Amazing homemade, non-toxic, disinfecting wipes!

Back story quickly - my oldest son suffers severely with allergies. 75% of his allergies are related to the outdoors. About 25% indoors. Nonetheless, when I quit using toxic, chemical cleaners in my home, my sons' allergies improved drastically & for the first time in 12 years, he didn't need medication daily to manage them. He went, literally, months, with no medication! He no longer suffered & for that reason alone, I will never, ever use store-bought cleaners again.

That said - wipes. We use them. With 4 kids & 2 dogs, we need them. Even though I no longer have a baby (sniff), I always continued to purchase baby wipes because they are convenient. But I ran out. We are battling colds, & while out shopping the other night, I picked up some disinfecting wipes & tossed them in my basket. As I continued to shop, I knew it was wrong buying those things. Yes, I wanted a disinfecting wipe this round, but I did not want that horrible, strong, overpowering smell, as well as the chemicals, back in my house. After 20 minutes, I went & put the wipes back & decided I would make my own.

And I did! This is my own process. :)

Supplies:

35 or so paper towels (I only use Walmart brand, white, select-a-size paper towels. Great price & great quality.)
16 oz. of prepared Basic G non-toxic disinfectant/germicide (more information on Basic G at the bottom of this post.)
Container (as you can see, I used an old Target baby wipe container.)

*The reason I chose to use prepared Basic G is because I wanted to be confident the ratio of cleaner/water formula was accurate. Using it already mixed properly, I now know my wipes are effective! No second guessing, hoping I got the ratio correct. Now I know I'm killing germs, without a doubt! You can use any disinfectant you prefer - I suggest you use it in it's 'ready to use' form. If you don't, you are guessing at the formula & there's a possibility you aren't killing any germs/bacteria. Basically, you'd be using cleaning wipes with water & touch of cleaner. I want to know my wipes are effective.



First, I triple folded the paper towels & placed them in the container:





I then took about 1/4 of them out, poured in my Basic G: (Originally, I just poured the solution on top, but noticed due to thickness, the middle & bottom wipes were dry - so I did it in steps.)



Added a few more & poured in Basic G - I did this to ensure all paper towels got wet, then I shook the container to distribute more of the solution:



And then...

Tada!



Tip - I discovered if you triple fold unevenly (similar to baby wipes) - fold the first fold about 3/4 up & then fold the rest over - it will allow you a little flap, in which to grab & pull through the hole.

Tip - I added the entire 16 oz. bottle of cleaner, because the towels are thick & it took a lot. The wipes are just a tad too moist (bonus! Just squeeze the excess out in the sink - it's non-toxic, so it's ok!). Next time I'll try 3/4 of the bottle, instead, & see how that works. Obviously, if you make less wipes, use less cleaner. Shoot for less because you can always add more.



Took me 6 minutes to triple fold 35 paper towels. All together, making 35 homemade, non-toxic, disinfecting wipes took me 10 minutes. 10 minutes! I can't even get to the store, grab wipes, check out & be home again in 10 minutes! Winning! :)

I love them. Love, love, love them! My husband & I both have already used some. I will never buy store-bought, chemical & fragrance filled wipes again! I should have done this years ago!

Oh, & total price? To make a 16 oz. bottle of Basic G the cost is about $.05 cents. Paper towels, for 35, lets just say $.50 cents. So about $.55 cents & that's possibly a little high! Not bad, huh? Winning again! :)

**Check out the incredible Basic G. Click here! I will never use any other disinfectant & it lasts forever!! It's a huge bottle & because it's so concentrated, it has a 3 year shelf life. Basic G cleans, deodorizes & disinfects in one simple step! It is effective against more than 40 bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including: Salmonella, E-coli, Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Strep pathogens, Herpes simplex types I & II, HIV-1 (AIDS virus), Influenza-A/Hong Kong, Athletes Foot, Feline leukemia, Canine distemper, Rabies, and more. Basic-G is neutral pH, gentle to human skin, Kosher, EPA registered and environmentally friendly. And no residue left over! It's amazing!

