Our Houston Church Planting Team

 

This is our Advance Church team. We finally were able to be all together in person for the very first time on Monday. It was such an amazing thing to be able to talk, to share in each others excitement, and to see, this is really real!


I had previously shared how we came to be a part of this Church planting team last month. It has been quite the journey and amazing to see how God has brought each couple into the picture.  The rest of the team will be moving to Houston in just five short weeks! Wow, that is coming fast! Chad and I will be joining them in August after we finish up the summer, serving at our current Church. God has already been moving in great and might ways, and we are all so excited to see what He is going to do in Houston!

I will continually be sharing our journey as Church planters with you. Please be in prayer for us and our team as God leads and directs. 

Indoor Obstacle Course

We are finally back from Kansas. We had a wonderful time meeting with our Houston Church Planting team. I will share more of that later. :-)

Spring is in full swing here in the heart of Oklahoma! Since we have been enjoying some gorgeous weather, we have been spending the majority of our days playing outside. It has been wonderful to soak up some sunshine and run off some energy for the boys. In addition to our lovely weather we had several days when we have been stuck inside due to the rainy down pour. April showers bring May flowers after all! On those rainy days, I try to do a few things for the boys in order to channel that extra energy they would have otherwise spent running (or crawling) around outside.

The obstacle course is the boys absolute favorite activity! It allows them to run, climb, jump, crawl, spin, and hop all over the place. It is wonderful gross motor practice! The other great thing about an obstacle course is that you can change it up each time. Change around the order or add in new challenges. The possibilities are endless.

This is our obstacle course...

First up is the tunnel crawl. Jack loves to see how fast he can get from one end to the other. You can find different tunnels starting at around $15. We found ours at the thrift store. $2. Score! If you don't want to buy a tunnel you can find other things around your house to make one. Line up your dining room chairs and place a sheet over them to make a tunnel. You can always grab a box, open the ends, and have little one crawl through! 

This is one of Luke's favorite activities. He laughs hysterically as he crawls back and forth. Not sure why it is so funny...but he loves it! Plus I never get tired of his laugh!

Next up is the couch walk. Jack has to walk or run (the only time he is allowed to do this!) across the couch with out falling into the "snake pit" below. Luke likes this a lot as well! (I don't have many pictures of Luke doing the activities. I stay right beside him the whole time while he is doing this so he doesn't fall)

 

Once you reach the end of the couch it is time for the pillow jump. Jack likes to jump on the couch to get some momentum going...

before jumping off into the pile of pillows!

This is another of Luke's favorites.  He doesn't jump off the couch, however, mommy "tosses" him ever so gently into the pile of pillows. He thinks it is so funny.

Next up is the sit-n-spin. I put this inside their play tent just to make it a little more interesting. For Luke I set him on it and spin him slowly around. He can't really hold on so this goes on for about 1-2 turns.

Once you are done spinning, and are good and dizzy, it is time to move on to the Hot Lava Hop! If you have a bigger space you can add more pillows, or space them out farther for older kids. Jack likes to fall off the rocks and yell "hot lava momma!" and then hop back on the rocks quickly.

Finally, climb up the great mountain and slide down the snow covered hill! The more theatrical you get with this the more fun it is for the little ones! So get creative and help those little one's use their imaginations! So, yes, our ottoman and table leaf become a giant mountain and a snowy hill. :-)

If you have a real slide at home that will work too. However, we have a real slide, and my boys seem to prefer this! Simply grab an extra leaf from your table and prop it up...easy peasy. I also put a pile of pillows beside the ottoman so Luke can practice climbing up onto it, and then help him slide down. You may want to add some pillows to the bottom to ensure a cushy landing.

I usually show the boys how to go through and do each task first. After having them run through it in order a few times, then I let them decide how and in what order they want to do things. I think it would also be fun to time older kids and see how fast they can complete the tasks.

You could add in a ton of other tasks as well.
Here are a few I would love to add to ours..

balance beam...made out of a wooden beam.

hopscotch...you can make an indoor one out of fabric.

Somersault Path...put a long blanket on the floor and have the kiddos somersault their way down it.

Balloon Maze...hang balloons from string and tape them under your table. Have little ones crawl through with out bumping into the balloons.

Over-Under Crawl....line up a bunch of chairs and have little ones alternate crawling over and under each one.

