method Cleaning Products Make Your Home Shine Sans Chemicals

When we moved into our new home, suffice it to say, it was not at all clean. I wasn't looking forward to making our new abode spotless, after the exhaustion of packing and our long drive into town... but in order to unpack, I had to get down to scrubbing the place from top to bottom.

Enter method cleaners. I can honestly say that using any method product actually infuses the arduous task at hand with cheeriness. It must be the, dare I say it, sexy, streamlined packaging, vibrant colors and divine fragrances that make them so delightful to use. (And I am typically not at all a fan of any fragrances, but method nails their scents every time). I started using method products one by one when they first hit the market, and once I found out how truly green they were, I started buying only method cleaners. Every single product they make is effective and well-formulated.

When I was in the method cleaning aisle on my home cleaners shopping spree at Target, I found myself staring at all of the groovy colors to choose from, and one guy reached past me to grab two bottles of bright red and orange soap without thinking twice. I asked him if he was familiar with the scents he had selected and his response was, "No, I buy them for the colors." It seems method could be the first designer hand soap as well. They even make a Mickey and Minnie Mouse hand soap for kids, which I wrote about here.

The act of dusting is something I deplore. But I bought method's Method Wood For Good Spray and Method Wood For Good Floor Care Cleaner, and now I am like Snow White, whistling while I work. It's almost as though their wood for good spray is aromatherapeutic. I'd say the *only* drawback to any of method's products is that they smell *so* good that they are very appealing to children -- so make sure you lock them away from their reach.

If you've been using method for awhile, you may have noticed their new(ish) packaging. It is the only custom designed packaging made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles in mass market -- which keeps existing plastics out of landfills and eliminates the need to produce virgin plastic to house their cleaners. Bravo!

What's inside the bottles also got a makeover, with plant-based solvents and surfactants that pack a punch when it comes to cleaning away dirt and grime. Green cleaners are no longer second best to their toxic counterparts that some still cling to, believing they are all that will sanitize their home.

I know I sound like a spokesperson for method, but I'm not... nor is this post sponsored. I simply love their cleaners and wanted to share my experience so you may green clean your home with a happy face too!

Little Me Tea - Healthy, Organic Tea Drinks for Kids

We're big tea drinkers in our household. I think my husband even started drinking tea when he was a baby! However, it had never dawned on me to offer tea to my children as a daily beverage. I don't know why I haven't thought of it because tea is so beneficial and is inherently filled with antioxidants. Chamomile tea had been suggested to us by doctors, as a way to alleviate colic, but I couldn't get either of my kids to drink it as babies, so who knows whether it would have worked.

I just learned about the first and only tea beverage specifically created for children: Little Me Tea, which are organic, low sugar, gluten free and caffeine-free. Invented by parents who didn't want to give their daughter sugar-laden juices or flavored waters that were lacking in nutrition, Little Me Tea, which comes in grape and tropical varieties, is filled with healthy ingredients including white and Rooibos tea blends and a bevy of organic juices: pineapple, grape, apple, carrot, even sweet potato puree! So kids who drink Little Me Tea ingest a load of fruits and veggies in addition to the benefit of tea.

Miss O was initially a fan of the teas on her first try, but then she decided she preferred her apple juice. Tea can be somewhat of an acquired taste, and if your kids are used to drinking sweet fruit juices and flavored milks, these tea drinks may be a hard sell. That said, my husband and I love their taste. I think Miss O is used to the sweetness of apple juice (even though we only ever serve her very diluted juices 1/4 juice to 3/4 water), so if your child is accustomed to the the naturally occurring sugars in fruit juices, simply mix her favorite juice with the Little Me Tea so she can experience all of the additional nutrients.

Another great idea from Little Me Tea is their delicious smoothie recipes. Their "brainpower breakfast smoothie" will be especially handy for kids heading back to school. And if you've got a budding athlete on your hands, fuel them with the "kick it up sports smoothie."

Cheers!

Happy Birthday, Mr. A!

Happy 1st Birthday to my beautiful son. You're my shining star. I cherish every inch of your sweet, chubby body and your commanding soul.

You are my full circle moment in life. With your birth, I am complete.

