Don't Forget to Vote Today! ...and then grab a free coffee at Starbucks!

Just a reminder to everyone that today is Election Day! Get out there and Vote if you haven't already! I Did!
Also did you know that several businesses are offering FREE perks to those wearing an "I Voted" sticker? Now, there’s no excuse not to vote!
Big businesses like Starbucks (coffee), Ben & Jerry’s (ice cream), and Krispy Kreme (star-shaped doughnuts with red, white and blue sprinkles) are handing out tasty treats!
Will you take advantage of the freebies?

Green Goes with Everything

Sloan Barnett, the Green Editor for KNTV here in San Francisco, has just released a new book. It is packed with common sense and sass, product picks and practical tips, Green Goes with Everything; Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet is a must-read for anyone who wants to be green AND clean, and for everyone who wants to take simple steps to safeguard the health of their family and our wonderful blue planet.
According to Barnett, human beings are saturating their bodies, their children's bodies and their homes with noxious waste, pathogens and carcinogens. This book is divided into seven clean-it-up chapters full of solid information and helpful tips aimed at greening different areas of your life, such as how to best filter household water. Barnett's well-written environmental call-to-arms is passionate and authoritative; her findings correlating childhood illnesses with ordinary-and highly toxic-cleaning supplies is alarming.
This book is a must read for anyone who cares about the health of their family and our wonderful planet!

I'm a Living Green House Party host!

Because I was among the first host finalists to set up my Living Green party online, I was confirmed as a host and will be receiving a free party package to share with my guests shortly before the party. I can't wait to spread the word by inviting my guests to my party, where fun and affordable ways to create an eco-friendly home will be center stage.

On October 4th, I will gather friends and family to discover how to “live green” with loads of simple, affordable help from Better Homes and Gardens and Green Works.™

My party is just a couple of weeks away. All across the country hosts are planning their Living Green house parties. I'm sooo ready to have a great time at my Living Green House Party!

Using the Library is a great way to go Green!

Did you ever think that using the library would be a "green thing" to do? Can you imagine how much paper we could save by using this community resource instead of buying all of the books that we read? Most of us buy a book, read it once, and then let it sit on our bookshelves for years. Reading books from the library is a great way to save resources and be green!
The library that I use, here in Sunnyvale, CA., actually has some books that have been used to an incredible extent. There are hundreds of books in their collection that have been checked out more than 100 times! They also have dozens of books that have been checked out more than 200 times, and one book that has been out more than 300 times! It's a rare book that can take that much wear and tear without being rebound at some point to be kept from falling apart.
If you're curious as to which book was out more than 300 times, it is "If Tomorrow Comes" by Sydney Sheldon. A close runner up is "C Is for Corpse" by Sue Grafton.
The library is also a great place to find several "green titles", offering advice on everything from how to travel, cook and garden green, to making your house and workplace energy-smart.
I'm currently reading "Green This! Volume One" (greening your cleaning) by Deirdre Imus, and "Green Babies, Sage Moms" (the ultimate guide to raising your organic baby) by Lynda Fassa.
So, if you haven't already gotten a library card, why not get one? It also makes for a great place to take the little ones on an outing, and find free movies to check out as well!

How to Raise a Healthy Child, In Spite of Your Doctor

I just ran across a wonderful book today! How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, renowned pediatrician and author advises parents on home treatment and diagnosis of colds and flus, childhood illnesses, vision and hearing problems, allergies, and more. PLUS, a complete section on picking the right doctor for your child, step-by-step instructions for knowing when to call a doctor, and much more. I encourage every mom to get this book! Chapter 7 is not to be missed!
He teaches that a Fever is one of our body's defenses against disease. Here is one of his quotes "Measures to reduce temperature, such as drugs or sponging are worse than unnecessary; they are actually counterproductive!" Fever reducing medicines can actually cause liver damage. We want to work "with" a fever.
Another great resource is the book titled The How to Herb Book (it's a wonderful book to have) Learn how to use onion juice for an ear ache! We do not need to depend on antibiotics for ear aches!
I recommend these two books as must haves for every home library!

Make Your Summer Traveling 'Greener'

Are you looking for a way to make your Summer Vacation a bit 'greener'? 'Going green' doesn't mean you have to stay at home. You just need to find a greener way to travel. You can reduce your carbon footprint (the amount of carbon dioxide & other greenhouse gases that your daily activities emit) by purchasing carbon offsets and choosing to use low-carbon transportation both during the trip and at your final destination.

