March Against Monsanto this coming Saturday!

Monsanto's squirming a bit. After all, thanks to people like you and me, their name is being dragged through the pesticide-laden mud. Let's keep it up. 

Pittsburgh March Against Monsanto 2014

This coming Saturday, May 23, 2015, you have the opportunity to join the March Against Monsanto. My family and I will be marching in Pittsburgh, PA. If you are in the area, please try to join us. I will be marching for the Vietnam vets and their families who have been affected by Monsanto's Agent Orange. 

Enough is enough! I'm tired of sitting back and allowing Monsanto and its cronies continue to poison people around the world. I'm tired of paying more so I don't have to consume their poison. I'm tired of not knowing what is in conventional foods. I'm tired of poor health, food allergies, obesity, and more. I'm tired of Monsanto. And you should be, too.

Make your voice be heard. Join the movement. Join the march.

Click here for worldwide locations and times.

Click here to follow the March Against Monsanto on Facebook.

Ancient Advice for Modern Parents

21 Ways to Get More Out of Your Day

I'm thrilled to welcome my friend and colleague, Debra Sanchez as my guest blogger today. Today's busy moms (and dads) can glean from her wisdom on how to make your sitting and waiting time a bit more productive.

Image by George Hodan

 

Mom on the Run – 21 Ways to Get More 

Out of Your Day

 by Debra Sanchez

Rush, rush, rush.  Everyone is in such a hurry these days.  Parents have so much to do and so little time to do it.  Today’s economy has made it necessary, in most families, for both parents to work, often more than one job each.

Kids are more active in school and community activities than ever before.  They are in sports, music lessons, scouts, church groups, and other things that need to be juggled into 24 hours. And that doesn’t include the time spent at doctor and dentist appointments. 

When my family was younger, they kept my juggling skills well tuned.  A dozen years ago, our son was in college. Our 16-year-old daughter was active in soccer, church youth group and many school clubs.  She also had a part-time job.  Our 8-year-old had piano lessons, Brownies and played softball in spring.

My husband worked long hours and he also coached soccer year round.  I had two jobs, helped with my daughter’s Brownie troop, edited our church’s newsletter, and in my “spare time” I was working on my college degree.

With our hectic schedule, there were a lot of things that I wished I had time to do. One day, while sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to get out of school I realized that I did have time to get a few little things done. 

We all have times when we just sit and wait.  I came up with this list of things that can be done while you wait. Some can be done anywhere, but everything on this list can be done in your parked vehicle.

1.    Read the newspaper

2.    Read a book

3.    Read a magazine

4.    Knit or crochet

5.    Sew or mend

6.    Fold laundry

7.    Listen to news

8.    Listen to music

9.    Listen to an audio book

10.  Do word puzzles

11.  Take a five minute nap

12.  Eat your lunch (or other meal or snack)

13.  Plan your menu

14.  Make your grocery list

15.  Clip coupons

16.  Update your calendar or day planner

17.  Balance your checkbook

18.  Pay your bills

19.  Enjoy the scenery

20.  Relax in the peace and quiet

21.  Write something  

Consider some of the routine tasks that you have to tackle in your own life.  Think about the kinds of places where your life parks you in “hurry up and wait” situations. Plan to use some of that waiting time to do simple tasks that might not get done “later” when you are exhausted from your chaotic schedule. Bring your supplies, tools, or ideas, whatever you need to do the job.  Or maybe just bring a travel mug with your favorite beverage and relax.

Whether you use your down time to catch up on chores, to make plans and lists, or to relax and catch your breath is up to you. After all, your time is yours.

***

Debra Sanchez has moved over thirty times... so far. She and her husband currently live in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, and have three adult children and four grandchildren. She has won awards at writers conferences in various genres, including children’s stories, poetry, fantasy, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Several of her plays and monologues have been produced at festivals, churches, and theater camps. Some of her work has been published in literary magazines, local newspapers, and her short story “Hazy Decision” was published in an anthology in September, 2014. Visit Deb's website here.

TBT -- Heartburn and hairy babies... really?

Today's Throwback Thursday takes us back to February 2010 and a discussion about the correlation between having heartburn while pregnant and having a hairy baby.

 

Photo by Vera Kratochvil

Not that any of this really matters, but... remember the old wives' tale that said heartburn in a pregnant woman meant she was carrying a baby with a lot of hair? Well, researchers at Johns Hopkins found there to be truth in this.

