Arsty Shmartsy

I am far from artistic but love viewing what others create, only wishing I could be skilled enough. 

When I saw tall painting, I knew I had to try this with Little A, but what would we do with a block of wood after pour painting it? Then I saw it, the perfect idea, pour painting on a flower pot! We love dirt and flowers and I can be a bit more capable with that. 

And how can I mess up, pour painting? Well I did find a learning curve, less is better, but love the beautiful outcomes! 

Acrylic Paint - Takes a bit to start up the overflow

And down it comes. Little A was ever so excited for squeezing the paint

Adding more layers

So beautiful, love the marbling of colors

Just needs to dry

This is the first one - got a little heavy on the amount
of paint but still love it!

2012 Guinness Book of World Records and Cloth Diapering

I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering. There are so many wonderful benefits by cloth diapering, long term money savings, saving landfills, and keeping those sweet lil' bums away from all the chemicals of disposables.
And cloth diapering, is NOTHING like the old school cloth diapers and is very easy and not queasy!

My transition to cloth diapers started when Little A was 4 months and fully in cloth by 6 months old. I cannot imagine turning back! We have experimented with many different types and brands, only to keep finding new loves! I have a cloth diaper addiction.

Well, today, I got to contribute to the 2012 attempt to beat the Guinness Book of World Records for the most cloth diapers changed at the same time, at the Great Diaper Change! Not only was it an interesting event, but I got to meet other mom's that cloth diaper and provide support for families in need with a cloth donation.

The diaper of 2012 change!

So at 12:30 today - here in the Eastern U.S. I changed Baby R's cloth diaper and maybe our picture will be seen in the next Guinness Book of World Records, joining many other mom's and dad's around the world participating.

Kale Chips

I love fruits and vegetables and in the past couple of weeks I have been really focusing on eating more raw foods, increasing my fresh fruits and vegetables intake and decreasing my carbohydrate intake! YUM! Let me tell you, I feel a bunch better already. So anyway, one thing I discovered was my new love of Kale, my favorite way, making Kale chips! They are easy and delicious and PACKED with vitamins.

Image Source

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Wash and spin dry (or towel dry in case you don't have a spinner like me)
• Remove stems and cut out veins
• Cut into bite size piece

• Place on baking sheet
• Drizzle with olive oil
• Sprinkle with sea salt (or seasoned salt)

• Bake 10-15 minutes until edges are slightly brown
• Cool

ENJOY!!

Grocery Shopping with Toddler

Little A loves to go shopping. Whenever we are out of something in the house, she makes sure to remind me to put it onto the grocery list. 


To add her in on the fun, I created her a pictorial grocery list. Shh....she's learning at the SAME TIME! She will be using visuals to see the item word after it AND helping mommy find them in the store, identifying the item as it is on her list. 

Little A's Grocery List                                    

Ready, set, here we go! To the grocery store to see what we can find!

Chemical Free Spring Cleaning

Spring is in the air and it is time to open up the windows and clean up the winter clutter. 

 What you need

• White Distilled Vinegar
• Liquid Castile Soap - An olive oil-based soap, liquid Castile is available at health-food stores
• Liquid Dish Soap
• Baking Soda (deodorize) - Large boxes can be found in most box store laundry aisle
• Borax (deodorize and disinfect)
• Essential Oil - Make sure you’re buying pure, undiluted essential oil. Can be found at your local whole food store or online.
• Tea Tree Oil - is a great natural disinfectant.

  

• Ditch the paper towels. It just adds to waste. Cut up old shirts, towels, or other fabrics and make rags. 
• Microfiber towels

--Not necessary but i love it, is a floor steamer and a hand held steamer, they are great at disinfecting, cleaning stubborn stains, and getting in cracks that a rag just cannot reach -- 

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Windows and Other Glass Surfaces: 

2 cups water
1/4 cup distilled vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp liquid dish soap or liquid Castile soap(prevents streaking)
Combine in a spray bottle and wash using newspaper for a clean streak free window.

My hand held steamer has a glass cleaner attachment that makes for a streak free clean!

