I have fond memories of our childhood garden in Alaska. Nothing tastes as sweet and crisp as a carrot straight from the cold ground in your backyard.

Unfortunately, we live in a townhome (for now) so we can’t plant a large traditional garden. But to be honest I think I only like large gardens for the romantic notion of it. In theory, a large garden to feed your family is wonderful but the reality is… well, hard work.

I don’t know about you but still there is just something about growing plants (especially if it’s edible). There’s a sense of achievement that often we can’t find elsewhere.

That’s why I’m going to explain today how to grow a container garden. Container gardens are easy to put together, add a green touch to your décor and you don’t need to own land to put it in!

My containers are purely for growing vegetables and fruit but you can use them for flowers too (whatever brightens your day!)

In this post I’ll explain what to look for when buying containers, best vegetables for container gardening, container garden ideas, how to fill out a container garden correctly and other container gardening tips.

Let’s get started!

Best Vegetables for Container Gardening

Now, this is all going to be based on personal preference. These are the plants that I have found to grow best in containers (and I actually can get my money’s worth from it). Don’t plant a vegetable just because it grows well in a container. If you don’t eat it then it’s not going to be worth it.

The number one best vegetable for container gardening is tomatoes…can’t beat the cheap, amount you can grow and how easy it is to take care of it. Secondly, I would say to plant herbs. I use a lot of fresh herbs in my cooking so I planted rosemary, basil, marjoram, cilantro and two different types of thyme. I plan on adding sage and oregano next year.

Lettuce, spinach and kale also grow well in pots but they can be temperamental about their drainage and heat.

The next layer of plants that would require a little bit more work in pots are peppers and peas. There are a lot of other plants that can grow well in containers but what you have to consider is how much a single plant can produce. Containers don’t give you a whole lot of space to grow multiple plants, so stick with plants that produce a lot of produce. 😛

How Much Does it Cost to Start a Container Vegetable Garden

I’ll be honest, money got away from me when planting my first container garden. A lot of people think that gardening will help cut down their grocery bill. That depends. Have you heard the saying that a plant costs 10 cents but the hole costs $5.

Here’s how much it cost for my first container garden by item:

27 plants (The hanging strawberries which I counted as 1 plant were $15. The rest started as seedlings aka baby plants.): $65

5 plastic containers (1 small, 3 medium, 1 large):  $55

3 bags of dirt (which barely filled all the containers): $21

All together it was $141…for a garden that produced probably around $20 worth of food. Despicable. But keep in mind, now that I have the dirt and pots I can use it for next year and the year after. So over time that initial investment will be worth it.

How to Make a Container Garden

Step 1: Buy the dirt, pots and plants (be sure to make sure you have enough dirt and the plants you use will fit in the pots you buy). Drill holes on the bottom of plastic containers if they have them already.

Step 2: Place a few coffee filters over the holes at the bottom of your pots.

Step 3: Add sticks, cardboard, newspaper, or any other compostable items. I like to start collecting compostable items a few weeks before I start planting my container garden. Just make sure you have the appropriate balance between green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) compostable items in each container. Fill about halfway up your container.

Step 4: Begin packing in dirt on top of your compostable items. This step is optional but you can add a natural drip feeder to your container. I placed mine in the center. Take a plastic water or soda bottle. Poke holes in it enough to drain out slowly. Fill it up with water to test it and make sure it drains slowly and evenly on all sides. Put in when you have about 8 inches from the top of the pot.

Step 5:  Fill in the dirt around the bottle (if using) till halfway up (about 4 inches from the top- this will vary depending on the vegetable you are planting). Add your plants making sure to abide by the spacing suggested (usually around 6 inches between each one). Finish filling up with dirt to the top making sure your plants are well supported but don’t pack down the soil.

Container Gardening Tips

-Get creative! You probably have lots of items in your home that could double as a pot. Things like old shoe organizers, toy boxes, or maybe that set of old mixing bowls you never use. Don’t forget to drill holes in them so the plants can have good drainage.

-Don’t let pots dry out between watering. I usually watered mine every third day, unless it was a particularly hot day and then every other day.

-Feed your plants. Plants in pots need plant food more than those in the ground because their soil’s nutrients are soaked up faster.

-If you’re putting different vegetables in one pot, make sure they are good companion plants.

-Container gardens are great to start seeds in the container inside your home (this is important if you don’t have a long growing season). Just make sure you slowly acclimate the container outside so the sun doesn’t kill baby seedlings.

-Use forks (sharp spikes pointing up) to keep birds away from eating your young plants.

Good luck with your container garden! For more container gardening tips, follow me on Pinterest.

