Yo Betty, lets go camping and pack the cocktails! A review and giveaway!

Where I live, Memorial Day weekend is the kick off for camping season! Except the cost of gas is $4.20 a gallon and its freezing cold. I haven’t seen too many campers headed into this normally booming tourist town. I could be wrong though. Personally, I’m not much of a camper but that doesn’t mean I haven’t slept ina tent with gross, camp fired scented clothing and toxic bug spray fumes and the sticky marshmallows on my fingers. I have. I just didn’t love it. I’d rather “hotel” it. I’m just not a fan of sleeping on rocks and rolling over next to a dewing wet tent and then having to pee like crazy and running to a gross bathroom that smells like crap or better yet, going in the woods. I always pee on my pants when I squat! So then I smell like urine, among the other great things. I know, I know…there’s lots of great things associated with camping and now that I’ve read the book Backcountry Betty, Roughing it in Style by, Jennifer Worick …I think I might consider giving the tent a whirl. I’m going to start in my backyard and work my way to the camp ground and then the woods with no bathroom. Baby steps.

I think my problem with camping is the dirty, stinky gross feeling. I like showers and being clean. That doesn’t mean I don’t get nitty gritty dirty but I’m a Betty, just not my Aunt Betty. Bless her heart but she’s so grumpy and never smiles. The very first chapter of the book addresses hygiene and how to stay fresh and feel fresh. This chapter made me love the whole book right from the start. The book, besides being witty and humorous (like this blog), has many practical pointer and tips. For example, if you have to go number 2 make sure you build a “cat hole” and locate it 200 feet from water and downwind. Now that’s practical! Oh, and do not go swimming in the ocean if your having your monthly Aunt Flow visit because sharks can sense this. Go figure?

Jennifer Worick does a great job in a very non-boring way, pointing out how camping can be fun and still have style and class if you pack and plan ahead. This doesn’t mean wear your stilettos (which I can’t wear anyhow) tromping through the woods! No, just your comfy vegan hiking boots from Zappos! I don’t know if they have these or not, but maybe they do? The point is to mesh practicality, organization and a little bit of pizzazz without wreaking or giving up all sense of feeling like a woman. Over and over it is pointed out to respect nature, not liter, carry your trash and used toilet paper with you (another reason I’m not a camping fan), do not disturb nature and again to respect nature. Just because you’re camping doesn’t mean you can’t have fondue or cocktails and Backcountry Betty shows you how! Ahh and if camping with your hot sweaty man is your thing there are lots of green and clean tips on how to spice things up without disturbing nature. Backcountry Betty helps keep you warm without the sleeping bag!

Not every idea is “green” but not every person camping is either. If you’re looking for a fun read, have a friend who isn’t so keen on camping or maybe you’d like some fun tips on making your next camping trip a trip that screams, “I’m a hot Betty and I can rough it (wink, wink) in style!” then this is the book for you. I have plenty of suggestions on how Betty can be more eco-savvy and sassy, like suggesting earth friendly products, recycled toilet paper, and not being so Ziploc baggy loving (but then it is camping). Get your copy from Mountaineers Books for only $14.95.

Wanna win a copy? K. Just leave me a comment and tell me a funny camping story. I need a good laugh. I’ll send a copy of the book to whoever makes me chuckles the hardest and pee my pants. I’ll announce the winner on June 1, 2008 when the new site launches.

A green bikini wax?

I’m blushing! My new best friends, Dori and Val read my email on their 5/7/08 podcast and I just listened to it (they say "clean and green" mom but we know, I'm GREEN & CLEAN Mom). I sent them an email asking them about waxing a very sensitive part of the body and whether that was very “green”. Seriously, I say I’m a Green & Clean Mom but my hubby says then I should also be “clean”. Please don't get the impression I'm not clean but he means, clean as in bare! Not a topic I generally blog about or care to discuss but what is the greener option when it comes to waxing down there? I thought who better to ask then my BFF’s. Isn’t that what friends are for? Except, I thought maybe they’d email me back with the answer but it’s too funny of a topic not to discuss, so of course they’d read it. Duh! Thank goodness they took my side! My husband was very disappointed. I haven't exactly decided what I will do but being manicured is not a crime, so that has led me to do some research after listening to their show.

Listen to the podcast and hear their discussion on my email question. If you’re not a loyal listener (like me) then you should really become one. They have great tips and frankly, they make me laugh every time I listen. Probably because people like me write them crazy emails about bikini waxes!!! I also did some research and found out that there's actually a Get Waxed service in California that uses a organic, natural product. In my neck of the woods, we don't have this service but the spa I frequent will soon hear about some of the lovely products I have researched (not saying I'm going to use them down there). The ladies over at Beauty Brain talk about organic hair removal and a process called threading. I have a good friend who had her eyebrows threaded and she cried. I'm going to pass on this service for the southern region. Just my opinion though, I don't favor pain. Ideal Bite mentions a spa in New York that uses a organic honey wax with no parabens or chemicals for brazilian waxes (OUCH). I'm shaking my head very fast and have my legs crossed tightly. I found another spa that only uses 100% certified organic products and they use a sugar wax down there. If your a DIY type person, GiGi Wax sells brazilian wax kits that they claim to be all natural and you can just heat the stuff in the microwave. I wouldn't deem this safe or trust the all natural part but hey, maybe you're really talented, brave or stupid? Personally, I say leave the waxing for the professionals, but I won't even touch my own eyebrows! If your thinking of having a waxing service done because it is bathing suit season you should do some reading about the difference between a bikini and a brazilian wax. I love Oprah and she once had an audience member say a brazilian wax hurt more than childbirth! So let me know what your thoughts are on what is more green and if you know of some organic products on the market for waxing. I'll be sure to let me BFF's know all about your responses!

Get a "natural" white smile!

I’ve always been drawn to an attractive smile. I don’t want to sound vain but I look at people’s teeth and their smile. It’s probably because I had horribly crooked teeth until high school. I remember dreaming about my teeth being perfect and excited to get braces. Now that my teeth are straight (almost, I have a crooked eye tooth on the bottom) I look at how white someone’s teeth are. It’s just me. I actually used to use over the counter whiteners because I wanted my teeth to look crayon white, like the stars on television. I realized how this wasn’t exactly “natural” and that there could be some risks involved so I stopped. Now my teeth are a little bit yellow…not a lot…but enough to make me contemplate a run to the drug store.

This sent me on a research mission for a natural way to whiten my teeth! Phew, I found a yummy option (wipe brow with hand)! Strawberries and baking soda…go figure! According to this great article online from, Health.com, the strawberry secret is, “malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration.” Add baking soda and you have a natural buffer for the shine! Health.com, offered the following recipe:

You need:

1 ripe strawberry

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

You just crush it all together and use your toothbrush to spread it on your teeth (has to taste better than the white strips). Health.com, recommends leaving it on for five minutes and then brushing with, hopefully, your all natural toothpaste! You have to be careful to not do this too often, the baking soda can hurt your enamel and the strawberry does have natural sugar that can cause cavities.

I did try this and it wasn’t too bad. I haven’t noticed a big difference but I’ll do it a few times over the next month and hopefully I’ll be pearly white again. I do recommend flossing because of the seeds!!!