By buying carbon offsets, You can shrink your footprint significantly.
Native Energy offers business specific types of offsets which include offsets for travel companies, events and business travel. With Native Energy you can support specific projects, such as the Wanner Family Dairy Farm Methane Project. Native Energy also offers renewable energy credits, which are much like buying green power from your utility company. You can choose from either 100% wind power, 100% methane power or 50% wind/50% methane. It would cost $24 to offset a flight from JFK to LAX. Carbonfund prides itself on offering the lowest prices, sells offsets to support projects in renewable energy, and energy efficiency & reforestation. These offsets sell for $5.50 per ton. Offsets for the that same flight would cost $4.92. These are just 2 of the more than 50 carbon offset retailers in today's growing market. So with so many choices, how do you know if one is better than the other? A good carbon offset should be verified or certified by a third party, meaning that they comply with the Gold Standard, the Voluntary Carbon Standard 2007 or the standards set by Green-e Climate.

The offsets sold by Carbonfund and Native Energy are both verified by The Gold Standard and VCS 2007. In the meantime, Green-e Climate in February became the first U.S. certifier of consumer carbon offsets. To this day, Green-e Climate has only certified carbon offsets from 4 retailers: 3Degrees, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Community Energy & Renewable Choice.

This summer, let's all choose to ease our guilt that is caused by our travels by buying carbon offsets. Let's offset the greenhouse gas emissions by financing projects that add clean energy to the power grid and reduce the overall demand for fossil fuels!


"Green travel is more than where we go and what we do; it's how we travel. If we journey with a respect for Earth's resources and inhabitants, we contribute to a world which supports healthy growth, both in nature and in human relationships."
- Visit Earth Routes for some WONDERFUL reservations & resources for green travel!

Tips for storing fresh produce in the fridge...

Is there really a way to store delicious, fresh vegetables that will keep them fresh longer? I always run into the problem of buying too much and then losing some to spoilage, because we don't eat them fast enough! How I hate wasting tasty vegetables!

So... I thought Id share some general tips that I recently found on storing produce:

1) Most fruits should be kept OUT of the refrigerator unless it is on the verge of spoilage. Everything that is normally considered as fruit is included in this rule, including tomatoes, but not zucchini. The refrigerator is a dry environment that dries fruit out, fills it with strange odors and flavors, and sabotages the natural taste.

2) There is also no need to refrigerate potatoes, onions, or garlic if you have a dry cupboard in your home in which to store them.

3) A lot of produce suffers from being washed and then stored. You should not store washed basil or mushrooms in a plastic bag. Try washing your green leafy items at once so that you can quickly pull them out later for salads. If you ever end up with wet lettuce or salad mix, try adding a paper towel inside the plastic to absorb the moisture. This keeps them moist enough that they don't wilt.

4) Almost all other veggies will wilt, shrivel, pucker, and rot at a more rapid pace if not enclosed in some type of vapor barrier. Crisper drawers never really work, so try reusing plastic bags (which is another way to recycle them!), which traps some of the moisture and delays spoilage. Tupperware-type containers also work very well!

Always remember to consume your vegetables on a first-to-rot, first-to-eat basis. Try not to worry too much about which type of bag you use. Buying fresh, healthy, local food is a higher priority.

Lettuce eat veggies!

A Hip Hangout for Haute Mamas!

I would like to share a little about a great Blog-based community site that I am a proud member of. It's called Posh Mama! There you will hear from a variety of authors... on fashion, beauty, style, interiors, fitness, health, high tech gadgets and more!!!
*Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network is a positive and upbeat community made up of women from around the world. You will feel immediately welcomed as it is the sweetest spot on the 'net. Come hang out, network and make some great friends at www.poshmama.com.
Come join us and be an Original Posh Mama! It is the Hip Hangout for Haute Mamas!
Stop by and visit me at MyPlace on PoshMama and say "Hi"! See you there!!!

Healthy Whole Food Meals are Quick, Easy and Delicious!

A whole food diet is the key to a long and healthy life. New recommendations encourage consuming more fruits, vegetables and whole grains every day. This is easily accomplished by eating terrific-tasting, nutrient-rich whole food meals made in the Vita-Mix machine.

