Recently, I picked up a newsletter / bulletin from our local library here in Tennessee. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were offering Teacher cards. The benefit? Longer check out time periods, etc. and I was thrilled, since we use Tapestry of Grace and I can't purchase all those literature books. I utilize our local library on a weekly basis.  My husband, children and I collectively check out 50-85 books per week.  Keeping track of due dates, books and such is a job!  So you can imagine my joy at the thought of being able to keep out a book for 4 weeks!

Imagine my disappointment when they told my husband that homeschooling parents were not recognized as teachers by the Public Library! The public library that our tax money supports! We were told that it would be brought before the Board to see if they can change their stance on the program, so we are holding out hope that they will see the error of their ways!

I don't have to mention here that homeschoolers pay taxes on schooling they never use, right? Ok. Well, if you know me and you live where I do, you know that our library isn't top notch to begin with, so lets get together and sign a petition stating that homeschooling parents are just as much a Teacher, as someone who goes to public school to teach, right?

I'll keep everyone updated on happenings at the library! My husband fully intends on requesting a meeting with the board if we don't get a favorable response soon.

Wow! Our baby girl is one month old and I haven't even posted her picture yet!

Shawna Danielle Huff (named after her daddy...Shawne Daniel Huff) was born on August 6, 2008 weighing 9 lbs 2 oz! She entered this world with only two pushes from her mommy! Her birth was the least eventful birth that I have ever experienced.  We were very happy with the hospital staff and the birth experience. Things went wonderfully, and we thank God and give Him all the glory.

This will probably sound funny, since I am on my computer right now, ha ha. 

Sometimes life just gets too chaotic and you have to put your foot down. We decided to do just that. From July 21-27th the children and I have unplugged our phone, ignored our emails, put away the keys to the vehicles and just chilled.  Wow!  Of course, we still have to prepare our own food, wash our clothing, and such, but we have scaled back to the bare minimum.  Instead of all the running around, appointments, etc. etc. we are swimming, sitting under the maple tree, picking blackberries, star gazing, reading books out loud, playing board games, taking leisurely walks, visiting each other, listening to sermons at home, doing our favorite crafts (when we want to), and just having fun.  I am really trying to overlook any "messes" that happen and just let the children be. 

On another summer note, I have really enjoyed PEACHES.  They are in season right now, so I am drinking LOTS of spinach/peach smoothies. They are so good for you and I feel better when I drink them. In addition to that, I have been eating more fresh peaches as well. My two year old will eat two in one sitting...the juice dripping off his elbow and running down his chin. It's so cute. Much better than seeing a toddler walking around eating a Little Debbie, don't you think? I sure am going to miss peach season.

Unfortunately, Shawne is not able to join us on our mini-home-vacation, but has been working even harder than usual. We are grateful for his dedication and we miss him terribly. We do try to make the most out of every minute when he is home. I also have been packing a quart of my Green Smoothie in his lunch box, he says it gives him so much more energy than coffee. Yay!

So, if you can do it, I highly recommend having your Vacation At Home. Just tell everyone you'll be on vacation next week. When they ask where you are going, just tell them it's a secret! :o)

To make a version of Lawry's Seasoned Salt combine

2 Tablespoons sea salt or Real Salt
2 teaspoons sugar (or whatever you use)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

To make a delicious Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix (think Hidden Valley Ranch without the MSG and hydrogenated oils)

Mix in an air tight jar:
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt (see recipe above)
1/2 teaspoon citric acid (usually found in the canning section of the grocery store)
1 jar (or 1/2 ounces) parsley (finely crushed powder, not big flakes)
1 teaspoon black pepper or white pepper (optional)

Once you have your powder mix you can store it in a jar and use it when needed. Here's how:

Stir one teaspoon (or more to taste) of mix into 8 oz sour cream or thick yogurt. Pour buttermilk into sour cream mixtrue until it is the desired thickness for dressing. If you prefer thick dip, leave out the buttermilk or use only a little.  You can also use this powder with mayonnaise and butter milk or soy sour cream substitute or veganaise.  It's delicious.

Here's a great suggestion, use your rebate to pay down credit cards, mortgages, or stick it in savings. Don't dump it back into the economy. Read more here.