The findings were published in the journal Birth. Kathleen Costigan, an RN at the hospital, spearheaded the study in which she and other colleagues selected 64 women to observe throughout their pregnancy. The moms-to-be recorded their heartburn symptoms, ranking them according to severity.

When all was said and done, 28 of the 64 participants reported moderate to severe heartburn. Twelve women claimed they had none. So what happened when the babies were born? I know you're scrolling down quickly to find out.

With heartburn: 82% delivered babies with lots of hair.

Without heartburn: 83% delivered little baldies (or at least ones who didn't have enough hair to write home about).

So... maybe the old wives knew a thing or two. My personal experience, from what I can remember, was that I had out-of-control heartburn the first time around and daughter number one came out with a fair amount of thick black hair. Daughters two and three had fine light hair and gave me little trouble in the heartburn department.

Of course, there is scientific speculation as to why this occurs and it all has to do with estrogen. Women with estrogen levels slightly higher than normal tend to experience heartburn more because estrogen works to relax the sphincter at the base of the esophagus, which means stomach acid can work its way up and cause heartburn pain. Well, it just so happens estrogen seems to be the hormone responsible for hair growth in developing infants. Who knew? Oh yeah, all those old wives!

Have a heartburn/hairy baby story of your own? Do tell! That's what the comment box is for!

Keeping it, well, real (in a pregnancy/baby kind of way),

Click here to find out what to do if heartburn is a problem for you!

Car washing, the green way

On Saturday, my daughter and I took the kids to Camp Lutherlyn for the day. Unfortunately, it was unseasonably hot, which made it a bit difficult to enjoy the long walks in the woods and standing around waiting as Laura did various activities. Ten-week-old Robyn didn't seem to mind the heat, but two-year-old Marley was pretty sweaty by the end of the day.

Despite the heat, I really enjoyed spending the day with my daughter, Jessica, and my grandbabies. I love watching her parent them, as I think she's one of the best mommies around. Seriously. When cautious grandma said, "No, Laura, you might fall," when Laura wanted to swing on the log swing, Jessica just shrugged and said, "Then she'll fall." Then they both climbed on. 

Like I said, it was a fun day. And Jess is a fantastic mother.

Her husband deserves some praise here, too. Not only is he a great father, but he's also a great son-in-law. My car was parked at their house for the day. After seeing the mess the oak trees made of it in the previous days, he washed it for me before he headed to work. I came back to a clean car. Massive points for RT! 

Photo by Paul Brennan

Which brings me to today's subject. Green car washing. Yes, my maroon car had a green sheen from the oak pollen, but that's not the green I'm talking about. I'm referring to eco-friendly ways to keep your car clean, especially in areas where water conservation is necessary.

First of all, try to find green car washes in your area. These environmentally-conscious businesses use recycled water and safe cleaning products. And only run your car through the car wash when it's absolutely necessary. 

Other times, you can grab a bucket of water and a rag and simply clean the windows and lights. Just ask yourself if a full wash is really necessary. A microfiber cloth, like the Norwex Envirocloth, goes a long way in cleaning your car with little water.

Using a bucket of water rather than a hose will save water. But here's an even better idea. Fill the bucket while you're taking a shower, or leave it outside during a rainstorm to collect rainwater. 

Make sure you pay attention to the cleansers you use, too. By using non-toxic products that are safe for the environment, you're doing your part to care for this amazing earth where we live. As I always say, every drop in the bucket counts toward making life better for the earth and for future generations.

What do you do to conserve water?

This is the way we wash our clothes so early Monday morning

Did you know that your clothes dryer is most likely the second most expensive appliance you run in your home? Of course, the refrigerator takes the prize for the biggest energy user, but if you're using your dryer, it's vying for some attention here as well.

“Drying Clothes” by Helen Allingham

Do you remember this song:

Here we go 'round the mulberry bush,
the mulberry bush, 
the mulberry bush.
Here we go 'round the mulberry bush, 
so early Monday morning.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
wash our clothes so early Monday morning.




Monday has long been the traditional day to do laundry. Yes, laundry was done once a week. On Mondays. Never on the weekends. And certainly not on Sundays.

Today, I dried two loads of laundry in the dryer. It's not that it's not perfect weather for line drying. The problem is the little fuzzy things falling from our oak trees. The month of May is a mess around here. Just as I get used to hanging my laundry out on the clothesline again, the oaks make it impossible to do so for a few weeks. Between the long fuzzies and the layer of green dust that settles on everything, there's no way I can hang my laundry outside. During these weeks, much of my laundry will hang from indoor clotheslines in the basement. But today, there was just too much, so I tossed it in the dryer. 

