Happy Reformation Day!

Image via Wikipedia

October 31st is Reformation Day so to celebrate I wanted to explain the history of the day for those who aren’t familiar with it and to remind those who are.

Taken from Frontline.org:

“The Reformation in Europe during the 16th century was one of the most important epochs in the history of the world. The Reformation gave us the Bible – now freely available in our own languages. The now almost universally acknowledged principles of religious freedom, liberty of conscience, the rule of law, separation of powers and constitutionally limited Republics were unthinkable before the Reformation. The Reformers fought for the principles that Scripture alone is our final authority, Christ alone is the head of the Church and justification is by God’s grace, on the basis of the finished work of Christ, received by faith alone.”

Perhaps the most famous figure of the Reformation is Martin Luther (pictured above) and his 95 Theses. (You can read more about the 95 Theses and their results at luther.de .) “Here I stand, I can do no other” were the famous words he said at the Diet of Worms when told to recant. I’ll leave you with this quote from Luther:

“If you could rightly consider the incomparable price, you would hold as accursed all those ceremonies and merits…and throw them all down to hell. For it is a horrible blasphemy to imagine that there is any work that could pacify God since there is nothing which is able to pacify Him but his inestimable price: the blood of the Son of God, one drop of which is more precious than the whole world.”

I Don’t Like Coffee; I Like Tea

So apparently I have been saying something really silly all this time and had no idea. Check out this post about “Tea Tea” by the owner of Golden Moon Tea. While you’re there, read about Bai Hao, too. And Fannitarians. Interesting stuff.

Image via http://www.blogthecoast.com

Since we’re talking about tea, I thought I’d list some of my favorites.

If we’re talking Chai…

I love this mix. I feel like I’m at a fancy coffee shop when I make this stuff at home. And the website has recipes, too! Raspberry Chai Mocha anyone?

For the easiest possible Chai ever, if you’ve got a Keurig the Cafe Escapes Chai Latte is delicious!

Right now I’ve suffering from the flu so Earth Fare‘s Organic Soothing Throat tea has been a daily ritual this week. Yummy and it does the trick to get rid of this yucky sore throat for awhile.

Tea Junction has some wonderful Ginger Peach loose tea that I love, love, love! Loose tea ALWAYS tastes so much better anyway.

For the holidays, my mom and I always enjoy drinking a cup of Nutcracker Sweet from Celestial Seasonings together. It’s creamy and spicy and just screams “Merry Christmas!” to me.

Republic of Tea’s Blackberry Sage is always a hit when I’ve served it and one of my personal favorites.

And, to wrap up this list (although I could come up with a ton more), I’ll mention Starbucks Green Tea Latte. Hmmm…I could go for one of those right now!

Maylees Garden Vegan Laundry Detergent: Product Review

One day I was just perusing the Etsy site looking at natural products, particularly soaps, when I stumbled upon Maylees Garden Vegan Soaps. (Maylees is no longer on Etsy but is now only on Artfire.)The pictures were beautiful, the scents sounded wonderful and I was intrigued.  I didn’t buy anything right away but I kept coming back…and eventually I ordered the Black Raspberry Vanilla laundry detergent to use on my daughter’s clothes.

Clove Orange and Tangerine Laundry Detergent

I waited patiently for my order. It took a little longer than I had anticipated but I was okay with that. I did began to worry that my order had not gone through so I contacted Maylees via their Facebook page and was assured my order would be coming soon. It arrived shortly after that and I was so excited. Never had my mail actually smelled good before. The Black Raspberry and Vanilla was a soft, sweet-smelling detergent and I completely fell in love with it. My daughter’s clothes smelled heavenly! I doesn’t leave a heavy,  perfumey (sp?) type smell but a soft, subtle smell. Whenever I hug my daughter and my nose burrows into her clothes, I smell it. It’s more like that.

I was hooked. I recently purchased some fall scents, Pumpkin Cider and Chai Tea, and have been happy with them as well. Each order that I have made has come with a small sample as well.  I can’t remember all three I received but the one I do remember had Cedar in it and had a nice masculine smell to it that would be perfect for my husband’s laundry. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned how soft my clothes are now! No more fabric softener needed in this house!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Soap

In addition to laundry detergent, Maylees Garden Vegan Soaps carries shampoo bars, perfume oil and soaps. Check them out! If you are on Facebook, there is also a coupon code on their Facebook page.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth: Book Review

If you only read one book during pregnancy about childbirth, read this one! The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer is the book that helped me make the decision to go with a birth center for the birth of my baby. There is so much helpful information about childbirth and what your options are.

