passionate homemaking blog

This blog is AMAZING. Check it out- thanks Stephanie!
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com

JJ Cole Collections

About a year ago, I bought a JJ Cole diaper bag from Babies "R" Us. I absolutely love this diaper bag. It has a place for EVERYTHING! This past weekend, one of the zippers broke, so I called JJ Cole and asked them about it. They carry a 2 year warranty on all of their products, so I was able to get a new one without any hassle. And they said I could even change the color if I wanted-bonus!

I also used their bundle me cover when Ethan was an infant and LOVED it as well- it's really cozy and convenient.
www.jjcoleusa.com

Tom's of Maine

I have started using a couple of products by Tom's of Maine.


One is the unscented, aluminum free deodorant...and it WORKS!


The other is the natural antiplaque (fluoride free) cinnamint toothpaste (fennel shown in photo). It is also a great product.
I wanted to start using these products because 1) I don't want to keep smearing aluminum in my armpits and 2) we get so much fluoride in our water that there is no need to get more from our toothpaste. Try 'em!

Seventh Generation

I have started using a few products by Seventh Generation. Overall, I am really pleased with their products, however; they are a little more expensive.

I am currently using the following:
Blue Euclalyptus and Lavender Laundry Detergent
Blue Euclalyptus and Lavender Fabric Softener
Free and Clear Laundry Detergent (For Cloth Diapers Only)
Free and Clear Dish Soap

I have also tried:
Size 4 Diapers: They are a bit leaky.
Baby Wipes: Good, but a little on the dry side and VERY expensive.

The Seventh Generation website (www.seventhgeneration.com) offers coupons, articles and a lot of information about cleaning products and other things. I like that they acknowledge how high their prices are and provide recipes for making cleaners at home.

suck it up

Carl and I are getting ready to invest in a really high quality vacuum. We are currently the not-so-proud owners of a Bissell, which blows more dirt out than sucks in. So, a friend of ours who works at Kirkwood Sweeper recommended a Simplicity vacuum. I brought it home and vacuumed every last square inch of our carpet and voalah! Our carpet looks great. And the bag... was full- a sure sign that the Bissell does not work and the Simplicity does.