At one glance, I love you with a thousand hearts.

Stubby Pencil Studio Erasers Make Mistakes Fun

Can you believe these sweet cupcakes are erasers? Stubby Pencil Studio makes the most delightful line of green erasers, made from eco-friendly resin. They are recyclable and non-toxic and they contain no lead, no paint, no phthalates, no PVC,  and no latex. They have an extensive collection you may peruse here: including a cake set and hedgehogs, zoo animals and more!

As an English major, I could have really used erasers like this for all of my mathematical "mistakes." I also realized recently that because math is my weak point, I have failed to really teach my daughter the subject, and even told her I was "not good at it." Then I read that telling your kids you were bad at a subject is the wrong thing to do! Ah, parenting, always learning something new!

Reuse Tip: Use Your Boppy as a Laptop Pillow

Breastfeeding mamas: there's no need to sideline your trusty Boppy once you wean your baby from nursing. Employ the comfy perch as a laptop pillow and extend its life and usefulness! It works wonderfully to keep a hot laptop off your legs!

CleanWell Products Keep Back to School Germs at Bay

I'll admit it: I'm a germaphobe. And with Miss O starting preschool in less than a month, I am already fearing the bugs she may catch and bring home. In my search for a hand sanitizer she can use while on-the-go and unsupervised, it was important to me to find one that was alcohol-free and non-toxic, but also effective.

Enter CleanWell products. Powered by a natural, thyme based formulation, their collection of hand sanitizers kills germs while being kid-safe, gentle on sensitive skin, biodegradable, and naturally antibacterial.

I am going to put CleanWell 1 ounce sprays in Miss O's lunchbox and backpack. They are easy for kids to use, and unlike gels, they are more manageable to dispense without overdoing it. CleanWell now offers their formulation in an orange-vanilla scent that I think kids will really like.

I'm also going to stock our car with CleanWell's hand sanitizing wipes and 8 ounce foaming hand sanitizers -- so when I pick her up from school, she can wipe her hands clean of the day's dirt and grime.

Readers? What are your best tips for fighting germs? I know some moms believe kids need to be exposed to germs, get sick, etc., but I don't think I'll ever be able to adopt that philosophy and be lax in having my kids at least keep their hands clean! If anyone else is a germaphobe with helpful tips, please share in the comments below!

Fabric Wall Sticker Clock Knows What Time It Is

I am loving this fabric wall sticker clock, which lets you arrange stickers such as "nap," "bath," "play," and "rise," in accordance with your child's schedule! This is such an empowering way for little ones to know the hour when things happen in the household... as the concept of time is often difficult to grasp. Heck, time still eludes me. The stickers are PVC free and they may be rearranged and repositioned without damaging your walls or the stickers themselves. Now, if only they included a sticker that says, "mommy time."

Eco-Friendly Toys & Gifts for 1 Year-Old Boys

I can't believe my son's 1st birthday is around the corner! His favorite things are anything musical, my boobs, (ha ha), anything he can chew on, books and trucks! Here's a round-up of what we've gotten for him and what's on our wish list for his special day!

Above, the Green Toys Dump Truck. It's made with 100% recycled plastic and it's super durable, cute, and best of all, non-toxic.

Instead of going to town on my daughter's wooden kitchen play knives, I'd love to get our son a set of these lovely, and tasty wooden teething keys from Little Alouette.

I love this Plan Toys Baby Walker because it is made from recycled rubber wood and it is many toys in one -- it comes fully loaded with 24 blocks.

I am positively phobic about bugs, but I can't raise a little man who is afraid of creepy crawlies. (I once dated a guy who screamed like a girl and jumped on a chair when he saw a cockroach. Ahem, not at all sexy).

I'd love to get my son this encouraging "I Like Bugs" touch and feel board book from Petit Collage so he can eliminate my crazy aversion to bugs from his DNA.


What is your favorite gift for a 1 year old boy? Please share in the comment section!

Happy Birthday, Miss O!

My daughter turns 4 today! I feel like my life truly began when she entered it, and I wish I could have met her much sooner. These lyrics from the Coldplay song, 'Proof' are so apropos for how I feel about her birth and her presence in my life. Happy Birthday, my love.