In order to make sure my dryer is running efficiently, I cleaned the lint filter before running it. I also did a quick extra spin of the laundry in the washer. That way, it's just a bit less wet when I put it in the dryer. Then, I throw in 6 wool dryer balls to help separate the clothes and cut down on drying time.

Of course, I do not use any fabric softener, and I sure hope you're not using it either! Instead, I added 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle in the washer. Between the vinegar and the dryer balls, there really is no need to load up my laundry on toxins that can lead to cancer and a host of other ailments.

Okay, back to some aides in making line drying a bit easier. 

I recommend wooden clothespins with springs (versus the straight kind, which can snag your clothes).




Retractable lines (for indoors or out). I love my retractable clothesline. It only crosses my lawn when I need it and disappears when I don't. They are perfect for bathrooms and laundry rooms, too.

Note: For permanent clotheslines, make sure you walk up and down running a damp washcloth along the line to wipe away any dirt before hanging your clean laundry on it.

 
Another must-have for me, is my spinning carousel rack. I have two of these and use them to hang my underwear, bras, camisoles, hankies, etc. I use these year round for the items I never put in the dryer. By not heat drying your intimate apparel, you extend its life dramatically. 


An added bonus with the carousel racks is that you can grab them and bring them in quickly if it starts to rain. Plus, you can put your older, more worn out undies in the inside of the circle and 'hide' them behind your girlier, fancier panties. :-) Love it!

Choosing the right hangers is important, too. Metal hangers can rust with wet clothing. Plastic hangers are often a good choice, but be careful of the dreaded 'hanger marks' on the shoulders of shirts and sweaters. I prefer the slim velvet hangers, which are also great space savers in the closet.

All this talk of hanging stuff outside is making me long for June when the air will finally be free of flying fuzzies!

Happy Monday!

 

This Mother’s Day, give moms the right to know what’s in the food we feed our kids

Click here to sign the Conceal or Reveal Petition.

What if it's not such a happy Mother's Day?

Mother's Day is just two days away. For many, it's a time to celebrate their moms and grandmas. Others celebrate the wonder of being a mom. But what about the other women... those whose moms and grandmas are no longer with them. Those who longed for children, yet remain childless. Or how about those who once knew the wonder of a child, but whose arms are now empty? What about the mother of a prodigal they've not heard from in years? Sometimes, mothers sit alone all day because their adult children are just too busy to bother with them, even on a day that is set aside to honor them.

Yes, Mother's Day is a time for celebration for many. But it's also a time of great pain.

After giving up a baby for adoption in 1980, I knew the agony of empty arms.

After losing my own mother in January 2013, I know that grief that occurs as I pass the Mother's Day display of cards at the grocery store. 

So, yes, I understand a bit of what others might be feeling. But compared to the pain some of you live with on Mother's Day and beyond, I am clueless. What I don't want to be is insensitive. So, when you see my Mother's Day greetings here on the blog and on social media, know that they come with a prayer for all of you who are hurting. Empty arms are the most painful of all.

Love to you, dear one, 

And then, she was gone

Throwback Thursday. Hmm. Today, I'm not going to recycle a post. Instead I'm going to travel back through my memories to the mid-70s. 

I'm working at Manheim Community Swimming Pool. My friend, Deb, and I are checking memberships, paging guests, answering phones, and chatting... endlessly chatting about our lives. We are good friends. Graduation from high school took her to Wheaton College in Illinois. A couple of years later, I was gone, too, eventually settling in Pittsburgh. Once we stopped returning to our summer jobs at the pool, we lost touch. I missed Deb, however. We wrote letters, exchanged an occasional phone call, and then, communication ceased. We were on different paths which, sadly, never crossed again.

If it weren't for social media, I wouldn't know anything about Deb's life. As it turns out, we reconnected last year on Facebook. What a joy that was. But it was also surprising, in many ways, for Deb had taken a totally different route than me. 

No longer the conservative Christian who grew up in a small Lancaster County town, Deb had converted to Judaism. She was also deeply in love with her partner, Martha. At first, her profile picture was unrecognizable to me. She'd changed.

