clean up!

I have always been interested in keeping my home as safe as possible, but that doesn't mean old habits are hard to break. With my pregnancy I have been trying harder than ever to rid our house of unnecessary chemicals. We still have a lot of old school cleaners and I have since retired them to the garage. They can be used out there until they run out and then we won't replace them.

I guess I should say that if you aren't intimated by making your own products, these items are mainly what you may need to clean your whole house! I am not here yet, so I buy lots of products from Method and similar companies.

Glass cleaner swap. Ditch the Ammonia-containing Windex. 

Ammonia exposure is linked to liver and kidney damage and 

the EPA says it's a toxic chemical that causes lung and eye damage.

Powder Cleanser swap. Ditch the bleach-containing Comet. Bleach, where do I even begin? First, most people don't know that it takes 30 minutes before the active ingredients in bleach to work/disinfect. I doubt most people are just letting bleach or bleach-containing cleaners sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing anyways.

All-purpose cleaner swap. I have been most concerned about cleaners sprayed on my kitchen counter tops. Think about it, its near food and where you prepare food. Why would you want any chemicals being spritzed nearby? I have been using Method all-purpose or their kitchen cleaner for years and love all the different scents. 

Some other favorites. The woman who helps cleans our house a couple times a month actually suggested the product on the far right for bathtubs. The Method bath line is aggressive on what it needs to be, but you don't feel like you're choking on the fumes. Mrs. Meyers is another great brand we love. 

We typically use Method laundry detergent but I read great things about Charlie's Soap, especially for baby items. Plus I prefer powder over liquid detergents because traditional jugs have over sized caps and vague instructions to encourage overuse. Also, if you smell detergent on dry clothes, it means you used too much.

What do you use at your house? Any tips or great products to add to my ever-evolving list?

Proper Food Combining

{Actually not such a good combination. Melon should always be consumed alone}

Source

Have you ever heard about food combining? I first read about it on the blog, Tales of me and the husband. Great blog and sometimes her mom writes health posts that are so thought provoking and helpful! Since your digestive system is all tripped out during pregnancy (slowed digestion due to better chance to get nutrients to the baby, etc) and can result in not so awesome side effects (constipation, heartburn) I decided to learn more about the topic. While I have yet to experience those not so awesome side effects, maybe I will lessen my chances by proper food combining?

Proper food combining is a system of combining certain foods together efficiently to assist digestion so that your digestive tract does not have to work so hard to give you the nutrients you need for energy.

Basically, stop eating certain foods together and you won't feel as tired, gassy or have problems in the bathroom after meals! There is a lot to the subject, but here is what I am starting with:

-Chew food well

-Fruit should be eaten 30-60 minutes before meals. This way it prepares the digestive tract by rinsing and hydrating it for the more complex foods to come. Never have fruit after a meal, it will compete while the other stuff is trying to digest. 

-Cold liquids and food may slow digestion.

-Minimize drinking liquids during meals or after. Liquids wash away and dilute important enzymes needed to aid in digestion. 

-Avoid having a protein and carb in the same meal. Both require the most energy to digest and require different enzymes. This creates a big old slow fight. Steak and potatoes? No! Pasta with chicken? No!

-Pair carbs with vegetables (not starchy ones) and same for proteins. A green leafy salad is good with almost any meal. 

-Drink milk alone. This cannot be counted as a form of hydration either. 

More info and a helpful chart: here!

Rub your belly

In the hopes to keep stretch marks at bay, I have amassed quite the pregnancy arsenal. I know it might just come down to genetics and how long the baby cooks, but it's nice to take out time for me and pay attention to my growing belly. Here are some of my favorite butters, lotions and oils that make my morning and night time rituals that much more enjoyable. I seem to have one high price and one low price in each category too. 

Shea Butter-I love using the butters at night and wearing a tight tank top to bed to seal everything in. This 100% natural Shea butter is great, but takes some elbow grease at first. Not for when I am dead tired and want to go to bed. About $10.

