Budget Living: Eating Organic

I know what you are thinking…..”Buying organic is so expensive.  How can I feed my family organics and not break the bank?”  Well, I’m here to tell you it is possible!  Getting healthy and saving money has been on the top of my to-do list for 2012.  With having two small children and staying home with them it is important to save wherever we can.  I have managed to do this in a number of ways that are so simple anyone can do it!

1.  Coupons. 

ü  There are a ton of coupons for organic and natural foods popping up everywhere.  I also never hesitate to email or contact a company I like to inquire if they have coupons available.  Most companies will usually send out coupons to consumers that take the time to complement them on their products. 

2.  Find a good resource.

ü  Don’t just limit yourself to natural food stores.  Instead, look at farmers markets or a local co-op.  Usually when visiting farmers markets you can pay 20%-40% less than supermarket prices. 

3.  Buy in bulk. 

ü  Even stores like Whole Foods will usually charge you less for items like organic dried fruits, granola, nuts, and grains if you are willing to put it in your own bag rather than buying it pre-packaged.  Even big warehouse stores are starting to stock organics.    

4.  Buy in Season.

ü  Prepare your taste buds to eat like your Momma did!  I’m sure she never ate watermelon in the dead of winter.  Foods that are grown locally are usually more economical than those that are flown in.  In short, if you eat with the season, you’ll be eating more affordably. 

5.  Shop big box stores.

ü  Target and Wal-Mart are starting to see the interest growing in organics and are finally answering the demand by stocking organic foods.  Look for their private-label organic selections.  They can be considerably less expensive than the brand-name organics and just as good.  I have scored some pretty good deals! 

6.  Grow your own.

ü  This is a nice easy way to save money if you have the time to keep up with it.  This will be the first year my husband and I attempt a garden but now that I’m home with the kids I’ll be able to take care of it.  I like this because I have complete control over what I want to grow and I’ll be able to can and pickle things for the winter months. 

7.  Shop online. 

ü  More and more companies are starting to have really great online deals for organic foods and green products.  Amazon is one of my favorites. 

Please note:  I do not exclusively buy organics.  I do though; try my best to ensure my family is eating as healthy as possible. 

LAST DAY TO GET YOUR FREE SHAKLEE MEMBERSHIP!

SHOP HERE!
~Nikki

Let's Celebrate!

As a celebration of my first week blogging, I thought it would be fun to offer a great Shaklee special to all of my readers THIS WEEKEND ONLY!  Not only will you get your membership completely free, but all orders over $100 will receive something free as well!  (Email me for details, or watch it come off your order confirmation!)

TAKE ADVANTAGE & SHOP NOW

Also, if you sign up for my newsletter between now and May 15^th, you’ll be entered to win a sample of Shaklee’s Basic H!  My family swears by this cleaner and once you try it you will too!  I will be drawing 3 lucky winners the morning of May 16^th!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

~Nikki

Fun, Green, Earth-Friendly, Kid Approved Activities

In celebration of earth month I have been researching some fun kid-friendly activities I can do with my son.  Here, I’ve found some great activities that are both educational and entertaining.  Who said going green had to be boring?

ü  Get Digging:  Help your child learn about gardening by helping them plant some fruit and veggie seeds.  Give them the responsibility of watering them every day.  This not only teaches responsibility, but you’ll get some great healthy snacks too!

ü  Campout in the backyard:  My husband and son are talking about doing this come summer.  Have a little party and set up an eco-friendly tent and some other fun green camping gear right in your own yard.

ü  Host a recycling drive in your community:  This can show children the impact of recycling on a much larger scale.  Host the drive at a local school or church.  You could even pass flyers out in the neighborhood and have the neighbors leave their recycle out at the curbside for pick-up.  Encourage the children to sort all of the collected materials. 

ü  Visit an organic orchard or farm:  One way of going green is concentrating on sustainable living and the growth of crops without pesticides.  Most kids realize food comes from the grocery store but they may not understand how it gets there to begin with.  Taking your child to the orchard or farm shows them how the crops are grown and how this process is beneficial to the Earth.  Encourage your children to ask questions!

ü  Make going green a game:  One huge step in going green is reducing your energy savings.  With kids, it can be very hard to keep your costs down.  Show your children simple ways to save energy but turning off the lights or even the TV when they aren’t in the room and offer them a reward when they remember! 

ü  Plant a tree:  This is a fun family activity that you can continue throughout the year.  After planting, have your child keep track of the growth of the tree every month so they can fully understand how long it takes a tree to grow.  You could also take a picture of your children around the tree to see who grows more!

~Nikki

Black Bean and Corn Salsa with Feta

This salsa is perfect for parties and get-togethers, an afternoon snack, or my husband thinks it would be good over grilled salmon.  However you choose to eat it, this is a great addition to your recipe box!  Enjoy!

You’ll need:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn (I prefer white), drained

1 orange pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tub of crumbled feta cheese

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

Garlic powder to taste

Directions:

Combine beans, corn, peppers, and onion in a medium mixing bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, and garlic powder.  Mix well. 

Pour dressing over the bean/corn mixture and stir well.

Toss in the feta cheese.

Chill for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.  (Overnight is best to get the best flavor)

Serve with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

~Nikki

Do you know what's lurking in your home?

Question for you……

Are you okay letting your children inhale toxic chemicals?

Are you alright leaving your cabinets open where your poisons are?

You’re not?  Oh good…..

