DIY Chai

It's now officially Fall and I am happy beyond words. Fall is my favorite season for a few reasons. Cold chilly mornings, cold chilly evenings, boots, sweaters and anything knitted. Woot! It's also the only time I have anything with cinnamon in it. This way I look forward to it! Chai tea is also something I will only drink during the Fall season. This year I plan on making my own and saving some pennies along the way. I found this recipe on Pinterest and quickly added it to my Falltastic board. A Wooden Nest is the writer and check their blog out when you get the change. Pretty darn cool!  I had so many people ask to share so here it is. Enjoy!

Chai Concentrate

4 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 3-inch stick of fresh ginger chopped
7 whole cardamon pods
2 whole star anise pods
10 whole cloves
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp honey

I only changed a few things. I bought all from the bulk section including my tea.  I heated up the water till it was boiling and then tossed in all the other ingredients. Mix until the sugar has disolved.    Once it started boiling again I turned off the heat and let it steep till it was cool.  Your done!

I do a 50/50 mixture with milk. Super delish! Last up to 2 weeks in our fridge. Trust me when I say you will never again pay for chai tea in any coffee shop ever again. Unless your lazy and need a fix! If this is the case please bring your reusable mug!

Go Green Get Fit Challenge Earth Mama Angel Baby Review

Earth Mama Angel Baby

This amazing (and LOCAL!!!!) company was kind enough to send me a few products to review for them.  Can you say awesome? Woot! You might be wondering why am I reviewing these because I'm not pregnant or have small babies anymore. You would be correct. The baby factory has been shut down and my babies are now 14, 11 and the twins are 7 now. Sad face! But I have two amazing friends that are either pregnant or just had a baby.  They were more than happy to try these out and give me their honest opinions. 

Before I get to that I wanted to give you a little background information on this amazing company.  Earth Mama Baby Angel is a local company to me. They are located in Clackamas Oregon which is special to me because I grew up in Clackamas. Shout out to all my peeps in Clackamas!  They are made up of a group of strong women and a father of two that you can read about here. Love that you can see who is behind the great products. That is rare these days. 

Something I love about this company-"We use the highest-quality, certified-organic or organically grown herbs and oils for our teas, bath herbs, gentle handmade soaps, salves, lotions and massage oils. Our products are 100% free of toxins, cruelty-free, gluten-free, vegan, and free from all artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes. Our commitment to honor the earth and her valuable resources extends to our packaging as well - we use only eco-friendly recyclable or reused/reusable packaging and packing materials. It's true - we are even the proud recipients of the BRAG (Business Recycling Award Group) for our green practices." EMBA website.

Review by

 Tanya Zelen mommy of 4 including a 3 month old baby boy.

Crystal Caldwell mother of 1 son and soon to be a baby girl.

-So...Happy Mama Spray is nice, refreshing. Tanya

-I didn't use the new mama bottom spray as I think it's supposed to be used right after but it smells nice. Tanya

-The Calming Lavender shampoo is great, I love the lavender/vanilla scent. Tanya

-Natural Nipple Butter is way nicer then the stuff they give u in hospital-mild smell and refreshing. Tanya

-I really like the Angel Baby Bottom Balm(I've used it before) -does the job and doesn't reek like Desitin. Tanya

-The Organic Milkmaid Tea tasted ok and for some reason makes me really sleepy which can be good or bad.  Tanya

-Mama To Be Sampler I like them because they are not too strong.  The Morning Wellness Tea was good tasting and helped with my tummy ache.  Crystal

-The Organic Heartburn Tea helped with my hiccups. Crystal

-The Organic Peaceful Mama Tea tasted good and helped me relax before bedtime.  I have a hard time sleeping so it seemed to help. Crystal

Review by me

Mama Bottom Balm-"Prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids, postpartum vaginal swelling and bruising, episiotomies... New mamas and mamas-to-be got bottom problems! Mama Bottom BalmMama Bottom Balm soothes and cools with an organic olive oil base infused with healing organic herbs - St. Johns wort, yarrow, Witch hazel, Calendula, Shea butter, and more. And it's not just for mamas, perfect for papas, grandmas, or ANYbody with sore nether regions. Store it in the refrigerator and apply often! You'll be sitting pretty in no time."