Putt-Putt...we were give a little tykes golf set for Christmas which will be perfect. If you don't have one just use objects around the house...ball, stick or plastic bat, cup would work perfect. Lay the cup on the floor and have your little one hit the ball with the stick into the cup. :-)

Hula Hoop....if your little one is too young to use a hula hoop in the traditional sense, then hold it out for them to jump through. Or lay it on the ground and have them roll a ball into the middle of it.

Bean Bag toss...buy or make up your own bean bags. Have your little one stand behind a line and toss them into a bucket, bowl, or basket.

Tricycle Run...bring the kids tricycles and big wheels in the house! Have them race from one point to another. This would be even funnier for older kids who have out grown the bikes!

Trampoline...we do not own one, but a small indoor fitness trampoline would work great. We simply pull one of the toddler mattress off of the beds and jump away! Lots of fun!

Pillow Case Hop...have your little one step into a pillow case and start hopping from one marked line to another. Good old fashioned fun!

Limbo...place a broom stick across two chairs and do the limbo!

Hurdle Jump...lay pool noodles down and have your little one jump over each.

Ring Toss...instead of buying a set, cut a circle out of cardboard for the rings and toilet paper tubes for the poles!

Bowling...Save plastic bottles to use as pins! Line them up and roll a ball!


Like I said...there are tons of ideas! Get creative and do things your kids love. Change it up each time. Allow little ones to pick the obstacles and help you set them up. This will get them active and exercising, and having loads of fun!

What fun and active things do you do on a rainy spring day?

No Poo 30 Day Challenge Update

 I planned on doing my "No Poo" updates on Mondays, however, this Monday we will be in Kansas. I am super excited about it, since we will be meeting with our whole church planting team for the first time! We have a "skype" meeting with every one on Thursday nights, but there is just something different about being in person. So I will be mia till Wednesday.

If you don't know what the "No Poo" 30 day challenge is, check out my first post, on the why and how to go sans shampoo and join us!

This week was still a transition week for me. My hair was oily. Oily, but not greasy or gross. My hair was as oily the first day of washing with baking soda as it would be my second day after using shampoo. No big deal. I simply wore my hair in a pony tail or messy bun. It did get better throughout the week.

Week 2 

Day 8 Monday- Washed Hair. Top of hair looks fine. A little oily later on in the day.

Day 9 Tuesday- No wash. Oily hair. Put hair in bun.

Day 10 Wednesday- No wash. Trying to let my hair go a little longer between washing. Hair is actually no more oily than it was yesterday. Hhhmmm. 

Day 11 Thursday- Washed Hair. Increased the amount of Apple Cider Vinegar and used it as a leave in treatment on the ends of my hair after my shower. Hair feels very soft. Top of hair looks really good. Not oily. Was able to fix it curly and wear it down.

(I will add on Friday-Sundays to next week's update.)

I did some experimenting this week. I Increased the ACV on Thursday since my ends were a little dry. One reader said that she doesn't rinse out the ACV, but uses it as a leave-in conditioner. I tried this and it works great. No left over smell either! I also increased the number of days I went without washing. Not sure if you are supposed to wash every other day with this method or not. Many of the other bloggers I read go about three days between washing. Their hair doesn't get oily or dirty as fast.

So how did your week go? Please comment below with an update...I would love to hear! It isn't too late to join either. If you would like to join in with the challenge just leave a comment below, then once a week give us an update!

Natural and Frugal Bathroom Cleaning

Clorox Wipes, Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, Tilex, Pine Sol, Lysol, and Clorox Toilet Bowl cleaner. This is just a small list of all the cleaners we are made to believe we need in order to have a clean and sanitary bathroom. If you don't use every cleaner above then you have a nasty and germ filled bathroom. This is what I believed. I loved using Clorox wipes and Lysol. It killed the germs. Clorox Toilet Bowl cleaner and scrubbing bubbles were toilet necessities! Windex...well that is a no brainer...you get a streak free shine! Mop the floor with Pine Sol and spray the room with febreeze. Squeaky clean and smell good bathroom!

While all of those cleaners do kill germs, they also contain a ton of chemicals. We all know this, yet we still love to use them. I know I did. I just figured all of the talk about chemicals in our cleaners was just a bunch of hype. It doesn't really affect my health that much. Right?

But...did you know that...

The American Lung Association warns that "Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other harmful ingredients include ammonia and bleach. Even natural fragrances such as citrus can react to produce dangerous pollutants indoors. VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches ".

The Organic Consumers Association says "Cleaning ingredients vary in the type of health hazard they pose. Some cause acute, or immediate, hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or chemical burns, while others are associated with chronic, or long-term, effects such as cancer."

