The following is a guest post by Cumming Local Mom Writer, Jenie.

Going Green on the Cheap … Shampoo & Conditioner

I decided a couple of years ago to use less chemicals on my body. I had two reasons:

1. For the environment
2. To hopefully clear up my acne.

When I began my search I was shocked to see how costly “green” body products were. There also seemed to be way too many ingredients to me, for these things to be truly green/organic.  I knew there had to be a way to do it cheaper and with less ingredients.  So here’s the things I use that are truly green/organic & frugal:

SHAMPOO (2 options)

1. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap (liquid)
I use this for shampoo most of the time. I LOVE this product! It’s super concentrated so it goes a long way. You can buy it in a liquid or a bar. (I have both.) It comes in several different fragrances & also fragrance free. You can also use the Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap for body wash, hand soap, and alot of other uses too. The big bottle costs around $15, and it takes me months to use it all up.

DIRECTIONS:
-Wet hair, put several drops across the front section of hair, rub in.
-Section at crown, put several drops on bottom section of hair, rub in.
-Massage your whole scalp
-Rinse thoroughly

2.  Baking soda
Super cheap & I can skip a day of washing when I use this.

DIRECTIONS:
-Use your old shampoo bottle (rinsed out) and fill it half way with baking soda, & fill the rest with water.
-Shake to mix.
- Wet hair.  Section hair & squeeze some baking soda mixture on section & gently rub in. Do this to your whole head, making sure to give your mixture a shake to keep it mixed. (Your baking soda doesn’t dissolve in the water.) I do 4 sections in the front & 2 in back.
-Massage your whole scalp to make sure you got it all over. (This is great for stimulating your hair to grow too!)
-Leave it on for a minute or two.
-THOROUGHLY rinse.

CONDITIONER

• Apple Cider Vinegar
If you use this, you will not smell like vinegar!

DIRECTIONS:
-Take a 10oz cup (it doesn’t have to be 10oz, that’s just what I use) & put approximately 2 tsp vinegar in the cup & fill the rest with water.
-Dip the ends of your hair in (if it’s long) & then pour the rest over your head.
-Wait a few seconds & RINSE.

I have fine hair and it works great for me because it doesn’t weigh my hair down. For people with thicker & drier hair, you will have to add more vinegar.

A warning: your hair/scalp will have to adjust to this. Make the switch slowly, unless you don’t mind looking like a grease head. Start out once a week, then twice a week, & so on. Your hair and scalp will feel so good & healthy, with a natural shine.

More About Jenie

I am a newbie to Cumming. I moved here from North Texas at the end of May, and I really like living here.  I’ve been married for 7 years and have 2 kids. A son that’s 5 (he just started school this year!) and a daughter that is 3.  I am a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I like to cook, sew, garden, read, work out, and my favorite thing is being a mom!  Of course this is not everything about me, but I’ll keep this short and sweet so I don’t bore you to death!

Post linked to Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family.
Photo Source:  D. Sharon Pruitt

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The following is a guest post from Heather Clark of Act Together Ministries.   I know it’s a great reminder for me, personally, I hope it’s a good reminder for all of us!

Photo Source: D Sharon Pruitt

Stopping to Think

Do you ever find yourself thinking “when I finally finish school…”, “when I get the job I want…”, “when I get married…”, “when I have children..”, “when the children move out…”, “when I retire..”

It’s easy to get caught up in planning the future, but we have to be careful about getting so wrapped up in the future that we miss the present.

It started when we were young children. “When I grow up, I want to…” but it never stops until one day we start longing for the past. Time flies and we see that in the lives of the children around us.

But each day is a treasure!

Read Full Article …

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That's Me in the Middle - 4th from the Left!

“Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, a southern society girl returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends’ lives — and a small Mississippi town — upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, is the first to open up — to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community. Despite Skeeter’s life-long friendships hanging in the balance, she and Aibileen continue their collaboration and soon more women come forward to tell their stories — and as it turns out, they have a lot to say.”

About two weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to attend a pre-screening of the new movie THE HELP.

I remember first seeing the trailer for this during movie previews earlier this year.  I remember, then, wanting to see it.  So I jumped at the opportunity to see it early.  I had not read the book yet, so my only expectations were based on the previews and it completely exceeded those expectations! I laughed one minute, was saddened the next, and inspired all throughout!

It also left me with many questions – mainly regarding others’ perspectives.  What did my parents remember about that time period?  My grandparents?  What would I have done if I was a young adult in that setting?  What  character would I have been most like – one that belittled “the help” or one that empowered them?

I haven’t seen a good, solid movie in a long time.  But this one definitely goes up at the top of my list!  The storyline was wonderful.  The actors (Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer & more) were AMAZING.  And my company (pictured above) was great too!

If you have read the book already, I know you’re probably wondering “but what if you read the book”?  Like I said, I haven’t, but a few of my friends that previewed it did.  And they were not disappointed either!  My only “complaint” with the movie is that I left wanting to know more about the characters.  What happened to them when the movie ended?  And from what I’ve heard, the book does wrap that up more “neatly” than the movie did.  But overall, if you read the book, I definitely think you’ll want to see the movie too!

I don’t want to give too much away, but I do want to know if you see it.  I would LOVE to get your input & “talk” about it.

THE HELP opens nationwide tomorrow, August 10th.  Check out the screenings for both Movies 400 and AMC Theatres Forsyth.

Learn more about THE HELP on Facebook, online, and on Twitter.

Photos courtesy of Dreamworks Media File

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Mom always knows the answers – whether it’s who, what, when, where, how or why … if you ask “mom”, she knows!  Or sometimes after the 20th question, she just knows to make up an answer – can I get an amen?!

I truly love the community that all Cumming Local readers are providing in our little world of social media & networking.  But truth be told, I know all the Cumming Local “Moms” out there have many more ways to contribute and help.  So, I’m asking for just that.

Do you have a passion for fashion, green living, health, parenting, crafting, relationships, shopping, frugal living or something else?

Do you like to talk about something and wish you had more people to talk about it with?

We would love to give you that platform!  We’re looking for guest posts on the topics above & many others.   Whether you already blog or you’ve never blogged before, if you’re interested, we may be too!

Email us and let us know what your interests are and what topic you’re interested in sharing with our readers.   We’ll follow up with you from there!

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