Linking up: A Bowl Full of Lemons, Not Just a Housewife, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, House of Rose, By Stephanie Lynn, Alderberry Hill, Uncommon Designs , Huckleberry Love, Home Stories A to Z, Between Naps on the Porch

Getting back in the swing of photography!

We got out a few weeks ago & I did a fun shoot with my kids. It had been way too long! I was unhappy with many elements of the shoot (clothing/hair style choices, mainly), so we went last weekend & had a redo. I love them! They turned out really good, spite the freeze that occurred in between shoots & I lost most of the pretty scenery. In addition, my youngest was on the verge of getting a cold, so she was fit to be tied by the end. But that's ok - I've let go of perfection & embraced life. And that's exactly what the photos are. :)











And my favorite, with the extreme pop of sun flare:



I will fix the reflection at the bottom before printing, but for now, I left it.

I am still SO excited to finally be starting my own photography business! It dawned on me the other night that I did attempt to do so before, a few years ago, (remember Rock That Shutter?) but the timing was all wrong & that was the end of that. Now, the timing is right! I had a shoot scheduled for last weekend, but their little girl got sick & they had to cancel. A bummer, but totally understandable. I have another shoot scheduled in December. Realistically, with the holidays upon us, I figure I'll probably get going in or after January. I'm ok with that, as the holidays, followed immediately by three birthdays, are a very busy time for us.

Being I'm self-taught, I can use that extra time to enhance my photography skills. I've never taken a photography class. I shoot full manual only - I set all my own camera settings (every single one!) & I never use a flash. I edit my images in Photoshop CS4 & my editing is extremely minimal. I am not like the others. IMO, why take a photo, just to change it all up with this, that & the other? That's not what my photography is about. My photography is the real deal, & that's what I want my clients to see when they view their photos & look back on their memories. Not flaws removed. Life isn't flawless & neither are people.

Thanks for following along!

You can follow me on Facebook, too, for more fun stuff! Click here!

I am finally starting my own photography business!

Lets do this! It's never too late, right? Or, better late than never!



For too long, my photography has been ignored. I adore photography. I always have. Many of you, who have traveled with me over the years, know that. Photography makes my heart go pitter pat. For too long (several years), I have contemplated opening my own photography business. I've been supported & encouraged, but always said no. A month or so ago, I began to revisit the opportunity. There have been many discussions with my husband & family. I am thrilled to announce - finally, I made the decision to ignore my fear vs. my photography. I'm currently wrapping up details. And I am oh so excited to begin this new journey with my own photography business!

Yip!

I will incorporate my photography into my current Facebook page. Click here to follow along! I also will be posting sessions here on my blog. So darn tootin' exciting!

Simple Secret Santa!

Listen up! Who is interested in participating in a Simple Secret Santa this year? Who doesn't like a sweet little something in the mail? I think this could be really fun! Nothing elaborate, just something to make someone else smile. To bring some happy to the holiday season. I'm thinking, possibly, of a $10-$15 limit, including shipping. There would be stipulations, of course, because it wouldn't be fair if someone commits & then doesn't participate. So, I'm making a list! First, I need to know if you're interested. If so, then, we spread the word! I'd love to have a huge Simple Secret Santa! How fun would that be?! So, step one - please go to my Facebook page (easier keeping all the comments in one place) & leave a comment if you are interested!

Click here to go to my Facebook page!

Lets spread some happy!!

Project Dream International!

You've talked about it, you've thought about it, you've tossed it back & forth - are you ready? Take advantage of this amazing special! Do it now & make some extra Christmas money! I'll walk with you every step of the way! It's simple! :)

Do you desire: more opportunity, more recognition, more freedom, more flexibility, better health, more income, wants to help others, wants more time with their kids, wants to travel, wants to live better & wants to become the best person they were designed to be? Then Project Dream is for you! You deserve it & you are worth more! Set your standards high! Maybe you know someone who is searching for these very things - please pass this on to them! You never know whose life you could change!

Life Can Be Better!

Email me now! adoringthesimple@gmail.com

My partners!

Project Dream International!

