Cleanin' Green

As you know, I have embarked on a journey to become more green. The recycling bins are set up in the garage, the cloth diapers are on baby's bottom and I've made all of my cleaning concoctions. I thought I would share with you some of the cleaner recipes I am using. So far, so good - they work great! And vinegar is a natural disinfectant, so don't worry about not getting those germs out of the way! Here's a list of recipes - take from it what you will, and ENJOY!

All-Purpose Cleaner
1 cup vinegar
½ gal. water
1/2 cup lemon juice (I added this to weaken the vinegar scent)
Directions: Spray of surface and wipe clean with a dry cloth (let sit longer for heavily soiled areas)

Disinfectant
¼ cup baking soda
4 tbsp vinegar
3 cups hot water
¼ tsp castile soap
Directions: Spray and wipe down. You will want to go over again with a cloth soaked in hot water so there is no baking soda residue leftover.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
½ cup baking soda
1/8 cup castile soap
10 drops essential oil
If possible, make this in a cleaned out ketchup or mustard squeeze bottle. Squeeze out along rim of toilet bowl then spray with pure vinegar, allow to foam for 10 min., flush. No scrubbing needed (unless extremely soiled)!

Glass Cleaner
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 tbsp vinegar
Directions: Spray and wipe clean. This so far has not left any streaks for me!

Wood Floors
¼ cup vinegar
30 oz water
(do not allow vinegar to stay on wood, make sure it is rinsed properly.)
Or
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
¼ cup vinegar
10 drops essential oil
Directions: Use microfiber mop to apply and go over again with damp cloth with hot water to get vinegar off.

Dusting – Wood
1 cup olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
Directions: Rub in with cotton or microfiber cloth using wide strokes. My wood has never looked so good!

Top 11 Things I Want To Do in 2011

This is similar to New Year's Resolutions, but just a tad different. And maybe a little more fun. ;) 2011 is a new year and I feel like it's going to be a great one for my family and me. I am excited for all that is to come. Breckin will be turning 1, it will be his first summer at the beach (and my first summer trying to handle 2 kids at the beach!), Tanner will start Kindergarten in the fall...there are just SOOOO many great milestones for us this year. Here are some things I would like to do this year:

11. Get a new tattoo. Possibly a cover-up of the sun on my shoulder, or something in honor of my sons. It's been almost 7 years since my last tattoo. Dang.
10. Re-pierce my nose. I miss that tiny little diamond stud. And I loved it. Anyone who didn't - well, I just don't care.
9. Pay off every last bit of debt we have. We can do it!
8. Take a trip to Idaho to visit family.
7. Take a trip to California to visit old friends...and RELAX for a long weekend.
6. Get my body back and have it be even better than before.
5. Learn how to play guitar.
4. Rediscover my passion for dance. Take advanced adult classes at a local studio.
3. Take a cooking class.
2. Start living more "green". As mentioned in a previous post.
1. Go on a romantic getaway with hubby, if only for a weekend.

There's many more, but that's all I'm going to bore you with for now. Do you have any must-do's for the new year?

My Journey To Green...