Washing Walls

Get rid of the scuff marks:
Mix 1 part baking soda
        1 part water
Make a paste and apply to mark on wall, let dry before wiping off. 

Wash walls to make a simple all-purpose cleaner
1/4 borax
4 cups warm water

Floors

Mix
4 cups of vinegar
1 gallon of hot water
Few drops - pure peppermint or lemon oil for pleasant scent
-After damp mopping the floors - the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly - leaving behind only the scent of the oil -

Counter Tops and Tile

Mix
2 parts vinegar
1 part baking soda
4 parts water.
Apply with a sponge, scour, and wipe away

Refrigerator

Empty out all outdated items, recycle the containers, compost the waste

-All purpose cleaner-
1/4 borax
4 cups warm water

Leave a container of baking soda with a drop of pure lemon essential oil or vanilla for a fresh clean deodorizing smell.


Oven 
If you oven is as neglected as mine - here is a very deep clean concoction for cleaning that oven
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup washing soda
1 box (16 ounces) baking soda
Scant 1/4 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
10 drops thyme essential oil
10 drops lemon or lemongrass essential oil
Combine salt, washing soda and baking soda in a glass bowl. Add just enough water to make a paste. Remove oven racks and preheat oven to 250 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the door open. Carefully spread the paste on oven walls with a sponge or cloth and allow to set for 20 to 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray the oven walls and wipe clean. Use a steel cleaning pad will help with the scouring where needed. Rinse well. 

 

Wood Furniture

Mix
1 part lemon juice
1 part olive oil
Apply small amount to a cloth, rub onto furniture - long even strokes

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Sprinkle with some borax
Brush clean

-- Want to leave a fresh clean smell in your bathroom. Put a drop or two of essential oil into the toilet bowl. Use a scent to fit the mood - for spring cleaning, a great citrus scent would be very clean smelling! --

Disinfect 

2 tsp borax
4 tbs vinegar
3 cups hot water
1/4 tsp liquid Castile soap
Wipe with dampened cloth or use spray bottle and wipe

Taking out new bedding that has been stored away? Launder them using green detergent and hang dry them or put them in the dryer using lavender sachets. 


In all that scrubbing - if you find some mold from being closed up - Wash with pure vinegar


Open up a room or basement closed up for the winter? Get that dingy smell?
Cut an onion in half then place it in the middle of the room for 12-24 hours

HAPPY CLEANING

What are some green cleaning methods do you use?

Sensory - Foaming Bubbles

Little A LOVES to play in water and loves bubbles. 

Food Processor + Dish Liquid + Water = BUBBLE FOAM

 (I didn't measure, but I would say 1/4 cup and 1/2 a cup respectively) 

Little A watched in awe as the dish liquid and water combined making a lot of foaming fun!

YAY! FOAM

 We poured the mixture into the sensory bin, added some cars and a rubber spatula.

Blowing bubbles

Enjoying the sensory activity: touch, tactile, smell

In the yes moment, we ventured outside of the bin and I got a clean kitchen table. 

The table, getting extra clean

It all ended up being dumped onto the floor, and I got a clean floor out of it too! My kitchen smelled nice and clean!

To Hear or Not to Hear

"Support" by Chuck Baird Art©

There is an overwhelming joy of learning that you are carrying a baby, a new life to grow and be brought into the world. From that moment, everything changes and you step into gear to make healthier choices to give birth to a healthy beautiful child.
On October 4, 2011, we brought into the world a beautiful baby girl. It felt so great to hold her in my arms after being overdue 9 days. With a natural labor and delivery, everything was so beautiful and such a wonderful experience. She was a healthy 8 lb 14 oz little girl.
As a state requirement, all newborns must have a newborn hearing screening before leaving the hospital. Baby R, failed three different attempts at this exam within a 72 hour period. It was not too alarming as her older sister, Little A, had this same response, but after follow up testing, she was fine.
Baby R went for a follow up exam at 3 1/2 months, with no improvement. A final diagnosis of mild with progressive moderate hearing loss. What does that mean? Check out the speech banana below.