 If you have little ones at home this can be concerning. Think about if one of your little one's get a hold of that bottle of cleaner. That thought alone was enough to make me throw them out. 

Money was another big reason I decided to switch. Buying all of those cleaners, to achieve my sanitary bathroom, was costing a lot! 

Here is what they usually cost...

Clorox Wipes 150 ct. - $7.74

Windex- $2.87

Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner- $3.76

Pine Sol- $2.97

Scrubbing Bubbles- $2.47

Tilex- $3.78

Febreeze- $4.97

For a grand total of $28.49! That much to clean a bathroom?! Oh..and don't forget the cost for paper towels to wipe it all down. Even if you do decide to go with the cleaners that are "green" you are going to be paying just as much, if not more!

Okay enough of the why you should ditch those expensive, chemical laden cleaners. What do you do instead? I still want a clean, sanitary, and pleasant smelling bathroom!

Remember the kitchen and floor cleaner I told you about? Grab that, some baking soda, and either your un-paper towels or even better a mircofiber cloth.

To start out, I usually spray down the whole toilet (inside included) with my lemon vinegar solution and sprinkle baking soda on the inside of the toilet. Let that set while you clean the rest.

I mentioned in my first post on getting started with natural cleaners that I eventually wanted to make my own "Windex". I finally figured out the perfect recipe! It is a little complicated to make and contains a lot of ingredients. Ready....grab your lemon vinegar solution and spray it on your mirror. Wipe with a clean microfiber cloth. That is it. Complicated right. ;-)  It is amazing all the things water and vinegar can do!  (Vinegar Tips.com actually shares 1001 ways to use vinegar!)

I do suggest using a microfiber cloth to clean you mirror. It removes lint and works wonderfully. You can buy a pack of 3 at the Dollar Tree! When you first spray this on your mirror and start wiping, don't panic, it may look like it is starting to streak. Be patient, let it dry all the way, and you will have a clean and streak free mirror!

Then I spray down my sink, counter tops and faucet and wipe clean with the same microfiber cloth. Wipe the toilet clean, scrub the toilet with a brush, spray and wipe down the shower with the water and vinegar solution. Finish with spraying the floor and mopping it clean. 

You now have a sparkly clean, fresh smelling, and sanitary bathroom using only two cleaners! Amazing! I love to clean my bathroom this way. It smells wonderful, looks great, and I don't have to worry about harmful chemicals!

What does it cost to clean this way? Literally pennies!

Have you already made the switch to more natural cleaners? Any recipes you love to use in your bathroom?

Linking to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

Enjoying the Morning

Wouldn't it be so much easier to wake up happy in the mornings if you woke up to the mountains in this picture? (This photo is actually one my sister took. She lives in Colorado. I'm not jealous. Ok maybe just a little jealous. Or a lot.)

I have never enjoyed the mornings. I would never  have been classified as a "morning person".  My husband greets me in the morning with a sweet hello, and my usual response is simply a sound..."ugh". Once I had a cup of coffee, washed my face, and dressed for the day, I am usually up to a few words rather than a grunt. When we didn't have kids, this wasn't really an issue. I could just roll out of bed. Get myself ready in my own time. I didn't have any one else asking anything of me.

Then kids came. Everything changed. I now had to roll out of bed quickly and head down the hall to a hungry baby. Change his diaper, dress him, feed him, and get him settled for the morning. Add a second little one and double everything from before. Rushing in the mornings, not washing my face, or getting dressed till almost lunch time, stressed me out! I felt yucky. I probably looked yucky. I didn't feel refreshed, or ready to take on the day. When you feel that way, it becomes difficult to get motivated to do much of anything. I hated the mornings. My boys were the only good part about it. It's hard not to feel joy when being around them!

It was too difficult to give my family my best when I was half asleep. I decided a change needed to happen. A few mornings I woke up about 30 minutes before the kids usually wake, in order to get in some Bible reading. I noticed on those mornings, that even though I got a tiny bit less sleep, I felt better. I was completely awake and actually prepared for when they woke. I didn't feel as sluggish or as irritated. I was on to something...

I have now developed a loose morning routine for myself. I wake up around 6:00 am, stumble into the kitchen and start the coffee. Gotta have that coffee! While it is brewing, I open the living room windows to let in a cool, refreshing breeze. I grab my coffee and Bible, and snuggle up on the couch to read. I usually read for about 30-45 minutes. Then I look at pinterest, check out a few of my favorite blogs, or post my blog for the day.

