Everything we do impacts the environment. All the foods we eat, the products we use, the items we buy and put into our home affects our planet. It is up to us to make the wisest choices for our families to help clean up and preserve our environment and our planet. We only have one Earth. Let us all do what we can to keep it livable.

I watched the Ellen DeGeneres show last Wednesday. On her show she had a woman on that works with ocean creatures. She helps educate people about extinction of sea creatures (by the way- hundreds of species of fish are extinct now..never to return!)  Specifically, she spoke about how baby Albatross (birds) are dying because of the TONS of plastic in our oceans. PLASTIC! What happens is this: Either consumers (us) or manufacturers throw the plastic away instead of recycling it. At some point is gets broken down into little tiny pieces and then DUMPED in oceans. The Mommy Albatross goes out to get food to feed her babies, thinks the little pieces of plastic are food, eats it then takes it home to baby to eat. The babies stomachs get full of plastic and can’t eat, then they die. How sad! It proves my point, everything is related, from me going to the store and buying a soda then throwing the empty plastic bottle away….and a bird species becoming extinct.

My son is 15 years old. He just completed his freshman year of high school. He joined a group called “The Parker Green Squad”. This group is helping to educate the students about the dangers to our planet and the environment, recycling, etc. They are trying to raise money to put recycling bins through out the school. I couldn’t be more proud! He joined all on his own, and when he told me he said he felt that he was doing something important. Of course, I cried because I was so proud of my baby…almost grown up! It amazes me how a young man can do whatever he can to help save our planet and US, yet a grown person is to lazy and selfish to simply recycle a plastic bottle!

For several years now, I have kept a  ”junk cupboard”. In it I put odds and ends for future use. I should probably rename this cupboard,but it works. I have toilet paper/paper towel tubes, a baggie of soap slivers, bread bags, empty coffee cans, empty cereal boxes, empty/clean milk jugs. Whatever I might possibly find a use for later. Maybe for a craft project, maybe I have a need around the house. Whatever comes up, I go to the “junk cupboard” first to see if I something that will work instead of buying a new something. My bathroom garbage can is an old, re-used, large coffee can. It works perfect. I currently do not have a filing cabinet, soon but not yet. In the meantime I have a couple of clean, re-used cereal boxes; the tops cut off on a diagonal line; to store and keep my important papers seperate. It works well, actually. The wall above my computer is decorated with my son’s art work and his kindergarten graduation certificate ( it has his picture on it…very adorable). As I looked around my home the other day, I realized 99% of my possessions are used. Very little was bought new. I feel good about that because I know I am doing my part to keep items out of the landfill, taking up space and ruining our environment, killing species of animals that, once gone, will never come back.

By the way, I am now boycotting fish. I love to eat fish and will miss it, but I feel a higher calling and it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. I will never be able to eat a piece of cod, or orange roughy, again and not think of the dying baby albatross!

So, we all need to pay attention to the big picture! We need to realize that EVERYTHING we do affects the entire world around us, even the fish in the oceans, the birds and wildlife in the rain forests. We can ALL do something, however small a something, to make a difference!

“The quality of our life should not depend on the quantity of our possessions”

Thanks to All!

The Domestic Goddess

It seem that every year when spring arrives, so does something else new and exciting… babies! I am surrounded by new babies, pregnant women about to give birth. It is so exciting and such an awesome experience to become a parent. However, several of these mommies and daddies have expressed concern to me about how they are going to pay for their  babies/children’s expenses when money is so tight. So this article is dedicated to all parents, present and future, and I hope it helps.

First off, babies do not need brand new, expensive, designer stuff. Babies need clean, safe, functional stuff. More than likely we, as newborns on up, did NOT have $200 - $500 car seats. That price is absolutely ridiculous. Check out stores that are cheaper, like Wal-mart, Target, etc. OR maybe someone you know has one they are selling or getting rid of. Always  make sure the car seat of your choice meets current safety guidelines. I got my son’s newborn carrier at my baby shower, the others we used were given to us or bought at rummage sales. All were safe, he was never injured (this was tested by me getting into a nasty car accident with him in the back seat, his car seat worked-he didn’t even have a scratch). Check garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, etc to see if they have carseats for sale. Usually they sell for $50 dollars and lower

Baby clothes can be bought by the ton at rummage sales and second hand stores. Since babies outgrow their clothing so quickly, it is not uncommon for babies to have clothing they never even wore. That is where people like us come in, to snatch up those great deals. Never pay more than a couple bucks at most for a baby outfit. Check for stains or areas that need repair and offer a price accordingly or bypass that item. Most of my son’s, neices and nephews clothing came from second hand sources, and still do. There is nothing wrong with reused clothing. Just wash in hot water and dry before wearing.