At 500 Hz and 1000 Hz - slight hearing loss (20 and 25 dB) then slopes to moderate at 2000 and 4000 Hz (40 and 45dB). Baby R is best able to hear bass tones and most language, though slightly muffled. At the treble sounds and soft language such as the sh, K, s, and th sounds, she is unable to hear well.
The cause of Baby's R hearing loss is currently unknown. It has been determined at the moment that it is a permanent loss that will not self improve and cannot be surgically corrected, but with a hearing aid, she will be able to hear within a normal range.
Hearing this information is a heartache for any parent. It runs through my head, what did I do to cause this? What could I have done differently? What else could she have that we do not know about? After taking some time to grieve and understand her loss, it was quick to appreciate what she does have.
Our journey is just beginning, but with amazing professional support and family support, we will have a learning journey and will strive to provide quality support to meet Baby R's needs that she may need to meet her max potentials.

Impulse Renovation

So we have been planning and preparing for a remodel project, to rip up the ugly living room carpet and repaint the walls. Inspired by a friend's open concept home, I was wishing our home was more open. In a very short discussion with hubs, it was quickly acted out. Nothing like acting on impulse. Our house is now transitioning into a more open concept. Unfortunately, because the wall is a load bearing wall, we were limited on how much we could do, but I already am in love with it - except all the sheet rock dust.

 

 

BEFORE

With this wall here, there was very limited light between this room (the living room) and the next room (the kitchen). There is no ceiling light in the living room so it stayed quite dim at night using just lamps. The kitchen during the day was quite dark due to limited natural light. Remove the wall, voila, more light in each room.

DURING

 

Not only do I love the more open feel, but there are so many more benefits. Keeping an eye on the girls from either room, better air flow, better lighting, and just an overall less cramped feeling. Not only do I like it, but Little A is already enjoying the ability to run circles.

This project has been on standstill for two days due to the inconvience of the stomach virus running rampant through the house, now that we are all starting to get back on our feet, it is time to focus on clean up, fine tuning, and completing the project. Hmm... now to find paint samples and a new floor.

Stay tuned ...

Sensory Bin: Beans and lentils

Little A can get a bit rambunctious during dinner preparation. She does best with sensory stimulation activities. Children learn through play. A great way for them to learn is through use of senses, such as with sensory bins. Sooo.... Here is our most recent sensory bin activity.

Beans, Lentils, Marbles 

An open invitation to play by providing the supplies then giving them the opportunity to accept the invitation to explore.

Sensory shape recognition. Little A is not old enough to create the shapes yet, but I created them and she was able to recognize the shapes on a different canvas than paper.

And the same with shapes.

A variety of toys were provided for her to choose from. Little A was not interested in anything more than the rake and the pail. I overlooked through most of it, only joining when invited. As for making the letters and shapes, I did these when redirecting her to the activity.
Enjoy.

Please do not use any of the images as they are copyrighted.

Make Your Own Laundry Powder

Have sensitive skin? Don't want fragrances lingering in your laundry? Want an eco-friendly detergent for less? Make your own using only a few simple ingredients found in the laundry isle of your local store.

Shopping List: 
1 - box borax
1 - box A&H Washing Soda
1 - box A&H Baking Soda

3 - bars Fels-Naptha Soap (See alternatives below)

Finely grate 3 bars Fels Naptha soap. I used a standard kitchen box grater.

Then in a large container, mix 1 full box Borax, 1 full box Washing soda, 1 half box Baking soda, and the grated soap. I add the baking soda for the extra odor neutralizer. When doing this, it is best to do it in a well ventilated area as the powder gets into the air.

To Wash:
Add 1 TBSP for regular loads, Add 2 TBSP for heavy loads. It is HE washer safe.
    If washing in cold water, it is best to mix with some warm water to dissolve before adding to load.

I have had great success with this detergent. It has cleaned stains out of clothes, even set in grease stains!

I would not recommend it for cloth diapering. It may void manufacture warranty. I use Maggie's Soap Nuts for my cloth diapers, and love them. 