Since my husband is a personal trainer, I get the benefit of having a lifetime free trainer to write me programs and to help me keep fit and lookin’ good.

Each month I’ll be filling you in with these exercise plans so you can get in shape as well. This workout will get your arms, thighs, and butt in shape!

The weights I give are for a beginner. If you can handle more than do the most you can for that many reps.

Dumbell Squat to Bench
3 sets: 12-15 Reps Dumbell Squat to Bench- 15-20 pound dumbells (3 seconds down)

Dumbell Sumo Deadlift
3 set: 10-12 Reps Dumbell Sumo Deadlift- 30 pounds (4 seconds down)

Machine Row
2 sets: 8 Reps Hands face down (3 count in, 3 count out)
2 sets: 8 Reps Hands face each other (3 count in, 3 count out)

Machine Chest Press
3 set: 10 Reps (3 count in)

Bicep Curl
3 sets: 10 Reps – Come up with hands pam up holding weights, when you get to top, flip wrist so palms face down then 3-second count down.

Cable Rope Pressdown
3 set: 10-12 Reps Steady Pace (3 seconds count)

Good luck!

Do you need a break? Or perhaps you’re looking for an adventure? Something to stir the soul and rejuvenate the senses. Hawaii is the place for you.

Growing up in Alaska, our prime vacation destination was Hawaii. This gives me quite a bit of experience (5 trips and 4 islands) to offer those who are looking to escape to this tropical paradise. Since I went to Oahu when I was younger, I don’t remember much except for the one day we went to the Dole Pineapple Garden Maze. In short, it was a-MAZE-ing 😛

This guide to the Hawaiian Islands covers:

• Fun facts about the Hawaiian Islands
• Top 7 things to do in Hawaii (regardless of the island you are visiting)
• What to do on the Big Island Hawaii
• Things to do on Maui
• Best places to go on Kauai
• What to bring on your trip (and what to take back home)

Fun Facts About the Hawaiian Islands

The bluest, clearest water and the sweetest of tropical smells–That’s Hawaii in a snapshot.

Hawaii is made up of eight islands and it’s actually the second widest state, next to Alaska

All beaches, with the exception of some government-owned beaches, are public so don’t feel like you need to skip out on a nice beach just because it is hidden behind a resort. It’s my family’s tradition to resort crash the fanciest hotels on the island and walk around, take pictures, and then go to the beach. (Usually, you only have to pay a small fee for parking.)

Have you heard of Kona Coffee? Hawaii is the only U.S. state to grow and produce coffee. You definitely need to try a cup (or two or three) when visiting. Nothing quite starts off your day like vanilla macadamia nut Kona coffee.

Hawaii has done a superb job at preserving their culture through luaus, traditional food and even the Hawaiian language (you will definitely need to know Aloha and Mahalo!).

One island isn’t open to non-Hawaiians: Niihau, which was purchased and now preserved by the Robinson family. Molokai has only recently been opened to non-Hawaiians. The island acted as a Lepard colony for years.

More #FunFacts can be found here.

Top 7 Things to do in Hawaii

Regardless which island you end up visiting, whether you go for the busy tourist destination Maui or the epic picturesque Kauai, there are just some things you should always do.

1. Eat papaya with lime
2. Visit farmers markets (and, of course, try a bunch of unique local fruits)
3. Try new foods (Poi, the purple stuff, and poke, deconstructed sushi. Lomi salmon, shaved ice and taro boba drinks are amazing as well!)
4. Go to a luau (Don’t forget to get the girls in your life real leis! You can put them in plastic bags in the fridge to keep them fresh longer.)
5. Drink Kona coffee
6. Go snorkeling, boogie boarding and any other water activity you like!
7. Drive around the island in a convertible

Fun Things to do on the Big Island Hawaii

On the Big Island, we rented the Pu’uhonua House on the west side of the island. The owner was very nice! He would leave fresh fruit from the fruit trees surrounding the property (bananas, lemons and passion fruit) and even some coffee! The house was huge with 4 rooms and a loft, which could also be used as a room. The third floor was almost completely surrounded my sliding glass doors which gave such a spectacular view of the island! Besides being fully furnished and beautifully decorated, the house also had a hammock, grill, boogie boards, snorkel gear and water shoes that anyone could use.

We actually were there during the Dengue Fever scare but the host provided bug spray for us and none in our family got sick. Since the glass doors could slide, tiny green geckos would crawl under and they entertained my 2-year-old nephew for hours!!

The only thing I didn’t like about the house was the location, it was a good 15 minute drive (which seems longer with a toddler in the car) to the beach, the shops at Kailua-Kona and most other entertainment. However, there was an amazing gelato place right down the street from the house called Gypsea Gelato.