This may sound strange but I use this on my hands. I have eczema really bad on my hands and need to apply lotion/oils often to keep them soft.  I keep a bottle of bottom balm on my night stand and apply it before I go to bed and when I get up in the morning.  The smell is very soothing to me and my hands get plenty of moisture while I sleep.  I credit this product in making my hands soft once again. THANK YOU!!!!

Would I recommend this company? Yes!!!!!  Not only because they are local to me. You will love these reasons.

No parabens or other artificial preservatives

No petroleum by-products

Toxin-free

Cruelty-free

Certified Vegan

5 reasons alone to try these amazing products!

 They sell products for pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, for the baby, amazing soaps and also sell gift bags stuffed with lots of great products you can give to others.  You can also get baby loss comfort/healing support and even a baby loss memorial. Now that's support on a whole other level. Amazing.  Don't forget to get your free Herbs and breastfeeding e-book. They published their results of clinical testing and their products are now in hospitals!  Last but not least Earth Mama Angel Baby gives you their promise that their products are organic, natural, safe and work.

You can find their products online and in natural stores everywhere. Here in Oregon they are in all Whole Foods and New Seasons stores.  If your looking for a particular product call the stores ahead of time. They are also on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and even Pinterest.

Go Green Get Fit Challenge

Note: I was sent these products to review and give my honest opinions. I was not paid one cent to try these, review them or publish this post.  I simply love reviewing local organic products from amazing companies.

Update: Since this was written sadly my friend Crystal Caldwell has since passed away.  She was my best friend and a Aunty to my children. She will be missed forever. 

RIP Crystal 

Sleeping frugal? You betcha!

 

Yes sleeping can be frugal! Sure you can go out and buy a new mattress set and get some matching bedding to go with it.  Go drop a few hundred on a frame while your there too!  But lets face it, not everyone has that kind of money.  Even if I had that kind of money I still wouldn't do that.  I have 4 daughters and anything we spend would be that times four. Lets see.....be broke or save some money? Yeah I'm going to go with saving me money. 

 Photo by Target.com

GOODWILL/THRIFT SHOPS

You can find bedding sets, single pieces, pillows, cases, drapes, sheets, lamps, rugs and just about anything you need for a room.  Best part is that they are selling them for 50% or more less than retail stores. Don't be afraid to buy something ripped. These things are easily fixed.   Just make sure you wash everything before you put it in your room.  Better yet hang it to dry on the line. Nothing better than sheets/blankets on the line!

RETAIL/ONLINE

You can find anything you want in stores but be ready to pay the price.  A new bedding set will set you back $50+ depending on the size of your bed.  A simple changing your look project could end up costing you a few hundred dollars by the time your done.  Check the clearance area and keep an eye on ad's in the paper.  Sometimes you can find a better deal for the same item but online. Don't forget to do your research!

BARTER

Have friends with kids? Maybe you can barter some work for a set they are giving away.  Tell your friends/family your trying to freshen up your room and need a few things.  When they go through their stuff you will be the first that comes to mind.  Let it be known on social networks too! Someone always has a few sets around I swear. 

GARAGE/YARD SALES

Again someone is always refreshing their rooms or changing color schemes.  Take advantage! Don't forget to look in the free section.   Might find a piece that matches your set. 

FREE
People leave things along the road side all the time.  Just yesterday I picked up a 3 bin storage system for free.  Would of cost me $15 if I bought it new.  This will organize our girls barbie stuff great. 


