Just got an email about being 'green' - I wanna know something.......

punkeemunkee'smom wrote: I just got an email from a very 'crunchy' mom in our activity group. It held tips on how to be more earth friendly at the same time you were frugal. Some things like re-use zip-lock baggies, how to make ur own baby wipes with all natural ingredients, times of the day to drive/mow/use electricity etc. All pretty easy stuff that made sense. (although I am confused about the zip-lock thing. wouldn't you use water to wash them and deplete another natural resource?) Anywho I came to a part of the email that has me sitting here wondering and shaking my head. They suggest ways to cut back on water useage (what about washing those zip-locks ) It starts out easy enough 1) Be sure that all faucets and floats on toliets are in working order. A small drip can lead to a large amount of water wasted. I can get on board with that! 2) Turn the water off while brushing teeth. Leaving the water running during the whole process can waste as much as 15 gallons of water I am there! Now here is where I started having problems! 3) Don't flush the toilet unless it is needed. Try to limit to 3 flushes a day. To help kids that like to flush turn the valve at the back of the toilet off. 4) Have set times during the day to wash hands. We wash hands way too often in our culture and are making children sicker by doing so () *before a meals works well* OK here I must pause..... What about before you prepare a meal, after you use the restroom, after playing outside or petting an animal? OK back to the email...5) Skip the nightly bath or shower. Opt for a sponge bath-during summer let the kids swim and give baths every few days. 6) This one is a favorite of moms! Don't do those dishes/laundry everyday! Play clothes can be reworn-they are going to get dirty again-let them be wash worthy instead of just throwing them in the washer. Wait until the dishwasher or sink is full before doing dishes and if doing them by hand have a rinse sink that you fill once and rinse in. OK the tips keep going but I am not going to copy anymore because these are the ones that really have me stunned. Is this a normal 'Go Green' philosophy? I could go on but I honestly want to know. I am sorry but not flushing? not bathing? To me that is gross not green!

holley79 replied: I'm with you. Gross not green. Toliets get flushed every time we use the bathroom. Hands get washed after ever potty break, before meal prep, before we eat dinner after we come in from outside, well lets just say ALL THE TIME. I am constantly washing my hands. I don't reuse Baggies unless they just had my crackers in them so that's no biggy or a couple slices of bread.

mckayleesmom replied: Ya...sorry, but that is gross. The thing about the baggies doesn't bother me about the water thing....its the bacteria that can grow inbetween uses.....I would just skip the baggies and use tupperwear.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: I don't shower everyday, don't flush after every trip (unless it's #2!!!), don't wash clothes unless they are REALLY dirty, and don't wash my hands constantly either; only if they are dirty or before eating/meal prep.

There's a tool you can put in your dishwasher that holds plastic baggies to wash them. I don't have one, but I try to avoid using plastic bags in the first place.

It's not typical of "going green", some people go even further by not using any paper products, including toilet paper. I can't get DH to quit that though, so we're not THAT green.

mckayleesmom replied: Also...my kids would reak if I didn't bathe them at night during the summer....They play outside all day and sweat....Russell is already getting that no so fresh boy scent going......

Edited to add that sometimes I do skip soap and just rinse them off in the shower really fast.......but I couldn't go without some kind of bath for them.

PrairieMom replied: We reuse plastic bags here, I think that its worth it to wash them, considering how damaging they are to our environment.
As far as the water usage thing, we shower, but the kids bathe together to conserve water.
I also fill their pool up once a week in the summer, and when I empty it I use a small pump attached to a hose so I can re-use that water for my garden and plants.

People go green to varying degrees, I think its important to remember that you don't have to change in every single way, just a small step here and there can make a huge difference.

My2Beauties replied: I shower EVERY SINGLE DAY...that is just grooooooooooooooooosssss!!!! Eeew especially when women are on their period....ick!! God that's disgusting. Anyways, the kids take a bath every other day usually unless they get filthy dirty or sweaty and stinky. I could possibly reuse plastic baggies, but I literally never use them, maybe once a month or something like that. I will never ever and I mean never not wash my hands before preparing a meal or after using the restroom...sorry just won't do it, especially in a public bathroom. Oh and if you pee or poop in my toilet I will hunt you down if you don't flush!! Who wants to look at other people's pee, not to mention it stains your toilet if left in there (had it happen to my upstairs bathroom when the kids woulld get up there and go and not flush and I never use it), plus it makes your bathroom smell like well......pee!

MommyToAshley replied: We bathe every day here, wash our hands constantly (ok, excessively) and Ashley is hardly ever sick. So, I have to disagree with that statement. We wash our clothes and flush the toilet after each use. I guess I am not very green.

As for the baggies... I've been hearing a lot about not reusing plastic bottles and other plastics because they leech harmful chemicals into your food and drinks. I wonder if the same it true for plastic baggies? We've gone to using lead-free glass bowls for storing and microwaving -- we don't even use tupperwear.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
That is pretty much how I feel! I do NOT want a port-o-potty in my house. I don't use them in public! We take a shower everyday,actually usually 2x a day, sometimes Tay will shower or bathe 3 or 4 times a day if she wants to. It is hot here and we are outside alot. She hates feeling sweaty so she can bathe and cool off whenever she wants to. We all are avid handwashers. It seriously makes me sick to my stomach if someone uses the restroom and doesn't wash their hands in our home! I will say something about it. I am all for conserving what I can as far as water useage and electricity but I will not sacrifice personal hygene to do so.

stella6979 replied:
Well slap my booty and call me gross. If I'm going out ANYWHERE, I will definitely take a shower and get myself ready, but if I know that Avery and I are just going to hang around the house for a day or two than I don't see the point. Now, when it's that time of the month, I'll make an exception.

Danalana replied: Yeah, I usually shower every other day

punkeemunkee'smom replied: If I just chilled out in the A/C all day then I could see the ability to go a day without a shower. Here in the 100+ degree heat and being outside 4-5 times a day feeding (which includes raking and forking hay) a shower is a must!

My2Beauties replied:
Well I see your point, that is fine, I have done that before, hung out all day, got to cleaning the house and what not...didn't shower, just cleaned up a bit...BUT if I'm going to work or something I will shower. Most days I have something to do (t-ball, gymnastics, step competition, being with friends, etc...) so this doesn't happen very often.

stella6979 replied:
Gotcha. When I was working I did shower everyday cause if I didn't my hair would be soooo greasy. But if I have nothing to do, I'll gladly sit around for 2 or 3 days without showering. You can probably see the stink rising off me right now.

My3LilMonkeys replied: I will wear some clothing items - mostly pj's, but also jeans and sweatshirts sometimes more than once before washing - but only if they're still clean. We use towels 2-3 times each before washing as well, and if no one spills anything (big *if* in our house ) the same hand towel will last a week in our kitchen for just drying counters, hands, etc.

Days when we're inside all day and don't go anywhere the girls and I will skip baths/showers sometimes.