What an honor I have received! To see what this award is all about, head over to Timothy Moms Blog!!!Thanks Sheila!!!!

Then, I got a real sweet email from my wonderful husband with THIS article attached. Oh, and he said that I'm worth waaaaayyyy more than this! Here's what his note said: ($117,000 might be a good number for the average stay at home but not for you. There is not enough money in the world to fairly pay you for what you do for us. I love you and thank you for being the wonderful mother and wife that you are. Happy Mothers Day from your grateful husband.)

And Mother's Day isn't even here yet!  Awwwww....

Well, I have filled out the final paperwork for the end of our official 2007-2008 school year. The next month will involve finishing our "yearbook" and doing unit studies on gardening, worm composting, animal husbandry, and other outdoor learning projects.

I have already gathered stacks of our gardening books, magazines, etc. for our prep work indoors. Of course, most of our summer learning will take place out doors.  We are planning to build worm bins under the rabbit cages, the usual garden work, and a few new projects. One of which will be a new way of growing potatoes.

I always get so excited when it is the "growing season" and so sad when winter comes. This year, I am a little bummed out that right when our baby (#6) is born it will be harvesting time for some garden produce and I'm thinking I won't feel up to preserving much. Although, with grocery prices still on the rise, maybe I should endure! I know the girls can do a lot, and I am counting on that.

Speaking of baby #6...I have to spend a moment thinking back to how much fun it was to be YOUNG and pregnant. I know 37 isn't OLD, but it's not like having a baby at 25!!!  I remember being 8 months pregnant and weighing about 135...ahhhhh, the good ole' days. Now, well, we won't talk about how much I weigh, but I'll just say I'd be happy to weigh 135 NOT PREGNANT!!!!!   Yes, I know I started out this pregnancy with my weight from the last pregnancy. I'm not the first person this has happened to, am I???  Anyhow, with still 14 weeks left in my pregnancy, the inevitable has already started.  Some caring person asks when am I due, and when I answer, they look SHOCKED  and say THAT LONG? Oooookaaay. Then a seemingly friendly co-worker of my husband meets me and later asks him the same question, and when given the answer, replies, well, she's going to be really big by the time the baby is born isn't she??? Uh, yeah, that's nice.  Or while I was shopping today, an elderly lady looks at me and whistle/sighs whew!!! like she just can't get over how GINORMOUS I am... Well, listen folks, I've been to the doctor and her chin didn't hit the floor when she measured me!   But you know, I have been known to give birth to a toddler, so you never know. Anyhow, for my sake, the next time you see a GINORMOUS pregnant woman, just tell her how blessed she is, or tell her that babies are a gift from God above, but for crying out loud, don't comment on how HUGE she is, ok? You might regret it......

It kind of tickles me that people find this interesting, but ok, here goes, by special request...  If you are interested in an alternative to the stick and roll on anti-perspirant/deodorant that causes cancer there are several things you can do to keep body odor at bay.

Probably the simplest thing, is to purchase a crystal rock. All you have to do is run it under water then rub it on your skin.  This was the first thing I used. Another thing you can do is when you get out of the shower, or before you get dressed, rub a little coconut oil on your skin, it has antiviral properties and it really DOES work! One thing that I do, perhaps some might find it a little extreme, is by taking a daily dose of Liquid Chlorophyll. Not only does the liquid chlorophyll act as an internal deodorant but it is also good for you.

Ok, so there's the run down on how you can get away with NOT using toxic underarm sticks.

Field Day was loads of fun! Here is a picture of the three legged race:

The 50 yard dash

Taking a short break:

The jump rope contest:

 Even the littles got in on the fun....Harmon loved the egg on the spoon race, even though he never left the starting line!

More tug of war

The children receiving their award certificates:

It rained on and off, but never hard enough to stop the fun, although some pretty dirty children resulted! The young adults had a great time too:

Ok you get the picture... It was loads of fun! Next year, you've gotta come! 

Obesity in children is a growing epidemic in the United States.  I believe in part to processed packaged foods that are shoved in their faces at every turn, but also due to lack of exercise and hard work!  Children are not required to do the same amount of work as children just a generation or so ago! I know that I am more lax on my children concerning manual labor than I should be.  We recently bought a used push mower for our 10 year old son and he loves mowing with it!  This is a great form of exercise for him, and it also gets out all that pent up energy that he would be buzzing with during school time! If he only mows a little each day, it helps in numerous ways!