GET CREATIVE
My recent problem was my twins mattresses are a little on the hard side.  I don't have the money to buy new sets just because they are a little hard. Instead I kept my eyes open for foam pads for them. I found 2 of them pretty cheap at Target. I think I paid around $8 each for them.  One foam pad adds so much comfort to the mattress.  I found another one at Goodwill Outlet and only paid about $2 because you pay by the pound. Woot! I still have one more to find but until then we have used 2 mattress covers and a duvet comforter which no one was using. We put this all under her sheet and her mattress is a little more comfy and will get her by till I find another foam pad.  All in all its still WAY cheaper than buying a new mattress.  We did have to invest $99 on a new mattress for one of my girls. Hers completely went flat and springs were poking her.  That $99 only bought us the mattress and not the box spring. Yikes!

Let's not forget that any flat sheet can be turned into drapes.

Wall art can be made by your children.  Pictures out of magazines can be framed. Dollar Store sells cheap frames which can be spray painted.

 Cans can be decorated with paper and turned into a pencil holder. 

Instead of changing your whole room theme how about just moving your furniture around? Sometimes a little change makes you feel better.

DON'T FORGET!
By buying used you are bringing less plastic into your home.  Less packaging you will have to figure out how to recycle or reuse.  Most items in thrift shops have been washed several times and you are exposed less to toxins which companies spray on fabrics.  Try to look for cotton options if you really want to avoid plastics.  Most things now days are some form of plastic so look for older items that were made very well and with quality fabrics.  Aways avoid anything from a smoking/pet soaked previous owner.  No matter how many times you wash the item it will not go away. 



Remember all these things next time your looking to redecorate any room in your house.  All of these idea's can be applied to any room in your home.  And don't forget to GET CREATIVE!!!

Need more ideas? Check out my fellow green bloggers and their amazing ideas!

Anna from Green Talk shows how you can save money on green fabrics by using remnants. Very cool!

Ronnie from Care2 shares 15 Ways to Reduce Your Stuff & Redecorate Your Home.

Charise from I Thought I Knew Mama with suggestions for finding eco-friendly and non-toxic furniture and home decor.

Now go get busy!

Go Green Get Fit Challenge WK 8 & Planet Shoes Review

Well I missed a few weeks in the Go Green Get Fit Challenge. Its now week 8 and I'm feeling a bit left behind.  Ive been having some personal stress going on and just could not write a darn thing.  Maybe that should be my next challenge huh? Finding ways to reduce my stress! Freeing stress from your life can improve your life and make you a much happier person. Note to self-REDUCE STRESS.

I was lucky enough to be sent some amazing shoe's from Planet Shoes when I started this Go Green Get Fit Challenge.  I was a runner for many years but this last year I have seem to all but forget to run.  So instead I thought I would try new things.  I was planning a surprise zip line day for my husband on his birthday and knew I would need some good hiking shoes. Of course Planet Shoes has exactly what I was looking for. I mean seriously look at these!

"Sleek and unsaturated, the Merrell Chameleon Arc 2 Waterproof uses waterproof construction to keep your feet dry when wet conditions threaten to slow you down. Stride-specific QForm® comfort cushions every bound, along with a trusted Merrell cushioning platform that never lets you down. Grabby 4mm lugs claw their way to the top through mud and mountain streams, making the Merrell Chameleon Arc 2 Waterproof a must for your next hike." From Planet Shoes website.

When I first put these on they felt pretty stiff.  But by the time we came home that evening they were broken in and very comfortable.  I cannot vouch for the waterproof aspect because its super dry and hot here in Oregon. One good thing about living in Oregon is that we get a TON of rain so it won't take long before I can test that aspect out. Plus there are endless places to go hiking here.

I am afraid of heights. There I said it. Afraid of bridges, high platforms, or anything high for that matter.  This planned day was a surprise for my husband but also a challenge for myself.  Something I knew he would never in a million years think we would be doing.  So our first challenge was this bridge.  I was easily able to navigate along this bridge.  No slipping what so ever! I was shaking like a leaf but managed to walk the whole way by myself. Phew!

