Green Hair

No, no, no... not GREEN hair but "green" hair, as in going green.
So, if you are anything like me you have heard of several friend who have either heard of, or actually tried for themselves, going "poo free." Frankly, I love that feeling of thick lather in my hair, and running down my back far too much to have seriously considered ditching my shampoo in an effort to be green. Those other option worked so well I thought about it, for about a second and half though. Then I moved on with life, going 'poo free was NOT on this girls to do list.

A few weeks ago things changed. I was 16 weeks pregnant and trying to figure out ways to cut our budget down since I had been told that I will not be allowed to work anymore. Oh my, we were suddenly a one income house. Eeep! My hair has been fair oilier since I became pregnant. But, as I didn't have a job to be to everyday, I figured there was no better time to try to cut out the expense of my shampoo and conditioner.

I collected what I needed for the trial run. The list was short: baking soda, vinegar, a large cup and a spoon. Sound more like a science product that hair care? Yeah, I thought so too. I was unconvinced that this would do me any good. But, I had to try at this point, my partner was watching to see how this worked. So, I soaked my hair in warm water. Then I mixed a little over a tablespoon of baking soda and water in the cup. This was then poured over my hair and left to sit for a couple of minutes. I rubbed the solution into my scalp before rinsing. It felt a little soapy but no lather. Then I rinsed it well with more warm water. My hair felt tangled to me and I was supposed to pour vinegar over it? All I could thing about was how much that was going to hurt to brush out. So, I mixed my vinegar solution to the same strength, a little over a table spoon to a full cup of water. I poured that over my hair and QUICKLY rinsed it away. I am not a fan of the way vinegar smells and was afraid I was going to stink, thought I was calmly assuring my boyfriend that vinegar is odorless when dried.
 
A few minutes later I was standing in front of my bathroom mirror, holding a hair brush and DREADING having to put it to my head. Hesitantly I tried to brush through what looked like a snarled mess, and the brush slid right through. It didn't catch, it didn't pull. To brush my hair after my normal shampoo and conditioner I would need detangler since I have thick curly hair. I was shocked. Since my hair was still wet, I assumed it would look oily when it dried, after all if this was such a wonder cure to awful hair, wouldn't everyone know about it? So, I braided my wet hair and went to bed. My partner even commented about how good my hair smelled and that it didn't smell like vinegar at all, we were both surprised. The next morning, not only was my hair not oily but it wasn't frizzy either.

I had my boyfriend pick up condiment bottles for me the next day. I mixed up my baking soda "shampoo" bottle and my vinegar "conditioner" bottle. For the last two and a half weeks I have been 'poo free and my hair is just getting better and better. This is not because I am pregnant, because up until I went 'poo free I was ready to CHOP OFF my "pregnant" hair which had become unmanageable. I can now blow dry my hair and walk away without the extra 30-50 minutes spent with my flat iron. I've NEVER been able to skip the flat iron before.

So here's the deal, if you are very interested in Going Green, or living on a tight budget, or you have hair that is hard to deal with, or frizzy hair, or dry hair, or you just like a good science experiment you should try this. If you give it two weeks the worst thing that can happen is that you miss the lather of your shampoo, the best case is that you realize that you can save money, the planet and time spent on styling better hair.

All you need is two bottles I like the picnic style condiment bottles with the narrow spout though old shampoo or conditioner bottles would work too. Then mix your solution in each about 1 tablespoon of baking soda (for shampoo) or 1 tablespoon of vinegar (for conditioner) per eight ounces of water. I used 24 ounce bottles and a bottle of baking soda solution lasts me about 2 weeks and the vinegar solution loos like it will last me about twice as long. Make sure that you use baking soda first and always follow it up with vinegar which balances the ph of your hair. If you really don't like vinegar for your acid, I have heard of people switching it out for lemon juice.

If you decide to try this let me know how it goes! I know I was impressed. :)

Authentic Living... starting down your personal road to happieness.