It isn’t the kind of book you have to read cover-to-cover. It has chapters on various childbirth topics so you can go straight to what interests you easily. The back of the book includes info on all the research and studies to back up what is contained in the book.

The table of contents is as follows:

Image via http://www.hencigoer.com

Introduction: Obstetric Management: What’s Wrong with This Picture?

1. The Cesarean Epidemic: Obstetrics on the Cutting Edge

2. The Full-Term Breech Baby: Cesarean Section is Not the Only Answer

3. Induction of Labor: Mother Nature Knows Best

4. IVs: “Water, Water, Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink”

5. Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Cesarean for Fetal Distress: The Machine that Goes Ping!

6. When Doctors Break the Membranes: If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Break It

7. Slow Labor: Patience Is a Virtue

8. Epidurals and Narcotics: A Shot in the Dark

9. Episiotomy: The Unkindest Cut

10. Elective Repeat Cesarean Section: Just Say No

11. Professional Labor Support: Mothering the Mother

12. Obstetricians, Midwives, and Family Practitioners: Someone to Watch Over You

13. The Place of Birth: Location, Location, Location

Here are some excerpts from the book:

“Obstetricians work within the medical model, a model that says drugs and procedures are the answer to whatever goes wrong. However, labor difficulties usually resolve themselves with tincture of time or simple remedies. Sterner, riskier measures are rarely required.”

“While my intent is to enlighten you and to offer strategies to meet a wide range of individual needs, you may also find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the many possibilities I present and their various trade-offs. Think of them merely as jumping-off points for discussions with your doctor or midwife — and, in fact, how he or she reacts to your raising these issues can tell you whether you have the right person. You can, of course, also leave all or most decisions up to your caregiver. That is a perfectly valid choice. The important thing is that it be a conscious choice, not one you felt constrained to make.”

The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt is On (Well, Almost)

It is almost that time of year again!! The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt is about to start!! I thoroughly enjoyed this last year, my first year doing it.

The idea behind the GCDH is to introduce people to some great work-at-home mom’s and their products. I had so much fun perusing the different sites, hunting for the clues and finding out about some great stuff at the same time. Oh, and did I mention there are fantastic prizes, too!

The site that sponsors the hunt, Diaper Decisions, is basically a cloth diaper information center for businesses. You can also, as a consumer, find cloth diaper stores in your area and view a breakdown of the costs of all the different types of cloth diapers vs. disposables.

Playing Outside

Image via Wikipedia

Need ideas for playing outdoors for your kids? Check out this free e-Guide from the National Wildlife Federation. Most of the ideas are for older kids so I can’t use them yet but still liked seeing the different things you can do outside and getting your kids to use their imaginations.  They also have an area of the site called Nature Find so you can find fun outdoor sites in your area. Within 10 miles of my zip code the site found 5 sites and 8 events for instance.

Fall is a great time to get out there and play for kids and adults. What are some of your favorite outdoor activities in the fall?

“What do you EAT!?” (via Q’s Eats)

Here’s a great post on eating clean from my friend Leslie. Enjoy!

It's been weeks since my trip home to Greenville, South Carolina, but I keep hearing a friend's question over and over again in my head: "What do you EAT?!" The night before I left for Georgia to attend the Les Mills Mega-Quarterly, all of us girls who went to school together met up at Coffee and Crema.  Whenever a group of girls gets together, it's inevitable that food, weight loss, diets and exercise WILL be discussed. My friend asked me, "What … Read More

via Q's Eats

Organic Tan

Lindsey Holder of Organic Tan

I’ve reached 3,000 hits which means it’s time for another guest here at A Little Bit of All of It! I’m excited to introduce you to Lindsey Holder of Organic Tan. You can check out the Organic Tan website and also follow Organic Tan on Facebook and Twitter at @organictan.

I had the privilege of having Lindsey spray me this summer and I loved my natural looking tan! I especially loved that I wasn’t putting a bunch of nasty chemicals on my body. Lindsey agreed to answer some questions I had about her business. Happy Reading!

What gave you the idea for Organic Tan?

After living in LA for 7 years and paying $65 each time for a spray tan, I wanted to create an affordable beauty service for the upstate when I moved back. My passions include environmental & organic choices AND being tan, of course, so starting Organic Tan was a natural fit!