As for alternative soap options. Fels Naptha soap does have some fragrance in it. I have chosen it as it also has stain removal capacity, every little bit helps. I have also used Ivory bar soap, sometimes I do half and half. Other bar soap options I have heard works are Castile bar soaps and Zote Soap. If you want no fragrance additives at all, I would recommend Castile bar soaps.


As a note, you may be wondering if Borax is safe, it has been a question I have heard. Just like any other cleaning product, keep it out of reach of children. Click here for a link if you want more details.

A Messy Home is the Sign of a Good Mom?

Have you ever had a day where you just want to curl back in your bed and keep the blanket over your head?
With Christmas in just a few days, a newborn and a toddler to nurture, and a house that literally looks like an earthquake hit, no a tornado, no a tornado AND an earthquake, that is more like it, I have been beside myself!

Let's play an imagining game: Dirty laundry piled to the ceiling, clean clothes mixed with dirty on the floor, which is which, ahh just throw them all in the wash, clean laundry to be folded and put away, toys scattered in all rooms of the house, cereal dumped on the kitchen floor (thanks Little A), and dishes that need to get washed.

Trying to find a starting place in any mess is hard, but when I have to nurse and maybe think about bathing oh and maybe I will get a chance to eat, it is a bit overwhelming, not including having my sweet little tot continuing to add to the upheaval.
I managed a shower only to be presentable while expecting people to stop in, why do they have to come when my house is at its worse?!

As I threaten to bring out the shovel and a garbage bag, I wonder how others manage sanity and a clean home with a two year old and newborn. I know I am a good mom, but as I continue to try to find an equilibrium with two, I feel guilty for not providing the quality 1 on 1 time for Little A as I did before baby R arrived. Is there a secret I am not being let in on?

Well, it is time to get cleaning only to learn my vacuum has kicked the bucket, I am out of dish washing liquid, Little A has lathered herself in chapstick, toothpaste exploded in my bathroom sink, and ... Baby R wants to eat again. I guess I will have to try to start this again later.
The cycle repeats, just when the girls are both taking a nap at the same time it is time to uproot for Baby R's well child check up (she passed with flying colors and is healthy).

Back home, Little A is napping and Daddy's home, buuut Baby R needs to eat again.
Where is the time, when will my house be clean, when can I wash my floors? Every time I get a glimmer of hope - something comes up.

Well, here is my holiday cheer, the kids are in bed, and I am off to wrap gifts, clean house, finish a sewing project, and maybe, just maybe, get some sleep.

So, if you ever want to stop by, please don't judge, don't run, just know I am a mom that loves her children and I will find a balance, but I am going to put my girls' needs first. If you know the secret of how to keep a clean home, fed children, educated children, AND sanity, please, fill me in.

A Visit From the Sandman

The past few weeks have created an increased challenge at bed time with Little A. With a bit of a mixed up routine with the new baby and her quickly approaching to the trying twos, she's trying to find herself and adapt to it all.

Last night when hubby was working through the bed time routine, Little A was quite oppositional and sprouting tantrums. As I was trying to get Baby R fed and to sleep, it came to me that a visit from the sandman might help distract her and redirect the goals for bed time. I found a small container of glitter (uh-oh) and sat at Little A's bedside, hiding the container of glitter in my hands. I shared with her my conversation with the sandman and that he wanted me to help him sprinkle his special sleeping sand to help her fall asleep. I kept the container hidden in my palm and dipped my finger into a couple specs of glitter. I rubbed it on her cheeks expressing how sleepy the sandman's sand will make her feel. She got into it, asking it to be rubbed on different parts of her body. As we progressed, she began to rest her body and settle down for bed. She allowed the lights to be shut off and cuddled in for sleep, taking only a few more minutes to be sleeping.

Tonight she was excited for another visit from the sandman and allowed a smooth transition from lights on to lights off. It took a while for her to eventually fall asleep, but the tantrums were non-existent.