Follow me on Facebook for more fun stuff! Click here!

So what exactly is 'clean eating'?

We've all heard this. "Eat clean". Focus on "clean eating". But what, exactly, does that mean? I've been doing some research. Here's my take on this subject.

The conclusion I have come to is that 'eat clean' basically means = cut the crap. Plain & simple. Stop eating crap. Fresh foods, organic when possible. None to very limited processed foods. It's not a diet. Clean eating is truly changing your mindset & the way you eat. In my opinion, changing/improving the way you eat 90% of the time. I don't say 100%, because I believe life is short, food is yummy & everyone needs to indulge every now & then. That said, only 10% of every now & then. Enough to fill that void, but not enough to ruin one's health. So, for me, 90/10. I can do that. The bottom line is clean eating makes everyone healthier, in more ways than one. There truly is nothing negative about it, other than it might sting the pocket book every now & then if you buy organic & honestly, it takes more time to eat clean. Cutting, chopping & cooking 'clean' takes a lot of time. But health-wise? Priceless. All that to say - it's anything but easy. I'm sure the longer you eat clean the less time it takes, because you fall into a routine or pattern & it becomes the norm. But just starting out? Wow. Purchasing & cleaning & prepping & cutting & cooking - holy cow. No wonder the world is obese. Eating clean is inconvenient! Truthfully, we all know it's much simpler to just buy the processed. Much simpler to just hit a drive through. I guess this is where one has a decision to make: health over convenience. I have chosen health. Why? Simple. Because if you ain't got your health, you ain't got nothin'. And opting for convenient has gotten me to where I am today - a little unhealthy with substantial weight to lose.

Have you ever noticed how everyone loves Grandma's cooking? It's because she learned to cook clean. They mostly grew their own food & cooked their own food. There weren't preservatives, additives, dyes & all the fake stuff. It was fresh & it was good. Even Grandma's high-fat fried chicken? It was fresh. Her food wasn't loaded with high fructose corn syrup. In addition, there wasn't cardio or yoga or boot camp - a lot of them harvested their food & worked out doing it. If they didn't harvest their food, they cleaned their house & kept busy. Ever notice Grandma's house was clean? And they didn't have a lot of the (unnecessary) modern convenience tools that we all have access to today. They did it the old fashioned way. Most of our ancestors weren't fat. They did it right. Our society is fat. Most of us are do it wrong.

Here's a great article I found on Fitday.com - click here. There is a lot of great information via Google re: clean eating. As a matter of fact, I'm still researching, myself.

Some important changes I personally am making - more protein & less carbs & sugar.

Example: Nightly, I am incorporating greek yogurt (keep in mind I am a very picky eater, so when I find something I like, I don't venture from that). I only eat the Fage brand, 0%, with one tablespoon Chia seeds. I go to sleep with yogurt & water. (This was actually recommended by my dr. a few years ago. Eat protein before going to bed. And one super duper side effect, for me? Every time I do, the scale is lower in the morning.) Oh, & protein? Necessary for beautiful hair!!



Breakfast, lunch or dinner:

Fried eggs, with celtic sea salt, black pepper, Lawry's seasoning & topped with shredded cheese. Sometimes, with a side of Mrs. Baird's white whole grain bread. Just as healthy as whole wheat, but without the red wheat. Whole grain is white, softer & I think, tastes better. I was just introduced to this bread a few weeks ago & my entire family loves it. Winning! No more margarine for us, Though we've been eating real butter for quite some time now, I now buy Land O'Lakes butter. I do use the butter with Canola, simply because it's spreadable. I love the non-Canola, but with a busy family of six, it's challenging to remember to set it out 20+ minutes in advance of a meal, in order for it to soften. So I switched. I am so not happy about that, but nonetheless, it only contains 3 ingredients & I consider it way healthier than margarine. Butter is a good fat & totally ok to have in moderation. Our bodies need some good fat.