Make whole food juice that's full of fiber and flavor in under a minute.
Cook soup from scratch that's hot, hearty and satisfying in just 4 minutes.
Make frozen treats that are full of fruit and low in fat in only 30 seconds.
Grind fresh whole grains into flour and knead dough for healthy home made bread in one 5-minute operation.

Start your 30-day no-risk in-home trial today and we'll give you FREE Standard Ground Shipping!
Click here to get started - https://secure.vitamix.com/redirect.aspx?index.aspx?COUPON=06-003350
After you click on the link above, be sure to scroll down on that page and watch the demonstration. You'll learn how to make a wonderful Garden Fresh Cocktail!

121,197 children under six poisoned by household cleaners last year

photo credit: Women's Voices for the Earth

Did you know that the levels of pollutants in our indoor air is 5 times more than the level you’ll find outside? It's also a fact that women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside the home. (This can be specifically attributed to the contact they have with household cleaning products).
There are 73 million homes with children under the age of 18. Poison Control reports that 121,197 children under the age of six were poisoned by household cleaners just last year. The other issue with household cleaners today is that asthma rates are also escalating far beyond what any scientists can explain. Scientist believe that asthmatic reactions can be exacerbated by the kinds of cleaning products that people have in their homes.
So, there are all kinds of health issues and problems that involve our little ones that are crawling around on our floors and breathing in the fumes from the products we are using. I believe it's our responsibility to really share this information with other moms out there, because most consumers have no idea that the things they're using in their homes can actually cause them harm. People assume that most products that they buy should be totally fine for them to use in their homes, and that's simply not the case.
I would love to share a safe, "green" cleaning alternative with you... Changing the products you use can really change your life as well as being safer for our planet. Please take a moment to visit my safe, "green" cleaning site.
I say "green" because, just one of our household cleaning Starter Kits does the equivalent of these 3 things:

• eliminating 108 pounds of packaging waste
• eliminating 248 pounds of greenhouse gas
• ...and the equivalent to planting 10 trees

You can also listen to a 3 minute recorded message that gives you an overview on our products. Just dial 1-925-924-3000
Consider buying a product that is safer for you, your home and our planet!

Gerber Organic House Party

I'm so excited! I just checked my e-mail and found out that I have been chosen to host a Gerber Organic House Party! Over 7,000 people applied, and amidst this extraordinarily high interest, I’ve been selected as one of their hostesses! You can view my own party URL by clicking here.

If you haven't heard about House Party, I'd like to share this great site with you! You can receive amazing discounts and free stuff from brands you know and love. All you have to do is host a party with a few friends and family in your own home. It's a lot of fun! I've hosted several of their parties already! (TOMS Style Your Sole Event, Hershey's Bliss™ Chocolate Party Event, and more...) Just click on the banner below to check it out for yourself and join for free!


So far the most meaningful House Party I have hosted had to be the TOMS Style Your Sole event. Please view this TOMS Shoes "Style Your Sole" Host Greeting. It explains everything. My hope is that I support TOMS Shoes 100%!



TOMS Shoes "Style Your Sole" Host Greeting

Greening Our Water

Did you know that much of the world gets by on 2.5 gallons of water per day? But here in America we average using 400 gallons per day!
This is where Harvesting your greywater comes in. Water that has already been used but that is still clean enough for other jobs is called "greywater". This can include water from your sinks, showers, dishwashers, and clothes washers. Greywater can be recycled with simple practices such as emptying the fish tank into the garden instead of the sink. The bottom line? One way or another, we can all do our best to avoid putting water down the drain when we can use it for something else!

Another issue I would like to touch on is Bottled Water.