We do flush every time we use the bathroom, although if, for example, I'm in there and I know Brooke is waiting I won't flush since she'll be flushing right after. However, when I was a kid we had well water only and in the summers when things got dry we had to seriously conserve water because we would run out....we would not flush every time and we never had a problem with staining or smell.

holley79 replied:

This is how it was for us growing up also on well water. We did have to conserve big time during the summer. I also think the "natural" water from our well and the nasty city water we have now plays a role in the staining of toliets. Dh pees off the back porch sometimes so I don't have to worry about him wasting water. Typical man.

grandma replied:
lol - I agree with you. I think showering everyday is way over-rated.

jcc64 replied: We have well water up here on the mountain, and this is an area known to run wells dry in the summer. We had a "If it's pee, let it be..." policy before we dug a new well, and tbh, I really don't see what the big deal is. One flush of a toilet uses ALOT of water, and if it comes down to running out of water, and not flushing every single time, I had no problem with the policy. It didn't smell, I'm not really sure why it's so disgusting--it's not like we were drinking out of the toilet (though the dogs were, but that was their own choice...) My boys and dh also peeoutside whenever possible.
I'm a shower every day kind of girl, but I don't have issues with people who don't (unless they reek, of course). I think we Americans are a little neurotic about "cleanliness", tbh.

Teesa®© replied: I don't shower every day, but I can't sweat so it's OK for me.

I don't do dishes every day because I wait till I have a sink full. I now only fill the sink 1/2 way, though.

EVERYBODY has to flush and wash their hands or they get sent BACK to the bathroom!! I'm lenient on that during the late night's since when our water runs from ANYwhere up here, it's VERY loud downstairs. Ever hear Niagara Falls? Pretty much like that. And since we have a writer in the unit downstairs, well, I don't want to scare him outta the crap in the middle of the night!! lol Since I drink a pot or two of coffee or tea a day, I'm up there pretty much every hour on the hour.

I have to do laundry almost every day, but only when there's a full load. We do "recycle" clothes as long as they're still clean.

I don't worry too much about the water as it just gets recycled through the filtering plants and we re-use it anyway.

If the children are in the pool a lot, I don't worry about baths every day and I'll just wash their hair in the kitchen sink. Since the pool is on our balcony overlooking the car, we just dump it on the car . We can only hit the hood with it - it's a 15 foot car - but we can get 1/3 of the car clean .

PrairieMom replied:
Thats KINDA true, but really they are finding now that a lot of our water is becoming contaminated with partials that aren't getting cleaned out at the filtering plants. Chemicals that are seeping into our water systems from agriculture and what not, plus stuff that people are flushing like medications.
It also takes a lot of energy to clean our water.
All the earths systems are tightly wound together, so when one thing is effected, they all are.

grandma replied: "I think we Americans are a little neurotic about "cleanliness", tbh."

I think that sums it up pretty well. I mean for an adult to wash jeans that have been worn one day is just uncalled for. Unless you are wrestling hogs in the mud all day.

Teesa®© replied:
Why, I was JUST doing that this morning!!!

grandma replied:
lol - then you get to wash your jeans

DillsMommy replied:
I shower and put on clean clothes everyday--so why would I make my kids wear dirty clothes. Even if they are JUST play clothes. That's gross, IMHO.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
I guess you won't be coming to visit anytime soon . I just don't see the need to waste water all the time. Of course if we are going somewhere, I'll take a shower. But I'm home most all the time & it's just a waste. Plus, using toxic hair and body products isn't good for anyone or anything either.

holley79 replied:
Well if you guys didn't bathe every day you would be putting dirty clothes on dirty bodies.

I will wear a pair of slacks for 2 days if I'm not sweaty. I don't have a problem with that. I change into workout clothes before I leave work so I'm only in them for 8 hours. Works for me. Now if I have been outside in my work clothes then they are so going in the laundry.

Teesa®© replied:
I don't wear jeans, actually, I can't stand them. For some reason, they make my legs all itchy and scratchy. The last time I wore jeans I was out walking. My legs itched so bad I was ready to cry. I walked into a mechanic's garage and asked for a pair of scissors and a bathroom.

I gave all the ones I had left to DH.

AlexsPajamaMama replied:
I wear my jeans multiple times before washing them, and my sons jeans as well, especially in the winter when he isnt out in the dirt and we are just in the house. Pajamas too we wear 2or3 times.

Cece00 replied: I have to take a shower every day, and so does DH. Kids do, too, they are FILTHY when they come home from daycare from playing outside. I have to wash their clothes, and ours, too. If they only wore them for a little while (or if I wear a pair of jeans for just a little while, or whatever) then I wont wash those, but clothes worn all day are washed.

And as far as handwashing...since its been proven that frequent handwashing is the #1 way to keep yourself healthy, we'll keep doing that too, a LOT.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407

It makes you LESS susceptible to getting sick, not more...so whatever crunchy mom sent that to you obviously doesnt know what she's talking about.

I think its really gross when ppl dont wash their hands after touching animals, using the bathroom, before and after touching food, before a meal, after playing outside, after going out somewhere in public, etc ....if there was a way we could see all the germs on surfaces, people would wash their hands a lot more...but since they are invisible, I guess ppl dont think about it as much. Yuk

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I shower every other day, give or take. In the winter it's sometimes less, and in the summer it's more. My hair doesn't get greasy once it gets used to being washed a bit less. But in the summer I can't stand the sweaty sticky feeling so I have to shower more. My kids take baths every few days. I don't wash my jeans every time I wear them, but I almost never wear a shirt twice without washing it. My kids clothes usually get washed after every wear because they get them pretty dirty. As for flushing though, I can't STAND it when the toilet doesn't get flushed! I always send Andrew back to flush it if he forgets... pee sitting in the toilet is just gross imo - and then usually if it doesn't get flushed that means that the lid doesn't get closed either and then the dog might drink out of it (YUCK - especially since he might just decide to go lick one of my kids afterwords ) or worse, Allie might go stick her hands in it.

I don't wash ziplock bags either - my mom always did and I hated washing those stupid things! Plus they never seem to get completely dry. That's just me though - I don't have anything against people who do.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Okay, I think cleanliness is next to Godliness.

We bath everyday here. Of course we do have a small farm and we do a lot of work outside. Having boys I will tell, we HAVE to wash play clothes everyday b/c if not they are so caked with dirt they can walk by themselves.

Hand washing is the most important way to fight disease and infection. You know what seems so odd to me. Years ago, so many of our forefathers, heck even our great grand parents died from diseases due to not being able to disinfect. They got an infection and they were goners. Now we have the smarts and the technology to stay clean, and infection free and suddenly it's taboo to do so. I am sorry but I think we need to wash our hands, I think we need to keep our homes clean and I am sorry if I am not environmentally correct in using the water to do that?

It would seem to me that it would be deemed unsanitary not to wash often. To have urine and feces in the toilet. I mean they breed Bactria. It's waste from your body, not something that's a good thing. If my body doesn't need it, then I sure don't want it on my hands. You know how many people get infections. I saw a show on TV where a woman got an infection from eating something that had FECAL matter on it. Now she wasn't eating POOP. She was eating something that touched by someone who DIDN'T wash their hands.!!! If you go to the bathroom and don't wash, what do you do when your nose itches? Or your eyes are running!

Doesn't dirty dishes lead to things like bugs, flies and gnats? Roaches?

And on reusing towels? Don't they smell odd after being wet? I know I have picked mine out of the hamper and they that mildew smell. And for me personally I think about the dead skin that I scrubbed off. But I hate washing towels that's for sure. And with four kids you don't ever have to worry about doing a partial load of laundry.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

This was a group email, not just her thoughts on the subject. It looked like tips from a web-site or an organization.

