When Shay started getting into the acting bit last summer, I made her cry. I was laughing, but technically, at her, since she wasn't laughing too. See, I tried to have her prepare a little song in case she needed it for the audition. She sang, and it was T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E! I thought she was kidding. I swear, it made my ears hurt to listen to it. I have a horrible voice, and even that, I tried to have her match my pitch and she just couldn't do it. I felt so bad for her. She thought she sounded great. I was doing her hair, and I saw a tear roll down her cheek as I laughed. I quickly told her that I thought she was laughing with me, and honestly, I never meant to laugh AT her. I explained that I am terrible at other things, and I laugh at myself for my lack of ability. However, I figured that with enough drive, she could do anything she put her mind to.
I hooked her up with her G-d Mother, Aunt Rachel, and within a few minutes in a bathroom, she learned how to draw out her vowels and how to breath, and began to sing without the use of her nose. She could definitely benefit from more lessons, hint hint my dear Rache', however, she has this love of singing and nowadays, I ask her to sing for me, as her voice makes my day better. The joy she shares makes me warm inside.
Today, while I was an hour late and a dollar short for her acting class, we decided to stop in as the class was dismissing since Shay worked all week on a little heart felt gift for her acting coach. Ms. Tisha always remembers each of the children's birthdays, even my sons- and he isn't even in her classes! Shay was so eager to make a little card and craft gift, so there was no way I would have thought to take that gifting opportunity away from her. Shay gives her gift to Ms. Tisha, and then Ms. Tisha comments that Shay's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" rendition was missed in class, and that she should keep working on her songs this week. I jumped in to brag on Shay, as she is way too humble. Shay actually practices her songs and lines (if she has any) each and every day. She is incredibly self motivated, and while she is amazing at memorizing lines and songs, she has a long way to go before she takes on larger roles.
Ms. Tisha said something to the effect, "You are getting ready for a lead part, huh?" I quickly nixed that. I want Shay to have opportunities, but not before mastering the craft, the art, in due time. She is seven, and while I love that she is so passionate about the theater, she has soooooo far to go in her acting development. We were driving home, and I turned the radio off. I wanted Shay to know that I believe in her, but I also recognize her limits and believe that with hard work, her limits are as near or far as she allows them to be. As a mom, being loving and honest at the same time are a challenge. A dance between spirit crushing and motivational is not my forte', but I think I nailed this one.
I have spent years applauding every single minute detail in her brother's life. And now, dude expects a full on ticker tape parade if he flushed the toilet without me reminding him. If he washes his hands, and USES the soap, I believe he will be awaiting his Disney World tickets. I have stopped all that in recent times, but it took eight years of screwing up before I realized that I can love my children honestly, and they will trust me when I say, "Good job." I told Shay that I was proud of her for trying. I am proudest of her failures when she gave it her all, stepped out of her comfort zone, or does something for herself. I refuse to offer false hope to her, or any child. I play to win, and have seen her learn more in an hour of losing tic-tac-toe than in a game that I gave away.
I don't want my children to grow up and say that I made it too easy for them. I hope to one day release two individuals into the world that will be better equipped to handle life for the child hood they were given. I'm sure that the term "tiger-mom" comes to mind, but it's not like that. I push. I am honest. I am fair. But above all- I am loving. And I lovingly guide my children to realistic goals and pray that I stay far from crushing spirits as I give them flight.
PS If you ever see her, ask her to sing you EVERY verse of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." I bet you had never heard more than half of the verses! And if you are her Aunt Rachel, you might want to spend some extra time with your aptly named G-d daughter in a bathroom in the near future. ;o)
Feb 15, 2014
Feb 3, 2014
Adventures Shares Oil Pulling
I know I will regret this, but I am exhausted and just wanted to publish this post tonight. If you don't know what oil pulling is- look it up, and then come back to read my daily account of how I began. Essentially, it is an ancient practice of putting the highest quality of vegetable oil in your mouth and slowly swishing it around for up to twenty minutes for the maximum health benefits derived from using this as a full body detox process as well as an oral hygiene boost. The benefits I have read about range from helping diabetes to skin disorders, and most everything in between. I posted to Facebook that I was considering it and out of the few that have done it, only one said she couldn't do it due to vomiting. I am here to say that I learned of this practice one two years ago, and the thought of putting oil in my mouth freaked me out so badly, I had to wait until now to get the nerve up to do it. And, I did vomit the first time. Persistence paid off, and I have not had any issues since that day.
Let's do this backwards… I will tell you that I don't know what day I am on, but today is 2/3/14, and I am oil pulling both morning and night, just under a full tablespoon, and for twenty minutes each time. I love it! I actually look forward to it now. (I am not even kidding.) I have my routine, and honestly don't know if there are any changes happening, however, I love the fact that I have a full twenty minutes to guiltlessly play on the computer or smart phone. I actually love the taste, and would be willing to video it, but don't think it's necessary. If you want one, request it, and I will add it. Below you will see the good, the bad and the ugly of how I got started, just under two weeks ago. I read through a little of it, and at this point, the night time pull does not keep me up, and I have not had any side effects. My mother continued, and she is doing it close to a week now. She only does mornings, and has reached the twenty minute mark a few times. She has some serious congestion issues during her pull, therefore, she has had to stop a few times with that. I can only assume that is part of the pull experience- to release that congestion that plagues her. The reason she continues she says is the feeling she has on her teeth all day long. If she manages only ten minutes a day, at least she can reap the benefit of the dental side, if not the full on detox properties of this exercise.
1/24/14 Day one- After dinner, one full tablespoon of coconut oil, five minutes. Gagged and vomited a little. (They all warned me to do it on an empty stomach.) I was just so anxious to experience it, that I did it as soon as we got it that night.
1/25/14 Day two- woke up in preparation to do it, and decided to use less than a full tablespoon and do only commit to five minutes. Done. No problem.
After my nightly shower, I was anxious to try again. I did it for fourteen minutes, and again, didn't use a full tablespoon, and had no naseau or problems. Could have gone longer, but Geoff was asking questions about the coconut oil and tea tree oil concoction I had made for the bottom of his feet for after the shower. (I will do a post on that and the essential oils once we have some more time with it.)
The hardest part for me is actually putting the oil in my mouth and then again at the end when I have to spit it out into the garbage can.
I have to swish with water immediately after spitting it out as the oily texture is enough to make me want to rake the inside of my mouth with a horse hair brush. Tonight, I brushed and flossed first, and then did the oil pull. After, I brushed but didn't use any toothpaste.
