2 parties today: Project Genesis and a Grad. Party!

Today is my nieces graduation party at my dads house so I get to hang out with these crazies for the day!!! I know your jealous aren't you? No we will not dress like this, this pic is from our last family reunion on Carny Day, now your really jealous aren't you? :) It is by far one of my favs and all though not all of my family is in the picture I thought I'd give you a little giggle today!
The second party of the day is the ongoing link-up that Suzan is having on her blog...
I love that she started this party... Project Genesis. we can learn so much from eachother. I believe it will take ordinary people doing ordinary things that will help save our planet and immediately I wanted to join in. Last month we were away camping and so I could not but here I am today with a few little things that I do to help 'green' things up around here...
1. We don't buy plastic wrap to save our left overs and I don't use aluminum foil either... we just take a bowl from the cupboard (size depends on how much you have left over) and flip a plate over for the top! Simple. That way we aren't using plastic ones either-I recycle those. So cereal bowl-tea saucer on the top. I have to be honest though, I still have plastic freezer bags and storage bags in the drawer for snacks out the door and the cooler though so I need to come up with better plans for those things. I have seen reusable sandwich bags on etsy so maybe I need to give those a try.
2. I also started using our own cleaners...I found a recipe for a homemade disinfectant cleaner because my sister and I were having a conversation about bleach. This one works really well, my kids don't like the smell of the tea tree oil but to be honest I didn't have a dropper on my bottle and may have used too much! But tea tree and thyme oil (don't have any of that) are disinfectants so I say spray away and it's not like I always liked the smell of the chemical cleaners either. Here's the recipe: Combine 2 tbs. of borax; 1/4 cup of lemon juice; 2 cups of hot water; mix these 3 ingredients into a spray bottle, shake the bottle until the borax is dissolved; put in 20 drops of thyme ESSENTIAL OIL or tea tree oil; shake again. Use as you would a chemical laden disinfectant.
I just want to point out that you make sure it is essential oil and not a fragrance oil.

Also... I found metal spray bottles at my dollar tree! I know how exciting is that? They look like skinnier mini metal water bottles with a spray top. Unfortunately that part is plastic but we can't be completely plastic free I guess.

Mind you, I am by no means perfect in being green, but I am getting greener all of the time! I figure it's little steps that lead to one giant 'Mama may I' leap!

I want to thank Suzan for having this link up party, I can't wait to read and try everyone's tips so that I can incorporate them here at 612!

Thanks for stopping by! Theresa xoxo

This just in..... Lavender oil is also a disinfectant and I forgot about another cleaner that I mixed up recently... equal parts vinegar and water but because Hannah thought the smell was awful (and she was doing the cleaning with it) I poured a little lavender essential oil in the spray bottle. I was making a disinfecting cleaner without even realizing it! I thought I would check to see if Lavender was one, I knew it was used as a antiseptic, we use it for earaches.. you just put a drop or two in the little ones ear and it works every time! well it has for us anyway. I am not a doctor, I just play one on my blog! LOL!

O.k. I'm glad I came back with that because Hannah didn't mind cleaning the cupboard doors with that and it made my kitchen smell wonderful!

Have a Fabulous Sunday!!! Theresa xoxo