Cece00 replied:
Got ya...wasnt very clear from the post, so I thought she was typing them.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
No I am with ya! I was more worried that there was a large group of people who think that way (about the handwashing)

Boys r us replied: I'm with ya Mel on the cleanliness thing!! We both shower everyday, honestly..even I was just staying home and not going anywhere..what about when my DH comes home from work? He doesn't want to come in and see me all greasy haired and looking gross! I think it's important to not let ourselves go..I wouldn't have gone on a date with him 10 years ago with my hair and skin all oily the way it gets from having not showered...so why would I present myself to him now that way? Just because I'm married? and I'm sorry but before I'd have 'adult relations' I want to be clean and I sure want my DH to have had a shower that day!
No..I shower every single day..rain or shine, sick or well, staying in or going out..it may not always happen first thing in the morning, but you can be guaranteed that by 4pm when Rick gets home, no matter what kind of a day I've had...I am showered and have clean clothes on. I think he deserves that, even if I didn't have a problem myself with not liking to feel gross and dirty.

As for the laundry..honestly, I could do better about that because we don't ever rewear anything and there are times that the kids will wear something for an hour to go to dinner and then come home and change into play clothes and I don't ever look to see if the clothes are clean or dirty..I just wash.

The toilet thing...

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: Wow, you guys must think we live in filth from the way you word things. We don't. We wash ourselves everyday, just not in a shower or bath. The kids get washed down before bed. The toilet is clean, and has no stains, and doesn't smell. The dishes are done every day, not after every meal though. The laundry is done everyday, of course, or I'd have mountains in my laundry room.

The handwashing thing - we wash our hands when they are dirty, but don't use an anti-bacterial soap (a natural soap instead, nothing with harsh chemicals). We aren't obsessive about handwashing though, but everyone needs clean hands when they help me in the kitchen and when it's time to eat.

The toilet thing - we usually go to the bathroom as a group, and wait until everyone goes to flush. Mornings, when everyone has to go, same thing. If someone goes #2, of COURSE it's flushed right away!

The showering thing - I just don't see the point of it everyday. I don't see the point of being all "dressed up" for DH either. He doesn't for me, why should I for him? My days are pretty busy, and I really don't care what I look like when DH gets home. He doesn't care either. My job is to have the house in order, an awesome supper going, and the kids happy. If I look like hell after that, I don't care, my job is accomplished. I'm not all into getting all dressed up, & I hate make-up too.

Boys r us replied: Mollie, the idea of pee water splashing up on my butt grosses me out

and well, call me crazy..but I do love to look nice for MYSELF and for my DH and we've got a pretty awesome relationship..so I guess it works for us to still think about one another and stay nice looking for each other..I mean he's 31, not 60..he wants and deserves a wife that takes care of herself and puts forth an effort to look nice..I always want him to walk in the door and remember what good things are here waiting for him and for him to be happy to be home.

jcc64 replied: Mollie, You really don't need to worry about what others think.
I think it's great that you are concerned about the world beyond your own front doors.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
I'm glad you feel that way, whatever makes you guys happy.

And isn't that what toilet paper is for?

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Thanks! Some people don't give a crap, and that is very, very sad. What is that teaching their children?

grandma replied:
Marriage and love go beyond 'looking hot" everyday....lol I love my husband most when he's happy working on his classic car in the hot garage, sweaty...with no shirt on and grease on his hands and face. To me...that's sexy (call me carzy).
About the showering everyday, honestly I just don't get dirty. And I'm not washing clothes that don't need to be washed either, what a waste of time!
Different living standards for different people, that's what makes the world a more interesting place.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Maybe he would make an effort for you but even if he did not maybe you would feel a little less stress and just better to try it for yourself!

stella6979 replied:
I agree. I mean, if we have a date night or if we're going somewhere, I'll definitely fix myself up, but other than that, I don't see the point. Make-up is expensive and I just don't enjoy putting it on every day and Jeff has told me many times that he prefers me without it. He thinks I'm beautiful no matter what and tells me so EVERYDAY. Whether I'm showered and looking pretty or still laying around in my pj's with my hair pulled back.

Boys r us replied: I don't think any one of us are less concerned about saving the earth. I guess we all have our ways that we feel we contribute. We recycle, only buy organic and we buy organic milk in the glass that is then returned and reused, we stopped getting the newspaper and read it online now(which I HATE), I use my green shopping bags ..I could go on and on. Those may seem like small things to some, but it works for us and every little step helps. I guess some people could say that mass producing is bad for the environment too..more people equals more pollution.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Like I said, we're not giving up basic hygiene. We wash when we are dirty, plain & simple. Why waste the water if you're not even dirty? I'd be more concerned about the toxic beauty products most people use.

Boys r us replied: and it isn't about looking hot or having makeup on..it's just about being clean and presentable..I know I don't want to come home to my DH looking like a big grease ball..so I return the favor. Of course your husbands love you no matter what, but I would think I would be seriously fooling myself if I made myself believe that my DH didn't enjoy the fact that I don't take him for granted by turning into someone I wasn't when he married me. I don't want looking nice to be an exception only for date nights, I want looking bad to be an exception for being sick! My DH doesn't expect me to look any certain way..I expect it of myself, I WANT to look nice for him. Besides, it makes me far more productive when I get up and shower..but hey..that's just me and what works for me. There isn't really a right or wrong, just a whatever works for each person!

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
"Mass producing"? Wow, that's a new one to me . I think that my 6 kids, who are raised in an environmentally friendly way, and then in turn follow in those ways, are less damaging than 2 or 3 kids raised in the conventional way (i.e. - shopping every weekend, spending large $$$$ on frivioulous clothes and other self-indulging wasteful things).

stella6979 replied:
I'm the same exact person I was when we met so that's not a factor for us. And I do enjoy looking nice for myself, which is why I do get done up if we're going somewhere (even just to the store), but if I'm just gonna to be putzing around the house all day, I won't waste my time. I don't think I've let myself go, it's just not something I enjoy doing everyday. I hate blowdrying my hair and putting make-up on and Jeff totally understands that. We prefer to take showers together anyways, so we usually wait til Avery goes to bed and then get washin.

Boys r us replied: Of course you do, that's why you do things the way you do them...think how much more enviro friendly you would be with only 3 kids... Just saying..

MoonMama replied: Interesting.

Although I KNOW I could wash my hands a lot less. I do tend to wash them just during meal prep times 4-5 times alone, not to mention how many other times a day I do it (before, during, after EVERYTHING pretty much). But you also have to realized my family all has a serious germ OCD. I have tired to get better about it and have gotten a LOT better actually.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
I know, but I wasn't meant to have only 3 kids . I don't know how many we'll have for sure. I'm using up the 2.6 or whatever the average is for 2 of my sisters who will never have kids as well, plus others I know who won't have kids, so it's all balanced out. If I have 12, they sure aren't going to destroy the world; on the contrary, they will help it be a better place!

holley79 replied: For those who are "environmentally" friendly, are your vehicles "environmentally friendly" as well? Do you own other things which counteract your efforts?

