen-counter spray—look for brands approved by Green Seal or EcoLogo, two organizations that identify products that have met environmental label guidelines.
Health.com: Green guide to cleaning
Jan
Dinner tonight: I'm thinking about grilling hot dogs served with baked beans and a salad. I have a wicked headache and shopping and cooking is not on my to do list right now.
Moms. Friends. Girl Power All the Way!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
It's your Birthday? Your Older- Don't Cry!
It was April 7th 2000 and I was celebrating my birthday, a day late with my family. As I was blowing out my candles, I felt what I thought to be a labor pain! My family laughed, your not due for another three weeks! But then an hour later there was another one, they continued every hour until 3am, I insisted on going to the hospital! My sister held my hand through the painful contractions, I swore if I lived through it, I would name my first born after her!
After all that, around 10am my doctor said the contractions stopped, they were just false contractions and I could go home! "What! These were not false contractions! I am not going home! I know I am having this baby today!" He said "Your not having this baby for a long time."
As my husband and in-laws walked me back to the car, my water broke! I went back upstairs, and had my daughter an hour later! False labor pains, my a**!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby girl! She is now 11 years old and alot has changed. It is hard to believe so much time has gone bye! I wish sometimes life could just slow down for a minute! What makes things even harder is I am getting older too!
I just celebrated my birthday also and I am now approaching my mid-forties! Yikes! I don't mind as much as society does! Everywhere I look, everytime I turn on my computer, T.V. or look at a magazine, advertisements for wrinkle cream, botox. liposuction! Why can't wrinkles be beautiful! Why do we live in such a youth obssessed society! Why does every women I know feel bad about getting older and talk about their recent trip to the doctor for botox! It is so ridiculous how much this society puts on looks and so little importance on a persons character!
For all of us women who are getting a little older, our looks might fade, but our intelligence, experience, and inner beauty gets more beautiful as we age! I feel more beautiful today than I ever did in my 20's, I wish society could see that I am more beautiful now then I was then. We need as a society to start finding experience, age, wrinkles, as a sign of beauty also and stop fearing getting older! It's inevitable! We are all going to get old! If we are lucky!!!
Steph
After all that, around 10am my doctor said the contractions stopped, they were just false contractions and I could go home! "What! These were not false contractions! I am not going home! I know I am having this baby today!" He said "Your not having this baby for a long time."
As my husband and in-laws walked me back to the car, my water broke! I went back upstairs, and had my daughter an hour later! False labor pains, my a**!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby girl! She is now 11 years old and alot has changed. It is hard to believe so much time has gone bye! I wish sometimes life could just slow down for a minute! What makes things even harder is I am getting older too!
I just celebrated my birthday also and I am now approaching my mid-forties! Yikes! I don't mind as much as society does! Everywhere I look, everytime I turn on my computer, T.V. or look at a magazine, advertisements for wrinkle cream, botox. liposuction! Why can't wrinkles be beautiful! Why do we live in such a youth obssessed society! Why does every women I know feel bad about getting older and talk about their recent trip to the doctor for botox! It is so ridiculous how much this society puts on looks and so little importance on a persons character!
For all of us women who are getting a little older, our looks might fade, but our intelligence, experience, and inner beauty gets more beautiful as we age! I feel more beautiful today than I ever did in my 20's, I wish society could see that I am more beautiful now then I was then. We need as a society to start finding experience, age, wrinkles, as a sign of beauty also and stop fearing getting older! It's inevitable! We are all going to get old! If we are lucky!!!
Steph
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Saving One Third or More on Groceries Every Time - Effortlessly
How to save more on groceries? My biggest rule in grocery shopping, I only buy what's on sale. Everything goes on sale at some point and I buy the sale of the week. I either change brands depending on what's on sale or I wait until my brand goes on sale. Unless of course it's a staple or an urgent need.
Keep your coupons in your grocery bag. I keep my coupons in my grocery bag so they are easy to find and I remember to use them. I save on average an extra $10 per visit using store and manufacturer coupons.
There's a new show on TLC called Extreme Couponing which will be interesting to watch. Hopefully it will be inspiring although I don't think I could ever be as diligent, or should I say obsessive, on couponing. I seriously don't have that kind of time to spend 3 hours clipping coupons but more power to those who can.
My average grocery bill is $150 and after sales and coupons I generally pay about $100 saving one third on my grocery bill virtually every time and I spend virtually no time hunting and clipping coupons. Although sometimes I spend time with online coupons and printing them out. Not often. But it is a thrill to see the total dip under $100.
Only buy what's on sale and watch your savings grow.
