We're giving away a car seat! Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Giveaway!

Welcome to the Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Giveaway

hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro

The car seat I have in my car for my 4 1/2 year old granddaughter will expire soon. It looks perfectly safe. Everything is intact and it's in excellent condition. So why am I worried about an expiration date? Simply because, over time, despite how they look, car seats wear out. And I surely don't want to find out how unsafe it actually is at the wrong time . . . like when I'm in an accident with the lovely little Lady Laura in the backseat!

Anyway, I've been shopping for a car seat and I'm pretty much thinking they don't get any better than the one we're giving away. What do you think?

The Evenflo Symphone 65 DLX is an All-In-One car seat that grows with children. It accommodates children from 5-100 lbs. and is adjustable to rear facing, forward facing harnessed and forward facing booster without harness modes. The Symphony 65 keeps car travel safe throughout childhood and may be the only car seat your child will ever need. The Symphony 65 with e3 joins the DLX and the Symphony 65 e3 with TruTether, providing a full range of options for safe car travel.

Here are the features of the Symphony 65 DLX:

• #1 Rated Car Seat by a leading consumer magazine!
• IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) Best Bet - Provides good lap and shoulder belt fit for typical 4 to 8 year-olds in almost any car, minivan or SUV.
• National Parenting Publication Awards Gold Prize Winner for its innovation, usefulness to consumers, and high quality
• SureLATCH Connectors Just Click, Click, Push for super-fast, super-snug installation in less than 60 seconds!
• e3 Side Impact Protection significantly reduces the forces in side impact crashes through advanced energy absorption and an expanded zone of protection.
• All-In-One Car Seat - The only car seat you will ever need!
• Infinite Slide™ Harness easily slides for an accurate fit every time. No reworking the harness as child grows!
• Up-front multi-position recline for child’s comfort while asleep or awake
• 65 lb. harness weight rating accommodates growing children longer
• Removable head and body pillow for additional comfort and support
• Accommodates children 5 to 100 lbs and features One-hand Adjustable Headrest
• Fold-down cup holder for easy access to drinks and folds out of the way when not in use
• Easy-off, machine-washable car seat pad requires no harness rethreading 
• Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety & comfort
• New CrumpleSafe™ base counteracts the forces of a severe crash
• Designed, Engineered, Tested, Molded and Assembled in the USA
• Available at Burlington and Babies ‘R’ Us for $199.99

Evenflo is now embarking on a “Made in the USA” initiative to let consumers know that its car seats and ExerSaucer® activity centers are designed, engineered, molded, assembled and safety tested in the USA, with U.S. and global components! To give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at their manufacturing facility, Evenflo has also created a “Proudly Made in the USA” video. You can check out their video on the Evenflo website HERE.

One lucky person is going to win an Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Car Seat! 

Open to the US only.  Ends 8/7/13 at 11:59 PM EST.

Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!

Entry-Form

To find out more about car seat safety, click HERE to check out the series I ran written by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, Megan Arce.

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  The participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

Glass Dharma Straws Event!

Welcome to the Glass Dharma Straws Event!

Sip the World Make a Difference with Glass Dharma Straws

 

 

Sponsored by: Glass Dharma

Hosted by: Mom Powered Media, Powered by Mom, Mom to Bed by 8, Baby Costcutters & Mom Does Reviews

 

Read Powered by Mom's Review of the Glass Dharma Straws HERE

 

Last year, I posted my own review of the Glass Dharma Straws, complete with a picture of my adorable granddaughter using one. You can read it HERE.

 

About Glass Dharma Drinking Straws 

They are the brainchild of creator David Leonhardt, a lampworker (glassblower) for over 15 years. When he and his wife moved to the Mendocino Coast he noticed, while doing some work for a local glass shop in town, that they had glass drinking straws. He had never seen them before but realized they were a unique and elegant product that could help reduce the plastic waste that ends up in our garbage! Did you know that, according to McDonald's own website, as of 2008, they serve an average of 52 million meals PER DAY! Which makes you wonder how many of those meals had a plastic straw come with them? Hmm... yes, it's a big problem. But Glass Dharma has created a beautiful item as part of the solution!  