I work full time outside the home. I get up in the morning, wet my head, blow dry it and put on my face. On the weekends I get up and do the same. I don't leave the house without make up on because it makes ME feel better. The only time I don't wear make up is if we are going to the water park. When we are going to be home all day long and not go somewhere and DH is out of town I may skip make up in the AM. Annika joins me in the bathroom and puts on her "makeup" as well. We have fun with it. I think just about everyone here makes an effort to be environmentally friendly so I don't think anyone should be hounded just because they bathe and make up daily. Since my MRSA infection I ALWAYS wash my hands, I sanitize the cart handle and seat where Annika sits when I go shopping, I was her hands before and after the bathroom in public places and I do the same even if I'm helping her. We all wash our hands after every bathroom trip, before food prep, before eating and after dinner and when we come inside from playing outside. Annika is obsessive when it comes to hand washing and I'm very proud of that. I hand wash dishes and I also use my dishwasher. I do things to help the environment but I'm not going to forfeit hand washing, bathing or toilet flushing. I don't want TT splashed up on my bum. But that's just me; I have a serious obsession about that.

Boys r us replied: Mollie, I understand!

I'm just making a point..same as you! You can call anyone out for all the bad things we do, like flush the toilets or washing our hands or taking showers..but even in your own green little world, you're making choices that impact the environment too...and in my opinion, opting to have a large family for today's standards is a bigger choice than choosing to take a shower! What about those 4 wheelers? How green are they? they certainly aren't necessary and perhaps some would even say a self indulgent waste of money. Again..I don't really care if you have 500 4-wheelers or 29.3 kids..but it's just when it's insinuated that I (and others) are wrong and self indulgent..that I would like to point out that so are a lot of the choices you make Mollie.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
OK it is so not about make-up...I don't consider make-up part of my daily routine either.

I do have to ask though (keep in mind I am the oldest of 9) don't your kids play outside? I have 5 brothers so I know from them that boys that play outside at all NEED a shower at night! Taylor NEEDS a bath/shower after playing outside. Personally I think you get 'dirty' everyday. Standing in front of a hot stove,doing dishes, sweeping, vaccuuming...all of that makes me feel sweaty and yucky at the end of the day..

holley79 replied:
I guess what makes us feel "yucky" doesn't always make others???? If you own any kind of farm where you have animals I would think it would be necessary to shower DAILY!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:


Even before the moo babies...but whatever floats your boat!

holley79 replied:
Honey you live in Stank #$% hot Dust Bowl TX you need to shower daily. Just like I live in Stank $%^ humid sticky hot FL.

skinkybaby replied: I think it's easier for some people not to shower daily than it is for others. I live in Houston, Texas. The humidity alone makes it absolutely necessary to shower every day if you're outside for even a minute. It's just not pretty otherwise! It's like you're swimming in sweat just walking to the car!

holley79 replied:
Isn't that the truth. I live in NWFL and you almost need a shower by the time you get back to work.

MoonMama replied:


Speaking of your moo-babies....Abbie I swear if Braedin ever got anywhere near your house, he would never come home again. He is so in love with "moo-moo's".

coasterqueen replied:
I agree, too.

Now we don't wash towels every day. We do flush after every time we go, unless someone is going right after the other. The kids get baths every other day or so unless they are really dirty, especially in the summer. We take a shower every day, although sometimes on the weekend I don't. Dh will take one every day, though. I will say I don't take a shower to look good to my husband, though. Luckily I have a great husband who loves me any way I am and thinks I look beautiful whether I'm "groomed" or not. He's not vain and either am I. He didn't marry me for my looks, how I groomed myself 24/7 to look good for him - he married me for me and for many other reasons. I take a shower every day because well, this is sad but I need it to "wake up" or I can't get moving to get the kids to daycare and work. I also need to wash my hair every day because it gets extremely oily - never did before I had kids I was able to go every other day - not now.

Boys r us replied: Rick definitely only married me because I shower everyday!!

coasterqueen replied:
Same here. I'm the same now that I was before he married me, so I guess I have nothing to worry about. I don't think my Dh would have married me if I was so vain, because he thinks there is more to a person than looking "presentable" all the time.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Yes, my kids play outside. They are in & out all day long. Yes, they get dirty, and they do get washed when they are dirty. Whyis that so hard to understand? We get cleaned when we are dirty, just like everyone else. It's just not everyday!

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
We only have chickens, pheasants, chukars and bunnies right now, so nothing really dirty there. We are thinking about getting pigs and cows, and yes, I'm sure after caring for them I'd need a shower daily.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Yep,Bill too!

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Yeah, DH can't stand vain people, and neither can I . DH married me because I'm "me", and I'm not perfect, neither is he. And if I don't smell like roses all the time, he doesn't care either .

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I just have to say I am married to a man who works harder than anyone I have ever known...he is around cattle all day everyday and I still kiss him and throw my arms around him everytime he crosses our door step. I have a ton of work to do outside-I don't always fix my hair/make-up and trust me I can get to lookin like Don King on a hot day- He does come home in the middle of the day sometimes and he does see me all hot and sweaty-he stills tells me I am the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. It is not always about being 'groomed' it is about NOT STANKING!!!! If you can go more than a day without a shower and not bother you or your spouse than more power to you....

Boys r us replied: Not at all times Karen..But I do think my DH appreciates the fact that I shower and smell good. Most days I don't even have makeup on..
My point is that I think it's out of general respect for one another to do general things to maintain yourself on a regular basis..I highly suspect most people would consider taking a shower being VAIN..LMAO! But if you do...then well, whatever. But I put showering and keeping my body clean in the same category as brushing my teeth at least 2x a day. Would my DH love me if I had greasy hair and yesterday's slept in mascara down my cheeks when he came home..of course he would! But I like to feel fresh and clean and know that when he kisses me after he comes in the door that my breath smells nice..so yeah brush my teeth and a shower are things I do for him and myself..but certainly not because he wouldn't love me. But if you want to go there, you can't tell me that when your DH is out at work all day doing whatever he does and he sees nice looking women, clean..and their hair done and so forth that it then excites them to come home and see their wife with her greasy hair pulled back and in her sweats every day. I don't say this b/c my DH has EVER said any of this to me..I say it b/c I don't want to be the grungy house wife who doesn't take care of herself..and well, quite frankly I don't think any man wants their wife to be.

holley79 replied:
makes me wonder if these are reasons for some men to stray.

I like looking and smelling nice. If I can smell me then other people can to and I can't stand that.

cameragirl21 replied: how did a question about environmentalism turn into a discussion about marriage, infidelity and makeup?
This convo is turning awfully mean imho....

coasterqueen replied: I think you missed my point, Nichole. I take a shower every day. I don't do it because I'm vain nor do I think others do it because they are vain. I just don't personally go through dressing up, having my hair all done up, make-up on, etc, etc to look presentable for my husband. Those things can be considered vain. Especially if one can't even go to the grocery store without having those things done. So I don't see where I was calling you vain. I was just saying I don't need to do those vain things for my husband to love me for who I am. Yes, I'm sure he loves the fact that I take a shower every day. Does he love me less because I don't get myself all dolled up to present myself to him? No. Does he wish I would? No. He actually likes me more "natural". I don't have a husband who has to be all dolled up himself and he actually doesn't like all the make-up, dressing up, etc so when he sees a woman like that he actually wonders how prettier she'd look if she would be more natural. That I do, definitely, know .