Cocoa Butter- This cocoa butter is strong smelling, might not be great for the sensitive first trimester. And since it contains some additional oil, it goes on much easier than the pure Shea butter. Great product for the price. About $5.

Ultimate Hydration Lotion- Wonderful brand, no chemicals whatsoever and made specifically for pregnant women. This smells so nice which was unexpected. Rubs in easy, no oily feeling afterwards, great for putting on before work and not having to worry about stained clothes. They also make ones for the legs and boobs, for different reasons. $23.

Massage Lotion- I was using this before work until I tried the Mustela lotion. This is OK, but a little thin for me to think it is doing more than a regular lotion and the smell isn't amazing. About $10.

Skin Toning Oil- I bought this since everywhere I go, it seems to be the holy grail of stretch mark defenders, but I am not over the moon for it, or it's price tag. It is too oily to use in the morning before work. It might be nice after a hot bath, but I can't take those. About $15.

Body Oil- I received this as a sample from a Whole Foods booth and LOVE IT SO MUCH. It works just as an oil but it absorbs really nicely and doesn't leave you feeling oily at all. I don't have to worry about it staining my clothes either, so I can use this in the morning. And there is something much more satisfying about using an oil versus a lotion after a shower. Getting ready for work sucks but this brightens my routine. Simply the BEST. $38.

Lately

I am obsessed with my Native Union Pop phone that plugs into my cell phone. I got this for Christmas but haven't really remembered to plug it in or get the hang of it until recently. I sort of hate talking on the phone and this has made it so much more enjoyable. Also, reducing cell phone radiation is uber important. They come in a ton of fun colors, too.

{a pile of happiness}

I am really working on staying happy and positive. Work can be such a bummer and let down that I am trying so hard to not let it dip into any of my precious non-work hours. The change in seasons, even if we are expected another solid week of rain, has helped. Any tips on how to leave work stress at the door? I'm all ears. 

{My mom and dad on their wedding day}

I have been helping my parents with some little details for their 40th wedding anniversary party they are having this summer. Makes me so happy I am done planning my wedding. Even though it's just a party, there are still conversations of envelopes, talks of save the dates, DJs, booze, etc. I wasn't happy it was in the past until just now.

{May the odds be ever in your favor}

Girls night at the movies on Friday. I cannot wait!

Beauty Routine

{pretty face}

I don't really have a hard fast routine I follow since I am always trying new products that are given to me. (SIL is a merchant for Sephora....I KNOW) But I do have my all time favorites, like Ole Henriksen's Truth Serum. I apply it every morning. What needs help is my nighttime routine! Sometimes I will just remove my makeup but not wash my face, sometimes I will religiously apply eye cream for weeks and then just stop. The habits are hard to form and keep. Which is why I want to share the two things that I have been loving lately.

Say Yes to Cucumbers wipes. I have always been really against disposable facial wipes because they are truly so wasteful. But lately I have been so tired and my skin looks bad because of winter so I knew every night I would at least have time to use one of these! They smell amazing and I don't feel guilty when I go to bed. 

Jojoba Oil. I bought a small bottle while on my honeymoon in Hawaii to dab on the ends of my hair when it was getting dry but recently started using it for my face! I "wash" my face in this stuff at night, rinse it off the best I can and towel dry my face. Oh my gosh, my skin feels amazing after! And the weirdest and best part? My face is NOT oily in the morning when I wake up! 

Any new-to-you beauty products you are loving lately?

Organize!

An organizational post in January, how original! :) Our spices are kept in two little cabinets above the stove and there have been a handful of times where I have mis-reached for something only to have it a.) fall into the dish I'm making or b.) narrowly miss my feet. Both of which results in some lovely language. I picked up two little graduated shelves at The Container Store* to solve my problems.

BEFORE

 The more spice-y bunch. 

