Say goodbye to BO for good!

My homemade deodorant is so fantastic, I just have to write about it again! 

My husband and I have been using this exclusively for over a year without a single fail and I truly can't imagine why more people aren't doing the same. While research is mixed on whether or not deodorants and antiperspirants are linked to breast cancer, I just don't want to take the chance.

The formula is simple, it's inexpensive, NON-TOXIC, and EFFECTIVE!! And I was thinking it would be make a great homemade gift for the holidays. All you need are small containers (pretty is a plus) with tight-fitting lids, some organic coconut oil, baking soda, and an essential oil of your choice. I use Young Living's Joy and my armpits smell oh, so, good. Or you can go with an unscented version and skip the essential oil altogether. It's still as effective.

Simply mix coconut oil and baking soda in a container. You want a creamy consistency, so play with the amounts as needed. Usually, it's a 50/50 blend. Of course, in the summer, your oil will tend to be more liquid than solid, but it still works. Add just a drop or two of essential oil and you're good to go. My husband and I use our fingertips and massage a small amount of the mixture under our arms as needed, which generally comes out to every third or fourth day or so... showering and bathing do not affect this. I don't pretend to know the science behind it, but it works. That's all.

So for anyone on your gift list who is still using toxic deodorants or antiperspirants, maybe you could introduce this natural alternative to them and save them from the possibility of breast cancer (you do know that even men can get breast cancer, right?). And for those who already are using safe deodorants, this is just a cheaper alternative that we've found works far better and longer than any we've tried. 

Let me know how it works for you. 

Sharing my green living tips,

We are broken, but not unfixable

Photo credit: Wikipedia

You've probably heard the story or seen the meme about how broken vessels in Japan are repaired using gold (kintsukuroi). Often, they are more beautiful after they've been fixed than they were before they were broken. 


Pittsburgh needs some kintsukuroi right now. Evil has come into our city and, for now, we are broken. We are brokenhearted. 

This past Saturday, Shabbat, our shalom was shattered by a lone gunman, a vessel of evil perpetrating a Satanic deed. Satanic? Yes, that's what I believe. I refuse to call this anything but. 

In a season when we are reminded of death and evil in the lawn displays and in nearly every store, death and evil became all too real for the Squirrel Hill community in Pittsburgh. Squirrel Hill, my former home, and a neighborhood where many of my friends and acquaintances live, shop, and worship.

I spent Saturday in front of the television. How could I not? First there were reports of 8 deaths then 11. Eleven. Were there people I knew among the dead? I couldn't help wondering/praying/worrying. Although I heard from some, for the most part, I, like countless others, had to wait for the names to be announced on Sunday morning, just a few short hours after the last of the bodies were carried out of the Tree of Life Synagogue. 

And then, there it was. The list of names, none of which I was familiar with, but all of which affected so, so many. I was relieved, yet burdened with grief for people I did not know as well as those I knew who were undoubtedly affected by this news. People who had worshiped beside those who were now deceased. 

One of my students in the Osher program at Carnegie Mellon University responded to my email on Saturday with this short reply:

Dear Hana:

Thanks for your concern. Our synagogue is affected. Still don't know how many of the dead and wounded are ours.
Stan and I are Ok. I was heading to shul expecting a normal Shabbat, but friends told me police had surrounded the building where we meet. Don't know yet how many of our congregants are dead and wounded...I fear the worst....

sarah

Don't know "how many of our congregants are dead and wounded..." Can you imagine?

Image by Tim Hindes

Yes, we are broken, but we're not unfixable. As always, Pittsburgh's resilience will shine through. We will never be the same, especially the Jewish community here, but we will take the gold dust and, like the Japanese who practice kintsukuroi, we will celebrate our unique history, acknowledging the breaks and fractures, and we will emerge more beautiful and stronger than ever. After all, we're Pittsburgh. We're united in this senseless tragedy, and we'll be united in our healing.

Join me in praying for those most devastated by the shootings at the synagogue -- the families of the victims, the injured, the first responders, the children (oh Lord, bless the children), those who will be haunted by nightmares, and for the Squirrel Hill community at large. It was Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, so I'll end with 2 quotes from him:

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."

and

We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say "It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem." Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider these people my heroes.

Someday, it will once again be a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Until then, let's not only look for the helpers... let's be the helpers.

Sharing my heart,

Who wants to WIN a $50 Amazon Gift Card?

