WOW! Is it just me or did this school year just fly by?!?!? Posh baby two just finished her first year of pre-school and posh baby one finished the third grade with flying colors and the joyous sounds of, "Mom...there's nothing to do" now resonate in my brain.

What is a parent to do when trying to keep her charges occupied, out of trouble and enjoying their time? Two years ago we tried summer camps, however it was exhausting keeping up with the schedules comparable to the school year. Last summer we moved to the shore house and had a great time but still felt like we were lacking something. So this year we are planning a few activities around giving back to our community. Don't get me wrong, we are still going to have "lazy time" and beach time but this year we are having "awareness" time also.

As a matter of fact our little town of Yardley is hosted it's annual clean up of Lake Afton. This adorable little lake is the setting of perfect surburbia, in the winter anyone who is anyone can be caught ice skating there, and in the summer people sit at the outdoor tables of starbucks to watch the ducks and geese paddle away. Posh baby one and I will be headed down to help with the efforts, not that it is all that dirty; leaves and such, but it's a nice way to get together with neighbors and show how much we care about the wefare of our town and the people, wildlife and nature involved in it.



A community activity we utilize around here is the Delaware River Towpath, you may have seen me mention riding into town with the girls in my trailer along this beautiful path that stretches from about Easton, PA down through Bristol, PA. This path was vital to the commerce of eastern PA for many years and groups have made it their mission to restore it to be enjoyed again however with the recent flooding of the Delaware River the path needs constant maintenance by all who use it so darling husband and posh babies and I will be spending time fixing up and triming as we go along on our weekly rides. It's little things that are not even organized, may not even be noticed, that teach you children what family, community and pride are.



Another great service that we have begun being involved with is at our church, a food pantry. At mass once a month we are asked to bring non-perisables to donate and though many stop here, we also, every Tuesday give bags of groceries to the poor as well as serve a dinner in the church hall on Sunday evenings. Posh baby one and I head over tuesday afternoons to prepare the bags for distribution.

Check out you local churches and community center for activities in your area, it's a great way to keep kids busy, help your community and teach valuable lessons.

i say, you think...

1. Purchase ::


2. Squeaky clean ::


3. Blended ::


4. Wednesday ::


5. Function ::


6. Look down ::


7. July? ::


8. Raspberry ::


9. Assertive ::


10. Cracker ::

greener dressing

What do you think of when you hear "dressing green"? Do visions of brown, scratchy, unflattering items dance in your head? Well think again...

Dressing organically has never been more easy or stylish...the fashion team has highlighted many different items and lines of hot, organic clothes but why bother buying organic?

Well to begin with conventionally-grown cotton occupies less than 10% of the world's farmland, but uses 25% of the world's chemical pesticides and the EPA considers 7 of the top 15 pesticides used, much of which ends up in our lakes, streams, and rivers, on cotton as known carcinogens! A 2000 USDA study revealed that eighty-four million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on cotton in the U.S.A, ranking it second behind corn, YES that popular side dish many eat, and cotton is also a food crop; cottonseed oil is used in many processed and snack foods and cottonseed is used in cattle feed. During processing, cotton is subjected to chlorine bleach, heavy metal dyes and formaldehyde resins (used for "easy care treatments".)

Organic cotton is a return to safe, sustainable practices. It is grown with natural fertilizers and free from toxic chemicals. Organic cotton fields must be pesticide-free for at least three years to be certified organic, and the cotton must be processed according to international organic standards. Farmers rely on crop rotation to replenish and maintain soil fertility and botanical or biological means are used to control pests and weeds. .

People with allergies and chemical sensitivity especially benefit from organic cotton clothing because conventional cotton may retain harmful toxic residues, even for those who don't have sensitive skin, organic cotton will just feel better against your skin.

Check out some of these hot lines for baby and childrens clothing made of organic cotton: Misha Lulu, Speesees and Sckoon
Bamboo is another eco-friendly material mainly because it's naturally pest-resistant, requires little water and is amazingly regenerative.