But then, I thought, I'd changed, too. Gone was the insecure teenager who lacked confidence of any sort. My profile picture didn't resemble me much, either... I was no longer the 105 lb. skinny, pimple-faced girl of my youth. Had we passed each other at an airport, we would have done just that -- passed each other without an ounce of recognition on either side.  

The changes in Deb's life fascinated me. I really wanted to hear her story. Perhaps more than I'd ever wanted to hear someone's story before. I wanted to know all about who she was now. We planned to meet sometime this summer. I couldn't wait.

This morning, I learned, once again, that life is fleeting. One minute we're here and the next... well, we're not. That was the case for my friend, Deb, on Monday. She traveled from Cleveland to North Carolina to attend a funeral. On Monday afternoon, she was driving when, too late, she spotted a car stopped in front of her on the road. In an attempt to miss hitting the other car, she swerved into the path of a dump truck. The head on collision cost her her life. 

My questions will go unanswered. All I do know is that this vibrant woman is gone from this earth. From her obituary and the many FB tributes, I've learned how loved she was. Here are a couple of lines from her obit:

Debra lived her life with gusto and was passionate about experiencing adventure, new places and new people. She loved many activities including scuba diving, riding motorcycles, singing in choruses, sports of all kinds, and music.

Deb, my heart aches for the opportunities missed. Your life was full and mine, somehow, is less so because you are gone.

Godspeed, my friend. Godspeed.

Hana

Debra lived her life with gusto and was passionate about experiencing adventure, new places and new people. She loved many activities including scuba diving, riding motorcycles, singing in choruses, sports of all kinds, and music. - See more at: http://obits.cleveland.com/obituaries/cleveland/obituary.aspx?n=debra-louise-dunkle&pid=174799112#sthash.OQCqMwMY.dpuf

A bit of craftiness for Mother's Day

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

Years ago, I fell in love with Blue Mountain Cards. The poetry and graphics spoke to my heart. My dream was to one day have my poetry featured on some of their cards.

Flash forward to 2015. I'd still love to have my poetry featured on some of their cards. Theirs is a name I trust. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to receive an email last week inviting me to take part in a Mother's Day promotion. Of course! I was especially touched by these words: "I love the thoughtful way you approach things on your blog which is why I am reaching out!"  

I was introduced to the Blue Mountain website and the wide range of products available. For the purpose of this post, however, I'm focusing on printable features for Mother's Day. I printed out a few things, including a coupon book my granddaughter, Laura, can give to her mom. The coupons are good for things like help with the dishes or yard work, cleaning up the bedroom, and even a hug and an "I love you." Perfect coupons for my little six-year-old.

I also chose some coloring pages for Mother's Day. There were options to personalize them, so I chose to do that with one of them, adding an "I love you, Mommy!" to the top of the page. I decided to let Laura personalize the other one in whatever way she chose.

Here are some pictures of Laura hard at work at creating her masterpieces, and shots of one of the coloring pages.

I was pretty impressed by a six-year-old's talent... especially with the Monach butterfly. 

After she was done with coloring the pictures and putting her autograph on the coupons, the ball was in my court. I wanted to create something to display her artwork. I entered the craft store and, for close to two hours, I perused the aisles, looking for inspiration. Finally, I made my purchases and headed home.

Last night, I put together this display:

Then I danced around the living room saying, "Look how crafty I am!" I was caught up in my own awesomeness! 

Seriously, though, don't you love this? Here's what I did:

• I found this $70 printed canvas on a 75% off end cap at Michael's. It wasn't until it was hanging on my wall that I realized the image is of the earth! How marvelously unplanned was that?
• After painting it black, I glued the 36" strip of wood to the canvas, adding the three wooden letters to the top. The L is for Laura, and the M and R are for her little sisters, Marley and Robyn. Since Robyn is only two months old, her spot on the canvas will be blank for awhile. But two-year-old Marley will be thrilled to see her own work up there. She loves to color, maybe more than anything else. However, it was Laura and me who created this project, so for now, the artwork is all Laura's. Her mommy can switch things around once she has it hanging on her own wall.
• Finally, I glued the tiny fabric-covered clothes pins to the wooden strip. I found these in the dollar bin. How cool is that?! 

After letting the glue dry overnight, I hung up Laura's pictures and coupons. I think this will make a spectacular Mother's Day gift for my daughter. What do you think?

It's simple, relatively inexpensive, and something that will be used for years to come.

In the meantime, I'm going to spend some time checking out the eCards, etc. on BlueMountain.com. I encourage you to do the same.

