Green from Snow...

Living with a newborn open my eyes and had me searching for some green cleaners. Why go green? To expose your little ones to dangerous chemicals was a fear for me. So I'm phasing out the liquid detergents, the laundry detergent, and one by one replacing them with home-made cleaners, with Method products, Mrs. Meyers, Dr. Bronners, Ecover, and hopefully by my baby's next birthday we will be 90% green in cleaning, laundry, and even toiletries...

We have been using Aveda for shampoo and conditioner & plan to add more items to our toiletries.

I wanted to share from Sara Snow's website faq click here

How do I green my cleaning?
There are a number of natural cleaning product lines that clean extremely well and leave your home smelling more like a fresh field and less like a chemical spill. These are available at natural foods stores like Whole Foods and many are now carried in big box stores like Target and Walmart. Ecover makes my favorite dishwasher detergent, Method makes great sprays and soaps, Shaklee is excellent for basic cleaning, and ECOS makes an absolutely delicious smelling magnolia-lily laundry detergent. I also like Mrs. Myers for dish soap and Seventh Generation for their fragrance free sprays and their great wipes.

But, forget the products because there are a number of kitchen staples probably already in your pantry that will do a number on even your toughest cleaning challenges. And the best part is that they're natural and non-toxic. Baking soda is an excellent scouring agent, while tea tree oil (you'll find that among the supplements in your natural foods store) naturally inhibits bacteria, mold and fungus growth. For an all-purpose cleaner, fill an empty spray bottle with equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. This can be kept on hand for all-purpose cleaning around the home: use on countertops, glass surfaces, and tile. Combine two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice for a natural furniture polish. An old t-shirt makes a perfect "recycled materials" housecleaning rag for dusting and polishing. Mix a small amount of baking soda with liquid castile soap to get your countertops, sinks and tubs shiny. For a 'fresh smell' try adding a few drops of an essential oil like rosemary, orange or lavender. And a half-cup of distilled vinegar in your washing machine's rinse cycle will work like a natural fabric softener.

Going O-rganic for your child

Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and even your local supermarkets are all offering Organic Fruits, Vegetables, and everything they can offer you. In this world, what we need are the simple things, fresh fruit & vegetables, avoidance of pesticide laced foods, and a good balance of food avoiding as much processed food as possible.

Some people focus on getting everything Organic, and they have the budget or they scrimp and save to purchase foods that are Organic. Others balance it out by purchasing fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide scores-organic and lessening their contact with these dangerous chemicals, while saving some of their paychecks.

Whatever your style is, just know that it's your choice what you feed your family, and it's good commonsense to switch to Organic on Peaches, Apples, Celery, etc. You are not just building a pesticide-free body, but one that will thank you later in life!

click here for the site that lists the highest pesticide load in fruits & vegetables.

We can debate on the positive of organics, less chemicals as well as the cons, more expensive, but if you stay away from the Dirty Dozen, and buy Organics, and purchase the items that have lower scores of pesticides at your local market, you can help protect your child from harmful pesticides.

To make your own produce spray when you didn't purchase organic use this recipe: This is from Oprah

1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
1 tbs baking soda
10 drops grapefruit seed extract or lemon juice


Mix ingredients in a large bowl, stirring slowly to reduce foaming. Once the bubbles subsided then pour into a spray bottle. Spray on produce and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing throughly. Mushrooms should not be sprayed, just take a damp dish towel and dab the dirt away. Do not rinse mushrooms either.

This is their full list, as of March 2009. If you purchase organic items that have a higher score of pesticides, then in the long run you are creating a strong base for you child along with a lifetime of good health!

The Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58
13	Carrots	57
14	Green Beans	55
15	Hot Peppers	53
16	Cucumbers	52
17	Raspberries	47
18	Plums	46
19	Oranges	46
20	Grapes-Domestic	46
21	Cauliflower	39
22	Tangerine	38
23	Mushrooms	37
24	Cantaloupe	34
25	Lemon	31
26	Honeydew Melon	31
27	Grapefruit	31
28	Winter Squash	31
29	Tomatoes	30
30	Sweet Potatoes	30
31	Watermelon	25
32	Blueberries	24
33	Papaya	21
34	Eggplant	19
35	Broccoli	18
36	Cabbage	17
37	Bananas	16
38	Kiwi	14
39	Asparagus	11
40	Sweet Peas-Frozen	11
41	Mango	9
42	Pineapples	7
43	Sweet Corn-Frozen	2
44	Avocado	1
45 (best)	Onions	1

Picture Pretty or Handsome

We just got our photo shoot. We chose one of their packages: 14 sheets for $140+ tax included. The photographer was great at making my baby laugh. They ask you what color outfits you are bringing them in as well as providing props. We were in and out quite fast. We'll be back!
Go to Target 4 free 8x10 plus 20% additional portrait collections click here

So you have been mesmerized by your baby... let the world be too! Here are some places and great deals to take your pumpkin to. Make sure the Target store you visit has a photo studio.

I can't wait to dress my baby up and take these memorable baby shots. I know that in a blink of the eye, he will have grown up and be taking his drivers license test!

Who knows, this might be the 2009 Christmas photo!

Portrait Innovations has a $9.95 Portrait Package click here

Picture People has a free 8x10 or 10x13 plus 20% additional portrait purchase click here