So I'm not going anywhere with this, except I don't need to do those things for my husband to see me as beautiful. What your husband needs is not my business nor my concern. I simply stated my husband doesn't need those things, yes I'm sure he likes me to shower and how anyone could construe that I said taking a shower is about vanity is beyond me. I take a shower when I need one and that's not being vain. Vanity is about all the other dolled up stuff one needs to do to feel pretty, etc. I'm sorry that you think I was talking about you - I wasn't - I was talking about ME and what we do in our household and the reasons behind it. I know my husband despises vain people because his family makes many comments if they see me at the grocery store without make-up on, my hair pulled back and where a t-shirt and bummy shorts on and he thinks they are the vainest people around. THAT'S why I said I know I don't need to be vain.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Like most things bunny trails arose I guess. No big....I was just interested in if these tips I received were the general 'green' thought process....I still don't know!

coasterqueen replied:
Well, I think people take things wrong and read too much into it. I know I'm often misunderstood on here, but well there's not much I can do about that.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Since we really can't get much farther off topic - what's a chukar?

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:


It's a game bird from the pheasant family: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukar .

My3LilMonkeys replied:
They're cute!! Do you raise them for food, for eggs, or just for fun?

holley79 replied:
But some fowl does carry bacterias which equals dirty. After getting eggs we were taken straight to the washroom, so there must have been something to it.

Crystalina replied:
A chuckar is a tasty little partridge type bird. We have them also.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Just for fun, and maybe for food. We'll see.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
I guess your weather is cooler than ours is. If you go outside right now to feed anything (I was just out there bottle feeding) You NEED a shower! It was 103* at 5pm yesterday. IT IS HOT! Ok I am off to shower now because my honey is coming home for lunch and as per my calf feeding I smell like a momma cow...(see pictures in my other thread for an explination if you need one! )

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
It's not hot here yet; it's only 64°F right now. Yesterday it was barely above 50°, cold, windy, & rainy.

coasterqueen replied:
Yeah, I'd admit if I was out in that heat I would shower more often than I do, which is once daily. Now if I go out and mow the yard for 3+ hours I will go "rinse" off in the shower, but I'm in and out in less than a minute. Meaning I don't wash my hair - but I quick wash/rinse of my body. That's mainly (well not only because of sweat) but because it's so dusty around here that I'm usually covered in a layer of dust.

Crystalina replied: Mollie, I see nothing at all wrong with what or how you live your life. It amazes me how people have to compete on here to see who is more "green" then the others. This is a competittion now? Why do I care if Mollie doesn't flush her toilets everytime? Or if she wears sweats all day? OMG. How childish really. If you do things differently then fine...carry on. Why try to make it seem like one way is better then the other? Or one person is more "dirty" or not as good as you are?

Mollie I'm sure that the women on here who are so beatiful everyday for the DH's and who throw their arms around him the minute he walks in the door have not been married very long (meaning at least 7 yrs). I've been married 16 yrs and when DH comes home I'm very happy but I'll be darned if I'm going to act like my pulse just started with his entrance. If I've been out that day he'll find me all dressed and looking nice but if it was just me and the kids and the dogs hanging around the pool or in the house all day he's going to get whatever in the heck I'm wearing at that time. We have a terrific marriage either way. We still have fun together and play together and love each other. I just don't have to dress up to catch his eye (sorry for anyone who does ) and he says that I'm cuter then h*ll in my pj's fist thing in the morning...even after all this time. That works for us.

**P.S.**
I'm not saying that only people who have been married at least 7 years dress up so if you've been married longer I apologize.

**P.S.S.**
Someone mentioned that may be why men stray....uh....my man has never strayed. I think you would need to look deeper in to why your man strays.

skinkybaby replied: This thread has just gotten completely ridiculous and childish. Someone once told me that a mom's worst enemy is other moms. I see what they meant by that now. Pretty sad if you ask me. It's not a competition!

punkeemunkee'smom replied: First of all in defense of the women who said they shower and make themselves presentable for when their husbands come home the snide comments about our husbands not being happy with us unless we do so are stupid and un-needed! FYI I have been married for 12 years and my pulse DOES jump when he walks into the room (sorry for those who that doesn't happen for) I don't need to be dolled up (NOBODY said that was the case for Nichole or myself-that was brought on by other's take on what we said) to catch my husband's eye. This thread was not about make-up or toxic beauty products...that is something it was turned into by members who seem to like to pick a fight. If you don't want to flush,brush or smell like a rose than that is your business but please lay off the insults for those of us who do!

coasterqueen replied:
No, it's not a competition. If we all learn to express our opinions on what we, ourselves do and not feel the need to question what others are doing it would be ok. For some reason me expressing why I do the things I do and the reasons behind it has made everyone feel like I'm attacking how they do things. Not sure why. I do what I do because that's how I feel about it. Everyone else does what they do because that's how they feel about it. Plain and simple. Coming back and questioning why I do what I do is what I don't understand.

Crystalina replied:
First of all, if this is directed at me you will see nowhere in my post where I say that.

coasterqueen replied:
I don't think talking about make-up was picking a fight. There are very un"green" things about make-up and I believe this topic was about being green. If people would just let others state their opinions on being green, and leave it alone and not question why others aren't doing those things to be green - this topic would be great.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: It wasn't directed at you but you did say



Nobody said that in the first place. I shower cuz I like to feel clean..there we go. That is all....

Our Lil' Family replied: I don't really understand how those that don't shower or bathe daily don't feel unclean. We are women....our bodies do things naturally to rid ourselves of bacteria "down there"....why wouldn't you want to clean yourself daily? That's pretty confusing to me, I certainly wouldn't want to be romantic with my husband if I haven't showered in the past 8 hours or less, much less 2 days. And I doubt he'd want to either.

I'd like to hear a man chime in about coming home to a "dressed" wife, maybe not every single day but do you indeed find it more refreshing to come home to her that way as opposed to someone in the same pj's as when you left with her hair in a greasy pony tail? I'm not saying I doll myself up every evening but I do make at least a small effort when Tim comes home...if not for him then for myself...I don't like to look in the mirror at myself like that, why would he!? Not to say he doesn't love me but I'd like to be a little easier on the eyes. JMO I feel better when I'm dressed.

Crystalina replied:
I said that because in reading some posts on here I've read "I like to look nice when he comes home....I like to look nice for him...". If you aren't doing it to "catch his eye" then why are you doing it "for him". That is what I meant. Pair that with the comment, "...makes you wonder why some men stray" and it just seems like some women feel they have to look good for him or he may leave or not love her anymore. I'm not picking out one persons post but just the bulk of the ones that read like that.

And I never even mentioned showering in my thread. I shower everyday. I live on a darn farm and I have to. But why do some people (again not picking one person out) have to make remarks about not showering being "so gross" when one memeber on the board said she feels she doesn't have to shower every day? That "so gross" comment was made after Mollie's comment. So what, now Mollie is "so gross"? People on here just need to have a little more compassion before they type their words. It's called self control. If you think it's gross then say it to yourself but don't make a comment like that after a member has just said that she chooses not to shower everyday. How else would a remark like that be taken?

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
I get that. It's out of respect for ourselves and our husbands.

