Favorite Cleaning Products: method
If I must clean, my favorite way to clean is with method cleaning products. For years, I hated cleaning because I knew the chemicals that I was using were toxic. It was a good excuse for me not to clean! :) 
These cleaners smell good, work really well, are non-toxic, and are packaged in nice looking bottles. (yes, that does make a difference!) I love the cucumber scent sprays, but during the holidays, I like to use winter berry. They have a special tub and tile cleanser that I use in the bathrooms. It smells really CLEAN! (not chemically) It cleans toilets really well, too. I also buy their liquid hand soap. They come in a gazillion different scents. My present favorite is green tea + aloe. During the holidays, they have some really good scents like winter berry and frosted fir. I really do recommend these products. I feel much better about my kids taking a bath in a tub cleaned with non-toxic cleaners. And guess what! They don't only sell them at Target! I found them at a grocery store as well! You will love them.
I just wanted to share this book with you. It is called "the dot" and it was written by Peter Reynolds. It is about a student in an art class named Vashti who is convinced that she cannot draw. When her art teacher says, "just make a mark and see where it takes you," the girl stabs at the paper in fury, leaving a distinct dot. Instead of getting angry at the girl, the art teacher holds the paper up and studies the dot intere
stingly and continues to tell her to make sure she signs it and turns it in. The next day, Vashti sees her "drawing" hung on the wall in a fancy golden frame. She decides that she can do a better dot than that and ends up creating a whole exhibit of her dots. Her career as an artist has begun. That teacher played a major role in Vashti's life by being an encourager. I LOVE this book because it really shows how our reactions to our children (and students) can really affect them.
This is one of my favorite pictures because it is so important to me that our children learn how to really "talk" to God. Whenever a problem arises, that is the first thing I want to come to mind . . . "let's pray about it." It makes my heart glad when I see Jake mouthing a silent prayer to his heavenly Father when he is frustrated or worried about something. (or when he has done something that needs forgiveness!) How wonderful and completely special it is to have a personal relationship with the One who created you!
