Doctors Orders and a mess

Today was an adventure in medical care! Yesterday, our 9yro decides to jump the couch and land on his foot wrong. Squeeling and blame commence when he says it was his older brother's fault, of course! Nevermind, we're watching it all night and the bump on the top of his foot turns into a bruise. I'm thinking it's broken, so thismorning we're off to the doctor for x rays. Thank goodness it's just a sprain and 100 bucks later, we're back at home with tylenol and crutches. A little clumsy, he tries to do things for himself and there's a little trail of goodies behind him. On the floor, counter, couch, coffee table, you get the picture. So what better topic to post today, than that of the all powerful all purpose cleaner recipe! Well, I thought I'd give you a few extra just for coming by.

In my never ending quest for simple and easy home cleaning tips, I'm always looking for interesting or different ways that we all clean our homes. From the elaborate perfectionist to the weekend spit shiner, we all have our tips.

So here are a few recipes I found that were easy enough to keep around for every day use. Especially for days like today!

Soft Scrub

This superstar formula is as good for cleaning the bathtub as it is for stainless steel appliances and shower stalls.
1/2 cup baking soda

Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency

5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree oil, or rosemary (optional)
Pour the baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in the liquid soap or detergent, stirring all the while, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.

Window Cleaner

Nothing works as well as this formula for windows, so why look further? Besides, once it is made you can double it up as a great degreaser, especially handy in the kitchen.
1/4 cup vinegar (distilled, white, 5%)

1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent

2 cups of water
Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Here you meet the wonders of washing soda (commonly found in the laundry section of the supermarket), and its super heavy-duty alkaline cleaning power.
1/2 teaspoon washing soda

A dab of liquid soap

2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Deodorizer, Toilet Bowl Cleaner (I use this one for everything!)

Vinegar is astonishing as an acidic cleaning powerhouse. Heinz references studies that say vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs.
5 percent straight white distilled vinegar
Pour the vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray directly onto areas to be cleaned or deodorized. Don’t rinse!

These were just a few of the great ideas I found at Care2.com Check em out! Their proceeds are donated to worthy causes!

Oh, and if you're interested in the book by

Annie B. Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999). You can get it from Amazon.com or click the link here:

Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living

Amazon.com introduces "Frustration-Free Packaging"

How many times have you completely gone MAD trying to open a little pack of scissors? Or a Christmas present one of the kids just can't wait to open and you have to spend Christmas morning untying those silly wires?! Watch this video if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Thank Goodness Amazon.com recently announced their efforts to reduce "Wrap-Rage" with "Frustration-Free Packaging" is exciting!
Moreover, the "eco-convert" in me wants these companies to reduce the amount of packaging used for products for the betterment of our environment.

Amazon, in conjunction with leading manufacturers will begin to deliver products inside smaller, easy to open, recyclable cardboard boxes with much less packaging material (and none of those clamshell plastic packages or wire ties!)

Check out these best-selling items with the new packaging and make sure to see what others are saying about it! Suprising viewpoints!

Great NEW Tips: Energy, Money - 25 simple ways to save

I always appreciate great tips on how to save money!!!


1
Clean the coils behind or underneath your refrigerator with a tapered appliance brush to keep it running efficiently.

2
Skip prerinsing dishes. Our tests have found that it¹s unnecessary, and you'll save up to 6,500 gallons of water per year.

3
Opt for the cold-water wash cycle and save about $60 a year.

4
Put your PC to sleep. Save $25 to $75 each year by using the system standby or hibernating feature on your computer.

5
Plug electronics into a power strip so that you can turn them all off at once.

6
Don't overload the dryer. Clothes will take longer to dry, and they'll come out wrinkled. When the weather is warm, line dry.

7
Open blinds and shades on cold days. Solar heat gain can raise interior temperature significantly. But close them at night to minimize heat loss.

8
Dust off the slow cooker. You'll use a lot less energy than cooking a meal across several burners and in the oven.

9
Keep car tires properly inflated. In our tests of a Toyota Camry, fuel efficiency dropped 1.3 mpg when the tires were deflated by 10 psi.

10
See whether your utility company offers rebates to customers who replace old appliances with energy-efficient models. Some states hold periodic "tax holidays" for purchases of energy-efficient appliances.