Also, interesting to note the the coconut flavor is only present for about 2 minutes, then it is gone. I happen to love coconut. If you don't love coconut or the oily texture, you are so not going to be able to do this. I have looked around and not seen where I can actually use my peppermint essential oil drops in the mixture. That bummed me out. I will continue to research that.
1/26/14 Day three- Woke up, used slightly less than a full tablespoon, and no problem. Lasted 18 minutes. The coconut flavor intensified at the end. Generally, I don't taste that flavor at all. It was actually really good tasting at the end, but my jaw was sore, so I spit.
After lunch….thought I should give it a go again, since I am having some tooth sensitivity, and was wondering if it is psychosomatic to have tooth pain or if I am really dealing with a tooth that is about to rot out of my mouth. (I doubt the latter, but each time I oil pull, I feel like I am getting more comfortable with it.) However, this time, my mouth is crazy sore from doing it so much. Might skip the night one, but this time, I am hoping to get through a full twenty minutes. I am using less than a full tablespoon, and don't foresee increasing it since by the end of the time, once all my saliva builds up, it a mouthful.
I am most impressed that I have truly not had to deal with any other unpleasant side effects besides a sore mouth and this tooth pain that is not so much pain but I think a sensitivity. Only time will tell. I am blogging each of the entries as I am doing it or just after, that way you get a realistic sense for my experience. My golden nugget incentive is the fact that I spent a mere $42, and am hoping that I can go get my teeth cleaned this summer, after about 4 or five years without one, and get a stellar report.
Ahh.. it's still day three, after ten at night, and I am really WANTING to oil pull! However, I am sorta' freaked out by what I read from some other people who oil pulled and had some weirdo type of side effects. I have never had these side effects, but will continue with the once a day routine and then move on to night time pulling once I have been doing this long enough to know that I have passed any possible side effects.
1/27/14 Day four- I did it! I made it a full 20 minutes. However, this time, I have some reporting to do. This is the second time that near the end I had this flavor burst of coconut. That was again, very enjoyable. However, by the fifteen minute mark, I had this sensation of a ball of mucus in the back of my throat, and I had felt that once or twice before and ignored it. This time, I am done with the pull and brushing afterwards, and I have this urge to get it out, but can't. Maybe my morning coffee will do that. (I know, so counter-productive. I make decaf and use vanilla almond milk, and no sugar. As not bad for you as you can get.) I read some side effects people had that included this "wanna-hock-a-loogie" sensation or worse- vomiting mucus. So, we will wait and see what adventure this provides in the future.
And to the person who said you need to use two tablespoons- you my friend, are on crack. There is no way that after twenty minutes that I could have more than one tablespoon of the oil in my mouth since the saliva builds up and by the end, it is hard to corral it all in one little mouth.
As for my health, maybe it's premature, but I have yet to feel or see a difference. Yesterday I found a clever way to liquify the oil, pre-pull. I use a hair dryer on it. By this morning, it was squirting all over the place and that made for extra clean up for the first two minutes of the o.p.. (o.p.= oil pull)
Night time- decided to do an oil pull after the YMCA tonight. We came home, and I was in a foul mode about finding out that the migits aren't allowed to walk the track with us anymore ;o( Have to wait until they are nine years old. Bummer. Anyway, I lost big time in my nightly ping pong game with Geoff, and then came home and binge ate. So, while I showered, I did an o.p. Lasted 14 minutes because my mouth got too full. I am not sure, but I think spitting out and starting with fresh oil would be the best option to finish the full twenty minutes in the future. I was just in need of getting on to dressing and saying prayers with migits at bedtime, so I just stopped, swished with club soda, and then brushed and flossed. I even used my night time mouth rinse- Breath Rx. Who knows what I am doing at this point.
1/28/14 Day five- okay, about 15 inutes into this pull, and honestly, I have a TON of mucus accumulating in my throat this entire pull. might actually becoming very effective. Who knows? However, I would have to say that the amount of liquid in my mouth is overwhelming and I will stick this one out, but net time, I will spit out and start again with more oil t finish the time. Not sure if that will have negative consequences or not. I was eating incredibly well for a few weeks, and the last few days I have been binge eating a ton of junk. Emotionally feeling terrible, however, I lost 2 pounds in last three days so not sure what the heck that is all about. Now my nose is starting to run! The mucus factor is rough.
Okay, just spit. And last night I started rinsing after my oil pull with club soda and then brushing. I couldn't bring myself to use salt water. Never been able to stomach that taste in my mouth. Must have had some freak accident at a beach once. (I really can't stand the beach, the wind screwing with my hair and that salty sea air that everyone misses. blech. I also have started spraying my toothbrush, a Sonicare, with my homemade cleaner, after each brushing with a pull. This is the same cleaner I clean my house with- half vinegar, half original Dawn (dishwashing detergent) and I throw in some water to cut the bubbling effect. I have been doing that to migits and my toothbrush about once a week since I started making the cleaner. (Maybe a year or so.) Those Sonicare toothbrush heads are expensive to replace, and don't need replacing all that often. (I do it every three to four months.)
Pulled last night and was exhausted. After the pull, I had "awake" energy. Geoff and I found a hilarious, hour-long compilation of funny game show answers on Youtube.com. We used our Google Chromecast and and watched on the television. Was fun, but I do notice this alert, wake up feeling from pulling.
Day five, night time pull after dinner… Well, how's about a guest post from another newbie oil puller? My mom is spending the night in this snow storm and I invited her to try a pull. She did it for ten minutes, and it seemed effortless for her. Here's her experience….
Adventure's Mom says-
I started out skeptical about the whole thing. I was thinking that I couldn't keep something in my mouth for any length of time. However, the experience was quite easy after I started to relax. The only problem I had, was that too much saliva filled my mouth and I had to stop. I now realize that I can spit out a little bit when my mouth becomes too full and keep on pulling.
Thanks MOM! Ten minutes for a new puller seems impressive to me. She also used under a full tablespoon, as I suggested. I might up the amount for myself to the full tablespoon in the morning, and then just end up spitting out and restarting. Wonder if that will have an effect on en results?
We ended up pulling at the same time, and around the time she came in to spit, was drying off after my shower. I was struggling with my amount at that time, and ended up spitting about four times to try to clear some of the volume to continue. I am not sure if I should have just spit it all and started with a fresh batch at some point, but have read that people do both. I think next time I will start fresh at the ten minute mark if it starts to get too cumbersome. Also, any time it gets so full, that's when I struggle, and then, I generally just stop swishing/pulling, and that feeling goes away and can restart.