Another factor in childhood obesity is that we as parents, tend to allow our children to overeat. I have a problem with this on many levels. Not only is it unhealthy, but it is a waste of food, driving up our grocery bills. Some questions parents should be asking themselves....What is a serving size?  Here's a fun game that will teach children how to recognize a serving size.  What should my children be eating? What foods should my children be avoiding?  Keep in mind children need adequate calories to meet their needs for growing and energy, howver, portions that are too large could lead to overeating or seem overwhelming.  To teach children to eat only until satisfied instead of overeating, we as parents need to serve smaller portions to our young children and encourage them to ask for more if they are still hungry. Also, providing a relaxed atmosphere for eating will slow them down, allowing more time for them to assess fullness and aid in digestion!

If we make a recipe that serves 12 for a family of 6 and there are no leftovers, we should know that someone is overeating!  Many times children take their cue from us parents! Do we overeat? Do we reward ourselves with sugary treats? When we do these things we are speaking powerfully to our children without words!  Yes, our children are growing, yes we may have boys entering the teen years, but is that really an excuse to let them overeat? One way to get an indicator of our child's health is to check their Body Mass Index (BMI).  While this is not a perfect way to determine body fat, it is a good indicator.  Sometimes muscular children will have a high BMI but not actually be fat, this is when you use your eyes and the numbers to determine the truth.  If you think your child might be overweight or obese, and their BMI is in the 85th percentile or higher, then they may very well be headed down the road to obesity. 

It is a well documented fact that centenarians (people who live to 100 years of age or longer) are classic undereaters (healthy undereaters for the most part), consistently active, positive thinkers, and socially active. It's never to late to change bad behavior patterns, get out side and start playing ball with your children, then have a small, healthy picnic lunch, adopt a can-do attitude and you're well on your way to raising a generation of children who will live longer, healthier, more productive lives!

Here's a fun book:

Clearing out the clutter challenge! I did my bedroom closet, it had outgrown baby clothes in it! I never wear those!  I just took everything off one surface at a time so that I wouldn't get overwhelmed by the enormity of the mess. It works for me that way.

 Now it only has my clothes in it and the baby clothes are ready to be handed down or given away.

Ahhh, much better. While I was organizing and clearing clutter, I made copies of my children's zone chores for my household organizer, and also added a copy of our current schedule to the open planner beside my kitchen computer. This way anytime we walk by we can see at a glance what we are supposed to be doing... uh, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll be doing it, like right now, I shouldn't be here! Bye!

Our modem fell off the desk and broke, so I missed posting what all we did for the last several days. I'll just hit the highlights here, but scroll down to the Resurrection Rolls recipe to check it out. They are sooooo not healthy, but I think once a year, the wow factor overrides the health factor.  We also read the Resurrection Story at this time for greater impact.

• Before we had our passover meal, I typed up various verses and explanations onto some index cards.  Each child (and parent) had several parts to read out loud during the meal. I think the entire meal and reading took a little over 2 hours. It was great fun, the food was fantastic, and we learned a lot.
• Made matzah, matzah ball soup, lamb, potatonik, charoset, orange sponge cake with raspberry sauce, and meringue cookies
• Discussed numbering Jewish years, and what that has to do with the Earth's rotation about it's axis, the revolution of the Earth about the sun, and the revolution of the moon about the earth
• Looked at pictures of tombs
• Vocabulary words: resurrection, traditions, curcifixion, betrayal, denial
• Made resurrection cookies (kind of like divinity, kind of like meringue...empty inside...fun to make)

• Located Jerusalem on the map, discussed the Covenant City
• Discussed the Holy Land

This was a great object lesson for our Ressurection Day breakfast.

Resurrection Rolls:

3/4 cup warm water
1 large egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP sugar
6 TBSP butter
3 TBSP dry milk
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
24 marshmallows

Directions:
1. Combine first 8 ingredients. Let rise until doubled.  Divide into 24 balls and flatten.
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon together. Dip rolls into melted butter, then into sugar/cinnamon mixture.
3. Wrap roll around a marshmallow, covering completely. Dip once more into butter, and again into sugar. Place rolls in a large greased pan and allow to rise till double. (about 30-35 minutes)
4. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until done.