Along the main strip in Kailua-Kona, you can go shopping at the farmers markets like Ali’i Garden Marketplace (where you can find amazing homemade soap which I mention in the below section of what to buy in Hawaii) or the Kona Farmer’s Market and then you can cross the street and go boogie boarding at Magic Sands beach!

Since we had my two-year-old nephew with us, we didn’t do much hiking.  We did hike to the black sand beach at Kiholo Bay, which was totally worth the 2 mile trek across sandy coast and a lava field! We saw dozens of giant turtles on the beach! There’s not a lot of room to just lay out and relax on the black sand (it’s also rougher sand) but the views were gorgeous and it was a really fun place to explore! I even got to swim alongside the turtles in their natural habitat (but it’s against the law to touch the turtles FYI). The water at Kiholo Bay is cold and has a weird salty look since it’s where salt water meets fresh water, this means you can’t see very far in it…kinda creepy!

My sister and her husband also went hiking by themselves at Arch City (which is pictured at the beginning of this section). Arch City, famous for its naturally forming lava rock bridge, is located next to Honaunau Bay in Kona. It made for a pretty epic picture! Lastly, we visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Since it was the day time we couldn’t see any lava flowing.

Lastly, we visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Since it was the day time we couldn’t see any lava flowing (usually you have to go at night and actually take a boat over to where the lava is flowing into the ocean but I’ve heard it’s super bouncy and since you can’t really see land people often get really sea sick!). It was still cool to walk around and see the craters puffing out smoke and we also went into the lava tube there. The Volcanoes National Park is located closer to Hilo (the other big city on Hawaii) but since we visited that area on previous trips we didn’t really do much in that area this trip. I think I like the Kona side more than Hilo anyways.

The last tourist attraction that people often hike around is Mauna Kea, which is the highest point in Hawaii. People often have to bring coats up with them since it can get very cold up there! On previous trips, we’ve tried driving up the mountain but you feel like you’re killing your car since it is so steep and so high! However, I’ve heard the view from the top is pretty spectacular!

In regards to snorkeling, my favorite was probably Two Step beach, which is located right next to the City of Refuge. There isn’t much of a beach there, so if you do go, go for the snorkeling. The City of Refuge talked a lot about the history of the Hawaiian people especially in regards to their spiritual culture. Very interesting and took only about an hour to walk through.

We also went snorkeling at the Captain Cook Monument, which you can only get to by boat or by a really dangerous hike.

We kayaked out to the bay with a local who provided the kayaks (it was part of a package from the Pu’uhonua House) and then went into the water to snorkel for several hours! The guide explained the history of the holes in the cliff wall (how they buried the Hawaiian chiefs) and even came into the water to help us find starfish. The guide also brought along Naupaka plant leaves which he then crushed and rubbed the green slime over the inside of our goggles so they wouldn’t get foggy.

Out of all the beaches we went to, Hapuna Beach was the biggest and had the best waves (they were huge!!). However, a few years ago my family hiked out to the green sand beach. It’s quite the hike (sometimes you can pay some guys in a pickup truck to drive you over there) but the green sand is unbelievably gorgeous! The waves had a strong undertow so not really a safe place to go swimming but somehow it’s still worth the trek.

On a previous trip, one of my favorite activities was horseback riding at Waimea. It’s an absolutely beautiful place, especially if you can make it to the Waipi’o Valley.

The luau we went to was called Island Breeze Luau in Kona. They had great food and entertainment although I thought the laua I went to in Maui was better.

This may sound weird but my family always goes to the most expensive resorts in the area to explore and take photos. On the Big Island we went to Hilton Waikoloa Village, which was absolutely gorgeous and so fun to explore! They even have a boat transportation system which carries you from one part of the resort to the next!! Definitely the prettiest resort on the island!

I mentioned drinking Kona coffee in the “must do in Hawaii” section. On the Big Island of Hawaii our rental house was right next to a pretty cool coffee farm but there are hundreds of coffee farms in the area and some of the better known farms are Greenwell farms, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation and Hula Daddy Kona Coffee. Most of the coffee farms offer free tours and, of course, free coffee samples!

Things to do in Maui Hawaii

In Maui the majority of our days were spent at the beach snorkeling and boogie boarding (usually the resort will have equipment). For snorkeling we went to Honolua Bay and Kapalua Bay. My family has Worldmark time share so when we went to Maui we stayed at Worldmark Kihei, which was nice and only a 5 minute walk to the beach. For me, being close to the beach (5-10 min walk max) is a must since I love walking on the beach early in the morning with my tea and watching the sunrise. Most big resorts (Hyatt, Hilton, Ali’i etc) are very close to beaches.