Sponsored By: KarmaPets

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

Celebrate my oldest grandchild's birthday (10/17) and my youngest grandchild's birthday (10/18) by entering this great giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card, because... well, because everyone can use an extra $50, right?

KarmaPets dog treats bring you a fantastic giveaway this week. A $50 Amazon gift card to spend online on the Amazon store, for one lucky winner! Available on Amazon, KarmaPets calming dog treats are very popular with pups suffering from anxiety and restlessness issues. They have developed treats to help dogs with those tough times.

Winner Will Receive:

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Spend it on your family, save it for holiday presents, or splurge on yourself! After all, we deserve a treat every now and then too! :)
Open to Worldwide entries. Must be 18+ to enter.
Giveaway Dates
10/17/18 9:00am through 11/14/18 11:59pm

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Are you pulled in too many directions?

It happens. Our calendars fill up. Demands on our time increase. We run ourselves ragged throughout the day and collapse into bed in states of total exhaustion and weariness. Did you ever stop and ask yourself why? Maybe you should.

Image by Gerald_G

As someone who's been there far too often, I want to encourage you to do something. Sit down. Breathe. Even if it's just for a minute or two. Close your eyes and imagine being somewhere else. The beach. The mountains. In your sweetheart's arms.

Now grab your calendar and take an honest look at it. Is there anything on there you could eliminate? Do it. Is there something that causes dread when you think about it? Do you have to keep that appointment? And please note: I'm not talking about doctor or dentist appointments you may be dreading. Keep them! But maybe there's an upcoming social event you feel obligated to attend, even though you don't want to. Ask yourself why you are going.

I know a woman who used to gather with high school friends for every birthday. The group of women would go out to dinner and every time my friend would complain about it. She didn't enjoy being part of this group anymore. She'd outgrown them. So why was she still filling her calendar with these gatherings? It was an obligation. When she finally realized she didn't have to continue being part of this group, the burden was lifted off of her and she was able to free up quite a few evenings in her year. Ahhh... relief. Did the others understand? Maybe not. But who cares??

So often, we live our lives to please others. I'm not saying we shouldn't put others first at times. But there has to be a balance.

After my first husband died, I decided to go back to college and finish my degree. At the time, I was a 32-year-old single mom with two small children. I met with someone at the university and discovered that many of my credits were no longer valid because they didn't offer the courses anymore. What? That made no sense to me. So instead of being a senior, I was going to start back as a junior. I originally double-majored in theater arts and creative writing. I no longer cared about the theater degree, so I planned to pursue a degree in writing. As they looked at the courses I'd taken, they said I had already fulfilled all of my writing requirements. They set up a schedule for me. It included chemistry, calculus, and some other lame-to-me courses. One thing was clear -- I was going to hate school. I had to do some soul searching. Why did I really want the degree? It was a simple answer: I wanted to do it for my mother. Once I knew that answer, I looked at what my life would be like if I enrolled in the next semester. Since I didn't have any family in Pittsburgh, I would have to have babysitters care for my children. I would have to drive into Oakland and find parking, despite the weather. I would have to listen to boring lectures about subjects I had zero interest in. And my evenings would be spent studying the aforementioned subjects. Fun times. The end result would be a miserable mommy for my little girls. What was all that for again? Oh yeah, for my mother.

I decided to skip the degree.

And you know what? It's okay. I did what was best for me and for my family at the time. And not once since then, have I ever been asked if I had a degree. I now teach writing at Carnegie Mellon University for their Osher program. I teach writing at conferences. I present writing workshops. I run a writers' group. I coach writers. And not taking chemistry or calculus has affected me in any negative way. Sometimes, you just have to let go of other people's expectations.

So look at your calendar again. Look at it honestly. Are your kids in activities someone else wants them to be in? Are you pushing them to do things they don't want to do? Would it be so bad if your kids didn't participate in everything your sister's kids participate in? Is there a competition going on here? Just some questions for you to ponder.

Freeing up some time can rescue you from the Gumby syndrome. After all, it's really not that cool to be stretched in that many directions. Let me know if you find a way out.

Sharing my thoughts on life,

DiaResQ to the rescue when your belly starts a rumbling!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received product and/or compensation in exchange for this post.

