Be Frugal: Give the kid a haircut. Go on! :)

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That’s pretty much what my mind said the first time I gave him a haircut.

BEFORE & AFTER

His hair was actually a lot longer so it was a little bit easier to work with the first go!

This time it hadn’t quite grown out so unruly.

I busted out the good ole’ Fiskars and began to hack away…

all that beautiful fine hair getting snipped here and there.

He sat still for a minute then he began to fidgit… this is where it can get difficult.

For the most part he was a “Super Trooper” and sat nice and still.

When it was all over he didn’t walk away empty handed …

I gave him a piece of “bubblegum” (Glee Gum) … and that’s how the “bubblegum” face came to be (After shot)!

$15 buckaroo’s goes a long way, right now … (next time I think I may try to barter my massage services!)

How did I get the job done? Pure instincts.

I have no training and haven’t done any reading…

Click here for a great post with lot’s of wonderful references on how to cut your child’s hair at home!

Pretty helpful stuff.

What’s the worse that could happen… ? The great thing about hair is that it grows back!

Go on now, grab the Fiskars and get your haircut on… mush!

Happy Friday readers!

My Journey to No Poo!

Photo credit: mollypop’s via flickr

It all began one morning when I finally ran out of shampoo.

(Ha! Ha! You were thinking potty poo! Gross. LOL!).

I figured that moment was as good as any to take the next plunge in this mission to green our beauty routine. I’ve already taken a few steps in knocking out the chemicals… such as making my own deodorant, switching to all natural perfumes, and making my own body oil to name a few.

At first, I used up a sample bottle of Aveda shampoo. Then I started using an old Burt’s Bee’s shampoo bar I had from one of their sampler packages.. This all began just before Thanksgiving sometime.

With the economy like it is and the holiday’s quickly approaching I pretty much set the “transition period” aside and went for it! I began using the shampoo bar and almost immediately noticed the effects of not having a lather. My hair instantly felt dry and yuck!

I also decided not to condition my hair as often. It was a little rough to brush my hair but I managed. Then after a couple days I put in a few dabs of coconut oil before washing with the shampoo bar and it seemed to help.

After about a month of using the shampoo bar my hair began to oil up and began to get heavy feeling. I could brush it but there was definitely a greasy feeling and look to it. Most days I found myself pulling my hair back or tying it up.

I even sponged curled it one evening for a girls night and boy did the curls hold up well. I think the oily factor shaped the curls nicely but that’s not my point. Even though it was greasy and oily you couldn’t tell. I was the only one who knew…at least I hope so, anyway.

The shampoo bar finally had it’s last shower the other day, so, it was time to go from “Lo Poo” to “No Poo”

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Green Your Cup of Cocoa This Winter

Photo credit: stevendepolo via flickr

Winter bring lots of goodies and treats including the infamous cup of Hot Cocoa! Lately, it seems my little guy and I can’t get enough of it. It can get to be pretty expensive if you’re having a cup of hot cocoa each afternoon. Especially, if you’re buying them in packets (which I haven’t done in years!). I stopped buying the packets when I discovered Ovaltine…and stopped buying Ovaltine to start making my own. In the long run, making your own will save you some money. In a homemade recipe you have the opportunity to tweak with the ingredients and use quality ingredients such as organic.

The cast of Christmas spirit….

Nativa’s Raw Cacao Powder Suzanne’ s Ricemellow Pure Fun Organic Candy Cane’s

** You can make this recipe dairy free by replacing cow’s milk with almond, coconut, rice, or soy milk.

Just remember that to GREEN your cup of hot cocoa – you’ll want to look for ingredients that are organic, have NO High Fructose Corn Syrup, no artificial colors or favor and no JUNK period. Chemical and preservative free, if at possible. Most companies who make all natural and organic products are conscience about the planet. Besides, keeping the planet healthy the consumer’s health is also kept in mind. On top of it all, most eco companies donate certain percentages to environmental causes. So, by supporting them you’re more than likely supporting a wonderful cause and helping to SAVE THE PLANET!

Homemade Underarm Goodness

I highly recommend making your own deodorant- it will be gratifying.

It has been a goal of mine to stop buying mainstream deodorants for AWHILE now. In case you didn’t know, deodorant’s on the market today are known to be harmful and cause certain cancers due to the toxic ingredients being used to make them.  (Ugh!)

After learning about chemical exposure from deodorants (what isn’t toxic anymore) I turned to natural alternatives such as, Tom’s of Maine, Alba, Miessence etc. I’ve pretty much tried them all but those name brands are just a few that kept creeping back onto my dresser.

Eventually, I found that Miessence worked the best and had ZERO toxic exposure. It’s my favorite alternative, for sure. My least favorite part though is having to order it and pay extra for shipping.

Granted, the product is outstanding but my pocketbook is not! I have yet to find any place in my town to carry the Miessence line (but even then $$). I thought what would my grandparents have done?

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A Thrifty Halloween

The day was mostly quiet while the eco tot made memories with his grandparents.

When he arrived the Halloween festivities began & this message was waiting for him.

Our pumpkins that helped light up the bright full moon night – (perfect fon Halloween)

& a tribute to WWF  (World Wildlife Fund)! The talented hub carved these “free hand”.

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Frugal is Fun!

We live in the desert…and it get’s really HOT! Scorching hot. With summer approaching we’ve been getting some high temps around here. Unfortunately, we’re not that privileged to own a pool! Tristan doesn’t start swimming lessons for another 2 wks. so lately I’ve been filling up the plastic containers with ankle depth water for Tristan to soak in. They make great toddler pools. You could even use them as a temporary play pin; they’re tall enough. Make sure you keep your eyes on your baby!!! Adult supervision is required at all times! What’s awesome is we can use them for storage and for fun! Afterwards, we dump the water in the veggie garden and there’s no waste! We have 2 dogs and they enjoy taking a cool dip too. We used to buy a plastic toddler pool for them until we inherited a horse trough (metal) from a friend. They love getting in and out of it, too. A huge bonus here is that these containers are made out of recycled plastic…way to go hubs!!! Who needs to spend tons of money on a pool- of course when you have a toddler….!!! Storage containers are perfect entertainment when acting as a pool. Mr. Tristar enjoys taking a dip!

What sort of frugal fun do you do with your kids?