If this is your first trip to Hawaii and are looking for a taste of everything, Maui is a great place to start!

We drove across the island one day on the Hana highway- it really is a gorgeous drive but somewhat terrifying at parts if I remember correctly. Definitely rent a convertible if you drive the island a lot! Even if it’s just for 24 hours it is so worth it and a completely different experience. You could also get a moped but I think those are somewhat dangerous if you have bad balance or aren’t used to riding one.

You could spend a few hours hiking around the volcano Haleakala… though it tends to be boring if no lava is flowing (which I don’t think it still is). Still cool to say you’ve seen a volcano!

One of the reasons we vacationed in Hawaii so much growing up was because my dad use to have to go there for his sales job (tough life… lol). My dad said that in those days lava would just be flowing right next to the highway (and sometimes on it!)

We did a lot of hiking when we went to Maui- my favorite was the Pools at Ohe’o, which are also called the 7 Sacred Pools. (pictured above)

While we didn’t go on any boat trips in Maui, we did in Kauai (read below) and I would definitely recommend it! Since Hawaii has such clear water, seeing dolphins and whales is just spectacular there! Talking about sea life, the Maui Ocean Center is also a great place to explore, especially if you have kids!

And of course you have to go to a luau– we had ours at the Hyatt Hotel in Maui (pictured below). They have live penguins in the hotel!! Even if you don’t stay at the Hyatt or go to the luau there, I would highly recommend taking a few hours to just walk around the hotel and visit the beach there (yes, you can do that even if you’re not a guest).

At the luau, be sure to try poi (the purple stuff) and poke (deconstructed sushi).  You should also try their lomi salmon– it’s so good!!

If you’re looking for a good restaurant in Maui, try Duke’s (they are also on Kauai)! They are well-known for their Hula Pie and the atmosphere is awesome!

Lastly, Hawaii has such a unique culture so I would suggest learning more about it while you’re there. While a luau definitely teaches you a lot about it, we also went to The Maui Theatre to see Ulalena: The Story of Hawaii’s People and we were really impressed with how good it was!

Things to do in Kauai Hawaii

In terms of beauty, Kauai is my favorite island! My husband and I felt like we were in some mystical dream the entire time we were there! There’s less lava rock in Kauai than the Big Island. Instead, there are lush, tall, jagged mountains. Kauai is also unique in that wild chickens and roosters are everywhere…I mean EVERYWHERE! It’s insane. I asked a local there if they ever buy chicken from a store or if they go out and just hunt down one of the wild ones. She said the wild ones were too tough and gamey to eat. :/

If you love adventure, hiking and exploring  then Kauai is the Hawaiian island for you.

In Kauai, we stayed at the Villas of Poipu Kai. The condo is a 7 minute walk from Poipu beach, which had a great little bay for kids away from the waves, too. The condo had a great kitchen and three bedrooms with three bathrooms. The Villas also had a nice pool area and a jacuzzi with a waterfall coming down into it.

Besides Duke’s restaurant, I would highly suggest eating at Tortilla Republic. Their quesadilla is the best I’ve ever had!! Tortilla Republic was located in a little shopping area only a few minutes away from the Villas. Once a week the shopping center also has a farmers market with tons of vendors!

Kauai has gorgeous waterfalls like Kapaa falls and Wailua falls (those were the two we went to see). I also heard that Kipu Falls has a zip line and the Makaleha mountains were a beautiful hiking place with a waterfall as well. We stopped by the waterfalls on our way up to Hanalei beach. Hanalei beach was great for boogie boarding. One side of the super long beach had smaller waves and then on the other side of the beach was bigger waves. It also had a pier that people were jumping off of.

On our way back from the beach we stopped at the Lihue Lighthouse. It was closed by the time we got there (so you should definitely check out their open hours to make sure you don’t miss it if you go) but we could still see the lighthouse and got some pretty pictures of it.

One of the best days in Hawaii was spent on the HoloHolo Catamaran in Kuaui. The trip took about 6 hours. We started the morning off with breakfast on the boat and snorkeling off of the coast. The snorkeling wasn’t fantastic but some of the people saw a seal. The boat did provide snorkeling gear.

We rode the boat around the coast of Kauai while tours pointed out significant parts of the landscape, such as where the beginning scene of Jurassic Park was filmed (pictured in the first picture of the blog post). Waterfalls are all over the coast and the captain even got the boat close enough to one to have everyone at the front of the boat to get wet! It was crazy! They also provided a delicious sandwich lunch. We got to chase dozens of spinning dolphins (pictured in the first image on this page) and even saw hump back whales (yes plural!) It was a crazy awesome adventure! Unfortunately, I’ve heard not everyone has such an amazing experience, it depends on the weather.