This amazing material contains a natural element called "bamboo kun" which is a natural antibiotic that protects the wearer from nasty germs as well as body odor, caused by bacteria living in our armpits. The fiber is also biodegradable and comfortable. Fabric made of bamboo is silky smooth and because it naturally "wicks" away perspiration, it doesn't have to be washed as frequently as clothes made of polyester.

Some lines that are using bamboo include: Sprout kids clothing, New Balance and again Misha Lulu

With all this talk about eco-friendly, organic clothing we can not overlook, hemp. Hemp cloth is claimed to be warmer, softer, and stronger than cotton, and only gets better with age. Hemp, also has few enemy weeds or insects so it needs no pesticides and leaves the soil in better shape than it was originally (an acre of land planted with hemp can yield about two to three times more fiber than the same area planted with cotton.) Although industrial hemp cannot be grown legally in the U.S., forcing all hemp-wear manufacturers to seek suppliers from other countries.

My experience with clothing lines made of hemp is limited so far but doing recent research i came across some cute lines: Mountains of the moon and Sweetgrass

Some of these lines are available for sale at pretty little pumpkins and many of the other hot little boutiques from some of the POSHEST mamas online!

mamas dealing with addiction

my name is heather, you may recognize me from my saturday posts on easy ways to go green. i have been a posh mama since almost the beginning, i have a four fabulous kids, manage a home, work at a funeral home, own a hip little childrens boutique, and i am married to and alcoholic/ addict.

my life has been insane for the last few years, and although it took a LONG time for me to ask for help, apparently most of my family and friends knew what was going on.

i have begun this group, mamas dealing with addiction, to help other women, as well as myself, deal with what having a loved one with addiction does to US!

and yes...i attend al-anon meetings and i love them, however, honestly, with all that goes on in my daily life i can rarely make it.

please join me on what i hope to be a healing journey and if you know someone or think you know someone who is dealing with addiction please let them know about this group.

hot little hand sanitizer recipe...

item you will need:

100% pure aloe vera gel
witch hazel
tea tree oil
peppermint oil


add 1 cup of pure aloe vera gel into a bowl

slowly mix in 1-2 teaspoons of Witch Hazel. (you do not want the consistency of the gel to become too thin)

add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil, and 3-4 drops of peppermint essential oil.

slowly stir ingredients together.

(if you find the consistency to be too thin, add more aloe vera gel a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency)

store in any desired container and use as you would any other hand sanitizer

*the ingredients in this mixture are safe and natural to use on your body. witch hazel, tea tree oil and peppermint all have antiseptic and astringent properties to them, which make them great for killing germs and also healing small cuts and wounds. The aloe vera gel will help soothe skin and keep skin from drying out


**tips & warnings
you can add other scented essential oils to the mixture for a more pleasant scent such as lavender oil or rose oil and if you find the tea tree oil and peppermint oil scent to strong, use lesser amounts

witch hazel and tea tree oil can cause excessive dryness in people with sensitive skin, if you find this occurring, limit the use of your sanitizer to a few times a day

i say, you think...

1. Referral ::


2. Indiana ::


3. Foil ::


4. Horizon ::


5. Event ::


6. Sailing ::


7. Footage ::


8. Sunday ::


9. Breathtaking ::


10. Dude! ::

Unconscious Mutterings

FDA warns consumers about raw red tomatoes

checkout this article on the tomato warnings...

FDA warns consumers about raw red tomatoes

bug off!!!!

Tis the season...uuuggghhhh! We have already begun being harassed by mosquitoes, ticks and ants to name a few, I love being outside with my family from dawn to dusk but how can we survive the pesky pests without poisoning ourselves?

Not only do synthetic repellents contaminate the earth, they cause harm to people, especially the delicate skin of babies and children. If repellents are killing bugs what are they doing to the person applying them? Which is worse though, chemicals leaching into my babies blood stream or the threat of west nile virus, lyme disease, or worse?

