Category Archives: Kids

GUEST PRESENTATION AT SCHOOL – DIY FUN!!!

My daughter, Taylor, attends a super cool school called Cedar Hall.  It’s a school on a farm!  The classical learning style helps develop a love of reading, learning and exploring.  
The hands-on “farm” learning teaches the students about life and gives application to what they are learning.  
WE LOVE IT!
 
I was honored last week when I was invited to do a demo and show the kids how easy it is to make chemical-free common household (and school) products. 
 
 IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!
The entire Middle School.
 
As you can see, I pulled out my stash of goodies from my “chemistry lab” and handed out a sheet with the recipes for them to follow.
Are YOU curious as to what we made???
Well, I thought I’d be a nice blogger and share with you 🙂

(click for recipe)
 
(click for recipe)
We made hand soap and all-purpose spray for both the girls and the boys bathrooms.  Each decided on the essential oil “flavor” they wanted.
(click for recipe)
 
TOOTHPASTE
We all made a batch to take home and try out. 
* 1 part Baking Soda
* 1 part Coconut Oil
* 5-10 drops of essential oil:
peppermint  spearmint  eucalyptus  grapefruit
lemon  lime  cinnamon  rosemary  orange
* And everyone gets their own toothpaste container! 
 
NO DOUBLE DIPPING IN MY TOOTHPASTE!!! 
The spearmint was the most popular, followed by peppermint and orange.  A few tried cinnamon and we decided it “tasted” like those Christmas cinnamon brooms… 
so not for me.
I did warn the kids that this tasts/feels salty because of the baking soda.  Add more coconut oil if you want and you can add a little stevia or sugar to sweeten it… but that seems weird to me because we are trying to remove sugars from our teeth, but some recipes add it.  
Check out how easy this is on my DIY Toothpaste video.


 Right now Tropical Traditions has their Coconut Oil on Sale!
This is no doubt the best quality you can get and I absolutely LOVE this awesome company.  
Click HERE to take a look and buy.

STUFF TO KNOW ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS
* Citrus oils pul toxins out of plastics and should only be used with glass.
* Essential oils should not be used undiluted on the skin.  Some can be used with “carrier oils, waxes,     butters, alcohols, or other diluting measures
* Do not take essential oils internally – especially wintergreen and eucalyptus
* If you’re allergic to a food, you will be allergic to that oil.
* Most essential oils are high in antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral properties… good for cleaning!
* If you use product on a child under 5 yrs, use half the amount of essential oils
* Always test a small area of your skin first to make sure it isn’t  going to irritate your skin
Click HERE for other DIY Products I make!
I buy all of my DIY products from 
They have an impressive amount of high quality brands to choose from, with such a LOW price!  Shopping HEALTHY, NATURAL, and ORGANIC doesn’t have to be expensive!  
Check them out HERE and order a few Essential Oils to start your own Homemade Collection!
And if you’ve never shopped with Swansons before you will get a $5 coupon as a THANK YOU for choosing them!
Here are some of the wonderful products that came to my door last week from SwansonVitamins.com
Tis the season!
LOVE THIS!
Frankincense & Myrrh!
My absolute favorite Natural Deodorant!
Finally something that works!
Makes the winter season a little less cold (along with my UGGs!)
Go shop and I’d love to know what you pick up!
Goodbye for now,

HEADFLOATER™

This is such an exciting time!
 
TheMethod Pilates 
has some amazing new products that we all should take advantage of.

 

HeadFloater™

This is a brilliant, simple looking headband with bungees that you pull to create compression around the head.  It’s hard to explain until you’ve tried it, but it feels so good and does so much good for the neck, shoulders, and spine when it’s used.

Short term use:  It relieves neck pain and shoulder tension!  After using it, my head feels lighter.

Long term use:  It will correct “Head Forward Syndrome”

Pre-Workout use: I use the HeadFloater in the morning and before bed, but this week I found a new need for it… right before I workout!  Occasionally I will do kettlebell swings in the morning for a quick, muscle confusing, full body workout.  I usually do 100 swings and then eat breakfast.  Well, on this particular morning I thought it would be good to use my HeadFloater after my swings.  So I did.  When I stood up after using it, I thought, “NOW I feel like I’m ready to do swings.”  My posture felt right and my back felt more engaged (very important for kettlebell swings), so I did a few more swings… 100 more because I felt strong and balanced – more so than the first set.

 

I already knew that HeadFloater sets your head correctly above your body after the use, but this experienced opened my eyes to its value along side exercise.  No matter what type of exercise you do, good posture is important to keep the body safe and to work the muscles you are intending on working!