Green tip of the day: keep an extra bag in your car so if you stop off on your way home you have a bag to use. Re-use your bags and if you do get plastic bags from the store, bring them back to the store to recycle. Most grocery stores have recycle bag bins at the front of the store.
Jan
Dinner plan: Tonight I made nachos with black beans, rice, guacamole and sour cream as an appetizer. I made organic chicken breasts last night that I threw in the food processor, added BBQ sauce, heated in the microwave and had BBQ chicken sandwiches with cucumber slices. Fast, easy and nutricious.
Keep your coupons in your grocery bag. I keep my coupons in my grocery bag so they are easy to find and I remember to use them. I save on average an extra $10 per visit using store and manufacturer coupons.
There's a new show on TLC called Extreme Couponing which will be interesting to watch. Hopefully it will be inspiring although I don't think I could ever be as diligent, or should I say obsessive, on couponing. I seriously don't have that kind of time to spend 3 hours clipping coupons but more power to those who can.
My average grocery bill is $150 and after sales and coupons I generally pay about $100 saving one third on my grocery bill virtually every time and I spend virtually no time hunting and clipping coupons. Although sometimes I spend time with online coupons and printing them out. Not often. But it is a thrill to see the total dip under $100.
Only buy what's on sale and watch your savings grow.
Green tip of the day: keep an extra bag in your car so if you stop off on your way home you have a bag to use. Re-use your bags and if you do get plastic bags from the store, bring them back to the store to recycle. Most grocery stores have recycle bag bins at the front of the store.
Jan
Dinner plan: Tonight I made nachos with black beans, rice, guacamole and sour cream as an appetizer. I made organic chicken breasts last night that I threw in the food processor, added BBQ sauce, heated in the microwave and had BBQ chicken sandwiches with cucumber slices. Fast, easy and nutricious.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Why Being A Yes Man Can Be A Good Thing
I rarely watch movies anymore because it's hard for me to stay up long enough to finish them but on Saturday I was flipping through the channels and saw Yes Man was on. I didn't hear great things about it but I decided to watch it. I'm a Jim Carrey fan and Dumb and Dumber and Liar Liar had me literally Laughing Out Loud, yes spelled out because I seriously did.
Yes Man turned out to be much better then I expected and I enjoyed it. It actually has a great message in it. The principle of the movie is to say Yes to everything. This philosophy completely changed his life and things that first appeared bad turned out having a very silver lining.
I think of how we all get caught up in our daily routines. How hard it is to make time to learn something new or meet up with old friends or find ways to make new friends.
Reading books was one of those things I stopped doing because I "didn't have enough time", as I've stated in a previous entry my first response to joining a book club was no but then I took out the book from the library and turned out I was the first one to start reading the book and I finished before anyone else did. Apparently I do have the time and I really enjoyed the reading time.
Say yes to new things even if it's just changing up the things we do regularly, like walking or going to the park. Try a different park. Take a different route for your walk. Break from your routine and enjoy new scenary and maybe you'll make new discoveries and meet new people. You never know until you try.
Jan
Yes Man turned out to be much better then I expected and I enjoyed it. It actually has a great message in it. The principle of the movie is to say Yes to everything. This philosophy completely changed his life and things that first appeared bad turned out having a very silver lining.
I think of how we all get caught up in our daily routines. How hard it is to make time to learn something new or meet up with old friends or find ways to make new friends.
Reading books was one of those things I stopped doing because I "didn't have enough time", as I've stated in a previous entry my first response to joining a book club was no but then I took out the book from the library and turned out I was the first one to start reading the book and I finished before anyone else did. Apparently I do have the time and I really enjoyed the reading time.
Say yes to new things even if it's just changing up the things we do regularly, like walking or going to the park. Try a different park. Take a different route for your walk. Break from your routine and enjoy new scenary and maybe you'll make new discoveries and meet new people. You never know until you try.
Jan
Say Yes to Life and Enjoy Every Day
I rarely watch movies anymore because it's hard for me to stay up long enough to finish them but on Saturday I was flipping through the channels and say Yes Man was on. I didn't hear great things about it but I decided to watch it. I'm a Jim Carrey fan and Dumb and Dumber and Liar Liar had me literally Laughing Out Loud, yes spelled out because I seriously did.
Yes Man turned out to be much better then I expected and I enjoyed it. It actually has a great message in it. The principle of the movie is to say Yes to everything. This philosophy completely changed his life and things that first appeared bad turned out having a very silver lining.
I think of how we all get caught up in our daily routines. How hard it is to make time to learn something new or meet up with old friends or find ways to make new friends.
Reading books was one of those things I stopped doing because I "didn't have enough time", as I've stated in a previous entry my first response to joining a book club was no but then I took out the book from the library and turned out I was the first one to start reading the book and I finished before anyone else did. Apparently I do have the time and I really enjoyed the reading time.