Lastly, you should definitely explore the NePali Mountains! Whether you go for one of the extreme hikes along the coast or just through the Waimea Canyon, hike-explore-discover!

One area that we only got to briefly explore was Hanapepe, which was were our catamaran went out from. We were planning to stop by the famous Glass Beach afterwards but one of the guides said there was no glass left (all the tourist took it home!)

If you’re an extreme hiker and dare devil, you should definitely make it to the Queen’s Bath. The pictures are gorgeous from what I’ve seen but it’s supposedly a very dangerous hikes and tourists are killed every year trying to attempt it. :/

Next time we go we also plan on taking a helicopter tour around the NePali Coast.

While on the catamaran we saw some sea caves. I heard you can take Jetskis to go in and out of  the Waiahuakua sea caves.

Things to Bring to Hawaii (besides the obvious)

Be sure to leave at least 5 pounds in your checked bag so that you can bring stuff back with you or just make sure there is room in your carryons to bring stuff back…cus you’re gonna wanna bring stuff back.

Swimming suit cover ups. Not to state the obvious but beaches are everywhere. It’s easier for guys to just wear their swim trunks everywhere but girls have to put a lot more thought into it. My sisters and I actually bought fast drying running shorts (with the underwear built in) and sports bras so that we could just wear a tank top over it and then be beach ready in an instant! You’ll notice I also had a cute grey coverup dress on for many of my pictures. Having a cute and somewhat modest cover up for your swim suit comes in handy when you want to take great pictures but don’t want to be in your swim suit for all of them.

Goggles and snorkling mask. (Usually you can rent or buy masks there too but I don’t like using other people’s snorkling masks- though def just rent or borrow flippers there).

Reef shoes (water shoes) comes in handy especially in places that have lots of lava rocks that hurt your feet (these are a must if you are going to the Big Island).

Sweater or light jackets. So keep in mind, we always went in ‘winter’ so I’m not sure if this applies to you but it gets cold at night so it’s always nice to have a sweater for backup.

Go Pro. Taking under water pictures is such a blast so I highly suggest you invest in a Go Pro or underwater camera. (All underwater photos you see here were taken with a Go Pro.)

Besides sunscreen, bring mosquito repellant. Not sure how bad mosquitoes will be when you go but they were bad for us!

Beach bag. It’s a good idea to make sure one of your carry-ons can act as a beach bag that’s easy to carry (ie it’s ok if sand and water get in it and it’s easy to clean).

Also in hawaii there are macadamia everything. BUT if you are going to buy chocolate covered macadamias for gifts for people back home (which are very popular) be sure to check Ross out if you have one in your area before you leave. They have similar brands (ie Hawaiian hostess) that are in Hawaii (usually) and for a cheaper price… but they don’t have all the flavors that most Hawaii shops have. btw talking about shops, the ABC store is their common tourist store and usually fair prices. Warning: food is more expensive in Hawaii than what you’re probably use to!

A few other tips, taking lava rock home is considered a curse (seriously look it up – it’s kinda hilarious). Locals will yell at you if they catch you standing on a reef. To make your lei last longer, keep it in a gallon zipblock bag in the fridge.

What Souveniers to Take Back With You From Hawaii

This is the question that plagued my nights in Hawaii. What can you ever buy to really commemorate such an experience. Well here’s a few things I never regretted buying in Hawaii:

• Kona Natural Soap, mentioned above in the Big Island section, is handcrafted in Hawaii. They use only natural ingredients, many of which they grow on their farm. Their logo is pretty ingenius too with the shape of the Big Island on the shell of a turle. I bought their wooden soap holder, which I love, and so far my favorite soap from them is the Mauna Ua, which is a blend of grapefruit, cinnamon cassia, and ground papaya seeds. (For those who don’t know, I collect handmade soaps is this one is by far my favorite!) Even if you don’t plan on going to Hawaii, you can order this soap online, click here. The owners have given me a special code for you guys to get 10% off soaps and kukui nut oil. Just type in HOKU and mention in the comment DIY Home Health sent you. (Also, if you are in the Harrisburg, PA region, you can email me (alicia.whitecavage [at] gmail [dot] com) and I’ll place a group order so we can share on shipping which is a flat $11 no matter how much we buy. )
• For men, Hawaiian shirt, which you can wear for the luau and then every other “hawaiian party” afterwards.
• Mauna Lau chocolate covered macadamias. This is a great gift for coworkers and friends back home but here’s a secret why carry that weight when you can buy the same chocolate covered macadamias from Ross back on the mainland.
• Sand and Shells. I’ll admit, I’m one of THOSE tourist who collects sand and shells from the places she’s visited. It’s such a great way to remember your trip! My mom now has sand from four of the islands in a tall glass vase (including black sand and green sand).
• Coffee- Hawaii is the only state that produces coffee and taking a bag back with you to share with your friends while talking about your trip is fun to do 😀
• For kids, I always loved getting Hawaiian necklaces and plastic plumeria flowers for my hair.