Truth be told, I am a huge carb junky. I could live off of carbs. Like, the bad, overkill carbs. I'll take the rice, potatoes & pasta! Yum, yum, yum! Being that I'm high risk for Type II Diabetes, this is a problem for me. Carbs turn to sugar (figures - why can't veggies turn to sugar?). I am really hoping that making even more significant changes, I can kiss this 'high risk' crap to the curb, once & for all. I've been high risk for literally, years now. I don't want that burden anymore. I don't even want to have to think about it. These continued, improved changes should help with that.

I encourage you to give clean eating a try! What do you have to lose? Nothing! It's not easy, quick or convenient. It takes time to learn to read labels & rid the bad while introducing the good. For most of us, I doubt it's an overnight change. Baby steps! But remember - any change is better than no change at all!

We have been making positive changes for quite some time now. Nontoxic cleaners, nontoxic detergents, quality supplements daily, healthier food choices. However, there is always room for improvement. And it's never too late! Time to go that extra mile, if routines have gotten a little laxed or convenient, then it's time to pick up the pace. Improve here. Go the extra mile there. My family still has a ways to go. And, I've stated before, I will never take away all fun foods from my children. I believe treats & fun foods are a part of their childhood. That will not change. That said, we have made great strides. And for the most part, my children are right on board! And that makes me very happy.

Follow me on Facebook for more information & fun stuff! Click here!

Follow me on Instagram, where I'll be posting more recipes & food ideas, as I incorporate more of them into our own family meals. Click here!

From a blog I read years ago & I have never forgotten: "If it doesn't take very long to make it, then it's probably not very healthy."

If I could, I would give my kids the world.

On Facebook recently, we've all read the article written by the mom who basically told teenage girls to stop dressing & acting like tramps. While she, on the other hand, had a photo up of her shirtless teenage sons on the beach, baring their badass muscles. Btw, where is that photo? She removed it? Here's the image she did have up, while slamming others for not wearing clothes & for posing inappropriately.

Then, we read the article about the mom who says don't worry, none of us can do it all & we're all normal. If we have kids, we live like pigs. Totally normal.

And though I don't necessarily dispute this one, we all read the article about not judging out of control children, because we don't know circumstances.

I decided to write my own 'parenting' article.

I grew up with the mindset, honestly after hearing lecture after lecture, of how we should never allow our children everything they want. Even if it can be afforded. I can't afford to give my children their heart's desire, so it's never been an issue. But lately, I've been thinking about it. And my opinion has changed. My pocketbook hasn't, but my mind has. And I'll tell you what got me thinking. A few of you know this story, or some of it.

I have had the same Gynecologist for over 20 years. I've never carried a baby, so typically, other than my breast cancer journey a few years ago, I just see her yearly. Or every year & a half. I cheat.

My Gynecologist is 7 years older than me. I got lucky when I found her - she's one of the sweetest, calmest, most mild mannered physicians I've ever met. She has a delightful, peaceful disposition & I really love her dearly. Over the years, she always kept up with our adoption journey, & every time I go see her, I take photos of my kids. Because she's interested. And she lets it be known. Oddly, we sort of have an acquaintance friendship. I guess that happens when you continue to go to the same dr. for so many years. She's the type of person, the type of friend, that no matter how much time passes between visits, it's like we just saw each other yesterday. I remember years ago when she was pregnant. I found it so strange. I thought 'she's supposed to deliver babies, not make them!' Ha! She's one of the most popular & sought out OB/Gynecolgists in my area.

At the time, her children were all boys. But she always wanted a girl. As her boys grew, she & her husband adopted a precious baby girl from China. My dr. waited a long time for her daughter & treasured & adored every ounce of that little girl. When I would go in for my appointment, I showed her the photos of my kids & she showed me hers. She carries her photos in her lab coat pocket. It's just the sweetest thing. I remember going in for my appointment a few years ago, & was dealt a devestating blow, when her nurse informed me that my dr.'s little girl had passed away in a horrible accident. She was 5 or 6 when she died. I did not ask any details, but found out later her daughter passed away while in the care of her nanny. She drowned. I will never forget that day I found out. I never mentioned it to my dr. - I never told her I knew. I didn't want to bring up any painful memories. I shared in her excitement when she told me they were adopting another little girl from China, a special needs little girl. My dr. has the money to help those babies in need & she knows it & she acts on it. It's just her heart. She brought home her 2nd little girl from China when the baby was about 2 years old. She's several years older now, cute as a bug & her special needs repaired. She has the most loving, fabulous life any little girl could ask for. My dr. told me that she wanted to adopt another, but her husband was hesitant, due to their ages. She was working on him. I had to laugh when she told me "I love him, he's a great guy, but he's kind of boring! We have enough love to offer another child."