1/29/14 Day six- It's not even six n the morning yet, and I have only had a few hours of sleep. First, I have had a headache since last night Went to bed very late with it in the early hours this morning, and now up because head so bad I need my miracle concoction of Advil and Sudafed. So, decided to O.P. before taking anything. Too closer to a whole tablespoon, if not a whole tablespoon and will attempt to spit whole amount out and restart when it gets too full in my mouth. So far, no major oral changes other that I do this pull each day, mostly twice a day, and after each pull I now swish and spit with club soda a few times and then hot water, then brush, floss (floss nightly, not in the morning) and spray my toothbrush with cleaner since I assume that there are a ton of toxins left on the brush head from the pull I did before the brushing. I also continued with my nightly Breath Rx mouth wash treatment. That is an antimocrobial wash that does not have alcohol in it, and contrary to the name, it is sold over the counter, and has a really nice mint flavor.
My daily routine now… I use a glass jar that I either hold a hair dryer to or place in front of a space heater in the bathroom to melt down the oil. A hot water bath was my initial thought but it takes longer and I don't think my expedient method is causing any harm to the oil. Disclaimer-- I could be wrong. I am not a professional. But wouldn't "professional oil melter" look so good on a resume? PS I also use classic Crest toothpaste. Other sites say no toothpaste necessary. It's for my own piece of mind
I think I am switching back to once a day though. First, the coconut oil wakes me up. Too much for night time. Second, it is time consuming, and night time is special in the house for bonding. (No- not that kind of bonding.) Essentially, kids spend a ton of time with us once Geoff gets home, and to pull myself away from that is counter productive to a healthy lifestyle.
Here's the one major coincidence, if you will, to all this. I have lost weight since O.P.'ing. Like, a couple of pounds, and actually haven't worked outing a day, and didn't eat very healthy half the time I have been doing it. (I fell off my wagon… going back on.)
1/31/14 Day 8- I have been O.P.'ing for a full week now, and as of this morning, I pulled a full 20 minutes and didn't spit, didn't gag, and the time just flew by. I am surprised that I love it so much. I mean, I actually enjoy taking my laptop and having an excuse to hole up in the bathroom, and just veg. Honestly, I love the taste, and my general routine is to O.P. twice a day. In the winter, I only shower once a day- night time. So, that time is my O.P. time, unless I shower too close to dinner. (Since we usually head to workout after dinner, it helps to space my eating/pulling time.) Rare snow fall this past week disrupted my normal routine, but I assume I will continue with the twice a day since I do have endocrine and dental issues I am trying to resolve.
The congestion build up I mentioned on an earlier update in the post has resolved, and I have yet to have any issues/side effects/or concerns about this practice. IF this is totally harmless, why not?
An aside- My mom has done the pulling now for three days. She took to it very well. I don't know if she will continue, but she says she is headed to Trader Joe's for a 12 oz. jar of coconut oil. She just told me that in the few days of pulling, she has notices that her teeth feel fresh brushed (no film) all day long, and she noticed some discoloration resolved from some of her teeth.
I would love to hear if you have done it. On Facebook, there was a fun little discussion about it right before I started. Good, bad, or ugly, share your experience in the comment section.
Addendum- February 17, 2014
Had to revisit this post to update. Doing twice a day, love my experience, however, honestly can't tell if it is doing any good. If not doing harm, why not continue? I really enjoy the idea of it doing good, and that alone is enough to keep me going. It is virtually effortless to do, so a swishing I shall continue on! Will update if any changes or if I see a dentist. Shooting for summer 2014 for a dental cleaning and full x-ray set. We shall see!
Let's do this backwards… I will tell you that I don't know what day I am on, but today is 2/3/14, and I am oil pulling both morning and night, just under a full tablespoon, and for twenty minutes each time. I love it! I actually look forward to it now. (I am not even kidding.) I have my routine, and honestly don't know if there are any changes happening, however, I love the fact that I have a full twenty minutes to guiltlessly play on the computer or smart phone. I actually love the taste, and would be willing to video it, but don't think it's necessary. If you want one, request it, and I will add it. Below you will see the good, the bad and the ugly of how I got started, just under two weeks ago. I read through a little of it, and at this point, the night time pull does not keep me up, and I have not had any side effects. My mother continued, and she is doing it close to a week now. She only does mornings, and has reached the twenty minute mark a few times. She has some serious congestion issues during her pull, therefore, she has had to stop a few times with that. I can only assume that is part of the pull experience- to release that congestion that plagues her. The reason she continues she says is the feeling she has on her teeth all day long. If she manages only ten minutes a day, at least she can reap the benefit of the dental side, if not the full on detox properties of this exercise.
1/24/14 Day one- After dinner, one full tablespoon of coconut oil, five minutes. Gagged and vomited a little. (They all warned me to do it on an empty stomach.) I was just so anxious to experience it, that I did it as soon as we got it that night.
1/25/14 Day two- woke up in preparation to do it, and decided to use less than a full tablespoon and do only commit to five minutes. Done. No problem.
After my nightly shower, I was anxious to try again. I did it for fourteen minutes, and again, didn't use a full tablespoon, and had no naseau or problems. Could have gone longer, but Geoff was asking questions about the coconut oil and tea tree oil concoction I had made for the bottom of his feet for after the shower. (I will do a post on that and the essential oils once we have some more time with it.)
The hardest part for me is actually putting the oil in my mouth and then again at the end when I have to spit it out into the garbage can.
I have to swish with water immediately after spitting it out as the oily texture is enough to make me want to rake the inside of my mouth with a horse hair brush. Tonight, I brushed and flossed first, and then did the oil pull. After, I brushed but didn't use any toothpaste.
Also, interesting to note the the coconut flavor is only present for about 2 minutes, then it is gone. I happen to love coconut. If you don't love coconut or the oily texture, you are so not going to be able to do this. I have looked around and not seen where I can actually use my peppermint essential oil drops in the mixture. That bummed me out. I will continue to research that.
1/26/14 Day three- Woke up, used slightly less than a full tablespoon, and no problem. Lasted 18 minutes. The coconut flavor intensified at the end. Generally, I don't taste that flavor at all. It was actually really good tasting at the end, but my jaw was sore, so I spit.