When you let them cool, bite or break one open and SURPRISE...it will be completely empty...just like the empty tomb.

We are ready to prepare our Passover meal, finally, and if you hop over to Tavita's Purse, you can find out what to do with your leftover Matzah! Oh boy, I can't wait to make her recipe!  She's planning to add 10 recipes, so you'll have to check back there to see what she has going on in her kitchen! Mostly, I am looking forward to our celebration I have planned for Resurrection Day. That's the BIG day for me.

I wish I had THIS resource a few weeks ago. Now I feel like I'll have to stay up till midnight tonight reading it all before Seder.

Did you know that the Feast of Unleavened bread are held in immediate sequence? Is God trying to tell us something about a connection between yeast and our health? Read more Here!

Here's what we were SUPPOSED to do today...unfortunately, we had a little unexpected chaos, so I never did get to school today. But I'm going to be playing catch up tomorrow...of course THAT'S never happened before!

• Bible lessons: Luke 23:39-46, Matthew 12:40, Luke 16:19-26, I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6
• Discuss and research revmoval of Chametz
• What's kosher?
• Read over The Four Questions
• Read book On Passover by CG Fishman
• Write: Why is Jesus called the Passover Lamb?
• What is an omer? What does it mean to begin counting the omer? Leviticus 23:15
• Keep lights off for a while (Plague of Darkness today)
• Preparations for Seder

Ho-hum. I wish things always went the way we plan them, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches!

Wanna Save Money? Well, it's Frugal Friday, so what could be better than FREE?

I wanted to tell you about a special promotion the magazine for homeschool families is running right now. If you subscribe for just a year, you actually (while supplies last) will receive 25 curriculum-type gifts from various vendors. The value is huge – hundreds of dollars' worth of freebies to you. No strings attached – except that TOS only has about 2000 of these “gift baskets” left in their inventory. First come, first served. Here's the link which explains more, below. You can even view all the gifts and find out how they'll arrive. Hurry, though, they go really fast. Last time the magazine did this they sold out about two months early.

http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_60&products_id=1542

The above link will show you the pictures of your free gifts plus give you all the details. So, check it out.  I LOVE The Old Schoolhouse magazine! We use it to research curriculum, get great ideas, and keep in touch with other homeschoolers. You can even sign up for their Freebie Friday newsletter, which has lots of great freebies and ideas too!

I was so excited to see that in the Freebie Friday newsletter this week, they had included a free 21 page Haggadah! It will go great with our current Passover study, and just in time for Passover tomorrow night and Sunday nights! I'm so excited! You can check out their Freebie Here! And to sign up for Freebie Friday go HERE!

I am really starting to look forward to doing some lesson plans that SOMEONE else has prepared! I think I must be putting too much on our collective plate! I shouldn't complain though, the lesson is really sinking in with the children, and though exhausting, it has been fun.   Today's run down:

• Review yesterday's Bible reading
• Recite memory verses
• Sing our resurrection songs
• Plague of Locusts...pictures of locusts everywhere!!!
• Label the body parts of locusts, discuss what they eat and why they are pests
• Look at Egyptian pyramids and ancient ruins (various library books)
• Write an report on what you discover about Ancient Egyptian Pyramids
• Discuss how bricks were made by slaves
• Try to make a brick
• Get grocery items for Seder

In addition to our lessons today, we had to pick up some plants for the garden plus a few flowers for the front deck.  We also ran to the post office and recycle center and now the children are helping my parents with some tree work in their yard.  So, it has been a very full day. Thankfully, we already have our evening meal prepared, all I have to do is pop it in the oven. 

Today's lessons included:

• Practicing our memory verses I Corinthians 5:7 and Exodus 3:14
• Practicing our songs: When I See The Blood
• Reading our Bible lessons for today: Matthew 27:1-51 and 57-60, John 19:30, Isaiah 53:3-5, Hebrews 9:11-15, 2:9-18, 3:1-2
• Today'splague is Hailstorm and Fire, so we studied how sleet and hail happen (see previous post to find out for yourself)
• Writing assignment: Why is Jesus called the King of kings
• For art we are going to make some Seder plate placemats
• If I get the time we will be watching the video King of Kings...but I don't know that we will be able to squeeze that one in today.
• I also had the children prepare menu's and grocery lists yesterday for a Passover meal, today we plan to do the shopping...although, I may have to put that off till tomorrow, since it is nap time for the littles and I hate going to the grocery in the afternoon or evening...maybe I'll just do that tomorrow morning
• We are still looking at resurrection in nature such as the sand dollar, "easter" lily, dogwood trees, etc.  Some of these are "legends" that have no real proof or meaning, others actually do seem to "point" to God, as does all nature really!

