Lowcountry Farm Tours

Lowcountry Farm Tours 2014 is just around the corner and I can't wait! If you live in the Charleston area, this is a really special family event that you shouldn't miss. For one day multiple Johns Island and Wadmalaw farms are open to the public for tours and tastings. Yes, many of the farms are open for tours other times but there's something extra fun about being a part of a large group, traveling farm to farm for one day. :)
 

The last time I was able to go was 2012 and we had a pretty tired [read: grumpy] 1.5 year old in tow so we only saw a couple farms. But he did enjoy the food and loved seeing the animals post-naptime. haha. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Ambrose Farm.

If you have never been to Ambrose Farm, you really have to go! And on your way home, stop by their Stono Market for lunch at the cafe or to pick up some farm fresh eggs, raw milk, produce, pimento cheese (soooo good!), meat, or freezer meals ready to pop in the oven. (Seriously- there freezer meals are amazing!)

Farmer Pete explaining their farming practices.

 

We also picked strawberries, ate yummy tacos, and swung on a tire swing. Plenty of fun for everyone. :) Get your tickets and get out to support your local farmers- I hope to see you there!!!

 

P.S. The little tidbits given by Farmer Pete about surviving in today's farming world were mind blowing. If you've ever binged on Netflix documentaries about the food industry- you don't want to miss what he has to say!

Guaranteed, Natural Stain Removal {Non-Toxic Tuesday}

Non-toxic Tuesday is back! I love these because I feel like it's a virtual-self-high-five. :) A whole new level of lame that I'm proud of. Today is the story of the vanishing Indian food stain on the powder pink dress I wore in Nashville. The dress was just so sweet and soft looking, I couldn't resist wearing it before my trip. Of course, that meant dripping a dark red sauce on it at dinner! No worries, Shaklee has a non-toxic, bleach-free stain removal that is guaranteed to get your toughest stains out! Need to see to believe? Scroll down!

All you have to do is mix a little bit of the Get Clean Nature Bright powder in a bottle of water and then soak the stain. After it has soaked for a few minutes (you'll see the stain disappearing), blot it. You may have to repeat, if it's a really nasty stain, but, as with all Shaklee products, it has a 100% money-back guarantee! What do you have to lose? :)

(Dress from Forever 21) Isn't that awesome? I thought for sure that my dress was ruined since it's such a light color and that chiffon type material that's really light. Next I grabbed some of Kent's stained shirts and got to work! This shirt had been sitting in a pile, stained for months and had been washed multiple times with the stain on it...

No more annoying, little belly stain! Ready to give the boot to your bleach? Bleach is a cheap alternative with some very nasty side effects. Did you know that chlorine bleach is the cleaner most commonly swallowed by children? I always hated having it in our house. The Shaklee Nature Bright bag lasts a really long time and works better to get out stains than any stain remover I've ever tried! Kick those toxins to the curb, moms! :)

Top 5 South Carolina State Park Camping Picks

We LOVE camping! Although, we are a house divided when it comes to the seasons we love. I actually don't mind summer camping. It gets hot here, but in the upstate it is plenty cool at night with a medium fan on you. However, Kent is like most people who love to camp in the fall/winter seasons when bundling tight in the sleeping bag is necessary. Whichever season you like- here are my top 5 South Carolina State Park picks for the adventurous Charlestonian.

1. Cheraw State Park- Located about 3 hours from Charleston, it's perfectly more north for cooler nights. This is number one our list for future camping because we really want to try the boat in camping. Boat in camping means you can rent or bring a boat and paddle to an island where there are primitive camping spots. Cheraw also boasts some nice hiking trails and just looks beautiful.

2. Dreher Island State Park- Also located about 3 hours from Charleston, Dreher offers waterfront camping on Lake Murray without the hassle of boating to it. The waterfront pictures seem magical to me. I love waking up to a waterfront view! Dreher has a little bit of trails, but most of the fun seems centered on the lake life.