After lunch….thought I should give it a go again, since I am having some tooth sensitivity, and was wondering if it is psychosomatic to have tooth pain or if I am really dealing with a tooth that is about to rot out of my mouth. (I doubt the latter, but each time I oil pull, I feel like I am getting more comfortable with it.) However, this time, my mouth is crazy sore from doing it so much. Might skip the night one, but this time, I am hoping to get through a full twenty minutes. I am using less than a full tablespoon, and don't foresee increasing it since by the end of the time, once all my saliva builds up, it a mouthful.
I am most impressed that I have truly not had to deal with any other unpleasant side effects besides a sore mouth and this tooth pain that is not so much pain but I think a sensitivity. Only time will tell. I am blogging each of the entries as I am doing it or just after, that way you get a realistic sense for my experience. My golden nugget incentive is the fact that I spent a mere $42, and am hoping that I can go get my teeth cleaned this summer, after about 4 or five years without one, and get a stellar report.
Ahh.. it's still day three, after ten at night, and I am really WANTING to oil pull! However, I am sorta' freaked out by what I read from some other people who oil pulled and had some weirdo type of side effects. I have never had these side effects, but will continue with the once a day routine and then move on to night time pulling once I have been doing this long enough to know that I have passed any possible side effects.
1/27/14 Day four- I did it! I made it a full 20 minutes. However, this time, I have some reporting to do. This is the second time that near the end I had this flavor burst of coconut. That was again, very enjoyable. However, by the fifteen minute mark, I had this sensation of a ball of mucus in the back of my throat, and I had felt that once or twice before and ignored it. This time, I am done with the pull and brushing afterwards, and I have this urge to get it out, but can't. Maybe my morning coffee will do that. (I know, so counter-productive. I make decaf and use vanilla almond milk, and no sugar. As not bad for you as you can get.) I read some side effects people had that included this "wanna-hock-a-loogie" sensation or worse- vomiting mucus. So, we will wait and see what adventure this provides in the future.
And to the person who said you need to use two tablespoons- you my friend, are on crack. There is no way that after twenty minutes that I could have more than one tablespoon of the oil in my mouth since the saliva builds up and by the end, it is hard to corral it all in one little mouth.
As for my health, maybe it's premature, but I have yet to feel or see a difference. Yesterday I found a clever way to liquify the oil, pre-pull. I use a hair dryer on it. By this morning, it was squirting all over the place and that made for extra clean up for the first two minutes of the o.p.. (o.p.= oil pull)
Night time- decided to do an oil pull after the YMCA tonight. We came home, and I was in a foul mode about finding out that the migits aren't allowed to walk the track with us anymore ;o( Have to wait until they are nine years old. Bummer. Anyway, I lost big time in my nightly ping pong game with Geoff, and then came home and binge ate. So, while I showered, I did an o.p. Lasted 14 minutes because my mouth got too full. I am not sure, but I think spitting out and starting with fresh oil would be the best option to finish the full twenty minutes in the future. I was just in need of getting on to dressing and saying prayers with migits at bedtime, so I just stopped, swished with club soda, and then brushed and flossed. I even used my night time mouth rinse- Breath Rx. Who knows what I am doing at this point.
1/28/14 Day five- okay, about 15 inutes into this pull, and honestly, I have a TON of mucus accumulating in my throat this entire pull. might actually becoming very effective. Who knows? However, I would have to say that the amount of liquid in my mouth is overwhelming and I will stick this one out, but net time, I will spit out and start again with more oil t finish the time. Not sure if that will have negative consequences or not. I was eating incredibly well for a few weeks, and the last few days I have been binge eating a ton of junk. Emotionally feeling terrible, however, I lost 2 pounds in last three days so not sure what the heck that is all about. Now my nose is starting to run! The mucus factor is rough.
Okay, just spit. And last night I started rinsing after my oil pull with club soda and then brushing. I couldn't bring myself to use salt water. Never been able to stomach that taste in my mouth. Must have had some freak accident at a beach once. (I really can't stand the beach, the wind screwing with my hair and that salty sea air that everyone misses. blech. I also have started spraying my toothbrush, a Sonicare, with my homemade cleaner, after each brushing with a pull. This is the same cleaner I clean my house with- half vinegar, half original Dawn (dishwashing detergent) and I throw in some water to cut the bubbling effect. I have been doing that to migits and my toothbrush about once a week since I started making the cleaner. (Maybe a year or so.) Those Sonicare toothbrush heads are expensive to replace, and don't need replacing all that often. (I do it every three to four months.)
Pulled last night and was exhausted. After the pull, I had "awake" energy. Geoff and I found a hilarious, hour-long compilation of funny game show answers on Youtube.com. We used our Google Chromecast and and watched on the television. Was fun, but I do notice this alert, wake up feeling from pulling.
Day five, night time pull after dinner… Well, how's about a guest post from another newbie oil puller? My mom is spending the night in this snow storm and I invited her to try a pull. She did it for ten minutes, and it seemed effortless for her. Here's her experience….
Adventure's Mom says-
I started out skeptical about the whole thing. I was thinking that I couldn't keep something in my mouth for any length of time. However, the experience was quite easy after I started to relax. The only problem I had, was that too much saliva filled my mouth and I had to stop. I now realize that I can spit out a little bit when my mouth becomes too full and keep on pulling.
Thanks MOM! Ten minutes for a new puller seems impressive to me. She also used under a full tablespoon, as I suggested. I might up the amount for myself to the full tablespoon in the morning, and then just end up spitting out and restarting. Wonder if that will have an effect on en results?
We ended up pulling at the same time, and around the time she came in to spit, was drying off after my shower. I was struggling with my amount at that time, and ended up spitting about four times to try to clear some of the volume to continue. I am not sure if I should have just spit it all and started with a fresh batch at some point, but have read that people do both. I think next time I will start fresh at the ten minute mark if it starts to get too cumbersome. Also, any time it gets so full, that's when I struggle, and then, I generally just stop swishing/pulling, and that feeling goes away and can restart.
1/29/14 Day six- It's not even six n the morning yet, and I have only had a few hours of sleep. First, I have had a headache since last night Went to bed very late with it in the early hours this morning, and now up because head so bad I need my miracle concoction of Advil and Sudafed. So, decided to O.P. before taking anything. Too closer to a whole tablespoon, if not a whole tablespoon and will attempt to spit whole amount out and restart when it gets too full in my mouth. So far, no major oral changes other that I do this pull each day, mostly twice a day, and after each pull I now swish and spit with club soda a few times and then hot water, then brush, floss (floss nightly, not in the morning) and spray my toothbrush with cleaner since I assume that there are a ton of toxins left on the brush head from the pull I did before the brushing. I also continued with my nightly Breath Rx mouth wash treatment. That is an antimocrobial wash that does not have alcohol in it, and contrary to the name, it is sold over the counter, and has a really nice mint flavor.
