Product Review: Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent

**I was given free samples from Seventh Generation in exchange for my open and honest review. All opinions, adorable baby pictures, and messy laundry pile photos are my own. 

Since I was little I've struggled with sensitive skin. If you ask Mark he might say I struggle with sensitive everything, but I digress. Since no one thinks a rash is sexy, for as long as I can remember I've used "Free and Clear" detergents when doing my laundry. I usually grab All or Purex, I'm allergic to Tide in all forms. On average I do seven loads of laundry per week for Mark, Fitz, Alex, the dogs and myself. That amounts to a lot of laundry!!

Since we don't have a money tree in the backyard, and I do care about the chemicals in our detergent, I try to shop sales and use coupons. Typically, I grab Purex Free or All Free and Clear at Publix, Winn Dixie or CVS on sale, which helps cut down on the added costs of being without added chemicals.

When Fitz and Alex were born, I would buy the jumbo containers of Dreft—I wasn't sure about their possible allergies and the last thing I wanted to deal with was a baby with a skin rash. The more I can do to cut down on baby fussiness on the front end, the better.

When I was approached, through Generation Good, to sample Seventh Generation's Free and Clear detergent, I jumped at the chance. I already knew that I loved their diapers, so I was curious about their detergent. Not being a stranger to the "free and clear" game, I went in prepared to rewash my clothes.

With some other brands I've tried, that don't have the added chemicals, I've noticed they just don't get clothes clean enough. Taking that into account, I was obviously concerned that a plant-based product without artificial brighteners might not be tough enough on stains.

Because let's face it, twin toddlers mean stains.

Generation Good sent me three packets of detergent. I used one on a load of my clothes; one on a load of baby clothes and I gave one to a friend.

I was pleasantly surprised on how well the detergent handled both loads of my clothes. On stains that were pretreated, you couldn't tell at all. On stains that I missed pretreating, they were mostly gone, with the exception of a chocolate chip smear on a white onesie—which let's be real, that sucker probably wasn't coming out no matter what I had put on it.

Overall, I thought the detergent performed better than some brands and as well if not better than my go-tos of All Free and Clear and Purex Free.

The friend I gave the third sample to reported similar findings.

Will we change over to Seventh Generation all the time? Probably not. Will I add it to my arsenal of brands I buy when on sale? Absolutely.

#posituesday

I'm a day late and a dollar short (plus a week) on this, I swear Feburary has just totally escaped me. I thought about skipping this month all together for #posituesday, given that Lent has now officially begun, but then I remembered the entire point to this exercise was to just remember to be positive.

While the tenets of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving, I do believe that part of growing closer to God in prayer is realizing what you have—how good you have it—and how thankful you must be. This is one of the biggest things I struggle with, because when I look at a picture like this one, all I see is the mess on the floor, the rug that needs cleaning and the chair that needs a spot clean, not the adorable, healthy fuzzy headed boy with a big-ole smile. 

 The "rules" are simple; you share something positive on Tuesday. So here we go for February. What do I love today?

These breathtaking photographs of Misty Copeland channeling Degas. 

Photography by Ken Browar and Deborah Ory of the NYC Dance Project via Harper's Bazaar

Simply incredible—makes me miss my dancing days! Check out the full report from Harper's Bazaar here. 

Day Trip: Hopewell, Va.; City Point National Park

I really love to travel. I always have and I always will. There's just something about a great adventure. Obviously, my love of adventures comes in handy when it comes to going on story gathering trips. Usually my trips consist of a lot of time in a car and lots of back roads and Hampton Inns.

On a recent trip to Virginia, however, I found myself with a few hours before an appointment in the very charming and historical city of Hopewell 25 miles south of Richmond. Hopewell is home to City Point, a National Park and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s headquarters and the Petersburg National Battlefield.

 I will be the first to admit that I am no Civil War history buff, but felt the urge to stop anyway. I am so glad I did!

Grant's headquarters are a National Park, so I was able to tour the grounds and the house with the aide of a Park Ranger. I was the only visitor on a dreary November day, and it seemed like the entire area was heavy. Heavy is the best word I can use to describe it.

I struck up a lovely conversation with the Park Ranger and he gave me a full tour of the Grants house, including some of the exhibits that were in the process of being restored. I was amazed at how small everything in the house was. I had to duck to clear the doorways.