This article is for you then.  Before I started using Shaklee I was like many mothers.  I thought keeping a clean / disinfected house was helping my children. What I didn’t know is that I was putting very dangerous and harmful chemicals into the air and ultimately into my children. 

Scary!

Listen to these alarming facts:

o   An average home contains 62 toxic chemicals.

o   There are many household products that contain harmful chemicals.  For example, formaldehyde is in almost all cleaning products, including laundry detergents, toothpaste and shampoo!

o   Laundry detergents contain enzymes, ammonia, phosphorus, phenol, naphthalene and many others.  These chemicals cause rashes, allergies, sinus problems and more.

o   Well over 90% of exposures to poison happen in the home.

o   The number one chemical causing the poisoning? ……..Chlorine bleach!

o   Disinfectants are usually phenol or cresol based and can deactivate sensory nerve endings.  They can attack the kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, and parts of the central nervous system.  The worst part, it can take OVER a year to eliminate the effects of spraying just two ounces….even with heavy cross ventilation. 

o   Asthma has increased in the US by 75% from 1980-1994, and the asthma rates in children younger than age 5 has increased more than 160% during that same time period. 

o   According to the EPA indoor air has been found to have five times higher toxic chemical concentrations than outdoor air. 

For more information regarding this, visit the US Department of Health & Human Services Household Products Database at:  http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/

So the good news……

There are cleaners out there that work, that are nontoxic, safe, hypoallergenic, and natural, plus they won’t break the bank!  Shaklee’s Get Clean kits are a wonderful investment not only for your wallet but for your family.  For what you get in the Get Clean Starter kit you would have to spend more than $3,400 to get the same amount of products found in the kit!

Here’s what you’ll get….

·   Basic H²® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, 16 oz. (1)

·   Germ Off Disinfecting Wipes, 35 Wipes (1)

·   Nature Bright® Laundry Booster and Stain Remover, 32 oz. (1)

·   Dish Wash Concentrate, 16 oz. (1)

·   Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate, 32 oz. (1)

·   Fresh Laundry Concentrate HE Compatible, Regular Scent 32 oz. (Liquid) (1)

·   Soft Fabric Dryer Sheets, 80 sheets (1)

·   Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate Dispenser (empty) (1)

·   Nature Bright® Dispenser (empty) (1)

Including all the accessories you need to get really clean:

·   Organizer Caddy (1)

·   Spray Bottles (3)

   Windows and Mirrors

   All-Purpose

   Degreasing

·   Dropper Pipette (1)

·   1/4 oz. Dispenser Pump for 32 oz. Bottle (1)

·   Laundry Measuring cup (1)

·   Dual Measuring Spoon (1)

·   Cleaning Accessories (4)

   Super Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

   Super Microfiber Window Cloth

   Super Microfiber Dish Sponge

   Miracle Scrubber Pad

The best part…..

There is no phenol, cresol, kerosene, lye, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, petroleum distillates, ammonia, butyl cellosolve, phosphoric acid, morpholine, or formaldehyde in any of the products.

Please make the healthy and right decision for your children and family.  You won’t regret it and your kids will thank you!  My suggestion to get started would be one of our Get Clean kits and Basic G. 

Get any of these awesome products at:  http://nlacic.myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=HomeCare

Do you still need convincing?

Check out Oprah…..she LOVES our Get Clean Kit too!

~Nikki

Life......Take Two!

Hello and welcome to my blog!  I have been inspired to start this blog to document my new journeys as a SAHM. 

A little about me…..I am a Mommy to two wonderful children.  Ethan and Madison.  Ethan is 5 going on 25.  We are at that stage now where he knows everything and Mommy and Daddy are wrong.  Ahhhh fun!  Madison is 3 months.  She’s already got a heck of a personality making everyone laugh every day.  These kids are my world.  They are the reason I decided to take the plunge and leave my 9-5 job to stay home with them. 

These last few months have really left me simply unable to identify even my own thoughts.  It was the never-ending stress of work, the struggles Ethan was having adjusting to kindergarten and a new sister, the struggles of school (I’m getting my psychology degree….it’s a slow process), even the struggles of adjusting to having 2 children.  All these struggles left me feeling that something had to give.  Hence the reason I’m now devoting my life to my children and their wellbeing. 

So enough about all that and on to some fun news!  For those of you who know me, you know that I’m a lover of things that are natural and organic.  You also know I can’t sit still for 2 minutes!  So with that being said, I needed something fun and exciting to do now that I’m home.  I have decided to sign on to be a Shaklee distributor!  Shaklee is the number one natural nutrition company in the United States.  They have been in business for over 50 years.  What I love about Shaklee is their mission.  Their mission is to provide a healthier life for everyone and a better life for anyone.  Their products are always safe, green, and you know they work!

 Shaklee’s line includes vitamins, skincare, cleaning products, a weight loss plan, a children’s and baby line, and a ton more!  I got hooked when I tried their Get Clean line of cleaning products.  Everything is safe, super concentrated, and lasts forever!  I’ll be teaching you about all of these products as the blog progresses, so hold on tight!

This blog will serve multiple purposes.  First, it will highlight my trials and tribulations of learning how to do this “stay at home Mommy” thing.  That in itself will be quite interesting!  Second, I want this to be a place that Mommy’s can link up and talk about all the fun things we like to do with our kids….recipes, games, learning activities, etc, and third, this will be a place to learn how to live happy and HEALTHY! 

I hope you’ll join me as I start this new journey and stick around because I’m sure it will get quite interesting!  J