Here's why we should use glass straws

• Glass straws don’t leach toxins into your food as you drink.
• Each time you use your glass straw, it equals one less plastic straw ending up in the landfill.
• One glass straw replaces potentially thousands of plastic straws. (How many times will you use a straw during the rest of your life?)
• Using your glass drinking straw adds a feeling of elegance to your day.
• They are great for hot or cold drinks, and are microwave and dishwasher safe!!
• Covered with their unbelievable Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage. Means that if they ever break, they’ll replace them – Free

Glass Dharma has straws in different sizes for regular beverages, smoothies, and bubble tea, that feature decorative dot in different colors and beautiful bends. There is a straw for everyone! Glass Dharma is going to give 3 winners EACH a $50 Gift Code so they, too, can stop putting plastic straws into our landfills and enjoy these beautiful glass straws with their favorite drinks! 

Enter on the rafflecopter below and GOOD LUCK! 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. Green Grandma is not associated with the company named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. Open to US and Canada, 18+ only. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product shipment to winners of this giveaway. Green Grandma is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Gorgeous Grandma Photo Contest with Earth Mama Angel Baby!

When I was a kid, I envied other kids who had grandmas. As a young child, I only had one grandparent and she lived in Harlem. While we made the trip to NYC often to see her, she spoke little English and I never really connected with her. She died when I was 10.



My mom, on the other hand, was a fantastic grandma. She adored her four grandchildren and, if it's possible, adored her great-grandchildren even more . . . even when they didn't want a group picture!

My mom with two of her granddaughters and her three great -grandchildren

Then there's me. I wasn't too sure about this whole grandma thing when it first began. I wasn't like other women I know who looked forward to having grandchildren the way children look forward to Christmas. Nope. I could wait. 

But then it happened. I'd like to say I magically transformed into a doting mess, slobbering all over my first granddaughter and showing pictures of her to strangers at the grocery store. But that wouldn't be the truth. Even though I was there in the room as she was born, there was a missing connection somehow. Truthfully, it took a few months for the "grandma mode" to set in. 

Now that it has, however, I must admit, I'm loving it. I absolutely adore my grandbabies. And, of course, I want only what's best for them. That's why I introduced my daughters to Earth Mama Angel Baby products right from the start. And they love them, too. 

Yesterday, as they were getting ready for church, four-and-a-half year old, Laura, asked her mommy to spray some Happy Baby Spray on her. Even she knows a good thing when she's got it!

So, since EMAB and GG are collaborating to bring you this fun contest, I thought it would be appropriate for me to share some pics of me with my grandchildren. After all, it is a Gorgeous Grandma contest and let's face it -- the most gorgeous grandmas are those whose faces light up whenever their grandbabies are around! I know mine does.

Pictures and collage by my daughter, Bethany Schad

So... head over to the Earth Mama Angel Baby Facebook page with your own pictures of your favorite grandmas playing with the kids. Upload the photo(s) and enter to win! Not only will you win something for your little one, but GRANDMA WINS, TOO! 

Here's what's in the prize package:

A Little Something For Baby: 

• Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash 1.67oz.
• Angel Baby Bottom Balm 1oz.
• Angel Baby Lotion 2oz.
• Angel Baby Oil 1 oz

AND . . .
  
Grandma Gets Some Too:

• Happy Mama Hand to Toe Wash 5.3 fl. oz.
• Happy Mama Spray 4 fl. oz.
• Mama-To-Be Tea Sampler
• Natural Stretch Oil 4 fl. oz.
• Earth Mama Body Butter 4 oz.
• Mint Herbal Lip Balm

Now we don't want to confuse you. We know, or at least assume that Grandma isn't a mama-to-be. But that doesn't mean she won't love the tea sampler. I know I do. And even though her stretch marks have long ago become part of the natural topography of her body, the Natural Stretch Oil will keep her skin supple, soft, and (dare I say) sexy. Good thing she'll have some lip balm to keep those lips kissable!