3. Givhans Ferry State Park- Givhans Ferry is less than 1 hour away from Charleston on the Edisto River and has been on my bucket list for far too long. There is a nice 1.5 mile trail for easy walking and of course tons of boat ramps and rentals nearby for kayaking and canoeing the Edisto. I have always wanted to do the kayaking trip with just adults, but also really want to camp and relax there with just the family one weekend. For a quick weekend trip, Givhans is a great choice at only $15/site/night.

4. Santee State Park- Located 1 hour, 15 minutes outside of Charleston, Santee is perfect for wildlife observing with kiddos! I first experienced Santee on a class trip in middle school. We stayed at the cabins and learned so much about lake ecosystems, etc. on the pontoon tours. I can't wait to take J, probably next summer. And of course, I love Santee because they have water-front camping and good trails.

5. Poinsett State Park- Poinsett is less than 2 hours away from Charleston and the only one on this list that we have tackled so far. I was truly blown away by this park. Humble, yet very nice all in one. Poinsett attracted us with their canoe rentals. We wanted to practice with J in the boat before going to a canoe-to-camp park. I'll do a full post on Poinsett soon, but for now I'll just say the nature there is beautiful. A great little lake/large pond, boat rentals, a spillway, lots of trails, and a huge field near the campground that boasts a large bonfire area and the most amazing view of the stars. When you drive down to the park ranger, trails, and swimming area, it's like a snapshot of amazing summers past. Where a kids summer memories should be made. And all that for only $15/site/night.

Bonus National Park: Want to camp but not spend money? Checkout the National Parks that allow camping! Our first family trip was to Congaree. It was a stormy, muggy, buggy weekend, but the boardwalk trail through the swamp forest there is gorgeous and camping is free!

Have a SC park you love to camp at? Let me know! There are a few others we want to try, but this list is a good starting point. :) And just in case you hadn't already noticed- the SC State Parks website is amazing! Seriously, great work put into this site. Every bit of information you could need to choose the perfect spot for your family AND always check the deals page for discounts at the different parks on specific weekends!

I also plan to write a post about camping with a 3yo soon. Hint: It involves mutually beneficial bribes like this shirt- I love it, he gets excited. Win!

Get exploring Charlestonians!

Organic Pressure Washing {Non-Toxic Tuesday}

I thought we might make it till the end of the summer to have to pressure wash our house, but it's already looking awful! These are the pictures from last fall. Warning: Before pictures are embarrassingly dirty. Oops. You might have caught on by now that I'm going to be using Basic H2 and Basic G to get the job done. Yeah, I heart Shaklee. :)

Get your pressure washer out and grab your Basic H2 and Basic G! I squeezed a good bit of Basic H2 in the bucket (still not enough to touch the bottle) and then a few splashes of Basic G. This was Kent's first time ever pressure washing so it isn't perfect, but I think he did an amazing job.

Gorgeous again, right?!?! My dad was convinced we'd have to go out and buy bleach, but I knew Basic H2 and Basic G could do the job without all the toxic grossness!

J and I had a blast passing the football in the front yard while Kent pressure washed and I never had to worry about bleach mist getting on us. :)

Remember: Shaklee is offering FREE Lifetime Membership in the month of July with any purchase! I think every house should be saving money with Basic H2 and G, but if you'd like to take your non-toxic efforts another step forward,

I recommend a Get Clean kit, which can save you up to $3400!

Happy Cleaning!

Clean Your Car with Organic Basic H2 {Non-Toxic Tuesday}

Okay, so you've realized that those toxic, traditional, store-bought cleaners are horrible for your health (asthma, cancer, etc...) and you've made the switch for your home, but do you still clean your car with whatever you find in the car aisle of Walmart? I don't know about you, but we spend a lot of time in the car! Husband's commute to work, to and from daycare, trips to the store, weekend adventures... the hours spent in the car really add up!