 The more bake-y bunch.

AFTER

 

Look, I can't believe I'm showing you my spice rack either, but hopefully this can help just one person!

*the most amazing store ever!

What I learned...

I thought it would be helpful for future brides to have all my tips and things I learned in one post, while it's still fresh in my mind. 

Get professional hair and makeup. Even if your friend is great at hair and your little sister is great at doing her own makeup, it makes so much sense to hire a professional. This was one of the key factors in feeling like a pretty bride, having my hair and makeup done to a T. I've actually seen brides on blogs where it looks like they just put on a wedding dress and called it a day. I get the natural look thing, I do. But to be photographed you need more makeup than normal. 

Hire help. I was so happy that I had Enjoy Events there to help and didn't have to delegate tasks out to friends and family. They are guests and they should be there for everything and not running around behind the scenes. Everyone will be more relaxed knowing there are a couple go-to gals running the show. This is especially important if your wedding is at a private residence.

Have more cash on hand than you think. We had everyone's tip money ready to go...so we thought. There were so many key players within the main vendors we had forgot about. Bartenders, second shooters, caterer coordinators, you get the idea. I had to send checks in the mail after the honeymoon and it would have been easier to hand them cash.

You make your own rules. Don't listen to people voicing the 'wedding' norms when you want something different. We had one of Jon's groomsmen be our officiant. I can't tell you how many people said "but....isn't he a groomsmen? Where will he stand? How will he go down the aisle....errrr" Yeah, how did that work out? :) Another thing, I made the entire wedding playlist (except the dance part of the night). The DJ didn't like this so much, "no other bride has ever done this..." and kept suggesting their own playlists and classical music for when guests arrive, etc. Well, I stuck to my guns and we got so many compliments on the music.

You have to let things go. Especially hard for fellow type A personalities. The most important thing to me that I kept playing over in my head was me walking down the aisle. And the music that went with it. I decided on Canon in D and listened to it for weeks before the wedding. Fast forward to showtime....its not the same version nor the part of the song I imagined. YEAH. But you know what, everyone's waiting for me so there was only one thing I could do! And everything was still perfect.

{flowers, the next day}

Enjoy your flowers. If you are a flower person and your honeymoon is right after the wedding, you don't get to enjoy those hundreds of flowers you spent more than hundreds on. For me, this was a huge bummer. It's not like I would change when we went on our honeymoon, but it's just something to think about. We ended up giving them to family and neighbors.

Have your bridesmaids wear different dresses. It just looks better, trust me.

Do a 'First Look'. Oh man, this was one of the best parts of the day. There was so much excitement and emotion it was incredible. Jon was waiting at the end of this little bridge and I walked a few steps short of him and told him to turn around. Tears were flowing! And I was able to be in the moment with just Jon and not have that moment with him in front of everyone. Don't get me wrong, it was still amazing walking down the aisle and seeing him, but I was much more relaxed and soaking everything all in.

Have a real guestbook. I know there are so many cute and creative options for the guestbook these days and maybe you should have those too. But my vote goes to traditional guestBOOK because people will write long, beautiful, meaningful messages if there is space! Sometimes those other options you will just get a "Congrats! Love, Aunt Pam" or whatever. Reading the guestbook brought me to tears. Page after page of the happiest sentiments means the world to me.

Have kids at your wedding. Before I was even engaged I was in the "kids don't belong at weddings" camp. Ask anyone of my friends. Then someone named Landon came onto the scene and everything changed. ;) But really, we didn't have tons of kids there, just the ones related to us. (And baby Joaquin!) And it was so fun watching them run around and play with their cousins. They were constantly on the dance floor and just brought a happy and relaxed feel to things. I think more people will also come if they can bring their kids but as far as staying longer, that's still a toss up.

Never forget what it's all about, obviously. :)

Attention!!

via

Attention all bloggers, tweeters and people I have come in contact with: I think you should know that
the first day of fall is September 23rd.

