Love that fresh lemon scent!

In my opinion, nothing cleans a house better than vinegar! It is amazing stuff because it can literally clean everything! With vinegar, baking soda and fresh lemons on your side, dirt better watch out! =)

With spring cleaning in full gear, check out some of these vinegar tricks that I love:

Microwave:

Mix 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water with a squirt of fresh lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean. SO EASY!

Garbage Disposal:

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar with a squirt of fresh lemon juice into the disposal and  let sit for 5 minutes. Then run hot water down the disposal. Again, so easy!

Toilet:

Pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush, flush, and appreciate your shiny toilet!

All-Purpose Spray:

Make a half and half solution of white distilled vinegar and water with a squirt of fresh lemon juice or your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Perfect for counter tops!

Cleaning Floors:

Pour a cup or more of white distilled vinegar into a mop bucket and dilute with hot water and the juice of 1-2 fresh lemons. Your tile floors will thank you!

Freshen the Air

by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water with a splash of fresh lemon or your favorite essential oil.

To see other great uses of vinegar, check out this site.

Detoxing the House!

As Chris and I get ready for the big wedding next weekend (YAY!)...we have started to accumulate TONS of stuff. Our house is sprinkled with wedding favors, gifts, centerpieces, and other craziness! A cluttered house stresses me out so we have decided to "detox" as much as we can now, so when we return from the Honeymoon it is a little easier to get back in the swing of things.

We sorted through our closets as we exchanged summer and winter clothes.  I have been motivated by a friend of mine who is having a "swap party" in June. Basically, a bunch of girls are going to get together with clothes we no longer need, swap if wanted and donate the rest to Goodwill. Fun idea, right! And sooo green! Anyway, it provided me with the great excuse of going through my clothes and getting rid of those "just in case" items. I've been keeping so many things "just in case" in comes back in style or "just in case" I get back down to that size...not anymore!

Next, we headed to the kitchen where we have so many things we don't need! Especially now that we don't eat meat. There isn't a ton of storage in our kitchen, so this was WAY overdue. Bye Bye plastic cups from various restaurants we haven't been to in years...see you later nasty plastic plates that Chris obtained in college! It was such a great feeling to box all that up and ship to Goodwill! None of it is horrible...we just had WAY too much...and I'm trying to have a grown-up kitchen now with things that match, so it was necessary!

We are hoping to get to the rest of the house soon. Hope ya'll had successful spring cleaning sessions as well!

Opprotunity to Help Another...

I was asked to pass along the following information and thought this was the perfect place to do it! One of our students at LSU was severely injured while cycling early this past Saturday morning. Several of his friends are rallying around him and providing events and opportunities for others to assist him. If you are moved to do so, please check out the following:

Give Blood:

Mike Bitton's friends and family are asking for blood donations to LifeShare Blood Centers in Mike’s name. The main location in Baton Rouge is in the North Blvd Medical Plaza, 3849 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Be sure to mention you want the blood donated in the name of Michael Bitton. It doesn’t matter what blood type you are, all blood will be credited to his account.

Benefit Event:

Enjoy the music of Fugitive Poets and Ben Ball and the Stardust Boys for only a $10 cover, this Wednesday, May 19th beginning at 8:00pm at Chelsea's Cafe (2857 Perkins Road). 100% of cover, in addition to bar tender tips, will assist in defraying Mike’s medical costs. The blood bank will have a mobile unit on site from 6-10 pm.

International Ride of Silence:

A rolling memorial service for those injured and killed while cycling.

LSU Vet School
Wednesday May 19th, 2010

7:00 to 8:00 PM

Riders must wear helmets, ride no faster than 12 mph and ride in silence.

Meet at the parking lot on the corner of Skip Bertman and River Road across from the Vet School. Ride will follow Nicholson Dr downtown to Government and then continue to Acadian and back to the Vet School. If you have been involved in a collision with a motorist wear a red armband, otherwise wear a black armband.

The benefit for Mike at Chelsea's will follow the ride. The Ride will have lead and follow vehicles.

For more info on the movement, http://www.rideofsilence.org/

Sweet as Suga!

one lump or two?

None for me, thanks!

In preparations for the big wedding, I've tried to eat a little better to help my skin, hair, stress level and, of course,  fatty-patty-ness. It started off going really well...and then the stress really kicked in and it went south a bit. But with two weeks out, I'm going to power through!

The first thing to cut back on is white processed sugar. The stuff is just gross anyway. Aside from having absolutely NO nutritional value, it is quite addictive and consuming loads of it can eventually lead to depression and unwanted jiggly parts! You would think moving to sugar substitutes, like Splenda, would be a good combat because they are low to no calories, better for your teeth and blood sugar levels but I urge you to STEP AWAY FROM THE NASTY CHEMICALS! Without getting into too many nagging details, just remember artificial is artificial is artificial....would you eat a fake piece of fruit? Then why would you eat fake sugar? The good news is...there is another, natural, healthier way...

Stevia is a naturally sweet herb native to Paraguay that is, literally, hundreds of times sweeter than sugar...so you use and consume less! It has no calories and has no effect on blood sugar levels. Used in moderation, it can be a great aid to diets and the health-conscious. Most use it to lighten coffees and teas but it can also be used for cooking and baking. I actually found a bunch of Stevia options at Wal-Mart, of all places! Trust me when I say...a little goes a long way! I only use 1/2 a packet at a time because it is so deliciously sweet!

I'm enjoying a nice cup of hot green tea with a pinch of stevia now and yum! Be jealous!

Busy Busy Bees!

Chris and I were busy little bees this weekend but we had a blast!

Saturday was Ella Bay's first birthday! She is Chris' niece and adorable! We drove up to West Monroe for her birthday party and had the best time! Just look:

Chris and Ella playing...so cute!

On Sunday, we were off to Leesville to surprise my mother at church for Mother's Day. She had no idea we were coming and she was super happy to see us! It was great!

Being such a gifting weekend, I wanted to make sure we were not only socially responsible but adorable as well! Target has some great gift wrap options for the eco-chic! They have a few reusable shopping totes that serve as great gift bags and some really attractive recycled gift wrap! They even have gift bows made of recycled materials! Way to go Tar-get!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...who is the fairest of them all?

Me, Me, Me...pick me! OK, I'm not the "fairest" in the sense that the wicked Queen meant it...but I do have some of the fairest skin ever!

I believe I am an expert in sunburn prevention and the do's and don'ts of sunburn healing! If there is a product, odds are I have tried it! I am currently obsessed with Burt's Bees products....especially their natural sun-care line.

Their sunblock isn't greasy or stinky! It takes a little work to get it really good and rubbed in but it works and is worth the effort! It is 100% natural and chemical-free. Just be careful if you are heading into the water, you will need to reapply after. SPF 30 is the way to go!

Now, if the deed is done and you need a sun soother, look no further! I find that it really cools the skin, especially if you put it in the fridge for a little while before using! Talk about refreshing! This is one of my favorite products because it isn't sticky like most after-sun lotions...and it doesn't smell like fake coconuts! It is 99.5% natural!

A couple summer's ago I got SOOOO burnt that I had really, really bad scars on my shoulders. Nothing I did worked...all because I was too cool to put on sunscreen...dumb! The scars were a constant reminder of my dumbness but I found something that really helped dull them. These homemade products worked for me:

Salt Scrub

1 cup fine sea salt

1/2 cup almond oil (olive oil will work too)

a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I like orange, rose or lavender...depends on my mood!)

Simply take a hand full during your shower or bath and rub into your skin to exfoliate and then rinse off. You could also buy similar products (salt and sugar scrubs) but why when you can make it easily and for a fraction of the cost!

Moisturizing Night Oil

Fill your container half way with either Almond Oil or Sesame Oil (I prefer sesame for night moisturizing)

Pour a few drops of pure Vitamin E Oil

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil

Apply to skin after shower/bath. Keep in mind that a little goes A LONG WAY!

I purchase all of my oils from Mountain Rose Herbs because the prices are not that bad and the products are of great quality! I'm sure you can also find most oils at Whole Foods or your natural food store.

I love making my own beauty products! If you have recipes, please pass them on!

Only 23 days...

until the big Smith/Henry wedding soiree! I am beyond excited...especially since all of the big wedding plans were made months ago and I get to spend the next 23 DAYS doing and finding little creative extras! Here is a little sneak peak of my ETSY shopping spree yesterday:

adorable cocktail stirrers that will have "Drink Me" on one side and 5.29.2010 on the other. The ribbons will match the color theme so aubergine, black, clover green and bright blue! AND they are made of bamboo!

So exciting!

How fun is this idea! I can't wait to have a picture like this:

This is just a taste! I'm working on a random project right now that includes LOTS of painting and  a little recycling...I'll post pictures soon!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I hope you all have festive days! Here are some excellent recipes I found to help you celebrate!