Steve Green said it best in his song All Across The Sky, didn't he?

All across the world
People everywhere
Ask "How can I believe in a God I cannot see?
If there really is a God, why is there so much pain?
If I could only see, then I'd believe."
If you could only see that His

For His Love is written all across the sky
As brilliantly the stars all testify
For the glory of the God Who reigns on high
Is displayed in the world He has made
And as all creation seems to shout and sing
In wonder of the one Almighty King
His signature can easily be seen on everything

Take a minute now and take a look around
Can you believe that everything you see
Took place by chance?
The intricate design
Down to the last detail
And what about the mystery that cuts us like a knife:
"What is the source of life?"

For His Love is written all across the sky
As brilliantly the stars all testify
For the glory of the God Who reigns on high
Is displayed in the world He has made
And as all creation seems to shout and sing
In wonder of the one Almighty King
His signature can easily be seen on everything

Ok, here's just a snippet of information about what works for me. I promise to add a page to my website tonight when I get all the schooling and chores around the house done. So check back for the link to that.

WINDOWS:
Ok, first if you have been using windex type stuff, you'll first have to use the following formula to remove the waxy build up that they leave.

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent (I use Dawn or Joy)
4 cups of water
(I also like to add, but just for my own pleasure, a few drops of essential oil...like lemon or peppermint)
I mix all this up and divide it into several spray bottles and give them to my children...they love to "spray" things and this won't hurt them.  I let them use either newspaper or squeegee's to remove the wet.
RESULT: sparkling clean windows and mirrors, and any glass

AFTER you have used all that recipe up, you can go to just straight Vinegar:

Take a spray bottle and fill it half way with vinegar and half way with water. You can always add your favorite essential oil (just a drop) to "cut" the vinegary smell. 
By the way, you can also spray this into the air and it will clear up any odors, such as after you cook fish, or whatever stinky smells your house accumulates.

Another easy to use cleaner that is great for windows, but I only purchase it if it is dirt cheap (or cheaper than vinegar) is CLUB SODA.  It is full of minerals that dissolve dirt. You can also add essential oils to club soda. Just don't drink the stuff!

Someone else asked me how I get by without SHAMPOO...

I put about 30 ounces of water (usually I soak some nettle leaves in it first then strain, but it's not necessary) into my container
to that I add about 4-5 ounces of Dr. Bronners castille soap (which I buy in bulk and it lasts for an eternity) then I add about 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil, whatever is handy.  Then I add whatever essential oil I'm into at the time. The girls like lavender, the guys like ylang-ylang. Shake it a bit before each use. Simple as can be.

For Conditioner I mix some aloe vera, jojoba or avocado or coconut oil, apple cider vinegar together and shake. I'm not sure about the amounts, I'll have to figure that out and post it on my website.

When cleaning floors,  I take my bucket and put in about 2-3 gallons of water and about 1/2-2/3 cups of distilled white vinegar...sometimes I add a very small drop of Dawn or other dish detergent (not dishwasher detergent), use with a mop.  If your floor is super dirty, like built up grease in the kitchen or something, you could add to taht about 1/4 cup washing soda before the warm water. But I would not use this on WAXED floors.  (There are other formulas for waxed floors...but I don't have waxed floors, so I would need to look them up somewhere)

I don't have a problem with mold where I live, but I used to when I lived in Florida. For that, this is what I would do. Fill a spray bottle with some water, say about a cup.  Then add about a teaspoon of tea tree oil. Shake and spray on the moldy areas. Don't rinse off. Just let it dry.  It will smell really strong at first, but it will go away fast.  I usually would open the window or turn on the fan while using it.  Also, do not spray on painted wood. I did that once... it peeled the paint right off!  But it works great on tiles and showers and bathtubs. I have even used it on a set of moldy concrete steps and it worked amazingly.

