Neem Oil ... in review.

So, I've been majorly researching Neem Oil to use on the dogs as a repellant. DE is fabulous, and I'm really happy with it in the "killing" aspect of insect control. However, it doesn't repel, so the dogs are still having mosquitos, flies, etc. swarm them on walks. Plus, I worry that fleas might get on them and, even though they can't live in DE swamped fur, they will bite them and my doggies will be itchtastic. :(

Anyway, Neem Oil seemed like a good way to go so I had a friend pick up some for me. The good news is, this stuff really, really works! The bad news is, this stuff stiiiiiiiiiiiinks! It smells like coffee grounds that have been left sitting in the basket all day. And I like coffee! This, however, I do not like. So, I had to offset my concotion with a few other essential oils. My dogs now smell pretty AND are bug free. Rock on!

Here is the part where I put in a plug ... I am selling this concoction on Etsy, for anyone interested. (I know, I know, I plugged my Etsy on my other blog too but I'm shameless, dammit.) Its not hard to make but for those of you not interested in making it yourself, I will make it for you! I'm cool, right!? Yeah, you know I am.

There's a link to the left and here is the direct link as well:

http://eastjenn.etsy.com

Elli's got to have her picture on the product page because she was the only dog willing to hold still long enough to test the multiple "formulas" while I was fixing the scent issue. She gets a gold star. Or a gold cookie. Or something.

If you can think of other cool things I could make, fill me in! You don't even have to buy them. Just give me something fun to do because I like mixing up junk in my kitchen and submitting my dogs to product testing torture. Like baths. MWUAHAHAHAH!

You guys have been holding out on me.

First of all, I apologize for being all slack with my blogging. Managing a house with five dogs (And a baby. Well, two, if you count Brandon) in it takes up a lot of time. Huh, imagine that!?

Second of all, I'm mad at you guys! Yeah, YOU! You dog people who have been holding out on me about microfiber mops and how fantastic they are. See, I used to use Swiffers. But, it seemed like I was always throwing away TONS of these little Swiffer pads. And buying more. Buying and tossing. Buying and tossing. It was costly and not very eco-friendly, so I just stuck with my Libmans Wonder Mop (Which is nice, but not Wonder-ful, as they would have you believe).

Anyway, I picked up one of these Microfiber suckers today and am in love. It picks up hair like a Swiffer, then I can flip it and mop. Then wash! No more tossing! No more buying! I am a changed woman!

But not changed enough to forget I am mad at all of you who did not tell me about it. Seriously ... what were you people thinking!?

Does good Dog Mom = bad People Mom?

I have been contemplating this for a while but wasn’t sure whether to post it on the dog blog or the baby blog. Maybe I will post it on both. Hmmmm …

I frequently see people on message boards and hear people in real life commenting on how their relationship with their pets has changed since they have had a baby. How “little things” the dog or cat does piss them off. And I don’t get it. Because I have never felt this way.

I have five dogs and three cats. “Woah! That’s a lot of pets!” I hear some of you say. Other’s are thinking, “You are psychotic. That’s just too many” and a few of you (Hi, BPO-ers!) are going, “I wish I had that many!” Anyway … it is a lot of animal. But, it makes me happy. Honestly, if I had a bunch of land I would start a rescue and have 20+ dogs, quit my job and roll around in the grass with them all day. And home school Sabine and bake bread from scratch. And we’d have cows and get fresh milk and a goat and a potbelly pig and I’d sew us cool tunic’s from linen. Ok, I digress …

Anyway, I really love my pets. They were and still ARE my babies. I am, admittedly, one of those annoying pet parents. If you stand still long enough, I will tell you stories about how cute/funny/smart/stupid my dog/cat is, depending on which one I feel like talking about at the moment. I have five individual picture frames with pictures of my dogs in my office and one photo collage with pet pics. Annoyed yet? I bet you are.

So, EVERYONE figured this would change when Sabine came along … but it hasn’t. Now I’m not only THAT pet parent, I am THAT kid mom. Don’t ask me how my weekend was unless you want a play-by-play of a park adventure with a five month old and five dogs. Don’t get me started on chemicals because I will tell you how they are harmful to your baby AND your pet. That’s just me.

But, does that make me a bad kid parent? Because I love my dogs and cats just as much as I did pre-baby? Because I literally love them so much I could BURST at times!? Because, when I walk through the door at the end of the day, I am THRILLED to see them all bounding towards me for kisses and head scratches? Are the two mutually exclusive?

I don’t know. I hope not. To some, it probably is though. To those who know me, I guess it just makes me Jenn.