 

One thing I did notice throughout the main house was the wallpaper. It's been on these walls for centuries and was still gorgeous.

 While we were walking up a set of somewhat rickety stairs, and my steel-toed boots made loud thuds, he said something that I don't think I will ever forget.

"These old places are full of stories, they will tell you many things, and you only have to listen."

Suddenly, the tour took on a new meaning; walking the grounds changed my point of view a bit. As our country struggles today, not unlike it did during Grant's time on t shores of this Virginia river, I couldn't help but be grateful for all the men, Union and Confederate, that helped bring us to this point.

We've got a long way to go, but we must not forget the sacrifices of these men (and their families) to make sure that America didn't fracture then, and won't fracture now. We might all have opposing views, but this country was built on debate, differences and acceptance. 

'Timber Processing' Man of the Year

My job is unlike most. I'm not just a writer, I'm a cool writer. Being a trade magazine writer concentrating on the forest products industry means I have a lot of useless knowledge of supply chains, a working understanding of lots of heavy machinery, and perhaps most importantly, a realization that I am not like the rest in this field. A feeling of otherness I have never experienced before.

As a upper-middle class white girl from Atlanta that went to the right schools and ended up in a sorority at Alabama, I've never felt "otherness." Then I became Jessica Johnson, Associate Editor with Hatton-Brown Publishers. Since I began the Woods Barbie journey, things sure have changed—but the otherness never went away. If anything, it was amplified.

I remember as clear as a bell meeting old Tommy Battle in Wadley, Ga. in the meaty part of a Southern summer seven months pregnant with Fitz and Alex. It was hell. He stared at my belly for a good five minutes before speaking. Then he was unsure he wanted me to poke around his hardwood sawmill; I ignored him and walked right on in, asking the questions I needed to, showing him I wasn't some shrinking violet. When we finished, I got in the car, drove to a Hampton Inn, promptly took off my maternity work gear and laid on the bed with the air on 50° trying to cool off. I was not shrinking violet but I was hot as hell. I felt like I had something to prove. I feel like I have something to prove.

The otherness changed drastically though in late 2015. My boss announced that for the first time in 28 years, the annual Timber Processing Man of the Year award, an award that recognizes a figure in the sawmill business that is involved in their community, runs an excellent and high producing mill, and is involved in furthering the positive face of the lumber business, was going to be Jill Snider Brewer.

As the only woman on the editorial staff I was tasked with writing the story on Jill, her mill and why she was worthy of the award. It was a huge honor for her and for me. The following is an excerpt of the editorial I wrote for the Man of the Year issue, which hits mailboxes around the world this week. It was my "I am woman hear me roar" moment. It was the definitive point where I decided to stop noticing my otherness and just do my damn job. Stop acting like I have something to prove and realize I've proved it. I deserve what I've gotten and everything I have coming because I haven't stopped working hard. I now just have to keep the path.

From One Woman To Another

 I’m really proud of what came about from just two girls at two very different points of their sawmill exposure having a conversation. Above all else, Jill Snider Brewer inspired me. I’m a twentysomething young mother with a lot to learn about life and about sawmilling. She told me repeatedly she didn’t have all the answers, but the more I listened, the more I realized how much her comments about running a sawmill actually apply to real life.

When I spoke with Jill about the importance, and perhaps greater ineptitude of certain folks (read: fathers) on details she laughed it off. We then wound the conversation back to the topic of the day. I noticed how she was shy at first to tell me about her accomplishments and overall signature on Snider Industries. She told me at first she wasn’t so sure she wanted to accept the award at all. Throughout the interview she kept attempting to deflect the spotlight. Defaulting to her employees and her father as the real face of Snider Industries. “I’m always happy to be in the background, hopefully making everything successful,” she told me. 

That’s when it all came full circle. A real leader whether, in the home, in the front office or in the filing room, doesn’t try to be in the spotlight, they only care about setting everyone up for success.

I’ve read nearly all 28 Man of the Year stories, and that’s one thing they all have in common: a desire to set their mill, its employees, their communities and the lumber industry as a whole up for success.

It just took 28 years, and a woman, to articulate it.

Currently

*Linking up with Becky*

Currently around the Johnson Anderson house we are...