Contest ends Tuesday night (7/23/13). Winners chosen at random.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I received both payment and products. However, this is my honest opinion of the company and products mentioned above.

Congratulations to the winners of the Summertime Memories with Hyland's contest!

Disclaimer: I am a Hylands Homeopathy Ambassador and receive various products and gift cards from Hyland's and promotional partners at no cost to me. All views and opinions expressed on this blog post and corresponding social network mentions are my own and are not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Chasing the flea circus out of town on Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!!

Fleas. Don't you love 'em? 

Umm, not particularly, GG. 

Yeah, I'm with you on that. Fleas are not only a nuisance to your pets, they can actually cause serious problems for your furry companions and your family. Anyone who's had a flea bite or two can attest to that.

 My cat, Theo, is allergic to fleas, as was my Maine Coon, Hadaash. They both would end up with horrible scabs all over their skin from the bites. 

In my book, Vinegar Fridays, I address the issue of fleas and other pests in Chapter 14 (Furry, Finned and Feathered Friends). Here's what I had to say:

Back in Chapter 8, I told you about the wonders of using apple cider vinegar in a footbath for amazingly soft feet. Well, this next tip is something I discovered following my first ACV footbath.

Theo and me 2011

Not wanting to waste the solution, I looked around for something to do with it. Of course, I didn't want to water my drought-ridden garden with it, as vinegar could hurt the plants. I spied my one-eared cat, Theo, who has a sensitivity to bug bites and had chewed his tail practically raw. As a matter of fact, his entire back and neck were covered in scabs. Much of this was from the fleas that had recently hopped on board. Because of the bug bites and his constant scratching and chewing, Theo's fur was really nasty. It was rough and not at all soft to the touch . . . that was until I got the brilliant idea (if I must say so myself) to pour the ACV-infused footbath over him. While he did resist a bit, I must say, this strong kitty submitted rather easily as I held him by the neck with one hand and dumped the lukewarm water over his entire body. The results? I had an unbelievably soft and fluffy cat. Seriously. This worked.

After seeing what it did for Theo, I decided to repeat the process with Bella, my no-tailed Manx. She, too, submitted to what most cats would consider serious abuse! After she was dry, I was amazed at how her long black fur felt just like a bunny's! An added bonus: vinegar kills fleas!

The chewed off fur grew back nicely on Theo's tail. I doused him again later that week and in no time, he started looking, and feeling, mighty fine. Now if only I could find a vinegar cure for his shriveled up, practically non-existent ear!

In cooler months, when I don't want my cats running around sopping wet, I pour undiluted ACV on a hand towel and give them  good rubdown. This helps, but does not deliver the same results as a thorough drenching.

While most of you will hesitate at giving your cats ACV baths, you might want to try it with your dogs. It is astonishing how soft the fur becomes. I recently discovered this is one of the secrets of beautiful shiny show dog fur! Once cup of vinegar in a quart of water is a good ratio for bathing your cat or dog. I also recommend using vinegar rinses on horses, for soft and glistening coats.

Adding a tablespoon of organic ACV to your cat's, dog's, or horse's water or food can help with a variety of issues, including arthritic conditions, kidney stones, bar4n flies and flea control. Plus, they will reap the benefits of a shiny coat without the discomfort of an ACV drenching!

Later in the chapter, I address the issue of fleas again:

A good way to kill  them without resorting to potentially lethal chemicals is to bathe them in baby shampoo followed by an ACV/warm water rinse. I strongly advise using only organic shampoos that are actually safe for babies, and not the ones most people think of as safe -- check out the ones sold by Earth Mama Angel Baby and Leaf & Bud Naturals, my personal favorites. You will see the dead fleas wash right down the drain.

The reason I mentioned potentially lethal chemicals is because of a news story that ran awhile back. There were dogs and cats that became violently ill after having a popular vet-prescribed flea medication applied topically. It's scary to think you may be harming your pet when you're just trying to protect him.