TheOaf66 replied:
to me it doesn't matter, my wife is beautiful to me no matter what she is wearin. Now if she is all dressed up in a nice dress and such she looks nice sure but it does not change my attractiveness towards her.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Well, for us we usually shower every other day unless it's needed. Sometimes the kids get really dirty playing outside, or when we do yard work and sweat a lot more, etc. Those every day showers are usually during the summer. I can clean myself "down there" without taking a full shower. One reason is because most of us (me and the boys) have very sensitive skin. Washing every day brings out ezcema breakouts...both boys have it and it gets very out of control almost year round if we are not careful. I'd rather not give them a bath every night instead of putting steriodal cream on them.

Flushing...I have a story for that one. Our house was built in 1915, so the pipes are very old. When I ran the daycare, during their potty breaks the toilet would get flushed 8 times within a 10 minute span...not good on those old pipes and the toilet would overflow constantly. I had to make a rule that unless it's #2, only the last person flushed.

Another one about flushing...Aiden's bedroom is right next to the bathroom and he's a horribly light sleeper. If someone has to use the potty while he's napping, it can't be flushed and has to wait. Some neighbors up the road have that same rule because their child (born the same day as Aiden) has the same issue.

Now, other than that, the toilet gets flushed whenever it's used, but if there is a line of us waiting, then the last person flushes unless there is a #2 in there somewhere. Of course, guests are exlcuded from that rule and flush every time...it's just a family rule

Boo&BugsMom replied: Oh, and as far as washing hands...it's not the act of handwashing that creates more illness, it's using anti-bacterial soap because it also kills the good bacteria. Use regular non-anti-bacterial soap and wash all you want. That's what we do. I handle a lot of gross things at work, I can't imagine not washing all the time after being around all of that nasty stuff.

holley79 replied:
Yep that was me I made that comment right there. I'm sorry but when you no longer take care of yourself as a person then why should the man you marry still care? I think taking care of yourself, no matter the definition in your mind's eye may be, is very important. I wouldn't want to come home to a man every single night who had his gut hanging out and had greasy arm pit hair when that is NOT how I married him.

My Dh and I have been together for 10 year now. We have been on serious roller coasters and in the beginning the outside factors made being married hard but you know what we prevailed and since the first look till the present time, he still makes my pulse jump and I still get butterflies when he's around.

holley79 replied:

Crystalina replied:
I know. Some people use way too much of that IMO. I keep a bottle out by the horses and another by the goats so the kids and I (or whoever) can do a quick wash-up in between animals and then we use soap and water after coming into the house. There was a time I used that stuff all the time though before I got educated about it.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Troy doesn't care.

I should also add though that I almost never look like I just rolled out of bed for a whole day. I always do "something" to myself to make myself look presentable, but that isnt' to make him happy, it's so I don't feel like a slob. BUT...whether I am standing at the stove cooking dinner in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, or dressed in a cute little top with a skirt...he could really care less.

He knows what's underneath and that's all he cares about.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Yeah I can get past the shower thing....as long as I don't have to smell ya BUT the handwashing issue really has me bothered. This family is in one of our groups...her kids are in 2 activities with Taylor and lets face it kids have to go potty....now I am a bit freaked out by the fact that they don't wash their hands that much!

Crystalina replied:
That is all well and good but it's not really fair to judge a couple's relationship on how the wife looks when DH comes home IMO. By saying something like that it gives the man "the right" to wonder because his wife is in sweats with her hair pulled back (btw, why would it have to be greasy as mentioned several times in this thread? ) when he comes home? Now if the kids weren't taken care of, she didn't clean the house, spent too much money, and cheated then I can see it. If he leaves because she isn't "fixed up"....pffft....does he deserve her? I wouldn't want a man like that. And to those of you who do it because it makes YOU feel better then more power to you. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Okay........I'm so lost.

I read the OP yesterday and came back this morning to respond. Wasn't heated then, so I'm not going to even go there. To answer the question: I am green in some ways, eating organic and recycling plastics and such, I re-use plastic bags and I use canvas bags at the grocery store, but I am bad about wasting water. I admit it. I leave the water running while we brush our teeth, I use the dishwasher once a day. I wash clothes constantly, and I fill the boys pools at least every other day. We also like long showers, although I do NOT shower everyday, not even every other day unless I've worked out. I have sensitive skin and I break out if I shower too often. My hair is thick and I can get away with not washing it for awhile, plus it's more healthy the less you wash your hair IMO. Stylists always compliment me on how healthy and shiny my hair is, and no split ends. But to each their own, our bodies are DIFFERENT. But also, I SAH, so throwing it back in a ponytail works for me, where it probably wouldn't if I had to go to an office. I get that. I think I showered everyday when I worked. My kids get bathed every 2-3 days. DH showers everyday, but he is the type that stinks after a few hours, even with deoderant. We flush after every potty trip, and unfortunately sometimes the kids flush twice! They are both in that phase of wanting to do everything by themselves, so if they don't get it all the way flushed the first time, they will keep attempting. And Wesley is all about copying his big brother right now, so if Wil goes potty and flushes, Wesley wants to flush too although he is not going potty himself. They do it when I'm at the potty too, wanting to flush a second time for me. I let them, because to me the practice is good and I would rather not fight that battle. We wash our hands constantly and use hand sanitizer when we're out. I think everyone is green in their own ways and to their own degree. We shouldn't judge. And I'm sorry, but I haven't been around here lately because it really seems like all the posts lately are about COMPARING ones home, ones income, ones cleanliness. Really lame. It's getting old.

cameragirl21 replied:
I SOOOOO TA! That is what I wanted to say only you said it better.
I think it's important to remember that everyone here has varying beliefs, opinions and desires and it's important to keep that in mind while posting. As for Karen being misunderstood here, boy, do I know how that feels. There is no reason to be mean to others because you don't like what they said. Reminds me of a famous Shakespeare quote--"methinks the lady doth protest too much."
As for me, you all know I'm pretty green, but certainly not quite as green as Mollie. I do shower daily but I tend to take short showers and I don't use very hot water, I prefer the water to be lukewarm at best. Not using superhot water saves energy too and will ease your electricity/gas bills. Very hot water is also very harsh on your skin. Regardless, I don't think Mollie or anyone else who doesn't shower daily is "gross". We all have to do what works best for us. This total lack of respect for others' opinions and differences in culture, attitude, beliefs, etc is the root of our biggest problems in this world.
Btw, I consider myself to be fairly vain and I openly admit it--I carry designer handbags, wear designer labels (although I try to buy them on sale ), frequent expensive hair salons, etc. I don't think I do any of that at the expense of the environment. I wear very minimal makeup because I don't need much--just mascara and lipstick. One thing I absolutely can't leave the house without is perfume. Very often, I find myself photographing a 3 year old child who is wearing more makeup than I am...I'm sure many of you have opinions about that too.
The bottom line is we are all different and no one is wrong or right. It's just a matter of having and showing respect for the opinions of others, even if they are absolutely anathema to your own. For example, those of you who fear the apocaplypse should know (and probably already do know) that I am not a Christian and therefore am not "saved" and yet I have absolutely zero fear of going to hell, in fact, I would worry about growing wings and flying away before I'd worry about going to hell...I am sure that is anathema to many of your beliefs and I totally respect your right to believe someone like me is hell bound just as I hope you respect my right not to believe I (or anyone else for that matter) will spend any time in a flaming inferno that is not of this earth.
Incidentally, any man that I feel the need to dress up for is not a man I'd want to spend time with but again, that is MY opinion and it doesn't transfer to my opinions of others. We all have our preferences, priorities, etc. I'm sure many of you think I'm a slave to my designer handbags and that is fine too.
It all comes down to respect, let's keep that in mind, please.

holley79 replied:
"letting yourself GO" is a lot more different then just having on some sweats and hair in a ponytail. "Letting yourself GO" means you no longer care what anyone, including your husband, thinks and you don't think much of yourself. That is a LONG way off from having your hair in a pony tail and being in sweats or PJ from the morning.