Over the past few years, I have been very interested in learning more about "living green". It is definitely easier said than done, but now I am just seeing more and more articles about the things that are brought into the average home on a daily basis and how it affects our developing children. As a mother of two, I simply can't feel good about disregarding the info. I have decided to take some steps to living a "greener" lifestyle.
I was watching an episode of "The Talk" yesterday. (Mommies, if you haven't seen this show, you simply must! It's airs live on CBS at 2pm EST.) Anyway, this particular episode focused on chemicals that are commonly found in children's toys, vinyl purses, etc. that are harmful even to the touch as they have been proven to cause hormonal development issues. For instance, many young girls' ovaries are maturing very early. There are also a lot of known carcinogens in these items. Children's toys? I mean, c'mon, kids are putting these things in their mouths! It also focused on how hazardous household cleaners are, microwaves, even baby powder, disposable diapers, clothing and common skin and hair products. Check out www.smartmama.com for more info.
Well, so I have decided to really start making some steps to becoming more "green". I have always said "oh I should" or "I would really like to", but it's time to put those shoulda-woulda's to action.
Last night, I convinced hubby to let me order cloth diapers. They may be a little tougher to deal with, but not that much. And we will be saving so much "green" in the long run. I only wish I had done this with Tanner. But I know I will be making up for all of that time with my choice to live more "green" from now on. I am happy that Breckin will be in cloth diapers and I know it will be so great for him.
Another thing that I will be doing is recycling. Unfortunately, Jake and I live in a county that does not do neighborhood recycling. I've let that be my excuse for too long. I am going to create bins for paper, plastic and glass and start taking the loads to a recycling center myself.
I've also been greatly considering getting rid of our microwave. Some things may become less convenient, but microwaving is so unhealthy. It changes the composition of our food.
And here's a big one - I'm going to be making all of my own cleaning products from now on. This includes cleaning products for my cleaning business, A Modern Cinderella. This will also be very beneficial to my health, as I am so often using cleaning products and being exposed to harmful chemicals each time. All I did was take the time to do some research on natural cleaning solutions and concoctions and it actually is not that hard to make them. Also, will definitely save me a lot of money! Another thing I will be making myself is Dakotah's flea retardant. I never even thought of how much the kids will touch her and not wash their hands and how much harmful chemicals they may be ingesting. As well as Dakotah by just having it on her!
Before Breckin was born, I had already decided that I would be making his baby food when the time comes to introduce solids. I have a food processor and Charleston has so many great farmer's markets. I know this will also save me a lot of money. May not be as convenient, but definitely worth it. Again, I feel terrible that I did not do these things for Tanner. I only wish back then I had known better.
I am also considering going through a lot of Tanner and Breckin's toys to get rid of the ones that might not be PVC. lead or Pthatalate-free. Toys like this are generally the ones with flexible plastic, such as teething rings (which, oh yes, go directly into the child's mouth!). Some brands I've discovered that are or have many toys that are PVC-free are Lego, Sassy, Melissa & Doug...there are many more.
Anyway, this is just my start to committing to a "greener" lifestyle. I know there are so many more things to change, but of course, big changes like these often require baby steps. I hope to keep you updated with my progress and my experiences with living this "greener" lifestyle. It's definitely going to take a lot of convincing my husband to get him on board - as we all know, typical men could care less where their food and clothing comes from and certainly hardly care about chemicals they might be ingesting...haha. I would never expect to find Jake reading up on stuff like this. I suppose I will just have to suggestively force him into seeing it my way, like I do with most other things. :)

Fitness Idols...

Do you have a fitness idol? Just someone whose body you admire so much that motivates you to aim to look your best? I do. I know some say it's wrong to idolize others, and I know it is. I guess my fitness idol I wouldn't say is someone I "idolize", as in I don't want to be her or have the exact same personality, but rather she is just someone I admire. She works out regularly, eats right and has hobbies that are healthy, such as surfing. I think that is something worth admiring and a lifestyle worth striving for. My fitness idol is Marisa Miller. One of the main reasons she is a fitness idol of mine is that she and I are the same height. So trying to work toward having a figure similar to hers is not completely unattainable. Not saying I will ever be quite as small as she is, but if I get within 15 lbs of it, I'll be happy.

Her stats are the following:
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 110 lbs
Measurements: 34-23-35

As of yesterday, my stats are the following (mind you, I AM just shy of 5 months postpartum, so these stats are not my standard):
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs (down 15 from my last measurements post! 5 to go to pre-prego, 15 to goal)
Measurements: 32-31-37 (I'm down 2.5" in both my hips and waist since last measurements post! Still a bit of work to do, but it's happening!)

I think pre-2nd baby at my smallest, I was weighing 125 and my measurements were 31-26.5-35.5, so really not too far off from my "idol". I am aware I'll never be a Victoria's Secret model, but I do love to strive to be the best I can be.

The New Year is going well so far. I started Insanity yesterday. It was a brutal first workout back since my short Christmas workout hiatus (guests in town, etc.), but I managed to push through and finish the entire workout. I felt so much better afterward. And I was conscious to get the amount of water intake I needed. Water is key to weightloss and management...it helps cleanse the system, relieve bloating and keep all systems in your body running properly, this includes metabolizing and digesting (VERY IMPORTANT FOR ACHIEVING A HEALTHY WEIGHT!) Today, so far I've done a butt/legs strength-training routine and I will be doing Insanity Day 2 when hubby gets back from playing beach volleyball. But it's amazing how energized just two days of good exercise makes me feel. Bikini season is just around the corner and I want to be ready for it!