     What is authentic living for you? I suspect that every person out there has a different discription of what is really "them" than I do. Afterall, if we all were meant to work from 9 to 5 in a desk job and eat a meat and potatoes dinner with a side of veggie everynight before watching the same show and turning in early for bed, the world would be a lot simpler and far, far less interesting. So, what is right for you? First let me tell you the things that are right for me, maybe it will get your wheels turning.
     For starters I had to think, what thing make me proud to be me? I was stumped at first. Afterall I have spend several years fighting so hard to be someone that I am not, that I forgot that I was proud of myself. So, I took some time to think. What used to make me happy, what used to make me proud. I was a good cook and a baker, that was always a good feeling, making wonderful food for the people I care about. I love to write, when I was a teenager I was writing a book, and my friends would always beg me for the next chapter. Yep, that made me proud for sure, I felt like the book wrote itself but it still made me feel good that others loved the story so much. I love my artistic abilities, so that too had to play a part. I also love helping people, it makes the whole world a better place.
     I now had somewhere to start. I opened an Etsy shop (I'll be posting a few of the first items later today.) I started blogging agian, with three different areas cover, since my interests are too wide to be easily summed up in one place. More than all of that I have started baking, in ernest again. The love of my life is allergic to wheat and I have begun to learn the art of gluten free baking. I also have taken a part-time nanny job to help make ends meet. It will be wonderful to work with a baby again, to watch another person come into themselves.
     So, what have I given up to live a happier and less stressful life? I live on a tighter budget. Sometimes it stresses me out and sometimes I feel guilty that my love is picking up the slack now that I am the one of us making less money. The gains though are so much more than that though. I am happier, less stressed and better rested. My relationship is blossoming as I am remembering who I am and happier with myself. There are tough moments when you  have to look at the vast differences between where you are heading and where you were heading and where you want to be ultimately in life.
    If you want to be happier the answer is simple really. It won't happen over night and it will take work and commitment.


1.) First sit down with a pen and paper and in a quiet place. I want you to think about the things that made you happiest in life (sorry, the double fundge brownie ice cream doesn't count.) Do you like to cook for friends, or run, or walk in the park, or draw, or write, or learn new things. I want you to come up with at least three things that are now or have at some point been very special to you.
2.) Find a little time each week to pursue these things. Also consider, in what way can you use one of your passions to help the people around you or a cause you believe in. Work on a plan to do so.
3.) Each day do something to help someone you know (they don't have to know it was you helping them) and help one person you do know. This could be as simple as holding a door for a mom with a couple of little kids in tow or more involved, like mowing an ill neighbors lawn for them. When other people respond to your kindness you will start feeling proud of being the one to help them.
4.) This may sound silly to some people but keep your chin up, look people in the eye and smile as much as you can. You have nothing to hide for, be proud of yourself and share yourself with other.


This is only a small start but these little changes will help you start changing the way you see yourself and the way you see your world. It's not going to get you to a rainbows and butterflies existance but it will add a little sunshine to your average day.


So here's to you being you and embracing who you really are!

When things look up...

My day was busy from the moment I woke up and now I'm so ready to crash. I woke up knowing I had an interview for a nannying possition and an appointment with a potential business partner all before noon. I sat down with my day planner (I have to admit running your own business means you and going to NEED one of these) and made sure I had every engagement for the next two weeks marked down. turns out my schedule is already getting pretty full. Everything went well and this is why I think that happened:


I have started going out into the world every morning wanting to know how I can help people. Some people think it's karma. Maybe it is but maybe it's just that people can see that you are out there working to benefit other and want to help you in return. What ever it is I know that it works.


A week ago I was beginning to feel hopeless in my latest business venture. I went out there thinking how I needed to make money and wondering who I could get to help me out with that. Truthfully people are turned off by this and I completely understand. I would be too.


So, I took a moment and reevaluated my outlook. I went on craigslist (I really didn't know where to start and figured it was as good a place as any.) I looked for people who were looking for something I might be able to help. I have a rather diverse skill set and a true desire to help people, I always have. Here's what I did. I'm not telling because I want people to know I'm out there "helping the world" but showing how you can find a few good fits for you that will change your life for the better and someone elses too.
-Last weekend I found a few people in need of things that I was storing. Giving my things away helped me and just as much I think it helped these people as well.
-I found a family looking for childcare for what I thought was a temporary thing. As it turns out they need someone long term. At first I wasn't sure if this is what I wanted but I got to thinking... how long have I been talking about working with kids again, about how much I miss that? So, I went on the interview. We just clicked. This couple and their family is a perfect fit for me. I can help them with very affordable childcare, even "nanny" care for less than day care. I will get to work with kids and still have time to work my "real job" or income earning business too.
-I set up a plan to spend more time with my neices and nephew that live in town. Their mom has her hands full as a parent with three small children and I know she needs more support. I miss these kids when I don't make it over often. So, I fixed these things, one day a week I will help with these beautiful kids, get to build a strong bond with them as their Auntie and give their Mom a little extra much needed time away.


With those few things I feel like a whole new person again. Working my other job I lost track of who I was and became just an extension of my job. Today, I saw myself in the mirror again. The family I met this morning and my future business partner commented on certain qualities I haven't heard mentioned in a long time.


So this is my one and only tip for the day. It's not "green" but it is healthy.