There's no need to use those special car cleaners though. Secret Exposed: It's just cleaner! :) We keep our car and lungs in great condition by using Shaklee Basic H2 and sometimes the germex Basic G when needed. Take a look!-

Those tires were actually scrubbed down by the guys at our local car wash. I mean SCRUBBED using their foamy cleaner and a hard brush. I finished the job with some Basic H2 and a little towel when I got home. Came off without any harsh scrubbing needed! :)

I guarantee Basic H2 will clean better your current, toxic cleaners. (No really, there's a 100% money-back guarantee with all Shaklee products!) I've never been disappointed and love knowing my family is safe wherever our travels lead us.

Don't forget! This month (July) is FREE membership month with the purchase of any product. So you can buy the one bottle of Basic H2 (which will last you a year+) and have the membership waiting for you 50 years from now. :)

AND my team is doing FREE shipping for this Thursday only!!!
Come join me at the Alison Marie blog's Shaklee Facebook Event to win prizes and learn more. :D

Shop my Shaklee store here!

5 Reasons You Should Love Shaklee {Non-Toxic Tuesday}

These days I'm a Work At Home Mom (WAHM) and I freaking LOVE it! I help families get healthier by using the BEST and cheapest green cleaners on the market. Back when I first started blogging about 3 years ago, I stumbled upon Shaklee and Project Dream International and fell head over heels in love.

So why am I writing about this now? In honor of the Shaklee new year, we are giving away FREE membership with the purchase of ANY product!

Why do you care? Let me count the ways...

1. Shaklee cleaners are non-toxic! This means that J can clean with me and I never have to worry. Have you ever sprayed your windows or mirrors down and then choked on the extra that fills the air? Gross. I never have to worry about what I'm breathing in with Shaklee.

I mean it when I say that I clean everything from my baby (J) to my car to my house to my floors with BasicH2- and it is WAY cheaper than store bought cleaners!

2. It Always Works! Shaklee is the absolute best cleaner I have ever used, including traditional and many organic store-bought cleaners. I was so tired of just guessing which bottle would work from the store shelf. With Shaklee I know I'll have clean results every time. :)

 

3. Feel like a celebrity! Do you ever see a product that a celebrity is wearing/using and wish you could afford it? Be honest! We all have a case of envy every now and then. Shaklee is way cheaper than most cleaners and yet used by so many celebrities, including Oprah and it is even the cleaner used in the White House and the VP's home. You heard me right! They wanted to go green and knew Shaklee was the best choice! So cool.

4. It's helping me lose weight! :) I'll write more about this later or you can go to the HappyBody 180 Challenge to learn more.

and 5. Shaklee has amazing company values! Have you noticed how many companies give donations to charities that have nothing to do with their actual business? I find it infuriating! I just want to purchase a product and not have to worry about my money filtering to a cause that I'm against. I happen to be pretty passionate about a few things! :) Shaklee gives a lot to natural disaster relief efforts (even paired up with Gwyneth Paltrow recently) and a few other Earth related charities. And the buck stops there!

What are you waiting for? Go get your Get Clean kit now!

Save your lungs, $3400, and 108 lbs. of packaging from landfills!

Don't forget to add the membership at checkout- Membership is a one time thing that lasts FOR LIFE. There is no renewal, no fees, no mandatory minimum orders. You could order a tube of chapstick today and not order for another 50 years and that membership will still be there for you. :)

Happy Non-Toxic Cleaning!

Happy Earth Day! {Shaklee Giveaway}

I had hoped to have a few more posts out before this giveaway, but I'd rather start it on Earth Day than wait. Happy Earth Day!

What are you doing to be a little more eco-friendly this year? Need an idea?

Yes! I'm giving away a Shaklee starter kit! Now you see why I just couldn't delay?!? :)

The Get Clean Starter Mini-Kit replaces over $2,000 of traditional cleaners and there are no toxins!!! Talk about Green! {Enter Below}

Why do I love Shaklee and am so excited right now? Why NOT...

 

 

{Enter Below} Yep, lots to be excited about there! AND Bonus that probably shouldn't even be considered as a Bonus- it ACTUALLY works! Like WAY better than the store-bought-nasty cleaners! Amazingness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway