Zen-Mother

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I think you all know from my other blogs that we are a green family. Last week we tested a bottle of Green Works Natural Dishwashing Liquid. I pretty much knew I would like it from the get-go because I like their other products. Yes, it is made by Clorox…the bleach company but these products are good and 99% green and natural so that makes them a good choice in my book. Especially since they are more affordable than many other green cleaners on the market. Some people can’t afford to be all high and mighty about their product choices so I am happy to see lower price options like Green Works.

The dish soap has a very nice smell and it gets the dishes clean all with plant based biodegradable ingredients. The bottle can be recycled as it is made with #1 plastic and its not tested on animals. All big plus points. The ingredients are primarily water, cleaning agents derrived from cocounts and essential oils. It has no Phosphates in it either…which is important for health and water safety issues.

Green Works has joined with the Sierra Club in support of their efforts to conserve clean air, water, and wildlife, and all of their products carry the Sierra Club logo. Additionally, the EPA has recognized the dish soap for using environmentally preferred chemistry, with their logo also proudly displayed on the bottle. Green Works Dishwashing Liquid comes in five scents: Original, Water Lily, Tangerine, Free & Clear, and Simply Lemon.

I would use this dishwashing liquid again in a heartbeat. The smell was fantastic, its natural, its green, it works.

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So how did I spend my 31st birthday today? Well, I didn’t shower until about 5:00 PM…cause I am uber glamorous like that. My hubby slept all day and got up to go to work at 4:00 PM and didn’t even recall that is was my birthday or at least he didn’t say anything if he did.

My parents, my brother, my 3 kids and I went out to dinner at a sports bar. My 2 year old was extremely unhappy with the food I ordered him (he wanted a nasty hot dog) and decided to have a meltdown. It was the worst he has ever had and very unlike him. So I got to spend the dinner hour in the car with him while everyone else ate.

Then my mom and I went to Elder Beerman sans kiddies and she treated me to a shopping spree. I shopped the bargain bins and got a t-shirt, 2 pairs of jeweled flip-flops, and 4 dresses for my daughter.

Then I came home and had some cake my mom made for me, watched a DVD, wrote this post, and now I am going to read a book and drink a beer. Maybe when I turn 32 next year I will be on a beach in Fiji or Tahiti drinking a Pina Colada…here is to hoping.

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Well, actually I would not say that I am a Democrat or a Republican….I am more of an Independent. I like to evaluate everything before I make a decision and won’t let any political party ideals guide me across the board. I do however lean more to the left than the right. I am more blue than red. I am more liberal than Conservative. I am more Dem than Repub.

And one reason I think this may be is because Republicans are supposedly about being conservative, straight laced, moral, religious…yawn fest. Plus most Republicans that are trying to gain our acceptance look like this:

I am sorry but this guy is ancient and I seriously believe that he has the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. He can never remember his own stance on many of the issues. Puhlease! And let’s not even mention our current President. How can these guys possibly know what YOUNG voters want and value? They don’t and they don’t care…as is evidenced by the fact that GWB and his followers bought both elections he won.

No compare those guys to THESE guys…oooh la, la. I know whose side I am on.

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Over the weekend I read The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. It is a sci-fi book about a 15 year old alien hunter who also happens to be an alien. The book is written for young adults I think but older adults will also be entertained. It was a very fun read and the story felt like something out of Men in Black. Fun and exciting and not to gruesome…although it has its moments.

The story is told from the first person which makes it feel as though we are following Daniel as he journeys around the world to hunt and kill all the bad aliens on ”The List”. This list was given to him by his parents who were savagely murdered in front of Daniel when he was only 3 by alien number #1 on said list. The further down the list you go…the more powerful and dangerous the alien. Daniel takes up where his parents left off, as they were alien hunters too.

Some interesting things I like about the character were his abilities to manifest other people to be companions. His parents are long dead but Daniel manifests parents in the images of his own when he is lonely or he needs to explain to authorities that he really does have parents. He also manifests friends because he is hesitant to find any real ones. Daniel is a very like-able and humorous character. I love how he is able to handle himself with adults who talk down to him too. I also love how responsible Daniel is. He is still a teenager after all but the weight of his responsibilities and the fact that he has had to navigate without parents has really helped him grow as a person and he is not your typical teen.

This particular story follows along as he attempts to hunt alien #6 who is abducting children and trafficking them off the planet to be slaves and pets for other aliens. Alien #6 is far stronger than Daniel and has amazing abilities of his own which makes for a very tense story with lots of nail biting moments and wondering how this story can possibly be turned around.

The book was very well written, very entertaining, and takes the reader on one exciting and slightly terrifying journey through a part of our planet that we “humans” don’t see. There are more stories about Daniel X to come. This book features a chapter of the next adventure as well.

Happy reading!

And for more Info:

The Daniel X web site

Daniel X in Wikipedia

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Does this back-to-school time of year start to make YOU want some cool mommy supplies…maybe some pretty magnets, folders, notebooks, a cutesy mouse pad, and calendar. I know I have to stay out of the office/school supply sections of stores because it DOES draw me in and make me want to buy.

If you are anything like me in that regard and/or shop at Wal-Mart I may have some bad news for you. To help women and teens get organized in style, Carolina Pad and Paper and Jacqueline Savage McFee have just launched two incredibly beautiful new lines of paper and organizational products at Wal-Mart, designed just for women and teens. They are called Simply Chic and Eye Candy and they are both equally! Definately a great way to glam your home office!

They were lovely enough to send me some samples and I have been ooh and aahing for some time now. Even their sticky notes and flags look straight out of Vouge magazine! I especially their magnets…mods squares, pink and green with polka dots, black and white modern designs….lovely. The paper flags are more of the same. I also love the designer pens…which are now my “special pens”.  Also got a cool journal, a couple smazzy looking folders/paper organizers…perfect for homeschool stuff, a small calendar that can fit in my purse, a groovy flowered mouse pad, and a box of notes for a desk…I gifted them to someone and she was elated. All in all this is a very smart and elegant collection. I am too old for the cutesy stuff they usually have at Wal-Mart for tween girls. Simple Chic and Eye Candy are just perfect. Here is a sneak peak…or head over to Wal-Mart and see for yourself.

Check out their web site too!

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