I was at the park today with my children and there were several other children there of all ages. One thing stood out to me though…there was a little girl, probably 16 or 18 months old who was climbing on the play structure. It seemed so difficult for her to do this as she had to lift her legs very high and when she attempted to put her foot down, she would stumble because she just couldn’t get a grip with her big, hard soled shoes. Like I had x-ray vision, I could just see her tiny toes inside those shoes trying to balance her and help her climb. But through the thickness of the shoes, they weren’t able to do their job.

This really made me realize how much our small children really need soft soled leather shoes. The reason I say leather is because leather allows the feet to breathe whereas faux leather does not. Even if it’s not for the healthy development of feet, parents should put soft sole shoes on their children just so they can get around easier. Even if they aren’t leather, go ahead and get them because most of the thick, hard sole shoes aren’t leather either.

Erbaviva’s organic chest balm is made with calendula, eucalyptus, and myrrh. The smell is so delicate, just like your baby. Because it is also made with lavender, I like to use it in the evening even if baby doesn’t have the sniffles…it is relaxing and offers a good time to give the baby a little back massage. It’s non greasy and goes on easy. This organic chest balm isn’t just for babies, toddlers love it too.

Erbabviva also has a lip and cheek balm. It comes in a stick and is made with calendula, lavender and chamomile. So easy to apply and toddlers who like to do things themselves can put it on with no mess. Great for the back of the hands during cold winters. My husband wears it too.

Get it at Saffron Rouge.

It’s amazing how lavender and lemon compliment each other. Even if the two were lying next to each other on a counter they would have beautiful appeal. I can’t think of many ways to have lavender and lemon together; maybe a linen spray, a massage oil perhaps, possibly even a candle. But have you ever had lavender and lemon goat cheese?

I have. And it is wonderful. I bought it at my local farmer’s market to use in a recipe with figs. Interestingly enough, the container of goat cheese, (it came in a clear, round container) actually had dried lavender flowers in it. The flavor is delicate and sweet, with the consistency of something similar to new york cheesecake, but a bit more crumbly.

If you have never tried lavender and lemon goat cheese, try it. Look for it at your farmer’s market or natural grocery store and be brave, taste something different!

Hard water can really mess things up…drinking glasses get cloudy and filmy and you’re left trying to convince your guests the glass you are giving them is clean. How many shower heads per year does a house with hard water go through? Well, once our shower head blew off and water came pouring out like it does from the end of a hose. Read more…

I really like lavender oil, especially the lavender fine from Primavera. I use it to make my own diaper wipes and I always add a drop at bath time. The scent is so relaxing, I’m not sure who needs it more…me or the kids.

Some other useful things you can do with lavender oil: Put a few drops in some water into a spray bottle and spritz on bed linens & pillows or use on furniture; add some drops to a base oil and a mix of a few other ingredients for organic/natural cleaning recipes; add a few drops of lavender to a base oil and use as a fragrance (remember that essential oils are too concentrated to apply directly to the skin, always use a carrier oil when using essential oils); Apply lavender oil to some cotton, stuff into a sachet bag and keep in a drawer to make it smell good.