Animals on the move: Ingrid Callot and the benefits of organic farm party for kids

Hi, Ingrid Callot here. My good friend Ashya recently got into birthday party organizing. Here’s what I like about her new venture: she looks for eco-friendly ideas to incorporate in parties, just like hosting birthday parties on the organic farm that she owns. Given that my son Jacob loves being around free-moving animals, the greenery, and whatnot, it seems like an awesome idea to have his 11th birthday party next year on a farm. That would be a delight for me as someone who advocates clean and green living.

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The following are some of the reasons why I, the Eco-goddess and Domestic Queen Ingrid Callot, believe that an organic farm is a unique and perfect venue to celebrate life and Mother Earth at the same time:

• I love the idea of outsourcing my son’s birthday celebration without compromising my ideals in matters of food, play, and waste.

• Kids will learn about seasonal plants and can even bring home some, to plant and care for at home.

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• Aside from pony rides, other thrills kids may enjoy are geese and bird feeding, egg collecting, tractor rides, and other farm activities that they don’t see every day in the city.

• Talking with real-life cowboys and farmers will be a plus factor since the kids will learn a whole lot from them about plant and animal growing.

• It’s simple yet waste-free, natural, and preservative-free.

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Me, myself, and I: Ingrid Callot talks about the importance of ‘me time’

“With all the chores that I have to do, I can’t even find time to clean my nails, Ingrid Callot! I can’t even go out of the house!” one of my friends exclaimed when I asked her the other day if we can go out for dinner. Although inviting her to go out always freaks out this friend of mine, I still asked her anyway, in the hopes that she finally knew how to set aside time for herself.

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As a mother and wife who does various things on the side, I know how overwhelming it can get to wear different hats sometimes – no, wait -- all the same time. While some married women, particularly those with kids, never fail to blame settling down as the cause of longer having time for themselves, I, Ingrid Callot, just cannot make sense out of this ‘reason.’

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First off, ‘me time’ is important because everyone needs to stop and break their routines once in a while. According to this CNN article, breaking a routine is beneficial for a person’s overall well-being. It reduces stress, gives people time to think, and recharges them. With these benefits, women can do all their responsibilities better without feeling shortchanged.

Moreover, ‘me time’ doesn’t require doing it alone. It may refer to time spent with friends, and joining activities and pursuing hobbies for joy and fulfillment.

It also doesn’t have to be done for a whole day or for a long period. So I advise women to simply have at least two hours to themselves before starting their daily routine. Reading a book, gardening, exercising, or just walking around the community can make moms and wives feel better and more energized.

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Back to school: Ingrid Callot's healthy snacks for kids

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Hi! It’s me, Ingrid Callot, at your service once again. Now that my son, Jacob, is back in school, I have to come up with snacks he will love and enjoy eating. Of course, I want his snacks to be delicious, but they also have to be nutritious and easy to prepare. Although I take pleasure in creating snacks from scratch, I also hit the grocery for healthy and yummy treats that won’t spoil appetites before meals. Here are some of my son’s favorites:  

Roasted almonds

Good thing my little one is not allergic to nuts. I always include a small bag of whole roasted salted almonds in his lunch box. They’re not just crunchy, they’re also low in cholesterol and sodium. And they’re a good source of magnesium, Vitamin E, and manganese.

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Ingrid Callot is a mother and wife who loves to blog about eco-friendly tips on housekeeping.

Granola bars

This is a staple in our house. My hubby loves these and they’re Jacob’s favorite, too. I usually prepare batches of homemade bars at home. But if I don’t have the time to do so, I just hit the local store and get boxes of these. Jacob loves the chewy ones, but there is also the crispy kind.

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Apple cider-flavored juice

This calcium and Vitamin C-rich beverage is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Drinking apple juice improves my son’s digestion and helps eliminate harmful toxins from the tummy.

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Fast and free: Ingrid Callot's summertime energy-saving tips

I am Ingrid Callot, better known as the reigning queen of recycling, reusing, and reducing in my neighborhood and on the blogosphere. Today, I’d like to talk about energy-saving for summer.

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As you look forward to spending breezy warm days and great summer nights, higher bills are expected, but are not welcome. Whether you use an air conditioning unit and such cooling appliances more often than usual or consume more water to cool down body temperature, there are saving tips that can help you reduce and energy cost and consumption. They are Earth-friendly as well. So before setting that air conditioning into full speed, consider these Ingrid Callot tips, so that at the end of the season, your pockets will thank you in return:

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• Buy an automatic thermostat, if you haven’t yet. A programmable thermostat can turn on and off at certain temperatures. It automatically kicks in when it detects warmer temperatures and shuts off when it senses cooler temperatures. At the same time, it turns off when you are away and runs on when you are around.

• Replace your current incandescent bulbs with more efficient ones, like compact fluorescent bulbs or LED. They consume less energy yet they are brighter and they last longer.