Tired from a full weekend of celebrating! Charles recently turned 10, and we had the chance to celebrate his birthday this weekend. I can't believe he's 10 already and halfway through third grade. We went to hibachi, per his request, and then enjoyed some chocolate cake. I was going to make the cake during the twins nap time, only to discover I had no white sugar...Thank god for google and the ability to get creative. I found this recipe, using boxed brownie mix and it turned out great. I made a few tweaks (mainly I used oil and not applesauce as she calls for.) Virginia and my mother-in-law proclaimed it one of the best cakes I've ever made. Charles loved trying to cut it with one of his presents. And they say city boys don't know how to correctly operate power equipment.

 Speaking of a fun weekend...Sunday gave us the ultimate surprise, a puppy! You know how this story goes, we were just going to look and play with some of the dogs. That went over like a lead balloon. Meet Chance Anderson. Mark and the kids are so in love and I have to admit he's really cute. We really are turning into #andersonpettingzoo. So far I've been able to resist chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. Here's hoping that trend continues.

Anyone else a Chopped fan? This tickled me. I love watching Chopped and get some of my best dinner out of the pantry ideas thanks to it. I love when they do theme shows or have a special twist to the already challenging format, so coming across this Franciscan sister who actually won is pretty awesome!! Her dessert looked awesome, who knew pancakes could be so decadent. Way to go Sister Torres!

Is anyone else not that great at saying no? Because I'm freaking horrible at it. Last week I agreed to chair a fundraiser and take on some extra work projects. I don't mind, but I probably should have said no. Just like I probably should have said no to the puppy... I am considering printing this poster out and tacking it to my forehead.

Justine Musk via Pinterest

Cheers to a great week!

Forward Progress

Raise your hand if you're at work today…just me?...it feels like its just me. #privatesectorlife

I love this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. that Oshkosh Kids shared on instagram earlier. I've noticed over the last 16 months that not only has everything changed in day-to-day life since F&A were born, duhhhh, but that my mindset has changed.

This quote made me think of all of the times over the last year where I thought we weren't going to make it; where it was just too damn hard, and yet, we woke up the next day and tried again. I frequently tell our daycare director, "There's always tomorrow; we'll be better tomorrow," when I forget sippy cups or nap mats or that one time Mark dropped Fitz off with only one shoe on… We don't always fly, but we always move forward.

via Oshkosh kids insta

Lust List: Rent The Runway Clearance

As a Harry Potter fan I would be remiss in not putting this fantastic tribute to Alan Rickman on my slice of the internet. I, along with everyone in the free world, abhorred and adored him as Snape. His character in Love Actually? Not so much. I pretty much just abhorred him in that one. RIP Rickman #gonetoosoon

"Here's to the best damned antagonist a guy could ask for."

via The New Yorker

Now, on to the fun part of the last few days: imagining what I would buy off the Rent The Runway clearance sale had MA and I won the Powerball. Because let's face a few truths here. One, we DEFINITELY had a mess load of tickets. Two, there's no way I can justify spending the few thousand on these items that have my heart going pitter-patter. 

I love Rent The Runway! I've rented gowns for deb balls, cocktail dresses, party dresses, you name it, I've probably tried it—it is just so easy and affordable. I'm not a total labelholic, but I do see the value in a really well made dress. They fit better; they look better; they give you a certain confidence. It's worth the money in my mind.But I don't always want to pay the full price for a dress I'll wear a handful of times. Thankfully RTR let's you get a dress for just a few days. Wear it to your event and send it back, easy as pie. Then a few times a year a magical thing happens...

After every season RTR cleans out its closet, so-to-speak, and we have the chance to purchase items at 85% off of retail. Granted everything is used, but I've never, ever been disappointed in the quality of my rentals. I bought two dresses during the last clearance sale and one of them looked brand new! 

So here's what I've got my eye on for gowns and cocktail dresses.

TIBI  / Halston Heritage  / ERIN Erin Fetherston  / Trina Turk

Can't forget simple party dresses.

Haute Hippie / Shoshanna  / Nanette Lepore  / Shoshanna

Or bags.

Annabel Ingall  / Rebecca Minkoff  / Kate Spade

Don't worry jewelry, I didn't leave you out either. 

Melanie Auld earrings / Kate Spade necklace / Slate & Willow earrings

 I'm probably going to pull the trigger a few things this weekend, because the $11 Slate and Willow earrings just obviously have to be mine. I've been watching the inventory over the last few days and stuff is going fast! Anyone have anything they LOVE from the sale?