Featured

{Source}

We are all sadden by the horrific events that took place yesterday May 20, 2013 in Oklahoma.  We are hopeful that through the pain and heartache life will emerge from this devastation.  As always, when there is tragedy we come together– we’ve compiled a list to assist in the kindness of neighbors.  Every little bit helps.

To our friends in Oklahoma we’re thinking of you, stay safe. Keep positive.

• You can donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund here.
• The Salvation Army is asking for donations to help in their efforts to serve the people of Oklahoma.

Supporters are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”

Donations in the form of checks designated to Oklahoma Tornado Relief may also be mailed to:

The Salvation Army

PO Box 12600

Oklahoma City, OK 73157

• Feeding America monetary donations can be made at their website to assist feeding the community. $1=8 meals
• AmeriCares is accepting donations to aid in their disaster relief efforts. 
• The United Way of Central Oklahoma has activated a relief fund.  Financial contributions are the best way to help unless otherwise requested. United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief Fund is open.  Donations may be made online at www.unitedwayokc.org or by mail to United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK  73101 with notation for May Tornado Relief.
• OK Humane Society needs your help to care for the animals who were impacted by yesterday’s tornado.

While you can never be truly prepared for any type of natural disaster, it is always best to have a plan just in case. I am from North Texas area, right in tornado alley. We experience tornadoes every year and sometimes have weeks and even months of threatening conditions. It is never something to get used to nor do we ever want to. But, the one thing that helped me was to prepare a kit and a plan just in case. Even though tornadoes happen more often in the south and mid west, a tornado can strike any where the weather permits. I recall not long ago a tornado ripping through New York state.

Assign a room on the bottom floor of your house as your storm shelter. A room with no windows and no outside walls. Bathroom or closet. If no room or bathroom is available, a hall way will have to do. We do not have basements or underground rooms in Texas. During a warning alert, grab pillows, blankets, mattresses and anything soft to make a barrier between yourself and any possible flying debris. Just remember to grab your kids, pets, and your kit when heading into the shelter.

West Nile is extreme here in North Texas, spraying for the virus began months ago and positive tests has already come back. We try to always protect ourselves when out in the yard or anywhere they might be excessive. We also take preventative measures like no standing water or damp areas in the yard. Plus, we use a mosquito spray to help repel the bugs. However, the sprays in the stores are full of chemicals and not recommended for children to use. So I use it sparingly and also buy the family friendly versions but some do not protect against West Nile. So when I came across this home made all natural spray repellent, I knew it would be great and perfect for the kids.

To make this repellent yourself check out Surviving The Stores.

Summer is coming and school is almost out. I have compiled a list from many other lists with fun and interesting things to do this summer with your kids to make a fun and memorable summer!

1. Cloud Watching
2. Have a Lemonade stand
3. Ride a train
4. Ride scooters
5. Scavenger hunt
6. Amusement park
7. Dance party
8. Make moon sand

Many years ago we took my eldest daughter to get her ears pierced, she was only a few months old– and that event has forever shook us.  My daughter wailed as two women simultaneously stuck her ears.  My husband and I felt horrible my daughter was in tears, and her earring holes were not in the same location (one ear was higher than the other).  Naturally when we had our second daughter we both were not in a rush to get her ears pierced.  We thought we would wait, her ears would grow and we could get her piercings straight (hopefully minus the tears).  However waiting turned into years, and then years turned into my daughter saying “NO”.

My daughter is now seven and she has no desire to pierce her ears simply because she knows it will hurt.  Before I was introduced to Poppy Drops we purchased her earrings and earring converters– she loved the earrings but did not like that you could see the converter. Now, she is happy because she can use Poppy Dots.

Poppy Dots are temporary tattoo earrings for girls and boys made using all-natural, food-grade vegetable dyes.  Poppy Drops has tons of cute tattoo earrings to choose from as well as a monthly subscription.  Seasonal Poppy Drops are huge for my daughter she cannot wait to wear her cute peppermint {Winter} earrings– but we can wait for that since the sun has finally shown itself

If you are worried about piercing your little one’s ears or your little one doesn’t want the pain of ear-piercing, but wants earrings I suggest you check out Poppy Drops. My seven year old loves them and my eleven year old has also used a pair or two herself… she likes the look of multiple earrings.

Check out the cute Island Collection perfect for the summer.

I am obsessed with cleaning products!  But let me say first before you think I am a super clean freak and obsessed with the process of “cleaning”, I am not.  In fact, I hate dusting and cleaning!  I guess it’s just because I am always so busy that cleaning takes a back seat.  I do however, clean all bathrooms and the kitchen all the time.  I started to get away from all the chemically enhanced cleaning products because, one… I hate the smell, and two… I hate how I feel when I’m cleaning.  I hate feeling the overwhelming need to cough when I inhale cleaning products!  I hate it!  With that said, I was so happy when I heard about Replenish!  OMG…why haven’t I heard of this product sooner?  I don’t know!

Lets start off with it’s history.  It started back in 2006 when the founder of Replenish was ironing his shirts.  {Hello…he irons… that right there says a lot!}  I digress, instead of adding regular ole water to the iron, he started thinking of how he can create a concentrated cleaning solution that was easy to mix that used only one bottle.  That’s enough to make you go “hmmm”, right?

Needless to say, Replenish was born!  Their products are non-toxic, biodegradable, and 99% plant-derived so it is not irritating to human skin!  It can be used safely ANYWHERE!  You have no idea how much I LOVE this!  I recently tried the “Sun Lemon” scent and I can’t even describe what I smell.  It is so clean and refreshing.  It actually makes me happy when I am cleaning up the nasty spilled on counter top!  You can smell it from across the room.  Oh, it just makes me happy!

Now, why is this product so special?  It is a reusable bottle system that is like no other.  If you want to cut down on the cost of plastic, oil, and reduce carbon emissions then you have found the product for you.  The bottle itself is completely reusable and is 100% recyclable.   To start off, you would buy the bottle and it comes with one “pod” for roughly $6.99.  Each “pod” provides you with three bottles worth of cleaning solution.  That comes to about  $2.33 PER bottle!  When you are finished with the”pod”, you simply toss that and replace it with a “refill pod” that costs about $3.79 each {again, it has enough solution to fill three bottles} so, looking at it as a cost effective way to clean, using the refill comes to $1.26 PER bottle!  Come on…really!

How does it work?  It’s really a simple 4 step process.

1. Remove the seal and reattach the “pod” to the bottom of the bottle.

2. Flip the bottle over and squeeze the “pod” to fill the measuring cup.

3. Flip back to upright position and slowly add water to the bottle.

4. Start cleaning!

I honestly cannot say anything bad about this product.  It cleans great, it is cost effective, it smells wonderful, it’s safe for the whole family {including the dog} and it is completely reusable.  The only thing is, you can’t find Replenish every where.  {It’s only found at Dominick’s food stores where I am at.}  BUT… I would HAPPILY purchase this product from their online shop.  It is that good!