Bottled water has never gone down smoothly with many environmentalists, who view it as an extravagantly wasteful way of quenching a thirst. For the most part, bottled water is alot of hype. In most first-world countries tap water is provided by a government utility and is tested regularly. (You can actually look up your water in the National Tap Water Quality Database) Bottled water is not well regulated and studies have shown that it is not even particularly that pure. A four-year study of bottled water in the U.S. conducted by the NRDC found that about one-third of the 103 brands of bottled waters tested contained levels of contamination -- including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and even arsenic. And believe it or not, most bottled water isn’t really “spring, artesian or mineral ” and is just regular tap water anyhow. Read the label to find the source the next time you pick up a bottle of water.
Infact bottled water is more expensive per gallon than gasoline and it also incurs a HUGE carbon footprint from the transportation, and then in the end to the discarded bottles. Making PET (polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic derived from crude oil) bottles for water consumes 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, that's enough to fuel 100,000 American cars for a year! Worldwide, 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water and 86% of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter.
If you like to keep a bottle of water with you on the go, Switch to Filtered Tap Water and a Reusable Water Bottle. Let's Make Thousands of Plastic Water Bottles 'Disappear'!


Check out the
CamelBak .75L Better Bottle with Classic Cap (BPA-Free)
It's an awesome reusable bottle!

And if your water at home tastes funny, try the BestWater Filtration Systems. They improve taste and odor, reduce common contaminants, and even have a Reverse Osmosis System.
To learn more about your city’s water quality, check out National Tapwater Database.

Other Online Articles:

EPA: Getting Information about your Tap Water

Fast Company: Message in a Bottle

BBCUK: Dasani is Purified Tap Water

NRDC: Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype?

Earth Policy Institute: Pouring Resources Down the Drain

NY Times: Water, Water Everywhere but Guilt by the Bottleful

NY Times: In Praise of Tap Water

ABC News: Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap?

Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World

Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World


Can your pocketbook save our planet? The author of Big Green Purse says it can!

Out of every dollar spent in the marketplace, women are shelling out 85 cents. That's a huge percentage from us girls -- and author Diane MacEachern says it could be put to enormous good. In her book Big Green Purse and in interviews around the country, the longtime conservationist is urging women to use their pecuniary powers for positive change. But how does smart shopping fit in with a buy-less message, and could saving the planet really be this easy?

Author Diane MacEachern has something she calls her big, green purse that, she says, carries the power to influence the marketplace to "create a cleaner, greener world."

Visit her website, Big Green Purse, and sign up for her One in a Million campaign, a pledge to shift at least $1,000 of the yearly household budget to more sustainable goods. That's a shift, she explains, not an additional expenditure: When choosing fruit, choose organic apples; when buying a bottle of lotion, look for one without phthalates or parabens; if you must buy a car, find one that fits your needs but is also fuel efficient. Still, her first piece of advice recommends us to always buy less.

Enter and Win: Teething Bling Contest

Smart Mom, LLC, was started in 2002 as a way to promote pretty and practical ideas for real Moms. Their first product line, Teething Bling pendants and bangles, has been an enormous success and they appreciate all the support and encouragement they’ve received thus far. They use only the highest-quality, phthalate-free, federally approved silicone in their Teething Bling™ line. The material is also non-toxic, latex-free, food–safe, even dishwasher-friendly!

Don't miss your chance to win your very own Teething Bling for you and your little one compliments of SmartMom Jewelry. Amy from SmartMom was gracious enough to provide 10 sets of pendants (that's right, I said TEN!) for HerBigIdea.com listeners and readers! Winners will get to choose their favorite color.

Teething Bling^® products are 100% lead-free.

To enter:

1. Simply go to the SmartMom Jewelry website and find your favorite color pendant.
2. Then write a comment in the blog post on HerBigIdea.com telling her which color you would love to have.

Rules:
1. You must be at least 18 years of age to enter.
2. One entry per person.
3. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on June 30, 2008.
4. A random winner will be chosen from elgible entries.

GOOD LUCK!

Please take 30 seconds to get involved...

If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Infact, a dear friend of mine back home had to have a double mastectomy just last year. Although hard to believe, insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for at least 2 days after surgery. Please take the time to make a difference! Please copy this to your blogs and/or send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're still reading this, I hope you'll take 30 seconds to vote on this issue and pass it on to others you know who will do the same. There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through' Mastectomy where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show support. Last year over half the House signed on. Please Sign the petition by clicking on the link below. You need not give more than your name, state, and zip code.

Sign The Petition Here

PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of ALL women, THANK-YOU!

Big Bird Unmasked!

