The 413 Mom

Easy Upcycle: Firefly Flouride Rinse Pump Bottle

If your kiddos use the Firefly Flouride Anticavity Rinse with the character head pump bottle -- do NOT throw this away when empty. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but don't even put it in the recycle bin. Unlike many single-use pump items, this bottle is so easy to reuse. The character head pump just screws off and you can wash out the inside and prepare it for reuse.

To start, I peeled off the labels and then saturated the bottle with some Goof Off to loosen up the stickers. I filled the bottle itself with hot, hot water to loosen the adhesive from the back too. After a bit of scraping, all of the stickiness was gone.

And, voila! An upcycled hand sanitizer pump ready for playdates, classroom, or anywhere kids hang out. The pump stick is so side it would also work well for lotion, hand soap, paint, or any other thick liquids kids use. As we all know, characters make using any product more fun. 

A few words of caution:

1) Obviously, you want to remove the rinse cup that comes with the original bottle so nobody gets confused and thinks its mouthwash (I actually came up with this upcycle idea when a house guest saw the flouride rinse in the bathroom and assumed it was hand soap and was confused why his hands were so sticky). 

2) Don't use the same color soap as whatever mouthwash your kiddos use (unlike I did). My eight-year-old is old enough to know which dispenser is soap and which is fluoride rinse, and we keep one pump in the bathroom and the other on the kitchen counter, but for an extra layer of caution be sure to very different colors. 

Original bottle looks like this in-store. The product retails for about $3.

Enjoy! #reuse #recycle #upcycle #loveMamaEarth

Don't throw away those Bunch O Balloons stems! Create something new instead. #upcycle #reuse #summerfun

The self-tying water balloons from Bunch O Balloons have been our go-to this spring for outdoor fun. We've had some pretty epic water balloon battles. Which means we also have a bunch of the plastic stems that are left behind once the water balloons are filled and dropped. We love the bright colors and design so much we just knew there were some ways we could upcycle them. Here's our top five ideas for reusing these stems you might otherwise throw away:

 

1. Photo display -- Don't spend money for a cute photo branch holder. Use these water balloon stems to make fun photo displays. Weave larger photos through the individual stems to hold in place.

 

2. Hose attachment -- thread the stem back onto the hose to create a gentle stream of water for tender plants. This attachment also makes for fun water play for the kids. 

 

 

3. Crafting -- there are a lot of fun crafts you could imagine with these. We created this flower bouquet using tissue paper squares and those teeny tiny rubber hair ties. 

 

 

4. Recipe card holder -- similar to the photo display, keep one of the stems in your kitchen utensil drawer for an easy recipe card holder. No more lost recipes when creating your favorite meal. 

 

 

5. Pool toys - the sweeping, flexible straws make for fun, floating pool toys in a toddler pool (best for little ones over age 3). Or as float sticks in a big pool to encourage new swimmers. 

 

 

If you're unfamiliar with Bunch O Balloons, here's what they look like in their original form:

 

 

And if upcycling isn't your thing but you still love these water balloons as much as we do, please consider participating in their recycling program with Terracycle. Wishing you many epic water balloon battles this summer! #upcycle #reuse #recycle #summerfun

DEAL ALERT: Save 30% on Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer

It's that time of year again -- back to school and back to germs. Add to that the fall festivals, corn mazes, fairs and the fact that we're on the go all weekend long making the most of  this short season. The last thing we want is an illness to sideline us during this beautiful time of year. But soap and water aren't always available to fend off those germs. Which means it's hand sanitizer to the rescue. 

However, the harsh alcohol and strong scents of many hand sanitizers do not lend themselves to user friendliness. So I was intrigued to team up with MomsMeet and try out the Probiotic Hand Sanitizers from Desert Essence. 

Desert Essence creates products inspired by the beauty and resilience of nature and powered by the potency that comes from the desert. All of their products are based on the premise that beauty is natural, and nature is beautiful. Utilizing botanicals like Tea Tree, Jojoba, and Argan Oil, their personal care products get the job done without unnecessary additives.

Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizers don't leave your hands feeling sticky -- they feel more like you've used a non-greasy lotion, and your hands feel soft and moisturized. The scents are light and not overpowering -- a lingering hint of lavender, a little lemon scent, a bit of invigorating tea tree oil. But that doesn't mean they're not powerful. Through a patented technology, a “membrane” is created around the probiotic to protect it from the antibacterial formula. Probiotic benefits will be delivered after the sanitizer activity completes. This means the sanitizer doesn’t kill the probiotic, and the probiotic doesn’t neutralize the sanitizer. Other highlights include:

• Kills 99.99% of germs
• Delivers good bacteria courtesy of probiotic-packed Kefir
• Nourishes and conditions the skin
• Bad bacteria is eliminated, and the probiotic thrives
• Botanical extracts including Tea Tree Oil, Thyme, Elderberry and Echinacea also help reduce bacteria
• Comes in three scents: Tea Tree Oil, Tea Tree Oil & Lemongrass, Tea Tree Oil & Lavender
• Comes in two convenient sizes: a large bottle for desktop/counter top use and a small, portable size perfect for purse or backpack
• Certified B Corporation, Cruelty Free, Vegan and Gluten Free

A 1.7 oz bottle of Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizer typically retails for $4.49 and an 8 oz bottle typically retails for $9.99. However if you purchase at desertessence.com there's a limited time offer available. Use the promo code -- DEprobioticpower  to save 30% on all Desert Essence Probiotic Hand Sanitizers (large size is only $6.99 and small, purse size is only $3.14 when using this offer). Such a deal for so much benefit. 

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

Road Trip Worthy: Animal Adventures (Bolton, MA)

Animal Adventures Family Zoo & Rescue Center in Bolton, MA is way cooler than a zoo. 

If you want to have an up close and personal experience with animals you may have only read about in books or seen on TV, come visit here. If you have an aspiring veteranarian at home, visit here. If you are interested in animal conservation, visit here. If you're looking for a memorable day trip about an hour from Springfield, visit here. Bottom line: just visit here. 

We spent a Sunday afternoon on site here in April and it was truly unforgettable. During our visit we got to interact with kangaroos, goats, llamas, geese, a crocodile, a toucan, a porcupine, an albino skunk, a corn snake, a kinkajous and so, so many more animals. (Find a list of their animals here). You'll see animals here that you didn't even know existed. Right here in Massachusetts! 

Animal shows are held throughout the day (11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m.) where you can interact, pet and visit with some of the residents. I can promise you will learn more about any of these species during these 10-15 minute shows than watching a years' worth of Wild Kratts episodes. 

You can't visit here expecting a sterile zoo experience like when you visit one of the large regional zoos in the area. Animal Adventures is first and foremost a rescue center -- the love for animals comes first, presentation is not the priority. That being said, I can't think of another local zoo that allows you to get so close to the animals and offers so much interaction. Wear your boots or old shoes -- the grounds are dusty and/or muddy. I would recommend bringing a spare pair of shoes for everyone to change into upon arrival, then you can throw them in the trunk for the ride home (we visited on a rainy day and I'm so glad we did this). 

It's important to note that because all of the animals here have been rescued or rehomed -- some from less-than-ideal situations -- some of them may not look like the sparkly showcase animals you'd see at other zoos. Realize that this doesn't mean they are not living out there best lives here at Animal Adventures. It's a great learning opportunity for kids to see that all animals have an important role to play in ecosystems. 

If taking a general tour is not enough animal adventure for you -- there are options to book private tours, extreme tours or a zookeeper for a day experiences where you can get even more up close and personal with some of these rare species. This is a great birthday, anniversary or graduation gift idea. You can find pricing information here. 

You may have actually encountered an Animal Adventures program at a local school, church or recreational program -- they travel all around New England educating audiences about preservation. Visiting their home site as an unprecedented opportunity to interact with their animals in such a close, personal way. I cannot think of a better experience for any child who loves animals. It is amazing to witness how dedicated all of the staff and volunteers are on site. Their passion for protecting all species is a beautiful thing to see. Everything from a tiny frog named Booger to a giant anaconda. 