Babies do not need special bowls, silverware, or cups. They can use adult sized dishes just fine. Anyone ever notice those small spoons in your drawer? What a better use for them. What about the small toast plates that came with your dish set?  They work perfectly for small childrens’ sized meals. No added expense needed! Need I say more?

Diapers are a tricky subject to write about, but I wanted to include it anyways. Disposables are very convenient, easy to use, and highly accessible. However, disposable diapers are one of the United States largest land fill problems. Cloth diapers are a little messier but not as much as most people think. After changing baby, shake the “nasties” into the toilet and immediately drop soiled diaper into a bucket of soap and water. Keep bucket out of children’s access, not only for cleanliness issues but small children can drown in ONE inch of water. When you are ready to wash the diapers, just dump the entire contents of bucket into the washer and set on spin. When done wash as usual. So think carefully about all aspects of whatever diaper you choose.

Special baby food and toddler foods are not necessary. These items are simply made up “needs” from the manufacturers to fill their pockets! You can make your own baby food by processing unseasoned food in a blender or food processor to puree into baby food consistency. If you are unsure of what kinds of food to start with, check out jarred baby food at the grocery store then replicate in your own home. This one idea will save you thousands of dollars over the course of your childs infant and toddler years. To make foods ahead of time, process foods as stated above, then freeze into ice cube trays. When frozen transfer frozen food cubes to a labeled ziplock bag. Take out 1 - 2 cubes and thaw, then feed baby. You can take out an entire days worth in the morning to avoid defrosting before every meal.

I hope these ideas help all parents out their of babies and small children. Remember to always think of your child(ren)’s safety first. As always, please leave your comments so we can all learn how YOU save money!

Be sure to check the other articles for more money saving tips!

Thanks to all!

The  Domestic Goddess

The Domestic Goddess is now published on a website and in an online magazine! Follow the links below to read about saving money while going green and about delicious summer beverages!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1826087/iced_tea_the_original_summertime_beverage.html?cat=22  - this is Associated Content site

http://healyourselftalk.com/magazine/going-green-reducing-household-expenses   -  This is on the Heal Yourself Magazine site. This magazine will be going into print soon!

I hope you enjoy these articles. Look for more articles monthly in www.healyourselfmagazine.com in the Domestic Goddess section!

The Domestic Goddess

I have had some requests to do a post on all natural beauty products. So I did some research to supplement the information that I already had. I do not know how to make homemade eye shadow and lipstick. These recipes and suggestions are all natural altenatives to other beauty products. Most recipes contain ingredients that you already have in the kitchen, making these recipes very inexpensive and affordable.  I hope some of you try at least one of these recipes and comment back and let me know how they worked for you. Include any improvements that you made to the product.

• wrinkle remover: Honey ( yes just plain old honey). Dab onto desired areas, around eyes and mouth for example. Leave on for approximatley 10 minutes, then rinse with warm/hot water. ( I have used this for about 2 years now, and nobody believes that I am 33- everyone thinks i am in my mid to late 20’s. Could just be a coincidence though!)
• Natural Exfoliator: combine 2 tablespoons corn meal, 1/2 cup honey, and 1-2 tablespoons hot water to make a paste. You can mix in aloe gel or olive oil for softening benefits. Rub on with washcloth, rinse with water.
• Homemade Lotion: 1/2 ounce Cocoa Butter (melted), 1 ounce olive oil, 1 ounce orange juice, 2 drops essential oil (orange if possible-smells great and combines well with cocoa butter). Mix all ingredients together. You can put in an reused lotion or squeeze bottle container. I put mine in a redused blue noxema tub with screw on lid. I suggest keeping this in the refridgerator because it will be cool when you put it on and it feels wonderful, especially in the summer time.
• Homemade body oil: 2 parts olive oil, 1 part lemon juice. Mix ingredients and store in airtight container. Does not need refridgeration. Shake well before each use. I use this every night before bed and my skin has never been so soft! I reused an empty lotion container for my body oil.
• lip gloss: this is incredibly easy! This idea is also a great way to use up that last little bit of lipsick that is stuck down in the bottom of the lipstick tube. Scrape out the remaining lipstick and put in a small, microwave safe container. Depending on how much lipstick you use ( you can also use multiple colors to create your own shade), Put in about a tablespoon  of vaseline ( the good old fashion petroleum jelly stuff that all of us have in our medicine cabinet somewhere). Microwave until melted. Watch carefully and microwave about 10 seconds at a time. I would suggest reusing an old Carmex container- the one with the screw on yellow lid. Reuse any container that will easily go into your purse and not leak.