If I hear one more person say "Summer is ending!" I will seriously cut someone. Just because school is starting doesn't mean its time to start crunching leaves beneath our boots and drinking hot cocoa. Enough. 

Mmmm....cake

 

 

 

 

So, I recently found out that the peach orchard that was going to be the source for our wedding pies has come down with a disease this season. Our wedding is in one month and we don't have a dessert figured out. I think I'm in denial. There is no point in getting peaches from elsewhere and still making the pies since the whole point was that they were coming from the orchard on the property where we are getting married. And since I don't even like pie, there really isn't a point in going forward. Which brings us to cake. Butter cream all the way, no fondant. And I am all for having a smallish one to display and sheet cakes hidden in the back somewhere to cut costs. But shopping for a vendor this late in the game is making me cringe. Deep breath. Wish me luck...

Wake up.

luciusart

 

mobijo 

 quaillanepress

 ecceprints

 smalltalkstudio

Just a smattering of inspirational art that has struck a chord with me as of late. And for the record, I am sooo not an "inspirational quotes" kind of gal, but these are sort of nice. I think I may try to pick a favorite and hang it near my bathroom mirror, where I am sure to read it daily while I am getting ready. 

Do any of these words resonate with you?

"Nobody but you is responsible for your life"

Thanks Oprah. That quote hit me like a ton of bricks on Wednesday.

Your show will be missed.

SAD DAY

{dearly beloved}

Friends, I have made a scary discovery this week. I, like 75% of adults, have become lactose intolerant. Nooooooo. No more Cheddar on my veggie sausage patty in the morning, no more Mozzarella string cheese as a mid-day snack, no more munching on Brie and crackers after work, no more bowl of broccoli with a pile of Parmesan on top. Cheese, we had a good run, maybe too good of a run. I will miss you so.

Wanted: Workout Motivation

{Keep Calm print in my gym with Tracy Anderson DVD in the reflection}

I write to you in desperation! I need motivation. You may think one would be pretty darn motivated by a wedding in the near future (cough4monthscough) but noooo. I continue to happily munch the carbs + sugar devils. What do you gals do? Workout first thing in the morning? Have a set plan? After work get into workout gear right away? Any tips and tricks would be so helpful.

P.S. My personal trainer is worthless.

Backyard Farmer

{home grown cauliflower soaking}

After doing the backyard farmer thing for one year, I have come up with lots of tips and advice.  If you are thinking of doing a small scale garden in your backyard, this is for you. If not, you might want to move along. 

What is super easy to grow?

-Lettuce*, tomatoes, radish, herbs, artichokes and zucchini.

These will all grow so well and without much effort you will be giving away extras to your neighbors and co-workers.*Be careful with the lettuce, if you don't pick it and eat it as it grows, it will start to taste bad and little bugs LOVE it, so cleaning it and prepping it is a pain in the ass.

What should I skip?

-Cauliflower, strawberries, onions

While the cauliflower and onions are easy to grow, the results are pretty lame. Say you get a 6-pack of each, say one dies, but 5 take, you water them all summer long to get..... 5 onions? Oh yeah, those things at the store for less than a dollar each? Yeah. It's just not really worth it. Same with cauliflower.

If you grow anything at all, tomatoes are where it's at. That is where you are saving money growing your own, hands down. Last year we went a little crazy with the tomatoes and over planted.  Just because they are growing to be 6 feet and lush as a jungle doesn't mean that's a good thing. With heavy growth comes tomato bugs and spider webs, yuck. This year we will thin them out a lot.

Last summer, crouching under our tomato plants. Heaven. 

Which is where I wanna be. I hate winter!

Last spring, setting up and building our garden.

BTW who's that blond?

2011, Here we go

via

I may be biased but I think 2011 is going to be the best year yet! I have so much to look forward to that I think I just might burst. Lots of massive fun and celebrations to come. But of course, whats the start of a new year without a few goals? I'm sharing them here, so I feel somewhat accountable.

-make more mindful decisions when it comes to exercise and food. you are going to be in some pictures that you will not get to re-do. make it count.
-find a new job. if that means going back to graduate school, do it.
-talk less and listen more. don't listen while waiting to give your reply, just simply listen.
-have dinner parties
-re-read 'the secret' and start practicing it once again.

That's it for now. It's a revolving door, really. Happy New Year to everyone! I hope whether you're staying home or going out on the town, its smashing.

xo,
Holly

Chicago (Help!)

I never thought I would jump at a chance to go to Chicago, but it looks like it is the only "vacation" in the cards for us for the rest of the year. Jon is going for business, and I'm going to play. This is where you come in! You gals hooked me up with awesome rec's when I headed to NYC and I was hoping you'd do the same for Chi-town. The only thing I know about Chicago is that it was the setting to one of my fave films, The Fugitive and Oprah (duh). I am interested in eating, shopping and having fun. I am not interested in sports, history or museums.

P.S. We are going in five short weeks!

Mid Week Hello

So, I am sitting here laughing out loud at a new blog and my first thought is I have to tell you. Catalog Living. So funny! And super extra funny since I shop these "catalogs". Also a hilarious read if you haven't seen it yet is Shit My Kids Ruined. It cracks me up during dead silences at work, the kind where you just can't contain yourself. And who knew how many kids stick their parents cell phones in cups of water?

Right now Jon is installing our brand new Craftsman five panel door with beautiful oil rubbed bronze hardware! Because who really likes hollow doors with brass hardware? Ick. Pictures to come!

To my self tanning sisters

You must try Tantowel! I saw an infomercial for them a few years ago and because of the concept (no messy lotion, moist towelettes) I had always longed to try it out. Their prices scared me a bit to be honest. 10 "towels" for over 20 bucks, huh? And one towel does half the body? All that has been pushed aside now that I have bit the bullet, ordered them, used them, and LOVE them. The only downside is the smell. Don't let any self tanning company tell you they don't smell.

P.S. This is not a sponsored post, I genuinely care about my fellow fair skinned gals. But, Tantowel, if you are listening, Holla!

Input Needed

{via}

I know a lot of my readers are worldly gals, so I wanted to ask for your New York City must-see spots! A favorite ribbon store? A place to get a fantastic bloody mary? Share it here. So far, for sure I am seeing a taping of the Martha show, meeting a fellow blogger and going to see a Broadway show. Help me fill in the gaps with great places to eat, drink and shop. Thank you!

Input Needed

Let me guide you through a scenario. Please picture yourself in this scenario as best you can.

Arrive at a very nice spa in wine country for your complimentary mud bath.

Check in, go to locker room.

Undress* and wrap yourself in a sheet.

Wait for your attendant.

Attendant brings you to shower to rinse off.

You shower. *

Attendant brings you to mud bath.*

And helps you in. *

Attendant covers you with volcanic mud.

Relax for 10 minutes.

Attendant removes mud from you. *

Then you are walked back to the shower.*

Then you shower and get the mud out of all nooks and crannies. *

You are then walked to a mineral bath.*
Soak.
After the mineral bath you are then walked to a steam room. *
Steam it up. *
Then you are walked to a private room. *
Where you are wrapped in a blanket and cucumbers and placed on your eyes.
Nap.

Thoughts? How does this all sound? Pretty wonderful. What if I say that anywhere the asterick is means you are butt naked with several other women? Walking from here to there, in an open shower, cleaning mud out of your bits, relaxing, soaking, etc. Does this change your opinion? What if this otherwise $85 service is free? Also, where the heck do I put my camera to document this!? Part of me is nervous and the other part is saying "shut up you lil prude, they are just strangers!".

Please weigh in and let's hope my Dad doesn't read this post(!)