There is plenty of free onsite parking and the bathrooms are clean, but you need to bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinks. There are no concessions on site but there are picnic tables available. There is a Dunkin' about two miles away but other than that you are going to need the GPS to research dining options in the area.

The property is not large -- I wouldn't even recommend bringing a stroller. Even the newest walkers can toddle around on their own without tiring out or bring a carrier for the littlest visitors. A stroller will just be too cumbersome here. The site also features a large playscape area where little visitors can work out their wiggles. 

Bring some small bills if you'd like to purchase cups of grain to feed the goats and alpacas. Or, if you're lucky, you might catch a volunteer offering trays of green beans to feed these guys (feeding a goat a green bean is hilarious). There is a small gift shop in the reception area. Know that any money you spend here is being put toward the care for the rescued animals. 

Animal Adventures is located at 336 Sugar Road in Bolton, MA. The zoo is open to the public Monday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed on Tuesday except for during school vacation weeks and the summer season. Admission is $14/person for ages 4 and up, $7 for kids ages 2 & 3, and FREE for kids under 2. A military discount of 25% is offered. #WayCoolerThanAZoo

Redeem Big Y Gold Coins by January 31!

 

You all know how I love my Big Y deals so I wanted to be sure to let you know that the Big Y Gold Coin program will be ending on January 31, 2019. No coin redemption will be allowed after that date so be sure to redeem your coins by the end of this month. Dig through your wallet, check in the car seats, and don't forget to look in the couch cushions for any forgotten coins! 

A lot of folks are disappointed that this program is ending; however, I'm encouraged by other discount programs Big Y has offered instead. The weekly MyBigY offers that are available through the Big Y app are stellar deals. It's super easy to download the app -- you can find instructions here. The app links the offers right to your Silver Savings Card so you don't have to remember to bring any coins to the store.  AND you can even load digital manufacturer's coupons onto your Silver Savings card through the app saving you the frustration of realizing you left your paper coupons at home. When you create and use a Big Y digital account there are no excuses not to save! 

Also, looking at the Big Y circular this week, I feel like they are trying to soften the blow of retiring this savings program by offering some straight up grocery deals that don't require any coins or coupons:

Chips Ahoy! Cookies $1.77

Chobani singles $.88

Smart Ones frozen entrees $1.66

Dunkin or Starbucks bagged coffee $5.99

Cheerios or other select General Mills cereals 4/$10 (must by 4)

You will need to have a Silver Savings card to get these deals. So if you haven't gotten one yet, just stop by the customer service desk at any Big Y location or sign up here. 

In other Big Y related news, the company will also be phasing out single-use grocery bags at ALL of their store locations by 2020. So while you won't need to remember to bring your gold coins to the store, you will need to BYOBag starting next year (although it's always the right time to remember to use a reusable shopping bag). #mybigy

 

Road Trip Worthy: Granby Open Farm Day (September) Granby, CT

Mark your calendars for mid-September folks, because you do NOT want to miss next year's Granby Open Farm Day in Granby, CT. 

The event is held annually in and offers the public access to a dozen working farms around the town complete with a backstage look at the animals, machinery, gardens, grounds and of course the farmers. 

We attended yesterday and we were able to visit with chicken, goats and horses; we made some crafts and learned about robotics with the Granby 4-H kids; we took a hike, shopped for amazing produce, ate some ice cream and admired fields of beautiful flowers. It was a perfect family Saturday. 

Each year the Granby Agricultural Commission prints up a map and passport highlighting all of the participating locations. You can follow the map to chose the locations you want to visit and at each farm you can collect a stamp in the passport. At the end of your stay you can turn in the passport for a chance to win some fun prizes. But of course the real prize is being outdoors in the beautiful mid-September weather spending time together as a family and supporting our local farmers.

Follow the Granby Agricultural Commission on Facebook to find out when future events will be held and pencil it in on the calendar for next year -- you won't be disappointed. #eatlocal #livelocal #supportyourfamers 

How To: Turn a Girl Scout vest into a pillow #girlscoutpride #upcycle

Proud Girl Scout Mom moment! Eden recently bridged up from a Junior Girl Scout to a Cadette, which brings a change in uniform. She loved her patch adorned Junior vest so much and didn't want to just file it away in a memory box. So we decided to turn it into a decorative pillow. The project was easier than I thought and didn't require any special supplies. I just upcycled items from around the house. Here's how:

1. Reinforce any patches on the vest that may be coming loose with a quick stitch around the edges of the patch. 

 2. Choose fabric for a pillow cover. Instead of buying new we used a worn Girl Scout themed t-shirt.  

 3. Choose a pillow form. Doesn't have to be new -- again, we found an underutilized one in the house. 

 4. Prepare the pillow cover. We turned the t-shirt inside out and stitched across the top and down the sleeve openings to create a rectangular pillow 'case.'

 5. Next, we turned the t-shirt inside right and tucked the pillow form inside.  

 6. Then we tucked in the tail of the t-shirt, pinned a seam and stitched. 

7. Once the pillow cover was complete we wrapped the vest around the pillow and tucked and pinned until it had a nice shape. We made sure all of the patches were nicely displayed. (Although not shown here, her vest also had patches on the front). Finally, we stitched around the edges of the vest to secure it to the pillow. 

 

 9. Ta-da! A lovely keepsake for your Girl Scout! 

I hope you enjoy this project as much as we did. I love that we didn't need to purchase any supplies and yet here we have renewed life for her beloved vest. #girlscoutsrock #upcycle #cherishmemories

 

 

 

Simple, no cost, last minute Halloween costume ideas #simplify #betterwesternmass

Remember the good ol' days when Halloween costumes were simple, homemade, and didn't have to be Pinterest-worthy? (Like Eden's Underdog ensemble shown here). Sigh. Me too. We were talking all about simple, FREE, environmentally-friendly costume options today on Western Mass News. If your kid hasn't insisted they need a heavily-marketed store option yet, you can check out our ideas in this clip. #halloweencountdown #diycostumes

Road Trip Worthy: The Gardens at Elm Bank (Wellesley)

There's a not-so-secret garden in Wellesley, MA that is a perfect place for kids to explore nature: The Massachusetts Horticulture Society's Gardens at Elm Bank. This 36 acre gem which is actually the headquarters for Society, is worth the drive because it has so many intriguing spots for the kids to discover including a children's garden just for them. 

Everywhere you turn in the Children's Garden there is something new to make the kids want to play: large nest-like chairs, a tiny water fountain, a sandbox, paths to explore, a tea party table, musical instruments, and many little spots to hide. We had a great game of hide and seek when we visited! 

The whole estate is so inviting to all -- it is all accessible and therefore stroller friendly. The ground are made up of eight separate gardens each of which offers something to explore: fairy houses, seed mailboxes, fountains, sculpture, pagodas and of course incredible blooms and plants. Beautiful photo ops abound. 

My favorite element are these Goddess Statues which were given to the Mass Horiculture Society in 1861 by Benjamin Pierce Cheney -- the founder of the firm that became American Express. This photo really doesn't do them justice -- these ladies are so impressive in person -- viewing them makes you feel that you must be far from home. 

Elm Bank is a beautiful place to spend a summer or fall afternoon with lots of space for the kids to run around. There is a lot of shade for summer days and so many opportunities to teach the kids about plants and flowers. You don't have to be an avid gardener to enjoy a visit here. Picnic tables are available for lunch and there are clean bathrooms on site. Elm Bank is located right near Wellesley College which is another nice place to explore and not too far from the Natick Mall which is also worth the drive. 

Elm Bank is open to the public from May 1 through October 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The grounds are closed to the public on Mondays and there are usually children's activities and garden tours offered on the weekends. Admission is $10/adults and FREE for kids under 12. Set your GPS to 900 Washington Street in Wellesley. 

 

Don't throw away those pool noodles at summer's end! #upcycle #westernmassnews

 

Although it's time to start thinking about closing up the pools for the season (sniff....sniff) do NOT throw away those used pool noodles! Even if they're broken -- there are so many fun ways to upcycle the foam pieces for sneaky learning and games. I shared a few ideas today on the Better Western Mass show on Western Mass News. Check out the link here.