New Year, New (Old) Me

Happy New Year! I hope all of you will be safe tonight and that you have a wonderful 2011. Unfortunately, hubby and I aren't going to be going out tonight as we have no sitter for Tanner and Breckin. But I don't mind - we are actually going to hang out with our neighbors and their kids. Champagne around the firepit - not a shabby way to spend an evening. And the most important thing is that I'm with the ones I love when I ring in the New Year, and my boys are all I need. :)

Anyway, being that 2010 was spent being pregnant and then trying to reverse the damage said pregnancy caused...I am definitely ready for a new year. Don't get me wrong, there are so many wonderful things about pregnancy, but it definitely took up the greater part of my year and I'm ready to get back to me...get my body back and really enjoy the year to come. So the "new me" I'm wanting to be is really the "old me", as in having my pre-prego body back!

If you read my previous New Year's Resolution post, you will see I've set some specific fitness goals for myself. Now, I'm not like the many New Year's resolution-ers that up and decide I'm going to get fit this year and start out all gung-ho then give up by March. I'm an exception to the rule being that I'm not someone who hasn't worked out for years and is trying to go all out just because it's a new year. I'm a self-proclaimed fitness nut and before finding out I was pregnant last December, worked out 5-6 days a week on average. As well as worked out as much as I could during pregnancy. Anyhow, I feel the goals I've set for myself are attainable by me and I'm going to take it one week at a time. This week, my specific goals are to:
1) Complete Week 1 of Insanity,
2) Run at least a total of 10 miles,
3) Cut out bad carbs (no more holiday junk!), and
4) Drink at least 8-10 cups of water per day (64-80 oz) or more.

I love using this blog to keep track of my goals. In a way, I feel it helps keep me accountable. So if you would like, please check back often as I will be posting updates of my progress. I will post my beginning stats (measurements, etc.) here shortly.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever your goals are for this new year!

New Year's Resolutions 2011

I know it's so cliche, but I love making New Year's resolutions. I don't know whether it's because I like to think of each new year as a new beginning or a chance for self-renewal, or if it's just my need to organize my thoughts and goals because I'm a little OCD. :)

With that being said, here are my New Year's resolutions for 2011:

1. Lose the last 5 lbs of my pregnancy weight, and then about 10 lbs more.
2. Eat clean and drink more water (at least 8-10 cups a day).
3. Starting January 1st, begin the Insanity program again and stick to it for the full 60 days. (Doing this with hubby)
4. Continue to build my cleaning business.
5. Focus on being the best mother and wife I can be.
6. Give the house a good cleaning at least once a week :)
7. Make a visit back to visit family and friends in Idaho.
8. Make a visit to Cali to visit old friends.
9. Take a long girls' weekend with good girlfriends.
10. Introduce and cook healthy meals for my family at least 3 nights a week.
11. Make an effort to send relatives pictures of the kids more often.
12. Keep up this blog.
13. Take a new class - or 2. Particularly interested in Barre Evolution or dance classes.
14. Run in 5-7 local 5Ks, but aim for more.
15. Run 10 miles per week starting in January and build up endurance for more.
16. Have date night with hubby twice a month.

That's all for now!

The Non-Caffeinated Mommy

Caffeine. Such a powerful drug. So many hardworking Americans are addicted to it. Many can't bring themselves to function without it.

I used to be 100% caffeine-free. I guess except for a tiny bit of chocolate here and there, but I'll be honest, I wasn't consuming that for the caffeine. Anyway, I didn't drink sodas (not even the caffeine-free kinds), caffeinated teas, coffee or anything. My drinks of choice were water, skim milk and of course the social alcoholic beverages when out with friends.

Then in 2008, I opened up an in-home daycare. My addiction begins. During the year that I had my in-home daycare, I would be up around 5:30 or 6am...take the dog for a morning walk, then prepare for the kids to start arriving as early as 7am and the last ones would not leave until 5:30pm. That is a long work day - and with no breaks. Around 10:30am, I would start to get that nodding off feeling...and with kids, you just can't have that. You need even more energy to keep up with them than you do with just a regular job! So I started purchasing energy drinks. Diet Rockstars and Lo-Carb Monsters were my guilty-pleasures. And I drank one EVERY DAY. Sometimes two. Yeah, it was bad. Here I am, 2 years later (except for a 9-month break during pregnancy) and I'm still having one a day. I am now a stay-at-home mom for the most part and working on my cleaning business. I have a 5 year old and a 4 month old - both of which require a lot of alertness in their own ways. Tanner, the 5-year old, is off-the-walls hyper most days. You absolutely have to find things to keep him entertained. And he can be very hard to keep up with. Breckin, on the other hand, requires a great deal of attention at this age, and of course getting up in the middle of the night for feedings some nights leaves me exhausted in the AM. (Thankfully, he has been sleeping through the night most nights for about a month.) But my sleep is still light, nonetheless, since I'm used to getting up. Hopefully my body will get back to normal soon.