Say yes to new things even if it's just changing up the things we do regularly, like walking or going to the park. Try a different park. Take a different route for your walk. Break from your routine and enjoy new scenary and maybe you'll make new discoveries and meet new people. You never know until you try.
Jan
Yes Man turned out to be much better then I expected and I enjoyed it. It actually has a great message in it. The principle of the movie is to say Yes to everything. This philosophy completely changed his life and things that first appeared bad turned out having a very silver lining.
I think of how we all get caught up in our daily routines. How hard it is to make time to learn something new or meet up with old friends or find ways to make new friends.
Reading books was one of those things I stopped doing because I "didn't have enough time", as I've stated in a previous entry my first response to joining a book club was no but then I took out the book from the library and turned out I was the first one to start reading the book and I finished before anyone else did. Apparently I do have the time and I really enjoyed the reading time.
Say yes to new things even if it's just changing up the things we do regularly, like walking or going to the park. Try a different park. Take a different route for your walk. Break from your routine and enjoy new scenary and maybe you'll make new discoveries and meet new people. You never know until you try.
Jan
Monday, April 4, 2011
Change Spring Cleaning into Green Cleaning
My Spring cleaning has begun. But I have made a resolution to change Spring cleaning into Green cleaning.
I have seen things people throw away and it is a shame that they cannot take time to donate items that other people could use. So first I resolve to donate everything I can. One of the laws of being green and eco-friendly is re-using so donating your unwanted items is both socially friendly and eco-friendly. Rather than filling up our dumps with good stuff, let other people use it that needs it or can enjoy it.
There are many organizations that accept donations including Good Will, Salvation Army, GE appliances centers, Habitat for Humanity, but also consider local organizations like Boy Scouts, churches and other organizations that hold annual tag sales to raise money. Now you've just added another benefit to donating which is supporting local charities. This also provides a tax benefit to you since you can claim donations as a write off so there's a financial benefit to you as well for being green. How great is that?
My Green cleaning plan is to get at least one bag or box of donations every Saturday afternoon and Sunday together and drop it off the following Saturday morning since they are only open until 11. I feel like that is a comittment I can adhere to so I can take baby steps to getting my sorting and purging done that is manageable for me.
The cleaning and scrubbing can also become green friendly. I have changed from my traditional cleaners to green cleaners. It's not just a benefit to the environment but really a benefit to your family to go green on cleaners. Who needs chemicals in their home. With many more options on the market now it's easy to even find practical bargains on perfume free, chemical free cleaning products. I wouldn't suggest throwing anything away, but you can make a vow to only buy green friendly cleaners in the future. If that's too much, start with one. One all purpose cleaner is a good start. I started with laundry detergent. I started buying perfume free laundry detergent and now I would never consider going back to regular detergent.
Make Earth Day on April 22nd count this year by changing your Spring cleaning habits into Green cleaning.
Have any Green cleaning tips? We'd love to hear them and post them during Earth Day week! e-mail us at stephandjanblog@gmail.com. Or comment below. Thanks.
Jan
I have seen things people throw away and it is a shame that they cannot take time to donate items that other people could use. So first I resolve to donate everything I can. One of the laws of being green and eco-friendly is re-using so donating your unwanted items is both socially friendly and eco-friendly. Rather than filling up our dumps with good stuff, let other people use it that needs it or can enjoy it.
There are many organizations that accept donations including Good Will, Salvation Army, GE appliances centers, Habitat for Humanity, but also consider local organizations like Boy Scouts, churches and other organizations that hold annual tag sales to raise money. Now you've just added another benefit to donating which is supporting local charities. This also provides a tax benefit to you since you can claim donations as a write off so there's a financial benefit to you as well for being green. How great is that?
My Green cleaning plan is to get at least one bag or box of donations every Saturday afternoon and Sunday together and drop it off the following Saturday morning since they are only open until 11. I feel like that is a comittment I can adhere to so I can take baby steps to getting my sorting and purging done that is manageable for me.
The cleaning and scrubbing can also become green friendly. I have changed from my traditional cleaners to green cleaners. It's not just a benefit to the environment but really a benefit to your family to go green on cleaners. Who needs chemicals in their home. With many more options on the market now it's easy to even find practical bargains on perfume free, chemical free cleaning products. I wouldn't suggest throwing anything away, but you can make a vow to only buy green friendly cleaners in the future. If that's too much, start with one. One all purpose cleaner is a good start. I started with laundry detergent. I started buying perfume free laundry detergent and now I would never consider going back to regular detergent.
Make Earth Day on April 22nd count this year by changing your Spring cleaning habits into Green cleaning.
