So, the oven got a break this weekend.

The fam and I have a couple of trips in the works. The first one is coming in January of 2009, when we will be taking the little ones to Disney. Once they turn three you have to pay, so I took our little girl when she was 2 and 11 months. We plan on doing the same with our little guy. Then, the following November, I turn (gasp) 30! I told the husband that I wanted nothing for my birthday - except for a short trip. I plan on sitting back and sipping on something tropical that long weekend in November. You only turn 30 once.

So, in preparation for this little jaunt, we're saving cash. The ball and chain is on this HUGE Dave Ramsey kick, which is good for the pocket book. Now, truthfully, if darling husband was as committed as the book suggests, I would have been told"no," to these little trips. Thankfully, my spouse also buys into the "if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy..." philosophy.

What on EARTH does this have to do with my kitchen, you ask?

Well, I had employed a couple of lovely young ladies to come clean my home once per month. When they started with me, I was working ridiculous hours and couldn't keep up. It was either clean all weekend or hang with the kids...I chose hang with the kids. I still had to maintain the house - but the big cleaning was left to the professionals. At first, their cleans were impressive and through. As time went on, they turned to "average." I began to wonder why I was paying $85/month for something I could do myself. As I became a more experienced teacher, I found my hours weren't quite as intense. Then the Disney trip came up (5 days, I can HARDLY stand it!) and I just decided I would rather keep the money.

However, there was ONE MORE consideration: the cleaning arsenal. Bleach, Mr. Clean, Tilex...basically one big pool of chemicals. I don't mean to sound elitist; in my day I certainly used disinfectant with the best of them. It's just that, since I had my children, I've been much more observant about what (exactly) I bring into my home.

I was raised by hippies. I mean, really. Picture your vision of a 1960's hippie, and that was pretty much my parent's lives. Consequently, I lived a pretty natural life. My mom canned, made things from scratch, raised her own chickens...yadda yadda. They protested various issues, vehemently avoided anything pesticide related, and believed that living simply was what God intended.

It's no surprise that I'm coloring my own world with a little 1960's flare.

A while ago, I discovered a book that detailed how to clean your home with less crap. A germ-a-phobe, I was hesitant. However, then I decided that the chemicals were actually more frightening than the germs. I highly recommend this book in it's entirety - it is an AMAZING reference for how to live simply. However, in the short term, let me share a few things.

Hollee's NEW cleaning arsenal:

1 spray bottle of straight vinegar with Lavender oil: Vinegar is an amazing cleaning tool. It dissolves dirt, grime, and grease as well as anything out there. It's also gentle enough to use on wood, like my dining room table and anything else susceptible to my children's sticky fingers. Lavender adds a pleasant scent and acts as a natural disinfectant. The vinegar scent neutralizes when it dries.

Borax/washing soda/water/castile soap/Tea Tree Oil/Lavender Oil: I put in a bottle that I can pour onto a surface and scrub with. The spray bottle doesn't fly - the borax clogs it up. I leave out the washing soda when I don't have it on hand, and it works just fine. The bottle I made tonight was around 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup castile soap, 12 or so drops of oil (total), and the rest of the 64 oz bottle of HOT water. I will grow the mixture for a bucket when I'm REALLY getting down to some cleaning. Works great on my floor when it needs a good scrub, but I will use a water washcloth to rise off excess.

20 drops of Tea Tree Oil and 32 ounces of water: Good anti-mildew mister for whatever. Works like magic. It doesn't kill the mildew, but it will keep it from growing.

Lemon Juice: Amazing anti-tarnish (restoring a silver jewelry box as we speak) and microwave cleaner. Just submerge metal in lemon juice and let sit over night. Buff clean and dry. For microwave, put 1/2 cup and cook for 3-5 minutes. Wipe down microwave immediately when finished (I just use a dry rag).

Baking soda: Great little scrubber. I use with vinegar to clean tubs, showers, and even the toilet.

Borax: In addition to above, I use in laundry as a booster to whites and lights. Just do load on warm and follow directions on the box.

Product recommendations: "Oils" listed are essential oils - important in getting the antibacterial properties. Where "castile soap" is listed, I use Doctor Bronner's mild baby soap. Incidentally, I use his peppermint soap as my personal soap, in full strength. Store bought products in my home include Seventh Generations: hand washing dish soap, softener, and laundry detergent. I also use my grocer's generic non-chlorine bleach (oxyclean).

I'm not perfect, I still use Cascade dish soap (I've not yet found anything comparable) and a carpet stain cleaner that will probably make me grow a third arm. However, the bulk of my "daily" cleaning supplies are earthling friendly...which makes me feel good about cleaning.

If you want even MORE ideas about the green life, go ahead and check out this Internet forum. Great ideas about all things earth friendly.

Wouldn't you know, with all this cleaning, I got antsy to cook SOMETHING. I found some chocolate chips that were aging, and made some cookies. I thought they were okay, but the husband loved them. That's probably for the best, as I won't feel the need to eat them now!