11
Lower the temperature a degree or two before guests arrive. A house full of people generates a lot of body heat.

12
Clean or replace furnace filters monthly during the heating season. Clogged filters force the blower to work longer, raising your electric bills.

13
String LED lights this holiday season. They last longer. Our tests have shown that they can save up to $11 per season.

14
Insulate and seal cracks and gaps in your ducts. That can help reduce energy costs by 30 percent.

15
Lower water-heater temperature to 120 degrees from 130 and insulate hot-water pipes to knock up to 5 percent off your energy bills.

16
Weather-strip old windows and doors. It's the surest way to close the gaps around openings, reducing heating and cooling costs by 15 to 30 percent.

17
Control outdoor lights with sensors or timers so that fixtures stay off during the day.

18
Install a high-efficiency showerhead. It will reduce hot water use by up to 50 percent.

19
Upgrade to a low-flow toilet and save 4,000 gallons per year.

20
Drain a bucket's worth of water from your water heater a few times a year to remove sediment, which can decrease efficiency.

21
Move the thermostat to an inside wall away from windows and doors so that drafts don't cause the heating system to cycle on unnecessarily.

22
Add insulation. An estimated 80 percent of older homes are underinsulated. Properly insulating and sealing your home can cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 percent.

23
Plant a deciduous shade tree on the west and southwest sides of a house to save energy.

24
Zone heat smartly. A portable heater in a room saves money only if you're willing to keep the rest of the house chilly. Wood-burning fireplaces can suck more heat from your home than they put back in.

25
Call a professional energy auditor. They use a blower door or infrared photography to pinpoint where your home is leaking energy. Some utilities provide free audits; you can also find certified professionals in your area through www.resnet.us.

This info posted courtesy of Consumer Reports:


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Fellow Eco-Converts: Please DIGG this story!

Charity Maness... "Our Children Are Our Future!"

VOTE FOR CHARITY!

The Mark Twain Union Elementary School District Trustee race is on! Charity Maness is saying what parents want to hear. In our recent phone interview, Charity explained the concerns and challenges the school district is facing.Read about Charity and her mission HERE



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Copperopolis: A Home For Your Heart

I can hardly believe that just two years ago when we purchased the property, the house that we were building was estimated to re-sell for nearly $600,000. And rightly so. It's in a beautiful area that people are flocking to for it's vacation-like lifestyle and heavenly scenery. So close to the San Francisco Bay Area that many commuters are just 45 to 50 minutes from their jobs and able to afford a country lifestyle too.

This new custom home is just $359,000 now, an incredibly affordable 2 acre parcel great for a small ranch, horses or small vineyard. Lots of room for big toys like RV's, boats, etc!

It's approximately 2,100 sqft with 3 large bedrooms and a den that can be used as a bedroom. 2.5 bathrooms and the best part..... an oversized garage for more than two toys, uh, I mean cars honey.

The Great Room is very large and inviting and the focal point (and my favorite part of the house) is the kitchen. With it's granite counters, 16" tile flooring, custom cabinetry and top of the line appliances, you may just take up professional cooking! Most of the furniture is brand new and is negotiable.

With so much to do around Lake Tulloch and Yosemite Valley just minutes away, it's not going to last.

If you'd like to learn more about this area, check out this site Copperopolis Lens on Squidoo!

My Vote Won't Count?

I have heard these excuses for not voting your conscience and I think it's high time ignorant Americans STOP voting for the name most heard, the candidate my parents are voting for, or vote for the lesser of the two evils and start researching all the issues and who you SHOULD vote for!

It's our duty living in this democratic country! It's our second job to come home from work and check the independent news (not the propaganda on network tv!) and be activists for our Freedom.

As the elections draw near, I find that people still have the same excuses.

Two Common Myths about elections:
"I can't vote for anyone else, I'm a registered Dem/Rep!"
No matter which party you belong to, you still may vote for another one. I'm a Republican but often vote outside my party due to lack of a worthy candidate.

"I'll be throwing my vote away if I vote for someone who's not in the top two spots!" Not true and very very UNAMERICAN to think that way. It's YOUR choice whom you vote for. Do your homework and make sure that candidate is worthy of YOUR vote! I'll be voting for Ralph Nader. I would be writing in Ron Paul, but he's now backing Ralph Nader and so will I.

Today, ironically, is Constitution Day. Here is a video that will get you to think on your feet about what it means to be an American!