i didn't run away, i promise!

you guys...i have no idea where my time has gone these days.

as a quick catch-up, we are at 34 weeks (!) can you believe it!

oh, and i also had a little birthday...welcome to the last year of my twenties - here's to making it great!

last weekend for part of my birthday celebration i wanted to go to a pumpkin patch.  {really getting wild, eh?}  there is a great farmer's market close to home and they have so many beautiful pumpkins.  i wanted one that was unique looking but that i could also bake with after a few weeks.  enter the fairy tale pumpkin.  i had no idea about this pumpkin, but evidently it's super sweet and a little spicy, aka great for pies. 

this weekend we spent our mornings at a childbirth prep class, and we're both glad we signed up - i'm sure a lot of parenting is instinctual, and most of it is learn-on-the-fly, but there is a lot about what actually goes down to get this little person here that honestly i was glad to have explained to me, point by point.  {and of course there were some points which i'd be just fine not having heard, thank you very much...}  jordan's take-away message from the weekend was profound gratitude that men cannot give birth.  no, honey, but they can buy jewelry for those who can (:

tonight we're a little pooped - jordan is reading the paper and i'm making applesauce.  then later, we're watching scandal - have you seen that show?  i'm obsessed.  we've already plowed through the first season in maybe a week.  netflix, you are both a blessing and a curse.

not the fairy tale pumpkin, but another fave

i hope you have a great start to the week!

green veggie wash.

if you haven't gathered already, i am no fan of germs...and i am even less of a fan of chemicals commonly used to get rid of them.  this has lead to some creative solutions when it comes to keeping my home and family healthy.

one of my favorites such fixes is this veggie wash. 

like everyone, we try to buy organic produce when possible, however the money tree in the yard hasn't bloomed yet this year, so generally we buy conventional.  regardless of whether they're organic/ conventional, fruits and veggies are not clean when you bring them home from the store.  from tree to table, they have been handled by a lot of people, and who knows how many of them washed their hands after a sneeze?  {i know, i don't like to think about it either}

washing with water is good, but not great, and i honestly feel like the food tastes better when it's cleaned with a little more effort {don't you feel better after a nice bubble bath?  i thought so}. 

so here you have it: green veggie wash

what you need
castile soap {i recently picked up the citrus variety, and love it - especially for this use}
water
baking soda
small spray bottle
small shaker {i reuse an old spice shaker, which you can refill as needed - works like a charm}

the spray bottle i have is from the target $1 section, and holds about 5 oz.  i use between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of castile soap for every 5 oz of water...just add the soap and fill up the bottle - give it a little swirl {no need to shake, it will mix when you add the water} and you're good to go!

step 1: spray your produce with the soap solution

step 2: sprinkle with baking soda {baking soda is a mild abrasive, so it will get in there and really clean the skins}

step 3: scrub the fruits & veggies to work in the baking soda {bonus: this will leave your hands super soft too}
step 4: rinse

note: yes, you definitely need to wash hard-skinned veggies, even those whose skin you don't plan to eat -  including squash, carrots, even watermelon.  {remember the listeria scare a few years back?  the actual fruit of the cantaloupes was fine, but the bacteria on the surface was transferred to the fruit when it was cut, making everyone sick...moral of the story?  wash your fruit.}

so there you go!  now go clean some veggies!