~Look for ways to help others everyday!~


It will make someone elses life better and knowing you did that will make you feel a teeny bit like a hero.
Now, it's off to bed for me, it's been a very, very long and wonderful day and I am exhausted.

Brown paper packages wrapped up with string!!!

Okay, so maybe it's a little less glamorous than all of that but I am expecting two packages to be delivered today. I'm so excited!!! They have all of the Melaleuca products I ordered for my demo kit and switching over my home! There is laudry brightener (think clorox 2) which may not seem like a big deal but I can't wait to see it work. There is also all sorts of cleaning stuff and new food stuff to try and an anti-aging product to try. (I know it is an odd additction to have at 26 but I LOVE anti-aging products and my mama says this stuff is AWESOME!) There is so much coming in and I just can't wait to open the boxes and look at EVERYTHING! I AM SO EXCITED!!!


Okay... deep breath. Every time the dogs have barked or growled all day I have jumped and ran to the door. No postal guy has been there with my boxes yet.


So, it's back to business building I suppose. Though my day is actually winding down. I'm so excited about this stuff that I need to remember to relax when I talk about it. I get so excited that I talk fast and get over exuberant. I think it scares people a little, but I really think this is just that cool.


So, here some healthy idea's for your family for today:
To get moving:
-Take those beautiful doggies out in the world for a walk! It's spring and everyone does well with a little fresh air! It's beautiful in Bellingham today. No pets? No problem! There is so much to look at with all of the trees budding and early flower coming up that you are sure to enjoy it anyway.
To eat:
-Here is something new to try if you haven't yet, Polenta. It's amazing and a great alternative to pasta, especially in those wheat free households out there. Last night we made a HUGE batch. It was wonderful. One serving has 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and 8% of your daily iron. You can buy it pre-made and just slice it and cook it that way. (This is what our family usually does.) The other day though I saw a good sized bag of dry polenta for only $2.50, so I decided to make it myself. It was easy to cook and it was so smooth it was almost creamy. They tell you to pour it into a bowl to set it, but I tried muffin tins. It worked out perfectly! It makes portion control easy and they look beautiful when turned.
-Serve it with your favorite pasta sauce on top and a little shredded parmesean for a fabulous simple dinner. I like to serve it with a chunky sauce, so I used jarred organic pasta sauce, then add two small cans of mushrooms (with the water they are packed in for flavor), a can of black olives sliced, turkey italian sausage, and of course (after all this is my family) lots of extra garlic.
To keep it Green:
-Donate old cell phones. There is mercury in electronics that is causing damage to our planet when we throw them out. If you hold on to them because you know not to throw them out they end up cluttering the back of sock drawers or closet shelves or kitchen counters for ages. You can donate cell phones to several different charities. There are some who provide old cell phones to soldiers as a means to communicate with families, this is awesome! There is another organization (the one I am going to talk more about today) that give cell phones to people who may need to contact 911 quickly. This could be domestic violence victims or others who need to be able to get ahold of 911 easily. You can keep your planet cleaner, you house un-cluttered, and your community safer. It sounds like a win-win-win to me! This organization is  http://www.911cellphonebank.org/ you can also call and schedule a pick up and the will come get the phone from you. The number for that is 866-290-7864.  
Hope one or more of these quick tips sparked your interest today!
(still no package and it's 5pm)

Chemical Pregnancy, what exactly is it?

This last week has been a bit odd. I found out I was pregnant. I was shocked that it happened so fast and very, very excited. I was so excited in fact that I convinced the love of my life that we should tell everyone. I'm not really sad to have told the world, even considering how things turned out. Two days after having my possitive test result, I tested again. I did this test just to see the lines getting darker faster. Some part of me needed to see that my hormone levels were going up. Though, days had passed since my possitive test there was no line showing up in the test window. At first I decided that since it was still early, maybe it would still take a while... so I walked away. Three minutes passed. No line. Then the 10 minute marked passed (test results after 10 minutes are invalid) and there was still no line. I was shocked. I had been worried about early miscarriage, after all I've been through this literally more than half a dozen times now. Somehow though, I was still in shock. I ran a bath and sat there thinking about how I was going to tell Nick. I didn't tell him when he first came in. After a while I let him know... we thought of all the reasons this test must have been wrong, all of the ways I could still possibly be pregnant.
Over the course of the day I noticed I was a little less hungry than I had been for the last week, and I didn't have to pee as often. In the back of my head I kept trying to explain it away... maybe it was because I ate too much the day before, maybe I wasn't drinking that many fluids. After we arrived home I asked to go to the store, for more tests, better tests. After we came home I went and took an ept. These are supersensitive, I reasoned, it would show up for sure.  This test had a digital read out. On one hand it's nice that you can't fool yourself. On the other hand, when those printed words "Not Pregnant" start flashing at you, it sort of feel like being punched in the gut. After that test I felt sort of numb.
I did what I do best when faced with something I have no control over. Research, yes research, is something that brings me great comfort. Even if I can't explain why something happened, I can tell if it's normal for it to happen, how it happened, what exactly happened, etc. It makes me feel better.