Whatever you buy, it should be something that you look at that will make you remember of the good times you spent in Hawaii. Remember whatever you get you have to take home with you so don’t get it unless you know you have the weight in your suitcase to spare (or if you’re just willing to pay the fee to be overweight).

Mahalo friends for reading my guide. I would love for you to share your experiences in Hawaii and any suggestions you may have for my many trips I plan to take back there!

Aloha,
Alicia

This post is for women only and contains affiliate links but all opinions are my own.

Let’s get intimate. I hate periods. I know tampons are bad for you but I hate pads… so I end up with a lot of bloody underwear! And more often than not, that blood stains, which really grosses out my husband.

So when I heard about She THINX period underwear I was so excited. Of course, I was a little less excited when I saw the price ($34!! Seriously?!). Scroll to the bottom of this post to find similar period underwear for a quarter of the cost!

Now something you need to know about me–I’m picky, especially about underwear. While I have a size small (sometimes x-small) waist, my butt doesn’t always fit in that size of underwear. I can’t stand it when underwear fits weird. I also don’t like too lacey or silky underwear. I know I’m weird 😛

After weeks of getting inundated with THINX ads, I decided to buy one pair to try them out. Plus I loved the idea that a portion of the money went to AFRIpads which helps women learn how to make pads so they can become entrepreneurs and it also makes pads available for girls so they can go to school.

Does Period Underwear Work?

Ok, now on to my super critical and honest review of THINX period underwear. I got their smallest size (XS) in a nude hiphugger style. I got it in the mail in two days and handwashed it before using. The outside has a silky feel but the inside is black and feels more like cotton (which is what I prefer in terms of underwear texture). THINX period underwear has a starchy texture and only slightly thicker than normal underwear  (btw you’re not allowed to use softener on it) but once I put my pants on I couldn’t really tell! In terms of overall comfort, they didn’t fit me perfectly (a little too big for being an xs but any smaller and my butt wouldn’t fit); however, they did look classy and stylish (not like I’m going to try to seduce my husband on my period though).

I wore them overnight (I don’t usually bleed that much) and continued wearing them in the morning of my heaviest period day. I was curious how long it was going to last. I was really impressed that the underwear never really felt wet because of their moisture-wicking technology. Within 4 hours after I woke up, I had bled through the underwear. I estimate that it held slightly over 1 regular tampon’s worth of blood. They were super easy to clean (though if you have zero tolerance for blood probably not the underwear for you), I simply washed in cold water in the sink to get all the blood out and then tossed them in the wash and laid flat to dry. None of the blood stained the underwear.

I also like the fact that the underwear has anti microbial silver in the fabric to make your monthly a little more hygienic.

Review of THINX Period Underwear

Now that the gruesome details are out of the way, here are my thoughts. Could you completely replace your current monthly regimen with these THINX period underwear? No, not without it being a pain in the butt to change underwear throughout the day and spend hundreds of dollars.

So what are THINX good for?
-Overnight (especially if you only bleed a little).
-During the start of your period since you don’t know the exact timing Aunt Flo will come to visit.
-At the end of your period when it’s just spotting.
-For non-period moments, I’m talking to you new moms ;P when you need a little protection because you just squeezed a baby out of your vagina and your bladder can’t seem to hold it all in at times.

Since I still have the period underwear and didn’t return them (which you can if you’re not completely satisfied) means I do think they are worth buying. While they aren’t super comfortable like I was hoping, they are more comfortable than a pad.

I have also found other similar period underwear brands that are more affordable here. I particularly liked this period underwear here, which is a pack of 3 for only 17.99!

They are more comfortable than Thinx but they don’t hold as much blood. They are also less frilly (ie no lace)…not sure if that is a pro or a con. Guess, it’s just personal preference.

If you are interested in buying a pair of Thinx, you can use my friend link to get $10 off a pair (and I’ll also get $10 toward my next purchase): http://fbuy.me/dNujM

Two Years Later: How Does Thinx Period Underwear Hold Up

It’s been over two years since I wrote this post and I wanted to give you an update. I’ve worn both Thinx and generic period underwear from Amazon at least once during each of my periods (take into consideration that I didn’t have a period for a year – read about that crazy hormone balancing time here!). The generic period underwear held up better than Thinx but that might be circumstantial.