If you do not want to purchase the Tea Tree oil, you could always use Borax.  Just mix it into a paste with water and scrub on there, leave it on for a while and it will kill any mold.  But remember, Borax is very harsh on your skin, so I use gloves.  It is a lot safer than just about anything else you can buy, but you still don't want to get it in your eyes, a cut, etc. By the way, if you ever have a flea infestation, just sprinkle it everywhere on your carpet etc. Let it sit for the day while you take the children to the park. When you get back, just vacuum it all up. That will usually kill fleas dead in their tracks AND their eggs.

The best way to clear a slow drain, your children will love. Just get as much baking soda down in the drain as you can! Poke it down in there with a chop stick or something. Then add some vinegar and watch the fun.  I usually do this to all my drains once a month just to keep them clear.  Prevention is best.  I just shake some baking soda (which I purchase in bulk) into the drains, then we all go around pouring about 1/2-1 cup of vinegar in the drain with the baking soda, it sizzles and bubbles and keeps the drains sparkling clean!

Well, I really have to get to my day.  I will stay up late tonight to get that page added to my website. But there are several books you can get at the library, or at a bookstore that detail a million ways to use baking soda and vinegar to clean your home.  Adding essential oils is a bonus.

Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyXFcbFoAd8

Ok, we've been trying the coupon thing and I have to say, sorry, coupons just aren't worth it!  I'm sure this won't be a popular post, but I promised I would check it out and report back, so here goes nothing.  There's a lot of information in this post. I could have added lots more websites, etc. but I have many more responsiblities, so I tried to just sprinkle in a few of my "reasonings" behind each of the products that I do not purchase. (to read why I don't use certain products just click on the product name)

I checked my cost per person per meal before I used one single coupon and it was $1.02 and that did not include snacks or the packed lunches I sent with my husband, so if I factored those in, I know it would be much less than $1 per person per meal. 

I scoured and scoured the coupons for ANYTHING that we would use in our home...zip...nada... Cold cereal, canned biscuits, cookie dough, instant potatoes, frozen "meals", carbonated sugary beverages, "light" drinks?? No!  Toothpaste? Nope, don't use it. Anti-perspirant, deodorant, hair spray, nope, nope and uhhhh nope!  Over the counter medications? Nope. Prescription drugs? No. Disposable diapers or other sanitary products? Rarely. Laundry detergent? No.  Drug store make-up? NO WAY!  Are you getting the picture?   (By the way, I asked around what was considered a "good healthy cereal"...the answer, Special K. Well, I checked the ingredients, and since when was High Fructose Corn Syrup healthy?

Now, I know that most people out there DO buy those items and for those folks, I say, if it is something you ALREADY purchase, fine.  In my experience that hasn't been the case. Although, there have been a few exceptions.  I do use my Staples Business Rewards card (we purchase supplies for the mortgage company) and from time to time I get something good from Staples, like free pens or $$ off of a case of paper, etc. I use those. I also got some toilet paper for pennies per roll by combining a coupon with a store sale. 

I still think a better way to save money is to use less stuff. It is not only a way to save the money currently in your wallet, but to save your health later on. You can clean your entire house with just a bottle of vinegar, baking soda, and tea tree oil. If you want you could even use some of the money you are saving from not purchasing all that other garbage that pollutes your body and the environment, to buy some great essential oils! 

We use lavender in the rinse cycle to make clothes soft and sweet smelling. We use lemon, lime, or tangerine in our vinegar to spray on countertops...better than Pine Sol any day!  A few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract in your dish rinse water will kill bacteria.  For polishing furniture, nothing beats pure olive oil and you can add one drop of lemon essential oil to make it smell like that old familiar Pledge! Pre-treating laundry stains? Try hydrogen peroxide, borax, club soda, or just plain old soap!

Trust me, if you clean up the home environment and get rid of those toxic fumes (Glade Plug ins, Febreeze, Oust, etc. etc.) you'll save the money you've been spending on those products, plus the money you've been spending on your allergies and other ailments caused by your toxic environment! Start your research today, make it a unit study, a home school report, add a page to your website, spread the word! And just say no to those coupons...save a tree!