I think I am switching back to once a day though. First, the coconut oil wakes me up. Too much for night time. Second, it is time consuming, and night time is special in the house for bonding. (No- not that kind of bonding.) Essentially, kids spend a ton of time with us once Geoff gets home, and to pull myself away from that is counter productive to a healthy lifestyle.
Here's the one major coincidence, if you will, to all this. I have lost weight since O.P.'ing. Like, a couple of pounds, and actually haven't worked outing a day, and didn't eat very healthy half the time I have been doing it. (I fell off my wagon… going back on.)
1/31/14 Day 8- I have been O.P.'ing for a full week now, and as of this morning, I pulled a full 20 minutes and didn't spit, didn't gag, and the time just flew by. I am surprised that I love it so much. I mean, I actually enjoy taking my laptop and having an excuse to hole up in the bathroom, and just veg. Honestly, I love the taste, and my general routine is to O.P. twice a day. In the winter, I only shower once a day- night time. So, that time is my O.P. time, unless I shower too close to dinner. (Since we usually head to workout after dinner, it helps to space my eating/pulling time.) Rare snow fall this past week disrupted my normal routine, but I assume I will continue with the twice a day since I do have endocrine and dental issues I am trying to resolve.
The congestion build up I mentioned on an earlier update in the post has resolved, and I have yet to have any issues/side effects/or concerns about this practice. IF this is totally harmless, why not?
An aside- My mom has done the pulling now for three days. She took to it very well. I don't know if she will continue, but she says she is headed to Trader Joe's for a 12 oz. jar of coconut oil. She just told me that in the few days of pulling, she has notices that her teeth feel fresh brushed (no film) all day long, and she noticed some discoloration resolved from some of her teeth.
I would love to hear if you have done it. On Facebook, there was a fun little discussion about it right before I started. Good, bad, or ugly, share your experience in the comment section.
Addendum- February 17, 2014
Had to revisit this post to update. Doing twice a day, love my experience, however, honestly can't tell if it is doing any good. If not doing harm, why not continue? I really enjoy the idea of it doing good, and that alone is enough to keep me going. It is virtually effortless to do, so a swishing I shall continue on! Will update if any changes or if I see a dentist. Shooting for summer 2014 for a dental cleaning and full x-ray set. We shall see!
Adventures plans a camping trip in the distant future.
I ran into a neighborhood/former school acquaintances, and was talking about my choice to pull BOTH of the migits out of the public school last September to homeschool them. And when I said it out loud, we both shrieked back. "Well, they really are codependent on each other, and if he was not going to school with her, she would be lost and vice/versa here for him at home." Did I really admit that? Yes I did. And she quickly shot back with, "Well, at some point you will have to stop that. He will have to learn to be on his own." Well, I agree. And then, today, I realized, he will never be alone.
We were on our way to the YMCA, and we see a "fifth wheel" being pulled by a truck. (The term for a camper that attaches to a truck and you can sleep/dine/stay in while camping.) We ooh'ed and ahh'ed, and then Chaz asked how much it cost. I told him that it costs about as much as Daddy makes in two years time at work. (It was a guess. I don't have a clue.) He said, "Okay. I will save up, and then I will take my kids and Shay and her kids camping in it. We will have fun." And Shay was so excited that she started planning the sleeping arrangements for the weekend away.
When Charlie had to leave for his make up gymnastics class on Saturday, he came down after saying good bye to Shay, and on his way out he told me that Shay was sad. I went upstairs, and yes, she was sitting in my bedroom looking out and waving to Geoff and Charlie as they pulled out of the drive way. I asked what was the matter, and she told me that she was going to miss Charlie. I reminded her that her acting class was starting soon, and we would be leaving within fifteen minutes. She was still lost without him.
My heart. It grows bigger the more they share a love of each other. And as a mom, even if my son is not reading, speaking, or even behaving the way I would like at his age, I know he has the love I would have hoped to have instilled in him by this point. These two siblings make my heart soar when I see her fix his hair, or him ask for a treat and grab an extra for her for her to enjoy alongside him.
As a parent, it is our responsibility to teach and share our love. This has nothing to do with religion. It is our job to show boundaries, respect, and living within our means to find happiness. Gluttony will never reap long term happiness, and I hope that one day, those around me that are so unhappy will find happiness in the love they give and allow themselves to receive.
*P.S. I will not be riding along for the future camping trip my migits have planned with my unborn grandchildren. I do not "go camping." Camping for me involves a hotel, and even that is a stretch. (In the past ten years, I have slept in a hotel room less then 10 times!)
We were on our way to the YMCA, and we see a "fifth wheel" being pulled by a truck. (The term for a camper that attaches to a truck and you can sleep/dine/stay in while camping.) We ooh'ed and ahh'ed, and then Chaz asked how much it cost. I told him that it costs about as much as Daddy makes in two years time at work. (It was a guess. I don't have a clue.) He said, "Okay. I will save up, and then I will take my kids and Shay and her kids camping in it. We will have fun." And Shay was so excited that she started planning the sleeping arrangements for the weekend away.
When Charlie had to leave for his make up gymnastics class on Saturday, he came down after saying good bye to Shay, and on his way out he told me that Shay was sad. I went upstairs, and yes, she was sitting in my bedroom looking out and waving to Geoff and Charlie as they pulled out of the drive way. I asked what was the matter, and she told me that she was going to miss Charlie. I reminded her that her acting class was starting soon, and we would be leaving within fifteen minutes. She was still lost without him.
My heart. It grows bigger the more they share a love of each other. And as a mom, even if my son is not reading, speaking, or even behaving the way I would like at his age, I know he has the love I would have hoped to have instilled in him by this point. These two siblings make my heart soar when I see her fix his hair, or him ask for a treat and grab an extra for her for her to enjoy alongside him.
As a parent, it is our responsibility to teach and share our love. This has nothing to do with religion. It is our job to show boundaries, respect, and living within our means to find happiness. Gluttony will never reap long term happiness, and I hope that one day, those around me that are so unhappy will find happiness in the love they give and allow themselves to receive.
*P.S. I will not be riding along for the future camping trip my migits have planned with my unborn grandchildren. I do not "go camping." Camping for me involves a hotel, and even that is a stretch. (In the past ten years, I have slept in a hotel room less then 10 times!)
Jan 23, 2014
Adventures goes to a jazz concert.