And then came the zip lines. I'm not going to lie. I screamed like a baby every single time I went on a zip line. Only thing comfortable was my shoes. Literally.  Look at those bad boys! Pretty sexy huh? Or is it the braces were wearing? Nope its the shoes! Talk about constant wedgie and nothing left to the imagination. Ha ha!! In this picture we are 80 feet up in the air and overlooking Hagg Lake. Felt comfortable here in the trees and even hugged a few. Love me some trees!

A special note to my husband. Happy birthday baby I love you! I love you so much that I risked my life high up in the trees for you. I love you with all my heart and feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world to be married to such an amazing man. 

Next time your looking for some great shoes and your pretty green and crunchy like myself, keep Planet Shoes in mind.  They sell anything you could be looking for. From vegan shoes,  Plus they are proud partners with Soles4Shoes, World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club, Green America, Carbonfund.org, The Conservation Alliance and 1% for the Planet. Whats not to love about that? Pretty friggin awesome if you ask me!

I'm so glad I signed up for this Go Green Get Fit Challenge. Its not too late to sign up! Check it out on Facebook and also on Twitter! Even if you don't sign up check these pages out and get inspired!

Presented by:

... PlanetShoes.com
Media Partner:
HealthyHomeMagazine
Sponsored by:
NatureBox
ElyOrganics
My-Mamas-Love
EarthMamaAngelBaby

Note:These shoes were sent to me for free and I have not been paid one cent for this review. All thoughts and recommendations are from me personally.  I also get not once cent for clicking on any of these links. My blog is non profit and written by me and me only. I am honest and only give honest opinions.

My oasis

 Over the years I have tried growing sunflowers and never was able to get anything. I think those damn squirrels have been eating them.  Well this year I planted them inside my garden and not along our fence.  Guess who decided to come out and play today? Look how pretty she is! So nah nah nah nah nah squirrels!!!!

 I have been getting many volunteer tomato plants in my compost and moved them into my garden beds.  This one is simply too big to move and would probably not make it if I touched it.  So it stays! All that compost is giving it lots of good vitamins. 

I harvested my sage for using in my kitchen.  I dehydrated it for about 24 hours then put it in a mason jar in the kitchen. The rest of the plant will be used in making smudge sticks.  Ive always been interested in trying one of these out and heck it will be a free project with the kids.  Love this stuff!

 Found some basil plants for 75% off woot! I have 3 different kinds to try out.  I harvested the large leaves and they are in the dehydrator as I type this.  Now I will plant them in the garden and hopefully get another harvest to make fresh pesto from.  I want to some how blend them with oil and freeze them to use them all year. Looking into that.  I also bought some beet berry plants and can't wait for them to fruit so my girls can try them out.  This plant is a first for me. Love new stuff! Check some info out here.

My hens and chicks have lots of baby plants so we moved the babies to my cute not-so-water-sealed fountain.  Perfect for them!

Once they get bigger and fill this in it should look really cute. 

 Don't you just love when you forget what you planted? I think this is a squash but who knows. Could be a pumpkin! Either way I'm happy its doing well.

 I have a pretty good green thumb. Well except for lavender which I suck at growing.  This is the first plant I have not killed. Throwing salt over my shoulder a lot!

 Scarlett beans are doing well and looks like we will get to eat some tonight.  Woot! These are my ultimate favorite plant to grow because they are so beautiful.  One day I will plant some to grow up some cattle wire hanging from our gutters. I will get so much beans and the plant will shade my house keeping it cool.  I can just imagine all those red flowers!

 I told myself I wasn't going to plant very many beans this year.  Last year I went over board and my daughter says she will never eat another bean again.  Well I might have planted....some.....more...oops. I can't help it!

 Another first is this lettuce which I cannot remember the name of.  Love the colors!

Okay and last but not least I wanted to share this with you.  Anyone wanna guess what it is? It's another first for me and I can't wait to eat them. 

So did you have any first this year? 

Share!



School Time Savings

Are you tired of going broke paying for all the school supplies, clothes and shoes? Well so was I. So I stopped the school games and started saving money. Whether you have one child or four like myself you can use these tips and save money. 

