Seventh Generation *Giveaway*

Disclosure – I am participating in the Seventh Generation program by Mom Central Canada.  I received compensation as a thank you for my participation.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

 

Before I had kids, I didn't put a lot of thought into what I cleaned my house with.  I usually let my nose lead the way.   I didn't go out of my way to choose eco-friendly cleaning products.  After I had Emmett and had to learn to deal with his very sensitive skin and asthma symptoms, I started to explore different options to help him feel better.  This started with using cloth diapers, as the chemicals in most disposable diapers caused him to have severe rashes.  I had to change to unscented laundry products and shampoos and body washes as well.  Then, as he learned to move around and explore his world I realized that everything he touched went in to his mouth (That is Rookie Mom 101).  I started to look more carefully at what I was putting into our home environment.  I started to phase out my usual cleaners for safer options.

This is why I was really excited to have the opportunity to give Seventh Generation Cleaning products a try recently.

Here are the products I tried and my impressions of them:

•  All-purpose cleaner:  Unscented, non-toxic and biodegradable. De greased the underside of my range hood with very little effort.  Shined my stainless steel tea kettle beautifully. (It is a permanent fixture on my stove top so it gets grungy quickly.)

• Natural 2X Concentrated Laundry Liquid:  Lavender eucalyptus smells amazing. The detergent is non-toxic, biodegradable and uses plant-derived cleaning agents.   Clothes were left very clean, with no lingering perfume odor.  Stinky shirts and nighttime "accident" bedding were left clean and fresh.

• Free and Clear Automatic Dishwasher Gel:  Unscented, phosphate-free and contains no chemicals containing chlorine. Left dishes very clean.  Silverware sparkled.

• Free and Clear Diapers:  Hypoallergenic. Chlorine and latex-free.Lasted overnight with no leakage.

• Chlorine-Free Baby Wipes:  Dye and fragrance-free.  Uses plant-based cleaning agents and contains no chemicals containing chlorine.  Soft on the skin, effective for cleaning up my messy boy.

Believe me when I tell you I tested the laundry detergent very thoroughly!

If you join the 7th Gen Nation, you’ll have access to coupons, special offers and great tips for green and healthy living.  You can find them on Facebook too!  Take a break from playing Sims and "Like" them while you are there.

I want to give you  chance to win a 100% organic cotton Seventh Gen Eco lunch bag as well as coupons for a FREE package of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers, Free & Clear Baby Wipes and dish washing products so you can try them for yourself. Just leave me a tip for living a more eco-friendly life in the comments.  

If you want more entries in my draw, tweet a link this post and or "Like" my blog Facebook, and then come back and let me know you did that.

Give away is open to residents of Canada only, and the contest closes on September 16th.

Little Things

Before.  Messy messy!!

I have a cabinet in my kitchen that holds my glass mixing bowls, baking pans, and casserole dishes.  The top shelf is a catch-all for random office supplies and coupons and other odds and ends.  It always looked cluttered, even when I tidied it up.  I hit my breaking point this week and tried to figure out a solution.  I posted this picture on Facebook and got some excellent feedback from some creative friends.  I took the opportunity to go shopping this afternoon since my kids were off with a couple of Grandmas.

I ended up in the Big Craft Store down the street and found out they have a whole aisle dedicated to organizing crafting things.  I found what I needed, rounded up Richard's drill (and was delighted to find the battery still had power in it), put on an episode of Rizzoli and Isles and set to work.

After.  Neat and tidy!

I want to get some adhesive vinyl and make a tree grow up the drawers to break up the stark whiteness of the storage cube, but aside from that I am very happy.  Everything has a place and I don't have to stare at random piles of junk anymore.

A little thing can make a big difference, can't it?

Anthropoligical Study

While I was away at camp, our long-awaited new-er car came home from it's trips to the auto body shop and mechanic.

We bought this car at an insurance auction in the very early Spring, while there was still snow on the ground.  I have been waiting a very long time for this vehicle.

It is kind of interesting to buy a car at an auction.  You get it completely as is.  The previous owners literally walked away from this car and left a lot of stuff behind.  Here is what I know about the previous owners of my new-er car:

• They had a pet with a lot of very long white hair who liked to travel.
• They really loved the black tree-shaped air fresheners.  (After removing around five of them from the rear view mirror I am now paranoid about what sorts of odors they were covering up and when I will discover them)
• Given the sheer number of ponytail holders found all over the car, they had at least one girl.
• They are missing one pink glove.
• The driver liked Tim Horton's.
• They preferred Crayola crayons.
• Someone had a Nintendo DS, and they are missing their hard-sided case. (Emmett thought that was awesome.  Free DS Case with purchase!) 
• They liked eating crackers in the backseat.
• and oranges
• and raisins
• Someone smoked, but not very often in the car.  The ashtray was a little bit dirty, but there were no telltale stains on the ceiling of the car and no scorch marks anywhere.
• They didn't use the change caddy for money, but preferred to melt candy in it instead.
• A lot of sticky drinks were splashed around. (8 cup holders, ALL sticky)
• They used their car as an instrument for auditory torture did not have the same taste in music that we have. (Celine Dion, Nickleback, and Kidz Bop CDs were all left in the car.)

When I first saw the condition of the interior (and that was after Richard cleared out the fast food fliers and random papers and some garbage strewn about) I thought "These people are slobs!  How could they let their car get so dirty??"  And then I cast my eye around the Big Blue Dustbuster that I currently drive and realized that because it wasn't MY junk, I noticed it so much more.  When you fill your car with garbage bit by bit, I don't think you really notice how much is piling up until it reaches a critical mass.

What does your car say about you?