The Falany Performing Arts Center is located about ten minutes away from Canton, in Waleska, GA, at Reinhardt College.
I saw Aimee, our local Macaroni Kid blogger, post a give-a-way for four tickets to tonights' show, and I entered. I entered as many times as possible, and then, told Geoff about it. We looked up the musicians on Youtube, and just knew this was going to be a show that we did not want to miss. We were right! It was amazing! We got the email that we had won the tickets, and then spent the next two days jumping out of our skin until the show. (We lead very dull lives. Charlie has a crazy mouth infection from biting his cheek after having it numbed for a dental procedure. That's as exciting as our life has been lately.)
This was really an amazing band. Shay turned to me at the end, after bopping and singing along all night, and said, "Mom! They were fantastic!" Kid has got herself a sense of musical appreciation unlike any other. While we expose our children to practically EVERYTHING when it comes to the arts, they have a great appreciation for music because Geoff and I are music lovers that truly do love everything from rock to the Dead, classical to oldies, and everything in between. I became a serious Frank fan some time in my early twenties. Luckily, we share the same musical taste, and we are passing it down to our migits.
The only moment of hesitation was right after the Band Director, Jeremy Davis, entered the stage and started introducing himself. Charlie looked at me and said, "Where's the magician?" "Uh. Well. I am not sure what you are thinking, but we are here to see a jazz concert." To which he said, "I thought you said we would see a magician." OOPS. I guess musician and magician do sound similar. Luckily, he quickly got into the groove with us and we all enjoyed the snot out of the whole show. (They describe themselves as part Rat Pack in the way they carry out their show. True. Lots of banter and story telling. The time just flew!
Jeremy Davis- Band leader. He was a talented musician and had a very mellow way about him.
Clay Johnson- Lead Vocal- and adorbs. I told Geoff that I wanted to stick him in my pocket and take him home. Geoff said we could. He's cool like that. He had a very classic voice and I actually preferred the arrangements with his voice better than the original versions.
Both men took tons of time chatting it up with the kids, and they left on cloud nine. We bought the CD and had Clay sign it, and we listened and sang along the whole way home. We got home and pulled up this video I found a few months ago of Michael Buble getting stopped during his concert by a mother who wanted her son to get to sing on stage with him. The kids loved it. (Look it up- hilarious!) I guess we are headed into some long Jazz-inspired home school days next week ;o) Thank G-d, seeing as I am really not into Bluegrass or Fiddler on the Roof- unlike my migits, who were begging for that lately.
Thank you Macaroni Kid for sharing events like this with us! Geoff had been trying to get me to agree to go even if we didn't win the tickets. It would have really been a challenge to go this week, so we are extra special grateful for the opportunity. *You can find the Canton/Woodstock/Cumming Macaroni Kid on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. She sends out weekly newsletters with all family friendly, local events. She has TONS of giveaways- ALL.THE.TIME! Go like her on Facebook and share her with your friends with kids.
As for the Falany Performing Arts Center- THANK YOU! Thank you for providing our community with quality arts for the whole family! We have enjoyed a number of shows there this past winter, and look forward to many more! The theater is incredibly family friendly and the volunteers and employees are always so kind to us.
Jan 15, 2014
Adventures in Netti-Pots!
FYI I drink two cups of green tea with a vitamin C packet each day, as well as a daily 4000 mg. vitamin D drop. Those two vitamins work nicely together, and have you read the research on vitamin D supplement being an anti-viral? That has been our flu preventative for a few years now. Our family not only eats a variety of fresh fruits and veggies each day, but we supplement enough that aside from seasonal allergies, we are a healthy group.
I used a Netti Pot for the first time yesterday. Not sure what I did wrong, but my ears popped and hurt, and my nose still feels like it is burning. I only used half a packet of the stuff for the full amount of water. It was an experience, and somehow, the automatic hand sanitizer decided to spit out at me and then I was all about laughing but laughing while you have water draining out of your snout is not the best choice at that moment. Here's the scene-
I have a thing for automatic/refillable soap and hand sanitizers. (I refill my soap dispenser with my own soaps. I don't buy refills.) And I have not had to yet, but you can make your own hand sanitizer as well. That is coming soon!
Jan 14, 2014
Why I love Comfort Zone Heating and Air
It's really what they didn't do that is most impressive. They didn't try to argue with me. They didn't act irresponsibly. They didn't take their own sweet time in rectifying the error. From admission to resolution, Comfort Zone deserves the highest praises.
About four years ago our heater and our air conditioner both died, each in the deepest part of it's season. The air conditioner was the worst one for us. First, this piece broke in it that was about the size of a soda can. A stab in the dark prompted us to call a company that was in the area, Comfort Zone, and they came out immediately. During that summer, there was no less than four heating/cooling repair trucks lining our street at any given time. I took pause and had a brief thought that maybe I had missed my calling. Once the air conditioner was fixed, I returned to my senses. Within weeks, the whole air conditioner literally exploded. It was the Fourth of July, and let me tell you, I was about 15 feet away in the kitchen when it blew, and I think my ears are still ringing from the explosion. Again, I called back the same company and they were able to determine the cause of the explosion. (Our old dog used to "relieve" himself on the side of the air conditioner and it literally corroded the box and one day, it finally had enough and exploded. True story.) They gave us the fairest price for a top of the line system with a really great warranty. The rest of the summer was a very pleasant one. One of our neighbors whose air conditioner also blew a soda can part one day had to lay her then baby down for a nap in our frigid home. It all worked out.
That winter, when our home was colder than it had ever been, and we froze and killed our seven year old beta fish, we again called Comfort Zone. I microwaved the fish for a few seconds to try to warm him, but apparently, beta fish don't care for the cold or to be cooked. If you had doubts, I don't run a pet sitting service either. My lack of business start ups are due to my lack of abilities- never for lack of ideas. Yes, like everyone else on the street that winter, we had to have our HVAC replaced. Those guys worked for hours in the attic and in the cold. They were great, and didn't leave until we were warm again. If I have ever doubted that angels walk among us, faith was restored.
Well, this past freeze didn't leave without incidence. Last week, our eight year old came in at five in the morning to announce that he hears a sound. Hubby, not hearing it due to hearing loss, walked the said eight year old back into his room, and told him to go back to sleep. Half an hour later, our son returned, and this time, I was awoken by him. I also heard the "sound." I walked out of the room and turned the hall light on and saw a water dripping from the second story ceiling down to the leather sofa below. UGH. That is the only thought one can have that early in the morning. It's too challenging to have many thoughts before the sun and caffeine have taken hold. I called a restoration company that we had great success with this past summer. They have a 24/7 hot line and sadly, my call from 5:30 a.m. was not returned until almost noon! By then, I had already called Comfort Zone and had someone at my house to assess the problem.
Upon inspection, it appeared that the condensation line was frozen, and backing up. Sadly, the line was not able to properly back up into the tray designed for such events that would cause an automatic shut off due to improper installation of the line. So, the drip ended up flowing onto the dry wall in the attic and fell between the seams and dripped into the living room below. Luckily, as soon as I turned the heat off, it began to slow down, and within 12 hours, we were drying out, and now, the only issue we are left with is the staining of the ceiling. Comfort Zone has set up a drywall/painter to come out to my home on Wed. to see what he needs to do to fix that.
From our vantage point, the whole ordeal was made so much more pleasant by dealing with a company that not only is professional, but respects their customers. Brian from Comfort Zone has repeatedly apologized and done everything right to fix what could have been a really difficult situation. We have had a lot of home repairs lately. We have had incredibly good and one incredibly bad experience while trying to resolve home repair nightmares. Comfort Zone ranks up their with the best of them. We used the Comfort Zone in Ball Ground, Ga. They can be reached at (770)574-4063. Brian was ethical, and wanted to make sure that his company did the right thing. He would have no idea that I could have a platform to share my experience with his company for better or worse. Luckily for him, I like to share my positives with those around us.
*I regard customer reviews more highly than anything when making decisions for goods and services, and hope that you recognize that while we were not held financially responsible for the repairs necessary in this situation, the point was that this company accepted responsibility for one of their employees' errors, and have done enough work with us over the past four years that I am sharing multiple experiences to highlight why they have earned our praises. They also replaced my parents 30+ year old air conditioning units in their Marietta home right after installing ours.
About four years ago our heater and our air conditioner both died, each in the deepest part of it's season. The air conditioner was the worst one for us. First, this piece broke in it that was about the size of a soda can. A stab in the dark prompted us to call a company that was in the area, Comfort Zone, and they came out immediately. During that summer, there was no less than four heating/cooling repair trucks lining our street at any given time. I took pause and had a brief thought that maybe I had missed my calling. Once the air conditioner was fixed, I returned to my senses. Within weeks, the whole air conditioner literally exploded. It was the Fourth of July, and let me tell you, I was about 15 feet away in the kitchen when it blew, and I think my ears are still ringing from the explosion. Again, I called back the same company and they were able to determine the cause of the explosion. (Our old dog used to "relieve" himself on the side of the air conditioner and it literally corroded the box and one day, it finally had enough and exploded. True story.) They gave us the fairest price for a top of the line system with a really great warranty. The rest of the summer was a very pleasant one. One of our neighbors whose air conditioner also blew a soda can part one day had to lay her then baby down for a nap in our frigid home. It all worked out.
That winter, when our home was colder than it had ever been, and we froze and killed our seven year old beta fish, we again called Comfort Zone. I microwaved the fish for a few seconds to try to warm him, but apparently, beta fish don't care for the cold or to be cooked. If you had doubts, I don't run a pet sitting service either. My lack of business start ups are due to my lack of abilities- never for lack of ideas. Yes, like everyone else on the street that winter, we had to have our HVAC replaced. Those guys worked for hours in the attic and in the cold. They were great, and didn't leave until we were warm again. If I have ever doubted that angels walk among us, faith was restored.
Well, this past freeze didn't leave without incidence. Last week, our eight year old came in at five in the morning to announce that he hears a sound. Hubby, not hearing it due to hearing loss, walked the said eight year old back into his room, and told him to go back to sleep. Half an hour later, our son returned, and this time, I was awoken by him. I also heard the "sound." I walked out of the room and turned the hall light on and saw a water dripping from the second story ceiling down to the leather sofa below. UGH. That is the only thought one can have that early in the morning. It's too challenging to have many thoughts before the sun and caffeine have taken hold. I called a restoration company that we had great success with this past summer. They have a 24/7 hot line and sadly, my call from 5:30 a.m. was not returned until almost noon! By then, I had already called Comfort Zone and had someone at my house to assess the problem.
Upon inspection, it appeared that the condensation line was frozen, and backing up. Sadly, the line was not able to properly back up into the tray designed for such events that would cause an automatic shut off due to improper installation of the line. So, the drip ended up flowing onto the dry wall in the attic and fell between the seams and dripped into the living room below. Luckily, as soon as I turned the heat off, it began to slow down, and within 12 hours, we were drying out, and now, the only issue we are left with is the staining of the ceiling. Comfort Zone has set up a drywall/painter to come out to my home on Wed. to see what he needs to do to fix that.
From our vantage point, the whole ordeal was made so much more pleasant by dealing with a company that not only is professional, but respects their customers. Brian from Comfort Zone has repeatedly apologized and done everything right to fix what could have been a really difficult situation. We have had a lot of home repairs lately. We have had incredibly good and one incredibly bad experience while trying to resolve home repair nightmares. Comfort Zone ranks up their with the best of them. We used the Comfort Zone in Ball Ground, Ga. They can be reached at (770)574-4063. Brian was ethical, and wanted to make sure that his company did the right thing. He would have no idea that I could have a platform to share my experience with his company for better or worse. Luckily for him, I like to share my positives with those around us.
*I regard customer reviews more highly than anything when making decisions for goods and services, and hope that you recognize that while we were not held financially responsible for the repairs necessary in this situation, the point was that this company accepted responsibility for one of their employees' errors, and have done enough work with us over the past four years that I am sharing multiple experiences to highlight why they have earned our praises. They also replaced my parents 30+ year old air conditioning units in their Marietta home right after installing ours.
Jan 6, 2014
Just how bad is that store bought stuff, anyway?
Things that are made for consumers are made to have a certain shelf life. That need to "shelve" product for longer terms causes additives to be put into your product. Are those additives all bad? Probably not, but over time, probably. There are some stabilizers that are more natural, but there is no need to purchase products that you can easily make at home, more naturally, AND save a ton of money on.