Once I am done, I head back to our room to wash my face, brush my hair, and get dressed for the day.  This only takes me about five minutes. It is usually around 7:00 by this time. I head back to the kitchen and fill in my daily routine in my Home Management Binder. This helps me to get my priorities in line for the day and stay on task. After that is filled out, I start breakfast, wake up the boys, and get going with the day.  I will let the boys sleep in past 7:30 if they were up later that night. During that extra sleep time, I try to start a load of laundry or any other small chore that needs to be done.

I never thought I would say...I love my mornings! The house is so peaceful and quiet. I get to spend time with my Savior. Plus, I get dressed before noon! It has been wonderful since switching to this routine.

This is a loose routine, so on the nights we have to stay up late, I sleep in a bit later and just adjust. On those mornings though, I regret not making myself get up earlier. I miss my quiet time.

If you are struggling in the mornings, I encourage you to give this a try. Make up a routine that works for you. Do something so that you can relax, enjoy, and look forward to each morning. If the thought of losing an extra hour of sleep seems like too much at first, then work up to it in fifteen minute increments. It is so much easier to get through the day joyfully when you have started it that way!



Thanks to my awesome sister Erica for the gorgeous pics! Colorado is beautiful. Yes, we are all jealous now.

Our Playhouse

Welcome to our playhouse! Come on in and have some fun! 

I first saw the idea for an over the table play house on Homemade by Jill. She made an amazing playhouse for her son's birthday. I was completely in love with the idea! It took me quite a while to get around to doing the project, but once I started I had so much fun making it!

Would you like a tour? 

Above is our front door. Simply flip the door up and come on in! This makes it easy for little ones to crawl in and out. A reader on Homemade by Jill suggested adding velcro Christmas lights during December. I will definitely be doing this!

At the window box you can pick pretty flowers. They even smell! I simply spayed them with some flowery scented body spray. The smell has started to wear off, so I may add some dried lavender or something to the inside. Jack loves smelling them!

 We have our own mail box and even an Itsy Bitsy Spider!

Jack loves to deliver the mail! He will do it over and over again for thirty minutes, and still not be bored. Funny how something so simple can bring so much fun! I made up small post cards for him to deliver. They say...

Jack,
I love you.
Love Mommy

Jack,
I am proud of you.
Love Daddy

They even have a heart postage stamp.

The Itsy Bitsy spider is a huge favorite! This was the last thing I added to the house before assembling it. Jack loves to sing. Currently his favorite song is the Itsy Bitsy spider. I thought it only fitting to add one to his house. The little spider slides up and down a string and can even hide inside the bottom of the spout! Of course, he always sings the song when he plays with his spider. I love this little guy!

 

Time to go fishing! Our little pond is complete with cattails and rainbow fish. In the future I plan to add some velcro fireflies to the top that Jack can move around.

  

 It took a bit of thinking to figure out how I wanted to do the fishing rod and fish. I wanted Jack to actually be able to catch the fish on his line. I originally thought of metal sewed into the fish and a magnet on the end of the fishing line. Luke however, is still in the 'put everything, everywhere, in my mouth' stage. I was afraid he would pull the magnet off the line and choke or ingest it. Not good. 

Instead, I made the fish out of felt and stuffed them, added some velcro to the end of the fishing line and presto...time to fish! 

It is not the easiest method, since the velcro also grabs the sides of the pond. The really positive thing about it, is the concentration it takes to actually catch a fish. It also really helps with hand-eye coordination skills!

 

 This is our apple tree. You can pick the apples! Other blogs suggest making different kinds of fruit so you can switch it out periodically. I would love to add some lemons!

 Around the back we have a large garden. I got this whole idea from Homemade by Jill and from Miss Pretty Pretty on etsy. (Her houses on etsy are AMAZING!)

You can harvest all of the vegetables! We have corn, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and a giant pumpkin. During Halloween, I am going to make some felt shapes the kids can add to the pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern!

 After a long day of harvesting it is time to cook up all that good food!

 Time for a camp out! Build a fire, roast some marshmallows, and stare up at the stars!

 Each of the stars is attached with velco so Jack can move them around! There is also a stick with marshmallows (didn't make it into the picture somehow) to roast over the campfire!

Oh, and it is also a secret entrance into our playhouse! It zips up and down, which is great practice for little fingers! 

Come on inside and take a look! I wanted every inch of our play house to be interactive, encourage imaginative play, and be used as a teaching tool. Because of this I even add things to the walls inside!