What is actually being sprayed on a person when they come to you for a tan?

I researched a lot of products and lines before deciding on the current one I use. I’m thrilled to have amazing ingredients like walnut & cranberry seed extract, Hawaiian sea extract & Vitamin C included. Of course the most important ingredient is the Eco-certified DHA, which is the coloring agent,giving you that amazing color!

How does your product differ from self-tanning lotions that can be applied at home and sunless spray tan booths at traditional tanning salons?

It’s no secret what ingredients are in my product. You know exactly what’s being sprayed onto your body & all ingredients are listed on my site. It’s also important to review in case you have high allergies to natural ingredients (like walnuts, for example). Self-tanners are hard to get an even look and can be especially rough around the hands, ankles and feet. Sunless spray booths are also hit or miss in those hard-to-tan spots. One false move & you can look like Ross from the Friends episode where he had a tanning mishap!

In what other ways does Organic Tan strive to be environmentally friendly?

Good question & I’m glad you asked that. It has been equally important to not only have an organic product, but run the service in an environmental friendly way. A few ways I do this are:

• I use a fresh towel for each client & wash them for each use (as opposed to using a plastic or paper material)
• I wear washable cotton gloves & have cotton hats for each client (vs.vinyl gloves & plastic)
• My choice for a great cleaning brand is Method. I use different products for cleaning the floors, doors, sink & even mirrors. I’m addicted!
• I do not mail out any materials to my clients. Any correspondence is used using e-mail…including my Christmas cards!
• Marketing materials, flyers & gift cards are printed on recycled paper

What other products do you sell and/or recommend to your clients?

My FAVORITE product is the Moroccan Mineral Facial tanner lotion. It is amazing and great to use when your face lightens up, usually around day 3. It really holds your color well until the tan fades off. I also offer a DHA extending lotion to apply daily to extend your tan many days after. Other great products are also listed at Organic Tan.

What is the best way to keep your Organic Tan looking its best?

When showering, don’t rub too harshly on the skin. Shower lightly with a soft sponge, not a hard loofah. Moisturize daily, but make sure your lotion does not contain mineral oil. Mineral oil can take off a tan prematurely.

What should a person do to prepare for getting an Organic Tan?

It is best to shower, shave & exfoliate before getting a tan. Ridding the skin of dead skin cells assures a smoother looking tan. Make-up & deodorant free are also the best way to go. If wanting a pedicure or manicure, plan to get those tootsies polished ahead of time before your tan for best results.

Hope you enjoyed reading! Now go try Organic Tan for yourself! It looks so natural and, well, it is!

You can also find Lindsey at her blog, The Savvy Assistant. She writes about her experiences as an assistant to 3 top recording artists giving tips to other assistants, as well as great travel tips, healthy recipes, alternative medicine and exercise. There is really something for everyone over there and I especially love all her videos, too. The Savvy Assistant is on Facebook as well.

Health: A Biblical Perspective (via My Journey to Lean)

Here’s a great post from Melissa at My Journey to Lean about looking at health from a biblical perspective.

The American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary defines “health” as “soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality.” Etymologically speaking, “health” means “wholeness, a being whole, sound or well.” There’s a big push in our country for health & wellness. Health no longer encompasses the physical sphere alone. It also includes mental and emotional health. Millions of dollars are spent every year in this countr … Read More

via My Journey to Lean

Stepping Heavenward: Book Review

I read the book “Stepping Heavenward” recently after my mom recommended it to me. She hadn’t yet read it but saw it recommended on the Nurtured Family blog and picked up a copy. My mom and cousin read it along with me.

Image via Google Shopping

This is one of those books that starts at the beginning of the main character’s life (or, in this case, on her16th birthday) and follow’s her through until close to the end of it.  It reads like a diary so it is a very honest, transparent account of her life. From a young girl struggling with how to really love God and love people to an adult woman trying to live for God even when life seems to keep getting in the way, it is a beautiful, personal story that I could relate to in many, many ways.

There is some great encouragement found in it’s pages and I really felt like I learned a lot more about living for Christ and what that means. The work of progressive sanctification really shines through in this story.

The main character’s struggles are universal I think. We all can relate to them but sometimes you feel (as does the main character) like no one else goes through these things, that you are alone but it is really the common human experience. It is exciting to watch the main character grow and change throughout the story and gives us, as the reader, hope for our own life’s journey.