New find

So, I've been a Drugstore.com shopper for years. I love that I can find all sorts of natural products and things I can't find around here for great prices. The only problem is when I only need a few things, the shipping cost takes away from getting things at great prices. So, the other day, I checked out Soap and I am thrilled!


I started out wanting to purchase 3 BioKleen products from Drugstore.com (see below). They were on sale but by the time shipping costs were added on, it was going to be over $30. I then went to Soap and found the same 3 BioKleen products, for a higher price but Soap offers free shipping at $25. And not just regular shipping 1-2 day FedEx shipping!! Yippee!! When my box got here, the dish soap had leaked about a cup of soap all over the box. I sent an email to Soap stating that I loved the prompt shipping, etc. but could they seal the lids the next time because of the accidental spillage. I received a prompt reply and they sent out another bottle of dish soap, for free! I received it today, FedEx, and the bottle was wrapped in zip-top plastic bag! I was so impressed! I didn't expect a replacement and it was great to feel taken care of!!



Here's what I bought!

I use Bac-Out with my diapers every once in awhile and I love the scent and how it freshens! BioKleen is also a local company, based out of Vancouver, WA!!

This soap smells AMAZING and I love it!

Haven't tried it yet but will let you know!

Sales

I'm in between sales right now, so I'm a bit frazzled and blogging is taking a back burner! Last weekend, I was helping Duffy's parents with an estate/garage sale and this week, I'm getting ready for a garage sale with my parents. I keep thinking of things to get rid of and clean out, which is great but then life is still happening. Like getting a phone call at 5pm saying we had a closing appointment for our re-fi at 6pm - that same day! Nice that we didn't know about it. The great thing was she came to our house and we were finished in 45 minutes, but it still threw off the evening.

So, now, I'm back to cleaning/organizing everything and still doing everything else that needs to get done! I scored a few things from Duffy's grandma's (a whole post is coming on the great pans I found!) and I have found a few of my own things I'm going to re-purpose and move around.

Ok, back to work!!

About...

I liked this "About Me" because it was different - it isn't your standard "What do you like to drink/favorite color" style. If found it to be more reflective, so I figured I'd give it a try! I stole the format from my friend Gretchen's blog, who I think copied it from someone else!! Give it a try!!


{I am...} never going to be perfect, so why do I keep trying to be???

{I want...} my family to be happy.

{I have...} more than I need.

{I keep...} a lot of things for sentimental reasons.

{I wish I could...} go on a vacation somewhere hot. With a beach. And drinks with umbrellas.

{I hate...} spiders. Bugs. Snakes.

{I fear...} that one of my kids will get sick and I won't be able to make it better.

{I hear...} the sounds of little kids - Mr. P talking to Harper, music from multiple toys and little feet! (That was earlier! Now it is Zoe complaining about how much homework she has to do!)

{I don't think...} people realize how insecure I am.

{I regret...} things I have done that have hurt other people.

{I love...} good food.

{I can...} very seldomly keep a straight face.

{I dance...} when we have Dance Party at home.

{I sing...} only to my children.

{I never...} go without coffee. Never. Ever.

{I rarely...} give myself enough credit.

{I cry when I watch...} really sappy commercials.

{I know that...} I am loved.

{I hate that...} I live so far away from Darah and we can't just get together for coffee whenever we want! Bummer!

{I need...} something to drink.

{I should...} workout more consistently.

{I believe...} you can do anything, if you really want to.

What brings you JOY?

My mom and I had this conversation the other day - what brings you Joy? Not just what makes you happy, because that list is endless for me, but what, in my life, brings me JOY. What makes me laugh out loud, smile for the rest of the day, makes me feel complete and fulfilled. My friend Darbi just posted about how writing makes her happy and needing to make time for it, make it a priority. I think so many of us moms get into the MOM routine and forget to do things that bring us JOY. So, here are a few of the things that bring me JOY!!

• When my kids laugh so hard, their eyes scrunch up and you can't see them


• Sewing - right now I have several projects going and I can't talk about a lot of them because, you know, Christmas is coming!! I'm finishing up a skirt (for myself - never happens!) made out of fabric that was my Grandma Lou's - it makes me smile working with something that was hers and knowing that she taught me to sew; I think about how she must be smiling in heaven.


• Uncontrollable laughter


• Harper "singing'" in her crib


• Teagan and Zoe dancing


• Cooking - I love to cook and it is how I tell people I love them. I love when we have people over for dinner - sharing food with others fills my heart.


