With the exception of dishwasher soap and dish soap, I haven’t bought conventional cleaning products in years. I make homemade laundry detergent, and I rely on vinegar and elbow grease to clean just about everything else.  Choosing the homemade route saves us (lots of) money and reduces the amount of toxins washed down the drain.  [...]

As a Homemade Mother, I am constantly looking for ways to streamline my life.  Stuff isn’t good for our home, and it isn’t good for the planet, either.  Getting by on less really is so refreshing.  I hate clutter, so I’m always bringing unused items to Goodwill or selling things on Ebay.  I do my [...]

I can’t believe my sweet little Vivian is now 6 months old.  How time flies!!  I still so clearly remember the morning of her birthday – I had no idea that she was about to be born!  And now she is grabbing everything and smiling with friends and strangers.  Her newest trick is sitting up, [...]

Lately I’ve been feeling like I need to keep a slightly tighter reign on the day-to-day flow of our family.  We are settling into a new home and a new back-to-school routine, and I need a better balance between work and life.  I’ve always believed that kids thrive on a predictable routine, and it is [...]

“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and – SNAP – the job’s a game!” – Mary Poppins Chris takes Mack to a couple classes on Friday mornings, so while Vivian naps I have a two blissful and quiet hours to myself.  In my fantasy [...]

I was interviewed for an article about green cleaning in a recent issue of USA Today.  I feel so passionately about the importance of cleaning with simple homemade solutions.  Not only does making my own cleaning products save lots of money, but its infinitely healthier for my family and the planet.  Not to mention the [...]

We don’t have much dry cleaning.  My husband wears jeans or athletic shorts to work every day, and my usual uniform consists of yoga pants or leggings or, if I’m feeling fancy, jeans.  I’m very grateful for this as dry cleaning is expensive, and the spooky chemicals involved can’t be good for anyone.  Dry cleaning [...]

Poor Evie.  She woke up several times last night thanks to an icky stomach bug, and we’ve been cleaning up the mess ever since.  Fortunately, I’ve got some homemade tools in my arsenal that make cleaning up midnight vomit a little easier – all purpose vinegar spray (the same one I use to clean the [...]

Like most college students, my roommates and I had a hodgepodge collection of kitchenware in our house.  Mismatched silverware, chipped plates, random mugs – basically, whatever our parents no longer needed in their kitchens came to school with us.  This included a wide selection of scratched pots and pans, some of which were coated with [...]

We are leaving tomorrow for a much needed – and, might I say, much deserved! – vacation.  Ever since my husband quit his corporate job 2 1/2 years ago to build his own businesses we’ve been working non-stop.  We’re lucky if we have one day a week to spend as a family. Whenever we leave [...]