So I waited for you
What wouldn't I do?
And I'm covered, it's true
I'm covered in you

If I ever want proof
I find it in you
Yeah I honestly do
In you I find proof

Light and dark
A bright spark
Light and dark
And then, light

So I waited all day
What wouldn't I say?
And are there things in your way?
Things happen that way

Oh

And if I ever want proof
Then I find it in you
Oh
Yeah I honestly do
In you I find proof

Light and dark
A bright spark
Light and dark
And then, light
Light
Light
Light
Light

gDiapers gCloth Diaper Liners Save Time and Some of my Sanity!

Remember my post on the icky hassle of cloth diapers that no one really talks about? Well, I can't thank all of the people who weighed in on the topic enough, because your input has led me to a much easier cloth diapering regimen. "Krissykatmyint" suggested I buy gDiaper gCloth liners, which I did. They were quite a bargain on Diapers.com ($8.99 for 105 liners), and you simply lay them atop the cloth insert and if baby poops, the liner catches it and may be disposed without a big mess.

Apparently these liners are flushable, but our old house can barely handle toilet paper going into the septic system, so I don't flush them, I simply dump the poop out and then put the liner in the trash. I wish I had known about these months ago!

I wouldn't say they are made of the coziest material, so I only use them when I anticipate my baby is going to poop! They make cloth diapering and poop clean up SO MUCH EASIER!

*As an added note, I also started to add 20 Mule Team Borax to my cloth diaper laundering regimen, and it really helps with eliminating stingy odors. I let the diapers pre-soak in Borax and then follow with a hot water wash.

Milkshake: Good Finds that Give Back

Milkshake is a wonderful new(ish) site that delivers sweet finds to your inbox on a daily basis. Each topic, in categories ranging from shopping to grub, is unique in the sense that it is based in philanthropy.

When I came across this awesome site, I simply had to get involved, and much to my thrill, they hired me as a writer. My first post went live today, and I can't say enough good things about the company I reported on: Sevenly. Please head over and check it out! Sign up for Milkshake to be in the know about great gear, fashion, food, eco, causes, and movers and shakers that are changing the world for the better.

Sponsor Highlight: Natural Green Baby

 Natural Green Baby is a new sponsor on Petite Planet! This online eco-boutique features an array of wonderful products for babies and kids in the realms of bath time, bed time, feeding time, music time, imagination time, and more. They even sell special stuffed animals, such as the sweet teddy bear shown below, for children with asthma and allergies.

Here are three of my top picks from their shop: Cone Sorting Toy, Baby Buddy Bear, and the Sprig Dump Truck. Enjoy!

A Dining Room Table Marble Run

I would have absolutely loved having this elaborate dining room table marble run in my house growing up!

Eco-Friendly 'Puppy' Backpack from Ecogear for Your Little Pups

I cannot believe Miss O will be starting preschool this fall. I literally thought this day would be eons into the future, and now I am at the precipice of that stomach-sinking moment when I'll be waving goodbye to my little girl as she takes her first steps into school and the 'real world.' (Gulp)

I wanted to equip her with the very best backpack I could find, for a variety of reasons. I wanted one that was non-toxic and free of vinyl, PVC, toxic dyes and lead, and one that was small enough for her petite frame. I found all this and more in Ecogear's Ecozoo series of backpacks. I chose the puppy design because Miss O is obsessed with canines, and what a bonus that this sweet tote also doubles as a comforting friend to foray with, into the initially unfamiliar setting of preschool.

Constructed of natural cotton, 'Puppy' measures 10 in. x 5 in. x 13 in and features padded shoulder straps and recycled plastic components. Miss O couldn't have been more thrilled upon receiving 'Puppy,' and declared that she would wear her "everywhere, all the time." I also feel wonderful knowing that a) she loves her first backpack and b) it is totally safe for her to travel with to and fro.

Other fun creatures in the collection include and adorable pig, panda and monkey.

Be sure to also check out Ecogear's reusable lunch totes, rolling bags and messenger bags for kids -- all of which are sustainably designed, keeping the best interest of our children and our planet in mind.