• Duffy doing something unexpected - these days, it could be unloading the dishwasher (something I hate to do!) or getting kids into the bathtub!!


• Spending time with siblings


• Watching/listening to Duffy play the drums - he has such a child-like, expression-filled face, you can't help but enjoy it. We have a drum kit temporarily located in our living room and it's been a lot of fun watching/listening to him play and teach the girls things about the drums.


• Finding something whimsical in an unlikely place.

What brings you JOY? What makes your heart smile?

Diaper update

Yes, I'm still cloth diapering and I enjoy it! Duffy on the other hand, not so much. He doesn't mind the wet diapers but the poopy ones, he acts like it's nuclear waste!!

It's pretty funny actually - when I got started on it, I talked about it with a couple of friends and since then, they are both cloth diapering their new babies. It's a hot topic at our Monday bible study - what we are buying, how its going, laundry, which websites we like (I'm a big fan of Cotton Babies because they carry almost everything I need and have free shipping!!). All in all, I'm a fan. Even though Harper is probably our last child, I'm glad I chose to do it! I don't even mind the extra laundry!!

A little rant

Ok, I don't rant about stuff very often on my blog, but I'm really frustrated. I try to buy 'green' products as often as possible. I'll tell you about the products I do like and would love to hear what you love to use. And what you don't!

I love Mrs. Meyer's (anything in the Basil scent, thank you!!)

7th Generations bathroom cleaner is great - it cleans well and smells great.

I use Baby-Ganics Stain, Stain Go Away on tough diaper stains and Country Save to wash diapers (it's a local, WA company too) and am in love with BioKleen's Bac-Out for tough odors -LOVE IT!

And I really like the Ecos laundry detergent and Kirkland Environmentally Friendly detergents for all our clothes. Everything comes out clean and smelling good (not perfumey at all!!)

But what I'm seriously annoyed about is dishwasher detergent. I had been using the Costco liquid and it cleans great but is full of who knows what. I was really excited when Costco started carrying the Ecos brand dishwasher detergent. I bought some and was excited to use it - why, I'm not really sure! I have been sooooo disappointed! My dishes, especially my silverware, come out of the DW looking dirty and with dried-on stuff, etc. on them! I swear I have to wash several things each time! It came in a 2 bottle pack and at first, I thought I could manage washing a few things once in awhile, if I was doing my part to help the environment. By the time I got into the 2nd bottle, I'm so irritated that I'm thinking of going back to the Costco brand! At least my dishes come out clean - EVERY TIME! Come on - I don't have time to do the dishes twice! It's not like I put them in dirty either - I'm one of those that rinses and scrubs things before they go in!!

I want to know what "green" products you love and hate - I'm on a quest!!

First Day of School

Zoe is off to her first day of first grade. She did awesome this morning and will have all sorts of things to share when she gets home at 2:45!

Teagan started in the 4 year old class at the pre-school and there were some familiar faces, so it made things a bit easier for her!

Goof-Balls

Harper was being goofy this morning at breakfast! Her little personality is so funny - she starts laughing and giggling to get your attention and she loves when her big sisters are playing with her! She loves to push her walker around and is cruising all over the place - she'll be walking soon! We better watch out!

Showing off her new blanket from Mom! We left one of our favorites at Brady's house, so we needed a new one - this matches her bedroom better anyway!

Teagan loves to get into my closet and wear my boots. I personally like her outfit for the day - she picked it out and since we weren't going anywhere, it was good practice for me to just let her wear stuff that totally clashed! I asked her several times if she felt like changing and she kept telling me she like her outfit just fine!

Friendships

We live in a small town. Not one that either Duffy or I grew up in and one that, frankly, I'm sort of surprised we ended up here. I spent a lot of time in Sequim in middle/high school and Darah will tell you, I said I'd never live here. Things change when you grow up, get married and start a family. My parents moved up here when I was in college and coming to visit them, there was so much to do outside and we liked that it didn't rain as much (11 inches compared to 40 in Olympia). So, being the adventurous types (we were all set to move to Boise, ID the year before!) we decided to move. It has been a great place to raise a family and we love the small town feel. I love the weather, being close to the beach and the mountains.

We have met amazing people and have great friends here, but, I'm grieving my long-standing friendships right now. Those relationships with the people you've known forever. The ones you can vacation with, show up at their house anytime, and you're still welcome. Where you can totally be yourself, all the time, and they still love you. The people you have history with.

That's the problem with moving, growing-up, having a family. Things change.