The folks there are kindly giving away a one-year membership to BlueMountain.com to one of you (valued at $19.99) Who will it be? Just comment below on what makes your mom special or what makes you an awesome mom and, using Random.org, I'll choose a winner on Mother's Day (May 10th). 

Open to everyone 18+. Winner will be announced here on Sunday and will have 48 hours to respond before an alternate winner will be chosen. If you would prefer to receive an email, please include it with your comment.

Good luck!

$500 Disney Gift Card Sweepstakes!

Celebrating Mother's Day with MPM 

and a $500 Disney Gift Card Sweepstakes

Where will this magic take you? 

Big thank you to all the fabulous co-hosting blogs: Memoirs of a Clueless Woman, Our Piece of Earth, PictureIt Creations, How Does Your Garden Grow?, Kelly's Lucky You, The Main Street Moms, An Organised Life, Flour On My Face, A Medic's World, Simply Sherryl, The Mommy Nest, Jenns Blah Blah Blog and The Lovebug Collection. Make sure you stop by and say hi! 

Since I know many of you are planning Disney vacations this year, I decided to participate in this giveaway just for you! I have high hopes someone in the Green Grandma community walks away with this fantastic prize. But you can't win if you don't enter... so enter away! And good luck!

Sweepstakes Rules: Ends on June 3, 2015. Open to valid residents of the US and Canada only, ages 18+. Void where prohibited by law. Only one entrant per household may enter. 
​

Magical Mother's Day Sweepstakes ​

Sweepstakes is not associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest or Instagram in any way. Blog participants are not responsible for prize delivery. For questions concerning this sweepstake or to be sponsor in an upcoming MPM Network event, please email teri@mompoweredmedia.com.

$150 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Thanks for joining us in this $150 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! 

I don't know about you, but I can always use a few extra bucks. Tax time hit hard this year in our house and after my husband's heart attack in February, our medical bills started piling up. Finances. Ack!

That's why I'm happy to be a part of this giveaway because one lucky entrant is going to have $150 to spend on necessities or luxuries... your choice. What a nice choice that will be!

Now for the giveaway!  

One lucky winner will receive a $150 (USD) Amazon Gift Card. 

Entry-Form

One entrant per IP address/household. 18 and up only. Void where prohibited. Winner will be chosen via the Giveaway Tools form and will have 48 hours to claim theiar prize once emailed. Giveaway ends 5/17/2015 at 11:59pm ET. 

Vinegar Friday! Cleaning the yuckies out of your dishwasher

TGIVF!

It's Vinegar Friday!

Today, we're talking dishwasher. As in dirty dishwasher. When is the last time you actually cleaned your dishwasher?

What do you mean 'cleaned?' you ask. Don't I clean it every time I run it?

Unfortunately, no. Every time you run your dishwasher, you dirty it up a bit. Food scraps cling to the drain and, if you've taken the time to notice, it simply isn't sparkly anymore. 

Since it's Vinegar Friday, you probably already know what I'm going to tell you. But here goes:

Every month or so, after you empty your dishwasher, pull out the bottom rack and reach in and clear the drain of all those yucky food scraps that have accumulated since the last time you cleaned it. You do realized they not only lay there breeding bacteria, but they also can clog the drain and affect the way your dishwasher cleans your dishes. Eww.

Now grab your distilled white vinegar and pour one cup into a glass container and place it upright (of course!) on the top rack. Oh, and don't forget to put the bottom rack back in the dishwasher. I don't want someone tripping over it or something.

Run the empty dishwasher through a cycle with hot water. I know it seems wasteful, especially in areas where water usage is restricted, but it is important to keep your machine operating at its full efficiency. Maybe in those areas, you might want to cut back to doing this every other month or so.

Now, you'd think that would be good enough. And maybe it is. But if you want to take it one step further in the cleaning/deodorizing arena, there's one more step. This time, I want you to grab your baking soda. If you're like me, it's not one of those little yellow boxes, but rather a monster bag of baking soda from the big box store. We use a lot of baking soda here.

Sprinkle the baking soda onto the floor of the dishwasher, close it up, and punch in the short cycle button (or turn to it on the dial). That's it. Your dishwasher will be so clean, you'll want to show it off when company comes over. Seriously. 

I wish I'd taken before and after pictures, but I didn't and it's not that time of the month yet. 

Keeping it green and clean with vinegar,

For more vinegar tips, check out my book, GREEN GRANDMA'S VINEGAR FRIDAYS.