When I was in for my most recent appointment, she told me she was indeed adopting another little girl from China. This one around 4 years old. She was so happy. So at ease. She hoped they would be traveling to China in September (last month) to bring her home. Knowing all she/they have endured, I was just thrilled for her. I whispered "I'm so glad your husband got on board!" as I headed to another area to have some tests run. She just looked at me & smiled. After she read my test results, I wished her the best of luck & went on my way. I haven't checked back in, but I hope she brought her third little girl home. I hope all went well because honestly, she deserves nothing less.

You can imagine my shock, a few days after my appointment, when a friend informed me my dr.'s husband had passed away prior. What? How could that be? My dr. had just told me she was adopting another child. I did my research & discovered her husband had passed away a year or so earlier (just happened to be right in between my annuals). I sat in disbelief & distraught all evening. I told my husband how I had had no idea when I was in there for my visit & she never said a word. No wonder she just looked at me & smiled when I made the comment about her "husband being on board". She didn't know I didn't know. I just couldn't believe it. Last I knew, she was adopting another another child & now suddenly, I find out her husband is deceased. Imagine my horror when I learned her husband drowned in a accident while they were on vacation. He drowned! The same, horrible tragedy that she lost her oldest daughter to a few years earlier. All I could mutter is "my God, how much can one family take". Yet, there she was, at work. As dedicated, as calm, as sweet as ever. You would never know by seeing her that her life & her heart had been shattered multiple times. She was adopting her new little girl without her husband.

She doesn't blog anymore, but she used to, & she chronicled their adoption journey when they decided to adopt their second daughter from China. I loved her blog. She gave updates & always showed her quiet wit when she posted. She even included updates on her boys & mentioned how it was so hard to let them go off to college & watch them grow. She is an amazing mother, just another quality of hers that is so endearing & draws so many women in.

She made a comment on her blog one time that has stuck with me ever since I read it. She said that she always gave her children everything. She could afford to, she worked hard to, & she did. Although, I'm sure there were times they, too, got told no. She didn't hide the fact that her children had what they wanted & as a matter of fact, she obviously didn't care who knew. I admire her so much.

She raised good boys. Boys to this day who appear to have a deep, loving, adoring relationship with their mother. I'm not saying I believe her boys were or are perfect, as I'm sure they had their challenging days like everyone else. But I can tell you without a doubt, those are some fine young men. Money had nothing to do with her teaching them about Christ, about love, about giving, about helping, about loving others. Money had nothing to do with her teaching them about confidence, honesty, respect & responsibility. It doesn't take money to teach those things, whether you have an over abundance of it or you don't. It takes one thing. It takes a heart to do that. Her boys didn't end up plastered & in jail, even though their mother gave them everything she could. Her boys didn't end up liars, cheaters, losers or a detriment to society, even though their mother gave them everything she could. Her boys grew up knowing bountiful, pure love.

Life is short. I know I've said this a million times, but we have to live while we're alive. There are no second chances. My dr., of all people, can attest to that. There are no do-overs. This is it. It is what you make it. It is what I make it. It is what my dr. makes it. It doesn't matter what society thinks is right or wrong. It doesn't matter if 'old school' thinks it wrong to give our children much. None of that matters. Happiness matters. Happiness & love. Happiness & love matter.

So yes, if I could, I would give my kids the world, while teaching them what's important. If I could afford to, I'd give them everything they wanted. Because love isn't based on material things. So what if they happen to have a lot. You show me their character. Show me their heart. Because that's what I care about. Not what kind of car they drive.