The thing about period underwear is in order to keep them in good shape you have to rinse out the blood immediately after you are done wearing them. If you don’t wash out your Thinx period underwear they start to smell and get really stiff in between the cotton and silky layer. I scrubbed mine with a ‘laundry toothbrush’ (an old toothbrush that I now only use for scrubbing out stains on clothes) and then washed it in hot water to try to get the smell and stiffness out. It came out for the most part.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any other questions!

I was terrified of bugs growing up. I use to refuse to go weed our garden because I knew a spider bite was exactly how I was going to die (even though there weren’t any poisonous spiders in Alaska that could bite you)!

As I grew up though I came to the conclusion that I had to face my fears…or figure out a way to get rid of them! That’s when I started experimenting with different DIY natural bug killers and repellants. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you today.

How to Get Rid of Bugs in House

If you already have creepy crawlies in your home, it’s time to take action in either scaring them away or killing them. (I’ll cover repelling bugs in the section below.) The best natural way to kill spiders and any other insect with an exoskeleton is with Diatomaceous Earth (commonly known as DE). DE is a naturally forming sediment– it’s actually the hard shells from tiny phytoplanktons called Diatoms that live in oceans and help with cleaning the air. When they get out of water, their little glass-like bodies get dried up and form diatomites (seeing a trend here with the names…). Diatomites are then harvested, ground into powder for food-grade DE or heated to form a difference substance called pool grade DE.

Make sure you get food-grade DE (or garden grade DE) when buying Diatomaceous Earth to kill bugs. This powder is harmless to humans but when insects get into it the DE works under their shells and cuts their soft bodies underneath causing them to die of dehydration.

Besides using DE, you can also trap bugs using DIY soda bottle traps like this.

How to Keep Bugs Out of Your House

Now, if you are looking to repel bugs out of your home or just keep bugs away from your house, here’s what you need to do: Fill a 4-6 oz glass spray bottle with water and about 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Then go spray-happy in all the areas you see bugs! I’ve found peppermint gets rid of spiders (my biggest concern), cockroaches and even mice! And, it makes your house smell nice and clean! Win-Win!

Citrusy smells also keep spiders away. If you’re looking for a DIY ant repeller, try sprinkling ground cinnamon in key areas you see ants coming in. This can get a little messy, so you can do the glass spray bottle with water and several drops of cinnamon essential oil.

If you’re wondering why glass spray bottles, essential oils have a tendency to eat away at plastics and make it deteriorate. Glass bottles keep pure essential oils potent for longer.

What are some tricks you know on how to repel bugs? Share in the comments below!

Note: Some of the links below are to Amazon. When you purchase the product I receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. The money I receive goes to helping me keep this blog live and filled with helpful DIY information. Thanks for your support!

My husband’s and mine dating relationship consisted of dining out, mini golf and Settlers of Catan.

When we got married, we decided to make it a tradition to buy a Catan game every year. We usually wait till after Christmas because the local board game shop would have a huge discount on all games.

Our collection now consists of Settlers of Catan (expansion pack!), Seafarers, Cities and Knights and Trails to Rails (which is the board shaped like America–how cool is that!)

For my birthday last year, he ordered this crazy delicious blueberry velvet 3 layer cake that was decorated with a mini Doctor Who and Tardis…so a lot of pressure on me to give him a dessert he would love! (yes, we are geeks :P)

So I partnered with Whoopie Bakery in Chambersburg PA to create the ultimate Settlers of Catan whoopie pie bar!

So here’s what we did. I ordered 2 dozen deconstructed whoopie pies and here’s what it came with:

• Dozen pumpkin cake
• Dozen chocolate cake
• Cinnamon coffee frosting
• Cream cheese frosting
• Caramel glaze (which was our ‘gold’)
• Toasted coconut topping (sheep resource)
• Crushed chocolate espresso beans topping (coal resource)

First off, crazy that I got all that for $40 and they had these adorable labels too! In order to complete the whoopie pie bar, I added a few additional toppings that I had around the house:

• Baked bacon pieces (brick resource)
• Pretzels (wheat resource)
• Crushed Oreos (ore resource)
• Pecans (wood resource)
• Maple syrup (more gold!)

Seriously, how perfect did these toppings relate to the resources in Catan!

So when our friends came over, we told them they could build their own city! The cake was the house, the frosting the roads, the caramel glaze or maple syrup was gold and then all the toppings as resources. Proud nerd moment! My husband LOVED it!! Not only was this such a creative dessert but the whoopie pies were unbelievably delicious!! My friends could not stop raving about it!