I'm back

It has been a while since I have contributed to the world of blogging. I was not sure if it was going to work for me. I have come back with a new mindset and changed format for a more open array of opportunities. My world is consumed by my two beautiful daughters (23 months and 3 weeks) and managing my home in a functional manner, learning every day new information that can be applicable to my goals. I continue to guide my family to a happy, healthy, and well diverse lifestyle.
I also aim to live more frugal, as money is not the key for happiness, but faith, family and love are. When we can save money on incidentals of life, we can use it for rainy day funds and advancement toward the future of the girls.

I hope to share my journey as a stay-at-home mom. Sharing recipes, activities, learning, crafts, saving tips, and general awareness of what I may find as beneficial to share.

It's not only children who grow.  Parents do too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself.  ~Joyce Maynard

Toxins to avoid in your personal care products

There are many chemicals in products used daily and so much information that it can be overwhelming when trying to decipher what products are safe and what products to avoid. Here is a list of 9 toxins to avoid in personal care products. You can read further details here.
1.  Parabans
2. Fragrance
3. Nanoparticles
4. Formaldehyde
5. Phthalates
6. Petroleum by-products
7. Triclosan
8. Lead
9. Mercury

Another great link to visit when buying products is the Environmental Working Group Cosmetic Database. 
This site allows you to search product titles and will provide a rating of 0 to 10 on toxic level based on the ingredients. 

First Detailed Sewing Project

A handy way to design what you want, the way you want, and for less is to do it yourself. I had always wanted to learn how to sew and I figured there was no better time than now. I can finally put to use the sewing machine that I got for Christmas a few years ago. As I self-teach, I have done some basic sewing such as the diaper wipes, but have finally completed my first detailed project. With a great tutorial from Prudent Baby, my first pillowcase dress for my sweet little girl is done. I cannot wait to complete more projects.

Pudding Pops

Here are some very yummy cold treats! As I try to control what is in our food, making our own freeze pops seems not only logical but also saves money. It also allows for some creativity and engagement with kiddos.
One great one that is adored in our home is pudding pops. This recipe will follow a box pudding mix with a future post of making your own pudding.

Banana Pudding Pops
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 3/4 C milk
1 ripe banana

Blend all ingredients until smooth then place in mold.
*Note: Use ripe sweet bananas to avoid having bitter pudding pops

Blueberry Cheesecake Pudding Pops
1 small box cheesecake instant pudding
1 3/4 C half and half
1 C blueberries
1 t lemon zest

In a blender mix cheesecake pudding mix and half and half until smooth. Add in lemon zest and blueberries and pulse a couple of times to break up the blueberries. Place in molds and freeze.

Simple Vanilla Pudding Pops
1 small box vanilla pudding

Blend with milk and freeze. We sometimes add crushed up graham crackers for added fun.

Don't want to forget the chocolate ...

Mint-Chocolate Pudding Pops
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 3/4 C half and half
10 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 1 heaping cup)
1/4 t peppermint extract

Blend pudding mix, extract, and half and half in a blender until smooth. Stir in crushed cookies by hand. Place in molds and freeze.

What kind of creations can you invent?

Upcycled: Box into car track

Summer is finally on the way here in the northeast! Trying to avoid putting the air conditioner in as long as possible, though being in the third trimester of pregnancy during the hot summer days, I might not make it without, we have been using a fan - until it died. I broke down and bought a new one when the humidity was making it difficult to function. Anyway, it came in a box that Little A was quite intrigued by. Never letting a good box go to waste, we got creative with crayons and markers and upcycled the box.

Little A has a very active interest in cars and trucks. Since getting some cars for her, she would enjoy going "BRUUUUUM", pushing them along the floor. Now, she has some added excitement pushing the cars along the roads and down the ramp, through the ponds - you know, 18 month old joys!

What is in your produce?

June: National Fruit and Vegetable Month

After reading the book “Living Downstream” by Sandra Steingraber, it has provided an ever changing effect on the knowledge regarding carcinogens that surround us. As a brief overview, Steingraber has a Ph.D in biology and after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, she went on a personal investigation of cancer and the environment. She reviewed the many different carcinogens in our environment and the effects on the environment and human health. One of the series of carcinogens is pesticides used on produce.

Did you know?

Pesticides can cause changes in both hormone and nervous system functioning? Especially in children?