I grew up watching Sesame Street and have always loved Big Bird! So, it's hard to believe that my children are also now watching the same program that I loved as a child. What a surprise to finally "meet" the man behind the mask! For 40 years, Big Bird has remained the same age — but the man who plays him hasn't. Amazingly enough, I haven't either. It's no secret, I will be 42 this year ...and I feel like I've known Big Bird my entire life! I hope you'll enjoy this video as much as I have!

Help save homeless shelter pets

I would like to recommend a fun game that also lets you save pets! You can find it at http://www.experienceproject.com/savepets.

The Experience Project is a free, anonymous community. Come check out personal stories about every possible life experience-- including your own-- and meet people just like you. I actually stumbled upon this through a friend's profile on facebook. It works the same as the Free Rice campaign.
Please help save homeless shelter cats and dogs by playing the simple trivia game. Each correct answer sends food to shelters to help save innocent pet lives. Save Pets Today!

A Green Opportunity!

Ever since moving here to California, I've developed a new attitude toward the foods we eat and the health we have in this country. It seems that everywhere I turn, people are talking about "Going Green"! As a result, I've begun to seek better health for myself as well as developing an environmental responsibility. Being a stay-at-home Mom, I've also been looking for ways to earn some extra cash from home to help out with our family finances. So it felt only natural when I found a home-based business where I could combine all of the above into one package.
I'm so glad I have been blessed with the opportunity to be able to give up rush hour traffic and corporate demands. I'm passionate about creating a new life with this company and am ready to share what they have to offer with everyone I meet (especially other Moms). I'm ready to help anyone build better health, wealth ... or BOTH! I know that if I can do this ANYONE can! We are all a part of the NEXT GENERATION WHO WANT IT ALL, AND I BELIEVE I HAVE FOUND A COMPANY THAT OFFERS IT ALL!
I feel empowered by our company's vision for what we can do to make this country and this world a better place! I feel like I'm on a mission to educate and help other Moms to have better health and the opportunity to be a WAHM (work-at-home mom) all at the same time! My hope is that you'll let me help you succeed in personal, environmental and financial health.
To find out more about what I do, feel free to contact me by visiting "...going "GREEN" couldn't be easier!" or click on the button below! Then click on Contact Me at the top of that page!

Kermit - It's Not Easy Being Green

I'm not really sure what made me remember this song tonight, but of the blue the title just came to me. Maybe because I'm "Going Green"! Anyways, I just love Kermit the Frog! So, I Googled the song title and this is what I found! I just had to share it with everyone... Maybe it will bring back some happy memories as it did for me! Enjoy!

Mother Earth knows best

It seems that everywhere we turn, it's becoming chic to go green... I was amazed when I ran across this article... It seems they're using organic mattresses in cribs and educating toddlers about recycling at eco-daycare centers across the country. Early outreach may help these tots sustain green habits through adulthood ... and if they're lucky, they might even squeeze in some mandatory nap-time, too.
Check out the article " Eco-day care center introduces toddlers to 'green' " at the Seattle Times website.

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

Here's a message every parent should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each
other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of
your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something should
give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn' t
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking.'

FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW
WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS, BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES.
LITTLE EYES SEE ALOT.

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend)
influences the life of a child.

How will you touch the life of someone today?
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God.

FREEBIES! Playtex BPA-free Bottle and YoMommy Yogurt 4-pack

I just found out from my sister that Playtex is giving away free samples of the Playtex® Drop-Ins® Original Nurser System, which are BPA-free! Now that I'm more aware about the problem of BPA leaking into our drinks, I couldn't wait to pass this awesome offer on to you!
Just go here and fill out the form, and you'll receive your free gift in the mail!
http://www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html

I also discovered today that you can receive a coupon for a FREE YoMommy Yogurt 4-pack! Limit one request per household through May 31, 2008, while supplies last. Just go here for your free trial!
http://www.yobabyyogurt.com/yomommy/freetrial/
YoMommy is the first organic yogurt especially made for pregnancy, nursing, and beyond...

Pay it Green!

I just wanted to take a moment to share this website with you.
I thought you would be interested in PayItGreen. They even have a Green Calculator!

What's Your Financial Paper Footprint?

Calculate how much you can reduce your environmental impact by switching to electronic billing, statements and payments!

PayItGreen is a simple, safe and smart way to have a positive effect on the environment.

Learn More

Are you Thirsty for Change?