I have been on a mission to lose all of my pregnancy weight by the end of this year ever since I got home from the hospital with Breckin. In light of having to change my diet and exercise habits (at least from what they were during pregnancy), I have decided that it would also be in my body's best interest to lay off of the caffeine. Hopefully altogether. I want my body to run on the energy I get from exercising and eating right. For so many years, I functioned absolutely fine with no help from the caffeine jolt whatsoever. I know I can do it. It's a bit harder now that I'm a mommy of two boys, but I know I can do it. So here's to kicking the habit - wish me luck!

A Jolly Good Time...

Last night I had my 3rd Annual Ladies' Xmas Gift Xchange. It was another successful and fun-filled time. We had a wee bit much of the holiday alcoholic punches I made - Jolly Juice & Christmas Cheer. We were quite the jolly, cheerful bunch! The Dirty Santa game was a little dirtier this year than the last, with more of the girls finally getting the guts to get dirty and snatch up gifts from each other on their turns! It seems to get dirtier with each year - I think at my first gift exchange no one stole anyone's gift! Anyway, I love spending time with my good friends and catching up as we all lead very hectic lifestyles and need things like this to catch up with one another. Thanks to the wonderful group of ladies that came - can't wait for next year's...

Holiday 5Ks!

I ran the Turkey Day 5K and the Reindeer Run 5K this year with my dog, Dakotah. I am really starting to love running. I used to really hate it. I suppose my relationship with it is still more or less a love/hate relationship, but the past couple weeks I have been trying to run every evening or in the early AM in my neighborhood. I have to say, I feel like I'm getting addicted. I guess what everyone has always told me is true: at first you hate it, but then you get addicted (the runner's high) and start to really love it. Here are some pics from the 5Ks:

Allison, Tessa and I enjoying a beer after the Turkey Day 5K:

Dakotah & me in our reindeer attire for the Reindeer Run:

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

I hope all is well with you and the Mrs. up at the North Pole. I know you're very busy this time of year...visiting malls and having all sorts of little ones sit on your lap and rattle off their mile long lists which likely include wishes for Justin Beiber concert tickets, I-Pads, Wii's and plenty of other things I never had the pleasure of getting the equivalent of back in my day. But if you find you have some extra time, I have just a few little Christmas gift requests.

I was a very good girl this year...very giving. In fact, I lent my body for an entire 9 months to support the growth of a precious little human being. With this selfless act, I was not allowed alcohol, sushi, or the ability to keep up my workout regimen (due to extreme hip and pelvic pains)...which also caused my body to hold on to some extra baggage. Now all I'm asking is that you give me my body back. I've been working really hard and I feel I deserve it. Particularly, I would like a harder butt with a little lift, and a flat, tone tummy. Oh, and much smaller thighs - can't forget that. I just want to wear my skinny jeans again! If you could give me this gift, I would be forever grateful. I would also not take it for granted - I would work every day to keep it in tip-top shape.

Second on my list is a laptop computer. I have been taking care of the same desktop computer for 9 years now. NINE YEARS! I should get some kind of tech-geek award for that! I mean, they say you should upgrade every 2 years, but I have been frugal and have kept this baby running for almost a decade. It's almost unheard of. I have treated her right (and that's including moving her to different residences eight times). But alas, I have to accept she is getting old...she's like 92 in technology years. She's gotten very slow. I just don't have the time to sit and wait for her to process everything...I'm trying to run my business with Internet ads, email...keep up my Facebook and this blog...the slow processing is taking the time I could be spending with my family. So please, pretty please, could I have a new laptop?

This is pretty much it. You see, I don't ask for much. I mean, if you want to throw in some clothes or a few giftcards (I love Target, Old Navy, & Kohls)...by all means, I will accept them.

Anyway, I wish you safe travels this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,

Morgan Smith