The EPA’s mandate to study and moderate pesticide dangers and usage, protecting the public against such hazards, is very minimal.

On average, 91 toxic chemicals can be found in an “average” person.

Infants 6-12 months old, commercial baby food is the main source of unsafe levels of pesticides in food. This includes apple juice, apple sauce, pears, and peaches. 

istock photo

How to limit / avoid this?

The Dirty Dozen - The 12 foods that have the most risk and amount of pesticides:

1. Celery                    7. Bell Peppers
2. Peaches                  8. Spinach
3. Strawberries           9. Cherries
4. Apples                   10. Kale / Collard Greens
5. Blueberries            11. Potatoes
6. Nectarines             12. Grapes (Imported)

The Clean 15 - The 15 foods that are lowest in pesticides:

1. Onions               9. Cabbage
2. Avocado            10. Eggplant
3. Sweet Corn       11. Cantaloupe
4. Pineapple          12. Watermelon
5. Mango               13. Grapefruit
6. Sweet Peas        14. Sweet Potato
7. Asparagus         15. Honeydew Melon
8. Kiwi

Pesticides can never be fully removed from produce, but washing will always decrease the amount of exposure, as well as remove any dirt and wash off (along with those grimy hands that touched it in the produce counter before you) .
How to wash your produce: Add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a sink of warm water.
Rinse with clean water and pat dry.


As for commercial baby food, there are different options available such as using the dirty dozen as your guide of buying regular versus organic commercial baby food, buying only organic, OR the most economical, making your own baby food.

Crockpot Yogurt

In our home we go through a fair amount of yogurt, all of which can be quite expensive - along with having trouble to control the extra “stuff” in it. I was introduced by A Simple Wife With A Simple Life how to make homemade yogurt, I could not wait to try it!
This is best done as an overnight project.

All you need is:
A crockpot
1/2 gallon of whole milk
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (this will be your starter and will never need to buy again, I’ll explain more later)

How to:

Putting your crockpot on LOW, warm the 1/2 gallon of milk, for 2 hours.

Unplug the crockpot and let it sit for 3 hours. Do not remove cover.

After 3 hours, remove two cups of the crockpot milk and whisk together with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt (it does come out a bit 'runny', using 1/4 cup will make it thicker).

Stir the milk/yogurt mix into the crockpot with the rest of the milk.

Cover the crockpot with a thick bath towel and let sit for 8-10 hours.

After sitting, it is ready to eat, though warm.
I scooped it into Mason Jars and refrigerated for a few hours.

It is not as thick as store bought yogurt, but oh-so-yummy! You can strain it through some cheesecloth to remove some of the extra liquid if preferred.
I just make sure to enjoy it with a little bit of caution to not wear it - and sometimes thicken it up with flax seed.
Enjoy.

Some ways to flavorize the yogurt. (I know it isn’t a real word, but still fun)

For natural sweeteners you can add: maple syrup, honey, or agave
Mix in some of your favorite fruits, granola, or flax seed
*It is best to mix flavors into individual servings to keep it from not getting too watery as well as add some variety of flavor options to suit your taste buds in the moment.


Note: You can use low-fat milk for this recipe. As this is a new endeavor for me, I have not yet experimented with it. From what I have reviewed you can mix in a packet of unflavored gelatin or powdered milk during the step of mixing in the yogurt.

Lavender Dryer Sachets

An alternative, natural solution to fresh clothes out of the dryer, lavender dryer sachets. Instead of using dryer sheets with synthetic perfumes and dyes that are often reactive to allergies and skin sensitives, create a very easy all natural solution.

istock photo

* Use muslin sachet bags (found in many craft stores) or make your own "tea bag" using muslin. Sewing a square approximately 3 to 4 inches.
* Fill with dried lavender petals with 2-3 drops lavender essential oil

- Your laundry will come out of the dryer soft with a very subtle lavender scent.
- It will last about 5-7 loads

If it is a sachet bag, just refill with some fresh dried lavender. If you made a tea bag, you can reuse it by adding 1-2 drops of essential oil and putting in your closet or dresser drawer.