Check out these awesome ideas for some natural deterrents and even some things to avoid that will actually attract those buggers.

The number one most wanted offender...the MOSQUITO.

These natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication (at least every 2 hours) and higher concentrations then traditional DEET. Try making your own natural mosquito repellant with essential oils. Simply put a few drops of any of the following essential oils in a handful of the carrier oil (mosquitoes are obsessive about keeping their wings grease-free) and spread it on you. Some oils, like tea tree oil, olive oil, almond or jojoba can be applied straight on to your skin. NEVER use STRAIGHT essential oils on your skin.

Citronella Oil
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Cinnamon Oil
Castor Oil
Rosemary Oil
Lemongrass Oil
Cedar Oil
Peppermint Oil
Clove Oil
Geranium Oil
Possibly Oils from Verbena, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Pine, Cajeput, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic

If you already have mosquito bites, try a little tea tree oil directly on the bites. It is a great remedy.

Also try these ideas for while outdoors:

Stay in the breeze. Mosquitoes can fly only eight m.p.h., so it doesn't take much to waft them away and
the more we sweat, breathe and agitate, the more Mosquitoes we will attract and from a farther distance.

Choose a high sunny location. Mosquitoes dehydrates easily.

Wear long, loose-fitting clothing. White masks your silhouette in the open, blue and red are the
worst; mosquitoes mistake it for flowering plants from which they draw food.

STAY AWAY FROM...

Dark Clothing- Many mosquitoes use vision to locate hosts from a distance. Dark clothes and
foliage are initial attractants

Carbon Dioxide- You give off more carbon dioxide when you are hot or have been exercising. A
burning candle or other fire is another source of carbon dioxide.

Floral or Fruity Fragrances

Moisture





The number two offender...the TICK.

There really is not as much offered for tick repellents, however some great ideas for tick control and tick bite prevention are:

Tuck in your socks to keep those stinky critters from crawling up and hiding, also put on some light colored clothing, the light clothing again masks you.

Mowing your lawn will help get rid of ticks, ticks prefer to stay stealth in high, thick grass so they can hijack a ride on unsuspecting traffic.

Palmerosa as well as Rose Geranium oils can be applied to your dog's collar or combined with a moisturizing lotion like cocoa butter or aloe, and applied to your skin as well to help prevent tick infestations.

Most UN-wanted criminal number three is the ANT.

Try these simple, homemade remedies to keep ants at bay, but remember to keep them away from kids. Although these deterrents are natural some are not for human consumption.

Keep ants from crawling up a picnic table by standing each leg in a small pan of water.

To kill ants, use a paste of equal parts of borax and confectioner sugar.

Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves, mint essential oils or cloves also work as ant deterrents.


HOT TIP...

Use banana peels to repel fleas.

Check out some great planting ideas for around your home and yard to keep bugs at bay.

Basil - plant close to the house and it will repel mosquitoes.
Lavender - plant around the house to repel flies and mosquitoes.
Castor Bean Plant - plant in pots within the house; replant outdoors to repel mozzies.
Scented Geraniums - plant in pots and the garden to repel mosquitoes
Citrosa Plants - plant in pots and the garden to repel mosquitoes
Lemon Thyme - plant in pots to repel mosquitoes
Citronella Grass - plant in pots to repel mosquitoes
Common Marigold - plant in pots and the garden to repel mosquitoes
Thai Lemon Grass - (Cymbopogon citratus) is an effective mosquito repellent.
Rosemary - powdered Rosemary leaves are used as a flea and tick repellent
Chamomile - repels mosquitoes
Citriodora - repels mosquitoes

But the BEST tip to repel troublesome insects and even the pesky husband...FRESH GARLIC!!! This miracle spice comes up with every bit of research I do for deterrents so chomp away.

Good luck and enjoy the great outdoors in a FABULOUS, healthy way!!!