Wow! Green and Clean mom has another awesome contest going on this week! She is actually GIVING AWAY 5 PUR Water Filtration Systems! Yes you heard me right! Check out her blog post:

Help Cindy Crawford and be a winner!!!! Keep it PUR contest!

Did you know that Cindy Crawford together with PUR Water Filtration Systems are part of a big campaign, Thirsty for Change, to help provide safe drinking water for children in impoverished countries? Cindy has designed a Sigg water bottle with all of the proceeds going to support the campaign. Go to, Thirsty for Change, buy a water bottle and help children in third world countries have safe drinking water. What could be better than knowing you are helping someone in need each and every time you use your new water bottle? And having a reusable water bottle also helps out the environment! Filter, Reuse, Reduce! Now go enter the contest!

Save gas, Save time! Shop from Home!

I just joined My Power Mall today... What's so great about this program is that it's 100% FREE to join and you earn rebates on your own shopping! You can shop from over 1000 stores for things that you already buy every month... Click on the banner above to learn more about how you can also start earning money just by giving Power Malls away! It's a Win Win situation!

WIN 2 BPA FREE Sippy Cups- A review and a sippy good time!

Well Green and Clean MOM is at it again with another fabulous BPA free giveaway! This time she's got TWO awesome sippy cups up for grabs going to one lucky winner! Who wouldn't want their little ones sporting a couple of these sleek and stylish sippies while resting assured that they were also drinking from Safer, Healthier cups? Below you'll see a sampling of the cups she has tested and reviewed at her post titled "WIN 2 BPA FREE Sippy Cups- A review and a sippy good time!"

Test Cup A:



Test Cup B:


Test Cup C:



Test Cup D:

Test Cup E:


Test Cup F:


I think Test Cup A, the 7oz Foogo Stainless Steel Sippy is the absolute cutest! But Test Cup B, the Foogo Stainless Steel Leak Proof Straw Drink Bottle is a close second... I like the fact that they both keep liquids cold and safe! (For up to 6 hours in the 7oz Sippy, and 12 hours in the Test Cup B style!) How great is that?! I hate throwing milk out because they don't drink it right away and then it has spoiled after setting out for a couple of hours.
Anyways, Green and Clean MOM recommends shopping at The Soft Landing for all your BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free Shopping! So, go check out her blog and don't forget to enter her drawing! You could be her next lucky winner!

What troubles lurk while mommies are working

Wow! I found someone else online that is going through "kinda the same thing" as me! But she was actually brave enough to blog about it before I was!
Diary of a Wannabe Work at Home Mom posted a blog titled When Mommy Works Bad Things Can Happen. I was Totally relating while reading this because it just so happens that while I was online trying to catch up a bit today, my 2 year old decided to take it upon himself to squeeze toothpaste all over the bathroom rug and then fill the sink with water so he could float all of our toothbrushes in it along with his rubber duckies, etc! My 4 year old finally alerted me by yelling "Mommy! Brandon made a mess!"
At least the toothbrushes weren't floating in the toilet! I guess it could have been worse!

It's been a painful week...

I apologize to everyone for being away for so long! I have actually been recovering from a Very Painful infection... My right fallopian tube became infected about a week ago and I ended up in the ER with excruciating abdominal pain... As of today I'm feeling 100% better! I've battled with some female health issues for a couple of years now, but this was one of the worst episodes I've had in a awhile! So once again, I'm sorry for my absence, but I think I'm ready to get back to blogging again!

Win a BPA FREE CamelBak Water Bottle!

Green & Clean Mom has an awesome contest going on right now over at her blog. You can win one of these sporting cool CamelBak bottles and be sassy and green just like she is! This is a new water bottle that is BPA free. (there really is danger involved and a risk when we use a plastic cup leaking BPA) Just click on the icon above or follow the links in this post to visit her blog to learn more about her mission and for your chance to win. But hurry! The contest ends April 8, 2008 at 12am EST

Helping the environment one candle at a time!