Inventory check
I go through all my girls clothes and shoes.  My oldest hands down out grown clothes to my middle daughter. If she fits anything it goes into her closet.  If its too big it goes into a box for later. Same goes with my middle daughter. Everything out grown goes to my twins.  Into the closet or into the box.  Anything not wanted gets donated to a friend or person in need.  This clears their closet for new things for school.
This is a great time to check their school lunch bags, containers and water bottles. Add any of this to the list if you need it. 
I then write down each child's name with their size of tops, jeans and shoes.  I keep this note in my purse for when I am shopping.  Check off what we get along the way.  This way I don't buy things too big or small. 

Put the word out!
Let your friends and family know your on the hunt for clothes for your children.  My sister sometimes gives my twins things that my niece has out grown.  You can post on your Facebook that you need stuff.  Also tell your friends you will take anything they want to throw your way.  But keep in mind to do the same! Let friends/family know when you have stuff to give away.  This is the best tip ever for getting things for free and no money out of your pocket. 

Shopping time!
Instead of going to the store to buy new items I go garage sale shopping. It's another form of recycling! Clothes are already worn in and are 90% less than new clothes.  Shoe's are also a great price! I also keep an eye out for lunch boxes, backpacks and food storage containers that are not plastic.  I try my best to find what I can at great prices.
Another way to save is shop at Goodwill Outlet's.  They sell everything by the pound but you have to dig to find anything.  Nothing is sorted and its best to bring a friend/family member who knows your kids sizes.  Dig like crazy and meet up ever so often to trade clothes you found for each other.  The more you buy the better the price.  And be prepared to stay for a few hours. Trust me its worth it. And don't forget to bring your own bags to bring them home!

Thrift Stores
When I'm having a hard time finding something and there are only a few weeks till school then and only then I will go to a thrift store. They have used clothes with no holes or stains and are sorted in sizes.  But they will be a bit more money but still not as much as retail. 

Retail Stores
Only after I have tried all the above tips will I actually step foot into a retail store. If my girls need under garments I will buy them. But only if they have out grown theirs and need a larger size.  Why buy more when they have them already? School time doesn't mean new clothes people.

Online
I resort to buying online only if I cannot find it local at a good price.  If your not worried about buying local then online is the way to go.  Lots of sales and clearance.  Keep in mind that you still have to pay shipping so take advantage of free shipping if you can. Don't forget you can find things free online too.  freecycle,  craigslist and sometimes even Facebook have free forums for just about everything.

These rules can apply to school supplies too!

School Supplies
Each school will have a list on their website of what each grade needs to bring to school.  Most are shared items for kids in lower grades and will not only be used by your child.  My kids get to bring home stuff at the end of the school year and we just stash those until the first day of school.  I go through all those items with my list of stuff they need.  I then make a list of what they need.  I have yet to have a teacher return any supplies we already had.  Why let those supplies go to waste? Why spend money when you don't have to?

My mother is obsessed with buying school supplies. She has been my whole life. Yep even when I was older and moved out. Now that I have children she likes to buy them things.  So I usually send her a list of what we didn't have at home and still need.  She gets to buy school supplies and we save money. Its a win win situation for me. Thank you mom!

For those who don't have an obsessed mom I would keep an eye out for sale flyer's.  Remember the closer to the first day of sale the better the sales.  Some stores drop their sales on the week before school hoping to cash in so keep that in mind. 

Last but not least don't forget to keep the earth in mind. I keep an eye out for plastic free package, things made with recycled materials, and sturdy items that we can use year after year.  If you invest a little in well made products you will be able to use them for a long time.  Cheaper doesn't mean better! The cheaper items are usually made of some sort of plastic, poorly constructed, or just plain junk! Also remember to buy from local companies (to you) if you can.  Keep your money in your own state is supporting a local family.