All the commercial flea products make me nervous when there are small children in the house. They love to hug their doggies and kitties and just may end up with an armful, or mouthful, of flea-killing chemicals. Yuck. Flea collars are especially troublesome in households with children. Just think about it -- your child grabs the dog by the collar and then grabs a cookie with the same, unwashed hand. Not good. Not good at all.

You also want to spray your pet's bedding with apple cider vinegar every few days to keep fleas from settling in. A bonus: the ACV will deodorize the bedding, too.

As I mentioned above, adding a tablespoon of vinegar (ACV or DWV) to your pet's water bowl (4-5 cups of water) will keep fleas from returning.

There are more vinegar-related animal tips in the book, including 

• what to do when your pet is sprayed by a skunk
• how to treat hoof thrush
• what's a good treatment for hot spots
• stopping a cat fight
• keeping your kitty from spraying in the house
• getting rid of urine and feces odors and stains on the carpet
• how to safely clean your bird cage, fish bowl or aquarium
• how to use vinegar to address common behavior problems
• what to do about incessant barking
• keeping barn flies at bay

Isn't it awesome how something as natural as vinegar can fill your home with purrs and wagging tails, and can keep things a bit more pleasant down on the farm? Vinegar . . . you gotta love it!

Keeping it green with vinegar,

 

It's a Samsung Silver 11.6" Chromebook Giveaway!

This is one giveaway I'd like to win! The thought of not lugging my 15" heavy laptop around with me...

From what I hear, The Samsung Chromebook is for everyone. It is a new computer that helps you get everyday things done faster and easier. It starts in seconds, has virus protection built-in, and runs your favorite Google apps plus thousands more. The Chromebook comes with leading Google products, like Search, Gmail, YouTube and Hangouts, so you can work, play, and do whatever you want, right out of the box. You can easily share it with multiple people- switching accounts takes seconds, and everyone gets their own files, apps and settings. And it's simple to use. There's no setup, and your files are automatically backed up in the cloud. At just 2.4 pounds, 0.7 inches thin, and with over 6.5 hours of battery life, the Samsung Chromebook can go anywhere you go. It's built to stay cool, so it doesn't need a fan and runs silently. It also includes 100GB of free Google Drive storage (for 2 years), a built-in webcam, and dual band Wi-Fi to make it easy to connect to wireless networks. Doesn't that sound amazing? 

Here are some more details about the Chromebook:

• 11.6 inches Displal
• Samsung Exynos 5250 Dual Core Processor
• 2 GB DDR3L RAM 16 GB Solid State Drive
• 2 USB Ports: 1 USB 3.0 + 1 USB 2.0, HDMI Port
• Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n

So what are you waiting for? This giveaway ends in four days on 7/22! Open to USA only.  Enter now!

Hosted by: Mom Blog Society | Night Helper | She Informed | Country Stew | Route 249

 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Supermom! How I birthed my baby -- part 14

After a two week hiatus, I'm happy to present another birth story in our Supermom series. Today, Jenni shares the story of the home birth of her second baby. Click on the link in the first paragraph to read the account of her first birth which appears on her blog, Infinitesimal Change. Jenni is a Type 1 Diabetic mom of two amazing girls, who worked really hard to achieve natural childbirth - first in a hospital, and next at home.  She is currently pregnant with #3 and planning an intervention-free, midwife-assisted hospital birth, due in mid August. 

Audrey's birth 

After our extremely successful, textbook perfect unmedicated hospital birth of our first daughter in August 2009, Scott and I decided we’d like a home birth this time around. We found an incredible midwife, Karen, who was willing to work with us, despite my Type 1 diabetes, and are so thankful we did. I am pretty convinced that if we hadn’t done a home birth, Audrey would have been born in a car on the side of Route 66 because of how fast labor was and because it happened during the morning rush hour. 
 
On the evening of November 4th, I started having some timeable Braxton-Hicks style contractions. At one point, they were coming every 3 minutes for an hour. Because my midwife lives over an hour away, and because I was already at least 5 cm dilated, 70% effaced, I got a little nervous and called her. She was at another birth, nearly 2 1/2 hours away from me when I talked to her, and that made me really nervous. If this baby was coming now, she would probably come fast and I wasn't interested in an unassisted childbirth. Soon after I got off the phone with her, my contractions stopped completely. She went ahead and found a backup midwife just in case, and around 10 or 11 p.m., we went to bed.

I had a hard time falling asleep and the baby was moving lots. I was worried I wouldn't sleep at all, so I listened to two Hypnobabies scripts and eventually fell asleep, probably around 1 a.m. At 5:15 a.m., I awoke and was having some mild cramping. I timed them for 15 minutes, and decided to text my doula, Aimee (who lives much closer than Karen). She said it sounded like labor, and unless Karen said otherwise, she was going to head to our house. I called Karen and she also decided to head out, given the traffic in this area and how far she was from me. 
 
At 6:00, I woke up Scott and told him what was going on and asked him to get the birth pool set up. I went downstairs to the basement to shower so he could use the upstairs bathroom to set up the pool. During my shower, things got a lot more intense - it went from regular cramping to "I have to breathe through these" contractions.

After my shower, I went upstairs. I felt very unsettled, like I didn't know what to do, and told Scott this. We made the bed with old sheets and a waterproof layer, and I laid down and listened to a Hypnobabies script. This script lasted about an hour, and at some point during the script, I asked Scott to call our chiropractor and good friend, and Aimee also came in. Our chiropractor showed up soon after and gave me an adjustment - that was heavenly!

Scott kept offering me food - I agreed to toast, but once it was cooked, I didn't want any. I wasn't hungry at all, though I did drink water. At this point in my memory, things really get fuzzy, and time stops making sense. I think I laid on the bed for a while after my Hypnobabies script finished, just breathing through the contractions. Aimee offered to listen to the baby if I wanted to, but the baby was moving and I didn't want to be interrupted, so I didn't ask her to. 
 
At some point, I moved to the floor, to try using my birth ball. I think I tried sitting on it, and that wasn't comfortable. I also tried kneeling on the floor, leaning the front half of my body over the ball. This was OK for a little while, until I figured out that it was making my contractions more intense because the ball was pushing on the top of my belly. I think Karen arrived while I was on the floor, but she didn't interrupt me (bless her!) - I assume she got the information she needed from Aimee and from Scott. Once I was on the floor, I needed Scott to put counterpressure on my back/SI joints. I was grateful that the fan in our room was on and blowing on me while I was on the floor, too, because I was quite warm. Scott gave me a few bites of applesauce, but I still wasn't hungry.

Then, all of a sudden, I NEEDED to be in the birth pool. It wasn't completely full yet, but it was close enough. I stripped down to just my bra, and got in. (I think I was in transition, or nearing it, at this point, but I was never checked during labor, so I don't know). The water felt great. I sat on my bottom, leaning back against the edge of the pool, letting my arms float. I did this for a while, and at some point, Aimee suggested I try leaning over the edge of the pool while kneeling. I tried this position, and it really hurt my lower back, but I realized I did want to lean forward. I then got on hands and knees in the water, and Aimee massaged my lower back in between contractions and applied counter pressure during contractions. I stayed like this for a little while, and things were really getting intense. I started having feelings of "when will this be over?!", "how much longer?!", "I want drugs!", and a little of "I can't do this anymore." To cope, I told myself "this one isn't so bad" and "I can get through this one." At one point, I said out loud, "I'm scared," but it wasn't the traumatizing fear that I experienced during this stage of my first daughter's birth. And then my body started pushing. I kept my mouth open and said "Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh" through the contractions, as I had read in Ina May's book. Soon after I started pushing, my water broke. I thought it was her head emerging and was disappointed to find out that it wasn't. When her head did start to emerge, I said "ring of fire!" and I think this was the point where I started actively pushing, instead of just letting my body do it, though this might have started earlier. Once her head was out, I still had work to do to get her shoulders out. They were never stuck or anything, but it was obvious to me that this baby was bigger than my first. Once her shoulders were out, it wasn't much more effort to deliver the rest of her. I don't remember turning over, but soon I was sitting on my bottom again, holding my baby. You can tell in the photos that I was totally out of it. It took a few seconds for me to sort of "realize" that I was holding a baby, and to look at her. 

