Something Green

GREEN

Green is the theme for NaBloPoMo this month.  You may be asking, "What is NaBloPoMo?"  It is short for National Blog Posting Month and is derived from NaNoWriMo which I tried to participate in last year, but didn't get anywhere near finishing.  And that is short for National Novel Writing Month.  It is every November.  I am starting to think of my novel for this year.  We'll see what happens....

So I am able to use green throughout this month as a theme tie-in, or I can blog about something else.  The decision is up to me, as long as I blog every single day for the whole month.  That is my goal and I am about 4 days late in starting it this month, but that's ok.  My challenge, of course, will be how to blog on days I am gone on vacation and not able to get online.....that is a tricky one.  I must find out what to do for that.

My house is getting all cleaned up and I am keeping it cleaned where I've cleaned it!  Yay for me!  My hubby sure likes that too.  My hardest area is the kitchen, and doing dishes, every single day.  It will be nice when my children are old enough to help me with the dishes.  I know, I know, they are old enough now to help, but I am really OCD about my dishes and would have to wash them over anyways.  lol  Yes you may make fun of me.  That is the least of my obsessions.  

Yesterday I made another batch of laundry soap.  I made 2 batches again, which lasted me 4 months this last time.  I love doing it.  Even the grating the soap hurts my neck and shoulders, there is something peaceful about it.  I think it's because I am making my own and I know what is in it!  When I made it yesterday, my girlfriend was curious about how I did it, so she came over and helped me make this batch.  I am hoping she liked it enough to do it herself!  I told her how great my clothes turn out using these natural green products in my laundry!  I will never go back to store bought detergent.  Nor shampoo for that matter.

You may have read on my blog before, or you may not, but I learned about the benefits of washing my hair with baking soda instead of using the toxins in store bought shampoo and using apple cider vinegar for conditioner instead of the toxins in store bought conditioner.  I went through a transition period with it, but lived through it for the better.  Stinky, my 7 year old daughter, did not have any transition period and her hair just turned more beautiful and silky!  Bubba didn't have any transition either but we keep his hair short anyhow, it would be hard to tell.  

We also have stopped using toothpaste with fluoride in it, or tried to (kids still have some and I need to replace it, I thought I did...).  I use baking soda, sea salt and some essential oil and love the fresh, clean mouth that I have afterward.  The kids don't like that because of the salt, so I still buy them toothpaste, just try to get the right kind.  

I have been more green with my cats also.  We buy natural cat litter now so that there isn't the chemicals in their litter.  This way, when they are cleaning their paws, they aren't cleaning off harmful toxins.  Fortunately for myself, they aren't picky cats and have taken all of the switches easily!

I am going to start my day today by making my to do list and just jumping right into my work.  I don't have a whole lot to do to make my house presentable for my girlfriend to come over tomorrow.  There are still the bedrooms to clean though.  But they may wait....  I'm off to Facebook to post my to do list in my group there.  If you'd like to join a group that encourages each other in their cleaning and also have great camaraderie, then check out this group CEO Moms.  We have a blast in here all through out the week!  There are hosts for the week days and we post every couple of hours.  Then the rest of us can post what we will be doing for those hours and join the fun with everyone else.  It's a fun group!