Lunch time!
You can easily find fabric snack bags but be ready to pay the price for them.  You can save money by either finding a great sale on them or google instructions on making them yourself.  Keep an eye out for fabric sales! Let's not forget organic fabric!  I also use small mason jars for things like fruit.  Only use those with kids that can be careful when opening them and not drop them.  I will be replacing them with metal ones as soon as I find a good sale on them.  You can pack your own silverware and fabric napkin.  Don't buy paper/plastic disposables! The kids can empty their lunches when they get home and everything can be washed and reused the next day.  We use stainless steel water bottles and fill them with water.  If you pack anything else there is a high possibility of them not getting to the sink and juice/milk will go bad.  I usually pack a sandwich, fruit, crackers/pretzels and then a water bottle. 

One last note
You don't have to buy everything before school.  Let's not forget the after school sales. Retail stores are wanting to get rid of school items and moving onto Thanksgiving/Holiday items.  This is the perfect time to find metal soup containers, fabric sandwich bags, and water bottles.  Maybe you need that important graph calculator? Keep an eye out for that. You can replace things as you go as well.  Out with the plastic containers when you find a metal/glass one.   Just because something says its BPA free doesn't mean it is.  Trust your gut and go with the good stuff.  Maybe try getting one thing out of each check.  This way your not going broke trying to buy everything.  Eventually you will get everything done. 

Oh yeah and don't forget to not stress.  It's not worth it. Really.

Did I forget anything?
Have a tip you want to share?
Leave a comment, share this with your friends/family and lets help each other out.

Go Green, Get Fit Challenge Week 5 with a side of kindness

Week 5 of the Go Green Get Fit Challenge I decided to spend some time in nature while getting some exercise.  My oldest daughter had soccer practice at Commonwealth Park so this was the perfect time to get out in the air with the kids. She could have practice and I can go walk around the pond with my other 3 girls. It was a perfect 75 degree night so I packed a blanket and good old tried and true UNO. Woot!

There are so many things to do here but we always like to sit and look at the pond for a few minutes first.  This lake is so peaceful that you literally could take a nap easily here. From people fishing, kids playing soccer, kids on the play structure, people walking, people jogging, and then the people having a picnic. Its still nice and quiet.

The girls favorite part of the pond is all the underwater life.  I love that all my girls are so curious about nature.

We started our walk as soon as my daughters team mates showed up.  This park has a great path circles around the pond and is only about .8 miles long.  Enough to keep my girls busy and not bored. That's an A+ in my book. 

The twins lead the way hand in hand.  This rarely happens so I had to get proof for my husband. I just love sisterly love :)

Look what I found mama!

 For you mama!

And this is why we love this park so much. BABY DUCKS!!!! I mean come on?

POOF!!  Just like that they are gone. There were about 3 tiny baby ducks doing this over and over again.  Who needs TV when you have this? All we needed was popcorn. And then I would throw it out for the ducks instead of eating it. Hoping no one would catch me. No feeding ducks allowed here :( Then I am sad.

And then we were of again. There are several post with doggy bags along the path.  One of my girls found this little card. What a lovely gift someone left us.

I just love this.  Someone took time out of their life to write this card for others to enjoy.  I wonder how many people have read this already and how many will read it. Inspiring for sure!

My personal favorite part of this day was all the trees. My girls run up to them and hug them.  I love my little tree hugger girls!

 Well I love trees and this. My walking hand in hand with the girls is becoming limited.  They are older and don't need me to hold them up very often anymore.  I snuck in this picture so don't tell them!  What a wonderful night it was.  We came back to our blanket and had a hour long UNO game which a 7 year old beat the pants off of me. My days are crazy filled with chores, grocery shopping, being a taxi, and lots of other things all with 4 kids running circles around me. Tonight was so relaxing and it was just what I needed.

It's not too late to join the challenge!

We still have 7 weeks to go!

Join for free and share with me your goals.

Presented by:

... PlanetShoes.com
Media Partner:
HealthyHomeMagazine
Sponsored by:
NatureBox
ElyOrganics
My-Mamas-Love
EarthMamaAngelBaby