Spring 2013: 8 Links To Spring into Spring

It seems every spring I blog about the same old stuff... spring cleaning, Earth Day, yummy foods, getting out and gardening... Instead of regurgitating everything, here are a few of my links from years past in case you'd like to peruse at your own pace:

• No better time than during spring cleaning to start an all natural cleaning supply routine.
• Celebrate spring with these 7 tips to live simply.
• The spring thaw is he perfect time to start composting.
• 18 ways to get your New England yard ready for spring.
• Buy your ice pop maker now, you'll will be making oodles of popsicles for hot, sweaty kids any day.
• Carve yourself out a little corner in your yard, so that you can start sipping tea and watching the trees bud and flowers blossom.
• I am sooo excited to get back on the grill... and to eat summer salads... lots and lots of salads!
• Start your summer bucket list now so that you can start planning/budgeting/daydreaming for your summer.

Any other ideas for a successful spring in New England that you'd like to share?

Spring 2013: Sunscreen Shopping

I do this post every spring... because it is important. You need to shop for sunblock each year because last years sunblock will lose potency with time and changes in temperature.

Before I go to the store, I check in on my favorite database from EWG Skin Deep. It is an amazing resource where you can look up your product and find out everything from it's cancer causing chemicals, developmental & reproductive toxicity and allergies & immunotoxicity info.

You can the see a rating system for each product (0-2 is Low Hazard, 3-6 is Moderate and 7-10 is High Hazard.)

I went with the Badger Sunscreen again this year for my girls as it had a rating of 1 and was relatively inexpensive. There are some great organic products out there, but they cost $20 for 2 ounces! My kids would go through that in a day!

Just remember that even on days when it feels cool, you are still getting a ton of sun on a bright day. The girls and I spend the last few days of our spring break outside... and even though we were in sweatshirts due to the cooler temperatures, we all ended up with rosy cheeks!