A Shameless Plug...
I just wanted to share with you a little about my newest business venture this evening. It doesn't hurt to mention it... and everyone loves candles! Right? I feel like I'm a mom on a mission!
I just joined an All-Natural Gourmet Candle business opportunity. I've always loved candles, but have only recently become more aware of the toxicity of burning paraffin wax. Most candles fill a room with toxic, carcinogenic smoke and soot. In fact, burning paraffin candles releases many of the same toxins as diesel fuel.
Here's a little background info on the process of making paraffin wax. It begins at the bottom of an oil barrel (the worst 5% or so that has been rejected by the gasoline industry). This by-product of crude oil is then mixed with another less-than-enticing substance known as industrial strength bleach. This is what gives wax its pleasant whiteness. As if that weren't enough, they then add stearic acid and a few other minor ingredients, and you have the very wax burning in most of your homes. Shocking isn't it?!
As soon as I became aware of these harmful toxins being released by paraffin wax I didn't want to expose my friends, family, or children to it anymore. That's why I was thrilled when I discovered an alternative non-toxic wax which is made from ingredients such as vegetables and other natural, renewable sources. It's entirely non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. It also burns practically soot free and it smells better than ANY candle I have ever smelled! Honestly!
The clean glass and absence of black soot on the inside of the candle-holder is definitely comforting, when it is considered that this soot is the same substance being breathed when a paraffin candle is burned.
Note: Many soy waxes are not what they seem to be. The law only mandates a small percentage of the wax to be soy-based in order to be called soy wax. Therefore many soy waxes are still made mostly of paraffin.
There are also many other benefits of using these delicious smelling organic candles. Apart from being a healthy alternative to paraffin, the scents smell true-to-life from top to bottom, and they burn SLOW and EVEN too (retaining their fragrance stronger and longer).
Last but not least, using these all natural waxes supports a renewable U.S. resource rather than an imported, limited oil supply. Let's support our U.S. farmers! Please visit my Organic Candle website to learn more about these wonderfully safe candles!

I also want to make mention of a movement taking place on March 29th. If you haven't already heard about Earth Hour, click on the banner below to visit the site. I have already signed up to take part in this global event!

Let's turn off the lights and light a candle instead!

Footed sleepwear for adults!

Have you ever envied your children when they're wearing their comfy-cozie sleepers? I've always thought it would be nice to have a pair of them myself (especially on those cold winter nights)! My daughter will be 4 years old in less than a month and her toes are already trying to poke through her pajama feet... Until now, I thought she was going to outgrow her "footed sleeper" stage... But as I was browsing through my Entrepreneur magazine this evening (Feb. 2008 issue) I found a small listing for Jumpin Jammerz - Cute, hard-to-find and fun footed-pjs!
Aren't they just the cutest most comfy looking things you've ever seen?

They have provided these fun footed-pjs to thousands of customers worldwide; and it doesn't stop there! Their Jammerz have even been worn by an ever growing list of celebrity clients! I think I really need to get a pair of these for myself!

“No Constitutional Right to Homeschool”?

I just received an e-mail from my mother that contained some disturbing news. Being recently transplanted to the state of California, I immediately decided that this was something that deserves some attention.

Not more than two weeks ago, a California appeals court declared in In Re Rachel L. that the vast majority of parents in the state of California may choose only between sending their children to public and/or private schools. These three judges believe that the parents are unqualified to teach their own children. Tens of thousands of children in California are currently homeschooled, but that wasn't enough to convince these three judges, who boldly proclaimed that “parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children,” unless they are certified by the state to teach. The California court refused to recognize the rights of the parents as fundamental rights. According to the court, homeschooling could not be a legitimate educational option because it would place “an unreasonable burden on the state to have to supervise each and every home in which a child was being educated.”
In a recent Press Release Governor Schwarzenegger declared that “parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their children.”

Read more about this topic here »

90210 organics

My friend Sarah and her business partner, Jennifer, have decided to open their own online Baby Boutique that reflects their love of all things natural and organic. These two California moms wanted to share their passion for living naturally with the rest of the world, and what better way to do just that than to open their own shop! 90210organics.com
In their shop you'll find high quality organic fashion, natural baby products, and beautifully handmade accessories, all personally handpicked by Sarah and Jennifer. In Sarah's words, let them "inspire you to live the natural life you were meant to live.”
Here is a small sampling of what you will find there:

Organic Dish Cloths/Exfoliating Wash Cloths


Cozy Cocoon Organic Leopard Cocoon

Ecobaby Cozy Rattle Large - Maiden Love Flora Spring Green Elephant

So what are you waiting for? Go visit them today where Being “green” is not a trend, it is a way of life!