First is our ABC "chalkboard" wall. Each letter is made of two pieces of felt that are sewn together to make them sturdier. Take them out of the storage pocket and arrange them on the chalkboard. Five strips of velcro help hold the letters in place. As Jack gets older I will add more letters so we can begin to spell out words.

Our clock was "created" by Jack. When I started making this clock is was a plain circle with numbers and hands. When Jack saw it he said "oh momma, tickety tock!" He was of course referring to Tickety Tock off of Blue Clues. Awesome idea Jack! I added a few more details and we now have our own Tickety Tock. The hands are attached with a button so they can be moved to practice telling time.

I added a tic tac toe game. Jack doesn't completely get how you play the game, but he is learning!

We can even practice counting on our abacus. The beads slide easily across the ribbon to count them one by one. We also use this to practice some of our colors. 

Child learn through play. That was one of my big motivations for making this house. I wanted something that would encourage my children's imagination and help them learn in the process.
We play for hours in our playhouse. The options are almost endless! It is the perfect thing for a rainy or cold day when you can't be outside.

This project was so much fun to make! I loved coming up with ideas for it. Making it was actually easier than I thought it would be. It took me about two weeks to come up with the ideas, cut it all out, and sew it all together. I made ours to fit perfectly over our kitchen table. I loved this idea since it wouldn't take up any extra space to set up a card table or make a frame for it. However, if you have some extra space to keep it set up all the time, a card table or a pvc frame would be perfect.

A few things to remember when making your own...

-Sew on all of the details first. Then assemble. It was hard enough to maneuver one big piece of felt on my sewing machine, I can't imagine how hard it would be with all the side intact already!

-Use felt for the base and details. It is easy to cut out, sew, and you don't have to finish any of the edges. 

-Make plans for at least two windows. Otherwise it becomes pretty stuffy and dark in there! Two windows will allow for airflow and light...much more pleasant.

-Consider putting some type of mesh on the windows. Little ones will try to crawl or jump through the windows. Homemade by Jill warned me of this but I didn't listen. Wishing now I would have done this!

-Shop around for your supplies. One of the reasons I put off doing this project for so long, was the amount of material the base requires. Use coupons and shop around for the best sale price. I waited and found a ton of the blue and red felt at the thrift store for only a few dollars!!!!! What a steal!


Here are some additional resources with tips on making your own Playhouse!

-Homemade by Jill has several posts on her playhouse, and even templates! Find them here.

-Sew Much Ado has a fun and easy tutorial on their boy's playhouse. Find it here.

-I love this sweet little playhouse from Nap Time Crafters! Perfect for little girls! I love the inside...especially the book shelf idea! Actually, I love it all!

-Sew Like My Mom made a playhouse to go over a pvc frame! Find it here.

-You can also find tons of inspiration on this card table playhouse Pinterest board.

-Of course if the idea of making one of your own is out of the question you can buy them from Miss Pretty Pretty on Etsy! Her playhouses are gorgeous and she has tons of themes to choose from! Find her shop here!

"No Poo" 30 Day Challenge

Okay so are you scared already? I am sure that by the title you are. Don't be, I haven't lost my mind...completely.

Ready....I will not use shampoo or conditioner for 30 days!

Wait! Don't leave....keep reading! I know this sounds crazy! I will explain how I came to where I am now with this challenge.

One month ago, I stumbled across this blog post on Simple Mom. She shares that she has not used shampoo or conditioner in three months! (definitely read her post...she explains it all so well!) My first reaction...GROSS! Which I am sure was, and is your reaction to my challenge. (probably that and...Lorissa has gone off the deep end!)

I learned that shampoo is actually a detergent. When you use it, it strips your hair of the healthy oils it needs, resulting in a vicious cycle...

Here is the vicious cycle that happens:
You wash your hair with shampoo.
It strips out the natural oils and creates a barrier.
Your hair over reacts and produces more oils to compensate for what is lost and hair becomes greasy.
You are frustrated with your oily hair so you wash it almost daily.
You keep stripping your hair of the oil it needs and the ends become frizzy, brittle and damaged.
Now you have to use a conditioner.
The top of your head is oily again. The bottom is dry and frizzy. 
And to top it off, you now need a full arsenal of hair care products just to get it to keep a style.

This has been my frustration! My hair is oily on the top, frizzy and dry on the bottom, and lays flat. Sure, I have curly hair but it just lays flat and is frizzy.

What I use on a daily basis...

I use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, silk drop, a leave in conditioner, curl shaping spray, mousse, or straightening cream.

