I'm on a journey to find health and happiness through a more holistic and green lifestyle.

I find the world to be abrasive. =) That is to say, I feel the need to armor myself, physically and emotionally, in order to face life. Don't we all? Maybe. For whatever reason, it has become a priority in my life to rid my immediate environment of irritating things. And I'm sensitive! So there is much work to be done. But. I have thought for a long time that the things I come in contact with every day, and the stuff used to clean and maintain these things, need to be gentle and non-toxic. I have had eczema my entire life. For a long time I just dealt with it, and accepted that sometimes it's bad, and sometimes it's not, and that it will fluctuate a lot. Gradually over time I have come to find that certain things, fabrics, cleansers, materials, are more irritating to my skin than others. Stress can exacerbate it. In more recent times, I have realized that every aspect of my life improves when I improve conditions for my skin. Hah! What a concept! Thus my (long time) interest in going green, and my more recent desire to live a more holistic lifestyle. (I think I've felt a desire for a long time to live in a harmonious way with myself, my surroundings, and nature, but didn't have a name for it.) Anyhow, this blog is a journal of my trials and errors, and basic crooked path to find a balanced and peaceful existence for myself and my family. Thanks for your interest! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Friday, December 30, 2011

All Natural All-Purpose Household Cleaner

Combine the following for a hard-working and nice smelling (and completely toxin-free) household cleaner:

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons castile soup
10 drops essential oil of your choice

Read about essential oils online. Some may just provide a nice smell. Others have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, etc. properties.

FYI, for some reason, my castile soap initially clumped together when I added it to the vinegar/water mix, but by morning it was once again dispersed in the mix. This cleanser works well in a spray bottle or other container. Mix well before each use. 

Friday, December 2, 2011

A Day In The Life

I have felt like writing lately. I go through phases like this. So I'm just gonna gab about life. I feel good this morning. I slept well, despite little man waking up during the night and having a sneeze attack, and was so congested he sounded like a buzz saw. He had conked out on the early side after a small dose of Benedryl after breaking out in hives! Two days ago he told me his skin was itching. His was scratching his torso and his legs. I checked and didn't see anything, then put some diluted lavender essential oil on it. That seemed to do the trick. Yesterday morning I could see a small patch of hives on his cheek. Again, lavender oil did the trick. But later in the day my daughter informed me that he had hives again. They were on his face again, and this time he had them on both sides. One side was pretty significant. This time I put Caladryl on it. He didn't like the feel of it, but tolerated it just the same. By dinner time, he had hives on his chest, belly and back. Ugh! The only thing I could think of that might have touched his skin that we hadn't been using all along was the laundry detergent at my father's house. We stayed there over Thanksgiving break. So we put a shirt on him that had been washed here, but it didn't help. So more lavender, plus a small dose of Benadryl. He seemed to improve right away, but not surprisingly, was ready for bed as soon as we got upstairs. (Not unusual anyway) He slept fine until the sneeze attack early this morning.....Now he's up, and just informed me he's "getting more bee hives!" (He's 4) Sighs.... Oh, and after the sneeze attack hubby informed me that he "has it too" and that it will be a "sick weekend." Just a continuation of the week, really. So... more lavender... Now DD is starting her pre-school anxiety stuff. Her nose is so stuffy she can't breathe. (Not true) Her belly aches. She feels as if she's going to throw up. She does, in fact, go to the bathroom and dry heave a bunch. She is so exhausted she might fall asleep in class. (She slept fine all night) And so on. As we drive to school, she complains from the back seat in this tiny little voice reserved for times like this. I tell her, as I always do, that I can't hear her when she talks in that voice. I try, again, to explain to her what is happening to her. I point out the difference between physical sickness and emotional upset that causes physical sickness. I reminded her, again, that with "transition" anxiety, she feels anxious every school morning, and that once she is at school and in her routine, the anxiety lessens. She reminds me, again, that earlier this week, it didn't lesson, and she felt sick all day. (Sighs) So I pointed out that this was one time, vs about 800 times when it was the case. Anyhow, she shed a few tears on the way in the door, and I was gone. Ugh, I just hate how awful she feels every school morning. =( Wah! So DS and I went home to address his "bee" hives again. A little more lavender seems to be working today. A little diffused eucalyptus should help with his congestion. And now we're watching a movie as I enjoy a cuppa joe. Now.... a few minutes to worry about what the heck to get everyone for Christmas. Bleh. My dear SIL sent me a list for her kids, so that's awesome. And when my brain takes a break, I'm enjoying thinking about the shirt I designed in my dream two mornings ago! I think it would be fun to try to make it a reality. =) But Christmas ideas first! (Work before play!) As always, I'm glad it's Friday, but come Saturday morning, and the inevitable battle between DH and DD over whether we're going out or staying in, I always wonder why. I hope to hear from the Selective Mutism Center today!