She was really gray and not breathing, so Karen rubbed her chest. She let out a cry,and we knew she was perfect. I sat with her in the water for a short time, then decided I wanted to get out. This was pretty awkward because a) I hadn't delivered the placenta yet, b) I was holding a newborn baby, and c) I was weak from the delivery. But, we made it out of the pool and into the bed, where we waited for what seemed like a long while, but I'm guessing was around 15 minutes, for me to deliver the placenta. I had a small tear that required 2 stitches - much smaller than my first birth, despite this baby being nearly 1.5 lbs heavier and 3 inches longer than my first!

Audrey Veronica was born at 9:37 a.m., weighing 8 lbs 12 oz, 21 1/4 inches long, and had a 14 3/8 cm head covered in dark brown (nearly black) hair! No wonder I felt the ring of fire this time!

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A relaxing shave

With the busyness of the past few months, I haven't been posting many reviews on Wednesdays. I've decided, at this point, to limit reviews to twice a month.

Today, it's a simple review. I'm working on some things with the wonderful mamas at Earth Mama Angel Baby this summer and, in addition to paying me, they've gifted me with some of their amazing products. Since we have a new baby in the family, I've given most of the products to my daughter, Jessica, to use with Marley Grace, who was born on April 30th. However, I've kept some of the goodies for myself.

One product I've been using is the Calming Lavender Shampoo and Body Wash, made from certified organic castile soap. While this shampoo/soap is perfect for little ones, I find it equally wonderful for grandma. Actually, what I've been using it for the most is for shaving my legs, which I tend to do when I'm rushing to get ready to go out. Aside from the zero-toxins goodness of the product, there is also that lavender calming factor, which I believe stills my hurried soul just enough to keep me from shaving a shiny slice of skin from my shin, which I'm apt to do when hurrying.

End result? Silky smooth legs.

Here's what the website shares about the Calming Lavender Shampoo and Body Wash:

• Certified by Oregon Tilth: NSF/ANSI 305 Certified Contains Organic Oils
• No petrochemicals, petroleum or petroleum byproducts
• No “fragrance” or parfum, 1,4-Dioxane, formaldehyde, or phthalates
• No sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), cocomidopropyl betaine or other synthetic foaming agents or surfactants
• No artificial preservatives, parabens, phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-15 etc.
• No artificial emulsifiers
• No antibacterial pesticides

Pretty cool, huh? One warning, though. Unlike conventional "no-tear" baby shampoos, the Earth Mama Angel Baby shampoos are not tear-free. They'd need a dose or two of toxins in order to make that claim. So be careful when using this product to wash your kid's hair.

Lavender, vanilla, and EMAB . . . Ahhhh. Already looking forward to my next shave.

Reviewing it for you,

 

Click here for 5 Frugal Household Uses for REAL Soap (aka castile soap)


Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I received both payment and products. However, this is my honest opinion of the product mentioned in the above review.

Back to School Blast! Someone's going to win a $1,000 Visa Gift Card!

Welcome to the Back to School Blast!

Getting your family prepared to head back to school, can be difficult especially after a long, fun-filled summer. Here are a few of my favorite Back to School Tips to help you along the way.

1. Back-to-School Supplies Checklist - Backpack? Check. Pencils? Check. Safety scissors? Not Yet. Use the same checklist each time you head out to grab supplies, to keep track of what you have already purchased and the things you still need to. These are also handy if you have more than one child. Simply print 2, 3, 4 list and add their name to the top.

2. Don't overbuy. Review the above list and make sure it includes things your child really needs. Don't buy just to buy. Go through last year's supplies so you don't duplicate items. Consider having your kids use the same backpacks as last year. Do they really need a new one? Cut expenses and waste by reusing whatever you can.