Have any Green cleaning tips? We'd love to hear them and post them during Earth Day week! e-mail us at stephandjanblog@gmail.com. Or comment below. Thanks.
Jan
Saturday, April 2, 2011
How I Save $1,000 A Year and Don't Miss Out
One of my biggest goals for the year is to pay down my debt and stop spending money. My philosophy is buy for need versus want. Before any purchase I think to myself do I really need this. Most of the time I put it back and find that I don't miss not having it. If I don't NEED it, I don't buy it.
I have also found simple ways to save a little money every week that add up to $1,000 per year savings. I found easy alternatives to buying things that I found I can get for free. Yes free! Who doesn't like free stuff?
Coffee. I used to have a serious Dunkin coffee habit. Every morning I bought a medium coffee and sometimes also bought a breakfast sandwich or donut. Even just the cost of coffee, now over $2 for a medium cup is $14 a week. I have cut weekday Dunkin out and drink the office coffee. I only like flavored coffee so I buy French Vanilla CoffeeMate for $2 and it lasts me about two weeks. I do splurge on the weekends and get my Dunkin fix. I think that's a fair trade and still allow myself a treat so I am not completely depriving myself. Saving $2 a day doesn't seem like much but it adds up. This change in coffee habit saves me $10 a week which turns into a yearly savings of $520 a year.
Movies. Way back when, I used to go to the movies on a pretty regular basis, at least once a month. I would also rent a movie almost every weekend. When Redbox came out I was excited to rent movies for just a buck. Of course half the time I would return it a day or two late. I'm not a late nighter anymore so most of the time it takes me a couple nights to see a complete movie. Because it's just a dollar I would generally get two movies and then returning a day late means every weekend I was spending $4 on movies. I have discovered that our local library has a collection of movies to rent for free. They have an entire children's collection, a DVD collection and now a BluRay collection. Now the kids get some library time to read some books, do puzzles and play on the computer, then we check out movies. Generally two kids movies and a movie for me and my husband which would be $3 to $6 at Redbox. We get them for a whole week and they are free! So at $4 a week, I am now saving $208 per year.
Books. I have also just joined a book club and rather then buying the book I am utiziling the library as well. Plus I use the library time with the kids to spend a half hour for reading time for myself while they are playing or reading. We read one book a month which would cost $15 to 25 per month to buy. Renting from the library saves me another $277 to $300 per year.
So little sacrifices that I don't even miss, add up to big savings. I still drink coffee every day and we still rent movies every weekend, but I save about $1,000 per year by drinking office coffee and renting books and movies from the library.
Jan
I have also found simple ways to save a little money every week that add up to $1,000 per year savings. I found easy alternatives to buying things that I found I can get for free. Yes free! Who doesn't like free stuff?
Coffee. I used to have a serious Dunkin coffee habit. Every morning I bought a medium coffee and sometimes also bought a breakfast sandwich or donut. Even just the cost of coffee, now over $2 for a medium cup is $14 a week. I have cut weekday Dunkin out and drink the office coffee. I only like flavored coffee so I buy French Vanilla CoffeeMate for $2 and it lasts me about two weeks. I do splurge on the weekends and get my Dunkin fix. I think that's a fair trade and still allow myself a treat so I am not completely depriving myself. Saving $2 a day doesn't seem like much but it adds up. This change in coffee habit saves me $10 a week which turns into a yearly savings of $520 a year.
Movies. Way back when, I used to go to the movies on a pretty regular basis, at least once a month. I would also rent a movie almost every weekend. When Redbox came out I was excited to rent movies for just a buck. Of course half the time I would return it a day or two late. I'm not a late nighter anymore so most of the time it takes me a couple nights to see a complete movie. Because it's just a dollar I would generally get two movies and then returning a day late means every weekend I was spending $4 on movies. I have discovered that our local library has a collection of movies to rent for free. They have an entire children's collection, a DVD collection and now a BluRay collection. Now the kids get some library time to read some books, do puzzles and play on the computer, then we check out movies. Generally two kids movies and a movie for me and my husband which would be $3 to $6 at Redbox. We get them for a whole week and they are free! So at $4 a week, I am now saving $208 per year.
Books. I have also just joined a book club and rather then buying the book I am utiziling the library as well. Plus I use the library time with the kids to spend a half hour for reading time for myself while they are playing or reading. We read one book a month which would cost $15 to 25 per month to buy. Renting from the library saves me another $277 to $300 per year.
So little sacrifices that I don't even miss, add up to big savings. I still drink coffee every day and we still rent movies every weekend, but I save about $1,000 per year by drinking office coffee and renting books and movies from the library.
Jan
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