Here are some of the facts that I found about chemical pregnancy:


- It is a pregnancy, sort of. The egg is fertilised and starts to implant but dies before it finishes.


-Any pregnancy confirmed by chemical means (either blood or urine tests) but never by ultra sound, that then fails is considered a chemical pregnancy.


-Several things can make it happen, hormonal imbalance, genetic anomalies, unadequate uterine lining, among others.


-Doctors quote numbers between 50 and 75% of pregnancies as ending this way, most people just don't know it happened.


-Some doctors say every woman will experience this in her life time, most just won't know it.


-If you don't take an early detection test you will most likely never know about this happening.


I know that from here on out I will be avoiding taking tests early. I will wait until I am late, because at that point the chances of a healthy pregnancy are much, much higher. I also am trying some natural aids that are supposed to help people who have experienced multiple chemical pregnancies. (Who knew there even was such a thing?) If it doesn't help over the next few months then I guess it will be off to the doctors for me.


I also wanted to add a link to another blog today. This is for my friends little girl who has some serious health problems. Please check it out.  autumnsstory.blogspot.com

Power of the Positive!

Positive pregnancy test that is... I got a positive pregnancy test on Friday, which was April fools day of course. I had to wait to tell most people until yesterday because I didn't want anyone one to think it was an April fools joke. I'm really excited to finally be a mom and still a little unsure if I can trust this to "stick." I have a long history of early miscarriages. I know that most people who have suffered with the repeated loss of pregnancies choose not to share their pregnancy until after the first trimester when the risk of losing the baby drops dramatically. I am though, going to treat this like it is forever everyday that I have. I love feeling supported and loved by my friends and family. It means a lot to me also that if something were to happen this time or any time in the future, that my friends will know why I am sad. Again, I am hoping with all I'm worth that this ends in a beautiful baby on or at least near December 12th this year. So, I'm taking extra good care of myself with healthy snacks, plenty of fluids, lots of rest, a little light excercise, and of course the best prenatal vitamin available.


Now... on to being green. I am going to keep this brief today since I've already run on a bit about the exciting news in  my life and I'm quite sleepy after a day out in the frest air.
Today, the change that I made for my world today was to "go local." While I know that this isn't quite the same as "going green" it is important that we support our local communities and the small businesses that (hopefully) flourish there. When buying perishable food items this often means fresher and less preserved food. In my home one of us has a gluten intolerence so we tried Bellingham Flatbread, they make an amazing gluten free flat bread. I'm quite picky about my breads and this was just plain amazing! I'm glad my room mate found this yummy locally made snack.


For myself, I made an effort to get out in the direct sunlight while I was doing some light yard work. This did two good things for me. In the pacific northwest we suffer an amazing rate of vitamin D deficiency and one way to help with that is to get out and get a little sun on a daily basis. I also got some light excercise. On top of all that I got to help a friend with her yard a little and hopefully make her day a little brighter.


I would love to hear what some of you have done this week to be a little healthier or happier... please share with me!   :)

Ah... The power of the clean slate!

Hello World!


I'm the Green Eyed Girl and I'm out to change the world... one little bity choice at a time. I know we can do it! I know a lot of people would love to in theory but then they forget to make little changes. So here, on this blog I would love to share a few small ideas that will help you change your life and your world for the better with just a little bit of effort or a little extra thought.


Some people may even be overwhelmed by the idea of having to "Go Green." It might be expensive. It might be a lot of work. The truth is that if you were to change EVERYTHING you do and the way you do it right now, it would be both of those things. But, what if every person out there made one small change today for the planet such as taking a reusable cup to the coffee shop or switching reusable totes out for plastic bags on their weekly shopping trip. One small change would make a BIG difference! The same goes for our health and wellness. What if you decided today that you would buy organic spinach instead of regular tonight for your dinner? You would eliminate as many as 48 pesticides from the meal you are sharing with your family. What if you decided to go with a friend or your family for a nice stroll? If you walk at a nice easy pace (really slow for most people but I figured I'd make this easy) for a half an hour today you would burn and average of about 150 calories. It doesn't sound like much does it? The thing I found most amazing about this though is that if you take that same walk five days a week for a year you will burn an average of 10 pounds. Plus, the time spent walkind and chatting with the people you care about will help you stay connected and build deeper relationships. Sound like a good trade off? I think so.