• When you leave your home empty during the day, keep your curtains down or closed to keep the rays of the sun from entering your interiors. This makes way for cooler air, allowing your air conditioning system to work less hard at nighttime.

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Ingrid Callot's smart tips for a non-toxic summer living

Hi. It’s me Ingrid Callot, happy to be at your service once again. Ever since I pledged to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, I’ve been making it a point to learn and share to all of you. It is my way of doing a good turn on a regular basis. Today, I’ll be talking about how to have a non-toxic summer.

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We have been told, time and again, that certain ingredients are dangerous to the health. We’ve also been told what to do with and how to lessen the impact of certain dangers. I know, it gets puzzling, intimidating, and stressful, all at the same time. However, I believe that most Ingrid Callot blog followers would agree with me when I say that it doesn’t have to be confusing or complicated. For having non-toxic living, especially in the hot days, is all about taking small steps and finding what’s important for you and your beloved family. Here are some practical tips to help you make healthier choices:

1. Say “bye-bye” to mosquito bites the natural and chemical-free way. Instead of using expensive mosquito repellent lotion, use the summer wind to ward off those pesky insects. The New York Times says that wind is an effective weapon to repel mosquitoes with.

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2. Cool down but save on bills. Summer means more time, energy, and money spent to keep you cool. To lessen consumption and expenses, program your thermostat to have it working with varied temperatures, kicking in at hot temperatures and turning off at lower ones. Closing the windows and doors during the day and opening them at night help in the cooling and ventilation processes as well. This is also a great way to improve indoor air quality.

3. Recycle and reuse. I can’t emphasize enough the benefits of these two. On going to picnics, use glass bottles instead of plastic containers. In shopping, bring your own cloth bag. On selling and buying, consider second-hand items and flea markets.

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Ingrid Callot: All hail the women at the Olympics!

As a steward of healthy living, I, Ingrid Callot, am fascinated by women who excel in sports, much more by those who make it in the Olympics! Over the years, the Olympics have been flocked into by young, beautiful, and accomplished women in their respective sporting events. Here are some of them:

1. Stephanie Rice. This 23 year-old Australian swimmer holds the world record in the 400-meter women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She earned her celebrity status not just because of her skills in the game but also because of her sex appeal.

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2. Jessica Ennis. This stunning heptathlete got famous following her gold medal at the World Championships in 2009 and victory at the European Championships in 2010.

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Together with her husband Roger and son Jacob, Ingrid Callot has made a lifetime commitment of living a greener and healthier lifestyle.

3. Maria Sharapova. This 25-year-old stunner has been decorated with numerous tennis medals, the latest being the Olympics 2012 Silver Medal for Women’s Singles. Maria started hitting tennis balls at the age of four; at six, she participated in an exhibition in Moscow featuring Martina Navratilova. At nine years old, she started her formal training at Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Florida, USA. Sharapova has received as much attention for her outstanding abilities in tennis as she has for her good looks.

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Gearing up: Ingrid Callot's list of basic must-haves for every green thumb

It is me again, Ingrid Callot, at your service. Today, I won’t be addressing the common quandaries of women, such as fashion disaster and closet mayhem. Instead, I’ll be writing more about my “green awakening.”

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I used to live life like every average mortal soul does – without a care about ozone thinning or global warming. At least until after I woke from a hellish nightmare where an army of trash bins chased me through town. Then, acid rain began to pour, burning my skin. I was literally screaming my lungs out when my husband Roger shook me awake, looking just as frightened as I was. That night, I vowed to adopt a healthier lifestyle and after days of reading up on green living, I set out to build my own garden.

Now I share the Ingrid Callot List of Basic Must-Haves for every green thumb (wannabe):

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Standard shovel and spade
Often used interchangeably, here’s a wee bit of def to differentiate the spade from the shovel. A spade is for digging and removing earth while a shovel is used for digging, lifting, and moving massive objects.

Rake
This is primarily used for light weeding, leveling, loosening the soil, and collecting leaves, hay, grass, and other similar objects.  

Hoe
Also used to move around small amounts of soil, a hoe is used mainly for hilling and creating narrow furrows or shallow trenches.  

Watering can
While having a hose might be convenient, a watering can is much easier to use for jobs too small for a hose.

Ingrid Callot made a vow to adopt a healthier lifestyle after waking from a nightmare where an army of trash bins chased her through town.

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Trowel
This hand tool comes in a variety of types. But generally, it is used for breaking up the earth or digging small holes in preparation to planting, weeding, mixing fertilizers, and other additives, or transferring plants to pots.

Wheelbarrow and cart
So what’s the difference? A wheelbarrow, which is quite smaller, sometimes comes in one wheel, and is used to lift objects around. On the other hand, a cart is much larger, often pushed or pulled by one or more people.

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