Crystalina replied:
Amen!


And if a person isn't green so what. There is no law against it. I opened two cans of Nestea this morning and....I threw them in the regular trash!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

Crystalina replied:
That is very true but when it gets to that point usually there is something else going on. I doubt anyone would wake up one day and just decide to never take cae of themselves again uless there was an underlying problem. Then you have an outsider passing judgment and that only adds to whatever the problem is. I just think that some opinions are better kept quiet because you (not you) never know who may be hurt by what you (again not you) say. Besides, I only posted after reading some of the rather opinionated comments about bathing everyday. Mollie never once said she "let herself go" and I doubt the woman or her family is "gross".

Crystalina replied:
Some of it is just getting ridiculous right?

stella6979 replied:
I absolutely agree.

cameragirl21 replied:
I agree with this also, Crystal, but I am a little upset that you threw recyclable products in the trash.

cameragirl21 replied:
Me too. I really don't care how much money anyone here makes, how big their house is or how many times a day they shower. And as long as you're not preparing my food, I don't care how often you wash your hands, either.

Crystalina replied:
I know. I'm sorry.


I'll dig them out!

holley79 replied:
No my comment was made because there were comments made about some of the mothers here for "taking care" of themselves. I was just giving a alternative to it and NEVER once said anyone here was "letting themselves go".

It's just like anywhere else on this board, you have no emotions or tones to follow your words and you CAN NOT get the right point out there because of lack thereof so needless to say things will forever be taken out of text.

cameragirl21 replied:
just be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Crystalina replied:
Then it was a misunderstanding.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
That's why I have stock in perfume and body spray. I think if you lived in a climate like WI, you might not feel that way. I don't know, maybe you would. Like where Mollie is, our highs also lately have been in the low 70's, if that. In the summertime we shower more on an every day basis because we sweat more and such, but once fall hits there really isn't a need to shower every single day unless you have a job where you "have" to (fast food, farming, a foundry, etc.). We both work in an office setting, and when the weather is only up in the 60's, there really isn't a need for it. Plus, contrary to what people believe, a person doesn't smell because of it either...unless they have some sort of massive mody odor condition or something. I know plenty of people who only shower every other day, and you'd never know it.

Just some info...if you drink a lot of water regularly, like you should, it will keep your skin and hair conditioned, you will sweat less, and ultimately stink less.

holley79 replied:

holley79 replied:
See if it were nice and cool without humidity and I wasn't drench with sweat just going to the mail box then I would probably feel differently about showering but unfortunately our climate doesn't allow for it.

Sam & Abby's Mom replied:
Abbie -- that is so weird. I knew you came from a big family but didnt know it was 9. I come from a family of 9, only I'm number6. We have 5 boys and 4 girls, too! trippy,,huh ?

grandma replied: "And I'm sorry, but I haven't been around here lately because it really seems like all the posts lately are about COMPARING ones home, ones income, ones cleanliness. Really lame. It's getting old."


I'm glad someone said this because when the "How Much Do You Make?" poll came up, I was pretty surprised. Most ppl don't discuss that personal stuff even with other family members.

holley79 replied:
I was taught you didn't ask people how much they make. We had a long talk with Brandon about this one time.

Boys r us replied: I agree that most people don't discuss that..but I did answer the poll anonymously...it seems most people did judging by the amount of responses in the poll.

grandma replied:
I was taught the same thing and over the years I find it to be pretty common knowledge that you don't ask someone what their income is.

holley79 replied:
Then again this isn't RL so people could actually make something up.

grandma replied:
Yeah, I always forget that people don't have to be honest on here.....

PrairieMom replied:
ITs people like YOU that make it necessary for me to raise worms in my basement!!!!!!




seriously tho...

grandma replied: lol - I just noticed no one is touching "The Bible" Poll....lol

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
I am the oldest (by 8 years) the youngest is Taylor's age, well he will be in a few weeks We have me, Colleen(21) Phillip(20),Gwen(18),Seth (17) , Stephen (15) ,Jacob (14),Bonnie (12),Nolan(6 about to turn 7). Bonnie (the baby girl) is Taylor's best friend

I feel like with all the kids in our house growing up we were probably more 'green' than most others ever dream of being...you tend to use everything to the fullest with that many people around!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
YEP! ITA!

My3LilMonkeys replied:
I was the one who started that poll and that is exactly the reason I did it as a poll - because it's not something people discuss. In a poll no one is asked to discuss it - they can choose to answer it completely anonymously, to discuss it or to ignore the poll. I don't personally see it as a comparison because no one knows who provided what answer.

It was simple curiosity on my part - it's easy enough to tell from reading various other posts that we have some members who make what I would consider a lot of money and others who struggle a little more, and being the nosy person that I am I wondered what kind of an income range we had. I certainly didn't intend to upset or offend anyone and if I did, then they had the choice to ignore the poll and not answer it or read the answers from others.

mckayleesmom replied:
Thats how I took it....I answered it because it wasn't a big deal to me.....If people don't want people to know...then they have the right to not answer it. I could understand if they didn't want to also.

Crystalina replied:
Oh! You and your vermicompostingthingamabobber.

Cece00 replied:
Unfortunetly there are people who believe that. Even if she didnt write it, she's spreading some VERY bad advice around.

Cece00 replied:
There is no excuse for cheating, ever.

Even if you are a big greaseball when your spouse comes home...that's never an excuse.

I think if a man (or woman) uses something like that to justify their cheating, they have big big problems.

jcc64 replied: So guys, let's talk about abortion now, and after that, maybe the election....

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Let's not forget to debate vaccines and the war!

Boys r us replied: Really, I just want to know who has a doorbell and who doesn't and if you do, does it light up at night?

skinkybaby replied: I may or may not have gone and looked at my doorbell to see if it lights up at night.

Boys r us replied: I think you just made a little Diet DP drizzle out of my mouth...darn you..seems to be happening a lot today!

redchief replied: If it's yellow let it mellow - if it's brown flush it down, would be fine with me, but Lisa would kill me!
I must shower every day. Eight of my twelve "offices" yesterday were over 120'F inside. Three were under renovation and two were infested with active group rentals. Ick.
I wash my hands often, mostly for the reasons noted above, but I also am in the vicinity of poisons ivy and oak and mulches and God knows what all else daily. My grandfather died of typhus. It's not a pretty death.
We often don't do the dishes until the sink is full, but that's not because of any real thought toward water conservation, it's because we don't want to do them.

On the other nonsense... What people do to make each other happy has very little impact on the environment, unless we're talking daily gasoline bonfires or something, so cool it! Everyone has those special somethings they do that makes them happy, and I see no reason that people can't have a few indulgences. In fact, I see no one here who doesn't indulge in something that could be called anti-green, so I say what my mom always said to me, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

redchief replied:
WOW, all of those posts since I last looked.

I'm too tired to debate the election. The other things however... start the topic and I'll beat you all up!

Maddie&EthansMom replied:
That's what I'm sayin'! But you always say it best!

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Well.....does it???

kit_kats_mom replied: One question about not flushing. TBH, we don't always flush either. Mostly at night with TT but my DH has a saying that at our house there's a turd in every pot. I swear I can not get these girls to flush and no matter how often I go around and flush the toilets, there is inevitably a turd floating in one of them to greet my DH upon his return from work. My question is this: if you wipe (which if you don't please don't share that OK?) doesnt' your toilet clog up a lot with two or more pees and toilet paper in there? I'm always at the ready with the plunger in the AM if there have been a few TT trips in the night.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Speaking from the perspective of a family who will often have 2 or 3 people in a row that pee before we flush (everyone goes before we leave the house for most trips), I've never seen a problem with it. I do keep a pretty close eye on how much TP the girls are using at a time though, cause if I didn't there would be half a roll in there every time.

redchief replied:
In all honesty, no. Try this experiment... Fill up the lavatory with water (that you're going to use to shave or water the plants... see, I'm learning), take a square of toilet paper and let it get wet... swish your hand in the water. What happened?

Now if your husband is finding those turds unaccompanied by at least a little paper, perhaps they need to be spoken to about skid mark prevention.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
I do not have a door bell...the cows however tend to moo in unison when someone comes over-even though the dog does not bark....ummm they do not tend to light up at night-but their eyes do glow if you shine a flash light at them-does that count?

TANNER'S MOM replied: This thread amazes me. Somehow it's good and evil no matter what we do. We are bad women if we wash our hands, bad women if we wear make up, we don't have to look good anymore? Who know all this?


The only I will say is this. On Saturday when I am mowing the yard in a tank top, no make up and my hair in a cap, I can come in the house and look at my dh and say I love ya babe give me a kiss, and he will say I love you too but you stink. lolol

And the handwashing thing is the whole reason I don't eat potluck!

Calimama replied:
Mine does!!

Sam & Abby's Mom replied:
O
M
G

ROFL

Sam & Abby's Mom replied:
Lets see,,, we have:
Billy 49
Dan 48
Nancy 47
Diane 46
Mike 44
Me 38
Timmy 37
Ricky 33
Amy 32

HuskerMom replied:
That sounds like my Dh!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
I am still ROFLMBO at that statement! It is so true...scary but so true!

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
That is so cool! I love 'meeting' people who had a big family growing up. I really loved it! I hope that we have another baby some day because I would love for Taylor to have at least one sibling!

lovemy2 replied: Oh Man - I just read through this whole post - which took the better part of an hour (can you tell I am procrastinating my duties for the day )

Anyway - I am not sure what to comment on - being green, taking a shower, flushing my toilet, washing my hands, my DH cheating, if my doorbell lights up, if I have a big family, if I am vain, how my DH feels about me when he walks in the door, how cute Abbie's moo moo's are..........................

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
I think I should change the title to The Bunny Trail Thread!

Boo&BugsMom replied:
You forgot "if you wipe".

I'd rather not hear people respond to that one.

Bamamom replied: I read most of the replies last night but mulled over what to add...so if I'm repeating something someone said in the last page or so - sorry! I didn't catch up this morning.

One thing I think we need to take into account more than we do is where people live and the type of work that they do. For example I live in MS - summer requires daily bathing because of the heat and humity. From one of Mollie's posts I think she must live farther north (50 degrees one day this week - wow, can I come for a visit. My and my big fat pg self are HOT!) Also if someone works certain types of jobs then they may require a shower - ie farm or nurse - either might require a daily or more than daily shower. Just my thought.

I think the main difference in my family and some others is not so much life style and it is frame of mind. I don't necessarily shower every day (though I do most days) but when I don't take a shower I'm not thinking "I'm helping the environment" - I'm thinking "I'm not really that stinky today ). Same goes for baths for my kids - they get bathed almost every night but when they don't it's not because we're consciously thinking of the environment but rather that they aren't that dirty. Same for rewearing clothes.

I guess we just don't "think green" if that makes any sense. But you guys have made some good points. I'm going to get some glass storage bowls and stop using so many baggies - but I have to be honest - it's cause I'm lazy and realized that if I use glass bowls instead of tupperware then it's one less dish to wash and put away . I'm giving up baggies because gas costs so much.

Sorry - I'm just not "crunchy-minded" I guess

cameragirl21 replied: I got the impression, and I could certainly be wrong, that most of the people here who don't shower daily are not doing it for environmental reasons but rather because they have dry skin or for some other reason stemming from what works best for their family as opposed to the environment. Same thing for flushing although I suppose that has more to do with the environment than the shower issue.
Obviously, we all have to do what works best for us and I just felt it was getting mean because some people here were engaging some serious mud slinging. I think the beauty of cyberworld is that we can know a lot about each other while at the same time knowing very little. One thing I once again want to stress is mutual respect for everyone even if their lifestyles don't make sense or would never work for you.
I know many here could never live the way I do and I could never live the way some here do but so what? Certainly not worth hurting other people's feelings over it.
And again, if you don't like a thread or a topic or a poster, seriously, just walk away, is it really worth getting upset over it and wasting even one minute of your life stewing over it?
I spend a lot of time with the terminally ill and let me tell you, life is precious, don't waste any of it being mad if you can help it.

TheOaf66 replied:
I do it because I have to pay $$$ for water and I don't want my bill to go up. IAH I didn't take the environment into consideration.

Look at the bright side...when all this global warming happens and we melt the ice up north we'll have tons of water

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! OK that was just funny!

jcc64 replied:

Except of course all of our buddies down in Florida will be under water....

Crystalina replied:
I'm not a big fan of that state. Waaay too hot.

TheOaf66 replied:
if florida starts to sink...just advertise for houseboat dealers and you will make a mint...besides Florida is filled with people who are just waiting to "move along" anyways we would just be helping the process.

Crystalina replied:

Oh that was so wrong.

kit_kats_mom replied:
That's just wrong! I live in FL.

TheOaf66 replied:
hi I'm Troy, have we met

holley79 replied:
Dang girl thanks alot.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Um.........what the heck is #3?

Bamamom replied:
I didn't want to be the only one who admitted not knowing - thanks for asking Rocky!!!

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Ummmm...#'s 1 and 2 together! My little brother told my mom once he had to go #3 and it just kinda stuck...it was more of a flip comment than an actual bathroom act!

Crystalina replied:
I would fly over and boat you to higher ground if I had to!

msoulz replied:
Oh come on now, stop making sense!! What a buzz kill!!!

holley79 replied:
Aww thanks sweetie.

redchief replied:
Don't forget that we'll also lose all of Delaware, as well as most of New Jersey and Rhode Island. That also will mean the end of Washington D.C. which may also be considered a positive thing.

jem0622 replied: We do 1-3, and DH and I do 5 (but not the kids).

holley79 replied:
Well Ed guess you, Lisa, the fam and all of use will have to hear to higher ground, have ourselves a little compound.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
lol

I have no shame.

jcc64 replied: Well, Ed, I'm down with losing Wash. D.C. but I am partial to my former home state......we gotta save N.J.!!!!!

redchief replied:
Considering I'm in the wettest part of NJ, I'm with you!