Here are a few of our favorite ‘cities’ we put together:

• The Ultimate City: Chocolate cake, caramel glaze, cream cheese frosting, pretzels and Oreos (get it..you need wheat and ore to make a city!)
• Hit the Road, Jack: Pumpkin, cream cheese frosting, bacon and pecans (cus ya gotta have wood and brick to make them roads…)
• The Brick Port: Pumpkin cake, maple syrup, cream cheese frosting and bacon
• The Wild West: Chocolate cake, caramel glaze, cinnamon coffee frosting, pecans and chocolate covered espresso beans (if you haven’t played Trails to Rails, you won’t get it)
• The Secret Victory Point: Chocolate cake, caramel glaze, cream cheese frosting, coconut, pretzels and Oreos (sheep, wheat and ore is needed to buy a development card)

Are you setting up your own Settlers of Catan whoopie pie bar? Let me know in the comments your favorite combinations!

The hardest part of a bathroom renovation isn’t the work that goes into construction or the search for the perfect contractor — it’s the planning. There are so many opportunities to go over budget or past your deadline. Worst of all, without careful consideration, you may end up with a less-than-perfect finished project. To help you get the newly remodeled bathroom you’ve been dreaming about, here are some of the most important factors to consider when planning for your project:

How much will the renovation cost?

The No. 1 consideration for any renovation — particularly a pricey room like a bathroom — is the cost. HomeAdvisor.com tells us that the national average cost to renovate a bathroom is $9,275. If you’re not careful, these costs can go much higher.

The trick to avoid sticker shock is to come up with a firm budget and make sure that both you and your contractor stick to it. Once you know how much you can spend, make a list of priorities. Do you want a tiled floor or an expensive vanity? Would you like to spend more money on storage options or would you prefer to completely update the room’s electrical fixtures? By outlining all of the things that are most and least important to you, you’ll be able to see where you can increase or decrease costs to make sure the project fits within your budget.

How long will it take?

People are often quite surprised at just how long bathroom remodels take. You could be looking at two months or more between the time that you hire your contractor and the completion of the project. The good news is that the majority of this time will be devoted to planning and procuring materials. However, you can expect the construction phase to take between two and three weeks for a complete, floor-to-ceiling remodel. During this time, you’ll need to have alternate plans in place for your family’s regular bathroom activities — especially if this is your home’s primary bathroom.

Form vs. function

It might surprise you to learn that lasting satisfaction with a remodeling project usually comes from the project’s practicality, not its overall beauty. That isn’t to say that you should disregard looks entirely, but it’s important to think about design choices in terms of both aesthetics and maintenance. Some people really love the look of natural stone floors, for instance. If you install them, however, you might find yourself liking them a little less each year as you deal with various maintenance hassles. For each item on your remodeling list, take issues like durability and maintenance needs into account before making a final decision.

When to follow trends and when to ignore them

As you’re planning a remodel, you’ll run across dozens of trends for the bathroom. Keep in mind that trends come and go rather quickly. If you’d like to keep up with the latest and greatest bathroom renovation trends, then make sure that you express those design choices in elements that are easy to change. A tile floor in the latest loud colors, for instance, might not be the best idea because the trend is likely to fade long before that floor wears out. Vanities, mirrors, medicine cabinets, light fixtures and other smaller items, on the other hand, are relatively easy to replace as trends change.

Take a look at your lighting

In so many homes, the bathrooms are dull, dim places lit only by a window during the day and an overhead fixture at night. Consider all of the ways that you can upgrade your bathroom’s lighting: waterproof lighting over the shower, recessed lighting over the toilet and vanity, lights around mirrors and so on. You’ll find that updated lighting not only makes your bathroom more useful, but it will also help the room seem larger and fresher.

Save water where you can

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average four-person family uses 400 gallons of water every day — 43.5 percent of which is used by the toilet and shower alone. Even if you’re doing a bare bones remodel, still consider replacing the toilet, showerhead and sink faucet. These three items won’t add much money to the cost of your project, but they can cut water usage dramatically. New toilets, for instance, are required to use only 1.6 gallons of water per flush, whereas older toilets use up to 7 gallons per flush. EPA-approved showerheads save 2,900 gallons per showerhead on average.

Take each of these items into consideration when planning your new bathroom, and you’ll remove a lot of the uncertainty that most homeowners feel when they tackle major renovation projects!

Author Bio:

Erica Garland is the Content Marketing Manager at Modern Bathroom and has 15 years of experience in the bathroom renovation industry.  Modern Bathroom sells a variety of different products you would need for any bathroom renovation project. With such a large selection of vanities, faucets, sinks, toilets, and showers, Modern Bathroom is sure to have the perfect piece to give your bathroom an updated look