We have some chilly weather in our part of the woods in northern Georgia for a few days, so yesterday I made a homemade potato soup and homemade beer bread. I was introduced to beer bread by way of a pyramid selling company called "Tastefully Simple" back in the early 2000's. I could not afford the nearly $7 a box (once you add the taxes, shipping, and handling charges), so I researched ways to make it at home. I have switched from my traditional beer bread to now adding honey in it and the new and improved honey beer bread is good enough to make you "wanna' slap yer' granny!" I pulled up my simple recipe, and probably spent about $2 on it with my can of beer as the yeast agent for rising, and other common kitchen ingredients. I know exactly what was put into my product, and can safely say that I can pronounce every ingredient. (recipe to follow)
While I was gathering my ingredients, I panicked realizing that the recipe called for baking powder. I had thrown away my baking powder after some research on the dangers of store bought with the aluminum addition. So, I made my own! It is not a double acting powder, but it honestly did not have a negative effect on my finished product. The bread turned out amazing! Do your research on aluminum and making your own baking powder. There are many scientific studies showing dangers to heavy metals. I can testify that in the mid nineties, around the time of my hippy-headbanger phase, the Megadeath/Suicidal Tendencies concert had some lasting effects on me. Heavy metal is nothing to joke about.
So, here is the recipe I chose to use for the homemade baking powder. Basically, 2:1 ratio of cream of tartar to baking soda. I then added one tablespoon of cornstarch to the jar since I intended on storing some. I found multiple different recipes for it, and ended up doubling my recipe and using the following; 4 Tbs cream of tartar, 2 Tbs baking soda, and 1Tbs corn starch.
Want my honey beer bread recipe just for fun on this arctic cold kind of day? Okay! Enjoy!
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/honey-beer-bread/
And when you read her blog, you will find that she took it from someone else, and that someone else took it from yet another, and so on. I found her on Pinterest.com.
I also make my own laundry detergent and bathroom/kitchen cleaners. I use peroxide to clean carpet stains, Dawn (original formulation) mixed with half white vinegar (antibacterial properties) and some water on bathroom and kitchen. I was a sworn believer of those bubble things, but I no longer scrub and man does it clean and not leave a film, therefore, it stays cleaner, longer. I also make my own sugar scrub that I use in the shower each day! I am going to make my own vanilla soon. Want to use up what I have first, then, I will save a ton of money on the homemade stuff. I do know if you plan on making that, you have to allow for at least a month or more for it to make, and you need to have some containers to store that in. Need to research a little more into that one.
I have had a homemade fail or two. Like, those dishwashing detergent tablets. That were crazy easy to make, and really turned out great, but they don't work well. That was the most ineffective one I have failed on. I rely on the internet for ideas, but tweak them along the way as I learn how different recipes and products work. We love our brownie mix more than any box we have ever bought. I keep the dry ingredients together in a container or plastic baggie, and when we need a quick dessert, I just throw a few ingredients together with it, and we are set.
Do you have any home made products/recipes that you enjoy? We stopped buying most prepackaged meals and snacks a few years ago, and while we still buy pretzels and chips, we buy much less than ever before, and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store for our staples. The savings is appreciable. What sort of changes have you made to not only save money, but your families' health?
We have some chilly weather in our part of the woods in northern Georgia for a few days, so yesterday I made a homemade potato soup and homemade beer bread. I was introduced to beer bread by way of a pyramid selling company called "Tastefully Simple" back in the early 2000's. I could not afford the nearly $7 a box (once you add the taxes, shipping, and handling charges), so I researched ways to make it at home. I have switched from my traditional beer bread to now adding honey in it and the new and improved honey beer bread is good enough to make you "wanna' slap yer' granny!" I pulled up my simple recipe, and probably spent about $2 on it with my can of beer as the yeast agent for rising, and other common kitchen ingredients. I know exactly what was put into my product, and can safely say that I can pronounce every ingredient. (recipe to follow)
While I was gathering my ingredients, I panicked realizing that the recipe called for baking powder. I had thrown away my baking powder after some research on the dangers of store bought with the aluminum addition. So, I made my own! It is not a double acting powder, but it honestly did not have a negative effect on my finished product. The bread turned out amazing! Do your research on aluminum and making your own baking powder. There are many scientific studies showing dangers to heavy metals. I can testify that in the mid nineties, around the time of my hippy-headbanger phase, the Megadeath/Suicidal Tendencies concert had some lasting effects on me. Heavy metal is nothing to joke about.
Because, what Jewish teen in the early nineties doesn't wear peace signs, black combat boots with shorts and go head banging? I think that was my first confession when I became Catholic.
Going to Cabbage Patch Land with your grandparents and mom on your sixteenth birthday is such a fun event when you are freak show like I obviously was. There is just so much wrong with this picture. Like, why are both my grandparents sun glasses on in doors? And Ma, that perm?
So, here is the recipe I chose to use for the homemade baking powder. Basically, 2:1 ratio of cream of tartar to baking soda. I then added one tablespoon of cornstarch to the jar since I intended on storing some. I found multiple different recipes for it, and ended up doubling my recipe and using the following; 4 Tbs cream of tartar, 2 Tbs baking soda, and 1Tbs corn starch.
I love using my contact paper to make my glass recycled jars look all fancy. One day I will bore of that print. Today is not that day.
Want my honey beer bread recipe just for fun on this arctic cold kind of day? Okay! Enjoy!
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/honey-beer-bread/
And when you read her blog, you will find that she took it from someone else, and that someone else took it from yet another, and so on. I found her on Pinterest.com.
I also make my own laundry detergent and bathroom/kitchen cleaners. I use peroxide to clean carpet stains, Dawn (original formulation) mixed with half white vinegar (antibacterial properties) and some water on bathroom and kitchen. I was a sworn believer of those bubble things, but I no longer scrub and man does it clean and not leave a film, therefore, it stays cleaner, longer. I also make my own sugar scrub that I use in the shower each day! I am going to make my own vanilla soon. Want to use up what I have first, then, I will save a ton of money on the homemade stuff. I do know if you plan on making that, you have to allow for at least a month or more for it to make, and you need to have some containers to store that in. Need to research a little more into that one.
I have had a homemade fail or two. Like, those dishwashing detergent tablets. That were crazy easy to make, and really turned out great, but they don't work well. That was the most ineffective one I have failed on. I rely on the internet for ideas, but tweak them along the way as I learn how different recipes and products work. We love our brownie mix more than any box we have ever bought. I keep the dry ingredients together in a container or plastic baggie, and when we need a quick dessert, I just throw a few ingredients together with it, and we are set.
Do you have any home made products/recipes that you enjoy? We stopped buying most prepackaged meals and snacks a few years ago, and while we still buy pretzels and chips, we buy much less than ever before, and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store for our staples. The savings is appreciable. What sort of changes have you made to not only save money, but your families' health?
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