To start the night off right, you need a good Guacamole:

2 avocados

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Cut the avocados into halves. Remove the seeds, and scoop out the pulp into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado. Stir in lemon juice, onion, salt, and olive oil. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

I can't do anything with a recipe, so thank you PHLOX!

Don't forget the Salsa:

1 mango (peeled, seeded, diced)

1 avocado (peeled, pitted diced)

4 tomatoes (diced)

1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the salt, lime juice, red onion, and olive oil. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

I love the sweet yet spicy aspect of this recipe! Thanks FHIVESHOT!

Lastly, you need the main course! Chris and I LOVE Tofu Tacos! This was actually the first way I tried tofu..so it is really special to me! We make little stations and have fun with Taco Night!

I like soft tacos and Chris likes hard the hard shells so we generally compromise. If we are in a hurry we will purchase one of the pre-made taco-night sets. I know this isn't ideal, but it sure saves time!

Simply chop extra firm tofu and fry it over medium heat with garlic, chopped onions and a couple tablespoons of oil. If you want to add the taco seasoning package, that is actually pretty good as well. Either way, it is tasty!

For your other stations, try chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sauteed veggies (mushrooms, peppers or onions), roasted corn and really anything else goes! The great thing about taco stations is that you can entertain a wide variety of people because everyone can dress their tacos how they wish!

If you aren't planning on dining in tonight and are in the Baton Rouge area, may I suggest you check out:

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Sorry about the long post, I just love this type of food! =)

Enjoy!

LSU Chancellor's Pancake Breakfast

If you are an LSU student that is frantically studying for finals...TAKE A BREAK! Come enjoy a free pancake breakfast this evening anytime from 10:00pm until midnight at either 459 Commons or The 5! All you have to do is show up and swipe your LSU ID! Two lucky students will actually be chosen for two tickets to the Bayou Country Music Superfest (May 29th or May 30th).

This event is SUPER fun for the LSU staff that volunteer each semester and I am so thankful for those individuals! What dining hall will have the most spirit and patrons this time???? Only a few more house until we see!  I just hope I can stay up until midnight! =)

Let's get dirty!

Ok...you won't really get dirty learning how to compost but you might...

Composting has a bad rap...it isn't all stinky with slimy worms! It is actually surprisingly easy and odorless!
I started composting when I lived in an apartment and there was definitely a learning period! I actually made my own compost bin out of a plastic 5-gallon bucket! I've grown a little since then, and here are some of the things I learned:

1. You need to know your "browns" and "greens". Browns are materials like dirt, sticks, newspaper, dryer lint and leaves. These materials help balance out the stench of your greens, which are your kitchen scraps (i.e. veggies, egg shells and breads).

2. Not everything is compostable! Stay away from meat and dairy...these will really increase the smell so don't try it! If I ever question it, I just Google " is *** compostable" and my answer is just a click away!

3. Your compost  bin can be one you purchase or you can make a pile in the back corner of your back yard. Whatever your style is...make sure you "turn" it regularly. This helps the materials break down. I don't have the fancy turner, just a garden tool...it works just fine!

4. It is a great idea to have a compost keeper in your kitchen. This way you don't have to go to your compost bin or pile every time you cook. These little time savers are awesome and are relatively attractive. I don't recommend keeping your scraps in there more than a few days because everything will start to break down and you don't want little smells or buggies.

This is a great site to help you with your journey to being really green!

Once you start producing excellent compost, don't be shy about using it for your garden! Compost is literally liquid gold for your flowers, plants and veggies!

I hope this helps! Enjoy!

1st Annual Spring Greening Day

LSU celebrated the 1st Annual Spring Greening Day yesterday and WOW, what a success! Tons of student organizations came out to help Facility Services-Landscape Division with the daunting task of updating and exchanging flower beds across campus. Despite the gloomy day, the students looked like they were having fun and the campus looked awesome!

After the planting, all of the volunteers and more came into the LSU Student Union for grub and to celebrate! Reusable shopping bags and Frisbees made from recycled materials were passed around to those attending...Oliver was happy I brought him home a prize!

Raising Cane's helped LSU celebrate this event by donating $5,000 to the Campus Beautification Fund, which is a fund under the LSU Foundation used solely for campus beautification, sustainability and "green" projects across campus!

After the check presentation, students were able to celebrate with two bands that are signed to "green" labels! We enjoyed: The Carolinas and American Fiction...I missed The Carolinas but American Fiction was pretty good.

All in all...it was a great event and I can't wait to get my hands dirty next year! Campus looks great!