I have found these suggestions are easy to create in my kitchen, very inexpensive to make and work just as well, usually better, than anything I can buy in a store. An added benefit is that I have Eczema, skin allergies and EXTREMELY sensitive skin. I can use all these products and not worry about an allergic reaction. The ingredrients are all natural, therefore not harming my body or our earth. I hope you enjoy these recipes. Leave your comment and let me know how you like them!

The Domestic Goddess

Tonya Ramsey, Jody Maley, and I are co-hosts of  the new and exciting internet radio talk show “Mom’s Coffee Break”!  Our show is premiering June 24, 2009 at 8:00 pm (cst) on blogtalkradio.com. The link will be posted on my website and of course, I encourage you to visit the Mom’s Coffee Break website and get all the info on the new show, as well as read the information. Mom’s Coffee Break is filled to capacity with information, contacts and resources to help you build a business and build yourself!

Come check it out!

The Domestic Goddess

Well, this one is a personal issue/problem. We have Charter Communications in this area of southern wisconsin. I have been having some billing issues and have tried repeatedly to reach somebody to no avail until this morning. It took me three days to reach a live person, was transfered several times, hung up on once, given 3 different toll free numbers to call. I finally started asking for the corporate headquarters phone number and/or the Escalation Department and apparently the customer service people guard these numbers with their lives. I searched online for a half hour and FINALLY found the corporate office phone number. So after all my frustration, tears, anger and rage at this company I have decided to SHARE this phone number with all of you! If you are having trouble with Charter Communications and cannot resolve your issue with customer service or any of the other places they transfer you to, call this number and follow the easy instructions to the ESCALATION DEPARTMENT. That number is:1(314)965-0555. I feel I am doing my part to help all charter communications customers in providing this phone number! I also just filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau…. we shall see what happens there!

Thanks to All!

The Domestic Goddess

Imagine your sitting in your backyard or on the porch, it’s warm outside, the flowers and trees are blooming. The kids are playing and laughing in the yard. Maybe your working on a craft or reading a book. Suddenly, your throat feels dry. Nothing sounds better than an ice cold beverage. Here is the  dilemma: do you reach for an expensive soda, energy drink, or juice? Do you drink water, or could you make your own satisfying beverages for much less money than soda, energy drinks, etc? The answer is Yes.. you can! For years now I have been making homemade lemonade, sun tea, or drinking other inexpensive drinks.

Homemade Lemonade: 1 cup real lemon juice, 1 cup sugar or splenda, 2 quarts cold water. Stir to mix and enjoy! I can buy a 1 quart bottle of 100% lemon juice for between $1.00 and $1.50. A large bag of sugar sells for around $1.49.  This is by far cheaper than store bought juice, contains real lemon juice(which is good for you) and delicious.

Sun Tea: I use a re-used, clean milk jug. I fill this with water and put 5 to 7  Lipton orange-pekoe tea bags in through the top, leaving  the paper tags to hang outside the jug. Let sit in the sun for approximately 4 hours and remove tea bags. Refridgerate and enjoy. You can sweeten with sugar or artificial sweetener, add lemon if you wish or any other add ins. I drink this all summer long and it is very nutritious and delicious. You can use your favorite tea and adjust the amount of tea bags used for weaker or stronger tea.

Kool Aid:   I have been buying generic kool aid for years, usually on sale at 10 for $1.00. You can use real sugar or artificial sweetener, I have used both and recommend using slightly less artificial sweetener as it is stronger. You can’t beat this as it is extremely inexpensive. Obviously if you use sugar it is not “healthy”, however you can use this drink to make homemade popcicles, add gelatin and make homemade jello. It is far better than soda or other sugary drinks. A wide variety of flavors are available to please any tastebuds.

Juice from concentrate or ready made :  In my area a large bottle (around 25 - 32 oz.) sells for between $3.00 and $4.00. You can buy a container of frozen juice concentrate for less than $2.00 and it makes about 2 quarts. Do I need to say more?

I hope these ideas help make your summer most enjoyable and refreshing!

Thanks to all!

The Domestic Goddess