I have to admit, I really love Frozen! If you have not seen it yet, you should- even if you don't have kids! All of the songs are so catchy and the movie plot is great. So with all of the Frozen mania going around I thought I would share a few videos for this edition of Weekend Links that I have come across and think are awesome! Enjoy!
Some other videos of note:
Friday, March 21, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
An Update on E
A response to Your beloved needs you now... and THANK YOU & an Update.
Today I took Everett back to the pediatric pulmonologist for a recheck on his progress. I had both the boys dressed and in the car by 9am and it took us a little shy of 2 hours to get there, we got out and were in the doctor's office for about 45 minutes and then back in the car for the ride home. Although we logged a lot of miles today it was well worth it- we love our doctor and how much he really seems to care about Everett's well being. The doctor asked how Everett was feeling, if he'd had any issues in the past 3 weeks, had he been having trouble using his new inhaler, had there been any need for his rescue inhaler at all, etc. Even though we were there for a shorter period of time for this appointment he was still very thorough. The doctor was very glad to hear that Everett has been doing much better since he has been on the new treatment plan. Everett has been back to his "old self" since his last cough subsided and the new inhaler has been added. In the past he would have been sick by this time again so to have him not be sick was a great step in the right direction. The doctor asked that we keep him on his daily inhaler for another few months (through the spring) and then we will reevaluate his dose. I am so happy that we finally have a diagnosis and aren't floundering around anymore just treating the symptoms and in turn not actually providing him any long lasting relief. Thank you again for all of your kind words, thoughts, and prayers. We truly appreciate everyone of you. Monday, March 17, 2014
FBP: Cleaning Gone Green
Ever since Everett was born I have been rethinking a lot of the choices that we make around our house, specifically anything having to do with chemicals. I do not like the idea that some of the products we use have harsh and harmful ingredients that would definitely cause panic if my children got a hold one of them.
At first I wasn’t sure what to do; I did not want to buy the traditional household cleaners anymore and I also did not want to shell out the big bucks for the green cleaners that I saw on the shelves at the store either. I was worried that I would spend a ton of money for products that I hadn’t heard of before and could potentially not work. I did a little bit of research and found that making my own cleaners would not only be cheaper but safer and effective. Score!
You don’t have to be fancy when making your cleaners, in fact you can clean most areas around your home with a mixture of one-part vinegar and one-part water. Vinegar can do some amazing things and the best part about it is that it is non-toxic and it also works as a disinfectant. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar you can add citrus peels to the mixture, however once the vinegar dries the smell dissipates. For more tips on cleaning with vinegar, check out this link!
Another great item that you can use to clean with is baking soda. You can mix baking soda and water until it becomes a paste and use it in the kitchen and bathrooms as a scrub to remove soap scum or buildup. You can also add baking soda to your laundry to help remove stains and add brightness. Baking soda can also be combined with vinegar (who didn’t love making volcanoes in science class in middle school?!) to create a paste that can be used in on tough stains around the house.
The two items above (three if you count citrus fruit, four if you count water) you probably already have in your home already. How easyis this?! Grab a spray bottle from the cleaning section at your local superstore and you are in business. Want to step it up a bit? While you’re in the cleaning aisle look for liquid castile soap- my personal favorite is Dr. Bronner’s Lavender. This soap is amazing and can be used for so many different purposes! I was going to type up my own list but I found this one on their website that covers more than I even realized: “You can use Dr. Bronner’s soaps for washing your face, body, hands and hair, for bathing, shaving, brushing your teeth, rinsing fruit, aromatherapy, washing dishes by hand, doing laundry, mopping floors, all-purpose cleaning, washing windows, scrubbing toilets, washing dogs, controlling dust mites, and killing ants and aphids.” (Found here.) We use the lavender scented soap as body wash and hand soap at home (check out this dilution chart for instructions) and it smells lovely! This is a product that you will want to have on hand all the time because it is so versatile!
Now that you’ve got your household cleaner made what about the floors? You certainly can use some of the suggestions above however once a year it is important to have your carpets, rugs, tile, and upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Day after day at your home your dead skin cell particles shed from your body and embed into the soft surfaces like couches, carpets, and rugs. If you have pets their hair (along with your own hair) is left in your carpets along with any spilled food or accidents that your children or animals might have had! The daily traffic going in and out of your home can also bring in dirt and germs that can leave stains and be potentially harmful to the health and well-being of your family. Vacuuming will help to remove some of that buildup but it will definitely not remove all of it.
Traditional carpet cleaning uses hot water mixed with soaps containing various chemical agents that leave your carpets heavily saturated with harsh residue. I am excited to have found Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg, a carpet cleaning company that is able to clean carpets, upholstery, and tiled surfaces better than traditional carpet cleaning companies but without the use of high-residue soaps, detergents, shampoos or chemicals. “Zerorez cleaning services are based on its unique Empowered Water technology. Empowered Water is enhanced water that is electrolyzed and oxidized to create a powerful cleaning solution without harmful toxins or chemicals.” (Found here.)
When Aaron, the technician, came to my house he was very friendly and knowledgable. He took the time to explain how the Zerorez system worked and answered my questions. While he was in my home he was careful to protect the walls and provided great customer service. The areas of my home that he cleaned had such amazing results that I can’t keep from telling everyone about their services! Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg is extending an offer to all of my readers of 10% off any service and one free area! Be sure to mention “Not So Average Momma” when booking your service!
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Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!
This post was sponsored by Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg, all content and opinons are my own.
This post originally appeared on Not So Average Momma on Fredericksburg Parent.net!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
FBP: Post Round Up
I am so excited to be FredericksburgParent.net’s Blogger of the Month! When I started this blogging journey a couple of years ago I did not expect for me to not only keep it up this long or to be blogging for one of Fredericksburg’s top online parent resources! I am so happy to be on this “Not So Average Momma” journey and you better believe that I plan to keep on blogging about it!
I thought that I would kick this month’s posts off with a round-up of some of my favorite posts from my blog here as well as my personal blog, Not So Average Momma. These are posts that I have written over the past two years that I thought you would either enjoy reading, learn from, or get to know more about my family and I.
Thoughts: A collection of posts that are my honest thoughts about the some of the trials that I have had being a momma!
- My honest to goodness thoughts on adding a second child to our family
- Life with an ever growing toddler and an infant
- A reconstruction of my view on life...
- The here and now of the Not So Average Momma
- Some honest thoughts on my son’s health battles
Nap Time Craft Time/DIY Tutorials: Check out these posts for some easy do-it-yourself projects, most of which can be done with items you already have in your house and can be completed during naptime!
- These are easy and cheap projects to get the kids involved in and make great gifts!
- This can be done with less than three items and makes a really cute decoration!
- This is one of my favorite DIY projects I have done and can easily be adapted to fit your home decor!
- Save money and help out the environment by whipping up some reusable paper towels!
Lifestyle Posts: These are links to various different things that might make me an “Not So Average Momma.”
- A post about the many benefits of milk sharing.
- Several posts detail the different types of cloth diapers, how to care for them, and why we use them!
- A photo diary of my tattoos… this needs to be updated but most of them are there!
I hope that you will take the time to peruse the links and leave feedback on what you like, don’t like, agree with, disagree with, etc! I love hearing from y’all!
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Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!This post originally appeared on Not So Average Momma on Fredericksburg Parent.net!
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