still here!

Still here! Just been busy! Joe and I celebrated 8 years of marriage this Tuesday! :-) We celebrated by going out for dinner. Been packing up for the cabin! We're going up to the mountains for a week to get away. We've had horrible air quality because of all the smoke from the fires in Northern Cal. Plus, it has been 100+ degrees all week. I'm sick of staying indoors! I am not sure if the air will be much cleaner up in the mountains, but at least it will be cooler. The weather.com site says 70's...not sure if I really believe that!

Going green update: OK, just being aware has been helpful. Being strict about light usage, turn those lights off! Have to run the air, though! Loading up my groceries with the reusable bags...man, they hold a lot! We've even somehow cut down on trash! Our trash cans are only about 3/4 full by trash day, not overflowing.

I bought some healthier body products. Deodorant: trying Tom's of Maine lavender deodorant. Now it's the aluminum in your deodorant that's bad for you (linked to Alzheimer's), and that's what keeps you from sweating! so now I sweat a little, but don't stink...hopefully! Maddie, please let me know otherwise! LOL! But keeping my "bad kind" for those times you have to be dry!
Bought Bert's Bee's shampoo and body wash...paraben, fragrance, SLS free...but it doesn't lather up as much as regular shampoo. Gets me clean, but miss the lather. Guess it's all those chemicals that make the lather. I think I'll try another brand when these run out. I was so happy to see my local Target is now stocking these healthier alternative brands! Kiss My Face, Avalon, Burt's Bees (don't get the baby stuff), etc. Also picked up some of the smaller "sample" bottles to try the other brands. Still need to get the chemical free sunscreen. Using up what we have right now since I bought 2 bottle at the beginning of summer. I want to get the TruKid brand (gets good reviews!)

House stuff: Bought a big thing of vinegar, spray bottle, and peppermint castile soap to make my own cleaning solutions...cheaper and healthier for my kids to breathe in! I am using the Green Works stuff right now and like it.

Still working on the food things...Just talking to Spencer about healthier eating spurred him to declare candy/sweets only on weekends (oh those decadent weekends!). Soda is only on weekend...yes, they know what soda is...not happy about it, but they know that meal times are milk or water only. I told them white bread on the weekends, too, but so far they haven't noticed they get wheat bread all the time! So have lots of work to do here. Wishing we had a Whole Foods here!

Well, better go finish packing...not sure how much I'll be updating in the next week. Not sure if we'll have internet in the wilderness! :-) Robbers beware, Joe will be home during much of the week because someone still needs to work! :-)