Oh, I should tell you:  This takes less than 5 minutes to use and fits in your purse or desk drawer.  Could not be easier to get an adjustment whenever you need!

So there. PURCHASE HeadFloater TODAY!- $35  Take it to the gym and use it before your next class or session or pull it out after a long, stressful conference call or hours bent over at the computer… or after an uncomfortable flight or a bad night sleep.  

HeadFloater in Pilates Style Magazine – Full Article HERE

TYE4®
The other SUPER EXCITING THING hitting fitness now is the TYE4.  The more I use it, the more I LOVE it… and so does everyone else!
More about it HERE.
 
My kids have been begging to use it and I kept saying (especially to my 8 yr old) “It just won’t fit you.”  Well he really wanted to try, so I thought I’d show him I was right….  OOOPS, I was wrong and it did adjust to his size!  I had to grab my camera becasue my kids were having so much fun playing with it and being creative.  Watch this 40 sec. video and remember, I gave them NO instruction! (Of course they have watched me use it)

PURCHASE TYE4 wearable resistance system HERE.  Workout at home and add momentum to your workouts for faster results!
FULL TYE4 VIDEO WORKOUTs ARE AVALIBLE IN THE 840WEST ONLINE COACHING GROUP!

Join our Online Coaching Group ($10/month) and get more full workout videos, coaching, encouragement and a fun social online space to connect with others in this game to be more healthy and fit! Click HERE for more info!!

finalposter
 
 

REVIEWS

SUPPLEMENT PRODUCTS Advocare
NIKE FREE SHOES with TYE4®
COLOSSEUM FITNESS APPAREL
MASTIHA SHOP IN NYC Healthy from Greece
FROZEN ELECTROLYTE BAR PowerICE
FILTERED WATER BOTTLE AquaGear
TYE4®  WEARABLE RESISTANCE  TheMethod Pilates
HEADFLOATER™ from TheMethod Pilates
DIAMOND CANDLES a ring in every candle
SANDBELL from Hyperwear
ZING ANYTHING water bottles
EDEN SALVE from Bulk Herb Store
EDEN SALVE DIY KIT from Bulk Herb Store
COCONUT OIL from Tropical Traditions
GALLON COCONUT OIL from Tropical Traditions
LADERA GRANOLA

CODE ONE CPR

DIY TICK REPELLENT


Spring is here and my kids are running around in the woods every chance they get.  They love exploring, hiking, and camping.  They have established clubs and hideouts within the trees and bushes behind our house.  
There are so many reasons I love them playing outside –
Adventure. Imagination. Being familiar and comfy in nature.
 But one thing makes me go “EW”…
 
TICKS!
YUCK! YUCK! YUCK!
Well today I’m happy because our homeschool science class learned about ticks and then made  
HOMEMADE TICK REPELLENT!!!
It’s chemical free, non-toxic, natural and so easy to make – I thought I’d share!
What We Used
1 cup water
squirt bottle
2 cups distilled white vinegar
15-20 drops of essential oil……..
 Lavender, Eucalyptus, Peppermint 
(use less peppermint if used on young kids)
If you want to learn more about icky ticks, read
by the TickEncounter Resource Center
 
Oh, don’t forget to make homemade 
“itch cream” to heal bug bits and stings.  Instructions HERE.
 
ENJOY THE SEASON!

Homemade Laundry soap

 LAUNDRY SOAP making day  
the reason…
  1. It’s Non-Toxic 
  2. Chemical Free
  3. Dye Free
  4. Quick & Easy to make
  5. and CHEAP!!!!
Here are a few cost comparisons:
  • Tide with Bleach powder…..$0.21 per load
  • Arm & Hammer liquid………$0.21 per load
  • Homemade powder……………$0.05 per load

 

*This recipe makes 32 oz of detergent – $2.98 – 64 loads
*Use 1 TBSP per load2 for really dirty loads

 
Here is what I used:
Fels-Naptha = $1.99
 
[You can also use Pure & Natural, Zote, or an Ivery bar]
Step 1  
Grate the entire soap bar.
Step 2
Add 1 cup of Washing Soda
 
Step 3
Add 1 cup of BORAX
Step 4
Stir together
Step 5
Store it in a container and label it!
I don’t want my kids sprinkling this over their tacos. 
It kinda look like grated cheese!
Next time I will make the liquid version of this homemade soap!
This is a great job for your kiddo’s.  
They’ll love it and you get soap out of it!  
Win Win.