3. Don't wait until the last week or two to cram in all the fun-filled activities you planned for the summer. And don't sweat it if you didn't have the chance to do all of them. Most of us don't.

4. Take the time to organize your child/children's bedrooms. School mornings will be much less stressful if everything is where it should be so there is no last minute, "I can't find my shoe," or "I don't have any matching socks!"

5. Establish a bedtime routine. Don't wait until the night before the new school year to try to enforce an earlier bedtime. Ease your kiddos into a week or so ahead of time.

6. Have a family meeting to discuss goals for the school year. Give everyone a chance to share their expectations and plans.

7. Set rules you plan to enforce. Don't threaten your kids with punishments you don't intend to follow through with, i.e. no television/games/computer time if there are any disciplinary problems in school or if homework is not turned in on time. 

8. Create an atmosphere of gratitude. Teach your kids to be grateful for the opportunity to get a good education. After all, not all children are quite as blessed.

9. Determine to keep things in perspective. As the late Dr. Richard Carlson said over and over again, "Don't sweat the small stuff."

* * *

The Back to School Blast was organized by Mom Powered Media.

Please take a moment to also visit our lovely co-hosts, whom without them great things such as these would not be possible: My Vegan Gluten-Free Life, Plum Crazy About Coupons, Capri's Coupons, Downshifting - Your Family, Your Home, Your Life, Jack of all trades, Master of Mom™, Quick Tattletails, Mew Review and Iowa Mom.

One lucky winner will receive a $1,000 Visa Gift Card!

 

Giveaway ends August 15th at 11:59pm, open worldwide, ages 18+. If the winner resides outside of the US, they will receive Paypal cash. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Disclosure: Green Grandma is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

KidKraft Pirate Sandboat Giveaway!

 

• Two convenient storage compartments for keeping buckets, shovels and other sand toys together in one place
• Steering wheel, Colorful pirate-themed artwork
• Shady canopy helps keep kids in the shade and out of the hot sun
• Large enough that multiple children can play at once, Made of wood
• Sturdy construction, Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions

Hosted by: Mom Blog Society, Night Helper, Country Stew, Route 249, She Informed 

When I was a kid, I loved to go to Lititz Springs Park with my cousin, Curtis. My mom and her sister, Mary Lou, would sit on a bench and chat while Curtis and I played on the monkey bars, swings, see saws, slides, and -- my favorite -- in the huge community sandbox.

As an adult, I look back now and think, oh yuck, but when I little, I didn't think about what could be lurking in that sandbox; I just knew it was going to be a good time!

I was at the park with my friend, Dawn, last week. So much of it is exactly as I remember it. Even the duck pond was swimming with a variety of ducks. But there was no longer a big sandbox full of sandy children. That's certainly understandable. I don't think I'd let my grandchildren play in an open sandbox in the middle of a park. 

That's why this giveaway is so much fun! With kids' affinity for pirates (along with adults', thanks to Johnny Depp!), this prize is sure to be treasured (pun intended) by anyone lucky enough to win it! 

So enter below... and Good Luck! 

The event dates: 7/15- 7/20 Open to USA only

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BTSB T6

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Vinegar Friday -- a little to the left, please

TGIVF!

Something woke me up early this morning (around 5 a.m. to be more precise). It was itching. Intense itching. The kind of itching that is not relieved no matter how hard you scratch. 

A few days ago, while sitting out on the patio at my late mother's home, I got bit. By what, I'm not sure. When the bumps first showed up, followed by the inevitable itching, I assumed they were mosquito bites. Now, I'm not so sure. I'm thinking spider bites. Nasty, nasty spider bites. 

I tried various ointments on the bites, hoping in vain for some relief from the itching. Nothing worked. And the itching has intensified with each passing day. When I woke up at Mom's yesterday, I thought the itching would drive me out of my mind. So, I did what Green Grandma should have done in the first place -- I reached for the apple cider vinegar. And guess what? It worked! It took away the itching immediately and the relief lasted for a good six hours or so. But then, the itching came back with a vengeance. Problem was, my husband and I were traveling at the time and I didn't have access to any ACV. It was dreadful. We were walking around Bedford, PA and later, around Ligonier, and I was in misery. I actually dragged the top of my foot along some cement for relief (not advisable... bleeding became another problem).