Don't you love it when you find a new product that is safe and can be used to solve a common problem. Well, maybe for some of you and your kids, diarrhea isn't a common problem. But for others, it plagues them from time-to-time. Either way, this is a product you really want to have on hand. It's always exciting to find a product that WORKS, is the first of its kind AND fits our fast-paced lifestyles. How often do busy families eat out during the week at crowded restaurants, food trucks or street vendors and suffer from it later? DiaResQ is not a drug, but rather a food for special dietary use that quickly provides relief when you feel your tummy rumbling. I mean, seriously, I hate that rumbling. Nothing ruins a romantic moment like the urge to get to the bathroom... quickly! Right?!

How Does it Work?

DiaResQ provides nutrients and immune factors that help to rapidly restore normal intestinal function – so you’re back to normal in no time. The coolest part is that, because it’s a food, it effectively reaches the digestive tract and promotes healthy digestive function. It’s definitely something you want to pack for your next trip! Plus, it is safe for children as young as one year in age.

How is it Different?

Many diarrhea relief products help to alleviate the symptoms by interfering with your body’s natural immune response when you eat something that doesn’t agree with you. This can keep that unwanted something in your body longer and delay recovery. DiaResQ works with your body’s natural defenses to support digestive health by delivering micronutrients, macronutrients, and immune factors to get you back on track in no time!

Where Can I Find it?

You can find DiaResQ on Amazon, or at Target, CVS, Walmart, and other retail outlets. Click here for a comprehensive list. If you're like me, you'll be heading out to the store to have some DiaResQ on hand ASAP! Don't let that stomach rumbling affect your next date night or family outing. DiaResQ to the rescue!

Sharing new products with you with confidence,

Remember when pistachios used to be red?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

The other day, I found myself wondering what ever happened to red pistachios. Do you remember them? Your fingers used to bear the red stains from shelling them. So why now are they a beige-green color. Obviously, they're not red when they're harvested, so why were they dyed that color? I must admit, I kind of liked them that way. It's not like we were actually ingesting the dye... it was only on the shell. The pistachios themselves were still a light beige-green. 

Well, I found out that back in the days when nearly all pistachio nuts were imported, the only color they came in was red. And here's why: the nuts were all picked by hand and because of the natural oils present on the hands of the workers, the pale beige shells became discolored. Apparently, consumers thought they looked soiled and unappetizing, so they weren't a popular choice for a snacking.

Importers of the nuts wanted to find a way to hide the stains on the pistachio shells and increase sales, so they began dying the shells red with food coloring. The dye not only concealed the stains that some people thought were blemishes, but the red pistachios stood out from other kinds of snack nuts and sales picked up. The plan worked quite well and  red pistachios became so popular that the nuts were eventually grown right here in the states.

Around 80 years ago, machines took over the harvesting, so there was no longer a need for the red dye. But they remained red for years after that, probably because of the uniqueness of red nuts. After all, they stood out amidst the various shades of tan and brown common with the other types of nuts.  Personally, I can't remember when the change from red to natural occurred. One day I was buying red pistachios and the next I was buying naturally-colored ones. Hmmm. I just didn't notice. How many of you remember having red-stained fingers from eating a bowl of pistachios? 

While the color of pistachio nuts for sale in most stores is the natural greenish-beige, anyone wishing to purchase some  red pistachios for old times sake, you can still find them at specialty stores and online sites. Although the nutritional content of  red pistachios is the same as the those left natural, they make a colorful addition to the snack offerings at a party or holiday gathering. And hey, a little red dye on your hands isn't going to hurt anyone. Just don't swallow the shells -- the red dye won't be the worst of your problems!

Sharing random thoughts about things like why pistachios are no longer red,

Enter to Win a $75 Gift Card to My Gift Stop!

This great giveaway is Sponsored by My Gift Stop

and Hosted by Mommy's Playbook

Maybe you don't want to think about it right now, but the holidays are quickly approaching. The time to start shopping for gifts is NOW! Winning a gift card to My Gift Stop could certainly help! 

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  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mommy’s Playbook Giveaway Rules: This giveaway is Sponsored by MyGiftStop.com and hosted by Mommy’s Playbook. Victoria and/or Mommy’s Playbook, Participating bloggers, are not responsible for prize fulfillment. No purchase necessary. By entering this giveaway you are giving the giveaway host and/or event sponsor permission to retain your email address for future communication, you may choose to opt-out of such communications at any time. Participant/entrant agrees that his/her email will be added to My Gift Stop email newsletter to receive private sales, new product updates, and other marketing emails. Email is never sold or shared. Participant may unsubscribe from newsletter at any time. All giveaway entrants will receive a 10% off coupon via email good towards any products at MyGiftStop. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by any social media outlet including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Please contact Victoria (at) MommysPlaybook.com regarding any questions you have pertaining to this giveaway.

*This giveaway is open to domestic and international individuals aged 18 and older only; void where prohibited.

Win a Teething Necklace Prize Pack! RV over $60!

Sponsored By: Mommy's Touch

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

3 Winners Will Receive A Mommy's Touch Silicone Necklace Prize!

Grand Prize: 

Winner will receive all the following silicone necklaces:

Black Shark Tooth

White Shark Tooth

Hawaiian Fish Hook

White Fish Hook

A $62.96 RV Prize Pack!

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Winner's Choice of 2 silicone necklaces from the following options:

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Up to a $31.98 RV!

Second Runner-up: 

Winner's Choice of 1 silicone necklace from the following options:

Black Shark Tooth / White Shark Tooth / 
Hawaiian Fish Hook / White Fish Hook

Up to a $15.99 RV!

Open To US entries and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 8/27 9:00 AM EST through 9/24 11:59PM EST

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winners will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

What happens when you lose sight of who you used to be?

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Do you ever feel like you've lost your way... or more accurately, lost yourself? I suspect that a lot of moms with younger children feel that way. There are just so many demands on you that you barely remember what made you tick before... before middle-of-the-night feedings, trips to the grocery store with three little ones in tow, endless packing of lunches, reading blog posts about parenting and vaccinations and school choices and breastfeeding, and juggling everyone else's schedules, and... and... phew, it's exhausting just thinking about all the ways you're no longer who you used to be.

Don't fret, mama, there will eventually be a time when you feel like you again. Maybe not the same you as before, but a better you. After all, motherhood, while exhausting, fulfills you in a way nothing else does.

Right now, I'm sort of in the same boat. No, I don't have little ones pulling me in different directions, but I do have a new, and unexpected, career that has taken me away from the me I used to be. It was never my goal to run an in-home senior care company. Never even on the radar. After working from home for most of my adult life, heading into the office every day is new to me. But, after 21 months now, I've adjusted. And I actually enjoy the job. I love working with my daughter. I enjoy knowing that we make a difference. But lately, I've been antsy. No, more than antsy... I've been depressed. And this past week, I figured out why. 

It's because I lost sight of who I was. As I was adjusting to a managerial role, I had to let go of some of the things that made me me. And I missed me. You know what I mean? I missed the me I used to be. That's not to say I want to go back to being the me I was before I started this job. Not at all. Just like you don't want to go back to being the person you were before you had kids... not if it means giving up those kids, right? I don't want to walk away from anything. But I need to walk toward the things that used to infuse me with life, with joy, with energy. 

So I've made a plan and started enacting it. I'm reconnecting with my writing friends... my old tribe. And I'm writing again. I'm going to refocus on my novel and make writing a priority, like it once was. When people ask about what I do, I want to go back to saying, "I'm a writer." And then I can add, "And I run an in-home care company." I may put more hours into the company, but I want to put my heart back into what I believe God created me to do. Does that make sense? 

The me I was had to be dormant for awhile as I readjusted my priorities and refocused my attention on a new pursuit. But I woke from my hibernation with a feeling of discontent and now I understand. 

Hang in there, mama. You are still you under the surface. And parts of you still shine through, even when your clothing is stained with spit up and you haven't had a shower in days. You're still beautiful and radiant and worth your weight in precious gems. 

While you may think the older generation doesn't understand your struggles, take it from me, we do. We really do.

Sharing my heart,

Back to School Giveaway! Enter to Win a $45 Amazon Gift Card!

Proper hydration is vital for kids who need to stay alert during the school day. This is something that is often overlooked when trying to figure out what is causing the problems for some kids at school. Their concentration levels are off and doctors are quick to prescribe pharmaceuticals to 'solve' the 'problem'. But what if the problem is as simple as your kids just having enough water to drink?

What is Gululu? Gululu was developed by Bowhead Technology as an interactive water bottle that keeps children hydrated while allowing parents to monitor daily water-drinking progress through an easy to use smartphone app. Gululu provides a technology-enabled solution with a learning-through-play mechanism to address issues pertaining to children’s well being.

The water bottle tracks hydration and encourages the child to drink with the help of an educational pet-growing game DIRECTLY ON THE BOTTLE! As kids consume more water from their Gululu bottle, their virtual pet grows and unlocks new worlds and adventures at the “Gululu Universe." Gululu also has an automatic software and content update system that continuously rolls out new features to keep children engaged.

Gululu's Greater Purpose:

Gululu's mission and contribution is to help children all over the world stay healthy and hydrated! To advance their goal, for every Gululu bottle purchased, a child in a developing country will be provided with clean drinking water! This initiative was created through a partnership with Generosity.org, a humanitarian organization that provides sustainable solutions to the global water crisis, one community at a time. Joining forces with Generosity.org has allowed Gululu to offer programs focused on educating kids on social responsibility and initiate water-well projects for developing countries.

Want to know more? Gululu has been featured in leading global media publications in over 20 countries. Among them are TechCrunch, Yahoo, Vogue, and Forbes that declared Gululu as a “Top 5 best kids’ gadgets.”

Enter to Win a $45 Gift Card from Gululu!

Gululu is giving away a $45 Gift Card to one lucky winner to

help you prepare for the upcoming school year!

Quick Features!

Gululu is an amazing interactive water bottle that provides children with an entertaining reminder to stay hydrated. Parents love it because it doesn't require anything extra from them. All you have to do is wash Gululu after each use, allow it to air dry (baby bottle racks are a great drying solution to keep the lid and bottle together). Kids can easily charge Gululu overnight or between sips as the bottle just rests on the charging cradle when not in use. Take a look at the quick features that highlights why you'll love Gululu too:

• Monitor children's daily water-drinking progress through your smartphone
• Grow and evolve with a virtual ‘tamagotchi-like’ virtual pet
• Experience continuous content updates through an automatic software update system to keep children engaged
• Parents can utilize “Do Not Disturb” and “Bedtime” modes to be sure the Gululu Pet isn't distracting during learning or rest times.
• Learn-Through-Play, embark on a journey of health, rewards, and adventures within the “Gululu universe”
• Connect with friends by syncing to nearby bottles and stay connected with the cloud-based app. Durable, safe, and waterproof with a modular design and easy-to-clean spout that makes maintenance simple BPA-free

Other important features:

• Monthly themes: Every couple of weeks, Gululu introduces additional features, such as new online campaigns, drinking animations, pet accessories, sound effects, and more. These exciting additions are all automatically updated into the bottle through the cloud.
• Gululu Universe Journey: Children can redeem accessories for their pets with the virtual coins collected along their journey of discovering the Gululu Universe.
• Virtual pets: A fourth virtual pet, (Donny), was released at the end of March. More characters are expected to be added soon to expand the population of the “Gululu universe.”

ENTER TO WIN!

One lucky reader will win a $45 Amazon Gift Card from Gululu!

The giveaway is open US Only, 18+

The giveaway ends 9/1 at 11:59pm EST

Be sure to come back daily for more chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The evil of 301. Plus one.

Jesus wept

My emotions are raw tonight. I feel tattered, bruised. There are over 1,000 innocent children who have come into the light as adults, revealing that which was hidden in darkness. A confession of sorts, but it is not the victims who need absolution and no amount of Our Fathers or Hail Marys will erase the dark blot of sin perpetrated by so-called men of God.

The Grand Jury released its report today, naming 301 priests in Pennsylvania who have been accused of sexually abused boys and girls in their parishes. Over one thousand boys and girls. This is unthinkable.

The live feed came across Facebook today as I sat at my desk and I allowed it to play in the background as I worked. But it could not, it would not, remain in the background as I heard the stories -- the horror stories -- of what happened to some of these victims. I heard of lives destroyed by these evil, evil men. And I wept. I wept for the children. I wept for the brokenness of the nation. I wept for God, knowing that many would place blame on Him, the very one who was broken and died for our brokenness.

And I wept for my younger self... the child I was before such evil befell me as an eight-year-old. No, it was not a man of God who hurt me, but it was a trusted neighbor. And my parents were oblivious as they left me in his care, as he molested, raped, and threatened me.

"If you tell anyone, you won't go to heaven when you die. You know that, right?"

My innocent little heart believed him. Heaven was conditional and I really wanted to go there someday. So my tainted lips were sealed. And my bloody underwear was buried underneath rotting tomatoes in the garbage can in the garage. My mother never asked what happened to the pretty white underwear with the yellow stitching.

And today, I wept. For strangers' children. And for the little girl I used to be. I haven't felt the need to revisit this part of my life in a long time. But today, uninvited, it covered me with its heavy cloak and at times I felt like I couldn't breathe in its darkness.

I don't have answers. Today, I just have an overwhelming feeling of grief.

Sharing my heart,

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

Single stream recycling -- what does that mean?

Occasionally, I run into someone who doesn't recycle. Quite honestly, that dumbfounds me. Even if your apartment building/community/office/workplace doesn't recycle (infuriating thought), each one of us can act responsibly and recycle anyway. Every week, I haul recycling home with me because there isn't any recycling at my office. But just because there isn't a recycling pickup here, it doesn't excuse me from my duty to care for this incredible planet of ours. Right?

I stumbled upon this video about single stream recycling (where you put everything into one bin) and I thought I'd share it with you. NOTE: you should never put plastic bags into your recycling bin. They can clog up the belts. Dump your clean recycling into the bin loose, not bagged. We bag our paper, but only in paper bags, never plastic.

I hope this video is useful in your understanding of the recycling process. Enjoy!

Going Green on Father's Day

Father's Day 2018. As I reflect back on the day, I cannot help but offer up praise to God for gifting me with so much.

Deb and me October 2003

It's been a rough couple of weeks. I lost a dear friend of 43 years, thanks in part to wrong diagnoses starting in January. Deb and I were best friends in college and later shared an apartment together here in Pittsburgh. She had a vibrant smile that lit up a room whenever she entered it. She was so.full.of.life. How can she be gone? It's a question that runs through my mind daily.

In addition to that devastating loss, I had my own potential health crisis. A breast cancer scare that had me at the Cancer Institute at Allegheny General Hospital this past Friday. The tests were painful, but the news was good, with the radiologist telling me that he was 90% sure I had nothing to worry about. I'll take it. It was good to focus on other things this weekend.

Which brings us to today. After church, I came home and tended to brunch. I made a French Toast Casserole in the crock pot, which I turned on early this morning. I threw two hash brown casseroles in the oven (one with onions, one without for the grandkids), and I prepared my mixture for a big batch of scrambled eggs. I had prepared almost everything last night, including cutting chives from my garden to sprinkle over the eggs. It was a lot of work, but it was done in love and gratitude.

Father's Day 2018

Watching my husband as he was surrounded by his kids and grandkids for Father's Day was... I don't know how to express it. It was a bit overwhelming in some ways because we almost lost him back in October. Seeing the love poured out toward him is something I don't ever want to take for granted. So many grandparents rarely see their grandchildren, due to distance of location or distance of heart. Broken or strained relationships cause chasms hard to cross. The fact that we get to see our grandchildren for every holiday and often in between means the world to me.

As I was getting ready for church this morning, I thought of our new-ish neighbor across the street who was going to be alone today. Her mother died two weeks ago and I know how hard that is. So I decided to invite her to join us today and she did. That, too, was a blessing.

Now on to the green stuff. We had eight adults and five children here for brunch and did not use any single-use products. Not a one. I've gathered enough metal plates through the years to serve 24, so there is never a need for paper plates for picnics. We have at least 100 cloth napkins, some of which my mom made many years ago. She's the one who taught me that paper napkins were unnecessary. We certainly have enough flatware to skip the plastic, and we have plenty of mugs for coffee, glasses for water and iced tea, and champagne flutes for mimosas (after all, we had a lot to celebrate today).

Clean up was more work without the paper and plastic products that could easily be pitched into the trash and recycling, but I'll sleep well tonight knowing I did not only serve my family well today, but I served the earth well, too. And that, my friends, is what being a green grandma is all about!

I encourage you to find your own ways to cut down on waste.

Keeping it green with a heart full of gratitude,

Dads Who Rock CD Collection Giveaway!

Remember the Moms Who Rock giveaway? Well, Dads rock, too. So here's a giveaway just for them!

Sponsored By: Sugar Mountain PR

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

Winner Will Receive: 

A collection of wonderful "Dads Who Rock" CDs! 

Including:

Ants Ants Ants - Purchase "Why Why Why?" on Amazon

Red Yarn - Purchase "Red Yarn's Old Barn" on Amazon

Gunnar Madsen - Purchase "I Am Your Food" on Amazon

Hot Peas 'N Butter - Purchase Back To The Land
available on Amazon starting June 22nd!

Sugar Mountain PR is a public relations agency specializing in award-winning music and other media for children.

Open To US and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates  
6/9 9:00 AM EST through 7/7 11:59PM EST

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.