All that, and my hair still doesn't look how I wish it would! It is still frizzy, dry, brittle, and falls out like crazy!!!! Seriously...it is amazing I still have hair left with the rate that it falls out! Oh, did I also mention I battle with dandruff. This post is quickly becoming embarrassing.

You might just tell me to switch to a more expensive shampoo, conditioner, or hair care product...but really?! I do not want to, nor will I, spend $15 on a small bottle of shampoo just to get the "results" I think it may give me. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones that has gorgeous hair with out even trying. To you I say...I hate you....I mean...wow, I am so happy for you, that is awesome!  But for me, I am at the desperate...I will try anything point! And that is where this challenge came from. From desperation!

Okay,  enough of how I got to this crazy place...what to do now?!

Drop the bottle of shampoo, put away the bottle of conditioner, and hide the 300 bottles of hair care products you currently have. Go to your kitchen and grab a box of baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. Yes, you heard that right! Hang in there...keep reading!

Here is the recipe I am currently using:

"Shampoo" : 1 Cup Water
                      1 Tablespoon Baking soda

"Conditioner": 1 Cup Water
                        1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

I simply mix up the solution and pour into a squirt bottle that I keep in the shower. From what I have read, you may have to tweak the recipe a bit to what suits your needs. If you have super dry hair you will need to use more vinegar to soften it. Super oily hair, increase the amount of baking soda. You may have to experiment for the first week to find what works for you. I have found that a little does in fact go a long way!

It will take some adjusting and getting used to. For me, getting used to not having a soapy, lathery feeling when I shampoo has been the hardest. I found out pretty quickly, that just because it isn't lathering doesn't mean it isn't getting clean! All of the other bloggers I have read also say, there is a period in which your hair re-adjusts how much oil it makes. After all, it is used to you stripping it out every day with washing it. Because of this, it will over produce oil for a time. This takes about two-four weeks (possibly as long as eight)...hang in there because your hair will adjust!

I have decided to keep a daily record of how my hair looks and is changing. I will update every week to let you know how my hair is progressing...both good and bad!(Remember this is one of the "transition" weeks so my hair will be more oily than usual while it is adjusting)

Week 1 

Day 1- First time to wash with baking soda and vinegar. I was worried the vinegar would make my hair smell funny, but it rinses completely clean- no smell! Hair feels soft and clean! Top doesn't look oily at all! I think I used too much baking soda, the top looks a little dry for once.

Day 2- No wash needed. Hair doesn't look oily yet. Still kind of dry. Must remember to use less baking soda mixture.

Day 3- Top of hair looking oily, time to wash! Hair feels clean and smells clean. Once again, I think I used too much baking soda.

Day 4-No wash. Hair looks a little oily. Put it in a pony tail. No big deal.

Day 5- Washed Hair. Getting used to not lathering. Used a little more vinegar on the ends than the last two times. Hair looks clean and feels clean.

Day 6- Top of hair looks oily. Washed hair. Didn't use enough baking soda. Hair looks and feels oily still. Washed hair again. Much better.  Hair looks, feels, and smells clean this time. I am starting to notice a change in my hair's texture. I also noticed that when I combed my hair only a few strands fell out rather than a huge amount. I wonder if that is at all related?

Day 7- Hair slightly oily but pretty normal for me even when using shampoo. Pulled it back into a pony tail.

So far I am pretty pleased with it. I wonder what my hair will be like when the transition period is over. If it is anything like the other blogger's results, I will be thrilled!

What do you think? Are you brave enough? Desperate enough? Crazy enough to give this challenge a try?

If you are still not convinced take a look at these posts: 

MSNBC.com actually wrote an article on this! Read it here!

Simple Mom gives you a hair update after using this method for two years! Read it here!

Great information from The Hair Pin on switching from shampoo and why...read here!

On Just A Couple Acres has a very encouraging post about her transition with curly hair...here! and some great "No Poo FAQ" here! 

Think about it...what if you could have beautiful hair and it not cost you a small fortune?! Forget about all of the money, chemicals, waste, and frustration that go with shampooing your gorgeous locks!

On top of that ...why not? Why not give it a try? If you hate it, you can always go back to shampoo. But if you love it, you have found the cheapest and easiest way to achieve beautiful hair.

If you are brave, desperate, crazy, or hippie enough (I think this may be why I am pretty open to the idea...my mom secretly wanted to name one of us girls Moonbeam when we were born...no joke!) to give this challenge a try with me, leave a comment below and let me know you are in! Then each week I will share my progress with you, and you all can let me know how you are doing!

Here's to hoping this is just crazy enough that it works!

Linking to Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Living Green