Anyway, when I woke up this morning, I simply headed into the bathroom, applied the ACV with a cotton ball, and went back to bed. Relief. Ahh. I applied it again around 10 a.m. and will repeat the process before heading out this afternoon. I'm even thinking about putting an ACV-saturated cotton ball in a pill container in my purse, just in case.

So, there's your VF tip for this week. Itchy? Skip the hydrocortisone and reach for the apple cider vinegar. A little dab'll do ya!

Keeping it green and soothed with vinegar,

 






Disclaimer: Of course, I'm not a medical professional, so this is not medical advice. This tip, along with the many other tips I've offered, are just from my own personal experience with the wonders of vinegar. When in doubt, always check with a medical professional.

A game of hide-and-seek with SC Johnson

Today, over 50,000 signatures from people like you and me will be delivered to SC Johnson (makers of Glade, Pledge, Windex, and more common household products) demanding to know what ingredients are used to create the fragrances in the company's scented products. Womens Voices for the Earth teamed up with the advocacy group, SumOfUs.org, both groups determined to impose change on a company that claims to be committed to "honesty" and "transparency," yet continues to play hide-and-seek with us about what is in their fragrances. 

Listen up, SC Johnson -- you may be hiding, but we are actively seeking!

Do you read labels often? Of course, you do! How about the Pledge label that boasts a reduction in allergies while dusting? It's ironic, isn't it, that the ingredients in Pledge include hidden allergens. Oops. Guess they forgot to mention that.

I don't know about you, but I'm fired up about this. I'm tired of a government who tells me I have to wear a seat belt, I can't drive after a couple of glasses of wine, my grandchildren must be vaccinated to attend school, I can't say the word "bomb" on a plane (even if it's simply in the statement, "You're the bomb!"), etc., but they refuse to tell manufacturers to stop poisoning us with hidden ingredients! And, by the way, I'm not saying all the above referenced laws are bad; I'm just trying to show you the discrepancy in the laws.

Seriously, I've had it. 

So let's take a closer look at what's going on:

SC Johnson’s Fragrance Palette

SC Johnson has published a master list of nearly 1,500 ingredients they use in their fragrances. However, these ingredients aren’t product-specific, which means that SCJ fragranced products may include any of those chemicals. This massive list is all but useless to the consumer.

Some chemicals of concern in the fragrance palette:

• Synthetic musks: persistent (they don’t break down in the environment), bioaccumulative (they build up in our bodies), potential hormone disruptors, may break down the body’s defenses against other toxic exposures, and are showing up in our blood and breast milk

• All 26 of the allergens currently disclosed on SCJ product labels in the European Union (EU). SCJ doesn’t disclose these allergens on product labels in the US because they’re not required to by law.

• Several additional allergens, which have been deemed of concern in the EU. (While WVE does not believe that allergens need to be removed from products, because not everyone is sensitive to them, allergens should be clearly labeled so that those people who are sensitive can avoid them.)

• Several chemicals of concern identified by an EU panel as having no publicly available human safety data.

• Terpenes, which can react with ground level ozone in the air to form cancer-causing formaldehyde.

• Petroleum – the same compound in gasoline.

Now, here's the kicker -- In the EU, companies are required to disclose 26 ingredients that the European Union has determined to trigger allergies. SC Johnson therefore discloses all 26 of the allergens required in the EU directly on product labels, but doesn’t disclose these allergens in the US because they’re not required to by law. We all deserve to be able to avoid chemicals that may cause allergic reactions, no matter where we live. Doesn't that infuriate you? If you live in the United States, it should.

WVE released a spoof SC Johnson website and YouTube video today that's worth sharing. Please view it and share it on your social media platforms. Let's get the word out and effect some change. We each may be a tiny little voice, but when we band together, we can produce a pretty loud SCREAM!

Check out the website here, and then get involved!

I did.